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 I THEOLOGICAL SEMmARY, ¥ 
 ^ Princeton, N. J. -^ 
 
 
 j) Ca.s<'_j Division <\ : 
 
 |; •'*'/"''7; Section 'S'CCL^ ;' 
 
 
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THE 
 
 COLUMBIAN PREACHER; 
 
 OR. 
 
 A COLLECTION OF 
 
 ^©ttsmal c^etmon,^^ 
 
 FROM 
 
 PREACHERS OF EMINENCE 
 
 JJ\r THE UKITED STATES. 
 
 EMBRACING 
 
 THE DISTINGUISHING DOCTRINES OF GRACE. 
 
 VOLUME I. 
 
 % 
 
 
 CATSKILL, 
 
 \ 
 
 yUBLISHED BY NATHAN ELLLIOT 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 1808, 
 
 ' 
 
 \ 
 

 V 
 
 % 
 
 J 
 
to THE PUBLie, 
 
 IN presenting this volume to the public, \v^ 
 deem it proper to accompany it with a few obser- 
 vations. 
 
 Though the public are alreadj^ in possession of 
 many valuabljti collections of sermons, it is neverthe- 
 less necessary that new publications should constant- 
 ly be made, to answer the increasing demand, and to 
 supply the places of those which are yearly growing 
 into disuse. 
 
 The curiosity in the human mind for that which 
 is novel, ^^'iU incline many to read a new book, to the 
 neglect of an old one of equal merit. No exertion 
 should be spared to excite the attention of a * world 
 lying in wickedness,' or to allure the reluctant mind 
 to receive spiritual instruction. 
 
 A volume containing the works of many preachers, 
 eminent in the sa^pred profession, and resident in dif- 
 ferent parts of the United States, and exhibiting a 
 specimen of their respective talents and must aiford 
 a pleasing variety, and be ^lore inesting to the rea- 
 der, than a volume from a single author. 
 
 One important object of this-j undertaking is to 
 bring to public view many vaktable discourses in 
 manuscript, Vv^hich after once powerfully impressing 
 and dehghting one auditory, would otherwise be of 
 no further use to the world. 
 
 It is the design, of the editor that this collection 
 shall clearly exhibit the distinguishing doctrines of 
 grace and that nothing opposed to these (as we con. 
 ceive) shall be admitted. 
 
 In collecting this volume, we have had to encourb 
 ter difficulties which will not probably occur in the 
 
A 
 
 iv TO THE PUBLIC, 
 
 further prosecution of the plan. Several gentlemen j 
 on whose aid and encouragement we were authorized 
 particularly to depend, have been hindered by ill 
 health or an uncommon press of parocial duty, from 
 preparing their manuscripts in season. To remedy 
 this evil, we have in a few instances inserted some of 
 their sermons possessing uncommon merit, which 
 had been before published only in pamphlets, and 
 therefore not generally read. 
 
 This volume is aided by the talents of but a small 
 proportion of the great number of Clergymen of em- 
 inence in the United States. Should gentlemen of 
 talents in the ministry see fit generally, to aid hereafter 
 in the undertaking, we hope to gratify the public with 
 a succession of American sermons, and to make our 
 readers acquainted with a larger circle of preachers 
 of distinguished eminence. 
 
 The discourses in this volume, the Editor thinks, 
 are calculated to be useful, and will be received by 
 all lovers of gospel truth, as a very valuable ac- 
 quisition. He acknowledges himself under great 
 obligations to an able, and pious gentleman in the 
 ministry, who has rendered him aid, and earnestly 
 hopes, that he may find his reward in the good this 
 volume may effect in the hands of that God who 
 works by the instrumentality of means. 
 
 That it may be re^d with candor, and be useful to 
 the world, is the sincere wish of. the Editor 
 
 NATHAN ELLIOT. 
 
 CATSKiLt, July, 30, 1808. 
 

 C O N T E N T S. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 On the incomparable excellency of religion as the 
 life of man. 
 
 By Samuel Austin, D. D. Pastor of a Congre- 
 gational church, in Worcester, Massachusetts. 
 
 Deut. xxxii. 47 ** For it is not a vain thing for 
 
 you; because it is your li/e,^^ Page. 9 
 
 SERxMON IL 
 
 God glorified in building up Zion, 
 
 By the same. 
 
 Psalms cii. 16 *' JVben the Lord shall build up 
 
 Zion; be shall appear in Ms glory, '^^ 27 
 
 SERMON HI. 
 
 The sinner warned. 
 
 By Calvin Chapin, Pastor of a Congregational 
 Church, in Weathersfield, Connecticut. 
 
 Genesis xix.l7 '' Escape for thy life,^'* A^t 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 The Saint encouraged. 
 
 By the same. 
 
 Isaiah iii. 10 ^^ Say ye to the Righteous, tha^'^l 
 
 shall be well with him.'*'^ ^^ 
 
vi Contents. 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 The ground of the Believers triumph in the Cross 
 of Christ. 
 
 By David Tappan, D. D. Late professor of di- 
 vinity in Harvard College, Cambridge. 
 
 Gal. vi. 14 *' But God forbid that I should glory 
 
 scj^e in the Cross oj our Lord Jesus Christ ^^"^ 89 
 
 SEKxMON VL 
 
 <^- Be watchful and strengthen the things which re» 
 rnain, that are ready to die. "....Rev. iii. 2. 
 
 By Moses Hemmenv/ay, D. D. Pastor of a 
 Church in Wells, District of Main. 
 
 Haggai i, 4 , 5 ^^ T en came thevjord of the Lord 
 
 to Haggai. the Prophet^ sayings is it time for you ^ 
 
 ye^ to dwell in your ceiled houses^ and this bouse lie 
 
 waste ? N'oWy therefore thus saith the Lord God of 
 
 Host, consider your i^ays.^"^ lOi 
 
 SERMONS VII. &. VIII. 
 
 Gods treating every man agreeable to his moral char-^ 
 acter, shovvn to be consistent, with his blessing the 
 
 . the seed of the righteouSs and cursing the seed of 
 the wicked,, 
 By Seth ^vVilliston, Pastor of a Congregation^ 
 
 al Church, ifi Lihle, state of New- York. 
 
 E^ekicl xviii. 20 *' The soul that sinneth it shall 
 
 die : the so?i shall not dear the iniquity of the father^ 
 neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son i 
 the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him^ 
 
 ^ and the ivickcdness of the mckcd shall be upon him,^'^ 
 
 , ' ^ i25 
 
CONTENTS. vU 
 
 SERMONS IX. ^ -t: 
 
 On the nature and pov/er of truth. 
 
 By David PortSh, Pastor of the Presbyterian 
 Church, in Catskiil, New-York. 
 
 John xviii. 33. .,*•** Filate salth unto Him ^ vohat is 
 truth?'' 1^:; 
 
 SERMON XL 
 
 Love to Christ. 
 
 By E. PoRtER, Pastor of a Congregational Church 
 of the first society, in Washington, Connecticut. 
 
 Johnxxi. 17..,.'' Simon son of Jonas lovest thott me ?" 
 
 193 
 
 SERMON XIL ^ 
 
 The folly, guilt, and mischiefs of duelling* 
 
 By Timothy Dwight,D. D. President of Yak 
 College, 
 
 Proverbs xxii. 17 '' A man that doeth "uiolence to 
 
 to the blood oj any per son ^ shall fee tQ the pit ; let 
 no man stay him.»'^ 209 
 
 SERMON XIIL 
 
 Christians bound to distinguish themselves from th^ 
 
 world. 
 
 By Stephen Fe km, Pastor of a Congregational 
 Church in Harpersfield, New-York. 
 
 Matthew v. 47.....'' PFhat do ye more than others ?'^ 
 
 235 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 The appropriate duty and ornament of the female seXi ) 
 
viii CONTENTS. 
 
 By Samuel Miller, D. D. One of the pastoTs 
 of the United Presbyterian Churches, in the city of 
 New- York. 
 
 Acts ix. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41. 249 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 Messiah's Throne. 
 
 By John M. Mason, D. D. Pastor of the Asso- 
 ciate-Reformed Church, in the city of New-York. 
 
 Heb. i. 8 '' But unto the Son he saith\ thy Throne^ 
 
 God, is for ever and e'uer,^^ 26^5 
 
 SERMON XVI. 
 
 Importance of professing and practising religion. 
 
 By David Osgood, D. D. Pastor of a Church 
 in Medford Massachusetts. 
 
 Joshua xxiv. 15 '^As for me and my house we will 
 
 serine the Lord.'''* 287 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page. 43. 3 line from bottom, read iejlimony for tefmony. 
 62. 8 line from top, read, heaven in the foul.'* 
 73. 6 line from bottom, omit the word in, 
 .101. in the text, for Haggai 3. 5. read i. 4, 5. 
 175. 15 line from top, x^dA bigoted. 
 
 x6 line from top read deffied in place of d^edi 
 

 ^HIHCigSW X 
 
 ^7fi THE INCOMPARABLE EXCELLENCY OF REIiJt^ 
 GION IN THE LIFE OF MAN. 
 
 Br 
 SAMUEL AUSTIN, D. D. 
 
 Faster of a Congregational Church in JVorceslsr — Massachusetts, 
 
 Deut. xxxii. 47. 
 
 * I^or it is not a vain thing for you, because it is your life, ^ 
 
 THESE are among the last words spoken hj 
 Moses the great lawgiver of Israel. They arc a part 
 of his valadictory address to them, which is through- 
 Out solemn and impressive. He had, in the foregoing 
 passages of this address, given a short account of the 
 marvelous interpositions of God in their behalf ; men- 
 tioned several judgments which had overtaken them 
 for their rebellions ; recapitulated the most material 
 laws which had been ordained for them to observe ; 
 pressed upon them obedience to those laws, and as- 
 sured them of reaping a rich harvest of blessings in 
 case they should walk dutifully with God, and of suf- 
 fering the most dreadful effects of his displeasure if 
 they should refuse to do so. In the verse before the 
 text he brings his exhortation to a serious close 
 
 * And he said unto them, set your hearts unto all the 
 words which I testify among you this day, which ye 
 shall command your children to observe, to do all the 
 Words of this law.' 
 
 \ 
 
IQ A SERMON BY 
 
 A very powerful motive he subjoins in the text....^ 
 ' For it is not a vain thing for you, because it is your 
 
 life.' Let us apply this, my hearers, to ourselves 
 
 Beyond all doubt it will apply to us with as strict pro- 
 priety, and to as great an extent as it did to the peo-^ 
 pie of Israel. V/hat Moses had enjoined was a strict 
 and punctual observance of all the divine require- 
 ments. This is religion. Religion consists in obedi- 
 ence to God. The first great lavf , v/hich is the rule 
 of obedience to all intelligent creatures, is this. ' Hear, 
 O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou 
 shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and 
 with all thy soul, and vnth all thy strength', and with 
 all thy mind.' This law is comprehensive of all our 
 duty as it respects our Creator. Love is the essence 
 and the sum of it. He who loves God with all his 
 heart will certainly worship him in the several w^ays, 
 social and secret, in v/hich he has directed us to ap- 
 proach him. He vAli reverence him deeply,, be afraid 
 of offending him, have the most sacred respect to his 
 authority, teachably receive all his instructions, be 
 cheerfully resigned to the disposals of his providence, 
 unconditionally commit himself into his hands, and 
 endeavour to employ all his faculties, and fill up ail 
 his time in serving him. 
 
 But this general lav/ of love, as it extends to crea- 
 tures in 0U7' circumstances, involves some particular 
 duties. It binds us to repentance, faith, and gratitude 
 for that immensely rich salvation which the gospel sets 
 before us. These duties binding on us as sinners, are 
 most evidently comprehended in the general law% which 
 requires us to acknowledge Jehovah as our God and to 
 love him with all our hearts. If we possess this love 
 to God Vv'e shall certainly feel self loathing for all our 
 past undutiful treatment of him. We shall return 
 from our apostacy, and take his part against ourselves. 
 We shall cordially approve of the law which con- 
 demns us, and adore the justice which is illustrated m 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. il 
 
 the excGulion of that law. We shall embrace with 
 joy an ojtended Saviour. For in proportion as this* 
 love reigns Vvithin us, Jesus and his \vork must be 
 precious in our eyes. We shall bear vrithout mur. 
 muring every aiilction of life, as infinitely less than 
 \vc deserve, and as necessary to fill up that v» hich is 
 behind in the sufferings of Christ. Our gratitude for 
 so inestimable a favour as the salvation of which he 
 is the author and finisher, Vvill mingle itself with all 
 our worship, and form the most elevated part of it. 
 
 In speaking of obedience to the requirements of 
 God, as the sum of religion, we must not forget the 
 second table of the law. This summarily requires 
 that Vv'e love our neighbour as ourselves ; i. e. that vvx 
 regard his existence, improvement, and everlasting 
 happinessi v/ith the same friendly concern Vvhich v/e 
 £hould feel for our own. This lav/ is also obligatory 
 upon all intelligent creatures. As it respects the con- 
 dition of man, in a state of moral estrans:ement from 
 God, it involves peculiar duties. It binds us to with- 
 dravv' from all participation in the sins of Vv^icked men, 
 as a necessary expedient to bring them to repentance. 
 It binds us to do all that we can, and to intercede in 
 incessant humble prayer for their salvation. It binds us 
 to rejoice in the conversion of those whom God is gra? 
 ciously pleased to bring out of darkness into his ma?'- 
 velous light; to take them to our bosoms as christ/an 
 brethren, and to seek their edification in holine^ as 
 preparatory to the bliss of heaven. It binds us t^ for- 
 bearance, and forgivness, and to all those condc^^cend- 
 ing offices which benevolence dictates towar/s those 
 whom we cannot recover to God and duty. /i his is a 
 general view of religion. To this the text b^ respect ; 
 not to the mere profession or form of i^^nbt to any 
 mere party interest, th^fnppery of ce^-^^^^ies, or un 
 hallowed zeal, formK^'" \^r.^t^{iCe and bigotrv, vM^ 
 may assume the t^^me of religion, it luis cvci/^CP; 
 the' propensity <^^^^^--^^^^^^ to pass by t^e csser^^^^f- 
 
%2 ' A SERMON BY 
 
 religion, and to substitute in its stead ob3ervancc& 
 which are the fruit of their own invention. It is pure 
 and undefiled religion, extending its empire over the 
 heart and over the faculties and actions of the man, 
 free from all spurious intermixtures, which we are to 
 have in view. Many people imagine that even this is 
 a vain thing. They consider it as not worth any se* 
 rious concern. But the Jewish lawgiver, speaking 
 from experience, from the dictates of an enlightened 
 understanding, and which is much more, from the in- 
 spiration of the Holy Ghost, has told us that it is not 
 a vain thing. He has gone much farther, and assert- 
 ed that it is even our life. I will now endeavour to 
 illustrate and confirm to you the justness of this as- 
 sertion. Life is the greatest temporal good enjoyed 
 by man. The termination of it is ordinarily consid- 
 ered as. the greatest evil. All worldly possessions 
 take their departure with the extinction of life. The 
 malicious destrustion of it is estimated as the greatest 
 crime, and the taking it away in the execution of law 
 is deemed the highest kind of punishment. The 
 term, life, as used in the text has certainly not a con- 
 fined respect to things merely temporal. It reaches 
 to all the concerns of man, and must be considered 
 as comprehending whatever is, or ought to be valua- 
 ble to him here and hereafter. To illustrate the just- 
 nes s of the assertion in its proper and extensive sense, 
 I wcHild observe — 
 
 1st. That without religion our natural life, with all 
 
 ^ts attendant enjoyments, is forfeited; and so forfeit- 
 
 1 that \ve have no ri^ht to calculate upon its con- 
 
 uance, and that it cannot indeed be continued, 
 
 as the x'csult of mere long suffering in God..... 
 
 creatures, >vho hold thdr existence in a state of 
 
 and happiness ^^ve it co.Viinued to them either 
 
 . -^-und of their personal .obedience, or by a 
 
 . ^^eL.X -^n of ^race. There are bui these two way s^.. 
 
 . /spci vsa^KX ^ J ,|^^^ The inEnitely g^od God, can^ 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 13 
 
 >iot but approve the characters, and delight hi the 
 persons of ali obedient creatures. He will certainly 
 secure their happiness in union with himself so long 
 as they remain obedient. The language of God's gov- 
 ernment with respect to the obedient, is ' he that doth 
 them, shall live in them.' No evil can befall a crea- 
 ture so long as he remains friendly to his Creator. 
 Sin is a revolt from him. It places the creature in 
 a state of rebellion, and under the curse of the law. 
 For the unalterable language of the law, is ' The soul 
 that sinneth shall die.' Life is forfeited by sin. 
 And when life is forfeited, all its attendant privileges, 
 and enjoyments are forfeited. 
 
 The other principle on which creatures may hold a 
 happy existence in union v/ith God, is grace. These 
 are properly two distinct covenants. He who has bro- 
 ken the covenant of mere law, or works, may become 
 interested in a new covenant, called the covenant of 
 grace. Such a covenant God has revealed and pro- 
 posed to man. It is in the hand of Christ as its me- 
 diator or executor, and is sealed by his blood. It con- 
 stitutes the substance of that revelation with which 
 God has been pleased to enrich us. But the sinner 
 cannot be interested in the new covenant while utter- 
 ly destitute of religion. The covenant takes effect by 
 the consent of the sinner only. This consent must 
 comprehend repentance towards God, and faidi in 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. He who does not repent re- 
 mains a rebel. He continues in arms against his 
 lawful sovereign. He spurns every persuasion which 
 invites him to be reconciled, and tramples upon the 
 provisions of grace. He has then no title to his natu- 
 ral life, or to any of its enjoyments, by his personal 
 obedience or by grace. His life is continued on the 
 same principle that the life of a murderer is continu- 
 ed in the proceedings of a civil government, after he 
 has been tried, convicted, and the sentence of death 
 has been pronounced against him. It is continued in 
 
U A SERMON BY 
 
 nacre forbearance. Were all irreligious people struck 
 dead in a moment, they would only be treated accord- 
 ing to their real moral condition. This is exactly the 
 reverse of the state of religious people. They, as 
 ".nuch as the irreligious, have broken the law ; and 
 personally considered, deserve to have life and all its 
 enjoyments taken from them. But they have repent- 
 ed, and embraced the new covenant. They are sub- 
 jects of grace, and are interested in the promises of 
 grace. These pron^ises secure to them a protraction 
 of life, so long as shall be for their real benefit, and 
 in connection vrith it, the continuance of every desir- 
 able enjoyment, 
 
 2d. Witiiout religion, a person cannot be a subject 
 of any blessing. His organs, and health and activity 
 of body, and his faculties of mind, may be continued 
 riUim^paired, but they cannot be continued as bless- 
 ings. Yv^ith plenty his cup may overfiov/, but it can- 
 not l>e as a blessing. These things are favours in 
 providence which call for gratitude, as they illustrate 
 the excellency of Jehovah's character, are the oppor 
 r^ite of what the sinner deserves, and are so many ta- 
 lents v/hich may be put to dutiful use. But they do 
 r.ot indicate an interest in the blessing, any more than 
 ii tlve recipient were all the Vv^hile suffering the 
 miseries of the damned. A malefactor under sen- 
 tence of death, may have his execution respited, 
 but the reprieve will not indicate that tlie govern- 
 ment means to treat him at all as an object of its smiles. 
 He may be [eu, com.fortably lodged, and have every 
 want supplied ; but none of these things will express 
 any satisiaction in his character. They are consist- 
 ent vrith a perfect detestation of it, and a resolution 
 not to mitigate upon the vrhole, in the least, the seve- 
 rity of his punishment. 
 
 Those receive gifts from God as real blessings, 
 cind those only, who are personally the blessed. All 
 Wessings descend upon men by the new covenant. 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 15 
 
 The curse only conies by the old. They only are the 
 blessed \vho embrace the covenant m which the bless- 
 ings are deposited. Abraham embraced this cove^ 
 nant. God of course was Abraham's covenant God. 
 Hence God said to him, ' In blessing, I v;ill bless 
 thee.' God vvas ^he covenant God of Abraham's 
 seed. They in succession are actual recipients of 
 the covenant. Hence they are said to be the seed 
 which the Lord hath blessed.' Converts from the 
 Gentile world, are Abraham's seed by adoption. They 
 are brought into the same covenant, and become 
 equally with Abraham himself, objects of the bless- 
 ing. For says Paul, in his Epistle to the Galatians, 
 ' if ye be Christ^s, then are ye Ambraham's seed, 
 and heirs according to the promise. So then they 
 which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.' 
 It is on this principle that the detail of blessings was 
 given by Moses to the people of Israel, as recorded 
 in the 28th ch. Deut. " And it shall come to pass 
 if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the 
 Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his com- 
 mandments which I command thee this day, that the 
 Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations 
 of the earth. And all these blessings shall come on 
 thee and overtake thee. Blessed shalt thou be in the 
 city, and bleesed thou shalt be in the iield. Blessed 
 shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy 
 ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy 
 kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy 
 basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when 
 thou comcst in, and blessed shalt thou be v/hen thou 
 goest out. The Lord shall command his blessings, 
 upon thee in thy store houses, and in all that thou 
 settest thine hand unto, and he shall bless thee in the 
 land which the Lord thy God glvcth thee.' In simi- 
 lar language the Psalmist declares, ' Blessed is the 
 man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly^ 
 nor standeth in the wav of sinners, nor sitteth in the 
 
16 A SERMON BY 
 
 seat of the scornful ; but his delight is in the law oi 
 the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and 
 night. And he shall belike a tree planted by the 
 rivers of waters, that bringeth forth fruit in his season; 
 his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doth 
 shall prosper.' The Prophet inculcates the same 
 sentiment. * Blessed is the man who trusteth in the 
 Lord, and vvhose hope the Lord is.' This evidence 
 may be sufficient to conclude that the blessing is ap- 
 propriate to those who are subjects of religion. But 
 I cannot suppress the emphatic benedictions pro- 
 nounced by our Saviour, in the beginning of his ser- 
 mon on the mount. ' Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, blessed are 
 they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Bless- 
 ed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 
 Bkssed are they which do hunger and thirst after 
 righteousness, for they shall be fUled. Blessed are 
 the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed 
 are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Bless- 
 ed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the 
 children of God.' The Christian is here designated 
 in the i^-overnino: affections of his heart, and the lead- 
 ing traits of his character. On him therefore, the 
 blessing rests, and on him only. The unbelieving 
 sinner does not receive it, says the Psalmist. ' But 
 the ungodly are not so, but arc as the chaff which the 
 wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not 
 stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congrega- 
 tion of the righteous.' The favors which the wick- 
 ed receive do not come in a covenant channel. They 
 testify to no union between God and them. They 
 are not pledges of fatherly love, as those are which 
 are conferred upon the pious. They present no evi- 
 dence that God designs their good. They may be 
 merely a savour of death unto death. They may 
 contribute only to hasten and augment their final des- 
 truction. For ' when the wicked spring as the grass,- 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 17 
 
 and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is 
 that they shall be destroyed forever.' Which leads 
 nie to observe, 
 
 3d Ihat he v/ho is destitute of religion is subject- 
 ed to the positive curse of God's iavv. This curse 
 rests upon him at all times, and hov, ever cmplo^.td, 
 audit attaches to ail he cots, pcs^csecs, arc trjc}s. 
 The curse is the reverse oi the blessing. It is the 
 portion of the sinner's cup. it expresses the abhor- 
 rence God entertairiS oi his chaiactei. tcire urc cr 
 the law, he is necessarily under the curse. ' Cursed 
 is every one \^ho ccntinueth not in all things written 
 in the book of the law to do them..' in the chapter in 
 Deut. v.here the blessing has been quoted vac find 
 the curse following the rebellious, and never leaving 
 them till they are finally destroytd. ' But it shall 
 come to pass, if thou shah not heaiktn unto the voice 
 of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his com- 
 mandm.ents, and his statutes, which I con mand 
 thee this day, that all the curses shall ccme upon thee 
 and overtake thee, cursed shalt thou be in the citv 
 and cursed shalt thou be in the field, cursed shall be 
 thy basket and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit 
 of thy body and the fruit of thy land, the increase of 
 thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Cursed shalt 
 thou be when thou ccmest in, and cursed shalt thou be 
 when thou goest out. The Lord shall send upon thee 
 Cursing, vexation and rebuke, in all that thou puttest 
 thine hand unto ior to do, until thou perish quickly.' 
 ' cursed' says the prophet ' is the man who trusteth 
 in man, and maketh fiesh his arm, and v. hose heart de- 
 parteth from the Lord.' The Nev. Testament speaks 
 in language equally strong to this purpose ; nay much 
 more alarming. lie who believeth not is declared 
 to be cond^imned already. The wrath of God is saiel 
 to abide on him. Expressions of terror are multi- 
 plied, as if it were difficult to find words sufficiently 
 
 9 
 
18 A SERMON BY 
 
 9io;aifican+ to convey a just idea of the weight of tliat: 
 Gurse which rests upon the irreligious. ' Indi^^na- 
 tioii an:! wrath, tribuiiuion and anguish, upon every 
 soul of man th st doth evil, upon the Jew first and also 
 upon the G^^iitile.' Thus the curse goes side by side 
 with the blessing. As sure as the latter rests upon 
 the religious ; the former rests upon those of an op- 
 posite character. It fastens upon them i'mmovetibly. 
 It is a burden which, when eternity pours its tight up- 
 oi tiieir m; ids, th^y will not be able to bear. It will 
 sink them to the depths of wretchedness. To have 
 the wrath of the immutable Jehovah abide upon a de- 
 fenceless creature, for a million of years would be 
 dreadful. Who could support the thought of only 
 having his finger held in the ftame of a candle for so 
 long a period ? What a doom, deeply to be depre- 
 cated, to be condemned with Dives, even for this pe- 
 riod, to sigh out the mournrul complaint, ' I am tor- 
 mented in this flame.' But the everlasting contin- 
 uance of this distress is the thins; which adds a thou- 
 sand fold to the horrors of it. From this curse reli- 
 gion delivers us. ' Tliere is therefore now no con- 
 demnation to them'which are in Christ Jesus, who 
 walk not after tlve fiesh,, but after the spirit.' Inval- 
 uijj)le possession ! Indeed it is our Life. 
 
 4th. Religion is our life as it is the only thing- 
 which can make us morally and spiritually what we 
 ought to be. Tiiere is a death, my brethren which is 
 spiritual, as well as a death which is natural and eter- 
 nal ; I mean the soul's bereavement of the moral im.ige 
 oi God, its destitution of that love which his law le- 
 quires, and hs voluntary bondage to sin and satan. 'I o 
 be carnally minded, the apostle tells us, is death. You 
 hath he quickened, again he observes, who were dead 
 in trespasses and sins. He v;ho lives inpleasiure is 
 said to be dead while he liveth. The moral recovery of 
 tiiesoul to God is denominated, on the other hand, life. 
 ' i o be spir-itually minded is life and peace.' A res- 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. ' 19 
 
 toration to such a life is what is intended by the term^ 
 qickened. This language of scripture proves to 
 us that without religion the soul of man is wholly- 
 dead in sin. It has no shade of likeness to the moral 
 e cellency of the Deity remaining, it is not only 
 without moral beauty, but is degraded down to a pobi- 
 live resemblance of the arch-adversary of God. View 
 a creature entirely divested of all conformity to the 
 t^'o great commandments which require love to "God 
 and our neighbour; at enmity with an infinite being 
 whose nature is love, refusing to be reconciled to 
 hi m ; trampling on his, authority ; -turning a ;deaf ear 
 to his counsels, going forvvard with an unconquei-a- 
 ble obstinacy in sinning against him ; spurning his 
 grace; combined with other enemies of God against 
 his throne and glory ; resisting the efforts of the pi- 
 ous, and strengthening the hands of those who hate 
 th^m, and you certainly have in your m.inds a creature 
 dead to all moral right. Deep stupidity and moral 
 blindness ;are the ordinary concomitants of this spirit- 
 ual death. The heart being totally vitiated, so viti- 
 ated as to love darkness rather than light, tliere is a 
 proneness in man to error and deception. There is 
 an indisposition even to attend with any teachable- 
 ness to the things which belong to his everlasting 
 peace. ' O,' said the Saviour when he wept over Je- 
 rusalem, * that thou hadst known, even thou, at least 
 in this thy day^ the things which belong to thy peace, 
 but now they are hid from thine eyes.' And the pro- 
 phet Jeremiah asks., ' to whom shall I speak, and 
 give warning, that they may hear ? Behold, their ear 
 is uncircumcised, that they cannot harken. The 
 word of the Lord is unto them a reproach, they have 
 no delight in it.' If possible the picture which Paul 
 draws, of the blindness of sinners, is still more fright- 
 ful. ' This I say therefore and testify, that ye Avalk 
 not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their minds,, 
 having the understanding darkened, being alienate^ 
 
,20 A SERMON BY 
 
 from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in 
 them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, 
 being past feeling have given themselves over to work 
 all uncieanness with greediness.' Religion is the re- 
 surrection of the creature from this death in sin. It is 
 the putting otf of this body of ignorance and deformi- 
 ty, and putting on the ne^-v man, which after God is cre- 
 ated in righteousness and true holiness.' From the na- 
 ture of religion, as it has been generally described in 
 the forepart of this discourse, it must appear to be the 
 proper restoration of the sinner, to all moral rectitude. 
 T.iis constitutes real, moral excellence. It harmon- 
 izes the creature with the Creator, and disposes him 
 to be active in his service. It rescues him from self 
 imposition, blindness and error. He presents his body 
 a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God..... 
 Vnder the influence of it. as the great spring of real 
 improveinent, he employs his intellectual powers in 
 diligent and successful search after truth. His eye 
 being single, his whole body is full of light. His ex* 
 ertions are directed to the best things. 
 
