^y Of mfictfS^ 
 
 
 BX6217 .H3 1839 
 
 Hall, Robert, 1764-1831. 
 
 Wort:^ of Robert Hall A.M. : with a brie 
 
 memoir of his Ufe, and a crilical estimate 
 
<^ 
 
 i^ JAN 23 1911 
 
 WORKS 
 
 EGBERT HALLrA.M, 
 
 WITH 
 
 A MEMOIR OF HIS LIFE, 
 
 AND A CRITICAL ESTIMATE OF HIS CHARACTER AND WRITINGS. 
 
 Originally published in Six Volumes, Svo. 
 
 UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF 
 
 OLINTHUS GREGORY, LL.D., RR.A.S. 
 
 Late Professor of ^Jathemalics in the Royal Military Academy. 
 
 VOL. VI. 
 
 SERMONS. MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. — INDEX. 
 
 IContron : 
 SAMUEL HOLDSWORTH, 
 
 AMEN CORNER, PATERNOSTER ROW. 
 
 ::m dccc xxxix. 
 
 ?5r 
 
PRINTED BY JOHN HADDON, CASTLE STRBBT, 
 
CONTENTS OF VOL. VI. 
 
 SERMONS. 
 
 Page 
 
 I. The Spirituality of the Divine Nature ... 1 
 
 IT. The Glory of God in Concealing 2t 
 
 III. On the Duty, Happiness, and Honour of Maintain- 
 ing the Course prescribed to us by Provi- 
 dence 57 
 
 IV. Christ's Pre-existence, Condescension, and Exalta- 
 tion 69 
 
 V. The Glory of Christ's Kingdom 89 
 
 VI. God's Ways, though often Inscrutable, are Righte- 
 ous, and Just 104 
 
 VII. On the Discouragements of Pious Men .... 117 
 
 VIII. The Vanity of Man Apart from his Immortality . 129 
 
 IX. Death, the last Enemy shall be destroyed ... 140 
 X. The Success of Missions depends upon the Agency 
 
 of the Spirit 158 
 
 XI. The Signs of the Times 181 
 
 XII. The Love of Life . 196 
 
 # 
 
IV CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 XIII. The Lamb of God 2^i3 ' 
 
 XIY. The Advantages of Civil Government, contrasted 
 with the Blessings of the Spiritual Kingdom 
 
 of Jesus Christ 227 
 
 XV. The Enlargement of Christian Benevolence . . 238 
 
 XVI. Marks of Love to God 249 
 
 XVII. The Joy of Angels over a Repenting Sinner . . 26') 
 XVIII. Nature and Danger of Evil Communications . . 27-3 
 XIX. The Evils of Idolatry and the Means of its Aboli- 
 tion 2'. ''2 
 
 XX. Christ's Mission for the Adoption of Sons in the 
 
 Fulness of Time 302 
 
 XXI. Pomts of Agreement in the State of the Rich and 
 
 the Poor 3i2.3 
 
 FRAGMENTS. 
 
 Defence of Village Preaching 351 
 
 Note by the Editor 347 
 
 The Impolicy of Intolerance 3C8 
 
 On Toleration 370 
 
 On the Right of Worship 387 
 
 MISCELLAXEOUS PIECES. 
 
 Character of Cleander 405 
 
 A Reverie 410 
 
 An Essay on Poetry and Philosophy 421 
 
SERMONS 
 
 I. 
 
 THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 Isaiah xxxi. 3. — TIlp- Egyptians are vien, and not God; and their 
 horses flesh, and not spirit.* 
 
 [preached at CAMBRIDGE, APRIL 14, 1822, AND AT BRISTOL IN 
 AUGUST, 1824.] 
 
 Among the sins to which the ancient Israelites were 
 addicted, one of the most prevailing was a disposition, in 
 seasons of invasion or calamity, to place confidence in 
 the power of surrounding nations, and to seek the 
 assistance of their sovereigns instead of trusting in the 
 living God. By this they frecjuently incurred divine 
 chastisement, and in some instances even divine derelic- 
 tion. Egypt, being the largest monarchy in their 
 immediate neighbourhood, was frequently their refuge in 
 times of distress and difficulty. Their guilt in thus 
 departing from God was greatly aggravated, on account 
 of the intimate relation which he sustained to them as 
 their king and sovereign, by virtue of which he had 
 engaged to protect them by his mighty power so long as 
 they adhered to his service and allegiance ; while the fre- 
 quent manifestation of his uncontrollable dominion over 
 the natural world, displayed in the signal deliverances 
 he had wrought for them, rendered the transfer of their 
 confidence from him to "an arm of flesh," .equally 
 
 * Printed from the Notes of Joshua Wilson, Esq. See Vol. V. pp. 
 113—118, for Mr. Hall's brief notes of the same sermon. 
 VOL. VI. B 
 
2 SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 criminal and foolish. " TVoe to them," saitli the prophet, 
 " that go do^y^l to Egypt for help ; and stay on horses, 
 and trust in chariots, because they are many ; and in 
 horsemen, because they are very strong ; but they look 
 not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!"* 
 Then, in a strain of pointed irony, he severely reproves 
 their preference, by reminding them that God possessed 
 those qualities of foresight and force, which justified 
 entire dependence ; and that whatever grounds for con- 
 fidence they fancied to exist in the character of the 
 Egyptian potentate, were found in a degree infinitely 
 greater in that of the Almighty — " Yet he also is wise, 
 and will bring evil, and will not call back his words : 
 (alluding to the conduct of Pharaoh, who had often 
 broken the promises and violated the engagements he had 
 made) but will arise against the house of the evil-doers, 
 and against the help of them that work iniquity :" He 
 will not only rise against the workers of iniquity, but 
 against their helpers also ; and will cause them all to fail 
 together ; " for the Egyptians are men, and not God ; 
 and their horses flesh, and not spirit." 
 
 In these words we are reminded of an important and 
 infinite disparity between God and man ; arising from a 
 great peculiarity in the character of the former, which 
 rendered the Egyptian monarch and his cavalry infinitely 
 inferior to Him in power, and all those other qualities 
 which entitle the possessor of them to confidence and trust. 
 
 It is my design to suggest to you some of those views 
 of the character of the Supreme Being, inseparably 
 connected with the spirituality of his nature, in which 
 he stands contrasted with all other beings whatsoever. 
 
 I. The spirituality of the Deity is intimately connected 
 with the possession of that infinite, unlimited power, 
 which renders him the proper object of entire confidence. 
 
 There is a vulgar prejudice in favour of matter and 
 against spirit, as if the former were possessed of great 
 force, while the latter is only invested with a feeble 
 degree of energy. This prejudice arises from our mis- 
 
 * Isaiah xxxi. 1. 
 
SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 3 
 
 taking secondary and remote effects for causes, allowing 
 them therefore to terminate our view, instead of ascend- 
 ing from those laws of nature which God has established 
 to himself, the supreme cause. Hence, in contemplating 
 the operations of the elements of nature in producing 
 great and important changes, we are apt to think of 
 matter, and of matter in its most gross and palpable 
 form. These changes certainly indicate the existence of 
 great power, which, at the first view, we are apt to con- 
 nect with the material part of the system. We are also 
 practically acquainted with the mechanical forces, and, 
 seeing that these are exerted through the medium of 
 matter, we are thence led to suppose that to be the 
 source of power. We find that we are incapable of 
 operating on matter, of moving even an atom by a mere 
 act of our will ; a material medium is necessary to 
 enable us to produce the slightest change on the objects 
 of nature ; and, if a material substance is brought to 
 bear upon them, the most important effects are produced. 
 We have no power of operating on the objects immedi- 
 ately around us, but by means of our bodies ; and 
 the changes that take place are always connected with 
 certain motions in them, which enable us to come into 
 contact with the visible world. Hence we are apt to 
 terminate our ideas of power in matter. But in these 
 cases it is mind, and mind alone, which is the seat 
 of power. The influence which our bodies have upon 
 other bodies, whereby their relative position is changed, 
 is merely a secondary efi*ect — an effect of that act of 
 will which produces the motion of our bodies. The 
 power by which all changes are effected through the in- 
 strumentality of the body, resides immediately in the 
 mind. It is that mysterious principle called Will, which 
 the Divine Being has invested with a control over the 
 various parts of our bodies ; nor have we power to alter 
 the state of a single external thing, in the least degree, 
 except by means of volition, which is a mental power, 
 operating immediately upon the body. No other account 
 can be given of this capacity, but that the Divine Being 
 has endowed us with instantaneous control over the 
 
4 SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 muscular parts of our bodies. AVe can conceive nothing 
 intermediate between the act of the will and the move- 
 ment of the muscles. So complete indeed is the 
 dominion of mind over matter, that the moment we will 
 a certain motion in the body, it takes place, and thus only- 
 are we enabled to effect changes in the system of 
 surrounding nature. We probably derive our idea of 
 power from the changes we see effected in this manner ; 
 but all these changes resolve themselves into acts of the 
 will. It is therefore plain that power resides in the mitid, 
 and that matter is in these respects only the instrument 
 of mind, which in the first instance acts, which alone 
 properly acts, and becomes the author of all the subse- 
 quent changes. Mind, indeed, to a certain extent and 
 within a certain sphere, is absolute power ; and whatever 
 motions it wills, instantly take place. Though we are 
 far from supposing for a moment that the Divine Being 
 is the soul of the universe, or that he bears the same 
 relation to the visible world as the soul does to the body 
 — a notion replete with absurdity and impiety ; yet the 
 power which the mind exerts over the whole of our 
 corporeal system, may afford an apt illustration of that 
 control which the Deity exercises over the universe. 
 We will a certain motion in the muscles of our body, 
 and immediately it takes place ; nothing is perceived to 
 intervene between the act of the will and the subsequent 
 motion. By the mysterious constitution of our nature 
 we are capable from a very early period of life, of putting 
 into instantaneous motion the right set of muscles for 
 producing a certain change ; but nothing intervenes 
 between the volition and the change. In vain do we 
 inquire how this takes place, because we can find nothing 
 which comes between the operation of the will and the 
 change produced in our corporeal frame. 
 
 Conceive the Divine Being as a spirit, having the same 
 dominion over the invisible universe, in every part of 
 space, as that which our minds possess over every portion 
 of our bodies ; and then you will perceive, faintly at 
 least, the origin of that power, the indications of which 
 aye so visible throughout the universe. He has only to 
 
SPIRITUALITY OP THE DIVINE NATURE. O 
 
 will tlie most important changes, and tliey are instantly 
 accomplished. " He speaks, and it is done ; he com- 
 mands, and it stands fast." " He said. Let there be light, 
 and there was light." No causes intervene between the 
 volition and the change which ensues ; for in the Deity 
 to will is to effect. Being an infinite Spirit, and coming 
 into immediate contact with all parts of the universe, he 
 is capable, by a mere act of will, of efi'ecting all possible 
 changes in the same manner, but in an infinitely higher 
 degree, as we are capable, by an act of our will, of 
 causing certain motions in the muscular parts of our 
 body, and thus producing changes in the external objects 
 ai'ound us. 
 
 We shall find it impossible to give any account of 
 innumerable changes which are continually taking place 
 in the visible world, without tracing them up to mind. 
 There cannot be a clearer proof of a Deity, than the 
 existence of motion. This evidently appears not to be 
 essential to matter, because we see a very great portion 
 of the material universe without it. Not being, therefore, 
 an original state of matter, but merely an incident, it 
 must be an eifect. But since matter, not being intelli- 
 gent, cannot be the cause of its own motion — and yet 
 we cannot conceive of any atom beginning to move with 
 out a cause— that cause must be found out of itself 
 AYhatever may be the nearest cause, or the number of 
 secondary causes ; though innumerable portions of mat- 
 ter may be reciprocally or successively moved ; though 
 the series of links in the chain through which motion is 
 propagated may be indefinitely multiplied ; we must, in 
 order to arrive at the origin of these various phenomena, 
 ascend to mind, terminate our inquiries in spirit ; nor 
 can we account for the beginning, much less for the con- 
 tinuance and extension of motion, unless we trace it to 
 the will of that Being, who is the cause of all causes — 
 tlie great original mover in the universe. Power is, 
 therefore, the attribute of mind ; instrumentality that of 
 body. When we read, in the Old Testament, of the 
 most exalted achievements ascribed to angelic spirits, we 
 cannot suppose that it is owing to any gross materialism 
 
6 SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 which they possess ; on the contrary', they have no 
 bodies capable of being investigated by our senses ; and 
 in proportion as they are more attenuated, do they pos- 
 sess greater power. We have reason to beheve that all 
 finite minds are under the direction of the Supreme 
 Power, who, %vithout destroying their accountability or 
 interfering with their free agency, makes all their opera- 
 tions subservient to the accomplishment of his counsels. 
 Hence all opposition to the Deity is beautifully repre- 
 sented by Isaiah, as if the instrument should rebel 
 against him that wields it, as if " the rod should shake 
 itself against them that lift it up ;" or " the staff should 
 lift up itself against him that is no wood."* All created 
 beings, in this respect, are but instruments in the hand 
 of the Deity, whose will is sovereign over them. 
 
 The Divine Being, as the great Father of spirits, com- 
 bines within himself all the separate energies found in 
 the universe. He is the source, origin, and fountain of 
 all power diffused through creation. The very minds 
 which he has formed are kept in mysterious subordina- 
 tion, and can never overstep the bounds he has assigned 
 them. " Once have I heard this, that power belongs 
 unto God." 
 
 II. The spirituality of God stands in close and inti- 
 mate connexion with his invisibility, or that property 
 by which he is completely removed from the notice of 
 our senses, especially that of sight. 
 
 This is one of the perfections claimed by him in sacred 
 writ, one of the attributes which the Scriptures perpetu- 
 ally ascribe to him. He is styled by the apostle Paul 
 the " King eternal, immortal, invisible." — " the blessed 
 and only Potentate," — " whom no man hath seen, nor can 
 see."f " No man^' said our Saviour, " hath seen the 
 Father at any tinie." He is the invisible God. Were he 
 the object of sight, he must be limited. Whatever 
 manifestations he may make of himself, it is utterly im- 
 possible that his essence, or He himself, should ever be 
 the object of our corporeal sensations ; for these extend 
 
 • Isaiah x. 15 ; Bishop Lowth's translation. f 1 Tim. vi. 15, 16. 
 
SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 7 
 
 only to visible and sensible objects. He cannot tlierefore 
 be represented to the human imagination, or be figured 
 out by any art or skill of man ; agreeably to the 
 sublimest discourse of the apostle to the Athenians.* 
 He was pleased, indeed, in former times, to aflford to his 
 ancient people in the w^ilderness, and afterwards in the 
 tabernacle and the temple, some outward tokens of his 
 presence, but these were not any display of his essence. 
 Moses, when warning the people against forming any 
 graven image, or picture of the Deity, expressly declares 
 that they " saw no manner of similitude on the day that 
 the Lord spake unto them in Horeb."t The third com- 
 mandment contains an express injunction against exhi- 
 biting any representation of the Deity to the eyes of 
 mankind. Hence we may perceive the great impiety of 
 those sects of christians, in difi'erent parts of the world, 
 especially of the church of Rome, who have attempted 
 to paint and figure out the persons of the Trinity, in ex- 
 press contradiction to this divine edict, " Thou shalt not 
 make to thyself any graven image, or the likeness";}: &c. 
 The worship of that erroneous and idolatrous church 
 consists very much in acts of homage paid to these exter- 
 nal representations ; and, though her advocates profess 
 that they are merely required as media, yet we cannot 
 but fear, that the view is too often terminated upon them, 
 and the Divine Being thus supplanted of that spiritual 
 worship which he claims in consequence of being a spirit. 
 We need not wonder, therefore, at the pains taken by 
 that church to suppress the second commandment : 
 entirely omitting that precept in some of her formularies, 
 and dividing another commandment into two to make up 
 the number ten. The necessary effect of any attempt 
 to exhibit the Deity to the human senses, by pictures or 
 images, must be to degrade to an incalculable degree, oux 
 conceptions of him; partly as it circumscribes what 
 is unlimited, and partly as it is adapted to mingle the 
 passions and atFections of the human nature with our 
 conception of the Divine. The notion of an Infinite 
 
 * Acts xvii. 24—29. f Deiit. iv. 15. J Exod. xx. 4, 5. 
 
8 SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 Being is utterly inconsistent witli any outward figure or 
 shape, which would confine, to a certain determinate 
 portion of space, Him who declares of himself, '' Do not 
 I Jill heaven and earth ?" and thus limit the infinite pre- 
 sence and majesty of the great Eternal. No sooner do 
 men attempt to make the Deity an object of their senses, 
 than they begin to think him altogether such an one as 
 themselves. Descending from the high and holy place 
 where the Divine Being dwells, the mind, accustomed to 
 contemplate him under a visible form, gradually sinks 
 lower and lower in approximation to its own level, till 
 at last men come to conceive of him as compassed with 
 infirmities like themselves. Hence, where such represen- 
 tations of Deity have prevailed, images of other beings, 
 more suited to their gross taste, have been introduced ; 
 at first angels ; but at length, by a natural process, the 
 chief place in their religious aflfections has become occu- 
 pied by the Virgin Mary, and other saints of inferior 
 character, who have received much greater abundance of 
 these marks of devotion and homage than the Supreme 
 Being himself So impossible is it for the church of 
 Rome, to purge itself from the charge of that idolatry 
 ■which the Scriptures most severely denounce. Were 
 there no other reason to deter persons from the commu- 
 nion of that church, her profane tampering with the very 
 elements of devotion, and poisoning the first principles 
 of religion, were alone sufficient to inspire all true chris- 
 tians with the utmost abhorrence. For, the same 
 authority which forbids the transfer of worship from a 
 right to a wrong object, also stigmatizes all deviation from 
 the prescribed standard, in the manner of worshipping 
 the Divine Being himself Could we see nothing of a 
 tendency to lead on to greater abominations in this 
 " chamber of imagery," till it terminate in hero and idol 
 worship, nay, in the worship of wood and stone, it is ex- 
 pressly forbidden ; and this prohibition alone is sufficient 
 to stamp it with the character of impiety. 
 
 III. That God is a spirit, and not flesh, is inseparably 
 connected -with his immensity and omnipresence, or the 
 capacity of being present in all parts of his creation. 
 
SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 9 
 
 Omnipresence is an attribute which both reason and 
 scripture teach us to ascribe to the Deity, and which he 
 repeatedly assumes to himself : " Am I a God at hand, 
 saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide 
 himself in secret places that I shall not see him ? saith 
 the Lord ? Do not I fill heaven and earth ? saith the 
 Lord."-- "Whither," says the Psalmist, "shall I go 
 from thy spirit ? or whither shall I flee from thy pre- 
 sence ? if I ascend up into heaven, thou art there : if 
 I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I 
 take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utter- 
 most parts of the sea ; even there shall thy hand lead 
 me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say. Surely 
 the darkness shall cover me ; even the night shall be 
 light about me. Yea, the darkness hidetli not from 
 thee ; but the night shineth as the day : the darkness 
 and the light are both alike to thee."t We are taught 
 to believe that the essence of the Divine Being is dif- 
 fused over all space— that there is not an atom existing 
 in its boundless extent which he does not fill vnth his 
 presence and energy. Were his nature material this 
 could not be, for the following reasons : — 
 
 1. It is necessary that matter should have some Ji^ure, 
 without which we cannot even conceive it to exist, whe- 
 ther we regard it as a whole, and include the aggregate 
 of material substances, or look at the several portions of 
 which that aggregate consists, and contemplate its parts 
 as having a separate existence. Figure seems essential 
 to the conception of all matter ; but that which has any 
 assignable figure must be circumscribed within a certain 
 outline ; there must, then, be some point of space where 
 it terminates, and where vacuity begins, consequently it 
 must be limited. To conceive, therefore, of the Divine 
 Being as material, would be to involve ourselves in ab- 
 surdity ; for matter infinitely extended implies a contra- 
 diction, by uniting two opposite and irreconcilable sup- 
 positions.^ 
 
 2. If matter were unlimited there would be no possi- 
 
 « Jer. xxiii. 23, 24. f Ps. cxxxix. 7-12. 
 
10 SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 bility of motion ; but this is a supposition contrary to 
 fact and experience ; for we perceive that motion every 
 ■where exists. It is obvious that there could be no mo- 
 tion unless there were some space not previously occu- 
 pied by body. In a perfect plenum, motion would be 
 impossible, because there would be no possibility of con- 
 ceiving that space into which the fust moving body 
 might pass. 
 
 3. If the Divine Being were material, it would be im- 
 possible that he should be infinite in his essence, fill all 
 space, penetrate all substances, pervade all minds ; be- 
 cause, on that supposition, he would render impossible 
 the co-existence of created beings. We cannot conceive 
 of two portions of matter occupying the same part of 
 space. Were the Deity therefore material, he must ex- 
 clude all other matter from the space he occupies ; and 
 since he is infinite, that exclusion must be perfect and 
 entire : but this, being contrary to physical fact, is cer- 
 tainly contrary to intellectual truth. Whereas God, 
 being a spirit, subsists in a totally difi'erent manner from 
 all material substances ; his manner of existence being 
 altogether peculiar to himself, and such as we cannot 
 adequately conceive. It follows, however, that any ma- 
 terial substance and the Divine Being are capable of 
 being present in the same place, at the same time, with- 
 out destroying each other's properties and attributes. 
 Such a Being also can be equally present at one and the 
 same moment in innumerable myriads of worlds, and to 
 all parts of the universe .... 
 
 The Infinite Spirit is present with every part of his 
 creation, as intimately as the soul of man is present 
 throughout all the parts of that corporeal substance 
 which it animates and sustains. His essence is dif- 
 fused over all space. He is intimately present with 
 all his creatures, as intimately as they are to them- 
 selves ; is perfectly acquainted with the thoughts of all 
 intelligent beings ; unites himself with the very con- 
 stitution of their nature. They exist within the grasp 
 
SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. ] 1 
 
 of his omnipotence, within the perpetual comprehen- 
 sion of his presence, within the sphere of his energy, 
 and the light of his countenance. " In him they live, 
 and move, and have their being." "We frequently speak 
 of God dwelling in the world, by the manifestations of 
 his power and providence ; but it may with equal truth 
 be said, that the world dwells in God ; all creatures being 
 surrounded by his presence, and enclosed in his essence. 
 We cannot for a moment conceive of such a being as 
 separated from any part of the universe, or point of 
 space : all creatures, spiritual and material, subsist in 
 Him who, maintaining his own separate existence dis- 
 tinct from the external world, exercises absolute univer- 
 sal dominion over all the beings he has formed. This 
 particular property of his nature, this peculiar mode of 
 his existence, renders him capable of being the all-com- 
 prehending God, of holding in his own hand all the 
 innumerable creatures he has formed. 
 
 IV. Because God is a spirit, and not flesh, he is pos- 
 sessed of infinite wisdom and intelligence. 
 
 This seems to be a necessary property of that Being, 
 who, himself unbounded and filling all things, must be 
 present to all his creatures at all times, with the same 
 plenitude of perfection as at the very instant of their 
 creation. We cannot conceive for a moment of any in- 
 terval betwixt him and them, which might exclude them 
 from his view. They must ever be in immediate contact 
 with him, and the objects of his perpetual vision. He 
 is not obliged to change his place in order to observe 
 and take cognizance of them. This presence of God 
 with his creatures being infinite and eternal, his infinite 
 acquaintance with them seems to be a necessary conse- 
 quence. He that formed all things does not quit any 
 portion of his vast empire when he retires to the " high 
 and secret place of his sanctuary." He needs not to 
 vary his position towards his creatures, in order to obtain 
 a more advantageous situation, or catch the benefit of 
 changing lights, for the purpose of making a more accu- 
 rate scrutiny of any of them. Every one is as much 
 within his survey at one moment as at another ; he is 
 
12 SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 continually present to them, with the same plenitude of 
 power as that which was exerted in their formation out 
 of nothing. Every movement, both of spirit and mat- 
 ter, is performed " in him," and must therefore be im- 
 mediately within his notice. It is impossible that any 
 thing should elude or escape the light of his counte- 
 nance, or that any darkness should cover, from his view, 
 those beings which he has created. Hence, he is per- 
 fectly acquainted with the thoughts of all hearts, and the 
 secret springs of all the actions of his rational, intelligent 
 creatures. We are obliged to judge of men's character 
 by their actions ; he judges of their actions by their 
 motives : we can only trace the streams, and by them 
 judge of the fountain whence they proceed ; he pene- 
 trates the hidden spring and source : we form a few con- 
 jectures of what is passing in man, by the outward exhi- 
 bitions of his conduct; he, in consequence of the 
 knowledge he possesses of the very constitution of those 
 beings who have been called into existence by his divine 
 power, detects at once the secret springs of all their ac- 
 tions. — " Man looketh on the outward appearance, but 
 the Lord looketh at the heart." He qualifies all our 
 actions by immediate attention to the causes whence 
 they proceed : ^ the inotive is that which determines the 
 action in his sight, and his judgement is always accord- 
 ing to truth. " By him actions are weighed." While 
 we are continually liable to be mistaken, and our judge- 
 ments and censures, often rash and misplaced, are 
 always uncertain ; his eye pierces the thickest shades of 
 darkness. The gloom of midnight and the splendour of 
 noon are only distinctions with respect to us ; in regard 
 to him, there is no difference: "With him the night 
 shineth as the day ; the darkness and the light are both 
 alike to him." There can be no folly therefore so great 
 as for a creature to attempt to conceal himself from the 
 inspection and scrutiny of his IMaker. He is within us : 
 "in him we live, and move, and have our being." We 
 need no other proof that he knows the secrets of the 
 heart, than that he is present with its most hidden re- 
 cesses. Hence, in the Psalm already referred to, the 
 
SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 13 
 
 Psalmist infers liis infinite cognizance of his creatures, 
 from the fact of his incessant and intimate presence with 
 them. The infinite knowledge which God has of his 
 works, is indeed inseparahly connected with this part of 
 his character. As the Infinite Spirit— the great Father 
 of spirits— he is the som-ce of all the intelligence and 
 wisdom which exist in created spirits. He must be 
 perfectly acquainted with all the operations and results 
 of all other minds, since he has constituted them, and 
 they are entirely the effect of his o^^'n intelligence and 
 wisdom. AYhen the heathen world lost sight of the 
 spirituaHty of God, they also lost sight of his omnisci- 
 ence ; and, after gradually sinking lower in proportion as 
 they receded farther from that view of his character, 
 their notions of him became at length so debased, that 
 they invested him with a corporeal form. The spiritu- 
 ality of the divine nature, having been attested by the 
 Saviour, and made one of the principles of his religion, 
 has raised the conceptions of the human mmd far be- 
 yond what the greatest philosophers could previously 
 attain ; and enabled children to surpass, in both spiritual 
 and intellectual illumination, the sages of pagan antiquity. 
 • * % -^ * * * 
 
 V. The doctrine of the spirituality of the divine na- 
 ture establishes a most intimate relation between hmi 
 and all his intelligent creatures : it becomes a bond ot 
 the most subtile union between himself and the intellec- 
 tual part of the creation. 
 
 He stands in close and intimate relation to all crea- 
 tures : their dependence on him is absolute, their sub- 
 jection to him constant and incessant ; but in a special 
 manner is he the Father of spirits. The relation between 
 father and child is very intimate ; but that between 
 God and man is much more so. An earthly parent is 
 but the instrument ; God is the author of our existence : 
 one is the father of the flesh ; the other of the spirit 
 In proportion as the spirit is the most important part oi 
 human nature, this relation which we sustain to God is 
 most essential, interesting, and extensive. The body 
 connects us with the material universe around us; the 
 
14 SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 soul connects us immediately with the Deity. At death, 
 the body returns to the earth, its native element ; " the 
 spirit returns to God that gave it." The body has a 
 tendency to separate us from God, by the dissimilarity 
 of its nature ; the soul, on the contrary, unites us again 
 to him, hj means of those principles and faculties which, 
 though infinitely inferior, are of a character congenial 
 with his own. The body is the production of God, the 
 
 soul is his image 
 
 To estrange ourselves from God is therefore to be 
 guilty of a new and most enonnous kind of offence : it 
 is forgetting our proper parent, the author of our being, 
 the very soui-ce of our existence. To love him, to seek 
 union with him in the closest manner possible, is to re- 
 turn to our proper original — to seek Him from whom all 
 our powers are derived, and by whom alone they can be 
 sustained in time, and must be consummated and com- 
 pleted in eternity. If you were to see a person manifest 
 no desire for the presence of an earthly parent, you 
 would be shocked at the spectacle, and would be ready 
 to represent him as a prodigy of ingratitude. How much 
 more would it affect a well-constituted mind to behold 
 a creature seeking estrangement from his Heavenly 
 Parent — living in forgetfulness of Him. This would 
 appear matter of the greatest astonishment, were men to 
 withdraw themselves from sensible objects, and retire 
 into their own minds, for the purpose of serious reflec- 
 tion. The prophet calls on heaven and earth to sympa- 
 thize with him in this emotion : " Hear, O heavens, 
 and give ear, O earth ; for the Lord hath spoken : I 
 have nourished and brought up children, and they have 
 rebelled against me."'^ 
 
 * -A- * * * 
 
 YI. The spirituality of the di\-ine nature renders him 
 capable of the exalted prerogative of being the satisfy- 
 ing portion, the supreme good, of all intelligent beings. 
 
 It is in consequence of being a spirit, that he is pro- 
 perly fitted to be the Supreme Good ; not merely the 
 
 * Isaiah i. 2. 
 
SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 15 
 
 dispenser of those outward benefits which gratify the 
 corporeal appetites, and sustain our transitory state in 
 this world ; not only the author, but the immediate 
 source, the very element of our happiness — in conse- 
 quence of those properties of his nature which are con- 
 genial with our own. JMany are willing to acknowledge 
 their dependence on the power and providence of God 
 for those good things, the possession of which the world 
 calls happiness, such as riches, honours, pleasures ; they 
 expect to be made happy by means of his influence over 
 inferior creatures, exerted in putting things in a train for 
 that purpose. But the devout man ascends to God him- 
 self, as the source and spring of happiness, in the con- 
 templation of whom, and in whose friendship and love, 
 consists eternal life : he regards him as the highest good, 
 the source of felicity to the intelligent universe, the very 
 principle of good. The Psalmist recognized the Divine 
 Being under this character, and he has been so recog- 
 nized by the faithful in every age and every nation ; 
 " The Lord is my portion, saith my soul ; therefore will 
 I hope in him. The Lord is good" unto them that wait 
 for him, to the soul that seeketh him/"^ We find holy 
 men casting their eyes round upon all that is in heaven 
 and on earth .... then collecting all into one great 
 aggregate, and solemnly relinquishing the whole, tramp- 
 ling it hi the dust, in order to ascend to God, and rest 
 m his love. " Whom," says the Psalmist, " have I in 
 heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I de- 
 sire beside thee ; my flesh and my heart faileth, but God 
 is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. 
 My soul thirsteth for God, my heart and my flesh cry 
 out for the living God." To know thee, the only true 
 God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, this, this is 
 life eternal. The Divine Being not only sustains towards 
 us the character of a governor, ruling our wills by his 
 holy law, but is also the chief object of our affections ; 
 and we never know him aright till we feel thus towards 
 him ; till we obey him from the heart, perceiving in him 
 
 * Lam. iii. 24,25. Psalm Ixxiii. 25, 2G. 
 
16 SPIRITUALITY OF THE DITINE NATURE. 
 
 that which is suited to the nature of our immortal 
 minds, and resting in him as our eternal and unchanging 
 portion. If you do not ascend as high as tliis, you will 
 never find any rest for your soul, you will wander 
 through eternity restless and unsatisfied : " The height 
 will say. It is not in me ; and the depth, It is not in 
 me ;" and every voice will answer us with scorn unless 
 we Hsten to that which now issues from the secret pre- 
 sence of the Almighty : " Acquaint thyself with me^ and 
 be at peace." All that we can derive from creatures is 
 partial, scanty, limited, and precarious ; and even that is 
 the effect of his power, the fruit of his munificence : 
 but with Him is the fountain of life, '• in his presence 
 is fulness of joy, at his right hand are pleasm-es for 
 evermore." He manifests himself to his people, as he 
 does not to the world. The communion they enjoy with 
 the Father of their spirits, forms an essential part of the 
 experience of all real christians. How intimately this is 
 connected with the spirituality of the divine nature will 
 appear, if you consider a few things which naturally 
 arise from a view of the present subject. 
 
 1. That which constitutes the felicity of the mind 
 must be something out of it. Whoever retires into his 
 own mind for happiness, will soon find himself misera- 
 ble ; he will feel imprisoned till he is permitted to go 
 forth and unite himself in affection and confidence to 
 something out of himself. Hence those who are most 
 insulated, and cut off from all contact with others, are 
 styled, by way of distinction, misers, and are truly the 
 most miserable of men. There cannot be a greater pic- 
 ture of abject wretchedness, than a man, entirely con- 
 fined to himself, possessing none of those sensibilities 
 which attach mind to mind, and heart to heart — a 
 stranger to that reciprocation of feeling and affection 
 between kindred minds, which is the very balm of life. 
 But where shall we find, out of ourselves, that which is 
 not, like ourselves, changing, uncertain, and liable to 
 decay, except in God, the Eternal Spirit, who, being 
 essentially incorruptible and immortal, is qualified to be 
 the everlasting, inexhaustible spring of satisfaction to all 
 
SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 17 
 
 his intelligent creatures ? In fellovvsliip with him may 
 be enjoyed to the uttermost all that is tender and de- 
 lightful in the emotions which friendship is adapted to 
 inspire, at the same time that in the contemplation of all 
 those great and excellent qualities which elevate and 
 dignify his character, may be awakened the awe which 
 vastness and power are fitted to excite ; and both to- 
 gether may well be supposed capable of filhng the mind 
 with a calm and peaceful rapture, to eternity. If the 
 friendship of a fellow-creature be capable of affording 
 such exquisite delight, how divine a delectation must 
 flow from union of heart with the Deity ! 
 
 2. He who can always confer happiness on another 
 being must be superior to that being. To be the source 
 of happiness is the highest prerogative, the greatest pre- 
 eminence, that one being can possess over another; it is, 
 in fact, to be his God. It is plain that we must look 
 higher than ourselves, and trust to the intervention of a 
 power greatly superior to our own, for the source and 
 perpetuity of our happiness. Hence the Psalmist prays : 
 " When my heart is overwhelmed within me, lead me 
 to the Rock that is higher than I." The Divine Being 
 possesses this qualification in the highest degi'ee ; he is 
 the Infinite Spirit ; — to him alone it belongs to say to 
 
 any created being, " I will be thy God." He 
 
 only is capable of bestowing and assuring true, perma- 
 nent, unchanging felicity, at all periods, and through all 
 duration ; of doing, in short, " exceeding abundantly 
 above all that we ask or think, according to his riches 
 in glory by Christ Jesus." The earth in this respect 
 with all its riches is indigent ; even the splendour of im- 
 mortality is dark, as to any power capable of guiding 
 man to happiness, independently of the Great Eternal. 
 It belongs to him as the Father of Spirits ; for he alone 
 possesses that power and dominion over all beings which 
 is necessary in order to render him the portion and hap- 
 piness of his people. 
 
 3. That in which the happiness of a rational and 
 mental creature consists must be congenial to the nature 
 of that creature. The body may be made happy by cor- 
 
 VOL. VI. c 
 
18 SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 poreal objects, adapted to gratify its senses ; mind can 
 never be made happy except by mental objects. It re- 
 jects with contempt and disdain all sensible delights as 
 its portion. The understanding must be satisfied with 
 the light of truth, or we cannot, as rational creatures, be 
 free from disquietude ; the aifections must be satisfied in 
 the lovely qualities of character, before the heart can 
 find rest. Where these requisites are wanting, men often 
 languish in the midst of plenty ; though surrounded by 
 the means of enjoyment, cast a lingering, despairing 
 view around ; and sometimes feel disposed to envy those 
 inferior creatures which are placed beneath the level of 
 rationality. But the mental and spiritual excellencies 
 and perfections requisite to constitute the adequate por- 
 tion of mental and spiritual beings, can only be found in 
 God, who must therefore be the proper good of a think- 
 ing creature. 
 
 4. That which forms the principle of our felicity must 
 be something that is capable of communicating itself to 
 us. Creatures solely material are entirely incapable of 
 doing this. Sensual pleasures can never reach our in- 
 terior nature : they are not sufficiently subtile to consti- 
 tute the source of delight to the mind ; they touch only 
 the grosser elements of our susceptil)ility, and do not 
 penetrate sufficiently deep to be the proper basis of our 
 enjoyment. But God, as he is a spirit, is capable of 
 communicating himself to the spirits of his rational crea- 
 tures. Spirit naturally comes into contact with spirit ; 
 and this communication of himself is infinitely easy to 
 the Divine Being, He can manifest himself to the 
 hearts of his people, disclose the glory of his name to 
 them more and more, open perpetually fresh views of his 
 character, give them fresh sensations of ineffable delight 
 in the contemplation of his excellence, lead them forward 
 from one department of his perfections to another, and 
 make the whole creation itself speak forth his praises. 
 Thus may he accumulate the materials of ceaseless rap- 
 ture to eternity ; elevating his worshippers perpetually 
 in adoration, at the same time that he lays them lower 
 in prostration before him. Hence we are taught in the 
 
SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 19 
 
 Scriptures to believe that these communications and dis- 
 closures of himself by the Deity will constitute the 
 fehcity of heaven — this intimate union between the 
 hearts of his creatures and his o\^^l essential character, 
 there described as the vision of God, or the intuitive 
 knowledge of him as a spirit, will form the principal in- 
 gredient of future happiness. Our Saviour represents 
 himself as the source of this happiness ; " Father, I will 
 that they also whom thou hast given me be with me 
 where I am, that they may behold my glory."* The 
 apostle Paul, also, speaking of the perfection of the hap- 
 piness of heaven, describes it as resulting from the im- 
 mediate sight of the Divine glory. " Now we see 
 through a glass darkly, but then shall we see face to 
 face ; now I know in part, then shall I know even as 
 also I am known." 
 
 Even while they continue on earth, it is the privilege 
 of the faithful to enjoy that union and alliance with the 
 Father of spirits, through his Son, by virtue of which 
 they become one spirit with him. There are favoured 
 seasons, when filled, even to overflowing, with a sense of 
 his love, the wilderness appears to them more beautiful 
 than the peopled city. At such seasons, though all the 
 evils that afflict the flesh may attempt to assail the im- 
 mortal mind, he can be so present to the heart, and im- 
 part to the soul such ecstasies of enjoyment, as will more 
 than overpower the violence of pain, and even prevail 
 over the agonies of death. 
 
 We now proceed to a brief practical improvement of 
 the subject before us : — 
 
 Let us, in contemplating the Divine Being, endeavour 
 to raise ourselves above the association of our minds 
 with what is sensible, visible, and corporeal, and retire 
 within our own nature ; not for the purpose of seeking 
 happiness there, but that we may feel our necessity of 
 God, and perceive the demand which the highest powers 
 of our nature make for such a Being, and the impossi- 
 bility of their finding rest but in his knowledge, obedi- 
 
 * John xvii. 24. 
 c2 
 
20 SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 ence, and love. The natural effect of communion vdth 
 ourselves is to convince us of our own emptiness and 
 nothingness, at the same time that it indicates our native 
 grandeur, inasmuch as there is nothing that can consti- 
 tute our rational portion but God. In your calmest mo- 
 ments, my brethren, you will find that you possess an 
 understanding capable of contemplating God, and that 
 He only can be an adequate object to engage and em- 
 ploy that understanding, because he is the only being ca- 
 pable of affording to you light, happiness, and life, 
 through a boundless eternity. You possess a conscience, 
 which gives a moral character to all your actions, tinc- 
 tures with an evil of its own peculiar kind (the evil of 
 guilt) whatever it condemns, and invests with an attri- 
 bute of moral beauty and rectitude whatever it ap- 
 proves : — whence you will perceive that you never can 
 be happy till conscience is on your side, till the charac- 
 ter of your actions and thoughts is such as will bear the 
 review of that inward monitor. To produce this effect 
 is to harmonize a man with his o^ati conscience — to 
 bring him to be at peace with himself, because at peace 
 with God — to place him on a moral centre, where he 
 can rest self-poised amidst all the fluctuations of the ex- 
 ternal world. You will find within you a susceptibility 
 which recoils from pain and thirsts for pleasures ; not 
 merely those that are corporeal in their nature, but also 
 mental and intellectual, such as those which we taste in 
 friendship, and in the contemplation of virtue and truth. 
 Hence you will perceive that you can never be truly and 
 eternally happy till these affections have an adequate 
 object ; and that never will be found except in the su- 
 preme, eternal, original Spirit. He alone can so com- 
 municate himself to you, and give you such a knowledge 
 of his character, and such a sense of his friendship, as 
 will render you in a great measure independent of all 
 earthly objects. You will perceive that he is fitted to 
 be himself the sole and exclusive object of all these 
 powers ; you will see the propriety and beauty of that 
 exclamation — " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and 
 there is none upon earth I desire in comparison of thee." 
 
SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 21 
 
 Since God is a spirit, and we are principally distin- 
 guished by possessing a rational and immortal nature, 
 there must be an everlasting connexion established be- 
 tween him and us, — either favourable or injurious, of 
 reward or punishment, of mercy or justice, — on which 
 will depend our destiny for ever. There must be a meet- 
 ing of all finite spirits in the presence of the infinite, 
 original Spirit, when an account must be given to God 
 of " the deeds done in the body, whether they be good 
 or evil." Your happiness must eternally consist in the 
 favour of that Being to whom you are perpetually re- 
 sponsible for all the sentiments of your heart, and all 
 the actions of your life. If you die in a state of disobe- 
 dience, impenitence, and alienation from God, you will 
 incur the doom denounced against those whom our Sa- 
 viour threatened that if they believed not in him, but 
 rejected his mission and authority, they should die in 
 their sins. A more aAvful denunciation, who can con- 
 ceive ? — " If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in 
 your sins ; and whither I go, ye cannot come." 
 
 The consequence will be, that the Being whom you 
 have neglected and forgotten will be the constant and 
 eternal source of your misery. You will sink under his 
 frown ; separation from him will be the great cause of 
 your anguish ; you will be vessels of his wrath ; you 
 will have fitted yourselves, by contempt of the supreme 
 authority, and alienation fi-om the supreme good, to be 
 for ever in a state of wretchedness, because of separation 
 from Him who is " the fountain of living water." 
 
 Since God is a spirit, and we are unable to raise our- 
 selves so high as to attain the favour and friendship of 
 such a Being, whose entirely spiritual nature is so sub- 
 tile that it eludes our unassisted conceptions ;— in order 
 that the worship of the true God may be adapted to 
 become the universal religion, Jesus Christ has come 
 down to earth, has assumed human nature, embodied the 
 attributes of God in an incarnate form, and thus taught 
 us the character of the Deity in his own actions. We 
 know the principles of the divine conduct in the govern- 
 ment of the world, by the conduct and character of our 
 
22 SPIRITUALITY OP THE DIVINE NATURE. 
 
 Uessed Saviour in his life. He is " the image of the 
 invisible God," the only representation of Deity : " He 
 that hath seen me," said he, "hath seen the Father." The 
 design of his coming into this world was to bring back 
 apostate creatures to his Father ; "to make reconciliation 
 for iniquity," by the sacrifice of himself upon the cross ; 
 and thus to remove all those impediments which sprino- 
 from the character of God to acceptance in his sight, 
 and to restore them to the enjoyment of his eternal 
 favour. He gave himself a sacrifice on the altar of jus- 
 tice, that a free passage might be opened to the favour 
 of Ins heavenly Father, mthout any impeachment of the 
 Divme character ; " that he might be just, and yet the 
 justifier of him that belie veth in Jesus." 
 
 What movements are in your minds, my brethren, 
 with respect to this great object, at this time ? Are your 
 thoughts stationary, or are they moving in a right or a 
 wrong direction? Are you under the guidance of 
 Christ, seeking increased acquaintance with him, aspirino- 
 after higher degrees of resemblance to him, fixing you? 
 hopes more firmly upon his promises ? Then all things 
 will be favom-able to you ; " the world, or hfe, or death, 
 things present, or things to come,— all are yours." You 
 have obeyed fi-om the heart the call of the gospel ; you 
 have forsaken the world; have become dead to it before 
 you are caUed to leave it ; and have laid up treasure in 
 heaven, having trusted your souls to the hands of the 
 Divme Redeemer ; " you know whom you have believed, 
 and are persuaded that he is able to keep that which you 
 have committed unto him until that day." But if your 
 mmds are engaged in a contrary direction ; if you are 
 seeking happiness in the things of this world, living in 
 the neglect of God, never raising your thoughts to the 
 c;ontemplation of the Supreme Good,_if, havin^ rejected 
 the great salvation, you are content to He Snder the 
 weight of unacknowledged, and therefore unpardoned, 
 guilt,— -yet bear with me while I remind you that yoii 
 must have a meeting Avith God; you must see the face 
 ot that Divme Being whose authority you have spumed, 
 and feel the anger of that Divine Redeemer whom you 
 
SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. 23 
 
 have rejected. You will, if you persist in this course, 
 hear him pronounce the fearful sentence, " Those mine 
 enemies, that would not have me to reign over them, 
 bring them hither and slay them before me :" " Depart 
 from me, ye that work iniquity." 
 
 Blessed be God, there are those now present who are 
 placing their affections habitually on the great Supreme, 
 and uniting themselves, more and more closely, to him 
 by faith in the Son of God. Let such persons rejoice 
 in the prospects before them. The interruptions which 
 arise from your corporeal state will speedily terminate ; 
 the flesh shall then no longer lust against the spirit, nor 
 the spirit against the flesh ; but you will " do the things 
 that you would." You have preferred the interests of 
 the mind to those of the body ; the service of Jesus 
 Christ, and the prospects of eternity, to all sublunary 
 good. You are approaching nearer and nearer to the 
 Chief Good ; you are hungering and thirsting after right- 
 eousness ; and you shall certainly be satisfied.^ _God ap- 
 proves your choice, and will assist your infirmities ; "he 
 will strengthen you with all might by his Spirit in your 
 inner man ;" will " work in you to will and to do of his 
 own good pleasure ; " and enable you to " work out your 
 own salvation with fear and trembling." 
 
 " They that sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap 
 comiption ; they that sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit 
 reap life everlasting." Let us make continual progress 
 in christian virtue. Every act of sin has a tendency to 
 misery. Every effort to subdue corruption, and to live 
 to the will of God, is, on the contrary, a seed which, by 
 God's grace, will bruig forth fruit to everlasting Hfe. By 
 patient continuance in well-doing, let us seek for glory, 
 honour, and immortality ; for to such God will assuredly 
 recompense eternal life : but to those that are disobedient, 
 and do not obey the truth, " indignation and wrath, tri- 
 bulation and anguish." " On the wicked he will rain 
 fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest : this shall 
 be the portion of their cup."* 
 
 ' Rom. ii. 7—9 ; Ps. xi. 6. 
 
24 
 
 II. 
 
 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 Proverbs xxv. 2. — It is the glory of God to conceal a thing.* 
 
 [Preached at Cambridge, September, 1826.] 
 
 It is difficult to say whether the glory of God appears 
 more in what he displays, or in what he conceals, of his 
 operations and designs. Were he to conceal every thing 
 from our view, it would be impossible that any glory 
 could result to him from the sentiments and actions of 
 his creatures. From entire ignorance nothing could 
 arise, no medium of intercourse could be established be- 
 tween the creature and the Creator. In the total absence 
 of the knowledge of God, religion must be totally ex- 
 cluded and unknown. But it is by a partial communi- 
 cation of himself, which the Divine Being might, if he 
 pleased, in various degrees extend and increase beyond 
 the present measure, that he has in the highest degree 
 consulted his honour and manifested his wisdom. If 
 there were no light, we should sink into a state of iiTe- 
 ligious doubt and despair ; if there were no darkness, 
 we should be in danger of losing that reverential sense 
 of his infinite majesty so essential to religion, and of im- 
 piously supposing that the Almighty is such an one as 
 ourselves. But a temperature of mingled light and 
 obscurity, a combination of discovery and concealment, 
 is calculated to produce the most suitable impressions of 
 the divine excellence on the minds of fallen creatures. 
 When God was pleased to favour his ancient people 
 with a supernatural display of his presence, by a visible 
 symbol, during their journey through the wilderness, it 
 wore this twofold aspect ; it was a pillar of cloud and of 
 fire, dark in the day-time and luminous in the night ; 
 and when he conducted them through the Red Sea, he 
 turned the bright side of the cloud towards the camp of 
 
 • From the Notes of Joshua Wilson, Esq. 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 25 
 
 Israel, and the gloomy side towards the Egyptians by 
 whom they were pursued.^ 
 
 When he descended on Mount Sinai, the token of his 
 presence was a mass of thick and dark clouds, penetrated 
 at intervals by flashes of lightning. On the third day, 
 in the morning, we are informed, there were thunders 
 and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount ; and, 
 it is added, " the mount was altogether in a smoke, be- 
 cause the Lord descended upon it in fire, and the smoke 
 thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace." When 
 Solomon had finished his temple, the manifestation which 
 the Deity made of himself, in taking possession of it 
 and consecrating it to his service, was of the same cha- 
 racter. No sooner had the priests gone out of the holy 
 place, than the cloud filled the house of the Lord ; and 
 " the priests could not stand to minister because of the 
 cloud, for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of 
 the Lord." The first indication of the divine presence 
 was the overspreading of thick darkness, which after- 
 wards subsided, and unfolded itself gradually, till it ter- 
 minated in an insufierable splendour. Upon observing 
 this, Solomon, at the commencement of his celebrated 
 prayer, used these words : " The Lord said that he would 
 dwell in the thick darkness."t If God dwells in light 
 inaccessible, he equally makes darkness his dwelling- 
 place, — " his pavilion dark waters and thick clouds of 
 the sky." " Clouds and darkness," says David, " are 
 round about him ; righteousness and judgement are the 
 habitation of his throne." In this view of the character 
 and dispensations of the Almighty, the Psalmist probably 
 alludes to those sensible indications of his presence 
 which are recorded in his ancient oracles. 
 
 At our Saviour's transfiguration, the three disciples 
 retained their composure until the cloud appeared; for 
 they knew that to be the symbol of the immediate pre- 
 sence of the Deity. " They feared" we are told, '''■when 
 they entered into the cloud;" and it was thence the voice 
 proceeded, saying, " This is my beloved Son, hear ye him" 
 
 * Exod. xiv. 19, 20. 1 Kings viii. 12. 
 
26 THE GLORY OP GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 These representations are in perfect harmony with the 
 doctrine of the passage under our present consideration, 
 in which the wisest of men, speaking hy inspiration, in- 
 forms us that "it is the glorj of God to conceal a thing." 
 He does it with a design to promote his glory, being by 
 necessity his own ultimate and final end. 
 
 There are two observations naturally suggested by 
 these words : — 
 
 I. The Divine Being is accustomed to conceal much. 
 
 II. In this he acts in a manner worthy of himself, 
 and suited to display his glory. 
 
 I. We shall specify some of the instances in which 
 God conceals things. 
 
 1. In relation to his own nature and the manner of 
 his existence. 
 
 His essence is altogether hidden from the most pro- 
 found investigation, the most laborious research, the 
 most subtile penetration, of his creatures. With respect 
 to this, it may be said, " Who by searching can find out 
 God ; who can find out the Almighty to perfection ? " 
 AVe know that he possesses certain attributes, which we 
 distinguish by different names drawn from analagous 
 excellencies among men, exclusive of aU limit or imper- 
 fection found in human nature. We ascribe to him 
 every idea of ^drtue and spiritual beauty, exalted to infi- 
 nite perfection. But how the Divine Being himself 
 exists in an essential and eternal nature of his own, 
 without beginning as well as without end, — how he can 
 be present at the same moment in every point of illimi- 
 table space, without excluding any one of his creatures 
 from the room it occupies, — how, unseen, unfelt by all, 
 he can maintain a pervading and intimate acquaintance 
 and contact with all parts and all portions of the uni- 
 verse, — how he can be at once all eye, all ear, all pre- 
 sence, all energy, yet interfere with none of the percep- 
 tions and actions of his creatures, — this is what equally 
 baffles the mightiest and the meanest intellect ; this is 
 the great mystery of the universe, which is at once the 
 most certain and the most incomprehensible of all thmgs ; 
 —a truth at once enveloped in a flood of light and an 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 27 
 
 abyss of darkness. Inexplicable itself, it explains all 
 besides : it casts a clearness on every question, accounts 
 for every phenomenon, solves every problem, illuminates 
 every depth, and renders the whole mystery of existence 
 as perfectly simple as it is otherwise perfectly unintelli- 
 f^ible, while itself alone remains in impenetrable obscu- 
 rity ! After displacing every other difficulty, it remains 
 the greatest of all, in solitary, insurmountable, unap- 
 proachable grandeur ! So truly " clouds and darkness 
 are round about him." " He maketh darkness his 
 secret habitation ; his pavilion to cover him, thick 
 clouds." 
 
 His perfections are impressed on the works of nature ; 
 but in such a manner that we learn them only by infe- 
 rence. We ascend from effects to causes; from the 
 marks of contrivance and design, to the necessary exist- 
 ence of an Almighty Contriver. But what sort of being 
 he is, and what is the nature of his contact with his 
 creatures, must, In the present state at least, remain an 
 unfathomable mystery. We are utterly at a loss in all 
 such speculations ; yet this affords no diminution of the 
 motives of piety. Our belief in the being of a God is 
 the belief of a profound mystery. The very idea of such 
 a Being would appear incredible were it not that it is 
 necessary, because the greatest absurdities would flow 
 from supposing the contrary. Nothing can be accounted 
 for unless we admit the existence of a causeless Cause — 
 a presiding Governor of the universe. We are compelled 
 therefore to choose the less difficulty of the two ; or 
 rather, to choose difficulty instead of impossibility, mys- 
 tery instead of absurdity : and hence we repose on this 
 grand truth. 
 
 2. The Divine Being observes the same method of 
 concealment, in a great variety of respects, with regard 
 to the structure and constitution of his works. The 
 scenes of nature lie open to our view ; they solicit our 
 senses, and are adapted to impress themselves in a most 
 lively manner upon our minds. " The heavens declare 
 the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy- 
 work." We cannot look around us without beholding, 
 
28 THE GLORY OP GOD lis" CONCEALING. 
 
 not only the works themselves, but evident traces of that 
 matchless wisdom, power, and goodness, whence they 
 sprang. Still, the mysteries of nature, with regard to 
 the essences of things, and indeed to a multitude of sub- 
 tile operatmis^ are kept in a kind of sacred reserve, and 
 elude the utmost efforts of philosophy to surprise them 
 in their concealments and bring them to light. While 
 Science goes on from step to step in the march of her 
 discoveries, it seems as if her grandest result was the 
 conviction how much remains undiscovered ; and, while 
 nations in a ruder state of science have been ready to 
 repose on their ignorance and error, or to confound fami- 
 liarity with knowledge, the most enlightened of men 
 have always been the first to perceive and acknowledge 
 the remaining obscurity which hung around them ; just 
 as, in the night, the farther a light extends, the wider 
 the surrounding sphere of darkness appears. Hence it 
 has always been observed, that the most profound in- 
 quirers into nature have been the most modest and 
 humble. So convinced was Socrates, the chief luminary 
 of the ancient world, of the great obscurity attending 
 all such inquiries, that he abandoned the search of 
 natxire, and confined his disquisitions to moral ques- 
 tions, and rules for the conduct of life. The same 
 illustrious man declared, that he knew no reason why 
 the oracle of Delphi pronounced him to be the wisest of 
 men, except it was that, being conscious of his ignorance, 
 he was willing to confess that he knew nothing. Newton, 
 the greatest philosopher whom the modem world has 
 known, declared, speaking of a distinguished contempo- 
 rary from whose genius he augured vast discoveries, but 
 who died in early life, (the celebrated Cotes,) " If that 
 young man had lived, we should have kno^^^l some- 
 thing." In so modest a manner did he advert to his own 
 imperfect knowledge of that science with which he had 
 attained such prodigious acquaintance as to have become 
 the pride and wonder of the world ! Those that have 
 devoted themselves to an investigation of the laws of 
 nature, find, in a great variety of the most common pro- 
 ductions, sufficient to engage their inquiries and employ 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 29 
 
 their Acuities : they perceive that the meanest work of 
 God is inexhaustible ; — contains secrets which the wis- 
 dom of man will never be able to penetrate. They are 
 only some of the superficial appearances and sensible 
 properties with which we are familiar. Substances and 
 essences we cannot reach. The secret laws which regu- 
 late the operations of nature we cannot unveil. Indeed, 
 we have reason to believe that the most enlarged under- 
 standing must, in a very short time, resolve its inquiries 
 into the will of God as the ultimate reason. Thus, one 
 of the best effects of intellectual cultivation, and the 
 acquisition of knowledge, is to restore the mind to that 
 state of natural simplicity and surprise in which every 
 thing above, beneath, and around us, appears replete 
 with mystery, and excites those emotions of freshness 
 and astonishment with which the scenes of nature are 
 contemplated during the season of childhood. 
 
 3. God is accustomed to conceal much in the dispen- 
 sations of his providence. The dispensations of the 
 divine providence are that series of actions which the 
 Divine Being is continually carrying on in the govern- 
 ment of the world which he has made. This, though it 
 presents many evident marks of wisdom and design, is 
 also eminently endowed with the property of obscurity. 
 " God is knoicn by the judgements which he executeth." 
 The established order of providence in this world makes 
 manifest to every serious and reflecting mind, that, 
 " there is verily a God that judgeth iii the earth." There 
 exists such a decided connexion between well-doing and 
 happiness on the one hand, and between wickedness and 
 misery on the other, as sufficiently to show, even inde- 
 pendently of revelation, that the Divine Being is the 
 patron of rectitude and the enemy of vice. Yet, while 
 there is a prevailing tendency in virtue to promote hap- 
 piness, this tendency is not always carried into actual 
 effect. The natural course of things is frequently inter- 
 rupted and suspended by incidental causes : so that par- 
 ticular exceptions are continually occurring to the ordi- 
 nary rule. 
 
30 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 There are two respects in which the Divine Being 
 perpetually conceals the ways of his pro\adence. 
 
 (1.) He conceals the design for which many events 
 are permitted to take place. 
 
 There are many important circumstances and events, 
 the reason of which will probably remain, to the end of 
 time, altogether inscrutable : such, for instance, as the 
 depression of the righteous ; the success of fraud and 
 violence ; the frustration of the purposes of benevolence 
 and virtue ; the prevalence of persecution ; the sufferings 
 of martyrs ; the limited diffusion of Christianity ; the 
 extent to which idolatry has been suffered to desolate 
 the moral world, and " the mystery of iniquity" to over- 
 spread a large portion of Christendom. The best and 
 wisest of men have confessed themselves at a loss to in- 
 terpret the design of the divine dispensations with 
 respect to themselves and their contemporaries. Even 
 prophets have acknoAvledged that their minds were for a 
 time perplexed by the anomalies of providence : " Right- 
 eous art thou, O Lord," says Jeremiah, " yet let me talk 
 "with thee of thy judgements : Wherefore do the wicked 
 prosper ?" And David, when he reflected on the prospe- 
 rity of the wicked, the unequal distribution of good and 
 evil, and the afflictions to which the righteous were ex- 
 posed, was tempted to exclaim, " Verily I have cleansed 
 my heart in vain ;" nor did he find any satisfaction until 
 he went into the sanctuary of God, and there understood 
 their end. 
 
 (2.) The Divine Being is accustomed to throw much 
 obscurity over the future. He makes the present the 
 scene of our duty, while he has, in a great degree, hidden 
 futurity from our view. " We know not what shall be 
 on the morrow ;" we are ignorant of the next event that 
 shall arise, and cannot, with all the light we can gather 
 round us, determine what shall befall us at the next mo- 
 ment : we are impelled forward on the stream of time, 
 but know not what is immediately before us. This ig- 
 norance of the futm-e is complete with respect to the 
 period of our own lives. Our existence this moment is 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 31 
 
 no security for its continuance the next : " Boast not 
 thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day 
 may bring forth." It is always a matter of awful uncer- 
 tainty, when we enter on the business of the day, whether 
 we shall close it in time or eternity ; when we compose 
 our eyes to slumber, in which world we shall open them. 
 The future is ever in the hand of God. No man can 
 say with confidence that any one scheme he is pursuing 
 shall be attended with success, — any one hope or fear 
 which he entertains be realized. Every period of our 
 life is opening some fresh page, the contents of which no 
 human sagacity can determine; nor is there a single 
 event that may take place under the sun, which can be 
 known with certainty until it be actually accomplished. 
 God reserves the causes of events in his own hand; 
 and all that the highest wisdom can attain is such a 
 degree of probability as may lay a foundation for distant 
 and uncertain conjecture. He leads nations, as well as 
 individuals, " by the way that they know not." The 
 scenes are shifted and changed by an invisible hand, in 
 such a manner as clearly to prove, that the collective 
 wisdom of mankind is no more competent to direct their 
 way, than the solitary wisdom of individuals. 
 
 We have had a very stiking instance of this, in the 
 change that has recently taken place in the state of this 
 nation ; '^ which has, not by a slow gradation, but in the 
 course of a very few weeks, and almost as it were 
 instantaneously fallen from the highest elevation to 
 the lowest depression. From a state of unexampled 
 prosperity, when we were exulting in the expectation of 
 
 5i This sermon was delivered in a season of great public calamity. 
 A supposed failure in the crops produced the alarm of famine. The 
 year 1826 was, throughout, extremely unfavourable to trade and manu- 
 factures. The number of bankrupts in the first six months had been 
 nearly quadruple the number in the first six months of 1825. Labourers 
 were so inadequately employed, as to render them in great measure 
 dependent on the contributions of the more affluent for the immediate 
 necessaries of life. An universal " panic" prevailed among commercial 
 men ; the average depreciation in the value of marketable commodities 
 exceeded 18 percent.; and all classes were struggling with extraordi- 
 nary difficulties.— Ed. 
 
32 "*- THE GLORY OF GOD IX CONCEAL! XG. 
 
 still brighter scenes, our prospect has become suddenly 
 clouded with embarrassment, distress, and dismay. Who 
 could anticipate that famine would thus rise out of the 
 midst of plenty ; want of subsistence, in the midst of the 
 greatest abundance both of the natural productions of the 
 earth and the artificial productions of human industry ? 
 Was there any one of the wise men of the world, — 
 any one of those whose office it is to superintend the 
 affairs of nations, and conduct them as far as finite 
 minds can conduct them, — who formed the slightest 
 conjecture of such a state of things ? Did any of 
 them foretell it ? Had any one presented to his mind the 
 faintest glimpse of that event which God in his provi- 
 dence has brought upon us ? No : — the destinies of na- 
 tions are entire!}' in his hand, and " he doeth according 
 to his will among the inhabitants of the earth, as well as 
 in the army of heaven." He is pleased, indeed, usually, 
 to give us some glimpses into futurity, by establishing a 
 certain order in the dealings of his providence with 
 rational creatures. While this enables us to employ 
 means which are adapted to produce certain effects, yet 
 he so frequently frustrates the natural tendency of actions, 
 as to convince us that the course of events is under the 
 control of a superior power. " The race is not always 
 to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor riches to 
 men of understanding." Hence, while encouragement 
 is given to the practice of virtue, by its general tendency 
 to promote our temporal interest and advantage, confi- 
 dence in our own wisdom and prudence, in neglect of a 
 devout acknowledgement of the hand of God, appears 
 to be the highest presumption. "The foolishness of 
 God" appears, on many occasions, " wiser than men, 
 and the weakness of God stronger than men." Indi- 
 viduals are sometimes defeated and ruined, even by the 
 success of their o^mi precautions; while, on the other 
 hand, temerity and folly ai'e sometimes permitted to ac- 
 complish what wisdom could not effect. Exceptions to 
 the success of human effort are so numerous, and the 
 variety of events on which that success depends so com- 
 plicated, as continually to remind us of our absolute de- 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 33 
 
 pendence on that unseen Being who conducts us whi- 
 thersoever he will, and accomplishes the whole purpose 
 of his mind, without giving an account of any of his 
 matters. 
 
 The most important events of human life, on which 
 our happiness greatly depends, are, for the most part, 
 concealed from our view. Very few persons have as- 
 certained, with any degree of accuracy, either the degree 
 or the kind of prosperity and success wdth which their 
 efforts in pursuit of human felicity have been crowned. 
 The greatest evils which we are called to endure gene- 
 rally take us by surprise, and the most favourable results 
 have been so produced as to render it apparent that they 
 w^ere not entirely the fruit of our OAvn sagacity, provi- 
 dence, or enterprise. There is no event so interesting to 
 us as our departure from this world, — that great change, 
 so comprehensive that it includes every other ; yet this 
 the Divine Being usually conceals. Man also, says the 
 author of this book, knowetli not his time : as the fishes 
 that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds are caught 
 in the snare ; so are the sons of men snared in an evil 
 time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.'^ Very few 
 persons die at the precise period which their own imagi- 
 nations have allotted to that event. Death overtakes 
 most " as a thief in the night." No man is enabled to 
 ascertain at " what hour the Son of man cometh ;" and 
 while we are kept in perpetual uncertainty respecting 
 this event, it is the greatest vanity to boast of our fore- 
 knowledge of any other, because, when this arrives, our 
 interest in the present world ceases. All that is done 
 under the sun, all the joys and sorrows, successes and dis- 
 appointments, which take place among men, are then, 
 in regard to us, events that occur in another world. It 
 is true, indeed, that where the bulk of mankind, or great 
 multitudes are concerned, the calculation of chances 
 respecting their average continuance on earth may be 
 easy and exact : errors on one side are corrected and 
 balanced by those on the opposite ; the vibrations of the 
 
 * Eccles. ix. 12. 
 VOL. VI. D 
 
34 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 pendulum being equivalent to its remaining stationary. 
 But, with individuals, the case is altogether different ; all 
 inferences in reference to the termination of individual 
 life are vain. No person, therefore, can justify himself 
 in deferring till to-mon'ow his preparation for that eter- 
 nal world which may be the first thing that presents 
 itself to his awaking faculties. 
 
 4. The Divine Being is pleased to conceal much in 
 the economy of grace and redemption. In the manifes- 
 tations of his will, even in that dispensation which is in- 
 tended to afford some knowledge of himself, and of his 
 gracious purposes and designs to the children of men, he 
 maintains the same character, and mingles, in almost 
 equal proportions, obscurity and brightness. Revelation, 
 indeed, by its very nature, is intended to impart informa- 
 tion. We are taught in Scripture, in the New Testament 
 especially, many of the " deep things of God ;" and we 
 are under unspeakable obligations for that " dayspring 
 from on high which has visited us, to guide our feet into 
 "the way of peace, and give knowledge of salvation by 
 the remission of sins." Yet the revelation contained in 
 the Scriptures extends only to facts, not to the theory of 
 those facts, or their original causes. The most important 
 truths are communicated in a dogmatic, not a theoretic, 
 manner. We are taught, on the testimony of Him that 
 cannot lie, insulated facts which we cannot connect with 
 those reasons with which they are undoubtedly connected 
 in the di^dne mind. They rest solely on the basis of 
 divine authority ; and we are left as much in the dark 
 with respect to the mode of their existence as if they 
 were not revealed. He has given us reason to believe 
 that the Godhead subsists in three persons ; distinct acts 
 of personal agency being ascribed to the Father, the Son, 
 and the Holy Spirit, w^hile worship and adoration are 
 claimed for them separately : but the theory of this is 
 utterly beyond our comprehension ; nor does it appear to 
 be any part of the intention of scripture to put us in 
 possession of that theory. Those w^ho have ventured to 
 approach too near this inaccessible light, though with 
 honest and sincere intentions, have, for the most part, by 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 35 
 
 attempting to explain it, involved tlie subject in deeper 
 obscurity, and " darkened counsel by words without 
 knowledge." 
 
 We are expressly informed that " the Word, who was 
 in the beginning with God, and was God, was made 
 flesh, and dwelt among men." There was a mysterious 
 and inconceivable union betwixt the divine nature of the 
 Son of God, who was " the brightness of his Father's 
 glory and the express image of his person," before the 
 world began, and the man Christ Jesus. But when w^e 
 attempt to develope this mystery, and inquire how this 
 union was effected and maintained without the two na- 
 tures being identified, or their respective properties being 
 confounded, we are utterly at a loss. We affirm nothing 
 more than the matter of fact, we only put into other 
 w^ords the express testimony of the inspired writers, 
 without pretending to unfold the mystery of his person, 
 who was Immanuel, God with us. Surely, if we cannot 
 discover how the Divine Being made man, it must be far 
 beyond our faculties to comprehend how the Creator of 
 the world hecame a partaker of the nature he had made. 
 This, which has been styled the hypostatical union, — in 
 consequence of which, the blood shed upon the cross, 
 being the blood of God's own Son, possesses that mar- 
 vellous efficacy, by virtue of which it cleanses from all 
 sin, — will probably for ever remain an impenetrable 
 secret. Great is the mystery of godliness : God was 
 manifest in the flesh. We are far from suppressing our 
 conviction that this is a great mystery ; we rejoice, on 
 the contrary, in its incomprehensibility ; we delight to 
 lose ourselves in the impenetrable shades which invest 
 the subject, because in the darkness and cloud which 
 envelope it God dwells. It is the greatness which forms 
 the mystery of the fact, — the matchless love and con- 
 descension constitute the very nucleus of the difficulty. 
 It could only be brought within the sphere of our com- 
 prehension by a contraction of its vast dimensions, by a 
 depression of its native grandeur. A prostration of it 
 to the level of our feeble capacities would only render ii 
 incapable of being the magnet of souls, the attraction of 
 d2 
 
36 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 hearts, the wonder of the universe. The eflfect of this 
 great fact on every one who has sufficient humility to 
 believe the word of God, is not at all diminished by its 
 mysterious grandeur. On the contrary, the fact itself is 
 replete with moral influence and practical effect. Could 
 the whole theory of the incarnation be laid open to our 
 view, no additional force would be given to those motives 
 to fervent gratitude and devotedness to the service of 
 our Redeemer, which the mere fact is adapted to inspire. 
 The practical influence is not at all impaired, but rather 
 heightened, by the speculative difficulties which attend 
 it, because these result merely from its ineffable grandeur. 
 The same may be said with respect to the doctrine of 
 the Trinity. The distinct parts assigned to the three 
 divine persons exhibit the beautiful harmony of the plan 
 of redemption ; the Father sending his Son, the Son 
 executing his Father's "vvill, the Holy Spirit sanctifying 
 the people of God by dwelling in their hearts. These 
 truths are not less practical, on account of the mystery 
 which invests the subject. We are as able to adore the 
 grace of the Father, the love of the Son, the communion 
 of the Holy Spirit, — to value the distinct agency of the 
 several persons, in the work of our salvation, as if we 
 could clearly perceive the theory of this unspeakable 
 mystery. 
 
 With regard to the doctrine of the atonement, we are 
 taught all that is necessary for us to know ; that the 
 blood of Jesus Christ is the price of our redemption, and 
 that it was infinitely worthy of God, " in bringing many 
 sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation 
 perfect through suffering." We can perceive, in some 
 degree, its tendency to advance and maintain the honour 
 of God, as Moral Governor of the world. But many 
 questions may be proposed, with respect to the extent of 
 its efficacy, which our reason cannot penetrate. ^VTiat 
 connexion this great sacrifice may have with the 
 happiness, what influence on the destiny, of beings of a 
 higher order, we have no distinct and satisfactory know- 
 ledge, though the Scriptures give some faint intimation 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 37 
 
 of the fact ; but this affords no objection to the testimony 
 they contain, that " for us men^ and for our salvation," 
 the Son of God became incarnate, suffered, and died. 
 It is worthy of the reserve of Infinite Majesty, to give 
 us very brief hints with respect to the influence of these 
 great facts on the innocent and holy part of the creation, 
 to the utmost extent of his dominions. 
 
 Again : the operation of the Spirit of God in regen- 
 eration and sanctification we acloiowledge to be highly 
 mysterious ; " The wind bloweth where it listeth, and 
 thouhearest the sound thereof; but canst not tell whence 
 it cometb, and whither it goeth : so is every one that is 
 bom of the Spirit." All christians, indeed, know by ex- 
 perience the influence of the Spirit ; but what is that 
 mysterious principle, styled grace — how it connects itself 
 with the human mind — where its operations cease, and 
 the operations of the human faculties begin — are ques- 
 tions which probably the wisest of men can no more 
 unfold, than the weakest and most ignorant : they are 
 very far beyond the comprehension of the human under- 
 standing. But is it, on this account, less our duty to 
 implore that sacred influence ? If it be necessary, as the 
 antidote of om- depravity, " if that which is born of the 
 flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit only is 
 Spirit," and, consequently, " except a man be born again 
 of water and of the Spirit." — of the Spirit operating as 
 water, by cleansing and sanctifying the soul — " he cannot 
 see the kingdom of God ;" is his obligation to seek it 
 less, because he cannot explore this mystery ? Is the 
 folly of neglecting it more venial, because he cannot 
 penetrate the speculative depths of this doctrine ? If 
 any one feels by happy experience that power, by which 
 those who were " dead in trespasses and sins are quick- 
 ened, raised up, and made to sit in heavenly places with 
 Christ Jesus ;" if he feels that " all old things are passed 
 away, and all things become new" within him ; that he 
 is braced by a ncAv energy, animated by a new life, ex- 
 patiates in the world to come as if it were his own ; is 
 less gratitude due for these mighty operations, because he 
 
38 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 cannot detect and analyse the power by which they have 
 been -svrought, or explain the philosophy of divine 
 influence ? 
 
 These observations may be applied to all the other 
 mysterious facts of Christianity, either past or future. 
 The resurrection of the dead must be admitted to be a 
 great mystery, which nothing but the occurrence of the 
 fact can unfold. The apostle puts this question into the 
 mouth of an infidel : " How are the dead raised up, and 
 with what body do they come ?" which he answers in a 
 very Unceremonious manner : " Thou fool ! that which 
 thou sowest is not quickened, except it die : and that 
 which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall 
 be, but bai-e grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some 
 other grain : but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased 
 him, and to every seed his own body." The glorious 
 prospect opened by this doctrine is not less animating 
 because it surpasses our comprehension : on the contrary, 
 its profundity only serves to increase our astonishment, 
 and enhance our gratitude. The apostle, in his apology 
 before Felix, resolves the whole into an immediate exer- 
 tion of divine power : " Why should it be thought a 
 thing incredible, that God should raise the dead T If, 
 indeed, the gospel professed to teach the theory of the 
 fact, it would be a just objection, that this was beyond 
 the grasp of our faculties. If, on the contrary, it merely 
 reveal facts^ and those facts have immediate practical 
 bearings on the hearts and lives of those who receive 
 them, all objections on account of their mysteriousness 
 are futile, because they proceed on the supposition that 
 God intended to develope the whole mystery, whereas he 
 discovers only so much as may be adapted to rectify the 
 conscience and pm*ify the heart. 
 
 II. I shall now attempt to show how the Divine 
 Being promotes his glory, by such a temperature of Wght 
 and shade as that which distinguishes all his discoveries 
 of himself, and his dispensations towards his creatm-es. 
 
 1. The concealment which he has thrown in these 
 various respects over his ways, works, and word, tends to 
 glorify him, as it is, in part, the necessary consequence of 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 39 
 
 his infinite superiority to all finite beings in wisdom and 
 understanding, — the inevitable result of his being God. 
 His wisdom is that which belongs to him as the Fountain 
 of wisdom, the Father of lights, the Source of all know- 
 ledge. His purposes and designs cannot, therefore, be 
 adequately scanned by the wisdom of men, from whom 
 he must necessarily conceal more than he reveals. A 
 child is not at once able to comprehend the reasons of his 
 father, in imposing those restraints and privations which 
 are a necessary part of parental discipline. It is only by 
 degrees that his feeble capacity can be made to penetrate 
 the secret of his education. If this be the case ^vith 
 respect to two finite minds, one of which has only arrived 
 at greater maturity than the other, how much more 
 disproportionate must be the plans of Infinite Wisdom to 
 our narrow faculties ? and what force does such a 
 consideration give to that appeal of the apostle, " We 
 have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we 
 gave them reverence ; shall we not much rather be in 
 subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live ?" Surely 
 we owe as much deference to the wisdom, as much reli- 
 ance on the kindness of the Eternal Parent, as we give 
 to our earthly father ! The infinite superiority of the 
 divine perfections renders this concealment necessary. 
 He cannot, on account of his incomparable greatness and 
 excellence, bring his plans and operations within the 
 comprehension of his creatures. Viewing eternity in all 
 its extent, having present to his mind all that is past and 
 all that is future, seeing the end from the beginning, 
 looking forward to the remotest period, and embracing 
 in his prospect all possible events, he regulates his con- 
 duct upon a scale which belongs only to him that 
 inhabiteth eternity. Concealment is the necessaiy indi- 
 cation and proof as well as the effect of his being 
 " infinite in counsel." The judgements of such ar Being 
 must, by the necessity of his nature, be, to our limited 
 apprehensions, *' a great deep " " O the depth of the 
 riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how 
 unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past 
 finding out !" 
 
40 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 2. The glory of God appears In concealing, because it 
 evinces his entire independence on the wisdom, counsel, 
 or co-operation, of any or all of his creatures. It is his 
 prerogative to be the only Being to whom it is always 
 safe to conceal his designs and pm'poses. It is seldom 
 safe for persons, in the highest stations, to conduct a 
 complicated scheme of operations, without taking advan- 
 tage of counsel : " In the multitude of counsellors," says 
 the wise man, " there is safety." No greater folly can be 
 practised by so weak and frail a being as man, than, in 
 matters of great moment, to decline taking the assistance 
 of other minds. It is the privilege of very few, if any, 
 mortals, to possess at once that penetration and that 
 comprehension of view, -which would render it expedient 
 for them to tread the most perilous paths alone. He that 
 despises the counsel of others, is, for the most part, sure 
 to rue the effects of his folly. Nor is it necessary that 
 the party consulted, should possess superior capacity or 
 even knowledge of the subject in question. Different 
 individuals see the same object in different lights, and a 
 person of weaker intellect, not bemg immediately con- 
 cerned, may be much more cool and impartial ; some 
 circumstances, therefore, which escaped the attention or 
 the recollection of the most sagacious individual whose 
 passions were excited, may occur to another person pos- 
 sessed of a very inferior degree of intellectual power. 
 Those who are the immediate agents in any plan of ope- 
 ration, have their feelings generally too much excited, 
 are too eagerly engaged in the chace, to be capable of 
 discerning all those possibilities of disappointment and 
 frustration which may present themselves to the cahn 
 survey of indifferent spectators. But it is infinitely 
 worthy of the Divine Being, to give no account of any 
 of his matters, with a view to obtain information from 
 his creatures. " Who hath directed the Spirit of the 
 Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him ? With 
 whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and 
 taught him in the path of judgement, and taught him 
 knowledge, and showed to him the way of under- 
 standing ? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 41 
 
 and are counted as the small dust of the balance : 
 behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. All 
 nations before him are as nothing ; and they are counted 
 to him less than nothing, and vanity."* " Who hath 
 known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his 
 comisellor ? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall 
 be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and 
 through him, and to him, are all things ; to whom be 
 glory for ever. Amen."t 
 
 The Divine Bemg may, with infinite safety and pro- 
 priety retire within himself into the secret recesses of 
 his own essence, the depths of his own immensity, form 
 his purposes apart, consult with none but himself. " He 
 holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his 
 cloud upon it." The resources of his own nature are 
 infinitely sufficient. Of whom should he ask light, who 
 is himself the Father of lights ? Why should he take 
 advice of creatures, of whose wisdom all human know- 
 ledge is but a spark ? There is not a portion of in- 
 telligence in the universe which is not already his own : 
 to consult with his creatures would therefore be but to 
 consult with himself. " There is, indeed, a spirit in 
 man ; but it is the inspiration of the Almighty which 
 giveth him understanding." The counsels of God are 
 his own counsels, unmixed with any communication of 
 human wisdom. He cannot mingle his designs with any 
 others, or take associate minds into his cabinet. He 
 needs not to receive back, nor can he receive back from 
 his creatures, any portion of the light which has been 
 diffiised from that ocean of wisdom and intelligence 
 which eternally resides in himself. 
 
 3. The divine glory is promoted by concealing, inas- 
 much as such a degree of obscurity as attends the partial 
 manifestation of the divine will, and the progressive 
 developement of the divine purposes, is eminently 
 adapted to the state, exigency, and condition of man. 
 Many important purposes are accomplished by this 
 temperature betwixt concealment and manifestation, as 
 
 * Isaiah xl. 13—15, 17. f Rom. xi. 34-36. 
 
42 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 we have already in part slio-vvn, and proceed more fully 
 to exhibit in a few particulars. 
 
 (1.) The prophetic part of the word of God, while it 
 contains some general intimation of future events is ex- 
 pressed in language, or denoted by imagery, proverbially 
 obscure. This is intended to afford some general know- 
 ledge of the future, or it would not be prophecy ; but, at 
 the same time, obscurity forms a necessary ingredient. 
 Were it free from that, — were it like the language of 
 narrative, — it would give such a distinct knowledge of 
 the future event as would lead some persons to use means 
 for the purpose of accomplishing it by their own power, 
 and tempt others presumptuously to endeavour to frus- 
 trate it. The design of prophecy is not to enable persons 
 to anticipate the minute circumstances of events, but 
 partly to excite in the mind a general expectation, by 
 presenting a vague and shadowy outline ; partly to 
 afford a striking illustration of the power and providence 
 of God, in bringing to pass those events on the arrival 
 of a distant age. The infinite wisdom of God appears 
 in his foretelling future events in such a manner, that 
 when they arrive, they accurately correspond to the 
 prophecy in a variety of particulars ; while in the mean 
 time, the events are so darkly shadowed, that the human 
 agents, by whom they are accomplished, are ignorant 
 that, in so doing, they are, in fact, fulfilling the counsels 
 of heaven. They merely follow the dictates of their 
 own minds, act agreeably to their own inclinations, and 
 have no intention of bringing to pass those events to 
 which the prophecy has reference. Nebuchadnezzar 
 little supposed that he was a mere rod in the hand of the 
 Deity, to chastise his own people. Cyrus, when he set 
 out for Babylon to deliver them, little supposed that the 
 hand of God had girded him, and prepared his way 
 before him. Both were unconscious agents in accom- 
 plishing the purposes of that Divine Providence whose 
 wisdom enlightened their path, and whose energy sus- 
 tained them. God had foretold, by his prophets, the 
 rejection of Jesus Christ by the Je^vish nation, and his 
 crucifixion ; yet the Jews, in delivering him up, as well 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 43 
 
 as Pilate and Herod in condemning and executing him, 
 acted as freely, were therefore as much accountable, as if 
 he had not been " by the determinate counsel and 
 foreknowledge of God delivered."* The treason that 
 was practised by Judas on his Lord and Master had been 
 announced by the psalmist David ; yet how much is the 
 wisdom of God magnified, in permitting this to remain 
 so secret, that the very perpetrator was probably ignorant 
 of it, acting with the same freedom and spontaneity, with 
 as close an adherence to the dictates of his own heart, 
 the peculiarities of liis o-\mi character, as if no such pro- 
 phecy had been recorded. Thus God secures the glory 
 of his own foreknowledge, at the same time that he leaves 
 undisturbed the sphere of' human agency. ^Vere future 
 events so distinctly predicted as to be clearly foreseen, 
 this would either destroy the proof of divine superin- 
 tendence and agency, or would require such a perpetual 
 miraculous control over the exercise of human faculties, 
 as would be inconsistent with the state and condition of 
 accountable creatures in a world of probation. It is also 
 necessary that prophecy should not operate as precept ; 
 for, with some, the will of God clearly foreseen would 
 have the force of a command, and would be fulfilled as 
 such ; which would confound human agency with divine. 
 On the other hand, in consequence of this arrangement, 
 none have it in their power to frustrate his designs : 
 " He frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh 
 diviners mad ; — tumeth wise men backward, and ma- 
 keth their knowledge foolish."+ In order, therefore, 
 that the free agency of creatures may be preserved, the 
 time, and other circumstances of an event predicted, are 
 permitted to remain so uncertain, that the persons who 
 are to accomplish it continue ignorant of them till the 
 event itself takes place. 
 
 Those great events which have materially affected the 
 condition of the world, were foretold by the ancient 
 prophets. But did the human agents know they were 
 fulfilling these predictions? Nothing was farther from 
 
 * Acts ii. 23. t Isaiah xl^v. 25. 
 
44 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 their view : " they meant not so, neither did their heart 
 think so ;"* they were merely gratifying their own little 
 passions, pursuing no other end than their own sinister 
 and selfish policy. They were instruments in the hands 
 of the Divine Being, as passive in accomplishing his 
 purposes, as the axe or hammer in the hands of a 
 man. The predictions were therefore mingled with 
 much ohscurity, as I have before remarked, to leave 
 the free agency of creatures undisturbed, and conse- 
 quently their accountability unimpaired. 
 
 Prophecy is not intended to give men such a know- 
 ledge of futurity as to enable even the most sagacious 
 to predict events. Those who have attempted with 
 certainty to assign, beforehand, particular prophecies to 
 particular events, have uniformly failed in their pre- 
 sumptuous endeavours. The design of prophecy is only 
 to afford some general intimation, which may operate 
 as either warning or encouragement. Its chief use is, 
 after the event has taken place, to assure men of the 
 universal providence of God, and convince them of that 
 wisdom which foresees all future events, and that power 
 which accomplishes them when the appointed period 
 aiTives. When, therefore the Divine Being has been 
 disposed to lift, in some degree, the veil which con- 
 ceals futurity, he has only done it so far as to excite 
 a general and indefinite expectation of the event, by 
 exhibiting its general character and features, but by 
 no means to disclose such circumstances of time, place, 
 and instrumentality, as might interfere, in the least 
 degree, with the morality of human Sctions. 
 
 (2.) The Divine Being, by giving no account of the 
 design of many dispensations of bis providence, trains us 
 to submission. He is the fit and proper object of trust 
 to mankind. Trust in God is the grand principle of re- 
 ligion ; it is another word, indeed, for faith, as that term 
 is applied in the New Testament ; the grand principle 
 which distinguishes good men from men of the world. 
 The former trust in God ; and, trusting in him, their 
 
 * Isaiah x. 7. 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 45 
 
 souls are kept in peace. They commit their way to him, 
 and resign their wills into his hands. God demands 
 from his creatures universal confidence ; not only explicit, 
 but also implicit. The former is that which arises from 
 a clear perception of his intentions and designs. When 
 we are able to trace his counsels, our trust in him is re- 
 gulated by our knowledge of his ways and purposes, and 
 this must precede any exercise of the latter kind of trust. 
 But when the Divine Being has, by such a manifestation 
 of himself, by such a degree of illumination, established 
 a conviction of his paternal character, and sufficiently 
 revealed the principles of his government, it is worthy 
 of his majesty to put his rational creatures to the test. 
 Having had innumerable experimental proofs of his 
 loving-kindness, and of those tender mercies which are 
 over all his works, should we not be ready to follow him 
 in a path that we cannot discern, even when his foot- 
 steps are in the great deep ? May not the Father of the 
 universe require all his rational offspring to place unli- 
 mited confidence in himself, to be willing to fall into 
 his hands, to commit all their concerns to his disposal, 
 to abandon themselves to his pleasure ? When we con- 
 sider, also, the provision he has made for our eternal 
 happiness in the economy of redemption, in those ex- 
 ceeding great and precious promises which are there 
 exhibited, and especially in the gift of his own Son, the 
 sum and substance of all possible communications of 
 good, how infinitely fit is it for such a creature, having 
 to deal with such a God, to say, with the most entire 
 self-oblivion, " Do with me as seemeth good in thy 
 sight ;" joy or sorrow, prosperity or adversity, are indif- 
 ferent to me, since thou canst bring light out of dark- 
 ness, order out of confusion, and cause those "light 
 afflictions, which are but for a moment, to work for me 
 a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 
 
 (3.) Another advantage derived from this proceeding, 
 is, that it tends to promote humility and vigilance, at 
 the same time that it excites to diligence and exertion. 
 As we are to give account of our conduct, it is necessary 
 that the Divine Being should afibrd us a rule of action, 
 
46 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 and this must be clear and detemiinate. But it is not 
 necessary that we should be informed of the issue of 
 actions ; these, therefore, he is pleased to keep in his 
 own hand. Yet, as without the hope of attaining some 
 advantage, to stimulate us to activity, the mind would 
 become lethargic, because we should feel ourselves 
 chained down by a fatal destiny, in helpless despon- 
 dency ; such a constitution is wisely established, that 
 success may be the general rule, failure the exception. 
 But occasional instances of the latter are useful, by 
 teaching us not to lean to our own understanding. Men 
 are now, notwithstanding their blindness to the future, 
 too much disposed to '• sacrifice to their own net, and 
 bum incense to their own drag ;" but if they were 
 capable of certainly foreseeing the issue of their schemes, 
 — if the battle were always to the strong, and riches to 
 men of understanding, — how would the strong man 
 glory in his strength, the rich man in his riches ! These 
 objects of pursuit would be the source of most intempe- 
 rate idolatry, and would utterly corrupt the mind of their 
 possessor, by leading him to glory in himself, and not in 
 God. On the other hand, were there no connexion be- 
 tween the cultivation of certain qualities and success, 
 did no advantage result from the possession of them, 
 there would be no motive to action, no inducement to 
 make those exertions which promote the improvement 
 of mankind, and of the institutions of society. Still, 
 the knowledge that a successful result cannot be calcu- 
 lated upon with certainty, gi^eatly tends to stamp vanity 
 upon all that relates to the present world, and should 
 lead men to trust in the living God, whose promises, 
 resting on a certain basis, are secure of their final accom- 
 plishment. 
 
 Our ignorance of the events that may befall us, is also 
 highly salutary. Were the period of that great and final 
 event, death, perfectly certain, we should be tempted, 
 during the interval, to sit do'v^^l in the indulgence of se- 
 curity. Such knowledge would induce, in most men, 
 the greatest rashness and presumption. While the event 
 was at a distance, they would gratify their appetites 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 47 
 
 without restraint ; they would, upon system, procrasti- 
 nate attention to their eternal interests. Whereas, now, 
 the uncertainty of its arrival furnishes the highest reason 
 for being always ready, and renders the neglect of pre- 
 paration the greatest folly and infatuation. It should 
 operate as a solemn admonition from God to perpetual 
 watchfulness and care, not to leave that undone, which, 
 if undone at a dying hour, renders the doing of all other 
 things merely vanity and vexation of spirit, while we 
 are left in a state of inconsolable wretchedness. All 
 pretence for delay being hereby cut oflP, the inattention 
 of the majority of mankind to these divine warnings be- 
 comes utterly inexcusable ; especially if we consider the 
 magnitude of the event itself, and that the change it 
 effects in our condition is not only awfully gi'eat, but will 
 continue, beyond any possibility of future change, to 
 eternity. Hence our Saviour urges this circumstance, as 
 one of the most powerful motives to incessant vigilance : 
 " Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the 
 hour when the Son of man cometh. If the good man of 
 the house had known at what hour the thief would come, 
 he would have watched, and not have suffered his house 
 to be broken through ." " Stand, therefore, having your 
 loins girt, your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like 
 imto men that wait for the coming of their Lord. Who 
 is that wise and faithful servant, whom his Lord, when 
 he cometh, shall find so doing?" God is pleased to deal 
 with us, in the economy of his providence and grace, as 
 creatures that possess reason, and are, therefore, account- 
 able ; — that can look forward, and make provision for 
 the exigencies of the future, — and whose great business 
 it is to " work out our salvation with fear and trem- 
 bling." The great necessity which attaches to us, is that 
 of changing worlds ; while our life is but a fleeting va- 
 pour, liable to be instantly extinguished. That event is 
 perpetually suspended over us, as the inevitable circum- 
 stance attending our destiny ; but we are in total igno- 
 rance of the time of its arrival. We cannot, therefore, 
 without the greatest presumption, call a single moment 
 our own. How is this arrangement adapted to fix and 
 
48 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 concentrate our attention on the momentous event ; to 
 cause it to combine itself with all our plans and counsels ! 
 If we are wise, we shall constantly remember our latter 
 end, be always ready, and not suifer that day to come 
 upon us like a thief. " Blessed is he that watcheth, and 
 keepeth his garments." 
 
 There is another less solemn, yet important view of 
 this arrangement, which equally illustrates the wisdom 
 of God in concealing future events. Were the time of 
 our death foreseen, what a melancholy character would 
 it impart to the pursuits and occupations of the human 
 race ! If every man saw the moment of his death con- 
 tinually before him, how would his thoughts be j5xed to 
 the fatal spot ; and, upon its near approach, the consider- 
 ation of it would probably absorb every other. With 
 respect to our fellow-creatures, how would it poison the 
 springs of enjoyment, were parents and children, hus- 
 bands and wives, brothers and sisters, able to calculate 
 with certainty the period of each other's lives ! We 
 should seem to be walking among the victims of death ; 
 the scenes of human existence would lose all cheerful- 
 ness, animation, and beauty. The interests of society 
 would also sustain most serious injmy. Many great and 
 noble enterprises would never have been begun could 
 the persons, who in the hope of life engaged in them, 
 have foreseen, that before they could be concluded, they 
 themselves would be snatched away by the hand of 
 death. Many discoveries, by which great benefit has 
 been conferred on the world, would not have been 
 elicited. Few efforts probably would be made to attain 
 any object, the consequences of which terminate with 
 the life of the party, if he foresaw that they would be 
 intercepted by death. Who Avould venture to engage in 
 any lucrative employment, if he certainly knew that the 
 benefit would not be even partially realised during the 
 term of his mortal existence ? But, happily for man- 
 kind, events are concealed — duties only are made known. 
 With respect also to calamities which stop short of death, 
 how >visely is it ordered, that, in consequence of their 
 coming upon us by surprise, the courage and fortitude 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING 49 
 
 requisite to encounter them are not weakened by a pre- 
 sentiment of dread ! The prospect of them perpetually 
 before our eyes would throw a cloud over the whole 
 path of life, and when they arrived would cause them 
 to fall upon us with supemumeraiy and redoubled weight. 
 On the other hand, could we foresee our successes, they 
 would lose much of their flavour and relish. The sur- 
 prise with which they often come upon us is one ele- 
 ment in our enjoyment of them. 
 
 The future world also has been placed, by the wisdom 
 of God, just in that light in which it is most for om- 
 benefit that it should be placed. Were we fixed in the 
 situation of the apostle John, were the heavenly state 
 continually laid open to our view, religion would be no 
 longer a voluntary service ; we should be forced to attend 
 to objects so transcendently glorious brought thus near 
 to us. Could we distinctly hear the voices, like mighty 
 thunderings, heard within the vail, they would render us 
 deaf to every earthly sound : religion would be no longer 
 matter of choice ; and, consequently, faith would be no 
 longer matter of virtue. The preference of present to 
 future interests, and therefore the exercise of self-denial, 
 would be impossible. But the Divine Being has been 
 pleased to throw over the heavenly world a great degree 
 of obscurity. Jesus Christ has indeed brought life and 
 immortality to light by the gospel ; has raised our hopes 
 to the highest point, by investing the future state of 
 glory with unspeakable elevation and grandeur ; but has 
 not explicitly taught us in what that state will consist ; — 
 " It doth not yet appear what we shall be." We know 
 enough of futurity to make it become the great object of 
 our attention ; although it does not so press upon our 
 organs as to render us insensible to present scenes and 
 interests. 
 
 4. The glory of God is concerned in concealing much 
 in his character, works, providence, and revelation, be- 
 cause this will probably be a source of great additional 
 happiness to the redeemed, and mingle itself among the 
 elements of devotional enjoyment in the eternal state. 
 A degree of surprise and astonishment, which cannot 
 
 VOL. VI. E 
 
50 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 consist wtth the perfect comprehension of whatever falls 
 under our cognizance, appears to be one ingredient in 
 the highest degree of felicity of which a rational being 
 is susceptible. There is a principle in the constitution 
 of our nature, which renders us dissatisfied with what we 
 thoroughly understand in all its parts. When there is 
 nothing more to be discovered, from that moment it 
 begins to pall upon us, and we must pass to something 
 which will give scope to the activities of the human mind. 
 The Deity is intended to be the everlasting field of 
 the human intellect, as well as the everlasting object of 
 the human heart, the everlasting portion of all holy and 
 happy minds, who are destined to spend a blissful but 
 ever-active eternity in the contemplation of his glory. 
 This can only be effected by his concealing himself. He 
 will for ever remain " The UnknouTi God." We shall 
 ever be conscious that we know little compared with 
 what remains to be known of him : that our most rap- 
 turous and lofty songs fall infinitely short of his excel- 
 lence. If we stretch our powers to the uttermost, we 
 shall never exhaust his praise, never render him ade- 
 quate honour, never discharge the full amount of claim 
 which he possesses upon our veneration, obedience, and 
 gratitude. When we have loved him with the greatest 
 fervour, our love mil still be cold compared with his 
 title to our devoted attachment. This will render him 
 the continual source of fresh delight to all eternity. 
 His perfection will be an abyss never to be fathomed ; 
 there will be depths in his excellence which we shall 
 never be able to penetrate. We shall delight in losing 
 ourselves in his infinity. An unbounded prospect will 
 be extended before us ; looking forward through the 
 vista of interminable ages, we shall find a blissful occu- 
 pation for our faculties, which can never end; while 
 those faculties will retain their vigour unimpaired, flou- 
 rish in the bloom of perpetual youth ; . . . . and the full 
 consciousness remain, that the Being whom we contem- 
 plate can never be found out to perfection that 
 
 he may always add to the impression of what we know, 
 by throwing a veil of indefinite obscurity over his charac- 
 
THE GLORY OP GOD IN CONCEALING. 51 
 
 ter. The shades in which he will for ever conceal him- 
 self, will have the same tendency to excite our adoring 
 wonder as the effulgence of his glory ; the depths in 
 which he will retire from our view, the recesses of his 
 wisdom and power, as the open paths of his manifesta- 
 tion. Were we capable of comprehending the Deity, 
 devotion would not be the sublimest employment in 
 which we can engage. In the contemplation of such a 
 Being, we are in no danger of going beyond our subject ; 
 we are conversing with an infinite object .... in the 
 depths of whose essence and purposes we are for ever 
 lost. This will probably give all the emotions of fresh- 
 ness and astonishment to the raptures of the beatific vi- 
 sion, and add a delightful zest to the devotions of eter- 
 nity. This will enable the Divine Being to pour in 
 continually fresh accessions of light; to unfold new 
 views of his character, disclose new parts of his perfec- 
 tion, open new mansions in himself, in which the mind 
 will have ample room to expatiate. Thus shall we learn, 
 to eternity, that, so far from exhausting his infinite ful- 
 ness, there still remain infinite recesses in his nature 
 unexplored — scenes in his counsels, never brought before 
 the view of his creatures ; that w^e know but " parts of 
 his ways ;" and that, instead of exhausting our theme, 
 we are not even approaching nearer to the comprehension 
 of the Eternal All. It is the mysteriousness of God, the 
 inscrutability of his essence, the shade in which he is 
 invested, that will excite those peculiar emotions, which 
 nothing but transcendent perfection and unspeakable 
 grandeur can inspire. 
 
 Before I conclude this discourse, permit me to remind 
 you, that while there are many things which God con- 
 ceals, and thereby advances his glory, he has made mani- 
 fest all that it is essential for man to know. Whatever 
 is intimately connected with our duty is most plainly 
 taught ; w^iatever is important to our welfare and hap- 
 piness is fully revealed. Do not for a moment imagine 
 that he has concealed any thing that bears a near rela- 
 tion to your interest. " He hath shewed thee, O man, 
 what is good." He has distinctly set before you the 
 e2 
 
52 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 good and evil of a future life. It is true, you know not 
 the time of your deatli, but you know that you are 
 mortal ; you know not the particulars of what will suc- 
 ceed death, but you know that there will be a resurrec- 
 tion of the dead, " both of the just and also of the 
 unjust;" that "they who have done good shall come 
 forth to the resun-ection of life, they that have done evil 
 to the resurrection of condemnation." Jesus Christ has 
 disclosed in the gospel, as far as they are important for 
 any practical purposes, the realities of eternity ; has an- 
 nounced to you his second appearance to raise the dead, 
 and decide the eternal destinies of the human race ; to 
 separate between the righteous and the wicked, place 
 every individual of mankind in one of those classes, and 
 di\dde them one from another as a shepherd divideth his 
 sheep from the goats. He has told you that he will say 
 to the former, " Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire ;" 
 and to the latter, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, in- 
 herit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation 
 of the world." He has assured you, that those who die 
 in a state of impenitence, unbelief, and alienation from 
 God, will sink into eternal misery ; that their doom shall 
 be to depart into everlasting punishment, prepared for 
 the devil and his angels. Those, on the contrary, who 
 are righteous, who are penitent believers, shall be raised 
 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and then 
 caught up to meet the Lord in the air ; afterwards be 
 assessors with him in the judgement ; and, at the end of 
 that solemn process, shall enter with him through the 
 gates into the city, and be for ever with the Lord. You 
 are assured, that, immediately after the event of your 
 death has taken place, there will remain no possibility 
 of a change in your condition — that you will take pos- 
 session of all the horrors of hell, or all the glories of 
 heaven, the moment that the vapour of your life is ex- 
 tinguished in the element of death. He has told you, 
 that you must have to do with Christ, either in the ex- 
 ercise of faith and trust here, or of astonishment and 
 surprise, when you shall lift up your eyes and see, in the 
 person of a neglected Saviour, your offended Sovereign 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 53 
 
 and righteous Judge ! " Behold, he cometh with clouds, 
 and every eye shall see him ; they also that pierced him 
 shall wail because of him." " Before him shall be ga- 
 thered all nations." They who have not received his 
 gospel, submitted to his sceptre, cast themselves into the 
 
 arms of his grace shall be banished for ever 
 
 from his presence. The divine glory is intrusted to 
 him ; the destinies of the world are committed to his 
 hands. You have no other resource but to " kiss the 
 Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when 
 his -svrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they 
 that put their trust in him." He has not only disclosed 
 to you the fact, but also many of the circumstances and 
 appendages of that solemn assize, in which the eternal 
 destinies of all mankind will be determined ; — that a 
 great white throne will be spread, and from the face of 
 him that sitteth upon it the heavens and the earth will 
 flee away ; — that the books shall be opened, and all men 
 judged out of the things written in those books, accord- 
 ing to their works ;* — that the secrets of all hearts shall 
 be made manifest; and an eternity of happiness or 
 misery dealt out to every one by his mighty hand, ac- 
 cording to the deeds done in the body, whether they be 
 good or evil : — that the earth and all the works that are 
 therein shall be burned up ; that the heavens shall pass 
 away with a great noise, and the elements melt with fer- 
 vent heat ; — that for the abode of the righteous there 
 shall be new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth 
 righteousness ; — that in the bottomless abyss prepared 
 for apostate angels, all the wicked shall be for ever con- 
 fined. 
 
 These are subjects on which the wisdom of man can 
 say nothing, or can utter but the feeble articulations of 
 
 infancy The highest efforts of human sagacity 
 
 reach not beyond the bounds of time ; they cannot pass 
 the threshold of eternity. They are scanty and inade- 
 quate, — and leave the world in darkness and misery, 
 compared with these discoveries of revelation. Do not 
 
 * Rev. x\. 11—13. 
 
54 THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 conclude, from the partial ohscmity -wliich attends some 
 of its truths, that religion is not the great concern of 
 accountable immortal creatures, or that you A^'ill be justi- 
 fied in disregarding such affecting prospects as these. 
 No, my brethren, this obscurity is not such as to hide 
 from you your great interest, to make a right choice 
 doubtful, or render it matter of the least hesitation whe- 
 ther you should serve God or not. God has revealed 
 enough, where the light of the gospel comes, to give 
 men the clearest information concerning their eternal 
 welfare; has set before them life, and has set before 
 them death ; has pointed out the broad and the narrow 
 '^vay; shown them the path of destruction, that they 
 may avoid it — and the way of life, that they may walk 
 in it. Jesus Christ has come to render these things so 
 plain and obvious, that even " wayfaring men, though 
 fools, may not err therein." Though, with respect to 
 the constitution of his person, mysterious as his Divine 
 Father, being " the brightness of his glory and the ex- 
 press image of his person ;" with respect to the practical 
 purpose of his incarnation, the great design of his ap- 
 pearance in human flesh, he is " the Light of the world : 
 whoso folloAveth him shall not walk in darkness, but 
 shall have the light of life."* " I am the way, the truth, 
 and the life : no man cometh unto the Father, but by 
 me."t If you are earnest in seeking the salvation of 
 your souls, you have all the evidence you can wish ; you 
 are distinctly informed, that a remedy has been provided, 
 exactly suited to your case. Though you are guilty, the 
 blood of Christ can expiate that guilt ; though you are 
 polluted, the Spirit of Christ can cleanse from that pol- 
 lution. The gospel is every way adapted to your wants 
 and misery. It has pleased the Father, that in Christ 
 " all fulness should dwell." You are invited to come to 
 him at this moment, to receive out of that fulness all 
 spiritual blessings — pardon, sanctification and life ever- 
 lasting. He has given you, in reference to these, " line 
 upon line, precept upon precept." Jesus Christ has be- 
 
 ♦ John viii. 12. f John xiv. 6.. 
 
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 55 
 
 come the incarnate wisdom of God. No person now 
 need perish for want of a profound understanding, since 
 the method of salvation has been brought down to the 
 level of the meanest capacity : " Wisdom stands at the 
 corners of the streets, and cries ; To you, O men, I call, 
 and my voice is to the sons of men." Surely these are 
 the deep things of God, which the Spirit who searcheth 
 all things alone has explored ; which the wisdom of the 
 world never knew, the tongue of human eloquence 
 never proclaimed, the discoveries of human philosophy 
 never approached : but now they form the very elements 
 of piety, so that the meanest person cannot neglect them 
 without living in a practical defiance of God, and con- 
 tempt of his authority. He has thrown an air of ob- 
 scurity over a thousand other things, but not over " the 
 things that make for your peace." You are not left in 
 any uncertainty as to the basis of hope towards God. 
 He has clearly taught you what you must do to be 
 saved ; how you may draw nigh to God, even to his 
 seat ; and through what medium you may pour out your 
 hearts before him. " Behold (he says) I lay in Zion a 
 foundation-stone. Other foundation can no man lay 
 than that which is laid, Jesus Christ. If any man sin, 
 we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the 
 righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins. Him 
 that Cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." You 
 know which is the path that will bring you to eternal 
 
 blessedness; that with shame and confusion of 
 
 face, on account of your past transgressions, you " flee 
 for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before you ;" that 
 he may " of God be made unto you wisdom, righteous- 
 ness, sanctification, and redemption." This is a plain 
 path, open to all. " Secret things belong unto the Lord 
 our God ;" but these are " things revealed, that belong 
 unto us, and to our children for ever." 
 
 Among the things fully revealed, is the placability of 
 God, his readiness to receive the chief of sinners who 
 repent of their sins and believe the gospel. He stands 
 with open arms to receive returning prodigals. Though 
 he condescends not to reveal the secrets of his wisdom, 
 
iyG THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING. 
 
 counsel, and government, he has opened the secrets of 
 his heart, displayed the riches of his compassion and 
 grace. He says, " Look unto me and be ye saved, all 
 ye ends of the earth ; for I am God, and there is none 
 else." This is your wisdom ; this is your happiness ; 
 this is the only way to everlasting life. Let us all apply 
 our hearts and consciences to the plain undeniable de- 
 clarations of revelation. There will be no excuse for 
 any one who lives a sinful, careless, and worldly life, and 
 refiises to enter into covenant with God by the sacrifice 
 of the Redeemer and to serve him, on account of the ob- 
 scurity of the doctrine of salvation. That obscurity is 
 not of such a nature as to darken its evidence, or render 
 in the least degi-ee doubtful, any thing that relates to 
 the duties and prospects of accountable immortal crea- 
 tures. There is no knowledge of any value to you in 
 comparison with tliis — the knowledge of Christ, and him 
 crucified. You are called upon, by believing in him, to 
 unite yourselves to his promises, and cleave to his un- 
 searchable riches. Have you done this ? have you be- 
 lieved in this Sa\dour, who is the Light of the world ? 
 Are you walking in the light ; or treasuring up materials 
 of accummulated condemnation, by saying to God, " De- 
 part from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways," 
 — though he approaches you, not in the character of a 
 judge, but as the Father of mercies and the God of all 
 grace, giving his " only-begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
 lieveth in him might not perish but have everlasting 
 life ?" Let not this be " your condemnation, that light 
 is come into the world, but that you loved darkness 
 rather than light because your deeds are evil. But 
 " walk in the light while you have the light, lest dark- 
 ness come upon you." Submit to Jesus Christ; be 
 guided by his holy truths and precepts ; and you will 
 attain that happiness which " eye hath not seen, nor 
 ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man." 
 
5? 
 
 III. 
 
 ON THE DUTY, HAPPINESS, AND HONOUR, OF 
 MAINTAINING THE COURSE PRESCRIBED TO US 
 BY PROVIDENCE. 
 
 [niEACHED AT THE CHAPEL, MAZE POND, SOUTHWARK, 
 MAY 26, 1811.] 
 
 Acts xiii. 25. — As John fulfilled his course* 
 
 The life of every individual may be compared to a 
 river : — rising in obscmity, increasing by the accession 
 of tributary streams, and, after flowing through a longer 
 or shorter distance, losing itself in some common recep- 
 tacle. The lives of individuals also, like the course of 
 rivers, may be more or less extensive, but will all vanish 
 and disappear in the gulf of eternity. — Whilst a stream 
 is confined within its banks, it fertilizes, enriches, and 
 improves, the country through which it passes ; but if it 
 deserts its channel, it becomes injurious and destructive, 
 a sort of public nuisance, and, by stagnating in lakes 
 and marshes, its exhalations diffuse pestilence and disease 
 around. Some glide away in obscurity and insignifi- 
 cance ; whilst others become celebrated, traverse conti- 
 nents, give names to countries, and assign the boundaries 
 of empires. Some are tranquil and gentle in their 
 course ; whilst others, rushing in torrents, dashing over 
 precipices, and tumbling in waterfalls, become objects 
 of terror and dismay. But, however diversified their 
 character, or their direction, all agree in having their 
 course short, limited, and determined : soon they fall 
 into one capacious receptacle ; their waters eventually 
 mix in the waves of the ocean. Thus human characters, 
 however various, have one common destiny ; their course 
 of action may be greatly diversified, but they all lose 
 themselves in the ocean of eternity. 
 
 Few have appeared on the stage of action whose life 
 
 * Printed from the Notes of W. B. Gurney, Esq. 
 
5S JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 
 
 was more important than that of the great prophet men- 
 tioned in my text. His com-se was a very extraordinary 
 one, distinguished in some sense above all others, our 
 blessed Lord himself only and always excepted. John 
 was called to a very singular work ; his ministry formed 
 an epoch in the history of the church. It was the con- 
 necting link between the two dispensations. He first 
 preached the baptism of repentance to all the people of 
 Israel. " The law and the prophets were until John ; 
 since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and 
 every man presseth into it." 
 
 The most extraordinary events began with the baptism 
 of John, and continued until Christ was taken up into 
 heaven. His peculiar office was to announce the Saviour 
 of the world as then present in it ; other prophets had 
 spoken of him as to come; " hut there standeth" says John, 
 " among you one whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to 
 unloose." He was " the voice of one crpng in the wil- 
 derness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord ;" and whilst 
 he was actually engaged in his commission, he was able 
 to declare — " Behold, he standeth among you" His com- 
 mission was high ; — to reclaim an apostate people ; " to 
 turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the 
 disobedient to the msdom of the just ;" " to make ready 
 a people prepared for the Lord." His career, too, was 
 extraordinary, and his character and course marked and 
 different from all others. Much of the wisdom of Provi- 
 dence appears in fitting the instrument to the work. The 
 work appointed to John was to reclaim a nation from its 
 departure from God, to rouse a people sunk in insensi- 
 bility and impenitence, to preach repentance, to proclaim 
 the approach of the kingdom of heaven, to usher in a 
 higher economy, a new dispensation ; and for all this he 
 was admirably qualified. He was endued with the spirit 
 and power of Elias. His spirit was undaunted and un- 
 yielding ; he rebuked the pride of kings. He was 
 indifferent and insensible alike to the charms of pleasure, 
 the allurement of pomp, the smiles of power, and the 
 fro^vns of greatness. His whole soul was concentrated 
 in his object : — he was superior to the world ; its forms 
 
JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 59 
 
 and fasliions made no impression on his mind, and left 
 no traces. He was austere in his manner, abstemious in 
 his food, rustic in his apparel : he partook of the wild- 
 ness of the wilderness in which he first made his appear- 
 ance. " He had his raiment of camels' hair, a leathern 
 girdle was about his loins, and his meat was locusts and 
 wdld honey." These are lively images of his work. 
 " Then went out unto him Jerusalem and all Judea, and 
 the region round about Jordan ; and were baptized of 
 him, confessing their sins." 
 
 His ministry finished the legal, and brought in the 
 evangelical dispensation. His voice was like the strong 
 wind that bloweth— the whirlwind that maketh the 
 earth to quake — the loud blast of that trumpet which 
 was to wake the nations — the earthquake and the whirl- 
 ■wind which immediately preceded "the still small voice." 
 His career was brilliant, and his success extraordinary. 
 A large portion of the Jews became his converts, at 
 least for a time : even the Scribes and Pharisees listened 
 to him. "He was a burning and a shining hght ; "the 
 apostles themselves were many of them first his disci- 
 ples, and received from him those instructions which 
 prepared them for the coming of the Messiah. By the 
 authentic historian, Josephus, he is spoken of in terms 
 of the highest encomium. It is remarkable, above all, 
 that he was the only prophet born of woman, who was 
 himself the subject of prophecy. 
 
 As his course was short, so was his end violent and 
 tragical. He fell a martyr to his fidelity, and the artifices 
 of an intriguing woman. Having rebuked Herod on 
 account of his incestuous intercourse with his brother's 
 wife, he was sacrificed to her resentment. _ He disap- 
 peared soon : his course was humed and impetuous ; 
 eager, as it were, to reach its destination, and to mingle 
 his grand soul with its kindred elements in eternity. 
 He was raised up for a particular service ; and when that 
 was accompUshed, he was removed. He was not the 
 light, but the harbinger of that light, the morning star 
 that was to usher in the Sun of Righteousness. ^ "He 
 bore witness of the light, but he was not that light /' 
 
60 JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 
 
 and no sooner did that light appear than he was with- 
 drawn, that nothing might divide the great homage due 
 to the Savioxu-, according to his o^Yn. prediction — " He 
 must increase, but I must decrease." 
 
 Having, perhaps, akeady detained you too long in 
 contemplating the character and conduct of John the 
 Baptist, I shall occupy what remains of our time, in 
 illustrating and inculcating two or three practical obser- 
 vations, founded on the words of the text. 
 
 I. That there is a prescribed course or sphere of action 
 appointed to every individual by the Author of our 
 nature. 
 
 We are not a race of independent creatures abandoned 
 to live without control : we are not sent into the world 
 to follow the dictates of our own will. We cannot com- 
 mit a greater mistake than to suppose that we are in any 
 sense our omn ; we belong to another ; even our limbs 
 and faculties do not so much belong to ourselves, as we 
 do to our Maker. To do his will, to conform to his 
 pleasure, to keep his commandments, to fulfil his designs, 
 to serve the end of his government, and to promote his 
 glory ; these are the great ends of our existence ; and to 
 attain them ought to be the fundamental law of our 
 being : otherwise we live in vain, worse than in vain ; 
 and it would have been better for us never to have had 
 an existence. 
 