 Many have been the endeavors of mankind to form 
 excellence and usefulness of character without reli- 
 gion. Great has been the labor to make man a vir- 
 tuous and amiable being, on some other principle- 
 External purifications have been resorted to. Acts 
 of corporeal worship have been multiplied. Men 
 have gone on pilgrimages, and sunk into cloisters. A 
 heartless morality, shaped according to the superfi- 
 cial opinions of the world, has been cherished, as 
 though it attached real moral worth to man. The 
 principle of honor has been embraced. And the re- 
 bel against Jehovah, has approached to single combat 
 in defence of his character, as though he had some 
 worth of character which he might lose. These are 
 miserable expedients to shift off religion, and con* 
 firm that darkness of mind in which unconverted men 
 Tlsvp to be bewildered, it is labor wholly in vain;. 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. ' Ql 
 
 Religion is the only thing which can constitute true 
 worth of character, and give man a rank among mor- 
 ally living creatures. 
 
 5th. Religion is our life, as it brings with it inesti- 
 mably precious personal comforts through the changes 
 of this mortal state ; secures a peaceful departure out 
 of the world, and gives at last an abundant entrance 
 into the mansions of the blessed. Religion disinga- 
 ges from those exertions which perpetually harrass 
 worldly men. It calms down the anxieties of the mind, 
 
 di^isipates its fears, and reconciles it to adversity 
 
 It leads the possessor of it to a sweet reliance upon 
 an all sufficient Saviour. It gladdens the soul with 
 that aspiring hope which fastens upon the skies ; 
 which is its anchor, sure and steadfast, entering to 
 that within the vail. It is its glory so to belittle the 
 world as to detect its cheats, and despise its unholy 
 acquisitions of honor, profit and pleasure. It is its 
 glory to put the malice of earth and hell at defiance, 
 and to vanquish the king of terrors. It is crowned 
 with a part in the first resurrection, and brings its most 
 happy, its highly honoured subject up to the blisful 
 seats of paradise. And O, the unutterable tri- 
 umphs, the unsatiating, ever expanding raptures it 
 w^iil then enkindle ! Go, follow the irreligious man 
 down to his dark and dreary prison below, witness 
 his agonies, hear his moans, think of his being con- 
 tiaued this spectacle of shame and misery through 
 interminable ages ; and then follow the religious man 
 up to the pearly gates of heaven. See them thrown 
 wide open for his honorable admittance. Behold con- 
 gratulating angels and saints welcoming him to a par- 
 ticipation in their joys. Witness the transports of 
 his soul when his eye is fastened upon his adored Sa- 
 viour. Mark with what ecstacy he mingles his song of 
 victory with the acclamations of all the ransomed, and 
 let this felicity be drawn out in your imaginations to 
 Ml endless eternity, and you will have some idea, but, 
 
^2 A. SERMON BY 
 
 O, how inadequate, of the extent to which it is true^ 
 that religion iii oar life. Upon the whole it is im- 
 possible to name one real personal good, one attain- 
 ment or enjoyment oF real value, which is not religion 
 itself, or founded in it. Without it the richer a man 
 is in worldly possessions, the poorer he certainly is up- 
 on the whole. The more honorable he is in worldly 
 distinctions, the more dishonor attaches to him upon 
 the whole. The more unholy pleasure he enjoys, the 
 more bitterness is he certainly laying up for himself 
 in the latter end. The more he is flattered here, the 
 more will his torments be increased by the revilings 
 of his companions in hell at last. If possible it would 
 be better to be a child of penury in the very lowest 
 grade of human existence, and infinitely better to be 
 a beast, driven by goads, and bearing a yoke, than be. 
 a man, even a man of eminence and figure, without 
 religion. But I am constrained to observe once more, 
 6th. That religion is our life in social respects. 
 Whatan unamiable and unpleasant, not to say wretch- 
 ed society, is an irreligious family ? The term wretch- 
 ed, in the strict sense of it, a^jplies to millions of 
 families, for the mere want of religion, A perpetual 
 infraction of each others rights, jealousies, crimina- 
 tions and jars, make up the materials of their his- 
 tory. If there areany enjoyments resulting from fami- 
 ly affinities without religion, they rise no higher in 
 their nature, than those of all nimals who live in clus- 
 ters :; and they are counterbalanced by severe sorrows 
 imder adversities and bereavements, of which they 
 are the spring. Religion gives to demestic society, all 
 its real value, its innocence, its mutual confidence, its 
 cheerfulness^ its unity of interest, its harmony of sen- 
 timent, and its aspiring hopes. The endearments in- 
 dulged, neither satiate nor embitter on reflection. En- 
 livening conversation on the best subjects, presents a 
 minature of heaven. Trust in God, dispels anxiety 
 sind gloom. Anticipations of a happy meeting in hea- 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 2S 
 
 ven, remove the dreariness of that des&olution oftheu' 
 family state, which they know is hastening on. Praise 
 ascends from the family altar, and the voice of an 
 approving God supports and gladdens in the parting^ 
 scene. 
 
 It is religion only, which is the basis of Christian 
 communion, and the life of that most desirable socie- 
 ty, called the Church Here how friendly, hovv in- 
 viting it is ! How tender are its sympathies, how 
 abundant are its labors for the general ediEcation, how 
 free are its charities, how brotherly its spirit, how 
 harmonious its songs, and how elevated its joys ! 
 Here none are strangers, none are partizans. All 
 are brethren. The rich and the poor, the high and 
 the low, the free and the bond are on a level. All are 
 members of the same body. And though they have- 
 never seen each other, and live under different politi- 
 cal governments, \h a state of open war, they feel the 
 uniting attractive influence of one common affection. 
 If it were left to them, there would be no war, no ra- 
 pine, no oppression one of another. They can be in 
 the most perfect 'amity v. ith each other, vvhile the 
 world is rent with national hatreds. This is a fact at 
 the present moment. When the nations of Europe 
 are sending out their armies and fleets, and exhaust- 
 ing their resources for each others destruction, while 
 lands are covered, and oceans are stained with human 
 gore, the remnant of the followers of Jesus dis- 
 persed over the respective countries, are pouring their 
 affectionate condolance into each others bosoms, 
 drawing tighter the cords of their mutual charities, 
 contributing to each others relief, meetin.f^ before the 
 same throne of grace, and combining their efforts to 
 heal the moral disorders of mankind, and 5?pread 
 the gospel over the world. Ye amiable people ! Ye 
 are entitled to be called the elect of God. Ye are a>a 
 a city set on an hill, which cannbt be hid. Ye seem 
 ieebie and forgotten. And many of you are perse- 
 
24 rX SERMON BY 
 
 cutcd. But ye are brethren, and yours finally is the 
 victory, and the glory. When my hearers, religion 
 lias accoaipiished its end, into what a transcendantiy 
 glorious society will it form the Christian Church : 
 
 it would be doing reiigon an inlinite injury to sup- 
 pose, that it is the principle on which political society 
 is founded. A political society is a collection of 
 men nationally separated from the rest of the world. 
 Its form of government is not generally chosen^ but 
 the fruit of accident or impo'^ed. It has respect 
 merely to the interests of the world, and will perish 
 -with the world. To say that such a society cannot 
 exist in a state of prosperity, without religion, if by 
 prosperous state be meant national aggrandizement, 
 and opulence, is to assert against all evidence. Yet it 
 may be averred, that religion has the most propitious 
 influence on political society. It makes the good ma- 
 gistrate, and the industrious, quiet subject. It gives 
 to contracts their best security, and to labor its sure 
 reward. As it spreads among the mass of a people, 
 crimes will cease, mutual confidence Vvill be restored, 
 order will prevail, and each one will sit under his vine 
 and fig tree, having none to make him afraid. 
 
 As a farther evidence of the excellence of religion, 
 I must be permitted to remark, that nearly all those 
 establishments which have charity for their object, 
 seminaries of learning, hospitals of every descrip- 
 tion, societies for the relief of persons in distress, for 
 the recovery of those \a ho have become the victims of 
 seduction, and for the emancipation of slaves, have 
 sprung from religion.as their creative principle. 
 
 Thus religion, heaven descended, the image of the 
 Creator, and the sure guide to that happiness, which 
 is to be enjoyed in his love, scatters her bounties, 
 spreads her lights, and extends her heaUng in- 
 fluence in every direction. It is just the opposite of 
 being a vain thing. It is the only object entitled t3 
 pur care. To be religious, is to be wise, and right, 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 25 
 
 useful, and happy. To be without religion, is to be 
 desperately wicked. It is to be a cumberer of the 
 ground, and an heir of hell. 
 
 Shall we not then, my hearers, be grieved to the 
 heart for all our past irreligiousness ? Shall we not 
 lament our opposition to religion, and neglect of it I 
 Shall we not yield to its demands, come home to 
 God, and be his forever ? Can we still go so directly 
 in the face of evidence, law, authority, and experience, 
 as to refuse to be religious ? Are we determined ne- 
 ver to be what we ought to be?' Are we resolved 
 to bring shame, dishonor, and perdition upon our- 
 selves as fast as possible ? Can we continue delibe^ 
 rately to prefer a portion with the wicked ? If exhor- 
 tations could do any thing, they should be multiplied 
 till evening ; till I sunk down lifeless in the pulpit. 
 And it would be a most desirable death. But if you 
 yield dutifully, it must be to evidence. Evidence is 
 full before you. And with you I leave it, and with 
 him, who shall judge the quick and the dead,,.. Amen; 
 
 3 
 
A SERMON 
 
 CPD GLORIFIED IN BUILDING UP ZION. 
 BY 
 
 SAMUEL AUSTIN, D. D. 
 
 Pastor of a Congregational Church in Worcester — Massachusetts. 
 
 Psalms cii. 16. 
 
 ^ JVhen the Lord shall build up Zion^ he shall appear 
 
 in his glory ."^ 
 
 BY Zion in this passage, and as the term is ge- 
 nerally used in the Scriptures, we are to understand 
 that holy community commonly styled the Church. 
 There have always been some individuals of this com- 
 munity living in the world, through every successive 
 period of time. Before Christ, it was confined very 
 much to the natural posterity of Abraham. Since 
 his advent, its boundaries have been widely extended, 
 and it has taken into its bosom multitudes of us sin- 
 ful and miserable Gentiles. Every person who is sanc- 
 tified in heart is a subject of this comm.unity. And 
 (Every person who gives evidence that he is sanctified, 
 is visibly a subject of it. God is the builder of Zion. 
 He designed it in his infinite mind from eternity ; 
 and he efficiently brings into it, all the multitude of 
 which it consists. He forms them to that temper by 
 which they voluntarily sink into a spiritual and holy 
 society. He preserves them under the government of 
 this temper, so that they never can be dismembered 
 from ii. Says the Psalmist. Ps. 149. 2. ' Let Israel 
 rejoice in him that inadc bim : let the children of Zi- 
 
28 A SERMON BY 
 
 on be joyful in their king. ' In the 43d chapter of Isai- 
 ah God speaks of Zion as exclusively his work. — 
 * But now thus saith the Lord, that created thee, O 
 Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not for 
 I have redeemed thee ; I have called thee by thy name ; 
 
 thou art mine. Fear not ; for I am with thee, I 
 
 will bring thy seed form the east, and will gather them 
 from the west. I will say to the north, give up ; and 
 to the south, keep not back; bring my sons from far, 
 and my daughters from the ends of the earth ; even 
 every one that is called by my name, for I have cre- 
 ated him for my glory. I have formed him, yea I 
 have made him.' 
 
 If a superb edifice is rising under the agency of an 
 ingenious architect, his ingenuity as an artist will ap« 
 pear more and more admirable, as the work advances 
 under his hands. As Zion is styled the fullness of him 
 who filleth all in all, and an habitation ofGod through 
 the spirit, it is to be expected that in its rise, his glory 
 will be greatly illustrated. That it will, is the express 
 assertion of the Psalmist, in the passage 1 have read to 
 you. With his prophetic eye spread over this immense 
 spiritual building, as it was to rise through the lapse 
 of ages, he asserts that whenever God should act in 
 carrying it forward, he would appear in his glory. 
 This is a sentiment justly entitled to our serious con- 
 sideration, and must be capable of yielding us much 
 instruction, and comfort. I shall lead you to consider, 
 
 1st. When God, according to the import of this 
 passage, may be said to build up, Zion. 
 
 2d. In what respects, when he does so, he appears 
 in his glory. And 
 
 3d. I will suggest to you the proper reflections 
 which flow from such a view of the subject. 
 
 1st. We will attend to the inquiry, Vvhen God, ac- 
 cording to the import of the passage, may be said to 
 build up Zion. 
 
 The material world with all its furniture, is tem.- 
 porary. ' They shall perish, but thou remain^st, and 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 29 
 
 they all shall wax old as doth a garment, and as a 
 vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be 
 changed ; but thou art the same, and thy years shall 
 not fail.' In a perfect system, contrived by an infi- 
 nitely wise God, that which is temporary and tran- 
 sient, cannot be created for its own sake. It must 
 be subordinate to an interest which is to remain. Zi- 
 on, as it is a spiritual, redeemed, ever-during society, 
 is an eternal excellency, and the perfection of beauty. 
 All other things in this world, are of inferior consider- 
 ation, and have utility and beauty, only as they are 
 subordinate to it. We are not to suppose then, that 
 in every thing he does, God is directly building up 
 Zion. In some of his works he does but create and 
 arrange the means. He acts then, with respect to his 
 ultimate work, but indirectly and remotely. The 
 prudent architect, first forms his plan, procures his 
 tools, provides his materials, lays out the scite of his 
 building, and collects his laborers. All this is but 
 preparatory, and subordinate. Afterwards the build- 
 ing actually rises under his hand. In like manner 
 some of the works of God, are but provisional to the 
 proper work of building up Zion, Such is the work 
 of creation. When the sun, and moon, and planets, 
 this globe, with all the variegated beauty which is 
 spread over it ; light and life, irrational creatures, and 
 man the noblest of all, rose into being at the com- 
 manding voice of God, his power, and wisdom, and 
 goodness shone with admirable splendor. But as 
 yet Zion had not began to exist. 
 
 Such is the work of providence. The hand of GocJ 
 preserves and manages every particle of matter, and 
 every portion of sensitive life. Not a sparrow falls 
 to the ground without his notice, and the hairs of 
 our heads are all numbered. But effects which take 
 place in common providence, constitute no part of 
 Zion. The agency which produces them, is there- 
 fore hilt subordinate. 
 
30 A SERMON BY 
 
 Such are those acts of God, by which knowledge is 
 addressed to the understandings of unrenewed men. 
 Instruction in its nature, however abundant, is but 
 provisional. It may coexist with perfect enmity to 
 God. It may fail, and in innumerable instances does 
 in lact fail of having any saving effect, through the 
 opposition and unteachableness of those to whom it 
 is addressed. We can suppose this world full of in- 
 struction, respecting God, his glory, government, the 
 obligations and relations which subsist between him 
 and his creatures, and between one creature and ano- 
 ther, and yet Zion have no existence. 
 
 Even the appearance of the Son of God in our 
 world, his union to our nature, his sufferings, resur- 
 rection, and ascension to glory, and the subjection of 
 the myriads of angels to his mediatorial dominion, 
 are but preparatory and provisional. For all this 
 might be supposed to be done, and yet Zion not be. 
 
 Those extraordinary operations of omnipotent agen- 
 cy, by v/hich sinners are awakened, brought under 
 deep convictions, and filled with alarming apprehen- 
 sions of God's wrath, do not properly form any part 
 pf that peculiar system of operation, by which Zion 
 is built up. For let the light which is spread over 
 the mind, be ever so great ; let the sinner under the 
 alarms of conscience approach ever so near to com- 
 plete despair, remaining a sinner he is still of thq 
 world, and is under the curse of the law he has brok- 
 en. He has not yet yielded the controvers)^ He 
 ]ias not entered the gates of Zion, nor partaken in 
 the least degree of the peculiar character of its citi- 
 ::ens. We might suppose the agency of God spread- 
 ing such conviction, and such despondency over eve- 
 ry mind, while as yet Zion had no existence. 
 
 As zion is a spiritual society, consisting of per- 
 sons who are taken out of the world, renewed and 
 sanctified, formed in heart and life to a likeness to the 
 isaviour, it is then built lyo when sinners are brought 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 31 
 
 to repentance, are preserved and carried forward in 
 ^ holy life, and are finally translated to heaven. — 
 When a sinner becomes a sincere penitent, and not 
 till then, he ceases to be an enemy of God. Old 
 things are now done away, and all things are become 
 new. He changes his ground, his objects of i^ltimatc 
 love, his associations, and the direction of his efforts. 
 He quits the service of satan, and cleaves with full 
 purpose of heart to the Lord Jesus. He becomes a 
 living stone, fit to constitute a part of the immense 
 temple of grace. He is disposed to take, and does 
 actually take that place which is assigned him by the 
 great builder. He is disposed to keep that place, and 
 to strengthen the work instrumentally, by the applica- 
 tion and dilligent use of all his talents. 
 
 Persons may be brought to repentance solitarily, 
 i, e. when there is no revival of religion in the place 
 where they live. And they may be converted in con- 
 nection w^ith others, more or less, under uncommon 
 refreshings from the presence of the Lord. In both 
 these ways, God has in every age carried forward 
 this spiritual building. The spirit has been always 
 operating in one place or another, as the wind has aU 
 ways been blowing ; sometimes like a gentle breeze 
 hardly perceptible, at others like a rushing tempest. 
 More generally it appears to have been God's me- 
 thod to afiect the recovery of sinners by occasional 
 effusions of his Holy Spirit, by which multitudes 
 have been collectively brought into his kingdom. 
 Many such seasons of extensive ingathering there 
 have undoubtedly been, which have not come to our 
 knowledge. Sacred history has transmitted inciden- 
 tal notices of several extensive revivals which took 
 place among the people of Israel, in the times which 
 preceded the advent of the Saviour. The effusions 
 of the spirit were much more abundant after his as- 
 cension. Three thousand were converted in one day, 
 under a single sermon. Five thousand in another 
 day. During the first century Zion enlarged hev 
 
32 A SERMON BY 
 
 boundaries to a great extent, and received millionit 
 into her bosom. Heathen idolators by shoals were 
 caught in the gospel net. Every where the preaching 
 of the gospel was with power, being accompanied with 
 the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven. Ecclesiastical 
 history records vast ingatherings in later periods, un- 
 der a similar supernatural influence, in Germany, Swit- 
 zerland, France, Holland, England, Scotland, Ireland, 
 and our own country. About sixty years ago, there 
 was a very remarkable revival of religion over New- 
 England, and in the middle colonies. Great num- 
 bers were brought under deep convictions, and as 
 there is great reason to believe, to sincere repentance. 
 Within ten years past many districts of our country 
 have been signally enriched Avith this heavenly bless- 
 ing. And we have liberty to rely, that almighty agen- 
 cy will be continually employed in subduing sinners 
 to the cross, till Zion is completed, and raised to her 
 ultimate elevation in the mansions of eternal bliss. 
 For it is promised, (vain expectation is that which is 
 built upon the supposed nullity and inefficiency of 
 this promise.) ' 1 will work, and who shall let it* 
 I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Ask 
 of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine in- 
 heritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for 
 thy possession. O thou afflicted, and tossed, and not 
 comforted : Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair 
 colours, and thy foundation with sapphires. And I 
 will make thy windows of agates, and all thy borders 
 of pleasant stones* Who hath heard such a thing ? 
 Who hath seen such things ? Shall the earth be made 
 to bring forth in one day, or shall a nation be born 
 at once ? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought 
 forth her children. One shall not say unto another, 
 know the Lord ; for all shall know me, from the least 
 even unto the greatest. And the earth shall be full 
 of the knowledge of the Lord.' These and many 
 other scipture promises respecting the future rise and 
 vast extension of Zion, have certainly not yet had 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 33 
 
 their accomplishment. As they shall be fuJiiiled, 
 striking evidence v. ill be furnished that God is the 
 builder of Zion, and it will be inquired, with deep ad- 
 lipiration and praise, What hath God wrought ? 
 
 1 am to lead you to consider in what respects God, 
 -when he acts in building up Zion, appears in his glo- 
 ry. The declaration of the text implies, that God 
 has originally and independently a fullness of glory, 
 ivhich has its clearest illustration as Zion advances 
 under his all disposing hand. It is our business now 
 to attend to the particulars in which this illustration 
 is made. 
 
 1st. When God builds up Zion he appears in the 
 infinity and irresistibility of his power. By power 
 vi^e understand that ability which an intellegnnt agent 
 has to bring to pass such effects as he wishes to ac- 
 complish. Power may be unequal in diiferent intel- 
 ligent agents. The power of one may be competent 
 to the production of certain effects, but not to the pro- 
 iduction of others, to which the power of another may 
 be adequate. Power in itself is a valuable attribute 
 because it may be employed kindly, in effecting desira- 
 ble ends, which could not be effected without it. Good 
 dispositions are ineffectual, if attended with perfect 
 weakness. Perfect benevolence will labor to diffuse 
 its blessings in vain, if overruled by a superior will. 
 God is good. He is unlimitedly benevolent, without 
 any opposite bias of heart. Those creatures who are 
 opposite to him are evil. Malevolence constitutes 
 the principle of their opposition. It is infinitely de- 
 sirable that they should not be able to impede in the 
 least, the execution of God's purposes. It is infinite- 
 ly desirable that he should possess, and appear cloth- 
 ed with, supreme povver ; power adequate to all the 
 ends of his administration. In the possession of 
 such power, he is fitted to be the sole governor of the 
 world, the manager of all events, the guardian of the 
 moral svstem, the successful promoter of happiness, 
 
34 A SERMON BY 
 
 the refuge of trie weak and needy, and is a meet ob- 
 ject of universal unreserved confidence. Clothed 
 with omnipotence, he must be beyond the possibil- 
 ity of disappointment. He can effectually prevent 
 ill-disposed creatures from doing mischief; andean 
 make them, against their inclinations subservient to 
 good. The infinite goodness of God is a full securi- 
 ty that his power will be always employed for ends 
 .. purely benevolent. Without it, he could bring no- 
 thing to pass. With it, he can do all his pleasure. — 
 Power then is an essential portion of his glory. It 
 goes to constitute that infinite excellency of nature, 
 on the ground of which, he is entitled to be loved 
 with all the heart and soul and strength and mind. 
 The more his power is displayed, the more clearly 
 must all intelligent creatures perceive their obliga- 
 tion to love him in this perfect manner. In this light 
 the power of God was certainly presented to the mind 
 of the apostle, when he said, Horn. ix. 22. ' What if 
 God, willing to shew his wrath and make his power 
 known, endured with much long suffering, the vessels 
 of wrath fitted to destruction.' Thus it must be con- 
 templated by the inhabitants of heaven, when they 
 sing, ' We give thee thanks, O Lord God, Almighty, 
 which art, and wast, and art to come, because thou 
 hast taken to thee thy great powei', and hast reigned.* 
 
 The power of God is displayed in the works of cre- 
 ation, providence, and general government. It is dis« 
 played in perpetuating, in a state of holy happiness, 
 the myriads of obedient creatures ; and in the com- 
 plete reduction of all his enemies. But it has a more 
 clear and admirable display in that agency by which 
 Zion is erected. 
 
 It is the power, the irresistible power, of God ex- 
 clusively which reconciles the sinner, disposes him 
 to submit, keeps him in a course of holy obedience, 
 makes him valient for the truth, strengthens him in 
 the day of trial, and translates him to glory. These 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 35 
 
 tliins^s are not to be ascribed to any previous teach- 
 ableness, good disposition, striving, or prayers, in 
 the sinner himself; nor to any strivings, or prayers 
 of others, to the efficacy of means, or the force of per- 
 suasion. The previous dispositions and endeavors 
 of the sinner entirely resist this work of God. The 
 character of every sinner in this respect, is given iu 
 _.the first chap, of Proverbs. ' Because I have called 
 and ye have refused^ I have stretched out my hand 
 and no man regarded; but jy^* ha^oe set at naught all my 
 councils^ and %vould none of my reproofs.'' Many of 
 those who are subjects of this renewing influence 
 are, before their conversion, notorious examples of 
 stout heartedness, of profligacy, and unbelief ; prone 
 to vilify all serious and experimental religion, to 
 turn the preaching of the gospel into banter and to 
 use all their exertions to defeat its influence. They 
 manifest more hatred to religion than to any other ob- 
 ject. What a display of power to bring into cordial 
 and affectionate subjection, creatures so inveteratcly 
 hostile : to turn them entirely about, and lead them 
 to pray, and labor, and suffer for a cause to which 
 they were so opposed ! Here is omnipotence in its 
 most honorable attitude. * Thy people shall be will- 
 ing in the day of thy power.' How gloriously does 
 omnipotence triumph, even when an individual is 
 made a subject of such a change ! How rnuch more 
 when multitudes, large proportions of towns and dis- 
 tricts unitedly present their bodies as living sacrifi- 
 ces, holy and acceptable ! Behold a congregation, 
 over which stupidity and unbelief hold their iron 
 reign, opposing, perhaps with open contempt, the 
 distinguishing truths of the gospel, now impressed, 
 deeply solemn, dismissing their opposition, and kneel- 
 ing tearfully at the foot of the cross. It is to be re- 
 membered that the whole body of unbelieving sin- 
 ners are combined in counteracting this work of 
 God, For, says our Saviour, * he who is not for me 
 
$5 A SERMON BY 
 
 is agaiiist me, and he who gathereth not with me 
 scattereth abroad.' All the legions of hell too are 
 leagued in thie opposition. As Zion progresses ifi 
 gaining converts, and is carried forward by the hand 
 of God to her destined glory, all this opposition of 
 earth and hell are entirely disconcerted and defeat- 
 ed. The enemies of the cross consume away in their 
 sins, and as impotent foes, wasting their strength 
 for naught, and perish without hope. Greatly is the 
 power of God glorified then, when he builds up Ziori. 
 2d. When God builds up Zion, he appears in the 
 glory of his wisdom. God is wise in counsel as 
 he is excellent in working. Wisdom, an attribute 
 essential to all respectability of character, and neces- 
 sary to the performance of all works of utility, goes 
 to constitute the supreme excellence of Jehovah's 
 name. With perfect unerring wisdom he is clothed. 
 He is the only wise God. ' O the depths,' says the 
 Apostle, ' of the riches both of the wisdom and know- 
 ledge of God ! how unsearchable are his judgements^ 
 and his ways past finding out ! * Whenever we turn 
 our eyes on the face of nature, whatever object we 
 examine, great or small, we are astonished at the wis- 
 dom which has contrived and disposed of what \Ve see. 
 Every leaf, and flower and tree, every organized 
 living body, every mind brings home to us the im- 
 pression that God, is infinite in wisdom But in the 
 work of redemption the wisdom of God shines with 
 unparalleled brightness. Christ is emphatically the 
 wisdoni of God as well as the power of God. In 
 him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and know- 
 ledge. -Speaking of the design and issue of the work 
 of redemption, Paul says Eph. iii. 9, 10. ' And to 
 make all men see what is the fellowship of the mys- 
 tery which from the beginning of the world hath been 
 hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ ; 
 to the intent, that now unto the principalities and 
 powers in heavenly places, might be knouoi by the 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 37 
 
 church the manifold wisdom of God.' If wisdoiii 
 consists, as none will deny that it does, in adopting 
 and steadily pursuing the most excellent end, and 
 calling into use infallible means for the attainment oif 
 it, causing good to spring out of evil, order out of 
 disorder, light out of darkniess, happiness out of mis- 
 ery, arid in defeating the schems of crafty and malig- 
 nant creatures, then the wisdom of God is signally 
 glorified in the whole series of operation, by which 
 the church is advanced. What end can be imagined 
 better than that of the greatest happiness of the mor- 
 'i\ system ! And how exactly and most desirable do 
 all the operations of redeeming love issue in this end ? 
 With what loveliness of character and peace of mind 
 are those enriched who are born or God ! But the 
 joys they feel here, are the earnest only of the ever- 
 lasting inheritance. How much greater beauty and 
 glory are shed round the moral system than if there 
 had been no apostacy, no suffering Saviour, no redemp- 
 tion ! How are the schemes of satan entirely defeat- 
 ed ! How completely are the machinations of the in- 
 solent enemies of God upon earth frustrated ! God's 
 J)urpose stands. His word prospers unto the thing 
 whereunto it is sent. The wrath of man praises him. 
 Opposition Wastes away under the successful tri- 
 umphs of the remnant which he hath chosen. AH 
 heaven is gladdened. And its anthems of praise 
 wax louder and louder, as one stone after another is 
 added to this great building, 
 
 3d. When God builds up Zion he appears in the 
 glory of his grace. Perfect goodness constitutes the 
 moral character of God. In this all moral excellence 
 is to be resolved. When Moses prayed ' I beseech 
 thee shew me thy glory,' he was favourably answer- 
 cd in the promise, * I will make all my goodness to 
 pass before thee.' But can this goodness become 
 grace ! Can it open its treasures to the evil and un- 
 thankful ! Can it go into measures infinitely expen- 
 
SB A SERMON BY 
 
 sive to redeem them from a punishment strictly de- 
 served ? Can it come over mountains of sins, recon- 
 concile, embosom, and elevate to the height of glory, 
 and blessedness obdurate rebels ? Can it come down 
 so low as to dvvell, by a most endearing inhabitation, 
 with those who have foolishly and perversely destroy- 
 ed themselves ? Such is the attitude in which the 
 goodness of God presents itself upon the Gospel 
 scheme. Zion in its whole structure is a buildins: of 
 grace. The salvation of sinners must be wholly of 
 grace. They do nothing to procure ; they do not 
 even previously desire the infinite blessing. Such 
 throughout is the testimony of the scripture on the 
 subject. ' By grace ye are saved, through faith, and 
 that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.' The 
 sinner deserves for his abusive treatment of his Ma- 
 ker what his law threatens, eternal death. But the 
 dispensation of which he is actually the subject is 
 just the opposite. He is raised from a death in tres- 
 passes and sins. He is brought home to God. His 
 countless iniquities are freely forgiven. He is adopt- 
 ed into the heavenly family. He is made an heir of 
 God, and a joint heir with Christ to an inheritance, 
 incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. 
 He is admitted to the honor of suffering in the cause 
 of virtue and of being a co-worker with God. In- 
 stead of being damned, he is treated far more fa. 
 vourably than if he never had transgressed ; and all 
 this on the ground of the voluntary interposition of 
 the Son of God, as a propitiation. Does not God 
 then appear eminently in the glory of his grace, in the 
 whole of that extended operation by which the church 
 is saved ? 
 