 There is one great principle of a holy life, which is 
 one and the same in all who live as they ought ; and 
 that is, conforming ourselves to the will of God, com- 
 plying with his plan, doing every thing to please and 
 glorify him. Thus our Saviour himself when in this 
 world was devoted to his Father's will ; this was his ob- 
 ject constantly, even when observed by those around 
 him. It cannot be better exemplified than in that beau- 
 tiful saying of his, when he was requested to take re- 
 freshment at the well of Jacob — " I have meat to eat 
 that the world knoweth not of; my meat is to do the 
 will of him that sent me, and to finish his work ;" and 
 it is doing the will of God from the heart, which implies 
 a careful attention to all the manifestations of it, and a 
 
JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 61 
 
 reverential regard to all tlie discoveries of it, with a fixed 
 and determined resolution to comply with it whenever 
 and wherever it is known. This, as I said, is the end of 
 oiu- existence, the business of our life ; and we live to 
 no purpose, or to a bad one, but as we conform to it. 
 But, although this is the universal principle by which 
 all are to be actuated and guided, yet it admits of great 
 and numerous variations in its practical application. The 
 principle is the same ; but when it comes to be acted 
 upon by individuals, and embodied in the experience 
 and conduct of men in the several conditions of life, it 
 gives birth to an endless diversity. To do the will of 
 God, and to promote his glory, is the proper object and 
 end of all : but the manner in which an apostle, for in- 
 stance, was called upon to do this, is not that in which 
 an ordinary teacher is to do it ; nor the manner of an 
 ordinary teacher that of a private christian. The duties 
 of a sovereign are extremely diiOferent from those of his 
 ministers and officers of state ; and those again, from the 
 duties of inferior magistrates ; and of magistrates, from 
 those of private subjects. Of the rich it is required " to 
 do good and to communicate," to sustain the cause of 
 God and truth in the world, to support public institutions 
 of a charitable and beneficial nature, and freely to distri- 
 bute of their abundance to the necessities of their fellow- 
 creatures ; of the poor, to be prudent, diHgent, careful ; 
 and so on. 
 
 Thus the several conditions and relations of individuals 
 have their respective duties, in which they are to do the 
 will of God, in ^'' fidjilling their course ;' but in each and 
 all, the same care and attention ought to be maintained, 
 to the one grand principle of which we have been speak- 
 ing : one spirit should animate the whole ; — one great 
 end, under whatever variety of form and mode. 
 
 In the principles of human nature, and in the powers 
 and faculties of our bodies and senses, there is a general 
 agreement : yet no two individuals of the human race 
 are alike ; and the same variety exists in moral arrange- 
 
62 JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 
 
 ments. In the elements which compose the principle of 
 holiness, the essential ingi-edients are the same : but when 
 they come to he applied and embodied in a right course 
 of action, they often seem widely different. Although 
 the end is the same in all, yet the manner in which this 
 end is viewed will be various ; the rays of light, when 
 blended in day, are simple and of a uniform colour ; but 
 when they are refracted through a prism, they exhibit 
 all the colours of the rainbow. Such, my brethren, are 
 the principles of holiness, and their diversified action in 
 individuals : but, I repeat it, it is doing the will of God 
 in all ; — this, this is the object, the grand vital principle, 
 that animates good men in all ages in all circumstances, 
 of aU classes and denominations. This is the true catho- 
 lic sphit, which unites all the members of the true 
 church ; and in proportion as men live well, and live for 
 eternity, this is the ruling and governing principle, — to 
 glorify God. 
 
 II. We observe that there is a set and limited time 
 allotted to that sphere and course of action : " There is 
 an appointed time to man upon the earth." The course 
 of man is not indeterminate, but has its limits, and they 
 are narrow : " Man that is bom of a woman, hath but a 
 short time." If we had not the testimony of scripture 
 on this pointj it would be reasonable to conclude, from 
 our observation of nature and the world around us, that 
 the termination of human life is not left in uncertainty, 
 but that it is directed by the wisdom of Him who him- 
 self is the Author of existence. If " a sparrow falieth 
 not to the ground without his knowledge," much less can 
 the death of a human creature take place without his 
 interposition. Whether we fall premature victims to 
 disease, or perish by Avhat men call accident, or sink 
 under the brnxlens of age, still it is according to the will 
 of God, " whose counsels shall stand, and who will do 
 all his pleasure." 
 
 This course is not only limited, but it is short. It is 
 but a little time that we spend on earth : " Behold," says 
 the Psalmist, "thou hast made my days as an hand- 
 breadth, and my yeai's are as nothing before thee." 
 
JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 63 
 
 Whether we drop in infancy, from the cradle to the 
 grave, or are cut off in youth; whether we attain to 
 manhood, or even to old age ; still we soon arrive at the 
 boundary, we soon reach the end of our course, and often 
 without jjassing through its intermediate stages. Thus, 
 indeed, verifying the language, " Behold, thou hast made 
 my days as an handbreadth." 
 
 The stream of human existence is rapid and impe- 
 tuous ; its waves follow each other in quick succession, 
 and many are ingulfed almost as soon as they appear. 
 Early in infancy the stream glides away like a summer 
 brook, and leaves the fond parent mournfully to recall 
 the pleasure he received in contemplating its unsullied 
 purity and its playful meanders. Of those who set out 
 with us in this journey of life, how many have disap- 
 peared from our side ! what changes have taken place 
 in the circle of our connexions since we began our 
 course; how few can we now number of those with 
 whom, in the early period of our lives, " we took sweet 
 counsel !" Every year makes great changes. How great 
 are the changes, my brethren, which have been made in 
 the face of this congregation ! Where are many of our 
 friends in whom we delighted ! They have finished 
 their course ; they have passed through the gate that 
 opens into the invisible world ; they have completed 
 their probation, and appeared at the tribunal of Infinite 
 Majesty; they have done with the converse of mortals, 
 and have seen and heard things which it is impossible 
 to utter ; they have for ever finished their course. 
 
 III. Our happiness and our honour consist entirely in 
 completing the course which God has assigned to us. In 
 filling up the sphere of action which he has prescribed, 
 and which his providence has marked out to us, there 
 are two great mistakes into which we are liable to fall, 
 in our views of this subject. 
 
 I. That there is some other happiness and honour than 
 that which is to be found in fulfilling our course, or, in 
 other words, occupying that sphere of duty which God 
 hath been pleased to assign us. Some are looking, for 
 their satisfaction, to the pleasures of sin ; others to the 
 
64 JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 
 
 gratification wliicli tlie world affords ; some attach their 
 notion of happiness to some external situation not yet 
 foiind, and imagine it is to be met with there. Settle it 
 in your minds, my dear friends, that the only happiness 
 worth seeking, — that which will live in all circumstances, 
 and abide the vicissitudes of life, — our only real and 
 proper good, — consists in fulfilling our course^ conform- 
 ing to the divine will, imitating the divine perfections, 
 obeying God's commands, walking in the light of his 
 countenance, and being at peace with him. The pre- 
 scription of this, as the way to happiness, is amongst the 
 fixed laws of our nature : it is " founded amongst the 
 floods, deeper than the foundations of the everlasting 
 mountains." It forms a part of the constitution of heaven 
 itself. It was amongst the original decrees promulgated 
 by God in the silence of the universe. Eternal truth 
 has declared, that " the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom.; 
 and to depart from evil, that is imderstanding." Could 
 you ask the children of men, one by one, at the verge of 
 life, — and especially those who have passed into eternity, 
 — from the very commencement of time, whether they 
 have been happy, and what constituted their happiness, 
 there is not one who would not confess that the fear of 
 the Lord was the only wisdom, and the knowledge of the 
 Most High the supreme good. 
 
 If you could find another species of happiness, it 
 would be what the wisdom of man has not yet discov- 
 ered. You must look into some comer of the world 
 which the eye of Omniscience has not penetrated ; you 
 must defy Omnipotence, and give the lie to eternal 
 truth. " Where," says the Almighty, " is the place of 
 wisdom ?" All creatures testify that it is not in them. 
 But God declares, " The fear of the Lord, that is wis- 
 dom." 
 
 Accursed, or abandoned, be that impiety, shut out 
 from the universe be the shadoAV of that conception, 
 which would represent happiness to be found in the 
 depths, the heights, the breadths, or in any thing separate 
 
JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 65 
 
 from the service, the knowledge, and the love of the 
 Eternal Being. This, " this is life eternal, to know thee 
 the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast 
 sent." This fountain of water flows for the refreshment 
 of the meanest peasant, as well as of the greatest mo- 
 narch ; this is an universal school of wisdom, into which 
 all are invited. You may be happy, but there is but one 
 way, and that is, " fulfilling your course," consulting the 
 will of God, commending yourself to the guidance of 
 his wisdom in a life of religion, living not to yourselves 
 but unto God, seeking satisfaction in the mortification of 
 every inclination which crosses his everlasting purposes : 
 you may even " lose your life for his sake," and you 
 " will find it." 
 
 2. The second mistake against which we should guard 
 you, is that of supposing we should be able to conform 
 ourselves to the will of God, and to our own sphere of 
 action, better in some other state ; and being therefore 
 dissatisfied with that precise state in which his provi- 
 dence has placed us. The wisdom of each consists in 
 fulfilling his 07vn course. The course of John the Bap- 
 tist was difficult, obstructed with afflictions, and beset with 
 dangers : but he fulfilled it. How many objections 
 might he have formed against the precise course assigned 
 him ! how many reasons might he have advanced for 
 supposing that in some other sphere he might have 
 glorified God more entirely ! But he yielded himself to 
 the wisdom of God. 
 
 Some are ready to suppose" that they should more 
 easily comply with the dictates of religion, and more 
 easily surmount temptations, in a condition different 
 from their own ; that they should have acted better in 
 another combination of circumstances ; and thus ven- 
 ture, if I may so speak, to lay the blame of their 
 defection and misconduct upon God, who has fixed the 
 bounds of their habitation. 
 
 The poor may easily imagine, how amiably and libe- 
 rally they should have acted if their lot had been cast 
 among the rich ; and the rich, on the other hand, how 
 safely they should have been preserved from a variety 
 
 VOL. VI. P 
 
bb JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 
 
 of snares, if they had been screened by the privacy of 
 the poor. The young will ascribe their errors to the im- 
 petuosity so natural to their age ; those who are more 
 advanced are ready to imagine that if they enjoyed more 
 leisure, and were not so entangled with the cares and 
 perplexities of their active station, they should be better 
 able to attend to the concerns of a future life. The 
 aged are Avishing for the energy and capacity of atten- 
 tion which belongs to youth : their time, they plead, is 
 passed ; it is too late for them to change. 
 
 But all these are great mistakes. Our true happiness 
 is to be found in fulfilling our present course, conform- 
 ing ourselves to the duties of that station in which 
 we are placed, in consulting the mil of God under 
 the circumstances in which w^e actually are, and im- 
 proving the opportunity which our condition affords. 
 If we do not now love and fear the Supreme Being, — if 
 w^e cannot now resist temptation, mortify corruption, and 
 devote ourselves to the service of God, — if we now feel 
 no resolution " to run the race that is set before us," — 
 we may be assured that a change of circumstances will 
 not avail. It is not a change of state that we want, but 
 a change of heart : the disease is within, in the state of 
 our minds, the bent of our dispositions, which will follow 
 us into another situation, produce the same effects, and 
 place us at the same distance from happiness. What 
 you want, my brethren, and what we all want, is the 
 renovating principle of divine grace, that sanctifying 
 principle within us ; to have " the law of God written 
 in our hearts," without which no other change will 
 avail. The grace of God in the heart vdW preserve us 
 in any and every situation, and in all circumstances will 
 be fruitful of advantage to our souls : it will guide us 
 and keep us humble in prosperity, cheer us in adversity, 
 and render its discipline salutary ; it will sustain and 
 direct us in Hfe, support us in death, and go vn\h us 
 into eternity. It was this that enabled Joseph to pre- 
 serve his chastity in the midst of temptation ; that sup- 
 ported Daniel in the very jaws of lions ; and inspired 
 the confidence of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in 
 
JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 67 
 
 "the flaming fiery furnace." This is the principle 
 which brings God to our view in seasons of the greatest 
 trial, by piercing the cloud of flesh, and enabling us to 
 see him that is invisible to the eyes of sense. The 
 man who possesses this principle will adorn an elevated 
 condition, with humility ; and a condition of obscurity 
 and poverty, with integrity and resignation. 
 
 If, therefore, there be any persons in this assembly 
 that feel a conviction of the importance of a religious 
 life, and a course of right actions, but yet are sensible of 
 a moral inability, let them have recourse to the fountain 
 of divine grace. Come to Him who is eyes to the 
 blind, ears to the deaf, feet to the lame. Cast yourselves 
 at the feet of the Saviour ; be conscious of your weak- 
 ness, misery, and guilt. Pray to Him who is the foun- 
 tain of all light, that the beams of his grace may be 
 communicated to you ; that his light may shine into your 
 hearts, to give unto you the light of the knowledge of 
 the glory of God. 
 
 This will govern the heart as well as guide the under- 
 standing, direct the will, and regulate the affections : 
 Ihis will make you holy ; this will subdue temptation ; 
 this will be an antidote against the infection ■ of evil 
 examples. " This is the victory that overcometh the 
 world, even our faith ; for who is he that overcometh 
 the world, but he that believeth that Jesus Christ is the 
 Son of God ?" This will surmount the disorders of life, 
 the fear of death, and conduct the soul to everlasting 
 felicity. 
 
 Finally, my brethren, let each of us attach himself 
 with more seriousness, alacrity, and fervour than ever, to 
 the proper duties of his station ; let each consider in 
 what instances he fails to fulfil his course ; let each 
 examine himself, and see wherein he fails to observe 
 " the good and perfect law of God." Let him discover 
 "his easily besetting sin," and see how far this has 
 perverted his course, and turned his affections from 
 God. 
 
 ■k * * * * V: 
 
 The time is coming when you will perceive that 
 F 2 
 
68 JOHN FULFILLED HIS COURSE. 
 
 there is no tvj.e wisdom to be found but in doing the 
 will of God. The value of time is to be estimated by 
 the opportunity which it gives us of laying up riches 
 for eterniti/. He is the most steady pursuer of his own 
 interest who has "laid up treasure in heaven, where 
 neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves 
 do not break through nor steal." 
 
 Some of you, perhaps, have not even begun : you have 
 done nothing yet for the glory of God ; you have been 
 living entirely to yourselves ; and your lives, it may be, 
 are approaching to a close. Begin then to be wise ; re- 
 flect on what you have heard ; and remember, it will be 
 ratified by the impressions of a dying hour. 
 
 There are some present, perhaps, who are near to the 
 end of their course, and have the satisfaction to reflect 
 that they have had their conversation with God. Happy 
 such persons, whatever their station in life may be ! Let 
 the consideration of your having so nearly fulfilled your 
 course, make you more diligent and circumspect in what 
 remains of it. In a very short time your conflict will 
 be over, your corruptions will be slain. So near to vic- 
 tory, do not let the weapons of warfare fall out of your 
 hands : " Be faithful unto death, and you shall receive a 
 crown of life." 
 
 The memory of John the Baptist is perpetuated with 
 honour, because he " fulfilled his course ;" while that of 
 Herod and Pontius Pilate are covered with infamy. 
 Which of these characters w ill you imitate ? Will you 
 be among those w^hom • God condescends to honour, to 
 whom he will say, " Well done, good and faithful ser- 
 vants, enter ye into the joy of our Lord ?" or A^-ill you 
 now surround yourselves with a few sparks of worldly 
 pleasure, and lie do^^Ti in eternal darkness ? 
 
 Whenever the gospel is preached, this alternative is set 
 before you : the alternative of " shining like the sun for 
 ever ; or of awaking to shame and everlasting contempt." 
 If there w^ere no judgement-seat at which we must appear, 
 we might have our election between peace of conscience. 
 and the gratification of our desires. But our course 
 here is a preparation for our course hereafter. Never 
 
Christ's condescension. 69 
 
 dissever in your minds a life of piety and a life of ho- 
 nour ; there is no glory, no happiness, but in the love 
 and service of God. 
 
 Hear the language of the apostle Paul, in the near 
 prospect of a violent death : " I have finished my course, 
 I have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid up for 
 me a crown of righteousness." 
 
 Do you believe this ? If you do not, you are not 
 christians ; you wear a mask. But, if you do, the con- 
 viction and confession of this truth will for ever be a 
 source of torment to you, unless you now imitate the 
 conduct of this apostle, give yourselves up to God, and 
 embrace and pursue a holy and religious life in Christ 
 Jesus. 
 
 lY. 
 
 CHRIST'S PRE-EXISTENCE, CONDESCENSION, AND 
 EXALTATION. 
 
 [preached at the chapel in dean-street, southwark, 
 JUNE 27, 1813.] 
 
 Philip, ii. 5 — 9. — Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ 
 Jesus : who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be 
 equal tvith God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon 
 him the form of a servant, and icas made in the like)iess of men : and 
 being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became 
 obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God 
 also hath highly exalted him* 
 
 In this chapter, it is manifest from the context that 
 the apostle is inculcating upon professors of the gospel a 
 spirit of condescension and humility. " Let nothing," 
 saith he, " be done through strife or vain glory, but in 
 lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than him- 
 
 * From the notes of W. B. Giirney, Esq., corrected, in a few cases, 
 by comparison with the notes sent by six other friends. See J\Ir. 
 Halls own sketch of the argument. Vol. V. pp. 125—130. — Ed, 
 
70 Christ's pre-existence, 
 
 self: look not every man on his ovm tilings, but every 
 man also on the things of others." 
 
 His intention is to enforce a disposition that enters 
 very deeply into the lowly spirit of the gospel, an atten- 
 tion to the circumstances of others, a preference of their 
 interests to our owti, and a -vvillmgness to condescend to 
 make great sacrifices of our ovm interest and gratifica- 
 tion, of our own honour and advantage, to promote their 
 good. It is that particular species of christian virtue and 
 benevolence, w^hich stands opposed to the tenacious main- 
 tenance of outward distinctions and dignities, that insists 
 on all the honour and pre-eminence which we might be 
 supposed to have a right to claim ; and lays by its own 
 advantage and honour for the sake of promoting the 
 spiritual and temporal interests of our fellow-creatures, 
 and especially of our fellow-christians. 
 
 Of this disposition he presents a striking example in 
 the noble conduct of our Saviour, and in the great doc- 
 trines which are exhibited in his incarnation and con- 
 verse in this world, as well as in the wonderful example 
 of love and humility which he showed in becoming 
 " obedient unto death, even the death of the cross ;" and 
 he shows that by such a conduct as this it was that Jesus 
 Christ rose in our nature to that inexpressible majesty 
 with which he is at present invested. '* Wherefore God 
 also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name 
 which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus 
 every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things 
 on earth, and things under the earth; and that every 
 tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the 
 glory of God the Father." 
 
 Permit me to request your attention w liile I endeavour 
 to set forth, in some imperfect measure, that example of 
 great condescension and humility which is exhibited in 
 the passage before us. 
 
 Now, in the idea of condescension, we must suppose 
 a superior and an inferior, — one by whom that virtue is 
 exercised, and another to whom it is shown. Where 
 there is a perfect equality, there is no room for the ex- 
 ercise of this particular species of virtue; much less, 
 
CONDESCENSION, AND EXALTATION. 71 
 
 where a superior only is in question : for, though we 
 may behave ourselves with the utmost propriety towards 
 an equal or a superior, yet it is impossible that he should 
 be the object of our condescension ; this would involve 
 a very gi-eat absurdity in language. 
 
 Whenever we speak of this species of excellency, it 
 always implies that it is an inferior towards whom it is 
 exerted ; this is the necessary prerequisite for the exer- 
 cise of this particular form of christian and moral vir- 
 tue. In like manner, it is evident that a stoop, a descent 
 from some dignity or previous elevation, is always sup- 
 posed in the exercise of this branch of virtue. It always 
 implies a resignation of some claim to a superior station, 
 a foregoing of some advantage or preeminence. It is 
 also necessary that such humiliation should be perfectly 
 volmitary; a voluntary lowering of ourselves beneath 
 the station which was previously occupied ; a laying 
 do\ATi of some advantage or dignity. There is a strong 
 contrast supposed in a series of acts of condescension, or 
 even in one, between the station we previously occupied 
 and that in which we place ourselves. There is also an 
 implied opposition between something we possess and 
 something we resign, and the station to Avhich we are 
 reduced in consequence of resigning it, — the station to 
 which we bring ourselves, — which forms a powerful op- 
 position or contrast to what we might have assumed or 
 previously possessed. 
 
 If our Saviour condescended, in the instance before 
 us, it is manifest there must have been some previous 
 elevation from which he descended — from Avhich he 
 passed to those acts which are here specified. It is ne- 
 cessary, in order to make out an example from our 
 Saviour's case, to specify the particular circumstances 
 here implied, which stand opposed to other circumstances: 
 the elevation must come first, and the voluntary depres- 
 sion of himself must come afterwards. This is implied 
 in the very nature of thmgs. In all acts of condescen- 
 sion we must suppose the person who performs them to 
 be acting in a manner perfectly volmitary ; there must 
 be no degradation in the case, nor any thing that occurs 
 
72 Christ's pre-existence, 
 
 by what we call cliance or accident, nor yet by the usual 
 arrangements of Providence : nothing that thus occurs 
 can give any scope to the exercise of this disposition. 
 Though the manner in which that depression may be 
 borne may evince much patience and equanimity, and 
 much of the proper spirit of christian resignation to the 
 divine will, yet it cannot be called an act of condescen- 
 sion, if it is to be traced to the irresistible operations of 
 di\'ine grace, and much less still if it is the inevitable 
 consequence of an irresistible law of nature. No one 
 ever thought of praising the greatest sovereign on earth 
 on the ground of his condescension in being a man, 
 though this places him in the most essential particulars 
 on a level with his subjects ; a participation of human 
 nature being a greater instance of equality than any cir- 
 cumstance that can produce inequality. No one, I say, 
 w^ould think of praising him on that account, because it 
 is an effect of a law under which he was bom, and which 
 excludes his choice and volition. 
 
 But, not only is every instance of condescension sup- 
 posed to involve the exercise of choice ; but there must 
 be no very forcible obligation, no such strong and pal- 
 pable obligation to the act that expresses the condescen- 
 sion, as that the contrary of it would shock our moral 
 feelings, would appear exceedingly unbecoming, and ex- 
 cite a great degree of moral disapprobation. Though 
 condescension be a great ornament to the character of a 
 christian, and springs from the principles of his religion, 
 it is of a very different nature from the obligations of 
 justice or even of humanity. It is of such a nature, in- 
 deed, that it is always supposed the not exercising it 
 would not at the same time have destroyed all claim to 
 virtuous and honourable conduct. If there be a forcible 
 obligation to such sort of conduct, that conduct can never 
 be entitled to the praise of eminent condescension. For 
 example, nothing can be more plain than that it is the 
 duty of every man to exercise humanity and strict jus- 
 tice towards all with whom he has to do. But, as the 
 obligations to humanity, in cases of extreme distress, ai'e 
 
CONDESCENSION, AND EXALTATION. 73 
 
 very forcible and strong, tlie neglect of tliem lays a per- 
 son open to great blame ; and the practice of them in 
 some instances, in proportion to their great obligation, 
 deprives the conduct of the title to high praise and com- 
 mendation. In all cases the more palpable the obliga- 
 tion to conduct it, the less is there praiseworthy in 
 complying with that obligation ; and, on the other hand, 
 the fainter the previous obhgation is supposed to be, the 
 stronger is the instance of virtue from attending to so 
 comparatively feeble a sense of obligation. 
 
 Now, it is manifest, that if our Saviour be proposed 
 as a pattern, it must be in some instance wonderfully 
 condescending and humble, different from what might 
 have been expected ; that we must not merely look for 
 what is virtuous and worthy, but for that which is so ex- 
 traordinary and singular as to justify his being exhibited, 
 in this part of his conduct, as our example. If he be 
 proposed as an imitable model of condescension, it must 
 be for the exercise of this virtue in a very eminent and 
 extraordinary degree ; for nothing else can justify his 
 being held up as a pattern to all ages. If, while it was 
 imitable in its kind, it had not surpassed all comparison 
 in degree, it would then have excited a vicious competi- 
 tion, — it would have contradicted the very purpose for 
 which it was produced, which was to set our Saviour in- 
 expressibly high in our esteem, and excite us to emulate 
 his conduct, as far as we are able, with the most entire 
 consciousness that we can only make an imperfect ap- 
 proach to it. We must look, then, for some very extra- 
 ordinary instance of condescension in our Lord, some- 
 thing which must strike all eyes, something which cannot 
 be accounted for without supposing inexpressible love in 
 the breast of the Saviour, and such an infinite compassion 
 toAvards a lost world as must place him beyond all compa- 
 rison, or even the power of being imitated, in this respect. 
 
 Now, there are two ways of interpreting this passage 
 of scripture ; and these remarks have been made to 
 enable us to judge which is the best interpretation, which 
 best corresponds with the intention of the sacred writer. 
 
74 Christ's pre- existence. 
 
 If there be anv doubt about the meaning of the text 
 separately taken, and it is aipable of two distinct inter- 
 pretations, that must be allowed to be the just one which 
 best corresponds with the purpose for which the passage 
 is pnxiuced ; that which furnishes the argument for 
 which the passage is brought, that which most illustrates 
 the particular moral duty intended to be inculcated, must 
 be confessed to be the true one, in opposition to that 
 ■which does not inculcate that duty. It is allowed that 
 an att4?jition to the scope of a passage, and a consideration 
 of the purpose for which it was written, is one of the 
 most certain guides. 
 
 In interpreting this passage and in determining which 
 is to be preferred of contrary interpretations, you must 
 consider, not merely what meaning the words may bear, 
 but which of the meanings proposed best corresponds 
 with the intention of the inspired writer, by exhibiting 
 our Saviour as a marvellous example of condescension. 
 If there be a capacity of putting another construction on 
 the words without any great force or violence to them, 
 which, at the same time, does not exhibit a striking ex- 
 ample of condescension. — one which deprives our 
 Saviour of the place he here occupies as a pattern, on the 
 supposition of which it becomes difficult to conceive of 
 any condescension at all remarkable, — we are justified in 
 setting aside that interpretation ; not simply because it 
 appears less natural in itselfl but because it is quite un- 
 suitable to the place, by destroying and invalidating the 
 purpose for which it is brought. 
 
 I shall brieliy propose to you the opposite interpreta- 
 tions which have been given to the passage before us. 
 
 First, then, let us take that of those who deny the 
 divinity of Christ and the incarnation, and. of conse- 
 quence, all the doctrines connected with them ; their 
 interpretation is as follows. ** Let this mind be in vou, 
 which was also in Christ Jesus, who. being in the form 
 of God ;" that is. say they, being possessed of esitraor- 
 dinary miraculous powers. ** thought it not robbery to be 
 equal with God ;" which they interpret, whether justly 
 or not I >ha11 not now inquire, dU not cxigerly catch at^ 
 
CONDESCENSION, AND EXALTATION. 7^ 
 
 or teas not eager to mamfain, the idea of any likeness to 
 God, or equality with God, — " hut made himself of no 
 reputation;" that is, say they, made himself poor, or 
 reduced himself to a state of poverty and meanness ; — 
 " and took upon him the form of a servant," which word 
 they interpret slave, because, if the term servant stood, it 
 is plain there could be no instance of condescension; 
 they therefore consider him as subjecting himself to the 
 abject state of a slave ; — '• and was made in the likeness 
 of man," which say they, is like common men, not dis- 
 tinguishing himself by outward distinctions, but placing 
 himself on a level with the meanest part of mankind ; 
 — " and, being found in fashion as a man, he humbled 
 himself and became obedient unto death, even the death 
 of the cross." Now this is the interpretation of those 
 who would set aside the pre-existence of Christ in a 
 state of majesty previously to his entrance into our world, 
 and the obvious argument that hence results in favour of 
 condescension from the preeminent dignity and glory of 
 the Saviour. But let us consider whether this inter- 
 pretation can possibly stand, consistently with the 
 prerequisites we have before mentioned ; whether the 
 instances here adduced can possibly exhibit any striking 
 example of condescension on the part of the Saviour. 
 " Being in the form of God," 'on the supposition of its 
 meaning his being possessed of miraculous powers, must 
 be the only elevation he possessed above common men. 
 This was his great distinction : but this he never laid 
 aside. Here, therefore, instead of his conduct exhibit- 
 ing a great example of condescension, he never came 
 down from the station he occupied ; he never lost it for 
 a moment ; for the exercise of miraculous powers con- 
 tinued, through the whole of his ministry, mth increasing 
 splendour and advantage. With respect to the transla- 
 tion I have adverted to, and which I shall not now 
 combat, because the requisite criticisms appear to me 
 yery unfit for a popular assembly, let us take it that he 
 did not eagerly catch at, or was not eager to maintain his 
 equality and likeness to God, still I affirm that this is 
 not an instance of condescension, because there is upon 
 
76 Christ's pre-existence, 
 
 creatures a forcible obligation not to contend for equality 
 with God ; and although it would be extremely criminal 
 not to comply with it, ^^et there can be no high degree 
 of virtue in abstaining from so atrocious a degree of 
 guilt. For a subject to refrain from assuming the dignity 
 of sovereign w^ould excite no admiration ; no one would 
 think of highly praising his virtue because he did not 
 raise a standard of rebellion against his sovereign. In 
 proportion to the force of the obligation to abstain from 
 such pretensions, in the same degree is such conduct con- 
 sidered only in a negative way ; that is, as exempted 
 from censure but not entitled highly to praise ; in some 
 cases, indeed, not at all. But the apostle brings it as a 
 proof of condescension and humility, that Christ Jesus 
 did not eagerly aflfect, as they say, an equality with God, 
 or did not catch at it. How can that be an instance of 
 condescensio7i ? The example must surpass, I apprehend, 
 all human comprehension. " But made himself of no 
 reputation," or, as the expression literally is, emptied 
 himself. Emptied himself of what ? And, it is added, 
 "took upon him the form of a sei-vant." We might 
 suppose that his emptying himself must mean his 
 divesting himself, as the expression signifies of something 
 before possessed, of some distinction and glory before 
 mentioned ; and the only one, even in the esteem of our 
 adversaries, is the form of God ; but, upon their suppo- 
 sition, he did not empty himself of it all ; he retained 
 it ; for, dm-ing his w hole ministry, he exercised miracu- 
 lous powders, and never more so than in the resurrection 
 of Lazarus, which immediately preceded and accelerated 
 his death. But, the text says, " he made himself of no 
 reputation :" you may suppose that the ^vi'iter is going to 
 tell us for what reason he took upon himself the form 
 of a serv^ant. Here the " form of God" being mentioned 
 before, it is manifest that the " form of a servant" is the 
 intended antithesis. But, upon the supposition of 
 Jesus Christ having no existence before he came into our 
 world, there can be no intei-pretation given to it, unless 
 we interpret servant^ slave, and suppose that he degraded 
 himself to the service of a common slave. But, if 
 
CONDESCENSION, AND EXALTATION. 77 
 
 Jesus Christ acted the part of a slave, or sustained the 
 character of a slave, it must be either in relation to God, 
 or to man. With respect to men, it is manifest he did 
 not act the part of a slave, he never sustained that capa- 
 city at all, much less took upon him that character 
 permanently ; he never was in captivity : it was not then 
 his relation to society. With respect to his heavenly 
 Father, it cannot be supposed that it can be applied to 
 his service to God ; nothing can be so absurd : no service 
 which the Divine Being can be supposed to prescribe to 
 an accountable creature can be viewed in a degrading 
 light. And where is there any example of the term 
 slave signifying a very mean servant of God ? Are not 
 the angels themselves styled the servants of God? 
 Does not Paul call himself the servant of God ? Does 
 not the angel in the Apocalypse style himself the 
 fellow-servant of John ? Would our very adversaries 
 themselves so exceedingly disfigure the language of 
 scripture as to style these the slaves of God ? What can 
 it then be for, but to answer a purpose perfectly pal- 
 pable without being at the same time able to assign any 
 just and proper meaning to the term ? " And was made 
 in the likeness of men :" here it is represented as an act 
 of great condescension in our Saviour that he was made 
 in the likeness of men ; but how could he assume any 
 other appearance than that of a man ? how could he fail 
 to appear in that character, with no other attribute 
 belonging to him than that of a human being ? " Being 
 found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and be- 
 came obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." 
 Now, these expressions evidently are intended to intro- 
 duce a proof of our Saviour's great condescension and 
 humility ; but none of them answer this purpose in the 
 least degree, but on the supposition of there being some 
 previous dignity or rank from which he descended. 
 There is no contrast, on the supposition of mere human- 
 ity, between this and the previous state; there is no 
 forcible or palpable opposition between what he became 
 and what he was ; he always was a servant, he always 
 was in the likeness of man, could be nothing but man ; 
 
78 Christ's pre-existence, 
 
 and yet his being so is represented as a marvellous 
 instance of condescension and limnility in the Redeemer ! 
 On the supposition that Jesus Christ did not exist before 
 he came into our world, the order of things is inverted ; 
 for the dignity of our Saviour, his elevation, came after- 
 wards^ upon this supposition, and his depression came 
 first : he had no elevation of an earthly kind at all from 
 which he could condescend, and he is the greatest 
 example, if he were no more than man, of a person 
 raising himself to great dignity and authority from the 
 meanest and most abject beginning. No "form of God" 
 w^as perceived in him in the commencement of his 
 ministry. He possessed miraculous powers, it is true ; 
 but he possessed them to the end, and these he never 
 lost. " IMy Father worketh, and I Avork." Upon the 
 supposition of his mere humanity, the contrast is of a 
 different kind ; he is the most wonderful example of a 
 person rising from the most obscure beginning, com- 
 mencing in lowly circumstances, and ascending to 
 grandeur. 
 
 But if we take the expressions according to their 
 obvious and popular import, they afford the most 
 striking illustration of the purpose of the apostle in ex- 
 hibiting the condescension and humility of the Saviour. 
 " Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery 
 to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, 
 and took upon himself the form of a servant, and was 
 made in the likeness of men." Here the form of God 
 and the form of a servant are contrasted with each other; 
 and as the form of a servant is universally understood 
 as acknowledging that he was a servant, what can we 
 suppose the being in the form of God to mean, but that 
 he was God ; though that may not be its only meaning ? 
 He is said to have taken upon himself the form of a 
 servant ; here try the meaning of those who oppose the 
 divinity of Christ, that he was not eager to catch at or 
 to retain the likeness of God ; and then, upon the 
 supposition of his being the Son of God, possessing the 
 divine nature, and uniting himself to mortal flesh, you 
 will find that the latter perfectly corresponds with the 
 
CONDESCENSION, AND EXALTATION. 'JQ 
 
 intention of the apostle. And his emptying himself, 
 and taking upon him the form of a servant, is, indeed, a 
 great instance of condescension, on the supposition of 
 his being a Son ; for there is a visible contrast between 
 the being a son and a servant, which the apostle observes 
 when he remarks, that " though he were a son, yet 
 learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." 
 There is also, upon this supposition, a plain meaning 
 assigned to the whole, the words of existence differing 
 from the words of assumption. "Who being in the 
 form of God, made himself of no reputation, took upon 
 himself the form of a servant, was made in the likeness 
 of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he 
 humbled himself." For, here we have the state he 
 formerly possessed expressed by the word being ; and the 
 word MADE, signifying that he became so by being made 
 so ; agreeably to what the apostle John says, " The 
 Word was with God, and the Word was God ;" and 
 further, " The AYord was made flesh, and dwelt among 
 us." — The same apostle, Paul, expresses the reason of his 
 assuming a nature that did not belong to him, an 
 inferior nature, " Forasmuch as the children are partakers 
 of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of 
 the same, that through death he might destroy him that 
 had the power of death, that is, the devil." But what 
 possible contrast of this nature can be found, upon the 
 supposition of Christ's mere humanity? Where was 
 there any descent from the form of God ? And why- 
 should that wdiich could not be avoided, which was not 
 voluntary, be expressed in the way it is — ■" Took upon 
 himself the form of a servant," " humbled himself," and 
 so on, when the very nature of things, the universal law 
 of nature, rendered it impossible for him to be other than 
 a mere man, and, consequently, a servant of the Most 
 High God ? 
 
 The doctrine of Christ's humiliation and incarnation 
 is expressed in the most forcible manner, and worthy of 
 our most attentive admiration and adoration. " Being 
 found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself;" he 
 still humbled himself. He was not satisfied with being 
 
80 Christ's pre-existence, 
 
 found in fashion as a man, which was a wonderful act of 
 condescension : he was not satisfied with taking upon 
 him the form of a servant ; he not merely assumed a 
 very low station in society ; hut he still humbled himself; 
 he descended lower than the mere level of human nature 
 required ; he descended deeper and deeper, and was not 
 contented till he had reached the very bottom of humili- 
 ation, till he " became obedient imto death." Nay, even 
 that was not sufficient; there was one death more 
 ignominious, more painful, more replete with agony and 
 shame, than any other ; and for the purpose, the glorious 
 purpose, of his coming into our world, he selected that 
 death, he determined to die that death, that very death; 
 and made that his peculiar province in which he should 
 appear, to the destruction of our spiritual enemies, and 
 the conquest of the powers of darkness. " He became 
 obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." It was 
 from this cross, which was the lowest step to which he 
 could possibly descend, that he arose to his crown ; it 
 was from thence that " he ascended up on high," that he 
 was elevated to the right hand of God ; that there might 
 be exhibited in his person the most wonderful contrast 
 of the original dignity which he laid aside, then of the 
 scene of shame and suffering which he endured, and 
 afterwards of the majesty and glory with which he 
 invested the nature in which he suffered. He first 
 descended from the throne to the cross ; and then, in 
 order that he might take up our nature with him, and 
 make us partakers of his glory, he carried a portion of 
 that nature from the cross to the throne, ascended into 
 heaven, and from thence gives a portion of the benefits of 
 it by the outpouring of his Spirit, by the preaching of 
 the Gospel, and the saving of innumerable multitudes of 
 them that believe ; and all this in consonance with the 
 purposes of God, whom it became, as the Great Legis- 
 lator, " in brmging many sons unto glory, to make the 
 Captain of their salvation perfect through sufi'erings."' 
 
 There is only one expression more on which I shall 
 make a remark ; and that is, that it is not said he be- 
 came a servant, or became a man : all this is h 
 
CONDESCENSION, AND EXALTATION. 81 
 
 the form of expression is different. Nor is it here as- 
 serted that he was God, though this is strongly implied. 
 But it is thus expressed : " Who, being in the form of 
 God, took upon him the form of a servant, and was 
 made in the likeness of men." Though this plainly im- 
 plies that Jesus Christ was God, yet the form of ex- 
 pression, no doubt, includes something more ; it is in- 
 tended to express a distinct idea from his being called 
 God ; and it appears to me to correspond exactly with 
 the design of the apostle, for his design was to contrast 
 our Lord's state at different times. He had assumed a 
 form under the old dispensation wherein he appeared on 
 various occasions, in various ways, or in different mani- 
 festations. When Joshua was about to enter on his war 
 with the Canaanites, he observed a majestic and glorious 
 personage standing over against him, with his sword 
 drawn in his hand ; and Joshua went unto him, and said 
 unto him, " Art thou for us, or for our adversaries ? 
 And he said, Nay, but as Captain of the hosts of the 
 Lord am I come. And Joshua fell on his face to the 
 earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith 
 my Lord unto his servant ? And the Captain of the 
 Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off 
 thy foot, for the place whereon thou standest is holy." 
 The same command God gave from the burning bush. 
 And in Ezekiel you find, " one in the form of the Son 
 of Man seated on a throne," with a sapphire firmament; 
 and Jesus Christ is represented as distinct from the 
 Father, presenting himself to the Father ; so that he is 
 said by the apostle Paul to have been tempted of the 
 Israelites in the wilderness. He manifested himself, but 
 he manifested himself in the form of God, with a ma- 
 jesty and glory suited to his work. Yet he laid aside 
 that form ; he divested himself of it, and took upon 
 him the form of a servant, a human form; and not 
 merely a human form, but he humbled himself still 
 more, and became obedient unto death. He was found 
 in fashion as a man : it was a wonderful discovery, an 
 astonishing spectacle in the view of angels, that he who 
 was in the form of God, and adored from eternity, 
 
 VOL. VI. G 
 
82 Christ's pre-existence, 
 
 should be made in fashion as a man. But why is it not 
 said that he was a mayi ? For the same reason that the 
 apostle wishes to dwell upon the appearance of our Sa- 
 viour, not as excluding the reality, but as exemplifying 
 his condescension. His being in the form of God did 
 not prove that he was not God, but rather that he was 
 God, and entitled to supreme honour. So, his assuming 
 the form of a servant, and being in the likeness of man, 
 does not prove that he was not man, but, on the con- 
 trary, includes it ; at the same time including a manifes- 
 tation of himself, agreeably to his design of purchasing 
 the salvation of his people, and dpng for the sins of the 
 world by his sacrificing himself upon the cross. Besides, 
 there is a peculiar propriety in these terms, fashion and 
 likeness of man, though not intended to exclude his pro- 
 per humanity ; for there is a high and glorious distinc- 
 tion in the humanity of Christ as contrasted with every 
 other : every other man is tainted with sin, and partakes 
 of original conTiption. But when the angel addressed 
 the Virgin Mary, he said, " That holy thing that shall 
 be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." From 
 that contagion which belongs to the human race he was 
 exempted by a miraculous conception. Every other 
 man possesses two parts, body and spirit ; but this di- 
 vine man, this " God-man," consisted of three compo- 
 nent parts, a soul, a body, and that Eternal Word, or 
 Logos^ which fonned also a part. He is represented as 
 taking upon himself this form, and " being found in 
 fashion as a man," exalted to the adoration of the uni- 
 verse, which beheld the greatest wonder that ever was 
 exhibited to the world, in Him that was God becoming 
 man ; for if it be a wonder that God should inake man, 
 how much more astonishing that God should lecome 
 man ! " Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, 
 and given him a name that is above every name :" this 
 is the reason. If you ask, how came a portion of human 
 nature thus to be dignified ? how came dust and ashes, 
 (for such was a component part of the Saviour,) to be 
 placed at the right hand of God, in the midst of the 
 inaccessible glory ? It was because in that nature he suf- 
 
CONDESCENSION, AND EXALTATION. 83 
 
 fered, that he was humbled and bowed to the cross ; and 
 this was the way in which he ascended to his crown. 
 What an example is this of the force of humility and 
 the efficacy of condescension ; of the wonderful power 
 which, according to the rules and laws of the kingdom of 
 God, condescension, patient suifering, and lowliness 
 have, in raising us to true dignity. But thus did the 
 Saviour ascend to the crown. 
 
 Be it remembered, "He became obedient." There 
 was, therefore, no necessity to obey at all. But he as- 
 sumed, voluntarily, a nature which made him capable of 
 suffering : and he obeyed in that nature even unto death, 
 " the death of the cross ;" in order that he might make 
 it becoming the character of God, as a Moral Governor, 
 to grant pardon to a whole race of apostate and guilty, 
 but believing and penitent, creatures. 
 
 And yet we are told that Christ is not to be called a 
 Saviour exclusively ; we are told that Paul, and Peter, 
 and others, shared in the glory of saving mankind. Nay, 
 we are told that all this argument of the apostle in the 
 text, conclusive as it is, both from the words and phrases 
 which are employed, and from the disposition in the 
 mind of Christ which the whole of the reasoning im- 
 plies, — that all this, instead of proving the pre-existence 
 and divinity of Christ, proves nothing of the kind. In- 
 deed, farther, the leader of the unitarians in the present 
 day declares that no words can ever be clear enough to 
 prove to him that Clirist is God ; and that if he should 
 find any such words in the scripture, they would only 
 serve to weaken the evidence of the truth of the christian 
 revelation, and would not convince him that the state- 
 ment was true. With such men we can have no com- 
 munion. Such a spirit shuts up all the avenues to truth 
 and conviction ; nay, it is the height of arrogance and 
 practical infidelity in a creature like man. For it not 
 only leads to error, — dangerous, fatal, destructive error, 
 growing out of a spirit diametrically opposite to that in- 
 culcated in the text, — but it goes to the frightful length 
 of setting itself above revelation ; of limiting the wisdom 
 of the Infinite Mind ; by affirming that the revealed de- 
 g2 
 
84 Christ's pre-existence, 
 
 claratlons, concerning the incompreliensible God, cannot 
 be true ; thus subverting the whole foundation of faith. 
 
 Be careful then, my brethren, that " the same mind 
 be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." If you wish 
 to be great in the kingdom of God, go in the same path. 
 If you wish to possess true dignity, lower yourself. If 
 you wish to reign with him, you must also suffer mth 
 him : " If any man will come after me, let him deny 
 himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. We can- 
 not follow the Saviour without pursuing the same path ; 
 we must tread in the same steps ; " If any man will 
 come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me ;" 
 and " AVhere I am, there shall also my servants be ;" for 
 " He that honoureth me, him will my Father honour." 
 
 This wonderful mystery of our redemption is of the 
 most practical tendency; not only because it exhibits 
 such affecting \aews of the evil of sin, and of the price 
 of our redemption, but because it shows the connexion 
 between humility and true dignity. The glory of the 
 cross consists in this — that it is the way to the crown. 
 The christian religion is distinguished from all others, by 
 turning men's minds from aspiring to dignity here, indu- 
 cing them to forego their O'vvn good, to cast away their 
 lives, to make shipwreck of all but faith, to give up 
 themselves to God's will entirely, to follow wherever the 
 Saviour leads, and to press into the celestial kingdom 
 through agonies, and crosses, and torments — through 
 every possible obstacle. This is the way the Saviour 
 went, and it is in this way we must expect to be parta- 
 kers of his glory. " Let this mind be in you which was 
 also in Christ Jesus." 
 
 The time forbids my enlarging upon this subject, by 
 pressing the practical conclusion from it in its different 
 branches ; but I cannot close without urging upon all, 
 " Let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ 
 Jesus." — " Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." 
 It is one of the first principles of our religion, one of 
 the elementary truths of Christianity, that " He who was 
 rich for our sakes became poor, that we through his po- 
 verty might be made rich." " Let the same mind be in 
 
CONDESCENSION, AND EXALTATION. 85 
 
 you." — You wlio are possessed of property, devote that 
 in the way it becomes the servants of so divine a Master. 
 Consider the use he would have made of that portion of 
 this world's good, which he declined as an example of 
 patience and humility. Consider to what purpose he 
 employed his heavenly powers ; and to the same purpose 
 employ your natural advantages and civil resources. 
 When did he employ that word, which commanded an- 
 gels and devils, and subdued the very elements of nature, 
 for the purposes of ostentation ? When were his words 
 any thing but spirit and life ? When did they operate to 
 any purpose but to communicate health to the dying, 
 purity to the guilty, pardon to the sinful, and salvation 
 and benefits to all around him ? " Let the same mind be 
 in you which was also in Christ Jesus." You possess a 
 portion of this world's good ; if you are true christians, 
 you will consider this as belonging to your Lord, as be- 
 longing to the poor of his people, as belonging to the 
 world — to all but yourselves, and will consider all as 
 having a much greater property in it, morally considered, 
 than yourselves ; you will regard yourselves as the 
 stewards of God, and the most unjust persons (though 
 not amenable to any human tribunal, but to your Savi- 
 our and your Lord) if you employ them to any other 
 purposes than those of beneficence. If you deem it 
 peculiarly honourable to die rich, and to leave estates 
 afterwards to your children, to have them " called by 
 your own name," that name will be a name of infamy. 
 No, my brethren, be assured such a mistaken course 
 will cayicel your name, will blot it out of the Lamb's 
 book of life for ever. Let, then, " the same mind be in 
 you which was also in Christ Jesus." And those who 
 are elevated in rank ; let them not use it merely for the 
 purpose of levying homage from men, of making a vain 
 show, of appearing in artificial splendour. And those 
 who are possessed of influence ; let them use it also for 
 the glory of God, and the good of their fellow-creatures. 
 Never was any one so exalted as our Saviour, and never 
 did any one make such a use of his exaltation. He 
 shrouded it in the deep veil of humanity, he concealed 
 
86 Christ's pre -existence, 
 
 it from the view of the world. None but the piercing 
 eye of faith, illuminated by the Spirit of God, could 
 behold it. The world knew him not. " We beheld his 
 glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, 
 fall of grace and truth." Do you then, my brethren, 
 employ your influence in that manner. Never make it 
 the means of keeping at a distance from you the poor, 
 the distressed, and the afflicted. " Mind not high things, 
 but condescend to men of low estate." Look not every 
 man on his own things, but every man also on the things 
 of others." Do not dwell on the contemplation of your 
 own greatness; do not separate yourselves from your 
 fellow-creatures. Do not suffer yourselves to be hedged 
 in and fenced round from them, by the riches of this 
 world ; but communicate them to others, and pray for 
 the blessing of God upon the right use of them, that 
 they may turn to incorruptible riches and righteousness ; 
 that these perishing riches and this evil mammon may 
 not seduce you from the right way to the everlasting 
 mansions. If you are not faithful over a little, how 
 shall you be faithful over much ? and if you are not 
 faithful to that which is the property of God, who lends 
 it to you for a time, but gives to none a discretionary 
 use of it, how shall he give you " that crown of righ- 
 teousness that fadeth not away ;" that glory which will 
 be a part of your nature, which will satisfy your souls, 
 and make you great, and happy, and blessed, to all 
 eternity ? 
 
 " Let nothing be done," saith the apostle, " through 
 strife or vain glory ; but in lowliness of mind let each 
 esteem other better than themselves." Let men learn of 
 Jesus Christ that humility which disposed him to behave 
 as if he had been the lowest and meanest of all. Our 
 blessed Saviour was not unconscious of his high dignity, 
 but he knew that it was important to exhibit the spirit 
 of his religion in great humility. When he knew that 
 he was shortly to go to his Father, and that, " the Fa- 
 ther had given all things into his hands, then he took a 
 towel, and girded himself, and washed his disciples' feet." 
 When he was about to take possession of universal em- 
 
CONDESCENSION, AND EXALTATION. ^7 
 
 pire, and heaven, earth, and hell, were to he submitted 
 to him, — Avhen he knew that he was just about to be 
 cro^vned with immortal glory, after he had sustained the 
 divine frown for the salvation of men, even " then he 
 took a towel, and girded himself, and washed his disci- 
 ples' feet, saying. Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye 
 say well, for so I am ; if I, then, your Lord and Master, 
 have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one an- 
 other's feet," — to condescend to the lowest office of chris- 
 tian beneficence and love. 
 
 Again, "Let the same mind be in you which was 
 also in Christ Jesus," in his entrance into the world : 
 consider with what sympathy he regarded mankind, and 
 what drew him from his exalted seat of majesty on high. 
 How did he look upon a distant race far removed from 
 him, and compassionate their misery ! how did he, as it 
 were, for a season annihilate himself ! how did he take 
 their curse upon him, and invest himself with their na- 
 ture ! he looked upon them with unutterable and ten- 
 der compassion : " Let the same mind be in you which 
 was also in Christ Jesus." You live among men dead 
 in trespasses and sins ; you see nations innumerable sit- 
 ting in darkness and in the shadow of death. Consider 
 what compassion actuated the Saviour's breast in coming 
 down from heaven to pay the price of our redemption, 
 to make peace with God, and bring in everlasting right- 
 eousness. What compassion touched his holy and bene- 
 ficent mind, inducing him to die a sacrifice for the sins 
 of his people ! Do you have the same mind ; compas- 
 sionate the distant and miserable children of men in- 
 volved in darkness. Carry your eyes to the remotest 
 borders of the earth ; and be not satisfied until the whole 
 earth " is full of the knowledge of the Lord," till all men 
 have seen the salvation of God. Let no distance of 
 place, no difference of circumstances, prevent your ex- 
 erting yourselves to diffuse the knowledge of Him " who 
 made himself of no reputation." Let nothing prevent 
 your feeling a participation of the common nature. God 
 has provided for sympathy by making you " of one 
 blood ;" so that you must act contrary to the laws of na- 
 
88 Christ's pre-existence. 
 
 ture if you do not sympatliize with your fellow- creatures. 
 " Let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ 
 Jesus ;" then Avdll the religion of Christ extend itself far 
 and wide. Let this mind distinguish the followers of 
 Christ ; and all men will confess that God is among you 
 of a truth. You will be all of one heart and one mind ; 
 you will be actuated by such a desire as will render you 
 beneficial to all your fellow-creatures, as will make you 
 the " light of the world," and the " salt of the earth." 
 Then would iniquity stop its mouth, and so would you 
 confound infidelity and impiety. Seriously study the 
 doctrine of the cross, place yourselves there, consider 
 what are the morals of the cross ; consider what are 
 the dispositions the cross inculcates ; what is the in- 
 fluence of the fact that you are purchased, redeemed, 
 and, by his Spirit, prepared for a seat at the right 
 hand of God ; what the everlasting advantages which 
 accrue from being purchased by such blood, saved 
 by such humility ; what the doctrines of the Saviour's 
 incarnation, sacrifice, and ascent to heaven, inculcate on 
 christian hearts. It opens a fountain of love, of won- 
 derful and inexhaustible compassion ; and it is at that 
 fountain of love we should study : for we shall never be 
 truly happy till we do study the spirit of our religion at 
 the foot of the cross. We should enter more deeply 
 into the dying love of Christ, that we may " compre- 
 hend, ^vith all saints, what is the height, and depth, and 
 breadth, and length, of that love which passeth know- 
 ledge, and be filled with all the fulness of God." 
 
 Finally, my brethren, we see here the great and inti- 
 mate connexion between the practical principles of reli- 
 gion, and the great doctrines of Christianity. Take 
 away the incarnation of our Lord, and his sacrifice upon 
 the cross, and these sublime and glorious truths lose all 
 their meaning : this great example dmndles into no- 
 thing, if we lose sight of Christ's dignity, glory, and hu- 
 mility. It is this which renders his sacrifice of infinite 
 value. It is this which renders his cross so inexpressi- 
 bly awful and so deeply interesting. It is this which 
 makes it so infinitely precious to his people. The cross 
 
THE GLORY OF CHRIST S KINGDOM. b\) 
 
 of Jesus Christ is the appropriate, the appointed rendez- 
 vous of heaven and earth ;* the meeting-place between 
 God and the sinner : thus the principles of the cross be- 
 come the savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. 
 Deprive Jesus Christ of his dignity, deprive his person 
 of divinity and pre-existence as the Son of God, and all 
 these momentous truths dwindle into inexpressible futi- 
 lities. Doctrines meant to warm and kindle our hearts 
 fill us with perplexity. When we look for a glorious 
 mystery, we find nothing but the obscurity and per- 
 plexity that make men rack their invention to find out 
 the meaning of those passages which it is plain the apos- 
 tle pom-ed forth in a stream of exquisite affection and 
 delight. 
 
 But " we have not so learned Christ :" Hold fast the 
 cross of Christ. You who are not acquainted with the 
 christian religion, come to Jesus Christ by faith ; cast 
 yourselves upon the dying love of the Saviour ; receive 
 him by faith. And those of you who have received the 
 Saviour, study him more and more ; impress still more 
 and more upon your minds the lessons which Christ cru- 
 cified teaches. This is the power of God and the wis- 
 dom of God unto salvation ; and by means of this only 
 shall we grow up into conformity to our blessed Lord 
 and Saviour: which God grant, of his infinite mercy. 
 Amen. 
 
 Y. 
 
 THE GLORY OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM. 
 
 [preached at KETTERING, IN JUNE, 1813.] 
 
 Psalm cxlv. 11 — " They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and 
 talk of thy power." f 
 
 The absolute dominion of God is a subject worthy to 
 be celebrated by all creatures ; it is the frequent theme 
 
 * See Vol. V. pp. 216-221. Ed. 
 t Printed from tlie notes of the Rev S. Hillyard, of Bedford. For 
 Mr. Hall's own notes, see Vol. V. pp. 221—227. 
 
90 THE GLORY OF CHRISTS KINGDOM. 
 
 of praise in the Scriptures, Avhich were dictated by the 
 Holy Ghost. 
 
 But there is another kingdom which God has intrusted 
 to the hands of his well-beloyed Son — the mediatorial 
 kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the subject 
 of the most exalted praise, and of the most glorious pro- 
 phecies of the Old Testament, as well as of all the his- 
 tories, doctrines, and revelations of the New Testament. 
 This is styled the kingdom of heaven, and of God : it is 
 the kingdom which the God of heaven has set up among 
 men upon the earth. It is contrasted with the kingdom 
 of the power of darkness ; and its subjects are described 
 as being translated out of the kingdom of darkness, into 
 " the kingdom of God's dear Son,"* which is a kingdom 
 of " marvellous light." 
 
 Whether the Psalm before us is designed, in particu- 
 lar, to celebrate this dispensation of the Son of God, I 
 shall not now inquire : but as the kingdom of Christ is 
 so conspicuous an object in both Testaments and is the 
 only one among men by whose government their happi- 
 ness can be secured, it cannot be improper from the 
 words before us, to direct your attention, on the present 
 occasion, to some particulars relating to the nature, ex- 
 tent, and durability of its glory. 
 
 I. The glory of this kingdom is manifested in its 
 origin. It had its origin in infinite mercy and grace. 
 It was the object of the divine and eternal purposes of 
 the Father; an object to which all other purposes were 
 subservient. It entered into the councils of the Eternal 
 before the foundation of the world was laid. It was a 
 grand design, intended to include the reign of God over 
 the mind and heart of man ; a purpose to establish a 
 kingdom, the subjects of which should be raised to be 
 partakers of the same nature as their Sovereign. 
 
 In order to establish this kingdom, it was necessary 
 that the Son of God should become incarnate ; the 
 " Mighty God" must be a " child born unto us," that he 
 might have the " government laid upon his shoulders," 
 
 * Colos. i. 13. 
 
THE GLORY OP CHRIST S KINGDOM. 9l 
 
 and be the " Prince of Peace" to his redeemed people. 
 God purposed to have his tabernacle among men, and to 
 be their God ; but this he could not do consistently mth 
 his truth and holiness, till an atonement was made to 
 his law in the death of the person of his Son. The in- 
 stitution of sacrifices imder the law intimated that 
 "• without the shedding of blood there was no remis- 
 sion ;" * their insufficiency evidenced the necessity of a 
 sacrifice of transcendent value ; and this was often indi- 
 cated by the prophets : " Then said he, Sacrifices and 
 offerings thou didst not desire ; lo, I come to do thy 
 will, O God."t Thus the foundation of the kingdom 
 was laid in the incarnation and atonement of the Son of 
 God; a foundation proportionate to the grandeur and 
 beauty of the edifice that was to be erected. 
 
 The doctrines of the gospel Avere, and are, the grand 
 instruments in the hand of the Lord Jesus for bringing 
 souls into subjection to his sceptre. The King must 
 ride forth conquering and to conquer ; all his subjects 
 must be rescued and subdued : but what a battle is that 
 in which he engages ! " Every battle among men is 
 with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood/' but 
 this is " with burning and with fire." The warfare is 
 entirely spiritual ; it is carried on by the light of truth 
 and the burning of conviction. The mere testimony of 
 the gospel, in the mouth of the witnesses, produced ef- 
 fects more wonderful than any that were ever produced 
 by the violence of the sword : by this the powers of 
 darkness were shaken, their votaries confounded, their 
 temples deserted, and their oracles silenced. Heavenly 
 truth combated with sophistry and error, and gained a 
 decisive victory, though her opponents were armed with 
 all the persecuting powers of the kingdoms of this world. 
 The Psalmist, foreseeing the contest, said, long since, 
 " Gird thy sword on thy thigh, O most Mighty, and in 
 thy majesty ride on prosperously, because of truth, and 
 meekness, and righteousness.":}: These have had no 
 
 * Heb. ix. 'iS. t Psalm xl. 6—8. 
 
 j Psalm %\y. 3, 4. 
 
92 THE GLORY OF CHRISTS KINGDOM. 
 
 share in the extension of human dominion, but were the 
 principal instruments that were used in the extension of 
 the Redeemer's kingdom. To these, in his hand, and by 
 his Spirit, the success of the gospel is to be ascribed : by 
 these, his people became a " willing people in the day 
 of his power;" a conquered, yet a willing people: led 
 captive, yet obedient. This is a glorious manner of 
 raising a kingdom, worthy of him who is a spirit, and 
 who reigns by spiritual and intellectual means in the 
 hearts of his people. Could we trace the means by 
 which God has established his empire, it would fill our 
 minds with admiration, and our lips with praise : then 
 should we " speak of the glory of his kingdom, and talk 
 of his power." 
 
 11. The glory of the kingdom of Christ is manifested 
 in the manner and spirit of its administration. 
 
 The .last words of David describe the manner of ad- 
 ministering this government ; — " The anointed of the 
 God of Jacob, and the sweet Psalmist of Israel said, 
 The Spii-it of the Lord spake by me, and his word was 
 in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of 
 Israel spake to me. He that ruleth over men must be 
 just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the 
 light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morn- 
 ing without clouds ; as the tender grass springing out of 
 the earth by clear shining after rain."* 
 
 The most essential quality in the administration of 
 any government is justice ; and justice is most conspi- 
 cuous in this administration. The Sovereign confers no 
 benefits on his fi-iends, and inflicts no punishments on 
 his enemies, but what are consistent with righteousness. 
 "With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and re- 
 prove with equity for the meek of the earth : and he 
 shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and 
 with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 
 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and 
 faithfulness the girdle of his reins."t He mil render to 
 each of his subjects, not for their works, yet, according 
 
 * 2 Sam. xxiii. 1—4. t Isaiah xi. 4, 5. 
 
THE GLORY OP CHRISTS KINGDOM. 93 
 
 to their works. He establishes his holy law as the rule 
 of their conduct, and makes use of such motives to ex- 
 cite them to holy and spiritual obedience as are suitable 
 to their nature, both as rational and as fallen creatures. 
 As the law was first employed, so it is still used for con- 
 Tiction, for alarming the consciences even of the re- 
 deemed and the regenerate, and to excite to repentance 
 and to renewed exercises of reformation. 
 
 The administration of this kingdom is also benign 
 and gracious — it is indeed a kingdom of grace. The 
 throne is a throne of grace, and the sceptre is a sceptre 
 of grace. He revealeth his grace, which is his glory ; 
 and thus he captivates the hearts of his people. He, in 
 his great kindness, invites to him all that are athirst, all 
 that are "weary and heavy laden,"* and assures them 
 that they shall find rest and refreshment. " He delivers 
 the poor when he cries, the needy, and him that hath no 
 helper." He is the husband of the widow, and the fa- 
 ther of the fatherless, in his holy habitation. " When 
 the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and 
 their tongue faileth for thirst," he graciously says, " I the 
 Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not for- 
 sake them. I will open rivers in high places, and foun- 
 tains in the midst of the valleys : I will make the 
 wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of 
 water."t 
 
 In earthly kingdoms, the subjects are governed by 
 general laws, which must necessarily be very inadequate 
 to the variety of cases and occuiTences. It is impossible 
 that the multiplicity of actions, and all their individual 
 shades, should be at all times considered and distin- 
 guished : hence has arisen the proverb, " Sum/num jus, 
 summa injuria." But our King is intimately acquainted 
 with all hearts, and, being present in all places, he can 
 apply his acts to individual examples, and appropriate 
 smiles and frowns to each, as if there were no other 
 beings that participated in his attention. In human ad- 
 ministrations, the law extends only to outward acts ; it 
 
 * Matt. xi. 28. f Isaiah xli. 17, 18. 
 
94 THE GLORY OF CHRISTS KINGDOM. 
 
 relates only to objects of sense ; insomucli that a pure 
 spirit, disengaged from the body, is free from its sanc- 
 tion : but the kingdom of heaven is a spiritual one — it 
 extends to the heart ; it relates not to meats and drinks, 
 but it is a kingdom that is " ^yithin you,"* and relates 
 to " righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."t 
 It is founded on communion ^vith Christ : by his Spirit 
 Christ lives in his members ; their souls, whether in the 
 body or out of the body, are abvaj^s in his hands ; he is 
 Lord, both of the dead and the li^dng ; he adjusts him- 
 self to all cases, through every part of his vast empire. 
 In earthly kingdoms, the utmost that can be done is, to 
 lay down rules, to prescribe laws, and to sanction by re- 
 wards or penalties ; but Jesus Christ can write his laws 
 on the hearts of his people. " They are engraven, not 
 on stone, but on fleshly tables.":|: He knows how to 
 speak to the heart ; and " they know his voice, and fol- 
 low him ; but a stranger they will not follow, for they 
 know not the voice of a stranger." § 
 
 It is justly considered a high excellency in a ruler, 
 that he is disinterested, that he pm'sues no interest of 
 his own, apart from the general good of the empire : this 
 is the very flower of royalty ; and those who have thus 
 distinguished themselves have been justly considered as the 
 greatest benefactors of mankind ; they have been obeyed 
 and loved while they lived, and foolishly idolized and 
 worshipped when they died. But never was any one so 
 disinterested as the King of Zion, who laid down his 
 life for his people, while they w^ere yet enemies. He 
 wields the sceptre of universal dominion: he chains 
 death and hell, quells the devils, and overrules all things 
 for the good of his church. Though he sits at the 
 right hand of God, he could not enjoy even that station 
 were it to continue a solitary one. " Father," says he, 
 " I will that they also Avhom thou hast given me, be 
 with me where I am; that they may behold my glory." || 
 "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that 
 
 * Luke xvii. 21. f Rom. xiv. 17. t 2 Cor. iii. 3. 
 
 ^ John X. 4, 5. II John xvii. 24. 
 
THE GLORY OF CHRIST S KINGDOM. 95 
 
 where I am, there ye may be also."* He blends the 
 deepest condescension ^yith. the highest majesty. He is 
 a lion against the enemies of his people, but to them he 
 appears as a " lamb in the midst of the throne." The 
 •whole of his history is a history of the sacrifice of sel- 
 fish feelings. The glory of the Father, and the good of 
 man ; these engaged his heart, these brought him from 
 heaven, these regulated all his actions and sufferings ; 
 and he rested not till he could say, " Father, I have glo- 
 rified thee on the earth : I have finished the work which 
 thou gavest me to do."t Well may we " speak," then, 
 " of the glory of his kingdom, and talk of his power." 
 
 in. The glory of the kingdom of Christ appears in 
 the character of his subjects. 
 
 The character of a people for greatness and for virtue 
 constitutes part of the glory of any kingdom ; and it 
 must not be omitted here. The Divine Ruler will 
 derive much of his glory from the change that he has 
 wrought in his people. " This people have I formed for 
 myself," says he ; " they shall show forth my praise."^ 
 As this change is derived from above, there is no founda- 
 tion for boasting, yet the change is not the less real : 
 it is the communication of the Saviour's image and 
 spirit: and, when he comes, he will "be glorified in 
 his saints." 
 
 I cannot enter largely into a description of the subjects 
 of this kingdom, nor is it necessary ; but a few observa- 
 tions may be made, with propriety and advantage. 
 
 1. These subjects are enlightened: they have just 
 conceptions of things ; they are delivered out of dark- 
 ness, which envelopes the rest of mankind, as the 
 children of Israel had light in the land of Goshen 
 when the habitations of the Egytians were in dark- 
 ness. They see things as they are : they see them, in 
 some measure, as they are seen by Jesus Christ, the 
 "true Light;" they form right estimates of objects, as 
 they are holy or sinful, temporal or eternal ; they reckon 
 that all worldly treasures and delights are nothing and 
 
 * John xiv. 3. f Johii xvii. 4. t Isaiah xliii. 21. 
 
96 THE GLORY OF CHRISTS KINGDOM. 
 
 vanity, when compared with the spiritual and everlasting 
 riches and pleasures of Christ and his kingdom. 
 
 2. The subjects of this kingdom are renewed : the 
 Spirit of God changes their heart ; they are made, im- 
 perfectly, yet truly holy ; they have a principle in them 
 that aims at perfection ; their characters are mixed, but 
 the best part struggles against the worst, and will finally 
 triumph. It is in this kindora that patience, purity, 
 humility, faith, and love to God and men, reside. What- 
 ever of true holiness is to be found on earth, here you 
 must find it ; " We know that we are of God, and the 
 whole world lieth in wickedness."* But these are re- 
 newed after the image of God : there is something 
 divine impressed upon their characters ; they have a 
 principle in them that comes from God and leads to 
 God, and inspires their souls with earnest longings after 
 him. " JNIy soul followeth hard after God."t " Whom 
 have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth 
 that I desire in comparison of thee." j They have been 
 reclaimed from their revolt, and are truly loyal ; they are 
 " called, chosen, and faithful." From their wanderings 
 they have " returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of their 
 souls;" they lament that they ever were his enemies, 
 that they ever lived at a distance from him ; and it is 
 now their sincere desire to obey him while they live, 
 and to breathe out their souls in his service. 
 
 3. The subjects of this kingdom have in them a pre- 
 paration for perfect blessedness. They that do not belong 
 to Christ are disqualified for heaven, but those that be- 
 long to him have the elementary preparation for that 
 blissful state ; they have that which renders them meet 
 "to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in 
 light." They are not entirely cured, it is true, of all the 
 infection of sin ; the venom of the " old serpent" is not 
 expelled : but they are under a restorative process ; they 
 are under the method of cure ; they are taking the med- 
 icine which is of sovereign ef&cacy. All the love and 
 joy that glow with celestial fervour before the throne of 
 
 » 1 John V. 19. t Psalm Ixiii. 8. j Psalm lxxin.25. 
 
THE GLORY OF CHRISx's KINGDOM. 97 
 
 the Heavenly Majesty, is only the consummation of 
 seeds like those which are sown in the hearts of be- 
 lievers : " Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness 
 for the upright in heart."* They are sown in their 
 hearts : and Avhen that which is sown, or is to be sown, 
 shall be matured, Jesus Christ will present unto himself 
 " a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any 
 such thing."t And what a spectacle will this be ! how 
 will the saints themselves be astonished at their attain- 
 ments ! It will require an eternity to know ourselves, 
 much more to know the Fountain whence all these 
 beauties and glories have been derived. Then, indeed, 
 shall we " speak of the glory of his kingdom, and talk 
 of his power." 
 
 lY. The glory of the kingdom of Christ is manifest 
 in the privileges that are attached to it. 
 
 The privileges are transcendently great, far beyond our 
 comprehension. " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
 neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive 
 what God hath laid up for them that love him ; "J but 
 the Spirit of God, which searcheth all things, in some 
 measure manifests them to us by his word, and gives us 
 a taste for them in our experience. 
 
 1. Peace is a peculiar blessing of this kingdom. The 
 Ruler is called, " The Prince of Peace." Of the increase 
 of his kingdom and peace, there shall be no end. This 
 begins in reconciliation with God ; the healing of the 
 great breach which sin has made. With respect to his 
 people, the great controversy which has opposed earth to 
 heaven is at an end : they are reconciled, tree from con- 
 demnation, delivered from that cloud of wrath which 
 overhangs the rest of the Morld ; they are justified by 
 faith, and therefore have " peace with God through our 
 Lord Jesus Christ." The consequence of peace with 
 God is peace with one another ; a spirit which unites 
 men in a wonderful manner to their fellow-creatures, and 
 especially to their fellow-christians. This, when it is 
 ditfused, will produce peace among all families and all 
 
 * Psalm xcvii. 11. f Ephes. v. 27. | I Cor. ii. 9. 
 
 VOL. VI. H 
 
98 THE GLORY OF CHRIST S KINGDOM. 
 
 nations ; it will be an antidote against all the animosities 
 and discords that have prevailed in the world. 
 
 2. The dignity of the subjects of this kingdom is 
 another privilege. Is it considered an honour for a king 
 to have a large train of nobles, who can trace their origin 
 through a long line of progenitors ? Are these the 
 strength of the throne ? What a noble race are the sub- 
 jects of Christ's kingdom ! To " as many as receive him, 
 he gives the power to become the sons of God."* This is 
 the highest of all titles. Their earthly descent is not 
 noticed ; it doth not yet appear what they shall be :" 
 but this is their nobility — " Now are ye the sons of God, 
 and if sons, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs 
 with Christ." " What manner of love is this which the 
 Father hath bestowed upon us !" All these sons shall 
 be advanced to the kingdom ; they shall every one of 
 them be kings and priests unto God, and unite together 
 in ascribing glory, and honour, and praise, and power, 
 unto Him who redeemed them, and conferred this honour 
 upon them. They shall have dominion over their sins, 
 over the Avorld, and over Satan, Avho shall be " bruised 
 under their feet shortly." They will be invested with a 
 holy office, reigning under Christ, and for his service and 
 glory, for ever. 
 
 3. Immortality shall be the blessing of this kingdom : 
 the subjects shall partake of endless life ; a life that shall 
 never be extinguished. In the Scriptures we read, 
 " Whosoever believeth in Jesus shall never die. The 
 fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and are dead ; but 
 he that eateth of the bread that I shall give him shall 
 never die.t" He that keepeth the sayings of Christ 
 "shall not taste of death." Death, in the scripture 
 sense, includes that separation from God which begins 
 in spiritual and is completed in eternal death ;X this is 
 that of which believers cannot taste. They receive in 
 
 • John i. 12. f John vi. 58. 
 
 t See pp. 99—102, of "Exegetical Essays on several Words rela- 
 ting to Future Punisliment," by Professor Stuart, of Andover, United 
 States ; a work in which philological acumen and research are finely 
 blended with sound discritnina-tion and a genuine love of trutii. — Ed, 
 
THE GLORY OF CHRISTS KINGDOM. 99 
 
 them the emhryo of eternal life ; the spiritual life rises 
 up into life eternal, and will be displayed in its perfec- 
 tion in the world of glory. As subjects of Christ's king- 
 dom, his servants are immortal ; whatever may affect 
 their frail bodies, nothing can separate them from the 
 love of Christ. 
 
 What an important blessing is the possession of eternal 
 life and the resurrection of the dead ! These terms in- 
 clude everlasting felicity in the presence of God ; a pri- 
 vilege ineffable and invaluable, surpassing our apprehen- 
 sion, or any comparison that can be made. To enjoy thet 
 smallest portion of this blessing, is to be superior to all 
 the greatness of the present state : the least in the king- 
 dom of heaven is higher than the most exalted of the 
 rulers and the philosophers of the world. We shall 
 shortly see and feel this to be the true representation of 
 the subject. Wicked men shall see it to be so, when, 
 between them and the righteous, " there is a great gulf 
 fixed ;" good men will find it to be so, and their spirits 
 will even fail within them, when they behold the order 
 of the court of heaven, and the majesty of the kingdom. 
 
 These blessings which I have mentioned, will not only 
 be put within the reach, but made to be the possession, 
 of the subjects of the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 The benefits that result from well-regulated govern- 
 ments on earth are generally such as restrain from the 
 pursuits of evil, prevent interference with others, remove 
 obstructions, and leave open various avenues to the pros- 
 perity of individuals. Each subject must pursue his oaati 
 com-se, and make his own fortune : but in this, the spi- 
 ritual kingdom, positive blessings are conveyed. " The 
 Lord will be to his people a place of broad rivers and 
 streams."* " Blessed be the God and Father of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual 
 blessings, and hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, 
 by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."t He 
 not only subdues our enemies, but delivers us from our 
 trials ; while he himself becomes a source of satisfy-ing 
 
 * Isaiah xxxiii. 21. + 1 Pet. i, 3. 
 
 n 2 
 
100 THE GLORY OP CHRIST's KINGDOM. 
 
 good. " My peace I give unto you : not as the world 
 giveth, give I unto you."* " I give unto them eternal 
 iife."t 
 
 I might mention some other properties of this king- 
 dom, which, though they do not enter into the essence of 
 it, are very important. ^ 
 
 It is a growing kingdom. At first it was small, hut it 
 had in it an expansive power : it was " a little stone 
 hewn out of a mountain without hands," hut it shall be- 
 come " a great mountain, and fill all the earth." It has 
 grown, and is growing ; " and of its increase there shall 
 be no end.":|: " He must increase ; he shall reign until 
 all things are put under him." He goes on " conquering 
 and to conquer :" the last enemy shall be overcome and 
 be bound to the wheels of his chariot. The Scriptures 
 are much occupied in these things. The prophets seemed 
 to think as much of missions, their labours, and their 
 successes, as we do, and often more intensely : they em- 
 ployed the most glowing language, and the sublimest 
 strains, in their predictions of the glory of Messiah's 
 kingdom in the latter day ; they snatched from earth and 
 heaven, from the sun, the moon, and the stars, the 
 fairest and grandest images, to represent the state of the 
 church at that desired period; levying a tribute upon 
 universal nature, and making all things contribute to 
 illustrate, as they will in reality contribute to advance, 
 this kingdom. 
 
 This is a subject, then, my brethren, which can never 
 be exhausted ; you may speak of it through eternity ! 
 Open all your hearts, utter the most astonishing elo- 
 quence, call forth the host of angels to assist you in 
 celestial songs, and still fresh vicAvs will burst upon your 
 minds : you will appear for ever only to be at the begin- 
 ning of the theme, only to be standing upon the borders 
 of Immanuel's land ; you will be called upon perpetually 
 to rejoice, and again to rejoice, while you '' speak of the 
 glory of his kingdom, and talk of his power." 
 
 In connexion with those qualities which I have men- 
 
 ♦ Johu xiv. 27. t John x. 28, t Isaiah ix. 7. 
 
THE GLORY OF CHRISTS KINGDOM. 101 
 
 tloned, the perpetuity of this kingdom must endear it, 
 above all things, to a good man : this indeed crowns the 
 whole. It is a perpetual kingdom ; it shall never be re- 
 moved ; it shall never, 7iever be taken avray to be given 
 to any other people ; but the saints of the Most High 
 shall continually possess it. It shall rise upon the ruins 
 of all other dominions, and shall itself never be sub- 
 verted. 
 
 Let us then rejoice at the tokens which we can trace 
 of God's purpose to extend this kingdom. Our eyes 
 have seen great and wonderful things : God is doing 
 much for his church ; we have advantages beyond any of 
 our predecessors. Such a period as the present has not 
 been witnessed since the days of the apostles : all events 
 seem to be pointing to the final issue ; and this should 
 reconcile us to live in a time of desolation. In the midst 
 of the darkness that surrounds us, a bright point is vi- 
 sible that forebodes the dawn of a brighter day. God is 
 overturning, overturning ; but it is to prepare the way 
 for his coming " whose right it is, and who shall reign 
 for ever." 
 
 The kingdoms of this world are changing and falling 
 to ruin. Let us not be dismayed at this ; they are made 
 of changeable materials. We ought not to wonder if 
 the mortal dies, and if the changeable changes ; but ever 
 to rejoice that we receive " a kingdom which cannot be 
 moved."* Let us have grace, while we see these things, 
 " to sei-ve the Lord acceptably, with reverence and godly 
 fear." 
 
 This kingdom, my brethren, will advance in the world 
 when we have quitted it for ever. It is a kingdom, at 
 present, consisting of two parts ; there is an upper and 
 a lower province: in the lower province the subjects are 
 required to struggle and fight ; when called hence, they 
 shall triumph. Then shall we know what is meant by 
 the glory of this kingdom, when " God shall wipe away 
 all tears from our eyes," and when " the Lamb that is 
 in the midst of the throne shall feed us, and lead us to 
 
 ♦ Htb. xii. 28. 
 
102 TRE GLORY OF CHRISTS KINGDOM. 
 
 living fountains of water ;"* when we shall " rejoice be- 
 fore the throne, and reign for ever and ever."t 
 
 Let us, w^hile we live here, sincerely pray and labour 
 for the advancement and glorious increase of this king- 
 dom, which embraces all the elements of purity and hap- 
 piness. " This is all our salvation," and should be all 
 our desire. Beyond this there is nothing to be hoped 
 for ; without this, there is nothing on earth that can ren- 
 der the prospect of death tolerable, or life worth pos- 
 sessing. 
 
 Finally, then, let us look to ourselves, that, while we 
 hear these things, we may possess a personal interest in 
 this glorious and happy kingdom. " The law and the 
 prophets were until John ;" but now is the kingdom of 
 heaven; and let every man be pressing into it. Press 
 into it — strive to enter. Strive as in an agony : " for 
 many shall strive" imperfectly, " and shall not be able." 
 Let it be your determination, by the aid of promised 
 grace, to surmount every difficulty. Press into the king- 
 dom : for behind thee is the ^^Tath and curse of Almighty 
 God ; but within is a place of safety, of peace, and joy. 
 Put your feet within the limits of this kingdom, and it 
 will be as one of the cities of refuge to the men that were 
 pursued by the avengers of blood ; and the further you 
 penetrate, the more will your peace and joy be pro- 
 moted. 
 
 To be within this kingdom — how infinitely important ! 
 "Why are there, then, any of you that are not earnestly 
 seeking it ? If you have not felt a concern about it be- 
 fore, what are your present thoughts ? Is what we have 
 advanced all imagination ? Is it only a fancied empire 
 that has been represented to you ? Is there such a king- 
 dom among men ? Have you heard of it, have you seen 
 it ? And is the Saviour, the Lord of his chm-ch, wooing 
 your souls ? Is he asking leave to come in ? Does he 
 say, " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : if any 
 man hear my voice, and open the door, I avUI come in V'X 
 Open then the door, and let the King of Glory come in. 
 
 * Rev. vii. 17. f Rev. vii. 9, 15. t Rev. iii. 20. 
 
THE GLORY OF CHRISTS KINGDOM. 103 
 
 If he visits you, it is that he may reign in you ; and 
 then he will bless you with his salyation. There is no 
 one wise who does not yield to the Saviour ; all are fools 
 who are not either rejoicing in the evidence that they 
 are in this kingdom, or earnestly desirous of it. Be not 
 content that this kingdom should appear before you, and 
 invite your attention for a time, and then vanish away 
 for ever; say not, I shall see it, but not for myself. 
 " Oh, thou that art exalted to heaven, take heed lest thou 
 be thrust down to hell !" The kingdom of God indeed 
 is come nigh unto you ; it is nigh you in the gospel, it is 
 nigh you in the efforts of the present time, it is nigh 
 you in the exertions and the faithful endeavours of your 
 ministers, it is nigh you in every sermon you hear, and 
 in every ordinance you attend. It is nigh you ; and you 
 will never get quit of this thought : it will be as a sharp 
 arrow that will drink up your spirits to all eternity. 
 "When this glorious kingdom is far from you, when be- 
 tween you and the blessed subjects of it " there is a 
 great gulf fixed,"* you will for ever cry. Once it was nigh 
 me ; every sabbath it was nigh me ; every day it was 
 nigh me ; for months and years together it was nigh me ; 
 but I refused it ; I thrust it from me ; I would have 
 none of the Saviour's counsel, I rejected his reproof; and 
 now — it is past ; it is gone, it is infinitely distant from 
 me ; the things of the kingdom are for ever hidden from 
 my eyes ! Beware, lest that come upon you which is 
 written ; " Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and 
 perish."t "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish 
 from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. 
 Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."J 
 
 * Luke xvi. 26. t Acts xiii. 40, 41. t P^alm ii. ]2. 
 
104 
 
 YI. 
 
 GOD'S WAYS, THOUGH OFTEN INSCRUTABLE, ARE 
 
 RIGHTEOUS AND JUST.* 
 
 [preached at^xuton, may, 18 15. J 
 
 Psalm xcvii. 2. — Clouds and darkness are round about him : righte- 
 ousness and Judgment are the habitation of his throne. 
 
 This Psalm commences with a statement of the most 
 important doctrine of religion ; a doctrine which is the 
 foundation of all serious piety ; — that of the rule and 
 dominion of God over his creatures. It then calls to 
 rejoicing in that great ti-uth. In every time of trouble 
 this is the Christian's consolation ; and it is his chief joy 
 in his best moments. He who is " above all," continu- 
 ally conducts the machine of providence, and superin- 
 tends all things in every part of the universe. This is 
 the unfailing source of comfort to a good man, — " The 
 Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice." 
 
 In the text we have a concession made, perfectly con- 
 sistent with the great truth before propounded : " Clouds 
 and darkness are round about him : righteousness and 
 judgement are the habitation of his throne." Two 
 propositions are contained in this text, to which I now 
 propose calling your attention. 
 
 I. " Clouds and darkness are round about God." 
 
 II. " Righteousness and judgement are the habitation 
 of his throne." 
 
 I. " Clouds and darkness are round about God." The 
 figurative language in the poetical parts of the Old 
 Testament is frequently taken from the historical books, 
 and refers to the facts therein recorded: thus the 
 appearances of God to the saints and patriarchs in old 
 times, are the origin of the figure in our text. If you 
 look at the history of tliese appearances, you will find 
 they were all accompanied with clouds and darkness. 
 The cloud of the Lord went before the children of Israel 
 when they departed from the land of bondage. This 
 
 * Printed from the notes of the Rev. Samuel Hillyard. 
 
THE INSCRUTABILITY OP GODS WAYS. 105 
 
 cloud had a dark and a bright side, and was a symbol 
 of the divine presence : thus it preceded the people in 
 all their marches, as a pillar of fire by night, and of 
 a cloud by day.* When Solomon dedicated the temple, 
 the glory of the Lord filled the house, and the priest 
 could not enter into the house of the Lord, "because the 
 glory of the Lord filled the house."t When God 
 descended upon Mount Sinai, " there were thunders and 
 lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the 
 voice of the trumpet exceeding loud. And Mount Smai 
 was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended 
 upon it in fire ; and the smoke thereof ascended as 
 the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked 
 greatly. And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, 
 upon the top of the mount.":}; When our Saviour was 
 transfigured before three of his disciples, " a bright cloud 
 overshadowed them," from which proceeded the voice of 
 the Father, saying, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I 
 am well pleased ; hear ye him."§ And Peter, who was 
 present there, afterwards referring to this fact, says, 
 that the voice proceeded "from the excellent glory ."|| 
 Thus, in all the symbols of the divine presence, there 
 was a mixture of splendour with darkness and obscurity. 
 So it is in the operations of providence : in a moral and 
 figurative sense we may say, that clouds and darkness 
 surround all the operations of divine power and wisdom. 
 
 Clouds are emblems of obscurity ; darkness of distress. 
 The works of God's providence are often obscure and 
 productive of distress to mankind, though " righteous- 
 ness and judgement are the habitation of his throne." 
 
 In the present state of the affairs of the nations we 
 see the interference of Divine Providence ; and yet it is 
 surrounded with clouds and darkness. Never was the 
 hand of God more conspicuous, yet never were men less 
 able to penetrate and comprehend his deep and un- 
 fathomable designs. 
 
 As this is the divine method of government with 
 
 * Exod. xiv. 19, 20. +1 Kings viii. 10, 11 . 
 
 t Exod. xix. 16, 18, 20. § aiatt. xvii. 5. |i 2 Pet. i. 17. 
 
106 THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GODS WAYS. 
 
 respect to affairs of a larger scale, so it is also in 
 instances of a smaller and inferior kind ; it is thus in 
 the removal of the most eminent, holy, and useful cha- 
 racters, that Avhile we acknowledge the hand of God, we 
 say, " clouds and darkness are round about him." Such 
 removals we have recently experienced : " The fathers, 
 where are they ; and the prophets do they live for ever ?" 
 No. Such as seemed most necessary in the church, the 
 pillars of the temple, are removed, and many are trem- 
 bling for the ark of God. We are taught to " be still, 
 and know that he is God," since " what we know not 
 now we shall know hereafter :" and we feel it necessary, 
 in our obscurity and distress, to refer to the great prin- 
 ciples of his government, " Judgement and righteousness 
 are the habitation of his throne." 
 
 The course of events has not been such as might have 
 been expected from the kno^vn character of God. If 
 we look into the book of history we shall perceive that 
 there is much disorder in earthly scenes, much confusion 
 in the affairs of men ; and was this to be expected from 
 a God of order and wisdom ? We know that he is 
 a Being of infinite mercy, that out of his infinite fulness 
 he loves to communicate happiness to his creatures ; yet 
 we see them oppressed with calamity, surrounded by 
 miseries ; and we find that man has, in all ages and in 
 all stations, been "bom to trouble, as the sparks fly 
 upward." 
 
 Again, we know that God, in his great love to our 
 world, has devised a plan to raise men to happiness and 
 glory; his regard to this plan, and the objects of it, 
 appear in all the doctrines of revelation, in all the mir- 
 acles by which, they are supported, and in all the 
 prophecies and glorious things that are spoken concerning 
 the church, by which our expectations have been so 
 greatly raised. But how have these expectations fallen 
 short of their accomplishment ; what a small part of the 
 world is enlightened by the beams of the " Sun of Right- 
 eousness ;" how narrow are the limits of the gospel ; how 
 little has been done by Christianity, compared ^\^th what 
 might have been anticipated from the divine principles, 
 
THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GOd's WAYS. 107 
 
 the character of the Author, and from the interest it pos- 
 sesses in the heart of God. We have, as yet, wrought 
 almost no deliverance in the earth ; Paganism yet strikes 
 deep its roots in various lands ; Mahometanism has 
 plucked up the " good seed of the kingdom" in countries 
 where that seed brought forth fruit abundantly ; even in 
 what is called Christendom, how little have the known 
 and blessed effects of the gospel been manifested. Jesus 
 Christ came to reconcile all who receive him into one 
 family ; to make, of many, one body ; to compose dis- 
 cords, to allay violent passions and animosities, to make 
 wars to cease, and to give peace, and love, and harmony, 
 to his followers ; but those called christians have been 
 inflamed and armed against each other. From the be- 
 ginning, dangerous errors have produced noxious effects ; 
 the " mystery of iniquity" began to ^vork ; those who 
 " named the name of Christ" have inflicted greater bar- 
 barities upon one another, under the influence of super- 
 stition and bigotry, than their fathers had suffered from 
 their pagan persecutors. The woman that " sat upon the 
 scarlet- coloured beast" is indeed " full of names of blas- 
 phemy, having seven heads and ten horns ;" she is still 
 arrayed in " purple and scarlet, and decked with gold, 
 and precious stones, and pearls, having a golden cup in 
 her hand full of abomination and filthiness, and fornica- 
 tion ; and upon her forehead was a name written. Mys- 
 tery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and 
 Abominations of the earth. And I saw," says the 
 apostle, " the woman drunken with the blood of the 
 saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus ; and 
 when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration."* 
 And what could be less expected, what more surprising, 
 than that Christianity should occasion the discovery of so 
 much vileness? Nay, where genuine Christianity is 
 taught, how small, how slow, has been its progress ; how 
 few seem to be converted to God, compared with those 
 who are enemies in heart to him, and to the kingdom to 
 which they profess to belong ! Instead of christians 
 
 * Rev. xvii. 4— C. 
 
108 THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GODS WAYS. 
 
 being of one heart and of one mind, they are armed with 
 malice and envy against each other on account of some 
 differences of sentiment and judgement ; even persons of 
 real piety give way to prejudice and party zeal, which 
 prevent, in a great measure, the operation and effect of 
 pure Christianity. Thus this blessed system of religion 
 seems to have been the occasion of more feuds and strifes 
 among its professors than any other interest has produced 
 since the world began. Look at the state of the world ; 
 see nations professing the name of Christ, rushing into 
 hostilities, building all their hopes of future peace upon 
 the success of their plans of bloodshed and carnage, 
 breathing defiance and slaughter in their Avords, and dis- 
 playing them in their enraged countenances. When will 
 the end of these things be ? Were it not for the sure 
 word of prophecy, we might be ready to imagine " God 
 had made all men in vain." A great part of the world 
 is no better than if Christ had never come to save 
 mankind, and the gospel had never been proclaimed. 
 Some who hear it are even the worse for what they hear; 
 for where it is not " a savour of life unto life," it is " a 
 savour of death unto death." 
 
 I might expatiate still more on this portion of the 
 text ; but sufficient has been said to prove that things 
 have not been according to expectations founded on the 
 known character of God, but that " clouds and darkness 
 are round about him." 
 
 We proceed, then, to the second class of remarks, 
 suggested by the passage before us. 
 
 II. " Judgement and righteousness are the habitation 
 of his throne." 
 
 Righteousness is the essential perfection of the Divine 
 Being. It is his nature ; if there had been no creatures 
 for him to govern, he would have had an unchangeable 
 and invincible love of rectitude. 
 
 Judgement is the application of the principle of right- 
 eousness in his government of his creatures and their 
 actions ; it is a developement of his rectitude in the 
 management of the affairs of his great empire ; it is that 
 superintendence over all, whereby the operations of all 
 
THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GODS WAYS. 109 
 
 things are directed to some vast and important end. 
 Judgement implies measure and equity in opposition to 
 what is done without rule and consideration. All the 
 divine conduct is equitable, regulated by the utmost 
 rectitude ; every thing is directed by a judgement that 
 cannot err. 
 
 Thus " Righteousness and judgement are the habita- 
 tion of his throne." The throne of God is built, and 
 stands firm, upon these principles ; they are the place, 
 the basis, and the foundation of his throne. Though the 
 clouds cannot be dispelled, though there is thick dark- 
 ness round about, through which our eyes cannot 
 penetrate ; yet there are principles discernible through 
 the light of revelation, and by the eye of faith, which 
 may serve to subdue despondency, and lead us to ac- 
 quiesce in all the measures of the righteous Sovereign. 
 Though much obscurity must necessarily envelope the 
 government of an Infinite Mind, and great perplexities 
 may be felt by those who attempt to scan his measures ; 
 yet some considerations may be suggested, which will 
 serve to quell our anxieties and afibrd us repose under all 
 the darkness, beneath his protecting power, his all- 
 directing wisdom, and his paternal goodness. 
 
 1. Let us ever remember that the dispensations of God 
 towards man are regulated by the consideration of his 
 being a fallen and disordered creature. If we do not 
 admit, or if we forget this, we are in great danger of 
 falling into universal scepticism, and shall not be able to 
 conclude, that " verily there is a God, that judgeth in the 
 earth." If man is now in the state in which he was 
 originally created, all is obscurity and gross darkness ; 
 but if we understand that man is a creature who, by his 
 ovra fault, has lost that favour with God which he once 
 enjoyed, and yet is placed under a dispensation of mercy ; 
 frowned upon, but not given up to destruction ; open to 
 receive the grace of God under the gospel, and by the 
 mediation of Jesus Christ ; then some light will shoot 
 through the darkness, by which we may see the " right- 
 eousness and judgement" which " are the habitation of 
 his throne." 
 
110 THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GODS WAYS. 
 
 The fallen state of man must be kept in view to 
 account for the severities in the divine dealings with him. 
 His banishment from paradise ; the curse of the ground 
 by which it brings forth thorns and briers, and the sweat 
 of the brow by which he eats his bread ; the labour and 
 sorrow of the woman in child-bearing ; and, finally, the 
 sentence of death which is passed upon man, and keeps 
 him always in bondage ; and the present state of society, 
 the fraud, rapine, cruelty, lust, and contention, are all 
 accounted for, by simply reverting to the fall of man, 
 from the image and favour of God. Yet, notwithstand- 
 ing the severities of God, let it not be forgotten that 
 there are mixtures of mercy which we have reason to 
 admire. They that have forfeited all right to happiness, 
 must not complain if any drops of it are found in their 
 cup. They that have lost the inheritance, must not 
 complain if any of its fruits are afforded to them. They 
 that deserve to be " banished into outer darkness," must 
 not complain if " clouds and darkness are round about 
 Him" whom they have offended. " Why should a living 
 man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins ?"* 
 
 They that deny the depravity of human nature are 
 involved in perplexity, and speak on the subject of divine 
 government with such doubt, confusion, and embarrass- 
 ment, as increase scepticism in themselves, while they 
 too often produce it in their admirers. 
 
 The doctrine of the fall of man must be considered as 
 a fact, to a knowledge of which the Scriptures conducts 
 us : it relates the circumstances of the original trans- 
 gression ; expressly asserts that " God made man upright 
 but he hath sought out many inventions ;"f and that 
 " by one man, judgement passed upon all men to con- 
 demnation.":}: 
 
 2. The Divine Being was not bound in justice, either 
 to prevent the disordered state of man, or to correct it 
 when it had taken place. 
 
 All moral government has its foundation in the suita- 
 bility of its laws and motives to regulate and influence a 
 
 * Lara. iii. 39. -j- Eccles. vii. 29. t Rora. v. 18. 
 
THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GOD's WAYS. Ill 
 
 creature endued with reason, understanding, and volition. 
 All that is necessary in the government of such a crea- 
 ture as man, is that the law should be equitable, and 
 that man should be originally possessed of faculties 
 which rendered him capable of obedience. Were we to 
 go further, and suppose that the Governor was obliged 
 to see his law fulfilled, this would make him accountable 
 to his own law, while the accountability of the creature 
 would be destroyed. If the creature, besides having a 
 righteous law and powers capable of obedience, must 
 also be kept from the possibility of disobeying, the rule 
 would return back, and become binding upon him that 
 gave, rather than upon him that received it. Though I 
 feel incompetent to go far into this subject, yet, from 
 what we know of the nature of God and of man, it may 
 be safely affirmed that it cannot be required of the 
 Divine Governor to secure the obedience of his creatm'es 
 any further than the law, as a motive, is calculated to 
 have an effect upon rational minds. On what ground, 
 then, can it be imagined that the world has a right to re- 
 quire God to prevent, or to remedy, moral evil ? 
 
 3. The whole of those evils that form clouds and dark- 
 ness round about God, are either the penal or natural 
 effects of moral evil. The terrors of conscience, the 
 fears of death, restlessness and dissatisfaction of mind ; 
 these and numerous other evils, are partly the natural, 
 and partly the penal consequence of sin ; and show that 
 man is not in the state in which he was originally created, 
 but is reduced by his disobedience to a state in which all 
 things are " vanity and vexation of spirit." 
 
 With respect to evils of a physical nature, most of 
 them are evident consequences of the state of man as a 
 sinner. What is war, strife, contention, but the effect of 
 evil passions ; the natural fruits of apostasy ? These are 
 the actions and workings of the evil mind, — malice, envy, 
 pride, and covetousness. The sentiment of love, which 
 unites to God, being broken, what effects can be produced 
 but dissension and disorder — domestic, national, and 
 universal ! There is, indeed, less disorder and confusion 
 than might have been expected from the universality of 
 
112 THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GODS WAYS. 
 
 the apostasy ; the Avisdom and goodness of God, having 
 checked a great proportion of the evil that Avould have 
 proceeded from the corrupt fountain of our depravity. 
 "We can never sufficiently admire the wisdom and good- 
 ness of God for such institutions as preserve a tolerable 
 degree of order in this fallen world. Many benefits re- 
 sult from those checks and restraints which are imposed 
 upon men, even when the heart is not renewed. 
 
 But still further. God has established another king- 
 dom in the midst of the kingdoms of the world. He 
 has created a new race among the race of men ; the men 
 who are the " salt of the earth," and the " light of the 
 world." They prevent that universal corruption which 
 would work its ruin, and that darkness which would 
 tend to utter destruction. Yet there is much darkness 
 and corruption remaining : and if you ask how long it 
 will continue, the prophet answers, " Until the Spirit be 
 pom'cd on us from on high ;"* that is, the grace of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only thing which can 
 correct the evils that prevail among mankind. This 
 grace is not conferred by the Divine Being in the cha- 
 racter of a governor, but as the fruit of his favour ; it is, 
 however, the only cure ; and hence the most intense 
 desires should possess our minds for the promotion of the 
 gospel, — not only that God may be glorified " in the 
 highest," but that on earth there may be "peace and 
 good- will among men." 
 
 4. Those that receive the grace of Jesus Christ are 
 still in such a situation as renders a great part of their 
 trials and miseries necessary. Many of the evils of a 
 depraved nature still remain, and need to be subdued 
 and removed. Pride must be abased ; " covetousness, 
 which is idolatry," abhorred ; impurities cleansed ; and 
 malevolent passions conquered. This is a state of pro- 
 bation ; and it is repugnant to reason to talk of a state 
 of probation in which nothing is met w^th that is dark 
 and painful. Besides, the virtues and excellencies of 
 the christian must be perfected in the same way in 
 
 * Isaiah xxxii. 15. 
 
THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GOD's WAYS. 113 
 
 whicli the Captain of our Salvation was perfected : he 
 must be conformed to Christ, and have fellowship with 
 him in his sufferings. Jesus Christ is set forth as a 
 type of all the happiness that accrues from suffering, 
 from struggling, and from conquering ; and we must 
 resemble him in this respect. To this purpose our pre- 
 sent state is adapted ; every thing is so contrived as to 
 afford opportunities of conquest. The pleasures of the 
 world, the crosses of life, the remains of concupiscence, 
 the venom of the "old serpent," and the insults, if not 
 persecutions, of the wicked, are enemies by which we 
 are beset ; and we recover from their assaults, and over- 
 come, by the exercise of prayer, vigilance, and persever- 
 ing struggles. " There is no discharge in this warfare," 
 — we must conquer or die. God Avill confer no distinc- 
 tion (I will not say, but where it is deserved) but only 
 where it may be given as a recompense for service. 
 The design of Christ is to raise his people to glory, to 
 communicate to them the fulness of God; but as he 
 obtained these blessings by his death, as he purchased 
 them by his blood, so in the same path he leads on his 
 people to his glory. Thus he makes all our afflictions 
 and enemies preparatives to our victory and triumph. 
 The Divine Being will display his infinite wisdom in 
 leading his people through the wilderness : and they 
 shall walk " in white," with " palms in their hands," 
 and crowns on their heads, who " come up out of great 
 tribulation."* 
 
 5. The moral evils of man, and the depravity of human 
 nature, are often, in a great measure, corrected and sub- 
 dued by the natural evils of life, and thus are made the 
 means of conducting to repentance, reformation, and 
 happiness. The Spirit is not generally given to lead the 
 soul to God and the enjoyment of a life of faith, without 
 being preceded by affliction and troubles. He leads into 
 the wilderness, and then speaks kindly unto man ; he 
 destroys our idols, hedges up our Avay, surrounds us with 
 difficulties, and then pleads with us. Thus he deals 
 
 » Rev. vii. 9, 14. 
 VOL. VI. I 
 
114 THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GODS WAYS. 
 
 with individuals, and thus also with nations at large. 
 " When his judgements are abroad in the earth, the in- 
 habitants thereof learn righteousness." The overflowing 
 of a coiTupt opulence, the abundance of prosperity, nou- 
 rishes, as in a hotbed, all the bad passions of the heart. 
 But the sword, pestilence, poverty, pain, and innume- 
 rable other evils, excite us to deep and serious reflec- 
 tion, and thus prepare us, by the influence of the gospel, 
 and the operation of gTace, to return to God. A sense 
 of a superior hand is felt ; the vanity of the world is dis- 
 covered ; the soul looks out for something on which to 
 rest, and is prepared to hear the voice wdiich says, " Look 
 unto me, and be ye saved." I doubt not but the cloud 
 now gathering, and the judgements now about to de- 
 scend, will be the means of casting do^^Ti high thoughts, 
 and " humbling the lofty looks of man, that the Lord 
 alone may be exalted," and that the world may be filled 
 with his glory. One temple of the Holy Ghost is of 
 more esteem in his sight than all the splendour of palaces, 
 than all the riches of the world. Jesus Christ is over- 
 throwing all the grandeur of man, that he may gather 
 out of ruinous heaps, and from a perishing world, the 
 materials of an imperishable temple. He is taking out 
 of every nation a people whom he will form for his praise. 
 In his providence he is subverting, scattering, destroying, 
 in order that he may find stones to polish for a temple 
 into Avhich he will enter, into which his Father will en- 
 ter, and where they will abide. This is the one great 
 end the King of Righteousness has in view. The pre- 
 paratory scenes of the world are as a " valley full of 
 bones, very many and very dry ;"* but the Spirit of the 
 Lord shall raise out of them a people upon whom he 
 will breathe, and they shall live and become a glorious 
 army, animated by the heavenly grace. How is it pos- 
 sible, if we see things only ^Yith carnal eyes, that we 
 should see them as God sees them, who directs all things 
 with a view to an eternal state of being ? Our " light 
 afiliction" may work for us a " far more exceeding and 
 
 * Ezek. xxxvii. 1 — 14. 
 
THE INSCRUTABILITY OP GODS WAYS, 115 
 
 eternal weight of glory ; while we look not at the things 
 which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : 
 for the things that are seen are temporal ; but the things 
 that are not seen are eternal."* It is only by looking at 
 " things unseen and eternal," that we can derive true 
 benefit from the miseries of life. Under the hand of 
 God every thing is propelled, every thing temporal is 
 nishing forward to give way to, or to be united with, that 
 which is eternal. This is the developement of the whole 
 plan, the explication of all the complicated movements 
 of providence. Look at the things which are eternal : 
 there is the state to which we are tending, where Ave 
 shall know in perfection what we now know only in part, 
 and shall be satisfied that all has been conducted agree- 
 bly to the known character of God. 
 
 6. Yet, let it be observed, that even here the light of 
 prophecy dispels many of those clouds which would other- 
 wise obscure, for the present, the government and the 
 throne of the Deity. We are assured, that in the latter 
 day the gospel will be more widely disseminated, that 
 its influence will be more extensive and efficacious, that 
 the superstitious prejudices and vices, by which it has 
 been so long opposed will give way ; that the desert and 
 the wilderness shall become a fruitful field, and " shall 
 blossom as the rose ;"f that all the kingdoms of the earth 
 shall bring their riches and glory into the church, the 
 whole earth shall be full of the glory of the Lord, and 
 there shall be peace unto the ends of the earth. At 
 what period this glory of the latter day will commence, 
 is not for us to determine ; it is generally agi-eed the 
 time draws near : how long it will last is, again, not easy 
 to tell. The thousand years are perhaps to be calculated 
 upon the same scale as other prophecies, wherein a day 
 stands for a year, which would make them more than 
 three hundred and sixty thousand years. Be this as it 
 may, at that period the Spirit will be pom-ed down from 
 on high ; the potsherds of the earth that have been striv- 
 ing, will be dashed to pieces : the great Proprietor will 
 
 »2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. f Isaiah xxxv. 1. 
 
116 THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GODS MAYS. 
 
 come to fashion tliem anew : then " the fruitful field 
 will be as a forest," and the forest " as the garden of 
 God ;"* none shall destroy in all God's holy mountain ; 
 the sacred influence of piety will bring us back to a pa- 
 radisaical state ; the love, the harmony, the plenty which 
 will abound, will fill every heart ^vith gladness ; the 
 temple of God shall be among men, the marriage of the 
 Lamb will come ; and the universal song will be, " Hal- 
 lelujah : for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth !!"t 
 
 If this period shall continue long, the miseries that 
 once reigned will be forgotten, and all the disorder that 
 was introduced by the fall will be as nothing, when com- 
 pared with the joy of the restoration ; the creation of a 
 " new heaven and a new earth, wherein righteousness 
 shall reign." 
 
 '• Behold, the coming of the Lord draweth nigh ; but 
 who can abide the day of his coming ?" He will come 
 with his " fan in his hand." " He will sit like a refiner 
 of silver." The chaff will be separated from the wheat; 
 the visitations of the Almighty will find out his ene- 
 mies ; the phials of his indignation will be poured out 
 upon the opposers of the gospel ; wrath will come upon 
 them in this world, preparatory to that of the eternal 
 state. Let us then, my brethren, " flee from the wrath 
 to come." Let us consider the salvation of the soul to 
 be the one thing needful. The body is only the tene- 
 ment in which the soul is lodged, the case in which it is 
 enclosed ; the soul is all important ; its value infinite ; 
 " the redemption of it is precious ;" " What shall it profit 
 a man if he gain the whole world and lose his otvti soul ; 
 or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul T'X 
 
 The gospel is the only refuge to which we can flee. 
 It presents Christ crucified among you, shedding his 
 blood as an atonement for your sin, willing to " save to 
 the uttermost all who come unto God by him." O my 
 friends, accept his grace ; break off from every sin ; ask 
 yourselves in what you have offended ; set your sins in 
 order before you ; remembering that if you do not, Christ 
 
 • Isaiah xxxii. 15; li. 3. f Rev. xix. 6. t Mark viii. 36, 37. 
 
DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PlOtJS MEN. 117 
 
 will do it at the great day. Judge yourselves now, that 
 you may not hereafter be judged and sent to condemna- 
 tion. Turn with humble penitence to the cross of Christ, 
 and approach God by him ; bend your knee before the 
 throne of grace, plead the merits of the Redeemer's 
 blood, and be " reconciled by his death." 
 
 May God grant you these blessings for the sake of his 
 Son. Amen. , 
 
 VII. 
 
 ON THE DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS MEN.* 
 
 [preached at BEDFORD, MAY, 1815.] 
 
 Numbers xxi. 4. — And the soul of the people was much discouraged 
 because of the way. 
 
 It is generally understood and believed that the Old 
 Testament is in great part typical. The history of the 
 deliverance of Israel is a type of redemption by Jesus 
 Christ ; the paschal Lamb a type of the great Passover. 
 The journey of the people through the wilderness repre- 
 sented our pilgrimage through this world ; and the land 
 of Canaan was a shadow of the heavenly rest. Viewed 
 in this light, many parts afford direction and consolation 
 peculiarly suited to individual experience. 
 
 I shall take leave to accommodate this passage as an 
 expression of what frequently befalls the people of God 
 in this world ; " their souls are greatly discouraged, be- 
 cause of the way." 
 
 The present life is a way ; it is not the end of our 
 being : it is not our rest, it is not our abode ; but the 
 place of our pilgrimage, a passage to eternity. 
 
 There are two ways ; the way to heaven, marked out 
 by the example of Christ, and the way to perdition, 
 marked out by an evil world. But there are many dis- 
 couragements that the cluistian meets with, though he 
 
 '* Printed from the Notes of the Rev. Samuel Hillyard, 
 
118 DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS MEN. 
 
 is in the way to heaven. These we shall point out in 
 the first place, and then direct you to some considera- 
 tions to remove these discouragements. 
 
 I. I shall point out the discouragements in the way ; 
 and, in doing this, I shall keep my eye on the pilgrimage 
 of the people who were originally referred to in the text, 
 and thence draw my chief illustrations. 
 
 1. The way is circuitous, and therefore discouraging. 
 This is suggested in the beginning of this verse : " And 
 they journeyed from Mount Hor, by the way of the Red 
 Sea, to compass the land of Edom ;" they took a way 
 which was round about, and thus added to the tedious- 
 ness of their jomney. Their nearest route would have 
 made it comparatively easy ; but, instead of taking that, 
 they went up and down in the M^lderness. When we 
 consider what God had done for this people in Egypt, it 
 might have been expected that all the way would have 
 been prosperous; that joy would have been heard in 
 their tents, and triumph attended their march ; and it 
 would have been seen that they were the people of God 
 by the blessings which they enjoyed : but, instead of 
 this, they met \A'ith delays, hinderances, and troubles, 
 till they mm-mured against Moses and Aaron, saying, 
 " Why were we brought out hither ? Would to God we 
 had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt."* Thus, 
 souls that are brought to Jesus, and delivered from the 
 slavery of sin and the curse of the law, in their first 
 ardour overlook trials, and think of nothing but enjoy- 
 ments; they do not anticipate the fightings and fears 
 that are the portion of God's Israel. After a time, 
 through want of watchfulness and care, the love of their 
 espousals begins to dechne, the world regains a degree 
 of influence, the Spirit is grieved, and they fear God has 
 become their enemy; they seem to themselves to go 
 backward, and, indeed, are in danger of doing so, if 
 they neglect to watch and pray ; and much time is spent 
 in mourning, retracing and recovering the ground that 
 has been lost. This is too common a course : there is 
 
 * Exod. xvi. 3. 
 
DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS MEN. 119 
 
 provision made for something better ; there are promises 
 and comforts which should encourage us to advance 
 " from strength to strength ;" but, through our neglects, 
 we feel that we go backward instead of forward, and are 
 therefore discouraged. 
 
 2. The way is through a wilderness, and is, on that 
 account, discouraging. Moses reminded Israel of this, 
 in Deuteronomy : " You remember how you went 
 through the wilderness, a waste land, not sown or tilled, 
 where there was no trace of human footsteps, and where 
 no man dwelled." A wilderness is distinguished by the 
 absence of necessary sustenance : there w^as no corn, nor 
 vine, nor olive ; nothing to sustain life. Thus, this 
 world is a state of great privations ; men are often liter- 
 ally straitened with poverty, penury, and sorrow, and 
 know not how to conduct themselves in their difficulties, 
 or hoAV to surmount them : the supplies which they once 
 had may be exhausted ; and, though they have seen the 
 hand of God, in affording them what was necessary on 
 former occasions, they are ready to ask. Though the rock 
 has suppHed us, and the manna has descended, yet " can 
 God spread a table for us in the wilderness ?" With re- 
 spect to the blessings of this life, they live by faith, and 
 frequently have no provision or prospect of futurity. 
 
 But, in a spiritual sense, this world is also a wilder- 
 ness. It has no natural tendency to nourish the spiritual 
 life ; nothing is derived from it of that kind : though 
 spiritual blessings are enjoyed in it, the christian knows 
 they are not the produce of the soil ; the " bread" which 
 he eats " cometh down from heaven ;" the perpetual ex- 
 hibition and communication of that one bread is all his 
 support. Jesus Christ says, " I am the Bread of life. 
 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are 
 dead ; but he that eateth of this bread shall never die. 
 My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed."^ 
 The ordinances of the gospel do not support and comfort 
 us any fai'ther than there is a heavenly communication 
 and influence attending them. This is not pecuUar to 
 
 * John vi. 48-50, 55. 
 
120 DISCOURAGEMENTS OP PIOUS MEN. 
 
 the poor : the rich, who ahound in worldly things, feel 
 that this is a wilderness to their souls ; they feel that 
 there is something to which earthly treasures are not 
 suited ; wants which they cannot supply. The same 
 bread that feeds the poor must feed them, or they will be 
 lean from day to day : on this they depend as much as 
 the meanest around them. David felt this when he said, 
 " I stretch forth my hands unto thee : my soul thirsteth 
 after thee, as a thirsty land."* " As the hart panteth 
 after the water-ljrooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O 
 God. When shall I come and appear before God ?"t 
 " Deliver me from the men of this world, who have 
 their portion in this life." "Then shall I be satisfied 
 when I awake in thy likeness.":}: There was nothing on 
 eai"th to satisfy him ; he felt the present world to be a 
 wilderness, because it was a state of absence from the 
 divine presence. The " child of God " is a child of pro- 
 mise and of hope, and his eye is directed to the " glory 
 that shall be revealed." 
 
 Again : there is much intricacy in the christian's pil- 
 grimage. There were no paths in the wilderness ; the 
 Israelites could not have explored their way but by the 
 direction of the pillar of fire and of the cloud : so the 
 Christian often knows not how to explore his path. 
 There are doctrinal difficulties by which we are per- 
 plexed, and en-ors to which we are continually exposed, 
 and M'hich we know not how to escape but by attention 
 to " the light that shineth in a dark place." There are 
 voices that are heard in the wilderness, crying, "Lo 
 here," and " Lo there ;" but we must not go after them : 
 we must " search the Scriptures,"§ and ask the guidance 
 of the Spirit, or we shall never have the comfort that 
 arises from right views of truth, nor hear the " voice be- 
 hind us saying. This is the way, walk ye in it." I need 
 not enumerate the various errors of the present day ; 
 but simply specify the two chief, which are, such a view 
 of the doctrines of grace as destroys the necessity of 
 
 * Psalm cxliii. 6. f Psalm xlii. 1, 2. 
 
 X Psalm xvii. 15. § John y. 39. 
 
DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS MEN. 121 
 
 holiness ; and such a view of the Saviour as destroys 
 the notion of grace. There are also many difficulties in 
 practical religion ; and thus we are again in danger of 
 mistake. What shall we do to serve and please God ? 
 The general rules of scripture are sufficient, if studied 
 with a humble mind, for general direction ; but they do 
 not furnish us with immediate and particular directions 
 in all cases: diligent inquiry is necessary, attending to 
 the voice of conscience, giving up sensual desires and in- 
 clinations, and rejecting temptations presented in various 
 forms. There is only one grand remedy, if we would 
 walk aright : " If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of 
 God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth 
 not ; and it shall be given him."* 
 
 3. The way lies through a hostile country, and is, 
 therefore, discouraging. We pass through an eneniy's 
 land. The Israelites went up in military array, marching 
 in file ; and they had not proceeded far before the kings 
 of Edom and Moab, and the Ammonite, opposed them. 
 They were obliged to unite the courage of the mihtary 
 with the assiduity of the pilgrim's life ; they had to fight 
 as well as travel. And so must we : during our pilgrim- 
 age we must gird on " the whole armour of God, taking 
 the sword of the Spirit, and the shield of faith ;"f we 
 must conquer as well as advance; we must fight our 
 way, or die. There are three great enemies— the flesh, 
 the world, and the devil : these are allied, have perfect 
 understanding wdth each other against us, and combine 
 their efforts for our destmction. The christian pilgrim 
 becomes a marked character in the world; he dwells 
 alone ; the men around him take the alarm ; they endea- 
 vour to imbitter his choice and retard his progress. 
 Satan is also alarmed, and he is never found to give up 
 a subject without opposition. 
 
 A man going on in a carnal com'se will scarcely be- 
 lieve in Satan's temptations ; he regards it as mere en- 
 thusiasm to think or speak of them ; he has not felt 
 them, and will not think they can be felt: but the 
 
 * James i. 5. f Ephes. vi. 13 — 17. 
 
122 DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS MEN. 
 
 christian soon learns that he has to fight against " prin- 
 cipalities, and powers, and spiritual wickedness." He 
 finds his enemy assault him in various ways, and knows 
 that he "must be resisted that he may flee from us;"* 
 for " he goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom 
 he may devour."t The flesh is also an enemy. The 
 christian experiences the workings of carnality, a han- 
 kering after that which is eyil, and to which he may 
 have been addicted ; as the Israelites after " the onions 
 and garlic of Egypt." There is a tendency towards earth, 
 as well as towards heaven; a principle that depresses 
 and bends him downwards, as well as one that elevates 
 and prompts him to soar above : he is forced to com- 
 plain of " cleaving to the dust," and cannot always say, 
 " My soul follow^eth hard after God." " There is a law 
 in the members warring against the law of his mind.":{: 
 He complains of " an evil heart of unbelief." There is 
 in him an army with two banners ; " the flesh lusting 
 against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh :"§ this 
 renders it necessary that our. life should be a continual 
 struggle. These conflicts belong to every condition. 
 Those that have most of the world are often most ex- 
 posed, and are seldom less exempt than others from as- 
 saults ; and no wonder that hereby chi'istians are often 
 discouraged, especially when they feel they do not 
 always succeed. Even when they are not vanquished, 
 they sometimes lose ground ; and when they have over- 
 come, they are afraid of fresh conflicts, in which their 
 strength may fail, and their enemies gain the advantage. 
 4. The false steps that are taken in the pilgrimage, 
 and the consequent displeasure of God, are discouraging : 
 there are so many errors and iniquities for which the 
 Lord chastens his people, though he pardons sin as to its 
 eternal consequences. How often did the children of 
 Israel ofiend God and awaken his anger ? and where is 
 the son whom the Lord does not see fit to chasten? 
 These chastenings of the Lord often drink up or oppress 
 
 * James iv. 7. f 1 Pet. v. 8. 
 
 X Rom. vii. 23. § Gal. v. 17. 
 
DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS INIEN. 123 
 
 the spirit, and overwhelm the soul. " All thy waves and 
 billows are gone over me."* They think of God, and 
 are afraid. They cry, "Oh, he not a terror unto me,"t 
 lest I suffer thy frovm and be distracted. The bitter 
 herbs are unpalatable ; the fears of hell seize hold of 
 them as terribly as when they were first awakened to a 
 sense of sin and danger ; they feel their frailty and ten- 
 dency to depart from God ; and they apprehend future 
 trials, and know not how long the painful dispensation 
 will continue. " Is his mercy clean gone for ever ; doth 
 his promise fail for evermore ?" J 
 
 5. The total defection of men from the path is a 
 great discouragement to those who still continue in the 
 way. I do not think that all who died in the wilderness 
 were cut off as rebels ; indeed it could not be, for JMoses 
 and Aaron w^re of the number : yet they Avere set forth 
 as types to warn us of the danger of not entering into 
 rest. Here was a shadow of the greater loss of them 
 that " turn back to perdition." How many can we re- 
 collect of those who were once active and zealous in the 
 cause of God, that have gone away and walked no more 
 with Christ, of whom we may say, " It would have been 
 better for them not to have known the way of righteous- 
 ness, than, after they had known it,"§ " to turn again to 
 the beggarly elements of this world !"|| 
 
 Providence sets a mark upon such persons : their idols 
 are snatched from them, and they become as pillars of 
 salt to remind us of the danger of looking behind us. 
 What deep searchings of heart are hereby occasioned ! 
 " I also shall fall by the hand of" the enemy ; I have in 
 me a similar nature with his, and may be exposed to 
 similar temptations. " Lord, hold me up," or I shall not 
 be safe. Nothing weakens the confidence of the chris- 
 tian army more than the failure of those who appeared 
 brave in the day of battle, and conspicuous in the ranks. 
 When ministers and eminent professors fall away, our 
 hands hang down ; we suspect others ; Ave are jealous of 
 
 * Psalm xlii. 7. t Jer. xvii. 17. t Psalai hxvii. 8. 
 
 § 2 Pet. ii. 21. 11 Gal. iv. 9. 
 
124 DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS MEN. 
 
 ourselTes. " Search me, O God, and try me, and see If 
 there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way 
 everlasting."* " Every one must give an account of 
 himself to God,"+ and " let every one have rejoicing in 
 himself, and not in another,".| 
 
 6. The length of the way is discouraging. The time 
 occupied by the Israelites from their entering to their 
 leaving the wilderness, was forty years. Thus long were 
 Caleb and Joshua in travelling through it ! This was a 
 tedious journey ; such a one as was never performed be- 
 fore : a type of the journeys of the church militant. The 
 whole of human life, with all its toils and cares, is com- 
 prehended in this journey ; there is no rest, no cessation 
 of the pilgrim state, till life is finished. " Be thou faith- 
 ful unto death," or all thy former toil is lost and will be 
 of no avail. Now, though human life is short in itself, 
 yet to our limited conception it appears long ; especially 
 when passed in suffering and pain, " when the clouds 
 return after the rain," and there is none to tell us " how 
 long." In protracted afflictions is seen the patience of 
 the saints. It is more easy to endure the greatest shocks 
 of trouble, than to endure those pains which are more 
 moderate, for a long season. Patience is worn away by 
 continued afflictions, rather than overwhelmed by the 
 rolling wave. Those saints, who endm-e in private, 
 though unnoticed by their neighbom'S, and perhaps un- 
 knoAvn, are the bravest heroes of the christian camp. We 
 must, my brethren, hold out unto the end. We must 
 touch the goal, or we run in vain : our last effort must 
 be made in this journey, or we shall never reach the Ca- 
 naan that lieth beyond the waters of the grave. 
 
 Thus I have given you a serious representation of 
 difficulties and trials ; and it may appear discouraging to 
 many : the people of God may be much discouraged at 
 times, when they know not how long they shall thus 
 have to walk and be weary. But there is another view 
 of our pilgrimage : it is not wdse to hide our eyes from 
 trials ; let us, therefore consider them well ; yet let us, 
 
 *Psalmcxxxix.23, 24 f Rom. xiv. 12. J Gal. vi. 4. 
 
DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS MEN. 125 
 
 at the same time, inquire whether among these scenes 
 there are not interspersed motives to support, encourage, 
 and animate our minds. 
 
 II, I shall now, therefore, endeavour to direct you to 
 some considerations to remove your discouragements. 
 
 I. Remember, the way you are in, believer, is " a right 
 way," notwithstanding all that has been said. Infinite 
 Wisdom has ordained it : and if you reach the end, you 
 will be well repaid for all your toil, and will admire the 
 whole of the pilgrimage : no sorrow will appear to have 
 been too heavy ; no path too gloomy. There was no bit- 
 ter ingredient in your cup that could have been spared ; 
 no affliction but what operated to promote the " far 
 more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." You will 
 look back and acknowledge that Infinite Wisdom di- 
 rected the darkest path, and caused it to terminate in 
 joy and glory unutterable. This is the way in which 
 many have been conducted that are now in glory ; they 
 are gone up out of " great tribulation." There is a 
 " great cloud of witnesses," who " through faith and pa- 
 tience, are now inheriting the promises :" let us also, 
 with patience, " run the race that is set before us, look- 
 ing unto Jesus ; who, for the joy that was set before 
 him, endured the cross, despising the shame."* Take 
 the prophets and ancient saints as examples of suffering : 
 think how they were tried. Remember the prison of 
 Joseph, the reproach of Moses, the dungeon of Jeremiah, 
 and the death of Isaiah. " Remember the patience of 
 Job" under all his afflictions. God has heated the fur- 
 nace for some of the most eminent saints seven times 
 more than common, because they were endued with a 
 divine power of suffering with patience, and were fa- 
 voured with the presence of the Son of God. The peo- 
 ple of God have been chosen in the furnace of affliction ; 
 " the bush has been on fire, but not consumed," for God 
 was in the midst to preserve it ; and he not only pre- 
 serves his saints, but gradually conforms them to his Son 
 Jesus, who himself suffered : for this purpose he came 
 
 * Heb. xii. 1, 2. 
 
126 DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS MEN. 
 
 into the world and united himself to human nature , 
 wherefore arm yourselves with the same mind. Our 
 sufferings are necessary, to wean us from the world and 
 to deliver us from sin : " he that hath suffered is free 
 from sin."* We must either suffer by self-denial, or he 
 chastised of the Lord. " If any will come after me, let 
 him deny hhnself, and take up his cross and follow me :"t 
 let him behold both the cross and the crown, and never 
 turn aside from that path which leads to the cro"vvn, 
 whatever cross he may have to bear. A man of this 
 world, who is governed by sensual inclinations, and seeks 
 after vain pleasures, is " dead while he lives.":|: This 
 was not the course of om* IMaster ; and, be it remem- 
 bered, it is he who says, '• Let him follow me." 
 
 2. Another encom-agement is, that God is with his 
 people in the way. He was with Israel to guide and de- 
 fend them. They had visible tokens of his presence, 
 and saw that he stretched out his arm for their protec- 
 tion, and the overthrow of their adversaries. Thus also, 
 when Jesus sent forth his disciples, he said, " Lo, I am 
 -with you alway, even unto the end of the world."§ If 
 he lays upon our shoulders the heavy cross, he supplies 
 unction for the bruises it occasions. If he leads into the 
 wilderness, he " speaks comfortably ;" he spreads a table 
 there, " and his banner over us is love." " Greater is he 
 that is ^\dth you than all that are against you." God is 
 in the world as the great upholder, governor, and bene- 
 factor ; but he is in the church by his special grace, as 
 a vital principle, an ever-living friend to sustain, ani- 
 mate, and influence. With him we have communion, 
 and from him communications of mercy. We are one 
 with him ; all our need shall be supplied : " as our days, 
 so shall om- strength be."|| We may know not how to 
 meet an expected trial ; but grace shall come, and be all- 
 sufficient for us. Only keep your face Zion-ward, and 
 " though the young men faint, and are weary" in wait- 
 ing upon the Lord, you shall " renew your strength, 
 mount up on wings as eagles, run and not be weary, 
 • 1 Pet. iv. 1. t Matt. xvi. 24. i 1 Tim. v. 6 
 
 § Matt, xx/iii. 20. II Deut. xxxiii. 25. 
 
DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS MEN. 127 
 
 walk and not faint."* "His strenpjth shall be made per- 
 fect in your weakness." " When I am weak, then am I 
 strong ;"t most gladly, therefore, will I " glory in in- 
 firmity, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 
 " In all these things we are more than conquerors, 
 through Him who loved us.":|: Only look not behind 
 you, think not of turning back, and he " will never leave 
 you nor forsake you." 
 
 3. To overcome the discouragements of the way, 
 remember there is no other way that leads to heaven. 
 You cannot reconcile the service of sin and the world 
 with the hope of heaven and the enjoyment of everlasting 
 life in that holy state, and in the presence of the holy 
 God. Will you, then, forego the hope of Canaan ; as 
 you must when you yield to sin, when you give 
 yourselves to the world ? There is no other Avay to hea- 
 ven than the way to which the Scriptures of truth direct 
 you. You must " crucify the flesh ;" you must " purify 
 yourselves" by faith through the Spirit ; you must be 
 conformed to the Saviour ; you must take up the trials of 
 life with patience, or look for the punishment of death. 
 The choice of Moses was truly wise ; it was the only 
 choice wisdom could make. Happy are they who choose 
 like him ; Canaan shall be for ever theirs. The Land of 
 Promise was but a type, a shadow, of their inheritance ; 
 it was a perishable inheritance ; it was but a mere span, 
 a moment of happiness and glory, compared with that 
 which shall be revealed, of which, at present, we can 
 only say we know but in part : for " it doth not yet 
 appear what we shall be ; but when he shall appear, we 
 shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."* 
 A few moments there will banish all earthly trials from 
 your mind ; or you shall remember them only to enhance 
 your bliss. The enemy, like the Egyptians in the Red 
 Sea, shall be seen no more. The trials of the saints 
 shall be left far behind, and sin shall never vex them 
 again. How will this happiness repay all their toil ! 
 
 ♦ Isaiah xl. 31. f 2 Cor. xii. 10. 
 
 X Kora. viii. 37. § 1 John iii. 2. 
 
128 DISCOURAGEMENTS OF PIOUS MEN. 
 
 how sweet will be the remembrance of the bitterest 
 herbs ! how unspeakable and inconceivable the joy, when 
 they shall be with angels, and justified spirits, and Christ 
 and God, in the kingdom of glory ! We are lost in the 
 contemplation of this sublime subject ; yet we know that 
 future happiness is greater " than eye hath seen or 
 ear hath heard." How should it transport us to think 
 that we may be counted worthy of this high calling; 
 that God hath revealed to us this glory ! It is only by 
 Jesus Christ and his gospel that " life and immortality 
 are brought to light." It is by God's becoming man that 
 man may become like God, a partaker of the divine 
 nature. Let us not, my brethren, deem ourselves 
 unworthy ; let us not sit down content with inferior 
 things, like Esau, who, for " one mess of pottage, sold 
 his birthright." It is infinitely better to suffer in this 
 life, than to lie down in death. Go forward, then, chris- 
 tian ; go forward i " forgetting the things that are behind, 
 and reaching forth to those that are before." 
 
 I pray God that these plain truths may be blessed to 
 your souls ; that you may be stirred up to diligent per- 
 severance in the ways of God ; that you may be a com- 
 fort to the minister whom God hath placed over you: 
 and that he may " present you with joy at the coming or 
 Jesus Christ." And, if any of you have not yet entered 
 on this way, to such we would affectionately say " Come 
 thou with us, and we will do thee good ; for the Lord 
 hath spoken good concerning Israel." Come, ye careless 
 ones, " ye simple ones, turn in hither." You think not 
 of death, but of the gaieties of life ; you walk after the 
 desire of your hearts and the delight of your eyes ; but 
 there is no happiness in your path ; if you proceed, you 
 must perish ; for it leadeth to destruction. All your 
 pleasure is but for a moment ; there is more true plea- 
 sure in the roughest path of the christian than in the 
 smoothest road you can find : you will never have peace, 
 consolation, or rest, till you come to the Savioui'. Come, 
 and he will do you good : you shall have all the innocent 
 enjoyments of life that will be for your real comfort ; all 
 your trials shall be ordered by wisdom and love ; you 
 
THE VANITY OF MAN. 129 
 
 shall have the best support in the day of adversity, and 
 in the life to come, everlasting glory. " All things shall 
 he yours ;" Christ your Saviour, and God, the Creator of 
 the universe, your God and Father. 
 
 We do not know what you may meet with by the way, 
 nor what you shall enjoy in the end ; but what we enjoy 
 you shall enjoy. God will remember you " with the 
 favour that he beareth to his own people, and visit you 
 with his salvation." 0, that every one might come ! 
 None would be turned away without the blessing : there 
 is room enough ; " there is bread enough and to spare." 
 We invite, nay entreat you, to leave those muddy streams, 
 which must be given back in tears of repentance. 
 Come and taste of the " water of life, clear as crystal, 
 proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb."* 
 Come and partake of these blessings. Every moment, 
 while you delay, your danger increases : and if you 
 utterly refuse, you perish ! " The Spirit and the Bride 
 say, Come ; and let him that heareth say, Come ; and 
 let him that is athirst come ; and whosoever will, let 
 him take the water of life freely."t 
 
 VIII. 
 
 THE VANITY OF MAN APART FROM HIS IMMOR- 
 TALITY.* 
 
 [preached at BROADMEAD, BRISTOL, AUGUST, 1815. 
 
 Psalm Ixxxix. 47. — Remember how short my time is : wherefore hast 
 thou made all men in vain ? 
 
 The Psalm in which these words occur is supposed to 
 have been written on occasion of the calamities which 
 befell the kingdom of Israel in the reign of Rehoboam; 
 and the Psalmist appears to have been lamenting those 
 distressing events by which the glory of David's family 
 
 • Rev. xxii. i. -f Rev. xxii. 17. 
 
 t Printed from the notes of the Rev. Thomas Grinfield, A.M. of 
 Chfton. 
 
 VOL. VI. K 
 
130 THE VANITY OF MAN 
 
 seemed to be extinguished. In the bitterness of his 
 feelings, he is carried out, from the particular occasion 
 which excited them, to a general contemplation of the 
 vanity of human existence. From these words I propose 
 to show, that, — considered merely in his present state, 
 apart from any reference to eternity and the prospect 
 disclosed by revelation, — man (it may be truly said) is 
 " made in vain." 
 
 1. The first thing that strikes us, in such a survey of 
 our being, as circumscribed within the term of mortality, 
 is the shortness of its duration. " Remember how short 
 my time is." This circumstance, which cannot have 
 escaped, or failed to affect, any reflecting person, is fre- 
 quently adverted to by the sacred writers. " My days," 
 says Job, " are swifter than a post ; they are passed 
 away as a shadow." " Behold," says the Psalmist, " thou 
 hast made my days as a handbreadth, and mine age is as 
 nothing before thee : as for man, his days are as grass ; 
 in the morning it is green; in the evening it is cat down 
 and withered." The transient nature of his existence 
 stamps an inexpressible meanness on man, if we confine 
 our view to the present life ; and forces us to confess 
 that, laying aside the hope of immortality, " every man, 
 at his best estate, is altogether vanity." 
 
 2. The same reflection must have occurred to most 
 persons of a thoughtful character, when they have con- 
 templated the general state of that world in which we are 
 placed ; the mischief and misery that pervade it ; the 
 disorder and desolation which the unruly passions of 
 men perpetually introduce ; the wantonness with which 
 they rush to deeds of violence and injustice ; the almost 
 incessant national contentions, in which the destruction 
 of one part of the human race seems to become the bu- 
 siness and sport of the other. AVhether the balance of 
 good or of evil preponderate on the whole, is a question 
 we may here leave undecided. In some more favoured 
 conditions of society, it is probable there may be a pre- 
 dominance of good ; in others, less favoured, of evil : 
 but, that such a question should exist at all, is itself a 
 sufficient proof how much oil exists in this world. 
 
APART FROM HIS IMMORTALITY. ]31 
 
 Viewed, therefore, merely as they are here, and excluding 
 the supp(»sition of a future state, all men will appear to 
 be " made in vain." 
 
 3. Again, when we recollect how many thousands of 
 our species are born the subjects of some inherent^ in- 
 curahle disease or imperfection of hody^ such as may be 
 said to render their life a protracted malady ; — when we 
 call to mind how many are constitutionally the victims of 
 dejected spirits and a morbid melancholy, such as cast a 
 gloom over every surrounding oljject, and dim their per- 
 ceptions to the fairest scenes of life and nature ; (a case 
 which is exemplified in the great and amiable Cowper;) 
 we are compelled to acknowledge, of the multitude so 
 circumstanced, that — if we consider them merely as ex- 
 isting in that hypothetical state which terminates with 
 death — they also are " made in vain." 
 
 4. And farther, when we take into the account those 
 millions of mankind wdio are condemned, through the 
 whole of life, to manual and mechanical labours ; whose 
 day after day is consumed in a constant round of the 
 same mivaried employment, — the twisting of a thread, — 
 the continuing the friction of a wheel, — the exercise of 
 the file, the saw, or the hammer, and similar operations, 
 which have so little concern wdth mind, so little tendency 
 to engage the intellectual powers by which man is dis- 
 tinguished from the surrounding creatures, that they are 
 as well, if not better, performed, by various machines of 
 modern inventions ; — who, that limits his view of man 
 to this sublunary scene, can forbear to sympathise with 
 the desponding Psalmist in the text ? In labours like 
 these he observes millions of those beings are employed, 
 who are created with a mind capable of looking back- 
 ward and forwai'd with endless activity of thought, — 
 capable of comprehending truth and advancing in know- 
 ledge, — capable of enjoying a happiness commensurate 
 Avith its own vast desires, The inheritors of such 
 faculties ar« employed in labours like these ; in the per- 
 formance of which, after the practice of a few years, 
 they attain such a facility and perfection, that no room is 
 left for improvement ; and for the rest of life nothing 
 
 k2 
 
132 THE VANITY OF MAN 
 
 remains Lut the repetition of the self-same labours ; — 
 labours in -svhich the mind is altogether passive and 
 dormant, nor is any exercise afforded to the reason or the 
 affections. Not that I would be understood to censure 
 the mechanism of civilized society, which evidently 
 requires this arrangement in a greater or less degree; 
 but, walk the streets of a commercial or manufacturing 
 city ; observe the multiplicity of handicraft occupations 
 Avhich meet your eye at every point; and, without 
 blaming the existing organization of society, I ask 
 whether, — if cares like these are to engage the chief part 
 of human attention, (cares rendered, perhaps, necessary 
 by the imperfection of our present circumstances, but 
 immensely disproportioned to the capacity of our nature,) 
 — if men are condemned to terminate their existence in 
 these pursuits, and are not reserved for another and higher 
 state of being, I ask whether the great majority of 
 mankind are not " made in vain V 
 
 5. But there are those, it may be said, who do not 
 fall under this melancholy representation; — men of 
 wealth, minions of fortune, who bask in her smiles and 
 revel in her favoui-s; whose circumstances seem to be 
 formed by their will, and who appropriate whatever they 
 desire. Surely, you will say, such " men of this world, 
 have their portion in this life ;" surely an existence like 
 theirs, even if we suppose it confined to earth, apart from 
 any ulterior consideration, has a sufficient end in itself; 
 and, though their existence is short, they are exempt 
 from the charge of having been " made in vain." Now 
 there is a delusion in this view : and if we examine the 
 advantages which men of wealth possess over others, we 
 shall find that nearly all the pleasures peculiar to super- 
 fluous opulence are reducible to two classes ; the class of 
 sensual gratifications^ and that of ambitious distinctions. 
 
 (1.) And first, with regard to the gratifications of 
 sense which the rich have at their command ; how little 
 these can be said to redeem their possessors from the lot 
 of a vain existence, — how little these conduce to supply 
 that happiness which is the end and perfection of our 
 being, — will appear by the following considerations. 
 
APART FROM HIS IMMORTALITY. 133 
 
 The pleasures of sense, in the first place, can never he 
 proposed as an adequate end of our creation ; because, 
 in pursuing them, we always regard them as subordinate 
 to something of superior importance, our regard to which 
 is allowed to be the just rule of sensual indulgence. 
 The inferiority of these pleasures to something beyond 
 and above themselves is never doubted ; a wise man ad- 
 vises a proper abstinence from such pleasures for the sake 
 of health ; a good man, for the sake of virtue ; either of 
 which is justly regarded as an object superior to that 
 which it ought to regulate. But the true end of ex- 
 istence must be something final, something beyond which 
 nothing can be proposed as of superior magnitude : and 
 unless there be alleged some worthier object of our crea- 
 tion than one which is thus referred to another which has 
 a right to supersede it, it cannot be disproved that " men 
 are made in vain." 
 
 Besides which, let it be recollected, in the next place, 
 that the pleasures of sense, pursued beyond a certain 
 limit, so far from tending to create happiness, tend to 
 destroy it, by the very construction of those organs which 
 are the instruments of sensual enjoyment. That craving 
 after happiness which every bosom feels, and the satis- 
 faction of which involves the perfection of our existence, 
 cannot be supposed to attain its proper object in any of 
 those animal pleasures, of which the pursuit (unless kept 
 in continual check) leads to the extinction of happiness 
 and existence itself. The proper object of this grand 
 desire of our nature must be something, in the pursuit of 
 which we may safely let loose the utmost energy and 
 ardour of the soul ; something essentially, entirely, and 
 eternally good, in the pursuit of which we need not fear 
 lest we should injure ourselves, but may reckon upon 
 benefit and success proportioned to our zeal and diligence 
 — the pursuit of such an object constituting, in effect, the 
 proper business of our being. 
 
 And, in the third and last place, the enjoyment of the 
 senses cannot present to human beings the appropriate 
 and distinguishing end of their existence, because they 
 are only enjoyed by man in common with the lower 
 
134 THE VANITY OF MAN 
 
 animals. That, ^vliatever it be, which forms the true 
 end of human existence, must be something which is 
 adapted to the great peculiarities of our nature as 
 7'atmial and moral beings: but sensual fruition is re- 
 ceived in an equal, perhaps a greater degree, by the 
 brutes. To what purpose this comprehensiveness of 
 reason, this prodigality of powers, this grasp of memory, 
 this vigour of imagination, this restless activity of hope 
 and desire, if the inheritor of such high endowments 
 Avere doomed to seek the perfection of his existence in 
 the command of sensual gratifications ? Few, in fact, 
 are so infatuated as to believe that such gratifications are 
 the end of their creation. Notwithstanding the ardour 
 with which the pleasures of sense are pursued by many, 
 still they are always regarded (at least where society is 
 not unusually depraved) as matter of shame and conceal- 
 ment to their votaries • all thinking persons are anxious 
 to redeem their character from the degTading imputation 
 of devoted sensuality, by intermingling other and wor- 
 thier pursuits with pleasures of this description ; and he 
 who 'should abandon himself, in the gratification of 
 animal propensities, to the neglect of every higher aim, 
 Avould Ije universally allowed to have lived " in vain." 
 
 (2.) But there is another class of pleasures, as was 
 observed, with the command of which wealth supplies us; 
 ikQ pleasures of amhition, — the respect and homage which 
 are paid to high station and splendid circumstance. 
 Xow, on an examination of these pleasures, it will be 
 found that they are unreal and imaginary, — that they 
 consist of nothing more than a fiction of the imagination, 
 a false elation of the mind, by which we may be said to 
 identify ourselves, or to be identified by others, with all 
 those varied instruments of pleasure which af&uence com- 
 mands ; by which we diffuse ourselves (as it were) over 
 the whole sphere in which we preside. Of those who 
 place their happiness in pleasures of this class it may be 
 most emphaticjilly said, that " they walk in a vain shorn :" 
 and could we assign no better end of om* being than that 
 which thus places it in a mere delusioii, — a false sembkmce 
 
APART FROM HIS IMMORTALITY. 135 
 
 of enjoyment, — we should be reduced to confess that " all 
 men are made in vain." 
 
 Thus it appears that neither the pleasures of sense nor 
 those of ambition, (to the one or the other of which classes 
 all the pleasures of wealth are reducible,) afford any ade- 
 quate account of our existence as confined to the present 
 scene ; and that men of wealth are not, more than others, 
 exempt from the mournful charge of the Psalmist. 
 
 6. To proceed. Neither can we exempt from the same 
 condition men of knowledge^ who pass life in the cultiva- 
 tion of intellect and the pursuit of truth ; — an object, it 
 must be allowed, better suited to the nature, and better 
 proportioned to the dignity of man as a rational being, 
 than those before mentioned ; — an object which too many 
 it is to be feared, have in every age regarded as the very 
 highest which they could propose to themselves, as cha- 
 racteristic of a state beyond which they could aspire to 
 none more exalted, and in which, if they could but 
 escape from all intrusions of passion and accident^ they 
 would be completely happy, they would desire no higher 
 order of existence. 
 
 That the favourite pleasures of such men, — the plea- 
 sures of knowledge and intellect, — are noble in their na- 
 ture, exquisite in their degree, and permanent in their 
 continuance, will not be denied by those who have suf- 
 ficiently experienced, and who are competent to estimate 
 them. But, in the first place, to how fem are these 
 pleasures confined ! What a mere scantling of the race 
 is qualified to enjoy them in any considerable degree ? 
 Not one person in a thousand has either the abilities or 
 the opportunities requisite to their high enjoyment ; 
 while to the rest, to the great bulk of mankind, they are 
 the hidden treasures of a sealed book. And can that be 
 supposed the final object of our being, which can be en- 
 joyed but by a small proportion of those who inherit 
 that being ! Is it to be conceived that, while the mil- 
 lion are '' made in vain," only here and there a chosen 
 individual is permitted to attain a destiny worthy of his 
 nature ? The truth is, of the few who make knowledge 
 
136 THE VANITY OF MAN 
 
 the aim of their engagements, none can secure himself 
 from the intrusion of disturbing passions or distressing 
 accidents. It is only in the smooth expanse of the lake, 
 when there is no •wind to agitate its bosom, that the 
 forms of surrounding nature are reflected clear and un- 
 broken : and thus it is only where the mind is in a state 
 of undisturbed tranquillity, that the pleasures of science 
 and literature can be pursued with success. But the 
 lights of philosophy are liable to be broken by the waves 
 of adversity, and darkened by the clouds of grief; the 
 man of study is obnoxious to the same external priva- 
 tions, — of health, friends, or fortune, — with other men : 
 the invasions of calamity, to which all are exposed, will 
 find him out in the most sequestered retreat ; and, after 
 all, he will be feelingly convinced that, if knowledge be 
 the end of our being, and that being terminates on earth, 
 —he, like all other men, has been " made in vain." 
 
 Besides which, we have it on the testimony of one of 
 the gi-eatest proficients in knowledge that ever appeared 
 among men, that "increase of knowledge," far from 
 being increase of happiness, "is increase of soitow." 
 And though this proposition may require to be received 
 with some Umitations, certain it is that the mere know- 
 ledge of things, the mere ijerception of truth, is some- 
 thing extremely different, something entirely separable, 
 from the enjoyment of things, the possession of real hap- 
 piness. There is not, between the two, the slightest ne- 
 cessary connexion : there may exist, in the same charac- 
 ter, the scantiest portion of the one in union with the 
 largest measure of the other. "We by no means find 
 that, the more things we know, the more we enjoy our 
 existence ; and the simple reason is, that knowledge has 
 its abode in the understanding.^ while happiness is seated 
 not in the understanding, but in the heart ; so that the 
 condition of the rudest peasant may be an object of envy 
 to the most enlightened philosopher. In a word^ — hap- 
 piness is a state which we are all equally concerned to 
 attain ; but wealth and knowledge are conditions acces- 
 sible only to a few. Happiness has its seat in the heart ; 
 but wealth and knowledge are not adapted to satisfy our 
 
APART FROM HIS IMMORTALITY. 137 
 
 affections : therefore wealth or knowledge cannot he sup- 
 posed to constitute that proper happiness of man, with- 
 out which he is " made in vain." 
 
 7. Once more. There yet remains another and a yet 
 more elevated order of men, who place the gi-and ohject 
 of their being in religion ; who think of God, trust in 
 God, and, on all occasions, devote themselves to do the 
 will of God : men who, receiving the Scriptures as His 
 o>vn divine revelation, conceive that they are pardoned 
 and accepted by their heavenly Father, through the 
 mediation of the Son of his love ; conceive that they are 
 renewed and influenced by the power of his Spirit ; and, 
 regarding the " things which are seen and temporal" as 
 preparatory to those which are " unseen and eternal," 
 " set their affections on things above, not on things of 
 the earth ;" consider themselves as " dead to the world, 
 and their life as hid with Christ in God ; and trust that 
 when He who is their life shall appear, they also shall 
 appear with Him in glory." What shall we say of such 
 persons ? We say that, if this were the only state of 
 being ordained for man, tliey^ like others, would be 
 " made in vain :" we say, with the desponding Psalmist, 
 " Verily, they have cleansed their hearts in vain, and in 
 vain washed their hands in innocence :" we afhrm, with 
 the apostle Paul himself, " If in this life only they have 
 hope, they are of all men most miserable," most Avorthy 
 to be commiserated. For, according to this supposition, 
 they are the only persons who are utterly disappointed 
 of their object ; the only persons who, (by a fatal and 
 irreparable mistake,) expecting an imaginary happiness 
 in an imaginary world, lose their only opportunity of 
 enjoying those present pleasures of which others avail 
 themselves; dooming themselves to grasp at shadows, 
 while they neglect the substance ; harassed with a per- 
 petual struggle against their natural propensities and 
 passions ; incurring, perhaps, the enmity or ridicule of 
 their fellow-mortals; and — if the supposition be true 
 that there is no such future state as that which they an- 
 ticipate — all this is in vain ! 
 
 But that supposition is not^ for a moment, to be be- 
 
138 
 
 THE VANITY OF MAN 
 
 liered : these men are not thus deluded ; they are 7iof 
 to be thus disappointed ; it is impossible to conceive 
 that they are. The perplexity, the inconsistency, the 
 palpable absurdity, into which those are driven who argue 
 upon the non-existence of immortality, the falsehood of 
 revelation, proves, as far as proof can be expected, that 
 thews is a false h}^othesis ! Upon their hypothesis, 
 man is the greatest enigma in the universe ; that uni- 
 verse is itself a problem not to be solved : all is mystery, 
 confusion, and despair ! Bring in the light of revelation 
 and immortality, the clouds and thick darkness in which 
 the scene was enveloped disperse, and all is clear and 
 harmonious. Man, with his astonishing endowments, is 
 no longer " made in vain ;" the universe, with its amazing 
 phenomena, is no longer " made in vain !" We learn at 
 once the cause and the cure of that vanity, in subjection 
 to which " the whole creation groans," together with 
 man. The origin of our misery and death, the recovery 
 of life and immortality, are alike brought to light. Man 
 has fallen by sin from the favour of his Maker ; hence 
 all the disorders and evils that surround him : but a sal- 
 vation has been provided ; " God hath reconciled us to 
 himself by Jesus Christ, and hath committed to us the 
 ministry of reconciliation; God was in Christ, recon- 
 ciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their 
 trespasses !" This^ my dear brethren, is the testimony 
 of God in his own word ; and, though men may dispute 
 its authority, " let God" we say, " be true, but every 
 man a liar." 
 
 To attain a share in this salvation, to recover the true 
 end and perfection of our existence, in the resemblance 
 and the favour of " the ojil^/ happy God ;" this is the 
 great object of desire and pursuit to those whose eyes 
 are opened to their real situation, >vhose hearts are 
 awakened to a sense of their real want. And, " remem- 
 bering how short their time is," they are the more in 
 earnest that, by a glorious reverse of their naturally 
 ruined state, they may prove at last to have not been 
 " made in vain." They " pass the time of their sojourn- 
 ing in fear ;" they are " sober, and watch unto prayer," 
 
APART FROM HIS IMMORTALITY. 139 
 
 " As obedient children, they fashion not themselves after 
 the lusts of their ignorance, but, as He who hath called 
 them is holy, so they seek to be holy in all their conver- 
 sation." In a word, they count all things as loss, for 
 the excellency of the knowledge of their Lord and Sa- 
 viour : for they " know whom they have believed ;" they 
 have the fullest assurance in their faith. On other ob- 
 jects, which are so eagerly pursued by the men of this 
 world, they have closed their eyes for ever : " forgetting 
 the things behind, reaching forward to those before, they 
 press forward to the mark" and prize of their high call- 
 ing ; and, though racks, ropes, swords, or fires were to 
 obstruct the way, they would rush through them all to 
 reach their eternal goal ! Jesus Christ is to them the 
 very food of the soul, the very bread of life ; and they 
 make it the substance of their continual supplication, 
 "Whatever beside is denied, Lord^ evermore give us this 
 bread!" Such are the views and affections which in- 
 spire true believers ; such the object which, stretching 
 into eternity, puts out, casts a darkness over, the bright- 
 est sublunary splendom-s ; an object, apart from which it 
 may be justly said, that " men," that " all men are made 
 in vain !" 
 
 The necessity and certainty of that salvation, that im- 
 mortality, which the gospel reveals, is one and the Jlrst 
 inference from what has been said ; another^ and the last 
 inference I shall mention, is the extreme folly and mi- 
 sery of those who persist in the neglect of this salvation, 
 this immortality. It is to throw away the end of exist- 
 ence, to sever ourselves from the possibility and the in- 
 finitude of happiness, and, in the awful language of 
 scripture, to ^'- judge ourselves unworthy of eternal life !" 
 If a vast sum of money were committed to us, and we 
 suddenly discovered that, by our own neglect, the whole 
 was lost, we should be affected, probably, with serious 
 darm and regret : but what must be our emotion, — what 
 our consternation, remorse, and despair, — should we dis- 
 cover, at the last judgement, that we have lived in vain ; 
 that, so far as our own interest is concerned, we have been 
 made in vain ; that we have received the grace of God 
 
140 DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY, 
 
 in vain; that, having neglected the one salvation, we 
 are lost, lost in the scale of being ; immortal creatures, 
 lost to the great pui-pose for which our Maker gave us 
 existence ; lost to happiness ; in-ecoverahly and for ever 
 lost ! What must it be to discover that the mistake we 
 have committed is at once injinite and irreparable ; that 
 we have been guilty of an infatuation, which it mil re- 
 quire eternity to deplore, and eternity to comprehend! 
 Now is the accepted time : let us earnestly avoid such 
 an unutterable calamity; let us choose the favour of 
 God as the only adequate end of our being ; and embrace 
 the salvation of Jesus Christ as the only way to attain 
 that end ; in a word, let us act as those who are swayed 
 by the conviction that the christian is the only man of 
 whom it can be said, in relation to eternal felicity, that 
 he is not " made in vain." 
 
 IX. 
 
 DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY, SHALL BE 
 DESTROYED.* 
 
 [preached at BEDFORD, MAY, 1817.] 
 
 1 Cor. xvi. 26, — The last enemy that shall be destroyed, is death. 
 
 In this chapter the apostle directs the views of chris- 
 tians to the final consummation of all things ; when the 
 mediatorial kingdom of Christ, in our nature, ha\ang an- 
 swered the ends for which it was established, shall be 
 surrendered, " and God shall be all in all." 
 
 This kingdom is, in the mean time, progressive, and 
 will be so till all enemies shall be subdued and placed 
 under his feet. The apostle brings in the words of the 
 text as an instance of this general proposition. But it 
 may not be improper to remark that there is an inaccu- 
 
 » From the Notes of the Rev. S. Hillyard. 
 
SHALL BE DESTROYED. 141 
 
 racy in oiir common version, which so vitiates its appli- 
 cation, that it does not seem to sustain the conclusion to 
 which the apostle had arrived. It was his purpose to 
 establish the perfection of our Saviour's conquest, the 
 advancement of his triumphs, and the prostration of all 
 enemies whatever beneath his power. Now to say that 
 " the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death," by no 
 means affords a proof of this position. Though death 
 might be destroyed, and be the last enemy that should 
 be destroyed, it would not thence appear but that other 
 enemies might remain, not destroyed. But the proper 
 rendering is, " Death, the last enemy, shall be de- 
 stroyed." 
 
 Having made this observation, I will now direct your 
 attention to the import of the proposition ; and will con- 
 sider — 
 
 I. The nature of the great enemy that shall be de- 
 stroyed ; and why he is called " the last enemy." 
 
 II. The manner and the successive stages in which 
 our Lord Jesus has already conquered in part, and will 
 completely conquer, this last enemy. 
 
 I. The nature of that enemy that shall be destroyed, 
 and why he is called " the last enemy." 
 
 It is not necessary to say much to show that death is, 
 in many respects, an enemy to the sons of Adam. It is 
 so, first, if we consider it in its most obvious effects, the 
 dissolution of the human frame. Every part of the body 
 is part of a marvellous fabric, of a wonderful machine ; 
 which bears upon it the mark of divine wisdom and 
 skill in its contrivance and execution. It is a work 
 which man is not only unable to form or contrive, but 
 the contrivance of which he is not able to comprehend. 
 Every man possesses and carries in himself certain ex- 
 cellencies of composition, and enjoys the benefit of in- 
 numerable operations, while he is wholly unacquainted 
 with the internal machinery by which they are pro- 
 duced. If we look upon the Goths and Vandals as the 
 enemies of the nations, and of all civilized society, be- 
 cause they destroyed palaces and temples, and the an- 
 cient monuments of art ; what must we think of death, 
 
142 DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY. 
 
 which demolishes, not only in one victim, but in innu- 
 merable victims, the noblest fabric that was ever raised 
 on earth ; and spoils the most skilful works that were 
 ever constructed ? All human beauty, and vigour, and 
 strength, are at once laid prostrate by the power of death ; 
 are broken and shivered to pieces under the stroke oiP 
 this great tyrant. Were we to see, at one glance, all the 
 victims which, in different lands and climes, and in all 
 ages, have fallen before him, we should behold a 
 pile of ruins raised to the heavens ; but these ruins are 
 mostly crumbled to dust, and concealed in the darkness 
 of the gravp ; or what an amazing view would be af- 
 forded of the power and conquests of this universal 
 enemy ! 
 
 Again, Death is an enemy, as he puts an end to all 
 that is terrestrial and temporary with regard to man. 
 All the schemes, and projects, and thoughts, that relate 
 only to the concerns of time, ai-e destroyed. " In that 
 very day," says the word of God, " his thoughts perish :" 
 all the thoughts of the sublimest genius, of the most 
 acute philosophers, of the subtlest statesmen, of the most 
 ambitious projectors, perish ! All find, at once a termi- 
 nation to their intellectual labours, their sublunary joys 
 and sorrows, hopes and fears ; they go only as far as 
 death leaves space for them ; and stop where he opposes 
 his power. As much, therefore, as the world is worth, — 
 as much as it possesses of value in the eyes of man, — 
 so much is death to be considered as a formidable foe, 
 standing forth against him, and in opposition to his 
 career. 
 
 Say, 3^e ambitious, ye lovers of wealth, ye pursuers of 
 earthly pleasure, what will all the objects you desire 
 avail you when you are summoned to meet this last 
 enemy, and are by him confined to the narrow limits of 
 the gi-ave ? What will you do in that period when your 
 " souls shall be required of 3'ou," and you are questioned, 
 " Whose shall these things be ?" As much as you value 
 these, so much death will be your enemy. 
 
 Death is also an enemy, because of the dissolution of 
 the tenderest ties of nature and affection ; of all those 
 
• SHALL BE DESTROYED. 143 
 
 endearments of friendship that bind man to man. Death 
 tears asunder brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, 
 parents and children ; he snatches the tender infant 
 from the mother s breast, or bereaves it of parental care, 
 and leaves it a helpless orphan in this wilderness. One 
 part of the mortal compound is left by him to mourn 
 and sigh, while the other part is mingled with corrup- 
 tion, and becomes a companion of worms. Death so 
 mars the features, that the most passionate admirers of 
 the fairest and most lovely forms of beauty, are con- 
 strained to say, as Abraham said of Sarah, " Bury my 
 dead out of my sight." All the fruits of friendship are 
 withered by his breath ; and one has been called alone, 
 to go tlirough the dark passage where no one could ac- 
 company him : while the survivor, who is left behind, 
 frequently experiences the greatest sufferings, from the 
 emotions and reflections of his mind. Alas ! how many 
 fond mothers, beloved children, and valuable friends, 
 have been already sacrificed to this inexorable tyrant ! 
 Nor is there any union so closely formed, nor any friend- 
 ship so established and strengthened, but it will be cut 
 asunder and destroyed by the stroke of this great enemy, 
 death. 
 
 But the most terrible yet remains ; — the moral, or 
 rather the eternal consequences of death. If divine 
 grace had not interposed, death has a sting by which he 
 would pierce every transgressor, and send him to a state 
 of interminable misery. " The sting of death is sin ; 
 and the strength of sin is the law."" The death of the 
 body is by no means the full infliction of the penalty of 
 the' divine law. What we look upon as death, is only a 
 dark passage which conducts the sinner to the state of 
 eternal death. The dissolution of our body, and the se- 
 paration of the spirit from it, is but a preparation ; like 
 knocking off the chains and fetters from a prisoner who 
 is about to be led forth to the place of execution. " The 
 wages of sin is death ; but the gift of God is eternal 
 life."t Eternal life is here contrasted with death : but 
 
 * 1 Cor. XV. 56. T Roai. vi. 23. 
 
141 DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY, 
 
 what is the opposite of eternal life, but eternal death— 
 the death of the soul, which consists of the perpetual 
 loss of hope ; a cutting off from the presence and favour 
 of God ; a sense of his eternal wrath, which burns like 
 devouring fire ? The second death treads in the footsteps 
 of the first, and its shadow covers it ; it is the infliction 
 of the sentence of the Eternal Governor of the universe; 
 and the fear of it makes those who are aware they are 
 sinners, willing to struggle mth a load of cares and sor- 
 rows, rather than fall into the hand of the living God ; 
 for it is a fearful thing, — " a fearful thing to fall into the 
 hands of the living God."* 
 
 There are many properties of this enemy which give 
 him the pre-eminence of terror. He is an inexorable 
 enemy. Others may be bribed by riches, soothed by 
 flatteries, moved by the tears and sorrows of a suppliant, 
 or reconciled by a mediator ; a daysman may interpose ; 
 one may come between us and our enemy, who may in- 
 terpose to ward off or suspend the blow ; but none can 
 "give a ransom for his brother," to redeem his soul from 
 death :t " there is no discharge in that war :"X the re- 
 demption of the soul ceaseth " for ever ;" there is no 
 price that can be offered, or would be accepted. All the 
 riches of the universe would be despised, if they were 
 offered for only an hour's deliverance from the power of 
 death : he Avants the man himself, not what he possesses. 
 Death will tear away the most ambitious from the 
 heights of his power, the wealthy from the midst of all 
 his stores, and the voluptuous from the scene of all his 
 pleasures. His ear is insensible to the groans of the 
 child, and his eye is unmoved by the tears of the mo- 
 ther ; he is not to be arrested or turned aside by the wail- 
 ings of innocence, or by the outcries of guilt. All are 
 levelled by the same undistinguishing stroke, and there 
 is no possibility of release. 
 
 Death is an impartial enemy. Other enemies have 
 particular grounds of quarrel ; they do not oppose the 
 whole of the species, but some individual, or a number 
 
 * Heb. X. 31 . t Psalm xlix. 7. t Eccles. viii. 8. 
 
SHALL BE DESTROYED. 145 
 
 of persons from whom they have received, or suppose 
 they have received, an injury : but every one of the hu- 
 man race is the object of his enmity ; his arrows will 
 level all in the dust ; " for it is appointed for all men 
 once to die ;"* and the grave is the " house of all the 
 living." The strongest know that all their strength must 
 fail : amidst all their dissipation, their hurry and care, 
 their jollity and mirth, they know that in the path along 
 which they hasten on there is one that will meet and 
 destroy them ; and they begin to look forward with 
 anxiety and dismay in proportion as they approach the 
 seat of this terrible majesty. 
 
 Like other great monarch s, he also has harbingers to 
 proclaim and prepare for his approach. He sends before 
 him the most agonizing pains and afflictions ; diseases 
 that consume our strength and vigour, and sometimes in- 
 duce us to expect his arrival every moment. By the 
 trembling joints, the dimness of the eyes, the changed 
 countenance, the breaking of the " bowl at the cistern," 
 and the loosing of the " silver cord," M^e^^know that he 
 is near at hand. There is a shadow of death cast before 
 him, extending according to the height of this terrible 
 majesty, and stretching over part of the vale of life : yes, 
 all that precedes our dissolution, all that is preparatory to 
 the last stroke, are harbingers of death; afflictive in 
 themselves, and to be dreaded on their own account, but 
 peculiarly fearful as the precursors of this great adver- 
 sary. 
 
 As these are his forerunners, so he has innumerable 
 and dreadful instruments for destruction. The famine 
 and the pestilence are in his hand ; he kindles the fury 
 of the battle, and riots in the field of slaughter ; he wings 
 the forked lightning, and expands the jaws of the devour- 
 ing earthquake. The air we breathe, the elements by 
 which we are supplied, and the food upon which we 
 subsist, are often converted into the instruments of death ; 
 he levies a contribution upon all ; and extracts the poison 
 of mortahty from that which is given for the sustenance 
 of life. 
 
 * Heb. ix. 27. 
 
 VOL. YI. L 
 
146 DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY, 
 
 Death is called, not only an enemy, but the " last 
 enemy." This is introduced principally to denote the 
 completeness of the Redeemer's conquest : nothing re- 
 mains after the last. 
 
 This is the last enemy of the chm-ch of God in its 
 collective capacity. Persecution shall cease, affliction be 
 removed, fears and terrors of conscience quelled, temp- 
 tations overcome, and Satan subdued : still the ti-iumphs 
 of death will remain ; a large portion of what the Lord 
 has redeemed will remain under his dominion; the bodies 
 of believers will continue in the grave till the final con- 
 summation of all things. Though Jesus Christ extends 
 his sceptre over all nations, and all kingdoms become the 
 kingdoms of God and his Christ, — though millions of 
 the faithful shall reign with him, and rejoice over every 
 other enemy, and hope to rejoice over this, — yet the ves- 
 tiges of his conquests shall remain legible in the gi-aves 
 of the saints, and on the tombs and monuments of the 
 just. 
 
 Death is also the last enemy of every believer. The 
 christian obtains a hope of pardon ; he goes on conquer- 
 ing one temptation after another, "from strength to 
 strength,'' from victory to victory ; but he knows that, 
 after all, his body must come under the power of this 
 enemy, and remain for a season in his dark domain. 'I 
 have,' says he ' been carried through many trials ; I 
 have surmounted many difficulties ; I have triumphed 
 over many powerful temptations ; but the dying part 
 still remains : I have still a scene to pass through, in 
 which I must be left alone ; no fnendly hand to guide 
 or support me. I must engage, singly, with an enemy, 
 whom all men dread, and whose power no man compre- 
 hends, for it is invisible. He smites with an unseen 
 hand : and, though milHons have passed through the 
 conflict, not one has returned to tell the secrets of his 
 power, and to unveil his territory ; which, after so many 
 ages, remains, as to us, " a land of darkness, as darkness 
 itself." ' Though the christian does not smk into despair 
 as he meets the last enemy and the hour of contest ap- 
 proaches, yet he frequently trembles ; for he knows not 
 
SHALL BE DESTROYED. 147 
 
 what may occur before that triumph is afforded which 
 puts the seal of perpetuity to all the other triumphs of 
 his soul. 
 
 To other men, what ought I to say of the last enemy? 
 However long they have escaped his power, he will meet 
 them at last ; when they are giddy with intoxicating 
 pleasures ; or walking on the heights of boundless am- 
 bition ; or are the slaves of an avarice, rapacious as the 
 grave : when they imagine they have nothing to fear, 
 when " they have more than heart can wish, and their 
 eyes stand out with fatness," they find an enemy coming 
 upon them " like an armed man ;" they find in death all 
 that is terrible ; they are forced to encounter the last 
 enemy — an enemy that must be conquered, or they must 
 be defeated and lost for ever and ever. 
 
 II. We are to consider the manner, and the successive 
 stages, in which our Lord Jesus has already conquered 
 in part, and will completely conquer, this last enemy. 
 " He must reign till he hath put all enemies under his 
 feet."* Death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed. 
 
 Consider the degrees and stages by which Jesus Christ 
 conquers death. 
 
 I. By his incarnation and passion he purchased a right, 
 in behalf of the human race, to conquer death and to 
 triumph over it. Power and right are two distinct 
 things ; and, among men, the former is frequently op- 
 posed to the latter. A man may have power to do what 
 he has no right to do. Jesus Christ, as God, had power 
 to put down death ; but it was necessary, in order that 
 it might be put down fitly and properly, that such an 
 expiation should be made as would remove the guilt on 
 account of which mankind were doomed to die. " It 
 became him," — there was a fitness, a congruity in the 
 measure, — " it became Him, for whom are all things, and 
 by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, 
 to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through 
 sufferings."t Not perfect with respect to his moral cha- 
 racter, but perfectly fitted for his work ; sustaining, by 
 
 * 1 Cor. XV. 25. i lleb. ii. 10. 
 
 l2 
 
148 DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY, 
 
 his sufferings, the penalty his people had incurred, and 
 thus acquiring an indisputable right to conduct them 
 through every scene of life and death to his kingdom and 
 glory. Remember, the moral consequence of sin is death. 
 It was impossible that this enemy should be put down 
 unless some way could be found to expiate our offences, 
 that the transgressors might be freed from the penalty 
 which, being transferred, was sustained by a surety. It 
 was Jesus Christ, who, in consequence of uniting in his 
 person the nature of God and man, interposed between 
 man and God, " to make an end of sins, and to bring 
 in everlasting righteousness."* This he accomplished by 
 his incarnation and suffering. His incarnation rendered 
 him capable of suffering, and his divinity stamped an in- 
 finite value upon the sufferings of his humanity. Thus 
 the weakness of his flesh united with the dignity of his 
 Godhead to procure the ransom of mankind from their 
 subjection to death. His Father " laid help upon him 
 as one that is mighty," " he exalted one chosen out of 
 the people :"t " this is his servant whom he upholds, his 
 elect in whom his soul delighteth.":}: 
 
 This enemy, according to the established and eternal 
 rules of the divine government, could not be encountered 
 and overcome but by one who was willing to yield, for a 
 season, to bis power. He that would conquer death for 
 us, must invade his territories, pass the threshold of his 
 cavern, become an inhabitant or a sojourner in his do- 
 mains : and to this Jesus submitted. By death, " he 
 destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the 
 devil, and delivered them who, through fear of death, 
 were all their lifetime subject to bondage."§ Thus, by 
 weakness, he became " mighty to save." His sufferings 
 and death upon the cross laid those deep and immove- 
 able foundations on which the fabric of immortality is 
 firmly built. 
 
 2. Jesus Christ, by his Spirit, gives the earnest and 
 the pledge of victory over the last enemy : he takes away 
 
 * Dan. ix. 24. f Psalm Ixxxix. 19. 
 
 X Isaiah xlii. 1. § Heb. ii. 14, 15. 
 
SHALL BE DESTROYED. 149 
 
 the power of sin, which is the sting of death, and he 
 communicates the principle of life. Whoever is enabled, 
 through the Spirit, to lay hold of Jesus Christ by faith, 
 lays hold of him who is the " resurrection and the life." 
 " Whosoever believeth in me shall never die."* Thus 
 our Saviour taught, to the confusion of the Jews: 
 " Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath 
 eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last day. For 
 my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 
 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwell- 
 eth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath 
 sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, 
 even he shall live by me. This is that bread which 
 came down from heaven : not as your fathers did eat 
 manna in the wilderness, and are dead : he that eateth 
 of this bread shall live for ever."t Thus they shall never 
 taste of death ; that bitter taste, which lies in the dread 
 of its consequences, they shall not experience, as those 
 do who know not Christ and have not his Spirit. They 
 who flee into the arms of the Saviour, who appropriate, 
 by faith, the fruits of his death, become, thereby, living 
 members of their living head ; they have the " earnest 
 of the purchased inheritance;" they enjoy peace with 
 God, a holy superiority over their " last enemy ;" and, 
 as they advance to the contest, can triumphantly exclaim, 
 " O death, where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy 
 victory V'X They know him to be a destroyer only of 
 that which must be destroyed ; and that even the body, 
 though it moulder to dust, shall rise again. Their souls 
 are also inlaid with blessed principles, so as to be pre- 
 pared for a glorious immortality. " If any man have not 
 the Spirit of Christ he is none of his. And if Christ 
 be in you, the body is dead because of sin ; but the spirit 
 is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him 
 that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that 
 raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your 
 mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you ;"§ and 
 
 * .lohn xi. 25, 26. t John vi. 54-58. 
 
 1 1 Cor. XV. 55. § Rom. viii. 9—11. 
 
150 DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY, 
 
 by these influences they shall become meet subjects of 
 eternal purity and happiness. 
 
 Thus Jesus Christ shall go on reignmg till every por- 
 tion of the power of death is abolished. The penalty of 
 death is conditionally abolished in favour of the whole, 
 so that it is proclaimed throughout the world, that " who- 
 soever believeth on the Son of God shall never perish, 
 but have everlasting life."* And there is an earnest of 
 immortality in the believer : as Jesus Christ, our substi- 
 tute, took possession of immortality, and " became the 
 first-fi-uits of them that slept,"t so all his saints have in 
 themselves an inward pledge, like that which Christ 
 had on earth, an earnest of their alliance to eternal life. 
 
 3. When these preparatory measures have taken place, 
 the empire of death shall be sapped to the foundation, 
 and its power be utterly destroyed. It has, indeed, been 
 a widely extended empire, founded on, or spreading over, 
 the ruins of all other empires : it has comprehended 
 within its domains all the seed of Adam ; it has conti- 
 nued from age to age. Compared with the length of its 
 existence, the boasted eternal duration of the Roman 
 city and empire is as nothing. But the final stroke will 
 produce the entire overthrow of this Avide and lasting 
 dominion. The chapter from which the text is taken 
 treats of this. He who first, by his death, gave us a 
 right to this victory. He who, by giving the earnest of 
 the Spirit, raised us to a holy superiority over our enemy, 
 will at last vanquish him by that almighty energy by 
 which he is " able even to subdue all things unto him- 
 self":?: He will then "fashion these vile bodies like 
 unto his own glorious body ;" he will stand forth as the 
 pattern by which believers shall be formed. They that 
 are earthy continue, like the first man, earthy ; but be- 
 lievers, who once bore the image of the earthy, shall then 
 bear the complete image of the heavenly. " The first 
 man is of the earth," but " the second man is the Lord 
 from heaven."§ He has the capacity of everlasting ex- 
 
 ♦Johniii. 16. f 1 Cor. xv. 20. 
 
 tPhn.iii.-21. §lCor. XV. 47. 
 
SHALL BE DESTROYED. 151 
 
 istence ; a well-spring of life from whicli life will be 
 supplied to all his brethren. In the epistle to the Thes- 
 salonians, which is the first that was written by this 
 apostle, he says, " I would not have you to be ignorant, 
 brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye 
 sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For, if 
 we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them 
 also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For 
 this we say unto you, by the word of the Lord, that we 
 which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord 
 shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord 
 himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with 
 the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God : 
 and the dead in Christ shall rise first."* He does not 
 mean to teach us here that they shall rise before the 
 wicked, however true that may be ; but that they shall 
 rise before those who are alive shall be changed : " then 
 we which are alive and remain shall be caught up in the 
 clouds, to meet the Lord in the air : and so shall we ever 
 be with the Lord."t The first effect of divine power 
 will be to raise the dead in a moment, to call forth those 
 that sleep in the dust, to make " the sea give up the 
 dead that are in it ;" to loosen the tombs and open the 
 sepulchres that have been closed for ages over the dust 
 of the saints : then " they which are alive shall be chan- 
 ged." He recurs to the same subject in the chapter 
 whence the text is taken : " Behold," says he, "I show 
 you a mystery ; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all 
 be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at 
 the last trump : for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead 
 shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.":}: 
 The last trump, which shall give notice of the change of 
 those that are alive, is here distinguished from the former 
 tnirapet, at the sounding of which the dead shall be 
 raised. Thus the Saviour, by one voice, uttered with 
 greater majesty than when he said, " Lazarus, come 
 forth," will raise the dead, and by a second he will 
 
 • 1 Thess. iv 13—16. + 1 Thess. iv. 17. 
 
 { ICor. XV. 51,52. 
 
152 DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY, 
 
 change the living ; so that all will be prepared to be 
 " caught up to meet the Lord in the air." 
 
 Thus the empire of death, which has suffered a slow 
 decay, which it has required so many ages to overthrow, 
 which has often seemed to recover from its defeats, ^viU 
 at last sink by one powerful stroke, never to rise again. 
 It will not require more than a moment of time to raise 
 all the dead, to lay open every supulchre, to restore every 
 particle of dust that is fit to be restored, to its proper 
 body, and for all the bodies of the saints to be prepared 
 for the mansions of eternal glory. How insipid and 
 tame are the histories of all other conquest, — of the rise 
 and fall of all other kingdoms and empires, — when com- 
 pared with the grand and wonderful achievements of the 
 " King Immortal," and the fall of death beneath his 
 power, and the giying up of all his prey ; —when every 
 victim from earth and sea, though under monuments of 
 marble, nay, rocks of adamant, shall be restored ; — when 
 he shall bring forth every particular form to be repos- 
 sessed by its proper spirit, from which it has been for a 
 season divorced ! He -will " swallow up death in victory," 
 and then clothe his redeemed with garments of immor- 
 tality. Death shall be known and feared no more. 
 Millions of millions shall join in everlasting praises to 
 him whom all the redeemed will then acknowledge as 
 their great Deliverer. 
 
 My dear brethren, what is the proper improvement of 
 this subject? To raise our eyes in adoration and grati- 
 tude to the blessed Saviour, who will fulfil the threaten- 
 ing, " O death, I -will be thy plagues ; O grave, I mil be 
 thy destruction."* " Thanks be to God, who giveth us 
 the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." " We shall 
 be more than conquerors, through him that loved us."t 
 Lift up your eyes, ye saints, in love and praise to the 
 glorious Redeemer. He hath reconciled you by his 
 blood ; defeated your spiritual enemies, and excited in 
 you the liveliest hopes of immortality. What remains 
 for you is infinitely greater than what you possess. " Be- 
 
 * Hosea xiii. 14. t ^om. viii. 37. 
 
SHALL BE DESTROYED. 153 
 
 loved, now are we the sons of God, and it dotli not yet 
 appear what we shall be : but we know that when he 
 shall appear we shall be like him ; for we shall see him 
 as he is."* What is the proper frame of spirit for you 
 to cherish ? To have your conversation in heaven, to be 
 " looking for, and hasting to, the coming of the Son of 
 God." 
 
 How great, my brethren, are the privileges you enjoy ! 
 Have you any need to struggle and scramble for the 
 perishing riches of this world ? Will you " load your- 
 selves with thick clay ?" Will you murmur and repine 
 if you are disappointed in your expectation of worldly 
 good, or if you are deprived of what you once enjoyed ? 
 Will you forget " the inheritance incorruptible, unde- 
 filed, and that fadetli not away, reserved in heaven for 
 you who are kept by the power of God, through faith, 
 unto salvation." The pledge is granted to you now. 
 Your Elder Brother, at the right hand of the throne, has 
 taken possession for you. Will you suffer yourselves to 
 be corrupted by the " lusts of the flesh, and of the eye, 
 and the pride of life," while you have heaven open to 
 you view, and the promise of eternal life laid before you ? 
 It doth not indeed " appear," at present " what you shall 
 be ;" there is not scope on earth for the display of such 
 glory ; the glory of the eternal world must come down, 
 before we can fully know what " God hath prepared for 
 them that love him." Your glory would be too great to 
 be sustained by flesh and blood ; these cannot enter into 
 the kingdom but at the redemption of the body. Then 
 shall be the " manifestation of the sons of God ;" the 
 meanest christian will appear as a glorious temple of the 
 Holy Ghost ; every saint will arise and shine as the sun 
 in the kingdom of his heavenly Father. At his powerful 
 voice, that penetrates the grave and agitates the dust, all 
 shall shine forth with a lustre which will extinguish all 
 sublunary glory. 
 
 How, also, ought these considerations to elevate be- 
 lievers above the sorrows and afflictions of time ! The 
 
 • 1 John iii. 2. 
 
154 DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY, 
 
 apostle, when speaking of the same solemn event, in the 
 passage from the Thessalonians which I have already 
 quoted, adds, " Wherefore, comfort one another w^ith 
 these words." This indeed is substantial comfort ; this 
 is the halm of every wound : this supports us under the 
 stroke that bereaves us of our dearest friends and rela- 
 tives. Those who have followed the remains of christians 
 to the grave, have, amidst their sorrows, nourished hea- 
 venly hope, and enjoyed consolation sufficient to make 
 them almost the objects of envy. 
 
 And this enemy is the " last enemy :" when he is de- 
 stroyed, the field will be quite clear ; the vast field of 
 eternity will be free fi-om every molestation. The mind 
 may travel on as far as imagination can extend, and 
 nothing will arise to discourage. This is the " last 
 enemy ;" leaving nothing more to be feared : all sin shall 
 be absolved, the powers of darkness banished, evil incli- 
 nations eradicated, and the world destroyed. When 
 death is vanquished, all his precursors, appendages, and 
 consequences, shall fall with him ; nothing remains but 
 salvation, unalloyed bliss, glory, and eternal life, — an 
 everlasting monument to the honour of the mighty Con- 
 queror of death. Well may he be styled the " King of 
 kings," and the " Lord of lords ;" worthy to receive a 
 name, a " new name," exalted " above every other name," 
 " that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and 
 every tongue confess"* him to be Lord of all ! Never was 
 there another being, much less a being in our nature, who 
 ever thought of gaining such a victory, ever thought of 
 lifting up a weapon, or aiming a stroke, in such a conflict. 
 But Jesus has "led captivity captive ;"t he has swallowed 
 up death in victory. 
 
 I speak to dying men, and cannot conclude without 
 addressing a word to those who have no acquaintance 
 with Christ, no vital union with him, no comfort in his 
 promises. You may have surmounted many difficulties, 
 been conducted through scenes of trial, gained some ad- 
 vantage over certain enemies, obtained great prosperity 
 
 •Phil. ii. 9— 11. t.Epb. iv.8. 
 
SHALL BE DESTROYED. 155 
 
 in the world, and may be ready to say, " Soul, take thine 
 ease, thou hast much goods laid up for many years ;" but 
 forget not that there is another enemy yet to contend 
 with ; that a dreadful battle remains to be fought, and by 
 no power of your own can you overcome. There is an 
 adversary at the end of your path : he adds to the 
 tyranny all the caprice which is common to arbitrary 
 powers ; he delights to strike into the dust those who are 
 most exalted ; he loves to shoot his arrows at a shining 
 mark, and suddenly to fall upon those who are least 
 apprehensive. 
 
 Whether you are aware of this enemy or not, whether 
 you foresee his approach or not he will meet you, and en- 
 gage you in a greater conflict than you have ever yet 
 sustained. You must conquer, or be defeated and lost 
 for ever. But you have no power to overcome, to 
 appease, to deceive, to turn away, or to escape from this 
 strong adversary. There is, however, a proclamation 
 proceeding from the Saviour, in the gospel : " I am the 
 resurrection, and the life ; whosoever liveth and believeth 
 in me, shall never die."* " The hour is coming, when 
 they that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the 
 Son of God, and shall come forth, "t " Them that sleep 
 in Jesus will God bring with him.":]: " Wherefore, 
 blessed are the dead that die in the Lord ;" their spirits 
 repose in his bosom ; even their dust is precious in his 
 sight, and he watches over it till he shall fashion it anew; 
 and, in body and spirit, they shall be heirs of immor- 
 tality and partakers of his glory for ever and ever. 
 
 What then remains for my dying hearers ? Some of 
 you will, perhaps, never hear another sermon ; all are 
 liable soon and suddenly to fall ; none of you can escape, 
 none can find comfort but in the Saviour, and in his 
 gospel. What then remains ? What is your wisdom ? 
 What does sound common sense dictate, but that you 
 should make an immediate application to the Saviour, and 
 place an entire confidence in him ; that you should pray 
 for his Spirit, and seek its constant guidance ? Let me 
 
 * John xi. 25, 26. i John v. 28, 29. 1 Thess. iv. 14. 
 
156 DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY, 
 
 entreat you that are young to consider that your covenant 
 with death will soon be at an end. Youth is often the 
 victim of this enemy ; and he, whom they think will 
 come late, because he is the last enemy on earth, fre- 
 quently levels those to the dust who bid fair to flourish 
 for years to come. 
 
 Some of you have advanced far in the path of life ; 
 grey hairs are here and there upon you ; others observe 
 your approach to the cave of the last enemy ; — the 
 feebleness of your voice, the wrinkles on your forehead, 
 the decay of your vigour, forebode your last conflict, 
 while you are buried amidst the cares of life, and think 
 nothing of death. " This is a lamentation, and shall be 
 for a lamentation," that men so near to eternity will not 
 look to the Saviour, nor direct a single thought to hea- 
 ven, nor ofi*er up one prayer to secure the immortal 
 crown. 
 
 Prepare for death ! You cannot be prepared but by 
 repentance and faith. " This is life eternal, to know the 
 only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent :"* 
 not merely to hear of Christ, or speak of him, or profess 
 him ; but to know him : to have fellowship with him ; 
 to have an interest in him ; to receive him as your friend, 
 while you submit to his sceptre. If you have not yet 
 submitted to the Saviour, when you come to the end of 
 life, what can you carry with you ? What can you retain 
 but an immortal nature, a consciousness of right and 
 wrong, and therefore of your own deserts ? — an awful 
 responsibility ! 
 
 " After death is the judgement." What is to shield 
 you in judgement from the stroke of vengeance ? Have 
 you been hearing the calls of the gospel, sabbath after 
 sabbath, without regarding them ? Have you not applied 
 the truth to yourselves ? O, retreat now from the snares 
 of the world; shut your eyes upon the scenes of time, on 
 which they must soon be closed for ever. Converse with 
 the world to come ; endeavour to yield to the power of 
 it : look at " the things which are not seen ;" walk, as it 
 
 * John xvii. 3. 
 
SHALL BE DESTROYED. 157 
 
 were, upon the borders of the ocean of eternity, and 
 listen to the sound of its waters till you are deaf to every 
 sound besides. 
 
 The blessed Saviour, who, when he was upon earth, 
 raised the dead and healed all manner of diseases, is able 
 to heal your spiritual maladies, and to raise you from the 
 dead. He is exalted for this purpose : the " river of 
 life" flows from his side ; he invites you to partake of it; 
 "the Spirit and the bride say. Come. And let him 
 that heareth say, Come. And whosoever will, let him 
 come and take of the water of life freely."* In the 
 blessed Saviour are all the springs of pardon, grace, and 
 everlasting consolation ; he will guide you through every 
 scene, give you victory over death, admit you through the 
 gates into the city, and there he will " wipe away all tears 
 from your eyes ;"t he will dwell with you, and you with 
 him ; and you shall be " kings and priests unto God" for 
 ever. 
 
 "When you meet with the next suggestion to infi- 
 delity, the next temptation to sin, ask whether those who 
 tempt you can confute the declarations of Jesus Christ ; 
 whether they can give such evidence of the falsehood, as 
 he gives of the truth, of his sayings ; whether they can 
 offer any thing that is worthy of being put in competi- 
 tion with the blessings he promises: whether all the 
 world affords, — even if it could be prolonged to eternity, 
 which cannot be, — would be equal to the blessings of 
 eternal and heavenly glory ? If not, turn from them ; 
 spurn them away ; " lay hold on eternal life," and say, 
 " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto 
 me, and I unto the world." 
 
 * Rev. xxii. 17. f Rev. xxl 4. 
 
158 
 
 X. 
 
 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS DEPENDS UPON THE 
 AGENCY OF THE SPIRIT* 
 
 [preached at the baptist MISSIOXARY MEETING AT CAMBRIDGE, 
 OCTOBER 6, 1819.] 
 
 IsA. xxxii. 13 — 15. — Upon the land of my people shall come up thm'ns 
 and briers ; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city ', because 
 the palaces shall he forsaken ; the multitude of the city shall be left ; 
 the forts and towers shall be dens for ever, a joy of icdd asses, a 
 pasture of flocks ; until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, 
 and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful Jield be counted 
 for a forest. 
 
 This chapter contains a very evident prophecy of the 
 appearance and the kingdom of Christ, as you may per- 
 ceive by referring to the first part of it. Contrary to 
 what might be expected, the prophet turns aside ; and, 
 instead of finishing the painting of that beautiful scene 
 of things which might be anticipated as the effect of this 
 appearance, he proceeds to paint a scene of great deso- 
 lation, of great barrenness, in the words which have now 
 been read to you. Ae-reeably to this, the actual effect of 
 our Saviour's manifestation, with respect to the people to 
 whom he more immediately came, Avas by no means such 
 as might be expected. After gathering a few out of that 
 nation, and thus planting the first christian church, God 
 retired from them on account of their impenitence and 
 unbelief; and the land is still abandoned to that desola- 
 tion and barrenness which are here represented. 
 
 Under these figures we are probably principally called 
 to notice the spiritual barrenness, the spiritual blindness, 
 hardness, and impenitence of heart, which have befallen 
 that despised people, and under which they at present 
 labour. It is said, in the words now read, that this un- 
 happy state will continue to a certain point of time, or 
 rather till the arrival of a certain important event ; — that 
 
 ' Printed from the notes of W. B. Gurney, Esq., collated and blend- 
 ed witli tliose of the Rev. S. Hillyard. 
 
SUCCESS OP MISSIONS. 159 
 
 event is predicted in tlie last verse. If it were asked 
 the prophet, How long shall the predicted state of deso- 
 lation last ? he answers, " Until the Spirit be poured 
 upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful 
 field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest." 
 Thus the prophet teaches us, that the desolations will not 
 come to an end, until in consequence of great changes, 
 and the improvement of the moral condition of men, 
 there shall arise a state of prosperity by which the Avil- 
 derness shall be a fruitful field, and that which is now 
 so esteemed, shall be counted in comparison a forest. 
 
 Though the immediate bearing of these words is, in all 
 probability, upon the state and prospects of the Jewish 
 people ; yet, by parity of reasoning, it may be extended 
 much farther, and may be considered as assigning the 
 reason why the nations of the earth continue in so 
 wretched a state, with respect to things spiritual and 
 divine, as that which they now exhibit ; and they may 
 be considered as directing our expectations, and regulating 
 our confidence, respecting the final termination of this 
 state of things ; teaching that it will come to an end, — 
 that a great and beneficial change will take place, but not 
 till the Spirit be poured out from on high. Then, and 
 not till then, will " the wilderness be a fruitful field, and 
 the fruitful field be counted for a forest." 
 
 Considered in this light, these words bear a very close 
 relation to the subject of our present meeting, and tend 
 to regulate our views and expectations respecting the 
 success of that great work, with a view to the promotion 
 of which we are at this time assembled in the presence 
 of the Almighty ; and may allay that dissatisfaction and 
 discontent, so far as it borders on repining, which the 
 comparatively small success attending the proclamation 
 of the gospel in the present times might excite ; while 
 it serves to strengthen our faith in the promise of that 
 Being, who, as he has afforded this hope, is abundantly 
 able to accomplish it by that mighty power by which he 
 will " subdue all things unto himself." 
 
 The great and momentous truth taught in this passage, 
 you perceive, my brethren, is, that the ultimate success 
 
160 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS 
 
 of missions, — of the proclamation of the gospel, in short 
 in every form, — depends upon the communication of the 
 Spirit ; and that its perfect success can be effected only 
 in consequence of that Spirit being " poured do^vn from 
 on high." It is this momentous truth, and the proper 
 improvement of it, to which, on the present occasion, I 
 shall request your serious attention. 
 
 That the Spirit of God is afforded at present to the 
 church is evident from its existence ; for, since the church 
 is entirely a spiritual structure, raised and preserved by 
 that divine Spirit, if it had been utterly withdrawn, the 
 church would have been annihilated Every member of 
 that church is the production of the Spirit, quickened by 
 the Spirit, and moulded to accord with the foundation- 
 stone upon which, by faith, it is built. We cannot, 
 therefore, for a moment contemplate the total withdraw- 
 ment of the Spirit of God, either as an event that has 
 taken place since the first proclamation of Christianity, 
 or as one that is to be apprehended. We witness many 
 pleasing instances, in our congregations and churches, of 
 divine communications to the mind, — of hearts opened 
 to " receive the truth in the love of it," and brought into 
 ^^-illing captivity to Christ; instances as clearly verified 
 as those we read of in the New Testament. But still, 
 though the Spirit of God is not utterly withdrawn, that 
 especial time has not arrived which is here announced ; 
 the Spirit is not " poured from on high" in that plenitude 
 and variety of gifts which may be reasonably expected. 
 A few drops of this sacred influence descend here and 
 there ; but it by no means descends in so copious a 
 shower, nor so ^^-idely diffuses that spiiitual fertility which 
 the Scriptures give us reason to anticipate : it is not 
 " poured firom on high." 
 
 , That the success, the ultimate and complete success of 
 missions depends upon the outpouring of the Spirit of 
 God, appears to be manifest from the Scriptures of the 
 Old and New Testament. This involves a doctrine so 
 familiar to your apprehensions who are acquainted with 
 " the truth as it is in Jesus," that it would be needless to 
 accumulate all the proofs the Scripture would supply ; a 
 
DEPENDS UPON THE SPIRIT. 161 
 
 few passages only are necessary. Our text is one of this 
 kind. In the prophecies of Isaiah you find frequent 
 passages of Scripture which represent, that the work of 
 diffusing Christianity is to be throughout truly the work 
 of God ; is to be distinguished as such by every serious 
 spectator. Thus we are told that he will plant " in the 
 wilderness the cedar tree, the shittah tree, and the myrtle 
 and the oil tree, that he will set in the desert the fir tree, 
 and the pine, and the box tree together : that they may 
 see, and know, and consider, and understand together, 
 that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy 
 One of Israel hath created it ;" plainly implying that the 
 bringing in of the heathen nations, as well as the con- 
 version of the Jews, is so much the work of God, that 
 it will be made conspicuous to all true believers. 
 
 When the conversion of the Jews, which must be 
 supposed to be effected by the same sort of agency, is 
 announced by the prophet Zechariah, it is in these words : 
 " And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon 
 the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of 
 supplications ; and they shall look upon me whom they 
 have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one 
 mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for 
 him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that 
 day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the 
 mourning of Hadadrimmon, in the valley of Megiddon. 
 And the land shall mourn, every family apart ; the 
 family of the house of David apart, and their wives 
 apart ; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and 
 their wives apart ; the family of the house of Levi apart, 
 and their -wives apart ; the family of Shimei apart, and 
 their wives apart ; all the families that remain, every 
 family apart, and their wives apart." The prophet 
 Zechariah, in order to encourage Zerubbabel in the build- 
 ing of the temple, — where an eminent type is presented 
 of the Messiah, the great Restorer of the temple of God, 
 who is announced under the appellation of the True 
 Branch, — says, it is " not by power, nor by might, but 
 by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." 
 
 VOL. VI. M 
 
]62 THE SUCCESS OP MISSIONS 
 
 The passage in Joel, T^^lien cited by St. Peter* on the 
 day of Pentecost, he refers to the events of that day ; 
 and though this may seem to break in upon our doctrine, 
 yet, when truly considered, it confirms it ; for we are not 
 to consider this as fulfilled merely at one period, but at 
 different stages ; as verified at different eras, and as point- 
 ing out a steady series of operations of the Divine Being, 
 effected by the same sort of agency, and for the sanie 
 purpose, at different periods of the gospel dispensation, 
 all comprehended under the general term, " the last dciys" 
 If mere human as^ency would avail, no reason can be 
 assigned why it should not have been suf&cient, at that 
 time, for the conversion of the Jews ; as well as for the 
 conversion of the Gentiles at present. But we know 
 that the conversion of the Jews was the effect of the 
 miraculous effusion of the Spirit on the day of Pente- 
 cost ; and we have reason to suppose there will be a like 
 effusion, before the consummation of all things ; one 
 which mil realise more fully the prediction of the pro- 
 phet Joel : for he does not change one man by one means, 
 and another by one that is totally different ; and one na- 
 tion by one kind of agency, and another by another ; 
 but the mode in which he proceeds, and the nature of 
 the materials employed, are, with regard to Him, just as 
 uniform as the nature of the work to be accomplished. 
 Wherever the diffusion of the gospel is presented to us 
 in the Old Testament, in a course of prophetic annun- 
 ciation, the hand of God is always the object to which 
 it is referred ; it is perpetually claimed as his work ; and 
 the most magnificent expressions are used to represent 
 this work in distinction from any other. The prophet 
 Jeremiah declares that a new covenant shall be made, 
 distinct from that made with their forefathers, by which 
 God will undertake to put his " law in their inward parts, 
 and write it in their hearts ; that he will be their God, 
 and that they shall be his people." Who can possibly 
 suppose this can intend any thing else but the real agency 
 of the Spirit of God ? For by what words can that be 
 
 • Acts ii. 17. 
 
DEPENDS UPON THE SPIRIT. 163 
 
 more aptly represented than by the Divine Spirit, who 
 WTote with his o^vn finger, on the stony tables, the words 
 of the law, and who will inscribe his precepts on " the 
 fleshly tables of the heart ?" When the Divine Being 
 informs the Jews, that after a long series of desolations 
 and judgements, he shall bring to a close their captivities, 
 painting it in very delightful colours, be says, " And I 
 will no more hide my face from them ; for I have poured 
 out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord 
 God."* 
 
 In the New Testament, we learn that the great Cap- 
 tain of our salvation did not encounter the powers of 
 darkness, or enter upon his work, till he was anointed 
 by the Spirit of God : " The Spirit of the Lord God is 
 upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the 
 gospel to the poor ; he hath sent me to heal the broken- 
 hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and re- 
 covering of sight to the blind ; to set at liberty them that 
 are bound, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." 
 He, though a personage of such a divine and extraor- 
 dinary character, yet, considered as an instrument in this 
 work, (with reverence be it spoken,) was not qualified 
 for it till the Spirit had descended upon him ; and, when 
 he went into the wilderness, he was filled with the Spirit. 
 His apostles also were made fit for their work by the 
 effnsion of the Spirit from on high, on the day of Pen- 
 tecost ; till that time they were not qualified for their 
 work in the nations to which they were to be sent. And 
 though I am aware it may be said, this respects the con- 
 ferring of miraculous gifts, yet, be it recollected, that we 
 find as great a change in the moral state of the disciples ; 
 from being ignorant, secular, and pusillanimous, they 
 were brought into a most blessed frame of mind ; they 
 were truly enlightened, and transformed at once into 
 heroes of zeal and piety. There appeared as great a 
 change in their affections and hearts : they were as much 
 purified and refined from their former selves, as they 
 were distinguished by the possession of miraculous gifts. 
 
 * Ezek. xxxix. 29. 
 
 m2 
 
164 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS 
 
 Wherever the apostles had any distinguished success 
 in the ministry of the gospel, they certainly remind us of 
 its being effected by a divine agency. If they preached 
 with success at Antioch, where it appears that their mi- 
 nistry was attended with great benefit, it is announced in 
 these words : " And the hand of the Lord was with them." 
 When Paul had preached the gospel to the heathen after 
 having been committed with Barnabas to the work of 
 the Lord to which they were sent, they r^resented to the 
 church " how God had opened a way to the Gentiles :" 
 and the Jewish christians were compelled, we are told, 
 to magnify the grace of God in communicating this 
 blessing to them ; and they did it in these words : " Then 
 hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto 
 life." If Lydia was converted to the faith of Christ, we 
 are told it was because " the Lord had opened her heart 
 to attend to the things that were spoken." How clear 
 and decided, again, is the language of Paul, when speak- 
 ing on this subject ! — " Who, then, is Paul, and who is 
 Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the 
 Lord gave to every man ? I have planted, Apollos 
 watered ; but God gave the increase ; so then, neither 
 is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, 
 but God that giveth the increase." Sincere and faithful 
 preachers of the gospel, then, as far as they have been 
 successful in the work, even from the very beginning, from 
 the first communication of divine truth, have uniformly 
 represented it as the work of God, as the work of his 
 Spirit, independent of the instrumentality which he em- 
 ployed in the ministry of the word : those instruments 
 themselves considered it as the work of God to confer 
 success on their labours by the power of his Spirit. It 
 is evident, from the nature of the thing, that it must be 
 so ; for, considering the state of man, it is impossible to 
 suppose that any thing less than a divine power can 
 change the heart. If the state of man be a state of 
 trespasses and sins, — if " the carnal mind be enmity 
 against God," — how is it possible that from such elements 
 as these can spring pure and ardent love to the Divine 
 Being, but in consequence of a divine power ? "• Who 
 can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ?" Were it 
 
DEPENDS UPON THE SPIRIT. 165 
 
 the design of God merely to build on a foundation al- 
 ready laid, or to repair a dilapidated edifice, one might 
 talk of the efficacy of human suasion ; but when that 
 which is to be done is to create a new principle, to pour 
 new life into the soul, to give " a new heart," to plant 
 new seeds in a soil where all has been barrenness and 
 desolation, to turn the waters into new channels, to effect 
 a total change of heart and character, — what can accom- 
 plish all this but an almighty power ? Hence the Scrip- 
 tures represent it as a creation of new organs ; giving 
 eyes to see and ears to hear, that we may see, and hear, 
 and understand, and feel, as we never did before. It is 
 represented as quickening the dead, and this " according 
 to the working of his mighty power which he wrought 
 in Christ Jesus, when he raised him from the dead." 
 Thus " we are God's workmanship, created in Christ 
 Jesus unto good works." Faith is the great principle of 
 this change, and it is " the gift of God," and is of grace ; 
 for, " by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not 
 of yourselves, it is the gift of God." " To you," says the 
 same apostle, " it is given^ not only to beheve on him, 
 but also to suffer for his sake." What is more manifest 
 than that this language implies that believing is always 
 the effect of divine grace ? We allow, indeed, most 
 cheerfully and thankfully that the gospel is the instru- 
 ment of God, and wonderfully fitted by him for his work ; 
 but even it is nothing more than an instrument ; and 
 when it is successful and baffles every human effort ex- 
 erted against it, it is because it is wielded by an omni- 
 potent arm. ThS gospel of God, when directed by the 
 wisdom of God and m'ged by his energy, none can with- 
 stand. 
 
 Human suasion can operate only on principles which 
 already exist. When Demosthenes, with his powerful 
 eloquence, excited the Athenians to combat, he only 
 called into action, by a skilful grouping of motives, and 
 an appropriate exercise of his genius, principles already 
 existing, but which had lain dormant. He created 
 nothing new ; he transformed them not into new crea- 
 tures ; but only roused and stimulated those principles 
 which had animated the bosoms of nations in resisting 
 
166 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS. 
 
 tjTanny in eveiy age. But when the apostles went forth 
 to preach faith in Christ, they enforced and demanded, 
 if I may so say, a state of things of which there had 
 been no instance : — they proposed to make a change in 
 the mind and heart of man to which there was no natural 
 tendency ; they required a creature " dead in trespasses 
 and sins" to awake to Christ ; they proposed to convert 
 him into a devoted servant, a subject most loyal, most 
 affectionate, and ardent : and how was it possible that 
 mere human art or force could effect such changes as 
 these ? 
 
 It is worthy of observation, that those Avho have had 
 the greatest success in preaching the gospel in heathen 
 nations, as well as in christian lands, have ever been the 
 most deeply convinced of this important truth ; a truth 
 they enforced in every stage of the progress of the gos- 
 pel, and which, instead of producing discouragement, 
 only awakened greater ardour : their strength appeared 
 only to lie in an implicit confidence in Him whose energy 
 is all-sufficient, and who has so fully declared his wil- 
 lingness to exert it. Thus, Brainerd, and Schwartz, and 
 Eliot, and those in every age who have had the greatest 
 success in turning men to righteousness, have been the 
 first to declare that they were nothing. They of all men, 
 most ardently implored, and most entirely depended 
 upon, the agency we are now contemplating ; and their 
 success appears to have been more in proportion to their 
 earnest solicitude in seeking this blessing; this divine 
 agency, than to any other cause whatsoever. Noav, if 
 we see men accomplish a great and extraordinary work, 
 and those who are most successful in it ascribing their 
 success to a particular cause, would it not be presump- 
 tion in us, Avho know nothing of the matter, to doubt 
 their testimony ? If success were to be considered as a 
 test as to the manner in which the effect has been pro- 
 duced, in what other instances are persons who are mere 
 spectators, w^ho have taken no care to collect informa- 
 tion on the subject, held to be better judges than those 
 who have " borne the burden and heat of the day," and 
 have had in proportion to their success, the deepest con- 
 
DEPENDS UPON THE SPIRIT. 167 
 
 sciousness that they were nothing, — that they merely 
 *' planted and watered, but that it was God who gave the 
 increase ?" 
 
 Those who do not believe there is any agency of the 
 Spirit of God, are so conscious that nothing else can pro- 
 duce the desired effect, that they do not venture into the 
 field ; but, while they despair of the conversion of men, 
 deal out scorn upon such as are engaged in the work. 
 They are chiefly those who either dispute against, or 
 practically trifle with, the agency of the Spirit ; — who 
 are conscious they have no adequate power ; and yet, 
 while they feel this, pity, or aff'ect to pity, the persons 
 who depend on resources with which they are unac- 
 quainted, and whose value, therefore, they are unable to 
 estimate. This is a plain matter of fact. 
 
 There is a class of professed christians in this country, 
 (I would not use any invidious terms,) who formally deny 
 the gi'eat doctrine of the influence of the Spirit ; and, 
 with regard to that denomination generally, containing 
 many men of great talents and high respectability, 
 what has been their conduct — what the sentiments they 
 have evinced ? A complete hopelessness of the least 
 success, and a corresponding inactivity in calling on the 
 idolater to abandon his idols, and wait for the Son of 
 God from heaven. Look at those classes of christians 
 who are disposed to feel the greatest distrust of the con- 
 version of the heathen. Is not that distrust founded on 
 a real disbelief of the agency of the Spirit? Hence 
 they satisfy themselves with cavilling at the supposed in- 
 sufiiciency of the instruments employed, on the supposi- 
 tion that those persons are agents ; while they themselves 
 feel that they are no more than the pencil, the style, by 
 which the Lord engraved the precepts on " the tables of 
 stone," and that they are that by which the Spirit of 
 God -wTites it " upon the fleshly tables of the heart." 
 Look, on the other hand, at the history of those who 
 have been the most successful missionaries to the heathen, 
 and see whether you cannot trace certain results for 
 which you cannot account on any other hypothesis than 
 that most momentous one of a divine influence, at cer- 
 
168 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS 
 
 tain periods, accompanying their labours. In the his- 
 tory of Brainerd and Eliot, and others, you perceive that 
 for a considerable time, there seem to have been the 
 same efforts employed, the same doctrines taught, the 
 same earnest and zealous prayers, and the same ^vatch- 
 fulness over their o^^^l hearts, and yet no saving effect 
 produced on others : all still remained barren ; no desi- 
 rable movement of the heart was excited ; and this 
 continued for a long period. Such was the state of 
 things when Brainerd first undertook the mission to the 
 Indians : but, after a considerable time, while he was 
 propounding only the same doctrines, and using only 
 the same means, the Spirit of God appeared to put 
 forth its energy, and divine communication was im- 
 parted at one season " like a rushing, mighty wind," at 
 others, " Hke the dew and the rain from heaven," softening 
 and thus opening, the heart which had resisted the en- 
 trance of sacred truth, and causing the tear of genuine 
 penitence to steal down the cheek. Nobody could doubt 
 that there was some one greater than a missionary there ; 
 — that the Spirit of God had changed the barren soil to 
 sacred ground, and had wetted it, like " Gideon's fleece, 
 with the dews of heaven." And so It is, my brethren, 
 that every person who has had any long acquaintance 
 with the christian ministry, is aware that there are cer- 
 tain periods of barrenness, and certain periods for bear- 
 ing fruit. The same talents, whether great or small, 
 may be brought Into action ; but there shall be some 
 seasons in which no good shall be crowned ^^-Ith extraor- 
 dinary success. 
 
 There are two reasons why we are in danger, even if 
 we believe this doctrine, of losing sight of its true 
 bearing and Importance. 
 
 I^ the first place, one reason why it is difficult to 
 depend, as we ought, on the agency of the Spirit, and 
 yet continue active, is, that it is not matter of consulta- 
 tion, and that it cannot immediately and directly enter 
 into the regulation of the choice of expedients, or the 
 adoption of measures. It is altogether an affair, a 
 secret, of the Divine Being : it cannot, in any degree, be 
 
DEPENDS UPON THE SPIRIT. 169 
 
 subjected to our control, and, therefore, it cannot he the 
 subject of our counsel We are called upon to exert 
 ourselves as much in the same way, to employ the same 
 sort of instrumentality, to set on foot the same means, as 
 though there were no such doctrine existing in our creed, 
 and no such expectation existing in our minds. The 
 consequence is, we are very apt to lose sight, even while 
 strenuously attending to our duty, in some measure, of 
 that mysterious and divine agency on which the success 
 of all our efforts must depend. The most busy hus- 
 bandman is not always the one who sees most clearly his 
 dependence on the sun or the rain : and while good 
 men may be exerting their utmost prudence, and their 
 utmost zeal, for the diffusion of Christianity among the 
 heathen, they are in great danger of losing sight of their 
 dependence on the invisible agency of the Divine 
 Spirit, in directing their attention exclusively to the 
 apparatus they are setting in motion. 
 
 Another reason probably is, that this is an invisible 
 power ; whereas our own actions and plans are objects 
 of distinct observation. The energy of the Divine 
 Spirit is to be seen only in its effects. It is a mysterious 
 hidden agency ; while the plans we form furnish ob- 
 jects of sensation and observation : and such is the mi- 
 serable littleness of the human mind, after all, that w^e 
 are more struck with "sparks of our own kindling," 
 than vdth the light of heaven ; — more occupied in look- 
 ing at the instrumentality, than in impressing upon our 
 minds the mysterious and potent energy of the Al- 
 mighty. It is one thing to heliet^e that there is an agency 
 of the Spirit, and gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, to 
 render Christianity beneficial to men ; and quite another 
 thing to have a deep and practical persuasion of it, and 
 to regulate all our feelings and expectations, on the mo- 
 mentous subject of converting the world, by a continual 
 reference to this most interesting truth. 
 
 Here, then, permit me, for a few moments, to point 
 out w^hat appeal's to be the proper practical improvement 
 of the truth, that the success of missions depends on the 
 agency of the Divine Spirit. If this be a fact, my 
 
170 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS 
 
 brethren, it necessarily teaches us our dependence on 
 God, and, consequently it ought to engage us to attempt 
 the work of evangelizing the heathen, \^'ith the gi-eatest 
 humility, and the most profound annihilation of self; 
 ■with a perfect renunciation of our own strength and of 
 our own resources. These are absolute prerequisites to 
 a true dependence on God. While we use our own re- 
 sources, we must, in a measure, distrust them, and pray 
 to God that we may use them aright. We can do 
 nothing towards putting in motion the only agency from 
 which any permanent result of the right kind can flow. 
 I say nothing, absolutely nothing : and yet we must 
 exert our instnimentality ; for mere instruments are 
 nothing, apart from the di^-ine agency included in the 
 promise. Separate from the hand which wields us,— 
 from the volition of the Divine Being, — and from the 
 agency of that Spirit which is included in this promise, 
 — we are, I repeat it, absolutely nothing. Any false 
 confidence, therefore, such as suggests itself probably to 
 men who have been teachers of other sciences, — any of 
 that elation of mind, or confidence in om' own strength, 
 which has given, perhaps, nerve and elevation to human 
 courage, — is out of place here. The apostle was the 
 greatest of all men in this matter : but how was he 
 affected ? He tells the Corinthians, that he was with 
 them " in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling ;" 
 his work was watered with tears and with prayer ; he 
 felt himself a worm in the presence of the great Agent : 
 and hence it was that he was enabled to " thresh moun- 
 tains." There was always in his mind a deep sentiment 
 of humility, and a powerful conviction of the presence of 
 the Divine Being. 
 
 The rain is not more necessary to raise the seed, the 
 sun is not more necessary to bring it to maturity, than 
 this work of the Spirit. Hence, I would observe, prayer 
 appears to be of the utmost importance in connexion 
 with every attempt for the conversion of the heathen 
 nations. Prayer appears, indeed, to be the appropriate 
 duty of such as desire their conversion : prayer in the 
 closet ; prayer on those seasons on which they are consult- 
 
DEPENDS UPON THE SPIRIT. 171 
 
 ing as to their plans of operation. It was while the church 
 at Antioch w^ere waiting on the Lord,an(i fasting, that the 
 Holy Ghost said, " Separate to me Barnabas and Saul for 
 the work whereunto I have called them." It Avas by prayer 
 they were commended to the work for which they were de- 
 signed. If the Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost, 
 it was when they were " all with one accord in one place." 
 It appears that, in every period of the world, prayer, a 
 spirit of prayer for this great object, has been the pre- 
 cursor of real success. More than sixty years ago, as 
 several of you are, I doubt not, aware, a union among 
 real christians for extraordinary prayer began to manifest 
 itself It first appeared in America, and was most 
 warmly recommended by President Edwards : thence it 
 was transferred to Scotland, by the instrumentality of 
 the venerable Dr. Erskine ; and from thence into Eng- 
 land, by our valuable friend, Dr. Ryland, at the com- 
 mencement of the baptist mission ; and the excellent 
 practice was soon adopted by pious men of other per- 
 suasions. Never is a mission more likely to prosper, than 
 when it is begun in the spirit of ardent prayer and sup- 
 plication. And if ever this spirit departs from us, " the 
 glory is departed" from this mission : if ever we cease 
 to mingle the spirit of devotion with these services, we 
 may succeed in outward means, we may multiply and ex- 
 tend them, but we shall never see the conversion of the 
 heathen. Prayer touches the only spring that can pos- 
 sibly ensure success. By speaking we move man ; but 
 by prayer we move God. It is through the medium of 
 prayer that the littleness and meanness of man prevail 
 with Omnipotence. " The prayer of faith" is the only 
 power in the universe to which the great Jehovah yields : 
 he looks upon every other power as more or less opposed 
 to him ; but he looks upon this as a confession of man's 
 dependence, as an appropriate homage to his greatness, 
 as an attraction which brings down his divine agency 
 to the earth. 
 
 Here every one may assist missions : and every tear 
 in the closet, every pang in the heart over the miseries 
 of those who are dead in their sins, every prayer lifted 
 
172 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS 
 
 up in that retirement where no eye sees hut the eye of 
 Him " which seeth in secret," affords a most important 
 benefit. These are the elements of success ; these the 
 pledges of final triumph. You know it has been cus- 
 tomary for a considerable time, for a special season of 
 prayer to be set apart in our society, and among christians 
 of other denominations, for the conversion of the 
 heathen. On the fervour of these supplications, through 
 the intercession of the great IMediator, will, I have no 
 doubt, depend the final realization of our hopes in the 
 conversion of the nations to the faith of Chi-ist. 
 
 It necessarily results from the doctrine of the text, 
 that we ought to be exceedingly carefal not to " grieve 
 the Spirit of God." He is the great Agent ; and we 
 must expect to succeed in proportion only as we shall 
 gratify that Holy Spirit. You know the tempers which 
 grieve that Spirit ; you know that " all malice and all 
 guile, and hypocrisies, and envyings, and evil speaking, 
 and bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour," are 
 directly opposed to His nature, — that they are an ele- 
 ment in which He never moves ; but that meekness, and 
 gentleness, and forgiveness of injuries, and love, and 
 Joy, and peace, and long-suffering, and goodness, and 
 faith, and temperance, — that the lamb-like virtues of 
 Jesus Christ, are those in which he delights. You know 
 the gi'aces of the Spirit of God, which he imparted to 
 Jesus Christ, are still the object of his predilection, and 
 that he cannot dwell amongst us any farther than he 
 nourishes those dispositions in us ; that He who first 
 gave the Spirit, still gives the same Spirit and no other ; 
 we can expect no triumphant success of his gospel, or his 
 kingdom, but in proportion as we are " anointed by the 
 Spirit :" for, as the oil ran down to the skirts of 
 Aaron's garment," so his holy influences anoint the 
 heart of every true disciple. Let us take care, then, 
 that in the management of this mission there be 
 nothing in our conduct or temper opposed to the sim- 
 plicity and purity of the christian dispensation. Let us 
 take care, as individuals and as churches, that we walk 
 in the fear of the Lord : and that we look thus to have 
 
DEPENDS UPON THE SPIRIT. 173 
 
 the consolations of tlie Holy Ghost, to be edified and 
 multiplied. 
 
 There does not appear to me to be a more important 
 maxim than that contained in Luke xvii. 20, — " The 
 kingdom of God cometh not with observation ;" or as 
 Doctor Campbell renders it, " is not ushered in with 
 pomp and parade" If this mission is made the instru- 
 ment of ostentation and gratification, or of amusing the 
 public by a display of gaudy eloquence, — if it is con- 
 ducted on such a plan as comports rather with the maxims 
 of this w^orld than with " the mind of Christ," — the 
 usefulness of the society is in that measure destroyed. 
 If it is conducted without prayer, which I am sorry to say 
 has not always been sufficiently regarded, nothing can 
 be more calculated to " gi-ieve the Holy Spirit." My 
 brethren, if we look at the manner in which those 
 missions were first conducted, which converted the 
 "vvhole world, we shall find that they were destitute of all 
 human parade, and were conducted with extraordinary 
 simplicity. It was, as I have said, while the church 
 ministered and fasted that they were directed " to send 
 forth Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto they 
 had been called." There were no places sought out as 
 places of theatrical resort ; such things were not thought 
 of at that time ; nor could they be thought of by those 
 who formed themselves solely upon the simplicity of the 
 Scriptm-es. It is not my wish to give ofl:ence to any 
 persons by these remarks : but I could not discharge my 
 conscience as a minister of Christ without making them ; 
 not at all with a vieAv to censuring what has been done, 
 or blaming any individual in the present assembly, but 
 of lifting up my voice against certain dangers to which 
 the corruption of our nature and the state of the world 
 expose us. 
 
 All rivalry, also, between difi'erent societies for the 
 purpose of promoting missions, — all that rivalry which 
 has not for its object and design the promoting the 
 cause, the knowledge, and the service of God, — is offen- 
 sive in his sight. Let us guard against that vicious 
 rivalry which shall induce the least disposition to depre- 
 
174 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS 
 
 ciate or hide in silence the success of others ; which shall 
 lead us to look coolly on the most splendid acts of mis- 
 sionary labour, unless they emanate from ourselves, or 
 bring honour to our party. All these dispositions, as far 
 as they exist in any individual, or any society, disposi- 
 tions which are " of the flesh, and not of the Spirit," are 
 directly contrary to the mind of Jesus Christ, who 
 blended a Paul and an Apollos, who blended the Jews 
 and the Gentiles — men of all characters — in one mass, 
 and impressed upon them all the faith of Christ and the 
 love of immortal souls. 
 
 It necessarily results from the doctrine of the text, 
 that all dependence on any other resom-ce than that of 
 the communication of the Spirit, will be found to be 
 delusive, when the Divine Being shows us what Avork is 
 his own. To " put our trust in an arm of flesh," is to 
 renounce our dependence upon him. There cannot be a 
 double dependence, any more than a double adherence. 
 It is true men must be employed ; but the fact of their 
 mere instrumentality should never be lost sight of, and 
 their dependence on the Spirit of God should be ever 
 recognised. " The gold is mine," saith the Lord, " and 
 the silver is mine." Let us not speak on this all-impor- 
 tant subject in such a manner as to lead to the idea that 
 the obtaining of money, and the setting in motion a vast 
 apparatus, is all that is necessary to secure the salvation 
 of the heathen. Any language like this is in direct op- 
 position to the doctrine of the Scriptm*es. If the Spirit 
 of God be the great agent, — if it be his work, and his 
 work alone, and the whole is accomplished by the energy 
 of that mighty Spirit, — how can we secm*e success by 
 any other agency ? If we should depend on the accu- 
 mulation of more property, and should succeed in that 
 respect, far beyond our present resources ; yet if the 
 Divine Being were to withdraw from us his sacred and 
 enlivening influences, he would leave us in the same 
 situation as he did the Jews, when he said, " Where are 
 thy gods that thou hast made thee ? let them arise, if 
 they can save thee in the time of thy trouble."* They 
 * Jer. ii. 28. 
 
DEPENDS UPON THE SPIRIT. 175 
 
 might multiply instruments and extend their labour, but 
 they could not secure the salvation of a single soul — they 
 could not deposit m the heart a single sentence of divine 
 truth — they could not form one holy disposition : but if 
 the Spirit of God " be poured out upon us," as we have 
 reason to believe it will be at some time, every other in- 
 strument will be subordinated, and must be ; and then 
 it will be found that the Divine Being, when he has 
 poured out his Spirit, will never suffer an ade(|uate quan- 
 tity of property to be wanted. He who has given the 
 Spirit will never suffer his work to be stopped by the 
 want of the riches of the earth : he will sooner turn the 
 very stones of the street into the precious metals, than 
 suffer the means to be wanted of caiTying on this work. 
 IVly brethren, if we can once draw down the Spirit of God 
 on our churches, the rich will contribute their property ; 
 the pious will contribute their prayers, and so much of 
 their property as they can afford ; and the leisurely will 
 ^ive up their time. This divine agency, when its effects 
 are once really felt in the heart, will enlist into its service 
 every power which men possess, and will compel it to 
 yield its quota. " Thou shalt see, and thine heart shall 
 fear, and be enlarged ; because the abundance of the sea 
 shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles 
 shall come unto thee. The multitude of camels shall 
 cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah ; all 
 they from Sheba shall come : they shall bring gold and 
 incense j and they shall show forth the praises of the 
 Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to- 
 gether ; the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee : 
 they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I 
 will glorify the house of my glory." 
 
 Finally, I would just observe, that the doctrine of the 
 text teaches us to regulate our confidence Avith respect to 
 the success of every particular mission, at the same time 
 that it animates that confidence in regard to the final 
 success of the work itself. We cannot say how long the 
 Spirit may be withheld ; but that it is withheld, that the 
 outpouring of it has not yet taken place, we have me- 
 lancholy evidence. It is plain that it has not been 
 
176 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS 
 
 vouclisafed to this society, or to any other, to the extent 
 that we anticipated, so as to produce a total transforma- 
 tion. Great effect has been experienced in the South- 
 Sea islands ; and that appears to me to approach the 
 nearest of any thing to what we are expecting ; but even 
 that, delightful as it is, is on a small scale. But the 
 general success has not yet seemed proportional to 
 the extent of the means. " The wood is prepared for 
 the altar, but the fire from heaven has not descended 
 upon the sacrifice." The number of missionaries is as 
 great, probably, as that employed at the first promulga- 
 tion of Christianity ; but here is the mighty difference, — 
 the Spirit of God, at that period, descended from on 
 high : the Divine Being " bowed the heavens and came 
 down," and infused an immortal energy into the mission- 
 aries, to which we are strangers at the present day. 
 
 It is proper to inquire, why is not the Spirit of God 
 poured down now ? — what is there that has caused the 
 withholding of this Spirit ? We may be assured there is 
 some reason. The Divine Being is a sovereign, but he is not 
 a capricious being ; and we ought to plead with God, and 
 ask why it is that he withholds from us this Spirit ? AVe 
 may be assured the time will arrive when deliverance 
 will be wrought in the earth ; but hitherto we have 
 " brought forth wind," — only wind. He " hath not 
 wrought deliverance," though we know deliverance will 
 be wrought. May we not, in the spirit of humble sup- 
 plication, ask, Why that honom* is reserved for other 
 nations and other times ? — "S\^hy we are permitted to 
 see only the skirt of his garment, and not permitted to 
 see his face ? — Why he holds back his blessings, and we 
 contemplate only a few drops of that mighty influence 
 of which the heavens are full, and which he might, and 
 doubtless will, pour do^^^l in copious toiTcnts ? My 
 brethren, let the friends of each society, instead of being 
 led for a moment " to sacrifice to their own net, and burn 
 incense to their own drag," — while they are thankful for 
 w^hat has been done, — inquire why they are not pennitted 
 to do m.ore, and why the adamantine barriers of impeni- 
 tence and rejection are permitted to oppose themselves ? 
 
DEPENDS UPON THE SPIRIT. 177 
 
 Propose this question to the philosopher, and he will 
 repeat the language of the ancient prophet, and say, 
 ^'Hath a nation changed its gods, which are yet no 
 gods ?"* "We know, my brethren, that no nation ever 
 quitted its gods till Jesus Christ came into the world : 
 we know that no nation has forsaken actual idolatry, 
 much less turned from things present to realise an im- 
 mortal prospect — to fix its affections on God as the eter- 
 nal God, except by the energy of the Spirit ; but we are 
 encouraged to expect the power and gi-ace of God to ac- 
 complish these purposes, and we hear him saying in his 
 ■word, " The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this ;" 
 and if there be something rendering us unworthy to be 
 the instruments of so great and important a change, let 
 us search it out, and mourn for it before God. 
 
 At the same time, my brethren, though we are taught 
 to acquiesce without repining, without murmuring, in the 
 dispensations of God, let us point our views to a future 
 period, when the Spirit will be poured from on high, — 
 when Jesus Christ will pour out his Spirit upon all flesh, 
 — for then " the wilderness shall become a fruitful field, 
 and the fruitful field be counted for a forest." The Divine 
 Being will not frustrate the design his Spirit has excited ; 
 he will not cause the holy agitations which have been 
 felt to be in vain ; he will not suffer those desires which 
 have been excited in the minds of Carey and others to 
 evaporate without being in some manner fulfilled. Great 
 things have been effected by the instrumentality of those 
 who have gone before us, and we are now employed in 
 the same great work. How many thousands are pouring 
 out their prayers and tears for the spiritual conversion of 
 the heathen ! There has been a spiritual movement of 
 divine love whereby many have been rendered willing to 
 spend and be spent, yea, to die for the conversion of the 
 Gentile nations ; earnestly desiring to conduct them to 
 the Saviour whom they never saw, but " in whom they 
 believed, and rejoiced with joy unspeakable." But 
 when this Spirit has come from on high, we shall wit- 
 
 * Jer. ii. 11. 
 VOL. VI. N 
 
178 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS 
 
 ness a different scene, going for beyond the desire and 
 the effort : tlien it \Adll be a most glorious aera : we 
 shall see nations casting off their idols, returning to God, 
 " asking the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward ;" 
 then mil be again " heard, on the high places, weeping 
 and supplication because they have pervei-ted their way, 
 and forgotten the Lord their God :" then there will be 
 heard, not the cry of the wounded, nor the lamentation 
 of the orphan and the fatherless over parents slain in 
 battle, but sorrow of a more sacred nature ; a new bur- 
 then pressing on the heart — the burthen of sin. They 
 will look back on the sufferings of Jesus Christ in the 
 garden of Gethsemane and at the cross, and feel as much 
 oppressed as if they had heard his groans and his prayers ; 
 they wdll then believe the simple sayings of God ; " the 
 powers of the world to come," the greatness of eternity, 
 will occupy their attention ; they will then look " not at 
 the things which are seen and temporal," but at the sub- 
 lime and glorious " things which are eternal ;" the dis- 
 tance between that period and the judgement day \^ill, 
 in thought, be annihilated ; they will feel themselves 
 standing on the threshold of the infinite and everlasting 
 mansion, and their whole souls will be absorbed in the 
 nothing-ness of time, the grandeur of eternity, the awful 
 hurtfalness of sin, and the infinite importance of the 
 great salvation. Those things which we speak of Avith 
 freezing accents and cold hearts, will then be felt in the 
 inmost soul ; conviction will seize upon the transgi-essors, 
 while others will be rejoicing in the Lord, and it will be 
 as it was at the building of the second temple ; " the 
 voice of shouting, and the sound of weeping," will be 
 mingled together, as in the time of Ezra. While troops 
 of pilgrims will be pressing towards the celestial city, 
 many millions of prodigals Avill return to their Father's 
 house, and will lift up their eyes to the Saviour who 
 died for their sin. These things must take place, — they 
 did take place at the first preaching of the gospel, and 
 will again be witnessed. By some, such occurrences 
 would be regarded as disorderly. God be praised, there 
 were such disorders as these, and well would it be for 
 
DEPENDS UPON THE SPIRIT. 179 
 
 US were our religious assemblies frequently interrupted 
 by such disorders. The time will come, assm-edly, when 
 "the Spirit will be poured from on high;" and who 
 knows what will be the effect when the Divine Being 
 appHes the truths of his word to the consciences of his 
 creatm-es ? Then will " the wilderness become a fruitful 
 field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest :" then, 
 my brethren, all the powers of nature, all the resources 
 of providence, all the advantages that are possessed by 
 men in every variety and state, will jointly contribute to 
 aid the general triumph. " The multitude of camels 
 shall come up : the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah : 
 all they from Sheba shall come ; they shall bring gold 
 and incense, and they shall show forth the praises of the 
 Lord." Kings shall offer their gifts, and the majesty of 
 all earthly sovereigns will bow to the majesty of the Sa- 
 viour. AH the spoils of earthly grandeur will be laid at 
 his feet, and none will be " exalted in that day" but the 
 Lord and his Messiah. This, next to our own salva- 
 tion, is the highest and most proper object of our solici- 
 tude : if we can but attain this, — if we can but witness 
 this, — every thing else will follow : this touches the 
 source and author of all motion ; and in proportion as 
 we can engage the Divine Spirit on our side, in that 
 proportion will Omnipotence be exerted, and who can 
 stay his hand ? 
 
 There are some who do not expect these scenes to be 
 realised ; but we say to them, " Ye do err, not knowing 
 the Scriptures, nor the power of God."* Before him all 
 difficulties vanish ; it is only the exertion of the same 
 sort of power as every sincere christian has witnessed, — 
 the power of which he is himself the subject ; and what 
 reason can he assign why he should have been touched 
 by the Divine Spirit, — " made willing in the day of his 
 power," — and the same power not be rendered effectual 
 in the breasts of others? The same influence which 
 was extended to a Paul, will effect the renovation of the 
 world. No new power is requisite : it is the same : even 
 
 *' xMatt. xxii. 29. 
 N 2 
 
180 THE SUCCESS OF MISSIONS 
 
 that, ^vithout which we might " preach in vain," and 
 you " hear in vain ;" it need only to be poured from on 
 high, and then, " the wilderness will become a fruitful 
 field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest." Let 
 us, then, in our prayers, especially and earnestly entreat 
 this divine communication. Never let us pray for the 
 Baptist Mission, or any other, without recognizing dis- 
 tinctly in our prayers our dependence on the divine 
 agency; never let us for a moment lose sight of this, 
 but direct our attention to it as the main object of ex- 
 pectation and hope, — regarding it as indeed the work of 
 God. It is his especial prerogative to renew the heart 
 of man, and to build up, from the ruins of the fall, a 
 temple to his praise ; and when this is accomplished, 
 " all the kingdoms of the earth ■v\dll flow into it," — the 
 nations that are saved will walk in the light of it : and 
 how can we, who consider ourselves " the temples of the 
 Holy Ghost," be better employed than in imploring him 
 to "" send forth his light and his truth ?" Let us address 
 him in the language of the chm-ch : " Awake, awake, 
 put on strength, O arm of the Lord ; awake, as in the 
 ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not 
 it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon?" 
 " Where is thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and 
 of thy mercies ?"* The chui'ch of God is now praying to 
 this effect, and the best pledge of the final triumphs of 
 Christianity results from the combined influence of prayer 
 and active exertion in a spirit of dependence. Our 
 strong desire that the heathen should be converted, and 
 that Christianity should be published and received among 
 all nations, may be regarded, we hope, as the earnest and 
 fruit of that Divine Spiiit whose more copious effusion 
 ■v^dll accomplish the work. Let us w^elcome the rising 
 beam, " the day-star" that ushers in the morning of a 
 brighter day than has ever yet shone upon the earth. 
 Let us fervently pray that the Divine Spirit may be 
 poured out upon the world, and that the Redeemer may 
 " take to him his great power, and reign" universally in 
 the hearts of men. 
 
 * Isaiah li. 9. Ixiii. 15. 
 