 4th. When God builds up Zion, he appears in 
 the glory of absolute sovereignty. At absolute sov- 
 ereignty we have always reason to tremble when in 
 the hands of an ill-disposed being. A cruel sov- 
 ereignty is the most cruel of all imaginable things. 
 But a benevolent and gracious sovereignty is most 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 39 
 
 desirable. Such is the sovereignty of God. This sove- 
 reignty is clearly displayed in the whole of that agency 
 which redeems the church. It is displayed in select- 
 ing the materials, bringing them into the building, 
 keeping them there, and perfecting the structure, 
 * He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and 
 compassion on whom he will have compassion. — 
 It is not of him who willeth> nor of him who runneth, 
 but of God who sheweth mercy. Of him, and to him, 
 and through him, are all things.' Jesus thought this 
 sovereignty of God, as illustrated in the salvation of 
 sinners, worthy of grateful and exulting acknow- 
 ledgment. Luke X. 21. * At that hour Jesus re- 
 joiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee O Father, Lord 
 of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things 
 from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto 
 babes : even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy 
 sight.' How desirable to a rectified mind that the 
 glorious Jehovah should always appear an absolute 
 sovereign ! And how is it possible that he should 
 exercise grace at all, but in a sovereign way ? Wheth- 
 er he save a part or the whole of our fallen race, more 
 -©r fewer, this person or that, must depend entirely 
 on his determination. What reason can be assisrned 
 that he chose Abraham to be his friend and left others 
 of the posterity of Noah unchosen ? Why did he 
 make his family, in their successive generations the 
 depositories of his truth and grace, in distinction froni 
 other families of the earth ? Why was Paul a chosen 
 vessel, and influenced to build up the faith which he 
 previously destroyed, when many of the same Pha- 
 risaic school remained enemies to the cross and di- 
 ed in their sins? Why has God taken such individu- 
 als as he has in follov» ing periods, and made them liv- 
 ing stones in this great building of his grace r Why 
 is the Holy Spirit poured out upon one place and not 
 upon another ? Why at one time and not at another ? 
 Why is one person taken and another left I To all 
 
40 A SERMON BY 
 
 these questions there is but one reply. It is in the 
 words of our Saviour, just quoted. ' Even so Fa- 
 ther; for so it hath seemed good in thy sight.' 
 
 We are naturally at variance with this glorious sov* 
 reignty of God, We want to save ourselves, if we 
 are saved at alL We cannot bear to be mere debtors 
 to distinguishing grace. But let us feel as we will, 
 v/hether we approve or disapprove, God appears glo- 
 rious in his sovereignty in every part of his work, of 
 redemption. ^ 
 
 5th. When God builds up Zion, he appears in the 
 glory of his immutability. Ho .v imperfect would God 
 be if he were mutable, if he shifted his plans as men do; 
 perpetually relinquishing the resolutions which he had 
 formed, and adopting new ones ? Were this the case, 
 there woud be no system in his operations. There 
 would be no determinate end pursued by fixed and 
 infallible means. He could not be an object of 
 confidence. Universal distrust would be reasonable ; 
 and his government, if he could be supposed to g;o- 
 vern at all, would be a source of anxiety, not of hap- 
 piness. It is a matter of the greatest consolation, 
 that God being powerful and good, is unchangeable^ 
 I am not now to prove to you, that immutability is 
 one of his attributes. He who admits a God, must 
 admit his immutability. Change supposes deriva- 
 tion, and dependance. Hence the scriptures are very 
 careful to ascribe to him this character. They tell 
 us that he changeth not ; that he is the same yester- 
 day, to-day and forever, without the least variable- 
 ness or shadow of turning. When God builds up 
 Zion, this adorable excellency of his nature has a 
 most honorable illustration. We see one purpose 
 revealed, and that purpose steadily pursued through 
 the lapse of ages. The building of grace rises conti- 
 nually through thousands of years, on the same plan, 
 of the same materials, and in the same way. Nothing 
 from without operates in any degree to vary this plan. 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 41 
 
 Jf God could be induced to alter bis purpose, he cel-^ 
 tainly would be pursuaded to do so, by the ungrateiul 
 treatmeut which his overfiowing grace -meets with in 
 this wicked world. The contempt which falls upon 
 his work, or the perversehess of those who are made 
 the subjects of it, would induce him either to lay it 
 entirely aside, or to suspend it. But as the Holy 
 Jesus went steadily and immoveably forward, through 
 a host of cpposers, and under circuriistances inex- 
 prcssiblj^ trying to his virtue, in accomplishing the 
 errand for which he came into the world ; 'so God in 
 the face of ail opposition, and iuiinlte dissuasives in 
 the perverseness of his creatures, invariably pursues 
 his designs of grace, and at every step of his work 
 presents himself to the view of his creatures in the 
 grandeur and glory oi absolute immutability. 
 
 6th. In the building up cf Zion, God appears in 
 the glory of his faithfulness. Faithiulness and vera- 
 city ar^ nearly allied. Tl.e former, however, has 
 more especial respect to antecedent promises. The 
 covenant proinises which God has condescended to 
 t5iake respecting the ingathering of the elect, and 
 the building up of Zion, are numerous. Some of 
 them have been quoted* They run through the scrip= 
 turss. The fulfilment of them, is essential to the glo- 
 ry of divine faithfulness. At present it may be sup- 
 posed a. question, whether God will execute his en- 
 gagements. His character in this respect, may be 
 understood to be on trial. The almost entire as- 
 pect of the world, at least at certain periods, looks 
 the other way. Appearances are, as if the word of 
 God v/ould not take effect. The wicked venture 
 mockingly to say, * Where is the promise of his 
 coming?' They ask, ' where is your God ?' They 
 insult our hopes, and would persuade us to give up 
 religion as a dream. The feeble faith of the be- 
 liever is sometimes staggered. With a faulterin^ 
 mind he says to his fellow disciple, with the dismayed 
 
 5 
 
42 A SERMON BY 
 
 Christians of old, * I verily thought that this had becQ 
 he who would have redeemed Israel.' I'his great 
 question, whether the declarations of God in behalf 
 ofZion, be to be depended on, has in tlie building up 
 of Zion a clear affirmative answer. The building 
 goes on. The word stands confirmed. Unbelief is 
 confounded. The covenant is completely executed. 
 And God is proclaimed to the joy of all benevo- 
 lent creatures, the faithful God. 
 
 Lnstly. \^ hen God builds up Zion, he appears in 
 the glory of successful superiority to all his enemies. 
 In respect to Zion, God and wicked creatures are en- 
 gaged in a very interesting struggle. God says it shall 
 rise, the wicked say it shall fall. He builds ; they en- 
 deavor to demolish. He orders his gospel to be 
 preached ; they attempt to silence it. He calls in, the 
 subjects of grace, they attempt to hinder their con- 
 version, or to decoy them back when converted. They 
 seem to succeed. They become strong in their own 
 imaginations and wax confident in their opposition. 
 They anticipate a complete triumph over the people 
 and cause of God. But when God works, who can'^ 
 let it ? When he builds up Zion, it rises without 
 difficulty. The strength of its enemies is found to be 
 perfect weakness. They are beneath. He is above. 
 
 Let us now see, 
 
 3d. What reflections naturally follow from this sub- 
 ject. 
 
 1. It is an obvious inference from what has been 
 said, that those who are opposed to real religion are 
 in heart, and in all their actions the enemies of God. 
 W^hen real religion gains ground, Zion is built up. 
 Real religion gains ground, when careless sinners 
 are awakened, convinced of their total sinfulness, 
 are renewed in heart, joined to the Lord, and led on 
 in connection with their companions in piety, in the 
 narrow way of holiness. It gains ground eminently^ 
 when such instances of conviction and conversion are 
 v.umerous, under signal effusions of the Holy Ghost» 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 43 
 
 iipon a cong^regation, a district, or country. Religi- 
 on makes no progress in any other way. Civil order 
 and decorum of manners, are altogether short of it. 
 But to such a progress of religion, many ar€ opposed. 
 Spreading conviction and earnest inquires about the 
 salvation of the soul, are a great trouble to them. The 
 tears of the penitent are unsightly in their eyes. Prayer 
 and zeal and exemplary holiness, are offensive to them. 
 They would gladly see tlie subjects of religion, 
 revolt back again to their former levity and worldli- 
 ness. Let all such opposers of true religion, consi* 
 der how their opposition proves tlie truth of the tes- 
 timony of scripture, that the carnal heart is enmity 
 against God. Resisting such a progress of religion, 
 they resist the special operations of the Holy Ghost. 
 They are hostile to that work of God which is of su« 
 preme value in his account, and to his appearing in 
 kis glory. What greater proof of perfect enmity to 
 God can be given ? Is not this the same temper of 
 mind precisely, with that which put the Saviour of 
 the world to death ; and in the same circumstances, 
 would it not act in the same manner ? 
 
 2d. If God be the builder of Zion, and it was his 
 purpose from eternity eminently to display his glory 
 in building it up, then christians should never indulge 
 the least despondency with respect to its invaluable 
 interests. When opposition to truth and vital reli- 
 gion is widely extended and apparently successful; 
 when singular efforts to resist the torrents of corrupt 
 tion, and enlarge the boundaries of the redeemer's 
 kingdom, seems to prove abortive, christians are too 
 apt to yield themselves up to dejection and distrust. 
 But how unreasaonble ? How feeble that faith 
 must be, which doubts, so easily ? How is evidence 
 lost sight of, and how little honored is the divine 
 tesmony ? It were more reasonable to apprehend that 
 the earth will be immediately dissolved, and that all 
 worlds will expire, than that Zion will ever be left 
 
44 A SERMON BY 
 
 in any circumstance of real hazard. Does God pre- 
 side with his watchful providence over the seasons, 
 day and night, over the niinutest parts of nature, 
 and over events, the most trivial ; and can he fail of 
 accomplishing his greatest work, in which his heart 
 is ultimately engaged, and to which all his other v/orks^ 
 even the incarnation and sufferings of the word, are 
 but subordinate ? 
 
 3d. If all the attributes of God are employed, and 
 most fully illustrated in the building up of Zion, 
 then we may rely that when completed, it will be a 
 most fair, and most glorious building. The philoso- 
 pher admires the structure of the material system. 
 And full of wonder indeed it is. The structure of 
 ininds is still more admirable. But how much more 
 glorious must that work of God be, when completed, 
 which is the fulness of him who filleth all in all I 
 With propriety is it styled by the sacred penman, and 
 undoubtedly to all who have a rectilied moral discern- 
 ment it w^ili appear, ' the perfection of beauty.' 
 
 4th. If God have undertaken to build up Zion, and 
 his glory appears in so many, and in such impor- 
 tant respects as it rises, then Christians have the 
 greatest inducements to pray much and earnestly, and 
 believingly, for the eiTusion of the Holy Spirit, and 
 extensive -revivals of religion. Christians certainlj^ 
 may pray with importunity and with great expecta- 
 tions, for the progress of that work in which Gt^d 
 is eminently glorified. The manifestation of God's 
 glory must be very desirable to ihem. That his name 
 may be declared and exalted throughout all the earthy 
 must be the fondest wish of their hearts. The su- 
 preme good is realized when the spirit is abundantly 
 given, and religion, in the power, and purity of it 
 spreads farther and farther in the world. Let this 
 then be the great subject of the christians daily prayer. 
 Let him here fill his mouth vvith arguments drav;n 
 fiom the purposes and plans of God, from the provx- 
 
SAMUEL AUSTIN. 45 
 
 siona of his grace, and the promises of the gospeL 
 Let him wrestle with Jacob, andprevai with Israel. 
 
 5th. If God be the builder of Zion, and his glory 
 is eminently illustrated as it rises, then we ought to 
 notice with gratitude and praise all those events that 
 come to our knowledge, which are peculiarly aus~ 
 picious to the interests of pure Christianity. The 
 multiplication of the means of salvation ; the self- 
 denial and zeal with which numerous pious youth are 
 devoting themselves to the ministry ; the establish- 
 Tnent and su ccessful labors of missionary societies ; the 
 translation of the scriptures into different languages, 
 and the revivals of religion which are taking place 
 in different parts of our country and world, are 
 events signally in favor of pure Christianity. They 
 indicate good to the Zion of our God. Let christians 
 eye his hand in these events, and glorify his name. 
 
 Finally, let us all bring home to ourselves the so- 
 lemn inquiry. Has distinguishing grace taken us 
 out of the world, subdued us to the gospel, and put us 
 as living stones into that glorious building which God 
 is erecting upon earth ? Have we been united by a 
 living faith to Christ and his people ? Are we built 
 upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles T 
 
 Happy are they, indeed, v/ho are citizens of this 
 heavenly city. Their place of defence shall be the mu- 
 nition of rocks, bread shall be given them to the full, 
 and their waters shall be sure. The lamb which is 
 in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall 
 lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God 
 shall wipe av/ay all tears from their eyes. But vv^ith^ 
 out are dogs, sorcerers, and whoremongers, and mur- 
 derers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and mak<^ 
 etha lie. Here is the Sodom of the w^orld, from which 
 sinners must flee, to the city which God redeems, 
 or perish in their iniquities. Now to him who sit- 
 teth between the Cherubim, who is the Jehovah of 
 Israel, be glory and thanksgiving and praise forever. 
 
THE SINNER WARNED, 
 
 A SERMON. 
 
 BY 
 
 CALVIN CHAPIN, 
 
 Pqlior of a Congregational Church — Wether sfieldy ConneSicu}> 
 
 Genesis, xix. 17. 
 — Escape for thy life — 
 
 HEARERS, it is written, * W'hoso putteth his 
 trust in the Lord, shall be safe.' It is also written, 
 
 * hut the expectation of the wicked shall be cut off. 
 The hope of unjust men perisheth.' 
 
 Lot was a righteous man, and therefore, the Lord 
 snatched him from that destruction, in which his fel- 
 low citizens of polluted Sodom and Gomorrah, were 
 for their wickedness, overwhelmed. ' God know- 
 eth how to deliver,' and he will deliver from final 
 evil, * them that,' in heart, * are his.' He will never 
 deliver them, however, but by their escaping from a 
 situation which sin renders dangerous. This was 
 the fact with righteous Lot. He must fly from the 
 pkce destined to ruin, or he must perish in the com* 
 mon perdition. To him, safety was brought by the 
 hands of the saire angels, that were ministers of des- 
 truction to the wicked. His danger was, neverthe^ 
 less, great and alarming. ^Ihe command, pointing 
 to him the way of deliverance was, of course, urgent 
 
 • Escape for thy life.' 
 
 But is not the danger of every impenitent sinner as 
 great as Lot's was, when the cities, in which he dwelt. 
 
48 A SERMON BY 
 
 were by a stroke of wrath, to be turned suddenly into 
 an everlasting monument of God's indignation against 
 sin ? Yea, sinners, is not your danger, this moment^ 
 infinitely greater than his was ? The evil which threat- 
 ened him, and from which, heaven v/arned him in- 
 stantly to escape, was temporaL It pertained to the 
 concerns of a world, whose ' fashion passeth away.' 
 The evil which threatens you, is eteniuL And from 
 a situation, which exposes you to eternal evil, you 
 are, by this message of God, admonished immedi^ 
 utely to escape. 
 
 Hear, therefore, in the text, God's W^arning to every 
 soul yet uninterested in Christ : * Escape for thy 
 Life.' 
 
 First, The sinners duty is expressed : ' Escape.'^ 
 
 Secondly. A motive to the performance of duty is 
 urged. 'For thy Life'' 
 
 First. The sinners duty is expressed. ' Escape.^- 
 Something must be done. A change of condition 
 must be experienced. The very nature, as well as 
 manner, of the command implies, that the subject ot 
 it is interesting and deserves speedy attention. 
 
 But, here sinners^ you are, perhaps, saying in your 
 iiearts ; * Is it not suiiiciently well with us, as we are ? 
 Escaping belongs indeed to those who are in danger. 
 But who is he that shall disturb our peace? With 
 what terrors shall any make us afraid ? We perceive 
 yio danger. What occasion then, have we of escap- 
 ing — of seeking a condition dilTerent from our pre- 
 lient ? Shall Vv^e not have quietness, though ive walk 
 after the imaginations of our o\'cn hearts— ytdi, though 
 we pass through life, and die, without concern, oti 
 the matters, about which you speak ?' - 
 
 Such feelings and such language are the fruits of 
 a seared conscience. They are the very often ob- 
 served dictates of a heart that is far from God ; of a 
 heart which is hardened by irreligious habits, into a 
 fatal stupidity about the concerns of the soul. 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 49 
 
 First y then sinners, justly, honestly, survey your 
 situation. View it by the light of your own prac- 
 tice. View it by the light of revelation. Only admit 
 truth, and your fatal self deceivings and thoughtless- 
 ness will be scattered. Facts will show you, whe- 
 ther your necessity of escaping, be not most urgent. 
 Your percehing no danger, is far from proving, that 
 there is none. In spiritual things, none are so ready 
 to say, * Lo, we see,' as the spiritually blind. ' Are 
 ive blind also ?' has in every age, been the proud re- 
 ply of the impious, when self condemning truths wei -j 
 t>old them. Divine things are ' spiritually discerned.' 
 To the man, who both by nature and confirmed ha- 
 bit, is blind, they are, therefore, foolishness. Con- 
 sidering what your hearts naturally are, your false 
 opinions about your own safety, are not surprising; 
 though they are lamentable, and' ought to be alarming. 
 
 But be the question again asked : What is the si- 
 tuation from which it is your duty to escape ? Not that 
 of entire dependence on God — living, moving, and 
 having your being, in him : Not that of existing al- 
 ways under the direct inspection of his eye : Not 
 that of trial, in this world, for an unchanging eternity 
 to come : Not that of infinite obligation to love, and 
 honor and obey him with all your heart : Not that of the 
 strictest responsibility to him, for every exercise of 
 the soul, and for every deed of the hands and tongue : 
 Not that of certainty, that you shall be, one day, sum- 
 
 jnoned to receive, at his hand, your endless inheritance 
 of pleasure or of pain, according to the right or the 
 •wrong use, which you will then be found to have made 
 of the talents that he gave you to occupy for himself: 
 In a word ; Not that of the relation you bear to him, as 
 your maker, preserver, benefactor, lawgiver and judge. 
 It is in itself, altogether desirable to be situated, as 
 you are, in ail these respects, with relation to a being 
 infinitely Vv^ise, and great and good. Your escape, 
 from this situation, is neither required, nor possible, 
 
 a 
 
so A SERMON BY 
 
 But file dangerous situation, in which you are^ 
 and which you ought instantly to forsake, is that of 
 opposition in your hearts, to the living and true God^ 
 The evil is moral. It has in it, exceeding criminal 
 ity. The charge is, therefore, serious and awful. It 
 is a charge of rebellion against the greatest and best 
 of beings— of transgressing laws perfectly good — of 
 involving yourselves in the guilty forfeiture of every 
 favor, and of bringing upon your souls, by your own 
 choice, the displeasure of him, who is at once om- 
 nipotent and unchangeable. Such is the charge. 
 'Dare you plead not guilty ? Dare you say, ' It is not 
 true,' while you know, that you live irreligiously ; 
 while you know, that you love and serve and trust the 
 creature, rather than the creator. 
 
 If you deny this charge of opposition, in heart, to 
 God, behold witnesses summoned from your practice ; 
 from your ov/n bosom ; to prove the truth. What 
 testimony, shewing that yoiu' situation, as God be- 
 holds you, is dangerous, because criminal, is borne 
 by your ex:ercises of heart towards your neighbor f 
 God requires you to love your neighbor as ^-'our- 
 self. And your conscience testifies, that the hw is 
 vgood. 
 
 Let then your envy of ycur neighbour ; your jeal- 
 ous feelings, your m^uicious purposes, your revenge- 
 fulwishes, speikk. Let your covetousness of what 
 is lawfully iiis ; your secret rejoicings at his disap- 
 poinXcriCnts and distresses ; your vile affections, all 
 «*peak. These, sinners, are the exercises of your hearts 
 towards your neighbor. Excuse not yourselves, 
 nor attempt your justification, by saying, ' we never 
 allow ourselves to act out these feelings and wishes.' 
 Remember that in God's sight, every exercise of the 
 heart is an action, either good or bad, and that for it 
 as such, you are solemnly answerable. See then, 
 how entirely your feelings and wishes of^heart, to- 
 wards your neighbor condemn you. 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 51 
 
 But do your heaits treat the living God any better 
 "than they treat, your neighbor? He rightly requires, 
 you to love him with the whole heajt. You now 
 stand charged with t^e violation of this commandment. 
 All indictment is found. You are arraigned at the 
 bar. Do you d^ny the charge ? Let vv itnesses again 
 declare. Let the testimony, on which the verclict 
 shall be found, be brought from your feelings, and 
 manner of life towards God. 
 
 Let the motives, with which you ever engage in 
 religious service, either open or secret, speak. Tbe^ 
 will declare, that either supposed worldly advantar 
 ges or a slavish fear, bring you before God in all 
 the forms of religion, which you ever observe. Let 
 the liope of worldly advantages, and a servile f#ar 
 cease, and God \^ ouid receive nothing more of your 
 formal respect. Your outvvard manner of life would 
 then express the same thing which your hearts have 
 always said unto God : * Depart from us ; for v/e de- 
 sire not a knowledge of thy ways.' 
 
 But the trial is not through. Let your neglect of 
 God's word ; or your perversion of its meaning to 
 make it suit the wishes of the irreligious heart, speak. 
 Let your ungodly manner of spending the Lord's 
 sabbaths ; time which he has consecrated, and which 
 you know, that he has commanded you to remem- 
 ber and keep holy, speak. Let your ingratitude for 
 his favours ; let your murmurings when his wisdom 
 sees it not best to gratify your personal wishes ; let 
 your idolatrous attachment to created things, speak. 
 Let your supreme care to * lay up for yourselves- 
 treasures on the earth ; to set your aiFections on things 
 that are beneath ; to look, wholly at the things which 
 are seen and temporal,' all speak. Let the ofFence 
 which your hearts take at tlie thought of keeping near 
 to God ^ by habitual prayer and devotion ; let the im- 
 possibility you find of conceiving how there can be 
 happiness in the life of piety ; let your resistance of 
 
S2 A SERMON BY 
 
 God's word and providence and spirit ; let your \i\^ 
 creased hardness of heart against him ; your increased 
 aversion to the devout and humble life, amidst the 
 kindest instructions and warnings which it is possi- 
 ble for him to give, or you to receive ; let your re- 
 jection of his beloved Son, whom in the exercise of 
 boundless love, he has sent into the world for its sal- 
 vation ; yes, let your wishes of heart, that there were 
 no such God ; or if there must be such a being, that 
 your dependence upon him, and relation to him may 
 be dissolved forever ; let all these exercises of your 
 hearts and these practices of your life, pronounce 
 on your situation. 
 
 Their verdict is clear, and instantly made up. Your 
 manner of passing through your probationary life, is 
 that of enemies, not friends to God ; that of rebels 
 against him ; not of subjects loyal and affectionate to 
 bis government. But can such a situation be other- 
 wise than dangerous ? Opposed to the being on whom 
 you depend, disgusted with all the holy services which 
 he requires ; as far from him, as possible, in all your 
 affections and conduct ; continually setting up his 
 rivals in your hearts, and paying them your homage ; 
 bestowing upon them your love ; must you not be 
 objects of his righteous, but tremendous indignation? 
 Thus your own hearts and practice condemn you. 
 And recollect, * if your own hearts condemn you, God 
 is greater than your hearts, and knoweth all things,' 
 discerns incalculably more of your wickedness and 
 danger, than you now perceive. All this rebellion 
 is against a Being infinitely good. All these iniqui- 
 ties are violations of infinite obligation. They are 
 transgressions of laws, obedience to which, renders 
 all the obedient blessed. They are a manner of life 
 eternally inconsistent with real happiness. 
 
 What then, can be plainer than the danger of your 
 situation as sinners, and the duty of immediately es- 
 caping 1 You have now been called to view your sit- 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN, 53 
 
 uation by the light of your own feelings and practice. 
 
 But Secondly, your situation must be seen by re- 
 vealed light. What does the Searcher of hearts tell 
 you, that your real situation is ? ' Hear O heavens, 
 and give ear, O earth, 1 have nourished and brought 
 up children and they have rebelled against me.' That 
 same rebellion, against the living God, is here charg- 
 ed upon you, which is proved by all your practice. 
 
 He himself tells you, that all who reject him, are 
 in his sight wicked. The disobedient are condemned 
 already,' before him. 
 
 If you have not, in the habitual exercises of your 
 hearts, a religious regard to God ; a religious fear of 
 his displeasure at every manner of life not pious and 
 heavenly; a religious love of him as infinitely pure 
 and holy ; a religious affection for all his known com- 
 mandments ; you are, in his sight, wicked. And he 
 tells you, that ' he is angry with the ivicked^vtty day.' 
 Now what can you need more to convince you of 
 tremendous danger in your situation, than to know 
 that God looks down upon you with dispkasure ? 
 What further proof can be necessary, that escaping 
 from your present situation, is your first — your most 
 important duty ? 
 
 He also assures you, that while you continue unre- 
 newed, in the disposition of your souls, to a supreme 
 love of himself and his service, you are ' treasuring up 
 unto yourselves, wrath against the day of wrath.' 
 No language can more strongly prove the danger of 
 your condition, while unholy. To lay up by an un- 
 godly temper of heart, to lay up as in a treasury, 
 stores of wrath ; the wrath too, of him, who is your 
 final and omnipotent Judge, must surely be a most 
 dangerous method of using your talents, your un- 
 derstanding and strength. So long, therefore, as you 
 are doing this, you ought with fear and trembling 
 to remember, that your situation is onci from which 
 every consideration of duty and safety requires , yoa 
 instantly to escape. 
 
54 A SERMON BY 
 
 Ycu must at once concede, that God is infmitely 
 wise and good. He therefore deserves the love of 
 your whole heart ; the obedience of your whole 
 strength. In commandin:; you to rei»der him this, 
 he commands nothing, but that which is perfectly 
 reasonable. Of course you arc doing wrong, you 
 are conducting yourselves wickedly in ever}' act of 
 an irreligious life ; in every affection of an unholy 
 heart. Your situation then, while you remain un- 
 l^odly, must be in itself, such as demands your escape, 
 because it is altogether criminal and dangerous. 
 
 Thus sinners, your feelings and your practice, and 
 the revelation which the Searcher of all hearts has 
 made, express only one sentiment concerning you. 
 Thej^ ail declare, that in ' eart you are opposed to 
 the Iioly character and service of God. They all 
 declare yow gone out of the right iDay, and that while 
 you continue thus, * destruction and misery are in 
 5'our paths.' They all declare you to be ' children of 
 wrath,' and that yoii never, excepting by an afiec- 
 tionate turning to the Lord, can find the way of peace 
 and bLe&sedness. 
 
 Hear thereto-e, your duty proclaimed in the text. 
 * Escape,' fly speedily, from a state of opposition to 
 God. Hate every sin. Detest all that wdiich your 
 Lawgiver and Judge has forbidden. Loath and con- 
 demn yourselves, because you have rebelled against 
 Him. Embra<:e the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only way 
 of your pardon and acceptance. * Walk henceforth in 
 newness of liic. Renounce the hidden things of dark- 
 ness, and live as children of the light. Deny ungod- 
 liness,' and every forbidden aftection. ' Let the grace 
 of God dwell in you richly,' and abound ahvays * in the 
 work of the Lord.' Thus you will find peace. Thus 
 you will find and inherit forever the great salvatiouo 
 And this brings into vievv^, the mothe urged in the 
 text ,fGr the performance of the duty commanded ; the 
 duty of escaping from a condition of sin and eternal 
 ^leath. Therefore, 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 55 
 
 Secondly, Let this mothdUQ considered. * For 
 thy Life,'' Sinners, your life, your salvation depends 
 on your escaping iroiu the native opposition of your 
 hearts to God. And is a stronger motive possible ? 
 
 You have just now heard the things briefly menticn- 
 - ed, i which the performance of the duty consists. 
 They are an unfeigned turning to the Lord ; humility 
 and self condemnation before God, because you have 
 been rebels against him ; that * godly sorrow,' for sin, 
 which * worketh repentance unto life ;' that faith in 
 Christ, * which worketh by love' to God, and duty ; 
 that pure, that disinterested affection for your Crea- 
 tor, which causes you to adore and praise him as the 
 enemy, and the punisher of sin ; and that meek, and 
 resigned, and just, and prayerful, and exemplary, and 
 holy manner of life, before the world, as well as in your 
 hearts, which is both the evidence and the fruit of re- 
 generation. In these things, together with all that 
 they imply, consists your performance of the duty- 
 considered in this discourse. The call to this duty 
 is urgent and interesting. ' For your Life,'* 
 
 First. The life to be secured, by obedience to 
 God, is not the life of the body. It is spiritual life ; 
 heavenly rest and peace in the soul. It is on earth, a 
 foretaste of that sublime felicity, * which eye hath 
 not seen ; w'hich ear hath not heard ; the greatness 
 of which the heart of man hath not been able to con- 
 ceiye,' and which God has promised to all that es- 
 cape from the love and dominion of sin. 
 
 It is a deliverance, in the way of holiness, from the 
 
 * A\Tath to come' upon all those, that both live and 
 die, and go to judgment under the entire power of the 
 
 * carnal mind, which is enmity against God.' It is 
 the present enjoyment, in some measure, of that peace 
 which Christ promised, when he said in his farewell 
 ■address to his disciples, ' Peace I leave with you ; 
 my peace I give unto you ; not as the world giveth, 
 give 1 untovou.' 
 
56 A SERMON BY 
 
 Here is a present acquiescence in the disposals of infi- 
 nite wisdom, amidst the sorrows with which sinfdls the 
 world. * Thy will be done,' is the submissive, the 
 triumphant language of the obedient soul. ' The judge 
 of all the earth will do right. The Lord reigneth.' 
 That which is best, wi// be done. In this state of the 
 soul there is rest, there is peace, there is life. Your 
 attainment of this, is your attainment of life, at the 
 same time, in which it is your deliverance from death. 
 
 Your feelings, your practice, and the revelation of 
 truth made by your judge, all testify, as has been aU 
 ready declared, that you are this moment, spiritually 
 dead. You are in a state of restlessness and ruin. 
 For enduring satisfaction, you are trusting the crea- 
 tures which God has given you to use for himself. 
 Their proper place in your affections, is not that which 
 you are thus giving them. You are to receive and 
 use them only as instruments in his hand of advanc- 
 ing his praise in your salvation. 
 