181 
 XI. 
 
 THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.* 
 
 [rnEACHED AT BRISTOL, FOR THF NATIONAL SCHOOLS, 
 NOVEMBER 28, 1820.] 
 
 Matthew xvi. 1 — 3. — " The Pharisees also, with the Sadducees came, 
 and tempting him desired that he would show them a sig7i from hea- 
 ven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say. It 
 will be fair weather ; for the sky is red: And in the morning, It 
 will befoul weather to-day ; for the sky is red and lowering. ye 
 hypocrites ! ye can discern the face of the sky ; but can ye not diS' 
 cern the signs of the times ?" 
 
 So violent were tlie prejudices excited by our Saviours 
 preaching, that those who could agree in nothing be- 
 sides, agreed in the attempt to discredit his authority, 
 and destroy the effects of his ministry. An instance of 
 this is presented in the words just read, in which we 
 find the Pharisees and Sadducees forgetting their mutual 
 antipathy in their common hostility to the pretensions 
 of Jesus Christ. The Pharisees, as you are aware, were 
 a sect among the Jews, who had multiplied to an enor- 
 mous extent their additions to the law of Moses ; which, 
 together with the other parts of the Old Testament, they 
 received as inspired. The Sadducees, a sort of religious 
 sceptics, generally supposed to have confined their be- 
 lief to the missions and writings of Moses, rejected the 
 doctrines which connect us with a future world ; the re- 
 surrection of the body, and the existence of spirits. 
 These two parties, at variance on all other occasions, 
 concurred on this ; and both, " tempting" our Lord in 
 the hope of ruining his reputation, " desired that he 
 would show them a sign from heaven ;" an indication 
 that he was the Messiah, yet more miraculous and con- 
 vincing, according to their idea, than any he had before 
 exhibited. By this " sign from heaven," they probably 
 meant some direct manifestation of the divine glory, 
 
 * Printed from the notes of the Rev. Thomas Grinfield. 
 
i\j2 THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 
 
 without that intervention of second causes which seems 
 to have impaired in their minds the impression of the 
 miracles they had witnessed. They imagined that an 
 immediate vision of the Divine Majesty would afford an 
 e-vidence of his being the IMessiah, more unequivocal and 
 satisfactory than could be afforded by any performances 
 however supernatural. Such a notion was delusive, and 
 arose entirely from the depraved and obdurate state of 
 their minds. When we find those, who are already in 
 possession of sufficient evidence, yet demanding more 
 than is given, we may be sure that, in such cases, no 
 evidence Avould be sufficient. Accordingly, it is not the 
 practice of the divine government to comply with such 
 unreasonable desires : but, while he that hath^ or that im- 
 proves his present advantages, shall receive abundantly 
 Tnore : from him that hath not, or that uses not what he 
 has, eve)i that which he hath shall be taken away. 
 
 From the suggestion of the words first read, I propose 
 to consider some of the most obvious and palpable signs 
 which the present age exhibits of the advancement of 
 om- Saviour's kingdom : and I shall take occasion to re- 
 mark previously, that it is an important part of wisdom, 
 — a duty which as christians we ought not to neglect, — 
 to discern the siyns, to watch the moral aspect, of the 
 times in which we live. We are not, indeed, called or 
 qualified to penetrate into futurity ; but we may study 
 yviih advantage that portion of providence, in relation to 
 the church and the world, with which we are most nearly 
 connected. 
 
 Of the benefits to be derived from this study, the first 
 is, that we shall thus learn more of the intentions cmd 
 character of the Divine Being. The providence of God 
 is the execution and developement of his mind. In ob- 
 serving the course of providence, we see the operations 
 of his hand, and read his will as truly in its frilfilment 
 as in his written revelation. Again : our devotion should 
 be modified, to a certain extent, by the signs of the 
 times. In our prayers we may derive encouragement 
 from these to plead with God for the accompHshment of 
 his own gracious designs and promises : we may adapt 
 
THE SIGNS OF THE TMES. 183 
 
 our humiliation to the demand of the season ; acknow- 
 ledge the hand that wards off impending evils or crowns 
 us with signal favours ; and be reminded what benefits 
 we may appropriately implore. And, once more : such 
 a habit of advertence to the prominent features of the 
 age, may be useful in the regulation of our active duties. 
 In our exertions to promote the good of mankind and 
 the glory of God, we are not merely to regard his gene- 
 ral will as applicable to all times alike ; we are to in- 
 quire also, his particular design in reference to the ex- 
 isting state of things ; to study what he would have us 
 do at such a particular crisis. Does He appear, for in- 
 stance, by various concurring events, to be preparing for 
 the more extensive and rapid diffusion of the gospel ? 
 Then it becomes our appropriate duty to provide what- 
 ever means seem the best adapted to promote that tran- 
 scendent object. Some persons who are sufficiently 
 attentive to the more private details of christian duty, 
 take but little interest in the fortunes of the universal 
 church : a failure which, in such cases, arises principally 
 from that inattention to the signs of the times, repre- 
 hended by our Saviour in the text. 
 
 Having offered these suggestions, I shall now advert 
 to some plain, unequivocal, signs and indications of the 
 present age. I call them plain and unequivocal, in dis- 
 tinction from such as may be thought of an ambiguous 
 character. With respect to some of these signs, while 
 events are passing by us, there may be differences of 
 sentiment; differences which will probably disappear 
 when another generation shall look back upon our own 
 times. In contemplating an object, we find it necessary 
 to recede to a certain distance, in order that we may the 
 more comprehensively survey what pressed too closely, 
 and became too prominent, during our nearer approach ; 
 and thus the present portion of providence will be better 
 understood, in all its bearings, when the events which 
 compose its principal features shall have been for some 
 time passed. The following remarks, however, will be con- 
 fined to the most striking peculiarities of the present age. 
 
 1. Of these, the first I shall mention is, the great in- 
 
184 THE SIGNS OP THE TIMES. 
 
 crease of mental exertion. Some periods have been 
 mai-ked by intellectual inaction : the human mind has 
 appeared as in a state of torpor and dormancy : not a 
 luminary has broken the prevailing darkness ; not a dis- 
 tinguished name has been left behind : knowledge has 
 been not merely stationary, it has not merely not been 
 progressive, it has retrograded. Such was that period in 
 ■which, after the decline of the Platonic philosophy, 
 Aristotle reigned in all the schools, and was idolized as 
 the secretary of nature, who dipt his pen in intellect. 
 From his dictates there was no appeal ; and, what was 
 most remarkable, his empire extended to theology. As 
 nothing can convey a higher idea of the intellectual 
 greatness of that extraordinary man, than the unrivalled 
 despotism he then exercised over human minds, so no- 
 thing can present a more humiliating picture of the weak- 
 ness of those minds, than the depth of mental degrada- 
 tion to which they thus descended. The Reformation 
 was the great instrument in undermining and demoHsh- 
 ing that long-established system of intellectual despotism 
 and degradation. Under the light diffused by the re- 
 formers, men awoke from the trance of ignorance and 
 infatuation in which they had slept for ages ; they felt 
 those energies of thought and reason which had been so 
 long disused ; they began to investigate truth for them- 
 selves ; they started to that career of genius and science 
 which has ever since been rapidly advancing. Had this 
 been the only benefit it produced, the protestant reforma- 
 tion would deserve to be numbered among the noblest 
 achievements of mental energy : viewing it in this light, 
 even infidels have applauded Luther and his associates. 
 
 Since that era the greatest advances have been made 
 in every department of science, physical and moral; 
 more especially during the last century, in which the 
 progress of knowledge has been more rapid than, per- 
 haps, during any similar period of human history. In 
 addition even to the grand discoveries of Newton, re- 
 specting the laws of nature and the system of the uni- 
 verse, such a mass of varied information has been accu- 
 mulated, that Ne\\i:on himself, could he witness the pre- 
 
THE SIGNS OP THE TIMES. 185 
 
 sent state of his own science, would be astonished at 
 advances he never anticipated. Every year, nay, almost 
 every day, has added something ; while the registers of 
 discovery have found it no easy task to keep pace with 
 the rapidity of its march. The nomenclature of the 
 preceding fifty years has been found so inadequate to 
 the demands of the latter half century, that it has become 
 entirely obsolete ; and a new nomenclature may be re- 
 quired by another age. This is remarkably exemplified 
 in the department of chemical science : nor has less been 
 accomplished in moral and political philosophy. The 
 genius of legislation has been greatly elucidated within 
 the present age. The principle of religious toleration 
 and liberty of conscience, which required for its demon- 
 stration the reasoning powers of the immortal Locke, is 
 now universally acknowledged. In a word, philosophy 
 has been completely popularised, and mingles with every 
 order of society from the palace to the cottage : all ap- 
 proach its illumination, all participate in its benefits. 
 
 It is true that we cannot boast, in these latter times, 
 of oratory or poetry equal to that of Demosthenes or of 
 Milton. These arts, being derived from natui'e, the na- 
 tural emanations of enthusiasm and fancy, are early 
 brought to perfection ; and are probably cultivated with 
 less advantage in a more refined state of society. The 
 case is different with respect to the pursuits of science 
 and philosophy : these are permanently and interminably 
 progressive : the induction of facts, the investigation of 
 phenomena and principles; are susceptible of perpetual 
 advancement : and, if it were preposterous to suppose 
 that those great masters of poetry and eloquence will 
 ever be superseded, or perhaps even equalled, it were not 
 less preposterous to deny that the present amount of 
 knowledge, — immense as it now appears, — may yet, to a 
 future generation, appear comparatively inconsiderable. 
 Invention has exhausted its powers : the stores of philo- 
 sophy are inexhaustible. In every successive age, it 
 must be allowed, the increase of science, though con- 
 tinual, becomes less and less observable : it is during the 
 infancy of knowledge that its growth is most apparent ; 
 
186 THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 
 
 afterwards, the vast general extent renders us less sen- 
 sible of every new accession ; just as in a large assem- 
 blage of buildings, like that which composes your own 
 city, we are scarcely aware of its constant enlargement ; 
 while, in a village, every particular addition becomes an 
 object of attention. Thus less surprise is excited in the 
 present age, than would have been felt in any preceding 
 period, by every fresh augmentation of our intellectual 
 stores. It is an age of universal curiosity, in which igno- 
 rance is felt as a calamity. The extensive circulation of 
 books, and the multitude of cultivated minds, distin- 
 guish this period beyond comparison with any that has 
 preceded it. Never before was that prophetic feature 
 of the latter days so strikingly exhibited — " Many shall 
 run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." 
 
 2. A second feature by which the present age is dis- 
 tinguished, is an increased attention to the instruction of 
 the lower classes. 
 
 The time has been, when the education of youth in 
 the inferior w^alks of society was entirely neglected : it 
 is only during a later period that the first impulse was 
 given to that vast machine of universal instruction, 
 which continues to operate Avith increasing energy. It 
 is painful to reflect on the unnatural separation, in what- 
 ever relates to the mind^ which formerly subsisted be- 
 tween the common people and those who fill the higher 
 ranks of the community ; the monstrous chasm which 
 divided the gross barbarism of the former from the su- 
 perfluous refinement of the latter. It seemed as if an 
 entire oblivion had taken place, in reference to their 
 original, fraternal relation, as members of one family, 
 children of a common father. There is little, it is true, 
 in poverty, to gratify the taste or the imagination ; but 
 it is time, surely, to lose sight of those merely adventi- 
 tious accompaniments which glitter on the eye of fancy 
 and refinement, — time to recognize, in the humblest 
 portions of society, partakers of our nature, with all its 
 high prerogatives and awful destinies : it is time to re- 
 member that our distinctions are exterior and evanescent, 
 our resemblance real and permanent ; that all is tran- 
 
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 187 
 
 sient, but what is moral and spiritual ; that the only graces 
 we can carry with us into another world, are graces of 
 divine implantation ; and that, amidst the rude incrusta- 
 tions of poverty and ignorance, there lurks an imperish- 
 able jewel, — a principle transcending in its value the 
 whole material creation, — a soul, susceptible of the 
 highest spiritual beauty, destined, perhaps, to adorn the 
 celestial abodes, and to shine for ever in the media- 
 torial diadem of the Son of God ! Take heed that ye 
 
 jise not one of these little ones. 
 
 Among the instances of an increased attention to the 
 welfare of the lower classes, may be numbered those 
 improvements in the penal code of our laws, which have 
 been proposed by a living lawyer,* who appears to me 
 at least to have understood the true nature of legal jus- 
 tice much better than it has been comprehended hereto- 
 fore. When so much light is thro\^^l upon a subject,— 
 before very imperfectly investigated, — the most import- 
 ant amendments may be anticipated in the laws, espe- 
 cially those which affect the criminal's life ; and we may 
 hope the time is not distant when, in conformity with 
 the Divine Standard, the crime of murder shall be re- 
 garded as the only proper subject of capital punishment. 
 
 In short, we appear at length to have become sensible 
 that every thing merits our earnest attention and en- 
 couragement, which tends to promote the intellectual, 
 moral, and civil improvement of that vast portion of the 
 population, in which the majority of numbers and phy- 
 sical strength resides, and which virtually includes the 
 destiny of the nation ; that broad basis of the pyramid 
 of society, which, while it continues sound, affords sta- 
 bility to the whole, but by a rent in which the entire 
 fabric must be endangered. Nothing in nature can be 
 conceived more frightful, nothing more fatal to the ex- 
 istence of an empire, than an unprincipled, profligate, 
 irreligious, turbulent populace ; quiet perhaps at the pre- 
 sent moment, but ready on the first occasion to break out 
 into fury and violence. It is a volcano, covered with a 
 
 * Sir James Mackintosh. 
 
J 88 THE SIGNS OP THE TIMES. 
 
 surface of verdure, but prepared to scatter desolation 
 around on the first eruption that may disturb its fearful 
 quiescence : it is an edifice raised upon a mine, and con- 
 stantly exposed to the peril of an explosion from the 
 precarious ground and terrible materials beneath ! We 
 have witnessed, in a neighbouring kingdom, an example 
 of the horrors to which a nation may be subjected by 
 the unrestrained depravity of an unrestricted and irreli- 
 gious populace — horrors, which Heaven avert from our- 
 selves ! which exceed the conception of the most gigantic 
 imagination ! For nothing, in the most savage part of 
 the brute creation, can parallel those fiery excesses of 
 popular passion, which desolate whatever is social, what- 
 ever is sacred, in the institutions of mankind ! But, on 
 " the evils of popular ignorance," it is the less necessary 
 to enlarge here, as the subject has been recently illus- 
 trated by a living writer,* whose genius pours new light 
 over every topic that engages his notice. 
 
 3. A third, and a most favourable characteristic of the 
 present times, is the improved state of preaching, and 
 the more abundant supply of the public means of grace. 
 The preaching of the gospel has been appointed and ac- 
 knowledged by God as the grand instrument of convert- 
 ing sinners, and saving souls : the doctrine of Christ 
 crucified (however it may be regarded by the disputers 
 of this world) has been proved, in every age, to be " the 
 power of God to the salvation of every one that be- 
 lieves ;" to be the weakness of God, which is stronger 
 than men ; the foolishness of God which is wiser than 
 men. During the latter part of the last century, and 
 down to the present time, there has been a manifest in- 
 crease and improvement of christian instruction. Evan- 
 gelical truth has been administered in a purity and 
 abundance to which preceding ages bear no proportion. 
 And here, in justice to the established clergy of the 
 realm, I cannot but remark the great advance in piety 
 and diligence which they have exhibited during the last 
 half century. They have gone forth in numbers, rekind- 
 
 * Rev. John Foster. 
 
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 189 
 
 ling the lamp of heavenly truth where before it had 
 burned with a dim and sickly ray ; they have explored 
 and cultivated many a neglected spot, into which other 
 labourers could not (for obvious reasons) gain admission 
 Avith equal facilities of influence ; and far be it from any 
 of their dissenting brethren to regard their success with 
 any other than a godly jealousy, a holy emulation ! 
 
 Turning from our own country to heathen lands, we 
 behold yet more striking indications of an improving age. 
 The present is the very era of missions : all the various 
 denominations of christians, as with one great simulta- 
 neous impulse, have started up from their long slumber 
 of missionary inaction, awakened on a sudden to the 
 magnitude and obligation of this neglected enterprise. 
 There seems to be an universal feeling among christians 
 that the time is come for fulfilling our Saviour's last com- 
 mand, going forth into all the worlds and teaching all the 
 nations ; and that, if we should any longer hold our 
 peace, the verg stones in our streets would erg out against 
 us ! The Spirit of Christ no longer contains itself within' 
 its accustomed bounds : it breaks forth from its undue 
 confinement, and spreads its influence in every direction. 
 No part of the earth so remote, so forsaken, that has not 
 begun to be invaded, that is not at least proposed to be 
 attempted, by some of those devoted champions who 
 have gone forth in the peaceful warfare of the gospel. 
 Nor are the symptoms of preparation less favourable 
 among the heathen themselves : a general spirit of readi- 
 ness appears to be presented in the islands of the Pacific, 
 in the districts of the Cape, of India, and America. 
 Every thing seems to announce that though the labour- 
 ers are as yet but few, the fields are already white for 
 the approaching harvest. 
 
 4. The adA^ancement of the Bible as the great and 
 only standard of christian faith and practice, is a fourth 
 remarkable feature of our times. The Scriptures have 
 always been professedly received as the highest autho- 
 rity among christians ; but never was that authority so 
 publicly and completely recognized as in the present 
 age. The chm-ch of Rome early impaired, and at length 
 
190 THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 
 
 almost entirely abolished, the authority of the sacred 
 volume, by her multiplied additions to its contents, as 
 well as by her extreme ignorance of its genuine instruc- 
 tions. Her priests were exalted from humble ministers 
 of the word into arbitrary legislators : for he that has the 
 power of annexing to the law whatever interpretation he 
 may please, is not an administrator of the law, but a 
 tyrant. As an instance of the disuse and oblivion into 
 which the Scriptures had fallen among the Romish 
 clergy, it is related of the celebrated missionary, Xavier, 
 that, having met with a copy of part of the New Tes- 
 tament before his going out to India, he resolved to take 
 it with him, as he thought it might be of use in his mis- 
 sionary labours. What a change in the state of the 
 christian world, with regard to the estimation in which 
 the Scriptm-es are held, has taken place since the days 
 of Xavier ! That eminent person — who possessed, one 
 would hope, amidst all his errors, some real piety — 
 thought he might as well take part of the New Testa- 
 ment -with him when he went as a missionary to India ; 
 he conceived it might possibly be of some use! The 
 Bible is now carried abroad in the front of the ministry ; 
 and the missionary preachers aim, as much as possible, 
 to lose themselves in the effulgence of heavenly Hght. 
 It is a remarkable fact, that the most devoted, the most 
 successful advocate, beyond comparison with any other, 
 which the Bible Society has yet found, is himself a 
 priest of the Romish church ;* a man who presents the 
 extraordinary phenomenon of a popish clergyman pro- 
 testing, in the very bosom of his church, against her 
 iniquities ; and declaring his determination to persevere, 
 in spite of the devil and the prophetic beast, in diff'using 
 those Scriptures, of Avhich he has already circulated 
 several hundred thousand copies. 
 
 Such exertions, it is reasonable to believe, will, at no 
 very remote period, prove instrumental to the purifying 
 of Christendom from papal corruptions. In the event 
 of a persecution among the Romish clergy being occa- 
 
 * Leandcr Van Es3. 
 
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 191 
 
 sioned by such exertion, a secession similar to that of 
 the protestant reformers, might probably once more take 
 place within their own body. God grant that such may 
 be the issue ! Would to God that the apocalyptic warn- 
 ing might be heard and obeyed by multitudes of that 
 corrupted hierarchy, which owes the perpetuation of its 
 influence to the suppression of the Scriptures, — " Come 
 out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her 
 sins, and receive not of her plagues !" Never before was 
 there such an universal consent among christians as to the 
 supremacy and sufficiency of the Bible in all religious 
 questions ; never before w^as the maxim of Chilling- 
 worth so practically acknowledged, that " The Bible, the 
 Bible alone, is the religion of protestants." In all dis- 
 puted points, it is now agreed that we should appeal 
 solely to " the law and the testimony ;" and, where these 
 are silent, that we should imitate their silence. 
 
 5. As a fifth " sign of the times," may be mentioned 
 that increasing harmony which prevails among the gen- 
 uine disciples of Jesus Christ. At last the central prin- 
 ciple of union begins to be extensively felt and acknow- 
 ledged : amidst all the diversities of external discipline 
 or subordinate opinion, the seed of God, the principle 
 of spiritual and immortal life implanted in the soul, is 
 recognized by the sincere followers of the Lamb as the 
 transcendant point of mutual attraction in the midst of 
 minor differences. Even protestants and catholics, in- 
 fluenced by a kindred piety, can now cordially embrace 
 each other ; as in the case of that zealous professor of 
 the Romish church to whom I before referred, who cor- 
 responds in terms of cordial affection with the protestant 
 secretary of the Bible Society for its foreign depart- 
 ment. The essential spirit of religion begins to assert 
 its ascendancy over all besides. The most enlightened, 
 the selectest christians in every denomination, are ready 
 to cultivate an intercourse with kindred spirits, with all 
 who hold the same essential principles, in any other. 
 Formerly, such an intercourse was rarely indulged, and 
 accompanied with reserves and apprehensions : good 
 men looked more at their distinctions than their resera- 
 
192 - THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 
 
 blances, at points of repulsion than those of attraction. 
 Now the case is altered ; and it may be truly said that, 
 in this respect, the former things are passed away . Now, 
 the saying of our common master has received a ftdfil- 
 ment almost unkno^vn before : " By this shall all men 
 know that ye are my disciples^ even hy the love ye bear to 
 each other." 
 
 The reason why chiistians have been so tardy in 
 arriving at a disposition so much to be desired, is 
 principally to be found in those exaggerated notions of 
 the importance of church government under some par- 
 ticular form, which so long swayed the minds of excel- 
 lent men ; the difference of outward garb concealed the 
 unity of the spirit which inwardly animated their hearts 
 alike. In the seminal principles of their religion, in 
 their equal dependence on an incarnate Redeemer and a 
 sanctifying Spirit, they have now discovered a centre of 
 attraction, — a common chord to which all their hearts 
 vibrate in unison : and thus, without the smallest sacri- 
 fice of their respective sentiments or practices, they can 
 indulge the most entire affection, and exert the most 
 zealous co-operation. Can it be supposed that such an 
 improvement will not silence the old sarcasm of infidels, 
 derived from the prevailing dissensions of those who 
 professed themselves the disciples of one Master ? Can 
 it be questioned whether the christian army, thus closely 
 embodied, will prosecute with redoubled vigour their 
 warfare against the powers of darkness ? If the king- 
 dom of Satan, when not divided against itself, is able to 
 stand, can we doubt that the family of Jesus Christ, no 
 longer disunited, will prosper in its consentaneous 
 exertions ? Besides which, the unanimity of christians 
 is at once an indication and a presage of the Holy 
 Spirit's more copious effusion on the church ; at once an 
 effect and an earnest of the love of Christ to his fol- 
 lowers ; while it affords a delightful emblem and fore- 
 taste of that perfect state in which all are for ever imited 
 in harmony and affection. 
 
 6. In the last place T cannot but number, among the 
 prognostics of the destined triumph of Christianity, that 
 
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 193 
 
 extension of civil and religious liberty by which the pre- 
 sent times are distinguished. In this view, I cannot but 
 cordially rejoice in the political revolutions which have 
 recently taken place in Spain, Portugal, and Naples. 
 Nothing could be imagined more unfavourable to the 
 cause of religion than the prior condition of those king- 
 doms, in which a despotic tyranny prevailed alike in the 
 church and the state. Such revolutionary commotions 
 among the nations must be still expected, until the ar- 
 rival of that happy period when liberty, civil and reli- 
 gious, shall be imiversally established. 
 
 The enjoyment of civil liberty is essential to the deve- 
 lopement and exertion of the best and noblest energies 
 of the human mind. Deprived of this, nothing truly 
 great can flourish in the moral world. There exists, in- 
 deed, an indissoluble connexion between the civil and 
 the rehgious freedom of a nation ; and whatever may be 
 thought of other considerations, every friend to the pros- 
 perity of religion must rejoice in the advancement of that 
 liberal and enlightened policy under which alone it is 
 favoured and fostered. It is only under a free represen- 
 tative government that this can be the case. Never did 
 religious liberty flourish in the chilling, deadly atmo- 
 sphere of despotism : it can open and spread only in the 
 sunshine of political freedom. As the greater includes 
 the less, the civil implies also the religious liberty of a 
 state. ReHgion grows and blooms among the highest 
 and most palmy branches of the tree of liberty, and 
 ripens in luxuriance amongst its topmost boughs. This 
 is the natural, established, order of things, in the present 
 world : and, let it be remembered, we are not entitled to 
 expect any miracles^ properly so called, to facilitate the 
 coming of our Saviour's kingdom. In the whole course 
 of missionary enterprise there has not been a single check 
 upon the accustomed laws of providence, not one inter- 
 ruption of the connexion which subsists between primary 
 and secondary causes, not one deviation from the ancient 
 course of nature. It is by a favourable arrangement of 
 political circimistances that religion is most likely to be 
 advanced ; by the establishment of that genuine and 
 
 VOL. VI. o 
 
194 THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 
 
 legitimate freedom, which is equally removed from the 
 extremes of anarchy on the one side, and tyranny on the 
 other. It is this that seems to be the precise tempera- 
 ture, the genial climate, of religion : and doubtless God 
 will prepare his own way in this as in every other re- 
 spect : emry valley shall he exalted^ every mountain and 
 hill brought low ; the crooked rendered straight^ the rough 
 places 2?lain ; and all flesh shall see the glory oftJie Lord ; 
 for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 
 
 In glancing at the different institutions which have 
 arisen in these latter times for the moral and spiritual 
 benefit of mankind, it is pleasing and striking to observe 
 how exactly they have fitted in, and, as it were, dove- 
 tailed with each other. First appeared the missionaries, 
 as pioneers to break up the ground and open the way ; 
 then the Bible Society followed ; and, at last, the system 
 of education completed the design. Each arose, in its 
 order, to sustain and aid the others. Had any one of 
 these existed alone, it would have proved inefficient for 
 want of the rest. As it is, the finger of Providence is 
 discernible in the very succession in which these institu- 
 tions made their appearance ; while, in their union and 
 co-operation, they constitute an apparatus completely 
 adapted to promote the christian renovation of the world : 
 regarded in the order of means, the teachers, the lesson, 
 and the power of reading it, appear well adapted to 
 onaJce the man of God perfect in every good ovord and 
 work. We speak, you will observe, of external, instru- 
 mental preparations : there is still needed, as you are 
 aware, another and a higher p>reparation of the heart in 
 man ; a spirit within us, which must be imparted from 
 above. The machinery is provided, but the Spirit alone 
 can move the wheels. 
 
 With respect to the institution for which I have the 
 honour to be an humble advocate on this occasion, if 
 there be any force in the preceding remarks, few words 
 are necessary to recommend it to your patronage. As 
 you would live in a land of Bibles and readers of the 
 Bible,-^in a nation dignified as a seminary of religious 
 instruction ; as you would desire, when called to quit 
 
THE SIGNS OP THE TIMES. 195 
 
 the present stage of being, to leave your children in a 
 nation of christians ; it becomes you, more especially in 
 a season of public alarm, to support an institution which 
 justly assumes the name of national. If the man who 
 rescues from barrenness a neglected portion of the coun- 
 try, and spreads over its face fertility and beauty, de- 
 serves and obtains our praise, shall that society solicit our 
 support in vain, which rescues from all the evils of igno- 
 rance multitudes of those in the humbler walks of life, 
 who might otherwise perish for lack of knowledge ; while 
 it opens their understandings, at least in a degree, to im- 
 derstand the Scriptures of eternal truth and life ? It is 
 impossible to doubt that such an institution is one of the 
 great means which the Divine Being employs for the 
 accomplishment of his o-wn great end. He does not 
 christianize the world by magic ; we are not to expect 
 religion to descend from heaven, or to rise upon the earth 
 like a beautiful vision ! It will indeed descend from 
 heaven, and arise upon the earth : but this will be by 
 regular, appointed, adapted means ; by means such as 
 those which are now set at work, and require our con- 
 tinued assistance : means which afford an omen of the 
 desired success ; since we cannot conceive why all this 
 energy should have been impressed on the minds of men, 
 if not for the providential accomplishment of one grand 
 result — the transformation of the kingdoms of this world 
 into the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. 
 
 o2 
 
196 
 
 XII. 
 
 THE LOVE OF LIFE* 
 
 [preached at bkistol, for the benefit of the baptist missions, 
 november, 1820.] 
 
 Job ii. 4. — And Satan answered the Lord, and said. Skin for skin, 
 yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 
 
 Though these words were uttered by the father of lies, 
 they are no lie. The truth of a communication does not 
 always depend on the character of those who convey it. 
 
 The expression might perhaps be more properly ren- 
 dered, " skin upon skin," or " skin after skin :" skins, 
 of which the uses are not easily enumerated, being the 
 principal article of property and exchange in a primitive 
 and pastoral state of society. 
 
 I propose briefly to consider the principle of attachment 
 to life, so emphatically asserted in these words ; some of 
 the reasons for which it is implanted ; and some improve- 
 ments which may be derived from the subject. 
 
 I. The love of life is the simplest and strongest prin- 
 ciple of nature. It operates universally^ on eveiy part 
 of the brute creation, as well as on every individual 
 of the human race ; 'perpetually., under all circumstances, 
 the most distressing as well as the most pleasing ; and 
 with a power peculiar to itself, — while it arms the feeble 
 with energy, the fearful with courage, whenever an occa- 
 sion occurs for defending life, whenever the last sanc- 
 tuary of nature is invaded, and its dearest treasure 
 endangered. This mysterious principle does not act 
 with a variable force, dependent on the caprices of will 
 or the dictates of reason : it operates with a steady, 
 constant influence, as a law of nature, insensible, and 
 yet powerful. It corresponds, in the animated world, 
 with the great principle of gravitation in the material 
 system, or with the centripetal force, by which the 
 planets are retained in their proper orbits , and resist 
 
 '' Printed from the notes of the Rev. Thoroas Griniield. 
 
THE LOVE OF LIFE. 197 
 
 their opposite tendency to fly off from the centre. The 
 most wretched, not less than the most prosperous, — 
 tliose who seem to possess nothing that can render Ufe 
 desirable, not less than those who are surrounded by 
 all its pleasures, — are bound to life as by a principle 
 of central attraction, which extends its influence to the 
 last moments of expiring nature. We see men still 
 clinging to life, when they have lost all for which they 
 appeared to live. A striking instance of this has been 
 recently exhibited by that extraordinary individual,* 
 who, rather than lose his life in the scenes of his re- 
 nown, has exchanged the pinnacle of power and fame 
 for the deepest degradation and obscurity. There are 
 few qualities that command gi-eater admiration than 
 the superiority to the love of life and the dread of 
 dissolution : as we admire things in proportion to their 
 difficulty and rarity, we are astonished by that heroic 
 bravery which can triumph over the first law of our na- 
 ture. The Scriptures frequently recognize and appeal 
 to this fundamental principle : thus, in apparent allusion 
 to the text, our Saviour demands, " What shall a man 
 give in exchange for his soicl^' or, as the word literally 
 denotes, his life ? The only promise annexed to any of 
 the ten commandments, exhibits life as the chief earthly 
 good, and its prolongation as the reward of filial piety : 
 while, in the Proverbs, Wisdom is represented as having 
 " length of days in her right hand j in her left, riches 
 and honour." 
 
 II. I proceed to assign the reasons, or some of the 
 reasons, for which this instinctive attachment to life is 
 so deeply implanted in our nature. 
 
 1. The first and most obvious reason respects the pre- 
 servation of life itself. That r^v^hich, of all om* posses- 
 sions, is the most easily lost or injured, is that on the 
 continuance of which all other things depend. The pre- 
 servation of life requires incessant attention and exer- 
 tion ; the material requisite to feed the vital flame must 
 be collected fi:om innumerable sources, at great expense 
 
 * Buonaparte. 
 
198 THE LOVE OF LIFE. 
 
 of time and trouble : the spark of life is perpetually ex- 
 posed to the danger of extinction, like a lamp carried in 
 a stormy night, that requires to be covered by the hand, 
 and seems every moment ready to expire. Nothing but 
 the strongest attachment to life could secure it, amidst 
 continual exposures, from sudden or premature destruc- 
 tion : without the operation of the self-preserving in- 
 stinct, man would be literally like a shadow, that is here 
 to-day and gone to-morrow. On the first departure of 
 prosperity, on the first preponderance of sorrow over joy, 
 in this chequered scene, — in which the colours of good 
 and evil are so constantly intermingled that it is often 
 difficult to say which predominates over the other, — how 
 many, unrestrained by the natural love of life, would 
 forsake their stations ; how few, unsupported by attach- 
 ment to being, would persevere in their course to the 
 end, or " run with patience the race set before them 1" 
 Our first father would probably have fulfilled, in the 
 letter, the sentence he incurred, and died on the very 
 day of his transgression, thus destroying the human race 
 in their original, had it not been for the benevolent care 
 of his Creator, by which his existence, and the desire of 
 its continuance, were secured for the great purpose of 
 his moral probation. For life, we cannot forget, is, in 
 its highest use, the season of our trial for an eternal state 
 of being. This is the point of view in which its preser- 
 vation becomes unspeakably interesting. It stands con- 
 nected with nothing less than the incarnation, sufi^ering, 
 and glory, of the Son of God; and, whatever is the 
 importance of those stupendous mysteries, the same is 
 the importance of human life, considered as the " time 
 of our visitation !" The results of the whole process of 
 redemption, the accomplishment of the greatest designs 
 of the Deity, are involved in the continuance of this 
 probationary state of existence. 
 
 2. A second purpose answered by the principle we 
 are considering, is the promotion of industry and labour. 
 Life must be loved, in order that it may be preserved ; 
 and preserved, in order that it may be employed. The 
 original denunciation of death was preceded by the sen- 
 
THE LOVE OF LIFE. 199 
 
 tence of a life of labour : " Cursed is the ground for thy 
 sake; thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee : in 
 the sweat of thy hrow shalt thou eat breads until thou re- 
 turn to the ground." In every other state of society, and 
 perhaps in none so much as in the most refined state, 
 the greater part of the community must necessarily be 
 subjected to labour. Under the best possible form of 
 government, some must produce what is to be enjoyed 
 by others. This unavoidable condition of subjection 
 and servitude will be attended, in many cases, by great 
 hardship and suffering. In such circumstances, nothing 
 but that strong attachment to life, of which we are speak- 
 ing, could reconcile the weary sufferers to a voluntary 
 continuance in a state that entails so much endm-ance. 
 Yet, while every humane person must regard such in- 
 stances of excessive toil with compassion, and desire 
 to alleviate them so far as he may be able ; this labo- 
 rious condition of the multitude should be considered 
 as a dispensation of mercy blended with judgement. 
 For what would be the state of society, disturbed as 
 even now it is by crimes, if the multitudes of those, 
 who are at present confined by labour, were let loose 
 upon the public in all the wantonness of a licentious 
 imagination and unbridled passions ? Reflect for a mo- 
 ment, what misery and desolation must arise from such 
 a mass of depravity, such an accumulation of cupidity 
 and malevolence, abandoned, without any fixed employ- 
 ment, to its own turbulent impulses ! This, it must be 
 acknowledged, is a melancholy picture of human nature ; 
 but it is such as truth requires. How great a benefit, 
 therefore, that necessary condition of labour, which acts 
 as a barrier of defence against the wildness of human 
 passions, and says, as it were, to that tempestuous ocean, 
 " Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther !" But the 
 desire of preserving life is the strongest incentive to all 
 this salutary industry and toil. 
 
 3. A third object to which the same principle is sub- 
 servient, is the protection of life from the hand of vio- 
 lence. Without some strong restraining sentiment, the 
 life of individuals would be exposed to continual danger 
 
200 THE LOVE OP LIFE. 
 
 from the disordered passions of others. The first crime, 
 of a social nature, committed by man, was the extinction 
 of his brother's Hfe ; and the first penal law, enacted by 
 God, was directed against a repetition of that crime : 
 " Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood 
 be shed." The love of life, so strongly felt in every 
 bosom, inspires it with a proportionate hoiTor of any act 
 that would invade the life of another. Every one burns 
 with indignation against an assassin, as against his o^\ti 
 personal enemy ; everj' one feels interested in the disco- 
 very of such a criminal, and would consider himself 
 honoured in stepping forward to drag before the tribunal 
 of justice one Avho is regarded as if he had injured every 
 partaker of his nature ! This universal hoiTor, and expo- 
 sure to the public vengeance, which peculiarly attaches 
 to the crime of murder in all civilized states of society, 
 cannot but operate as a powerful and important safe- 
 guard of human life. The magistrate and the law owe 
 their whole protective efficacy to that sentiment of at- 
 tachment to existence, which is a law written on every 
 heart. 
 
 III. In adding a brief improvement of this subject, 
 we may infer, 
 
 1. The fall of man; the universal apostacy of our 
 nature from the state in which it originally proceeded 
 from the Divine Author. Created with this inextinguish- 
 able desire of existence, we are destined to dissolution : 
 om* nature includes two contradictory principles ; the 
 certainty of death, and the attachment to life. This fact 
 afibrds the clearest evidence that we are now placed in 
 an unnatural, disordered, disjointed condition ; that a 
 great and awful change has passed upon our race since 
 our first father came from the hand of God. And this 
 change must be omng to ourselves ; it cannot be ascribed 
 to our Creator^ without the supposition of a sufficient 
 cause in our own misconduct. Here revelation breaks 
 the silence of nature, while it tells us that hy one man 
 sin entered into the world, and death hy sin ; and so death 
 passed upon all, because all have sinned. On any other 
 hypothesis, the problem is inexplicable; for, can the 
 
THE LOVE OF LIFE. 201 
 
 Father of the universe, himself the source of all created 
 tenderness, be conceived to have thus treated his own 
 offspring without a real and sufficient cause ? Can ma- 
 levolence and misery issue from the bosom of infinite 
 goodness and love ? Can He who gave us life, who bound 
 us to it by so strong a tie of attachment, deprive us of it, 
 and doom us to a corruption from which nature recoils, 
 without a necessity arising from ourselves ? Let any one 
 that is a parent judge by his own parental feelings, — 
 according to the appeal of our Saviour himself, founded 
 upon this analogy. But the Scripture makes all clear : 
 we are like the potter's vessel described by Jeremiah, 
 which was at first made good, but was marred after it 
 was made : " How is the gold become dim ! and the fine 
 gold changed! The croion is fallen from our head ; woe 
 unto us ^ for we have sinned!" 
 
 2. But the subject may serve to remind us, also, of the 
 salvation which provided us the antidote, to our ruined 
 condition. Every human being, it is true, is treated as 
 a criminal, who, though he may be reprieved for a time, 
 must expect to suff*er the penalty of the law he has 
 violated ; — every individual, in his turn, is led forth to 
 his destiny of death. This, however, is consistent with 
 the plan of salvation. It is a restorative dispensation 
 under which we are placed : we are not treated as in- 
 nocent, — as if we had never off*ended, — but as criminals 
 chastised for disobedience, while they are placed on trial 
 for mercy. The deluge presented a grand monument of 
 the divine ^\Tath on sin ; and a smaller exhibition of that 
 wrath is repeated in the death of every human being. 
 In such a situation, what we want is life ; and this is 
 abundantly offered. Eter^ial life is the gift of God hy 
 Jesus Christ ! " /," said Jesus Christ, " / am, the life ! 
 J am the bread of life ! Whosoever believeth in me shall 
 live for ever !" " Thelife^' says John, ^' was manifested : 
 whosoever 7vill, let him take of the icater of life freely !" 
 Such are some of the last accents of inspiration. As the 
 value of a medicine is proportioned to the malignity of 
 a disease, — how earnest should be om' desire, how grateful 
 our acceptance, of such a remedy ! To pass fi:om death 
 
202 THE LOVE OF LIFE. 
 
 to life; to triumph in the prospect and approach of the 
 last enemy ; to enjoy even here many a dehghtful fore- 
 taste of the heavenly immortality ; to experience a vital 
 union with the Father of spirits, and hereafter to attain 
 the consummation of this union, and bask for ever in the 
 brightness of His presence ; — behold what manner of love 
 the Father hath hestoimcl upon us ! How shall we escape 
 if 7ve neglect so great salvation ? Such neglect involves 
 a degree of guilt and infatuation which it will require 
 eternity to deplore, and eternity to comprehend ! 
 
 3. As a third improvement, connected with what has 
 been observed, let me remind you of the medimn by 
 which this divine life is imparted and received. There 
 must be a medium of contact between the benefit and the 
 subject of that benefit ; between the eternal life pro- 
 vided, and the Spirit for which it is provided. This 
 connecting medium is faith. Being justified hy faith^ 
 we have peace with God, through Jesus Christ. Faith is 
 the link of union between the salvation as prepared and 
 perfect ovithoiit om-selves, and our own personal being. 
 This is beautifully, though briefly, expressed by Peter, 
 when he assures the cripple whom he had healed, that 
 the cure had been effected through the medium of faith : 
 " His 7iame, through faith in His name, hath made this 
 man whole." Faith was as necessary in the subject of 
 the cure, as the name itself on which his faith relied. 
 The work of the Spirt of Christ on the heart, is as ne- 
 cessary to our salvation as the work of Christ himself, — 
 his obedience unto death, and his intercession in heaven. 
 
 4. In the last place, the subject concurs with the occa- 
 sion to remind us of the duty, the obligation under 
 which we lie, to impart the knowledge and enjoyment of 
 these vital, eternal blessings, to our suffering fellow- 
 sinners. The civil, and merely temporal benefits of 
 Christianity, are great : the water of life, in its passage 
 through a country, diffuses innumerable improvements 
 wherever it pursues its peaceful course ; — the very leaves 
 of the tree of life are given for the healing of the nations. 
 But far be it from us to recommend the civil as the great 
 
THE LAMB OF GOD. 203 
 
 and ultimate blessings of the gospel; these are of a 
 spiritual and eternal nature ; famishing a perfect antidote 
 to the dread of death — a perfect satisfaction for the 
 desire of life, so deeply implanted in the human breast. 
 
 XIII. 
 NOTES OF THE FOLLOWING SERMON, 
 
 TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MANUSCRIPT OP MR. HALL. 
 
 " Behold the Lamh of God." 
 
 I. The import of this appellation. 
 
 1 . The peculiar features of His personal character. 
 
 2. The design of His death. 
 
 1. His personal character. His innocence. His pa- 
 tience. " Such a High-Priest became us, &c." 
 
 2. He was the Paschal Lamb. Exod. xii. 
 
 Draw the parallel in several particulars. Both sacri- 
 fices the instrument of effecting a great deliverance. The 
 benefit of both, moral, not physical. The lamb must be 
 perfect, offered by and for all the people. Blood sprin- 
 kled. Not a bone broken. Time of offering. 
 
 II. The purport of the exclamation, — that He is an 
 object of attention. Its most proper object. Three qua- 
 lities entitled to attention. 
 
 1. Intrinsic gi-eatness. An incarnate Deity, the Ruler 
 of all things, the mysterious Mediator and Advocate. 
 
 2. Newness. What so new as the invisible Creator 
 clothed in human flesh — The Ancient of Days cradled as 
 an infant ; — He who upholdeth all things sinking under 
 a w^eight of suffering ; — The Lord of glory expiring on 
 the cross ; — the Light of the world sustaining an awful 
 eclipse; — the Sun of Righteousness immerged in the 
 shadow of death ? 
 
204 THE LAMB OF GOD. 
 
 3. The relation an object bears to our interest. The 
 Lamb of God a most interesting object to all classes of 
 men: (1.) To sinners : (2.) To saints.* 
 
 MR. GRINFIELD'S ANALYSIS OF THE SERMON, 
 
 AS REPRESENTED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES- 
 
 1. Import of the appellation, " Lamb of God." 
 
 L Features of the personal character of Christ: (L) 
 Innocence ; (2.) Patience. 
 
 2. Design of his appearance. 
 
 Points of resemblance between His sacrifice and the 
 Passover. In each, (1.) A great deliverance achieved ; 
 (2.) A destruction, otherwise inevitable, averted ; (3.) 
 The benefit moral, not physical; (4.) The personal qua- 
 lities of the victims similar ; (5.) The blood required to 
 be sprinkled ; (6.) The sacrifice to be regarded by the 
 whole congregation ; (7.) The time of the offering the 
 same; (8.) No bone to be broken; (9.) The passover 
 prepared by fire, as an emblem of torture. 
 
 II. Design of the exclamation, " Behold !" 
 
 An object worthy of supreme attention from all ; 
 
 1. From sinners. Three qualities which command 
 attention, exhibited here in the highest degrees : (1.) 
 Greatness; (2.) Novelty ; (3.) Use/ultiess. 
 
 2. From believers. 
 
 3. From the redeemed in glory. 
 
 4. From the holy angels. 
 
 5. From the Divine Being. 
 
 * These notes give the plan of the sermon as it was preached at Bed- 
 ford : at Bristol the application of the text was extended, as the follow- 
 ing sketch represents, to all orders of beings. 
 
THE LAMB OP GOD. 205 
 
 THE LAMB OF GOD — HIS CHARACTER— HIS SACRI- 
 FICE—AND HIS CLAIM TO UNIVERSAL ATTEN- 
 TION. 
 
 [preached at BROADMEAD. BRISTOL, NOVEMBER, 1820, AND AGAIN 
 AT BEDFORD, MARCH, IS^I.] 
 
 John i. 35, 36. — Again the next day after John stood, and two of his 
 disciples ; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the 
 Lamb of God !* 
 
 The forerunner of our Lord manifested a peculiar 
 anxiety to impress the minds of his hearers with a con- 
 viction that he was not himself the Messiah. Yet there 
 appears to have existed a party among his disciples, who 
 entertained an improper attachment to his ministry, pre- 
 ferring it to that of our Lord. Their disciples constituted 
 two distinct classes ; the partisans of John, disposed to 
 exalt his pretensions greatly beyond their real nature and 
 his own assertions, seem to have countenanced the 
 opinion that he was the great expected personage. To 
 counteract such a fatal misconception, the Baptist em- 
 braced every opportunity of referring his followers to 
 Jesus Christ, as well as of explaining his own character. 
 He was, as he represented, "the voice crying in the 
 wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord ;" he was " the 
 friend of the Bridegroom," not the Bridegroom himself; 
 and, with the same view, he uttered, on two occasions, 
 the declaration contained in the passage just read. The 
 testimony there expressed is not the first which he had 
 borne to Christ : it appears that on the preceding day he 
 had announced Jesus as^ " the Lamb of God, who taketh 
 away the sin of the world :" and, as the evangelist relates, 
 in the text, " Again the next day after John stood, and 
 two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, 
 he saith, Behold the Lamb of God !" 
 
 While we admire the disinterestedness of this great 
 man in endeavouring to convince his converts that Jesus 
 Christ was infinitely his superior, we cannot help sup- 
 
 * The present transcript is the result of the notes taken by the Rev, 
 T. Grinfield, at Bristol, col ated with the notes taken at Bedford. 
 
206 THE LAMB OF GOD. 
 
 posing that, probably, his ministry and his life were the 
 sooner closed, in consequence of the inordinate attach- 
 ment of his adherents. It was unfit that he should 
 remain as a rival to the Saviour : he was therefore with- 
 drawn from the scene, and his ministry prematurely 
 closed, that every degree of confidence for salvation might 
 be removed from the creature, to be fixed on the Saviour 
 alone. 
 
 In considering the testimony borne to Jesus Christ in 
 the text, I shall direct your attention, first, to the import 
 of the appellation ; and then to the purport of the ex- 
 clamation^ as it may be understood to express the claim 
 which Jesus Christ possesses to the attention of every order 
 of beincfs. 
 
 I. The import of the appellation, " the Lamb of God." 
 There are tzco things which, in all probability, John had 
 in his view when he used this appellation : the distin- 
 guishing features of our Saviour's persoiial character, and 
 the great design of his appearance and death. 
 
 1. In the first place, the expression, "Lamb of God," 
 has respect to the p)eculiar features, the personal cha- 
 racter of Christ. 
 
 In the Scriptures, as perhaps in every known language 
 of mankind, a lamb has been selected as the popular 
 symbol of innoceiice and patience. These were qualities 
 that peculiarly distinguished our Saviour, and formed, on 
 every occasion, the most conspicuous features of his 
 character. 
 
 (1.) He was a perfect pattern of innocence. As one 
 of his apostles describes him, " He was holy, harmless, 
 imdefiled, and separate from sinners," His freedom from 
 every taint of original sin was secured by his miraculous 
 conception : hence the angel at his nativity declared to 
 the Virgin Mary, " The Holy Ghost shall come upon 
 thee ; and, therefore, that holy thing, which shall be bom 
 of thee, shall be called the Son of God." As he advanced 
 in age, all his actions were completely consonant with 
 the law of God. He could say to his bitterest enemies, 
 " Which of you convinceth me of sin ?" He could 
 affirm that, when Satan came, he had nothing in Christ. 
 
THE LAMB OF GOD. 207 
 
 Even the opponents of Christianity have never attempted 
 to impugn the moral character of its Author. It was 
 necessary that " the Lamb of God" should he " without 
 spot or blemish." " Such a High-priest became us ;" 
 because, as an example^ he could not have been explicitly 
 proposed to our imitation, had the slightest imperfection 
 attached to himself; and, as a sacrifice for sin, he could 
 not have been acceptable in the eye of infinite purity and 
 justice, had he been any other than a spotless T-ictim. 
 Accordingly his conduct was, in every particular, blame- 
 less and virtuous. In the most trying situations, under 
 every form of temptation, we find him never-failing: 
 there appears nothing in his character in the smallest de- 
 gree inconsistent with the idea of absolute human per- 
 fection. The greatest absence of every thing like 
 malevolence, — of every thing merely selfish, — appears 
 in all his actions. His miracles were always miracles of 
 mercy and heneficence ; his omnipotence was exerted only 
 to do good : it seemed as if the secret of his power re- 
 sided only in benefiting others, and relieving the miseries 
 of those who suiTounded him ; as if he existed only for 
 them, and became the most helpless of beings when his 
 o^vn interest was concerned. Innocence is a negative 
 term, it properly denotes only the absence of faults and 
 ofiences ; in this respect it formed but a part of his cha- 
 racter. His innocence was crowned with infinite lene- 
 Jlcence, 
 
 (2.) A second, and an equally distinguished feature 
 of his character, implied in the appellation of a lamh, — 
 is his patience. " The Son of man," as he said of himself 
 " came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to 
 give his life a ransom for many." He bowed to the will 
 of his Father, and was " obedient unto death, even the 
 death of the cross." In the midst of injuries and insults, 
 the most unmerited and aggravated that were ever suf- 
 fered, he exhibited a perfect pattern of patient resigna- 
 tion. He never resented the violence of his enemies : 
 " When he was reviled, he reviled not again." " He was 
 led as a lamb to the slaughter ; and, as a sheep before 
 her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." 
 
208 THE LAMB OF GOD. 
 
 There was indeed one instance in which " he opened his 
 mouth ;" — arraigned before the high-priest, he answered 
 not a word ; until, in reply to the demand whether he 
 was the Son of God, he answered in the affirmative ; 
 thus breaking silence before his enemies only when his 
 confession insured his condemnation to death. The mi- 
 raculous powers he possessed over nature and the minds 
 of men, he never exerted to avert his own sufferings, or 
 avenge his Avrongs upon his persecutors. Though the 
 elements were at his disposal, and demons subject to his 
 commands, yet, in the crisis of his affliction, nothing was 
 visible but compassion for the guilty : " Father," he cried, 
 " forgive them, for they know not what they do !" Nor 
 would he suffer his disciples to retaliate the injuries he 
 received: he rebuked Peter when he drew the sword on 
 Malchus ; he rebuked his disciples when they would 
 have called down fire on the Samaritans, saying, " Ye 
 know not what manner of spirit ye are of." Gentleness 
 and tenderness, a sensibility to the sufferings of others, 
 and an indifference to his own, — these formed the most 
 prominent traits of his character ; in these he places the 
 essence of his religion, so far as it is practical and relative 
 to others. Of other virtues, we may say that they form 
 parts of the christian character ; but these are emphati- 
 cally the christian spirit itself ; in proportion as we are 
 patient, compassionate, forbearing, forgiving, and ready 
 even to suffer for the good of others, we have " the mind 
 of Christ." 
 
 It was thus that he illustrated, in his o^vn example, 
 the nature and genius of the gospel dispensation, as 
 superior to every other. None of his predecessors in the 
 church of God could compare with himself here. The 
 law was a severe dispensation ; its tendency was not so 
 much to cherish the milder virtues, the lamb-like graces 
 of the gospel. Moses, though " the meekest of men" 
 under that economy, was overtaken by the impetuosity or 
 his spirit when he dashed in pieces the tables inscribed 
 by the finger of God. The miracles of Elijah and Elisha 
 were sometimes destructive : the former commanded 
 fire from heaven, the latter bears from the wood, to con- 
 
THE LAMB OP GOD. 209 
 
 sume his enemies. John the Baptist was austere in his 
 manners, and terrific in his preaching : there was in him 
 much moral grandeur^ but it was of a savage and un- 
 cultivated aspect; it resembled the lonely and severe 
 character of the wilderness in which he appeared : he 
 was " the axe laid to the root of the trees ;" the son of 
 thunder, commissioned to summon the guilty before the 
 tribunal, and denounce judgement on every unfruitful 
 professor. But Jesus Christ was mild, affable, social, 
 compassionate ; " the friend of publicans and sinners ;" 
 who came to " feed his flock like a shepherd, to gather 
 the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom." 
 When he beheld the city of Jerusalem, he wept over it ; 
 when he said to all who heard him " Learn of me," he 
 could truly and peculiarly add, as at once an example 
 and encouragement to his disciples, " for I am meek and 
 lowly in heart." So well might he be styled, with a 
 view to the features of his character, "the Lamb of 
 God." 
 
 2. But we shall form a very inadequate idea of the full 
 import of Johns expression, if we confine it to the 
 example of Jesus Christ. This is not the only, nor 
 perhaps the principal view, in which we are to under- 
 stand the appellation, " Lamb of God !" There is another 
 object of the highest importance to us, and to which his 
 innocence and patience were requisite. He appeared not 
 merely as a pattern of holiness ; though, in this respect, we 
 have seen in him an unrivalled preeminence above all the 
 messengers of God ; but he is to be principally regarded 
 as the Saviour^ " who taketh," or heareth, " away the sin 
 of the world." That the Baptist, in calling Jesus Christ 
 " the Lamb of God," had a reference to his sacrificial 
 character, is manifest from the explanatory clause he 
 added on the preceding occasion — " who taketh aAvay the 
 sin of the world." The example of Christ, however 
 perfect, had no proper power to " take away sin :" the 
 best example, as we know, has but a feeble influence in 
 correcting depravity, and none whatever in removing 
 guilt. It is unnecessary, however, to multiply words in 
 proof of this doctrme ; because it is our privilege, on the 
 
 VOL. VL p 
 
210 THE LAMB OF GOD. 
 
 present occasion, to address tliose who are continually 
 reminded of Christ as the only mediator between God 
 and man. In the appellation employed by the Baptist 
 there is then, secondly, a distinct reference to the great 
 design of his appearance and death. It points him out as 
 the Lamb which God provided and accepted. It marks 
 the sacrificial character of Christ, prefigured by the legal 
 oflFerings. This Divine Lamb fulfilled all that was sig- 
 nified by those ancient sacrifices, which consisted prin- 
 cipally of lambs ; and especially all that w^as represented 
 by the paschal lamb. A lamb was offered daily, in the 
 morning and evening, in the tabernacle, and afterwards 
 in the temple : but the paschal sacrifice was solemnized 
 with a peculiar attention and publicity once in every year. 
 The Jews regarded this as the most important of all 
 their observances. It was the most ancient of them all, 
 instituted on their departure from Egypt, in commemora- 
 tion of their deliverance from the destroying angel : and 
 though at first it reminded them of that event, yet, after- 
 wards, it probably served to direct their expectations to 
 the gi-eat sacrifice for sin by the promised Redeemer. 
 The circumstances and the purport of this remarkable 
 ceremony may be found fully described in the twelfth 
 chapter of Exodus ; a chapter replete with the doctrine 
 of Christ crucified. On that memorable night, in which 
 the angel of the Lord slew all the first-bom of Egypt, not 
 excepting those of the royal household, he was ordered 
 to spare the families of Israel, which had been directed 
 to exhibit a sign of the redemption by Jesus Christ, by 
 sprinkling the blood of a lamb on the posts of their doors. 
 The destroying angel recognized this consecrated token, 
 and passed over the house thus marked, without smiting 
 any member of the family it contained. That this was 
 typical of the salvation by Jesus Christ, is evident from 
 the application of it made by the apostle Paul, when he 
 says, " Christ, our passover, is sacrificed for us ; therefore 
 let us keep the feast." The idea of Christ being the 
 great end of that ceremony is so plain, so certain, that 
 the apostle takes no pains, as he does on many other 
 
THE LAMB OF GOD. 211 
 
 occasions, to establish the point by reasoning ; he simply 
 assumes and asserts it as a well-known truth. 
 
 Many particulars maybe pointed out in the resemblance 
 between the paschal sacrifice and " the Lamb of God :" 
 I proceed to trace the parallel through some of the most 
 remarkable. 
 
 (1.) The passover was designed to commemorate a great 
 deliverance, that of Israel from the captivity and slavery 
 of Egypt ; and it was designed to prefigure a deliverance 
 far greater — that of mankind from a tyranny far more 
 abominable, a depression far more miserable ; from the 
 captivity of Satan, the slavery of sin, the dread of wrath 
 to come ; that the happy subjects of this divine redemp- 
 tion may be placed under the conduct of providence and 
 grace in their passage through the wilderness of this world, 
 until they shall be settled in the land of promise and 
 eternal rest. 
 
 (2.) The passover commemorated a deliverance from 
 a destruction o{\\evYf\%e inevitable ; it was the only ap- 
 pointed means of safety ; there was no other possibility 
 of escape from the angel of divine wrath. Thus the re- 
 demption which is in Christ Jesus is the only refuge of 
 hope set before us, — the only appointed means of escape 
 from that wrath which will come upon all that neglect 
 this great salvation. 
 
 (3.) In hotJi these cases (it deserves attention) there 
 exists no natural relation between the means and the 
 end : the benefit of the sacrifice is moral^ not physical. 
 The sprinkling of the blood on the doors of the Israel- 
 ites had no intrinsic efficacy whatever to preserve them : 
 none can suppose any such efficacy therein, as that by 
 which causes produce their efi*ects in the course of na- 
 ture. The Divine Being appointed the blood to be the 
 sign and the instrument of the deliverance ; and, being 
 thus appointed, it served to aiTest the progress of the 
 destroying angel. So it is with the sacrifice of Christ. 
 Between the death of Christ and the expiation of guilt, 
 there was no such relation as that which subsists in na- 
 ture between secondary causes and their appropriate 
 p2 
 
212 THE LAMB OF GOD. 
 
 effects : it was a moral relation, resulting from the will 
 and appointment of God, who accepted the death of 
 Christ as a consideration of sufficient dignity to satisfy 
 his justice and vindicate his law. It had no efficacy as 
 a natural cause ; on the contrary, it left all 7iatural 
 causes to operate as before : but it became a moral 
 motive with God ; an authentic instrument for the sanc- 
 tification and acceptance of those who are " elect, ac- 
 cording to the foreknowledge of God, imto obedience, 
 and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus." It was a 
 powerful cause in and upon the divine mind, moving 
 Him who moves all things. For the sake of this great 
 sacrifice it seemed fit and right, and, in every respect, 
 w'orthy of Him, " hi/ whom and for whom are all things," 
 that every penitent believer should be treated as if he 
 had never sinned; that, through this^ he should be 
 washed, justified, sanctified, and glorified. And there 
 was no more a change of the divine mind in the latter 
 than in the former instance ; since the Deity foresaw all 
 that should come to pass. At a distance He contem- 
 plated the sacrifice of Christ : He beheld in it the ho- 
 nour of the di\dne law, the display of the divine purity 
 and justice. This sacrifice, being always present to his 
 contemplation, was the ground on which sins, committed 
 under the first covenant, were pardoned to the penitent ; 
 and it is with a reference to the efficacy of this expia- 
 tion, as reflected back from the cross, that Christ is 
 called " the Lamb slain from the foundation of the 
 world." 
 
 (4.) Again, we may observe the similarity which ap- 
 pears in the personal qualities of the two victims. The 
 paschal lamb must be perfect, a male of the first year, 
 without spot or blemish. So Christ, as w^e have seen, 
 possessed all moral perfection; exhibited every virtue, 
 without a single fault or defect. He possessed also, the 
 2)liysical perfection of man : he was slain, not when 
 withered by age or decayed by sickness, but "in the 
 flower of his strength, while his breasts were full of 
 milk, and his bones of marrow," — when youth was 
 vanishini? into mature manhood. 
 
THE LAMB OF GOD. 213 
 
 (5.) Observe, further, the slaying of the paschal lamb 
 did not avail, unless its hlood were sprinkled. The blood 
 was shed in order that it might be sprinkled ; the sprink- 
 ling was necessary to preserve the Israelites. Neither 
 will the blood of Jesus Christ, my brethren, prove of 
 saving efficacy, unless it be applied. When wrath shall 
 overwhelm the unbelieving, in the judgement of the last 
 day, it will be of no avail to plead the merit of this great 
 sacrifice, unless we have approached it ourselves. " Hav- 
 ing boldness to enter into the holiest by the hlood of 
 Jesus, we must draw near with a heart sprinkled from 
 an evil (or an accusing) conscience." None will be saved 
 from the destruction of that day, though they may have 
 lived in the midst of christian privileges, who cannot say 
 with the apostle — " We are come to Jesus, the Mediator 
 of the new covenant, and the blood of sprinkling which 
 speaketh better things than that of Abel." The merit 
 of the Redeemer's blood is infinite, but its efficacy is con- 
 fined to its application. In his own words, " except ye 
 eat my flesh, and drink my blood, ye have no life in you." 
 The apostles unite the name of Christ with faith in his 
 name, as the means they had employed in healing the 
 cripple at the gate of the temple : " His name, through 
 faith in his name, hath made this man whole ; yea, the 
 faith which is by him hath given this man this perfect 
 soundness in the presence of you all." 
 
 (6.) As another particular of the parallel, it may be 
 remarked that, while many of the legal sacrifices were 
 offered by individuals in their private or public charac- 
 ters, the paschal lamb was required to be slain and offered 
 by the whole congregation of Israel ; it being understood 
 by all, that he who neglected this important sacrifice 
 would lose its benefit,— would be cut off from the con- 
 gregation. " Behold," here, " the Lamb of God which 
 taketh away the sin of the world ! " — The blood of ani- 
 mal victims streamed for ages on the Jewish altars, but 
 did not take away sin, even from the Jews themselves : 
 the benefit to be derived from those offerings was chiefly 
 derived by those who looked beyond them. Except as 
 shadows of the true Sacrifice for sin, they were to be 
 
214 THE LAMB OP GOD. 
 
 considered merely as civil rites. The voice with which 
 they spoke, could not, in general, be heard " within the 
 veil." The greater part of the Jews were worshippers of 
 the outer court, and rested in their sacrifices as means of 
 external and civil advantages. But, in "the Lamb of 
 God," proclaimed by John, we behold an oblation suffi- 
 cient for the whole w^orld ; a foimtain opened for sin, 
 and flo^ving in all directions ; an element of pardon and 
 eternal life, free and extensive as the atmosphere we 
 breathe, which encompasses every portion of the earth's 
 surface. " He" says the apostle, " is the propitiation for 
 our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of 
 the whole world :" " the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth 
 from all sin." 
 
 (7.) In the next place, the time of slaying the paschal 
 lamb agreed vriih the time of our Saviom-'s sacrifice. 
 The sufferings of Christ took place at the feast of the 
 passover ; and the very hour of the day appears to have 
 corresponded with that at w^hich the paschal lamb was 
 slain. In the chapter of Exodus before referred to, it is 
 required that the lamb should be killed i?i the evening ; 
 or, (as the original signifies, and as it is rendered in the 
 margin of our version,) hetimen the two evenings; that is, 
 between the chronological evening and the natural : the 
 one commencing immediately after the sun had passed 
 the meridian, or after twelve at noon ; the other by com- 
 putation of time, being at six o'clock. Thus the middle 
 hour between the two evenings will be at thi-ee in the 
 afternoon ; the point of time at which, om- Lord expired 
 on the cross. He was fastened to it " at the sixth hour," 
 which answers to our noon ; and, " about the ninth hour," 
 or three in the afternoon, " He cried with a loud voice, 
 and gave up the ghost." Thus, at the moment when the 
 paschal lamb was appointed to be slain, did " the Lamb 
 of God" expire, imder the stroke of the divine justice. 
 
 (8.) Great objects consecrate all that surrounds them : 
 they impart a portion of their own grandeur to every 
 thing they touch, to every circumstance mth which they 
 are connected. It w^as required that " not a bone of the 
 paschal lamb should be broken;" it must be sacrificed 
 
THE LAMB OF GOD. 215 
 
 entire : and this was ordered, that it might the more ex- 
 actly represent the great Sacrifice. When Christ was 
 crucified, the soldiers (as you remember) finding him 
 already dead, forbore to break his legs, as, according to 
 the custom, they had broken the legs of his two fellow- 
 sufferers ; and thus, as the historian observes, was ful- 
 filled that which had been written : " a bone of him 
 shall not be broken." This circumstance, though in itself 
 minute, serves to show that Jesus Christ, as our Sacrifice, 
 was equally the subject of the prediction, and the sub- 
 stance of the type. 
 
 (9.) Finally, the pashal lamb was permitted to be pre- 
 pared as food, by no other means than Jlre. What could 
 more appropriately prefigure the agonies of " the Lamb 
 of God," — who sweat great drops of blood in the garden ; 
 — who was parched with thirst on the cross : — who, 
 having submitted himself to endure the indignant justice 
 of the Governor of the universe, experienced the awful 
 truth, that " our God is a consuming fire : " when " His. 
 soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death ;" and 
 when, in the climax of his anguish, he exclaimed, " Oh, 
 my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me ! 
 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" He 
 contended, in those moments, with all the storms and 
 billows of the. divine wrath ; he tasted the penalties of 
 eternal death. 
 
 It appears, then, that there was in many particulars a 
 striking resemblance between Jesus Christ and the pas- 
 chal sacrifice : and the great beauty of the passover 
 arises from this resemblance. How strangely, therefore, 
 are the;i/ mistaken, who confine their view of ' the Lamb 
 of God" to his example, and deny the sacrificial and 
 atoning nature of his sufferings. We might ask such 
 persons wh^/ was even inanimate nature as it were in 
 convulsions at his death ? JVh^/ did the heavens put on 
 sackcloth, and the sun hide his face in darkness ? Why 
 were the rocks rent, and the earth shaken ? Or (if this 
 be considered as merely impassioned declamation,) we 
 may demand — Wh^/ do we meet with such constant and 
 emphatic expressions regarding the blood, the cross, the 
 
216 THE LAMB OF GOD. 
 
 sacrifice, the death of Jesus Christ ? Why should there 
 have been so vast a preparation of legal sacrifices, of 
 bumt-ofierings and peace-ofi'erings, expressly compared 
 by the apostle (especially in his epistle to the Hebrews) 
 with the death of Jesus Christ ? — Why all this, if 
 nothing more was meant by his death, than the comple- 
 tion of his example^ the sealing of the truths he taught 
 with the blood he shed. Supposing this to be all that 
 was intended to be understood by such representations, 
 we can only say that the gospel would be the greatest 
 imposition on common sense that ever was presented to 
 the world ; it would combine the most pompous preten- 
 sions with the most meagi-e reality, of all existing com- 
 positions. 
 
 II. We proceed to consider, as the second part of the 
 subject, the sjnrit and design of the exclamation uttered 
 by the Baptist in the text, as it may be understood to 
 express the claim ivhich Jesus Christ j^ossesses to attention 
 from beings of every order : all are interested in comply- 
 ing ^vith the summons given in those words, " Behold 
 the Lamb of God." 
 
 It appears that the Baptist did not principally mean, 
 by this exclamation, to direct the eges of his disciples to 
 the person of Jesus Christ as a visible object ; — in that 
 sense, none could comply wdth the call, except the few 
 w^ho were present in the scenes of his transient ministry : 
 the Baptist desired to command the attention of his 
 hearers to the character and office of " the Lamb of 
 God." In this sense it is that the term " Behold !" is 
 frequently used in the Scriptures, where no literal vision 
 of the object is intended : it is used to denote that the 
 object thus introduced, is deserving of attention : as 
 when the angel says, " Behold^ I bring you good tidings 
 of great joy!" or, when the apostle exclaims, '^Behold 
 what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon 
 us ! " In the text the meaning is similar to that of the 
 definite pronoun, as though John had said, " This is the 
 Lamb of God :" just as, on another occasion, he said, 
 " This is he of whom I spake." The purport of the ex- 
 clamation, therefore, is, that Jesus Christ, as " the Lamb 
 
THE LAMB OF GOD. 217 
 
 of God," deserves universal attention ; that he is the 
 greatest object of admiring regard, which the universe 
 presents. In illustrating the spirit of the exclamation 
 thus understood, we observe the claim which " the Lamb 
 of God" possesses on the attention of all mankind. 
 Mankind are comprehended in two distinct classes, — 
 they are either sinners who remain in their original cha- 
 racter ; or they are believers, who, though not ceasing 
 from sin altogether, are yet delivered from its dominion. 
 He7'e is an object preeminently worthy the attention of 
 both these classes : — 
 
 1. And, in the first place, of all who remain^ as sin- 
 ners^ in their original character and state. In every 
 possible view in which an object can deserve regard, 
 "the Lamb of God" claims from all such persons the 
 most earnest attention. 
 
 There are three qualities which entitle an object to 
 our regard. 
 
 (1.) The first is its own intrinsic greatness. On this 
 account the sun, the moon, and the stars, those illustrious 
 splendours of the firmament, have attracted the atten- 
 tion of mankind in every age and nation. But the won- 
 ders of the material world are merely subordinate to 
 those of the intelligent and moral universe ; and here an 
 object is exhibited, incomparably greater, in the scale of 
 being, than the celestial luminaries. Here we may be- 
 hold Deity incarnate ; God manifested in human nature ! 
 Turn aside, and see this great sight ; contemplate this 
 object with fixed attention, till your heart is suitably 
 affected by the contemplation ; gaze with the eye of faith 
 on this brighter " Morning Star," gaze on this nobler 
 " Sun of Righteousness," till every sublunary object is 
 eclipsed by its superior splendour. Never was Deity re- 
 vealed in our nature, but in the person of Jesus Christ. 
 He alone could be truly called " Emmanuel, God with 
 us." " In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead 
 bodily ;"• — a fulness that deserves the most earnest and 
 persevering research, while it must for ever baffle finite 
 comprehension. This is " the great mystery of godli- 
 ness ;" the study of admiring angels ; the masterpiece of 
 
218 THE LAMB OP GOD. 
 
 the manifold msdom of God ; the wonder of the uni- 
 verse. 
 
 (2.) A second quality in an object, that excites our 
 attention, and raises it to surprise and astonishment, is 
 novelty. We esteem a thing the more for being new : 
 there is a vivifying influence in the fresheM and rarest 
 appeai-ances of nature or of mind. But, where mil you 
 find another object, worthy to be compared in novelti/, in 
 entire originalty., in singularity combined with greatness, 
 with the object here presented, " the Lamb of God ?" 
 Travel in idea thi'ough creation, — climb the loftiest 
 heights, — descend to the lowest depths, — take the wings 
 of an angel, and fly to distant worlds ; no such Being 
 will be found as He who once tabernacled in the flesh — 
 " the Lamb that was slain," and that is now seated at 
 the right hand of God, as " the Lamb in the midst of 
 the throne." Heaven, and the heaven of heavens could 
 not contain him ; yet he dwelt, to all appearance, in the 
 body of an infant ; — the invsible Creator clothed in hu- 
 man form, — the Ancient of Days cradled as an infant of 
 days, — " He who upholdeth all things sinking under a 
 weight of suffering, — the Lord of life, the Lord of glory, 
 expiring on a cross, — the Light of the world sustaining 
 an a^vful eclipse, — the Sun of Righteousness immerged 
 in the shadow of death!" Never before was there such 
 a spectacle in earth or heaven. Even inanimate nature 
 seemed to sympathize with his last agonies ; heaven it- 
 self descended to " behold the Lamb of God :" and well 
 it might ; for there was then a greater prodigy on earth 
 than any which heaven contained. Well might angels 
 " desire to look into the mysteries of man's redemption ; 
 and nothing but the most astonishing infatuation can 
 prevent us from following such an example. Mankind 
 ai'e accustomed to admire profound philosophers, victori- 
 ous heroes, or celebrated poets : but what are all such 
 objects of admiration, in comparison with this un- 
 paralleled phenomenon, which exhibits all the attributes 
 of Deity, adapted to human apprehensions ? 
 
 (3.) Once more: objects arrest our attention, that 
 lear a relation to our interest. Men are interested by 
 
THE LAMB OF GOD. 219 
 
 that which involves their security from evil, or promises 
 their advancement in prosperity. Objects which are 
 great command attention ; those which are new excite 
 curiosity; but if, in addition to its greatness and its 
 novelty^ an object bears a manifest relation to our most 
 important interests, — if it involves our defence and safety, 
 — if it forms the pillar of our support, — if it supplies the 
 shield of the soul, the only hope for the guilty, the only 
 comfort for the dying, the only prospect of eternal hap- 
 piness, — surely, my dear brethren, such an object is cal- 
 culated to awaken in our hearts the most lively affections 
 and desires ; — and such an object is " the Lamb of God." 
 Not only great and wonderful in himself, he bears an 
 essential relation to our most important — to our eternal 
 interests. He comes to deliver us from misery, and pro- 
 mote us to happiness. He is competent to satisfy all the 
 secret wants and desires of our nature. '-Come unto 
 me," he says, " all ye that are weary ; and I will give 
 you rest. I am the Bread of Life : he that eateth of 
 this bread shall live for ever ; I will raise him up at the 
 last day." These are some of His words : from whom 
 beside will you hear words like these — " the words of 
 eternal life'?" 
 
 Jesus Christ came to save that which was lost: he 
 laid down his life to accomplish our salvation. Nor was 
 there any icaste of life in that sacrifice : every portion of 
 his infinite energy was requisite to the attainment of 
 such an object ; nothing less than the power that upholds 
 all things was adequate to sustain the weight of human 
 sin. He whose almighty influence diffuses itself through 
 the heavens and earth, and preserves all orders of being, 
 He alone endured our punishment ; He, " trod the wine- 
 press alone:" He "looked, and there was none to de- 
 liver :" there existed no other way of salvation than that 
 which he has opened. The justice of the Deity, not to he 
 propitiated by any other means, pursues the transgressor 
 071 earth and in hell ; nothing in the universe can arrest 
 it in its atuful career, until it stops in reverence at the cross 
 of Christ I 
 
 As our salvation from the effects of sin is a deliver- 
 
220 THE LAAJB OF GOD. 
 
 ance from a far worse than Egyptian captivity and mi- 
 sery, so its accomplishment required a far greater exer- 
 tion of Deity than was required to arrest the billows of 
 the Red Sea. Xever did '• the mighty God" more fully 
 display the greatness of his power, than when he showed 
 himself ** mighty to sare^ even to the uttermost." He 
 iixed the foundation on which we may build our hope of 
 immortality, and find it to be ** a hope that maketh not 
 ashamed," founded on the Rock of Ages. lie went 
 into the shadow of death, into *' the lowest parts of the 
 earth," that he might lay dtrp the b(uh of that edifice 
 irhich fCiU to rise a^ /iitjh as the throne of God! "He 
 bore our sins in his own body on the tree," that we 
 might become partakers of his own divine natiu-e. This, 
 my brethren, is a view of '* the Lamb of God," of the 
 List importance to be taken by us all. If you see him 
 not in this character, you see yiothing to any valuable 
 purpose. You have taken hold of nothina, you have 
 grasped only shadoii'S^ if you have not taken hold of 
 '" Christ, your Life" Flee to him ; cleave to him : say 
 of him in the sincerity of your heart, " This is all my 
 salvation and all my desire." 
 
 There is only one class of beings by whom the object 
 presented in the text is treated -s^-ith unconcern ; for even 
 the legions of hell regard it with a fearful interest : — 
 utterly to ** neglect so great salvation" is the peculiar 
 malady of impenitent siimers in the present world. But 
 what infatuation can be compared Anth this ? If there 
 be any other door by which you may hope to enter into 
 heaven, avail yourselves of that '• door of hope" without 
 delay. If any other name be given under heaven in 
 which you may safely trust for the s^dvation of your soul, 
 place your trust in that favourite name, and leave this 
 oaviour to others ; but if there exists 7io other door that 
 can admit us into heaven than that which He has opened 
 who says, " I am the door, I am the way, the truth, and 
 the life," — if no other name has been given under heaven 
 whereby we may be saved than the name of Jesus Christ, 
 — if this is the only dispensation of mercy; then let us 
 turn our regards from every other refuge, and fix them on 
 
THE LAMB OF GOD. 221 
 
 this alone " Let all the house of Israel," let all the 
 world, "know assuredly that this Jesus, who was crucified 
 is hoth Lord and Christ ; and they who believe in him 
 are justified from all things." In the land of Israel 
 there were several cities of refuge, and the criminal 
 might flee to that which was nearest : but there exists 
 only one for us ; one ," hope set before us, to which we 
 must flee for refuge ;" one "Man who is a covert from the 
 storm, a shadow from the heat." In " the Lamb of God" 
 you may obtain present peace ; beholding Him, you may 
 die with tranquillity and joy ; and rise through Him, to 
 the mansions of eternal glory. Behold, therefore, ye sin- 
 ners, ready to perish, " behold the Lamb of God." 
 
 How is it possible that those can escape " who neglect 
 this great salvation, which at first was spoken by the 
 Lord^ God himself bearing witness with signs and 
 wonders, the gifts of his own Spirit ? Not to behold such 
 an object, is " to have eyes, and not to see :" not to 
 attend to such a call, is " to have ears, and not to hear !" 
 Better not to have eyes, and see ; better not to have ears 
 and hear ; better not to have an understanding, a heart, 
 a sentient nature capable of thought and feeling ; better 
 to be numbered with the brutes, or to be a mere plant, 
 or stone, than not to believe this divine report, — than to 
 remain one to whom this " arm of the Lord" is not re- 
 vealed, — than to see in Christ " no beauty that you 
 should desire him," to regard him " as a root in a dry 
 ground," instead of discerning in such a Saviour, " the 
 power of God, the wisdom of God !" 
 
 2. But there is a second class of persons among man- 
 kind — those 7vho have repented and believed : " the Lamb 
 of God" has an equal claim to the continued and earnest 
 regard of his believing folloAvers. 
 
 Some benefits we receive in such a manner that any 
 farther attention to their cause is unnecessary ; no motive 
 but gratitude requires us to think of them again : they 
 are complete, whether or not we recur to their origin. 
 This is not the case with the benefits conferred by Jesus 
 Christ. Beside the claim of gratitwle, which ought to 
 outlast the immediate operation of benefits received, — 
 
222 THE LAMB OF GOD. 
 
 (for we should think it unnatural in a son to forget his 
 parents as soon as they were in the grave,) here we are 
 dependent on our Benefactor, for a continuity of blessings. 
 It is not enough to have regarded him at first as the only 
 Source of pardon and salvation : he is as necessary to us 
 from day to day as when we first believed in him. He 
 is not a Saviour whom we may forget, having once for 
 all received his benefits : he is the Source of continual 
 energy through the whole of our career. The Bread of 
 life can no more be dispensed with in the spiritual life 
 than in the natural : in respect to the one as well as to 
 the other, we must say, " Give us this day our daily," or, as 
 the original word signifies, our essential "bread !" " Lord, 
 evermore give us this bread !" "VYe must apply for per- 
 petual repetitions of our Saviour's pardoning grace, and 
 justifying merit, corresponding with our perpetual trans- 
 gressions and deficiencies. The spiritual life of a chris- 
 tian can only be maintained in its vigour by a ceaseless 
 emanation from Jesus Christ. " The life which I now 
 live," says the apostle Paul, " I live by the faith of the 
 Son of God : it is not I that live, but Christ liveth in 
 me." In other words, he was continually " beholding 
 the Lamb of God." Every christian partakes of his 
 experience, and to the end of his life feels the same need 
 of Christ, — of his example, his doctrine, and especially 
 of his atonement, — which he felt at first, when he fled 
 alarmed and distressed to the foot of the cross. When 
 the rock was smitten in Horeb, the water continued to 
 flow through the wilderness for the constant supply of 
 the Israelites ; and they drank of that water daily until 
 they reached the promised Canaan. " That rock was 
 Christ ;" and thus we must daily drink of the spiritual 
 streams that flow from Him. We must look unto Him, 
 and we shall then be lightened., and our faces not ashamed. 
 When our Saviour, in his great condescension and hu- 
 mility, washed the feet of his disciples, Peter at first 
 refused, saying, " Lord, thou shalt never wash my feet." 
 On this, our Saviour replied, '' If I wash thee not, thou 
 hast no part in me." " Lord," said Peter, " not my feet 
 only, but also my hands and my head." This oui' Lord 
 
THE LAMB OF GOD. 223 
 
 declined, observing, " He that is waslied, needeth not 
 save to wash his feet ; and now ye are clean." This 
 implies, in the spiritual application which it was probably 
 designed to receive, that, after having bathed at our first 
 repentance in the fountain of that blood which "cleanseth 
 from all sin," we must still repair to the same for constant 
 purification from those innumerable defilements which, 
 by our frailty, we cannot but contract in our walk 
 through the present world. Even the clean require to 
 be again and again purified. The sins of a single day 
 ■would be sufficient to condemn us : weighed in the 
 balance, we should be found wanting. The believer 
 never subsists on an independent source of his own — he 
 lives by faith : faith is not the reservoir, but the habitual 
 receiver. He is continually directing his eye toward 
 Hifn in whom it has pleased the Father that all fulness 
 should dwell, and that out of that fulness we all should 
 receive even grace for grace ; grace in the streams, 
 corresponding with gi-ace in the fountain. Let us live 
 more by faith in Christ ; " the just shall live by faith ;" 
 it is the safest and the happiest life. On every occasion of 
 infirmity and distress, let us renew our application to that 
 Saviour who said, in answer to the complaint of his 
 apostle, " My grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is 
 perfect in thy weakness." " Most gladly, therefore," adds 
 the encouraged apostle, " will I glory even in my in- 
 firmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 
 The moment we forget our dependence on Cluist, and 
 are puffed up with a conceit of our own merit or strength, 
 we are in danger of falling into the snares of Satan. 
 
 3. Having dwelt the longer on the more direct and 
 obvious application of the doctrine taught by John the 
 Baptist in the text, to the two classes of mankind, as 
 either impenitent sinners, or justified believers, we may 
 extend the exclamation, in the third place, to the redeemed 
 in the rcorld of glory. From them, no less than from their 
 brethren on earth, " the Lamb of God" claims the highest 
 degree of admiring regard. He retains this appellation 
 as we learn from the last book of Scripture, in his pre- 
 sent exalted state ; and it is remarkable that the name 
 
224 THE LAMB OP GOD. 
 
 ■which expresses his humiliation to the death of the cross 
 is selected as the name under ^vhich he is adored in the 
 world of glory : " I beheld," says John, " and lo, a 
 multitude, which no man could number, gathered from 
 all nations, stood before the throne and before the Lamh : 
 and they cried, with a loud voice, saying. Salvation to 
 our God and to the Lamb ! Blessing, and glory, and 
 "wisdom, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the 
 throne, and unto the Lamh, for ever and ever !" It is 
 strange that any should be found, who, calling themselves 
 christians, refuse to pay Jesus Christ that worship here 
 on earth, which he is represented in these passages as 
 recei-vdng in heaven ! Such persons, if they are admitted 
 into heaven, wall have indeed to learn a new song, for 
 they must learn a neiv religion ! But you, my dear 
 brethren, " have not so learned Christ :" you know that 
 the Redeemer holds the most distinguished place in the 
 world of glory ; he sits at the right hand of God ; he is 
 the centre of the glory that shall be revealed; his 
 presence constitutes to the redeemed the principal charm 
 of heaven. It was his own desire " that those whom 
 the Father had given him may he with him where he is, 
 and may there hehold his glory." It is only in him that 
 the Deity is visible : " No man hath seen God, nor can 
 see ; he dwells in light whidi no man can approach ; the 
 only-begotten Son has declared him." Deity requires to 
 be shaded and softened, by putting on the veil of our 
 nature, before it can be suited to our feeble perception ; 
 the glory of the Lord must shine in the face of Jesus 
 Christ. We read concerning the redeemed inhabitants 
 of heaven, that they hunger no more, nor thirst any 
 more ; because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the 
 throne, feeds them with the bread of life, and leads them 
 to fountains of living water ; a description which implies 
 that Jesus Christ is himself the source of celestial 
 beatitude. 
 
 4. But, in the fourth place, there is yet another order 
 of beings to whom " the Lamb of God" presents an object 
 of peculiar attention and profound admiration. The 
 holy angels, — that innumerable company of spirits who 
 
THE LAMB OF GOD. 225 
 
 " excel In strength," — are represented as deeply interested 
 in tlie service and glory of the Redeemer. From its 
 infancy, they watched with anxiety the fortunes of the 
 rising church. They announced the hirth of Christ with 
 exulting strains : they ministered to Christ in the scenes 
 of his temptation, his agony, and his burial ; they 
 cheered his apostles with the first tidings of his resurrec- 
 tion. " He is not here, he is risen." Even after his 
 ascension they still lingered with a compassionate con- 
 cern among his sorrowing disciples, and assured them of 
 his final return : " Why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 
 This same Jesus shall come again, in like manner as ye 
 have seen him go into heaven." And in that day of his 
 final return, " when the Son of Man shall come in his 
 glory," there shall be " all the holy angels with him." 
 Accordingly, among the glories which accompany the 
 manifestation of God in the flesh, the apostle enumerates 
 this, — that " He was seeti of angels :" and he represents 
 the Father as introducing the Son into the world with 
 this proclamation, " Let all the angels of God worship 
 him." It is not improbable that those glorious beings 
 are themselves, in some respect, involved in the blessings 
 of that stupendous plan, by which " things in heaven" 
 are gathered together in one centre with " things on 
 earth." Angels may probably be secured in that felicity, 
 to which saints are proinoted, by the mediation of Jesus 
 Christ : and certainly the former are described as taking 
 part with the latter in the songs of praise to the Lamb. 
 •■' I heard," says John, " the voice of many angels round 
 about the throne, and their number was ten thousand 
 times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, saying 
 with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain." 
 
 5. Finally, there Is a Being of another order, a Being 
 infinitely exalted above any of those already mentioned, 
 whose attention Is deeply engaged by the object presented 
 in the text : — God himself is concerned, supremely con- 
 cerned, in the contemplation of "the Lamb of God." 
 To Him the redeemer is an object, not indeed of ad- 
 miration^ since the Divine Being can admire nothing, but 
 of infinite complacency and satisfaction. On two conspi- 
 
 VOL. VI. Q 
 
226 THE LAMB OF GOD. 
 
 cuous occasions in the ministry of Jesus Christ, — at his 
 baptism and at his transfiguration, — did the Eternal 
 Father proclaim, by a voice from heaven, " This is my 
 beloved Son, in whom I am -vvell pleased : hear Him !" 
 In every part of revelation we find the Son of God 
 represented by the Father as the object of his dearest, his 
 most intense interest. " Behold," says he, " my servant 
 whom I have chosen ! mine elect, in whom my soul 
 delighteth \" " Why do the heathen rage, and the 
 people imagine a vain thing ? The kings of the earth 
 take counsel against the Lord, and against his Anointed; 
 He that sitteth in heaven shall laugh them to scom : 
 then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, Yet have I 
 set my Kinc/ upon my holy hillgf Sion : be wise, therefore, 
 ye kings ; kiss the Son^ lest he be angry, and ye perish !" 
 In the opening of the epistle to the Hebrews, we read 
 that " God hath appointed his Son, who is the bright- 
 ness of his glory, the heir of all things ;" and that, " to 
 the Son he saith. Thy throne, God, is for ever and 
 ever ; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy 
 kingdom : and Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the 
 foundations of the earth ; and the heavens are the work 
 of thy hands : they shall perish, but thou remainest 1" 
 It seems as if the divine irdnd were concentrated — as if 
 all the Deity were busied and intent — in the scene of re- 
 demption and the person of the Redeemer ! It seems as 
 if the Great Eternal could find no other medium in which 
 he might pour out the whole treasmy of his perfections, 
 — satisfy his infinite conceptions and desires, display and 
 harmonize aU his various attributes — his holiness, his 
 justice, his mercy, and his love, — than Jesus Christ, " the 
 power and the wisdom of God !" Here he shines in his 
 complete and blended glory, — at once the "just God," 
 and the justifying Saviom' of him that belie veth in Jesus 
 Christ. Here, doubtless, is presented an object the most 
 glorious and delightful in the universe of God ! There 
 is reason to believe that, in a moral (that is, in the 
 highest) point of view, the Redeemer, in the depth of his 
 humiliation, was a greater object of attention and appro- 
 bation, in the eye of his Father, than when he sat in his 
 
ON CIVIL GOVERNMENTS. 227 
 
 original glory at God's right hand; the one being his 
 natural, the other peculiarly his moral elevation. 
 
 Encompassed by so great a cloud of witnesses — sum- 
 moned by so many powerful voices — let us all more ear- 
 nestly than ever attend to this incomparable object : so 
 shall we be prepared for the trials of life, the agonies of 
 death, the solemnities of the judgement, and the felici- 
 ties of the eternal world ; so shall we inherit the un- 
 searchable treasures of grace and glory. 
 
 XIY. 
 
 THE ADVANTAGES OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT CON- 
 TRASTED WITH THE BLESSINGS OF THE SPIRI- 
 TUAL KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST.* 
 
 [preached at BRroGE-STREET MEETING, BRISTOL, SEPTEMBER, 1822, 
 FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.] 
 
 2 Sam. vii. 16, 17. — Thine house and thy kingdom shall be established 
 for ever before thee : thy throne shall be established for ever. Ac- 
 carding to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Na- 
 than speak u7ito David. 
 
 These words, you are aware, are part of the message 
 which the Lord addressed to David by the mouth of 
 Nathan, at the time when David meditated raising the 
 temple to the Lord. He was not indeed permitted to 
 execute that design, but the Lord accepted him " ac- 
 cording to all that was in his heart ;" and commissioned 
 the prophet Nathan to assure him, that his throne and 
 kingdom should be confirmed, without interruption and 
 termination, to his lineal successors, without ever again 
 suflfering such an instance of the departure of divine 
 favour as that which had occurred in the removal of the 
 family of Saul from the throne : " Thz/ throne shall be 
 established for ever." This promise was verified to the 
 
 * Printed from the Notes of the Rev. Thomas Grinfield. 
 
221^ CIVIL GOVERNMENTS CONTRASTED 
 
 successors of David In so extraordinary a manner, as 
 compels us to regard their history as an example of the 
 particular intention and interposition of God's provi- 
 dence. The direct line of succession -was preserved un- 
 broken (with a single exception, that of Athaliah,* 
 which was of short continuance) in the house of Da- 
 vid ; and, while the history of the kings of Israel (after 
 the separation of the ten tribes under Rehoboam's reign) 
 became a subject of some perplexity by perpetual irregu- 
 larities in the succession, it is remarkable that the kings 
 of Judah succeed each other in perfect order, during a 
 period of five hundred years. It is true, that during a 
 long interval, — from the captivity to the incarnation of 
 our blessed Lord, — the throne of Judah, as well as that 
 of Israel, fell into a state of deep decline and depres- 
 sion, so that the traces of its history are almost extinct : 
 yet still the house of David existed^ it was still preserved 
 and known ; — the kingdom was in a state of abeyance — 
 of suspended^ not abolished^ exercise : and it w^as resumed 
 and renewed^ and improved into higher glories, in the 
 person of Jesus Christ ; — the true, spiritual, substantial 
 David; of whose kingdom (it cannot reasonably be 
 doubted by any) that of David himself was at once a 
 type and a j?art. The empire of Christ w^as the sequel 
 and consummation of that which had originated in the 
 son of Jesse ; — and hence our Saviour is so often styled 
 the Son of David. The angel at his nativity announced 
 him as " He who should be great, and should sit upon 
 the throne of his father David, and of whose kingdom 
 there should be no end ;" while the evangelists, for the 
 same reason, take pains to convince us that he descended 
 from David by an exact genealogy. The perpetuity^ so 
 emphatically promised in the text and many other places, 
 to the kingdom of David^ immediately pointed to the 
 everlasting reign of Messiah, to which alone that attri- 
 bute could strictly belong. Om: Saviour inherited this 
 empire, not in consequence of his essential divinity, but 
 of his incarnation and his mediatorial undertaking. His 
 
 • 2 Rings, chap. xi. 
 
WITH THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM. 229 
 
 diviniti/, of which I trust all present are deeply convinced, 
 was a requisite indeed, but it was not (properly speak- 
 ing) the cause of his receiving and exercising this spiri- 
 tual dominion. Unless he had been a person of the most 
 Holy Trinity, it is evident he could not have sustained 
 a sovereignty which requires universal knowledge and 
 power : but his Deitt/ could not have been the reason of 
 his sustaining it ; or else the Father and the Holy Spirit, 
 being each Divine, must have inherited this throne as 
 well as the Son of God. If all power was committed to 
 him, it Avas (as he declares) because he was the Son of 
 Man. Like the typical David, He approached and as- 
 cended to his throne, through much difficulty and suffer- 
 ing ; he had to combat and conquer many and malicious 
 enemies : though, during his ministry on earth, he ga- 
 thered about him a few friends and followers — (as David 
 had also done, amidst the persecutions of Saul) —it was 
 not until he had risen from the grave, and was ready to 
 ascend to heaven, that he could use that triumphant lan- 
 guage, " All power is given unto Me in heaven and in 
 earth !" The commencement of his reign may be dated 
 from his resuiTection, or from his session at the Father's 
 right hand : it was then the Father said, " Sit thou on 
 my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." 
 Ever since that era he has continued and advanced his 
 empire ; and (as the apostle observes) He must go on 
 reigning until " he hath put all enemies under his feet." 
 
 In the following remarks let me request your candid 
 attention— ^r^^, to the principal advantages to be ex- 
 pected in a well-ordered government on earth; and, 
 then., to the corresponding., and infinitely more important 
 advantages, which may be enjoyed under the spiritual 
 government of Jesus Christ. 
 
 I. The first and primary advantage expected from 
 every Avell-constituted human government is security., 
 and the sense of security. The depravity of our nature 
 has introduced such a universal selfishness and rapacity 
 among mankind in their natural state, that men in 
 every age and country have been convinced of the ex- 
 pediency and necessity of attempting to organise some 
 
230 CIVIL GOVERNaiKNTS CONTRASTED 
 
 form of government for the pm-pose of their common 
 security. T\Tiile every individual is left to exert his 
 own power as he chooses, none can he secure either 
 in his property or person : it becomes absolutely indis- 
 pensable, therefore, if men would escape the intolerable 
 evils of such a state, to collect and embody this scat- 
 tered and uncertain force of the many, in some public 
 depository of power : such a provision is necessary for 
 the protection and preservation of every community. 
 Hence almost all nations, even the most uncivilized, 
 have attempted some constitution of this kind, however 
 rude, for the prevention or the redress of those injuries 
 to which the subjects were continually liable by the 
 passions of our nature. Where the supreme power is 
 lodged in the person of one^ the government is called 
 a monarchy ; where it is reposed in the hands of a 
 feiOy an aristocracy ; and where the people share it in 
 common among themselves, it becomes a democracy. 
 "Whatever may be the imperfections attaching to each 
 of these modes of government, the worst is preferable 
 to a state of society destitute of public authority and 
 law : in such a state there can exist not only no secu- 
 rity, but no tranquillity ; it must be a state of perpetual 
 apprehension and terror, in which none would feel them- 
 selves free to pursue either the arts of life or the acqui- 
 sitions of trade. Even when an individual might him- 
 self escape for a time the assaults of rapacity, in such a 
 state he would have to endure (what w^ould be perhaps 
 to some a still greater evil) the fearful expectation of his 
 turn to suifer ; and the nearer he beheld the acts of out- 
 rage, the deeper must be the impression of alarm on his 
 mind, — ^just as (if a humble illustration may be excused) 
 when a stone is thro-wn into water, while the agitation 
 is greatest at the spot where it falls, the effect extends 
 in the circles that are formed around, though it becomes 
 more and more faint as they recede farther from the 
 centre. 
 
 But the utmost degree of personal security that can be 
 enjoyed under any form of civil power, is a most imper- 
 fect shadow of the safety which Jesus Christ bestows 
 
WITH THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM. 231 
 
 upon the subjects of his spiritual reign. Until a man 
 submits to His mediatorial authority, he remains ex- 
 posed to unutterable evils. He out^ht to feel perpetual 
 anxiety and alarm ; for, in the declared judgement of 
 God, he is in a state oi condemnation and death : — "he 
 that belie veth not in the Son of God is condemned al- 
 ready ;" he that is not " quickened together with Christ 
 Jesus" is " dead in trespasses and sins :" he is a criminal 
 under sentence of execution, and only respited for a brief 
 and uncertain period ; the sword of divine justice, sus- 
 pended over him, may fall at any moment, and he is lost 
 for ever. This is certainly the condition of every un- 
 converted sinner, — every one that has not yielded himself 
 a willing subject to Jesus Christ his Lord. But " kiss 
 the Son ;" yield yourself as such a subject to Hiin ; and, 
 from that moment, you are placed in a state of perfect 
 securiti/ ; you are saved with a great salvation^ — protected 
 from the wrath of God, from the dread of eternity, from 
 the misery of sin ; according to the prophet's beautiful 
 description of our Saviour — " In that day a King shall 
 reign in righteousness ; and a Man shall be as a covert 
 from the storm, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary 
 land." The subjects of Jesus Christ, justified by faith, 
 have peace with God. The last donation he promised 
 his disciples was peace : — " Peace I leave with you ; 
 my peace I give unto you : not as the world giveth give 
 I unto you." " My peace !" — the same peace which 
 filled the bosom of the eternal Son of God, when, having 
 finished his work, he was acknowledged by the Father 
 as his " beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased." 
 For, "because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the 
 Spirit of His Son into your hearts," — of His Son, the 
 first-born of many brethren. And (as the apostle ar- 
 gues) " if God be for us, who shall be against us ? Who 
 shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? Shall 
 God that justifieth ? "Who is he that condemneth ? 
 Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen for us ? Who 
 shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ 
 Jesus our Lord ?" — The church of Christ, as a collective 
 society, is invested with absolute security ; it is a city 
 
232 CIVIL GOVERNMENTS CONTRASTED 
 
 on whose walls is engraven the name " Jehovah Sham- 
 MAH, THE Lord is there !" it stands fast " like Mount 
 Sion that cannot he moved ;" it is founded on a Rock, 
 and that Rock is Christ : He has " all power in heaven 
 and earth" for its preservation ; and not " the gates of 
 hell shall prevail against it." But a portion of this ge- 
 neral security of the body belongs to every member of 
 it : evevT/ believer in Christ enjoys the same ; and, as he 
 grows in grace and knowledge, he enjoys also the sense 
 of this security ; he feels himself at peace with God ; 
 this peace keeps and fortifies his heart and mind against 
 every assailing trouble ; and, on the most trying occa- 
 sions, he learns to say Avith humble confidence, " I ^vill 
 go forth in the strength of the Lord." 
 
 2. The second benefit expected from human govern- 
 ments is liberty. So far as this advantage is consistent 
 with the former, or with the public security, the more 
 largely it is enjoyed the better. Every diminution of 
 liberty, except such as is necessary to our j^rotection from 
 evils which might otherwise be apprehended, is itself 
 just so much redundant evil. All wanton, all merely 
 arbitrary restrictions, upon the freedom of individuals, 
 are to be regarded as some of the greatest calamities 
 wdiich mankind can sustain from each other ; inasmuch 
 as they strike directly at those principles of free thought 
 and action which are the sources of all noble enterprise, 
 energy, and excellence. Restraint, that cannot be jus- 
 tified by the production of some greater benefit than 
 could be attained without it, is not imperfection ; it is 
 injustice. But, suppose the utmost possible degree of 
 civil liberty enjoyed, what is it in comparison with that 
 spiritual, real freedom, which Jesus Christ confers ? The 
 former is, at the best, only an external, circumstantial 
 blessing ; it does not enter into the inner man. But 
 "if the Son shall make you free, you shall he free in- 
 deed : " where the Spirit of the Lord is," thei^e is the 
 only true liberty. The Christian is the genuine free- 
 man, and none beside is such except in name. His in- 
 deed is a glorious liberty : from the moment he enters 
 into the kingdom of grace and truth, he is loosed out of 
 
"WITH THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM. 233 
 
 prison, and leaves his bonds behind ; invigorated with a 
 divine strength, he purposes, and it stands fast ; he tri- 
 umphs over himself ; he is victorious over the world with 
 all its allurements or afflictions ; he tramples upon the 
 greatest tyrants, — the poimrs of darkness, the rulers of 
 the disobedient ; from that moment he is emancipated 
 from the spirit of bondage ; he walks at liberty ; he can 
 look beyond the grave ; humble and yet confident, pros- 
 trate, and yet not confounded, even in the prospect of 
 appearing before God ; and, having overcome all, he 
 " sits down in heavenly places with Jesus Christ," — even 
 as He also, having overcome all by death, sat doAvn in 
 glory at the right hand of his Father. This is a perfect 
 liberty : not an evil can be felt or feared, but it may be 
 thus removed. This is an immortal, everlasting liberty; 
 a freedom which confers on its possessors the sublime 
 title of " the sons and daughters of the Lord God Al- 
 mighty." 
 
 3. The next advantage derived from a good govern- 
 ment is, plenty. To secure this advantage, you are aware 
 that there are arrangements in nature, in a great measure 
 independent of human institutions, and beyond the con- 
 trol of human policy. But perhaps, in this respect, 
 tliere has been often much error on the part of those in 
 power. In general it may be asserted that humayi laws 
 should not interfere too much : no set of men can be sup- 
 posed to understand the interests of particular classes as 
 well as the individuals concerned understand their own 
 interests. Every one should be left at liberty, as far as 
 possible, to choose his oimi way in pursuing his own 
 prosperity ; and the aggregate prosperity of the nation 
 will be best consulted by allowing the utmost scope to 
 that of every individual. The prevailing tendency in 
 every government is to legislate too much : and here, it 
 may just be remarked, there are two obvious evils to be 
 avoided ; — those who legislate should be careful, in the 
 first place, not to lay on too many impositions ; and, 
 secondly, not to introduce any unnecessary restrictions. 
 The utmost that human wisdom can achieve must be 
 imperfect : under the best system of government there 
 
234 CIVIL GOVERNMENTS CONTRASTED 
 
 must remain many cases of poverty and distress ; but in 
 the kingdom of Jesus Christ there exists an infinite 
 plenty of all the provisions that can be desired for all 
 the wants of the soul. None are neglected here : the 
 poorest may be enriched beyond the most splendid opu- 
 lence of this world, even with " the unsearchable riches 
 of Christ ;" as the apostles, '' though jyoor, could make 
 many rich^ — though they had nothing^ they possessed all 
 things." For in Jesus Christ " all fulness" dwells, for 
 the supply of spiritual destitution. " Fulness" of know- 
 ledge : knowledge is the great distinction of the mind, — 
 and here is all spiritual knowledge. Christ is himself 
 the msdom of God : to know him is to attain at once 
 the highest knowledge ; it is to have the spirit which 
 " searcheth all things, even the deep things of God," and 
 ultimately to " know even as we are known." " Fulness'* 
 of holiness : holiness is the proper riches and beauty of 
 the soul ; and the subjects of Christ are created anew in 
 holiness after His image. " Fulness" of consolation : the 
 greatest comforts that ever visited the troubled heart of 
 man, are those which flow from Christ as their fountain; 
 it is He who has brought to light consolations entirely 
 new, such as had never before entered into the thoughts 
 of men ; and well might he say, " Let 7iot your hearts 
 he troubled; ye believe in God., believe also in me." " Fvd- 
 ness," once more, as it respects the inheritance in re- 
 serve ; — " an inheritance incorruptible., undejiled^ and 
 that fadeth not away ; — of which the saints have at 
 certain seasons a present sense and foretaste, though 
 the light of eternity is required to display its real ex- 
 tent, — to display the accessible fulness of the present 
 Sa^viour. These are durable treasures : they can never 
 be taken away from us, — they form part of ourselves, — 
 they are carried about with us wherever we go ; no 
 moth corrupts, no thief invades. There can exist no 
 distinction here between the rich and the poor ; no room 
 for the frown of pride, or luxurious excess on the one 
 side, while we behold despised poverty and pining want 
 on the other : all is equality and unity, the consequence 
 
WITH THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM. 235 
 
 of unlimited abundance, — abundance commensurate 
 with all the demands of a perishing universe. 
 
 4. A tendency to improvement in its social institutions, 
 is a fourth benefit which ought to accompany every well- 
 ordered government. The best of those institutions are 
 such as will be at once jyermanent and progressive, by 
 their intrinsic wisdom and excellence, — by their adapta- 
 tion to all the varying circumstances of the nation, — by 
 their power of providing for unseen and possible emer- 
 gencies : they will gradually rise from security to con- 
 venience, and then exalt convenience into ornament— 
 into just refinement and diffused illumination : such has 
 been the aim of the greatest legislators. Under the 
 scorching climate of despotism all the fruits of the 
 mind are withered : a dull monotony prevails in the 
 moral scene; the powers of men, unable to expand, 
 attain only a dwarfish growth : while in a free state, 
 where liberty of thought is allowed to all, the faculties 
 and virtues have room for exercise, — they flourish as in 
 a climate congenial with their nature ; and such, on the 
 whole, is eminently the condition of this favoured and 
 distinguished country. 
 
 But the difference between the most moral and the 
 most flagitious of natural characters, is less than the dif- 
 ference that subsists between the subjects of Jesus Christ 
 and the children of this world ; because the latter is the 
 difference between the spiritually dead and living. " The 
 wisdom of God" is discovered to those only who believe 
 in Jesus Christ ; all others sit in darkness : for, " after 
 that, in the wisdom of God, the world hy icisdom knew 
 not God, it pleased God hy the foolishness of preaching 
 to save them that believe." We see this verified in all the 
 history of nations. Without pretending to determine 
 how tar human reason may proceed alo7ie^ it may be 
 safely affirmed that the least instructed portion of every 
 country in which Christianity is professed, possess far 
 juster views of the leading truths of religion, — such as 
 the character of God, the nature of sin, the obligation of 
 viHue, the eternal world, — than ever were entertained by 
 the most inc^uiring pagans. The great abstractions of 
 
236 CIVli, GOVERNMENTS CONTRASTED 
 
 the gospel were never touched by man^ — they remained 
 shut up in the bosom of Deity ; and there they must 
 have remained for ever, had not He disclosed them by 
 Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. They surpass the 
 natural mind in its widest excursions, its profoundest re- 
 searches, its sublimest elevations. Yet these are the 
 vital essential principles of the soul, — these are the germs 
 of all excellence and happiness, — these, wherever they 
 are known, are found to have a purifying and an exalt- 
 ing influence upon mankind, — these eflPectually tend to 
 moralize and beautify society. The gospel empire pos- 
 sesses in itself interminable energies, and tendencies to 
 benefit its subjects. No other reason can be assigned 
 why our country and Europe should differ so greatly 
 from the ancient nations, and should so far excel the 
 most cultivated among them, regarded in a moral esti- 
 mate ; no other reason than this, that the light of Jesus 
 Christ has shone upon us like a finer Sun — the " Sun of 
 Righteousness." All those elysian images of prophecy, 
 which paint vaih. so much beauty the latter days of the 
 world, are nothing, in their substantial fulfilment, but 
 the impress of Jesus Christ on the minds and manners 
 of mankind, the image of Christianity embodied in 
 society, " the earth filled with the knowledge of the Lord^' 
 and righteousness dwelling in the new-created universe. 
 
 5. The fifth and last requisite of a w^ll-constituted 
 government is stability : this is the crown of all its other 
 advantages. Nothing can be w^anting to such a reign 
 but that it should last : and this is what the text em- 
 phatically expresses, — " Thy throne shall he established 
 for emr : " as the Psalmist says of the Messiah, " He 
 shall reign as long as the sun and moon endure!' In this 
 the kingdom of Da>id was an emblem, however faint, 
 of that w^hich would be erected by Jesus Christ ; won- 
 derfully presei-ved as was the throne of Judah, while the 
 greatest monarchies were marked by pei-petual vicissi- 
 tudes : the kings of Israel were ever changing in their 
 line, while the descendants of David maintained a direct 
 succession. No Roman emperor, with the exception of 
 Vespasian, was followed by his proper successor, during 
 
WITH THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM. 237 
 
 a hundred and fifty years from the time of Julius Ca?sar; 
 they passed and chased one anotlier like shadows. Here^ 
 meanwhile, " in the house of Judah," was a preternatu- 
 ral stability, destined as an image (though an imperfect 
 image) of the fixed, indestructilile empire of Jesus Christ. 
 His throne has never been shaken for a moment ; He 
 has appeared without a rival in the field. Who has ever 
 dared to question His pretensions ? who has dared to 
 challenge a comparison with Him in prophecies^ in mira- 
 cles^ in virtues^ in doctrines ? Not a doubt has been en- 
 tertained among competent judges of his being the true 
 Messiah ; all the servants of God have been ready, in 
 reference to His dominion, to adopt the well-known ex- 
 clamation of an excellent man, " Esto perpetua /"* Of 
 His kingdom let there be no end. We may truly say, 
 " Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a 
 vain thing ? The kings of the world stand up, and the 
 rulers take counsel against the Lord and his Messiah ; 
 but He shall break their bonds asunder, and dash them 
 in pieces like a potters vessel." There has appeared on 
 earth no other universal interest than this ; — none which 
 has bound all hearts together as the heart of one man. 
 In minor points we may follow a thousand different 
 paths ; but when the question is, whether Jesus Christ 
 shall reio;n, — whether the kingdom of Jesus Christ 
 shall be extended, — we are ready to forget all our distinc- 
 tions, — we are all united, — we are all as one man. Not 
 that the stability of His kingdom depends merely on hu- 
 man exertions : God has staked his character and all 
 his perfections upon its establishment ; He has pledged 
 his word and oath for its success : — " The jealousy of 
 the Lord of Hosts will do this, for the mouth of the 
 Lord hath spoken it." 
 
 Nothing but the extension of this empire is necessary 
 to change the wilderness into a paradise, and exalt the 
 condition of earth into a resemblance of heaven. And 
 we have reason to hope the destined period is not re- 
 
 • The last words of Paul Sarpi, expressive of his wish for the im- 
 mortal glory of his country, to whose cause he died a martyr. 
 
238 THE ENLARGEMENT OP 
 
 mote : our children's children may live to witness the 
 cessation of wars under the sceptre of the Prince of 
 Peace ; — to witness the expectation of eternity and hear- 
 Ten diffused among all the partakers of our nature. 
 Lend your helping hand to the promotion of such an 
 object. Convert base riches, "the mammon of unright- 
 eousness," into the means of imparting spiritual treasure, 
 the instrument of conveying " an exceeding and eternal 
 weight of glory," — into a link, an important link, in the 
 chain that connects earth with heaven. You are not 
 called out to endure the burden and heat of the day ; 
 you are permitted, while sitting under your vine and fig- 
 tree, to assist, in a way at once easy and effectual, the 
 diffusion of the privileges and immunities of this hea- 
 yenly kingdom over the whole world ; the recovery of a 
 vast neglected portion of our race to the happy condition 
 of those who are the subjects of Jesus Christ. 
 
 XY. 
 
 THE ENLARGEMENT OF CHRISTIAN BENEVO- 
 LENCE.* 
 
 [preached for the baptist mission, at BROADMEAD, BRISTOL, 
 
 AUGUST 6, 1824.] 
 
 2 Cor. vi. 13. — Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto 
 my children,) be ye also enlarged. 
 
 The Corinthian church was early infested by false 
 teachers, who opposed themselves to the apostle Paul, 
 and, forming their own sects -and factions, endeavoured 
 to substitute their cori-uptions of the faith for his pure 
 and divine doctrine. To the cure of this disease he had 
 addressed himself in a former, and he pursued the same 
 design in this epistle. In doing this, he found himself 
 compelled, though the humblest of men, to remind the 
 
 * Printed from the Notes of the Rev. Thomas Grinfield. 
 
CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 239 
 
 Corinthians of the extraordinary evidences he had given 
 of the most devoted zeal in the cause of Christ, while he 
 adverted to his manifold sacrifices and exertions. In the 
 context he speaks in the affectionate language of a parent 
 appealing to his children : " O ye Corinthians, our 
 mouth is open to you, our heart is enlarged : ye are not 
 straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 
 Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my 
 children,) be ye also enlarged." Endeavour (as if he 
 said) to meet me upon the same ground of affectionate 
 attachment, on which I desire to embrace you in Christ. 
 In discoursing on these Avords, I propose, for our mutual 
 advantage, first, to illustrate in what this enlargement 
 consists, and, secondly, to enforce it. 
 
 I. With respect to the first point, — in what the en- 
 largement mentioned in the text consists, — let it be re- 
 marked, first, that it is not to be understood as consisting 
 in expansion of intellect^ in that kind of mental enlarge- 
 ment which arises from the discoveries of science and 
 philosophy : for this, however ornamental, or however 
 useful it may be, is by no means necessarily connected 
 with a divine influence on the heart. Nothing can be 
 more familiar to our knowledge or observation, than the 
 melancholy instances of those in whose character ex- 
 treme deficiencies and blemishes of a moral kind form a 
 striking contrast to brilliancy of intellect. It is suffi- 
 cient, in illustration, to remind you of the examples 
 which have been so abimdantly furnished by a neigh- 
 bouring kingdom. Probably, there may exist some re- 
 mote tendency in intellectual enlai-gement, to expand the 
 heart in benevolent sensibility ; but the connexion is not 
 so close, nor the effect so certain, as to justify any great 
 dependence ; and those who infer from the improvement 
 of reason a proportionate advancement in virtue, will 
 find their expectation too often frustrated. 
 
 There are others who flatter themselves that they pos- 
 sess superior enlargement of soul to most around them, 
 because they entertain an equal indifference to all the 
 vanities of human opinion in religious subjects, and feel 
 no regard for any sect or creed. This would, no doubt, 
 
240 THE ENLARGEMENT OF 
 
 be a very cheap and easy doctrine to embrace : by those 
 who are indifferent, concessions are easili/ made to almost 
 any extent ; and there can be no great liberality in sa- 
 crificing truth, where no real attachment to truth is felt. 
 In the apostle Paul we find the reverse of such a charac- 
 ter : exactly in proportion as he became attached and 
 devoted to " the truth as it is in Jesus," he exhibited 
 the increase of his real benevolence and self-denpng ex- 
 ertions. Genuine enlargement of charity consists in 
 seeking the salvation of men, — not in complimenting 
 them with a pretended candour. Nothing can be really 
 more cruel, however varnished with a gloss of liberality, 
 than the attempt to explain away the most clear and 
 awful sanctions of divine truth, when we are expressly 
 assured, " he that believeth, shall be saved ; he that be- 
 lieveth not, shall be damned ! " True spiritual wisdom 
 is sho^^^l, — not in such a promiscuous confusion of all 
 parts of truth, but in proportioning our regard for every 
 part to its own importance and magnitude. 
 