 But you are putting confidence in them, as though 
 Tou kne^x^ them able to render you blessed, and bless- 
 ed too, in the vv'ay of enmity against your maker. You 
 are doing this, when by all the experience of the 
 ivorld and of yourselves, every one of them tells you, 
 concerning the happiness you intend tliey shall con- 
 fer; ' It is not in mc.' The truth of this affecting 
 declaration is confirmed by every trial you make. At 
 the close of each experiment, the anxious questions 
 return upon you, * What shall we do ? Who will 
 shev/ us any good ?' 
 
 Your Maker often and often tells you the same 
 truth. * There is no peace, saith m^' God, to the 
 wicked. Their mirth is like the crackling of thorns 
 under a pot.' And it is affecting to stand and see 
 every disappointment you suffer bringing nearer to 
 vou the the terrors of death and judgment. Thus, 
 while in heart, the enemies of God, you are spiri- 
 tually dead ; * dead in trespasses and sin;' dead to 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 57 
 
 all permanent satisfaction and peace. How strong 
 then, is the raotive set before you, to escape for 
 life ! This motive is found in the present experience 
 both of the righteous and of yourselves. In propor- 
 tion to their grace, tbey have peace ; while you have 
 nothing durable but inquietude and disappointment. 
 
 Secondly. ^ This motive is found in those future 
 scenes, which according to unerring revelation, are 
 before both them and you. Amidst the coming pains 
 of the probationary state, they will have support, 
 while your hearts will die within you. Under the 
 stroke which must separate soul and body, the di- 
 vine rod and staff will comfort them, while you, if 
 concience be awake, will sink down in despair. They 
 will have cause to exclaim triumphantly, ' O death 
 where is thy sting ? O grave where is thy victory ? 
 Thanks be to God, for his unspeakable gift ;' while 
 you will ' mourn at the last, saying, how have we hated 
 instruction!' 
 
 With ' joys unspeakeable and full of glory,' they 
 look forward to the morning of the resurrection. Be- 
 fore you is nothing better than a certain fearful look- 
 ing for ' of judgement.' They having sought by a 
 * patient continuance in well doing,' the honors, the 
 glories of the heavenly world, look for eternal life." 
 Over all your prospects hang ' clouds and darkness,' 
 ainidst which, you can behold nothing but wrathful 
 flashes of that fiery indignation, which shall devour 
 the adversaries of ' the Lord,' shall devour you forever 
 and ever. They * labor for the meat, that endureth 
 unto everlasting life.' You are preparing food for 
 the ' worm, that dieth not; fuel for the fire that shall 
 never be quenched. Their labor in the Lord's service 
 shall not be found vain. They know it will soon be 
 said to them, ' Well done, good and faithful servants, 
 enter ye into the joys of your Lord.' Your refusing, 
 in the face of all warnings, to ' escape for you life ;* 
 i»efusing the love and service of God, choosing rather 
 
 7 
 
SS A SERMON BY 
 
 the ways of death in this world, and of perdition in 
 the world to come ; will have it said unto you, ' De- 
 part ye cursed, into everlasting fire.' ' As ye have 
 loved iniquity, hated righteousness, so ye shall be 
 filled vvith your own devices. As ye have sowed 
 v/ickedness, so shall ye reap damnation.' 
 
 Thus sinners, your happiness, your life, in both 
 worlds, is the motive, by which you are here urgtd 
 to the perfonnance of duty. It is for your salva- 
 tion that you are commanded to renounce your oppo- 
 sition to God. It is a kind precept which requires 
 you to ' fly for refuge from the wrath to come, and 
 to May hold on eternal life.' And will you perse- 
 vere in abusing this warning goodness of God ? Will 
 you to the last., insist upon it, that you wf// die eter- 
 nally ? God is saying * turn ye from your evil ways.' 
 Escape from all enmity of heart against your creator. 
 With hearty submission, cast yourselves on the sove- 
 reign mercy of him, who made, and will judge you. 
 Relinquish your controversy with the * king of kings.* 
 Throw down the weapons of your warfare. Entire- 
 ly acquiesce in his holy government. Let the love 
 of his laws bind you to a pious life. ' For why vjill 
 ye die ?' Why will you continue in that state of heart 
 towards God and duty, which is the certain way to 
 everlasting death ? 
 
 Remember such is the constitution of the proba- 
 tionary world, ' that if you do die, it is because you 
 IV ill ; and that if you wi// die, you must.'' Ever\- 
 promise of salvation is made, on the condition of your 
 hating and shunning wickedness. Sinners are also 
 instrumental of confirming each other in the ways of 
 death. You must, therefore, avoid the needless so- 
 ciety of the impious. You must escape from the 
 influence of their sentiments, and their example. You. 
 must shun all those things, which tend to harden the 
 heart, and sear the conscience. In a word, you must 
 become holy and heavenly in the disposition of your 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. S^ 
 
 souls, or you will be inevitably overwhelmed in that 
 ruin which God has sworn to bring upon his im- 
 penitent foes. ' Agree therefore with your adversary 
 quickly, while you are in the way with him. Seek 
 the Lord while he may be found ; call upon him while 
 he is near. Is he not waiting to be gracious f While 
 it is called to day, then, hear his voice. Harden no 
 longer your hearts, least he swear in his wrath, that 
 ye shall never enter into his rest.' 
 
 Three remarks, shall close the discour-se. 
 
 First. The conduct of careless sinners is irrationaL 
 The conduct of those alone deserves to be accounted 
 rational, who in their calculations, are most concern- 
 e<i about that which is most important. To be 
 thoughtful concerning matters of less moment, and 
 to reject those of greater, is always proof of folly. In 
 the things of this world, to spend life in the chace erf 
 possessions which are known to be not only less valu- 
 able than others, but positively hurtful, would, in 
 every case, be pronounced madness. 
 
 But, ye that are careless about the salvation of your 
 souls, such calculations and labours exactly represent 
 your, conduct in spiritual things. It is, therefore, 
 an irrational part which you are acting. You kncv/ 
 that earth is not your home. But your practice de- 
 clares, that you never seriously consider the solemn 
 fact. Your carelessness proves, that you feel as if you 
 had, on the earth, ' an abiding place.' Here, your 
 manner of life contradicts the clear dictates of your 
 judgement. And what can be irrational, if the prac- 
 tical contradiction of reason and judgement, be not ? 
 
 You know that you are entirely dependent on God. 
 You know, that unless you have his approbation and 
 blessing, you must be v/retched. You know, that 
 you cannot have the blessings of his ffiendship, un- 
 less you render him the honor, the obedience, the 
 lov€, which are his due. You know, that disappoint- 
 ment and death reign over the best possessions of 
 
6i> A SERMON BY 
 
 the world. You know, that your present life is witk 
 you a time of trial, yes, your only time of trial, for 
 an unchangeable and endless existence upon which 
 you must quickly enter. You know that without un^ 
 ceasing vigilence, in obedience to God, you cannot 
 possibly enjoy his favor, in the world to come. You 
 know, that except you receive, in your soul, his holy 
 moral image, you possess nothing which he ap- 
 proves. You know, that by nature, you are alienated 
 from his love and service ; and that if you never dur- 
 ing your present life, experience an entire change, 
 in the disposition of your hearts, towards God and 
 duty, you are utterly unfit for his favor ; nor is it 
 possible for him to behold you with the smallest de- 
 gree of approbation. You know, that you are every 
 instant liable to be arrested and sent to his bar, for 
 judgement. You know, that you are unfit to die and 
 go before your judge in peace ; for you know, that 
 you are utterly destitute of that ' holiness, without 
 'which you cannot see God,' but with confusion of 
 face. You know at the same time, that God is both 
 offering and commanding you to accept a complete 
 salvation from your condition of ruin and death. — 
 Facts more interesting, more solemn, more worthy 
 of your supreme attention, are inconceivable. They 
 do not, they cannot exist. And yet, how do you live ? 
 Like the brutes that perish. The perception of the 
 facts, that have been mentioned^, passes slightly 
 through the mind, but leaves no abiding impression. 
 You conduct yourselves as though the reverse of all 
 this was fact. You live without evangelical reli- 
 gion, as^ though there were no heaven to secure, no 
 hell to shun. You find yourselves approaching con- 
 tinually nearer to the grave and the pit of the damned, 
 and are still careless, still indifferent, whether heaven 
 or hell must be your endless inheritance ; still practi- 
 cally undetermined, vvhich of the two be most desi- 
 rable. You are saying, earth, the creatures, shall 
 yet confer upon us all that we desire. When alas the 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 61 
 
 Being who made the earth and the creatures, tells you 
 that your trust in them will assuredly be disappointed. 
 by your carelessness, about your salvation, you are 
 acting this very irrational part. You are contradict- 
 ing the God of truth. You are contradicting the uni- 
 form testim-ony of your own past experience. \^ou 
 are contradicting the unvarying decisions of your own 
 consciences. By your practice, you declare, that 
 in an irreligious, an unholy life, there is 710 danger; 
 while you know, that in such a manner of life, there 
 is perpetual and extreme danger. 
 
 Here in your spiritual concerns, there is irration- 
 ality, there is absurdity of enormous growth. How 
 loudly you would, in the very outset, cry folly upon 
 the conduct of your neighbour, were you to find him 
 expecting to become opulent by gathering grapes upon 
 thorns, and figs upon thistles.' But his conduct pre- 
 cisely represents your own, while you indulge the car- 
 lessly formed opinion, that, without holiness, it Vv^ill be 
 possible for you to behold God in peace. Why do you 
 not tremble, while you perceive that in condemning 
 your neighbor, you condemn yourselves? Why are 
 you not alarmed, at finding yourselves so much more 
 rational, so much more consistent, in the things of 
 this life than in the things of the next ? Why do you 
 never, in mere worldly calculations, expect desira- 
 ble effects without their appropriate causes; when 
 in the infinitely weightier concerns of your souls, you 
 are always practically looking for such effects as are 
 without any competent cause ? Why do you careless- 
 ly trust, that you are coming to the happy end of the 
 pious life, without living piously ? Wherefore do you 
 indulge the very irrational thought, that you shall 
 at length, enter into the joys of the heavenly world, 
 without travelling the only road that leads thither ? 
 Why do you coldly expect the blessedness of the 
 Lord's people, while you know, that you do not pos- 
 j^ess their character r Seriously consider these things. 
 
62 A SERMON BY 
 
 CcLise to act a part so irrational, as that of carlessness 
 about the only object, which can deserve your su- 
 preme attention. And may the God of all mercy 
 and grace dispose you to 'Escape for your life.' 
 
 Secondly. Sinners deceive themselves, v/hiie they ex- 
 pect happiness vvithout piety. Of all delusions, that 
 of self deception seems to be most criminal and fatal. 
 Gospel piety is happiness is heaven, the soul. Im- 
 piety is restlessness, is misery. But you are per- 
 suading yourselves that this is not true. The way 
 of real satisfaction, you persuade yourselves to believe, 
 is not quite so strict and narrow as is represented. 
 That entire escape from the dominion and love of re- 
 bellion against God, which he requires, you trust, is 
 not indispensibly necessary Thus deceived by the 
 love of sin, you arc in your spiritual concerns, cry- 
 ing, with the sluggard, ' A little more sleep a little 
 more slumber ; a little more folding of the hands to 
 sleep ;' all shall yet be uell. 
 
 But had Lot persisted in deceivin.i^ himself, by 
 arguing thus, he must have perished in the flames 
 of a:uiltY Sodom. He seems to have been much in- 
 jured by the inHuence of the sentiments and practi- 
 ces so common among his v» icked neighbors in that 
 devoted city. He had in some measure, lost sight of 
 sin's evil nature, and of the dreadful ruin to which 
 it leads. There appears to have been in him, a de- 
 gree of self-deception. He was not ready to admit 
 that the representations of danger were strictly cor- 
 rect. It was with reluctance that he escaped, al- 
 lhoui;^:h thcinformino: ans^els from Heaven were at the 
 door, and the impeiiding storm was in siglit. Es- 
 cape, however, he must, or sink down in the com- 
 inon ruin. 
 
 But if in this imperfect world, a righteous man be 
 thus exposed to self-deception ; if one who loved the 
 i^ord, was with so much difficulty persuaded to see 
 y,nd acknowledge the greatness of the danger there is 
 
CALVIN CIIAPIN. 65 
 
 in wickedness ; how ought you to see and to shun 
 those delusions, which persuade you that impiety is 
 not the broad road to destruction ! Hear what God 
 has said, and tremble at the thought of embracino- 
 any sentiments which contradict his word. ' Woc 
 unto the wicked ; it shall be ill with him, for tlie re- 
 ward of his hands shall be given him.' Keep in your 
 %'iew tliis and a thousand similar declarations of youi- 
 Maker, ye, that through the love of sin, are blincTiinj 
 your minds with respect to the truth ; ye, that triBe 
 with your Creator's comm.ands ; ye, that ilatter your- 
 selves with the hope of safety, although you drive 
 far from your thoughts all concern about the r^reat 
 salvation; ye, that are laboring, with your whole 
 strength, to fasten your hearts and your hands upon a 
 world, whose fashion, as to you, passes away, and 
 with which all your connexion will present!}- cease 
 forever. 
 
 Is not your persuasion, that you shall be happy 
 without holiness, injurious in all respects ? Does it 
 not confirm and fix you in a course that is unwise for 
 both worlds ? Is not the present portion of the righ- 
 teous better than yours ? Is not his future portion 
 infinitely preferable to yours ?, Are not the righ- 
 teous securing, while you are loosing, all that is desi- 
 rable in the life that now is, and in that v/hich is to 
 come ? 
 
 The righteous have, even novv% that peace, which 
 arises from an aifectionate submission and obedience 
 to the will of God. And as to futurity, they have the 
 hope, which is the * anchor of the soul, both sure and 
 steadfast.' But, as to you, while deceiving your- 
 selves, \A\\\ a false belief and groundless hope ;'what 
 is your remorse of conscience, when conscience 
 ^ins liberty at all, to be awake ; what is every dis- 
 appointment here of your hopes ; what are fear and 
 horror at the thought of going into the other world ; 
 what are these torments, but a part of that hell which 
 
64 A SERMON BY 
 
 f>in has prepared ; and whose flames bin will ahvayti 
 keep burning. What are these facts in your own ex- 
 perience, but the testimonies of God, that you never 
 can be happy, until you are holy. 
 
 While you are deceiving yourselves with the hope 
 of happiness, without holiness, are not your senti- 
 ments the very same v.ith those of Sodom. They 
 had impiously cast off the fear of God. Every res» 
 traint of religion was removed. Lot exhorted and 
 warned them to fly, by repentance, from impending 
 Avrath. But they said to him ; * No, there is no dan- 
 ger. There is no truth in what you say.' They 
 loaded him with their sneers. ' This one fellow 
 came in to sojourn among us, and he will needs 
 be a judge.' Think, therefore, how strongly you 
 resemble them, Vvhen you tell yourselves, that a life 
 without piety is as safe as any. Think of that ' fiery 
 indignation,' which their delusions brought down up- 
 on them from heaven. Think of that eternal wrath, 
 for which your similar self-deceptions are preparing 
 you ; and speedily by repentance, ' Escape for your 
 Life. Up, get you out of this place ;' renounce these 
 delusions of sin ; ' for the Lord will destroy this city ;* 
 this * refuge of lies,' in which you place your confi- 
 dence. Nor let such as vvarn you to fly unto Christ 
 for safety, seem like those that mock. 
 
 thirdly, God will be glorious in the destruction 
 of the wicked, lie is now using means to reclaim 
 and save you from the distress, which his endless dis- 
 pleasure v.ill cause you to suffer. His ' sentence 
 against your evil works is not speedily executed.' 
 But his forbearance will have an end. Exhortations, 
 warnings, commands, promises, threatnings, will 
 cease. By all these, he is now^ bearing public testi- 
 mony to his own goodness. Every sorrow which 
 the wicked suffer, is a w itness for God, that he is the 
 friend of righteousness, and that he abhors' iniquity. 
 Were he to preserve his rebellious subjects from dc^ 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 65 
 
 sei'i'ed wrath, ^\ here wv')ulcl be the evidence of his 
 holiness ? Where could proof be found, that he is 
 worthy of every creature's entire respect and affec- 
 tion ? 
 
 Bear it then, ahvays in your minds, that the good- 
 ness of God requires, cither your repentance, or your 
 endless punishment, blvery display of his wrath 
 against sin, is a display of that goodness which is his 
 glory. Never will you be able to throw back upon 
 your Maker, the guilt of your impiety. Your sin 
 consists in your choice of a disposition opposed to 
 God and duty ; together with those exercises of 
 your hearts, which spring from such a choice. This 
 choice is your own. The guilt of it must of course^ 
 be your o\\i\ guiit. Yours also, must be the tre- 
 mendous consequences of their depraved character 
 and conduct, unless you shun them by repentance, in 
 the way of the gospel. From a condition so dreadful, 
 ' Escape, therefore, for your life, look not behind 
 you,' grudge not the sinful pleasures which you must 
 forsake, by becoming savingly religious. ' Escape 
 unto the mountains.' Embrace the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, ' lest you be consumed,' 
 
 R 
 
THE SAINT ENCOURAGED. 
 A SERMON. 
 
 BY 
 
 CALVIN CHAPIN, 
 
 Pafsnr of a Congregational Church — Wether sfield^ ConneSicut, 
 
 Isaiah, iii. 10. 
 
 Say ye to the Righteous^ that it shdll be well with him^i 
 
 WHAT is the way to the favor of God, the in- 
 finite Creator and Judge of men ? The question is 
 of vast moment to creatures who are destined to ex» 
 ist forever ; and especially to creatures, who are on 
 trial, for his endless approbation, or his endless dis- 
 pleasure. 
 
 But to this question, momentous as it is ; there 
 is no need of a doubt relative to the true answer. 
 For nearly six thousand years, God has, in our world 
 been bearing uniform and clear testimony, concern- 
 ing his own character; concerning man's duty, and 
 of course, concerning the only way of accountable 
 creatures to the greatest of all blessings, the divine 
 approbation. 
 
 In the dispensations of his providence, explained 
 by a revelation of his grace, he has been continually 
 saying to mankind ; ' Your Creator and final dispo- 
 ser is holy. He is, therefore, ' the unchanging friend 
 of righteousness ; and he commands you to be right- 
 eous. He is the invariable enemy of wickedness .^ 
 a^id he commands you not to be wicked.' 
 
68 A SERMON BY 
 
 Hearers, behold him who formed, and who will 
 certainly judge you. exhibiting, in all his manage- 
 ment of our world, strong evidence of his love for 
 righteousness, and hatred of wickedness. Behold 
 him furnishing this evidence, in his treatment of 
 Adam and Eve ; in his treatment of Noah and the 
 Old World ; of Abraham and Lot ; of Sodom and 
 Gomorrah; of the Israelites in Egypt ; of Pharaoh 
 and the Egyptians ; of the twelve tribes in the Wil- 
 derness ; of the Righteous and V/icked in the land 
 of Canaan ; of the people visibly his, in every age, un- 
 til for their wickedness, he scattered them among all 
 nations ; vca, of the world itself, in giving his ' Only 
 begotten Son,' that a way might be prepared, for his 
 honorably causing the wicked to become righteous, 
 and be thus fitted for his everlasting love. All these 
 facts, with countless others bearing exactly the same 
 stamp, stand forth and testify, before the World> 
 that the omnipotent Maker and Governor of all crea- 
 tures and things, is the friend of righteousness and 
 the enemy of wickedness. 
 
 Add, moreover, his many and ample promises of 
 good to the righteous. They all have the same ani- 
 mating signification, with that in the text. He has, 
 himself, from the beginning, declared ; and he has 
 continually ordered his ministering servants to de- 
 clare ; that, how dreadful soever may be the tor- 
 ments, which the wicked must suffer, ' it shall be 
 ixiell witlj the Righteous,'' 
 
 You cannot but have already observed, that in the 
 text, a particular character is expressly designated 
 and named. The promise is made to you, on the 
 condition, that you possess this character. The 
 manner of designation and expression proves certainly, 
 that you never can possess the promised good, but on 
 this condition. You mxustbe righteous or it will ne- 
 ver be well Vv ith you. You must possess the character 
 w^hich God requires : you must live the manner of 
 life which he commands, in which he delights, to 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 69 
 
 which iiis promises r^re made ; or know assuredly 
 you cannot enjoy his friendship. 
 
 Are you asking, what is it to be righteous ? What 
 is it to possess the character, to which the divine 
 promise of unspeakable good is made ? How shall it 
 be well with the righteous ? To every one of you, 
 the questions are more important, than you can ea- 
 sily conceive. Therefore, 
 
 FilisT, Contemplate the character; that of the 
 Righteous, mentioned in the text. And, 
 
 Secondly, View the manner in which it shall be 
 well with those who possess this character. ' Say 
 ye to the Righteous, that it shall be well with him.' 
 
 First, Contemplate the character ; that of the righ- 
 teous, mentioned in the text. ' It is your life' to 
 know and possess that, to which, whatever it may 
 be, God promises his blessings. And beware of 
 comforting yourselves, with the persuasion, that j^ou 
 do possess the character which pleases him, while 
 your hearts, ' deceitful above all things,' are cherish- 
 ing the very opposite ; that of those whom he calls 
 v/icked. Perhaps it may not be amiss to discriminate. 
 
 First. You need not be told, that your indulgence 
 in any kind of known immorality, or impiety, proves 
 you, in the divine viev/, utterly destitute of right- 
 eousness. * The wrath of God is revealed from hea- 
 ven against' all vicious, all profane practices. The 
 tree, which bears them, must be bad; for they are 
 evil fruit. 
 
 Hear the solemn declarations of your judge: * Be 
 }iot deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, 
 nor adulterers, nor eH'eminatCj nor abusers of them- 
 selves with mankind, nor theives, nor covetous, nor 
 drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inhe- 
 rit the kingdom of God.' Perhaps every vicious and 
 profane practice of a depraved w^orld is implied in 
 this catalogue. If not, however, it is certain, that 
 every one is comprehended and condemned, v/hen it 
 
JO A SERMON BY 
 
 is said ; ''the unrighteous shall not inherit the king* 
 dom of God. The wrath of God is revealed from 
 heaven against all the unrighteousness of men,' 
 
 Whatever, therefore, may be the vice in which you 
 presume to indulge ; or whatever the manner of your 
 profanity, it impresses, as with a hot iron, upon your 
 very foreheads, the decisive mark of perdition's chil- 
 dren. It evinces, beyond the possibility of fair contra- 
 diction, that notwithstanding your self- flattering de- 
 lusions, you are at an awful distance from every claim 
 to the character and privileges of the righteous. Nor 
 can it be well with you, so long as you retain your 
 present temper and manner of life. 
 
 Secondly, God tells you that he can never accept a 
 mere superficial morality, for the righteousnes which 
 he requires. Your outward manner of life may be 
 such as men do not, cannot justly condemn, while 
 God sees your heart totally selfish and proud, altogeth- 
 er opposed to him, as a holy and absolute sovereigUo 
 With rmkmg yourself yaur I3eity, a manner of life vi- 
 sibly correct, is not wholly inconsistent. A^ outside 
 morality does by no means exclude that entire self-ido- 
 lizing, which is enmity, rebellion, against the God of 
 heaven. 
 
 Many, indeed, are the worldly ucespf this superfi- 
 cial morality. But, in itself, it is not righteousness 
 in God's sight. If you go before his bar, with nothing 
 better than this to recommend and justify you, it is 
 certain you must fall into condemnation. Even in the 
 truly righteous, this outside goodness is nothing but 
 evidence ; it is not proof that they are really righteous^ 
 The command of God is; ' My son, give me thy 
 /if art.'* Call nothing righteousness, therefore, which 
 the heart, the affections of the soul do not produce. 
 
 You may fill up the whole of a long life with this 
 superficial morality, and yet, in every affection of 
 your hearts, in all their many millions of exercises, be 
 guilty of injustice. With your showy morality, you 
 
Calvin chapin. n 
 
 would shudder at the thought of injustice amidst 
 your intercourse, with mankind. If charged with the 
 crime, you would be ready with violent resentment to 
 exclaim, * is thy servant a dog, that he should do 
 this?' 
 
 But hear the commandment of Christ, ' render un. 
 to God the things which are God's P Your withold- 
 ingfrom your neighbor, that worldly property, which 
 is his due, and which you have power to render ,- yoa 
 would say at once, must be unjust. But do you owe 
 nothing to God I Nay, do you not owe him every 
 thing ? Hear his claims : ' Thou shall love the Lord 
 thy God, with all thy heart, and him only shalt thou 
 serve..' And will you say, that these claims, made 
 by a Being infinitely wise and infinitely good > a Be- 
 ing who gives you every thing you enjoy, are unrea- 
 sonable ! And what have you, which these claims do 
 not comprehend ? Yes, take it with you, into the 
 whole of your practice, that you. owe him every things 
 supreme love, constant reverence, unceasing' obedil 
 ence and praise. 
 
 Do you render him these thing, v/hich are his just 
 due ? If not instantly gi've up all you pretensions ta 
 righteousness, for the sin of injustice lies at your 
 door, and of injustice, not merely to men, worms of 
 the earth ; this were comparatively a trifle ; but to 
 God, the greatest and best of beings. Your btarts 
 must be righteous,or you have no righteousness at all. 
 By your trust in a superficial morality ^ you prove 
 yourselves guilty of continual injustice!^ 
 
 To this morality, this goodness in tlie world's view^ 
 and in your own, this fair appearance, which \n your 
 case theOmniscient being beholds, in the company of 
 a heart hostile to himself, there is no where made a 
 single promise of blessings. The Scribes and Pha- 
 risees had an abundance of that which they called righ- 
 teousness* On this they depended. But Christ, in- 
 stead of callhig them righteous, and promising them 
 
1^^ A SERMON BY 
 
 blessings, chargecl upon them criminality of the deep- 
 est dye. He said they were abominably hypocri- 
 tical and .vicked ; that they were like vessels, which 
 with a fair outside, inclosed articles most vile and 
 offensive; like whited, pi:iated sepulchres, externally 
 beautiful, while within, they contain nothing, but the 
 putrid and loathsome carcases of the dead. 
 
 Such, in the divine view, is that superficial morali- 
 ty, v/hich many seem determined to make pass for 
 righteousness, before a holy God. To the young man, 
 who in the presence of Christ, aifirmed that he hac} 
 most carefully practised this, the searcher pf hearts 
 declared, ' yet one thing thou' lackest.' His heart was 
 idolatrous ; Self was his Deity. And he intended 
 that his wealth should answer every purpose of render-, 
 ing him independent and happy. His wealth, howe- 
 ver, was not his fault. His fair moral life was not 
 his fault. But injuctice to God, and of course, a^ 
 far as related to his temper of heart, injustice to his 
 fellow creatures, constituted his fault. His heart had 
 other Gods before Jehovah. The Lord made him. 
 sensible of this, when he said ; ' go thy way, sell all 
 that thou hast, and give unto the poor, and come, 
 follow me. And he v.ent away sorrowful!' Christ 
 and he must now part. That out uard morality, vrhich 
 he had all along persuaded himself to believe, would 
 form his passport to heaven, was found unable to bea^' 
 divine scrutiny. He however resolved to persevere 
 in trusting it ; for the sam^c reason too, that you v.ill 
 not renounce it, notwithstanding all your evidence of 
 its insufTiciency. Concerning this superRcial mora- 
 lity, this morning cloud goodness; Christ has said to 
 his disciples, to the vvorld and to you ; ' Except 
 your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the 
 l^cribes and Pharisees,' mere fair faced moralists, 
 ' ye cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven.' ' Except 
 a man be born again he cannot enter into the king- 
 dom of God.* 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 75 
 
 These are the representations of him who is truth 
 itself. His v/ord will abide, though the earth and the 
 material heavens shall perish. By these he assures 
 you, that the mimic goodness, which in tiie world's 
 language, is called morality, is nothing that God will 
 ever accept and reward for righteousness. How many 
 soever may be its worldly uses, it is the appearance 
 only, without the reality of goodness. It is a stream 
 without a fountain. It is a superstructure without a 
 foundation, and must therefore fall. Every hope 
 built upon it is presumption, and must therefore pe- 
 rish. 
 
 Nor can mere projessions of righteousness consti- 
 tute you righteous before God. You are indeed 
 commanded, every one of you, to profess righteous- 
 ness. But you are previously to be righteous, other- 
 wise your profession is dishonest. You are treating 
 God with a solemn mockery, which he will not sufr 
 fer to go unpunished. You are going to judgment, 
 in the way of them, to whom he will say ; ' Depart 
 from me, 1 know yoii not.' And your everlasting por- 
 tion must be with hypocrites, with unbelievers, with 
 the worst of beings. 
 
 You are not, then, righteous, if you indulge in the 
 practice of one known vice, or in any impious habit 
 of life. Nor is it possible for even the fairest super- 
 ficial morality ; nor for any mere professions^ to con- 
 stitute you righteous before* God. 
 
 But Thirdly. The righteous spoken cf in the text, 
 are the regenerate, the truly pious. Theirs is the dis- 
 position of heart to which all divine promises are 
 made. It is that in creatures, which renders them like 
 their Creator. It is in the beauty and the glory, no 
 less than the happiness of the holy. 
 
 But, hearers, you are perhaps inquiring, what are 
 the essential attributes of this very desirable and 
 happy character ? They are summed up ia-.^ sin- 
 gle word-— Love-— Love supreme to God, because th^ 
 
 9 
 
74 A SERMON BY 
 
 soul has u perception of his glorious loviiaess, lis_ a Ho-^ 
 ly being ; as one that iincliangeably delights in that 
 yvhich is right, and hates and condemns that which is 
 wrong — Love also to his commandments describing 
 duty ; and love to ail the possible subjects of happiness. 
 
 All the accountable inhabitants of our world, 
 and you among the rest, are by nature, * children of 
 wrath.' Instead of loving God, you hated and oppos- 
 ed him and his vrays. He said concerning you all, 
 ^ There is none that doeth good, no not one.' If you 
 are jioiv righteous, it is because you have been re- 
 generated by the operations of his holy spirit in your 
 hearts. It is matter of mere grace through the me- 
 rits of Christ, that you are not this moment, tra- 
 Tclling the broad road to destruction. If you have 
 thiis, through infmitc grace, been made righteous, 
 humility, before God, is one leading exercise of your 
 hearts. You have abasing views of yourselves ; for 
 you see, that you have acted most unreasonably, as 
 well as most criminally, in all your wickedness of 
 iieart. ' Behold I am vile,' is the language of every 
 regenerate soul. At the same time while humbling' 
 yourselves, you will exalt and magnify God, for the 
 display of his boundless compassion in the plan of 
 redeeming grace, and in plucking j>'(?//, as brands, from 
 everlasting burnings. 
 
 Y'ou ai'e loathing yourselves, as sinners. You are 
 hating all knovvu iniquity. You see the odiousness^ 
 no less than the deadly nature, and fatal consequen- 
 ces of wickedness. And in. such a view of sin, to- 
 gether with cordial resolutions in favor of ^ righteous 
 life, arising from this view of it, you exercise that 
 * Godly sorrov/, which is unto salvation, needing uq 
 repentance.' 
 
 While you behold your entire ruin by sin, you 
 are led to the Lord Jesus Christ. In him you see a 
 ]jropitiation for sin. \'ou read widi holy exultation, 
 ^ God so loved the v/orld, as to give his only begotten 
 
^ ^ imLViK GHAPlN. 75- 
 
 Srjn, that whosncver bciieveth on him, ma}^ not per- 
 ish, bst 'have cverhisting life. He is able to save, uii- 
 to the iittefmost, the chief 'of sinriefs, Whb is he 
 that GOiidemncth ? it is Christ that died ; yea, rather 
 that has i'iset'j, who is even now at the right hand of 
 God, and vvho ifiaketh ifttcfc^ssion for ais;' You 
 behold, m the Loi"d Jests s such a Saviour as you 
 need ; a Saviour from the love and dominion, as 
 Well as from the iuisery of sin. You are pleased with 
 all that you can learn of his character aiid atonement. 
 Y^ii ate charmed with the ^i??d of salvation which 
 he offers. You afiTecUonately receive him, as your 
 Redeemer aiid your guide. You cast your souls 
 upon him for spiritual healing and saiietiJication.-^ 
 You go to hiilfi Ibr that bread of life, which alone can 
 nourish and invigorate you amidst the difficulties you 
 itiust meet, in travelling to the mansions made ready 
 in j'cmr heavenly father's house. This yoiir faitii 
 V/6rks by love to God and duty. It renders you vic- 
 torious b'vei' the ^vorld. The worjd^s numberless en- 
 ticements arid dangers are, by this griice, overcome. 
 It makes you ttiOfe than conquerors, through him that 
 hath lbv6d ydii, and givcti himself for you.' 
 
 This holy temper of heart, begun in rcgeheration, 
 and increased bj- progressive sanctification, is the 
 foundation of y6ur righteousness. From this v/ill 
 eert^rily proceed ati outwardly righteous life. With 
 the holy charity of the g^spclj loving your neighbor as 
 ydUrs^lves, f6M will be just, and merciful, and kind ; 
 ^ doing good 4int6 all men as you have opportunity.' 
 Yoiir eoriduct before God, will be moved by his fear 
 and love. You will delight in the word, the sab- 
 baths, the wm'sllip, and the ordinances of the Lordc 
 Self examihatioin, devotion, prayer, submission and 
 meekness, will be the ha^D its of your life. Stfch is 
 th^ character, of those designated in the text." Such 
 is your chafrafcter, hearers, and such is your manner 
 of life, if God owns J'ou, as righteous. If this hf 
 
76 A SERMON BY 
 
 your character, it shall certainly be *U)ell nvhb youi 
 God orders his ministers to declare it in his name,r 
 And you may place unlimited confidence in the truth 
 of the declaration. Only find gospel evidence that 
 you possess the character of the rip^hteous, and you 
 will infallibly partake of all their glorious privileges. 
 Do you ask, what these privileges are ? For an an- 
 swer behold, 
 
 Secondly, The manner in which it shall be well 
 with the Righteous. 
 
 And here, all the blessings, that penitent sinners 
 are capable of receiving, come into view. Much is 
 said about blessings. Do you ask the meaning of 
 the term ? Be it thus defined. Whatever God will 
 make the means of rendering you, during the whole 
 of your existence, more happy than you could other- 
 wise be, is to you personally, a blessing. This is as 
 clearly true, as it is that happiness itself is desirable. 
 Let this thought be kept in your minds, and it will 
 assist you in perceiving the truth of the sentiments, 
 which occur in this part of the discourse. 
 
 But here also it may be proper to discriminate. 
 
 Firsts Repenting sinners — the righteous of our 
 perishing world, have, in the text, no promise, that 
 Mobile they continue on trial for eternity they shall be 
 preserved from all natural evil. Righteousness will 
 indeed save you from suffering the infamy and wretch- 
 edness that by the very constitution itself, according 
 to which God governs the world, are inseperable from 
 drunkenness, lewdness, lying, profanity, and all other 
 visible vices. Nevertheless according to that consti- 
 tution you must in the body, suffer pain, disease, and 
 dissolution. ' Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt 
 return,' is a sentence equally applicable to the right- 
 eous and the wicked. ' Once to die, is appointed 
 unto men; is appointed unto you. Natural evils in 
 this world ; not excepting death itself; must pass 
 '- upon all ; for all have sinned./ 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 77 
 
 Nor have you here, any promi^ of preservation 
 from disappointment in your lawful earthly calcula- 
 tions and labors. Nor is there so much as an implied 
 intimation, that because you are righteous, God will 
 give you worldly wealth or power. Neither have 
 you a promise, that your best beloved relations ; 
 your most precious created possessions ; shall be 
 continued in your enjoyment. Neither is it to be 
 understood that God will preserve you on account of 
 your righteousness from being stript of every worldly 
 comfort, w^hich you may have called your own. He 
 does not here tell you that your righteousness shall 
 keep your tenderest and most affectionate natural 
 ties from being dissolved. He does not say, that 
 your heart shall never by the breaking of these be fill- 
 ed with sorrows, which utterly refuse to be com- 
 forted by the world. 
 
 On the contrary, you know, that your firmest hold, 
 upon creatures, must be broken. Of all this you are 
 assured, by the uniform experience of the world and 
 by the declarations of God. ' In the world ye shall 
 have tribulation ; but be of good cheer I have over- 
 come the world.' The moment, grace made you 
 righteous, your idolatrous attachment, to the world, 
 was in a degree, overcome. When, therefore, you 
 feel these connexions and attachments breaking, you 
 can triumphantly say, * The will of the Lord be done^ 
 It is right, it is best, as he ordains.' * This is the 
 victory that overcometh the world, even your faith' — 
 your faith in the all-perfect government of God. — 
 This victory^ however, is not complete in the present 
 life , for your righteousness is not, on earth, com- 
 plete. Therefore, 
 
 Secondly^ There is found, in the text, no promise, 
 that the righteous shall, in this world, be preserved 
 from all moral evil, all wickedness. You are not to 
 expect complete deliverance from sin, till you reach 
 the * assembly of the just, made perfect,' before the 
 
78 A SERxMON BY 
 
 throne of God. In the all important work of regen- 
 eration, you experienced a change, from a state of en- 
 tire sin, to a state of only begun holiness. It is a very 
 humbling truth, tliat the dominion of sin, in your 
 hearts, is only in a degree, subdued, while you re- 
 main in a depraved world. This, you are assured, 
 on divine authority, is according to the constitution 
 of providence and grace, by which God governs the 
 vrorld and his church. 
 
 Be it, however, remembered, that this fact furnish- 
 es neither excuse nor palliation for wickedness re- 
 maining in the righteous. Wickedness is, at least, as 
 criminal in the righteous, as it is in the unrighteous. 
 It is alwaj^s, in all creatures, and in all worlds, per- 
 fectly inexcusable. 
 
 Your knowledge of the fact that you are not, ba 
 earth, to be entirely delivered from moral evil, is 
 so far from furnishing you with an excuse, that it is 
 your most solemn and alarming admonition of danger. 
 The remaining corruptions of your own heart, joined 
 with * principalities and pov>^ers, and the rulers of the 
 darkness of this world,' are formidable foes. Against 
 these, you must pray, and watch, and strive. Ther6 
 is in the christian warfare, no rest from the arinoyarice 
 of enemies ; and enemies, toOj that afe long experi- 
 enced and artful ; enemies by whose numerous and 
 deep laid devices, you are constantly exposed to be 
 * cast down wounded. Your calling and election' are 
 to be made sure by diligence in the pious life Your 
 salvation must be daily wrought out, with the deep 
 anxiety implied in ' fear and trembling*' You iftust 
 be evermore, intent on that business, which your 
 Father in heaven assigns you. The moment, of your 
 regeneration, begins your spiritual conflict ; and, 
 ihenceforwiird you are to fight against sin, in your- 
 self, and in the world around you. It is by constant 
 exertion, that you are to grow in grace aiid in the 
 knowledsre of Christ.' Sloth, indiflference, adisposi- 
 
CiVLVIN CHAPIN. 79 
 
 tion to rest in past supposed attainments ; must be 
 vievved as dreadful witnesses, that you never were 
 righteoiis ; and that all your pretended experience 
 is; no other than the delusive and deadly work of the 
 great adversary. 
 
 Kemember, christian, you are a progressive being. 
 It is the will of your Saviour that your triumphs over 
 sin be not rendered, at once, complete. You are 
 by remaiins of depravity, and by the powers of dark- 
 ness, to be buffeted, tried, and proved. There is a 
 * need be' that you be in heaviness through manifold 
 temptations.' This divine plan of preparing you ; 
 of preparing all the redeemed, for the world of glory, 
 is wonderfully calculated, both to humble you, and 
 to increase your faith in that Saviour, without v/hose 
 grace you daily find, that you must perish. 
 
 It vvill not, therefore, ' be well with the righteous,' 
 because he is while in the probationary world, to be 
 preserved from all evil, either natural or moral. 
 
 iJut, Thirdly. Ye that through grace, possess the 
 character, to which the promises are made, * it shall 
 b^ weU with yo.ii., because all the evils, both natural 
 and moral; to which God sees it best to subject you, 
 gn earth, shall be made the means of personal good 
 tQ you. You are now in a world, whose concerns 
 are all carried on by the instrumentality of means.— 
 Do you ask how the evils you experience on earth 
 can be means of good to you ? The Lord claims it 
 as his peculrar prerogative, to bring order out of con- 
 fusion, light out of darkness, good out of evil. 
 
 Biit will he make your sufferings and deeds in- 
 strumental of your good ? Yes, ye subjects of his 
 grace ; hear the declaration of his Holy Spirit. — 
 ^ And we know, that all thin.8;s work together for 
 good to them that love God ; to them, who are the 
 called^ according to his purpose. The affirmation is 
 universal. ' Ail things; all events, in your experi- 
 ence ; not the 'joyous' only, but the ' grevious,' 
 
aft A SERMON BY 
 
 shall, ill the cUrecting hand of your Saviour, be in- 
 struments of your welfare. They shall be made 
 blessings to you. You will please to recollect the 
 definition already given of a blessing. It is ' every 
 thing which God will make the means of rendering 
 you, through the whole of your existence, happier, 
 than you could otherwise be.' Now you have his 
 promise, that he v/ill cause this to be the desirable 
 result of all events on the state of your hearts, and 
 consequently on your enjoyments forever. 
 
 You are naturally too little concerned about the 
 spiritual effect of those dispensations, which gratify 
 your w^orldly wishes. They are such as disappoint 
 and distress you ; that bring serious consideration* 
 But both those which gratify, and those which distress* 
 are all mingled, in the promises of God to the righ- 
 teous. He tells you, that both joyous and grievous 
 events shall all ' work together for your good.' 
 
 But in what manner is this accomplished I By their 
 sanctification to your spiritual improvement. And 
 lubcn are events, both joyous and grievous, as they at 
 present affect you, sanctified to your spiritual im- 
 provement ? Vou often, you habitually pray, that 
 God would sanctify to you his dealings. Offered, as 
 all evangelical prayer is, with entire submission to the 
 Divine Counsels, it is a highly pertinent and appro- 
 priate petition. But what is the true intent of this 
 prayer to God ? Is it that he would make every event 
 the means of your ' grovvthin grace ;' of your pro- 
 gress in holiness; of increase in heavenly, minded- 
 ness, as you go forward towards death and judgment. 
 
 The question therefore, returns. When are events 
 sanctified to the christian's use ? Then^ when God 
 makes them the means of the soul's proficiency in 
 heavenly things. And in what does this most valua- 
 ble, this holy, proficiency consist ? In seeing more of 
 the heart's vileness, together with an increasing self- 
 abhorcnce, humiliation, and hatred of sin ; in a grow- 
 ing strength of faith on the Son of God, in more firm- 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 81 
 
 iy establishing habits of praj^er and devotion, in an 
 improving tenderness of concern for the honor of 
 God ; a more vigorous affection for the command- 
 ments and service of God, in daily progressive de- 
 sires after enjoyments purely spiritual and heavenly. 
 In these things, christians, is ' growth in grace' com- 
 prehended. Every divine dealing, whether of Provi- 
 dence or grace, and whether, to your natural wishes, 
 gratifying or confounding, if made in Christ's hand, 
 the means of producing these effects, on your hearts 
 and conduct, is sanctified to you. It is a blessing ; 
 you will be the happier for it eternally. 
 
 On the other hand, no event, . however exquisite 
 may be the present pleasure which it confers, if not 
 thus sanctified, if not made to produce these and simi- 
 lar effects, deserves^ in any proper sense, to be called 
 ia blessing. Unsanctified, your health, your friends, 
 your affluence, yea, your very table would become 
 * a snare and a trap.' They may be, you have reason 
 to fear they will be means of checking your progress 
 in pious practice and enjoyment, and of ' piercing 
 the soul with many sorrows.' Beware, chrirtians, be*, 
 ware of spiritual sloth. Beware of worldly tcmpta* 
 tions. Beware of carnal enticements. They work 
 the present destruction of holy improvement. They 
 bring a temporary blast upon the tree of life, planted 
 by grace in the heart. They diminish the evidence, 
 that maintains heavenly hope. They send you mourn- 
 ing, to grope your way, amidst darkness, along the 
 * vale of tears.' And they do this by preventing the 
 present and complete sanctification of events to your 
 spiritual use. You cannot, indeed, long and habitu» 
 ally indulge in them. You are warned, that duty for- 
 bids your indulging in them, at all. Although God 
 has bound himself, by a gracious promise, to sanc- 
 tify, for good, unto all the righteous, every event, yet 
 this abounding grace gives you no licence to continue 
 in sin. If any person believe him self righteous ia 
 
 10 
 
m A SEKMON BY 
 
 God's sight, and yet indulge in known sin, because 
 God has promised to sanctify all things for good unta 
 the righteous, that person's belief is fallacious. He 
 is no christian. His conduct is highly presumptous. 
 toespait , so long as he holds fast his present temper of 
 mind, ought to seize the place of his present confi- 
 rlence and hope. The righteous are dead to sin, 
 ^ And how shall they, who are dead to sin, live with 
 knowledge and design any longer therein.' They 
 that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the af- 
 fections and and lusts.' 
 
 It shall be ' well/ tlien ' with the righteous,' be- 
 cause all events, all trials, all duties and sufferings, 
 while encompassed by a nature which sin'deiiles, shall 
 be sanctified, shall be made means of their * gi'OAvth ia 
 grace,' of their progress in holiness. 
 
 Ye, ' whose names are written in the Lamb's book 
 of life,' it shall be well with you, in this world. — 
 Amidst the darkness of infirmity and sin, ye shall re- 
 joice in the light of God's countenance. When suf- 
 fering pain and disappointment, ye shall have a sup- 
 porting submission to the divine will. Although earth 
 and hell frown, ye shall rejoice, ^ for the Lord reigns.' 
 
 ' It shall be well with you,' in comparison with the 
 openly vicious, because your love of righteousness 
 -will, through grace, effectually preserve you from the 
 worldly miseries to which many of the wretched are 
 subjected. Drunkenness and profanity, lying and 
 theft, lewdness, calumny and murder, in a word, eve- 
 ry vice and crime that can be named, if detected and 
 proved, certainly brings evil upon the guilty person, 
 IMot a few, comprehended in this discription, are 
 brought to the distresses of needless poverty and dis- 
 ease. Not a few to the infamy and wretchedness of 
 ihe dungeon, the pillory, the gallows. But from all 
 these, righteousness is your security ; for abhoring^ 
 you will sbun both the pernicious deeds and the pu- 
 nishment of such evil doers. 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. ?S| 
 
 ^ It shall be well with you' * when your ftesh and 
 your hearts fail. Yea, though yoii walk through the 
 valley and shadow of death, you will not need to fear 
 evil, for the rod and staff of God r/^^jK will comfort you.* 
 At the bar of the etenii\l judge, ' it shall be well with 
 you ;' for your souls will be fouad washed in that 
 
 ♦ blood, which cleanseth from all sin,' and clad in vthe 
 white garments of that righteousness which is com- 
 plete. There, by him who holds in his hand the rC:- 
 Iributions for eternity, will it be said unto you, 
 
 * Well done good and faithful servants, enter ye into 
 the joys of your Lord. ' Yes, ye righteous, it shall for 
 ever and ever be well with you. for you will be called 
 to inherit the everlasting kingdom prepared for the 
 saints of the most high God. 
 
 The subject is practical, and suggests many useful 
 ^remarks. Two of these distinctly considered, shall 
 close the discourse. 
 
 First. By the instiiictions derived from this por- 
 tion of God's word, religious, people may try their ex- 
 perience. This is the more important, because we 
 are told of religious people that have nothing of saving 
 piety. * This people draweth near unto me with 
 their mouth, and with their lips they honor rae, but 
 their heart is far fron¥ me, saiththe Lord.' * Not every 
 one,' says Christ, * that saith unto me, Lord, Lord^ 
 shall enter into the kingdom o4' heaven ; but he that 
 doth the will of my father, who is in heaven. Many 
 will say unto me, in that day, Lord, Lord, have w-e 
 not prophesied in thy name ; and in thy name have cast 
 out devils ; and in thy nanve have done many wonder- 
 ful works: And then will I profess unto them, I ne- 
 ver knew you ", depart from me, ye that work iniqui- 
 ty.' The light of the great day will disclose facts 
 dreadfully eortfounding to the^e people. It will show 
 them, that although they had much religion, they 
 had no true piety. Their religion kept conscience 
 tolerably quiet, and their wicked hearts, and the advecsr 
 
84 A SERMON BY 
 
 sary persuaded them, that they had religion enoughs 
 Hearers, take heed, that you be not found at last in 
 their number. 
 
 The subject demands it of you, that you ask your- 
 selves what evidence you have, that, in God's sight, 
 you are righteous ? Do you love God, as holy, and 
 his commandments, as ' holy, just, and good r' Do 
 you rejoice in his laws, which condemn you ; and do 
 you condemn yourselves, as sinners ? Do you wish 
 for that kind of happiness, the enjoyment of which 
 will render the righteous always blessed ? 
 
 Do you pray to God, heartily wishii- ^ hat his wiU 
 may be done ; and that your wills may bv , in all things, 
 conformed to his ? When you ask him to give you 
 health, friends, long. life, prosperity, and wisdom, do 
 y( u ask for these desirable things with the wish, that 
 they may be means of helping you to heaven ? When 
 you receive them, and other worldly favors, do you 
 grow more humble ; see more of your own vileness, 
 as sinners ; get a worse opinion of yourselves and 
 find your hearts more fervently engaged in the du» 
 ties of piety ? When you suffer natural evil ; when 
 pain and disease fill your mortal bodies ; when dis- 
 appointments are set in array against you ; when your 
 earthly schemes of business and pleasure arc baff- 
 led ; when bereavements lay your choicest creature 
 comforts low in the dust ; when calamaties are com- 
 missioned thus to try you, what is the effect ? Do 
 you yield, under the divine discipline ? Does the 
 heart w^ithin you, grow tender? Is pride brought 
 down ? Do you look up, adore, and praise, and bow 
 before. Him, wdiose hand has touched you ? Are 
 your inquiries more earnest, than before, what the 
 Lord would have you do ? What are the lessons of 
 duty, he would have you learn and practice ? As 
 these natural evils break your hold upon the earth, 
 so ask yourselves, whether they diminish your at-^ 
 tachme^t to things beneath heaven ? 
 
CALVIN GHAPIN. 85 
 
 And how are you affected by the discovery of 
 jnoral evil — wickedness that was unknown to your- 
 selves, untill the Spirit of God laid open, to your 
 view, more of that deceitfulness which there is m 
 sin ? Does every discovered sin throw you upon 
 your knees, before God in humble, but hearty self 
 condemnation ; and in earnest entreaty, for that re- 
 pentance which has the promise of pardon ? In false 
 religion, the heart is stupid, even amidst discovered 
 sins. It is hard. It is a ' heart of stone.' 0r if 
 there be feeling, there is also self justification, and an 
 attempt to throw back the blame upon the spotless 
 Creator. Here is rebellion marked with the guilt of 
 no common aggravations. It is high handed hostili- 
 ty against heaven's glorious king. Is this your char- 
 acter and conduct ? Or does every known sin bring 
 you quickly to God and cause you individually to 
 §mite upon your breast and say, ' Behold I am vile ; 
 God be merciful to me a sinner ? 
 
 Are all divine dispensations sanctified ? Are they 
 means of your 'growth in grace ?' Do they all, 
 ^ whether for the present, joyous or grievous,' draw 
 you and keep you nearer and nearer to God ? Have 
 you evidence,' that all things do * work together for 
 your good ; your spiritual prosperity ? Is your love 
 to God and every known duty encreasing, like the 
 rising light of the morning, progressive continually 
 towards the perfect splendor of noon day ? Is it 
 like a grain of mustard seed, springing up and soon 
 to become a tree ? Is it like leaven hid in three mea- 
 sures of meal and quickly to diffuse its influence 
 through the whole lump ? Do you wish to go to 
 heaven because that is a world, where the redeemed 
 are intirely freed from sin ; filled with humility and 
 rendered happy only in the love and practice of ho- 
 liness : Ask yourselves these questions. Try your 
 experience. Know if you are righteous. Your sal- 
 yation depends upon it. Beware of deception. You 
 
m A SERMON BY 
 
 have 6ne to judge you, whom you cannot deceive. 
 
 Secondly. Righteousness is man's only valuable 
 possession. This, to depraved creatures, is the pur- 
 chase and the gift of Christ. But the manner in 
 which creatures receive the possession, does not at 
 all change its nature. In a wicked creature's being 
 made righteous, infinite grace furnishes matter of 
 cndles admiration and praise. But the worth'of right- 
 eousness itself is now the subject of remark. It is 
 valuable, because it is a way of real and enduring 
 happiness. It is, hearers, your only valuable posses- 
 sion, because it is your only way of present and per- 
 petual blessedness. Other possesions whether they 
 consist in health and long life ; in earthly affluence 
 and power ; in temporal ease and iffectionate friends ; 
 dr in high intellectual ttainments ; are certainly 
 worth nothing to you, only so far as God, by sanc- 
 tifying them to your spiritual use, makes them the 
 jneans of helping you to the attainment of right- 
 eousness. 
 
 This is the * Godliness which is profitable for all 
 things, and which has the promise of both worlds.' 
 This is that wisdom * which is from above ; that 
 wisdom whose ways are pleasantness, and whose 
 paths are all peace.' This is that ' pearl of gr^at 
 price,* which would be cheaply purchased, though 
 it were to cost you all you might possess besides. 
 This is that gain, w^hich rescues your souls from per- 
 idition, and fits you for never ending glory. .' ^nd 
 what,' on the other hand * shall it profit a man, if he 
 shall gain the whole of this world and loose his soul ?' 
 
 What then can be valuable ; what can be worthy 
 of your earn-^st and unceasing pursuit, besides that 
 possession, which the holy Discerner and Judge of 
 all hearts, will acknowledge as righteousness I Get 
 this wisdom therefore, ' whose price is above rubies, 
 and with all your getings, get this understanding.' 
 
CALVIN CHAPIN. 87 
 
 Would you have it well with your souls forever I 
 Then pursue nothing but under the direction of a sin- 
 gle eye, to the attainment of this righteousness. And 
 accept the exhortation to seek this immediately, not 
 forgetting, that ' delays arc dangerous.* Why will 
 you be wretched till to-morrow, when you may be 
 happy to-day ? Why \\\\\ you put your souls longer 
 to the risk of eternal damnation, when they may be 
 instantly rendered safe for heaven ? And as to present 
 enjoyment, why will you longer starve on husks, 
 yes, and in company with the swine of the mire too, 
 when there is heavenly bread enough and to spare, 
 offered for your acceptance ? Receive, then, with- 
 out delay, the offered salvation, the best possession, 
 which even Omnipotence can confer. Receive, in 
 your souls, the righteousness of the Redeemer, and 
 * it shall be well with you.' How desirable to possess 
 such a character; how ineffably desirable to so live 
 in the sight of God, as to have his promise, that you 
 shall be safe ; his promise that nothing shall hurt you I 
 How much better than the wealth of worlds, to look 
 forward with the christian's hope, the hope that shall 
 never shame you with disappointment, and expect^ 
 because God has promised it, that you shall soon join 
 the society, and be perfectly blessed in the holy ser- 
 vices of the heavenly world ; that you shall soon join 
 the innumerable company around the throne of God 
 and the Lamb ; that you shall soon join those holy 
 hosts, who cease not day nor night, to sing the new 
 song, saying * Alleluia, blessing, and glory, and wis- 
 dom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and 
 flight, be unto our God, for ever and ever.' — Amen, 
 
THE GROUNDS OF THE BELIEVER'S TRIUMPH 
 IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 
 
 A SERMON. 
 
 JOELIVERED ON A SACR AMENTAL'OCC ASION. 
 
 BY THE REVEREND 
 
 DAVID TAPPAN, D. D. 
 
 iATE, HOLLIS PROFESSOR OF D|VINITY, IN HARVARD COLLECE-, 
 CAMBRIDGE. 
 
 Gal. vi. 14. 
 
 Sut God forbid that I should glory j save in the Cross of our Lord jesus 
 
 Christ. 
 
 PERHAPS, there is ho surer criterion of a man's 
 inward and ruling character, of the noble or base sen- 
 timents of his heart, than the quality of the objects 
 in which he principally glories. If we see a man 
 exulting in exterior advantages, in a graceful person 
 or address, or in worldly wisdom and power, wealth 
 and reputation, and the tinsel splendor whidi accom- 
 panies them, we immediately pronounce him to pos» 
 sess a superficial, contracted, and ignoble mind. But 
 if a person appears to place his chief glory in intel- 
 lectual, moral, or religious accomplishments, his cha- 
 racter strikes the judicious eye as in some degree 
 noble and excellent. Yet even here, there is room 
 for fatal deception : for a character, remarkable for 
 attachment even to the cause of religion, may be very 
 defective, yea worthless, in the view of Heaven ; be- 
 cause it may want the main spring and soul of moral 
 excellence, and be only a mere artful or refined modi- 
 fication of ruling selfishness and pride. 
 
 II 
 
90 A SERMON BY 
 
 Such in fact was the complexion of many chris- 
 tian professors, and even teachers in the apostolic age. 
 A spurious set of religious instructors had insinuated 
 themselves into several of the churches, and that of 
 Gallatia in particular, and poisoned the minds of 
 many of its members. These teachers and their 
 proselytes gloried iii their zeai for religion ; that is, 
 for the external appendages of it,- for the shov/y but 
 antiquated ceremonies of the Jewish ritual ; while 
 they overlooked and opposed their true spirit and 
 design. The apostle, having with great force of ar- 
 gument and eloquence vindicated and established the 
 true gospel scheme, :igainst the corrupt mixtures of 
 these heretical seducers, proceeds at the close of this 
 excellent epistle, to sum up their character, and con- 
 trast it ^vith his own. They gloried in making si 
 fair shew in the iiesh, and in seducing ov^er great 
 numbers to their own party. He glories, not in the 
 shadow or pompous parade of religion, but in the 
 reality; not in gaining proselytes to his own cause, 
 but in enlisting the souls of men under the banner 
 of a crucified Hedeemer. * God forbid tliat I should 
 glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.' 
 
 This solem.n declaration of St. Paul, respecting him- 
 self, presents the moral picture of every genuine 
 christian, and therefore fairly loads to the following- 
 inquiry- -- 
 
 On what grounds does the christian believer so 
 highly esteem and even triumph in the cross of Christ? 
 
 The phrase here employed to express the object of 
 the apostle's triumph, denotes, not barely the visible 
 scene, much less the material engine, of our Lord's 
 sufferings on Mount Calvary ; but the whole series of 
 of his humiliation, of which his death on the cross 
 was the most eminent and the crowning instance. 
 These sufferings of the Saviour, and the virtue or 
 obedience which he exercised in them, viewed in all 
 their connexions, exhibit a spectacle most august 
 
DAVID TAPPAN. n 
 
 and magnificent ; a spectacle, which God himself be- 
 holds with divine satisfaction, and which angels con- 
 template with awful rapture. No wonder then,, that 
 redeemed men, that penitent and humble believers, 
 who owe their life, their hope, their all, to the bleed- 
 ing cross, regard it with high esteem and exulting joy. 
 
 For, in the first place, they behold in it the most 
 majestic and the most endearing display ofthediVinc 
 perfections. 
 
 The atoning sacrifice of Christ holds up the mo, 
 ral chaFacter and government of God t<D the view of 
 the intelligent system, in a light equally and tranSf 
 cendently awful and amiable. Aiv/iil, as it repre- 
 sents him devoting the favorite of his bosom to the 
 most complicated and unparralleled sufferings, ra- 
 ther than he would shew the least indulgence to sin. 
 Amiable^ as it represents this terrible display of justice, 
 to flow, not from any want of tenderness towards the 
 excellent sufferer ; for the Saviour himself was at all 
 times the object of his Father's inconceivable afiec- 
 tion, and was now doing that, with which he was 
 infinitely well pleased : and the whole scene of his 
 humiliation was also the appointment and fruit of the 
 richest love and compassion in God toward our re- 
 volted, miserable race. This manifestation of divine 
 severity, therefore, on the person of our representa- 
 tive, vv^as evidently dictated by a wise, impartial, 
 comprehensive benevolence, by the supreme regard 
 which Jehovah, as the head of the moral world, owes 
 to his own honor and the public good. 
 