 On the positive side of the subject : the christian en- 
 largement recommended consists in a real benevolence to 
 the whole church of Christ, as opposed to any selfish 
 views of our own salvation, or of oar own church, as ex- 
 clusively concerned. The nearer we approximate to 
 universal love, the higher we ascend in the scale of 
 chi-istian excellence. There are some, though we would 
 hope the number is small, who live solely to themselves : 
 who are so perfectly absorbed in selfishness as to neglect 
 all around them ; who regard whatever does not conduce 
 to their o^Yn immediate gain or pleasure as so much 
 loss : the proper sentiment we should entertain toward 
 the spirit these exemplify, is that of supreme contempt. 
 
 Others limit their benevolence to the circle of their 
 own family, or of their acquaintance ; these rise above 
 the former in proportion as they possess more of the en- 
 largement we would illustrate ; they mingle their affec- 
 tions with others^ and identify their happiness ^vith that 
 of those who are most nearly connected with them- 
 selves. 
 
 Others advance fiir beyond this : they extend their 
 
CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 241 
 
 benevolent interest over a much wider circle ; tliey feel 
 for every case of distress, and rejoice in every opportu- 
 nity of benefit that falls within their view. Their emo- 
 tions are of the same kind with the former, but, taking 
 an ampler range, they proportionably raise the moral 
 character. 
 
 But suppose the wJiole nation to be embraced by an 
 individual ; suppose him forgetful of all merely personal 
 or private interests, to devote himself entirely to the 
 public benefit of his country ; he holds the scales of jus- 
 tice, — he allays discord, alleviates the wretchedness of 
 want, exposes his very life in the service of the state ; 
 and in every respect acts under the impression of his 
 forming only a part of the whole. Here is a fin- higher 
 order of character ; and the reason is, that it has more 
 of the true enlargement recommended by the apostle. 
 And this is the utmost extent of human benevolence, 
 apart from the divine religion of Jesus Christ. The 
 proud Roman confined all his benevolence to the city of 
 Rome, and regarded the remoter provinces merely as 
 subservient to the wealth and splendour of that enormous 
 capital j while all the w orld, beyond the limits of the 
 empire, was despised as a mass of despicable barbarism. 
 To view the w^orld as one united whole, — mankind as 
 one family, all nations as one hlood^ — springing from one 
 Father of all, tending to one destiny, — this enlargement 
 of heart, however just and natural, never entered into 
 the views, or at least never regulated the conduct, of the 
 most enlightened men in the pagan world. 
 
 But suppose us enabled to open our eyes to a com- 
 prehensive view of mankind as one vast family ; suppose 
 the Divine Being to have clearly discovered himself as 
 the Universal Father, of whom all are alike the children 
 by nature^ and from whom all have alike departed by 
 sin : suppose him to have shown us that all are in the 
 same lapsed condition, and that one gi'eat method of re- 
 covery has been provided for all : that there is one im- 
 mense society of holy beings, whether men or angels, to 
 which we are all invited by the gospel : what should be 
 the efi'ect of such a revelation, but first to attach us to 
 
 VOL. VI. R 
 
242 THE ENLARGEMENT OF 
 
 God as, our common centre, and then to the whole family 
 of man as called to form the church of God ? — for, in such 
 a view, we come to an innumerable company of angels, 
 to the general assembly of the saints, — to God the 
 Judge of all, — to Jesus Christ the mediator between 
 God and man ! 
 
 II. In the second place, I proceed to enforce this 
 spirit of christian enlargement, by reminding you of 
 some of its motives and reasons. 
 
 1. First, this spirit is perfectly reasonable and in har- 
 mony with nature ; — with nature, that is, as the produc- 
 tion of God, though not as transformed by sin. This 
 enlargement of soul is one of the great lines of demar- 
 cation between man and the inferior creation — this pro- 
 perty of his mind, by which he is capable of considering 
 himself as part of the whole, — capable of abstracting 
 and generalizing his ideas, and of forming a conception 
 of contributing to the moral system. The more pious, 
 the more truly enlightened men become, the more they 
 feel and cherish this most important sentiment, this 
 moral abstraction and expansion. Again we are evi- 
 dently so circumstanced in the present world, that we are 
 perpetually and inevitably led out of ourselves : it is im- 
 possible to lay doA^^l any practicable system of conduct 
 which would insulate us from our species, and confine us 
 to ourselves entirely. There are several natural emotions 
 of the mind that are purely social and benevolent : such 
 is the sentiment of j^iti/ or compassion, which it is im- 
 possible to explain on any other supposition. Pity 
 identifies us with others : those who have attempted to 
 resolve it into a selfish pleasure as its origin, forget that 
 this pleasure itself must be traced to a previous concern 
 for distress as its cause. It is absurd to suppose we 
 ■must first feel the pleasure, and then exercise the pity ; 
 this is to mistake the effect for the cause, and to leave 
 no lasis for the emotion. In all our social affections, 
 supposing them genuine and not merely pretended, we 
 act on the ground of a disinterested benevolence ; we 
 make our happiness out of that of others : it is their 
 happiness, not our oivn, that we primarily seek. 
 
CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 243 
 
 2. Further : this enlargement agrees with the genius 
 of Christianity, — of that divine system under which we 
 profess to he forming our character. For what is Chris- 
 tianity ? It is to believe in the redemption of the world 
 by Christ the Son of God. This is the simplest view of 
 revelation ; but this Is the grand display of the divine 
 benevolence : " Herein is love : not that we loved God^ 
 biU that he loved us^ and gave his Son a ransom for us!' 
 " God so loved the worlds that he gave his only-begotten 
 Son" &c. It is this fact to which your attention is di- 
 rected ; the fact alone is stated ; those who are not 
 moved by such a fact as this, no conceptions of thought, 
 no eloquence of words, nothing that can be added, can 
 reach their hearts ! Such a gift of God — such a con- 
 descension of Christ — speaks for itself, or none can 
 speak for it. Hence the apostle declares, " The love of 
 Christ constrains us" bears us along with Itself in the 
 same direction, impels us towards the same object^ identi- 
 Jies us Avith the love of Christ to sinners, and the glory 
 of God in their salvation. Such an example of compas- 
 sionate benevolence, — of enlargement of heart, — once 
 perceived and felt, absorbs the soul. In the spectacle of 
 " God manifested in the flesh," the greatest extremes and 
 contrarieties are united ; majesty and meanness the most 
 distant ; the highest excellence and the lowest degrada- 
 tion ! And the natural effect Is to assimilate our hearts ; 
 the first fruit of the Spirit of Christ on his apostles was 
 union. The earliest disciples began at once to organize 
 themselves into a body, all standing fast in one fellow- 
 ship, all minding the same thing, all drinking of the 
 same Spirit : they gave themselves " first to the Lord, 
 and then to each other •" they loved one another as bre- 
 tlu*en in Christ Jesus. 
 
 In the communion of the saints, such as theirs, the 
 rich blessings of the gospel are most deeply enjoyed. 
 At first the apostles, not sufficiently illuminated, retained 
 some remains of their exclusive prejudices, some linger- 
 ing of that selfishness which is the old plague and epi- 
 demical malady of liuman nature. They aimed at 
 narrowing and monopolizing the gospel within the circle 
 r2 
 
244 THE ENLARGEMENT OF 
 
 of Jewish proselytes. But, as the Sun of Righteousness 
 rose with increasing brightness upon their minds, they 
 purged off their prejudices, and came early to a perfect 
 compliance with the injunction — " Go ye into all the 
 worlds and preach the gospel to every creature:" they 
 understood and proclaimed that there was " neither 
 Greek^ nor Jew^ harharian^ Scythian^ bond, nor free." 
 And the same spirit is realised in proportion as men are 
 christianized : they live " kindly affectioned one toward 
 another ; forhearhig and forgiving, even as God for 
 Christ's sake hath forgiven themselves : they feel that 
 ''''none of us liveth to himself and none dieth to himself" 
 The most eminent saints have been shining examples of 
 this : Moses prayed that he might be blotted out of God's 
 book, rather than all the people. The apostle Paul, per- 
 haps, above the whole apostolic college, exhibited the 
 love of his Master imparted to his mind : he could even 
 wish himself accursed for the sake of his brethren ; he 
 sympathized with every member of the christian body : 
 " Who is weak, and I am not weak 9 who is offended, and 
 I hum not ? " &c. ; " beside that which cometh upon me 
 daily, the care of all the churches!' 
 
 '7 3. This enlarged benevolence may be farther enforced 
 by its aspect on our orvn happiness. This, indeed, is a 
 secondary motive, — secondary to the glory of God, the 
 ultimate end of all things, and to the precepts of Christ, 
 the authoritative rule of conduct. We are not to seek 
 our ovm happiness in any other way than that which is 
 consistent with these : but here it may be tmly said, 
 " He that loves his life shall lose it, and he that loses his 
 life for the gospel shall find it." The more we embody 
 ourselves and our happiness with the interest of others. 
 — the interests of the whole, the more in reality we con- 
 sult our o^vn happiness. In the pursuit of any merely 
 solitary schemes, we shall reap only disappointment : if 
 "we attempt to detach ourselves from the general mass, to 
 individualize ourselves from the community of our spe- 
 cies, we shall be imp?^isoned and poit in. When the 
 barriers of selfishness are broken doAMi, and the current 
 of benevolence is suffered to flow generously abroad, and 
 
CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 245 
 
 circulate far and near around, then we are In a capacity 
 of the greatest and best enjoyment. Happiness must be 
 sought, not so much in a direct as in an indirect way, — 
 the Avay which has been marked by God and by Jesus 
 Christ. In order to be happy in any high degree, we 
 must abandon ourselves, according to his will, and after 
 the pattern of his Son, to the temporal and spiritual 
 benefit of mankind. The apostle was a bright illustra- 
 tion of this : he laid himself out in body and soul, — he 
 spent and was spent for others : filled with the most en- 
 larged views of the glory of God as displayed in the sal- 
 vation of men, — ravished with the ineffable beauty of 
 redemption, — he was ready to do and suffer all things 
 that might be required in the promotion of such an end ; 
 and the prisoner at Philippi and Rome was infinitely 
 happier than Nero on the throne. 
 
 Some may suppose an exception must be made in fa- 
 vour of the private exercises of devotion. Devotional 
 pleasures may be enjoyed, perhaps, in the highest de- 
 gree, in retirement ; but we may err in extremes even 
 here : we must not be epicures even in devotion. It is 
 possible to be so intent upon meditative duties, as to de- 
 viate from the appointed course of social usefulness, as 
 it is made manifest in the character of Jesus Christ and 
 his apostles. 
 
 Would you escape the corrosions of domestic afflic- 
 tion, beware of concentring your affections within too 
 confined a circle of beloved objects, lest, like Micah, 
 when deprived of his images of worship, you be con- 
 strained to cry, " Ye have taken away my gods." Be 
 assured, my brethren, the more you diffuse and multiply 
 yourselves upon a wide surface of benevolence, the bet- 
 ter you will be guarded against the afflictions and be- 
 reavements of life. The Christian, whose heart is en- 
 larged in love to his brethren, sows a soil that cannot 
 but yield him an abundant produce. 
 
 4. Lastly, this expanded benevolence is intimately 
 connected with the promotion of all public good. It 
 would be trifling with your attention to shoAv that its 
 influence on our usefulness is yet more direct than that 
 
246 THE ENLARGEMENT OF 
 
 which it exerts on our happiness. There is nothing on 
 ■which the present age may be more justly congratulated 
 than its attention to public good. In the duties of pri^ 
 nate devotion, in abstinence, and deadness to the world, 
 our ancestors have often greatly exceeded us : but, from 
 various causes, they manifested much less of this en- 
 larged christian benevolence ; they pursued salvation too 
 much as an insulated and a selfish concern. Great care 
 was taken to explain the most vital principles of reli- 
 gion, — to lay well the foundations of the sinner's peace 
 with God, — to build up the believer in all the highest 
 views of Christ and holiness : but a zealous activity in 
 the diffusion of Christianity was reserved to be the dis- 
 tinguishing feature of our own generation of the church. 
 It is wonderful to reflect that tliree hundred years have 
 passed since the protestant reformation, and yet that the 
 establishment of missions is, comparatively, an affair of 
 yesterday ; — that now, for the first time, christians ap- 
 pear to feel the force of the command, " Go ye into all 
 the world" Hence our multitude of sabbath and na- 
 tional schools ; — hence the Bible circulated by thousands 
 and by millions; — hence the consecrated use of our 
 commercial and naval advantages, to waft to the most 
 retired and unknown comers of the earth, treasures of 
 immensely greater value than any which had ever before 
 been earned abroad, even " the unsearchable riches of 
 Christ." 
 
 1. In conclusion, permit me briefly to suggest to you 
 two or three important modes of attaining this christian 
 enlargement of heart : — 
 
 1. In order to its attainment, you must, in the first 
 place, cultivate an acquaintance mth God ; " Acquaint 
 thyself Qvith God." Fii-st, draw near to the Father^ in 
 that new and living way which he has opened to your 
 approach by the sacrifice of his beloved Son : then will 
 this spii-it of benevolence, like an elastic fluid, circulate 
 from your heart to every human being : for " whoso loveth 
 him that hegot^ will also love all those that are begotten." 
 Once taste for yourself that the Lord is gracious, and then 
 go abroad, and, like the apostles, you will find that you 
 
CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 217 
 
 " cannot hut speak of ichat you have seen and heard:" or 
 like the Avoman of Samaria, you will call upon others, 
 " Come, and see a man who hath told ine all things that 
 ever I did; is 7iot this the Christ?" Begin ^er^; the 
 acts and exercises of benevolence will prove the natural 
 emanations of this holy foimtain. 
 
 2. In order to attain this principle, and to improve it, 
 we must exercise ourselves in prayer for the Holy Spirit's 
 influence. Spiritual influence from above is the true 
 element of our sanctification ; and by this alone can our 
 hearts be ti-uly enlarged in love to man. The ointment 
 which Christ received was the Holy Spirit ; and that 
 sacred unction must descend to the skirts of his clothing 
 — must be diffused among all his followers ; then chris- 
 tians will follow his example, who preached the gospel to 
 the poor^ gave light to the blind, and liberty to the cap- 
 tives : healed the broken-hearted, and proclaimed to all 
 around the redemption of our God. 
 
 3. Thirdly, and finally, if you w^ould cultivate an en- 
 larged spirit of love, connect yourself icith great objects of 
 beneficence. The mind takes a tincture from the objects 
 it pursues. If you engage your attention in the concerns 
 of christian philanthropy, your mind will be dilated in 
 proportion to your ardour — in the ratio of cause and 
 eff*ect. The way of extensive benevolence is now opened 
 and prepared by God : and it is become as much the duty 
 of every christian to assist foreign missions as to assist 
 the christian tninistry at home. From us, as from the 
 ancient Zion, must the word of the Lord go forth ; the 
 waters of the sanctuary must be diffused by our exertions 
 until, rising by degrees, they overspread all lands. The 
 only question with every one should be. What can I do 
 in the support of this great cause ? How can I touch 
 and quicken the springs and movements of that vast 
 machinery which is now in such extended operation ? 
 It is a day in which the voice of Providence to all is, 
 " Come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty!' 
 The powers of darkness are awake and zealous ; Satan 
 seeks to excite his agents to new activity, " In great 
 wraths because he knows that he has but a short time." 
 
248 CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 
 
 Our duty is to oppose his machinations with the only 
 antagonist force, — to set up the kingdom of Christ against 
 him. This has aheady been attempted with great suc- 
 cess. Missionaries have gone forth (Dr. Carey in 
 particular) in the true spirit of martyrs at the stake ; they 
 have deliberately and joyfully gone forth from their 
 country and their home into a perpetual and voluntary 
 exile. You^ my brethren, are called to no such sacrifices: 
 how different the circumstances in which you may fulfil 
 this part of your christian vocation ! — you have only to 
 sit still, to draw from your private store, and distribute a 
 portion of that supei^fluity with which Providence has 
 blessed you, and thus, while you remain at home, you 
 may touch the wheels of the machine which produces 
 such incalculable good. It is a happy circumstance of 
 the age in which we live, that even filthy lucre may thus 
 be transformed into a mean of the most extensive spiritual 
 beneficence. And what equal use can you make of your 
 substance ? When life is hastening to its close, the 
 world itself must pass away, with all that it contains ; 
 and true converts to Christianity are the only portion oi 
 its inhabitants, that shall emerge from its ruins and enter 
 into " the new heavens and the neic eaHh, wherein dwelleth 
 righteousness :" — the only portion that shall be gathered 
 together in an eternal and blessed society around the 
 throne of God and of the Lamb. The divisions and 
 distinctions of christians vanish away before such a pros- 
 pect. The spirit of missions, indeed, has proverbially 
 contributed to harmonize the church of Christ ; and to 
 give signs of the approach of that bright ^ra, when the 
 names of sect or party shall no more be heard, but all 
 shall form " one fold uiuler one Shepherd. — Finally, 
 remember that you are expected to act as stewards of the 
 manifold gifts of God ; that neutrality in a cause like 
 this is peculiarly detestable. Remember who has said, 
 '"''He that gathereth not with me., scattereth abroad:" 
 "vvhile He has declared, as an immutable axiom, that " it 
 is more blessed to give than to receive." Remember the 
 apostle's solemn charge, that you " trust not in uncertrii?i 
 riches, but in the living God, who giveth its richly all 
 
MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD. 249 
 
 things to enjoy : that you do good, and be ?'ich in good 
 works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate : laying 
 up in store for yourselves a good foundation against the 
 time to come, that you may lay hold on eternal life." 
 
 XYI. 
 
 MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD.* 
 
 [preached at bridge street, BRISTOL, SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 
 
 22, 1824.] 
 John v, 4S^. — But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. 
 
 The persons whom our Lord addressed in these words 
 made a high profession of religion, valued themselves 
 upon their peculiar opportunities of knowing the true 
 God and his will, and proclaimed themselves as the Israel 
 and the temple of the Lord, while they despised the 
 surrounding pagans as those who were strangers to the 
 divine law. Yet the self complacent Pharisees of our 
 Saviour's age were as far from the love of God, he assures 
 them in the text, as any of those Avho had never heard 
 of his name. In this respect, niany of " the first ivere 
 last, and the last first." The rejection of the gospel 
 evinces a hardness of heart w^hich is decisive against the 
 character ; and, in the case of the Pharisees, it gave 
 ample evidence that they possessed no love of God. 
 Had they really known God, as our Lord argues, they 
 would have known himself to he sent by God : whereas, 
 in proving the bitter enemies of Christ, they proved that 
 they were in a state of enmity against God. By parity 
 of reason, we, my brethren, who know God and his word 
 in the way of christian profession, ought not to take it 
 for granted that we possess the love of God, and are in 
 the way of eternal life : the same self-delusion may over- 
 
 • Printed from the Notes of the Rev. Thomas Grinfield. These 
 Notes present a vahiable example of that species of Mr. Hall's preach- 
 ing, in which, throughout the sermon, he kept pressing the application 
 upon the. consciences and hearts of his hearers. 
 
250 MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD. 
 
 take us also ; and similar admonitions may he no less 
 necessary to many present, than to the Pharisees of old. 
 Suffer then, my brethren, the word of exhortation, while 
 I invite each individual seriously to consider this subject, 
 with a view to the discovery of his real character. 
 
 In proceeding to lay down certain marks of grace, let 
 it be premised, that either these marks partake of the 
 nature of true religion, or they do not. If they do, they 
 must be identified with it, and here the mark is the thing : 
 if they do not partake of its nature, some of them may 
 exist as indications Avhere genuine religion is not. It is 
 necessary, then, that we combine a variety of particular 
 signs of gi-ace : any one taken by itself, may, or may Jiot, 
 exist, without true religion ; but where ma7ii/ are com- 
 bined, no just doubt can remain. 
 
 Whether you have the love of God in your soul, pre- 
 sents a most critical subject of inquiry ; since the love of 
 God will be acknowledged by all to be the great, the 
 essential, principle of true religion. The simple question 
 then, to which I would call your attention, is this, — 
 " Am I, or am I not, a sincere lover of the Author of 
 my being V 
 
 In endeavouring to assist you in the decision of this 
 momentous question, as it respects yourselves, 
 
 I. I shall entreat your attention while I suggest a 
 variety of marks which indicate love to God ; and, 
 
 II. Supposing the conviction produced by the state- 
 ment to be, that you have not the love of God, I shall 
 point out the proper improvement of such a conviction. 
 
 I. In suggesting various marks by which you may 
 ascertain whether you love God, or not, I would mention, 
 
 I. The general bent and turn of your thoughts, when 
 not imder the immediate control of circumstances ; for 
 these, you are aware, give a new and peculiar bias to our 
 thoughts, and stamp them with an impress of their own. 
 There is an infinite variety of thoughts continually pass- 
 ing through the mind of every individual ; of these, some 
 are thro%vn up by occasions ; but others, and often the 
 greater part, follow the habitual train of our associations. 
 It is not to thoughts of the former kind that I refer ; it 
 
MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD. 251 
 
 is to those of tlie latter class, — those voluntary thoughts 
 -which spring up of themselves in the mind of every per- 
 son : it is these, not the former, that afford clear indica- 
 tion of the general temper and disposition. The question 
 I would propose to you is. What is the bent of your 
 thoughts, when, disengaged from the influence of any 
 particular occurrence, you are left to yourselves^ in the 
 intervals of retirement and tranquillity, in the silence of 
 the midnight watches, and, in short, whenever your mind 
 is left free to its own spontaneous musings ? Are the 
 thoughts most familiar to your mind, at such times, 
 thoughts of God and the things of God ; — or, are they 
 thoughts that turn upon the present world and its tran- 
 sient concerns ? Are they confined, for the most part, 
 wathin the naiTOW circle of time and sense ; or, do they 
 make frequent and large excm-sions into the spiritual and 
 eternal Avorld ? The answer to this question will go far 
 to decide whether you have, or have not^ the love of God. 
 It is impossible that such an object as the Divine Being 
 should be absent long from your thoughts ; impossible 
 that his remembrance should long remain merged in the 
 stream of other imaginations ; unless you are supposed 
 chai'geable with a decided indifference to divine things ! 
 Unless you are destitute of love to God, you can never 
 be so utterly uncongenial in sentiment and feeling with 
 the Psalmist, when he says, " My mouth shall praise thee 
 with joyful lips, while I meditate upon thee in the night 
 watches :" " How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O 
 God !" When that man of God gazed upon the starry 
 heavens, his mind was not merely wrought into astonish- 
 ment at the physical energy there displayed ; he was still 
 more deeply lost in grateful admiration of the mercy of 
 Providence as manifested to mayi: — a sinful child of dust, 
 and yet visited by God in the midst of so magnificent a 
 universe ? But when day passes after day, and night 
 after night, without any serious thoughts of God, it is 
 plain that He is not the home of your mind, not your 
 portion^ centre^ and resting-place : and, if this is the case, 
 it is equally plain that you are not in a state of acceptance 
 with Him ; since nothing can be more certain than that 
 
252 MARES OF LOVE TO GOD. 
 
 as our thoughts are. siich must be oui- character. I do 
 not ask what are your thoughts at particular times, or 
 under the influence of some particular event : there may 
 be little difference, on some occasions, between those who 
 remember, and those who neglect God kabituallt/. The 
 charge against the ungodly is, that " God is not in all 
 their thoughts." If there are any here who feel this 
 charge as bearing against themselves, let them take that 
 solemn warning given by God himself at the close of the 
 fiftieth Psalm : " Oh consider this, ye that forget God, 
 lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver 
 you !" 
 
 2, Let me request you to consider seriously how you 
 stand disposed to the exerciser of religion. If God is the 
 object of your love, you will gladly avail yourselves of 
 the most favourable opportunities of cultivating a closer 
 friendship with the Father of your spirits : on the con- 
 trary, he who feels no regard for these opportunities, 
 proves that he has no love to God, and will never be able 
 to establish the conviction that God is his friend. 
 Wherever there exists a sincere friendship, opportunities 
 of cultivating it are gladly embraced, and the opposite 
 privations are regretted. Where an habitual neglect of 
 sacred exercises prevails, it must be interpreted as if it 
 said, like those whom the prophet describes, " Cause the 
 Holy One of Israel to cease from amongst us. Depart 
 from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways !" 
 If your closets seldom witness your private devotions, if 
 your moments in retirement are languid and uninterest- 
 ing, — your religion can have no hold on your heart ; and 
 the reason why your religion has no hold on yom' heart, 
 i& because you have no love of God. There are some 
 whose religion sits easy and delightful upon them ; its 
 acts and functions are free and lively ; there are others 
 who seem to bear their religion as a burthen, to drag their 
 duties as a chain — no vital part of themselves, but rather 
 a cumbrous appendage : this is a decisive and melancholy 
 symptom of a heart alienated from God. There is no 
 genuine religion, no real contact of the heart with the 
 best of beings, unless it makes us continually resort to 
 
MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD. 253 
 
 Him as our chief joy. The Psalmist is always expressing 
 his fervent desires after God : after the light of the 
 divine countenance, and the sense of the divine favour : 
 but do you suppose such desires peculiar to the state of 
 believers under the Old Testament ? iVo, my brethren ; 
 there exist more abundant reasons than ever, since the 
 gospel of Christ has been displayed in all the glorious 
 fulness of its blessings, why our souls should be inflamed 
 with such feelings as those which inspired the Psalmist, 
 when he exclaimed, " As the hart panteth for the water- 
 brooks, so longeth my soul after thee, O God !" 
 
 3. If you would ascertain whether you love God, con- 
 sider how you stand aftected toward the word of God. 
 "We can entertain no just thoughts of God, but such as 
 we derive from his oAvn word : we can acquire no true 
 knowledge of God, nor cherish any suitable affections 
 towards him, unless they are such as his own revelation 
 authorises. Otherwise we must suppose that revelation 
 insufficient for its specific purposes, and set the means 
 against the end. All, therefore, who sincerely love God, 
 are students of his word; they here, also, accord in soul 
 with the Psalmist, and like him, can say, " O how I love 
 thy word ! in it is my meditation all the day :" they eat 
 it as food for their souls, and find it sweeter than honey. 
 They go to it as to an inexhaustible fountain, and drink 
 from it streams of sacred light and joy. A neglected 
 Bible is too unambiguous a sign of an unsanctified heart; 
 since that blessed book cannot fail to attract every one 
 that loves its Divine Author. How is it possible to de- 
 light in God and yet neglect that word which alone 
 reveals him in his true and glorious character, — alone 
 discovers the way by which he comes into unison with us 
 and condescends to pardon us, to love us, and to guide 
 us through all this mysterious state of being ? It is ob- 
 servable, that the only persons who are inattentive to 
 their own sacred books, are to be found among christians. 
 Mahomedans commit large portions of the Koran to 
 memory ; the Jeios regard the Old Testament with re- 
 verence ; the Hindoo hramins are enthusiastically at- 
 tached to their Shaster ; while christians alone neglect 
 
25-1 MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD. 
 
 their Bible. And the reason is, that the Scriptures are 
 so much more spiritual than the rehgious books received 
 by others : they afford so little scope for mere amusement 
 or self-complacency ; — they place the reader alone ivith 
 God, — they withdraw him from the things that are seen 
 and temporal, and fix him among the things that are un- 
 seen and eternal, — they disclose to his view at once the 
 secret evils of his o^\^l condition, and the awful purity 
 of that Being with whom he has to do. No wonder the 
 ungodly man hates their light, neither comes to their 
 light, but retires from it farther and farther into the 
 shades of guilty ignorance. How melancholy the in- 
 fatuation of such a character ! 
 
 4. Estimate your character in respect to your love of 
 God, by reflecting with what sentiments you regard the 
 people of God. God has a people peculiarly his own : 
 they are not of that world to which they outwardly be- 
 long, — not conformed to it in the spirit of their mind ; 
 they stand apart, many of them at least, in conspicuous 
 conformity to Jesus Christ, and earnest expectation of the 
 glory which He has promised. How, then, do you re- 
 gard these decided followers of God ? Do you shun their 
 society with aversion and secret shame ; or do you enjoy 
 their communion as one of the most delightful among 
 your christian privileges ? Are you content merely to be 
 the companion of those who " have a name to live, but 
 are dead ;" or can you say with the Psalmist, " My de- 
 light is in the excellent of the earth ?" or, with the 
 beloved disciple, " We know that we have passed from 
 death unto life, because we love the brethren?" for, as 
 he adds, "He that loveth him that begot, loveth him 
 that is begotten ;" if you do not love the image which you 
 have seen, how can you love the unseen original ? If the 
 featm-es of holiness and grace in the creature are not 
 attractive to your view, how can your affections rise to 
 the perfect essence ? How can you ascend to the very 
 Sun itself, when you cannot enjoy even the faint reflec- 
 tion of its glory ? He who knew the heart, could alone 
 say to those around him, " I knoic you, that ye have not 
 the love of God in you :" but though none can address 
 
MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD. 255 
 
 you now in the same tone of divine authority, yet 3^ou 
 may hear it uttered by a voice Avithin — the voice of your 
 own conscience : you may knoAv, without any perturba- 
 tions of hope or fear, by the spiritual insensibility and 
 inaction of your soul, — by this you may know, with 
 equal certainty as by a voice from heaven, that you have 
 not the love of God in you ! 
 
 5. Consider the disposition you entertain toward the 
 person and office of the Son of God. " If ye had loved 
 the Father, ye would have loved me also," was the 
 constant argument of Jesus Christ to those Pharisees 
 whom he addresses in the text. For Jesus Christ is the 
 express image of God ; the eifulgence of the divine cha- 
 racter is attempered in hirn^ to suit the view of sinful 
 humanity. In the life of Jesus Christ, we see how the 
 Divine Being conducts himself in human form and in our 
 own circumstances : we behold how he bears all the 
 sorrows, and passes through all the temptations, of flesh 
 and blood. Such, indeed, is the identity, so perfect the 
 oneness of character, between the man Christ Jesus and 
 the Divine Being., — that our Saviour expressly assures us 
 " He that hath seen me., hath seen the Father ; I and 
 my Father are one." The purpose for which God was 
 manifested in the flesh was, not to reveal high specula- 
 tions concerning the nature of the Deity : it was to hear 
 our sorrows, and to die for our sins. But can you con- 
 template Him, thus stooping to your condition, thus 
 mingling "with every interest of your own^ and not be 
 moved by such a spectacle ? — not be attracted., fixed filled 
 with grateful astonishment and devotion, — crucified, as 
 it were, on the cross of Christ, to the flesh, and to the 
 world ? What mark, then, of our possessing no love of 
 God can equal this, that we are without love to Jesus 
 Christ ? —that neither the visibility of his divine excel- 
 lence, nor his particijMtioji of all our human suff'erings, 
 can reach our hearts, and command our affections ? 
 
 6. In examining whether you love God, examine how 
 you are affected by his benefits. These are so numerous 
 and so distinguished, that they ought to excite our most 
 ardent gi-atitude ; night and day they are experienced by 
 
256 MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD. 
 
 us; they pervade every moment of om* being. We 
 know that favom'S from an enemy derive a taint from the 
 hands through which they are received, and excite 
 alienation rather than attachment : but the kindness of 
 Q. friend., by constantly reminding us of himself, endears 
 that friend more and more to our hearts ; and thus, he 
 that has no love to God receives all his favours without 
 the least attraction toward their Author, whom he regards 
 rather as his enemy than his friend. But the christian 
 feels his love of God excited by every fresh instance of 
 his goodness. The mercies of God have accompanied 
 you through every stage of your journey; and they are 
 exhibited to you in his word as stretching through a vast 
 eternity. Are these the only benefits you can receive 
 without gratitude, and suffer to pass unregarded ? How, 
 then, can any love of God dwell in your bosom ? 
 
 7. Consider, in the next place, in what manner you 
 are impressed by the sense of your sins The question 
 is not whether you have any sins, — none can admit a 
 doubt on this point ; the only inquiry is, how you are 
 affected by those sins ? Are they remembered by you 
 with a sentiment of tender regret., of deep confusion and 
 humiliation., that you should ever have so requited such 
 infinite goodness? And is this sentiment combined 
 with a sacred resolution to go and sin no more^ — to devote 
 yourself to the service of youi- Divine Benefactor ? If 
 you can live without an habitual sense of penitential 
 tenderness and reverential fear be assured you cannot 
 love God ; you have no experience of those scriptm-e de- 
 clarations — " They shall fear the Lord and his goodness 
 m the latter days :" " There is forgiveness with thee., that 
 thou mayest he feared:" you know not yet that ^'- the 
 goodness of God leadeth to repentance." If the mind is 
 softened by the love of God, all his favour's serve to in- 
 flame its gratitude, and confirm its devotion to his will : 
 but he who has no love of God in his soul, thinks of 
 nothing but how he may escape from God's hand, and 
 selfishly devours all his favours without an emotion of 
 gratitude to the Giver. 
 
 8. Finally, let me remind you to consider how you 
 
MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD. 257 
 
 are affected to the jjrcsmt woiid. If you could only- 
 he exempt from its afflictions, would you wish it to 
 be your lasting home ? If you could surround your- 
 self with all its advantages and enjoyments, would you 
 be content to dwell in it for ever ? Yet you know that it 
 is a place of separation and exile from the Divine Ma- 
 jesty ; — that it is a scene of darkness, in comparison with 
 heaven, very faintly illuminated with the beams of his 
 distant glory ; — that its inhabitant is constrained to say, 
 *' I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but 
 mine eye hath iiot yet seen thee;' — while heaven hth.e 
 proper dwelling-place of God and his people ! Could 
 you then consent to remain here always, without ever 
 seeing as you are seen^ — seeing light in his lights — without 
 ever beholding his glory ; without ever drinking at the 
 fountain, and basking in that presence which is fulness 
 of joy ^ and life for evermore f always to remain immersed 
 in the shadows of time — entombed in its corruptible 
 possessions — 7iever to ascend up on high to God and 
 Christ and the glories of the eternal world ! If such is 
 the state of your spirit, you want the essential principle 
 of a christian — you want the love of God. The genuine 
 christian, the lover of God, is certain to feel himself a 
 " stranger on the eanh!' No splendour, no emolument 
 of this world, — not all the fascinations of sensual plea- 
 sure, — can detain his heart below the skies, or keep him 
 from sympathizing with the sentiment of the Psalmist : 
 ^' As for line I shall behold thy face in righteousness : I 
 shall he satisfied when I ivake in thy likeness." I do not 
 ask whether you have, at present, " a desire to depart :" 
 perhaps you may not be as yet sufficiently prepared and 
 established to entertain so exalted a desire ; but still, if 
 you have received a new heart, you will deprecate no- 
 thing so much as having your portion in this life, — as 
 having your eternal abode on earth. It is the character 
 of faith to dwell much in eternity ; the apostle says, in 
 the name of all real believers, " We look not at the things 
 that are seen^ but the things that are not seen : for the 
 things that are seen are temporal^ but the things that are 
 not se£n are eternal." 
 
 VOL. VI. S 
 
258 MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD, 
 
 II. And now, my brethren, supposing tlie preceding 
 remarks to have produced in any of you the conviction 
 that you have not the love of God in you^ permit me 
 very briefly to point out the proper iinprovemefit of such 
 a conviction. 
 
 I. First, it should be accompanied with deep humili- 
 ation. If you laboured under the privation of some 
 bodily organ, requisite to the discharge of an animal 
 function, you Avould feel it as in some degree a humili- 
 ating circumstance ; but what would be any defect of 
 this kind, however serious, in comparison of that yreat 
 rcant under which you labour — the want of piety, the 
 calamity of a soul estranged from the love of God ! AVhat 
 are all other subjects of humiliation, compared Avith this 
 — a moral fall^ a spiritual death in sin : and this, unless 
 it be removed, the sure precursor of the second death — 
 eternal ruin I '"'' This is a lamentation indeed, and it shall 
 be for a lamentation" 
 
 Suppose the children of a family, reared and provided 
 for by the most affectionate of parents, to rise up in re- 
 bellion against their father, and cast off all the feelings 
 of filial tenderness and respect ; would any qualities those 
 children might possess, any appearances of virtue they 
 might exhibit in other respects, compensate for such an 
 unnatural, such an awful deformity of character ? Trans- 
 fer this representation to your conduct in relation to 
 God : " If I," says he, " am 2l father, where is my fear ? 
 if I am a master, where is my honour V " Hear, 
 heavens, and give ear, earth ! I have nourished and 
 brought up children, and they have rebelled against me : 
 the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master s crib : 
 but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." 
 
 2. And let your humiliation be accompanied with 
 concern ami alarm. To be alienated from the Great 
 Origin of being ; to be severed, or to sever yourself from 
 the essential Author and element of all felicity, mus't be 
 a calamity which none can understand, an infinite woe 
 which none can measure or conceive ! If the stream is 
 cut off from the fountain, it soon ceases to flow, and its 
 waters are dissipated in the air ; and if the soul is cut 
 
MARKS OF LOVE TO GOD. 259 
 
 off from God, it dies I Its vital contact with God, — its 
 spiritual union with the Father of Spirits through the 
 blessed Mediator, is the only life and beauty of the im- 
 mortal soul. All, without this, are dead — " dead in tres- 
 passes and sins!" A living death — a state of restless 
 wanderings, and unsatisfied desires ! What a condition 
 theirs ! And, oh ! what a prospect for such, when they 
 look beyond this world ! Who will give them a welcome 
 when they enter an eternal state ? What reception will 
 they meet with, and where ? What consolation amidst 
 their loss and their sufferings, but that of the fellow- 
 sufferers, plunged in the same abyss of ruin ? Impeni- 
 tent sinners are allied to evil spirits ; they have an a^- 
 nity with the kingdom of darkness ; and when they die, 
 they are emphatically said to "^o to their own place !" 
 3. This is an aicfal state for any to be in at pre- 
 sent ; but, blessed be God, it is not yet a hopeless situa- 
 tion. Let no person say, " I find by what I have heard, 
 that I do not love God, and, therefore I can entertain 
 no hope." There is a way of return and recovery open 
 to all. Jesus Christ, my dear brethren, proclaims to 
 you all, " I am the way. No man can come to the Fa- 
 ther but by me :" — but every one that will may come by 
 this new and living way ; and, if you lose life eternal, 
 you lose it because, — according to his words just before 
 the text, — because " you will not come to Christ that 
 you may have life." If you feel the misery, deformity, 
 and danger of your state, then listen to his invitation, 
 and embrace his promise. See the whole weight of your 
 guilt transferred to his cross ! See how God can be at 
 once the just and the justifier ! Take of the blood of 
 sprinkling, and be at peace ! His hlood cleanseth from all 
 sin: He will send that Spirit into your heart, which will 
 manifest him to you ; and where that Spirit is, there is 
 liberty and holy love. He is the mystical ladder, let 
 down from heaven to earth, on which angels are con- 
 tinually ascending and descending, in token of an alli- 
 ance established between God and man. United by 
 faith to Jesus Christ, you shall become a habitation of 
 God through the Spirit : the Father will make you a 
 s2 
 
260 THE JOY OF ANGELS 
 
 partaker of his love^ the Son of his grace^ angels of their 
 friendship: and you shall be preserved, and progres- 
 sively sanctified ; until, by the last change, all remains 
 of the grand epidemic source of evils shall be for ever 
 removed from your soul ; and the love of God shall con- 
 stitute your eternal felicity. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 THE JOY OF ANGELS OVER A REPENTING SINNER.* 
 
 [preached at BROADMEAD, BRISTOL, SUNDAY EVENING, AUGUST 22, 
 
 1824. J 
 
 Luke xv. 7. — I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over 
 one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and niiiejust persoiis 
 ivhich need no repentance. 
 
 The ministry of our Lord was exercised, and his suc- 
 cess obtained, principally among the lower classes of 
 mankind. We read that, in opposition to the supercili- 
 ous contempt of the Pharisees and rulers, " the common 
 people heard him gladly :" the ancient prediction being 
 thus verified, that, " to the poor the gospel should be 
 preached." Accordingly, Jesus Christ, adapting the 
 style of his preaching to the state of his hearers, bor- 
 rowed many familiar illustrations of the truths he taught 
 from the scenes of nature and from the occupations of 
 ordinary life, and generally used the parabolic mode of 
 instruction : yet his illustrations were always delivered 
 in a manner consistent with the dignity of his doctrine 
 and character, and they tended to show that his religion 
 is perfectly adapted to make all mankind wise unto sal- 
 vation. 
 
 The proud Pharisees took offence at this attention of 
 our Saviour to the common people, and urged it as an 
 objection against him that he received sinners and ate 
 with them. Our Saviour replied to their objection by 
 
 ♦ Printed from the notes of the Rev. Thomas Grinfield. 
 
OVER A REPENTING SINNER. 261 
 
 supposing the case of a shepherd, who, if he had lost a 
 single sheep of his flock, would immediately leave all the 
 rest, that he might recover that 07ie ; and, having reco- 
 vered it, Avould feel a greater degree of satisfaction than 
 the possession of all the rest could bestow. After this 
 comparison, our Lord descended to another yet more 
 humble, wliich could have occurred to no person that 
 was not more conversant with cottages than courts ; the 
 comparison of the poor woman that, on the recovery of 
 one lost piece of silver, would be filled with a joy wliich 
 she could not forbear inviting her neighbours to partici- 
 pate. From these familiar images Jesus Christ lifts our 
 imagination at once to heaven itself; assuring us that, in 
 a similar manner, " Joi/ shall be in heaven^ py mnong the 
 angels of God, over one shiner that repenteth^' and this a 
 *''' greater joy than over ninety and nine just persons who 
 need no repentance." 
 
 In endeavouring to unfold this passage for our mutual 
 advantage, I propose to consider, briefly, the four follow- 
 ing subjects of inquiry ; first, where we are to look for 
 these ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance ; 
 secondly, why the event of one sinner's repentance should 
 fill the angels with joy ; thirdly, why this joy should be 
 greater than that with which they contemplate so large 
 a number of righteous persons ; and, fourthly, why the 
 seat of this should be placed in heaven ; after which, in 
 the last place, I shall conclude with a brief improve- 
 ment. 
 
 1. The first point of inquiry is. Where are we to find 
 these ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance ? 
 The forerunner of Jesus Christ came preaching the doc- 
 trine of repentance ; and Jesus Christ himself repeated 
 that doctrine, saying to all. Except ye repent ye shall pe- 
 rish. When he sent forth his apostles, he taught them 
 to circulate, wherever they went, the solemn admonition, 
 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is coyne unto you. They 
 constantly inculcated repentance as universally neces- 
 sary ; Now, said they, God commandeth all men every 
 where to repent. Yet the text makes mention of ninety- 
 nine persons who need no repentance. Where then are 
 
262 THE JOY OF ANGELS 
 
 ^ve to find these ? Two solutions have been proposed ; 
 each in itself appears satisfactory, but each must be taken 
 separately : proceeding on different grounds, they are not 
 capable of being combined. 
 
 First, the persons concerned have been supposed to be 
 persons who have already repented. Divines are accus- 
 tomed to divide all persons into three states of charac- 
 ter, — as careless sinners, awakened penitents, or con- 
 firmed believers. The persons in question, who need no 
 repentance, are supposed to have passed through the two 
 former of these states of character, and to be now in the 
 third ; they are neither careless sinners, nor penitents 
 newly awakened to a sense of guilt — they are confirmed 
 believers ; and they need no repentance, no entire change 
 of their hearts, simply because they have already experi- 
 enced it : as the apostle exhorts the Hebrews, they^o ow- 
 to 2)erfection^ not laying again the foundation of repentance. 
 It is not intended to convey an idea that they have not 
 daily sins to call for daily penitence, but merely that, 
 having once been effectually convinced of sin, and con- 
 verted to God by a true repentance, they may justly be 
 said not to need that change any more. There is no- 
 thing unnatural or improper in this interpretation : there 
 are many such persons, it is to be hoped, in every chris- 
 tian society : many who, having passed through that 
 mysterious and vital process of divine influence on the 
 soul, which we call repentance, cannot, strictly speaking, 
 experience or require it a second time. 
 
 The other solution is, that Jesus Christ is here speak- 
 ing hypothetically ; that he makes a supposition, which 
 has no existence in reality, merely for the sake of argu- 
 ment. No doubt many instances of such suppositions 
 occur in the discourses of our Saviour. It is a mode of 
 statement which exactly concurs with another part of the 
 parables contained in the same chapter . I refer to the 
 character of the elder son. Is there any individual to be 
 found, either in the christian profession, or in civil life, 
 w^ho exhibits the archet3^e of that elder son ? — any one 
 to whom the Father could with propriety say, " Son, 
 thou hast been always with me, and all that I have is 
 
OVER A REPENTING SINNER. 263 
 
 thine ?" I am aware that the conduct of the Pharisees 
 has been generally considered to be represented by that 
 of the elder son : this may be true ; yet it is evident the 
 Pharisees are here represented not such as they really 
 were, but such as they vainly imagined themselves to be. 
 In strict reality, nothing could be more unlike than the 
 original and the picture : our Saviour, to enforce his illus- 
 tration, gave them credit for their pretensions to righte- 
 ousness ; but nothing could be more remote from the 
 real character of those, before whom even the publicans 
 and harlots would enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
 After the same manner of speaking, it has been sup- 
 posed, Jesus Christ here introduces the idea of ninety- 
 nine righteous persons ; no real persons were designed 
 by the expression ; he used it merely for the purpose of 
 assailing the arrogant conclusions of the Pharisees re- 
 specting themselves : supposing them to be of such fault- 
 less character, still, argues our Lord, the spectacle of 
 one penitent sinner would inspire greater joy in the 
 hearts of heavenly beings than the spectacle of ninety- 
 nine such persons. 
 
 3. The second inquiry is. Why this spectacle should 
 have such an effect on heavenly beings, and particularly 
 on angels ? One might have thought it more probable 
 that no event on earth, at least none in which one indi- 
 vidual alone was concerned, would have any effect on 
 beings of so elevated an order ; that such an occurrence 
 would not even be known in the celestial court ; still 
 less that it would occasion an increase of joy in those 
 abodes of eternal blessedness. But revelation has Avith- 
 draAvn the veil from the invisible world, and opened a 
 communication between earth and heaven. It exhibits 
 to us an order of holy and glorious beings, denominated 
 angels ; and these are represented as instruments em- 
 ployed in executing the divine purposes respecting man ; 
 they are Christ's angels ; they take a deep concern in the 
 success of his church, and the gathering in of his re- 
 deemed : Are they not all minister'mg spirits, sent forth 
 to minister to them that are heirs of salvation ? In one 
 passage, indeed, though somewhat obscure, the apostle 
 
264 THE JOY OF ANGELS 
 
 Paul seems to Insinuate that angels are invisibly present 
 in the solemn assemblies of the faithful.* Though their 
 interference in the affairs of the church is now silent and 
 unperceived, there is no reason to suppose it to be with- 
 drawn, or less real than when it used to be accompanied 
 with the splendour of miraculous circumstances ; any 
 more than there is reason to believe those infei-nal spirits, 
 against whose temptations we are so often warned, to be 
 now no longer awake and active against us. Heavenly 
 beings are witnesses of these assemblies ; they listen to 
 the ministry of sacred truth ; they anxiously trace its 
 effects on the consciences and hearts of men ; andj Avhen- 
 ever a salutary impression is produced, whenever the 
 conscience is convinced, and the heart opened to repent- 
 ance, they bear the glad tidings to their companions in 
 felicity, and then is joy in heaven over one simier that re- 
 penteth. Do you ask, why they are thus rejoiced by 
 such an event ? For the same reasons, I reply, that the 
 most pious among men are accustomed to rejoice when 
 they hear of the conversion of a sinner to God. Such a 
 change brings, they are sensible, a new servant to their 
 Lord ; it is the accession of a neAv member to that great 
 society of which God and his Christ are the head : and 
 none can be a sincere, loyal subject of the King of kings 
 without wishing his laws to be obeyed, his kingdom to 
 be extended ; because the glory of the Redeemer is re- 
 alized in the multitude of the redeemed. Besides which, 
 the benevolence of angels is proportioned to their eleva- 
 tion in wisdom and holiness : they approximate, far 
 nearer than the most exalted of the saints, to the unli- 
 mited benevolence of the divine character. God is love, 
 and angels are emanations of that Divine Spirit: no 
 taint of selfishness mingles with their feelings and their 
 views : they see distinctly the connexion that subsists 
 between repentance and happiness : they see that when 
 the sinner repents, he^r^^ comes to himself — he takes the 
 first step in that progress which tends toward their own 
 ineffable felicity — he enters on that way in which God 
 
 * 1 Cor. xi. 10. 
 
OVER X REPENTING SINNER. 265 
 
 is to be found : while impenitence endangers the eternal 
 welfare of the soul, tlireatens its forfeiture of immortal 
 happiness, its subjection to irreparable misery. It can- 
 not be but that the repentance of a sinner, regarded as 
 it is by angels as the birth-day of a new existence, the 
 precursor of immortality, the embryo of endless bliss, 
 the introduction to the element of perfect peace and rest, 
 the vestibule of heaven, — it caimot but be that this 
 should communicate delight to those holy and benevolent 
 spirits. 
 
 The Scriptures clearly reveal to us, whether or not you 
 believe the doctrine, that there exist in this world two 
 great kingdoms ; at the head of one of which kingdoms 
 is Jesus Christ, at the head of the other, Satan; and 
 that all mankind, without exception, are the subjects 
 either of the one or the other of these mighty opposite 
 empires. Now, repentance is the line of demarcation 
 betwixt the two ; it is that which marks the confines of 
 light and darkness, — of the heavenly and the infernal 
 state. From the moment a sinner truly repents, he 
 makes a transition from death to life, spiritual and eter- 
 nal : from that moment Satan loses a vassal, and Jesus 
 Christ gains a servant. It is impossible for beings such 
 as angels to remain indifferent spectators of such an 
 event ; impossible for them not to feel joy when they 
 see the balance changed in favour of their own cause. 
 Victory and gain, in every instance, are attended with 
 feelings of joy ; but no spoil can be deemed precious, no 
 deliverance worthy of triumph and exultation, in com- 
 parison with that which is achieved when repentance 
 finds place in the heart of a human being ! 
 
 3. In the third place, it is natural to ask, Why the 
 joy entertained by angels, on occasion of a single peni- 
 tent's recovery, should be greater than the joy they de- 
 rive from the spectacle of ninety-nine righteous persons 
 who need no repentance ? It must be confessed that 
 the amount of good enjoyed by the ninety-nine righteous 
 persons, is intrinsically greater than that which can be 
 supposed to be enjoyed by a single penitent. Theirs, 
 besides its being diffused among ninety -nine persons, is 
 
266 THE JOY OP ANGELS 
 
 a confirmed and advanced state of happiness ; whereas 
 his is merely the first commencement, the emhryo of 
 happiness, and this merely in one individual. How 
 then, it may be asked, can the degree of joy excited in 
 the breasts of angels by the repentance of a single sin- 
 ner, be justly represented as greater than that which is 
 excited by the \T.ew of ninety-nine persons who continue 
 to enjoy a state of far more established and exalted 
 felicity ? In answer to this, let it be observed, that, in 
 all probability, it is the prerogative of the Deity alone to 
 be affected by things according to their real, absolute 
 magnitude and importance, without the smallest regard 
 to the circumstance of time, without receiving any deeper 
 impression from an occm-rence because it is of recent 
 date ; it is probable that it is only in His infinite intel- 
 lect that all things appear in their essential nature, 
 without the difference of impression which arises to our 
 minds from an event being more or less distant in respect 
 to time : " a thousand years are as one day, and one day 
 is as a thousand years, with the Lord ;" His mind being 
 omnipresent in immensity, and grasping all things as in 
 a point. But beings whose perceptions are progressive, 
 as the perceptions of all finite beings must be, are neces- 
 sarily more powerfully influenced by a recent event than 
 by one that has long past ; for a time it occupies and 
 engrosses their whole attention, and swells upon their 
 view far beyond its natural dimensions. Now angels are 
 finite beings ; they are affected as such, in their sensa- 
 tions, by the proximity and distance of objects ; and, if 
 they are thus affected in their sensations, they must be 
 similarly influenced in their sympathies, since propor- 
 tionate sympathies always follow sensations. 
 
 The penitent sinner has enter upon a new existence, — 
 he has commenced an entirely new course of feeling, 
 thought, and action ; and he is yet, when he ceases to be 
 a penitent, to pass into the new and more advanced cha- 
 racter of one who delights in God. Angels are affected, 
 like ourselves, by the extraordinary and astonishing 
 change that has taken place. They behold one who has 
 made an eternal transition from death unto life — one 
 
OVER A REPENTING SINNER. 26? 
 
 who has turned his hack on the kmgdom of darkness for 
 ever, and set his face toward the light of God ; who has 
 begun his march from the land of his captivity toward 
 the heavenly Canaan ; who has chosen God for his por- 
 tion, Christ for his Lord, saints and angels for his friends 
 and society ; who is coine to mount Sion^ the city of the liv- 
 ing God., to their own society and that of the redeemed — 
 to the presence of God ! He has obtained a new mind, 
 a new heart ; which, instead of being a nest of vipers., a 
 cage of unclean birds., is become a temple of the Holy 
 Spirit^ filled with divine inspirations and acceptable de- 
 votions ! Can we wonder that such a change should 
 deeply affect the highest order of finite minds, and cause 
 the angels of God to exclaim with rapture. This our 
 brother was dead and is alive ; he was lost., and is found? 
 If all are unrighteous, — if all are by nature dead in sin 
 and condemnation, — if there is no escape without re- 
 pentance, — then repentance must be of all things the 
 most essential to a sinner ; and such it is expressly 
 declared by Him who said, Except ye repent., ye shall all 
 perish ! 
 
 But why, you ask, is the joy greater for the repentance 
 of one sinner than for the perseverance of ninety-nine 
 saints ? The ninety-nine righteous persons only stand 
 where they stood before ; or rather, they only go on in 
 the same path in which they had long walked ; the only 
 change they can experience is an accretion, an augmen- 
 tation of the principles and blessings in which they were 
 already confirmed; there is no abrupt and surprising 
 revolution, no essential change ; but the first conversion 
 of a sinner to God is an event never to be forgotten ; \t 
 is an sera in eternity, it is registered in heaven ! 
 
 4. The fourth and last point of inquiry is, the reason 
 why Christ places the scene of this joy in heaven. The 
 repentance of a sinner is a subject of joy on earth ; of 
 joy to the faithful minister who has been perhaps the 
 honoured instrument of producing the change ; as the 
 apostle Paul, addressing the converts of his ministry says, 
 What is our joy., or crown of rejoicing ? are not even ye 
 in the jyresence of the Lord ? Or, as the beloved disciple 
 
268 THE JOY OF ANGELS 
 
 says, / have no greater joy than to see my children walk 
 in the truth. There is joy in the christian church on 
 every accession of new converts ; these, if genuine, con- 
 stitute the true adornment of every christian society ; 
 in these its real prosperity consists : and melancholy is 
 the state of that church, however externally prosperous, 
 which does not value and desire the increase of its sin- 
 cere penitents far above every other sign of its pros- 
 perity ! But when it is said that there is joy in heaven 
 over every repenting sinner, the assertion is to be under- 
 stood in a meaning far more just and adequate. Re- 
 pentance is there weighed in other scales than here. 
 Angels view the change that is effected in a sinner's 
 position before God, by repentance from higher ground, 
 — in all its aspects and dimensions, in all its bearings and 
 consequences. They appreciate the greatness of that 
 happiness which their fallen brethren have lost for ever, 
 which they themselves enjoy, and which is now in 
 reserve for the converted sinner. They taste the joy 
 which is set before him ; they dwell in the gloiy which 
 is become the object of his desires ; they knotv that what- 
 ever may be his present sufferings, they are light and 
 merely for a moment, — they will ere long be exchanged 
 for unspeakable pleasures, — he will have all his tears 
 wiped away by God himself! Angels penetrate far 
 deeper than it is in the power of the most exalted saints 
 on earth to penetrate ; the heights and depths, the lengths 
 and breadths, of that eternity, which is the seal and 
 crown of the felicity promised to every real penitent, 
 which stamps it an eternal felicity, — even etermd life, the 
 gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. They have 
 long been engaged in contemplating the beauty of that 
 holiness which dwells in God as its original ; they have 
 long enjoyed him as their portion, as their all ; they have 
 been exploring the true fountain of happiness through a 
 long succession of ages, and they find it still as fresh and 
 inexhaustable as ever; they have long basked in the 
 beatific splendours of uncreated light ! They compre- 
 hend the mysterious and undefinable value of the soul ; 
 its intense susceptibilities as a rational, moral accountable 
 
OVER A REPENTING SINNER. 
 
 substance, incapable alike of extinction and unconsci- 
 ousness through infinite duration : these things are clear 
 to their view, though they are obscure and confused to 
 us, who are of yesterday and know nothing^ — to us who 
 are crushed before the moth. 
 
 5. In the last place, let me attempt a brief improve- 
 ment of the subject which has now been presented. 
 And, first, we may hence perceive the very great dignity 
 and importance which attaches to the christian ministry. 
 This, is, beyond all doubt, the highest, the most sublime 
 and sacred employment in which the sons of men can be 
 engaged. Its greatness, however, arises not from any 
 circumstances of a secular kind, not from any worldly 
 splendour but from its purely spiritual character, — from 
 its immediate bearing on human salvation. That salva- 
 tion, in all its parts, is entirely the work and gift of God ; 
 but in this, as in his own works, he employs created in- 
 struments ; and the chief instruments by whose medium 
 salvation is communicated, — by whose operation the 
 great change of repentance and conversion is efi^ected, — 
 are the ministers of the gospel. The object they habi- 
 tually have in view, as preachers of the word, is to per- 
 suade men to lay down the arms of their unnatural 
 and guilty rebellion and enter into the covenant of a mer- 
 ciful God : they stand as the commissioned ambassadors 
 of Christ : their ministry is expressly a ministry of re- 
 pentance and reconciliation through the blood of the cross ; 
 and it is powerful, in every instance, either as a savour 
 of life unto life or of death unto death. It is an awful 
 reflection, that if our gospel be hid^ it is hid to them that 
 are lost ; that we are called a sweet savour of Christ unto 
 God, in them that are saved and in them that perish ! 
 It may well make us ready to sink under the weight of 
 our responsibility, while we exclaim with the apostle, 
 Who is sufficient for these things ? Oh, how anxious 
 should this reflection make us, to whom this ministry is 
 committed, that the blood of immortal souls may not be 
 charged against us ; since the word we deliver cannot 
 return void to Him that sent it, but must accomplish, in 
 every case, its destined purpose ; issuing either in the 
 
270 THE JOY OP ANGELS 
 
 accumulation of guilt, or the increase of grace, to every 
 one who hears it ! And repentance, let it be remembered 
 necessary as it is to salvation, is taught alone by the 
 gospel ; it is only to be learned in the school of Christ. 
 Philosophy knew nothing of repentance toward God, any 
 more than of faith in Jesus Christ; it excited no 
 salutary alarm in the conscience ; it opened no view of 
 the terrors of a righteous God. It is the gospel that has 
 first done this ; it has awakened a fear which becomes 
 its OAvn cure, and has first taught the sinner to cry out, 
 What shall I do to be saved ? The gospel has withdra^vn 
 the dark veil of nature's ignorance which hid God from 
 our view, at the same time that it has brought life and 
 immortaliti/ to light in Jesus Christ ! If it fail to lead 
 you to repentance it fails of every thing for which it was 
 designed ; when He who had the kegs of death and hell 
 in his hand, could employ no stronger motive to repent- 
 ance than that which he employs in assuring us. If ye 
 
 believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins ! Ye 
 
 shall DIE IN YOUR SINS ! But Jesus Christ, my brethren, 
 came expressly to save you from this dreadful destiny ; 
 he came down from heaven to give life unto the world; 
 to quicken those that were dead in trespasses and sins ; 
 and He is now exalted as a Prince and a Saviour to give 
 repentance as icell as remission of sins ; — a repentance 
 unto life never to be repented of ! There is enough here, 
 surely, to awaken both your fear and your gratitude ; to 
 excite both a sense of the value of your soul, and a 
 sense of the love of your Saviour. And these are mo- 
 tives peculiar to the gospel : to these motives it owes all 
 its triumphs over the hearts of men ; it is the gospel of 
 yom- salvation ; and well might it be ushered into the 
 world by angelic beings with that annunciation. Glory to 
 God in the highest ! Peace on earth ! Good-will towards 
 nun ! 
 
 2. In the second and last place, it is not necessary to 
 collect motives to repentance from the Scriptures; the 
 text alone is sufficient to show its importance : the simple 
 fact, recorded in the text, is itself equivalent to a host of 
 arguments—the fact that the only, or at least the chief 
 
OVER A REPENTING SINNER. 271 
 
 event on earth, which excites joy in heaven, in the mind 
 of God and of the holy angels, is — the repentance of a 
 sinner ! The barrier that separates eternity from time 
 is impassable ; the world beyond the grave is enveloped 
 in utter obscurity. Had not revelation broken the 
 silence of nature, never should we have known that a 
 single event, which takes place in the present scene, is 
 noticed in heaven : but now we are informed that there 
 are occurrences on earth which excite deep attention and 
 emotion in that higher world ; and what are these ? We 
 are assured by the text that it is not the advancement of 
 knowledge and civilization, not the splendours of art, nor 
 the extension of empires and commerce, that attract the 
 regard of those celestial intelligences ; they are interested 
 by objects of a very different description ; they rejoice 
 over one sinner that repenteth ! The repentance of one 
 solitary sinner, his conversion from the error of his way, 
 has greater charms in the view of angels than even the 
 spectacle of their owti happy society, or that of all those 
 saints on earth who persevere in pursuing the way to 
 life eternal. And if the mere conteiuplation of this 
 change is so sweet to angels in heaven, oh, how sweet 
 must the experience itself be to the penitent ! — for he 
 it is who tastes that the Lord is gracious — who tastes the 
 unspeakable comfort that arises from the pardon of his 
 sins and peace with God ; he it is who goes on from 
 strength to strength, from smaller to larger discoveries of 
 the blessings that are in God and his Christ ; he it is 
 that comes to God, comes to Jesus the mediator, and to 
 the blood of sjyrinkiing ; to the general assemUy and church 
 of the Jirst-boi^: to the spirits of just men made 2yerfect, 
 and to an innumerable compang of angels. Hence none 
 ever experienced this change indeed, who did not con- 
 sider it far above every other event of his life : he may 
 have experienced many other changes, and some of a 
 very pleasing kind ; he may have passed from a state of 
 poverty and hardship to a situation of affluence and every 
 earthly comfort ; or he may have been raised up from a 
 bed of pain and sickness to the enjoyment of ease and 
 health ; but, if he is a true christian, if he has ever been 
 
272 THE JOY OF ANGELS. 
 
 a true penitent, his conversion is an event tliat can never 
 lose its importance in his regard ; the season of his first 
 repentance is an agra in the records of his memory ; it 
 must always appear as a brilliant spot in his retrospect ; 
 it hallows the place and the hour that witnessed it ; it 
 lays him under a deeper, a more sacred obligation to the 
 minister or the friend that was the honoured instrument 
 of producing it, than he can entertain towards any in- 
 ferior benefactor. And well it may ; for it is a change 
 of which the happy consequences shall endure for ever : 
 all other benefits are temporal and transient ; this alone 
 is eternal ; its value will be just as great when thousands 
 of ages shall have passed away as it was at the first 
 moment. Do you suppose those penitents, who occa- 
 sioned this joy in heaven at the first preaching of the 
 gospel, have found any abatement in their happiness by 
 the lapse of eighteen centuries ? No, my brethren ! 
 that happiness is just as fresh as on the day when they 
 first entered into the joy of their Lord. The experience of 
 eternity has rather increased than diminished its value. 
 It is repentance that changes the whole aspect of things, 
 whether present or future. The conviction that we have 
 repented, that we have experienced that real, vital con- 
 version M'hich places us in a state of friendship with the 
 Author of our being — this conviction lightens all afflic- 
 tions, brightens every prospect, gives peace in the hour 
 of death, and, at the last day, — amidst the wreck of 
 elements, amidst the dissolution of the material heavens 
 and earth,— the spark of celestial immortality tbat was 
 first kindled in repentance, will emerge from the dark- 
 ness of the sepulchre, and shine for ever in the new hea- 
 vens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness I 
 Ah, my brethren ! the time is coming, and may be very 
 near, when you will have nothing left to do, but to lay 
 down your head on your death-bed pillow; and then, it 
 is probable, if not before, yet then, you will begin to 
 feel the force of what has now been suggested on the 
 subject of repentance. In that hour the least apprehen- 
 sion that you are a real penitent, — the faintest hope that 
 you have laid hold on Christ >Yith a true heart,— ^ will 
 
ON EVIL COMMUNICATIONS. 273 
 
 give you far more satisfaction than any event tliat ever 
 occurred to your attention. Oh, then, let none dismiss 
 this subject with indifference : let none have listened to 
 this discourse without being prevailed upon to retire this 
 evening, and in the stillness of his chamber, and the 
 solitude of his soul, to pour forth a fervent, importunate 
 prayer, that he may be numbered among those penitent 
 sinners who here occasion joy in heaven, and who will 
 hereafter obtain eternal life through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 NATURE AND DANGER OF EVIL COMMUNICA- 
 TIONS. 
 
 [preached at CAMBRIDGE, IN AUGUST, 1824.] 
 
 1 Cor. XV. 3S. — Be not deceived, evil comminiications corriipt good 
 manners.* 
 
 This passage is taken from a heathen poet, Menander, 
 and shows that Paul was not unacquainted with the 
 literature of the pagan world. By this he was peculiarly 
 fitted for some parts of his work, being destined to bear 
 the name of Christ before princes, magistrates, and 
 philosophers, especially in the Roman and Grecian parts 
 of the earth. The maxim accords with universal expe- 
 rience, and was worthy, therefore, of being adopted as a 
 portion of those records of eternal truth, which are to be 
 the guide of mankind in all succeeding ages. 
 
 The connexion is not that in which we should have 
 expected such a maxim to be inserted, it is in the midst 
 of a very affecting and instructive view of the resurrec- 
 tion of the dead, and the life everlasting ; but the occa- 
 sion of it was this : the Corinthians had received, from 
 the intrusion of false teachers, principles which militated 
 against that great doctrine. They had been taught to 
 
 * This sermon has been prepared by collating and blending the notes 
 of the Hon. Mr. Baron Gnrney with those of Joshua Wilson, Esq. 
 VOL. VI. T 
 
274 NATURE AND DANGER 
 
 explain it away, and to resolve it merely into a moral 
 process which takes place in the present world ; inter- 
 preting what is said of the resurrection of the dead in a 
 mystical and figurative manner. The apostle insinuates, 
 that it was by a mixture of the corrupt commimications 
 of these men with the christian church, and the intimate 
 contact into which they had permittee! themselves to 
 come with them, that they had been led off from the fun- 
 damental doctrine of the gospel, and rejected a primary 
 part of the apostolic testimony. " For if there be no 
 resm'rection of the dead, then," as he observed, " is 
 Christ not risen, and if Christ be not risen, then is our 
 preaching vain, and your faith is also vain ; ye are yet 
 in your sins."* 
 
 We see, that notwithstanding the apostle had planted 
 pure Christianity among the Corinthians, and had con- 
 firmed it by the most extraordinary miracles and super- 
 natural operations ; yet such was the contagion of evil 
 example and corrupt communication, that the members 
 of the Corinthian church, in a very short time, departed 
 from the fundamental articles of the truth, as it is in 
 Jesus Christ ; and hence we may learn the importance, 
 nay, the necessity, of being on our guard in this respect, 
 and of avoiding such confidence in ourselves as might 
 induce us to neglect the caution here so forcibly ex- 
 pressed. " Be not deceived, evil communications cor- 
 rupt good manners." 
 
 Among the first things accomplished by our blessed 
 Lord after his ascension, was the organization of the 
 christian churches by his word and Spirit through the in- 
 strumentality of his apostles. These he placed under 
 suitable laws, appointing proper ofiicers, and regulating 
 them by the simple maxims of mutual love, forbearance, 
 and charity : and no doubt the great design which he 
 had in thus forming christian churches was to furnish 
 room for the cultivation of a social spirit, without that 
 danger of infection which would spring from it in a 
 world abounding with e\dl examples, and actuated by 
 
 * 1 Cor. XV. 13, 14, 17. 
 
OF EVIL COMMUNICATIONS. 275 
 
 evil maxims. Knowing that man is naturally a social 
 creature, and prone to unite with his kind, he was 
 pleased to form a select society, wherein the exercise of 
 the social affections might tend to the purification of the 
 heart, the sanctification of the character, and the per- 
 fecting of man in the image of God and the Redeemer. 
 A principle of action so efficacious as that of the social 
 affections, by which men are perpetually assimilating 
 themselves to one another, was not to be neglected by 
 the great founder of our religion. He has consecrated 
 it in the formation of christian churches, and thus 
 erected the strongest rampart against the incursions of 
 evil example, and the influence of a " world that lieth in 
 wickedness." 
 
 In considering these words, there are three things to 
 which I would request your serious attention : 
 
 In the first place, I shall state what those communi- 
 cations are which may be termed "evil." 
 
 Secondly, Explain the way in which they operate so 
 as to " corrupt good manners :" and 
 
 Thirdly, Shall endeavour to enforce the warning, or 
 exhortation, insinuated or comprehended in the passage, 
 "Be not deceived, evil communications con-upt good 
 manners." 
 
 I. It will be natural to inquire, "What are " evil com- 
 munications ?" It is plainly impossible, in the present 
 state of the world, entirely to avoid intercourse with bad 
 men ; this would be', as the apostle himself observed, 
 " to go out of the world." " I write unto you," said he, 
 in his first epistle to the Corinthians, "not to com- 
 pany with fornicators ; howbeit, not altogether with the 
 fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or ex- 
 tortioners, or with idolaters, for then must ye needs 
 go out of the world ; but now I have written to you 
 not to keep company, if any man that is called a bro- 
 ther be a fornicator, or an idolater, or a railer, or a 
 drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one, no not 
 to eat."* The intercourse of society must be main- 
 
 •1 Cor. V. 10, 11. 
 t2 
 
276 NATURE AND DANGER 
 
 tained, without respect to the characters of men, to such 
 an extent as the business of life requires. No one 
 can possibly avoid occasional intercourse with those 
 with whom habitual communications would be in the 
 highest degree dangerous. If he is led into such so- 
 ciety by the demands of his calling, the very necessity 
 of going into it, in distinction from his choice of it, 
 will excite a degree of caution well calculated to coun- 
 teract the contagion ; and, being in the path of duty, 
 such a person may expect to be upheld by the suc- 
 cours of divine grace, which are never withheld from 
 those who commit themselves to the guidance of God. 
 An unsocial spirit, that would lead us, like the Essenes 
 of old, into the solitudes of the wilderness, and to de- 
 sert the active stations of human society, though it 
 would be accompanied with the advantage of being 
 entirely exempted from evil example, would be utterly 
 inconsistent with the genius of Christianity, and the 
 example of our great Lord. But still, we must not, 
 under pretence of yielding to the necessary calls of 
 business, cultivate and cherish that " evil communica- 
 tion" which is here said to " corrupt good manners." 
 
 1. Now, in the first place, that communication may 
 be justly regarded evil, in the highest sense, which is 
 corrupt in relation to its immediate tendency to taint the 
 purity of the mind by associations of a lascivious and 
 sensual nature. That conversation which is calculated 
 to bring before the mind images of indelicacy and impu- 
 rity, which owes its zest and force to the power of such 
 associations, and is adapted to familiarize the thoughts 
 to that from which a pure and chaste imagination recoils, 
 must be considered in the highest degree of this kind ; 
 and how large a proportion of many societies owe their 
 attraction almost entirely to this ingredient ! The real 
 christian will never, for a moment, put himself, volun- 
 tarily, into a society where this contagion prevails ; and 
 will take the earliest opportunity of escaping from it, if 
 by accident he is thrown into such company. 
 
 2. But, short of this, that may be denominated evil 
 communication where the parties are of such a character 
 
OF EVIL COMMUNICATIONS. 277 
 
 that religion is not adverted to, or tliought of in a serious 
 or practical maimer, where it has no hold upon the mind, 
 where the fear of God is evidently dismissed, and there 
 is no scriptural rule of action. 
 
 The mere absence of religion is sufficient to constitute 
 that evil communication against which we are guarded. 
 Those persons whose conversation is not plainly vicious, 
 but who appear to have no true fear of God, no regard 
 to the obligations of religion, who evidently live " with- 
 out God in the world," without any habitual reference 
 to a future state, must be considered as constituting a 
 class of characters, with which he who earnestly seeks 
 his salvation will not voluntarily come into contact. It 
 is not to be supposed that the christian can always select, 
 even as the associates of his confidential hours, those 
 who are partakers of divine grace, those who are really 
 converted to God ; though, as far as possible, it will be 
 his wisdom to select such, and such only : yet it is not 
 too much to say, that he should avoid, as much as pos- 
 sible, any intimate connexion with those who appear to 
 be not at all influenced by the considerations of religion, 
 and seem entirely strangers to its hopes, fears, restraints, 
 and prohibitions ; though their conduct may be in other 
 respects unexceptionable and inoffensive. 
 
 3. It is almost unnecessary to observe, that is an evil 
 commimication, in a high degree, which abounds with 
 objections to Christianity, and is calculated to produce a 
 doubt, either of its divine origin, or of the certainty of 
 its most important truths. He who wishes to have his 
 faith confirmed in the evidence of Christianity, will never 
 form an intimacy with those who are opposed to that 
 evidence ; who have thrown off the restraints of religion, 
 renounced allegiance to the Saviour, and adopted the 
 loose and sceptical doctrines of a licentious age. 
 
 4. And to this class we may add those who have dis- 
 carded the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, and who 
 are envenomed with an antipathy to them, so as to be 
 desirous, on all occasions, to multiply proselytes, by win- 
 ning men to their own persuasion in regard to the dis- 
 tinctive points in which they are at variance with real 
 
278 NATURE AND DANGER 
 
 christians of all ages. Such as have endeavoured to 
 corrupt the fundamental principles of Christianity must, 
 in the esteem of persons who hold those principles sa- 
 cred, be regarded as tempting to " evil communications." 
 To this caution we are led by the context ; for those 
 who corrupted the faith of the Corinthians were not such 
 as had rejected Christianity altogether, not such as had 
 entirely relapsed into heathenism or Judaism, but those 
 who had denied the fundamental testimony of the 
 apostles, contradicted the primary truths of Christianity, 
 and introduced another and different gospel from that 
 which the apostles had promulgated. The apostle John 
 lays down an injunction on this subject, which must be 
 regarded as still in force : " Whosoever transgresseth, 
 and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God ; 
 he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both 
 the Father and the Son." " If there come any unto you 
 and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your 
 house, neither bid him God speed."* We are not to 
 encourage an intercourse of a voluntary kind with them, 
 nor place ourselves under their influence : for that influ- 
 ence must be considered as antichristian in proportion as 
 such persons have deviated from the fundamental doc- 
 trines which are taught in Christianity. 
 
 5. They whose moral principles are loose, with respect 
 to the great obligations of justice and equity, who in- 
 dulge themselves in dishonourable practices, who propa- 
 gate loose and licentious maxims with regard to the 
 mode of conducting business, who acknowledge them- 
 selves to be ready to take any advantages, and are re- 
 strained by no other consideration than the penalty of 
 the law, who are ready to sacrifice principle and con- 
 science to filthy lucre, must be considered as a source of 
 evil communication, against which we are here expressly 
 warned. 
 
 II. But I proceed, in the next place, briefly to point 
 out the way in which " evil communication" operates in 
 corrupting " good manners." 
 
 * 2 John, ver. 9, 10. 
 
OF ETIL COMMUNICATIONS. 279 
 
 You know very well, my brethren, that the order 
 of the natural world is maintained by the operation of 
 matter upon matter ; and that the order of the moral 
 world is maintained by the action of mind upon mind. 
 As the great revolutions of nature are carried on by the 
 reciprocal action of the various parts of which the visible 
 universe consists, upon each other, whether of smaller 
 portions or of greater masses ; so that mysterious order 
 which the Divine Being maintains in the moral world 
 is upheld and preserved by the mutual action of one 
 mind upon another. This action is incessantly going 
 on ; and though it borrows for its instrumentality the 
 organs of the body, yet the ultimate object is mind. 
 The great medium through which this is maintained is 
 the intercourse and conversation of man with man, which 
 brings one mind into contact with another, and is per- 
 petually modifying the mind which is thus drawn into 
 union, and derives modification from that mind with 
 which it converses. We are continually drawing and 
 being drawn, impelling and resisting or yielding, assimi- 
 lating ourselves to others and others to ourselves ; nor is 
 it possible to go into any company and come from it ex- 
 actly in the same state of mind. The moral modification 
 is perpetually going on ; and, if we trace it exactly, we 
 shall find that it is either evil or good ; very seldom, if 
 ever, entirely indifferent or neutral. It is one of the 
 fundamental laws of nature, that our minds should be 
 subject to perpetual modification from the minds of 
 others ; nor is it within the reach of our Avill to deter- 
 mine whether this influence shall be exercised or not. 
 Yet we may determine to what influence we subject it ; 
 we may determine what society we will keep, but not 
 what influence that society which we choose shall have 
 upon us. It operates according to certain fixed and in- 
 fallible laws, so that no person can, by any pretence of 
 self-control, justify exposing himself to the action of a 
 power, the operation of which is determined by laws 
 quite independent of himself. 
 
 One of the first feelings of every person who goes into 
 company is, to please and be pleased. If he be a per- 
 
280 NATURE AND DANGER 
 
 son of a benevolent and social spirit, he goes with the 
 very design of assimilating his mind, as much as pos- 
 sible, to the minds of those with whom he converses. 
 This is a silent compact, without which pleasure can 
 neither be imparted nor received. Just in proportion to 
 the delicacy and force of this sympathy, is the pleasure 
 derived from society ; and they possess it in the most 
 intense and vivid degree who can most imperceptibly 
 slide into the feelings of others, so as to incorporate for 
 a time their sentiments, feelings, and dispositions with 
 their oa\ti. Hence we plainly perceive that there is a 
 preparation in the very nature of society, that society 
 especially which is chosen and of a voluntary nature, for 
 an assimilation of our minds to the views and principles, 
 sentiments and dispositions, of those with whom we con- 
 verse. 
 
 We not only go into society unarmed, but we go \vith 
 a preparation in favour of the action of the sentiments 
 and the agency of the minds of others which is then 
 operating upon us. We go with the intention of being 
 pleased with the sympathies which that intercourse ex- 
 cites, and lay our hearts and minds, as we experience or 
 expect social pleasure, open as much as possible to the 
 full and entire action of the social instinct. Let us sup- 
 pose then, at least, that the society into which we enter 
 is not positively vicious, in any other sense than as it is 
 distinguished by a total absence of religion ; let the per- 
 sons with whom we associate be only characterized by 
 an entire neglect of God, an absence of the fear of the 
 Almighty ; let their general conduct and deportment be 
 such, and such only, as might be supposed to take place 
 if the verities of religion were exploded, and the expec- 
 tation of a future account entirely dismissed : it is not 
 too much to say that this society itself will possess a very 
 pernicious influence over any mind. It is dangerous to 
 be accustomed to the absence of religion, and to be fami- 
 liarized to the contemplation of the most solemn and 
 important subjects in a state of disunion from God, and 
 non-advertence to the prospect of eternity. 
 
 For a person, especially a young person, to be accus- 
 
OF EVIL COMMUNICATIONS. 281 
 
 tomed to hear life and death, judgement and eternity, 
 and all the most serious and awful scenes or results of 
 human existence spoken of, I will not say with unbe- 
 coming levity, but without advertence to religion, re- 
 garding only physical causes and effects, is a dangerous 
 process, and must be attended with the most serious peril. 
 Next to the infusion of positive piety, the most evil 
 element in which the mind can be placed, is that out of 
 which religion is expelled. To live " without God in the 
 world," and to converse with those who thus live, is, only 
 in a lower degi-ee than positive impiety, less dangerous 
 to a creature who is in a state of probation, and whose 
 everlasting interest depends on acquaintance with and 
 obedience to his Maker. 
 
 I recollect, some years ago, that upon reading some 
 very popular tales (Moral Tales they are styled), the 
 talent of which is exceedingly great, but which are dis- 
 tinguished by the total absence of religion, and the want 
 of all reference to it even in the scenes of death ; the 
 influence on my mind was such that, during the time de- 
 voted to that reading, it was with great difficulty and 
 perplexity I was able to discharge my ministerial duties. 
 It became, therefore, painfully evident to me, that to be 
 conversant long together with trains of thought or asso- 
 ciations of ideas from which religion is entirely excluded 
 is of most dangerous tendency ; for religion is a positive 
 thing, and at the same time, it requires to be brought 
 into view : it must be realized by an effiDrt of the mind ; 
 it addresses not itself to the senses, does not occur na- 
 turally in the paths of life ; it lies in an invisible state, 
 and can only be realized by a positive act of faith, and 
 be made operative by a serious exertion of the mental 
 faculties, by calling our attention to spiritual impressions 
 and thereby overpowering the mechanical and necessary 
 operations of sensible objects. 
 
 In the next place, suppose the society into which we 
 enter be vicious in the sense before adverted to ; that it 
 be impure society, distinguished by the prevalence of 
 indelicate jests and lascivious associations ; such commu- 
 nications, it is unnecessary to say, miist corrupt good 
 
282 NATURE AND DANGER 
 
 manners. Must not the primary effect be, at least, 
 gradually to enure the mind to the contemplation of vici- 
 ous objects, without horror and disgust ? Are you not 
 aware that familiarity tends to weaken all impressions ? 
 As the mind is passive in receiving them, there is nothing 
 so disgusting at the first view but it may be rendered 
 indifferent, or even an object of complacency. Vicious 
 objects, though they revolt a pure and chaste mind, 
 though every well disciplined spirit turns aside from them 
 with strong disrelish, yet they have such an alliance with 
 the corrupt propensities of our nature, which always re- 
 main with us (for even the best are but partially sancti- 
 fied), that the effect of bjinging such objects fi-equently 
 before the mind must be to subdue the antipathy, to 
 wear off the impression of disgust, and soften the features 
 of deformity ; to teach us to contemplate such objects 
 with indifference, till at length we shall certainly come 
 to regard them with a greater or less degree of compla- 
 cency. The horror of vice gradually subsides, till, before 
 men are aware, they find themselves affected with the 
 most impure conversation very differently from what they 
 were at first. The chastity of the mind is violated ; 
 they have lost that instinctive recoil of disgust which 
 such objects naturally inspire, and are become capable of 
 partaking of them with the guilty zest, with which their 
 association with the corrupt tendencies of our nature is 
 too apt to invest them. This is a process perpetually 
 going on. There are persons perpetually receiving the 
 contamination of impurity by this channel. If, then, you 
 meet with persons of this description, who delight to 
 communicate the taint of impurity, and seek to draw 
 down the minds of others to that gross element of 
 sensuality in which they themselves are grovelling, 
 " avoid them, pass not by them, turn fi.'om them and pass 
 away ;" recollect that such conversation is most essentially 
 evil, and will, before you are aware, corrupt your " good 
 manners." 
 
 Suppose, in the next place, that the society into which 
 we enter be of an impious natm-e, distinguished by a re- 
 jection of Christianity, or of its great and leading 
 
OP EVIL COMMUNICATIONS. 283 
 
 doctrines, and has in it, consequently, the contagion of 
 impiety ; such communication cannot fail, in the strono-est 
 degree, to " coiTupt good manners." To hear objections 
 against Christianity continually repeated, without being 
 answered, to hear the cause of Christ attacked in every 
 possible form, without being in a situation, in a becoming 
 manner, to undertake its defence, must have an injurious 
 tendency. Conversation, if we intend to please and be 
 pleased, should never be a scene of continual dispute ; 
 we must either relinquish such society or hold our peace. 
 That person who feels himself called upon on every oc- 
 casion to defend his religion, will grow weary of conten- 
 tion, and seek repose in another kind of society. Or, if 
 he continues in it, he will ere long leam to be silent ; 
 silence will lead to acquiescence, and, finally, he will ad- 
 just his opinions to the standard of those with whom he 
 associates. Every man makes the esteem of his compa- 
 nions a good and leading object. When a person, 
 therefore, from that motive, learns to suppress his convic- 
 tions, he will easily pass from thence to that guilty shame 
 of Jesus Christ before men, which is one of the most 
 baneful elements of corruption and degeneracy. It is 
 dangerous to be in that society where all is against Chris- 
 tianity and nothing in its favour; where it is perpetually 
 assailed in a variety of forms, and nothing said in a 
 serious argumentative maimer to sustain its interests and 
 vindicate its sanctity. If any man supposes that he has 
 strength of mind to continue in such society, without 
 having the foundations of his confidence in the truths of 
 Christianity weakened, that man is entirely unacquainted 
 with his own heart. You may feel conscious of no 
 change of opinion, you may relinquish no article of faith, 
 but the practical assent of the mind is capable of all sorts 
 of varieties possible ; the degree of conviction, the 
 strength of that hold which religious principle has upon 
 you, may be weakened in a most essential manner, before 
 you have altered the speculative articles of your belief. 
 The speculative belief in the great truths of Christianity 
 is, in pious minds, continually changing itself into prac- 
 tical belief, producing that sense of the reality of eternal 
 
284 NATURE AND DANGER 
 
 things which justifies the definition given of faith, as 
 "the suhstance of things hoped for, the evidence of 
 things not seen." Infidel society has the effect of weak- 
 ening that practical conviction, of estranging the mind 
 from the evidences of divine truth and bringing it into 
 a state of obscurity : it is an element of darkness, and 
 no person can preserve, within its sphere, a permanent 
 and abiding conviction of such truths as are only seen by 
 the eye of faith, and are best realized in the calmness of 
 the sanctuary, and the solitude of the closet. Besides, 
 we shall always find that those who have rejected the 
 yoke of Christianity, are anxious to propagate their dis- 
 belief; they have not the tranquillity of innocence, the 
 confidence of truth ; and they feel themselves strongly 
 fortified, secure, and feai-less, in proportion as they have 
 swelled their confederacy, extinguished the conviction, 
 and put out that light of faith in others, which is a con- 
 demning light to them, and holds out to them a fearful 
 misgiving in the prospect of eternity. Those who are 
 determined to bid farewell to Christianity, have not done 
 it in consequence of a serious process of conviction, but 
 in consequence of consulting their passions, not their 
 reason, determining to gratify their appetites, mthout 
 restraint or control, and indulging in the pleasures and 
 honours of this world without check. Conscious of this 
 in a greater or less degree they fear that the foundation 
 they are resting upon may prove insecm-e ; they wish, 
 therefore, to be strengthened by the cooperation of others, 
 and feel a guilty satisfaction in proportion as they multi- 
 ply disciples among their associates, and are thus enabled 
 to hear an echo in every voice, and see the reflection of 
 infidelity in every breast. Is it not extraordinary that 
 men who can only boast that they have discovered that 
 man is nothing, — that this world is the whole of his 
 existence, — that his destiny is ^^dthered, and shrunk to 
 the shortest possible compass, — is it not extraordinary 
 that they cannot, at least he silent; that they should be 
 desirous to propagate a discoveiy so full of shame and 
 reproach ? The reason is, that they have fears on the 
 side of religion, though they have not its hopes ; they 
 
OF EVIL COniUNTCATIONS. 285 
 
 dread the truth of it, having given up all prospect of 
 benefit from it, having relinquished all part in its conso- 
 lations ; therefore they feel their fears allayed, preturha- 
 tion subside, in proportion as they swell their numbers 
 by an extensive confederation. They are " deceiving and 
 deceived." 
 
 Let me earnestly impress it on every one who Avishes 
 to be saved ; (and if you do not, why approach the 
 sanctuary of God, why hear the words of this book, why 
 lift up a prayer to the throne of heaven in the name of 
 the Great Redeemer ?) if you wish to be saved, go not 
 into such society, or, if you enter it unawares, remain 
 not in it. To choose such persons as confidants of your 
 hours of affectionate and social intercourse, is to live in 
 an element of contagion ; it is to go into a pest-house ; 
 it is to take up your abode in the midst of the most 
 virulent and destructive disease. " Evil communica- 
 tions" will " corrupt good manners." No experience of 
 our own, — no extent of observation can serve to invali- 
 date or impair the truth of this maxim, which is con- 
 finned by the experience of all ages. 
 
 III. But I proceed, in the third place, briefly to ex- 
 plain the warning here given, and to enforce the caution, 
 which is strongly implied in the words " Be not de- 
 ceived." There are many sources of self-deception ; let 
 me, therefore, warn every one not to be deceived. 
 
 1. In the first place, be not deceived by the adduction 
 of false precedents. It may be suggested, that our Lord 
 was pleased to mingle indiscriminately with all classes 
 and descriptions of persons ; but do not imagine that it 
 would, on that account, be safe for you to imitate this 
 part of his conduct. Recollect the infinite disparity of 
 his situation and character, and yours. He came into a 
 world of contagion, but it was to impart the medicine of 
 life ; he came to a great infirmary, but he was himself 
 the physician of souls ; he " came to save sinners," but 
 was " holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from 
 sinners."* When Satan himself came, he found nothing 
 in him. Does it follow that we, who are placed at so 
 * Heb. vii.26. 
 
286 NATURE AND DANGER 
 
 infinite a distance beneatli him, should be safe in such 
 contagion ? " Be not deceived ;" do not take a partial 
 ■view of our Saviour's character; do not consider one 
 portion of it only — his exposure to moral danger, — while 
 you forget his sanctity, his watchfulness, his care over his 
 o^vn conduct, his self-government, and the constant use 
 of those rules of prudence and piety which are recom- 
 mended by other parts of his example. If you can find 
 an infallible way to overcome temptation, and achieve 
 the victory over the enemies of your salvation, you may 
 then plead the precedent of our Lord's example against 
 the genius of his religion and the import of his precepts. 
 It was impossible that his spotless character should be 
 contaminated. Can ice plead that exemption and im- 
 possibility ? 
 
 2. Be not deceived by your past experience. You 
 may be ready to say, that you have been frequently ex- 
 posed to vicious society, — you may be living in it now, 
 and perceive none of those evils, discern none of that 
 degeneracy and corruption to which we have ad- 
 verted ; and you appear to pass through it with im- 
 punity ; " Be not deceived ;" you are very ill judges, 
 it may be, of the state of your own minds ; you 
 may imagine that you have received no injury because 
 you have fallen into no great crime, have violated none 
 of the more essential laws of social morality ; but, if 
 you look within, you may perceive a preparation for the 
 commission of these, in the weakening of that conscience 
 which preserves you in the fear of God, in the decay and 
 eclipse of the spirit of faith, in the relaxed hold of the 
 great prospects of eternity which you had before. What 
 has been the effect of such society on your private devo- 
 tions ? Has it carried you to your closet ? Has it pre- 
 pared you to retire for communion with God ? Has it 
 endeared to you the Scriptures, or estranged you from 
 them ? Has it made the transition easy, to the duties of 
 private and solitary piety ? Did you find such society 
 calculated to make it more difficult, or more easy, for 
 you to enter into the true spirit of religion ; and to prac- 
 tise those duties, without which all the devotions of the 
 
OF EVIL CO^IMUNICATIONS. 287 
 
 sanctuary will be only " walking in a vain show," and 
 seeking the applause of man, instead of the approbation 
 of Him who " seeth in secret." 
 
 3. Do not be deceived by any complacent reference 
 to the time of life at which you have an-ived. or the pro- 
 gress in religion which you have already made. Though 
 the influence of evil society upon the young is of the 
 most corrupting tendency ; though their minds, in the 
 period when tne character is formed, are most subject to 
 its hurtful influence ; yet, the danger of " evil commu- 
 nications" is by no means confined to them. No : at 
 whatever period of life you have arrived, " evil commu- 
 nications" will " corrupt good manners." Habits are lost 
 in the same way as they are acquired ; the fruits of long 
 custom in right action are speedily dissipated and de- 
 stroyed by exposure to contrary custom in doing wrong ; 
 and the mind of no person has arrived at such a state of 
 confirmation in holy habits as to make a relaxation of 
 vigilance safe, or enable it to yield itself up seciurely t» 
 the casual influence of place and society. Religion is a 
 perpetual warfare ; religion is a perpetual exercise of 
 self-command ; it is a perpetual reference to the will of 
 God ; it is a pei-petual use of the power of self-govern- 
 ment, and attention to the invisible eye of Him that 
 seeth in secret. If you commit yourself to evil society 
 now, what shall hinder you in the most advanged age 
 fi'om forsaking the laAV of God, and disgracing the latter 
 part of your life by conduct totally different from that 
 which conferred dignity on your jouih. ? Solomon, in 
 his youth, feared God, but when old age came upon him, 
 through the contagious example of his idolatrous wives, 
 he forsook the God of his fathers, and exposed his king- 
 dom to perdition and ruin. No, my brethren, there is 
 no such thing as depending upon any force of habit, 
 unless its influence produces right conduct at present ; 
 if it inspires us with a holy resolution, and gives a right 
 view of our duty at the present moment, and determina- 
 tion to adhere to it, we may rejoice in that habit ; but if 
 it produces recumbency, a slothful dependence upon God, 
 and neglect of the precautions of religion and the mles 
 
288 NATURE AND DANGER 
 
 of duty, we have reason to believe, that he who thus 
 thinketh he standeth, \\dll soon fall. 
 
 4. Be not deceived by any supposed strength of reso- 
 lution with which you may enter into such society. It 
 is much easier abstained from than denounced. The 
 paths of sinners are much more easily shunned than they 
 are quitted. When confederacies are formed it requires 
 a powerful effort to break them. It is far less difficult 
 to keep out of society than to resist its current. The 
 action of fire is mechanical and necessary, you may 
 approach it or not ; so you may avoid evil company if 
 you please. The ranks of impiety are not so thin as not 
 to give you sufficient warning to escape them ; but when 
 you are in them, in the very focus of temptation, no re- 
 solution you can exert, will, for a moment, stop its pro- 
 gress ; you must submit to its action ; you are committed 
 to your fate and must take the consequences ; you must 
 be deteriorated and degenerated with the causes of 
 deterioration and degeneracy. Be not deceived, then, by 
 supposing that any previous resolution has considerable 
 influence on the conduct of men, when they are off their 
 guard and open to the impression of social affections. 
 This is the season, of all others, in which mental resolu- 
 tion has least power ; the mind is not only open, but, 
 before it is aware, becomes relaxed ; the love of associa- 
 tion soon comes to supplant all other thoughts ; all the 
 cooler reflections, the wdser resolves of the closet vanish ; 
 all the force of the most strenuous intentions melt like 
 wax before the sun, in the warmth of social intercourse. 
 In proportion as the social affections are vivid and warm, 
 in that proportion is the necessary effect in dissipating 
 and giving to the mnd the force of the most strenuous 
 resolutions. 
 
 Hence permit me to suggest one or two cautions of 
 prudence. In the first place, let those who have a seri- 
 ous sense of religion bind themselves with the vows of 
 God, and enter on a solemn profession of them, at an 
 early period of life. Enter into the church of God, 
 take upon you the vows of the Almighty ; if your hearts 
 are sincere towards him, if you have reason to believe 
 
OP EVIL COMMUNICATIONS. 289 
 
 you are in earnest in seeking after him, and have com- 
 mitted yourself to the Redeemer, take upon you his yoke 
 openly, bear his name upon your forehead before men. 
 This will have the happiest effect in strengthening you 
 against the force of evil example. Recollecting the 
 nature of your engagements, you will be awakened to a 
 sense of consistency of conduct, and be shocked at the 
 thought of bringing reproach on the cause of God. A 
 feeling of self-respect will come in aid of the liigher 
 principles of religion, and the higher motives to virtuous 
 conduct. You will remember that you have assumed, if 
 I may so say, a peculiar caste; and when you look upon 
 the pure and holy robe of the profession of Christianity 
 you thus Avear, you will be anxious, if you have been 
 sincere in making that profession, to keep it " unspotted 
 from the w^orld." It is well, in such a state of tempta- 
 tion, to render difficult, if not impossible, indeed, to put 
 yourself on ground from which you cannot retreat. 
 Now, he who has done this eifectually, has given up his 
 name to Christ, and enrolled himself among his disciples, 
 has gone forth to him without the camp, bearing his re- 
 proach, and thus cut off his own retreat ; he renders it 
 impossible to consult his earthly interests at the expense 
 of piety, without bringing upon himself all the re- 
 proaches of his conscience, the ridicule of unbelievers, 
 and the contempt of his companions and of mankind. 
 
 Let all young persons, then, bind themselves with the 
 vows of God, and unite themselves to those whom God 
 has touched by his Spirit, and is guiding, under the 
 convoy of the Captain of Salvation, to eternal glory. 
 The church will willingly receive all such as are desirous 
 of uniting themselves to the Lord in an everlasting 
 covenant, and will say, as Moses did to Hobab : " Come 
 with us, and we will do you good ; we are going to the 
 laud of which the Lord our God hath said, I will give it 
 you."* Are you linked in with society from which you 
 find it difficult to break ? Change your place of abode, 
 make a sacrifice of worldly convenience, nay, relinquish 
 
 * Numb. X. 29. 
 VOL. VI. U 
 
290 NATURE AND DANGER 
 
 some of the tendernesses of life, rather than fail in 
 securing your safety : there is no place so dangerous, none 
 from which you ought to flee with so much rapidity, as 
 that which is the seat of contagion, where, enlinked with 
 vicious associates, you cannot remain without being in 
 the way to perpetuate your confederacy with sinners. 
 Flee from such a place ; as you would not " walk in the 
 counsel of the ungodly ;" stand not '' in the M'ay of 
 sinners," lest you " sit down in the seat of the scomers." 
 Flee, then, as for your life. These, you know, are dif- 
 ferent stages in depra\aty, different degrees of progress 
 in corruption ; walking " in the counsel of the ungodly" 
 is the first ; he who does that will next " stand in the 
 way of sinners," and that is a ready and proper prepara- 
 tion for sitting down " in the seat of the scornful."* Do 
 you wish not to be ashamed of Christ before men ? Go 
 into society which shall not tempt you to that shame ; 
 seek those associates before whom you may, without a 
 blush, lift up your heads and avow your attachment to a 
 once crucified, but now glorified, Redeemer. 
 
 Let it be remembered, that with those with whom you 
 voluntarily associate here, you shall be associated here- 
 after by the disposer of all things, for ever : with those 
 persons with whom you choose to spend your time, you 
 must spend yom* eternity ; these are inseparably allied. 
 Those who choose the society of the vicious, those who 
 keep company w ith the enemies of God in this world by 
 choice and election, will have their portions with such in 
 the regions of everlasting darkness. Eternity is pressing 
 on : ask yourselves, then, with whom w^ould you wish to 
 be associated when " the voice of the archangel and the 
 trump of God" shall proclaim that " there shall be time 
 no longer." With w^hom would you choose to rise ? 
 With whom would you have your everlasting portion ? 
 With patriarchs and prophets ? With evangelists and 
 apostles ? With saints and martyrs now shining forth in 
 the glories of celestial radiance ? or with those who, 
 having slighted the warnings and despised the mercies of 
 
 • Psalm i. 1. 
 
OF EVIL COMMUNICATIONS. 291 
 
 the Lord, must assuredly " awake to shame and ever- 
 lasting contempt."* There are but two societies in the 
 universe, the church and the world ; the servants of God 
 and the servants of Satan ; the votaries of time and the 
 votaries of eternity : they are each of them claiming 
 your regard, and saying to ingenuous youth, " Come with 
 us," and holding out their respective allurements and 
 attractions. One presents " the pleasures of sin for a 
 season," to be followed by bitter remorse and everlasting 
 despair ; the other the prize of immortality, the society 
 of saints, calm of conscience, quiet of mind, the peace of 
 a self-approving spirit, consolation unutterable, and that 
 only as the earnest of the pleasures to be enjoyed at the 
 right hand of God : that fulness of joy which is for 
 evermore. 
 
 Recollect, also, that time is pressing on, and we shall 
 soon be that which we shall continue to be for ever. Do 
 not say, I will remain a little longer in the society of 
 wicked persons, I will loiter a little longer in the pursuit 
 of sin and sensual gratification, in the neglect of God 
 and religion. While you are halting, God may decide 
 for you ; he has no sympathy with hesitation, but looks 
 with contempt and abhorrence on the infatuation, and 
 WTctched folly and guilt of that mind which prefers the 
 applause of the world, the pleasures of sin, and the gra 
 tification of a moment, to the " exceeding and eternal 
 weight of glory," which accrues from his favour and 
 friendship. He has no sympathy with such persons, he 
 abhors them ; at least, they are exercising his patience 
 every day. Despise not, then, " the riches of his good- 
 ness and long-suffering," lest, while you are halting 
 between two opinions, God should lift up his hand " and 
 swear that you shall not see his rest." " To-day," then, 
 I say, to-day, " if ye will hear his voice, harden not your 
 hearts, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temp- 
 tation in the wilderness."t 
 
 Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, 
 "for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighte- 
 
 ♦ Dan. xii. 3. f Psalm xcv. 7, 8. 
 
 u2 
 
292 THE EVILS OF IDOLATRY, 
 
 ousness ? And what coinmunioii hatli light "with dark- 
 ness ? And what concord hath Christ with Belial ? 
 And what agreement hath the temple of God with 
 idols ?" " For you are the temple of the living God, if 
 you are Christians ; and to be such I trust every one 
 here is aspiring, as He hath said, " I will dwell with 
 them and walk in them, and I will bless them ; I will 
 be their God, and they shall be my people." Therefore, 
 " come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith 
 the Lord ; touch not the unclean thing, and I will re- 
 ceive you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith 
 the Most High God."t 
 
 XIX. 
 
 THE EVILS OF IDOLATRY, AND THE MEANS OF 
 ITS ABOLITION.t 
 
 [preached at BRISTOL, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BAPTIST 
 MISSIONS, NOVEMBER 2, 1826.] 
 
 Isaiah ii. 18 — " The idols He shall utterly abolish.'^ 
 
 The progress of Christianity in the world has already 
 been so great and wonderful, as to carry evidence of its 
 divine original, and of its promised final triumph over 
 every false religion. Its vast effects have been produced 
 principally by the simple instrument of preaching its doc- 
 trines, attended by the promised influence of the Holy 
 Spirit. The same instrument, attended by the same in- 
 fluence, may be reasonably expected to eff*ect the ulti- 
 mate conversion of all the nations. This most desirable 
 object we are on the present occasion assembled to pro- 
 mote. 
 
 It is agreed by expositors, that, in the connexion of 
 the text, the success of the gospel is predicted : — as a 
 
 * 2 Cor. vi. 14—16 f 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. 
 
 I rrinted from the Notes of the Rev. Thomas Orinfield. 
 
AND THE MEANS OF ITS ABOLITION. 293 
 
 remarkable feature by which its success would be distin- 
 guished, the destruction of idolatry is mentioned in the 
 words I have selected ; in which two things are proposed 
 to our attention ; the evil to be abolished, and the means 
 of its abolition. 
 
 I. The evil to be abolished. This, as you will ob- 
 serve, is idolatry. It has been commonly and very pro- 
 perly distinguished, as of two kinds, literal and spiritual. 
 The latter, or spiritual idolatry, is an evil which, by the 
 apostasy of our nature, attaches to all mankind, whe- 
 ther inhabiting christian or pagan regions, except those 
 individuals whose hearts have experienced a renovation 
 by the Spirit of God. It is to the former, or literal 
 idolatry, that the prophet refers in the text : this the 
 connexion shows, where mention is made of those idols 
 of silver and gold^ which the converted idolaters would 
 cast away. The progress of Christianity was, from the 
 first, marked by the cessation of idol worship ; and this 
 was effected by the same means which are still to be 
 employed. Men were called to turn from their dumb 
 idols to serve the living God. The abandonment of a 
 false worship must prepare the way for a moral revolu- 
 tion : men must cease from the adoration of images, 
 before they can in any sense be worshippers of the true 
 Jehovah. 
 
 There are two principal points of view in which we 
 may regard the evil nature and eflPects of idolatry ; its 
 aspect toward God, and its aspect toward man. In the 
 former aspect, it appears as a crime ; in the latter, as a 
 calamity : thus contemplated, it appears as an evil de- 
 structive equally to the divine glory, and to human hap- 
 pines. Man naturally tends to this evil; and one 
 generation after another gradually accumulated the folHes 
 of superstition, till it reached the monstrous extreme of 
 gross idolatry. 
 
 1. The word of God everywhere reprobates idolatry 
 39 an abominable thing which the soul of God abhors. 
 To provide against it, was a principal object in the poli- 
 tical and municipal department of the jNIosaic law. It 
 is expressly prohibited by the first and the second com- 
 
294 THE EVILS OF IDOLATRY, 
 
 mandment of the moral law ; the first being designed to 
 confirm the worship of the true God ; the second, to ex- 
 clude every idolatrous form of worship. Idolatry makes 
 a material symbol of the invisible God ; but so jealous 
 is the Divine Being of his own honour, that he has for- 
 bidden, not only the worship of any other or false God, 
 but even the worship of Himself by the medium of a 
 graven image. The golden calf was intended as a re- 
 presentative of the God of Israel ; and the calves set up 
 by Jeroboam were the same : yet the worship of the 
 golden calf occasioned the slaughter, by the divine com- 
 mand, of three thousand persons ; and the executioners 
 of divine vengeance were extolled for having forgotten 
 the feelings of nature toward their nearest kindred : 
 every man Avas commanded to slay his brother or his 
 son, and so to consecrate himself to the Lord.* Where 
 the honour of God was so deeply concerned, men were 
 to lose sight of common humanity. "When the Israel- 
 ites were tempted by the artifices of Balaam to commit 
 idolatry at Baal Peor, twenty-four thousand were slain 
 at once ; the memory of Phinehas was immortalized on 
 account of the holy zeal he displayed in the destruction 
 of certain conspicuous offenders ; and the Moabites were 
 devoted to extermination, because, in this respect, they 
 had proved a snare to Israel. According to the divine 
 appointment, credit Avas to be denied to the testimony of 
 an idolater, and his life was to be taken by his nearest 
 relative. All this marks the disposition, with regard to 
 idolatry, of that Being, who is the same yesterday, to-day^ 
 and for ever. If he does not now punish it as he once 
 did, it is not that he hates it now less than formerly : 
 but he spares men, that they may be brought to the 
 knowledge of his will and his salvation : Now he com- 
 tnands all men every where to repent, because he has ap- 
 pointed a day in ichich he will judge the ivorld hy Jesus 
 Christ : and he desires that we, who have received the 
 gospel, should carry the tidings of this command to all 
 mankind. 
 
 * Exod. xxxii. 29. 
 
AND THE MEANS OF ITS ABOLITION. 295 
 
 Idolatry is, vitli respect to the government of God, 
 ■what treason or rebellion is with respect to civil govern- 
 ment It is the setting up of an idol in the place of 
 the Supreme Povrer : an affront offered to that Majesty, 
 in which all order and authority is combined and con- 
 centered, and which is the fountain of all social bless- 
 ings. Hence, in the eye of God, nothing can dilute the 
 turpitude, or diminish the guilt of this offence. It makes 
 no difference what may be the character of the rival : 
 there is still an entire transfer of allegiance from tJie 
 blessed and only Potentate^ to a palpable usuq^er ; and 
 the guilt remains the same. Were the idol cast in a 
 moidd of the purest moral beauty, it would still, as an 
 idol, be a monster deserving universal execration. Were 
 we even to suppose the character of the idol immacu- 
 late as that of <Jesus Christ and God himself, the case 
 would not be materially altered ; an invasion would still 
 be committed on the immense empire of the Most 
 High. 
 
 Idolatry is an evil which, where it exists, taints every 
 apparent virtue ; because it destroys the soul of duty, 
 which is obedience to the divine will, conformity to the 
 divine command. Though there exists an eternal recti- 
 tude, independent of written revelation ; yet we short- 
 sighted creatures must resign ourselves to be guided by 
 the revealed will of God ; conformity to this is our only 
 sure standard. And the Scriptures everywhere assure 
 us, that nothing is acceptable to God that is not done 
 under the influence of a sincere regard to his will. This 
 is perfectly reasonable. Suppose a person to do acci- 
 dentally, unintentionally, just what you would wish to 
 have done; yet, if, in so doing, he had no design to 
 please you, will his conduct satisfy you in the same 
 manner as if he had acted from a regard to your wish, 
 as your devoted servant ? Your will, your authority, 
 never entered into his views and motives ; and can he 
 expect that you should reward him ? Thus nothing is 
 done rightly, to any good purpose, Avhere God is not re- 
 garded : the sintjie eye is wanting ; and, that wanting, 
 the whole lody is full of darkness. Men may do much 
 
 # 
 
296 THE EVILS OF IDOLATRY, 
 
 good from merely self-interested or ambitious motives ; 
 and they may have their reward^ the only reward they 
 ever sought, in success and applause. Nebuchadnezzar 
 was employed by God as a rod to scourge his guilty ' 
 people ; and, having served that purpose, was cast aside. 
 Pagan philosophers and heroes have exercised the vir- 
 tues of temperance and moderation, ^^'ithout the least 
 advertence to the Divine will ; and hence, as Augustine 
 remarks, their virtues can only be regarded as splendid 
 sins. " God was not in all their thoughts ;" God was 
 as much forgotten in their virtues as he was in their 
 vices ; they remained as dead in sin, because as dead to 
 God, as ever. They sought to be admired and idolized, 
 in a world they were so soon to quit, by creatures whose 
 applause was of no value ; and they were as destitute of 
 spiritual vitality as the most profligate of their fellow- 
 mortals 1 Just as, amidst the awful solemnities of the 
 last day, we may imagine the impassioned admirer of 
 nature or art beholding with regi-et so many fair objects 
 and heart-ravishing scenes, in which he once delighted, 
 all alike consigned to the final conflagration ; even so 
 the christian may be supposed, on that occasion, touched 
 with a momentary pang, to see many who here excited 
 his admiration, many who perhaps obtained his esteem, 
 and awakened his tenderest sympathies, yet numbered 
 at last with them that are lost ! — although he must then 
 be satisfied, in a degree inconceivable at present, of the 
 justice of their condemnation ; inasmuch as (whatever 
 they might have been besides) they were dead to God ; 
 " they worshipped the creature more than the Creator ;" 
 they were, in the essence of character, idolaters. 
 
 "With respect to the origin of idolatry, it is probable 
 tbat men began by raising images to the memory of de- 
 parted heroes, and afterwards transferred their homage 
 to the images themselves ; imtil they gradually descended 
 to the worship of the meanest objects, even those which 
 are the most obscene and unutterable. There is nothing 
 so vile, filthy, disgusting, or horrible, that has not, by 
 some nation, been selected as an object of worship. 
 Happily we, my brethren, are situated so remote, both 
 
AND TUE MEANS OF ITS ABOLITION. 297 
 
 in time and place, from the principal of tlieso abomina- 
 tions, that we are able to form only a very inadequate 
 idea of the enormous folly to which they have proceeded. 
 
 2. But we turn to contemplate idolatry on another 
 side ; in its aspect toward man, its influence on society. 
 
 The apostle Paul informs us, that God hath shown to 
 men what may be known concerning himself; that his 
 invisible being, his eternal power and godhead, may be 
 clearly seen and understood by the works of creation ; 
 so that " those are without excuse who have changed the 
 glory of the incorruptible God into an image in the like- 
 ness of corruptible man, of birds, and beasts, and rep- 
 tiles."* They are without excuse ; their conduct admits of 
 no apology : ^a/iere/ore, as the apostle adds, God gave 
 them up to a reprobate^ a base, and undiscerning mind ; 
 and, as theii did not like to retain God in their knowledge^ 
 he gave them up to their own vile affections^ and left them 
 to violate even the laws of nature. 
 
 The origin of all the atrocities they committed is to be 
 found in aversion to God ; dislike of the spirituality and 
 purity of his character, a desire, like Cain, to retire from 
 the presence of their Maker ; a wish to forget a Being 
 whose character they knew to be utterly uncongenial 
 with their own. Tliis disposition originally led men to 
 substitute idols for God. Those idols would, of course, 
 be conceived of a character unlike that of God. Men 
 would never form their imaginary deities after the model 
 of him whom they disliked : accordingly, they receded 
 to the utmost possible distance from all resemblance to 
 the holy, omniscient, glorious God of Abraham and of 
 Israel. Impure themselves, they were not disposed to 
 adopt a God of purity : full of malignant passions they 
 could form no conception of a God of love — a Father 
 pouring out his blessed fulness, and delighting in bene- 
 ficence to his vast family. No, my brethren, their gods 
 were of a different description ; vindictive tyrants, di- 
 vided, like themselves, by eternal factions and conten- 
 
 * Rom. i. 19 --25. 
 
298 THE EVILS OF IDOLATRY, 
 
 tions; eacli piu'suing his favourite objects and patron- 
 izing his adopted party. 
 
 Homer, the first who appears to have composed a re- 
 gular picture of idolatry, paints his Jupiter, or supreme 
 deity, as deficient in every divine attribute ; in omnipo- 
 tence, in justice, and even in domestic peace. He paints 
 Juno as the victim of eternal jealousy ; and with good 
 reason for her jealousy, when the earth was peopled, 
 according to Homer, with the illegitimate progeny of 
 Jupiter, to whom almost every hero traced his pedigree. 
 Mars was the personification of rage and violence; 
 Mercury, the patron of artifice and theft. How far 
 such a mythology influenced the character of its vota- 
 ries, it is perhaps impossible for us to know ; nothing 
 could be more curious than to look into the mind of a 
 heathen. But it is certain that the mind must have 
 been exceedingly corrupted by the influence of such a 
 creed : and probably each individual idolater would be 
 influenced by the deity whose character happened to be 
 most accommodated to his own peculiar passions. 
 Achilles would emulate Mars in ferocity and deeds of 
 blood : Ulysses would be like JMercury in craft and 
 stratagem : while the ambitious mind of Alexander or 
 Julius Caesar would aspire to act a Jupiter on earth. 
 What a state of society must that be, in which no vice, 
 no crime could be perpetrated that was not sanctioned 
 by the very objects of religious worship ! "What a reli- 
 gion that M'hich exerted an antagonist force against con- 
 science itself I — a religion which silenced or perverted 
 the dictates of the moral sense, the thoughts that should 
 either accuse or excuse us within ! The temples of Venus, 
 we are informed, were crowded by a thousand prosti- 
 tutes, as servants and representatives of that licentious 
 goddess ; the very places of their worship were the 
 scenes of their vices, and seemed as if they were designed 
 to consecrate the worst part of their conduct ! 
 
 In modern India, idolatry is exemplified on a scale 
 scarcely less extensive ; and everywhere it is marked by 
 two leading qualities, cruelty and impurity. The Hin- 
 
AND THE MEANS OF ITS ABOLITION. 299 
 
 doo deities are of a ferocious and sanguinary character, 
 and are supposed to drink out of the skulls of their vic- 
 tims. The more we become acquainted with these idol- 
 aters, like Ezekiel, when he surveyed the chambers of 
 imagery^ we discover only the greater abominations. In 
 their system, as connected with their conduct, there is a 
 perpetual action and re-action; vice generating idols, 
 and idols fortifying vice. First, we find mere abstrac- 
 tions of the mind formed concerning the Deity; these 
 are next embodied in idols ; and all the human passions 
 are enlisted by devotion itself on the side of vice. He^^e, 
 in a country influenced by the light of revelation, we are 
 accustomed in all our ideas to associate religion and mo- 
 rality : we never suppose a truly religious man can be 
 any other than a good moralist ; when we see a person 
 who fears God, and refers even his thoughts to con- 
 science, we never doubt that his practice is correct ; his 
 word is as an oath to us ; because the standard he adopts 
 is the Divine will, and he is himself a faint image and 
 adumbration of the moral glory of God. But the fire 
 of piety, instead of kindling, would only quench the fire 
 of idolatry. A man must be imfitted for that worship, 
 in exact proportion to his fear and love of God. The 
 image of Satan must displace the image of God, in the 
 heart of every idolater. 
 