 The cross of Christ, then, is the most striking, 
 practical comment on tliat most amiable character of 
 Deity-^* God is love.' For it collects all the scat« 
 tered rays of divine excellence to a point, and unites 
 them in one blaze of glorious love- It exhibits the 
 divine wisdom and power, holiness and justice, as 
 but so many different modes, or exhibitions, of en- 
 Eghtened, unbounded benevolence, by which it inva 
 
02 A SERMON BY 
 
 riablj seeks, and most effectually reaches, it's one 
 favorite object, the universal good. 
 
 In the cross, wc behold the divine greatness endear- 
 ed by goodness, and goodness enhanced and av^fully 
 dignified by its union with greatness. We see the 
 stern face of justice softened into the gentle, alluring 
 aspect of mercy ; while mercy is sacredly guarded, 
 and made an object of veneration, by the union of 
 justice. In a word, the divine character, in its va- 
 rious branches or modifications, is here unfolded to 
 ■view, in a manner peculiarly marvellous and surpris- 
 ing, plain and familiar, harmonious and complete,, 
 benign and endearing. 
 
 No wonder, then, that the gospel believer, who pos- 
 sesses a good moral taste, who is a cordial friend to 
 God and his glory, should be supremely delighted 
 with the cross of Christ ; should triumph in a display 
 of Deity at once so glorious and so beneficent ; es- 
 pecially when he beholds those very circumstances 
 enhancing this display, which to a superficial eye 
 seem most to eclipse it. The pain, the disgrace, the 
 appearance of criminality and baseness, attending that 
 kind of execution, to which the founder of our reli- 
 gion submitted, have been urged by its foes, as the 
 greatest objection against it. but this seeming badge 
 of infamy is one of the brightest ornaments of Christi- 
 anity For hereby the death of its great author was 
 made to correspond with his life. It was fit, that a life 
 of such voluntary, extreme poverty, meanness, and 
 sorrow should be completed by a death uncommonly 
 bitter and odious ; that the union of both, might form 
 one entire and glorious sacrifice to the cause of truth 
 and virtue, to the honor of God, and the happiness 
 of man. It was fit that He should publicly die a re- 
 puted malefactor before men, who had espoused the 
 cause of real and notorious criminals in the sight of 
 God ; that He should be condemned and executed, by 
 the sentence of public justice, and of God's visible 
 
DAVID TAP? AN. 93 
 
 iTiinister here below, who had undertaken by his death 
 to satisfy the public justice of the Supreme Ruler of 
 the universe. In a word, it was wise and congruous, 
 that the sufferings of such a public character should 
 be marked with a degree of infamy and sorrow, which 
 might best suit and demonstrate, both the greatness 
 of his own love and zeal, and of our criminality and 
 ill desert ; which might best illustrate the grandeur 
 both of the divine perfections, and of the future in- 
 heritance hereby procured for his followers ; and 
 which might exhibit to them the most complete and 
 encouraging pattern of patient, constant, self-denied 
 virtue and obedience ; and so mark out to their feet, 
 the path which must lead them through affliction t© 
 glory. 
 
 Which leads us to observe farther, that in the cross 
 we have the brightest manifestation of the glories of 
 the redeemer. The depth of his abasement operated 
 as a foil to set off the majesty of his person and the 
 splendor of his character. Never did He display be- 
 fore to equal advantage, such composed, gentle, con- 
 descending dignity. The successive stages of his 
 last sufferings, in the garden of Gethsemane, in the 
 hall of the high priest, in the court of Herod, at the 
 tribunal of Pilate, on the hill of Calvary, were so many 
 theatres, on which he publicly acted the sublime 
 of virtue ; on which he displayed his immoveable 
 constancy in the cause of truth and rectitude ; his tri- 
 umphant meekness and patience under the most inju- 
 rious treatment and the most grievous afflictions; his 
 entire resignation to the will of God, and peaceable 
 submission to the law and power of man ; his invin- 
 cible attachment to the divine honor and our happi- 
 ness ; his unshaken faith and trust in his heavenly 
 father, under so sharp a trial ; his unexampled chari- 
 ty and greatness of soul in pitying, excusing, and 
 praying for his very murderers. These excellent 
 virtues shine forth from the ignominious cross, with 
 
64 A SERMON BY 
 
 a lustre peciuiarly eminent and conspicuous ; and at 
 once rellcct honor g» tlie suffering Saviour, and die 
 father who sent him, and tend to establish the faith, 
 encourage the imitation, and awaken the joy and tri- 
 umph of his followers. 
 
 And while this great sufferer is thus enoblcd by his 
 own resplendent graces, all nature around him attests 
 his dignity, and solemnizes his death. Seethe Sun 
 drcst in black, the earth trembling, the rocks rend- 
 ing, the graves pouring fortii their dead; his judge, his 
 executioner, one of his fellow sufferers, and even the 
 scofnng multitude, uniting in various ways to do him 
 honor 1 
 
 Again, the extensive benefits, which flow from the 
 cross of Christ, form another source of triumph to the 
 real christian. The cross is the instrument of com- 
 plete victory over all the enemies of God and of man. 
 It disarms and confounds the devil with his o\An wea- 
 pons. It crucifies the world by disparaging its vaia 
 pomp, and delusive pleasures ; by bafling its most 
 formidable errors, and by converting its heaviest af- 
 flictions into instrum.ents of final victory and glory. 
 It exhibits a most forcible pattern and persuasive for 
 mortifying the Resh. 'It condemns and destroys sin» 
 it scatters the terrors of death, and will finally swal- 
 low it up in victory. i\nd while It thus pours coiifu- 
 sion on all the powders of darkness, it diffuses new 
 light, life, purity and joy, through all the regions of 
 <iarth and of heaven. It confirms all the myriads of 
 holy angels in their celestial bliss, while it opens to 
 their expanding minds new and perpetual sources of 
 improvement and delight, and replaces the vacant 
 seats of their lost associates, with large colonies of 
 kindred, purified spirits, from this distant, polluted 
 re&rion. 
 
 iiut what tongue of^ man or angel can do justice to 
 the benefits, which redeem.ed sinners of our race derive 
 kom the mysterious death of their Head! It is th€ 
 
DAVID TAPFAN. Bs 
 
 price and seal of their yiardon ; it is the moral gToutid 
 of their acceptance uirth heaven. It introduces pe- 
 nitent beiievers to the friendbhip, the fainily, the soul 
 reviving lellowbhip of the infiuite Being'. It procures 
 and conveys the sanctifying, comforting spirit, Vvith 
 the divine word and ordinances. Ky these, joined 
 with ihe continual co-operation of his providence, the 
 exalted Saviour is continually carrying into effect the 
 glorious and saving purposes of his death, is extend- 
 ing the triumph of his gospel from age to age, till at 
 length this sacred leaven shall leaven the whole lump 
 of mankind, and all the kingdoms of this world shall 
 become the kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ. 
 
 And indeed the doctrine of the cross, is, in its own 
 nature, a most powerful, persuasive mean of reform- 
 ing a degenerate world : for in it ' shine the noblest 
 truths; the strongest motives sting, and sacred vio- 
 lence assaults the soul.' The love of Christ in re- 
 demption, constrains every person who cordially be- 
 lieve^ it, to live not to himself, but to him who ditCi 
 for him and rose again. 
 
 After what has been said, it may seem almostneed- 
 less to add, that a crucified, atoning Savior is the 
 central object of the vrhole system of divine reve- 
 lation iind providence. All the successive discove- 
 ries ?.nd operations of Deity, respecting the churchy 
 from the original lapse to the advent of the Mes« 
 siah ; and all the great dispensations of providence 
 throughout the v/orid ; were so many parts of one 
 great mediatorial plan, all pointing to, paving the 
 way for, and receiving their consummation in"^ the 
 cross of Christ. This one object pervades, enlivens, 
 cements, ^both the Old Testa4nent and the New.— 
 It gives light, and force, and completion to the va- 
 rious predictions and promises, services and sacrifi- 
 ees, emblems and figures, of the one, while it im- 
 parts strengdi and union to the .several doctrines. 
 
96 A SERMON BY 
 
 precepts, and motives of the other, and spreads over 
 the Vvhole schtme a distinguishing and transcendent 
 lustre. 
 
 We see then the main grounds of the triumph ex. 
 pressed in the text ; or the reasons, why the illumi- 
 nated, purified christian supremely glories in his mas- 
 ter's cross. He sees inscribed upon it, as with a 
 sunbeam, the full orbed lustre of the divine perfec- 
 tions, the superior dignity and virtue of the Media- 
 tor, the improved order and perfection of the moral 
 system, the confusion of hell, the deliverance of earthy 
 and the triumph of heaven. At the same time he 
 sees, he feels, that his own pardon, holiness and 
 peace, all his comfort in time and hope for eternity, 
 flovv from the same source ; while the worth and 
 sweetness of these privileges, and the love and merit, 
 to which he owes them, are transcend!ently height- 
 ened and endeared by a recollection of his former 
 guilt and misery, and a painful consciousness of his 
 present imperfection and unworthiness, which great- 
 ly swell upon his view as he contemplates his suffer- 
 ing, atoning Saviour. Must not all these views com- 
 bined call up the fervent and elevated, yet modest and 
 humble triumph of the christian believer ? Must not 
 every feeling of regular self-love, and even of self- 
 abasement, as well as of benevolence, gratitude, and 
 piety, concur to swell the the tide of his joy 1 
 
 * What heart of flone but glows at thoughts like thefe ! 
 
 * Such contemplations mount us, and fliould mount 
 
 * The mind siiil higher : ^or ever glance on man 
 
 * Unraptiired, uninflamed.' 
 
 But the cross of Christ will appear in its fullest 
 glory, when the minor object of this vast plan of di- 
 vine benevolence shall be completely attained ; when 
 the top stone of the mighty fabrick shall be laid ;. 
 when all the enemies of God and his church shall 
 be finally subdued, the ruins of the fall entirely re- 
 
JDAVID TAPPAN. 97 
 
 paired, the glory and happiness of redeemed men and 
 elect angels advanced to the highest pitch under one 
 all-glorious head ; and as the result of all, the glory 
 of God and his Christ displayed and promoted in au 
 «|n€onceivable degree ! What created mind can com- 
 pute the sum total of happiness and glory, resulting 
 from the consummation of this great work of eternal 
 wisdom and love ; a work, v/hich as it originated in 
 the councils of eternity, shall extend its improving 
 and felicitating effects through a duration of endless, 
 and evergrowing bliss ! 
 
 On a review of our subject, it is natural to reflect, 
 how greatly does the good christian differ from all 
 other characters. The votaries of this world exult 
 in their hoarded treasures, their sensual delights, 
 their ensigns of power and honor : the devotees of 
 nature, glory in exploring and revealing her secrets : 
 the haughty infidel triumphs in the strength of hu- 
 man reason, or the beauty of moral virtue, while 
 perhaps he practically treats both w ith contempt. 
 The merely nominal believer, while he professedly 
 inlists under the banner of the cross, yet by cold in- 
 gratitude, or presumptuous confidence, by a heart 
 scretly dovoted to other objects, or an infidel diso- 
 bedient life, tramples the Saviour under his feet. 
 But the genuine follower of the Lamb, by the pierc- 
 ing eye of faith, sees at once the truth and excellency 
 of the gospel of Christ, and the comparative empti- 
 ness of all rival objects. He sees this doctrine sur- 
 rounded with such glorious characters of divinity, 
 both internal and external, that he glories in believ- 
 ing, professing, and obeying it himself, in teaching 
 and recommending it to others, and, if called to it, 
 in suffering reproach, pain, and even death for its 
 sake. 
 
 Let me then respectfully put the question to my 
 audience, do your hearts and lives echo this language ? 
 Do you glory in a crucified Savior ? Do vou rejoice 
 
 12 
 
'^S A SERMON l^Y 
 
 ill Him. not because you have an enthusiastic confi-- 
 dence, that he died for you in particular, or a pleasing 
 hope that his redecmhig love and merit will protect 
 you from the sword of justice, and ensure your final 
 bliss, without any previous conformity on your part 
 to his example and laws ; but because you are heart- 
 ilv reconciled to and pleased with the true design of 
 his mediation and death ; v/hich was to honor the 
 character and law^ of God, condemn and destroy sin, 
 and restore and promote the interests of holiness ? 
 Do you habitually feel and act out the same senti- 
 ments of heart toward God, toward sin, and toward 
 the cause of universal goodness, which Christ dis- 
 played in his obedience unto death? In short, is your 
 triumph in the cross, a solemn, reverential, soul aba- 
 sing-, and purifying affection ? While it elevates the 
 mind and enraptures the heart, does it kindle your 
 love, gratitude, devotion, penitence, and every grace 
 and virtue, to the highest pitch ? 
 
 If so let me invite you to approach with cheerful 
 confidence to that sacred ordinance, which some of 
 you have m prospect, the next Lord's day ; an ordi- 
 nance, which concenters in one striking point of view, 
 all the high discoveries, all the surprising, interest- 
 ing objects, which the cross and the gospel of Christ 
 set before us ! With what mingled emotions, then, 
 of penitential sorrow and grateful joy should com- 
 municants dravv' near to the altar of God in that sac- 
 rament I W'ith what holy triumph should they there 
 join the millions of glorified spirits in heaven, as well 
 as the church universal on earth, in singing the nevT 
 song of the Lamb that was slain ! 
 
 In fine, let impenitent sinners look on" that awful 
 and melting spectacle, the bleeding cross, and be 
 struck with grief and sorrow at those sins, by which 
 they practically approve and join with the persecu- 
 tors and murderers of their Lord ! ! Let professing 
 christians remember, that, as followers of a suffer- 
 
DAVID TAPPAN. 99 
 
 ing yet victorious leader, it becomes them to keep 
 his cross constantly in view, as their guide and pat- 
 tern, as their comfort and glory ; and thus to be 
 cheerfully travelling towards heaven, in the same 
 road of humble, patient, resigned, heroic virtue, 
 which their Lord has trod before them. Encom- 
 passed on every side with so great a cloud of wit- 
 nesses, with the Captain of our salvation at our head, 
 * Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin, which 
 doth so easily beset us, and ' let us run with patience 
 the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the 
 author and finisher of our faith ; who for the joy that 
 was set before him endured the cross, despising the 
 shame, and is set down at the rieht hand of the throne 
 of God.' 
 
« |5eHvatcbr«l and sttengtheii tfee thifigg which remain, xhtx ave 
 ready to die."— Rev. iii. 2 o 
 
 A SERMON. 
 
 BY THE REVEREND 
 
 MOSES HEMMENWAY, D. D. 
 
 JASTOR of a church in wells, district of MAINE. 
 
 HACGAI 3. 5. 
 
 7i>en came the nuttrdof the Lord to Haggai, the prophet ^ scty'^ngi ^^ it' time 
 for you, ycy to dnveU in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? 
 hUtr^^ therefore, thus saith the Lord of Host, consider your toays. 
 
 THE reproof and admonition contained in this 
 passage was recorded for our instruction. iA.nd that 
 tve may make a right application and improvement, it 
 is lobe observed that the the Jews, to whom it was 
 sent, were newly returned from captivity ; which was 
 a punishment inflicted on them for their sins, espe- 
 cially for their idolatry, and neglect of the ordinan- 
 ces of divine worship. It should then have been 
 their first and great concern to take effectual mea- 
 sures for the rebuilding of the temple, and making 
 provision for the due administration of these ordi- 
 nances—But, meeting with difficulty and opposition 
 from their enemies, they were too soon and easily 
 discouraged ; And though they had not determined 
 finally to abandon this undertaking, yet they seem 
 not to have been sorry that they had so fair an ex- 
 cuse for delaying this work of piety ; saying, ' that 
 the time was not come that the Lord's house should 
 be built.' This gave them opportunity to provide 
 themselves fair, commodious habitations, and enjoy 
 themselves in their ceiled houses, when they had so 
 
102 A SERMON BY 
 
 much reason to be humbled under the frowns of pro- 
 vidence. For this their improper conduct, the pro- 
 phet, in the name of God, reproves and expostulates 
 with them ; and admonishes them to consider their 
 waj's. And the admonition may also be seasonable 
 and instructive to us, on whom the ends of the world 
 are come. For the fault here reproved, even a want 
 of zeal for the house and worship of God, and an 
 over fondness for private worldly interests, and en- 
 joyments, is at least as blamable in christians, as it 
 ever v/as in the Jews. 
 
 It should also be considered that the temple was 
 a type of the church of Christ, which is expressly 
 stiled the house of the living God, in which he by 
 his spirit dwells, and is worshiped in spirit and truth. 
 And as the Jews were blamable for having no more 
 zeal for the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, 
 tmd being so easy and pleased with their outward 
 accommodations, while the house of their God lay 
 waste ; so christians are no less to blame if they are 
 unconcerned when they see the church, the spiritual 
 house of God, in a decaying and ruinous condition. 
 It is not then a time for them to regale themselves with 
 the pleasures, and immerse themselves in the cares 
 and amusements of the world ; but they are then 
 loudly called by God to consider and amend their 
 ways. This is the argum.ent which I would now 
 
 endeavour to illustrate and inculcate ; In pursuance 
 
 of which design, 
 
 First, I shall shew that sometimes the church, 
 
 the spirital house of God, is in a wasting, decaying 
 
 state among a professing people ; and point out some 
 
 evident tokens, from which we may judge when this 
 
 is the case. 
 
 Secondly, Enquiry will then be made into the 
 
 causes and occaions of such an unhappy state ; afte?* 
 
 which. 
 
MOSES HExMMENWAY. 103 
 
 Thirdly, I shall endeavour to shev/ that when 
 the house of God, or the true interest of his church 
 is apparently decaying and sinking among a people, 
 they ought not to give themselves up securely and 
 unconcernedly to their worldly pursuits and enjoy- 
 ments, but they should so consider their ways and 
 state, as to be suitably affected, and seek and apply 
 proper remedies, or means of redress. 
 
 First. That the church, the spiritual house of 
 God is liable to decays, and sometimes is actually 
 laid waste, will not perhaps be doubted by any. Christ 
 has indeed promised to take care of his church, so 
 that the gates of hell shall not prevail. He will al- 
 ways, till his second coming, have witnesses to the 
 truth, who shall hold up the light of the gospel 
 in the world. But particular churches sometimes 
 decay till they become extinct. The kingdom of 
 heaven is taken from them, and, as a just punish- 
 ment of their abuse of gospel privileges, the candle- 
 stick is overset and removed. When the living and 
 sound members of churches are taken away, and 
 the breaches are not repaired, or are filled up with 
 unsound materials, the house of God will decay 
 apace. When the godly cease, when the faithful fail, 
 when they who are to be the salt of the earth, and 
 the light of the world are scarce to be found amonc 
 nominal christians, it may be expected that corrupt 
 principles and practices will encrease, and that what 
 weak remains there may be of true religion, will w^ax 
 cold and be ready to die. It is the presence of Christ 
 in his churches, by the influences of his spirit, which 
 preserves them from apostacy. These influences, as 
 we learn from the warnings and facts recorded in the 
 scriptures, are sometimes so withdrawn, or withheld, 
 that visible churches have degenerated into syna- 
 gogues of Satan. Infidelity, and gross antichristian 
 corruptions of religion, have rooted out true christi- 
 anity fromthose parts of the world where the appos- 
 
104 A SERMON BY 
 
 ties preached and overwhelmed the churches whicli 
 were planted and watered by them. These houses 
 of God ave now in ruhis. And has there not been a 
 great falling away in some, if not all of the protestant 
 churches ? Yea, have we not reason for serious ap^ 
 prehensions, that the house of God, with us, is going 
 to decay, and that the noble vine which God planted 
 in this land is degenerating into the plant of a strange 
 vine ? That we may form a right judgment of the 
 state of religion, and the signs of the tim^s as res- 
 pecting ourselves, let us attend a little to this inqui- 
 ry, viz. 
 
 When a people professing Christianity, have reason 
 to think that the house of God is decaying, or that 
 true religion is in a low declining state with them ? 
 
 Here it must be remembered that Christ's king- 
 dom is not of this world. The true interest of his 
 church does not consist in the outward prosperity of 
 its members. Though we have reason to be thank- 
 ful when the churches enjoy outw^ard peace and liber- 
 ty, and when the enemies are restrained from oppress- 
 ing and making havock of them ; yet the building 
 up of this house of God has often prospered remar- 
 kably, when it has been violently battered by perse- 
 cution. And on the contrary, it has often gone to 
 decay as remarkably, when christians have enjoyed 
 outward peace and prosperity. The favor of the 
 world has often been more prejudicial to the true in- 
 terests of religion, than open oppression. We are 
 not to doubt in deed, but that those partial evils 
 which are permitted to arise, will in the end be made 
 subservient to the true interests of Christ's kingdom. 
 Y'^et it is a sad omen to a people, and an awful token 
 that their glory is departing from them, if true reli- 
 gion appears to be greatly declining among them. 
 And this we must judge to be the case, 
 
 First. When churches are very sensibly dwindling^ 
 and there is but a small number who make a credible 
 
Moses hemmenway. 105 
 
 profession of religion. Though no wise christian 
 will desire to have churches filled up with such as 
 give no sufficient evidence to a judgment of charity 
 of their sincerity ; yet it is a matter of great joy to 
 all who have the interest of religion at heart, when 
 many are added to the Lord, and his church, agreea- 
 bly to the rule of the gospel, but when few appear 
 disposed to profess their faith in Christ, and give 
 themselves up to God by an open consent to the gos- 
 pel covenant, it is a sad sign, that religion is in a 
 low state among a people, and the house of God is 
 wasting. So also, 
 
 Secondly, When corrupt and dangerous errors are 
 taught and embraced, or at least favored by pro- 
 fessors of religion. It is true, christians may not 
 well understand, or be mistaken in some points, and 
 those of considerable importance ; and yet hold the 
 head, and receive spiritual life and nourishment there- 
 from. But when the faith delivered to the samts is 
 not maintained in its purity, when capital doctrines 
 of the gospel are not regarded as of much importance, 
 but perhaps are called in question, or even denied, 
 when the minds of many appear to be leavened with 
 dangerous errors, especially if such errors are not 
 properly noticed and reproved, we shall have great 
 reason to be alarmed at the peril of the times, lest 
 the kingdom of God should be taken away from such 
 a people. 
 
 Thirdly. This is also the case, when the ordinan- 
 ces which Christ has instituted for the edification of 
 the church, are not duly observed. Some who would 
 be accounted christians have a low opinion of the or- 
 dinances of Gospel worship, and are very slack, ne 
 ghgent, and earless in their observance of them • 
 particularly of the christian Sabbath, the public wor- 
 ship of God; and more especially the Lord's Supper 
 H christians are not found walking orderly and dill- 
 
 L3 
 
106 A SEEMON BY 
 
 gently in these ordinances of the Lord, it is a sign 
 that both the power and the form of Godliness are 
 sink in 8: verv low. 
 
 Fourthiy When the awakennig, converting, sanc- 
 tifying, quickening and comforting influence of the 
 gospel and spirit of Christ is not visible in its pro- 
 per effects, on the hearts and lives of those who attend 
 on the means of grace, this is a great evidence that 
 the house of God, or his church is decaying. Un- 
 less a special divine blessir.g attend gospel ordinan- 
 ces, the church will not be edified by them. Unless 
 the Lord build the house, the builders will labor in 
 vain. After Paul had planted, and Apollos watered, 
 it Vv'as God v.'ho gave the increase. If the work of 
 conversion be at a stand, and sinners appear to be 
 rather blinded, and hardened under those means 
 which should awaken, and lead them to repentance ; 
 and if christians do not find their graces exercised^ 
 quickened, and strengthened, and so their edificatioa 
 promoted in and by tlieir outward attendance on or- 
 dinances, have v/e not reason to conclude that God 
 is withdrawing his gracious presence from such a 
 people ? And hovvcver the forms of religion may be 
 decently observed, yet the power of vital Godliness 
 is at best, weak and cold, and ready to fail. I shall 
 only add, 
 
 Fifthly. When professed christians walk disor- 
 derly, unsuitably to their heavenly calling, disho- 
 noring their profession, by a barren, loose and unho- 
 ly conversation, and gospel means are liet used for 
 their reformation, we may be sure that true religion 
 is at a low ebb. If scandalous disorders are not sea- 
 sonably and prudently corrected, they will be likely to 
 increase to m.ore ungodliness in a rapid progress. If 
 the fruits of holiness and righteousness are not found 
 in the lives of professors, but they walk according 
 to the course, spirit and example of a Vv^orld lying in 
 wickedness, their making a profession of faith, and 
 
MOSES HEMMENWAY. 107 
 
 attending piinctualiy the externals of worship, will 
 be no sufficient evidence that the spiritual house of 
 Xjod is not in a wasting ruinous, condition. 
 
 If these symptoms of danger should be found upon 
 tis, we have reason to be alarmed, and not delay to 
 seek and apply proper remedies : In order to this, 
 let us, 
 
 Skcondly. Enquire a little into the causes or oc^ 
 casions of these evils. Whenever a professing peo- 
 ple sink into such an unhappy dangerous state as has 
 been described, the craft and the malice of the ene- 
 mies of the church have doubtless a great iitfluence 
 in the matter. But these could not prevail, as they 
 often do, v/ere it not for the fault and neglect of chris- 
 tians ; which gives their adversaries an advantage 
 against them, and provokes God to forsake them, and 
 withhold the gracious influences of his sph'it, to re-> 
 claim them from their apostacy, and heal their back- 
 slidings. 
 
 First, The enemies of the church are many, power 
 ful, crafty, malicious, and restless in their endeavors 
 for its destruction. Christ rules in the midst of his 
 enemies. And were it not for his protecting presence 
 in his church, these enemies would make a prey of 
 his little flock. But though they shall not prevail so 
 as to demolish the house of God, which is built upon 
 the rock of ages, yet the enemy is sometimes per-= 
 mitted to make havock. As a roaring lion, he some^ 
 times threatens to devour the church by those per> 
 secutions which have wasted it ; and sometimes the 
 crafty old serpent winds himself into its bosom im^ 
 perceptibly, and as he beguiled Eve thro* his subtili. 
 ly, so the minds of christians are corrupted from the 
 simplicity which is in Christ, and infected with the 
 poison of dangerous errors, That he may carry on 
 his mischievous devices, he knows how to transform 
 himself into an angel of light; and his ministers al- 
 so, though inwardly ravening wolves, or crafty foxes, 
 
108 A SERMON BY 
 
 steal into Chrit's fold in sheep's cloathing, making 
 mischief wherever they come. The world also, by 
 its evil maxims and examples ensnares many, who 
 are easily enticed to walk in the broad, beaten way, 
 following a multitude to do evil. To all this, we 
 must add the perils which the church often -suiFers 
 from those in its own bosom, who, instead of promot- 
 ing good designs and essays for reformation, are a 
 continual clog upon them. From these causes the 
 doctrines, worship, disciplineand morals of christi- 
 an societies are too often much corrupted. And un- 
 less the vices and exertions of our spiritual enemies 
 be seasonably and earnestly opposed, the evils will 
 make a swift progress to a total apostacy. *:iut. 
 
 Secondly. These enemies could not prevail as they 
 often have done, if christians by their own fault did 
 not give them an advantage. The true interests of 
 the church have received many a deep w^ound in the 
 li:;j'ise of professed friends, dy their imprudent 
 neglects, their want of vigilance and zeal in counter- 
 working the devices of their enemies, they have in 
 effect co-operated with them, in defacing and shat- 
 tering the house of God. 
 
 Among the chief causes of the decay of vital god- 
 liness, wx may mention a want of due zeal, for the 
 great doctrines of the gospel. Many christians ap- 
 pear to be but weakly established in their religious 
 principles. Soundness in the faith seems to be re- 
 garded by too many, as a matter of no great impor- 
 tance. Gospel holiness is founded on gospel princi- 
 ples. These are the food with which the souls are 
 nourished to eternal life. By these the divine life 
 in the soul is maintained and cherished, through the 
 influence of the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of the 
 Truth. If men are not well grounded in the funda- 
 mentals of our holy religion, it cannot be expected 
 that their temper and practice wil. be much influenced 
 by them. Growing christians desire and relish the 
 
MOSES HEMMENWAY. 109 
 
 sincere milk of the word. If our food be corrupted 
 with unwholesome mixtures, it may be expected 
 that our health and vigor will decline. If churches 
 do not hold fast the form of sound words in faith and 
 love, the house of God is not only defaced, but its 
 foundations and pillars are weakened, and the breaches 
 will be likely to become greater and more dangerous, 
 unless they be speedily healed. The unity of the 
 spirit ought indeed to be maintained among all chris- 
 tians w^ho hold the rnaiu principles of Christianity, 
 however they may differ in other points, iiut we 
 should not be so Catholic, as to bear any doctrines, 
 or to hear without concern the great truths of our 
 religion denied, or called in question, and dangerous 
 errors maintained. Churches will not be likely to 
 keep the faith pure and undefiled, unless they have 
 the zeal to contend for it, against those who corrupt 
 the word of God. They must not believe every spi- 
 rit, but try them whether they be of God. 
 
 Another great cause of the decay of christian pie- 
 ty, is the neglect or abuse of gospel ordinances. — 
 These are the outward and ordinary means of the 
 building, up of the church and preserving the form 
 and power of religion. If the Lord's day, which 
 ought to be kept holy, be profaned and mispent by 
 idleness, by sinful, or unseasonable employments 
 and amusements ; if men forsake the assembling 
 themselves for the public worship of God through 
 sloath, careless indifference, or any insufficient reasons, 
 if they do not give a serious and devout attention to 
 the religious exercises, but suffer their minds to be 
 occupied by vain, worldly and sinful thoughts, when 
 they should be lifting up their hearts to God in prayer 
 and praises, and hearing w^hat he has to say to them 
 in the word preached, considering the weight andim^ 
 portance of the truths of religion, mixing them with 
 faith, and applying them to themselves for their edifi^ 
 cation. If we are chiefly attentive to the beauties 
 
lia A SERMON BY 
 
 or defects in the composition, the language, or deli- 
 very of the discourses, rather than to wait on God 
 for his blessing in the way of his ordinance ; we can- 
 not reasonably expect to be as trees planted by rivers 
 of water, bringing forth their fruit in season. The 
 good seed will not be likely to be fruitful in a soil 
 so ill prepared for it. The abuse of ordinances tends, 
 by the righteous judgment of God. to render men 
 more indisposed, and hardened, against receiving 
 edification from them. 
 
 The neglect or undue attendance of professors oh 
 the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, requires to be 
 particularly mentioned among the causes of the de- 
 cay of christian piety. How many, alas, carelesly 
 neglect this holy ordinance, which if rightly used, is 
 by the blessing of Christ, eminently conducive to 
 the edification of the church ? And are not many 
 guilty of approaching thereto unworthily, which es- 
 pecially if securely indulged, is, I fear, of more dan- 
 gerous consequence than many seem to be appre^ 
 hensive. 
 
 This leads us to observe, that the neglect or abuse 
 of the ordinances of discipline, for the removing of 
 scandals which may arise in churches, is to be reck- 
 oned among the causes of a declining state of religion. 
 If a church suffers its members to walk disorderly 
 without reproving them, and bearing a faithful testi- 
 inony against their miscarriages, disorder will be 
 likely to spread, and become more malignant in con- 
 sequence of such sinful indulgence. By neglecting 
 to rebuke an offending brother, and to apply gospel 
 means for his healing, they make themselves partak- 
 ers with him. When they have so little concern for 
 the honor of the christian professibn, and for the souls 
 of their brethren who have fallen to their wounding, 
 it must greatly provoke Christ to withdraw his gra- 
 cious presence from them. If church members do 
 not consider and watch over one another to provoke 
 
MOSES HEMMENWAY. Ill 
 
 to love and good works, the love of many will wax 
 cold. That churches may shine as lights in the world, 
 they will sometimes need to have the snuffers of the 
 sanctuary applied to them. 
 
 A neglect of the religious instruction and govern- 
 ment of families is also to be reckoned among the 
 chief causes of the decay of christian piety. Religious 
 families are the nurseries of the church. In them 
 the materials are chiefly formed and prepared, with 
 which the house of God is built up. If christians 
 w^ere faithful and prudent in the religious instruction 
 and government of their families, the churches would 
 doubtless receive desirable and hopeful additions. 
 But when family religion declines, growing apostacy 
 will be the natural consequence. I'he rising genera- 
 tion will be likely to be more corrupt than the pre- 
 precceding and the ruins of the house of God become 
 more dangerous and alarming. The reiigious edu- 
 cation of children is too much neglected by many, 
 who, we hope, are sincere christians. And how 
 many by thi? neglect have laid a foundation for heart 
 breaking sorrow to themselves, and misery to tlfcir 
 children I 
 
 May it not also be mentioned among the causes of 
 the low state of religion, that christians are no more 
 earnest and persevering in their prayers to the God 
 of all grace for a blessing on the means v/hich are 
 used for the building up of the church, and for the 
 converting, sanctify iiig and quickening influences of 
 his good spirit. The interests of the Redeemers king-^ 
 dom should lie near our hearty and we should be 
 much concerned to see the enemies of the church 
 roaring among us, setting up their ensigns and tro- 
 phies, making such unhappy progress in battering 
 and undermining the house of God. The building 
 up of the church is, I suppose, commonly an article 
 in the prayers of christians ; but are we not often too 
 cold and slight in our supplications for so important 
 
112 A SERMON BY 
 
 a blessing ? Should we not be instant, and humbly 
 importunate wiili God, and give him no rest, as die 
 prophet speaks, till he arise and plead his own cause, 
 rebuke and scatter his enemies, and suffer no wea- 
 pon formed against Zion to prosper ? Tnis is a 
 blessing for which he will be enquired of, by us.^ — 
 But he hath not said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye 
 me in vain. The rebuilding of the temple was ac- 
 complished in ansvrer to th'e prayers of the pious Jews; 
 and it is in answer to the prayers of the church that 
 Satan's kingdom is to be destroyed, and the kingdom 
 of Christ built up and enlarged. 
 
 1 shall only add, that vrhen christians indulge them- 
 selves in such tempers, and such a conversation, as is 
 contrary to the rules and spirit of the gospel, in spir- 
 itual sloth, carnal security, sensuality, worldly mind- 
 cdness, pride, envying, uncharitable disaffection, and 
 contentions, the power and influence of religion upon 
 their hearts and lives will, while they remain in such 
 unhappy frames, be likely to decay, more and more,-- 
 and the baneful effects will become more visible, con- 
 tagious and malignant. Those who are near and 
 conversant with them, will catch infection as it were 
 from their breath, and be corrupted by their example ; 
 and unless, such backslidings are speedily healed, the 
 interest of true religion may be expected to decline 
 in a rapid progression. 
 
 It may be asked, v^hether the particulars which 
 have been mentioned, as causes of the decay of chris- 
 tian piety, are not rather instances of that evil whose 
 causes are enquired for. I answer, though they are 
 indeed instances of apostacy, yet they are also causes, 
 disposing and tending to further and -greater evils ; 
 so a breach made upon a house, causes it to decay 
 more and faster. When churches begin to decline, 
 and fall away from their first purity and love, their 
 strength or vigor is enfeebled, and their enemies gain 
 a great advantage to make further and more danger. 
 
MOSES HEMMENWAY. lU 
 
 uus breaches, and break in upon them like a fiood ; 
 and God is hereby justly provoked to suffer their 
 enemies to prevail against them — And this leads us 
 to observe, 
 
 Thirdly, When the house of God goes to decay, 
 the hand of his holy providence is to be acknowledg- 
 ed in such a dispensation. ' Shall there be evil in 
 a city, and the Lord hath not done it ?^ A visible 
 decay of religion in any place, is a token of divine 
 displeasure. It is alv/ays a jiist punishment on d 
 people for their neglecting or abusing the privileges 
 of the kingdom of heaven. God will not forsake us, 
 unless we first forsake hini. Though he is sovereign 
 in the exercises of his mercy, yet he never visits a 
 people in a way of judgment, in mere sovereignty. If 
 He withdraws his gracious presence, and the influ- 
 ences of his spirit from them, it is because their in- 
 iquities have separated between them, and their God-» 
 and hid his face from them. Free grace is the source 
 of all our blessings; but all the evils with which we 
 are affected, originate with ourselves. If a people 
 are deprived of the means of grace, or of a divine 
 blessing with them, it is their sin which causes God 
 to frown upon them. — We now proceed to the 
 
 Third Proposition, viz. — When the house of 
 God, or the interest of his church and kingdom is 
 visibly declining among a people, they ought not to 
 give themselves up securely to their worldly pursuits 
 and enjoyments, but diey should so consider their 
 ways and state, as to be suitably afFected, and seek and ^ 
 apply proper remedies or means of redress. . 
 
 AVhilewe live in this world, a competent portion 
 of the comforts of this life is desirable; and it Is 
 not only lawful, but a duty for christians, according 
 to their ability, to provide things honest in the sight 
 of all men. And they may enjoy the comforts of their 
 vv-orldiy conveniences, and use the world, provided 
 
 U 
 
114 A SERMON BY 
 
 they do not abuse it. The fault reproved in the Je\vs> 
 was not merely having houses for their use, but sit- 
 ting themselves down at their ease, and without con- 
 cern, in their elegant, ornamented seats, (for so the 
 words in the original are explained by critics,) while 
 they were little grieved at the ruinous state of the 
 house of God. We may in kwful ways acquire, pos- 
 sess, and enjoy the outward blessings of providence ; 
 but our affections ought always to be set on things 
 above. The kingdom of God and his righteousness 
 should be first, and chiefly sought, and its interests 
 preferred above our chief joy. And when true reli- 
 gion is low and decaying among a professing people, 
 it is peculiarly improper for them to immerse them- 
 selves in worldly cares and amusements. They should 
 be deeply affected with so sad and dangerous a state. 
 Serious and awakened consideration of our state and 
 "wa}s, is a duty to which we are loudly called, when 
 the days are evlL 
 
 In xh^ first place ^ Let us consider how unfit ii 
 would be tor a people professing a regard for religion? 
 to give themselves up securely to the cares and en- 
 joyments of this world, when religion is evidently 
 in r. low% declining state among them. It is at all 
 times very unbecoming a professor of Christianity^ 
 to be of a v/orldly spirit, fondly indulging the lust of 
 the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. 
 But this is peculiarly unfit, when iniquity abounds, 
 and true piety is visibly decaying. It shews a stupid 
 insensibility of the evil and danger of such a state,^ and 
 a disregard of the certain tokens of God's great dis- 
 pleasure. And it has a most direct tendency to 
 prevent men's duly attending the proper means of 
 recovering from their backslidings, or to render those 
 means ineffectual to produce a reformation. 
 
 Let it then be considered, that whenever religion 
 declines among a people, sin increases and prevails in 
 pqual proportion. And there is no evil so great as 
 
MOSES HEMMENWAY. il5 
 
 die abounding of sin. The sorest afflictions in this 
 world, are not so much to be dreaded. Sin is the 
 procuring cause of all other evils, and while it reigns, 
 3s continually increasing in its malignity. Ought 
 we not then to be affected with great sorrow and 
 concern, when a deluge of irreligion a)>d iniquity is 
 flowing in upon us, threatening to swallow up every 
 thing which is truly good. When the house of 
 God is defaced, undermined, and apparently sinking, 
 and his enemies, as it were, carrying all before them, 
 ought not this to cool our ardor in pursuing, and 
 abate our relish for enjoying the things of the world ? 
 Can we find a heart to solace ourselves in these 
 things, when the cry of so much sin and guilt is loud 
 against us, and God himself is incensed against us 
 for our numberless provocations. The Psalmist was 
 grieved, when he saw the transgressors. Rivers of 
 waters ran down his eyes, because men kept not 
 God's laws. And if we were of his spirit, we should 
 not have a heart to be much pleased with any of our 
 worldly possessions and enjoyments, when so bad a 
 spectacle rises to our view on every side. 
 
 And as the sin of a backsliding people is very 
 great, so it iscertSLinthatGod is greatly displeased with 
 them, and frowns awfully upon them. His withdraw- 
 ing his sanctifying and quickening influence, and 
 suffering their spiritual enemies to prevail to such 
 a degree, as that a decay of vital religion becomes 
 visible, is a terrible judgement ; such a declining state 
 is in itself very sinful, as has been said. It is also 
 an evidence that their past sins have been very dis- 
 pleasing to God, since he lias thereby been provoked 
 to leave them in judgment to sink into such an un- 
 happy, languishing condition ; and the proypcation 
 will be aggravated, and the anger of God fur^er en- 
 hanced, if they are so unaffected, unconcerned under 
 such a frown, that they could be content to live as 
 without God or religion, if they might have the goo^ 
 
Il6 A SERMON BY 
 
 things of this Vv'orld richly to enjoy. Temporal juclg= 
 liients are not so much to be dreaded by us, as for 
 God to withdraw the influences and restraints of 
 his grace, and leave us to pine away in our sins, to 
 become mere cumberers of the ground, fit only to be 
 cut dow^n and east into the fire. When our God, 
 our glory, seems to be about to forsake us, our hearts 
 must be stupid and hard as the nether millstone, if th6 
 plain tokens and evidences hereof do not awaken us ; 
 our worldly accommodations one would think should 
 give us little pleasure or satisfaction when we find 
 the house of God, the interests of his kingdom de- 
 cayed, and that he is greatly displeased wdth Us, frown^ 
 ing, and actually inflicting his judgments upon, us; 
 even such judgments as threaten to deprive us of 
 these privileges which ought t? be most dear to us. 
 
 Must it not be very displeasing to God, w^hen his 
 professing people manifest so little cencern for the 
 honor cf bis holy name, and the clearest and fullest 
 revelation which he has made of his glorious and 
 amiable perfections in the gospel. When the power 
 of godliness decays so as not to appear in its proper 
 crTects among professors, the name of God is disho- 
 nored, and religion is exposed to the contempt of its 
 open enemies. Can wx then be easy and contented 
 that this should continue to be the case with us ? 
 And will not a holy and jealous God, regard those 
 with great displeasure, who are so bewitched with the 
 idols of this world, as to slight his frowns, and be un- 
 concerned for his honor ? 
 
 I^ct it also be considered of ivhat little importance 
 our worldly interests and enjoyments are, compared 
 with the interests of our immortal souls and everlast- 
 ing state. What should it profit a man, if he should 
 gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? If our 
 souls prosper, it is a matter of unspeakably greater 
 ^oy, than the increase of corn and wine. A christian 
 in a right frome, ]>as the building up of the church 
 
MOSES MEMMENWAY, 117 
 
 soiiiiicli at heart, that he cannot but greatly rejoice 
 while it goes on prosperously, whatever his outward 
 circumstances may be ; and in the greatest flow of 
 prosperity he would be restless and uneasy, if he 
 found true religion declining, wickedness and impie- 
 ty gaining ground. He would be grieved at his 
 heart, to see the souls of men in jeopardy, entangled 
 in the snare of the devil, and led captive by him at 
 his will. 
 
 When the house of God lies waste, when there is 
 a prevailing decay of piety among a people, theii' 
 itate h i)ery dangerous. Many seem not to be suffi- 
 ciently sensible of this. We often hear the low state 
 of religion spoken of A'ith so much coldness and in- 
 difference, as show^s that they are not alarmed at it. 
 Apostacy is a growing evil ; every degree prepares 
 the way, and opens a wider breach for further and 
 greater evils to rush in. Like a cancer or a gangrene, 
 it will naturally spread, and become more dangerous. 
 When professed christians lose their relish and zeal 
 for religion, and sink into a cold, careless, slothful, 
 carnal frame, and indulge themselves in tempers, and 
 a conversation unbecoming the gospel, the inclina- 
 tions of corrupt nature will gain strength, and their 
 power and resolution to resist them will be weaken- 
 ed, the good spirit of grace, by whose help we mor- 
 tify the deeds of the body, is quenched and grieved. 
 By forsaking God, they provoke him to forsake them 
 more and more, and leave them m.ore under the pow- 
 er of a carnal mind, and more exposed to the temp- 
 tations of Satan, and the world, and less under the 
 merciful restraints of his providence, and influences of 
 his spirit. We need not wonder if corrupt princi- 
 ples and practices should then creep in fast, and pre- 
 vail among them, and the enemies of true religion 
 gain ground, till tl)e candlestick of the church may 
 at length be overthrovrn, its light extinguished, and 
 a synagogue of Satan built up on its ruins. The 
 
U8 A SERMON BY 
 
 church of Ephesus was warned that this would be the 
 consequence of leaving their first love, unless they 
 should remember whence they had fallen, and repent 
 and do their first works. And Christ also threatens 
 the lukewarm Laodiceans, that he would spue them 
 out of his mouth, unless they should become zealous, 
 and repent. • These threatenings have been executed 
 long since on these churches, and on many others,, 
 and they arc recorded for a warning to us, and all the 
 churches. 
 
 It may also be added, that if we are content to let 
 the house of God lie waste, provided our own houses 
 may be suffered to stand, we may justly fear these 
 11' ill not stand very safely ; but the curse of God, and 
 his wasting judgments may pursue and blast us in 
 our temporal interests, as it happened to the Jews in 
 our context, as a punishment for want of zeal for the 
 house of God. 
 
 The gracious presenceof God is in his church. This 
 is the house or temple in which he dwells among us. 
 If this goes to ruin among us, he will retire, and 
 prepare him a habitation in another place, l^ut w® 
 to us, if God depart from us. For he will then 
 avenge the quarrel of his broken covenant. If then 
 the power of godliness appears to be much declining 
 in our churches, and even the profession of it gradu- 
 ally failing, have we not reason to tremble for fear of 
 Gods's judgments ? Is such a state to be rested in I 
 Is it not high time to awake out of our sleep ? Shall 
 v/e compose ourselves to rest in our private cabins, 
 when the bottom on which we are embarked is in so 
 much danger ? 
 
 Such a state of carnal security in the pursuit and 
 enjoyment of the things of the world, would have a 
 direct and powerful tendency to divert christians J rom 
 giving a due attendance on the proper means, in order 
 to the healing oj their backsUdings ; ajid also to prevent 
 the good effect of those means Vihich may he used with 
 
MOSES HEMMENWAY. 119 
 
 them for this end. We ought at all times to attend 
 diligently on the means of edification. And the ne- 
 glect of them is doubtless a great cause of the spiritu- 
 al decays of christians, as was before observed. But 
 when religion appears to be declining, they who de 
 sire a revival thereof, should awake and double their 
 diligence, that they may not only hold fast, and main< 
 tain, and strengthen the things which remain, but al- 
 so recover the ground which had been lost. They 
 should apply themselves in great earnest to the use 
 ©f the means proper for this end. But this we shall 
 never do, while the interests and enjoyments of this 
 world lie so near our heart, that we are more con- 
 cerned to be v/ell accommodated for the present life, 
 than to have true vital godliness maintained and ex- 
 pressed in its power by ourselves and others. We 
 shall not seek first the kina:dom of God and his ri2:h- 
 teousness, while our affections are set on things on 
 the earth. And the means which may be used by 
 others to promote a reformation, and a revival of re- 
 ligion, will not be likely to have the desired effect on 
 those, whose minds and hearts are occupied in the 
 the pursuit and enjoyment of earthly things, till the 
 stream of their affections is turned out of that wrong 
 channel. 
 
 Alas ! how little do many of us sliew forth th^ 
 praises of him who calls us out of darkness into his 
 marvellous light. When our worldly interest suffers, 
 we are tremblingly alive to feel it. But how little 
 are we concerned at the declining state of the church ,^ 
 Surely, they, whose treasures and hearts cleave to 
 the dust, do not confess by their actions, that they 
 are strangers and pilgrims on earth. 
 
 If any think, I am warm upon the subject, I am 
 so indeed ; and would humbly ask, is there not a 
 Cause ? When the state of our churches, and the as- 
 pects of providence are considered, is it not high 
 time for those who think our religious interest oi 
 
120 A SERMON BY 
 
 importance, to be awakened to a consiclcration of the 
 things of our peace ? What is most to be feared, is^ 
 that no abldino' impressions will be made on the 
 minds of those who most need to have these things 
 pressed and inculcated on them, with precept upon 
 precept, and line upon line. 
 
 Let U3 now in the Second place attend with rever- 
 ence to the admonition which speaketh to us from 
 heaven. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, consider 
 your w^ays. 
 
 The i\)ays of man in scripture commonly signifies 
 his conduct and course of life ; it also signifies his 
 state or condition whether prosperous or adverse, 
 ^jafe or perilous. 
 
 To consider our ways is to think of them with at- 
 tention and deliberation This is to be done in or- 
 der to our forming a right judgment of our conduct, 
 character, and state, and that we make suitable re- 
 ilections, resolving to correct w^hat has been amiss 
 and supply what has been deficient. Without con- 
 sidering our vvays we can neither proceed in the way 
 wherein we should go, nor return to it when we have 
 swerved from it. Pl great part of the errors of men are 
 ow ing to want of consideration. 
 
 "We ought at all times to consider cur v/ays, and 
 walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise. For it 
 is of great importance to ourselves and others that the 
 Course of our lives be set, and conducted aright. 
 Much careful attention is necessary that we mis- 
 take not the objects we are to aim at, or the means 
 by which we are to seek for them. For there is a 
 way which seemeth to be right, but the end there of 
 is the ways of death. But when the days are evil 
 and perilous, when religion and virtue are visibly de- 
 caying, we should consider our ways and state with 
 peculiar concern, that effectual means may imme- 
 diately be applied to remedy or check the growing 
 ©vils ! particidarhs 
 
MOSES HEMMENWAY. 12 i 
 
 Let us consider i^hat our ijiiays hai3e been ; whether 
 we have done what we ought for the support and ad- 
 vancement of religion, and for the prevention and re- 
 formation of those things which are contrar}^ to it, or 
 whether we have been in any measure the blameable 
 causes of the ruinous state of the house of God. — 
 We should search our hearts, and try our ways, that 
 wx may be duly sensible of our own failings, and be 
 humbled for them with that godly sorrow which shall 
 work repentance and reformation. Has^our conver- 
 sation been as becomes those who are to be the salt 
 of the earth, and the light of the world ? Have we 
 been steady and engaged in the profession and prac- 
 tice of religion ; diligent and punctual in attending 
 the duties of worship, public and private, and hav- 
 ing our conversation in the world agreeably to the 
 rules of the gospel^ in simplicity and godly sincerity ? 
 Have we walked in our house with a perfect heart ; 
 instructing, governing, and leading our families in 
 the way they should go ; resolving that Ave and our 
 houses will serve the Lord ? Have we done our duty 
 for the propagation of christian knowledge, piety and 
 virtue, and the suppression of ungodliness and wick- 
 edness in our proper sphere ? Thus we should review 
 our past temper and behaviour, penitently imploring 
 forgiveness of whatever has been amiss, and grace to 
 help in time of need. We should so think on our 
 Vv^ays as to turn our feet into God's testimonies : mak- 
 ing haste, and not delaying to keep his command- 
 ments. 
 
 And not only our past ways should be considered 
 and revicwe<i by us, but also the way and course of 
 life in which we are now engaged ; whether we find 
 reason to be satisfied that our present views, tempers, 
 and pursuits are right. If we do not take pains to 
 know ourselves, what manner of spirit we are of, our 
 deceitful hearts, with the flatteries of friends^ will bo 
 
 15 
 
122 A SERMON BY 
 
 apt to mislead our juclguient. Are we now sincere- 
 ly and resolutely engaged in the service of our God 
 and Saviour, and in advancing his kingdom and 
 righteousness in ourselves and others ; giving up 
 every interest and pursuit which interfere with this 
 great object ? Are we absolutely determined to lay 
 aside every weight, and the sin which doth so ea- 
 sily beset us, that \vc may run with patience the 
 race that is set before us ; having no fellowship with 
 the unfruitful works of darkness, but reproving them, 
 and bearing a faithful testimony against the evils 
 which are in the world ? Or are we following the 
 multitude in the broad wa} , conforming to their evil 
 examples, principles, and spirit, falling in w^itlf the 
 prevailing degenerac}^, or at best resting in the form 
 of godliness without the power. My brethren, we 
 must not only speak in favor of religion, and pray for 
 a revival of it, but also stir up ourselves and others 
 to be workers together with God in the building up 
 of his church. Our love to religion must be. not in 
 word and tongue only, but in deed and in truth. 
 When irreligious, antichristian principles, tempers 
 and practices appear to be gaining ground, and the 
 enemy is breaking in like a flood, every soldier of 
 Christ, should repair to his standard. He who is 
 hot for him, at such a time, is • against him. Let 
 us with extraordinary exertion strive to stem the 
 wild torrent of corruption, and kindle up to a holy 
 flame, those sparks of heavenly fire which may lie 
 buried in our hearts, like embers in the ashes ready 
 to die. Let us consider our ways, vvhether we are 
 now conducting ourselves in this manner. The re- 
 pairing of the house of God is not likely to go on 
 •prosperously, till we are sensible that this matter be- 
 longs to us, and arise, come forward and give a help- 
 ing hand. 
 
 We must therefore consider ivbat way or line of 
 conduct 7,7 hereafter io he pursued by us. And here 
 
MOSES HEMMENWAY. i23 
 
 the admonition of Christ to the church of Ephesus, 
 when they had left their first love, is equally proper 
 for all other churches in a similar state. '' Remem- 
 ber whence thou art fallen, and repent and do thy first 
 works.' The causes of apostacy, some of which 
 were mentioned under the second head, must be 
 guarded against, and proper antidotes applied. Par- 
 ticularly, let us carefully guard against and counter- 
 worlc the temptations of Satan, and this evil world, 
 taking to ourselves the whole armour of God to with- 
 stand our spiritual enemies. Let us cherish a deep 
 sense of the great importance of the doctrines and 
 precepts of the gospel, and have our sentiments, tem- 
 per, and manners, formed, as it were, in this divine 
 mould ; counting all things but loss for the excellen- 
 cy of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. Let not the or- 
 dinances of gospel worship be neglected or careless^ 
 ly attended. Let christians consider one another to 
 provoke to love and good works, exhorting one 
 another daily while it is called to day, lest any be 
 hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Let great 
 care be taken that a good foundation of sound doc- 
 trinal knowledge be early laid in the minds of the ri- 
 sing generation, and that they be instructed to give 
 a good answer to every one that may ask a reason 
 of the hope that is in them, and that the importance 
 of an experimental, practical acquaintance with reli' 
 gion, be much inculcated upon them. Let christians 
 strive together in their prayers for a blessing on the 
 means of grace, that the kingdom of God and his 
 righteousness may be gloriously advanced. And 
 finally, if it be our desire to see the King of Saints 
 ride forth triumphant on the word of truth, gnd the 
 pleasure of the Lord prospering in his hand, let us 
 cause our light to shine before men, not only in a 
 profession of the faith delivered to the saints, but also 
 in a conversation agreeable to such a profession, that 
 men may see our good works, and glorify our Father 
 
i24 A SERMON BY &c. &c. 
 
 who is in heaven. But a more particular detail of 
 rules for our future conduct to promote a revival of 
 religion cannot now be given. And indeed, the best 
 rules are of no advantage, unless they are reduced to 
 practice. 
 
 Arise now, O Lord, and plead thine own cause. 
 Let thine enemies be scattered, and let those who 
 hate thee, flee before thy face. Save thy people, 
 bless thine inheritance, feed them, and lift them ijp 
 forever. And let every christian say— Amen» 
 
God^s treating every man agreeable to his moral cha- 
 racter^ shonvn to be consistent, with his blessing 
 the seed of the righteous, and cursing the 
 seed of the wicked,^ 
 
 A SERMON. 
 
 BY 
 
 SETH WILLISTON, 
 
 PASTOR OF A CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN LISLEj 
 STATE OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 EZEKiEL, xviii. 20. 
 
 The soul that sinnethy it shall die: the son shall not hear the iniquity of the 
 father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son ; the righte- 
 ousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the fwickedness of the 
 nviched shall he upon him, 
 
 TO excuse ourselves, and throw the blame of our 
 sin upon some other, has always been exceedingly 
 natural to fallen man. Our apostate parents early 
 set us this example. We have a natural affection 
 
 * // may perhaps strike the reader, that the title prefixed to this ser^ 
 mon, embraces more than the text from ivhich it is draivn. The author 
 <u)Ouldjust mention the reason of his making this text embrace so wide a 
 field. He had held up in his public discourses, that there *was a connexion 
 in the covenant of grace, between the holy faithfulness of parents and the 
 fahation of their children. This appeared to some of his hearers, incon- 
 jistent with God*s treating every man according to his own character. 
 What he had advanced upon the covenant connexion of parents and children, 
 *was thought by some, to perfectly clash with the chapter from which our 
 text is selected. The author was particularly requested to take the verse, 
 'which stands as the foundation of the following discourse, and show how 
 it could be reconciled with what he had advanced about the connexion be^ 
 iween parents and children. This gave rise to the following discourse^ 
 md the particular method in which the subject is treated 
 
126 A SERMON BY 
 
 for our parents; but we love ourselves supremely. 
 We had rather throw blame on other men, than on 
 our parents ; but we had rather throw blame on them^ 
 than take it to ourselves. We had rather make our 
 suffering's and miseries the fruit of their sin, than 
 our oivn. 
 
 The Jews, who were carried into the Babylonish 
 captivity, manifested this disposition, in an eminent 
 degree. They were a most ungodly generation, as 
 appears by the description given of them in the pro- 
 phecies of Jeremiah and Ezckiel. The Lord, by the 
 mouth of his prophet Jeremiah, recounts to this evil 
 generation, the sins of their fadicrs, and then adds, 
 ' And ye have done worse than your fathers.' And 
 by his prophet Ezekiel, he says concerning this same 
 generation, ' They are impudent children, and stiff 
 hearted and most rebellious.' Their extreme w^icked- 
 ness was represented to this prophet in the vision of 
 the chambers of imagery. It is clear, that there ne- 
 ver was a generation in Israel, which more justly de- 
 served the wrath of God to be poured out upon them 
 ■without mixture : Yet, as is common for the greatest 
 sinners, they were for getting rid of all the blame. 
 They were free to acknowledge, that their fathers had 
 done v/ickedly ; and they evidently ascribed all those 
 dreadful judgments, which they suffered to the impie- 
 ty of theVr fathers, who v/ere nov/ in the grave. Thus 
 they made the ways of God unequal — unequal in pu- 
 nishing the innocent children for the sins of their 
 wicked fathers. This is manifestly what they meant 
 by using that proverb, which is taken notice of in the 
 beginning of this chapter. ' The fathers have eaten 
 aour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge,' 
 It is the object of this whole chapter to refute this 
 false notion, to set the divine character and conduct in 
 a fair and consistent point of light, ^nd to convince 
 that wicked people, that they were suffering for their 
 own personal sins. Immediately after this proverb 
 
SETH WILLISTON. l2T 
 
 is introduced, it is added with a solemn emphasis, 
 * As I live, saith the Lord God, yc shall not have 
 occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.- 
 They never had any just occasion to use this proverb ; 
 if they had, then the ways of God were once unequal : 
 but this cannot be, for he change th not. 
 