 II. Hitherto we have attended to a melancholy sub- 
 ject, and have seen only the nakedness and degradation 
 of our race. We must noAV more briefly advert to a 
 brighter scene, pj-esented by the prophet, when he 
 assuies us that Jesus Christ (of whom he is speaking) 
 Avill utterly abolish idolatry, and sweep it from the face 
 of the earth with the " besom of destruction ; " not a 
 worshipper of idols shall be left at last, but His wrath 
 shall consume that man. In sending the gospel to the 
 heathen, you offer, as it were, the holy incense, like 
 Moses, when he interposed between God and the perish- 
 ing Israelites : you stand, like him, between the dead and 
 the living^ — the dead and the living for eternity ! — and 
 you stag the plague ! 
 
 No sooner did Christianity appear, than its formidable 
 
300 THE EVILS OF IDOLATRY, 
 
 power, as the opponent of idolatry, was felt and mani- 
 fested. Pliny,* writing about seventy years after the 
 death of Christ, declared to the Emperor Trajan, that, 
 in the province of Bithynia, where he presided as pro- 
 consul, the temples were nearly deserted : a striking 
 proof how rapidly the system of paganism gave way be- 
 fore the sword of the Spirit wielded by the primitive 
 missionaries. One unhappy exception, indeed, still re- 
 mains, in the idolatrous worship of the Romish church ; 
 but the triumphs of the gospel are advancing, and as we 
 have lately seen the islands of the South Sea casting 
 away their ancient idols to the moles and to the hats, so 
 shall every system of idolatry and false worship be ut- 
 terly, and for ever, overthrown. 
 
 Preaching, an instrument so unpromising in the view 
 of carnal reason, has been the chief instrument em- 
 ployed in producing these moral revolutions. When, in 
 the 2cisdom of God, the 7vorld hy wisdom knew not God; 
 when the only Being against whom all conspired, was 
 the Maker of all, and men proved themselves to be 
 blind at noonday ; it pleased God, hy the foolishness of 
 preaching to save them that helieve. Nothing but this 
 can save them : woe be to that man who teaches that 
 there is any proclamation of salvation that includes not 
 the preaching Jesus Christ. This is the instrument 
 which God has crowned with success. Before the rising 
 Sun of Righteousness, idolatry melted away, as wax be- 
 fore the fire ; and effects, the reverse of those produced 
 by that baneful system will always attend the beneficent 
 progress of the gospel. Cruelty and impurity disappear 
 in holiness and brotherly love. Christianity, instead of 
 severing the ties of nature, harmonizes and unites the 
 most distant from each other, as brethren ; according to 
 the design of our Saviour, that he should gather together 
 in one the children of God, that were scattered abroad ; 
 while those, who before were stained with every ^dce, 
 ai-e purified in their hearts and conduct by the influence 
 of heavenly truth. 
 
 * See the note at page 331 of this volume. 
 
AND THE MEANS OP ITS ABOLITION. 301 
 
 In proportion, my brethren, as you value the blessings 
 of religion, you will wish that others should partake them 
 with yourselves : in proportion as you are disposed to 
 pray, Lord^ evermore give us this bread ; you will desire 
 to communicate it to all beside. You will love your 
 brethren, as you love your Saviour, not having seen 
 either : if you have been divinely taught, this will be 
 your feeling in regard to all mankind. That man's heart 
 is not right with God, who can look, unmoved, upon the 
 vast heathen world, lying dead in trespasses and sins ; 
 dead by a moral, a voluntary death, such as cannot be 
 pleaded in arrest of the divine judgement. But, though 
 they have destroyed themselves, in God is their help ; 
 he "has laid help on one that is mighty," " to save even 
 to the uttermost." The Father has appointed his beloved 
 Son to be the dispenser of all spiritual blessings, as 
 Pharaoh appointed Joseph to be the dispenser of bread 
 to the perishing Egyptians ; and as Pharaoh answered 
 every amplication by saying. Go to Joseph ; the Father 
 says to sinners. Go to Jesus Christ with all your wants ; 
 no man can come to the Father but by him. He is the 
 ark in which all the hopes, all the treasures, of human 
 nature are deposited, in him is all the fulness of God. 
 
 A cause so great and sacred as that of Christianity 
 absorbs all those differences and divisions, of a minor 
 kind, that exist among us : and I trust and believe there 
 is not a missionary of our own Baptist communion, who 
 would not infinitely prefer the conversion and salvation 
 of one soul, to making the whole heathen world adopt 
 our views of a disputed and comparatively inconsider- 
 able ceremony. If there is such a man, I am no party 
 to his sentiment ; there exists no communion between 
 us ; let not my soul enter into that man's secret ! No, 
 my dear brethren ! we, I trust, have far higher views ; 
 the only kind of proselytes we desire to make are prose- 
 lytes to God and Jesus Christ ! In the promotion of 
 such a cause, we are ready to forget our own denomina- 
 tion, and to co-operate with every other ; we feel that 
 with such an object proposed, Avere tve to sit still, the 
 very stones in oiu- streets would cry out, and almost rise 
 
302 Christ's mission, 
 
 up into bibles and missionaries ! Contribute, brethren, 
 to the support and extension of this sacred enterprise, 
 and you will convert uncertain riches into the means of 
 bestowing the true riches^ — of diffusing the unsearchahU 
 ricJies of Christ ; your contributions will become, in the 
 hand of God, bibles, instructions, prayers, sermons ; the 
 messengers of saving mercy to many immortal souls. 
 
 XX. 
 
 CHRIST'S MISSION FOR THE ADOPTION OF SONS 
 IN THE FULNESS OF TIME * 
 
 [preached at MELBOURNE, NEAR ROYSTON, SEPTEMBER 18"27.] 
 
 Gal. iv. 4, 5. — " Bui when the fulness of time was come, God sent 
 
 forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the laio, to redeem 
 
 them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of 
 sons." 
 
 The Galatians, among whom Paul had taught the re- 
 ligion of Christ, were soon led astray as to some of its 
 most essential and important doctrines, by the arts of 
 Judaizing teachers. 
 
 They admitted and inculcated the obligation of cir- 
 cumcision and other ceremonies of the ancient law, 
 maintaining that without these men could not be saved ; 
 thereby vacating and superseding the sacrifice of Christ, 
 and denying the sufficiency of his mediation and death 
 for the salvation of sinful men. Of these Paul testified 
 that, if any man submitted to circumcision on this ground, 
 with a view to procure acceptance with God, or as any 
 ingredient of justification in his sight, for such a person 
 Christ had died in vain. He subverts the only founda- 
 tion laid in Zion, by mixing those observations of the 
 law of Moses, which were typical of Christ and his 
 kingdom, with his satisfaction, as the ground of accept- 
 ance with the just and holy God. 
 
 ♦ Printed from the Notes of the Hon. Baron Garney. 
 
IN TUE FULNESS OF TIME. 303 
 
 111 order to recall the Galatlans from these errors, he 
 directs their attention in the words just read, to the great 
 and fundamental doctrine of Ciirist's incarnation and 
 atonement, to its completeness and efficacy, not only in 
 saving us from guilt and condemnation, but in reinstat- 
 ing us in the divine favour, and bestowing on us inex- 
 pressible privileges ; admission into his family and the 
 reception of that spirit of adoption which is the spirit of 
 his Son, whereby Christians feel the dispositions and 
 perform the duties of obedient children to their hea- 
 venly Father. " When the fulness of the time was 
 come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made 
 under the law, to redeem them that were under the 
 law, that we might receive the adoption of sons ; and 
 because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his 
 Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father." 
 
 In these words there are three things that demand our 
 attention ; 
 
 I. The mission of Jesus Christ, and the maimer in 
 which he manifested himself. 
 
 II. The design of his mission ; " to redeem them that 
 were under the law, that we might receive the adoption 
 of sons." 
 
 III. The fitness of that season which God, in his in- 
 finite wisdom, appointed for this purpose ; it was in 
 " the fulness of time." 
 
 I. In the first place, these words present to our atten- 
 tion the great fact of Christ's mission from the Father, 
 and his appearance in our world. Of the dignity of the 
 person of our Saviour, as denoted by the expression, 
 " God sent forth his Son," we have sufficient notice in 
 various parts of the New Testament. 
 
 The character of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, is 
 placed in contrast with the dignity of angelic intelli- 
 gences, and is asserted in the first chapter of the Epistle 
 to the Hebrews. " God, who at sundry times and in 
 divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by 
 the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by 
 his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by 
 whom also he made the worlds ; who being the bright- 
 
304 Christ's mission, 
 
 ness of his glorv and the express image of his person, and 
 upholding all things hv the word of his power, Avhen he 
 had himself purged our sins, sat down on the right 
 hand of the Majesty on high ; heing made so much bet- 
 ter than they, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more 
 excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels 
 said he at any time, Thou art my Sou, this day have I 
 begotten thee ? And again, I will be to him a Father, 
 and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he 
 bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith. 
 And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the 
 angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his 
 ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, 
 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever ; a sceptre of 
 righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." To denote 
 the inexpressible dignity of Jesus Christ, as being one 
 with the Father in his most essential prerogatives and 
 perfections, he is here styled " his Son." The Father 
 gave him bu-th ; he came into the world having existed 
 before it ; " he came unto his o-smi, and his own received 
 him not;" even He, that Word which "Avas with God 
 and was God," and without whom " was not any thing 
 made that was made," He, the Eternal Word and Son of 
 God, " became flesh ; that is, assumed our natm-e, " and 
 dwelt among us." His goings forth were from everlast- 
 ing, and his manifestations among the ancient tribes of 
 Israel not unfrequent. We have reason to believe that 
 those symbolical appearances of God, by which the 
 patriarchs and Moses and the prophets communed with 
 the Most High, were anticipated representations and ap- 
 pearances of Christ. But they were occasional and 
 transient, and in them he wore " the form of God ; " but 
 wdien the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his 
 Son to take up his abode with human nature, to taber- 
 nacle among us. 
 
 The manner in which this manifestation was made, 
 and the leading circumstances attending it, are marked 
 out in this passage, " he was made of a woman," and 
 " made under the law." Every one must be aware of 
 the peculiarity of the phi'ase, inade of a icoman, and will 
 
IN THE FULNESS OF TIME. 305 
 
 no doubt infer from it something peculiar in the circum- 
 stances of our Saviour's birth. Accordingly, we find 
 the sacred writers distinctly inform us of the miraculous 
 production of our Lord by the power of the Holy Ghost. 
 Thus the angel saluted the blessed virgin, " the Holy 
 Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the high- 
 est shall overshadow thee ; therefore also that holy thing 
 which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of 
 God." In every possible sense Jesus Christ possesses 
 this character. In his pre-existent state he was the 
 Word and the Son of God; in his human nature 'he 
 bore that relation as being the immediate production 
 of the Almighty ; as it is also said of Adam in the 
 genealogy given by St. Luke that he was the Son of God. 
 This particular of our Saviour's existence, as being 
 miraculously conceived by the Holy Ghost, is frequently 
 noticed in the Old and New Testament, and no doubt 
 possesses great importance in the plan of redemption. 
 Thus, when the first transgression entered into the world 
 by the subtlety of Satan, God pronounced this curse upon 
 that apostate spirit who presented himself under the sem- 
 blance and form of a serpent, " Because thou hast done 
 this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every 
 beast of the field ; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and 
 dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life : and I will 
 put enmity between thee and the woman, and between 
 thy seed and her seed ; it shall bruise thy head, and thou 
 shalt bruise his heel." No satisfactory account can be 
 given of Jesus Christ, who is here plainly prophesied of 
 as the seed of the woman, but in the circumstance allu- 
 ded to in the passage before us ; that is his miraculous 
 conception, in relation to which he was emphatically and 
 peculiarly made of a woman, standing in a more imme- 
 diate connexion with that sex than the other. When 
 God was pleased to afford a remarkable and illustrious 
 promise of the appearance of his Son, it was combined 
 with the mention of this particular, " the Lord himself 
 shall give you a sign ; behold, a virgin shall conceive 
 and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel," 
 which is interpreted by the evangelist Matthew, " God 
 
 VOL. VI. X 
 
306 Christ's mission 
 
 -vvitli us." Again, St. Luke says, " Jesus himself began 
 to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) 
 the son of Joseph ;" plainly intimating that he was not 
 so, but was in reality the immediate production of a 
 divine power. 
 
 In the second chapter of the first epistle to Timothy, 
 notice is taken of the circumstances attending the en- 
 trance of sin in the first transgression. When inculcating 
 the duty of silence and submission on the part of the 
 women, and particulai-ly in the church of Christ, he says, 
 " For Adam was first formed, then Eve ; and Adam was 
 not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the 
 transgression. Notmthstanding, she shall be saved in 
 childbearing" (as we have it ; but it is improperly ren- 
 dered, and should be, hi/ child-beai-ing) " if they continue 
 in faith and charity, and holiness with sobriety." There 
 is no reason to doubt that the true meaning is bi/ the 
 child-bearm^, refemng not to the pains of parturition, 
 but to the extraordinary event of the birth of our Saviour 
 in a mu'aculous manner. She shall be saved, notmth- 
 standing she was the means of human ruin by admitting 
 the solicitations of Satan, if she continue in the exercise 
 of christian virtue, and is herself a faithful servant of 
 the Lord God ; she shall be saved by the child-bearing, 
 by that signal and miraculous child-bearing which took 
 place in the birth of the Messiah. The apostle is not 
 adverting to any temporal circumstance ; he is speaking 
 of the entrance of sin by means of the woman, and it is 
 natural to throw in a compensatory circumstance, remind- 
 ing us, that as the inferior sex had been the source of 
 human perversion, so it had the honour of being the 
 immediate instrument of the production of the Messiah, 
 by whom our recovery was efi^iected. And the condition 
 which follows, " if they continue in faith and charity, 
 and holiness with sobriety," puts this interpretation be- 
 yond doubt ; as there is the greatest connexion between 
 faith and virtue, without which our faith is vain, but 
 none whatever between perseverance in holiness and ex- 
 emption from the pains of child-birth. 
 
 The circumstances of our Saviour's incamation placed 
 
IN THE FULNESS OF TIME. 307 
 
 him at an immeasurable distance from all the other parts 
 of the human race. He was the immediate production 
 of God ; by his divine power he was conceived of the 
 Holy Ghost, and thereby completely exempted from the 
 taint of original sin, Avliich attaches to all the posterity 
 of Adam. He was the holy thing born of a virgin. He 
 was by constitution placed in the same state as our first 
 parents ; he underwent a similar but severer trial, and 
 continued to maintain his innocence against all the as- 
 saults of Satan, overcoming his stratagems by his wisdom 
 and sanctity, and his violence by his powers of endu- 
 rance. 
 
 In the next place it is said, he was " made under the 
 law." The term tyiade here plainly implies that he was 
 put into a situation different from that which was origi- 
 ginally natural to him. Such an expression could not 
 with propriety be used respecting any one who was, by 
 the constitution of his nature and at every period, sub- 
 ject to the law. It is best illustrated, " comparing spiri- 
 tual things with spiritual," by the striking passage in the 
 epistle to the Philippians, where St. Paul is inculcating 
 the duty of condescension and lowliness among chi-is- 
 tians : " Let this mind be in you which was also in 
 Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it 
 not robbery to be equal with God ; but made himself of 
 no reputation" (or emptied himself, divested himself of 
 that glory which he had before all worlds), " and took 
 upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in 
 the likeness of men ; and being found in fashion as a 
 man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto 
 death, even the death of the cross." Here Ave see Christ 
 is set forth as the greatest example of condescension, in 
 that, though he bore the form of God, yet he took upon 
 him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness 
 of men. These particulars could not have evinced any 
 humility in our Saviour, on the supposition of his having 
 no previous existence, nor a nature higher than human. 
 No person was ever praised for humility in that respect, 
 that he was found in fashion as a man, or appeared as 
 the servant of the Most High : these are the necessary 
 X 2 
 
308 Christ's mission 
 
 appendages of his condition and existence, quite foreign 
 from his will, and cannot for a moment enter into the 
 consideration of that part of his moral character which 
 respects lowliness of mind. But if w^e believe, as the 
 Scriptures tell us, that Jesus Christ was " the brightness 
 of the Father's glory, and the express image of his per- 
 son," that he " was wdth God and was God," nothing can 
 set forth his condescension in a more striking point of 
 view than his taking upon him the form of a servant, and 
 being made in the likeness of men. Then, indeed, there 
 was room for choice and election respecting his appear- 
 ance in our w^orld, and that event must have been the 
 effect of his o^^ti purpose and the object of his entire 
 complacency. " Forasmuch as the children are partakers 
 of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of 
 the same, that through death he might destroy him that 
 had the power of death, that is the devil." 
 
 The necessary condition of every creature^ however 
 exalted, is that of submission to the law of God. The 
 obligation of obeying his precepts and of sustaining his 
 penalties in case of the violation of them is inherent, we 
 have the strongest reason to believe, in every finite na- 
 ture. We cannot dismiss from our minds the connexion 
 between being produced by the Divine Being and being 
 subjected to his law. But here we have presented to us a 
 new and extraordinary spectacle, — that of a person in 
 our nature, who has taken upon him that nature by ap- 
 pearing in the form of man, and thereby become subject 
 to the law of God. He w^as " made under the law ; " 
 whereas all other creatm-es are rmder it by the very terms 
 of their existence, by the very condition of their nature. 
 He was made under the law as really as he was made of 
 a woman. 
 
 Our Lord was made under the law in every sense. 
 Divines have generally considered that Jesus Christ was 
 made under three laws, or under the law considered in 
 three points of view. First, he was made under the 
 ceremonial law, and subject to all its rights and ceremo- 
 nies. He frequented the synagogue and the temple ; 
 he was circumcised the eighth day, and dedicated to the 
 
IN THE FULNESS OF TIxME. 309 
 
 Lord in the usual manner ; he was observant in paying 
 the dues of the temple. That homage, from which he 
 w^as exempt as the Son of God, he submitted to observe, 
 lest the Jews should take oflfence. In no part of his 
 conduct do we find any accusation from his bitterest 
 enemies of violating the law, except in the single parti- 
 cular of his working miracles on the Sabbath-day, which 
 he justified by showing that " man was not made for 
 the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man," and that " it is 
 lawful to do good on the Sabbath-day." In every other 
 respect he was observant of the law to the very letter, 
 and well might he say to his most inveterate foes, 
 " Which of you convinceth me of sin?" 
 
 He was made, also, under the moral law, and was ob- 
 servant of all its unchangeable duties. In all his con- 
 duct to his Heavenly Father, to his fellow- creatures, and 
 to himself, he was an example of perfect piety, benevo- 
 lence, and purity. There was, in the whole of his 
 deportment that which spoke him to be the " Lamb of 
 God," holy, without blemish and without spot. " Such 
 an High-priest became us," was suited to our cu'cum- 
 stances, and alone equal to our exigence and danger, who 
 was " holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate fi*om sin- 
 ners." In him alone was exhibited a perfect pattern of 
 obedience to the law of God, and thereby he was pre- 
 pared, in part at least, to be an oblation for the sins of 
 men. Unless he had been a spotless^ he could not have 
 been an acceptable sacrifice ; but as his human nature 
 rendered him an appropriate victim, so also his immacu- 
 late purity made him fit in respect of moral quality to 
 be offered up as an expiation to divine justice. 
 
 But, besides this, he was made under the mediatorial 
 law, a law more rigid and awful than any other. For, 
 standing in the stead of siimers, representing their per- 
 sons, and being exposed to the penalties of a broken 
 law, he endured the wrath of God which wa^ kindled 
 against us, submitted to that death which was denounced 
 against our transgressions, and by "death destroyed 
 death." He came into the world under the necessity of 
 suffering ; he came into it principally for the purpose of 
 
310 Christ's mission 
 
 dying ; death was the end of his life, the very design of 
 his being. He came not to reign, but to obey ; not to 
 rejoice, but to soitow; not to live a life of ease and 
 comfort, of dignity and splendour, but of poverty, self- 
 denial, and reproach ; and then to expire in agony upon 
 the cross. This was the very object of his appearance 
 in our world, and of this he never lost sight for a mo- 
 ment, amidst the highest efforts of miraculous exertion 
 and the loudest applauses of an admiring multitude. " I 
 have a baptism," he says, " to be baptized with, and how 
 am I straitened till it be accomplished ! " 
 
 II. Let us observe, in the second place, with what view 
 Jesus Christ was thus " made of a woman," and " made 
 under the law." It was to " redeem them that were 
 under the law, that we may receive the adoption of 
 sons." If we believe that Jesus Christ was that glorious 
 personage who was with the Father before all worlds, 
 that he was his true and proper Son, essentially par- 
 taking with him in the perfections of Deity, we shall 
 not admit that he came into the world to accomplish a 
 purpose which could be effected by other means or by an 
 inferior agent. TVe shall be inclined to assign to him 
 some signal achievement to which the properties of his 
 nature, and the elevation of his rank, were alone equal. 
 Whatever end could have been accomplished by an infe- 
 rior person we shall not suppose to be the only design of 
 the incarnation of Christ. For He who doeth nothing 
 in vain, and wasteth no power in carrying his purposes 
 into effect. He who is frugal in the economy of creation, 
 who is frugal in the economy of his providence, would 
 not lavish a superfluity of greatness and glory upon the 
 work of our salvation. If the ends to be attained could 
 have been attained by any inferior instrumentality, those 
 instruments would have been employed. If the Saviour 
 came into the world for no other purpose than that of 
 teaching a true doctrine, it is plain that this could have 
 been done by the agency of men alone. It was done by 
 Moses, who rivetted the attachment of the people, from 
 generation to generation, to a burdensome and painful 
 ritual; the prophets sufficiently attested their mission 
 
IX THE FULNESS OF TIME. 311 
 
 from Heaven, and were regarded, by all tlie pious and 
 thinking part of the Jewish nation, with the profoundest 
 deference. If our Saviour, therefore, came into the 
 world to reveal a fact, such as a future life, and exemplify 
 it in his own person, nothing more was necessary than 
 that he should he a human being. Those, however, 
 who believe that Jesus Christ possessed a higher nature, 
 that he was the Son of God, a divine person, will admit, 
 of course, that the end of his manifestation could not 
 have been effected at less cost. 
 
 This leads us to consider him as the Redeemer. He 
 came not merely to exemplify a rule of life, but to sa- 
 tisfy its violation ; he came, not to explain the statutes 
 of heaven, but to pay the penalty arising from the curse 
 denounced against their transgression. He came essen- 
 tially to change the moral situation of mankind, to roll 
 away that mass of human guilt which lay, like the stone 
 on our Saviour's grave, entombing all their hopes, and 
 rendering it impossible for them to recover themselves 
 from the condemnation and ruin in which they were in- 
 volved. 
 
 Those who dispute the divinity of Christ act consis- 
 tently in explaining away his sacrifice and atonement ; 
 the two doctrines are inseparably connected, and must 
 stand or fall together. But they who are not so taught, 
 but believe, in deference to apostolic testimony, that 
 Jesus Christ " was with God," and " was God," will 
 admit, with the greatest readiness and gratitude, that he 
 came for the purpose of redemption. And how is this 
 effected ? Jesus Christ was made under the law, who 
 was not originally under it, for the purpose of producing 
 that righteousness, and creating that fund of merit in the 
 eyes of an infinitely wise and holy Being, which should 
 be imputed for the benefit of penitent believers, by dying 
 on the cross a death which he never merited ; and thus 
 working out a justification, from which the spiritual 
 wants of all mankind should be supplied, if they received 
 his testimony end believed on his name. The character 
 in which he appeared was that of a substitute ; it was 
 also that of days-man, a person who mediates between 
 
312 Christ's mission 
 
 two contending parties for the purpose of reconciliation. 
 He alone being God as well as man, and thus laying his 
 hands on both, was capable of accomplishing this great 
 object ; of satisfying the diyine justice, and opening for 
 guilty creatures an approach to the throne of heaven. 
 " He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised 
 for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace was 
 upon him, and mth his stripes we are healed." He 
 was oppressed, and he was afflicted ;" or, as it is trans- 
 lated by Lo^vth (and very accurately, in my humble 
 opinion), " it was exacted of him, and he was made 
 answerable." The vicarious nature of Christ's sacrifice, 
 the vicarious character of his appearance on earth, runs 
 through all the statements in the New Testament. It 
 is on this account that our warmest gratitude is chal- 
 lenged, and our strictest obedience required. " The love 
 of Christ," says the apostle, " constraineth us, because 
 we thus judge, that if one died for all, then w^ere all 
 dead ; and that he died for all, that they which live 
 should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto 
 him which died for them and rose again." " The Son 
 of Man came to give his life a ransom for many." " He 
 that knew no sin was made sin for us." " He was deli- 
 vered for our offences, and raised again for our justifica- 
 tion." 
 
 It is undoubtedly for the wisdom of the Divine Ma- 
 jesty to determine whether the law shall take its original 
 course, or receive such a diversion as shall insure all the 
 objects for which it was designed. It belongs, indeed, 
 to the Divine Being to be just ; but, if all the ends of 
 justice be obtained by the substitution of another in the 
 place of the offender, shall we impose limits on the de- 
 cisions of the Almighty, and say that the right of dis- 
 pensing with a law, as to the exact direction it may take, 
 is not mthin the prerogative of Him by whom it was 
 made and promulgated ? 
 
 It belongs to him whose law is offended to determine 
 in what way he will treat the offender ; and it is per- 
 fectly competent for him to satisfy his own justice by 
 some other method, and to substitute for the death of 
 
Ds THE FULNESS OP TIME. 313 
 
 the criminal the sacrifice and mediation of another, pro- 
 vided all the purposes which coukl have resulted from 
 the condign punishment of sinners be equally effected. 
 
 But believing, as we do, that Jesus Christ is a divine 
 person, the law of God is magnified by his death ; the 
 glory of the divine character as a holy being, his hatred 
 of sin, his attachment to the law as a law of purity, 
 appear to be greatly enhanced, and recommended to our 
 notice -with the highest advantage, in consequence of 
 this sublime and astonishing event. If our Saviour was 
 indeed the Son of God, " the brightness of his glory, 
 and the express image of his person," then, to see him 
 exhibited on the cross, dying under the divine wrath, 
 and crying in the bitterness of his soul, " my God ! my 
 God ! why hast thou forsaken me ?" is to behold a more 
 costly offering to divine justice, a more glorious assertion 
 of the majesty of the law of God, than could have been 
 displayed in the punishment of millions of creatures, or 
 of worlds. Here we see the glory of the divine charac- 
 ter shining forth in a manner the most consistent, har- 
 monious, and consolatory, in the propitiation of Christ. 
 Him hath God " set forth to be a propitiation through 
 faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the 
 remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance 
 of God," " that he might be just, and the justifier of 
 him which believeth in Jesus." 
 
 He came " to redeem them that were under the law ;" 
 and under this comprehensive title is included all man- 
 kind ; Jews and Gentiles, bond and free, learned and 
 unlearned : wherever human nature is diffused, trans- 
 gression is diffused with it ; wherever a child of Adam 
 is found, there is found one who is under the law ; it is 
 a part of his nature, it is a condition of his being, to be 
 born under the law. But as many as are under the law 
 " are under the curse ; for it is written. Cursed is every 
 one that continueth not in all things which are written 
 in the book of the law to do them." It is for deliver- 
 ance from this curse, which extinguishes every ray ot 
 hope, and shuts us up to eternal darkness, that we are 
 indebted entirely to the mediation of our blessed Re- 
 
314 Christ's mission 
 
 deemer. He has delivered us " from the curse of the 
 law, being made a curse for us." 
 
 We have yet to distinguish what is the effect of the 
 divine appointment, and what is the natural result, in 
 the gi-eat transactions connected with the sufferings of 
 Christ. It is the effect of divine appointment that Jesus 
 Christ became incarnate, that he was made capable of 
 dying, by assuming a frail and finite nature. This is to 
 be resolved solely into the sovereign pleasure of God ; 
 no reason can be assigned for it but his infinite mere}'-, 
 no other explanation given than that " God is love." But 
 when we look at this event in another stage of it, when 
 we consider Jesus Christ as placed under these circimi- 
 stances, as actually " made of a woman," and " made 
 under the law," by that mysterious union of the divine 
 and human natures ; when we contemplate him as per- 
 forming what he did perform, and suffering what he did 
 suffer, as our substitute and on our account, — the neces- 
 sary consequence is such a vindication of the divine cha- 
 racter, such a display of the holiness and justice of God, 
 that no lower effect could result from it than the justifi- 
 cation and acceptance of all penitent believers. Christ 
 could not but merit eternal life, and purchase for us the 
 blessings of a glorious immortality, if we are interested 
 by faith in the benefits of his redemption. The econo- 
 my of our redemption proceeds entirely from God, but 
 the connexion of its parts is not entirely arhitrary. 
 They cohere together necessarily ; and the sacrifice of 
 Christ is effectual for the salvation of his people, not 
 merely because God chose to annex such a value to it 
 as might have been transferred to the blood of bulls and 
 goats, but because the blood poured forth upon the cross 
 was the blood of his own Son. It is the dignity of the 
 victim which has completely satisfied the justice of the 
 Almighty ; and the redundancy of his merits that has 
 procured for us higher blessings than we can either 
 imagine or comprehend. 
 
 The apostle speaks w4th the greatest confidence, in 
 contrasting the vain sacrifices of the law with the in- 
 herent sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ. " If the 
 
IN THE FULNESS OF TIxME. 315 
 
 blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, 
 sprinkling the unclean, sanciifieth to the purifying of 
 the flesh, hoAV much more shall the blood of Christ, 
 who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself with- 
 out spot to God, purge your conscience from dead 
 works to serve the living God !" " The blood of Jesus 
 Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." He has 
 effected for us, necessarily^ an entire exemption from 
 all liability to punishment, and procured us a title to 
 the blessedness of heaven, because he was the Son of 
 God; and we are interested in him. 
 
 It is said, moreover, that he redeemed them that were 
 under the law, that they " might receive the adoption of 
 sons." The immediate effect of Christ's death is the 
 imputation of his righteousness to the believer, and this 
 righteousness produces an instant acquittal from punish- 
 ment ; but such was the exuberance of his merits, such 
 the dignity of his person, and the high complacency of 
 the Father in his work, that it was worthy of him to 
 bestow on them who were members of his Son, greater 
 blessings than those which their first parents had for- 
 feited. It was not merely to relieve from misery that 
 Christ died ; it was not only justification that was the 
 fruit of his sufferings ; but adoption into the family of 
 heaven, the privileges of sons and daughters for all his 
 believing people. In consequence of being united to 
 Christ by faith and the Spirit, we partake of his peculiar 
 prerogatives ; and because he was the Son of God, God 
 has " sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, 
 crying, Abba, Father." Thus "va'c are " no longer ser- 
 vants, but children, being made nigh by the blood of 
 Christ," and raised, we have reason to believe, to a 
 greater height of happiness and glory than we could have 
 aspired to reach, had we continued in a state of imma- 
 culate purity. Christ has added to our original bright- 
 ness ; he has not only redeemed us from the first trans- 
 gression, but accumidated blessings which man, even in 
 innocence, could never have obtained. 
 
 " Where sin abounded gi-ace did much more abound ; 
 that as sin had reigned unto death, even so mi^ht grace 
 
316 Christ's mission 
 
 reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus 
 Christ our Lord." Noav every humble believer, every 
 penitent approaching to the sacrifice of the Son of God, 
 when he feels his conscience relieved from a sense of 
 guilt, finds at the same time, through the anointing of 
 the Spirit of God, a peace and joy, a confidence and trust 
 springing up in his mind, which bespeaks a new relation; 
 he approaches the Divine Being in a domestic character ; 
 he says. My father ! God discloses to him his tenderest 
 compassion, taking him, as it were, to his arms, rejoicing 
 over him, and making him a son and heir of the Most 
 High God. Therefore, henceforth he walks with God 
 as a dear child, an imitator of his perfections, a sharer of 
 the fulness of the glory of his heavenly Father. " Be- 
 hold what manner of love the Father hath bestoAved on 
 us, that we should be called the sons of God." Such 
 appellations as these it would have been impious to 
 assume, if God himself had not revealed them to us in 
 his word, such privileges never entered into the contem- 
 plation of men in the most exalted state of perfection. 
 God hath " sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made 
 under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, 
 that we might receive the adoption of sons. And be- 
 cause ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his 
 Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father 1" 
 
 Recollect, that if we are under the law, it is in conse- 
 quence of not having approached to Christ by faith, and 
 not having received the testimony of God respecting him. 
 Recollect, also, that if we are under the law, we are 
 under the curse ; no middle state can be devised ; there 
 is no state betwixt a state of condemnation, and a state 
 of justification ; the legal state, which is one of bondage 
 and fear, and the filial state, which is one of confidence 
 and joy ; no medium between that state of distance from 
 God in which he appears as an enemy, and the condition 
 of being adopted into his family, and an heir of his 
 kingdom. There is an infinite variety in the human cha- 
 racter, there is nothing more mutable than the apparent 
 state of man ; but there is an impassable ban-ier, a fixed 
 line of demarcation, which separates the children of 
 
IN THE FULNESS OP TIME. 317 
 
 God from the cliildren of the devil. Those who do not 
 receive Christ by faith, remain under the law, and are 
 exposed to all its penalties ; they live under its curse ; 
 at home, abroad, in solitude, in company, in suffering, 
 in joy, in life and death, in every scene of existence, in 
 every variety of condition, the wrath of God, like a 
 dense cloud, hangs over them, replete with all the 
 elements of misery and despair ; and it must break upon 
 them sooner or later. It approaches nearer and nearer ; 
 and is only prevented, by the slender thread on which 
 their life depends, from discharging its fury on their de- 
 voted heads. Nothing can save but the death of Christ, 
 no other name is given under heaven ; this is the object 
 to which the eye of faith, must be ever directed, — " the 
 Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." 
 Have you looked to Him ? Look into yourselves, and 
 you find nothing but matter for despondency ; look into 
 your OA\Ti hearts, and into your own conduct, and your 
 performances w ill but remind you of the inadequacy and 
 imperfection of your obedience. Know yourselves, and 
 you know only what must minister to despair; but 
 " this is life eternal to know the only true God, and Jesus 
 Christ whom he hath sent." If you come to Christ and 
 commune with him, you will find that poverty is 
 exchanged for riches ; condemnation for justification ; 
 dismay, and fear, and distrust of God, for a firm reliance 
 on his promises, a strong hold on his mercy, and a filial 
 relation to him as your heavenly Father. 
 
 We might suppose that, if men believed these truths 
 in any degree, they would all be either rejoicing in 
 Christ's redemption, or earnestly pressing forward, to 
 obtain it ; that every assembly would be divided into 
 two classes, — those Avho, having embraced the salvation 
 which is by Christ, find in him the joy and comfort of 
 their lives, and those who, not having found this inesti- 
 mable treasure, are earnestly desiring to possess it, and 
 sedulously devoted to the search. 
 
 But that there should be persons neutral and uncon- 
 cerned, believing at the same time, that the wrath of 
 God is kindled against them, that they are hastening to 
 
318 Christ's mission 
 
 the divine tribunal, and that those who die in their sins 
 T\'ill sink into destruction, is, indeed, infatuation that 
 wants a name ; angels look upon it with unutterable 
 surprise, and their joy is proportionably great when they 
 see one sinner repenting. But if there is joy in the pre- 
 sence of the bright inhabitants of heaven over a con- 
 verted soul, what should be the joy of those to Avhom the 
 intelligence of a Saviour is brought, who are invited to 
 partake of the salvation which is prepared for them, and 
 pressed to enter into alliance with God ? Hear, then, 
 the proclamation which is made to every one of you ; 
 " Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth, 
 for I am God, and there is none else !" " Fury is not in 
 me ; who would set the briers and thorns against me in 
 battle ? I would go through them ; I would bum them 
 together : — or let him take hold of my strength, that he 
 may make peace ; and he shall make peace with me." 
 " As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in 
 the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from 
 his way and live ; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, 
 for why will ye die ?" 
 
 These are truths which you have heard from time to 
 time, but the}^ are not on that account less essential to 
 your welfare ; for that very reason it is necessary that 
 they should be reiterated, and that the " pm-e minds" of 
 the most eminent Christians should " be stirred up" by 
 them to fi'esh diligence and zeal. They are the bread of 
 life, the food of the family of God ; all real christians 
 taste of them, and are sustained and fitted by them for 
 all the functions and duties of the christian warfare. 
 
 Until you partake of this bread you have no life in 
 you ; the spirit is dead, the soul is withered and blasted, 
 torpid and inactive, and lost to God ; there is no vital 
 union betwixt you and the Father of Spirits, you are 
 severed from the spring of all felicity, by being in a state 
 of alienation from God. Then will you begin to live 
 indeed, to know the divine life, when you come and taste 
 of the salvation of God, when you cast yourselves on the 
 mercy of the Saviour, and say, " Lord, save or we perish." 
 Then the mercy of God will be revealed unto you, and 
 
IN THE FULNESS OF TIME. 319 
 
 you will one day join in singing " a new song, the song 
 of Moses and the Lamb," which none can sing but they 
 who are redeemed from the earth. 
 
 III. In the third place, permit me to observe, that we 
 have presented to us, in tliis passage, the fitness of the 
 season at which Jesus Christ was manifested ; it is 
 described as " the fulness of time." It was the fulness 
 of time, because it was the period foretold by the pro- 
 phets ; Jesus Christ appeared exactly at the time pre- 
 dicted by those who " spake as they were moved by the 
 Holy Ghost." 
 
 It was foretold by Jacob, in his dying moments, that 
 it was to take place before political power departed from 
 Judah, — " The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor 
 a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloli come, and 
 unto him shall the gathering of the people be," Our 
 Saviour appeared at that critical period ; the sceptre had 
 recently departed from Judah, the semblance of political 
 power had vanished fi'om the Jewish nation, Herod had 
 reigned for some time, and it was evident, therefore, that 
 He that was to come was at hand. 
 
 It was foretold that it was to be during the existence 
 of the second temple. The prophet Haggai thus com- 
 forts those who had witnessed the splendom'S of the first, 
 and mourned over the meanness of the second as com- 
 pared with that of Solomon : " Thus saith the Lord of 
 hosts, Yet once it is a little while, and I will shake the 
 heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land ; 
 and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations 
 shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the 
 Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, 
 saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house 
 shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of 
 hosts ; and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord 
 of hosts." As if he had said, I can easily accumulate 
 riches far exceeding those which Solomon collected, and 
 which may be lavished by the monarchs of the earth in 
 all the exuberance of their wealth, " the silver and the 
 gold are mine ;" but I will bestow on this house a nobler 
 gift, here will I display a costher treasure, " in this place 
 
320 Christ's mission 
 
 will I give peace." There Jesus Christ, the great peace- 
 maker, preached the gospel of peace ; in that temple he 
 WTOught many of his miracles ; and in its immediate 
 vicinity, on Mount Calvary, offered himself up for the 
 sins of the world. 
 
 It was foretold, moreover, that it should be within 
 " seventy weeks" from the period marked out by Daniel; 
 and though some difficulty exists as to the mode of com- 
 putation, yet, on every principle it is plain, that they 
 have long since elapsed ; and the Jews are, therefore, 
 under the greatest delusion in looking for the Messiah at 
 a future period. Indeed, such is the antipathy of the 
 Jews to this prophecy, that it is a popular proverb 
 among them, " Cursed is he that counteth the weeks." 
 
 In short, all the characters of time, though they are 
 not very numerous, as they are not equally important 
 with some others, and were probably revealed only for 
 the purpose of uniting the expectations of the Jews to a 
 particular and defined period ; all these characters per- 
 fectly conspire Tvdth the sera of Christ's appearance. It 
 was on this account, probably, that such a general expec- 
 tation existed, when Christ came, of the near approach 
 of some exalted personage. In former times, no one 
 was asked whether he was the Christ ; but no sooner 
 had John begun to preach a holy doctrine than the ques* 
 tion was put to him, " Art thou He that should come, or 
 do we look for another ?" This expectation is noticed 
 by heathen -vNTiters as prevailing over great part of the 
 East, but especially in Judsea. and the surrounding 
 country. It was during a period of the profoundest 
 peace ; the temple of Janus was shut, and all nations 
 were kept as in a state of watchful silence, waiting for 
 the appearance of this Divine Person, and with ears open 
 to catch the accents of his " still small voice." 
 
 It was also a period of considerable advancement in 
 politics, in legislation, in science and arts, and manners: 
 mankind were in a great degree civilized ; learning had 
 long flourished, and the most brilliant geniuses had ap- 
 
 f eared that had ever adorned the annals of human kind, 
 t was therefore a most favourable time to prevent im- 
 
IN THE FULNESS OF TIME. 321 
 
 posture in matter of fact. It was also an age the 
 farthest removed from that credulity which distinguishes 
 ignorant nations ; an age of scepticism, when disbelief 
 of all religion prevailed to a great extent amongst the 
 learned. The Epicurean doctrine, which maintained the 
 indifference of human actions and the cessation of ex- 
 istence at death, had swallowed up all other sects. The 
 disciples of this philosophy denied a Deity, or asserted 
 such an ideal one as remains in a state of torpor and in- 
 activity, heedless of the concerns of this lower world. 
 No period could be conceived so little adapted to the 
 exhibition of afalse^ and so well calculated to put to the 
 test the merits of a true, religion. They had wits 
 sharpened by curiosity, so that they would eagerly 
 inquire after whatever was new ; but, at the same time, 
 they were disposed to treat with contempt that which 
 pretended to be supernatural. They had long been 
 accustomed to laugh at their own gods ; and though they 
 might imagine that there was some safety attached to the 
 ancient superstitions, yet in their private life and expec- 
 tation, it is evident that they did not in the least connect 
 any serious anticipation of happiness with the worship, 
 or punishment with the neglect, of their deities. The 
 Infinite Wisdom saw fit to select this time to silence for 
 ever the vain babblings of philosophy, to " destroy the 
 wisdom of the wise," and " bring to nothing the under- 
 standing of the prudent." 
 
 It was a most favourable time, inasmuch, as it was a 
 period of toleration. Had it been at a later period, when 
 men began to attach that degi-ee of importance to religion 
 which was its due, the infant sect might have been 
 crushed at once. But the Divine Being was pleased to 
 suspend the lury of emperors, and to preserve his people 
 by inspiring some measure of the spirit of toleration in 
 the breasts of those who held the sceptres of this world. 
 Nero's persecution was confined, we have reason to be- 
 lieve, principally to Rome and its environs ; and ages 
 passed away before any great attempt was made by the 
 rulers of Home to put doAAii this new religion. 
 
 It cannot be said that Christianity stole on the world 
 
 VOL. VI, Y 
 
322 Christ's mission 
 
 like a thief in the niglit ; it cannot be said that it owed 
 its success to the creduHty of mankind, and that if the 
 generations among whom it at first appeared had liyed 
 now, they would have reasoned to better purpose. For 
 the productions of that age are the admiration of this ; in 
 works of taste and imagination it has never been sur- 
 passed, and it is sometimes considered as the highest 
 praise of writers of the present day, that they exhibit a 
 near approach to the inimitable beauties of the authors 
 who then flourished. The earth was, therefore, in a state 
 to receive this precious seed; He who appoints the 
 seasons, and brings on seed-time and harvest, saw that 
 this was a proper time in which to plant that tree of 
 righteousness which was to stretch wide its branches till 
 it overshadowed the world, and whose fruit was to be 
 " for the healing of the nations." 
 
 The fuhiess of the time was come : — Hence we remark 
 that the event here referred to was the most important 
 that had ever distinguished the annals of the world. 
 The epoch -will arrive when this world will be thought 
 of as nothing but as it has furnished a stage for the 
 " manifestation of the Son of God ;" when his birth, his 
 death, his resurrection from the dead, his ascension to 
 glory, and his second appearance, events inseparably 
 coimected, will concentrate within themselves all the 
 interest of' history ; when war and peace, and pestilence 
 and famine, and plenty and want, and life and death, 
 will have spent their force, and leave nothing but the re- 
 sult, the permanent, eternal result of Christ's manifesta- 
 tion upon earth ; when every other distinction which 
 has marked the individuals, or generations, of our race 
 shall be swept away, and all shall be alike distinguished 
 in the annals of the universe by the new and awful cha- 
 racter of being associated in the same nature with the 
 Son of God. In the effects of this gTacious interposition 
 you are all interested; of its fruits you are invited to 
 partake ; you may now reject the offer, you may now re- 
 fuse this great salvation, but the period of neglect will 
 soon be over — you may now think lightly of the Saviour, 
 but these thoughts will soon be ended. The moment 
 
IN TUE FULNESS OF TIME. 323 
 
 you enter eternity you will see tilings as they are ; the 
 greatness of Christ will present itself to your eye, the 
 vastness of his redemption, the importance of his 
 mediatorial work, the infinite felicity of being saved, the 
 unspeakable misery of being lost, — the thoughts of these 
 will dwell with you for ever. Those Avho now neglect 
 the gospel wuU never cease to curse the infatuation of 
 putting away from them the proffered mercy, and judging 
 themselves unworthy of everlasting life. Now, with 
 drowsy attention, -with thoughts dissipated amidst a 
 crowd of vanities, you hear the record of this great doc- 
 trine ; you have Christ set forth by his ministers as 
 crucified among you ; you hear with listless and careless 
 minds these glad tidings, that " God sent forth his Son, 
 made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them 
 that were under the law, that we might receive the adop- 
 tion of sons." But let eternity disclose itself to your 
 view ; let a short period be past either in the enjoyment 
 of the beatific vision of God, or in the dark regions of 
 despair, and how will these subjects then appear ? Eter- 
 nity will not be too long either to rue that neglect which 
 has plucked down ruin on yourselves, or to rejoice in that 
 grace of God which has made you wise unto salvation. 
 All the happiness, and splendour, and glory, which shall 
 then be realized by all the ransomed people of God, are 
 so many fruits of the purchase by Christ's death. 
 There is not single blessing which shall then be enjoyed 
 which is not to be ascribed to the love of Christ in dying 
 for our iniquities, and " washing us from our sins in his 
 o^Yn blood." 
 
 " What think you of Christ ?" The time will come 
 when you must think very seriously of him. Some of 
 you, I trust, have thought of him to great and happy 
 effect, have trusted your salvation in his hands, and are 
 " looking for, and hasting unto, the coming of the day of 
 God." Remember that whatever be the state of your 
 hearts towards him, you must stand at his judgment 
 seat ; at his tribunal we must all appear, to give an ac- 
 count of the reception we have given to his apostles, to 
 his ministers, to the words of eternal life contained in 
 y2 
 
324 Christ's mission. 
 
 this book. Then those only will have peace and joy 
 who will possess the consciousness that they have em- 
 braced Christ ; that they have trusted in him in life and 
 in death, have walked in communion with him, kept his 
 precepts, imitated his example, and laid up all their 
 hopes in him, as the Saviour of sinners. 
 
 I cannot close mthout reminding every person present 
 of the awful consequences of remaining under the law. 
 Recollect, wherever you are, that if you are not vital 
 believers in Christ, if you know not what it is to have 
 trusted your souls in his hands, and to be justified by 
 faith in his blood, you are under the law. Rejoice not 
 as others rejoice, you have nothing to do with joy ; it 
 would be madness in you to taste of joy till this grand 
 impediment to your happiness is removed. If you are 
 under the curse of God, what have you to do with joy ? 
 The joy of a maniac dancing in his chains, the joy of a 
 criminal on his way to execution, is reasonable in com- 
 parison with the joy of the man who says, " Soul, take 
 thine ease," whilst the Avrath of God hangs over him, 
 and he knows not how soon it may fall. 
 
 Let us, then, all flee to the Saviour ; let us, ^^dthout 
 delay, lay hold of the great atonement ; thus shall we 
 " be justified from all things from which we could not 
 be justified by the law of Moses." Christ is ready to 
 receive us ; Christ says to every one, '• Come unto me, 
 all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give 
 you rest." Oh, " seek ye, then, the Lord while he may 
 be found, call upon him while he is near ; let the wicked 
 forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : 
 and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have 
 mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he vnU. abundantly 
 pardon." 
 
325 
 
 XXI. 
 
 POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN THE STATE OF THE 
 RICH AND THE POOR* 
 
 [preached at CAMBRIDGE, SEPTEMBER 20, 1829.'! 
 
 Provehbs xxii. 2. — The rich and poor meet together : the Lord is the 
 maker of them all 
 
 This book consists of a number of short sentences and 
 aphorisms, that relate to human life and manners, and 
 to virtue and vice. It is not necessary for us to attempt 
 to trace any particular connexion between the passage 
 ■which has just been read and the surrounding context. 
 What was the train of thought by which the inspired 
 writer was conducted from one of these truths to an- 
 other, it is unnecessary anxiously to inquire. It is ob- 
 vious there was some law of association which governed 
 his mind, though it eludes every attempt at investiga- 
 tion on our part, and would lead us into a useless and 
 intricate research. The doctrine which is to be deduced 
 from the words you have just heard read, is, however, 
 worthy of our most serious regard. It declares there is 
 a natural equality in mankind, notwithstanding the di- 
 versified appearances of some of them, and the different 
 stations they are destined to occupy in the present con- 
 dition of being : it assures us that the rich and the poor 
 meet together, that they coincide and agi'ee in -many of 
 the most important circumstances, and that the differ- 
 ences w^hich appear to exist between them are, for the 
 most part, of a superficial, and therefore of a transitory 
 nature. " The Lord is the maker of them all." The 
 sacred writer thus introduces all of us into an equal and 
 common relation to God, who is the great Parent of us 
 all. "We are the creatures of the same hand, the sub- 
 jects of the same government ; Ave occupy the same eco- 
 nomy of divine providence ; and, as to our destination, 
 
 • Printed from the Notes of J. R. Mills, Esq. 
 
326 POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN 
 
 Ave all stand in relation to the same future and eternal 
 state of being. These two distinctions and divisions of 
 society have existed in every period. It is impossible 
 to avoid them : and any attempt to establish an equality 
 of possessions in the present Avorld, would be replete with 
 disappointment, confusion, rapine, and misery. The 
 greatest disturbances mankind has ^ ever experienced, 
 have arisen from abortive attempts of this natm*e : nor 
 can any one seriously consider the causes from which 
 these two conditions of society spring, but he must de- 
 spair of ever realizing any thing like equality, or any 
 thing approaching to equality, as to the possessions and 
 enjoyments of the present state. 
 
 It has been urged in favour of such attempts, and 
 with some degree of plausibility, that a scheme of this 
 kind was executed at the first beginning of Christianity, 
 that the saints at Jerusalem had nothing which they 
 called their own, but threw their property into a com- 
 mon stock ; and out of that stock they relieved the dis- 
 tress and poverty of their persecuted brethren. But there 
 is gi'eat reason to conclude, as Mosheim* has very judi- 
 ciously shown, that there was no such thing as commu- 
 nity of goods established among them, and that the right 
 of property -was not formally relinquished ; but that it 
 was customary for all who possessed property, to hold 
 themselves in readiness to relieve the exigencies of those 
 who applied to them. It does not appear that it was 
 ever hinted at by the apostles themselves, who were at 
 Jemsalem, or made even a temporary law of that chm'ch ; 
 but every one w^as left to act agreeably to the dictates of 
 his own mind : and the apostle Peter aggravates the 
 guilt of Ananias and Sapphira, by declaring, that while 
 the estate " w^as in their own possession, was it not their 
 own ; and after it was sold, w^as it not in their own 
 power;" and that no necessity existed for resorting 
 to falsehood, when they laid the price of it at the feet 
 of the apostles. It never prevailed in any other church. 
 We have no intimation that it was adopted in any other 
 
 * See his "Commentaries on the Affairs of the Christians," (Vidal's 
 translation,) vol. i. p. 202, and the reference there made. — Ed. 
 
THE STATE OF THE RICH AND POOR. 327 
 
 of the great churches, which were planted by the apostle 
 Paul ; and in his epistles there is no reference to any- 
 similar regulation, though he alludes there to a large col- 
 lection, which himself and the other apostles were 
 engaged in making in those churches, for relieving the 
 distress of the saints of Jerusalem. The pressure of 
 calamity was local and temporary, it was occasioned by 
 peculiar circumstances of time and place, and never 
 pervaded the other parts of Christendom. It never was 
 made a law by the apostle Paul ; nor, as a permanent 
 regulation, was it countenanced by the apostles at Jei-u- 
 salem. 
 
 It would be wasting your time, to spend more words 
 in pointing out the folly and absurdity of every attempt 
 to equalize the possessions of mankind. I am persuaded 
 there are none here, that permit themselves to be deluded 
 by the sophistries of the designing and wicked who pro- 
 pagate this notion. But it is of great importance for us 
 to consider, because it is intimately connected with our 
 duties and prospects, in what great points the rich and 
 poor meet together, and that the Lord is the maker of 
 them all : that each of these respective classes may learn 
 their proper duties to one another, that the poor may 
 learn not to envy and murmur, and the rich not to 
 despise and oppress. Then will society be happy, when 
 the poor and the rich unite in spirit to promote the great 
 purposes of social order and happiness, in entire and 
 equal subjection to the Father of spirits, who is the 
 fountain and source of every good. 
 
 In considering this subject permit me to observe, 
 I. That the rich and the poor meet together in the 
 particijmtion of a comjnon nature. They are equal shar- 
 ers in the common nature of humanity, in distinction 
 from those who are in a lower, and from those who are 
 in a higher order of beings. The faculties by which this 
 nature makes itself known, are exhibited with equal 
 clearness, and certainty, and activity, in both these 
 classes. The poor as well as the rich give the most un- 
 equivocal indications of the possession of that reason, 
 which is the grand distinction of man, and forms the 
 
328 POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN 
 
 chief difference between mankind and the beasts that 
 perish. Reason may be cultivated to a higher extent by 
 some of the rich, in consequence of the more improved 
 education which they may procure, and of the leisure 
 ^vhich their station commands. But decisive indications 
 of a reasonable nature are presented in the lowest walks 
 of society ; and they are sometimes such as greatly to 
 surpass and eclipse the indications of intellect in the 
 higher classes. Every age of society has produced per- 
 sons who have broken through the difficulties and disad- 
 vantages of their station ; who have surmounted the 
 obstacles by which they were surrounded, and have 
 reached a high position in a career of virtuous probation 
 among those who have set out on a more elevated stage. 
 And. on the contrar}-, among the sons of opulence, some 
 have been found who possess such an imbecihty as no 
 education could remedy ; their knowledge has never been 
 of any use to them ; and the learning which has been 
 bestowed upon them has rather been an incumbrance 
 than an assistance to them : their knowledge has re- 
 mained a dead mass, which the mind could never ani- 
 mate, — a sort of raw produce, out of which nothing 
 useful or ornamental to society could be extracted. When 
 this imbecility has prevailed to a certain extent, so as to 
 invite a comparison with the degree of knowledge which 
 the mind is capable of attaining, it shows its native dis- 
 advantage, and is never more conspicuous than in the 
 case of those who unite a large portion of human attain- 
 ment with a portion of radical imbecility. 
 
 The poor and the rich have equally the power of as- 
 certaining general principles, of forming conclusions as 
 to the future from the consideration of past events, and 
 of rendering their senses conducive to those general and 
 abstract ideas in which all real science and knowledge 
 consists. Thus you see that the poor and the rich, in the 
 great faculty of the understanding, afford proofs of 
 equality; and no difference exists between them but 
 such as may be easily accounted for by the circumstances 
 of human life. 
 
 With respect to their moral sensibilities also, the rich 
 
THE STATE OF THE RICH AND POOR. 329 
 
 and tlie poor meet together. They possess alike that 
 conscience which " either accuses or excuses," and they 
 possess that cognizance of the pui-poses and intents of 
 the mind, which connects it with a system of legislation, 
 with the hope of reward, or the fear of punishment. The 
 poorest, as well as the richest, is capable of feeling these 
 sentiments. The hopes and the fears of a future world 
 act as powerfully upon the poor as upon the rich ; and 
 that legislation which appeals to the conscience, and 
 which refers to the primary distinctions of the human 
 mind between right and wrong, is calculated to take as 
 much hold of the one as of the other. 
 
 In regard, also, to devotion, which by some men of 
 profound thought is declared to be the great character- 
 istic of man, in opposition to the brutes that perish, these 
 two classes meet together. There are many examples, 
 among the poor, of persons who are " rich in faith, and 
 heirs of the kingdom Avhich God has promised to them 
 that love him." In the poorest breast we find the flame 
 of devotion burn ; and with an intenseness and purity 
 as great as in those who are more exalted. Though the 
 latter may have some advantages in the greater extent 
 of their knowledge, that deficiency is frequently com- 
 pensated to the former, by a greater simplicity and unity 
 of attention, and by their entire devotedness to one ob- 
 ject. It is a question of much difficulty to determine 
 which of these stations is more favourable to the culti- 
 vation of piety, and whether poverty, with all its desti- 
 tution, is a greater hincbance to the divine life than 
 aftiuence, wdth all its temptations. A course of piety is 
 difficult for all, but practicable for every individual ; and 
 the light of eternity alone can decide whose situation 
 has been the most hazardous, and whose the most fa- 
 vourable, to the growth of religion. 
 
 The rich and the poor meet together in the primary 
 passions of the human mind, which give birth to what- 
 ever is most distinguishing in man : and these are found 
 in the same state in the rich and in the poor, essentially 
 considered. The exhibition of them by the latter is 
 more private, giving birth to good purposes ; but with 
 
330 POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN 
 
 regard to the former, the exhibition of them is more 
 public, because they stand in more powerful and exalted 
 stations, and act on a more extended stage. If we trace 
 the passions of men to their primary elements, we shall 
 find the i-irtues and vices of the poor and of the rich 
 spring from the same sources. The guilty passions that 
 agitate the breast of the peasant, and lead him to dis- 
 turb the peace of his neighbourhood, are of the same 
 nature with those that disturb the tranquillity of nations, 
 in the breasts of princes. The same injustice, the same 
 low ambition, the same love of acquiring that which is 
 not his own, that renders a peasant a nuisance to the 
 village where he resides, renders an unjust prince the 
 ten-or of his subjects, the source of iniquitous wars, and 
 a stain and reproach to his species. The person who, in 
 the poorest situation, in a peasant's cottage, is led by a 
 love of order, and by native benevolence of mind, to 
 diffuse peace and comfort around his own circle, and, so 
 far as his influence extends, in his own neighbourhood, 
 evinces the same spirit with the individual who would 
 diffuse peace and order through a distracted empire, and 
 who lays the foundation of tranquillity for distant ages, 
 by the enactment of the most wholesome regulations and 
 the most enlightened laws. 
 
 The more we analyse actions, and trace them to their 
 primary elements, the more we shall perceive the identity 
 between the rich and the poor, as to their intellectual, 
 moral, accountable, and devotional capacities. The rich 
 and the poor occupy the same department of the uni- 
 verse : they are subjects of the same moral government, 
 and are destined to be judged equally and impartially, 
 by the same laws, at the final and a^vful distribution of 
 reward to the just and to the unjust, 
 
 II. I would observe that the rich and the poor meet 
 together in the 2yrocess of the same social economy^ in the 
 same necessary intercourse of human life ; they are 
 closely connected with each other, and equally form 
 parts of the same human family. It is impossible for us 
 to say which of these subdivisions of society is, in its 
 place, the most important ; which of them ought to be 
 
THE STATE OF THE RICH AND POOR. 331 
 
 most respected ; which of them most cherished. The 
 higher can by no means say to the lower, with truth or 
 propriety, " I have no need of thee ;" nor can the lower 
 retort upon the higher, " I have no need of thee." If the 
 lower order occupy the place of the feet and hands, 
 which execute the purposes of the mind, the higher oc- 
 cupy the place of the head, which is the seat of counsel, 
 and is necessary for the direction and preservation of the 
 whole social body. Here we see how necessary both 
 these classes are to the general order, and to the diffusion 
 of peace and happiness throughout the whole. According 
 to the degree in which this is felt, in proportion as the 
 industrious citizen, tlie ingenious mechanic, or the labo- 
 rious husbandman who cultivates the soil, in any com- 
 munity, is destitute of encouragement, society languishes; 
 and in proportion to the reasonable, not redundant, re- 
 muneration of labour to the industrious classes of the 
 community, is the diffusion of comfort and enjoyment 
 through the whole body. 
 
 The higher classes must, on reflection, perceive, that 
 they are indebted to the lower for all they enjoy. The 
 distinctions of wealth, and stations of authority, which 
 they are so proud to display, and by which the higher 
 classes are raised above the poor, are supported by the 
 produce of the field and of art ; and these are combined 
 by the hand of honest labour, in such processes, as the 
 ingenuity of the lower classes has devised. " The king 
 himself is served by the field." Those higher classes 
 are supported by the continual machine of labour, which 
 is going on among the inferior classes of society ; and, 
 were it to stop, it would tend to the stagnation, instead 
 of the steady flow, of luxm-ious enjoyment among those 
 higher classes. The poor might here, with greater pro- 
 priety than the rich, adopt the language of an early apo- 
 logist for Christianity, and say, " Were we to retire from 
 you, you would be astonished at your own desolation ; 
 we should leave you little but your temples and your 
 gods."* There may be some who might not choose to 
 
 ♦ Mr. Hall here evidently referred to the language of the celebrated 
 TertuUian, Apoloyet, cap. xxxvii. " Hesterui snmusj et vestra omnia 
 
332 POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN 
 
 adopt the language of this statement ; hut it is not too 
 much for the poor to say to the rich. Were they to 
 retire, no mind can adequately portray the lengths and 
 depths of that desolation and misery, which would be 
 sustained by all else, but especially by those in the 
 higher walks of life. In vain would they retain wealth, 
 if there were no hands to be employed ; and, were no 
 commodities of any kind presented to them, they would 
 live in a state of destitution, gi-eater than the meanest of 
 their dependents, or they must endeavour to apply them- 
 selves separately to those arts, each of Avhich, in order to 
 produce in perfection what they value, is the business of 
 a life. The pinnacles of the proudest edifice rest on a 
 basis, that comes into immediate contact with the sur- 
 face of the earth, or is buried partly under it, and is 
 invisible : so, all the improvements of wealth, nay, all 
 the distinctions of royal gi-andeur, rest on the industry 
 of the poor, upon their silent, unperceived industry, 
 working out of the view, and frequently out of the con- 
 templation, of those who are most indebted to it. Let 
 no one look with contempt on the meanest of his fellow- 
 creatures, on account of his having to gain his bread 
 " by the sweat of his brow." That was tlie appointed 
 lot of our first parents after their fall, and it was the 
 condition of all in the primitive state of society. It is 
 
 implevltniis, urbes, insulas, castella, mimicipia, conciliabula, castra 
 ipsa, tribus, decurias, palatiiim, senatum, forum. Sola vobis relhiqtii- 
 niKS templa.'''' There may probably be, as is sometimes conjectured, 
 a little overcharge of rhetorical exaggeration in this ; yet, whoever 
 meditates upon the report made by the circumspect and prudent Pliny 
 to the emperor Trajan (Lib. x. Ep. 97), will perceive that even in his 
 time, at least in the Pontic province, the christians far outnumbered 
 the heathen worshippers. "Multi omnis aitatis, omnis ordinis, utrius- 
 que sexus etiam, vocantur in periculum et \ocabimtur. Neque civita- 
 tes tantum, sed vicos etiam atque agros s'jperstitionis istius contagio 
 pervagata est." From wlvat follows, it is evident, too, that heathenism 
 had been in great peril, and the temples nearly forsaken : — " Cfvte 
 satis constat, prope jam desolata templa ccepisse celebrari, et sacra 
 solemnia diu intermissa repeti, passimque venire victimas, quarum 
 adhuc rarissimus emptor inveniebatur." Ihis, however, by the way: 
 for though it bears upon an important point in tlie history of Christianity, 
 it falls not within the scope of this sennon. — Ed. 
 
THE STATE OF THE RICH AND POOR. 333 
 
 to the industry of the lower classes, tliat the distinctions 
 and splendour of tlie highest are to be entirely ascribed. 
 On the other hand, let not the poor say to the rich, 
 " we have no need of you." Were they to retire, the 
 eifects would be of a very different kind, but they would 
 he equally melancholy. The destruction of the social 
 fabric would be the infallible result. That wisdom which 
 is necessary for the good of the whole, is found in per- 
 sons of exalted station. There is the mind that casts its 
 eye over the whole machine of society, discovers its 
 abuses, and aims to correct them ; the mind which 
 "watches over the execution of the law, gives birth to 
 splendid examples, and refines and embellishes whatever 
 it embraces. It comprehends the order of civil govern- 
 ment, and those principles whose operation harmonizes 
 all. These are founded on wisdom, deliberation, and 
 experience, and on the force -with which public opinion 
 arms those who are placed in elevated stations. Each of 
 these classes, then, is, in its separate place, essential to 
 the welfare of society ; and the wdiole has for its basis 
 the industry of the poor. Were all those, who by their 
 leisure are able to cultivate their own minds, to diffuse 
 the knowledge of true morality, and embellish the man- 
 ners of mankind, by engrafting new improvements, 
 giving existence to wholesome laws, and seeing them 
 properly executed, what a paradise would the world 
 become ! 
 
 * * -K- * * * 
 
 These considerations will more than reconcile us to 
 that inequality in the condition of society, which for the 
 most part prevails ; they will lead us to admire the infi- 
 nite wisdom of God, who has implanted those principles 
 which tend to give security and happiness to all, to the 
 poor as well as the rich. By these means society is 
 really united together ; so that, while every one is con- 
 sulting his own interest, he is at the same time promoting 
 the interest of the whole, even more entirely and effec- 
 tually, til an he could have done, if he had separately and 
 intentionally devoted himself to it ; and each acquires, 
 by the force of his industry, what no compulsory distri- 
 
334 POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN 
 
 bution of labour could possibly bave secured. You see 
 how admirable is the M-isdom displayed in such a con- 
 stitution of society, as by the union of its parts under 
 the administration of a wise government, renders every 
 individual, who acts most agreeably to his own interest, 
 at the same time the promoter of the public good. Such 
 a state of society could by no possibility be produced by 
 any technical or mechanical arrangements. The infinite 
 wdsdom of God Avorks out this order from the selfish 
 passions of men, and leads each, from a consideration of 
 his OA'^^l interests in his OAvn station, to operate most 
 efi*ectually for the general benefit. Were those who live 
 in the higher stations of society to lavish all that could 
 be spared from their own expenditure by the most rigid 
 parsimony, and apply it in mere almsgiving, it would be 
 infinitely more injmious than their indulging in even 
 the luxm-ies of their station : and the proper outlay of 
 their wealth, in the com^eniences and comforts of life, is 
 productive of infinitely more good, and of an order of 
 good more than equivalent to any, which an expenditure 
 to the same amount in almsgiving and charity could 
 efi*ect. The rich, enjoying with moderation that affluence 
 which God has put into their hands, w^ithout allowing 
 their reason to be inflamed with pride and sensuality, 
 and every one enjoying the good things of this life, at 
 the same time preserving the power of meeting the exi- 
 gencies of others, much more contributes to the health- 
 ful state of society, than the largest distribution of alms- 
 giving, were such an exhibition of enjoyment and wealth 
 to cease ; and the poor, while only earning their bread 
 " by the sweat of their brow," lend themselves to the 
 diffiision of happiness and comfort over the whole. 
 
 III. We remark that the rich and poor meet together 
 in the house of God. If there be a place, and a time, 
 where those sentiments should be suspended, and at 
 which the emotions connected with the operation of 
 riches and poverty, and the conduct to which they give 
 rise, should suifer a temporary pause, the house of God 
 is precisely that place, and the worship of God, that 
 time; when the rich should forget they are rich, and 
 
THE STATE OF TUE RICH AND POOR. 335 
 
 where the poor should forget they are poor ; where they 
 are called to reflect upon that original equality in which 
 mankind was created. In the presence of the great and 
 good Being, they should forget all their distinctions, and 
 recollect their essential relation to Him who is equally 
 the Father of all mankind. 
 
 James, when he was addressing the poor and the rich 
 who were under the influence of christian principles, 
 says, " Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is 
 exalted, but the rich in that he is made low ; because, as 
 the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun 
 is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth 
 the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of 
 the fashion of it perisheth ; so also shall the rich man 
 fade away in his ways." The rich man, if he is a chris- 
 tian, will rejoice in that he is made low ; will rejoice in 
 returning to the presence of his God, under a sense of 
 his nothingness, and with a consciousness of meriting 
 nothing : this ought to be the experience of every one 
 who is approaching the footstool of the Divine Majesty. 
 Tlie poor man, on the contrary, delights in being truly 
 exalted. He reflects that he is adopted into that family, 
 of which all the saints " in heaven and earth are named ;" 
 he rejoices in the presence of the rich, under a sense of 
 spiritual elevation. The rich descends, in the presence 
 of the poor, into a volimtary humiliation. The one feels 
 the pleasure of descending, while he reflects on his 
 meanness and guilt as a sinner, and lays aside the con- 
 sideration of all that might have a tendency to lift him 
 up in his own eyes ; and the other finds unspeakable 
 consolation in losing sight of his poverty, and in contem- 
 plating only the ineflable dignity to which he is exalted 
 as a child of God, a believer in Christ, and an heir of 
 glory. Into the presence of the Divine Being they do 
 not come as rich and poor. It is no part of their busi- 
 ness, it is not fit for the occasion on which they are 
 convened. They are convened on common ground, under 
 a deep sense of the necessities of their common nature. 
 Apart from any relations they bear to each other, they 
 prostrate themselves before the infinite God, they depre- 
 
336 POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN 
 
 cate the anger which none can sustain, but which they 
 have equally merited ; which is not to be shunned by 
 human arrangements, or by the efforts of human power 
 and influence ; they supplicate that mercy which is 
 equally revealed to the rich and to the poor, and which 
 is the only stay and support of a sinking universe. That 
 mercy is divinely free, through the sacrifice and blood of 
 the divine Son. They strengthen themselves for their 
 race, which will terminate, as to all, in an everlasting 
 condition of glory or of woe. In imitation of the holy 
 apostles, they gather fresh grace as they approach Him 
 who is the fountain of grace. They implore the fulfil- 
 ment of his promises, and the influences of that Spirit 
 who is equally necessary to sanctify the body of the elect 
 of God, to whatever stations they belong, or by what- 
 ever variety of fortune they may be distinguished. They 
 look forward to that '• ucav heaven and new earth, 
 wherein dwelleth righteousness," and to those loveliest 
 regions of light and glory, Avhere all the distinctions of 
 the present life will be entirely forgotten, where the 
 meanest will have a portion ^^ith the most elevated in 
 the favour of God, and " a crown of immortal glory." 
 In this sacred presence all mean and transitory distinc- 
 tions are lost sight of, are levelled ; all mankind feel 
 themselves on one common footing, and prostrate them- 
 selves in the presence of the Divine Majesty, who is 
 all in all. There " the poor man rejoices in that he is 
 exalted, and the rich in that he is made low." 
 
 A very celebrated poet and nobleman, who died some 
 years ago, was in the habit of attending a prayer-meet- 
 ing in the country village where he lived, and where a 
 few poor people were accustomed to assemble to seek 
 the especial presence of God. It was at first customary 
 for these humble persons to make way for him, if he 
 happened to come in a little after the appointed time ; 
 but he expressed his unwillingness to receive these 
 marks of attention and respect, and said, he should be 
 contented if he were left to occupy the lowest station. 
 In other places he claimed for himself, and thought he 
 had a right to claim, the distinctions of his rank ; but 
 
THE STATE OF THE RICH AND POOR. 337 
 
 there he felt himself in the same situation with them- 
 selves. In this state of mind he entered into the 
 genuine feelings of Christianity. He delighted to come 
 into the presence of that Being, who levels all distinc- 
 tions ; He who smites the proud with a stroke which 
 can never be survived, and has declared his judgement 
 of the humble and contrite in terms which can never be 
 forgotten. 
 
 They who cherish other sentiments are forgetful that 
 it is the same Great Being who is the protector of all his 
 poor, and who regards with contempt those who despise 
 others that are permanently afflicted with adverse for- 
 tune. In the divine presence each of these distinctions 
 is alike lost sight of; and all true Christians will at last 
 be brought to feel their relation to one common Father, 
 as heirs of the same inheritance. There is " one faith, 
 one Lord, one baptism, one God and Father of all." 
 They embrace each other as fellow-heirs of the same 
 eternal inheritance. Let us, therefore, enter into the 
 presence of God more under the influence of christian 
 sentiments. Let the poor forget themselves as poor, and 
 consider themselves as rich in being children of God, 
 and heirs of heaven. Let the rich recollect his wealth 
 only as a trust with which he is charged. Let him for- 
 get all but his responsibility, and that will constitute a 
 motive to humility in the presence of Almighty God. 
 The utility of divine worship in this case appears most 
 evident. The sentiments it calls forth, are such as hin- 
 der our running into the excesses to which we are ex- 
 posed : and nothing is more salutary or wholesome, than 
 that temporary suspension of undue notions of rank, 
 wliich is derived from an approach to that Being mth 
 whom all are on a level, whose majesty fills heaven and 
 earth, and in whose presence nothing can be exalted, 
 except as he draws it towards himself As I perceive 
 the time is advancing, I shall not enlarge on these con- 
 siderations, but advert very briefly to one or two remain- 
 ing particulars. I ^vill add, 
 
 IV. That the rich and poor meet together in the cir- 
 cumstances of their entrance into this world^ and in the 
 
 VOL, VI. z 
 
338 POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN 
 
 circumstances of their exit out of it. "We have beheld the 
 identity of human nature, notA^dthstanding the artificial 
 disguises which these distinctions bestow for a time. 
 Look at the great man in his origin. Look at him as he 
 comes into this world, and say whether you can detect 
 the least difference between the offspring of the peasant 
 and of the prince. They come into the world under 
 marks of the same destitution, and weakness, and mi- 
 sery. Both alike enter with cries expressive of distress, 
 as if conscious of their arrival in a valley of tears. Both 
 would close their eyes in darkness, were it not for the 
 breasts that give them suck, and the knees that sustain 
 them. Both are indebted to aliment which nature has 
 administered to the mother for the support of her chil- 
 dren ; and both, by the tenderness excited by their cries 
 and tears, gain access to a mother's care, and to a father's 
 heart. The Deity has provided no outward physiog- 
 nomy to distinguish the rich and the poor: and no inqui- 
 sitive eye can discover to which of these classes any 
 new-born infant is likely to belong. 
 
 Let us here trace the progress of their being farther 
 until we come to their final exit, and to their departure 
 out of this world. In some of the most important par- 
 ticulars they entirely coincide as to the circumstances of 
 their departure hence. At the moment when they quit 
 this state of being the poor man lays aside his poverty, 
 the rich man lays aside all the appendages of riches, his 
 grandeur, and dignity ,• all are alike deposited by the 
 possessor before he passes to the mysterious and eternal 
 bourn. No man goes into the invisible world, no man 
 retires to the sepulchre, without dropping the distinction 
 of riches and poverty. The rich man, it is true, is car- 
 ried to the tomb by mourners, whether real or artificial ; 
 and though survivors endeavour to maintain the distinc- 
 tions of rank and elevated station in the region of de- 
 struction and mortality, yet all is in vain. They wage a 
 fruitless war "with corruption and decay. The inscription 
 first disappears ; then the monument moulders into ruin ; 
 the dust itself is scattered or mingled -with surrounding 
 earth, and the last place that knew the dead, " knows 
 
THE STATE OF THE RICH AND POOR. 339 
 
 him no more for ever." The very names of those who 
 have most disturbed the peace of society, and have been 
 a terror to their species while living, are heard of no 
 more. It is left to the antiquary of a future age to 
 speculate upon the import of the remaining letters that 
 composed a part of their names. Where are the men of 
 genius that lived before the flood ? They have retired 
 from the memory of mankind ; history records of them 
 only that they lived and that they died, and leaves all the 
 rest to be filled up by conjecture and imagination. 
 
 Y. This subject reminds us of that period when all 
 the pomp and distinctions of the universe shall coincide 
 in one point, melt into one entire mass, and present 
 themselves in one vision. The time is coming when the 
 rich and poor will not only meet as to the circumstances 
 of their dying hour, but as to their allotted state and 
 condition of being. We have seen both going to the 
 grave. Alike they occupy the place appointed for all 
 living ; alike they seek kindred with corruption, earth, 
 and worms. But they will appear again; and they 
 will appear again for purposes that were never accom- 
 plished before. They will appear for the purpose of un- 
 dergoing a serious review by the Master that created 
 them, who fixed their class, and appointed their station. 
 They will appear to account " for the deeds done in the 
 body." Then it will be found, that many a person has 
 occupied a station which he was not fitted to occupy ; 
 that he possessed talents which he was not willing to 
 employ ; and that he wore a character which he was not 
 qualified to sustain. Then the Great Governor of the 
 whole will take a review of his creatures ; he will recast 
 their parts ; he will sufi*er none to appear but in their 
 proper character ; and the distinction of his approbation 
 will, in no degree, turn on the transient distinctions in 
 their present circumstances as rich and poor. The poor 
 who has been the servant of the Most High will be made 
 rich. No obscurity will be felt, but his lustre will be as 
 the sun shining in his strength. Instead of persecution 
 and oppression, he shall receive " a crown of life that 
 fadeth not away." The rich man who was a despiser of 
 z 2 
 
340 POINTS OP AGREEMENT IN 
 
 God, shall, at the same time, — so far from obtaining an 
 interest in the favour of the Great Sovereign of the 
 world, — if he looks hack on the talents which he has 
 perverted, on the opportunities he has lost, and on the 
 force of his influence which he has not employed for the 
 great ends of his being in serving God, and in serving 
 his generation, he shall curse his wealth, which was the 
 source of crime to himself and others ; and ^vill see in it 
 a weight only sinking him lower in perdition. 
 
 The rich who have been the persecutors of the chil- 
 dren of God, will then, in the utmost agony, lament 
 their crime, and will " call upon the rocks and moun- 
 tains to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb." The 
 purpose for which the Di\dne Being will then manifest 
 himself is such, as it was never attempted to accomplish 
 before, — for the trial of the actions of men. As they are 
 now displayed, they can only be judged upon incompe- 
 tent evidence, and often upon defective principles ; but 
 then the ^yhole character will be weighed in the balance : 
 the destiny of every man will be adjusted, and deter- 
 mined, for ever. The Divine Being will sit in judge- 
 ment upon every man, in order to divide mankind into 
 two eternal states ; to banish one class to the regions of 
 darkness and despair, and to receive the other to himself; 
 "they shall enter through the gates into the city, and 
 reign with Him and with his Son for ever and ever." 
 
 I shall attempt a very brief improvement of this sub- 
 ject, by addressing a few considerations to each of the 
 classes mentioned in the text. Let such as are rich re- 
 collect they are rich for the purpose of benefiting their 
 generation, and that they are " the servants of the most 
 high God." " We are not our own, but are bought with 
 a price ;" let us glorify God, whose we are, and whom 
 we are bound to serve. These are the sentiments of 
 every disciple of Christ, but they are not the sentiments 
 of every one who now hears me. There are, probably, 
 some unhappy, miserable men, who are not the disciples 
 of Christ. Let each person estimate himself in the 
 sight of God by this consideration : is he living to him- 
 self, or is he living to Christ ? Is he living for the pur- 
 
THE STATE OF THE RICH AND POOR. 341 
 
 pose of luxurious enjoyment ? — he is walking in a vain 
 show, and not discharging his appropriate duty, not con- 
 sidering his riches as the means of doing good, as talents 
 wherewith he is to profit, and which he must occupy 
 till the Master come. He does not consider that they 
 are not his own ; he does not use them as one who bears 
 in mind that divine price by which he has been bought. 
 He has no true respect to that authority under which he 
 acts ; nor does he pay allegiance to the only King of 
 kings, and Lord of lords. We must all stand before his 
 tribunal : God himself will be the judge. He has com- 
 mitted all judgement into the hands of that very Jesus 
 who gave himself a ransom for all. 
 
 Let such persons consider seriously whether they are 
 living to themselves or to God. Let them consider that, 
 if they are living to themselves, they miss the very end 
 of their being; they are committing a mistake which 
 can never be repaired ; they are guilty of an error which 
 admits of no correction. They mistake the end of their 
 being, which consists in glorifying God, in acquiring his 
 image, in fulfilling his will, and in laying up treasmes in 
 heaven. They commit such an error as no human folly 
 can equal, such as no human virtue can expiate. This 
 is a condemning error ; this is the fatal and aA^'ful mis- 
 take of men ; that they live as their own, while the 
 voice of God, the dictates of conscience, the blood of 
 Christ, the precepts of the Spirit of truth, and the open- 
 ing light of eternity, all show that " we are not our 
 OAMi :" they show that we are the creatures of another, 
 the possession of another. Our Lord ivill come forth ; 
 he will discover all who have lived to themselves, he 
 will take account of " the qmck and the dead ; and all 
 that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall 
 come forth ; they that have done good to the resurrec- 
 tion of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrec- 
 tion of damnation." Let those who are rich remember 
 that, as christians, it behoves them who possess riches 
 not to fail in good works. Let them act from christian 
 principles, and Avith christian motives, and with a view 
 to christian reward. Let them recollect that they are 
 
342 POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN 
 
 bound to ascertain whether they are christians. Till we 
 are christians, we cannot serve God as christians : we 
 can serve God only in that state which belongs to us. 
 Till we are christians, we cannot pay due regard to his 
 will, we cannot act ■with a view to his glory, nor accord- 
 ing to the instructions of his word, nor can we seriously 
 expect that eternal life, which rests no where but on his 
 promise, which he will fulfil to " all that love his ap- 
 pearing." Let it be the care of all in the presence of 
 God in this assembly that they be christians ; let them 
 secure a portion among the saints; let them see that 
 they have a place among the people of God ; that they 
 are united to Him " of whom the whole family in hea- 
 ven and on earth is named." Let them seek to be re- 
 newed, regenerated, and sanctified, and washed in the 
 atoning blood of the Saviour, to be made members of 
 Christ, and heirs of his kingdom ; to be fitted and pre- 
 pared for his eternal glory. Let them seek to be vessels 
 of honour, sanctified by the Spirit of God, and fit for 
 the Master's use, — fit to serve him in the lower functions 
 of his temple on earth, and to serve him hereafter in his 
 eternal kingdom and glory. What will it avail any of 
 us to possess now what we must then cease to possess ; 
 what we can possess only till we arrive at the threshold 
 of death, and shall look back on the distinctions which 
 must then have vanished ; when we lay down our bodies 
 in the grave, and have nothing before us but a vast 
 eternity, the complexion of which will be decided by the 
 wall of another, — by the will of that Being Avho sees not 
 with the eyes of flesh and blood, before whom riches and 
 poverty, wisdom and folly, and all physical distinctions 
 are nothing : who will regard nothing in his creatures 
 but the will to please him, and obedience to that will ? 
 The happiness to be obtained by faith will be infinitely 
 superior to the happiness which is derived from the ob- 
 jects of sense. For a man thus to lose his own soul, 
 aWU be to sacrifice the gi'eat end of his being. 
 
 But there are some here to whom the possession 
 of riches is sanctified, who consider them as a great 
 trust, for the use of which they are responsible, and who 
 
THE STATE OF THE RICH AND POOR. 343 
 
 are asking, AVhat shall I do ? What return shall I 
 make to God for all his benefits ? and who treml)le, lest 
 at the final account they should be found unfaithful 
 stewards. They trust in the Saviour; they cultivate 
 communion with God ; they condescend to men of low 
 estate ; they are rich in good works ; they lay up a good 
 foundation for the time to come; they will surmount 
 the perils of the most prosperous fortune ; they will 
 combine the riches of this world with the riches of 
 glory ; they will be distinguished in both worlds, stand- 
 ing complete and ready for their Master's will ; they are 
 armed for the combat in the present state, and fitted at 
 any moment to take wing, to "depart and be with 
 Christ, which is far better." Happy those who, while 
 they have abundance of the things of this world, have 
 also a treasure elsewhere ! While they walk in light, 
 and glory, and reputation on earth, they seek first the 
 honour that cometh from above ; they seek, indeed, 7io 
 higher honour than that which comes from Him who is 
 the arbiter of the destinies of all. 
 
 Let me now say a word to the poor. If they are poor, 
 and yet partakers of true piety springing from the faith 
 of the gospel, let them not repine. Let them indulge no 
 envious thought at those who possess more of this world's 
 goods than is allotted to themselves. To such I would 
 say, Recollect that your happiness depends not on the 
 station in life which you occupy, but on the manner in 
 which you perform its duties. A small circle is not less 
 complete than a large one : a humble field of occupation, 
 yielding proper fruits in their season, will be recognized 
 by God and approved of men. You will have the tes- 
 timony of your conscience that "in simplicity, and 
 godly sincerity, you have your conversation in the world." 
 You will leave a testimony behind you of the power of 
 religion : your remains will breathe a sweet odour in all 
 the churches of which you formed a part : you will dig- 
 nify a low station, you will rescue it from all reproach ; 
 for the reproach consists not in poverty, but in yielding 
 to the temptations of poverty. Riches, in themselves, 
 confer no lasting honour, but as they are accompanied 
 
344 POINTS OF AGREEMENT, &C. 
 
 by a resistance to their peculiar temptations. You are 
 walking in the footsteps of " the Lord of all," who, 
 when he came into the world, made poverty his abode, 
 became a companion of fishermen, and at length a com- 
 panion of sinners on the cross. Let such as are poor 
 seek to be "rich in faith:" let them exult and rejoice 
 in the prospect of future happiness : let them rise above 
 the sorroAvs of time in the contemplation of the glory 
 which awaits them. Your recompense is above ; your 
 pleasures are in heaven. If you are real christians, you 
 would not relinquish one portion in heaven for all the 
 happiness of the present state. Avoid every temptation 
 to dishonesty, to prevarication, to envy, to murmuring, 
 to discontent. Avoid all those temptations which arise 
 from a narrow and scanty fortune. Show how religion 
 can dignify the lowest station in society, and do all pos- 
 sible honour to that station. Thousands of saints have 
 done this. Our Saviour illustrated the sorroAvs and pri- 
 vations of poverty; and, if you are animated by his 
 spirit, you will walk in his steps ; and after having suf- 
 fered with him here, you will be also glorified together 
 with him, and reign with him for ever and ever. 
 
FRAGMENTS. 
 
 DEFENCE OF VILLAGE PREACHING, 
 
 HINTS ON TOLERATION, 
 
 THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP, &c. 
 
 [Written in 1801, 1802, and IBILI 
 
NOTE BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 The disquisition, of which the interesting Fragments now 
 presented to the public are alone preserved, was commenced 
 in 1801. About that time the late Bishop Horsley advanced 
 the opinion, in various charges and sermons, (extracts from 
 one of which are subjoined in a note,)* that the dissenters 
 
 * Extracts from Bishop Horsley's Charge, published in 1800. 
 
 After observing that the laity of England have as little relish for 
 Socinianism as for Atheism, and that they think much alike of him who 
 openly disowns the Son, and of him who denies the Father ; insomuch 
 that the advocates of this blasphemy have preached themselves out of 
 all credit with the people, he proceeds as follows : — 
 
 " Still the operations of the enemy are going on; still going on by 
 stratagem. I'he stratagem still a pretence of Reformation. But the 
 Reformation the very reverse of what was before attempted. Instead of 
 divesting religion of its mysteries, and reducing it to a mere philosophy 
 in speculation, and a mere morality in practice, the plan is now to affect 
 a great zeal for orthodoxy ; to make great pretensions to an extraor- 
 dinary measure of the Holy Spirit's influence ; to alienate the minds of 
 the people from the established clergj', by representing them as sordid 
 worldlings ; without any concern about the souls of men ; indifferent to 
 the religion which they ought to teach, and to which the laity are 
 attached, and destitute of the Spirit of God. In many partsof the king- 
 dom conventicles have been opened in great numbers, and congregations 
 formed of one knows not what denomination. The pastor is often, in 
 appearance at least, an illiterate peasant or mechanic. The congregation 
 is visited occasionally by preachers from a distance. Sunday schools are 
 opened in connexion with these conventicles. There is much reason to 
 suspect that the expenses of these schools and conventicles are defrayed 
 by associations formed in different places. For the preachers and school- 
 masters are observed to engage in expenses for the support and advance- 
 ment of their institutions, to which, if we may judge from appearances, 
 their own means must be altogether inadequate. The poor are even 
 bribed, by small pecuniary gifts from time to time, to send their children 
 to these schools of they know not what, rather than to those connected 
 with the established church, in which they would be bred in the prin- 
 
348 NOTE BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 and methodists, in their attempts to introduce the preaching 
 of the gospel in villages where evangelical doctrines were 
 not taught in the established church, were actuated by what 
 were then termed '^ Jacobinical" motives, and by a desire to 
 overthrow the episcopalian form of church government. This 
 opinion, repeatedly announced in the oracular tone too often 
 assumed by that learned prelate, obtained an extraordinary 
 currency; and there was every reason to fear that some 
 strong legislative measures for the prevention of these en- 
 croachments (as they were regarded) upon the functions of 
 a parish minister, would be adopted. The necessity of such 
 
 ciplesof true religion and loyalty. It is very remarkable that these new 
 congregations of nondescripts have been mostly formed since the Jacobins 
 have been laid under the restraints of those two most salutary statutes 
 commonly known by the names of the Sedition and Treason Bills ; a 
 circumstance which gives much ground for suspicion that sedition and 
 Atheism are the real objects of tiiese institutions, rather than religion. 
 Indeed, in some places this is known to be the case. In one topic the 
 teachers of all these congregations agree ; abuse of the established clergy, 
 as negligent of their flocks, cold in their preaching, and destitute of the 
 Spirit. In this they are joined by persons of a very different caste ; whom 
 a candour of which they, on their part, set but a poor example, is un- 
 willing to suspect of any ill design ; though it is difficult to acquit them 
 of the imputation of an indiscretion in their zeal, which, in its conse- 
 quences, may be productive of mischief very remote, I believe, from their 
 intention. It is a dreadful aggravation of the dangers of the present crisis 
 in this countrj', that persons of real piety should, without knowing it, be 
 lending their aid to the common enemy, and making themselves, in 
 effect, accomplices in a conspiracy against the Lord and against his 
 Christ. The Jacobins of this country, I very much fear, are, at this 
 moment, making a tool of Methodism, just as the illumiuees of Bavaria 
 made a tool of free-masonry ; while the real INlethodist, like the real 
 free-mason, is kept in utter ignorance of the wicked enterprise the 
 counterfeit has in hand." Pp. 18-20. 
 
 In page 25, &:c. the Bishop corrects a misrepresentation of a speech 
 delivered by him in the House of Lords, and gives the following as a 
 feithful statement of it. " I said," says he, "that schools of Jacobinical 
 religion and Jacobinical politics ; that is to say, schools of Atheism and 
 disloyalty, abound in this country ;— schools in the shape and disguise of 
 charity ; — schools and Sunday schools, in which the minds of the chil- 
 dren of the very lowest orders are enlightened ; that is to say, taught to 
 despise religion, and the laws, and all subordination. — This I know to be 
 the fact. But, the proper antidote for the poison of the Jacobinical 
 schools, will be schools for children of the same class under the manage- 
 ment of the parochial clergy : — Sunday schools, therefore, under your 
 own inspection, I would advise you to encourage." P. 26. 
 
NOTE BY THE EDITOR. 349 
 
 measures was urged again and again, -with the utmost violence 
 and intolerance, in several of the daily and other periodical 
 publications ; so that considerable apprehensions were natu- 
 rally entertained that these exertions of christian benevo- 
 lence would be altogether checked, or greatly restricted. 
 
 In such a state of things Mr. Hall commenced this essay : 
 but, the public ebullition subsiding, he relinquished his 
 design of pubUcation, and indeed destroyed a portion of 
 what he had written. 
 
 In the years 1810 and 1811, the friends of village preach- 
 ing by dissenters, and of Sunday schools under their super- 
 intendence, were again alarmed by afresh attempt to restrain 
 their operations, though not undertaken in a hostile spirit, 
 in an act brought into parliament by Lord Sidmouth, His 
 Lordship proposed some new restrictions upon persons who 
 wished to qualify as dissenting teachers, and others, either 
 by separate licence, or by some other method, thought to 
 be appropriate, on itinerant preaching. He also proposed 
 to deprive lay-preachers of certain exemptions which had 
 hitherto been granted. Against these measures petitions 
 were sent to parliament from all parts of the kingdom ; and 
 the bill, being opposed by Lords Grey, Holland, Erskine, 
 Liverpool, Moira, Stanhope, by Dr. Manners Sutton, then 
 Archbishop of Canterbury, and by Lord Chancellor Eldon, 
 was lost May 21st, 1811, on the motion of Lord Erskine, 
 which was agreed to without a division. The minds of 
 those classes of the public that were interested in the dif- 
 fusion of evangehcal knowledge among the poor, were 
 however, agitated by this question for several months. In 
 such a state of things, Mr. Hall determined to revise and 
 complete what he had formerly begun ; but the failure of 
 Lord Sidmouth's plan induced him again to lay aside his 
 pen, and again to destroy great part of the manuscript. 
 The portions which escaped destruction have been found 
 since Mr. Hall's death. They want the advantage of entire 
 continuity, as well as of the author's finishing touch; and, 
 
350 NOTE BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 being composed at distant periods, and in part evidently 
 re- written, to siiit the modification of the general purpose 
 occasioned by the later attempts at restriction, they exhibit 
 a slight repetition of sentiment. It has, however, been 
 thought right to preserve the whole of them ; as they un- 
 fold, and place in different lights, some valuable principles 
 of general application. 
 
 For a full account of the proceedings on Lord Sidmouth's 
 bill, the reader may advantageously consult " A Sketch of 
 the History and Proceedings of the Deputies appointed to 
 protect the Civil Rights of the Protestant Dissenters." 
 
FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 AViiERE they beheld the papal power over- 
 turned, they were ready to imagine the season was 
 approaching, so clearly foretold, when true religion should 
 emerge from the. clouds of superstition which environed 
 her and enlightened the world. Who will say that these 
 hopes indicated depravity in the minds of those who 
 cherished them too fondly ? It was surely not very 
 criminal to rejoice at the prospect of the extinction of 
 evil and the universal prevalence of justice, peace, and 
 happiness ; or to mistake " the times and seasons which 
 the Father has put into his o^vn power." Good men 
 were, of all others, least hkely to suspect that their hopes 
 •would be blasted by a wickedness of which the world 
 afforded no example. But whatever of this delusion 
 might have prevailed heretofore, the virtuous part of the 
 public are completely recovered from it ; nor has it had 
 the smallest intiuence in stimulating the exertions which 
 it is the pm-pose of this publication to defend. 
 
 The only shadow of argument on which Bishop Hors- 
 ley founds his accusation, that village preaching has a 
 political object, is, that it has been chiefly prevalent since 
 the Pitt and Grenville bills, as they are styled, were 
 passed ; which put a stop to poHtical meetings. Hence 
 he infers that it is only a new channel into which the old 
 stream is directed. Here, however, he is entirely mis- 
 taken. The true soiu-ce of this increased activity is to be 
 found in the missions, the first of which was established 
 some years before the Grenville bills were passed. The 
 attention of the religious public was strongly excited on 
 
352 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 that occasion to the indispensable necessity of " preach- 
 ing the gospel to every creature," and the result was a 
 resolution to exert more zealous and extensive efforts to 
 diflFuse the knowledge of saving truth at home than had 
 before been employed. Agreeable to this, it will be 
 found, on inquiry, that those who most distinguished 
 themselves in political debates have had the least share 
 (if they have had any) in promoting these measures ; and 
 that the invariable effect of engaging in these plans has 
 been to diminish the attention bestowed on political ob- 
 jects. This indeed could not fail to be the consequence; 
 for as the mind is too limited to be very deeply impressed 
 with more than one object at a time, a solicitude to pro- 
 mote the interests of piety, must insensibly diminish the 
 ardour for every thing that is not necessarily involved in 
 it ; not to say that the spirit of devotion, which such 
 designs imply and promote, is peculiarly incompatible 
 with the -violence and acrimony of political passions. 
 He who is truly intent on promoting the eternal happi- 
 ness of mankind, must look on faturity with so steady an 
 eye, that he is in more danger of falling into indifference 
 to the spectacle that is passing before him, than of suf^ 
 fering himself to be too much inflamed by it. He is 
 under more temptation to desert his proper rank in 
 society, to undervalue the importance of worldly activity, 
 and to let opportunities of exertion slide through his 
 hands, than to indulge turbulent and ambitious views. 
 
 Hence we find, in the first ages of the church, heathens 
 made frequent complaints of the inactivity of christians, 
 but never accused them of turbulence ; and that while 
 many fled into deserts, from austerity and devotion, not 
 one, during the prevalence of paganism, endured the 
 chastisement of the laws for sedition or treason. The 
 pious of every age have been among the quiet of the 
 land. 
 
 If our legislators are aware (as I hope they are) of the 
 inconceivable benefits which are derived, in a political 
 view, from the diffusion of pure and undefiled rehgion, 
 no fascination of great talents or of high rank, no fear of 
 misrepresentation or calumny, will tempt them to be 
 
FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 353 
 
 guilty of a legislative suicide, by exerting their authority 
 to suppress it : since nothing can ever give equal efficacy 
 to the laws or stability to the government. The law, of 
 itself, can only address fears ; religion speaks to the con- 
 science, and commands it to respect that justice on which 
 the law is founded. Human law can only arm itself 
 with penalties which may be averted, despised, or en- 
 dured ; religion presents, in the displeasure of our Maker, 
 an evil that can have no bounds. Human laws can only 
 take cognizance of disorders in their last stage, proposing 
 only the punishment of the delinquent, without attempt- 
 ing to prevent the crime ; religion establishes a tribunal 
 in our own breast, where that which is concealed from 
 every other eye is arraigned, and the very embryo of 
 crime detected and destroyed. 
 
 If we examine the sources of crimes, we shall perceive 
 the chief temptation to violate the principle of justice and 
 humanity, arises from a discontent with the allotments of 
 Providence ; men are apt to attach an importance to 
 •what they see another possesses. But what can be so 
 sovereign a cure for this discontent as religion, which 
 teaches that all things are under the disposal of infinite 
 wisdom ; that life is but a passage to an eternal condition 
 of being ; that every thing the world admires is passing 
 away, and that he only who " doeth the will of God 
 abideth for ever V 
 
 Religion must infallibly promote obedience to the laws, 
 by subduing those violent passions which give birth to 
 crimes. As our hopes and fears must all turn on the 
 present scene, or on futurity, it is plain that a principle 
 which throws an infinite weight into the latter scale must 
 greatly diminish the influence of the former. On this 
 account, real piety must ever be an enemy to intemperate 
 enjoyments, and to extravagant hopes. In addition to 
 this, Christianity enforces obedience to civil rulers with 
 the utmost clearness and under the most solemn sanction, 
 adopting the duties of a citizen into the family of reli- 
 gion, and commanding its disciples to revere civil govern- 
 ment as the ordinance of God ; and to be " subject, not 
 chiefly for wrath, but for conscience sake." Who are so 
 
 VOL. VI. A A 
 
354 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 likely to be loyal subjects as those who consider lawful 
 princes, in the exercise of their functions, as the repre- 
 sentatives of the Supreme Ruler, and judges as the dis- 
 pensers of the portion confided to them of eternal justice? 
 The public may be assured, that as nothing is more re- 
 mote from the views of those who are most active in pro- 
 moting village preaching than an intention to promote 
 political discontent, so nothing^ is more removed from the 
 practice of the preachers. That there may be an im- 
 prudent or an unprincipled individual who profanes the 
 function of a preacher by introducing political remarks 
 (a practice too common with those who are loudest in the 
 condemnatiou of dissenters) is possible ; though it has 
 never been my lot to hear of any among our village 
 preachers; but that such instances are extremely rare, 
 and when fhey occur never fail to be discountenanced in 
 the stronglst manner, both by dissenters and methodists, 
 may be affirmed with the utmost confidence. There is 
 no maxim more constantly inculcated by all who have 
 any influence in these measures, than that of scrupulously 
 abstaining from every, even the remotest, allusion to 
 politics. They have preached liberty indeed, but it is 
 that liberty which Jesus Christ proclaimed at Nazareth, 
 that holy an3, divine liberty with which the Son makes 
 his followers free ; not that liberty whose thrilling accents 
 awake nations 'to arms, but that which is enjoyed in the 
 highest perfection in the quiet of the sanctuary, where 
 all is still ; as in the temple of Solomon, the sound of 
 the lifted hammer was not heard. They propose a revo- 
 lution, but it is that by which men are translated from 
 the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God and his 
 Christ. They propose great innovations, but such as 
 consist in exhorting men to ne^vness of heaii;. 
 
 His Lordship expresses his approbation of Sunday 
 schools, provided they are placed under the inspection 
 and control of the clergy. If the clergy will take the 
 trouble of forming and inspecting Sunday schools, they 
 may confer a great benefit on the public, and gain much 
 honour to themselves : whether the nation will tamely 
 submit to have the business of education exclusively in 
 
FRAGMENT OX VILLAGE PREACHING. 3o.'> 
 
 the hands of any one set of men, remains to be tried. 
 The attempt to support an ecclesiastical establishment, by 
 invading the freedom of education^ resembles more the 
 policy of a Julian than the gentleness of Christ. To in- 
 vade the freedom of charity is a stretch of tyranny still 
 more odious. To control the movements of benevolence, 
 and construe the impulse of compassion into a crime, is 
 such an outrage as can only be paralleled in the darkest 
 ages, and in the most barbarous minds. Of what crimes 
 have the dissenters been convicted, we will boldly ask ; 
 of such infamy that even the exercise of benevolence in 
 them must wear the aspect of guilt ; and that they must 
 be degraded, not only beneath the rights of citizens, but 
 the possibilities of virtue ? "What have these helots of 
 England done to deserve this more than Spartan cruelty ? 
 In the name of eternal justice, I invoke the injured ma- 
 jesty of our common nature to repel an attack so injuri- 
 ous, founded on aspersions so foul and detestable. 
 
 It is asserted that these revolutionary designs are car- 
 ried on under pretences of superior piety. It is matter 
 of accusation, that the dissenters make these pretences. 
 If the dissenters, however, profess to have more piety 
 than the members of the established church, it will be 
 shrewdly suspected to arise from a very plain reason, 
 namely, that they have more. Hj^ocrisy is the vice of 
 individuals, not of numerous bodies of men, who can 
 have no motive sufficiently extensive in its operation to 
 engage them to submit to its restraints. The same con- 
 clusion results from another consideration. Nothing but 
 a conscientious preference can, generally speaking, in- 
 cline a man to a mode of religious profession which in 
 the mildest times is unpopular, and at some seasons not 
 exempt from danger and disgrace. Without contending 
 for any superiority in the principles of dissent, the very 
 circumstance of becoming a dissenter, or of continuing 
 such, at some expense of worldl}'^ reputation and advan- 
 tage, indicates a mind over which religious considerations 
 have great influence. They who never scarcely think of 
 religion at all, or who abandon themselves to the tide of 
 opinion and fashion, are safely conducted into the haven 
 A A 2 
 
356 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 of the established church. To be content -with merely 
 being tolerated, instead of sharing the honours and emo- 
 luments of an opulent establishment, to have all the 
 avenues which lead to greatness shut against them, is a 
 sacrifice which nothing but conscientious piety, however 
 mistaken, can prompt them to make. In addition to 
 which, it may be remarked, that a religious minority, 
 from a conviction that their conduct will be exposed to a 
 severe scrutiny, and that nothing can sustain them against 
 the contempt of the world but superior correctness of 
 morals, have a motive for cherishing the spirit of their 
 institution which others want. 
 
 On these accounts it will not, we hope, be deemed 
 presumptuous if we take it for granted, that the dis- 
 senters, and especially that class of them who have sig- 
 nalized their zeal for the religious instruction of the poor, 
 have really more piety than falls to the share of the great 
 body of the people of England. But how is it now pos- 
 sible for pious men to enter into a conspiracy to overturn 
 the constitution of their country, and to overwhelm every 
 thing in anarchy ? For this purpose they must unite 
 themselves intimately with the infidel faction ; they must 
 make common cause with those detestable monsters 
 whose pestilential breath has blasted, in other countries 
 every thing cheering to the eye or refreshing to the heart. 
 They must forget the infinite contrariety of principle 
 which divides them ; they must forget the daggers of 
 these assassins, which, after destroying their enemies, 
 they never fail to turn against their associates, impelled 
 by an insatiable eagerness for destruction. They must 
 put their fortune, their character, their life, in the hands 
 of men with whom it would not be safe to trust them- 
 selves in a room. There is nothing more opposite than 
 the spirit of piety and the spirit of faction. There enters 
 into the composition of faction, a meddlesome and mis- 
 chievous activity, blended with a callousness of heart ; 
 devotion softens the temper. Faction knows no delicacy 
 in the choice of its society : it wants no other qualities 
 in its associates than turbulence and discontent, a con- 
 science which no crimes can startle, and an impudence 
 
FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 357 
 
 which no detection can confront : devotion, alarmed at 
 wickedness, and disgusted with folly, is apt to carry the 
 principle of selection too far. Faction delights in scenes 
 of tumult and noise ; devotion in solitude and retirement. 
 Faction busies itself with forming external movements, 
 and values itself only on the change it produces in the 
 situation of external objects ; the treasures and conquests 
 of religion are internal. Faction draws its nourishment 
 from an overweening conceit of superior wisdom, accom- 
 panied with a proportionable contempt of the under- 
 standing and virtue of other men. The solid foundation 
 of j)iety is laid in humility, or a deep conviction of our 
 sinfalness and fallibility. I will not say that men of real 
 piety have never been betrayed into factious enterprises ; 
 or have not, on some occasions, pushed their opposition 
 to government too far; but it may be safely alS&rmed, 
 that whenever tliey have done so, it must have arisen 
 from an extraordinary concurrence of circumstances; 
 generally from the ojDpression which makes a wise man 
 mad ; that it is most foreign to their genuine character, 
 and that nothing is a more effectual antidote to political 
 turbulence than the prevalence of piety. 
 
 Before we proceed further, I must be permitted to 
 lament that propensity to credit and propagate the most 
 hideous calumnies, which seems to have arisen to an 
 unprecedented height in this age. It may answer a tem- 
 porary purpose, but it is well if it does not recoil on 
 those who employ it. It resembles the policy of in- 
 surrections and riots, which, though they may occa- 
 sionally punish or crush an obnoxious sect, no wise 
 government will adopt, for fear of a reaction. To fill 
 the minds of the public with hatred, jealousies, and 
 suspicions, is to poison the fountains of public security. 
 When this spirit is once awakened among a people, the 
 character and conduct of its rulers seldom fail, in the 
 long run, to be injured by it. Under disasters which 
 the utmost wisdom cannot prevent, under burdens which 
 the strictest economy may impose, government presents 
 a plain, a palpable, and permanent pretext of discontent 
 and suspicion. Misery finds a sort of relief in attribu- 
 
358 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 ting its sufferings to the conduct of others, and while it 
 soothes its anguish by resentment and clamour, it fastens 
 on the object that first presents itself. This object will 
 naturally be the rulers of the nation. Nor is there any 
 thing ^vith respect to which men are more liable to be 
 mistaken, than the share which the imprudence or mis- 
 conduct of civil government has in the production of 
 public calamities. So various, so subtle, so complicated 
 in their operation are the causes which conduct to pros- 
 perity or decline in the affairs of nations, that it is a 
 matter of the utmost delicacy to determine what share 
 is to be assigned to human agency, and what to contin- 
 gencies and events. This obscurity furnishes infinite 
 scope for the exercise of candour in the well disposed, 
 and for the indulgence of suspicion and discontent in 
 the factious. In scenes so complicated, and when the 
 steps are so numerous and so untraceable between the 
 first movement and the last, it is equally difficult to 
 form a right estimate of events, when we are very re- 
 mote, or when we are very near them. If we attempt 
 to survey a remote sera, we are lost in naked generali- 
 ties ; when we turn our eyes on the scene before us, our 
 attention is apt to be limited to detached parts ; we are 
 apt to confound proximate with remote causes, to mis- 
 take casual coincidence for natural connexion, and to 
 give a disproportionate importance to whatever we im- 
 mediately feel. Let them who have any doubt of the 
 dreadful effects of calumny, look at what took place in 
 France, where they will find it was the principal engine 
 employed by the Brissotines to overturn the monarchy, 
 and afterwards by Robespierre to deluge that devoted 
 country with blood. By inspiring everlasting jealousies 
 and unbounded fears, he contrived to extirpate every 
 remain of tenderness and pity, and to presei-ve the 
 minds of the people in constant agitation, like the sea 
 in a storm. It was this that whetted the daggers of 
 assassins. It was the withering blast of this spirit that 
 destroyed every thing amiable and noble in that un- 
 happy kingdom, resigned to the desolating sway of sel- 
 fishness and revenge. Nothing can be more fatal to 
 
FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 359 
 
 public repose ; nothing can tend more immediately to 
 quicken the seeds of convulsion. That this malignant 
 leaven should be infused into the public mind by any 
 hands, must be matter of deep regret ; that it should be 
 mingled and prepared by those hands from which the 
 world is wont to look for benedictions and blessings, 
 seems awful and portentous. 
 
 Let not this, however, be understood to intimate that 
 there is any room to apprehend the dissenters may be 
 provoked to verify the suspicions and calumnies to which 
 they are incessantly exposed. The writer would be un- 
 derstood to speak merely of the tendency of such infu- 
 sions on the nation at large ; not at all of their influence 
 on the dissenters or methodists. Their loyalty is of too 
 fine a texture to be affected by the efflux or influx of 
 public opinion. While they enjoyed the countenance of 
 the public, their loyalty was sustained by a higher mo- 
 tive than popularity, nor will any discouragement tempt 
 them to forfeit it. In the mean time they place a firm 
 reliance, first on the protection of Heaven, the judge of 
 their innocence, next on the impartial justice and paren- 
 tal kindness of their gracious sovereign, to prevent them 
 from being overwhelmed and swallowed up by the re- 
 proaches of their enemies. 
 
 Enough has been said on this head, I trust, to satisfy 
 every unprejudiced person, that nothing is more remote 
 from the design of these institutions than the promotion 
 of seditious or revolutionary plans. 
 
 It is time to proceed to a distinct charge, which is that 
 of hostility to the church of England. It is confidently 
 asserted by the prelate, to whom we have so often had 
 occasion to allude, that it is the constant practice of iti- 
 nerant preachers to calumniate the clergy, by represent- 
 ing them as a set of hirelings, destitute of the spirit of 
 piety, and utterly indifferent to the welfare of their 
 flocks ; by which artifices they alienate the affections of 
 the people from the established pastors, and prepare 
 them for becoming- dissenters ; or what, in the dialect of 
 the learned prelate, is the same thing, schismatics. 
 
 Although it is extremely disagreeable to be obliged to 
 
360 FRAGMENT ON TILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 contradict a positive assertion in a manner equally posi- 
 tive, yet truth compels us on this occasion to declare, 
 that the statement here made is without any sort of 
 foundation in truth. The practice of vilifying the esta- 
 blished clergy is so far from being commonly adopted in 
 the discourses, either of dissenters or methodists, that it 
 may be safely affirmed, if there are any instances of con- 
 duct so highly improper, they are extremely rare, and 
 that where the dissenters offend in this particular once, 
 the established clergy are guilty of it ten times. It is a 
 practice which the late Mr. Wesley discouraged, in his 
 connexion, to the utmost ; nor are the dissenters, as a 
 body, less scrupulous and delicate on that head. Still, 
 however, it will be said, a principle of hostility to the 
 established church seems inseparable from these exer- 
 tions ; the tendency of preaching in the parishes of au- 
 thorized ministers must be to alienate the people from 
 the established mode of worship, and, in the issue, to 
 endanger the existence of the national church. 
 
 As this objection wears a more plausible appearance 
 than any other, and has been urged in a great variety of 
 forms, the author must beg the patience of the reader, 
 while he gives it a full and distinct examination. 
 
 1. The objection we are considering seems to imply, 
 on the part of those who urge it, an inattention to the 
 true genius and design of a religious establishment. TVe 
 must distinguish between the design of religion itself, 
 and the design of that support which is given to it by 
 human laws. The design of religion itself is to disci- 
 pline the mind and prepare the heart for the happiness 
 of heaven. The design of supporting a particular form 
 of religion by iaw, is much less extensive ; it is to derive 
 from it that security which it never fails to confer on the 
 interests of ci\il society. This may be termed the indi- 
 rect benefit of religion ; with a view to which the policy 
 of legislation has thought it right to incoi-porate it with 
 human laws. The establishment of a religion is not to 
 be considered as a final end. In respect to importance 
 it is never to be confounded with religion, or even to be 
 
FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 361 
 
 placed on a level with the peace and good order of so- 
 ciety, to which it ouGjht ever to be in perfect subordina- 
 tion. It aims at nothing farther than to secure such a 
 prevalence of religion as shall make men conscientious 
 and upright. By whatever means this is accomplished, 
 the true design of every religious establishment is an- 
 swered. From the indisposition of mankind to direct 
 their thoughts to a futurity; from their proneness to 
 immerse themselves in present and sensible objects : and 
 the ignorance which follows of course, it has been 
 thought necessary to set apart a particular order of men 
 to inculcate its truths, and to exemplify its duties. Laws 
 will not be obeyed, harmony in society cannot be main- 
 tained, without virtue ; virtue cannot subsist without 
 religion. The sentiments of religion, it is thought, will 
 be effaced from the mind by the influence of worldly 
 passions and pursuits, unless it is recognized by the so- 
 vereign, and public teachers appointed by the state. 
 
 Whoever attends to this, must perceive that the esta- 
 blishment was intended, not to correct an excess, but to 
 supply a defect; not to prevent men from becoming too 
 devout, but to preserve them from falling into irreligion 
 and vice. It was not because men are too much dis- 
 posed to be religious, but because they are too apt to 
 forget it, that our foreftithers thought proper to give it 
 a legal establishment. On a similar principle, universi- 
 ties were established, and colleges endowed, to stimulate 
 literary ardour, and facilitate the means of acquiring 
 knowledge ; and not that it might be made a crime to 
 receive instruction in any other place. If peculiar pri- 
 vileges and honours were confen-ed on these seminaries, 
 it was not with a view to limit, confine, and discourage, 
 but to animate the exertions of literary talent. If they 
 seemed to narrow the stream, it was only with a view to 
 deepen the current. 
 
 To attempt to restrain the prevalence of religion, to 
 suppress the efforts of good men for the promotion of 
 piety, under pretence of guarding the established church, 
 is to lose sight of the design of all religion, and to 
 
362 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 counteract tlie pui-pose for wliich the establishment cf 
 it in particular was made. It would be to found the 
 security of the church on the ruins of religion. 
 
 2. They who urge the objection seem not to have re- 
 flected sufficiently on the prodigious advantages which 
 the church of England possesses for securing its existence 
 and prosperity. The large portion of property it holds 
 gives it a great national weight and importance. The 
 regular gradations of authority and rank cement its seve- 
 ral parts closely together, and prepare it on all occasions 
 to act with the utmost promptitude and unanimity. Its 
 ministers, vested with legal authority and character, are 
 the natural objects of a veneration, of which nothing but 
 personal misbehaviour can deprive them. 
 
 Mankind are apt to be strongly prejudiced in favour 
 of whatever is countenanced by antiquity, enforced by 
 authority, and recommended by custom. The pleasure 
 of acquiescing in the decision of others is by most men 
 so much preferred to the toil and hazard of inquiry, and 
 so few are either able or disposed to examine for them- 
 selves, that the voice of law will generally be taken for 
 the dictates of justice. 
 
 Nor is it the weakness only of mankind that inclines 
 them to look with a favourable eye on what is established ; 
 some of the most amiable propensities of the heart lean 
 the same way, — deference to superior wisdom and to 
 great names ; the love of quiet, and the dread of confa- 
 sion and disorder. These considerations will prevail 
 over minds which are too virtuous to be moved by a 
 gross self-interest. Further, the religion of the state 
 will ever be the religion of the vain and aspiring. A 
 degree of ridicule never fails to be attached to a religious 
 minority. In all the effiDrts of churchmen, their move- 
 ments are facilitated by the cun-ent of public opinion, 
 while dissenters are on every occasion obstructed by pub- 
 lic prejudice. Thus churchmen set out with a partiality 
 on their side, which nothing but neglect and misconduct 
 can destroy ; dissenters, with a weight of suspicion and 
 dislike, which nothing but discreet and exemplary beha- 
 viour can remove. 
 
FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 363 
 
 If we contemplate, in connexion with the subject we 
 are upon, the manners and institutions of the British 
 nation, we shall perceive that the established church in 
 these kingdoms possesses such pledges of its safety, as 
 are not to be found in any protestant community be- 
 sides, A finished English education is, in all its stages, 
 clerical ; the public seminaries of instruction, together 
 with the two universities, being almost entirely under 
 the conduct of ecclesiastics ; by which means a reve- 
 rence for the church is imbibed with the first elements of 
 knowledge. Its splendid literary establishments, its 
 magnificent libraries, the accumulation of ages, and, 
 above all, the great and illustrious names it has pro- 
 duced in every department of genius and of learning, 
 the glory of the world ; who have conferred dignity, not 
 so much on their profession as on their species ; gives it, 
 in a literary view, a decided superiority, and in popular 
 opinion an exclusive esteem. The policy of modern 
 times has, in addition to this, confided to its ministers 
 more and more of the administration of the laws, in 
 which they are become the immediate organs of justice 
 to the people ; and the claims of spiritual authority are 
 hence enforced by the habits of civil submission. 
 
 Freed from the fetters of celibacy, which, if they aug- 
 ment its zeal, must narrow its influence in popish coun- 
 tries, it strikes its roots deep into the social soil, and 
 forms numerous alliances, so that there is scarcely a con- 
 siderable family in the nation which is not immediately 
 interested in its support. A popish clergy, secluded 
 from the enjoyments of domestic life, may be expected, 
 indeed, to have a more eager ambition for the advance- 
 ment of their order, in consequence of their passions 
 being all directed to one point; but as their manners 
 must be less amiable, so, from this insulated condition, 
 they are liable to fall without a struggle and without 
 pity. They are a loose appendage of the state, not a 
 part of its growth and substance. With respect to the 
 English clergy it is quite otherwise. As they are con- 
 tinually receiving supplies from the mass of the commu- 
 nity, so they are continually restoring to it, in the persons 
 
364 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 of their sons and daughters, what it has lost. By these 
 means a continual communication is maintained with the 
 body of the people, manners are assimilated, and the 
 ties of tenderness and attachment extended. The gra- 
 dations of rank, also, which are established in it, con- 
 tribute to the same purpose, and exhibit an image of 
 the political constitution planted in every corner of the 
 kingdom, and mingled with every order of the state ; 
 while its inferior members propagate its influence among 
 the commonalty, it allies itself on the side of its dignita- 
 ries with all that is august, basks in the smile of mo- 
 narchs, and shares in the splendour of courts. 
 
 A society which has such numerous pledges for its 
 security, which so many motives concur to favour, so 
 many passions to support, must be guilty of some extra- 
 ordinary misconduct before it can forfeit the attachment 
 of the people. It is evident it can only fall under the 
 weight of its own abuses. 
 
 3. It is possible, indeed, to conceive a degree of secu- 
 larity and dissipation which may first greatly impair its 
 influence, and finally endanger its existence. In an age 
 not remarkable for credulity or superstition, as the con- 
 duct of ecclesiastics will have more weight than their 
 pretensions, nothing can long secure them from popular 
 contempt, but exemplary morals and diligence. 
 
 To invest idleness and dissipation with the privileges 
 of laborious piety, is an impracticable attempt. For by 
 a constitution more ancient than that of any priesthood, 
 superior degrees of sanctity and of exertion will gain 
 superior esteem as their natural reward. We must not 
 wonder to find the public forget the reverence due to 
 the sacred profession, when its members forget the spirit, 
 and neglect the duties, on which that reverence was 
 founded. The natural equity of mankind will not suf- 
 fer the monopoly of contradictory goods. If the people 
 are expected to reverence an order, it must be from 
 the consciousness of benefits received. If the clergy 
 claim authority, it must be accompanied with a soli- 
 citude for the spiritual interest of their flocks, and 
 Qthat pastoral] labour [he well] sustained. To enjoy, 
 
FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 365 
 
 at once, both honour and ease, never fell to the share 
 of any profession. If the clergy neglect their charge, 
 if they conform to the spirit of the world, and engage 
 with eagerness in the pursuits of ambition, or of plea- 
 sure, it will be impossible for any human policy to 
 preserve them from sinking in the public esteem. 
 
 4. As far as the attachment of the people to their 
 established ministers is diminished in consequence of 
 misconduct on their part, it will not be remedied by 
 excluding other instructors. To deprive them of every 
 other means of information may make them heathens, 
 but will not make them churchmen. The established 
 ministers are either equal to others in zeal and dili- 
 gence, or inferior. If they are equally laborious and 
 exemplar}'-, what have they to fear, while they have 
 every advantage in their possession which superior 
 learning, a legal character, and the countenance of their 
 superiors can confer ? To assert that the same degree 
 of diligence and piety in a clergyman will not produce 
 an equal effect as when they are exerted by a dis- 
 senter, is to yield the cause of the establishment at 
 once ; for it is to affirm that there is a source of weak- 
 ness in the very nature of an establishment, which pre- 
 vents equal means in other respects from being equally 
 influential ; an extraordinary assertion, which the friends 
 of the established church would be, we should suppose, 
 the last to make. The policy of an establishment is 
 founded on a supposition, that it is the most effectual 
 mode of inculcating some degree of religion, and of im- 
 pressing sentiments of piety on the minds of men. But 
 if, on the contrary, it be found that exertions merely 
 equal made in any other form produce more powerful 
 effects, that supposition is invalidated, and the structure 
 raised upon it falls to the ground. To give religion a 
 legal subsistence, it seems, by this reasoning, is so far 
 from arming it with superior energy, that it is, of all the 
 modes under which it can appear, the most disadvan- 
 tageous, and ignorance and fanaticism gain an easy 
 triumph over it. 
 
 If the other supposition be taken, that the established 
 
366 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 ministers are inferior to others in diligence and exertion, 
 and that on this account their popularity is endangered ; 
 to give them the monopoly of religious instruction is to 
 violate every principle of reason and equity. It is pu- 
 nishing the innocent for the faults of the guilty. It is 
 to reward a hreach of trust with an enlargement of 
 power. Instead of quickening indolence, or correcting 
 abuse, it is confen-ing impunity on both. The natural 
 remedy for whatever inconveniences are experienced or 
 apprehended from established abuses, is the institution 
 of discipline and the exercise of wholesome correction 
 by the rulers of the church, w^ho are invested with ade- 
 quate power for that purpose. To look out and ask for 
 an external force to repel the consequences of an inward 
 disease ; to demand the interposition of the legislature 
 to protect them from the effects of their own abuses, 
 while they refuse the proper remedy, is repugnant to 
 every maxim of justice. They ought at least to wait 
 until the abuses they complain of are remedied ; until 
 the internal resources of reformation are employed. 
 With little propriety or grace can they complain of im- 
 pertinent intruders, who are inattentive to the duties of 
 their allotted station. In the report of the Lincolnshire 
 clergy,* it is fi-ankly acknowledged that much of the 
 decline of religion is to be imputed to the neglect of the 
 clergy ; and yet, almost in the same breath, they express 
 a desire that the legislature w^ould give them pow^r to 
 expel intruders from their parishes. It has usually been 
 expected that superior claims should be founded, at least, 
 on the pretence of superior merits. But here the order 
 of things is reversed. At the very moment they are 
 asking for an increase of power, they confess themselves 
 unworthy of it, by having abused, or neglected to em- 
 ploy, the power already intrusted into their hands. Not 
 content to escape without punishment, they ask to be 
 rewarded for a breach of ecclesiastical trust, and the 
 want of clerical virtues. Whatever we may think of 
 
 * Circulated in 1801 or 1802.-En. 
 
FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 367 
 
 their delicacy, we cannot but commend their prudence, 
 in not putting their names to such a paper. 
 
 5. It deserves to ])e considered what effect the prohi- 
 bition of other instruction is likely to have on the con- 
 duct of the clergy themselves. Is it likely to diminish 
 or increase the frequency of non-residence, or the ex- 
 tent of secular and dissipated habits ? Will it tend to 
 augment their professional diligence and zeal, the surest 
 support of an ecclesiastical order ? Will the monopoly 
 of religious instruction fail to produce the effect of all 
 other monopolies ? While men are accustomed to com- 
 pare rival pretensions ; while emulation continues to be 
 classed among human passions, these questions will ad- 
 mit but of one answer. A generous competition is the 
 animating spirit of every profession, without which it 
 droops and languishes. If we look around us, we shall 
 perceive that all the discoveries which have enriched 
 science, and the improvements which have embellished 
 life, are to be ascribed to the competition of nations 
 with nations, of cities with cities, and of men with 
 men. From causes too obvious to need explanation, 
 there is less of this spirit in the clerical profession than 
 in any other; which is the principal reason of the talent 
 of preaching having been so little cultivated. 
 
 It is easy to see, then, what will be the consequence 
 of extinguishing the small remains of emulation or 
 jealousy, call it by what name you plfease, which springs 
 from the complete toleration of a diversity of sects. 
 If the dread of intrusion (as it is called) into their 
 parishes is not sufl&cient to prevent some from neglect- 
 ing their pastoral duties, this neglect will be much 
 more profound when there is nothing to disturb their 
 repose. When the minister fears no rival, and the 
 people despair of any remedy, the inattention of the 
 one and the ignorance of the other will increase in 
 equal proportion. 
 
368 
 
 The Impolicy op Intolerance. 
 
 There is another objection frequently urged against 
 village preaching, -which will deserve our attention. It 
 is alleged that the gross fanaticism which distinguishes 
 the self-appointed teachers of religion tends to bring 
 Christianity into contempt, and threatens the most seri- 
 ous mischief to the cause of enlightened piety. That 
 fanaticism is an evil, and that a considerable portion 
 of it may frequently be blended with those efforts to 
 revive religion for which we are pleading, Avill not be 
 denied. A little reflection, however, may convince us 
 that the danger from this quarter is not so alarming 
 as might be apprehended at first sight. 
 
 Fanaticism, as far as we are at present concerned with 
 it, may be defined such an overwhelming impression of 
 the ideas relating to the future world as disqualifies for 
 the duties of life. 
 
 1. From the very nature of fanaticism it is an evil of 
 short duration. As it implies an irregular movement, or 
 an inflamed state of the passions, M'hen these return to 
 their natural state it subsides. Nothing that is violent 
 mil last long. The vicissitudes of the world, and the 
 business of life, are admirably adapted to abate the ex- 
 cesses of religious enthusiasm. In a state where there 
 are such incessant calls to activity, wdiere want presses, 
 desire allures, and ambition inflames, there is little room 
 to dread an excessive attention to the objects of an in- 
 visible futurity. 
 
 A few rare examples of this kind might perhaps be 
 found, by diligent inquiry, over which infidelity would 
 triumph and piety drop a tear. It is not uncommon, 
 however, to find those who, at the commencement of 
 their religious course, have betrayed symptoms of enthu- 
 siasm, become in the issue the most amiable characters. 
 "With the increase of knowledge, the intemperate ardour 
 of their zeal has subsided into a steady faith and fervent 
 charity, so as to exemplify the promise of scripture, that 
 the " path of the just" shall be " as the shining light. 
 
THE IMPOLICY OF INTOLERANCE. 369 
 
 Avhicli shinetli more and more unto the perfect day." 
 As the energy of the religious principle is exerted in 
 overcoming the world ; so that variety of action and 
 enlai'ged experience which the business of life supplies, 
 serves to correct its excesses and restrain its aberrations. 
 
 There are some who, proscribing the exercise of the 
 affections entirely in religion, would reduce Christianity 
 to a mere rule of life ; but as such persons betray an 
 extreme ignorance of human nature, as well as of the 
 Scriptures, I shall content myself with remarking, that 
 the apostles, had they lived in the days of these men, 
 would have been as little exempt from their ridicule as 
 any other itinerants. If the supreme love of God, a 
 solicitude to advance his honour, ardent desires after 
 happiness, together with a comparative deadness to the 
 present state, be enthusiasm, it is that enthusiasm which 
 animated the Saviour, and breathes throughout the Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 2. In admitting that a portion of enthusiasm may pos- 
 sibly be blended with the efforts to revive serious religion 
 alluded to, we are far from meaning to insinuate that 
 that is their distinguishing character ; or that those who 
 exert themselves in that way can, as a body, be justly 
 classed Avith fanatics. The far greater part are men of 
 good natural sense united to fervent piety. If not 
 possessed of the advantages of a learned education, they 
 are by no means ignorant. They have living knowledge. 
 Familiarly conversant with the Bible, they are men of 
 devotional habits, and of exemplary conduct. The in- 
 sulting epithets applied to such men might naturally 
 provoke retaliation, and lead to an inquiry how far the 
 learning, so ostentatiously displayed, is connected with 
 religious knowledge ; when it would perhaps be found 
 that some of their revilers are better able to solve a 
 geometrical problem than a theological difficulty, and are 
 better acquainted with the epistles of Horace than those 
 of St. Paul. But, as it is my wish strenuously to avoid 
 whatever might awaken angiy passions, I forbear to press 
 these inquiries. 
 
 Enthusiasm is an evil much less to be dreaded than 
 
 VOL. VI. B B 
 
370 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 superstition. The latter is a disease of opinion, which 
 may be transmitted with fresh accumulation of eiTor from 
 age to age. It is the spirit of slumber in which whole 
 nations are immersed. Placing religion, which is most 
 foreign to its nature, in depending for acceptance with 
 God on absurd penances or unmeaning ceremonies, it 
 resigns the understanding to ignorance and the heart to 
 insensibility. No generous sentiments, no active virtues, 
 ever issue from superstition. 
 
 Superstition is the disease of nations, enthusiasm that 
 of individuals ; the former grows more inveterate by time, 
 the latter is cured by it. 
 
 TVe hope the remembrance of popish cruelties is not 
 so far effaced from the minds of our countrymen as to 
 permit them to see the forge of the giant without terror. 
 
 On Toleration. 
 
 We have arrived at the last part of our subject, which 
 relates to the expediency and justice of legal interference 
 in the suppression of these attempts. And here I feel a 
 solicitude lest I should give a %^Tong touch to the ark of 
 rehgious liberty, and injure the cause which I wish to 
 promote. 
 
 1. Toleration of a diversity of worship has now been 
 legally established and unintemiptedly practised for 
 more than a century ; during which we have enjoyed a 
 degree of internal peace and prosperity miexampled in 
 any former age. This, which was the thing most wanted 
 to perfect the constitution, has softened and harmonized 
 the spirits of men, has mitigated the fierceness of reli- 
 gious factions, and has made them of one heart and mind 
 in the love of their country and attachment to its sove- 
 reign. The national wealth has been augmented, com- 
 merce extended, arts invented or improved, and society 
 embellished with an additional portion of elegance and 
 humanity. The resources of public strength have been 
 enlarged, and the nation has become more formidable in 
 
ON TOLERATION. 371 
 
 war and more respected in peace. The struggles of 
 party produce no other effects than clamorous invective 
 and intrigue ; and public rumour, instead of being occu- 
 pied with the horrors of civil commotion, announces the 
 intelligence of the fall of the ministry, or some new ar- 
 rangement in the cabinet. This toleration has materially 
 advanced the interest of the established church itself, by 
 abating the acrimony of its adversaries, and affording 
 room for the display of talent in other communities, the 
 surest prevention of indolence in its OAvn. 
 
 The principles of toleration also harmonize with that 
 refinement of thinking and spirit of research Avhich has 
 distinguished the last century ; in consequence of which 
 this important advantage has been reaped, that the 
 opinions of the speculative, which always have ultimately 
 great effect, coincide with the practice of the constitution. 
 Hence it is that England may be considered as the native 
 soil of bold original minds ; nor is there any danger of 
 our being reasoned into a dislike of the constitution. 
 
 And shall we endanger the loss of all these advantages 
 by adopting a new course of policy ? What security 
 will they afford us, who in-sdtes to tread in new and 
 perilous paths ? What security will they afford us, that 
 the same tranquillity and the same prosperity will ac- 
 company us in so great a change ; when the very essence 
 of the constitution shall have been altered, and the very 
 Avords which Englishmen w^ere proud to pronounce ex- 
 punged from the vocabulary ? 
 
 A dread of innovation has hithorto prevented the 
 correction of some flagrant abuses ; yet it is rather extra- 
 ordinary that some of those who profess to have most 
 of that dread are among the most clamorous for an in- 
 novation in the toleration act. 
 
 But is not this a most serious innovation ? Must we 
 then understand these men to mean that they are only 
 enemies to such innovations as are on the side of liberty, 
 and that they are prepared to trample on the most fun- 
 damental laws, to promote persecution and tyranny ? 
 AVith such men it is to little purpose to expostulate ; we 
 leave them to the enjoyment of that calm sunshine 
 BB 2 
 
372 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 which must fill the hearts of men of so must purity and 
 benevolence. 
 
 To others it may he proper to suggest, that if innova- 
 tions are dangerous, they are not equally so, and that 
 there is a great difference betwixt innovations which 
 favour the spirit of a constitution, and those that contra- 
 dict it. The former may be compared to the natural 
 growth of the human body, the latter to the violent dis- 
 memberment of its parts. The former completes an 
 imperfect analogy ; the latter destroys just proportions. 
 The former is the removal of an obstruction which pre- 
 vents the equable motion of the machine ; the latter 
 occasions the collision of interfering principles. When 
 oppressive laws are engi-afted on a free constitution, the 
 contrast of liberty and tyranny will make the oppression 
 to be doubly felt. In such a situation, the free and un- 
 daunted spirit which the constitution has cherished 
 suffers violence. The precedents of past times, the ex- 
 amples of their ancestors, the fundamental principles of 
 the constitution, have taught them to consider themselves 
 as free. By the proposed laws they ai*e instructed to 
 look upon themselves in a ncAv light. They are com- 
 manded to unlearn all that they have learned, to de- 
 scend from the dignity of freemen to the abject condition 
 of a slave. Slavery may exist where freedom is imknown, 
 without endangering the public tranquillity : in some 
 countries perhaps M'ithout destruction of public happi- 
 ness. But the slightest invasion of the liberties of a 
 free country awakens a jealousy and resentment which 
 are not easily appeased. Let those then who are 
 alarmed at the danger of innovation, seriously reflect on 
 the possible consequences of an innovation so momentous. 
 A free and a despotic state may both be compatible with 
 liberty ; but who ever would voluntarily make the transi- 
 tion from one to the other ? 
 
 2. The liberty of worshipping God in that manner 
 which the conscience of every individual dictates, pro- 
 vided nothing be introduced into worship incompatible 
 with good morals, may be justly claimed as an inalien- 
 able right. The relation which subsists betwixt man and 
 
ON TOLERATION. 373 
 
 his I\[aker, and the consequent ohligation to worship 
 him, is prior to the civil relation between magistrates and 
 subjects. It is a more important relation, since all the 
 good a creature can enjoy is derived from it, and all his 
 reasonable hopes of happiness on the goodness of the 
 Almighty. It differs, too, from every other, in that it is 
 invisible, perpetual, and eternal. A man may or may 
 not be the member of a civil community, but he is 
 always the creature of God. For these reasons, political 
 duties, or those which result from the relation of the 
 subject to the prince, must, in their nature, be subor- 
 dinate to religious. When the commands of a civil 
 superior interfere with those which we conscientiously 
 believe to be the laws of God, submission to the former 
 must be criminal; for the two obligations are not 
 equipollent, but the former is essential, invariable, and 
 paramount to every other : " Whether it be right," said 
 the apostles, " to obey God or man, judge ye." But if 
 an active obedience in such circumstances be criminal, 
 to prescribe it cannot be innocent^ since it would be 
 absurd to affirm that exercise of authority to be right to 
 which it is wrong to submit. Rights and duties are 
 correlatives. A right to command necessarily implies 
 the enforcing that which is right with respect to those to 
 whom the duty of submission belongs. Nor is it to any 
 purpose to allege that the worship prescribed is rational 
 and scriptural, and far more excellent than that which is 
 prohibited. For if we remember that worship is no 
 other than the outward expression of the love and fear 
 of God, we must perceive, that to become acceptable, it 
 is above all things necessary that it be such as approves 
 itself to the mind of the worshipper ; such as he sincerely 
 believes Avill be pleasing to God. It is impossible to 
 please God "without a sincere intention to please him. 
 We may hope, from him Avho knows our frame, for a 
 merciful indulgence to the imperfections which spring 
 from involuntary ignorance or latent prejudice. It 
 agrees with his benignity to suppose he will graciously 
 accept that worship Avhich is not the best in itself, pro- 
 viding it be the best we know how to present. But to 
 
374 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 worship with those rites and ceremonies which our con- 
 science dees not approve, however excellent in them- 
 selves, is an insult to the Deity. A Jew, for example, 
 Avho joined in the worship of a christian church, while 
 he retained the incredulity which distinguishes his nation, 
 would be guilty of the highest impiety ; nor would it be 
 any extenuation of his fault to allege that the worship in 
 which he assisted was founded on scripture, and com- 
 manded by God, Avhile his conviction was contrary. He 
 who is utterly careless of the favour of God, and without 
 any solicitude respecting a future world, will naturally 
 follow the stream of authority or fashion, and adopt any 
 mode of religion which happens to have the ascendency. 
 But the sincere worshipper of God will find it impossible 
 to comply with any religious injunctions which appear to 
 him to interfere with the will of God. 
 
 Besides, as is urged with great force by Mr. Locke, if 
 the magistrate of one country has a right to impose his 
 religion under pains and penalties, the magistrates of all 
 other countries must have an equal right. Religious 
 truth will vary with the boundai-ies of nations ; and with 
 equal justice the Pope will be revered in Spain, Maho- 
 met in Turkey, and Brahma in India. It is easy to see 
 to what those principles tend, which imply that there is 
 nothing determinate, nothing sacred in religion, and that 
 all modes of worship are equally pleasing to God, and 
 equally useful. The principles of persecution, pushed to 
 their just consequence, terminate in Hobbism.* 
 
 It is worth while to consider what is likely to be the 
 effect of enacting coercive laws in religion. If the men 
 at whom they are aimed are conscientious they will still 
 persevere. They -will reply to the injunction of silence, 
 what the apostles did to the chief priest, " whether it be 
 right to obey God or man, judge ye." They will still 
 persist in their attempts to evangelize the poor. This 
 
 * It is curious that Mr. Hall and his distinguished friend Sir James 
 Macintosh, should, unknown to each other, at different times and by a 
 different course, arrive at a coincident result not likely to occur to or- 
 dinary minds. Sir James, in his valuable " Preliminary Dissertation," 
 Ency. Britan. p. 319, says, " A Hobbistis the only consistent perse- 
 cutor."— Ed. 
 
ON TOLERATION. 375 
 
 will necessitate the exercise of greater severities, the 
 failure of which will be considered as a demand for 
 punishments still heavier, until the magistrate has pro- 
 ceeded to banishment, confiscation, and death. For it is 
 the inconvenience attending persecution, that it is neces- 
 sarily progressive. Small punishments only imtate. It 
 commences with an intention of suppressing error ; 
 baffled in its first attempt, and stung with disappoint- 
 ment, it soon loses sight of its original design ; it soon 
 degenerates into a settled resolution to subdue contu- 
 macy, and strike terror. It becomes a fearful struggle 
 betwixt power and fortitude ; the power of inflicting suf- 
 fering, and that of enduring, which shall wear the other 
 out. Let those, then, who are advocates for coercive 
 measures, not content themselves \vith contemplating 
 those mild expedients which may first present themselves 
 to their minds, but prepare for the consequences, and lay 
 their account with being impelled to the exercise of the 
 last severities. Let them expect to see dungeons crammed 
 with prisoners, and scaffolds streaming with blood. 
 Will any thing but the most unremitting vigilance, the 
 most unrelenting system of espionage, prevent every 
 class of dissenters and methodists from fleeing from such 
 a country, and seeking an asylum in a foreign land ? 
 
 It is not easy to conceive the wound which this 
 will inflict on the population and prosperity of the em- 
 pire. That the dissenters are, as a body, an industrious 
 and sober people, their enemies will not deny ; and that 
 the commercial prosperity of a country is closely involved 
 in the preservation of such a class of people is equally 
 undeniable. The loss sustained by France in the exile 
 of a million of protestants, by the repeal of the edict of 
 Nantes, has never yet been repaired. Nor was there 
 ever a period when the hazarding such a loss would be 
 more impolitic than the present ; when the flourishing 
 state of trade and commerce is essential to the stability 
 of the government, and in a manner to the national ex- 
 istence. For the diminution of revenue, and the disor- 
 ganization which a considerable failure in the produce of 
 the taxes would occasion, Ave shall meet with a miserable 
 
376 FRAGMENT O:^ VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 compensation in a forced and hypocritical uniformity in 
 worship. 
 
 " Non tali auxilio nee defeusoribus isris 
 
 Tempus eget." 
 
 Virgil, 
 
 "Will they, whose pride and violence have produced this, 
 be able to remedy the mischief? AYill lofty pretensions 
 to unity, will tragic declamations on the sin of schism, 
 and abandoning dissenters to the uncovenanted mercies 
 of God ? 
 
 The consequences of such an event deserve also to be 
 considered in another point of view. It surely requires 
 but little candour to acknowledge that the deprivations 
 and discredit to which dissenters are exposed, make it 
 probable that, however in the judgement of their oppo- 
 nents they are erroneous, they are at least conscientious. 
 Whatever may be imagmed of the caprice, the levity, or 
 obstmacy of individuals, nothing but a sense of duty, it 
 may be fairly presumed, could prevail on numerous 
 bodies of men to place themselves in that situation. 
 In every country, it is no impeachment of the national 
 establishment to suppose that many of those who con- 
 tinue out of its pale, and decline its emoluments, are 
 men of serious piety. If we may form any conjecture 
 of the dissenters of the present day from those of for- 
 mer times, it is obvious that my last remark \vill apply 
 to them with peculiar force. As the loss of virtue is the 
 greatest loss a nation can sustain, so the expulsion of 
 those who have been distinguished by possessing a supe- 
 rior degree of piety is an ill omen, an alarming advance 
 towards a general corruption of morals. Men of true 
 piety, in whatever communities they are found, "are 
 the salt of the earth." Their example corroborates the 
 sentiments of virtue, and preserves from degradation the 
 standard of morals. Vice, naturally mean and cowardly, 
 is abashed and confounded before the majesty of virtue. 
 The efficacy of good examples in the formation of public 
 opinion is incalculable. Though men justify their con- 
 duct by reasons, and sometimes bring the very rules of 
 virtue to the touchstone of abstraction, yet they princi- 
 
ON TOLERATION. 377 
 
 pally act from example. Metaphysical reasons have, in 
 reality, had as little to do in the formation of morals, as 
 rules of grammar in the original structure of language, 
 or those of criticism in the formation of orators and 
 poets. 
 
 But if the influence of example is so extensive, and 
 if it be admitted that the dissenters, as a body, are ex- 
 emplary for industry, sobriety, and a serious sense of re- 
 ligion, the sacrifice of so large a portion of national 
 virtue must be confessed to be an evil of the first mag- 
 nitude ; to say nothing of the justice of the divine ad- 
 ministration, which is wont to make the departure of 
 the pious from among a people the signal for pouring 
 out its vials upon guilty cities and nations. Though 
 such an event is alarming at all times, yet the peculiar 
 complexion of the present renders it more so than ever. 
 To every impartial observer it must be obvious that the 
 present times are distinguished by an unexampled relax- 
 ation of manners ; or such levity and indifference to 
 every thing serious, as threatens an open revolt from 
 Christianity. That rapacity and luxury, a love of plea- 
 sure, together with an open disdain for the duties of re- 
 ligion, have rapidly advanced within the last twenty 
 years, can as little be denied. 
 
 And is this a season in which we can safely sacrifice 
 a large portion of public virtue and piety ? I am aware 
 that the dissenters are considered as a precise and nar- 
 row-minded people, whose minds have not expanded 
 with the growing improvements of the age, and that not 
 a little ridicule has attached to them on that account : 
 but may not this unyielding austerity, and these recluse 
 manners, be a useful corrective to the dissipation of the 
 age ? While the polished manners of one class of society 
 contribute to its embellishment, may not the severer vir- 
 tues of another be equally beneficial in affording it sta- 
 bility and strength ? Refinement may point the spire, 
 but they are the plain principles of ^drtue which alone 
 form the basis of the social fabric. 
 
 It will not be thought a digression from the present 
 subject to remark the consequences which followed in 
 
378 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 France from the repeal of the edict of Nantes ; to -which 
 the measures in question bear a strong resemblance. By 
 that event France deprived herself of a million of her 
 most industrious subjects, who carried their industry, 
 their arts, and their riches into other countries. The loss 
 which her trade and manufactures sustained by this 
 event was, no doubt, prodigious. But it is not in that 
 view my subject leads me to consider the ill consequences 
 of that step. She lost a people whose simple, frugal 
 manners, and whose conscientious piety, were well 
 adapted to stem the growing corruption of the times, 
 while the zeal and piety of their pastors were a continual 
 stimulus to awaken the exertions of the national clergy. 
 
 If France had never had her Saurins, her Claudes, 
 her De Plessis Momays, her national church had never 
 boasted the genius of Bossuet and the virtues of Fenelon. 
 From the fatal moment she put a period to the tolera- 
 tion of the protestants, the corruptions of the clergy, the 
 abuses of the church, the impiety of the people, met 
 with no check, till infidelity of the Avorst sort pervaded 
 and ruined the nation. When the remote as well as im- 
 mediate efiects of that edict Avhich suppressed the pro- 
 testants are taken into the account ; when we consider 
 the careless security and growing corruption which hung 
 over the gallican church in consequence of it, it will not 
 be thought too much to affirm that, to that measure may 
 be traced the destruction of the monarchy and the ruin 
 of the nation. 
 
 He who considers what it is that constitutes the force 
 of penal laws, will find it is their agreement with the 
 moral feelings which nature has planted in the breast. 
 When the actions they punish are such, and only such, 
 as the tribunal of conscience has already condemned, 
 they are the constant object of respect and reverence. 
 They enforce and coiToborate the principles of moral 
 order, by publishing its decisions and executing its sanc- 
 tions. They present to the view of mankind an august 
 image of a moral administration, — a representation in 
 miniature of the eternal justice which presides in the 
 dispensations of the Almighty. We behold nothing of 
 
ON TOLERATIOX. 379 
 
 tlie passions of men ; we forgot their agency, and seem 
 to see nothing but justice and order appearing for a mo- 
 ment on the earth, to restore the tranquilUty, and correct 
 the disorders, of society. The sentiments of morahty 
 and tlie sanctions of law maintain, in such a situation, a 
 reciprocal influence over each other. The former derive 
 additional authority from public opinion, and the latter 
 appear sacred and venerable in consequence of their 
 coincidence with the dictates of conscience. When cri- 
 minal law thus concurs with the maxims of private mo- 
 rality, by corroborating the dictates of conscience, and 
 inspiring the love of justice, tranquillity, and order, and 
 the advancement of the public good, every innocent per- 
 son becomes interested in maintaining their authority 
 and promoting their execution. Every sentiment of the 
 mind, the sense of security, the love of the public, the 
 sentiment of justice, the abhorrence of crime, are leagued 
 on the side of the laws, and are so many securities for 
 their due execution. It has been found by experience, 
 as the result of these principles, that laws become feeble 
 and relaxed, not only when they punish innocent objects, 
 but when the punishments they assign are dispropor- 
 tionate to the offence. The want of harmony bet>vixt 
 the decision of the public and the private tribunal inter- 
 poses an invai'iable obstruction to their observance ; for 
 crimes must be detected and punishments inflicted by 
 men who will not lend their aid to enforce what they 
 secretly condemn. Hence laws which are enacted with 
 precipitance and passion, or under the influence of party 
 motives, when they come to be executed will have to 
 encounter a perpetual friction, arising from their repug- 
 nance to the manners and sentiments of the public. By 
 these means public opinion, which is nothing but the ag- 
 gregate of the sentiments of individuals, often limits, 
 happily for mankind, the assumed omnipotence of legis- 
 lation. They are framed in one element, they are exe- 
 cuted in another ; they must live in a different atmo- 
 sphere from that in which they are born. 
 
 But admitting that the efforts of zeal and the vigilance 
 of government supply this defect, and secure the punish- 
 
380 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 ment of those who transgress these laws, it deserves to 
 be considered in what manner their punishment will im- 
 press the public. With what feelings will they contem- 
 plate the ruin or imprisonment of virtuous men for the 
 exercise of what they esteem the rights of conscience ? 
 Will the condign punishment of their countrymen, not 
 for disturbing the public peace, or for the violation of 
 property, but for a well-meant endeavour to diflfuse the 
 principles of piety and the blessings of religion, augment 
 their reverence for the laws ; or rather will it not pro- 
 duce, in some an indignation against such flagrant injus- 
 tice, in others confuse the distinction of right and wrong ? 
 When they see atrocious crimes and eminent virtues 
 pursued and punished with the same severity, it must 
 tend to destroy all respect for legislation. They will be 
 no longer solicitous to manifest their innocence, but to 
 secure their impunity ; and to the honour of obeying 
 will succeed that of evading the laws. Nor is this all. 
 In the detection of these artificial crimes, the assistance 
 of the profligate and abandoned alone can be expected ; 
 which mil complete the triumph of wickedness over 
 piety and innocence. To the alliance betwixt chui'ch 
 and state we are already familiarized ; but an alliance, 
 under pretence of securing the church, betwixt the mi- 
 nisters of religion and a detestable spawn of spies and 
 informers, will appear surprising ; nor is it difficult to 
 foresee what ideas it will impress of that religion which 
 stands in need of such aid, or of those ministers who 
 stoop to employ it. Until, by some strange revolution, 
 all the traces of genuine Christianity, and all the history 
 of its propagation, are effaced from the mind, it will be 
 impossible for men to mistake this for the religion of 
 Jesus ; a religion which grew up in the midst of suffer- 
 ings, and whose only weapon is love. In such proceed- 
 ings they will look for the marks and signs of the true 
 church, and instead of the successors of the apostles, 
 they will imagine they behold a Jewish sanhedrim so- 
 lemnly commanding the illiterate disciples of Jesus to 
 " teach no more in that name." 
 
 It is more than probable that a similar reply will be 
 
ON TOLERATION. 381 
 
 made, to that of the apostles on a similar occasion, 
 " Whether it he right to ohey God or man, judge ye." 
 Under a full conviction that they are in the path of 
 duty, and promoting the eternal happiness of mankind, 
 it is not easy to see how they can desist. Whatever po- 
 litical superiors may imagine, he who conceives himself 
 implicated in the command to " preach the gospel to 
 every creature," will find it morally impossible to yield 
 active obedience to any contrary command. " We can- 
 not," saitli the apostle, " but speak the things which we 
 have heard and seen." 
 
 To nominal christians, ^vho may rather be said to 
 comply with the religion of their country than to believe 
 it, on such a subject it is in vain to appeal ; but they 
 who are impressed with the importance of eternal 
 things, and know " the gospel to be the power of God 
 unto salvation," will feel no hesitation how to determine 
 in this case. 
 
 In perfect consistency with a cheerful submission to 
 the civil authority of their superiors, they will consider 
 it a duty resulting from their allegiance to Jesus Christ 
 to persist in their endeavours to convert mankind. 
 
 That coercive measures will tend to ferment a spirit 
 of division in the kingdom, can admit of little doubt. 
 Many, it may be reasonably expected, mil feel a gene- 
 rous concern for the oppressed, though they may ridicule 
 the cause in which they suffer; while men of enlarged 
 minds, and who are thoroughly imbued with the love of 
 liberty, will perceive in any one act of oppression, how- 
 ever insulated, a precedent most dangerous to freedom. 
 The mischief in itself may appear little, and the merit of 
 the sufferers inconsiderable in their eyes ; but they will 
 consider it as an experiment on the public mind, calcu- 
 lated to prepare them for other acts of oppression ; they 
 will consider every thing as alarming that impairs the in- 
 tegrity of freedom, from a conviction that a vessel may 
 be sunk by the smallest leak. 
 
 Thus two formidable parties will probably be produced 
 in the kingdom, inflamed with mutual animosity and 
 suspicion. Of the parliament which assembled in the 
 
382 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 year 1640, on the eve of those commotions which after- 
 wards hroke out into a civil war, and issued in such fatal 
 extremities, the puritans formed hut a small part. The 
 majority of the nuraher consisted of persons attached to 
 the estahlished church, but who felt indignant at the 
 oppression* of the puritans and the cruelties of Laud. 
 Their attachment to liberty taught them to identify 
 themselves with the sufferers, and to discover in the se- 
 verities of the star-chamber and the high commission 
 court, an exertion of an arbitrary power utterly incom- 
 patible with the security of a free people. 
 
 Although many causes, it must be confessed, contri- 
 buted to the ruin of the unfortunate Charles, no single 
 one had so much influence as that religious intolerance 
 which was so unhappy a feature in his character ; as, on 
 the other hand, nothing contributed so much to support 
 the precarious authority of Cromwell, and to produce an 
 artificial calm in the midst of so many raging factions, 
 so many stormy elements, as a general liberty of con- 
 science. This, as is remarked by the celebrated Bishop 
 of Meaux, was the great secret of his policy. 
 
 The policy of Charles, instead of making him re- 
 garded as the common father of his subjects and the 
 guardian of their welfare, pro\'iding for the happiness of 
 every part with parental care and impartial solicitude, 
 made him to become the head of a party, while he lent 
 himself as the instrument of gratifying its mean and 
 sanguinary passions ; by which means he became the 
 idol of a faction, but lost the hearts of his people. The 
 policy of Cromwell mitigated resentment, conciliated 
 prejudice, and made those acquiesce in his pretensions 
 and concur to maintain his authority, who agreed in 
 nothing else. How precious must that liberty of con- 
 science be, and how fearful the resentment of its loss, 
 which could prompt a great people to suffer their native 
 prince to wander in exile, and subsist on the alms of 
 rival courts ; and reconcile them to the yoke of a master 
 whose power was not supported by the smallest shadow 
 
 * Clarendon, vol. i. 184. 
 
ON TOLERATION. 383 
 
 of justice ! If such effects followed from invading 
 liberty of conscience at a time when its right had never 
 been ascertained, what may we not apprehend from its 
 violation after an uninterrupted possession of it for a 
 hundred years ? when it has become familiar to our laAvs, 
 habits, and manners, and the apprehension of its danger 
 has been succeeded by an experience of its advantages. 
 What will be the ultimate issue, should Providence in 
 its infinite wisdom suffer our adversaries to prevail, and 
 the cruelties of persecution to be renewed, it belongs not 
 to me to conjecture : but it may be granted me to ex- 
 press my humble hope that we shall stand firm in the 
 day of trial ; not forgetting, that persecution and suffer- 
 ings have been the lot of the most eminent of God's 
 servants; tliat in walking in this path we are encom- 
 passed \vith. " a cloud of witnesses ;" with apostles, pro- 
 phets, and evangelists, whose words will teach, whose 
 examples aaHII encourage, us to adorn that cause by our 
 sufferings which we are no longer permitted to aid by 
 our exertions. 
 
 Having executed to the best of my ability the plan I 
 proposed, my freedom, I trust, will be pardoned if I sug- 
 gest a few hints of advice to those who are employed in 
 disseminating the knowledge of Christianity in villages. 
 
 1. To abstain from political reflection, and from cen- 
 suring either the constitution of the church or the clergy, 
 is a part of prudence on which I ever would hope it is 
 needless to insist. 
 
 2. Though I am convinced that those who attempt to 
 evangelize the poor do not fail to inculcate the morality 
 of the gospel, it may yet be doubted whether this is done 
 Avith sufiicient distinctness and detail. A notion pre- 
 vails among some, that to preach the gospel includes 
 nothing more than a recital or recapitulation of the pe- 
 culiar doctrines of Christianity. If these are firmly be- 
 lieved and zealously embraced they are ready to suppose 
 the work is done, and that all the virtues of the christian 
 character Avill follow by necessary consequence. Hence 
 they satisfy themselves with recommending holiness in 
 
384 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 general terms, without entering into its particular duties ; 
 and this in such a manner as rather to predict it as the 
 result of certain opinions, than to enforce it on the 
 ground of moral obligation ; which tends to disjoin faith 
 and virtue by tmiiing all the solicitude of men to the 
 former, while the latter is left to provide for itself, and 
 to make them substitute the agitation of the passions, 
 and the adoption of a speculative creed, in the room of 
 that renovation of heart and life which the Scriptures 
 render necessary. 
 
 Some apology, it is true, ought to be made for those 
 who have leaned to this extreme from the circumstances 
 in which they have been placed. Having been called to 
 preach to people who were ignorant of the very first 
 truths of religion, they have supposed it necessary to em- 
 ploy themselves in laying the foundation. On the sup- 
 position we were to address an audience that was not 
 acquainted with the primary doctrines, it would be ne- 
 cessary to begin with relating the facts and teaching the 
 doctrines which are the basis of the christian dispensa- 
 tion. The credenda^ or things to be believed, must 
 necessarily precede the facienda^ or things to be done. 
 But though things must proceed in this order, no dura- 
 ble separation should be made of the doctrines from the 
 duties of Christianity; lest the ' ;)ple should acquire a 
 corrupt taste, and, satisfied witli their first attainments 
 and impressions, neglect to cultivate that " holiness with- 
 out which no man shall see the Lord." When they 
 have been long detained in the elementary doctrines, 
 they are not unfrequently found to acquire a distaste for 
 the practical parts of scripture ; an impatience of re- 
 proof ; a dislike, in short, of every thing but what flatters 
 them with a favourable opinion of their character and 
 their state. Proud, bigoted, disputatious, careless of 
 virtue, tenacious of subtleties, their religion evaporates 
 in opinion, and their supposed conversion is nothing 
 more than an exchange of the vices of the brute for 
 those of the speculator in theological difficulties. 
 
 The best method of preventing this fital abuse of 
 evangelical doctrine is to inculcate, in immediate con- 
 
ON TOLERATION. 385 
 
 nexion with it, those virtues of the christian character 
 by which faith must be tried, frequently, distinctly, and 
 fully. Instead of recommending practical religion only 
 in general terms, under the phrase of holiness or any 
 other, let us, in imitation of inspired preachers, explain 
 in what that holiness consists. When John came preach- 
 ing " repentance, because the kingdom of heaven was at 
 hand," he did not satisfy himself with barren and general 
 abstractions : in reply to the inquiries of those who asked 
 him what they must do, he entered into details, he im- 
 parted specific advice, and enjoined specific duties cor- 
 responding to the different conditions of men, and 
 their relation to each other in society. Had he con- 
 tented himself with merely reiterating the command to 
 repent in general terms, as, it is to be feared, is too often 
 the case, his hearers might have mistaken a transient 
 compunction, a vague sensation of uneasiness, for the 
 duty demanded : but by that particularity of application 
 he adopted, the conscience was informed, and the ne- 
 cessity perceived of " bringing forth fruits meet for re- 
 pentance." 
 
 The conscience is not likely to be touched by general 
 declamations on the evil of sin and the beauty of holi- 
 ness, without delineation of character : they may alarm 
 at first ; but, after a while, if they be often asserted 
 merely as general truths, which involve the whole human 
 race, they will supply no materials for self-examination 
 or painful retrospect. They will, in process of time, be 
 regarded as doctrinal points, and pass from the conscience 
 into the creed. He must know little of human nature 
 who perceives not the callousness of the human heart, 
 and the perfect indifference with which it can contem- 
 plate the most alarming truths when they are presented 
 in a general abstract form. It is not in this way that re- 
 ligious instruction can be made permanently interesting. 
 It is Avhen particular vices are displayed as they appear 
 in real life, when the arts of self-deception are detected, 
 and the vain excuses by which the sinner palliates his 
 guilt, evades the conviction of conscience, and secures a 
 delusive tranquillity : in a word, it is when the heart is 
 
 VOL. VI. c c 
 
386 FRAGMENT ON VILLAGE PREACHING. 
 
 forced to see in itself the original of what is described hy 
 the apostle, and, perceiving that " the secrets of his heart 
 are made manifest, he falls down and confesses that God 
 is amongst us of a truth." The reproof which awakened 
 David from his guilty slumber, and made him weep and 
 tremble, turned, not on the general evil of sin, but on 
 the peculiar circumstances of aggravation attending that 
 which he had committed. The sermon of Peter on the 
 day of Pentecost, which produced such decisive effects, 
 was not a general declamation on the evil of sin, but it 
 contained a specific charge against his hearers of having 
 rejected and crucified their Messiah. When Paul was 
 called before Felix, being well acquainted with his cha- 
 racter, he adapted his discourse accordingly, and " rea- 
 soned of righteousness, temperance, and judgement to 
 come," until " Felix trembled." The delineations of cha- 
 racter and the injunctions of scripture on practical 
 points are not couched in general terms ; they are diver- 
 sified and particular; nor can it justly be doubted that 
 the more of individuality, if I may be allowed the ex- 
 pression, our pictures of human nature possess, the more 
 impressive will they become. It is in this department 
 of public instruction there is scope for endless variety ; 
 for the highest exertions of intellect, and the richest 
 stores of knowledge. 
 
 The doctrines of Christianity, though of infinite im- 
 portance, are yet few and simple, capable of few com- 
 binations, and of little variety of illustration ; too precise 
 to leave any thing for the understanding to invent ; too 
 awful to permit the imagination to embelHsh. It is not 
 in the statement of christian doctrines, considered in 
 themselves, that experience, talents, and knowledge find 
 scope for their exertion. 
 
 ****** 
 * * * * * * - 
 
FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 387 
 
 ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP.* 
 
 Worship consists in the performance of all those ex- 
 ternal acts, and the observance of all those rites and 
 ceremonies, in which men engage with the professed and 
 sole view of honouring God. It is consequently in a 
 pre-eminent manner the concern of conscience ; for, as 
 God is the supreme master and legislator, it is impossi- 
 ble for a conscientious man, in compliance with human 
 injunctions, either to omit any part of that worship 
 which he apprehends God to require, or to perform any 
 which he has forbidden. In worship, the creature has 
 to do only with his Creator. There are, unquestionably, 
 some regards dvie to God, some expressions of our reve- 
 rence to him and our dependence upon him, which it is 
 our duty to render ; and the duties which have God im- 
 mediately for their object, must be in their obligation 
 paramount to every other ; that is, such that the com- 
 mands of no human superior can discharge us from it. 
 It remains only to be considered by what criterion these 
 duties are to be ascertained. 
 
 Among the different modes of worship M-hich prevail 
 in different countries, and in the same country, to what 
 standard are we to appeal ? by what principle is the so- 
 lution to be made ? Either the mere will of the magis- 
 trate, or the conscience of fue individual, must decide in 
 tliis case. I say, the mere will, because if the promul- 
 gation of his will be enforced by arguments and reasons, 
 these arguments are necessarily submitted to the judge- 
 ment of the subject ; and consequently, as far as they are 
 concerned, he is still left to his conscience. But if such 
 a power as this be vested in the magistrate, it is highly 
 necessary to examine the consequences to which it will 
 lead. It will legitimate all the persecutions which the 
 heathen emperors inflicted on the primitive christians as 
 well as the more recent popish cruelties. For from what 
 principle did those persecutions flow, but that the magis- 
 
 * This appears to have been written in 1811 ; the preceding fifty- 
 one pages in 1891, and 1802. 
 
 C C 2 
 
388 FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 
 
 trate possessed a right to determine and prescribe the 
 religion of his subjects, and that a refusal to comply 
 with his authority involved political guilt ? The just 
 pretensions of magistracy in this respect are surely 
 equal ; nor can any reason be assigned for denying that 
 authority to heathen or popish princes, within their 
 dominions, which -will not equally apply to protestant 
 princes. 
 
 The dominion of God over his creatures is original, 
 inalienable, and supreme ; so that men must be contem- 
 plated as the subjects of God, before we consider them 
 as members of a civil community. The formation of 
 states, and the enaction of laws, are operations which 
 regard man in his transient and local situation as the in- 
 habitant of the present >Torld. There is, on the prin- 
 ciples of Theism, above and beyond these, an original 
 and fundamental moral law which unites him to his 
 Maker, and obliges him to fear, serve, and obey him as 
 his superior Lord. That this law is more original and 
 comprehensive than any other, is evident from this con- 
 sideration, that it comprehends sovereign as well as sub- 
 jects ; that it regards men in those invariable, essential 
 qualities in which they all agree ; and that it can never 
 be suspended by time or change. 
 
 As men are the creatures of God originally and essen- 
 tially, and continually accountable to him, whatever laws 
 are established for the government of particular societies, 
 are in the nature of hy-laics, with relation to the duties 
 which intelligent creatures owe to God ; and whenever 
 civil magistrates interfere with these, they are guilty of 
 the same absurdity as a particular coi-poration would be 
 who formed municipal regulations inconsistent with the 
 law of the land. No particular society has a right to 
 make rules for its regulation which interfere with the 
 general laws of that kingdom of which it is a part ; for 
 this would be to introduce an imperium in imperio, a 
 multitude of legislatures, and a confusion and uncertainty 
 in the principles of justice. 
 
 In like manner no human power can justly make laws 
 which shall interfere with those duties which are previ- 
 
FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 389 
 
 ously due to God. As a necessary consequence of this, 
 it follows, that whatever right men possess to worship 
 God after the dictates of conscience, in a state of nature, 
 is not diminished or impaired by entering into society. 
 If seditious purposes be concealed under the pretext of 
 assembling for rehgious worship, let the severest laws be 
 enacted for their punishment. Let the claims of liberty 
 of conscience be permitted as a cover for nothing which 
 does not belong to it. 
 
 There is less reason, however, for entertaining any 
 alarm on this head in tolerating worshipping assemblies 
 than any other ; for they are always public. They invite 
 inspection. Who would be so infatuated as to attempt 
 to connect treasonable or seditious designs with assemblies 
 which are open to every one, and whose time and place 
 of meeting are universally known ? Besides, the very 
 business of worship is at the greatest distance possible 
 from every thing tending to inflame political passions. 
 Directed to a spiritual and invisible Being, it withdraws 
 the mind from the world, and turns the thoughts into a 
 channel the most remote from those affections which 
 disturb the repose of society. 
 
 It would be strange indeed if those exercises which 
 have the most direct influence in tranquillizing the heart, 
 and reducing all earthly things to comparative insignifi- 
 cance, must be forbidden, from an apprehension of their 
 becoming engines of insmTection and tumult. They 
 cannot be perverted in the smallest degree to this pur- 
 pose, without their danger being perceived ; and it will 
 then be soon enough to apply remedies. 
 
 This reasoning does not apply against the magistrate 
 selecting some one particular sect, or some one set of 
 religious opinions, and bringing them under his exclusive 
 patronage and encouragement ; in other words the erec- 
 tion of a religious establishment. Whatever the advan- 
 tages or inconveniences may be ^vhich result from reli- 
 gious establishments is foreign to the subject in hand, 
 which regards only the free and full toleration of diffe- 
 rent sects, as long as they contain themselves within the 
 limits of civil submission. 
 
390 FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 
 
 It vdW be alleged that on these principles a multitude 
 of ignorant enthusiasts and wild fanatics will start up, 
 and, under the pretence of preaching the gospel, bring 
 religion into contempt, and thence eventually open a 
 door for profaneness and impiety. That this may in some 
 instances be the consequence of unlimited toleration of 
 christian worship, cannot perhaps be denied ; as little 
 can it be denied that this is a great evil. It is much to 
 be lamented that any should engage in the functions of 
 a christian minister, who, in addition to an unblemished 
 character, is not possessed of a competent measure of 
 ability. But this inconvenience may be only one in- 
 stance, among an infinity of others, of a partial evil, 
 connected with a principle productive of the greatest 
 good. 
 
 Pure and unmixed good is not the portion of earth. 
 We cannot specify a single law in the natural or moral 
 world, which falls within the sphere of our observation, 
 which is not productive (along with permanent good) of 
 occasional evils. This mixture of paitial evil with the 
 source of general happiness, seems to be an essential part 
 of the imperfections of the present state. If the magis- 
 trate is invested with the power of suppressing all whom 
 he thinks incompetent to the office of a preacher, there 
 can be no liberty and no tranquillity. But it is surely of 
 more consequence to a state to preserve the most valuable 
 portion of its liberty, than to preserve a perfect exemption 
 from fanaticism. The care of the former falls within 
 the proper province of a magistrate. The latter is con- 
 sistent with a high degree of national prosperity. Reli- 
 gious enthusiasm becomes dangerous to a state only when 
 it is the subject of oppression. There is in it an elastic 
 quality which repels vigorous coercion. The vivid im- 
 pressions of religious objects which it includes, rather 
 tend to sink the value of all earthly interests, to annihi- 
 late the world and all its concerns, and to produce a 
 conduct which, though it may be wild and incoherent, 
 yet, if left to itself, will be mild, inoffensive, and bene- 
 volent. Besides, enthusiasm consisting in a preternatural 
 state of exaltation, has a strong tendency to subside in a 
 
FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 391 
 
 short time, and with the increase of knowledge to purify 
 itself until it settles into calm enlightened piety. It is 
 not, like superstition, a permanent evil. The enthusiast 
 is impatient of control in his religious concerns, but does 
 not aspire after dominion. In proportion as the passions 
 are strongly possessed by invisible objects, the interests 
 of the present state lose their ascendency, and the enrap- 
 tured enthusiast is more in danger of becoming indolent 
 than factious. The most effectual Avay of transporting 
 such characters into political excesses, is to inflame them 
 by oppression, — when they naturally learn to consider 
 their enemies as the enemies of God, and throw the 
 whole weight of their religious prejudices and passions 
 into the scale of political opposition ; while, on the other 
 hand, a complete toleration is the most effectual remedy 
 for their intemperance ; leaving them leisure to reflect, 
 and affording room for the ordinary motives and princi- 
 ples of life to resume their ascendency. 
 
 In the history of those sects which have been the most 
 justly branded with enthusiasm, we shall uniformly find 
 that, while they were exasperated by persecution they 
 were fierce and wild, and their fanaticism continued un- 
 subdued ; but no sooner were they left unmolested than 
 those features in their character which excited alarm, gra- 
 dually wore off, and they ceased to be formidable. 
 
 The history of the Baptists who rose, in the sixteenth 
 century, in Germany, and of the Quakers in England, 
 confirms the truth of this remark. 
 
 Though the tyrannical measures pursued by Charles 
 the First, at the beginning of his reign, naturally excited 
 alarm and awoke opposition, it seems evident the civil 
 war could never have been kindled but for the intolerable 
 ciiielties inflicted by Laud on nonconformists, which 
 cemented the various sects, and made them unite in a 
 vehement opposition to the government of Charles, while 
 their tenets were too discordant to permit them to unite 
 in any thing else. The magnitude of eternal interests, 
 and the mighty force of religious passions, were super- 
 added to the causes already existing of political conten- 
 tion, and by th( ir union kindled those flames of war 
 
892 FRAGME>'T OX THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 
 
 which consumed the land. Cromwell, on the other hand, 
 whose usurpation was supported by no law, and who had 
 to contend with the whole weight of virtuous prejudice 
 in favour of the constitution he had overturned, and the 
 family he had expelled, practised an opposite policy, and 
 contrived to retain in subjection three kingdoms, by 
 granting to the rival sects a general toleration, and ba- 
 lancing their power against each other. The importance 
 of this expedient in the preservation of his power has 
 been acknowledged, both in England and the continent, 
 by the most inveterate enemies of that extraordinary 
 man. The eloquent Bishop of Meaux, in his funeral 
 oration for Henrietta of France, ascribes his success prin- 
 cipally to this measure of his administration. Since the 
 revolution, at which a universal religious toleration took 
 place, amidst all our calamities and reverses, an unex- 
 ampled duration of domestic peace has been enjoyed, 
 with two very short interruptions from occasions foreign 
 from the topic under present consideration ; and during 
 this protracted period, the mild spirit of legislation has 
 communicated itself to all sects, and in a very eminent 
 degree mitigated the acrimony of religious zeal. 
 
 A species of religious fanaticism, it is confessed, made 
 its appearance in the sixteenth century in Germany, and 
 in the next century in England, which was of a highly 
 poUtical complexion, and struck immediately at the root 
 of civil power, the distinctions of rank, and the offices of 
 magistracy ; but even the history of the Baptists in Ger- 
 many, and of the Fifth-monarchy men, supplies reasons 
 for toleration, since we see that the obnoxious tenets 
 which distinguished them soon disappeared, and that 
 under milder treatment their successors have retained 
 only some peculiarities of the most harmless kind. The 
 extravagant flights of fanaticism, its visionary spirit, 
 which might tempt its possessors to trample upon the 
 rules of society, can never last long or extend far ; for 
 the principles of self-preservation, the physical wants of 
 the lower orders especially, who are most obnoxious to 
 such impressions, the spirit of imitation, the habit of 
 submission to superiors, together with the ordinary occu- 
 
FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 393 
 
 patlons of life, are principles of perpetual operation, the 
 influence of which will soon surmount the strongest 
 feelings, which operate only occasionally and by starts, 
 and will consequently force the mind back into its proper 
 element. lor the same reasons it can never, extend far. 
 Minds only of a peculiar texture will feel its impression. 
 A vast majority of every community will be too wise, 
 too busy, too sensual, or too phlegmatic, to be transported 
 into dangerous excesses by causes which operate on the 
 imagination, and which have no relation to the more or- 
 dinary sources of pain and pleasure. No fanaticism of 
 this kind has made its appearance at present, nor is there 
 any room to presume it will. Some degree of enthusiasm, 
 perhaps, generally accompanies religious impressions in 
 uncultivated minds, at their commencement. Enthusiasm 
 may be defined that religious state of mind in which the 
 imagination is unduly heated, and the passions outrun 
 the understanding. But when persons are first deeply 
 impressed with the infinitely momentous concerns of a 
 future life, and are thereby introduced as it were into a 
 new world, it is too much to expect their religious affec- 
 tions shall be perfectly regulated, or their conduct, under 
 circumstances so novel, be consistent with the exactest 
 rules of propriety. New situations, whether resulting 
 from a moral and internal change, or from outward cir- 
 cumstances, make it necessary for some time to pass, 
 before those who are led into them know perfectly how 
 to adjust their behaviour to them. But if the profession 
 of piety be sincere (and of hypocrisy we are not at 
 present speaking) it will eventually secure, together with 
 the essential moral virtues, a regard to decorum and to 
 all the minuter proprieties of social intercom-se. In the 
 mean time, where the love of God and man predominates, 
 it will ill become the governor of a christian coimtry, and 
 still less the governor of a christian church, to suflfer 
 himself to be so much offended at the intemperate effu- 
 sions of honest zeal, as to disregard the substance of 
 religion because it may be deficient in some of its more 
 amiable appendages. 
 
 If we adopt the maxims of a profane and careless 
 
394 FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 
 
 world, we shall be taught to look upon all zealous chris- 
 tians as enthusiasts or hypocrites ; for when have they 
 not, by a majority of mankind, been represented in that 
 light ? To men of the world it appears so strange that 
 men should be affected by the consideration of invisible 
 realities in any degree proportioned to the influence of 
 present objects : it is so utterly remote from all their 
 practical estimates ; that they have no means of account- 
 ing for it without imputing it to a partial insanity or 
 deliberate hypocrisy. But this is only one among num- 
 berless glaring inconsistencies of human conduct. For 
 these very persons, it is probable, have never formally 
 renounced the authority of Jesus Christ, who commands 
 us to " seekjit^st the kingdom of God," nor the certainty 
 of an eternal state, in comparison of which the interests 
 and prospects of the present are annihilated ; and yet 
 they are surprised to find that good and evil should be 
 estimated with regard to their respective magnitude, and 
 that any should be weak enough to credit the declarations 
 and obey the precepts of our common Lord. Such is the 
 fascination of the world, and so complete its triumph in 
 effecting a total divorce of the speculations from the 
 practical belief of professed christians. If the truths 
 which religion reveals, and the hopes it inspires, respect 
 an infinite good, and the present life be, as we know by 
 experience, short and transitory, it must be the truest 
 wisdom to be deeply solicitous to attain that good, and 
 to be disposed to make any sacrifice of present pleasure 
 and convenience with a view to it ; and when this is the 
 habitual state of the mind, it will imprint some traces 
 of itself in the external deportment, which the irreligious 
 part of mankind will be sure to brand with the name of 
 h^'pocrisy or fanaticism. 
 
 The primitive christians encountered this reproach, 
 and their successors must expect it in proportion as they 
 tread in their steps. That w orld to which we are hasten- 
 ing will determine who are justly chargeable with folly ; 
 they who treat eternal things according to their true 
 nature, who, making the service of God their supreme 
 concern, pass the time of their sojourning here in fear ; 
 
FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 395 
 
 or they, the language of whose conduct is, " let us eat 
 and drink, for to-morrow we die." 
 
 To suppose that that religious state of mind in which 
 devout affections are highly [raised])* is enthusiastic, is a 
 most pernicious mistake, and would in its consequences 
 utterly extirpate religion, and expunge a great part of the 
 Scriptures. The smallest acquaintance with the New 
 Testament must convince every one that the apostles and 
 primitive christians were no strangers to the strongest 
 religious emotions. 
 
 We read of a "joy unspeakable and full of glory," of 
 a " peace that passeth all understanding," with innume- 
 rable other expressions of a similar kind, which indicate 
 strong and vehement emotions of mind. That the great 
 objects of Christianity, called eternity, heaven and hell, 
 are of sufficient magnitude to justify vivid emotions of 
 joy, fear, and love, is indisputable, if it be allowed we 
 have any relation to them ; nor is it less certain that 
 religion could never have any powerful influence, if it 
 did not influence through the medium of the affections. 
 All objects which have any permanent influence, influ- 
 ence the conduct in this way. We may possibly be first 
 set in motion by their supposed connexion Avith our in- 
 terest ; but unless they draw to themselves particular 
 affections, the pursuit soon terminates. 
 
 The cool calculation of interest operates only at times ; 
 we are habitually borne forward in all parts of our career 
 by specific affections and passions ; some more simple 
 and original, others complicated and acquired. In men 
 of a vulgar cast, the grosser appetites, in minds more 
 elevated, the passions of sympathy, taste, ambition, the 
 pleasures of imagination, are the springs of motion. The 
 world triumphs over its votaries by approaching them on 
 the side of their passions ; and it does not so much de- 
 ceive their reason as captivate their heart. 
 
 It is in this way the love of the world must be repelled. 
 As it is not chiefly by imposing on the understanding, or 
 
 * Whenever a \\ ord is placed thus between brackets, it is supplied 
 conjectiirally, the manuscript being illegible. — Ed. 
 
396 FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHH*. 
 
 misleading the rational assent, that the world triumphs 
 over its votaries, so the mere inculcation of religious 
 truth on the intellect, without forming deep and lasting 
 impressions on the heart, will never be sufficient to 
 emancipate us from its control. The difficulties which 
 accrue in a religious career, especially at its outset, are so 
 many and formidable, that unless we are deeply interested 
 as well as convinced, perseverance is impracticable. In 
 that victory over the world which is promised to faith, it 
 is necessary to oppose feeling to feeling, and pleasure to 
 pleasure. The intemperate attachment to sensual plea- 
 sure must be subdued by the fear of punishment ; the 
 vain and extravagant hopes which present scenes inspire 
 must be effaced by hopes more solid and more animating; 
 and to wean us from the breasts of earthly, we must be 
 led to the breasts of spiritual, consolation. 
 
 The world amuses, enchants, transports us ; how shall 
 religion teach us to triumph over it, if it present no- 
 thing but speculative conclusions, and if the views of a 
 rational self-interest which it displays, were not inti- 
 mately associated with objects adapted to engage and fill 
 the heart ? "Would the primitive christians have taken 
 joyfully the spoiling of their goods, because they had in 
 heaven a more enduring substance? Would they not 
 only have felt calm and resolute, but accounted " it all 
 joy when they suffered divers persecutions," if the objects 
 of eternity had not occupied a large share of their affec- 
 tions ? 
 
 The familiar acknowledgement, Video meliora pro- 
 boque^ deteriora sequor ; the frequency with which men 
 act contrary to the most mature convictions of reason 
 and conscience, shows how inefficacious is a mere specu- 
 lative conviction, when opposed to inveterate habits and 
 passions. What is the defect here experienced, but a 
 want of the correspondent feelings and impressions from 
 which that state of desire results which impels to virtu- 
 ous actions ? 
 
 As the objects of religion are infinite and eternal, if 
 the mind is duly affected by them at all, they have a 
 tendency to enlarge and propagate their correspondent 
 
FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OP WORSHIP. 397 
 
 affections more and more ; and will probably tend ulti- 
 mately to absorb and extinguish all other hopes and fears. 
 Though good men are continually approaching nearer 
 and nearer to this state, it is neither possible nor desira- 
 ble they should reach it in this life. The multitude of 
 pains, difficulties, and perplexities, with which they have 
 to encounter, are continually drawing their attention to 
 present objects ; and the duties of the present state could 
 not be performed in that exalted state of spirituality. 
 An eminent degree and vigour of the religious affections, 
 then, ought not to be denominated fanaticism, unless 
 they arise from wrong views of religion, or are so much 
 indulged as to disqualify for the duties of society. 
 Within these limits, the more elevated devotional senti- 
 ments are, the more perfect is the character, and the 
 more suited to the destination of a being, who has, in- 
 deed, an important part to act here, but who stands on 
 the confines of eternity. He may justly be styled a fa- 
 natic, who, under a pretence of spirituality, neglects the 
 proper business of life, or who, from mistaken views of 
 religion, elevates himself to an imaginary superiority to 
 the rules of virtue and morality. Whatever other kind 
 of fanaticism, real or pretended, [^exists,] seems not to 
 fall, in the smallest degree, under the conduct of the civil 
 magistrates ; nor is there any danger of immorality being 
 inculcated under any corruption of the christian doctrine. 
 Many religious systems, considered in their theory, may 
 seem to tend to the encouragement of vice ; they may, 
 in their speculative consequences, set aside the obliga- 
 tions of virtue ; but the uncorrupted dictates of consci- 
 ence, the general sentiments of mankind repecting right 
 and wrong, and the close alliance betwixt devotion and 
 virtue, will ahvays counteract this tendency, so far, that 
 the same persons will be more moral with very erroneous 
 religious opinions, than without religion. A practical 
 disregard to piety is the prolific source of vice. We shall 
 find the minds of every sect of christians, who are zea- 
 lous iu religion, superior to those who are careless and 
 profane. Whatever tends to draw the attention to God 
 and eternity, tends to destroy the dominion of sin. 
 
398 FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 
 
 Under the varied forms of religious belief which have 
 prevailed among the different parties of christians, little 
 variation has taken place in the rule of life. In the first 
 age of Christianity, the church was accused, by the 
 malice of its enemies, of the most shameful and unna- 
 tural practices ; which it disclaimed, but, at the same 
 time, very injudiciously insinuated that the Gnostics were 
 guilty of the crimes which were alleged ; but the result 
 of the more calm and dispassionate investigation of later 
 times, has been a growing conviction that these surmises 
 had no foundation in fact. The doctrines of our holy 
 religion may be wofully curtailed and corrupted, and its 
 profession sink into formality ; but its moral precepts are 
 so plain and striking, and guarded by such clear and 
 awful sanctions, as to render it impossible it can ever be 
 converted into an active instrument of vice. Let the 
 appeal be made to facts. Look through all the different 
 sects and parties into which professed christians are un-- 
 happily divided. Where is there one to be found who 
 has innovated in the rule of life, by substituting vice in 
 place of virtue ? The fears entertained from this quarter 
 must be considered as chimerical and unfDunded until 
 they are confirmed by the evidence of facts. In those 
 districts in which the dissenters and methodists have 
 been most zealous and successful in village preaching, 
 are the morals of the people more corrupted than in 
 other places ? Are they distinguished by a greater de- 
 gree of profligacy, intemperance, and debauchery, than 
 the inhabitants of other parts of the country ? The ad- 
 vocates of rigorous measures will scarcely have the 
 temerity to put the question upon this issue ; and until 
 they do, all their pretended dread of the growth of licen- 
 tiousness from village preaching, will be considered as 
 nothing but artifice. 
 
 To contend for the legal monopoly of religious instruc- 
 tion, under pretence of securing the morals of the people, 
 is a similar kind of policy with that of the papists, who 
 withhold the Scriptures, from the common people, lest 
 they should be betrayed into heresy. We all perceive 
 the design of the papist in this restriction is to prevent 
 
FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 399 
 
 the difFusion of knowledge, which would be fatal to 
 ghostly dominion. Is it not equally evident that the 
 prohibition to instruct the populace in the principles of 
 Christianity originates in this jealousy of power ? 
 
 We must, at least, be permitted to express our surprise 
 at the profound sagacity of those who can discover a de- 
 sign to destroy morality by inculcating religion, and a 
 purpose of making men vicious by making them serious. 
 Plain men must be excused if they are startled by such 
 refined and intricate paradoxes. 
 
 It highly becomes those who are the advocates for the 
 interference of government to restrain the efforts of me- 
 thodists and dissenters to diffuse the principles of know- 
 ledge and piety, to advert to the consequences which 
 must result. 
 
 Those who are conscientious will feel it their duty, in 
 opposition to the mandates of authority, to proceed pa- 
 tiently, enduring whatever punishment the legislature 
 may think proper to inflict. The government, irritated 
 at their supposed criminal obstinacy, will be tempted to 
 enact severer laws accompanied with severer penalties, 
 which the truly conscientious will still think it their duty 
 to brave, imitating the example of the primitive teachers 
 of Christianity, who departed from the presence of the 
 council, "rejoicing that they were thought worthy to 
 suflfer for the name of Christ." Thus will commence a 
 struggle betwixt the ruling powers and the most upright 
 part of the subjects, which shall first wear each other 
 out, the one by infliction, or the other by endurance ; 
 prisons will be crowded, cruel punishments will become 
 familiar, and blood probably will be spilt. The nation 
 Avill be afflicted with the frightful spectacle of innocent 
 and exemplary characters suffering the utmost vengeance 
 of the law for crimes which the sufferers glory in having 
 committed. 
 
 It is an inherent and inseparable inconvenience in 
 persecution that it knows not where to stop. It only 
 aims at first to crush the obnoxious sect ; it meets with 
 a sturdy resistance ; it then punishes the supposed crime 
 of obstinacy, till at length the original magnitude of the 
 
400 FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 
 
 error Is little thought of in the solicitude to maintain the 
 rights of authority. This is illustrated in the letter of 
 Pliny to Trajan,* treating of the persecution of christians. 
 Their obstinacy in refusing to comply with the mandates 
 of supreme authority [^constituted the crime.] In other 
 penal laws, a proportion is usually observed betwixt the 
 crime and the punishment, the e^val and the remedy ; but 
 here the pride of dictating and imposing mingles itself, 
 and draws [[reasons]] for severity even from the insigni- 
 ficance of the error and of the persecuted sect, which 
 should be its protection. 
 
 As the power of the community is delegated to the 
 magistrate to enable him to punish such deHnquencies, 
 and to avenge such injuries, as it would be unsafe to 
 leave to the resentment of the individual to punish, the 
 voice of law should ever be in harmony with the voice 
 of conscience and of reason. It should punish only 
 those actions which are previously condemned in the tri- 
 bunal of every man's own breast. The majesty of law, 
 considered as an authoritative rule of action, can only be 
 maintained by its agreement mth the simple and unso- 
 phisticated decisions of the mind respecting right and 
 wrong. On these principles law is entitled to profound 
 veneration as a sort of secondary morality, or an applica- 
 tion of the principles of virtue and social order to the 
 real situation and actual circumstances of mankind. As 
 the civil magistrate is invested with a portion of divine 
 authority for the government of men, so wise legislation 
 is a reservoir of moral regulation and principles drawn 
 from the springs and fountains of eternal justice. When 
 government is thus conducted, it leagues all the virtues 
 on its side ; whatever is venerable, whatever is good 
 rallies round the standard of authority ; and to support 
 the dignity of the laws is to support virtue itself. In 
 persecution it is directly the opposite. AV^hen innocent 
 persons [[suifer]] for a resolute adherence to the dictates 
 of conscience, the sentiments of moral approbation are 
 necessarily disjoined from the operation of the laws. 
 
 * Lib. X. Ep;s.97.— Ed. 
 
FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 401 
 
 The fear of civil punishment is a motive which the 
 wisdom of mankind has superadded to the other motives 
 which operate to restrain men from criminal conduct. 
 The contempt and hatred of om- fellow-creatures, and the 
 dread of punishment from an invisible Judge, are not 
 always found in fact to be of sufficient force to control 
 the unruly passions of bad men. In addition to this, 
 men have contrived so to organize society, that the dis- 
 turbers of other men s peace and the invaders of their 
 rights shall have to dread an adequate punishment from 
 the arm of a pul)lic person who represents the commu- 
 nity. As the fears with which human laws inspire 
 oftenders, are superadded motives, they pre-suppose the 
 existence of an original one. They are a superstructui'e 
 v/hich can only stand on the foundation of those distinc- 
 tions of right and wrong which the simplest dictates of 
 the understanding recognise. To disjoin the fear of hu- 
 man paws] from its natural associates, the forfeiture of 
 pubUc esteem, and the dread of divine Avi'ath, is a sole- 
 cism of the most glaring nature. 
 
 Again, the terror of punishment is designed to operate 
 on the community at large, not on a small number of 
 people of a peculiar manner of thinking. But the great 
 body of a people are affected only by what is palpable ; 
 they are unable to comprehended sul)tle and refined 
 reasoning. It is only what is plain and evident that is 
 tangible by their gross conceptions. Admitting, there- 
 fore, that the criminality of persisting to follow the dic- 
 tates of conscience in matters of religion were capable 
 of demonstration, it would remain a very improper ob- 
 ject of punishment, because the evidence of its crimi- 
 nality could never be generally understood. The guilt of 
 the sufferer would always be considered as very equivo- 
 cal ; and the sentiments of the community [^divided] 
 between the condemnation of the persecuted party and 
 tlie government. From this will naturally follow^ two 
 parties in the state, influenced with the most vehement 
 mutual resentment and antipathy ; and all the combus- 
 tible materials aheady collected are hable to be kindled 
 by the sparks of religious contention. Have not religious 
 
 VOL. VI. D D 
 
402 FRAGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WORSHIP. 
 
 persecutions been almost invariably the harbinger of civil 
 wars, alarming commotions, and awful calamities ? Per- 
 secution in matters of religion raises up the very hydra 
 it is meant to destroy. The only plausible ground on 
 which it can be defended, is the danger of the state ac- 
 cruing from a diversity of opinion on matters of the first 
 importance, and the necessity, in order to secure public 
 tranquillity, to establish uniformity of opinion. But 
 when persecutions are adopted, the lawfulness of those 
 veiy measures becomes a subject of contention, as in- 
 teresting as the dissensions it is designed to terminate. 
 
 The question of the claim to liberty of conscience is 
 sui'ely a question of this kind. 
 
MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 [Written in 1786, or 1787. 
 
CHARACTER OF CLEANDER. 
 
 [Written in \786.] 
 
 NEC ASPERA TERRENT. 
 
 Whoever contemplates the various calamities that fill 
 the world, and the still more numerous avenues by which 
 we are exposed to distress, will be affected with a sense 
 of the misery of man. In this survey, we need not 
 search for remote and distant evils ; we need not crowd 
 our imagination with the horrors of war, the progress of 
 armies, or the desolation of states. In the most familiar 
 walks of life we meet with scenes at which humanity 
 must bleed : scenes of distress lie open on every side : 
 every quarter is filled with the groans of the dying, and 
 lamentations for the dead. In the mass of mankind we 
 can scarcely select an individual in whose bosom there 
 do not rankle unpublished griefs ; and, could we look 
 into the hearts of the most tranquil, we should often find 
 them a prey to unpitied regrets, torn with anxiety, and 
 bleeding with disappointments. 
 
 Retiring from this melancholy spectacle, without 
 looking any fui'ther, we might be ready to consider the 
 world as a great nursery of disease, a vast receptacle of 
 miseries, filled with beings whom Providence has en- 
 dowed with sensibility to suffer, rather than capacities to 
 enjoy ; but to him who views the moral influence of 
 afflictions, the evils they are intended to correct, and the 
 benefits they impart, they will appear in a very different 
 light ; he will consider them as at once the punishments 
 of vice, and the cure of it. Sorrow is, indeed, the off- 
 spring of guilt, but the parent of wisdom. Stern in her 
 
406 MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 aspect, and severe in her deportment, she is, however, 
 sent on a message of mercy. She is destined to follow- 
 in the footsteps of intemperance, to break her enchant- 
 ments, to expose her delusions, and to deliver from 
 thraldom such as are entangled in her snares, or are 
 sleeping in her arms. Whoever surveys the course of 
 his past life, with a view to remark the false steps he has 
 taken in it, will find that, as they have been preceded by 
 indiscretion, they have been recalled by distress. To 
 every object our attachment is proportioned to the plea- 
 sures we have received, or expect to receive, from it ; 
 and the passion will continue to be cherished as long as 
 the recollection of it calls up ideas of pleasure rather 
 than of pain. Now, every vicious pursuit is founded on 
 indulgence, and disguised by inclination. To the licen- 
 tious and abandoned, therefore, there is no prospect of 
 the termination of their vices, till, by actual experience 
 of the miseries they inflict, they convey to the mind 
 more sentiments of aversion than of love. 
 
 From the moment that the enchantment is dispelled, 
 the false colours stripped off, they will be regarded as 
 specious deformities and real dangers. Multitudes, who 
 could never be persuaded by the calls of interest, or the 
 voice of conviction, to restrain the licence of their pas- 
 sions, and abandon their criminal pursuits, have been 
 reclaimed by the lash of adversity. The decay of health, 
 the desertion of friends, and the neglect of the world, 
 have not unfrequently softened those hardier spirits, to 
 whom the charms of virtue have been displayed in vain. 
 
 Nor is sorrow less effectual in the correction of foibles 
 than in the extinction of vice. Oleander, in other re- 
 spects a man of virtue and honour, had, from his in- 
 fancy, accustomed himself to the imbounded indulgence 
 of his tongue. Upon all occasions, he trod on the very 
 brink of decorum, a total stranger to the delicacies of 
 friendship, which generously hides the faults it cannot 
 correct. His ridicule was turned on the imperfections 
 of his friends and his enemies, with indiscriminate se- 
 verity. The splendour of distinguished virtue, which 
 sets at a distance the reproaches of the world, and 
 
CHARACTER OF CLEANDER. 407 
 
 almost sanctifies the blemishes of an illustrious cha- 
 racter, exempted no foibles from the scourge of Ole- 
 ander ; but rather quickened his acuteness to remark, 
 and his asperity to expose them, as it furnished a display 
 of his penetration in discovering imperfections, -where 
 there appeared to the world nothing but unmingled ex- 
 cellence. It was, indeed, his delight to remark the 
 shades of a brilliant character, and to portray with ex- 
 actness the secret gradations of excellence by which it 
 fell short of perfection. Yet, in Oleander, this conduct 
 by no means sprang from envy of superior worth, or the 
 malignant desire of degrading every one to his own level. 
 He possessed the magnanimity of a virtuous mind, and 
 disdained to lessen his o^^n inferiority by any other 
 means than that of honest emulation. It had its basis 
 in a taste for ridicule, and the pride of wit. His de- 
 portment could not fail to issue in perplexity and dis- 
 tress. His enemies considered him as a kind of beast 
 of prey, a savage of the desert, whom they were autho- 
 rized to wound by every weapon of offence, some by 
 open defamation, and some by poisoned arrows in the 
 dark. His friends began to look upon him with aliena- 
 tion and distrust, esteeming their character too sacred to 
 be suspended, for the sport of an individual, on the 
 breezy point of levity and wit. 
 
 His appearance was a signal for general complaint ; 
 and he could scarcely enter into company hoping to en- 
 joy the unmingled pleasures of social converse, but he 
 had innimierable jealousies to allay, and misunderstand- 
 ings to set right. He was every where received with 
 marks of disgust ; met with resentment for which he 
 could not account ; and was daily obliquely insulted for 
 careless strokes of satire, of which he retained no recol- 
 lection. Wherever he turned himself, he found his 
 path was strewed with thorns ; and that even they who 
 admii-ed his mt secretly vilified his character, and shrunk 
 from his acquaintance. His peace began to bleed on 
 every side ; his reputation was tarnished ; his fairest 
 prospects blasted ; and Oleander, at length, awakened 
 from his delusions, was convinced, when it was too late, 
 
408 MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 of a lesson he had often been taught in vain, that the 
 attachments of friendship, and the tranquillity of life, 
 are too A^aluable to be sacrificed to a blaze of momentary 
 admiration. 
 
 A consideration of the benefit of afflictions should 
 teach us to bear them patiently, when they fall to our 
 lot ; and to be thankful to heaven for having planted 
 such barriers around us, to restrain the exuberance of 
 our follies and our crimes. 
 
 Let these sacred fences be removed; exempt the am- 
 bitious from disappointment, and the guilty from remorse; 
 let luxury go unattended with disease, and indiscretion 
 lead into no embarrassments or distresses ; our vices 
 would range without control, and the impetuosity of our 
 passions have no bounds ; every family would be filled 
 with strife, every nation with carnage, and a deluge of 
 calamities would break in upon us, which would produce 
 more misery in a year than is inflicted by the hand of 
 Providence in a lapse of ages. 
 
A REVERIE. 
 
 IWrttten in 1786.] 
 
 " Aux penpliers qai bornent mon sejour, 
 J'avois jure de suspendre ma lyre ; 
 De respirer, d'etre heureux sans delire, 
 D'oser siir tout, etre heureux sans I'amour 
 J'avois jure ; raais je I'ai vu sourire, 
 Et sur son aile il emporte aujourd'hui 
 Tous les sermens que j'ai faits centre lui." 
 
 Dorat. 
 
 ENGLISHED THUS : 
 
 " On the tall poplars which surround my cot, 
 And mark the bound'ries of my humble lot. 
 Where I so oft of Cupid's power have sang, 
 I fiercely swore my unstrung lyre to hang : 
 To breathe in peace— to taste the quiet joy 
 Of calm contentment, which can never cloy : 
 But more than all — to banish from my heart 
 Tormenting love, and its too pleasing smart : 
 Thus did I swear — but, listening Cnpid smil'd, 
 And, whilst with his enchantments he beguil'd. 
 He wafted on his pinions far away 
 My fruitless oaths, rebellious to his sway." 
 
 Ineptus. 
 
 After reading some passages in the fourth book of 
 Virgil, in which he paints the distress of Dido, upon her 
 being deserted by jEneas, I could not help revolving in 
 my mind, with a good deal of uneasiness, the miseries 
 of love. My reflections threw me into a Reverie, which 
 presented to my mind an imaginary train of circum- 
 stances, which I shall now relate, hoping they may tend 
 to cherish that virtuous sensibility which is the ornament 
 of our nature. My fancy naturally carried me into the 
 
410 MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 times of heathenish STiperstition, which I hope will be 
 my apology for mentioning gods and goddesses. I ima- 
 gined that the power of Lore had occasioned general 
 discontent, and that the different orders of men had en- 
 tered into an agreement to petition Jupiter for her re- 
 moval. 
 
 I thought that at the head of these complainers stood 
 the men of learning and science ; they lamented with 
 vehemence the inroads of love, and that it often be- 
 trayed them from the paths of knowledge, into perplexity 
 and intrigue. They alleged that it extinguished, in the 
 bosom of tlie young, all thirst after laudable improve- 
 ment, and planted in its stead frivolous and tormenting 
 desires. That the pursuit of truth called for a tranquil 
 and serene state of mind ; whilst love was constantly 
 attended with tumult and alarm. Whatever turn she 
 takes, said they, she wdll ever be an enemy to labour ; 
 her smiles are too gay, and her disappointments too 
 melancholy, for any serious application. They were 
 giieved to see that so trifling a passion should occupy so 
 much time and attention, and that man, who was formed 
 to contemplate the heavens and the earth, shottld spend 
 half his life in gaining the good graces of the weaker 
 and more inconsiderable part of his species. I thought 
 I perceived that this tm-n for love and gallantry gave 
 particular offence to the whole tribe of astronomers and 
 profound philosophers. They saw, with indignation, 
 that many of our youth were more anxious to explain a 
 look than to solve a problem, and that they would often 
 be plapng with a fan when they should be handling a 
 quadrant. It infatuates every one, said they, who is so 
 unhappy as to be touched with it. He is often more 
 attentive to every change of countenance in a celebrated 
 beauty than to the phases of the moon ; and is more 
 anxious to be acquainted mth all her manoeuvres than 
 •\^ith the motions of the whole planetary system. One 
 in particular affirmed, upon his knowledge, that he had 
 been acquainted with students in anatomy, who looked 
 with more curiosity into the countenance of a young 
 beauty than upon the dissection of a bullock's eye. 
 
A REVERIE 411 
 
 Some, wlio pretended to see much farther than the vul- 
 gar, considered every thing relating to love as capricious 
 and visionary. Since we are all formed of the same 
 materials, it seemed to them very unreasonable that a 
 little difference in form and colour should raise such 
 violent commotions. Beauty, they said, was but a super- 
 ficial covering, and every thing at the bottom was alike. 
 Upon this principle, they looked upon it as the height 
 of philosophy to view with indifference what has always 
 given mankind the greatest pleasure. This humour they 
 carried so for, that they lamented they could not strip 
 nature herself of her delusions, as they termed them, 
 by taking off those agreeable colourings of light and 
 shade which lie upon objects around us, and give them 
 all their richness and beauty. They would have been 
 glad to have turned the creation into a colourless and 
 dreary waste, that they might have wandered up and 
 do^^Ti, and taken a closer survey of it. 
 
 The next class of petitioners, I observed, were the 
 men of business. They set out with remarking that 
 they did not join in the complaints that were made 
 against love upon their own account ; for though they had 
 been weak enough, in the younger part of their lives, to 
 fall under its influence, it was many years since they 
 had felt the slightest impression of it. They had in 
 view the welfare of their children, and, this being nei- 
 ther more nor less than their affluence, they were led to 
 consider love chiefly in the light of an expensive pas- 
 sion. Its little tendernesses and endearments appeared 
 to them inexpressibly ridiculous, and they wondered how 
 any body could be foolish enough to spend hours in tat- 
 tling to women, without thinking to gain a farthing by 
 it. They gave a long list of young men, who had been 
 frugal and industrious, till they were enticed by love to 
 prefer pleasure to profit. They declared that when we 
 take an account of balls and treats, and trinkets of va- 
 rious kinds, with the loss of time inseparably attendant 
 upon them, it was at the peril of a fortane to attempt 
 the heart of a beloved object. I was a good deal amused 
 with the manner in which they treated of love ; they 
 
412 MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 considered it as they would any other commodity, setting 
 a price upon every part of it. They reckon a sigh at a 
 shilling, and, if it chanced to be observed by the person 
 for whom it is intended, it was well even if half-a-guinea 
 cleared the expense of it. A side glance was rated at 
 half as much as a full view ; they portioned out all the 
 parts of a beautiful person, and made a valuation of 
 each of them. The same scale was applied to their very 
 attitudes : for the sight of a beautiful woman dancing 
 was accounted a matter of enormous expense; and if 
 she chanced to smile with any degree of complacency 
 upon any one, it was well if he was not ruined ; under 
 these impressions, they considered love as the certain 
 forerunner of poverty. 
 
 There was one complaint raised against this passion, 
 "which I thought had something in it more plausible 
 than any I have yet mentioned ; it turned upon the ease 
 with which it makes its approaches upon us, and the 
 impossibility of guarding against its first advances. We 
 have been able, said they, by art to manage the ele- 
 ments, so as in general to prevent any dangerous over- 
 flowings of them. We brave the storm in ships, and 
 dive into the sea in bells ; but the ingenuity of man has 
 hit upon no contrivance to save us from the influence of 
 love. Could we call it in to amuse a leisure hour, or to 
 relieve the languor of a few tedious moments, and then 
 dismiss it again, it might be esteemed a blessing in a life 
 so barren of enjoyment. But it is an influence that is 
 shed all around us, and pours itself upon us in every cor- 
 ner. It often lies hid betwixt the keys of a harpsichord, 
 and is shaken out with a few touches of the fingers. It 
 flounces in an apron, and is trailed along with a flowing 
 robe. No circumspection can preserve us from it ; for 
 it will often steal upon us when we are least upon our 
 guard. It hides itself in a lock, and waves in ringlets 
 of the hair. It will enter by an eye, an ear, a hand, or 
 a foot. A glance and a gaze are sometimes equally 
 fatal. 
 
 I was next presented with a scene which I thought 
 as interesting and solemn as can enter into the imagina- 
 
A REVERIE. 413 
 
 tion of man. This was no other than a view of the 
 whole train of disappointed lovers. At the sight of 
 them, my heart insensibly melted into the most tender 
 compassion. There was an extreme dejection, mingled 
 with a piercing wildness in their looks, that was very af- 
 fecting. Cheerfulness and serenity, I could easily per- 
 ceive, they had long been strangers to. Their counte- 
 nances were overspread with a gloom which appeared to 
 be of long standing, and to be collected there from dark 
 and dismal imaginations. There was at the same time 
 all that kind of animation in their features which be- 
 tokens troubled thoughts. Their air and manner was 
 altogether singular, and such as marks a spirit at once 
 eager and irresolute. Their step was irregular, and they 
 ever and anon started and looked around them, as though 
 they were alarmed by some secret terror. I was some- 
 what surprised, in looking through the whole assembly, 
 not to see any one that wept. When they were arrived 
 at the place where they had determined to present their 
 united petitions, I was particularly attentive to observe 
 every thing that passed. Though I listened, I could not 
 learn any thing distinctly. After an interval of profound 
 silence, a mm-mur of only broken sighs and piercing ex- 
 clamations was heard through the assembly. I should 
 have mentioned that some of them fell off before they 
 had got to the place of rendezvous. They halted for 
 some time, and continued in a melancholy suspense, 
 whether they should turn back or go forward. They 
 knew not which to prefer, the tranquillity of indifference 
 or the tender distresses of love ; at length they inclined 
 to the latter, not having resolution even to wish for the 
 extinction of a passion which mingled itself with the 
 very elements of their existence. " Why," said they, 
 " should we banish from our minds the image of all that 
 is pleasing and delightful, and w^hich, if we could once 
 forget, there would be nothing left in the world worth 
 remembering?" The agitation and anxiety felt upon 
 this occasion, could I lay it fully open to the reader, 
 would form a much more interesting picture than the 
 
414 MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 deliberations of Ccesar, whetlier he should pass the 
 Rubicon. 
 
 I imagined there were several other distinct bodies of 
 men, who complained to the heavenly powers of the 
 tyranny of love, but, the particulars having in a great 
 measure faded from my memory, the reader must excuse 
 my passing them over in silence. I must not, however, 
 forget to observe, that the number and unanimity of 
 those who presented their petitions on the occasion were 
 such, that they might fairly be considered as represent- 
 ing the sentiments of far the greater part of mankind. 
 
 Perhaps Providence never chastises the folly of men 
 more justly than by granting the indulgence of their re- 
 quests. Upon this occasion, I observed, their wishes 
 were accomplished, and they were relieved from a 
 tyranny of which they had so heavily complained. 
 Upon an appointed day, the Goddess of love took her 
 flight to the higher regions, from which she had de- 
 scended ; her influence was at once withdrawn, and all 
 her enchantments were broken up. I thought nothing 
 could equal the joy that was expressed upon this occa- 
 sion. The air rung with acclamations, and every man 
 was in haste to congratulate his neighbour on his deliver- 
 ance from a thraldom which had sunk the spirit and de- 
 graded the dignity of the human race. They seemed all 
 to be lightened of a load, and to break forth with fresh 
 vivacity and spirit. Every one imagined he was enter- 
 ing upon quite a new career, and that the world was 
 laid fresh open before him. 
 
 I could not help feeling an inward delight in seeing 
 my fellow-creatures made at once so happy. At the 
 same time I was anxious to know what would follow 
 upon this new revolution, and particularly whether it 
 would answer the high expectations that were formed 
 from it. Upon my looking around, I was a witness to 
 appearances which filled me Avith melancholy and regret. 
 A total change had taken place in the whole train of hu- 
 man affairs, and I observed to my sorrow, the change 
 was every where for the worse. It was melancholy now 
 
A REVERIE. 415 
 
 to enter into company ; for, instead of conversation, en- 
 livened by vivacity and wit, there was nothing heard but 
 a drowsy humming, to the last degree tiresome and in- 
 sipid. In the social intercourse of men the heart had no 
 place ; pleasure, and the desire of pleasing, were equally 
 unknown. 
 
 Those whom I had an opportunity of observing, I 
 thought very much resembled the loungers and coxcombs 
 of our day, who, without any view of receiving pleasure, 
 mingle in a crowd, and engage in conversation, not to 
 enjoy time, but to kill it. I now sought in vain for 
 those friendly meetmgs at which I had often been pre- 
 sent, where every one, desirous of adding something to 
 the pleasure of the whole, drew forth the fairest ideas of 
 his mind, and, by the display of tender sentiments, 
 melted the heart and soothed the imagination. AVith 
 what regret did I recollect those conversation parties in 
 which my heart was wont to be full, and to pour itself 
 forth as we talked ourselves alternately into sadness and 
 into joy! 
 
 I had an opportunity of correcting a mistake, into 
 which I had fallen, in imagining that love reached only 
 to courtship and marriage ; I saw that it insensibly min- 
 gles with our most trifling actions, refining our thoughts, 
 and polishing our manners, when we are least aware of 
 it. The men had now entirely thrown aside that tender- 
 ness and gallantry which are the great ornaments of hu- 
 man nature, and are so peculiarly needful to temper and 
 soften the rudeness of masculine strength. Men and 
 women were now placed quite upon a level, so that the 
 harmonious softness of the female voice was drowned in 
 turbulence and noise. The ear was filled, but the heart 
 was left empty. Politeness was exchanged for a tame 
 civility, wit for merriment, and serenity for dulness. I 
 began to think more highly than ever of the fair sex, 
 and regarded them in a new light, as a beautiful mirror 
 lying in the fancy of a lover, for him to dress his thoughts 
 by. People were every where falling a prey to dejection, 
 and complaining of the faintness of human enjoyments, 
 as might well be expected, when the influence of love 
 
416 MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 was 'withdrawn from them, which, by inspiring romantic 
 hopes, and romantic fears, keeps the mind always in 
 motion, and makes it run clear and bright. You may be 
 sure nothing could make a more ridiculous appearance 
 than courtship, at a time when women retained their 
 vanity, after they had lost their charms. Such is the force of 
 habit, that you might often see a pretty creature tmrling 
 her fan, and playing off her little enchanting airs before 
 her lover, who perhaps sat all that time perfectly insen- 
 sible, fingering his buttons or picking his teeth. Vanity, 
 I perceived, was a kind of instinct in women, that made 
 them employ the whole artillery of their charms, when 
 they knew they could do no execution. Indeed, their 
 airs appeared so ridiculous now, in the eyes of the men, 
 that they had often much ado to refrain from laughter. 
 The coquettes particularly, in their flutterings to and 
 fro, made as odd a figure as fish which should be frozen 
 around in the very act of swimming. Out of respect to 
 the ladies, however, I would compare them to the 
 Grecian chiefs, who, according to the representation of 
 the poets, carried with them so lively an impression of 
 their former employments, that they would be marshal- 
 ling their troops, and brandishing their swords, even in 
 the shades below. However, the fair sex were soon re- 
 lieved from this sort of ridicule. They no longer took 
 any pains to smooth their brow, to soften their features 
 into a smile, or to light up the beam of brightness in 
 their eye. Careless of ofifending, where they knew they 
 could not please, they became negligent in their persons, 
 and \Tilgar in their air. I cannot express the regret 
 I felt upon beholding the fairest and most beautiful part 
 of the creation thus thrown into the shade. 
 
 I thought I perceived that the fine arts began to lan- 
 guish, the paintings that made their appearance at the 
 time were neither boldly sketched, nor so brightly co- 
 loured as those I was wont to survey ; they were chiefly 
 confined to still life. I observed, however, that the ex- 
 tinction of love affected poetry still more than paint- 
 ing. It no longer regaled the mind with descriptions of 
 beauty; or softened it with tender distress. Its en- 
 
A REVERIE. 417 
 
 chantment was entirely dissolved ; that eiichantment 
 that will carry us from world to world without moving 
 from our seat, will raise a visionary creation around us, 
 will make us to rejoice when there is nothing to rejoice 
 in, and trerahle Avhen there is nothing to alarm us. 
 These interesting situations, which awaken the atten- 
 tion, and enchain the mind in solemn suspense, till it 
 breaks forth into agony or rapture, now no longer existed 
 in nature, and were no longer described by the poet ; he 
 wrote rather from memory than feeling, for the breath 
 of inspiration had ceased. 
 
 Upon this occasion I was not at all surprised at the 
 decline of eloquence. I have often thought love the 
 nurse of sensibility, and that, if it Avere not cherished by 
 this passion, it would grow cold, and give way to a sel- 
 fish indifference. My conjecture was now abundantly 
 confirmed ; for though I saw many discourses, composed 
 at this time, that were well argued, elegant and correct, 
 they all wanted those essential touches that give lan- 
 guage its power of persuading. 
 
 One thing a good deal surprised me, and that was to 
 observe that even the profoundest parts of learning 
 were less attended to than ever. I was well aware that 
 few apply themselves closely to study, but with the 
 hope of sometimes displaying their acquisitions to the 
 public ; and I had imagined fame was a sufficient re- 
 compense for any toil human natm-e could sustain ; but 
 I Avas surprised to find that, in all great and noble un- 
 dertakings, the desire of appearing respectable in the 
 eyes of a beloved object was of more consequence than 
 the general admiration of mankind. 
 
 These I thought were not the only melancholy con- 
 sequences that flowed from the departure of love. It 
 may be sufficient, however, to observe in general that 
 human nature was becalmed, and all its finest emotions 
 frozen into a torpid insensibility. The situation of man- 
 kind was truly pitiable. Strangers to the delicate plea- 
 sures of the heart, every thing around them looked 
 cheerless and barren. Calamity left them nothing to 
 hope and prosperity gave them nothing to enjoy. 
 
 VOL. VI. E B 
 
418 MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 I observed that they were now as desu-ous of bringing 
 back the agency of love as they had been before to ex- 
 clude it. At length, I imagined that Jupiter was touched 
 with compassion at their unhappy situation, and ap- 
 pointed a day in which love was to revisit the abodes of 
 men. An immense number of people, of all orders and 
 ranks, and of every age and condition, assembled them- 
 selves, as you may suppose, to behold the descent of the 
 Goddess, and to hail her approach. The heavens, I 
 thought, glowed as she descended, and so many beauti 
 ful streaks of light glanced along the surface of the sky 
 that they divided it into separate tracts, brightened up 
 every cloud within it, and turned the M'hole into an 
 aerial landscape. The birds at the same time leaping 
 among the branches, and warbling their sprightliest 
 notes, filled the air with a confused melody of sounds 
 that was inexpressibly delightful. Every thing looked 
 brighter than before, every thing smelled sweeter, and 
 seemed to offer up fresh incense to the Goddess. The 
 face of nature was changed, and the creation seemed to 
 grow new again. My heart glowed with delight. I re- 
 joiced in the renovation of nature, and was revived 
 through my inmost powers. There thrilled through me 
 a delightful sensation of freshness and novelty, similar 
 to what a happy spirit may be supposed to feel when he 
 first enters a new state of existence, and opens his eyes 
 on immortality. 
 
 I thought I had but a very confused idea of the per- 
 son of the Goddess herself; for her raiment was so full 
 of light and lustre that I could scarcely take a steady 
 view of her. I observed, however, that her complexion 
 was rather too glowing, and the motions of her eye too 
 piercing and fiery for perfect feminine beauty. Her 
 beauty, I thought, was too raised, and had too much 
 glory in it, to be entirely attractive. I was very much 
 astonished to observe that whoever she glanced her eye 
 upon immediately fell under the influence of the passion 
 over which she presided. It was a very singular sight, 
 to see a whole assembly, one after another, falling into 
 love ; and I was much entertained in obser\'ing the 
 
A REVERIE. 419 
 
 change it occasioned in the looks of each of them, ac- 
 cording to their different temper and constitution. Some 
 appeared wild and piercing, others dejected and mehxn- 
 choly. The features of several glowed with admiration, 
 whilst others looked down Avith a timid and bashful re- 
 spect. A trait of affectation was plainly to be discerned 
 in all of them, as might well be expected from a pas- 
 sion the very first effect of v/hich is to make one lose the 
 possession ol one's self. Several ladies in particular, 
 seemingly careless and gay, were whispering to those 
 who stood next them, and assuming airs of particular 
 vivacity, whilst you might easily see their countenance 
 was chequered with anxiety, lest they should chance not 
 to please those upon whom they had fixed their affec- 
 tions. The greater part of the fair sex, however, I ob- 
 served, smiled with an ineffable sweetness, nor could any 
 thing appear more lovely than their features, upon which 
 there was imprinted a tender reserve, mingled with 
 modest complacency and desire. I imagined that after 
 the Goddess had thoroughly surveyed the assembly, and 
 they had seated themselves into some degree of com- 
 posure, she thus addressed them : — 
 
 " Ye children of men, ye abound in the gifts of Pro- 
 vidence, and many are the favours heaven has bestowed 
 upon you. The earth teems Avith bounty, pouring forth 
 the necessaries of life and the refinements of luxury. 
 The sea refi-eshes you with its breeze, and carries you to 
 distant shores upon its bosom ; it links nation to nation 
 in the bonds of mutual advantage, and transfers to every 
 climate the blessings of all. To the sun you are in- 
 debted for the splendour of the day, and the grateful re- 
 turn of season ; it is he who guides you, as you wander 
 through the trackless wilderness of space, lights up the 
 beauties of Nature aromid you, and makes her break 
 forth into fruitfulness and joy. But, know that these, 
 though delightful, are not the pleasures of the heart. 
 They will not heal the wounds of fortmie ; they will not 
 enchant solitude, or suspend the feeling of pain. Know 
 that I only am Mistress of the Soul. To me it belongs 
 to impart agony and rapture. Hope and despair, terror 
 ee2 
 
420 MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 and delight, walk in my train. My power extends over 
 time itself, as well as over all sublunary beings. It can 
 turn ages into moments, and moments into ages. La- 
 ment not the dispensations of Providence, amongst 
 which the bestowment of my influence is one. He 
 who feels it may not be happy ; but he who is a stran- 
 ger to it must be miserable." 
 
421 
 
 ESSAY ON POETRY AND PHILOSOPHY. 
 
 [Written in 1787.] 
 
 It has been observed that it seldom falls to the 
 share of one man to be both a philosopher and a poet. 
 These two characters, in their full extent, may be said 
 to divide betwixt them the whole empire of genius ; 
 for all the productions of the human mind fall naturally 
 under two heads — Morks of imagination, and works of 
 reason. There are indeed several kinds of composition 
 which, to be perfect, must partake of both. In our most 
 celebrated historians, for instance, we meet with a just 
 mixture of the penetration that distinguishes the philo- 
 sopher and the ardour of the poet ; still their depart- 
 ments are very wide of each other, and a small degree of 
 attention will be sufficient to show why it is so extremely 
 difficult to unite, in any high degree, the excellence of 
 each. The end of the poet is to give delight to his 
 reader, which he attempts by addressing his fancy, and 
 moving his sensibility ; the philosopher purposes merely 
 to instruct, and therefore thinks it enough, if he presents 
 bis thoughts in that order which will render them the 
 most perspicuous, and seems best adapted to gain the 
 attention. Their views demand, therefore, a very diffe- 
 rent procedure. All that passes under the eye of the 
 poet, he surveys in one particular view ; every form and 
 image under which he presents it to the fancy are de- 
 scriptive of its effects. He delights to paint every object 
 in motion, that he may raise a similar agitation in the 
 bosom of the reader. But the calm deliberate thinker. 
 
422 MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 on the contrary, makes it his chief endeavour to seek out 
 the remoter causes and principles which give birth to 
 these appearances. 
 
 It is the highest exertion of a philosopher to strip off 
 the false colours that serve to disguise, to remove every 
 particular which fancy or folly have combined, and pre- 
 sent to -view the simple and naked truth. But the poet, 
 who addresses the imagination and the heart, neglects no 
 circumstance, however fanciful, which may serve to attach 
 his descriptions more closely to the human mind. In 
 describing the awful appearances of nature, he gladly 
 avails himself of those magic terrors with which igno- 
 rance and superstition have surrounded them; for, though 
 the light of reason dispels these shades, they answer the 
 highest purpose of the poet, in awakening the passions. 
 It is the delight of poetry to combine and associate ; of 
 philosophy, to sepai-ate and distinguish. The one resem- 
 bles a skilftd anatomist, who lays open every thing that 
 occurs, and examines the smallest particulars of its make ; 
 the other a judicious painter, who conceals what would 
 offend the eye, and embellishes every subject he under- 
 takes to represent : the same object, therefore, which has 
 engaged the investigating powers of the philosopher, 
 takes a very different appearance from the forming hand 
 of the poet, who adds every grace of colouring, and art- 
 fully hides the nakedness of the inward structure, under 
 all the agreeable foldings of elegance and beauty. In 
 philosophical discussions, the end of which is to explain, 
 every part ought to be unfolded with the most lucid per- 
 spicuity. But works of imagination never exert a more 
 powerfiil influence than when the author has contrived 
 to throw over them a shade of darkness and doubt. The 
 reason of this is obvious ; the evils we but imperfectly 
 discern seem to bid defiance to caution ; they affect the 
 mind with a fearful anxiety, and, by presenting no limits, 
 the imagination easily conceives them boundless. These 
 species of composition differ still further with respect to 
 the situation of mind requisite to produce them. Poetry 
 is the offspring of a mind heated to an uncommon degree ; 
 it is a kind of spirit thrown off in the effervescence of 
 
ON POETRY ANB PHILOSOPHY. 423 
 
 the agitated feeling. But the utmost calmness and com- 
 posure are essential to philosophical inquiry : novelty, 
 surprise, and astonishment, kindle in the bosom the fire 
 of poetry ; whilst philosophy is reared up by cool and 
 long-continued efforts. There is one circumstance rela- 
 ting to this kind of composition too material to be omitted. 
 In every nation it has been found that poetry is of much 
 earlier date than any other production of the human 
 mind. As in the individual, the imagination and pas- 
 sions are more vigorous in youth, which in mature age 
 subside, and give way to thought and reflection. 
 
 Something similar to this seems to characterize that 
 genius which distinguishes the different periods of society. 
 The most admired poems have been the offspring of un- 
 cultivated ages. Pure poetry consists of the descriptions 
 of nature, and the display of the passions ; to each of 
 which a rude state of society is better adapted than one 
 more polished. They who live in that early period in 
 which art has not alleviated the calamities of life, are 
 forced to feel their dependence upon nature. Her appear- 
 ances are ever open to their view, and therefore strongly 
 imprinted on theu- fancy. They shrink at the approach 
 of a storm, and mark Avith anxious attention every vari- 
 ation of the sky. The change of seasons, cloud or 
 sunshine, serenity and tempest, are to them real sources 
 of sorrow and of joy ; and we need not, therefore, won- 
 der they should describe with energy what they feel with 
 so much force. But it is one chief advantage of civili- 
 zation that, by enabling us in some measure to control 
 nature, we become less subject to its influence. It opens 
 many new sources of enjoyment. In this situation, the 
 gay and the cheerful can always mingle in company, 
 whilst the diffusion of knowledge opens to the studious 
 a new world, over which the whirlwind and the blast 
 can exert no influence. The face of nature gradually 
 retires from view, and those who attempt to describe it 
 often content themselves with copying from books, 
 whereby their descriptions want the freshness and glow 
 of original observation : like the image of an object re- 
 flected thi'ough various mediums, each of which vai-ios 
 
424 MISCELL.VNEOUS PIECES. 
 
 some what of its form, and lessens its splendour. The 
 poetry of uncivilized nations has, therefore, often ex- 
 celled the productions of a more refined people, in ele- 
 vation and pathos. Accustomed to survey nature only 
 in her general form, and grander movements, their de- 
 scriptions cannot fail of carrying with them an au of 
 gi'eatness and sublhnity. They paint scenes which every 
 one has felt, and which therefore need only to be pre- 
 sented to awaken a similar feeling again. For a while, 
 they delight us with the vastness of their conceptions ; 
 but the want of various embellishments, and the frequent 
 recurrence of the same images, soon fatigues the atten- 
 tion, and their poetry may be compared to the world of 
 waters, which fills us with amazement, but upon which 
 we gaze for a moment, and then tm-n away our eyes. It 
 is the advantage of enlightened nations that their supe- 
 rior knowledge enables them to supply greater variety, 
 and to render poetry more copious. They allure with an 
 agi'eeable succession of images. They do not weary 
 with uniformity, or overpower us with the continuance 
 of any one exertion ; but, by perpetually shifting the 
 scene, they keep us in a constant hurry of delight. 
 
 " The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, 
 Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven ; 
 And, as imagination bodies forth 
 The form of things unkno\\T), the poet's pen 
 Tnrns them to shape, and gives to airy nothing 
 A local habitation and a name." 
 
 Shakspeare's Midsummer-Nig JtVs Dream. 
 
 I cannot help observing that poetical genius seems 
 capable of much greater variety than talents for philoso- 
 phizing. The power of thinking and reasoning is a 
 simple energy, which exerts itself in all men nearly in 
 the same manner ; indeed, the chief varieties that have 
 been observed in it may be traced to two — a capacity of 
 abstract and mathematical reasoning, and a talent for 
 collecting facts and making observations ; these qualities 
 of mind, blended in various proportions, will, for the 
 most part, account for any peculiarities attending men's 
 modes of thinking. But the ingredients that constitute 
 
ON POETRY AND PHILOSOPHY. 425 
 
 a poet are far more various and complicated. A poet is, 
 in a high dogi'ee, under the influence of the imagination 
 and passions, principles of mind very various and exten- 
 sive. AVhatever is complicated is capable of much 
 greater variety, and will be extremely more diversified in 
 its form, than that which is more simple. In this case, 
 every ingredient is a source of variety ; and, by being 
 mingled in the composition in a greater or less degree, 
 may give an original cast to the whole. 
 
 To explain the particular causes which vary the direc- 
 tion of the fancy in different men, would, perhaps, l)e no 
 easy task. We are led, it may be at first through acci- 
 dent, to the survey of one class of objects ; this calls up 
 a particular train of thinking, which we afterwards freely 
 indulge ; it easily finds access to the mind upon all 
 occasions ; the slightest actions serve to suggest it. 
 It is nursed by habit, and reared up with attention, 
 till it gradually swells to a torrent, which bears away 
 every obstacle, and awakens in the mind the conscious- 
 ness of peculiar powers. Such sensations eagerly impel 
 to a particular purpose, and are sufficient to give to com- 
 position a distinct and determinate character. 
 
 Poetical genius is likewise much under the influence 
 of the passions. The pleased and the splenetic, the 
 serious and the gay, survey natm-e with very different 
 eyes. That elevation of fancy which, with a melancholy 
 turn, will produce scenes of gloomy grandeur and awful 
 solemnit}^ will lead another, of a cheerful complexion, to 
 delight, by presenting images of splendour and gaiety, 
 and by inspiring gladness and joy. To these, and other 
 similar causes, may be traced that boundless variety 
 w^hich diversifies the works of imagination, and which is 
 so great, that I have thought the perusal of fine authors 
 is like traversing the different regions of the earth. 
 Some glow Avith a pleasant and refreshing warmth, whilst 
 others kindle with a fierce and fiery heat : in one we 
 meet with scenes of elegance and art, all is correct and 
 regular, and a thousand beautiful objects spread their 
 colours to the eye, and regale the senses ; in another, we 
 behold nature in an unadorned majestic simplicity, 
 
426 MISCELLANEOUS PIECES. 
 
 scouring the plain with the tempest, sitting upon a rock, 
 or walking upon the wings of the wind, Here we meet 
 ^\ith. a Sterne, who fans us with the softest delicacies ; 
 and there with a Rousseau, who hurries us along in 
 whirlwind and tempest. Hence that delightful succes- 
 sion of emotions which are felt in the bosom of sensi-. 
 bilitj. We feel the empire of genius, we imbibe the 
 impression, and the mind resembles an enchanted man- 
 sion, which, at the touch of some superior hand, at one 
 time brightens into beauty, and at another darkens into 
 horror. Even where the talents of men approach most 
 nearly, an attentive eye will ever remark some small 
 shades of difference, sufficient to distinguish them. 
 Perhaps few authors have been distinguished by more 
 similar features of character than Homer and Milton. 
 That vastness of thought which fills the imagination, 
 and that sensibility of sphit which renders every circum- 
 stance interesting, are the qualities of both : but Milton 
 is the most sublime, and Homer the most picturesque. 
 Homer lived in an early age, before knowledge was 
 much advanced ; he would derive little from any acquired 
 abilities, and therefore may be styled the poet of nature. 
 To this source, perhaps, we may trace the principal dif- 
 ference betwixt Homer and Milton. The Grecian poet 
 was left to the movements of his own mind, and to the 
 full influence of that variety of passions which are com- 
 mon to all : his conceptions are therefore distinguished 
 by their simplicity and force. In Milton, who was skilled 
 in almost every department of science, learning seems 
 sometimes to have shaded the splendour of genius. 
 
 No epic poet excites emotions so fer\4d as Homer, or 
 possesses so much fire ; but in point of sublimity he 
 cannot be compared to Milton. I rather think the Greek 
 poet has been thought to excel in this quality more than 
 he really does, for want of a proper conception of its 
 effects. When the perusal of an author raises us above 
 our usual tone of mind, we immediately ascribe those 
 sensations to the sublime, without considering whether 
 they light on the imagination or the feehngs ; whether 
 they elevate the fancy, or only fire the passions. 
 
ON POETRY AND PHILOSOPHY. 427 
 
 The sublime has for its ohject the imagination only, 
 and its influence is not so much to occasion any fervour 
 of feeling, as the calmness of fixed astonishment. If we 
 consider the suhlime as thus distinguished from every 
 other quality, JMilton will appear to possess it in an un- 
 rivalled degree ; and here indeed lies the secret of his 
 power. The perusal of Homer inspires us with an ar- 
 dent sensibility ; Milton wath the stillness of surprise. 
 The one fills and delights the mind with the confluence 
 of various emotions ; the other amazes wdth the vastness 
 of his ideas. The movements of Milton's mind are 
 steady and progressive : he carries the fancy through 
 successive stages of elevation, and gradually increases 
 the heat by adding fuel to the fire. 
 
 The flights of Homer are more sudden and transitory. 
 Milton, whose mind was enlightened by science, appears 
 the most comprehensive ; he shows more acuteness in 
 his reflections, and more sublimity of thought. Homer, 
 who lived more with men, and had perhaps a deeper 
 tinctm'e of the human passions, is by far the most vehe- 
 ment and picturesque. To the view of Milton, the wide 
 scenes of the universe seem to have been thrown open, 
 which he regards w4th a cool and comprehensive survey, 
 little agitated, and superior to those emotions which afi*ect 
 inferior mortals. Homer, when he rises the highest, 
 goes not beyond the bounds of human nature ; he still 
 connects his descriptions with human passions, and, 
 though his ideas have less sublimity, they have more 
 fire. The appetite for greatness — that appetite which 
 always grasps at more than it can contain, is never so 
 fully satisfied as in the perusal of " Paradise Lost." In 
 following Milton, we grow familiar with new worlds, we 
 traverse the immensities of space, wandering in amaze- 
 ment, and finding no bounds. Homer confines the mind 
 to a narrower circle, but that circle he brings nearer to 
 the eye ; he fills it with a quicker succession of objects^ 
 and makes it the scene of more interesting action. 
 
 END OF VOL. VI. 
 
GENERAL INDEX. 
 
 The Roman munerah refer to the volume., and the figures to the 
 jmge. 
 
 ACADEMICAL EDUCATION ; its usefulness to the candidate for 
 the christian ministry, iv. 362. Rendered necessary by the existing 
 state of society, 364. No impediment to the growth of piety, 365. 
 
 ADOPTION ; a privilege belonging to all believers in Christ, vi. 315. 
 
 AFFLICTION; its universality, v. 295—297, 300. Shows the 
 fallen state of man, and the divine displeasure against sin, 298 — 300. 
 Religion the only support under it, 302. Considered as a chastise- 
 ment for sin, 304. Its frequent inefficacy in that respect, 305 — 307. 
 Consequent necessity for divine influence, 307. Need of its in- 
 fliction on the pious, vi. 112. Beneficial effects of sanctified afflic- 
 tion, 113 — 115. Feelings with which the afflictions of the great and 
 noble are contemplated, v. 9 — 12. 
 
 AGRICULTURE ; its depressed state in 1822, iv. 143. 
 
 AMBITION ; its pleasures shown to be imaginary, vi. 134. 
 
 ANGELS ; why called spirits, v. 142, 151. Their wonderful powers, 
 143. Their moral excellencies, 144. Their employment in heaven, 
 144 — 146. Their ministry to the saints, 147—149. 
 
 ANNUAL PARLIAMENTS recommended, iv. 79—81. 
 
 ANTINOMIANISM, i. 163, iii. 163. Its tenets described, iv. 382. 
 Character of its adherents, 383. Its progress favoured by the use of 
 technical phraseology in reli ,non, 385 ; — by the undue importance 
 attached to the doctrines of grace, ib ; — by the deficiency of practi- 
 cal pulpit instruction, 386. Practical preaching recommended, as 
 the most effectual antidote to the evil, 387. Antinomiau preachers 
 compared with the inspired writers, 389. Antinomianism fostered 
 by unscriptural notions of the ' conditions of salvation,' 390 — 392. 
 
 APOSTASY; iii. 160. 
 
 APOSTLES ; probably not baptized, iii. 30. Their authority, 41. 
 
 APOSTOLIC COMMISSION ; examination of the argument for 
 strict communion, founded on it, iii. 31 — 39, 186 — 188. 
 VOL. VI. F P 
 
430 INDEX. 
 
 APOSTOLIC PRECEDENT; explained, iii. 40, 193. Examina- 
 tion of the argument derived from it in support of strict commu- 
 nion, 42—44, 188—193, 352. Practical illustration adduced, 353. 
 The argument retorted on the advocates of strict communion, 354 — 
 356. Precedents of thought to be followed as well as precedents of 
 action, 357. 
 
 ARBITRARY POWER ; iv. 47. Approaches towards it in Eng- 
 land in the reign of George III., 114. Argument in its favour ad- 
 vanced in the ' Christian Guardian,' 139. 
 
 ARISTOTLE ; his remark on tragedy, ii. 98. His opinions on the 
 foundation of morals, 127. The influence his authority once ex- 
 erted on the human mind, vi, 184. 
 
 ASSOCIATIONS ; origin of the political societies so called, formed 
 at the close of the last century, iv. 69. Their singular and unpre- 
 cedented character, ib. Unsupported by expedience or necessity, 
 70. Their hostility to the freedom of the press, 71. Their im- 
 policy, 72. Their silence on the subject of pohtical abuses, 73. 
 Their attachment to the principles of arbitrary power, 74 — 76. 
 
 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION ; i. 375. Its importance, v. 361. 
 
 ATHEISM; its effects on the French Revolution, ii. 36, 51. Its 
 presumption and absurdity, 242. 
 
 ATONEMENT OF CHRIST; v. 78, 122. Its importance, i. 37. 
 Supporting influence of the doctrine, 274. Obscurely taught in the 
 Old Testament, and imperfectly understood by the Jews, iii. 145 — 
 1.50. Its eflicacy derived from the mysterious constitution of the 
 Redeemer's person, v. 92 — 95 ; vi. 314. Extent of its influence im- 
 perfectly known in the present state, vi. 36. 
 
 AUGSBURG CONFESSION; on baptismal regeneration, iii. 55. 
 
 AUGUSTINE ; his opinion on John's baptism, iii. 24, His remark 
 on humility, v. 313. 
 
 BAPTISM; its institution, iii. 15. Implied a profession of faith in 
 Christ, 16. Was administered in his name, 18. Connected with 
 the effusion of the Spirit, 20, 153 — 156. Its repetition in the case 
 of the disciples at Ephesus, 24, 156 — 158 ; and of many who had 
 been baptized by the apostles during our Lord's life, 26 — 28. Not 
 necessary, as a preparative for communion at the Lord's table, 37, 
 358 — 360. The prevailing opinion on that subject supposed to have 
 its origin in the corruption of baptism, 54. Importance and obUga- 
 tion of the ordinance, 39. The supposed analogy between circum- 
 cision and baptism examined, 46. Early prevalence of the notion 
 of baptismal regeneration, 52 — 54. Spu-itual import of the ordi- 
 nance, 133. No diversity of opinion respecting baptism, in apostolic 
 times, 191 — 193. Essential to salvation then, 203. Examination 
 of the assertion that it is the e\"idence of faith, 208 — 210. 
 
 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION ; taught in the first three cen- 
 turies, iii. 52 — 54. Held by the Church of England, and by the 
 Lutherans, 55. 
 
 BAPTIST MISSION ; letter to the Committee respecting an appU- 
 cation of the Serampore Slissionaries, i. 256 — 259, Observations on 
 
nxDEX. 431 
 
 the best means of raising funds for its support, 3,35, 342. Pro- 
 selytism to the denomination not its object, vi. 301. 
 
 BAPTISTS; their sentiments stated, iii. 11, 348. Their early un- 
 popularity, 109. Their increase checked by the prevalence of strict 
 communion principles, 110, 176. 
 
 BARROW, Dr. character of his sermons, ii. 326. 
 
 BAXTER, Andrew ; his work ' On the Soul,' i. 57. 
 
 BAXTER, Rev. Richard ; character of his ■writings, i. 164. 
 
 BEDDOME, Rev. B. ; sketch of his character and talents, iv. 380. 
 His hymns commended, 381. 
 
 BELSHAM, Rev. T. ; his arguments against love to Christ, v. 136. 
 His opinions on the obligation of the Sabbath, 139. His * Memoirs 
 of the Rev. Theophilus Lindsey,' Review of, ii. 365 — 390. Mr. 
 Lindsey's reputation altogether accidental, 365. Sketch of his Ufe, 
 366 — 372. Slight effect produced by his secession from the Esta- 
 blished Church, 373. Account of the petition of certain clergymen 
 for relief in the matter of subscription, 374. Decline of Socinianism 
 in England, 375 — 379. Character of IMi-, Lindsey's publications, 
 379. Tone of depression observable in Mr. Belsham's work respect- 
 ing the state of Socinianism, 380. His extravagant estimate of the 
 practical effect of metaphysical theories, 381. Exposure of his asser- 
 tion that God is the author of sin, 382. His disbelief of great part 
 of the Mosaic historj^, 383. His denial of the external authority of 
 the Saviour, 384. Illustration of his arrogance and folly, 385. IMr. 
 Lindsey's claim to the title ' venerable confessor,' given him by Sir. 
 Belsham, examined, 387—390. 
 
 BENEVOLENCE ; ii. 41. General benevolence compatible with in- 
 dividual affection, 43. Distinguished from sensibility, 88. The en- 
 larged views of christian benevolence described, vi. 240 — 242. Its 
 harmony with nature, 242. Its source, the peculiar doctrines of 
 Christianity, 243. Its aspect on our happiness, 244. Its connexion 
 with the promotion of all public good, 245. Suggestions relative to 
 the means of attaining this disposition, 246 — 249. 
 
 BENEVOLENT SOCIETY ; account of one instituted at Cam- 
 bridge, ii. 91—94. 
 
 BENNETT, Rev. W. ; character of ' Essay on the Gospel Dispensa- 
 tion,' iv. 393. 
 
 BENTHAIM, Jeremy ; Mr. Hall's high opinion of his ^Titings, i. 131. 
 
 BIBLE SOCIETY ; i. 318 ; iv. 329. Its utihty and importance, 
 330 — 332. Inconsistencies of its protestant opponents, 333 — 339. 
 Connexion between the Bible Society and Missionary operations, 
 339. Indirect advantage resultin-v from its estabUshment, 340 — 342. 
 Grandeur of its object, 343. Variety of opinions no bar to union 
 for its support, 355. 
 
 BIOGRAPHY ; the most delightful species of literary composition, 
 iv. 317. Its useful tendencies, ih. Advantage of reading the lives 
 of persons of eminent piety, 319 — 323. 
 
 BIRMINGHAM ; notice of the riots there in 1791, iv. 2P. 
 
 BIRT'S LECTURES on Poper, , Review of, ii. S91~39r. Zeal and 
 
 ff2 
 
432 INDEX. 
 
 activity of Roman Catholics, 391. Indiflference of many Protestants 
 on the' subject, ib. Probable reasons for it, 392—394. Hopes en- 
 tertained bj the Roman Catholics, 394. Notice of the publication 
 of Dr. Fletcher and Mr. M'Gavin, 395. Analysis of Mr. Birt's 
 Lectures, 395—398. Character of the work, 398. 
 
 BLACKSTONE, Sir W. ; character of his ' Commentaries,' ii. 261. 
 
 BLASPHEMY ; a crime punishable by law, iv. 139. 
 
 BLOOD; the prohibition of its use in food still obligatory, iii. 206. 
 Application of the argument to the controversy on communion, 20". 
 
 BOLINGBROKE ; ii. 14. His remarks on the funding system, iv. 
 112. 
 
 BOOTH, Rev. A. : his ' Apology for the Baptists,' iii. 14. Severity 
 with which he treated the advocates of open communion, 171. 
 
 BOURBONS ; consequences of their return to France, i. 169. 
 
 BR AINERD, the missionary ; sketch of his character, iv. 320. Com- 
 pared M-ith Fletcher of ^Nladeley, ib. Manner in which divine influ- 
 ence was granted to his labours, \i. 168. 
 
 BRISTOL COLLEGE, ii. 169. 
 
 BRITISH CONSTITUTION ; the provision made for its security 
 and permanence, iv. 70. Contradictions between the theory and the 
 practice, 116 — 119. 
 
 BROADINIEAD, Bristol, Baptist Church at; Mr. HaU's letters to 
 the Church, i. 31 — 33, 265. Letter from the members of the church 
 and congregation to ^Ir. Hall, 140. 
 
 BROTHERLY LOVE ; its importance, iii. 58—60. Strict commu- 
 nion considered as opposed to it, 60 — 62. 
 
 BROWN, Dr. Thomas: his 'Lectures on Mental Philosophy,' i. 168. 
 
 BUNYAN, John ; harshly treated on account of his sentiments on 
 communion, iii. 171. 
 
 BUONAPARTE ; ii. 101. His character described, 137—140. His 
 attachment to life, vi. 197. 
 
 BURKE, Mr. ; his splendid genius, iv. 89. His theory of the rights 
 of man, 93. Contrasted Arith the writer of Juuius's Letters, i. 170. 
 
 BYRON, Lord ; i. 177. His feelings and Mr. Hall's contrasted, 136. 
 
 CALL OF THE GOSPEL ; difference between the outward and 
 the inward call, v. 201—203. 
 
 CALUMNY ; its mischievous effects, \\. 357. Illustrated by the his- 
 tory of the French Revolution, 358. 
 
 CALVINISTS ; how fettered by their system, iv. 394. 
 
 CAMBRIDGE ; state of sentiment in the Baptist Church there, 
 when Mr. Hall commenced his labours among them, i. 35, 267. 
 Effects of his first sermon, 37. Their strong attachment to Mr, 
 Hall, 294. Their Uberality on the occasion of Mr. Hall's illness, 88. 
 
 CAMPBELL, Dr. his Translation of the Gospels characterized, i. 
 134. His opinion on the meaning of the word * baptize,' iii. 112. 
 
INDEX. 433 
 
 CAPITAL PUNISHMENTS ; ii. 2G2. 
 
 C ARRYER, Mrs. M. ; sketch of her character, iv. 268—270. 
 
 CENTURION, The ; an illustrious instance of the power of divine 
 grace, v. 326. 
 
 CHASE, Rev, S. ; character of his ' Antinomianism Unmasked,' iv. 
 382, 392. 
 
 CHILLINGWORTH ; i. 131. 
 
 CHRIST; his pre-existencc, v. 118, 119 ; vi. 71, 74—79. His di\'inity, 
 119. Practical importance of these truths, i. 267 ; vi. 84. Necessity of 
 his incarnation, v, 85 ; vi. 310. In -what sense ' made of a woman,' 
 304 — 307. How * made under the law,' 307—310. INIysteriousness of 
 the hypostatical union, vi. 35. Moral influence of that doctrine, 36. 
 The condescension of Christ considered as a proof of his divinity, v. 
 127-130 ; vi. 78—84. The gi-eat design of his existence, v. 87. The 
 absence of all concealment or disguise in his public instructions, v. 
 241. The love and zeal with which he prosecuted the work of sal- 
 vation, V. 279 — 281. His compassion for sinners, vi. 87. His merit, 
 wherein it consists, v. 381. INlanner in which his death is spoken of 
 by the inspired writers, v. 217. Its sacrificial character, vi. 209 — 216. 
 Its importance in the economy of redemption, v. 219. Celebrated 
 in the heavenly world, 219 — 221. His victory over death, vi. 147 — 
 152. His atonement, i. 267 ; v. 78, 122. Its efficacy, as resulting 
 from the mysterious constitution of his person, vi. 314. Fitness of 
 his substitution for sinners, v. 81 — 101. General extent of his death, 
 i. 160 ; iv. 394. His resurrection, commemorated on the Lord's day, 
 V. 380 — 384. Its importance, ib. Nature and superiority of his 
 kingdom, vi. 90—101. Its glory, ib. ; v. 221—227. Its blessings, 
 vi. 229 — 238. The internal revelation of Christ to the soul, in con- 
 version, v. 202 — 205. His supreme authority acknowledged by every 
 Christian, 245. His care of ministers and churches, 386 — 388. 
 
 CHRISTIAN ; his superiority to the man of the world, v. 25—29. 
 His peculiar sorrow, 307 — 311. His consolation, 311. His relation 
 to God, 365. His attachment to God, 366. His resemblance to 
 God, 367. Why the disciples of Christ were called ' Christians,' v. 
 355. Their former appellations, ib. Propriety of the name, 356. 
 Its import, 357. Inapplicable to multitudes by whom it is assumed, 
 358. Importance of possessing the reality as well as the name, ib 
 Anticipation of the time when no other name will be used, 360. 
 
 CHRISTIANITY ; sufficiency of its evidence, ii. 51, 57. Its funda- 
 mental doctrines, i. 346 — 348. Dignity of the dispensation, i. 387. 
 Design of its discoveries, 388, 390. Its supreme excellence, 390 ; ii. 
 53, 227. Importance of holding fast its peculiar truths, maxims, 
 and spirit, ii. 118—120, 348—350. Friendly to the diff'usion of 
 knowledge, ii. 154. Perfection of its system, 185 — 188. Founded 
 on facts, V. 6. Adopted to the existing state of man, as guilty and 
 depraved, 23. Seriousness with which its truths should be regarded, 
 i. 392—395. Moral tendencies of the system, ii. 347 ; iv. 387. En- 
 larged benevolence its natural fruit, ^-i. 243. Cause of its rejection, 
 ii. 249. Eff"ect of its corruptions on the French Revolution, ii. 36. Its 
 beneficial influence on Europe, ii. 227. Best mode of communi- 
 cating its truths to the heathen, 222 — 225. Not designed to inter- 
 
434 INDEX. 
 
 fere with, the social arrangements of mankind, iv. 7. Distinction 
 between its objects and those of civil government, 8 — 10, 28. The 
 principles of freedom cherished l)y Christianity, 10 — 14. Its injunc- 
 tions respecting civil government, 25 — 28. Impropriety of incorpo- 
 rating it with civU government, 103. Evils resulting from that 
 union, 104 — 107. Duty of a christian to discountenance measures 
 calculated to hinder the diffusion of Christianity, 150. Dano-ers 
 likely to arise from the adoption of such measures, 155. Opposition 
 of tliis kind chargeable with the guilt of persecution, 162. My-te- 
 riousness of the slow progress of Christianity, vi. 106 — 108. Cer- 
 tainty of its eventual triumph, ii. 56 ; \i. 115, 
 
 CHRISTIAN CHURCH ; meanmg of the term, ' church,' i. 1,3 ; iii. 
 74 — 76. Importance of the unity of the church, iii. 7, 288 ; 315 — 
 317. Strict communion opposed to that unity, 317 — 321. Means 
 by Avhich it may be again realized, 323 — 325. Subjection of the 
 church to tlie authority of Christ, 325. Connexion of its in- 
 stitution with preparation for heaven, 331. Strictures on the little 
 importance attached to the church in some dissenting communities, 
 iv. 297. The church inspected and cared for by Chris^-, v. 387. Its 
 security, \i. 230 — 232. Design of the Saviour in enjoining the 
 organization of christian churches, vi. 274. 
 
 CHRISTIAN COMMUNION; incompatible with the sacrifice of 
 truth or liberty, iii. 8. Its extensive meaning, 9, 367. Importance 
 of the controversy on this subject, 172. 
 
 CHRISTIAN MINISTERS; see Muiisters. 
 
 CHRYSOSTOM; his remarks on the baptism of the disciples at 
 Ephesus, iii. 25. 
 
 CHURCH GOVERNMENT; i. 161. 
 
 CHURCH OF ENGLAND; its peculiar advantages and securities, 
 vi. 362 — 364. Necessity of reform in it, iv. 119. Greatly depend- 
 ent for public respect on the character of its clergy, vi. 364. Im- 
 policy and impropriety of endeavouring to put down other religious 
 teachers, 365 — 367. Injurious effects of such a measure on the 
 clerg)^ themselves, 367. Historical notice of the decline of evan- 
 gelical preaching in the Church of England, ii. 292 — 294. Danger 
 of attempting to suppress it, 320. Extent of the agreement between 
 the supporters of the church and those who dissent from it, v. 335. 
 
 CICERO ; his opinions on the foundation of morals, ii. 128. 
 
 CIRCUMCISION ; necessary to a participation of the passover, iii. 
 34. Examination of the supposed analogy between that institution 
 and baptism, 35 — 37, 46. 
 
 CIVIL GOVERNMENT ; its origin, iv. 66. Reason of its institu- 
 tion, and limits of its power, 61. The respect due to it as the ordi- 
 nance of God, ii. 108. Grounds of submission, iv. 26. Its depend- 
 ence on the wiU of the people, 94. Its measures not to be wantonly 
 and indiscriminately censured, ii. 107. Distinction between its 
 objects and the designs of Christianity, iv. 8 — 10, 28. A well' 
 ordered government proAades security for its subjects, vi. 229; 
 liberty, 232 ; plenty, 233 ; improvement in social institutions, 235 ; 
 stability, 236. 
 
IxSDEX. 
 
 435 
 
 CLASSICS ; their effects on morals, ii. 256. 
 
 CLERGY ; temporal advantage? possessed by the clergy of the Esta- 
 blished Church, vi. 363. Importance of exemplary morals and dili- 
 gence on their parts, 364. Hostility of a large portion of them to 
 evangelical preaching, u. 294—296. Their unpopularity in conse- 
 quence, 307. 
 
 CLOUDS ; usually accompanied the appearances of God under the 
 former dispensation, vi. 104. 
 
 COBBETT ; unfairness of his statements in opposition to the Frame- 
 work Knitters' Fund, iv. 193. His objections answered, 195 — 198 ; 
 200—208. His character described, 208. His pernicious designs, 
 212. 
 
 COMMENTARIES ; theur correctness to be ascertained by an ap- 
 peal to the Scriptures, iv. 335. 
 
 COMMUNITY OF GOODS ; how it existed in the early christian 
 church, vi. 326. 
 
 CONDESCENSION ; defined and explained, vi. 70. Necessity of its 
 being a voluntary act, 70 — 73. The condescension of Christy shown 
 to im'olve his pre-existence and deity, v. 126 — 130; vi. 73 — 84. 
 Imitation of his example urged and enforced, 84 — 89. 
 
 CONDITIONS OF SALVATION ; iii. 162 ; iv. 390—392. 
 
 CONFIDENCE in human power and wisdom deprecated, ii. 106. 
 
 CONSCIENCE ; its suggestions to be seriously regarded, v. 32. 
 
 CONSTANTINE THE GREAT ; account of his baptism, iii. 53. 
 
 CONTROVERSY; its advantages, iv. 62, 369. Different grounds 
 for indisposition to theological controversy, 367. Spirit in which it 
 should be conducted, i. 185 ; iv. 368. 
 
 CONVERSION; its nature, ii. 176. Its causes, v. 200—202. Means 
 by which it is accomplished, 202 — 205. 
 
 CONVICTIONS OF SIN ; often stifled, ii. 174. Sometimes trusted 
 in, 175. Not to be mistaken for conversion, i. 415. 
 
 COUNCIL OF CONSTANCE ; its defence of the violation of the 
 safe-conduct given to John Huss, iv. 242 — 244. 
 
 COWPER, the Poet ; his epistolary style characterized, iv. 395. 
 
 COX, Rev. F. A. ; ii. 147. 
 
 CRABBE, Rev. H. ; sketch of his character, iv. 264. 
 
 CREEDS ; their inefficacy to perpetuate correct religious belief, ii. 
 276—278. 
 
 CUSTANCE ON THE CONSTITUTION, Review of, 259-265. 
 Desirableness of general acquaintance with the constitution and laws 
 of the country, 259. Its peculiar importance at the time of the 
 publication of Mr. Custance's work, 260. The work recommended 
 to young persons, 261. Strictures on Mr. Custance's opinions on 
 punishments, pensions, and sinecures, 262. 
 CYPRIAN ; his observations on the unity of the church, iii. 7 — 316. 
 His violent language respecting the baptism of heretics and schis- 
 matics, 307—312. 
 
436 INDEX. 
 
 DAVENTRY, Academy at, iv. 288. 
 
 DAVID ; remarkable preservation of the kingdom in Lis family, vi. 
 
 227. The promised perpetuity of his government realized in Christ, 
 
 228. 
 DEACONS, &c., among dissenters, i. 13. 
 
 DEATH ; its universal prevalence, iv. 259. Its solemn consequences, 
 V. 21 ; vi. 143. Importance of preparation for death, iv. 266 ; ^d. 
 155 — 157. Uncertainty of the time of death, vi. 33. That uncer- 
 tainty wisely and graciously ordained, 46 — 49. Death considered as 
 the enemy of man, vi. 141 — 145. Why called ' the last enemy,' 
 146. How conquered by the Lord Jesus Clirist, v. 383 ; vi. 147— 
 150. Christianity, the only source of consolation in the prospect of 
 death, iv. 26.1 — 264. Destined destruction of death, vi. 150 — 152. 
 Manner in which this should be contemplated by the christian, 152 
 —155. 
 
 DEATH, SPIRITUAL ; v. 195. Imphes the withdrawment of God 
 from the soul, 197 ; and the total, universal prevalence of corrup- 
 tion, 198. 
 
 DEATH OF CHRIST; its sacrificial character, vi. 209. Its effi- 
 cacy, 211 — 215. Absurdity of supposing that Christ died as our 
 example only, 215. Extent of his death, i. 160. 
 
 DEISM; its affinity with socinianism, v. 132 — 136. The gradual 
 manner in which it takes possession of the mind, i. 272. 
 
 DE LOLME ; his work on the British Constitution, ii. 260. 
 
 DEMOSTHENES ; IMr. Hall's opinion of his eloquence, i. 133—170. 
 
 DEPRAVITY OF MAN ; causes of its extraordinary prevalence 
 before the deluge, v. 168 — 173. Manner in which it affects the 
 moral government of God, vi. 109. 
 
 DEVOTION ; scriptural devotion described, v. 137. Neglect of social 
 exercises for devotion among many professors, i. 299. Peculiar cha- 
 racter of the devotion of heaven, v. 390 — 395. 
 
 DIFFERENCE OF OPINION; in the primitive church, iii. 63. 
 Manner in which the apostle Paul directed them to be treated, 64 — 
 66, 272 — 276. Application of his directions to the case of the Bap- 
 tists and Paedobaptists, 67 — 69. Objections answered, 70 — 74. 
 
 DISC0URAGE:\IENTS of the pious enumerated, vi. 118—125. 
 Considerations by which they may be removed, 125—128. 
 
 DISINTERESTED LOVE TO GOD ; i. 329 ; iv. 327. 
 
 DISPENSING POWER, in reUgion ; its origin and nature ex- 
 plained, iii. 233. The advocates of mixed communion vindicated 
 from the charge of assuming it, 48 — 50 ; 235 — 242. 
 
 DISSENT ; reply to the charge that it tends to democracy, ii. 279 — 
 282. jNIixed communion shown to be consistent with its principles, 
 iu. 248—250, 299. 
 
 DISSENTERS ; reproached and A-ilified by the Tory party, iv. 100. 
 Historical defence of their conduct, 101 — 103. Ground of their se- 
 paration from the established church, 103. Causes of the animosity 
 manifested against them, 107. Their attachment to the principles 
 
INDEX. 437 
 
 of freedom, 109. Reply to the accusation of republicanism, and 
 other charfjcs brought against them, 109 — 111. Vindicated from the 
 charge of iijpocrisy, vi. 355. Absurdity of supposing them giiilty 
 of revolutionary designs, 356. Not ordinarily accustomed to vilify 
 the established clergy, 359. Impossibility ot suppressing them by 
 severe measures, 374. Disastrous consequences of such an attempt, 
 375—377 ; 380—383. 'The revocation of the Edict of Nantes ad- 
 duced as an illustration, 378. The increase of dissenters owing to 
 their superior piety and zeal, ii. 273. 
 
 DISSENTING MINISTERS ; pecuharly bound to understand the 
 principles of freedom, iv, 17 — 19. 
 
 DONATISTS ; their peculiar sentiments, iii. 312. 
 
 DUELLING ; ii. 263—265. 
 
 DUNNING ; force of his oratory, i. 170. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENTS; opposed to the scrip- 
 tural idea of a christian church, iii. 248. Incompatible with the 
 spiritual nature of Christianity, iv. 103 — 106. Political evils con- 
 nected with them, 106. Their persecuting spirit, 107 — 109. The 
 designs of establishments, as distinct from those of religion, pointed 
 out, vi. 360—362. 
 
 ECLECTIC REVIEW ; its origin and object, i. 285. 
 
 EDICT OF NANTES ; effects of the repeal of that edict on the 
 state of rehgion in France, ii. 284 ; vi. 378. 
 
 EDINBURGH REVIEW ; notice of its strictures on missions, ii. 
 228. 
 
 EDINBURGH WEEKLY JOURNAL ; its remarks on Mr. HaU's 
 powers as a writer, i. 189. 
 
 EDUCATION ; the profligacy and wretchedness of the lower classes 
 mainly owing to the want of it, ii. 152. Answer to the objection 
 that the education of the poor will make them discontented and in- 
 subordinate, 153. Importance and extension of religious education, 
 163, ^-i. 186—188. 
 
 EDGEAVORTH, MISS ; her style characterized, i. 174. 
 
 EDWARDS, President ; Mr. Hall's early and lasting attachment to 
 his writings, i. 5, 131. Remarks on his theory of the will, 164. 
 Character of his writings, 175. Observations on his definition of 
 virtue, ii. 44. 
 
 ELECTION, i. 160; v. 200. Clearly understood by the primitive 
 christians, iii. 205. Manner in which it should be preached, i. 299. 
 
 ENTHUSIASM ; definition of it, vi. 393. Not unfrequently in- 
 dulged at the commencement of a religious course, 368, 393. Com- 
 mon mistakes respecting it, 369, 394 — 398. Shown to be a much 
 less evil than superstition, 370. Dangerous only when oppressed, 
 391. Illustration of this remark in the history of the Nonconform- 
 ists, 391—393. 
 
 EQUALITY OF RIGHTS ; defined, iv. 74. 
 
 ERROR ; its innocence or sinfulness, how to be distinguished, i. 336. 
 
438 INDEX. 
 
 Difficulty of precisely ascertaining the evil connected with it, iii. 
 100. 
 ERSKINE, Dr., i. 14. 
 
 EUROPE ; its superiority to Asia and Africa, through the influence 
 of Christianity, ii. 227. Its political state in 1791, iv. 41, 43 — 19. 
 
 EVANGELICAL CLERGY; their sentiments and labours de- 
 scribed, ii. 296 — 304. Vindicated from the charge of enthusiasm, 
 304. Their attachment to the established church, 305. Their me- 
 thod of preaching defended, 310 — 312. Vindication of the \vriters of 
 this class, 312. 
 
 EVANS, Dr. C. ; i. 9. 
 
 EVIL COMMUNICATIONS ; described and enumerated, vi. 27-5— 
 278. Dangers connected with them, 278 — 285. Sources of decep- 
 tion in this respect pointed out, 285 — 288. 
 
 EXCOMMUNICATION ; when and why inflicted, iu. 56. Its so- 
 lemnity and power, 86, 294. 
 
 EXPEDIENCY ; in morals, denounced and exposed, ii. 123. Awful 
 cfi'ects of the system, 125 — 127. 
 
 FACTION; in politics, described, iv. 31. Contrast between the 
 spirit of piety and the spirit of faction, vi. 356. 
 
 FAITH ; defined, v. 265. Its necessity and importance in connexion 
 with missionary labour, ii. 211. Defects of the faith of the Jews 
 before the birth of our Sa^dour, iii. 145 — 150. Faith susceptible of 
 degrees, v. 265 — ^267. Pleasures and advantages attending the in- 
 crease of faith, 267 — ^270. The divine life imparted and received 
 through faith, vi. 202. 
 
 FAMILY AVORSHIP ; practised by good men of every age, v. 284, 
 An acknowledgement of our dependence on God, 286. Its duty 
 founded on the social nature of man, 287. Its tendency to produce 
 good impressions on the minds of children and servants, 288. Its 
 beneficial influence on the heads of families, 291. Pleas urged for 
 the neglect of the duty, considered and answered, 292 — 295. Hints 
 on the best mode of performing it, 295. 
 
 FANATICISM ; defined, vi. 368. Its temporary duration, ib., 392. 
 
 FLESH; meaning of the word, as used in scripture, v. 178. The 
 claims of the flesh, 179 — 184. Their aspect on our future interests, 
 184. 
 
 FLETCHER, Rev. J. D.D. ; his Lectures on the Roman Catholic 
 religion, ii. 395. 
 
 FLETCHER, of Madeley ; sketch of his character, iv. 320. Compa- 
 rison of his piety with that of Brainerd, ib. 
 
 FORBEARANCE ; among christians, difl'ering from another, iii. 99 
 —101. 
 
 FORMS OF PRAYER ; why used by socinian ministers, v. 139. 
 Adopted with advantages in many instances, 292. Forms of wor- 
 ship necessary, though susceptible of abuse, i. 177. 
 
INDEX. 439 
 
 FOSTER, Rev. J. ; liis * Essay on Popular Ignorance,' vi. 188. 
 
 FOSTER'S ESSAYS, Review of, ii. 235—258. Division of authors 
 into two classes, 235. Character of the metaphysical class, 235 — 
 238. The popular writers described, 238. General character of Mr. 
 Foster's work, 240. Remarks on the manner in which he has eulo- 
 gised mental decision, 246. Observations on the term 'romantic,' 
 247. Excessive use of technical phraseology in religion condemned, 
 250 — 252. Adherence to the language of scripture recommended, 
 252. Origin and legitimate use of technical terms stated, 253. A 
 middle course suggested, 254. Notice of Mr. Foster's opinions on 
 the study of the classics, 255. Criticism on his style, 257. 
 
 FOX, C. J. ; character of his eloquence, i. 170. 
 
 FRAMEWORK KNITTERS' FUND; its design and objects, iv. 
 174. Its advantages, 175. Appeal on its behalf to the Framework 
 Knitters themselves, 178; to the manufacturers, ib; to the commu- 
 nity at large, 179 — 183. Opposition experienced, 187. Inadequate 
 remuneration of labour before the establishment of the fund, 189. 
 Its institution vindicated, 189 — 193. Its effects in raising wages, 195. 
 Defence of the fund from the attacks of Cobbett and others, 193 — 
 197, 198—208. Probable consequences of its destruction, 197. An- 
 swer to the objection that such an institution encourages idleness, 
 210. 
 
 FR ANCE ; state of that country after the revocation of the Edict of 
 Nantes, ii. 284 ; vi. 378. Its state immediately before the revolu- 
 tion, ii. 81. Dreadful character of that revolution, ib. 
 
 FREEDOM; disappointment of its friends by the events of the 
 French Revolution, ii. 137. Disastrous effects of the successes of 
 Buonaparte, 139 — 141. Christianity favourable to freedom, iv. 10—- 
 14. The puritans distinguished for zeal in its cause, 12. Compati- 
 biUty of the love of freedom with devotional feeling, 30. Distin- 
 guished from faction, 31. Supposed connexion of the principles of 
 freedom with TJnitarianism, 31—34. Spiritual freedom described, 
 vi. 232. 
 
 FREEDOM OF THE PRESS; difficulty of distinguishing between 
 it and licentiousness, iv. 71. 
 
 FREEDOM OF WORSHIP ; an inalienable right, vi. 372. Impro- 
 priety of interference with it on the part of the magistrate, 374. 
 Its suppression only to be attained by increased severities, 375, 399. 
 Disastrous consequences of such severities, 375. 
 
 FREE INQUIRY ; essential to national welfare, iv. 61. Its bene- 
 fits illustrated by an appeal to history, 63. The estabUshment of 
 truth and the overthrow of error, its natural results, 65. Absurdity 
 of refusing the right of inquiry, 67. Answer to the objection that 
 it tends to sedition and anarchy, ib. Impohcy of attempting to sup- 
 press it by force, 72. 
 
 FREESTON, Rev. Joseph; his character delineated, iv. 323—326. 
 
 FRENCH REVOLUTION; ii. 30. Its atheistical character, 36, 
 50. The war occasioned by it, 75—78. Its effects on France, 81. 
 In what manner to be regarded, iv. 123. 
 
 FRIENDSHIP ; reasons why it was not specifically enjoined by our 
 
440 INDEX. 
 
 Lord and liis apostles, r. 41 — 14. Considered as the natural fruit of 
 virtue, 44. Essential to happiness, 45. Its advantages, 45^-47. 
 Natural and religious friendship compared, 47. 
 FULLER, Rev. A. ; i. 176. Account of his last moments, 326, 
 General view of his character, 332 ; iii. 5. Notice of the oration 
 delivered by JNIr. Hall at his funeral, i. 328. Remarks on the ]Me- 
 moirs of his life, 332. Comparison between Mr. Fuller and Mr. 
 Toller, iv. 312 — 314. Examination of Mr. Fuller's argument for 
 the necessary connexion between baptism and the Lord's supper, iii. 
 214 — 217. Probability that he hesitated respecting strict com- 
 munion, 343. His letters on the sentiments of the Rev. R. Robin- 
 son, i. 336. 
 
 FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES; what they are, i. 346—348 ; iii. 
 204. Strictures on Mr. Booth's remarks on the subject, 102. The 
 questions at issue between Calvinists and Arminians not to be classed 
 with them, iv. 370. 
 
 FUTURE, the ; obscui-ity which God has thrown upon it, vi. 30 — 34. 
 Wisdom of this arrangement, 41 — i9. 
 
 FUTURE PUNISHMENT ; its external duration, i. 352. 
 
 FUTURE STATE ; reasons on which the probabihty of a future 
 state is founded, iv. 259—261. The grand discovery of revelation, 
 iv. 261 ; V. 18. Reasons why it is so commonly disregarded, v. 20 — 
 
 24. Importance of realising our connexion with it, iv. 262 ; v. 29. 
 Delight with which the anticipation may be enjoyed, iv. 263 ; v. 69 
 71. Wisdom of God in throwing a degree of obscurity upon it, vi. 
 49. Probability that the happiness of that state will be greatly en- 
 hanced in consequence, 49 — 51. 
 
 GENERAL REDEMPTION, i. 160. 
 
 GEORGE III., i. 170. 
 
 GIBBON'S RHETORIC, L 10. 
 
 GILL, Dr. i. 175. 
 
 GISBORNE'S SERMONS; review of, ii. 321— 333. Their general 
 character, 321. Reasons of the publication, ib. Revival of evan- 
 geUcal preaching accompanied at first by a defective inculcation of 
 morality, 322 — 324. Difficulties attending practical preaching, 324 
 — 326. Morals too frequently separated from christian doctrine, 
 326. i\Ir. Gisborne's sermons commended, as combining both, 328 
 330. Criticisms on his style, 331, 333. 
 
 GOD; liis existence proved, ii. 16; v. 110. Beneficial influence on 
 the mind of the belief of a Deity, ii. 23 — 26. Melancholy conse- 
 quence, in a moral point of view, of a loss of the knowledge of God, 
 
 25. His unity, v. 111. Spirituahty, 113—115; vi. 2—6. Eternity, 
 V. 374 — 379. Invisibility, 115; vi. 6 — 8. Omnipotence, \'i. 2 — 6. 
 Omnipresence, 8 — 11. Omniscience, 11 — 13. His nature and man- 
 ner of existence wholly unknown, 26. The reverence due to his 
 name, v. 343 — 345. Criminality of a profane use thereof, 345 — 351. 
 The peculiar relation iu which God stands to his people, 365. Pecu- 
 liar union between God and the intelligent part of the creation, vi. 
 13. Consequent heinousness of sin against him, 14. God the satis- 
 
INDEX. 
 
 441 
 
 fjing portion and supreme good of intelligent beings, 14 — 19. Hia 
 works but imperfectly understood, 27—29. Tbe dispensations of 
 bis providence often mysterious, 29—34. Mysteries involved in tbe 
 discoveries of his grace, 34 — 38. These obscurities wisely ordained, 
 38—51. The righteousness of the government of God vindicated, 
 108. 
 
 GOVERNMENT ; sec Civil Government. 
 
 GliACE; tbe great principle of the christian system, v. 319. 
 
 DIVINE GRACE ; the only cure for the moral disorders of the 
 world, vi. 112. 
 
 GREAT BRITAIN ; view of the dispensations of Providence 
 towards tbe nation in its recent history, v. 34 — 36. Its pohtical 
 state in 1793 described, iv. 112—124. In 1822, 141. 
 
 GREGORY, DR. O. ; his intimacy with Mr. Hall, i. 46. Their joint 
 studies at Cambridge, 53 — 58. His work on ' Mechanics,' 296. 
 
 GREGORY'S LETTERS ; review of, ii. 3.34—364. Christianity in- 
 jured by injudicious and superficial discussion of its evidences, 335 — 
 337. Absurdities of scepticism, 338. Necessity of divine revelation, 
 338 — 340. Mysteries of religion defended, 340. Genuineness and 
 authenticity of tbe Scriptures, 341. The external evidences of 
 Christianity, 342 — 347. Importance of its pecuhar doctrines, 348 — 
 350. Extremes to be avoided in discussing them, 350 — 3.52. The 
 gospel a restorative dispensation, 352. Sketch of Dr. Gregory's 
 views of the pecuhar doctrines of Christianity, 353 — 360. Propriety 
 of his designating those who maintain the simple humanity of Christ, 
 'Socinians,' 360 — 362. Orthodoxy of his theological sentiments, 
 363. Commendation of bis style and manner, ib. 
 
 HALL, Rev. R., of Arnsby ; his ministerial character and usefulness, 
 i. 3 ; iv. 254 — 256. His christian virtues, 257. His eminent humility 
 and prudence, ib. Character of his ' Help to Zion's Travellers, 375. 
 
 HALL, Rev. R. ; his birth, i. 3. His delicate health when a child, 4. 
 Manner in which he learned to speak and read, ib. His first instruc- 
 tors, ib. His early thirst for knowledge, 5. Books read by him in 
 his childhood, ib. Writes essays at the age of ten years, 6. Dehvers 
 addresses at Kettering at the age of eleven, ib. His remarks on that 
 circumstance, 7. Is placed under Dr. Ryland's care, at Northamp- 
 ton, ib. Joins the church at Arnsby, 8. Enters Bristol Academy, 
 9. His diligence as a student, ib. Failure in his first attempts to 
 preach at Bristol, 11. His sermon before an assembly of ministers at 
 CHpstonc, 12. Set apart to the ministerial office by the church at 
 Arnsbv, ib. Sent to King's College, Aberdeen, 14. Notice of the 
 Professors then teaching there, ib. His studies, 15. Professor Paul's 
 account of his college history, 16. Formation of bis friendship with 
 Sir James Mackintosh, 17. Their joint studies, 18. Mr. Hall cho- 
 sen assistant pastor with Dr. Evans, at Bristol, 19. His letter to 
 the church on that occasion, 265. His popularity, 20. Character 
 of his early ministry, ib. Appointed Classical Tutor of Bristol 
 Academy, 21. His propensity to bold speculations in religion, 22. 
 Anxiety of his friends on that account, ib. Correspondence with 
 Dr. Rvlaud on the subject, 23—26. His attempt to imitate Mr. 
 
442 INDEX. 
 
 Robinson, of Cambridge, 26. Interview witb that gentleman, 27. 
 Writes on the abolition of the slave-trade, 28. Breach with Dr. 
 Evans, 29. Mr. HaU's letter on his death, 30. His de\-iation from 
 orthodox sentiments, 31. Letter to the church at Broadmead on 
 that subject, 31 — 33. His removal to Cambridge, 35. His suitable- 
 ness to the church there, ib. Death of his father, 36. Salutary 
 effect of that event on his mind, ih. Effect of his first sermon at 
 Cambridge, 37. Violence of party-politics in that place, 38. Mr. 
 Hall's opinions on government, ib. His xievrs of European despo- 
 tism, 39. Publication of his ' Apologj' for the Freedom of the 
 Press,' 40. Extensive circulation of that work, 41. Inconveniences 
 arising from his political celebrity, ib. His pohtical opinions always 
 the same, iv. 59, 194. Explanation of his views in writing on pohtics, 
 145. His delight in social intercourse, i. 42. His imitation of Dr. 
 Johnson, 43. Resemblance between them, ib. Anecdote of his hu- 
 miUty and tenderness of conscience, ib. His habits of forgetfulness 
 in regard to minor circumstances, 44. Sketch of his manners and 
 habits at Cambridge, 45. Commencement of his acquaintance with 
 Dr. Gregory, 46. Dr. G.'s first impressions respecting him, 47. 
 Engages mth Dr. G. in studying mathematics and mental philoso- 
 phy, 55 — 58. His pastoral visits, 48. His encouragement of social 
 prayer-meetings, ib. His condescending kindness to the poor of his 
 Hock, 49. Anecdote illustrating his dislike of vanity and conceit, 
 ih. His opinion of Cambridgeshire scener^^ 49 — 51. View of his 
 extensive studies at Cambridge, 51. Acquires the Hebrew language, 
 53. His attachment to the ^vritings of Plato, ib. Incidents and 
 remarks illustrative of Mr. HaU's pecuharities of thought and ex- 
 pression, 58 — 61. His gi-owth in piety, 61. Salutary effect of his 
 illness in 1799, 62, 274. Change of views respecting the personahty 
 of the Holy Spirit, 62. Description of his public services, 62 — 66. 
 Intense interest which his discourses excited, 66. His humble views 
 of his own character and labours, 295, 318, 320. His method of 
 preparation for the pulpit, 67 — 70 ; ii. 9. His care and labour in 
 -svriting for the press, i. 70. Commencement of his acquaintance 
 with Dr. Parr, 72, Formation of his habit of smoking, ib. Publi- 
 cation of his sermon on ' ^Modern Infidelity,' 74. Singular manner 
 in which it was prepared for the press, ii. 10 — 12. The controversy 
 it occasioned, i. 74—76. Its flattering reception by the pubUc in 
 general, 76. Letter from Sir J. Mackintosh respecting it, 77 — 79. 
 Bishop Porteus's present of Kennicott to jVIr. Hall, on account of it, 
 77, note. Attendance of members of the University at Mr. Hall's 
 place of worship, 79. Attempt to hinder it frustrated by Dr. Man- 
 sell, 80. Change in Mr. HaU's sentiments respecting controversy, 
 ib. Publication of his sermon on AVar, 81. Sermon on the ' Senti- 
 ments proper to the present Crisis,' 82. General admiration with 
 which it was received, 83. First sketch of that sermon, ib. Some 
 defects in ]Mr. HaU's character mentioned, 85 — 87. His retu-ement 
 to Shelford, 87. First attack of derangement, 88. Liberality of the 
 church at Cambridge on that occasion, ib. Second attack, 89. Re- 
 signation of his pastoral charge, 90. Sir J. Mackintosh's letter on 
 hearing of his recovery from his first attack, 90 — 93. Beneficial 
 effects of these dispensations on Mr. HaU's religious character, 93, 
 290. His solemn dedication of himself to God, 94 — 96. Retires to 
 
INDEX. 443 
 
 Leicestershire, 96. His researches in BibHcal Criticism, ib Becomes 
 pastor of the Baptist church at Leicester, 97. Success of his ministry 
 there, 98. His marriage, 99, 301, 306. His activity and usefulness 
 at Leicester, 100, 102. His periodical visits to Bristol and Cam- 
 bridge, 102. His OTeat popularity, 103. Pubhcation of his Review 
 of ' Zeal Avithout Innovation,' 104. His objections to writing re- 
 views, 325, 329, 349, 358. His other publications while at Leicester, 
 105—107, 112. Trying state of his health, 315, 316. His letter 
 against teaching to'write in Sunday-schools, 110 — 112. His works 
 on Communion, 114 — 117. Receives a diploma froni Marischal 
 College, Aberdeen, 117. Con-espondence on occasional communion 
 with the Church of England, 117 — 119. Increased spirit of devotion, 
 120. Objection to the presence of strangers during the celebration 
 of the Lord's Supper, ih. Forms a distmct church on mixed commu- 
 nion principles, 121. PabUshes a collection of texts for every day in 
 theyear, ib. His lectures on Unitarianism, 122. Intense sufferings 
 from his constitutional disorder, 123. Improvement in his preachmg 
 while at Leicester, ib. His removal from Leicester to Bristol, 124 
 127. Letter to a young minister, 127. Letter to the Committee 
 of the Baptist IMissionary Society, requesting an annuity for 
 Mrs. Ryland, 128. Success of his labours at Bristol, 129. Una- 
 bated continuance of his literary ardour, 131 — 133. Sketch of 
 his general habits during his residence at Bristol, 133 — 137. His 
 remarkable cheerfulness amidst his sufferings, 136. His attach- 
 ment to his children, 137. Extracts from his private diary, 137. His 
 sohcitude for the poor of the church, 139. Decay of his health, ih. 
 Requested to pubUsh a volume of sermons, 140. Temporary sus- 
 pension of his labours, 141. Letter to his son, 143. Interesting 
 prayer meeting at Bristol on New Year's day, 1831, 144. Sketch of 
 one of his sermons, 145. His last sermon at Broadmead, 146 — 150. 
 Account of his last illness and death, 150 — 156. Post-mortem exa- 
 mination of his body, 190. Collection of INIr. Hall's conversational 
 remarks, 159 — 178. Extracts from Sir J. Mackintosh's Re%aew of 
 his Sermon on Modern Infidelity, 178 — 181. Sir J. Mackintosh's 
 defence of Mr. Hall against the attack of B. Flower, 182—184. Dr. 
 Parr's eulogium of IMr. Hall, 184 — 186. Mx. J. Scott's character ot 
 Mr. Hall as a preacher, 186 — 189. Sketch of his powers as a writer, 
 from the Quarterly Review, 189 ; from the Edinburgh Weekly Jour- 
 nal, 190. Sketch of his character in private life, by the Rev. AV. 
 Anderson, 191—193 ;— by the Rev. Joseph Hughes, 193 ;— by the 
 Rev. Dr. Sprague, 194—197 ;— by the Rev. Thomas Grinfield, 197— 
 200. 
 
 Character of Mr. Hali, as a Preacher. — Abatement 
 
 of the energy and splendour of his eloquence in advancing age, i. 204. 
 Decline of the power of his imagination, 205. Unaltered vigour of 
 liis intellect, 206. Description of his appearance in the pulpit, ib. 
 Strictures on his public prayers, 207 — 211. Each of his sermons had 
 some definite purpose, 211. Plainness of his introductions, 212. In- 
 artificial distribution of his subject, ib. His method of arguing and 
 illustrating, 213. His perfect conception and expression of his 
 thoughts, 214. The essence and effects of reasoning displayed in his 
 sermons, without the forms, 215 — 217. His complete mastery of 
 language, 217. General style of his sermons, 218. Warmth of liis 
 
444 INDEX. 
 
 emotions, 219. Complete oblivion of self, 220—223. Peculiarity of 
 his action when under strong excitement, 221. Subserviency of his 
 imagination to his intellectual design, 223. Seriousness of Ms spirit 
 and manner, ib. Mental abstraction fi-equently observable in his 
 preaching, 224. Advantaf^es derived to his preaching from the study 
 of metaphysics, 225 — ^227. The originahty of his sermons characte- 
 rised, 227. His uniform deference to revelation, 228. Pertinency of 
 his quotations from scripture, ib. His choice of the most useful sub- 
 jects, 229. His general theological tenets, 230. His views and prac- 
 tice respecting addresses to sinners, 231. His aversion to bold spe- 
 culations, and attempts to explain the mysteries of Christianity, 232 
 — ^236. His preaching too general and indiscriminate, 236, 239 — 242. 
 His descriptions of christian character more briUiant than the visible 
 reality, 243. The depraA-ity of human nature too httle taken into 
 account in his sermons, 247. His representations of the happiness of 
 christians rather accordant with their privileges than with their actual 
 state, 247 — 250. Pleasing exceptions to this remark in many of his 
 sermons, 251 — 253, Eminently useful character of his preacliing, 
 253. Irreparable loss sustained by his death, 255. 
 
 HAPPINESS. V. 118; only to be found in rehgion, 302; vi. 63, 
 God, the sole source of it, vi. 14 — 19. Mistaken notions of those 
 who suppose that they shall be happier in any other sphere than that 
 in which Providence has placed them, 64. Necessity of divine 
 grace in order to the attainment of genuine happiness, 64 — 67. Its 
 connexion with christian benevolence, 244. 
 
 HEALING, the art of, the gift of God, iv. 421. Founded on the as- 
 certained laws of nature, 421 — 423, Compared with the dealings of 
 diAine Pro\'idence, 499. Contrasted A^dth the art of war, 423, 424. 
 
 HEARING THE WORD ; importance and advantages of this duty, 
 i. 424; — to be performed with prayer, 426; — -with reverence and es- 
 teem of the gospel, ib.; — with attention, 427; — with impartiality, 
 428 ; — with self-apphcation, 430 ; — with candour, 432 ; — with reso- 
 lution to obey it, 434 ; — with concern that the impressions may be 
 retained and perpetuated, 435. 
 
 HEAVEN ; as a place, represented by the ancient tabernacle, v. 146. 
 Described as the reward of the pious, 336 — 341 ; — its employments 
 contrasted with those of the ancient temple, 390 — 393. Pecuhar 
 character of the devotion of heaven, 393 — 395, The cliristian church 
 instituted as a means of preparation for heaven, iii. 331. 
 
 HEART ; metaphorical use of the word in Scripture, v, 281. Nature 
 and importance of engagedness of the heart in approaching to God, 
 282. 
 
 HENRY; Matthew; excellence of his Commentary, i. 134. 
 
 HENRY, Dr„ i. 165. 
 
 HERBERT, Lord, ii. 14. 
 
 HEY, Mr, ; strictures on his work entitled ' Happiness and Rights,' 
 iv. 90—99. 
 
 HILL, Rev. Rowland, i, 275. 
 
 HINDOOISM; its impurity and cruelty, ii. 210; iv, 154. 
 
INDEX. 445 
 
 HOBBES, ii. 237. 
 
 HOMER ; compared w-ith Milton, vi. 426. Moral effects of the study 
 of his works, ii. 255. His descriptions of the pagan deities, vi. 298. 
 
 HORSELEY, Bishop ; his attempt to re-establish the doctrines of 
 passive obedience and non-resistance, iv. 51 — 54. His inconsistency, 
 in affecting to admire the British constitution, 55. His hatred of 
 Dissenters, 56 ; vi. 347. Answer to his attack on village preaching, 
 351 — 354. His approbation of Sunday- Schools, if placed xinder the 
 control of the clergy, 354. 
 
 HOSIERY TRADE ; its depressed state, iv. 197. 
 
 HOSPITALS FOR THE SICK ; pecuUar to Christianity, iv. 426. 
 The eenefits bestowed by them on the poor, 427. 
 
 HOUSE OF COMMONS : how managed by the ministry, iv. 80. 
 Importance of such a reform as should make it really a representative 
 assembly, 143. 
 
 HOWARD, the philanthropist : delineation of his character, ii. 244 — 
 246. 
 
 HOWE, John ; character of his writings, i. 163. 
 
 HUGHES, Rev. Joseph, i. 193, 345. 
 
 HUMANITY ; the prmciples on which it is founded, ii. 33. How 
 affected by the infidel system, 34 — 37. 
 
 HUME, David, ii. 14. His treatise on Morals, 127. 
 
 HUMILITY, defined, v. 313. The genuine fruit of religion, ii. 31. 
 Its influence on the Christian's views of his own character, v. 314 — 
 317. The effects it produces on the mind, in regard to the contem- 
 plation and reception of divine truth, 317 — 320. 
 
 HUTCHINSONIANISM, remarks on, i. 357. 
 
 IDLE WORDS, V. 343. 
 
 IDOLATRY ; its powerful practical influence on the mind and con- 
 duct, ii. 209 — 211. Feelings with which it should be Aaewed by the 
 christian missionary, 219 — 221. Chargeable on the Roman Catholic 
 syst-em, vi. 7. Its tendency to produce low and degrading vievrs ot 
 tlie Divine Being, 8. Its deep criminality in the sight of God, 293 
 — 295. Its anti-moral influence, 295 — 299. Christianity destined 
 to overthrow idolatry, 299—302. 
 
 IGNORANCE ; favourable to superstition, ii. 154. 
 
 IMMORTALITY OF MAN ; its necessity and certainty, vi. 137- 
 139. 
 
 INCARNATION OF CHRIST ; its necessity, v. 85 ; vi. 310. Its 
 design, vi. 21. Fitness of the time when it took place, 319 — 322. 
 The most important event in the annals of the world, 322. 
 
 INDIA ; moral state of that vast country, ii. 219. Injurious influence 
 of residence there on European character, 220. State of the law 
 respecting the settlement of missionaries there, iv. 149. Success of 
 missions in that country, 151 — 153. Benefits of the introduction 
 of Christianity, 153 — 158. Its effects, in consolidating the British 
 TOL. VI. G G 
 
446 INDEX. 
 
 power, 158. Probable design of Providence, in subjugating India to 
 the power of Britain, 159. Duties thence arising, 160 — 162. 
 
 INFANT BAPTISM ; light iu which its rejection is ^-iewed by Pae- 
 dobaptists, iii. 263. Its gradual introduction into the christian 
 church, 303. 
 
 INFIDELITY ; change of measures adopted by its modern advocates, 
 ii. 4 — 15. Reason for that change, 5. The sources of infidehty 
 pointed out, 14, 120. Sketch of its history in England, 14. Infidehty 
 incapable of cherishing virtue, 18. Supplies no adequate motives 
 for the avoidance of vice, 19. The perpetration of enormous crimes 
 its natural result, 20. Infidels never distinguished for moral great- 
 ness and generous actions, 21. Infidehty destroj's the moral taste, 
 23. It promotes the indulgence of vanity, or pride, 26 — 32; of 
 ferocity, 32 — 37 ; of unbridled sensuahty, 37 — 44. INIodern infidehty 
 the first general effort to estabhsh the principles of atheism. 45 — i7. 
 Its diffusion among the common people, a peculiar and alarming 
 symptom, 47. The very substance of morals subverted by it, 48. 
 Its prevalence foretold in Scripture, 49. Certainty of its destruc- 
 tion, 50. Probable design of Providence in permitting its temporary 
 spread, ib. The folly and impiety of embracing the system, 51 — 53. 
 Nominal christians most in danger of faUing into the snare, 54. 
 Motives to infidel zeal, 55. Its probable beneficial influence on real 
 Christianity, ib. Importance of guarding the young against it, ib. 
 Danger arising from intercourse with infidels, \i. 277, 282 — 285. 
 
 INVISIBILITY OF GOD, vi. 6—8. 
 
 INTERCESSION; the duty of, springs from the relation in which 
 we stand to our fellow-creatures, v. 369. Is inferred from the gen- 
 eral principles of reason and religion, ib. Its tendency to increase 
 benevolence, 70. Its success, 72. Objects of intercession, ib. 
 
 IVIMEY, Rev. J. ; character of his 'History of the Enghsh Baptists,' 
 i. 348 ; iii. 5. 
 
 JANEWAY, Rev. J. ; his triumphant death, iv. 377. Contemplated 
 as a gracious reward for the eminent holiness of his Hfe, 378. 
 
 JEHOVAH; import of the name, v. 109. Reasons for its use, 113. 
 Reverence in which it was held by the Jews, 346. 
 
 JEAVS ; imperfection of their knowledge and faith previous to the 
 gospel dispensation, iii. 144 — 150. Their ancient privileges, v. 327. 
 The chosen instruments for communicating the wiU of God to man, 
 328. Pecuharity of their present condition, iv. 397. Essential dif- 
 ference between them and other hehcvers, 398. Righteous condem- 
 nation of the ancient Jews for rejecting Christ, ib. Altered position 
 in which Christianity stands towards modern Jews, 399. The Old 
 Testament contams all that is necessary to be known in order to 
 salvation, 400. PossibiUty that some of them may be in a state of 
 grace, ib. Their condition not more incompatible with salvation 
 than that of conscientious Roman Cathohcs, 401 — 403. Incomplete 
 knowledge possessed by christians respecting their moral state, 403. 
 Considered as still existing in pecuUar relation to Jehovah, 404. 
 Tenderness with which they should be treated, 405, Guilt of chris- 
 
INDEX. 447 
 
 tian nations in that respect, 406. Disposition of the ancient Jews to 
 place confidence in the power of surrounding nations, vi. 1. 
 
 JOHN THE BAPTIST; difference between his baptism and chris- 
 tian baptism, iii. 15 — 23, 130 — 132. Illustrated by the case of the 
 disciples at Ephesus, 23, 132. Observations on his character, vi. 58 
 — 60. Effects of his ministrj', iii. 25. His ministry considered as 
 constituting a peculiar dispensation, 28, 135, The baptisms per- 
 formed by our Lord and his disciples considered as identical with 
 that of John, 119 — 121. John's baptism always mentioned in 
 connexion with some distinctive epithet, 130. Probable extent of 
 knowledge possessed by his disciples, 138 — 141. His anxiety to 
 bear testimony to Christ, vi. 205. 
 
 JOHN THE APOSTLE ; reason of our Lord's attachment to him, 
 V. 48. Character of his writings, 49 — 41. The distinguishing pri- 
 vileges enjoyed by him, 51 — 53. 
 
 KANT, i. 168. 
 
 KINGDOM OF CHRIST ; its origin, v. 222—224 ; vi. 90—92. Its 
 principles, and the manner in which it is administered, 224 — 227. It 
 is a spiritual kingdom, vi. 91. Its righteousness, 92. A kingdom of 
 grace, 93. Superiority to all earthly kingdoms, 93 — 95. Character 
 of its subjects, 95 — 97. The privileges attached to it, 97 — 100. Its 
 advance, ib. Its perpetuity, 101. Importance of being in it, 102. 
 Comparison of its blessings with the advantages derived from a well- 
 ordered c\\\\ government, 229 — 238. 
 
 KINGHORN, Rev. Joseph, i. 343. Character of his work on com- 
 munion, iii. 167, 175. Difference between liim and Mr. Booth, 267, 
 333. Opposite opinions entertained by him and Mr. Fuller, on the 
 connexion betw een baptism and the Lord's supper, iii. 359. 
 
 KIPPIS, Dr. i. 60. 
 
 KNOWLEDGE ; the faculty of acquiring it constitutes the superi- 
 ority of man over the brute creation, ii. 149. Remarks on the cer- 
 tainty of its objects, i. 287. Its peculiar pleasures, 150. Tends to 
 exalt the character and subdue sensuality, 151. The benefits it en- 
 sures to the poor, 152. Its favourable influence on the good order of 
 society, 153. Christianity friendly to its diffusion, 155. Vast im- 
 portance of reUgious knowledge, 160 — 163. The pleasures of know- 
 ledge enjoyed but by few, vi. 135. Not necessarily connected with 
 real happiness, 136. Astonishing progress of knowledge during the 
 last century, 184. 
 
 LABOUR ; the mechanic necessitated to offer it at whatever price it 
 will fetch, iv. 171. Ruinous effects, when the quantity of labour ex- 
 ceeds the demand, 174, 176, 190. Iniquity of inadequate remune- 
 ration, 214. 
 
 LAMB OF GOD; Christ so called ; his innocence and patience Indi- 
 cated by the expression, vi. 206 — 209. The design of his appearance 
 to make a sacrifice for sin, the principal reason of the appellation, 
 209. Comparison between the paschal sacrifice and the death of 
 Christ, 211 — 216. Import of the exhortation to 'behold the Larab 
 of God,' 216—227. 
 
 G G 2 
 
448 INDEX. 
 
 LAW OF ENGLAND ; necessity of revision and amendment in it, 
 iv. 120. 
 
 LAAV OF GOD ; vindicated and honoured by Christ, v. 88—91. The 
 expression often used to denote the preceptive part of scripture, 257. 
 IManner in which it is regarded by the people of God, 258 — 263. In 
 what respects the Saviour was ' made under the law,' vi. 307—^10. 
 
 LAW OF MOSES ; reasons for its institution, v. 228. Its threefold 
 division, 342. In what respect still obhgatory, ib. Diflference of 
 opinion in the primitive church respecting the observance of its cere- 
 monies, iii. 272 — 277. 
 
 LAWS, should correspond with the moral feelings of man, iii. 378, 400. 
 Their salutary influence destroyed when the contrary is the fact, 379, 
 380. Absurdity of maintaining that obedience should be regulated 
 by the dates of their enactment, iii. 128. 
 
 LEANDER VAN ESS, vi. 190. 
 
 LEARNING ; its tisefulness to the christian minister, iv. 362 — 365. 
 
 LEICESTERSHIRE ; its former prosperity compared with its pre- 
 sent state, iv. 181—183. 
 
 LEIGHTON, Archbishop; character of his writings, i. 270. 
 
 LEPROSY; a supernatural disease, v. 230. Its t^-pical import, 231. 
 The leprosy of sin described, 232, 233. Method' of cure, 234. Im- 
 portance of seeking that cure, 238 — 241. 
 
 LIFE ; compared to a river, vi. 57. Obedience to the will of God 
 shown to be the great object of life, 60 — 62. The course of human 
 life hmited and short, 62. Importance of endeavouring to fulfil our 
 course according to the wiU of God, 63 — 69. 
 
 LOCKE, John, ii. 237. 
 
 LORD'S Dx4.Y ; commemorative of Christ's resurrection, v. 380 — 384, 
 Profaned by military exercises in the last war, ii. 130. 
 
 LORD'S SUPPER; impropriety of making it the sole token of chris- 
 tian communion, iii. 10. Not founded on baptism, 213. Not neces- 
 sarily connected with it, 214 — 217. Extensive prevalence of the 
 contrary opinion. 349. 
 
 LOVE ; its supposed inconveniences and evils described, vi. 410 — 414. 
 Effects of the imagined banishment of this passion from the earth, 
 414 — 417. Its benefits and influence, 419. 
 
 LOVE OF THE BRETHREN ; defined and distinguished, v. 362— 
 364. Proves that we are not of the world, 364. Its manifestation 
 described, 365 — 368. Existence of this disposition an evidence of 
 love to God, vi. 254. 
 
 LOVE TO GOD, i. 329. Marks of love to God enumerated, vi. 250 
 — 257. Emotions %vith which the absence of this disposition should 
 be contemplated, 258—260. 
 
 LOVE OF LIFE ; the simplest and strongest principle of our nature, 
 vi. 196. Its source and effects, 197—200. 
 
 LUTHER ; grounds of his separation from the church of Rome, 251 
 —253. 
 
INDEX. 449 
 
 MACKINTOSH, Sir James ; bis early friendship with Mr. Hall, i. 17. 
 Their united studies, 18. Letter from Sir James respecting IVIr. 
 Hall's Sermon on IModern Infidelity, 77 — 79. His letter written ou 
 occasion of Mr. Hall's recovery from derangement, 90 — 93. Extract 
 from his review of Mr. Hall's sermon, 178 — 181. His defence of 
 Mr. Hall against the attack of B. Flower, 182—184. Mr. Hall's 
 observations on his talents and mental powers, 167. 
 
 MACKNIGHT, Dr. ; bis Commentary on the Epistles characterized, 
 i. 165. 
 
 MAGEE, Archbishop, i. 159, 162. 
 
 MAL AN, Dr. ; account of bis interview with ]Mr. Hall, i. 375. 
 
 INIAN ; his dignity, as derived from his probationary state and bis im- 
 mortality, ii. 33. Naturally disposed to think favourably of his own 
 moral character and state, 172. Qualified to know and enjoy God, v. 
 174 — 176. Vanity of man, apart from bis immortality, described, 
 vi. 130—138. 
 
 JNIANUAL LABOUR ; a large portion of the human race destined 
 to spend their bves in it, vi. 131. 
 
 MARRIAGE ; authorised and dignified by Christianity, ii. 37. How 
 regarded by infidels, 38, Its influence on the ci\ilization of the 
 world, 39. Admirably adapted to promote tender and benevolent af- 
 fections, 40. 
 
 MARSHMAN, Dr. ; strictures on bis conduct to the committee of 
 the Baptist Missionary Society, i. 256 — 259. 
 
 MARTIN, Rev. J., iv. 34. 
 
 MxlRTYN, Henry; sketch of his character, iv. 321. 
 
 MASON, Dr., of New York; his work on Catholic Communion, iii. 
 169, 317. 
 
 MATTER; incapable, of itself, of thought and perception, v. 116. 
 Probability that it forms part of the constitution of all created 
 beings, 151. The motion of matter dependent on mind, vi. 3 — 6. 
 
 METAPHYSICS, i. 166. Temporary popularity of writers in that 
 branch of science, ii. 235 — 237. Its utility iu the detection of so- 
 phistry, iv. 375. 
 
 MIDDLE AGES ; peculiarities of the period so denominated, iv. 63. 
 
 MILITARY EXERCISES ; then- appointment on the Lord's-day 
 censured, ii. 130. 
 
 MILLAR, Professor ; character of his work on the ' Constitution,' ii. 
 260. 
 
 MILLENNIUM, the ; a period of remarkable knowledge, ii. 155. Its 
 effects and blessings, iii. 115. 
 
 MILTON ; compared with Homer, vi. 426. 
 
 MIND ; she^ATi to be the source of all power, vi. 3 — 6. The order of 
 the moral world maintained by the action of mind upon mind, 279. 
 
 MINISTERS, Christian; design of their appointment, v. 384— 386. 
 Christ's care of them, 386. Specially called upon to resist and ex- 
 
450 INDEX. 
 
 pose infidelity, ii. 13. Their duty in regard to politics, iv. 16 — 21, 
 134. Importance of their entire submission to the word of God, iv. 
 408 — 412. Prayer for their people urged, 414. Watchful regard to 
 their edification recommended, ib. Hints on the manner in which 
 they should treat inquirers, 415. Directions for social visits, ib. 
 Personal piety pressed, ii. 196 — 200 ; iv. 417. Encouragement to 
 seek strength from Christ, ii. 419. The reward of the faithful min- 
 ister, ii. 194—196. 
 MINISTRY, Christian ; importance of its adaptation to the present 
 advanced state of knowledge, i. 107 — 109. Divinely appointed and 
 pecuhar to Christianity, ii. 184. Its dignity and importance, 192 — 194' 
 vi. 269. Solemnity and magnitude of its duties, ii. 172 — 177. Dif- 
 ficulties in discharging them, 177 — 179. Seriousness and aifection 
 specially recommended, 180. Utility of pastoral visits, 181. Neces- 
 sity of correct moral deportment, 182. Unmingled success not to be 
 expected, 183. The perfection of the gospel, a great source of en- 
 couragement, 185. Christian morality to be fully and evangelically 
 inculcated, 187. Influences of the Holy Spirit promised, 188 — 190. 
 Desirableness of realizing a constant sense of dependence on his aid, 
 190 — 192. Contrast between the labour of the minister and that of 
 the missionary, 215 — 218. 
 
 MISSIONARIES ; then- quaHfications enumerated, ii. 205 —216. 
 
 Missionaries especially bound to study apostolical precedents, 218. 
 Suggestions on the most suitable method of preaching the gospel to 
 the heathen, 222 — 224. Importance of avoiding theological contro- 
 versies, 224. Situation of missionaries favourable to the adoption of 
 a more pure, simple, and apostolical mode of preaching, 226. Exem- 
 plary purity of conduct necessary, 231. Hindrances formerly exist- 
 ing to their settlement in India, iv. 150. 
 
 MISSIONARY SOCIETIES ; importance of formmg them in 
 churches, i. 173. 
 
 MISSIONS TO THE HEATHEN; Defended in parliament, in 
 1813, ii, 228. Different views vrith which they are regarded by states- 
 men and by Christian ministers, 229. Their success in India, iv. 
 151 — 153. Answer to the objection that the sanction of miracles is 
 now wanting, 163 — 166. Necessity of engaging in them in a spirit 
 of absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit's power, vi. 166, 169, 174. 
 Importance of prayer in this connexion, 170. All pomp and parade 
 to be avoided, 173. Di\ine influence not yet bestowed as in the 
 early history of Christianity, 176. Abundant outpouring of the 
 Holy Spirit yet to be expected, 177 — 180. General prevalence of a 
 missionary spirit, 189. 
 
 MIXED COMMUNION, its advocates vmdicated from the charge of 
 assuming a dispensing power, iii. 48 — 50, 233 — 237. The argument 
 derived from the obligation of brotherly love, 58 — 62. The injunc- 
 tions of scripture respecting brethren who differ in sentiment, pleaded, 
 63—68, 365—367. Objections answered, 68—74. The fact urged 
 that peedobaptists belong to the true church, 74 — 78. Their exclu- 
 sion is a punishment, 83 — 89. INIixed communion imphes no sanc- 
 tion of infant sprinkling, 89 — 91. The impossibility of reducing the 
 opposite practice to any general principle, 93 — 104. Argument from 
 
INDEX. 451 
 
 the impolicy of strict communion, 104 — 111. Suggestions relative 
 to the conduct of churches in which the majority of the members 
 approve of mixed communion, 172 — 174. General agreement among 
 the adherents of the practice, 179 — 182. Vindication from the 
 charge of sanctioning a corruption of baptism, or a virtual repeal of 
 that ordinance, 238 — 241. Answer to the objection that mixed com- 
 munion is inconsistent with the principles of dissent and of protest- 
 antism, 242 — 253. Probability that it prevailed among the primitive 
 churches, and during the middle ages, 303 — 315. Its increasing pre- 
 valence in modern churches expected 334 — 336. Its effects on the 
 baptist denomination, iii. 374. Its adoption urged from the spirit of 
 the times and the prospects of the church, 375. 
 
 MORAL INABILITY, i. 16. Remarks on, iv. 370—372. Consis- 
 tency of the doctrine with human responsibility and guilt, 372 — 375. 
 
 MORALS ; subverted by infidelity, ii. 18—23. Injurious effects of 
 war upon morals, 72 — 75. Morals corrupted by a loose theology, 
 120. The same effect produced by the system of expediency, 124— 
 126. Comparison of the opinions of Mr. Hume on this subject with 
 those of Aristotle and Cicero, 127. Manner in which it should be 
 treated by christian ministers, 187. Religion always productive of 
 good morals, xi. 395 — 398. 
 
 MORE, Mrs. H., i. 173, 174. 
 
 MORRIS'S LIFE OF FULLER, v. 62. 
 
 MYSTERIES OF REVELATION ; not inconsistent with reason, 
 v. 318. Humility and teachableness with which they should be 
 received, ib. Importance of holding them fast, ii. 119 — 135. Their 
 practical influence, vi. 34 — 38. 
 
 NAME OF GOD ; in what manner profanely used, v. 345. The same 
 respect due to it as to God himself, 346. Its use on light and trivial 
 occasions a sign of irreverence towards him, 347 — 349. Tendency 
 of the practice to obliterate all traces of rehgion from the mind, 350. 
 No reasonable temptation to the vice, 351. 
 
 NATIONAL DEBT; consequences of its increase, iv. 112. 
 
 NATIONAL JUDGEMENTS ; in what manner they are to be con- 
 templated, ii. 104. Not always first inflicted on the guiltiest people, 
 110. The hand of God to be acknowledged in them, 116—118. 
 
 NATIONAL SINS; what they are, ii. 114. 
 
 NATURAL HISTORY OF ENTHUSIASM; Mr. Hall's character 
 of that work, i. 176. 
 
 NEWTON, Sh Isaac; his opinion of the Baptists, iii. 112. His mo- 
 desty, vi. 28. 
 
 OATHS ; needlessly multiplied by the legislature, v. 344, 345. Crimi- 
 
 uahty of profane oaths, 349. 
 OCCASIONAL CONFORMITY; i. 98. Correspondence between 
 
 Dr. Gregory and Mr. Hall, on that subject, 117 — 119. 
 OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD, vi. 9. Implies and proves his spiritu- 
 
 aUty,9— 11. 
 
452 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 OMNISCIENCE OF GOD,vi. 11—13. 
 
 OPEN COMMUNION ; See Iklixed Communion. 
 
 ORDINATIONS ; in M-hat manner they should be conducted, i. 
 356—374. 
 
 ORTON'S LETTERS TO STEDMAN; character of that work, 
 i. 276. 
 
 OVERTON, Rev. J. ; character of his * True Churchman ascertained,' 
 ii. 320. 
 
 OWEN, Dr. ; character of his works, i. 164. 
 
 P^DOBAPTISTS ; their right to the Lord's Supper, as regenerated 
 persons, iii. 45. Their mistake on the subject of baptism no bar to 
 communion, 49. Their societies shown to be true churches, 75. 
 Their exclusion from the Lord's Table by the strict baptists, con- 
 sidered as a punishment, 83 — 93. Their hostility to baptist princi- 
 ples greatly strengthened by the practice of strict communion, 110 — 
 113, 337. Injustice of that practice with regard to them, 190. Ex- 
 posure of Mr. Kinghorn's appeal to their peculiar principles ia sup- 
 port of strict communion, 257 — 263. Yiews entertained by them of 
 the conduct of baptists in refusing to baptize infants, 263. The 
 principle of strict communion sliown to deprive them of the New 
 Testament as a rule of faith and manners, 282 — 285. Not recog- 
 nized as Christians by the advocates of that practice, 290. 
 
 PAGANISM ; its hceutious tendency, ii. 25. Preferable to modern 
 infidelity, 45. 
 
 PAINE, Tom ; character of his attack on the bible, i. 172. 
 
 PALEY, Dr. ; character of his ' Evidences,' ii. 7. His defence of 
 ministerial influence in parliament, iv. 82. 
 
 PARKHURST, Rev. J., i. 357. 
 
 PARLIAMENT ; its independence necessary, iv. 81. Desirableness, 
 of reform in parliament, 77 — 79. Annual parliaments recommended, 
 79 — 81. Influence of the peers deprecated, 8-2. 
 
 PARR, Dr. ; Mr. Hall's acquaintance with him, i. 72. His eulogium 
 of Mr. Hall, 184—186. 
 
 PARTY SPIRIT ; its injurious effects on religious inquiry, iii. 105 — 
 108. Evils attending its indulgence in a legislative assembly, iv. 83 
 —85. 
 
 PATIENCE ; essentially necessary to the christian, v. 321—323. Its 
 nature and excellence, 323. 
 
 PATRIOTISM; hoAv inculcated in the New Testament, v. 41. 
 
 PAUL THE APOSTLE; his conversion, v. 206—214. Union of 
 tenderness and injury in his character, ii. 213. 
 
 PENSIONS ; u. 263, 
 
 PERJURY ; forbidden by the third commandment, v. 343. Its deep 
 criminality, 344. Prevalence of the sin in this country, ib. 
 
 PERSECUTION ; coincident with Hobbism, vi. 374. Its inefficacy, 
 374—377. Destroys respect for the laws, 378—380. Foments a 
 spirit of division, 3'81. Always punished by God, v. 213. 
 
INDEX. 453 
 
 PERSONIFICATION ; how used as a figure of rhetoric or poetry, 
 
 in the scriptures, v. 159, 165. 
 PHILOSOPHY; contrasted with poetry, vi. 421—423. Its objects 
 
 and Hmits, v. 152. Difficulties attending its researches, vi. 28. Its 
 
 astonishing progress during the last century, 184. 
 
 PHYSICIAN, the ; sources whence he derives remedies for disease, 
 iv. 422. Benevolent object and spirit of his art, 423 — 425. 
 
 PITT, IVIr. ; his poUtical character, iv. 48, 60. Disastrous effects of 
 his administration, 143. 
 
 PLACES OF WORSHIP; increasing necessity for their erection, v. 
 333. 
 
 PLATO ; Mr. Hall's strong attachment to his writings, i, 53. 
 
 PLINY ; his testimony to the extensive spread of Christianity, vi. 332. 
 
 POETRY; contrasted with philosophy, vi. 421—423. Reasons for 
 the excellence of the poetry of uncivilized nations, 423. Poetical 
 genius influenced by the imagination and the passions, 424 — 426. 
 
 POLITICAL ECONOMY; its principles, iv. 192. 
 
 POLITICS ; not usually much studied by pious men, vi. 352. 
 
 POLLOK, i. 177. 
 
 POOR, the ; affliction peculiarly felt by them, ii. 83—87. Duty and 
 pleasure of relieving their wants, 89. Their degraded state in Eng- 
 land, iv. 119. Recent improvements in their condition, ib. note. 
 Consequences to be anticipated from an undue depression of the 
 lower orders, 180. Importance of hospitals for the sick poor, iv. 426. 
 Dependence of the rich on the labours of the poor, vi, 331 — 333. 
 Dependence of the poor on the rich, 333. Points of agreement be- 
 tween the rich and the poor, 327 — 339. Duties of christians who 
 are poor, 343. 
 
 POPERY ; altered state of feeling respecting it in England, ii. 391. 
 Causes of that alteration, 392 — 394. Hostility of popery to evan- 
 gelical piety, 394. Worldly character of the papal system, 396 — 398. 
 Activity of papists at the present time, ii. 391 ; iv. 239. Absurdity 
 of supposing any change in popery, 240. Papal infallibility sanc- 
 tioned by general councils, 241 — 245. No reason to believe that the 
 intolerant principles of popery are renounced, 245. Exainination of 
 the arguments usually employed in defence of the infallibility of the 
 Romish church, 246 — 249. Remarks on the obscurity of the Scrip- 
 ture as alleged by Roman Catholics, 250 — 252. Their hostility to 
 the free circulation of the scriptures, 351. The papal system shown 
 to be idolatrous, vi. 8. 
 
 PORTEUS, Bishop, i. 77. 
 
 POWER , shown to be derived from mind, vi. 2 — 6. Connexion of 
 the power of God with his spirituality, 5. 
 
 PRAYER ; its peculiar necessity in connexion with missionary la- 
 labour, ii. 205 ; vi. 170 — 172. How affected by Socinian sentiment, 
 V. 136. Advantages derived from praying for others, 370 — 372. Im- 
 portance of addressing prayer directly to the Lord Jesus Christ, i. 
 344. Observations on public prayer, 208 — 211. 
 
454 INDEX. 
 
 PREACHING; its origin, i. 421. The wisdom of its institution, 422. 
 The appointed means of conveying spiritual good, 423. Serious at- 
 tention which it deserves, 424. Importance of adhering to the dic- 
 tates of scripture, iv. 409. Vague and indistinct preaching con- 
 demned, 410, Due proportion to be observed in treating of doctrinal 
 and practical subjects, 410 — 412. The unequal effects of preaching 
 accounted for, i. 306. Improved state of preaching within the last 
 fifty years, vi. 188. Importance of emplopng argument in sermons 
 without using the forms of reasoning, i. 215 — 217. Desirableness of 
 preaching so as to discriminate and individualize character, 241 — 
 244, 245. 
 
 PRECEDENTS of thought, in the apostolical epistles, iii. 193. 
 
 PRICE, Dr., iv. 40, 135. 
 
 PRICES ; design of many legislative enactments to create an artificial 
 elevation, iv. 172. Application of this principle to the framework- 
 knitters' fund, 173. 
 
 PRIDE ; the most unsocial of the passions, ii. 27. Its misanthropy 
 and selfishness, 28. Its injurious influence, 28 — 30. Religion, the 
 only antidote to pride, 31. Therefore hated by infidels, 32. Modern 
 innovation in the use of the word ' pride,' 129. 
 
 PRIESTLEY, Dr.;eulogium on him, iv. 21, His political publica- 
 tions, 22. Anecdote of him, y. 134. His remark on repentance, 
 140. 
 
 PRINCESS CHARLOTTE; affecting circumstances of her death, 
 V. 8, 14 — 17, 36. Impressions produced by her removal, 30. 
 
 PROFANENESS ; general prevalence of this vice, ii. 131. 
 
 PROFESSION, christian; its holy character and responsibilities, v. 
 242—248. Profession of Christ essential to salvation, iii. 197. An 
 early christian profession urged, vi. 288. 
 
 PROPHECY ; its comparative obscurity, iii. 143. Wisdom of this 
 arrangement, yi. 42 — 44. 
 
 ' PROTESTANT,' the ; character of that work, ii. 395. 
 
 PROTESTANTISM; mixed communion proved to be consistent 
 
 with its principles, iii. 242 — 253. 
 
 PROVIDENCE ; its dispensations to be observed, v. 4. The har- 
 mony of those dispensations with Scripture, 5. Adaptation of their 
 instructions to oiir character and state, 6. Importance of the doc- 
 trine of a particular pro-vddence, ii. 358. Its dispensations frequently 
 mysterious, vi. 29, 105. Their design often concealed, 30. That 
 concealment chiefly occasioned by the obscurity in which the future 
 is enveloped, 30 — 34. 
 
 PUBLIC OPINION ; its value and influence, ii. 107. 
 
 PUNISHMENT ; the fear of it an habitual restraint on human con- 
 duct, vi. 401. Impossibility of accomplishing this end when the 
 equity of the punishment is not seen, ib. 
 
 PURITANS; then- zeal for freedom, iv. 12. Hinge of the contro- 
 versy between them and their opponents, ii. 266 — 268. 
 
i>;dex. 455 
 
 RANTERS, and irregular preaching, i. 172. 
 
 REDEMPTION; how effected by the Lord Jesus Christ, vi. 311. 
 The glory of the divine character displayed therein, 313. Its extent, 
 ib. ; i. 160. Its efficacy as resulting from the wondrous constitution 
 of the Saviour's person, vi. 314. 
 
 REFORM ; necessary to the political safety of the country, iv. 57, 
 112. Reasons for that necessity, 77, 117 — 119. Principle on which 
 it should rest, 78, Extension of the suffrage, ib. Annual parlia- 
 ments, 79. Influence of the peers, 82. Exposure of the pretences 
 usually alleged for delay, 85 — 88. Explanation of the term * radical 
 reform,' 137. 
 
 REFORMATION, the ; its connexion with the advancement of learn- 
 ing, ii. 155. Its influence in destroying the authority of Aristotle, 
 vi. 184. 
 
 REGENERATION ; its cause, the will of God, v. 187. Its instru- 
 ment, the word of truth, 188. Its end, dedication to God, 189—194. 
 Manner in which it should be preached, iv. 412. 
 
 RELIGION ; its value and importance, ii. 53, 155. Its influence on 
 the welfare of nations, 80, 82 ; vi. 352. Eminent religion reverenced 
 by men in general, v. 58. Obedience to the laws promoted by reli- 
 gion, \i. 353. Human depravity shown to be the chief cause of the 
 aversion to evangelical religion, ii. 249 ; that aversion strengthened 
 by the too frequent use of technical phraseology, 251 — 254. Dis- 
 taste of religion manifested by fine writers, 255. Propriety and rea- 
 sonableness of intense feeling on religious subjects, iv. 377. Dignity 
 of rehgioif, i. 303; v. 192. 
 
 RELIGIOUS LIBERTY ; its advancement in modern times, vi. 193. 
 Its connexion with political freedom, ib. 
 
 REPENTANCE; its personal character insisisted on, ii. 113, 133. 
 Who those are who need no repentance, vi. 261 — 263. Its neces- 
 sity, 270. Joy with which the repentance of a sinner is contem- 
 plated by angelic beings, 263 — 269. Happiness of a penitent de- 
 cribed, 271—274. 
 
 RESURRECTION OF CHRIST; commemorated on the Lord's 
 day, V. 380 ; the purchase of our redemption completed by it, ib. The 
 character of Christ vindicated, 381. Signal triumph obtained over 
 his enemies, 382 ; everlasting victory gained over death, 383. Sure 
 prospect of heaven afi"orded to all behevers, 384. 
 
 RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD; illustrated by analogies from 
 the world of nature, ii. 359. A mysterious doctriae, vi. 38. 
 
 REVIEWING ; remarks on, i. 349, 359. 
 
 REWARDS ; heaven described as the reward of the pious, v. 336. 
 On what accounts it is so designated, 337. Certainty of its bestow- 
 ment, 338 — 340. Its satisfying nature, 340. Its eternal duration, 
 341. 
 
 RICH, the ; their dependence on the labour of the poor, vi. 331 — 333. 
 Dependence of the poor on the rich, 333. Duties of christians who 
 are rich, 340 — 343. Points of agreement between the rich and the 
 poor, 327—339. 
 
456 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 RICH, Claudius James ; notice of his attainments and researches, 
 
 RICHES ; mistake of those who suppose that riches are infallibly 
 connected with happiness, vi. 132—134. Criminality of using riches 
 merely for luxury and display, 340. 
 
 RIGHTS OF MAN ; defined, iv. 88. How far they are surrendered 
 m a state of society, 90. Absurdity of supposing them to be en- 
 turely given up, 91—93. Opinions of Mi, Locke, 93. 
 
 ROBINS, Rev. IVIr., tutor at Daventry ; sketch of his character, iv. 
 
 288. 
 
 ROBINSON, IMr. A. ; his vkulent opposition to Mr. Hall, and subse- 
 quent regret, i. 75, 76. 
 
 ROBINSON, Rev. R. ; interview between him and Mr. Hall, i. 27. 
 Sketch of his character as a minister, 34. His work on Communion," 
 lii. 6. 
 
 ROBINSON, Rev. T. ; his self-denial, and devotedness to the interests 
 of benevolence and piety, iv. 272—274. Success of his ministerial 
 labours, 274—276. Beneficial influence of his example and eflfects 
 on the state of the town of Leicester, ib. Veneration in which he 
 was held, 276. His uniformity of conduct, 277. General sketch of 
 his character, 278—280. Magnitude of the loss sustained by bis 
 death, 280—282. Holy tendency of his ministry, 282. 
 
 ' ROMANTIC ;' improper application of the term, ii. 247. 
 
 RYDER, Dr., Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, i. 175. 
 
 RYLAND, Rev. J. ; his character as a public instructor, i. 7. 
 
 RYLAND, Dr. ; sketch of his history, ii. 54. His religious charac- 
 ter, i. 364 ; ii. 54 — 61. His imperfections noticed, 61—63. His let- 
 ter to INIr. Hall, respecting his religious opinions, i. 23 — 25. His 
 literary attainments, 63. His love of natural history, ib. His at- 
 tachment to theological inquiries, ib. High esteem in which he was 
 held, 65 — 69. Efl"ects produced on his religious character by the 
 study of the American divines, iv. 327. Remarks on his Life of Mr. 
 FuUer, i. 332. 
 
 RYLAND, airs. ; letter to Rev. J. Dyer in behalf of, i. 128. 
 
 SADDUCEES, ii. 37. 
 
 SATAN ; his personality and real existence, v. 123. Argued from 
 probability, 149—153. ' The scripture doctrine stated, 153 — 155. Ac- 
 cordance of the doctrine with the moral state of man, 155. Answer 
 to an objection, 156. Uniformity of statement adopted by all the 
 inspired Avriters, 158. Refutation of the h}'pothesis of those who 
 maintain that the word is used as a personification of the principle of 
 evil, 159—165. ^ ^ 
 
 SAURIN, i. 173. 
 
 SCHISM, iii. 77, 361. Strict communion chargeable with it, 77 — 80. 
 362—365. 
 
 SCHOOLMEN, the ; subjects discussed by them, ii. 236. Use of 
 their writings, ib. 
 
INDEX. 457 
 
 SCHWARTZ, the missionary, iv. 151. 
 
 SCOTLAND ; influence of education on the condition of its peasan- 
 try, ii. 152. 
 
 SCOTT, Mr. J. ; his sketch of Mr. Hall's character as a preacher, i. 
 186—189. 
 
 SCOTT, Rev. T. ; his answer to Bishop Tomhne, i. 175, 318. Mr. 
 Hall's opinion of his Commentary, i. 175. 
 
 SCRIPTURE ; discovery of salvation by Jesus Christ, its distinguish- 
 ing feature, ii. 157 — 159. Supplies an infallible rule of life, 159. 
 Its harmony with the dispensations of Providence, v. 4 — 6. The 
 alleged obscurity of scripture, as maintained by the Roman Catho- 
 lics, iv. 250. Adoption of the argument by the opponents of the 
 Bible Society exposed, 337 — 339. All that is important to our wel- 
 fare plainly taught in Scripture, vi. 51 — 56. Universality of the right 
 to read the Scriptures, iv. 345 — 349, 355. Origin of the restrictive 
 policy, 349. Improbability of danger from placing the Scriptures in 
 the hands of the people, 350 — 354. Partial and defective views of 
 Scripture productive of error, 356 — 358. Admirable adaptation of 
 the word of God to the condition of the poor, 359, Authoritative 
 character of its moral precepts, 360. Employed by the Holy Spirit 
 as the instrument of regeneration, v. 188. Peculiarity of revelation 
 as a statement of facts, vi. 34. Authority of Scripture impaired by 
 the Church of Rome, 189. Manner in which it should be stiidied, 
 253. 
 
 SELF- KNOWLEDGE ; its importance in rehgion, v. 314—317. 
 
 SENSIBILITY ; distinguished from benevolence, ii. 88. 
 
 SENSUALITY; encouraged by infidel principles, ii. 38. Religion 
 its only antidote, 39. Sensual gratifications incapable of producing 
 happiness, vi. 132 — 134. 
 
 SEPTENNIAL ACT ; its inconveniences, iv. 79. 
 
 SERAMPORE MISSIONARIES; unreasonableness of then- de- 
 mands on the committee of the Baptist INIissionary Society, i. 256 — 
 259. Mr. Foster's letter in their defence, 260—262. 
 
 SIDMOUTH, Lord ; the bill introduced by him into parhament, in 
 1811, ^^. 349. 
 
 SIGNS OF THE TIMES; advantages of observing them, vi. 182. 
 Signs of the present times enumerated, 183 — 194. 
 
 SINECURES, ii. 263. 
 
 SLAVERY ; degradation of the state, iv. 221. Oppressive character 
 of West India slavery, 222 — 228. Estimated number of slaves in 
 the West Indies and the United States, ib. Peculiar iniquities of 
 the system, 226. Objection answered, 227. Aversion of the plan- 
 ters to the communication of religious instruction, 228. Lord Go- 
 derich's despatch to the Earl of Belmore on that subject, 222 — 225, 
 note. Injurious influence of slavery on the moral principles of slave- 
 holders, 229. Injustice of slavery, 230. Gradual emancipation re- 
 commended, 231. Cost at which the present system is maintained, 
 232. Comparison of slave-labour with free labour, 233. Motives to 
 exertion in the cause of emancipation, 233 — 236. 
 
458 INDEX. 
 
 SLAVE TRADE, ii. 132. 
 
 SMITH, Dr. J. P. ; liis ' Scripture Testimony to the Messiah com- 
 mended, i. 159, 377. 
 
 SOCIETY ; inequality of rank in society wisely ordered, v. 12 ; vi. 
 333. Dangers connected with exposure to infidel or vicious society, 
 vi. 280—285. 
 
 SOCINIANISM; its spirit described, v. 124. Characterized as a 
 system of negations, 131. Its affinity with deism, 132 — 136 ; vi. 83. 
 Its anti-devotional character, v. 136 — 138. Its association \^dth ma- 
 terialism and fatalism, 139 — 141. Its dechning state in England, ii. 
 375—379. 
 
 SOCINIANS ; propriety of the appellation, ii. 361. Supposed con- 
 nexion of their principles with the love of freedom, iv. 31 — 35. 
 Their salvability disproved, i. 333. Strictures on the union of or- 
 thodox and Socinian ministers, in London, 382, 
 
 SOCRATES ; his modesty, ^^. 28. 
 
 SOLON; singular law enacted by him, iv. 61. 
 
 SPENCER, Rev. T., ii. 201. 
 
 * SPIRIT ;' various uses of the word in Scripture, v. 121. 
 
 SPIRIT, HOLY; his personality, v. 121. Necessity for his influ- 
 ence, ii. 161 ; vi. 160 — 167. Promise of that influence, ii. 188 — 190. 
 Importance of duly estimating it, i. 400. Excellence and dignity of 
 the gift, 400 — 402. Spiritual hfe wholly dependent upon it, 402 — 
 404. Its communication to be sought bj^ prayer, 404. Habitual de- 
 pendence urged, 406. Nature and causes of divine •withdraAvment, 
 407 — 409. Holiness essential to the enjoyment of di^^ne influence, 
 409 — 111. Desirableness of watching such circumstances as are fa- 
 vourable to its manifestation, 411 — 114. Dignity of the christian, as 
 a temple of the Holy Ghost, 414. Remarks on the mysteriousness 
 of his influence, \i. 37. Want of christian zeal in those who deny 
 the doctrine, 167. Reasons why we are sometimes in danger of for- 
 getting it, 168. The sin of grieving the Holy Spirit, 172. Abun- 
 dant manifestation of his influence yet to be expected, 177 — 180. 
 
 SPIRITUALITY OF GOD; its connexion with his natural attri- 
 butes, vi. 2 — 13. Establishes an intimate relation between God and 
 his intelHgent creatures, 13. Constitutes him the Supreme Good, 
 and the source of all happiness, 14 — 19. 
 
 STAEL, Madame de, i. 169. 
 
 STATE OF RELIGION in Great Britain before the last war, ii. 
 112, 118—128. 
 
 STEPNEY COLLEGE ; ii. 168—170. Theological principles on 
 which it was founded, iv. 365. Advantages of its situation, ib. 
 
 STERNE, ii. 88. 
 
 STEWART, Dugald ; character of his ^vritings and style, i. 167. 
 
 STRICT BAPTISTS ; the only class who contend for the exclu- 
 sion of christians from the Lord's table, iii. 56. Their inconsistency 
 argued ; in holding communion with psedobaptists in every thing but 
 the Lord's supper, 82, 194, 220—223, 368—370; in not charging the 
 
INDEX. 459 
 
 paedobaptists with criminality for observing the Lord's supper, 89 — 
 93 ; in not treating them as the apostles would have treated unbap- 
 tized persons, 191 — 194, 224 — 226 ; — in admitting their salvability, 
 198 — 202, 226 — 230 ; — and in regarding them as christians, while 
 destitute of the supposed evidence of faith, 209. 
 
 STRICT COMMUNION ; its principles stated, iii. 12. Its unfa- 
 vourable influence on the prosperity of the baptist denomination, 4, 
 176. Examination of the argument from the supposed priority of 
 baptism to the Lord's supper, 15 — 31 ; — from the apostolic commis- 
 sion, 31 — 33, 186 — 188 ; — from the connexion between circumcision 
 and the passover, 33 — 37, 46 ; — from apostohc precedent, 39 — 50, 
 188—193, 360 ;— from antiquity, 50—57, 303, 307—312. Opposed 
 to brotherly love, 60 — 62. Chargeable with the guilt of schism, 79, 
 361 — 364. Operates as a punishment with regard to psedobaptists, 
 83 — 93, 292 — 302. Contrary to the scripture doctrine of forbear- 
 ance, 66 — 74. Its impolicy, 109 — 114,371 — 375. Resemblance to 
 to the intolerant principles of the church of Rome, 115, 255, Im- 
 pUes a claim to infallibility, 189, 253 — 255. Its coincidence with 
 the opus operatum of the church of Rome, 228 — 230. Produces in- 
 terminable discord and confusion, 279 — 282. Renders the New Tes- 
 tament inapplicable to paedobaptists, 282 — 285. Is incompatible 
 with the iinity of the church, 317 — 320. Answer to the assertion 
 that it is founded on the principle of defending one neglected truth, 
 326 — 329. Dependence of tiie practice on human authority, 283 — 
 285, 293 — 296. Its unfavourable effects on the minds of its advo- 
 cates, 374. 
 
 STUART, Professor of Andover, U. S. ; character of his ' Exegetical 
 Essays,' &c., vi. 98. 
 
 SUBSTITUTION of the innocent for the guilty, a doctrine peculiar 
 to revelation, v. 80. Fitness of the substitution of Christ, 81 — 101. 
 Moral tendencies of the doctrine, 101 — 103. 
 
 SUNDAY SCHOOLS ; seriousness ^-ith which rehgious instruction 
 should be communicated in them, ii. 161 — 163. Proposed by Bishop 
 Horsley to be placed under the control of the clergy, vi. 354. On 
 the impropriety of teaching to -write in them, i. 110 — 112. 
 
 SUPERSTITION ; a much greater evU than enthusiasm, vi. 370. 
 
 SUTCLIFF, Rev. J. ; his eminent humility, iv. 284. His steady and 
 cheerful piety, ib. His concern for the prosperity of the churches, 
 285. General esteem in which he was held, ib. Letter respecting 
 him, i. 11.3. 
 
 SYNAGOGUES ; their origin and advantages, v. 329. Resemblance 
 between them and christian places of worship, 331. Government of 
 the synagogues supposed to be the model from which christian 
 churches are formed, 332. 
 
 TECHNICAL TERMS ; their origin, ii. 252. Their excessive use 
 in rehgious works deprecated, 2^. Advice respecting the most 
 proper course to be adopted, 254. 
 
 TEMPLE ; none in heaven, v. 146. Difference between the Jewish 
 temple and the synagogues, 331. Contrast between its services and 
 the employments of the blessed in heaven, 390 — 393. 
 
460 INDEX. 
 
 TERTULLIAN; his views of baptism, iii. 53, On the unity of the 
 church, 316. His statement of the extensive prevalence of Christi- 
 anity, vi. 332. 
 
 TEST ACT ; its inefficiency and iniquity, iv. 35—39. 
 
 TILLOTSON, Archbishop ; character of his works, ii. 326. 
 
 TIME ; diflference of the manner in which it is apprehended by God 
 and by man, v. 375. The impression of its progress diminished by 
 happiness, increased by misery, 377. 
 
 TOLERATION ; grounds on which it should be mutually exercised 
 by christians, iii. 64. Application of the prmciples to the case of 
 the baptists and paedobaptists, 66—69, 265, 268—272. Explanatory 
 remarks, 94, 97, 99. Distinction between tolerating and practising, 
 243 — 245. Listances in which toleration has been exercised in 
 regard to the neglect of the plain commands of Christ, 277 — 279. 
 Toleration considered as implying freedom of communication as well 
 as freedom of thought, iv. 162. The denial of such freedom charge- 
 able with the guilt of persecution, ib. The happy influence of tole- 
 ration on the state of this country, vi. 370. Impolicy of attempting 
 to interfere with it, 371. 
 
 TOLLER, Rev. T. ; his birth and parentage, iv. 287. His early con- 
 version, ib. Enters the academy at Daventry, 288. Visits Kettering, 
 289. Becomes pastor of the independent ' church there, 290 Fa- 
 vourable influence of the piety of the congregation in forming his 
 own character, ib. His ministerial qualifications and labours, 291 — 
 293. His acquaintance with Mr. Hall, 293—295. Unsuccessful 
 attempts to remove him from Kettering to London, 296. Remarks 
 on the low state of the church, compared with the congregation, 297. 
 Ardour with which ]\Ir. Toller engaged in the cause of the Bible 
 Society, 298. His pecuhar opinions on missionary operations, 299. 
 Beneficial effects of an ilhiess, 300. His love of natural scenery, 302. 
 His admirable talent for expounding scripture, ib. His eminence in 
 
 EubUc prayer, 303. Notice of a defect in his preaching, 304. His 
 ist illness and death, 305 — 307. His style of composition described, 
 307. Sketch of his character, 309 — 312. Comparison between Mr. 
 Fuller and Mr. Toller, 312, 314. 
 
 TRINITY, the, L 354 ; iii. 137. Practical influence of the doctrine, 
 vi. 36. 
 
 TRUST IN GOD, vi. 44. Reasons why it should be impUcit and 
 
 entire, 45. 
 TRUTH ; legitimate means of maintaining and defending it, iii. 256. 
 
 TUCKER, Abraham ; Mr. Hall's opinion of his • Light of Nature,' 
 1. 57. 
 
 UNION of Christians ; urged by the prevalence of infidelity, ii. 6. Its 
 desirableness, 167. Importance of it, iii. 7.- Its manifestation in the 
 primitive ages, 59, 79. Grounds on which separation is justifiable, 
 ib. Increase of the spirit of union in modern times, \i. 191. 
 
 VANITY. See Pride. 
 
 VANITY OF MAN, apart from his immortality, considered, vi. 
 130—138. 
 
INDEX. 461 
 
 VILLAGE PREACHING; charged mth a political object, by 
 Bishop Horsley, vi. 347. The charge repelled, 351 — 354, Answer 
 to the insinuation that village preachers \'iUfy the estabUshed clergy 
 359 — 367, Vindication of their labours from the charge of fanati- 
 cism, 368 — 370. Abstinence from political reflections recommended 
 383. Importance of inculcating the duties of Christianity, in con- 
 nexion with its doctrines, urged, 383 — 385. Direct appeal to the 
 consciences of men, advised, 385. 
 
 VIRGIL ; character of his writings, i. 133. 
 
 VIRTUE ; incapable of being sustained by infidelity, ii. 18. Remarks 
 on President Edwards's definition, 44. 
 
 WAGES; their decline should always be proportioned to the actual 
 deficiency in the demand for labour, iv. 190. Injustice of lowering 
 them beyond that proportion, ib. Propriety of endeavouring to 
 raise them by voluntary associations and funds, 191 — 194. 
 
 WALDENSES ; their sentiments on baptism, iii. 305. , 
 
 WALPOLE, Sir Robert, iv. 80. 
 
 "WAR ; exemption of this country from its ravages, ii. 65. The 
 most awful scourge of Providence, 66. The horrible waste of human 
 life which it occasions, 66 — 68. Miseries endured in an invasion, 
 69. Eftects of war on the general prosperity of a country, 70. War 
 founded in injustice, 72. Its anti-moral tendencies and effects, 72 — 
 75. Peculiar character of the war of the French revolution, 75 — 78. 
 
 WARFARE, CHRISTIAN ; its character, v. 250. Compared with 
 the wars of Israel with the Canaanites, 250 — 256. 
 
 WATSON, Bishop, i. 171. 
 
 WATERLOO, battle of, i. 170. 
 
 WESLEY, Rev. John, i. 176, 280. 
 
 WHITEFIELD, Rev. G., i. 176 ; ii. 318. 
 
 WICKED, the ; the ends answered by their destruction, v. 176. Their 
 temporary prosperity, 257. 
 
 WILBERFORCE, W., Esq. ; character of his work on ' Practical 
 Christianity,' ii. 120. 
 
 WILKINSON, Miss, i. 278. 
 
 WILLIAMS, J. B., Esq. ; remarks on his edition of the life of Philip 
 Henry, i. 362. 
 
 WISDOM; distinguished from knowledge, v. 271 — 273. Importance 
 of spiritual wisdom, 273 — 276. 
 
 WORLD, the ; comparison of the state and hopes of its votaries with 
 those of the christian, v. 25 — 29. The world compared to a wilder- 
 ness, vi. 119 — 121. Moral disorder of the world, 130. Renunciation 
 of the world an essential part of the christian profession, v. 243. 
 
 WORSHIP defined, vi. 387. Not to be controlled by the will of the 
 magistrate, ib. The claims of God upon man in this respect prior 
 to all human laws, 388. The right to worship not resigned on 
 entering into civil society, 389. No danger to be apprehended from 
 the universal acknowledgment of that right, ib. Answer to the 
 VOL. VI. II II 
 
462 INDEX. 
 
 objection, that fanaticism will be encouraged thereby, 368 — 370. 
 Public worship greatly neglected in this country, ii. 129. Its im- 
 portance, V. 169. 
 
 XAVIER ; anecdote of him, vi. 190. 
 
 YOUNG, the ; their danger, when exposed to infidel or impure asso- 
 ciates, \i. 281 — 285. Urged to separate themselves from such con- 
 nexions, 285—292. 
 
 ZEAL WITHOUT INNOVATION; i. 104,302. Ee^-iew of, u. 266 
 — 320. Professed object of the publication, 270. Its party-spirit 
 and bigotry, ib. Lamentations of the author over the success of 
 dissenters, 271. Tendency of his sentiments to produce pride and 
 intolerance, 273 — 275. Increase of the dissenters owing to their 
 superior piety and zeal, 276. Inefficacy of creeds and confessions to 
 perpetuate religious belief, 276 — 279. Answer to the charge, that 
 dissenting principles tend to democracy, 280 — 282. Absurdity of 
 supposing that real religion would be promoted by the destruction 
 of dissent, 282 — 284. Union among christians only to be attained 
 tlirough the increasing prevalence of genuine piety, 284 — 286. The 
 author's gloomy picture of the state of religion in the established 
 church, 287. The true reasons of that declension assigned, 288. 
 Exposure of the writer's ignorance and inaccuracy, 289 — 292. Gra- 
 dual decUne of evangehcal preaching in the church of England, 292 
 — 294. Its revival through the labours of ^Miitefield and Wesley, 
 294. Virulent opposition of the clergy in general, 294 — 296. Sen- 
 timents and labours of the evangelical clergy described, 296 — 304. 
 Answer to the charge of enthusiasm brought against them, 304. 
 Their attachment to the established church, 305. Unpopularity of 
 the other clergy, 307. Defence of the method of preaching adopted 
 by the evangelical clergy, 310 — 312. Mahgnant spii-it of the author 
 exposed, 313. Injurious tendency of his censures, 314. His par- 
 tiality, 315. Unhappy effects of the needless exposure of the sup- 
 posed faihngs or errors of good men, 316. True character of White- 
 field and his coadjutors, 318. Danger of excluding evangelical 
 ministers from the established church, 320. 
 
463 
 
 INDEX OF TEXTS. 
 
 
 Vol. Page. 
 
 
 Vol. Page. 
 
 Oen. iv. 26 . 
 
 V. 170. 
 
 Hos. iii. 4 . 
 
 . iv. 405. 
 
 vi. 1, 2 . 
 
 . V. 169. 
 
 Zech. xiii. 9 
 
 . iv. 404. 
 
 vi. 11 . 
 
 V. 166.. 173. 
 
 
 
 Exod. iii. U . 
 
 . V. 103.. 113. 
 
 Matth. iii.2 . 
 
 . iv. 37.1. 
 
 XX. 7 
 
 V. 342. 351. 
 
 iv.l 
 
 . V. 123. 
 
 
 
 V. It . 
 
 v. 335.. 341. 
 
 Levit. xiii. 45 . 
 
 . V. 228. 240. 
 
 
 
 
 
 V. 19 
 
 . iii. 204. 
 
 Namb. xxi. 4 
 
 vi. 11 7.. 129. 
 
 ix. 12 . 
 
 . i v. 421.. 427. 
 
 Deut. vi. 6, 7 . 
 
 . V. 260. 
 
 X. 32 
 
 . ii. 197. 
 
 X. 16 . 
 
 iv. 373. 
 
 xii. 36 
 
 . V. 343. 
 
 XXX. 6 . 
 
 . iv. 373. 
 
 xvi. 1- 
 
 -3 . vi. 181..203. 
 
 xxxiii. 25 
 
 i. 145. 
 
 xxii. 41, 42 V. 118.. 120. 
 
 Josh. V. 13.. 15 
 
 . V. 248. 256. 
 
 xxviii. 
 
 19 . v. 121. 
 
 I Sam. vii. 16, 17 
 
 vi. 227. .238. 
 
 Luke vii. 5 . 
 
 . V. 325.. 335. 
 
 1 Chron. xvi. 43 
 
 . v. 283.. 295. 
 
 ix. 26 
 
 . iii. 198. 
 
 Job. ii. 4 
 
 vi. 196. .203. 
 
 xi. 9..13 
 
 . i. 404. 
 
 Psalm xix. 7 . 
 
 . V. 124, 130.. 141 
 
 xii. 15 
 xiv. 28 
 
 . i. 147.. 150. 
 
 . v. 240.. 248. 
 
 xxxvii, 31 
 xlvi. 8, 9 
 
 V. 257.. 263. 
 
 XV. 7 
 
 . vi. 260.. 273. 
 
 . ii. G5..90. 
 
 xvii. 5 
 
 . V. 264.. 270. 
 
 Ixxxix. 47 
 
 vi. 129.. 140. 
 
 xvii. 20 
 
 . vi. 173. 
 
 xcix. 19 
 
 . V. 307.. 312. 
 
 xxi. 19 
 
 . V. 323. 
 
 xcvii. 2 
 
 vi. 104. 117. 
 
 
 
 cxviii. 2-1 
 
 . V. 380.. 384. 
 
 John i. 35, 36 
 
 . vi. 203.. 227. 
 
 cxlv. 11 
 
 V V. 22 1.. 227. 
 t Vi. 89.. 103. 
 
 iii. 16 
 
 . i. 161. 
 
 
 iv.l. . 
 
 . iii. 119.. 121. 
 
 Prov. xix. 2 
 
 . ii. 149.. 164. 
 
 V. 42 
 
 . vi. 249.. 260. 
 
 xxii. 2 . 
 
 vi. 325.. 344. 
 
 viii. 44 
 
 . v. 164. 
 
 XXV. 2 . 
 
 . vi. 24..56. 
 
 xvii. 21 
 
 . iii. 363. 
 
 Eccles. xi. 8 . 
 
 V. 295.. 303. 
 
 xxi. 7 
 
 .V. 41..71. 
 
 Isa. ii. 18 
 
 . vi, 292.. 302. 
 
 Acts V. 31 
 
 . iv. 373. 
 
 xxsi. 3 
 
 5 V. 113.. 118. 
 i vi. 1..23. 
 
 xi. 17 . 
 
 . iii. 227. 
 
 
 xi. 20 
 
 . iii. 272. 
 
 xxxii. 13..15 
 
 . vi. 158.. 180. 
 
 xi. 26 . 
 
 .v. 352.. 360. 
 
 X1.6..8 . 
 
 . V. 17. 
 
 xiii. 25 
 
 . vi. 57..69. 
 
 liii. 8 . 
 
 . V. 77.. 103. 
 
 xix. 1..5 
 
 . iii. 23. M, 132, 
 
 Jer. viii. G 
 
 ii. 1 03.. 143. 
 
 
 156.. 168. 
 
 XV. 9 . 
 
 . V. 3.. 37. 
 
 xxvi. 9.. 
 
 18 . v. 205.. 214. 
 
 XXX. 21 . 
 
 V. 277.. 283. 
 
 
 
 xxsi. 18 
 
 . V. 303. .307. 
 
 Rom. ii. 29 
 
 . . iv. 373. 
 
 
 
 vi. 3, 4 
 
 . iii. 133. 
 
 Ezck xiv. 14 
 
 V. 372. 
 
 viii. 12 
 
 .v. 177.. 185. 
 
 XV. 2 
 
 . V. 174. . 177. 
 
 xiii. 1 . 
 
 5 . iv. 25..27. 
 
 xviii. 31 
 
 iv. 373. 
 
 xiv. 1 . . 
 
 5, XV.? iii. 64. .66, 265.. 
 7 i 276, 365. 367 
 
 xxxvi. 26 
 
 . iv. 373. 
 
 1,6 
 
4b4 
 
 INDEX OF TEXTS. 
 
 
 Vol. Page. 
 
 
 1 Cor. i. 10.. 13 
 
 . lii. 286, 361. 
 
 1 Tim. ii. 1 
 
 ix. 20 . 
 
 . iii. 273. 
 
 ii. 15 
 
 X. 1..4 . 
 
 . iii. 215. 
 
 v. 21 
 
 X. 16, 17 
 
 . iii. 316. 
 
 
 xii. 12 . 
 
 . iii. 286. 
 
 Heb. i. 14 
 
 xii. 13 . 
 
 . iii. 215. 
 
 ii. 3 . 
 
 XV. 3 
 
 . V. 122. 
 
 iii. 1 
 
 XV. 26 . 
 
 . vi. 140.. 157. 
 
 ix.8 . 
 
 XV. 33 . 
 
 . vi. 273.. 292. 
 
 X. 23 
 
 2 Cor. iv. 1 . 
 
 . ii. 170.. 202. 
 
 X. 36 . 
 
 vi. 13 
 
 . vi. 238.. 249. 
 
 xii. 9 
 
 xi. 32 . 
 
 . v. 209. 
 
 James i. 5 
 
 Gal. i. 15, 16 
 
 . V. 199.. 205. 
 
 i. 18 
 
 iv. 4, 5 . 
 
 . vi. 302.. 324. 
 
 iv. 8 
 
 Ephes. ii. 1 
 
 .V. 194.. 199. 
 
 iv. 10 
 
 ii. 12 . 
 
 . ii. 13..60. 
 
 1 Pet. V. 8 
 
 iv. 4..6. 
 
 . ui. 216. 
 
 2 Pet. iii. 8 
 
 v. 23 . 
 
 . iii. 316. 
 
 
 vi. 11, 12 
 
 . V. 162. 
 
 1 John iii. 7, 
 
 Phil. ii. 5.9 . 
 
 ( V. 125.. 130. 
 I vj. 69..89, 307. 
 
 iii. 14 
 iv. 6 
 
 iii. 15, 16 
 
 . iii. 67. 
 
 Rev. ii. 1 
 
 Col. i. 19. 
 
 . vi. 234. 
 
 V. 6 
 
 5.24 
 
 . iii. 288, 316. 
 
 xxi. 22 
 
 ^ol. Page 
 
 
 V. 368. 
 
 373. 
 
 vl. 306. 
 
 
 V. 144. 
 
 
 V. 142. 
 
 149. 
 
 i. 177. 
 
 
 iii. 198. 
 
 
 iii. 148. 
 
 
 iii. 198. 
 
 
 V. 320. 
 
 .324. 
 
 V. 117; 
 
 vi. 1 
 
 V. 271. 
 
 .276. 
 
 V. 186. 
 
 194. 
 
 iv. 373 
 
 
 V. 312, 
 
 .320. 
 
 V. 149. 
 
 165. 
 
 V. 373. 
 
 .380. 
 
 V. 164. 
 
 
 V. 361. 
 
 .368. 
 
 iii. 352. 
 
 
 V. 384. 
 
 .388. 
 
 V. 214. 
 
 .221. 
 
 V. 389. 
 
 396. 
 
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