 In the fourth verse of this chapter, we have stated 
 to us this important truth, which is a fundamental 
 principle in every good government, especially in the 
 perfect government of God, viz. The soul that sifineth, 
 it shall die. The Lord had just said, ' Behold all 
 souls are mine ; as the soul of the father, so the soul 
 of the son is mine. The consequence, which the 
 Lordhimself draws from this, is not, that therefore 
 none shall die, but it is, that no one shall die ex- 
 cept the soul that sinneth. One man is naturall}' 
 as near to God, and no nearer than another. There 
 is nothing to lead him to be more pleased with one 
 than anotlier, unless it be that his character is bet- 
 ter ; and there is nothing to induce him to punish 
 one man, in distinction from another, unless his 
 character be worse. It is true, that God dispenses 
 grace upon one sinner, while another is left to his, 
 own hard heart ; but in this he does not act as be- 
 ing partial and a respecter of persons ; for he 
 would, no doubt, leave the one he takes, and take 
 the one he leaves, if the good of the universe re- 
 quired it. In forming characters, God acts as a 
 wise and benevolent sovereign, extending grace to 
 whom he will, and hardening whom he will ; agree- 
 able to the declaration of the apostle in the ninth 
 chapter of Romans. But when characters are formed, 
 God is obliged, as a holy Governor, to treat every 
 t:reature according to his character, i. e. according to 
 his o\YT\ personal conduct and temper of heart. The 
 sinner, whose heart is wholly selfish, must be a hate- 
 ful creature, let who will be his father; while the saint, 
 whose heart is warmed with love to God, and whose 
 life is after the example of Christ, must be vievved as 
 
128 A SERMON BY 
 
 amiable, though he might have had for a father one^ 
 who was a monster in wickedness. This truth is 
 clearly illustrated, to the honor of the Holy One of 
 Israel, in this chapter. 
 
 The matter is thus illustrated — First. A pious man 
 is described from the fifdi to the tenth verse. It is 
 said of this man, ' He is just, he shall surely live.' 
 Secondly. This man is then supposed to have a very 
 wicked son, whose wickednes is described from the 
 tenth to the fourteenth verse. Of him it is said, ' He 
 shall surely die, his blood shall be upon him.' Then 
 the matter is further illustrated, by supposing this 
 wicked son, when he becomes a father, may have a 
 child possessed of unfeigned piety. * Now, lo, if he 
 beget a son that seeth all his father's sins which he 
 hath done, and considereth, and doth not such like — 
 he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall 
 surely live.' 
 
 After these examples are stated to illustrate God's 
 impartial justice, in treating every man according 
 to his own and not his fatber^s or his son''s character, 
 then the truth, which had been stated and illustrated, 
 is once more reduced to a general proposition in the 
 text : T/ie soul that sinneth^ it shall die. The son 
 shall not bear the iniquity of the father^ neither shall 
 the father bear the iniquity of the son ; the righteous- 
 ness oj the rigteous shall be upon him, and the wicked- 
 ness of the iviced shall be upon him. 
 
 The text in connexion with the whole chapter 
 from which it is taken, clearly teaches this important 
 DOCTRINE : 
 
 That it is a fixed principle in the government of 
 God, to distribute rewards and punishments, accord- 
 ing to the personal character of his creatures. 
 
 The case of Jesus Christ, our Mediator, is in some 
 sense, an exception from this principle. He knew 
 no sin, personally ; and yet he was made sin, i. e. an 
 offering for sin. He deserved no pain, but was wor- 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 129 
 
 thy of the blessedness of heaven, when he was sweat- 
 ing blood m the garden, and when he was dying upon 
 the cross. The chistisement of our peace was upon 
 Imn, and with his stripes %ve are healed. He was num- 
 bered with the transgressors ; for he bore the sin of 
 many. This was a new and wonderful scene in the 
 divine government ; yet not contradictory to the 
 above principle. It was not understood, when the 
 Father was bruising his Son and putting him to shame, 
 that he designed to manifest any displeasure with 
 the sinless character of his Son, but with the sin- 
 ful and hell-deserving character of those, for whom he 
 voluntarily consented to become a substitute. Since 
 the stripes laid upon Christ were not designed to 
 manifest the least displeasure towards him ; and 
 seeing it was his choice, that these stripes should be 
 laid upon him, to answer infinitely important purpo- 
 ses in the kingdom of grace, there is nothing in this 
 matter, which does by any means, destroy this gene- 
 ral principle^ that God will, on rendering rewards, 
 treat every one according as his own work, shall be. 
 The truth of this principle, which is stated in the 
 doctrine, and evidently contained in the text, may be 
 proved. 1st. From scripture declarations. 2d. From 
 God's actual treatment of moral agents. 3d. From 
 the very nature of God ; and 4th. It may be argued 
 from the necessity of this principle, in order to the 
 maintaining of divine government. 
 
 First. The principle laid down is capable of bet- 
 ing proved by plain scripture declarations. To this 
 point is that passage in Gen. 18. 25. ' That be far 
 fi-om thee to do after this manner, to slay the righte- 
 ous with the wicked ; and that the righteous should 
 be as the wicked, that be far from thee. Shall not 
 the judge of all the earth do right ?' There is a pas- 
 sage in the 24th chapter of Deuteronomy, which is 
 still more to the point. ' The fathers shall not be put 
 16 " 
 
130 A SERMON BY 
 
 to d^'dih for the children ; neither shall the chhldren 
 be put todeathforthe {NTclhers ; every man shall be 
 put to death for his o'vn sin.' It is unequivocally de- 
 Glared, Rom. 2. 6. That God will render to every 
 man according to his deeds. These passages perfect- 
 ly accord Vvith the text, in declaring that God will 
 treat moral agents according to their own personal 
 character. 
 
 Secondly. The same may be proved from God^s 
 actual treatment of his rational creatures. Some of the 
 angels kept not their first estate of holiness, but left 
 their own habitation ; these were all immediately cast 
 cut of heaven, and are reserved in everlasting chains, 
 under darkness, to the judgment of the great day. 
 There is not one of them left in Heaven : but the an- 
 gels who remained obedient, ail remain in the pre- 
 sence of God. While Adam kept his place, he dwelt 
 in paradise and enjoyed the divine favor ; but when 
 he rebelled, he was cast out. All men, wdiile they 
 remain in their rebellion, remain under the wrath of 
 God; but v;hen they return unto God, he returns un- 
 to them. This world is not now a place of exact 
 distribution of rewards and punishments ; yet God 
 has often so conducted the kingdom of providence, 
 as to clearly show forth this truth, * The righteousness 
 of the righteous shall be upon him, and the w ickedness 
 of the wicked shall be upon him,' i. e. the righteous 
 are rew^arded and the wicked punished. The wicked 
 children of godly parents have met with a dreadful 
 overthrow, as in the case of Nadab and Abihu, the 
 sons of Aaron ; Amnon and Absolom, the sons of 
 David ; the sons of Eli, and others : and the pious 
 children of wicked parents, have met with divine ap- 
 probation, as Abijah, the son of wicked Jeroboam, 
 and Josiah, the son of impious Amon. But howe- 
 ver uneaqually rewards and punishments may now* 
 be distributed, we must remember, that no one is 
 punished more than his iniquities deserve, and there 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 13rl 
 
 is a day coming, when every thing which now ap- 
 pears disordered, will be set pefectly right. The 
 judge of all the earth will gather all nations before 
 him, and divide them all into two companies. This 
 separation will be made exactly according to their 
 personal character. There will not be one rightoon^ 
 soul found upon the left hand ; nor one v>'icked, un- 
 Oioly creature on the right. God's actual treatment 
 of moral agents at the day of judgment, and thence- 
 ^forward through eternity, will make our text appear 
 -most strictly true. Tht::Jjply angels will all be vrel- 
 comed to Meaven, as their eternal abode ; the %\)lcked 
 <^/2^(?/^, or devils, will all be confined to helL The 
 saints, i. e. the holy ones, will be received to Hea^ 
 -ven, let them be whose children they will. These, 
 ttliough once defiled with sin and fit for destruction, 
 having now obtained redemption through the blood 
 of the cross, are prepared unto glory. By faith they 
 are clothed with the all-perfect righteousness of the 
 -Sonof'God. While on earth, in a state of probation, 
 ;they obtained through grace, a holy character, and 
 were attempered to the heavenly world. Heaven is 
 Aeir purchased inheritance ; the better country which 
 •they. desired while tabernacling in the fie sli. All such 
 ^will, without a single exception, be raised to Heaven. 
 And^Oh, what a glorious and united society they will 
 ;form ! However different in other respects, they will 
 ^U he agreed :in supreme love to God. In Heaven 
 tbt^e will jbe neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision 
 nor Auicircumcision, :Barbarian, Scvthian, bond nor 
 free; but Christ will be all, in all. It'will be no matter 
 where they were born, or of whom, if they are onlv 
 born from above. This makes them all iiieet for the 
 Heavenly inheritance. What if they were some of 
 Ithem allied rto .wicked, prayerless families on earth, 
 they were called out from their kindred, by the dis- 
 tmguishing grace of God. They have the'same ho- 
 Jy father, in a. spiritual sense, as the children of the 
 
13i2 A SERMON BY 
 
 most pious parents. Their wicked parentage is for- 
 gotten in Heaven. Christ will not upbraid them 
 with it, since they did not follow the evil example of 
 their parents ; but forsook all to follow him. They, 
 personally, are holy. This will make them forever 
 lovely in the eyes of God, and in the eyes of all his 
 holy family. 
 
 On the other hand, all the wicked, at the day of 
 judgment, will be turned into hell. If they had ever 
 so pious a parentage, this will do nothing towards 
 keeping them from misery, while their hearts are un- 
 renewed. It is not being born of blood, though ever 
 so noble, or venerable, but the being born of God, 
 which prepares for Heaven. The piety of parents 
 will do nothing towards procuring the wicked an ad- 
 mission into Heaven; since it does nothing towards 
 making them appear lovely in the sight of the Searcher 
 of hearts. It rather tends to set off their impiety in 
 a more dreadful point of light. It will be in vain for 
 those, whose hearts are estranged from God, to plead, 
 * We have Abraham to our father.' If they piead 
 this, they may be called upon to show in their lives 
 the works of Abraham. The wicked, let them come 
 out of ever so good families, or churches, are all fit- 
 ted for destruction. They are attempered to such a 
 state and place as hell. And this will undoubtedly 
 be their portion for ever and ever. Thus God gives 
 evidence of his different treatment of the two differ- 
 ent characters which exist among his creatures, that 
 he is influenced by no partial motives, but always 
 judges righteous judgment. 
 
 Thirdly. If God did not reward the good and pu- 
 nish the wicked according to their personal character, 
 w^e should have no evidence that he was perfectly 
 holy ; that he was always the friend of holiness and 
 the enemy of sin. If he ever approved of sin, or 
 frowned upon holiness, he would ruin his character, 
 as a holj% sin-hating.God- If sin were any less odi- 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 133 
 
 ous, because it existed in the heart of David's son,' 
 than though it existed in the son of Saul, then it is 
 not sin which the Lord hates. If holiness were any 
 less lovely to him, when it appeared in the heart of 
 Abijah, the child of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, than 
 when it appeared in the heart of Isaac, the son of 
 Abraham and Sarah, those dear friends of God, then 
 it will follow, that it is not holiness, but something 
 else which he loves. And if this be the case, we 
 have no evidence, that Jehovah is, as he is often stiled, 
 ' the Holy One of Israel.' From the holiness of the 
 Deity, we might safely infer, that he would distribute 
 rewards and punishments according to personal cha- 
 racter. If holiness be the very thing which God loves, 
 then the same degree of holy affection will appear 
 equally lovely, let it be discovered where it will. If 
 it were possible that holy affection could spring up 
 in the heart of the devil, God would love it ; but it 
 is acknowledged, that he could not reward it, unless 
 the devil could be brought into union with the iVledi- 
 ator : because the law has no rewards for any thing; 
 short of perfect obedience. But the idea which we 
 wish to make plain, is this, that holiness, being a dis- 
 position to embrace the glory of God, and the best 
 good of his family, is in itself considered, an amiable, 
 even the most amiable quality, which a moral agent 
 can possess, and is that which the Holy one of Israel 
 cannot but love, whenever he discovers it. On the 
 other hand, sin, which is a disposition to prefer one's 
 self above God and all his kingdom, is a hateful dis- 
 position, let who will possess it ; therefore, God and 
 all the friends of the universe must loath such a frame 
 of heart. If the Lord be a God of truth, then we 
 rest satisfied that he will treat his creatures so, as to 
 express the real feelings of his heart, since he is per- 
 fectly independent, and can be laid under no restraint. 
 This will lead me in the 
 
 Fourth Place, to prove, that it is a fixed princi- 
 ple m the government of God, to distribute reward^ 
 
134 A SERMON BY 
 
 and puniislimerils accordiiif^ to the personal eharac= 
 ier of his creatures, froni the absolute ?ieccssify of 
 ihits principle, in order to the maintenance of divine 
 igovcrnment. It becomes tlie Most High, not only 
 to discern between the precious and the vile, as a mo. 
 ;ral Agent ; but actually to treat characters accord- 
 ing to truth, as he is the rnoral'Governor of the world. 
 It becomes him, to take the most watchful care of the 
 interests of his extensive and eternal kin^-dom. Thi^ 
 will Ictid him to manifest his approbation of the righ- 
 teous, who are promoting the perfection and glory of 
 liis kingdom. This will lead him to frown on all the 
 incorrigible enemies of his government. It becomes 
 him to take the most particular care, that there be 
 no innocent creature condemned, and also, that there 
 be not a single guilty one cleared. If this principle 
 should once be departed from, the basis which sup- 
 ports divine government would be removed, and tlie 
 throne of God would shake, so that nothing could 
 again give it stability. If God should once, a single 
 •once, appear the friend of sin, and the enemy of ho- 
 liness, his character and government would be so 
 eilectually ruined, that nothing could retrieve them. 
 No wonder, therefore, that Abraham said, ' That be 
 far fi'om thee, that the righteous should be as the 
 v/icked I shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ?' 
 And God declares to Moses, that he will by no means 
 clear the guilty. It being knov/n that this is an estab- 
 lished principle in the government of God, to treat 
 every man according as his work shall be, and not 
 according to the v/ork of his father, or child, it is 
 calculated to make us^stand in awe,'aTid not sin ; it is 
 calculated to make us feel the necessity of our engag- 
 ing in the 4^rcat business of religion, each one for 
 hlmsclj, ' For we must all appear before the judg- 
 ment seat of Christ, that ^'■ifu';;y one may receive the 
 things done in his body, according to that he hath 
 diO'?,^.^ v/hether it be s:Qod or bad. ' 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 1J5 
 
 Thus far, brethren,, you see the charaeter of God, 
 i^ his treatment of the righteous and the wicked, 
 shines forth with resplendent brightness. If provi- 
 dence permit, we shall endeavor in another discourse, 
 to remove out of the way a difFiculty, which arises in 
 the minds of some to cloud this brightness, in the 
 mean time, let us attend to an inference or two, sug- 
 gested by this part of our subject. 
 
 First, We infer the absolute necessity of regene- 
 ration. The human character is, by nature, totally 
 bad. In us, that is, in our flesh, there dwelleth no 
 good thing. Because the carnal mind is enmity 
 against God, therefore they who are in the flesh can^ 
 not please God. God cannot, consistently with his ho- 
 liness, reward a bad character^ though he may, through 
 grace, reward a very ill deseri)ing creature. It is a 
 fixed principle both under the covenant of works and 
 of grace, to reward every man according to his works, 
 God will not on any plan, pardon, justify and re- 
 ceive to glory those whose hearts remain at enmity 
 with him. Except we are born again, i. e. become 
 possessed of an entirely new character, we cannot see 
 the kingdom of God. A profession of religion, and 
 a visible standing in the church of Christ, will not 
 secure to us a place in the kingdoni of glory, because^ 
 this may be widiout the least alteration in our charac- 
 ter. We may say Lord, Lord, and yet not do the 
 things which he commands : but he that is born of 
 God doth not commit sin, that is, if his heart is 
 changed, his life will be also. Let us lay it to heart, 
 that as certainly as God is holy, he will not bestow 
 the rewards of eternity oa any but new creatures. — 
 The change must be radical ; old things must pass 
 away, behold all things must become new. No change 
 in the life, which does not fiow from a real chanjre of 
 
 the heart, will be of any avail. A selfish man, with a 
 reformed life, is still a Vad man in the sight of Him, 
 who seeth things as they are. As judgment is try 
 
136 A SERMON BY 
 
 pass on men at the great day, according to their deeds 
 done in the body, i. e. their characters formed in this ' 
 world, and as men are afterwards to remain filthy or 
 holy, as they ^lall then be found, it will follow, that 
 totally depraved creatures must be born again in this 
 world, or never see heaven. 
 
 Secondly. If the character of God, and the principles 
 of his government have been rightly stated in the 
 preceding discourse, then Christ is the only hope of 
 our fallen v^orld. We are all completely depraved. 
 Without Christ crucified, there would not be one 
 good character among our whole species. Of course, 
 without Christ, none could have been rewarded with 
 eternal life. It is through the infinite attonement 
 made by the son of God, and at his request, that the 
 Holy Spirit is given to alter the character of sinners, 
 and cause them to become saints. This new' formed 
 character is preserved and perfected in Christ Jesus ; 
 and when it is rewarded with eternal life, it is with a 
 rew^ard, not of debt, but of grace, through the divine 
 attonement. The saints, even when they shall be re- 
 ceived up to glory, will be, in themselves considered, 
 ill-deserving, for they have broken that holy law, 
 wdiich threatened eternal punishment against the least 
 transgression. An eternity of future obedience will 
 not satisfy for one past act of disobedience ; therefore, 
 the reward of sinners, redeemed from iniquity, must 
 eternally be a reward not of debt, but of grace : And 
 this reward of grace can be consistently bestowed, in 
 no other way, but through the meritorious death and 
 prevalent intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ. It 
 is certain, that in rew^arding the saints, the judge will 
 manifest his approbation of that character, which 
 through grace, they acquired in this world, for he 
 will say to each, when he bestows the rewards of 
 eternity upon him. ' Well done good and faithful 
 servant; thou has been faithful over a few^ things, I 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 137 
 
 will make thee ruler over many things ; enter thou inl 
 to the joy of thy Lord.' But the kingdom of heaven 
 is something infinitely better than the best saint de- 
 serves. He really deserves his portion in hell ; but 
 he is fitted for heaven, and there he v^ill assuredly 
 dwell, since the blood of Christ cleanseth from all 
 sin. Through Christ, God can bestow a reward on 
 the ill'deservingi but not upon the unholy- In be- 
 stowing rewards, God will invariably treat men ac- 
 cording to their personal character^ but not always 
 according to their personal desert. And it is wholly 
 owing to our union with Christ, that we arc not all 
 treated according to our ill- desert. 
 
 Thirdly, In the light of this subject, we learn the 
 true meaning of the declaration—' God is no respect- 
 er of persons.' It undoubtedly means, that in distri- 
 buting rewards and punishments; God treats men ac- 
 cording to w^hat they are, and not according to what 
 they are not. Of a truth, said Peter, I perceive that 
 God is no respecter of persons ; but in every nation, 
 he that fearcth him, and worketh righteousness, is 
 accepted with him. They who fear God, and v/ork 
 righteousness are accepted with him, let them be 
 Jews or Gentiles, rich or poor, bond or free, male or 
 female, the children of pious or impious parents ; it 
 makes no diifereace ; it is their character w^hich the 
 Holy One of Israel regards. He does not despise the 
 poor because he is poor ; nor does he despise the 
 slave any more than his master. If the slave fears 
 God, he will be accepted, and the master if he does 
 not, will be condemned. External condition has no 
 influence upon the Judge of all the earth. He always 
 judges righteous judgment. He neither respects the 
 person of the rich, nor of the poor. We shall not be 
 rewarded or punished, according to the character of 
 our parents, or of our children, but exactly accord- 
 ing to our ow^n. * The righteousness of the righteous 
 shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked 
 
 IT 
 
13B A SERMON BY 
 
 shall be upon him. What can be more impartial thaii 
 such conduct. ? In view of this we can see, that of a 
 truth God is no respecter of persons. 
 
 We cannot dismiss this part of our subject, with- 
 out remarking upon a very common abuse of the dec- 
 laration, * God is no respecter of persons.' This 
 passage has been abundantl}^ urged to disprove the 
 sovereign dispensation of drvine grace. But this is 
 an entire misapplication of this scripture. Take a 
 view of the place were it occurs iru the 10th chapter 
 of Acts. Peter says, I perceive, that God is ne 
 respecter of persons ; because that in every nation, 
 he who feareth him is accepted. He did not say, 
 I perceive God is not a respecter of persons, because 
 he hath bestowed no more grace on Cornelius, than 
 on other Gentiles. This he certainly had done, else 
 Cornelius would have been no better than other Gen- 
 tiles : for naturally there is no difference ; and it is 
 by the grace of God, that the saints have become 
 saints. But Peter learned the impartiality of the 
 Divine being, from finding that he was pleased with 
 and accepted all the righteous, let them belong to 
 what nation they v/ould. In bestowing regenerating 
 grace on unholy creatures, God has no revealed rul<i 
 by which he is governed. Concerning this, he says, 
 I will have mercy on v»^hom 1 will have mercy. — 
 Therefore, it is impossible for us to tell from any thing 
 w^hich we discover in sinners befcrchand, who will re- 
 ceive this grace. But bestoiving rewards is a differ- 
 ent thing from bestoivi/ig grace. By knowing the 
 character, we can know before hand whether a bles- 
 sing or a curse awaits him : for God will reward eve- 
 ry one according as his work shall be. Grace is 
 employed in forming men's characters anew, and im- 
 partiality, or judging without respect of persons, is an 
 equal or just treatment of characters, which are al- 
 ready formed. From the text which we have been 
 considering, we see that it is a fixed and eternal prin- 
 
SE^JTH WILLISTON. 13^ 
 
 ciple with the Supreme Ruler, to treat every creature 
 in the universe according to his own personal charac- 
 ter. God is a Sovereign, a Holy and wise Sovereign 
 in dispensing grace, but this does not infringe at all 
 upon his impartiality. There is a constellation of 
 glorious attributes in the Godhead. They are all 
 harmonious. God is light, and in him there is no 
 darkness at all. Let us become godly, and we shall 
 discover great beauty in the divine character. Even 
 those things, which had been most disgustful, be- 
 come precious to such as are taught by the spirit. 
 
 Fourthly, Learn from this subject how much it con- 
 cerns every one to see to it, that he has religion. 
 Every man must give account of himself to Godo 
 Our living in a christian land will not save us ; nor 
 will our living in a christian family save us. We 
 may be closely united with christians, even so as to 
 lie in their bosom ; yet if we are not ourselves united 
 to Christ, we shall be perfectly unsafe, when we 
 stand before that Judge^ who saith, ' The soul that 
 sinneth, it shall die,"^ 
 
 It is an important question for each one to put to 
 himself, Am I a christian ? Am I possessed of the 
 spirit of Christ ? Do I walk in him, and do \ trust in 
 him for salvation ? * He that believeth shall be saved, 
 and he that believeth not shall be damned.' 
 
A SERMON. 
 
 SETH WILLISTON, 
 
 tASTOR QF A CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH !N LISLE^ 
 STATE OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 EZEKiEL, xviii. 20. 
 
 *TI:e soul that smneth, if shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of th& 
 father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son ; the righte- 
 ousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedtuss of thz 
 luicked shall he upon him, 
 
 IN the preceedin,^ discourse, the text, in connex- 
 ion with the whole chapter, was explained, and this 
 was the doctrine, which appeared to rise out of it ; 
 viz. That it is a fixed principle in the government 
 of God, to distribute rewards and punishments ac- 
 cording to the personal characters of his creatures. 
 
 The justice of this procedure commends itself to 
 every man's understanding. If this be uniformly 
 God's manner of dealing, then we can all see, that God 
 is light, and that in him, there is no darkness at all. 
 But in the view of som.e, this bright light is darkened 
 by the declaration, which the Lord makes in the se- 
 cond commandment ; ' For I the Lord thy God am 
 a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers up- 
 on the children, unto the third and fourth generation 
 of them that hate me ; and showing mercy unto thou- 
 sands of them that love me and keep my command^ 
 ments.' This passage seems to connect with the evil 
 character of the parent, a curse on his children ; 
 and on the other hand, there is a blessing for the seed 
 of the righteous. I shall not attempt to explain away 
 this plain meaning of the passage, on which the ob- 
 
142 A SERMON BY 
 
 jection is founded ; but am willing to acknowledge, 
 that there are very many passages in the bible, which 
 most clearly express this connexion between pa- 
 rents and their children, both as it respects the friends 
 and the enemies of Christ. I am also willing to own, 
 that I have publicly taught, that God's covenant with 
 Abraham (which has now come on the Gentiles) in 
 which he engaged to be a God to him, and his seed 
 after him in their generations, should be understood 
 to mean, that the Lord will be a God to the children 
 of believers, in the same sense, that he is their God, 
 provided they bring up their children in covenant 
 faithfulness. It has been asked, how can this be re- 
 conciled with the 18th chapter of Ezekiel, and espe- 
 pecially with the verse, which has been chosen for 
 our text \ How can it be true, that the son shall not 
 bear the iniquity of the father, nor the father the ini- 
 quity of the son ; and yet the seed of the righteous 
 be blessed, and the seed of the wicked be cut off, as 
 it is declared it shall be in the 37th Psalm ? Let us 
 candidly and prayerfully attend to a solution of this 
 difiiculty. 
 
 Although it be invariably true, that the soul that 
 sinneth, it shall die, and that one shall not bear the 
 iniquity of another : Yet one man may be the means 
 or intsrument of making another a sinner ; or of caus- 
 ing him to continue to be such ; and in this way he 
 may bring about his destruction. In this way, ' one 
 sinner destroyeth much good.' How often it is said 
 of Jereboam the son of Nebat, that he sinned and 
 made Israel to sin. By means of Jereboam, the peo- 
 ple of Israel departed from the Lord and went after 
 idols. According to the scriptural representation, 
 he was the cause of their sin and destruction ; yet 
 they were not destroyed for bis sin^ but for their own. 
 He led them astray, but Xh^y followed ; else they had 
 not been charged with forsaking the Lord. Satan , 
 the prince of the devils, probably brought about the 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 143 
 
 revolt of all the other angels who fell ; yet they were, 
 each one of them cast out of heaven for his own sin. 
 Satan beguiled Eve, and she tempted her husband ; 
 3^et each one was driven out from the presence of the 
 Lord for his own sin. 
 
 This matter may be further illustrated by the con- 
 nexion between Adam and his posterity. If our first 
 parents had kept covenant with God, we should all 
 have been benefitted by their obedience, and yet re- 
 warded according to the cleanness of our ow?i hands. 
 We could not have enjoyed the divine favor without 
 personal holiness ; but their perseverance in holiness 
 would, according to covenant, have insured ours. 
 By the fall, they broke covenant with God for them- 
 selves and for their posterity. ' By one man*s dis- 
 obedience many were made sinners.' By Adam^s 
 disobedience we have become sinners ; yet we are 
 not punished for his sin, but for our own. But you 
 will say, why does not the son bear the iniquity of 
 his father; why do we not bear the iniquity of Adam ? 
 Sin entered the world by one man, and death by sin, 
 and death passes upon all ; for all are now become 
 sinners, as much as if every one had stood in Adam's 
 place, and fell for himself. Let us try to familiarize 
 this subject. Solomon in 1 Kings 8. 38. calls sin a 
 plague of the heart. It is exceedingly contagious. 
 Adam has spread it through his whole race. He be- 
 gat a son in his own sinful likeness, and this likeness 
 has been transmitted down from father to son. David 
 says, he was conceived in sin. If a child takes the 
 plague of his parent, he does not die with his parent's 
 disease, but with his own. He dies with a disease 
 like to his parent's, and a disease which he caught 
 from his parent ; but still it is his own personal dis- 
 ease, which kills him. Let us keep in view, that 
 our plague is sin, i. e. voluntary opposition to the 
 most High God, then our disease will not appear in- 
 nocent. It is just in God to let us die, even eternal- 
 
144 A SERMON BY 
 
 ly, with such a disease as this, let us take it where we 
 tnay. And here we can see how wrong the pro» 
 verb was, ' The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and 
 the children's teeth are set on edge.' They meant^ 
 our fathers sinned and we have to suffer for it, though 
 we are upright. The truth was, they both ate sour 
 grapes, both they and their fathers. It would be 
 wrong for children to suffer with their sinful parents, 
 if they did not partake with them in their sin. It 
 Mould be inconsistent with impartial justice for God 
 to make us bear the misery of the fall, if we had not 
 also received the rebellious spirit of it. And it was 
 right for God to connect with Adam's apostacy the 
 loss of holiness in all his posterity. 
 
 If there be any thing difficult in the divine con- 
 duct in this matter, it is in so ordaining, that Adam 
 should commAinicate his sinful nature to his children : 
 for surely we cannot say, that it is any more unjust 
 to punish children when they are wicked, than to pu- 
 nish their wicked parents. But where is there any 
 injustice in this divine appointment, that every thing 
 should produce its like ? God is under no obliga- 
 tion, unless it be by express covenant, to preserve 
 any of his creatures in a state of holiness ; but he is 
 under a natural obligation, to render those happy,, 
 who remain holy. If God had been under a natural 
 obligation, to preserve the holiness of his creatures, 
 the fall of angels and of man would have been impos- 
 sible. Their fall therefore proves, that God is under 
 no such obligation to his creatures. In case our first 
 parents had remained obedient, would God have been 
 under any obligation in point of justice, separate from 
 an express covenant engagement, to have brought all 
 their children into the world in a state of holiness ? 
 Is it not the natural prerogative of a Creator, to make 
 such creatures as he pleases, if he does but treat each 
 creature according to its nature and character. If it 
 had been so, that holy Adam could have had unholy 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 145^ 
 
 children, I cannot sec that there would be any injus- 
 tice in their being punished, i. c. treated according 
 to their character. Whether evil characters are form - ' 
 ed by a divine eiiiciency, or a divine withdrawment, 
 does not aiTect the subject before us. Whether it be 
 one way, or the other, it makes no difference, when 
 the character is formed. If God has a natural right to 
 withdraw his special influence from holy creatures, 
 and if the withdrawing will issue in their becoming 
 sinful, then God has a natural right to form, and suffer 
 to be formed just such characters, as will be for his 
 glory. The forming of characters is not a thing which 
 is to be examined in the light of justice, though it may" 
 suitably be tried in the court of wisdom ; but the re- 
 warding of characters already formed, is cognizable 
 in the court where justice presides. There might 
 have been a want of wisdom displayed in ordaining 
 it so, that the first pair remaining obedient, should 
 have had a sinful and miserable progeny, or that 
 becoming disobedient, they should have one holy and 
 happy ; but separate from an express covenant, 1 can- 
 not see, that either they, or their children could have 
 complained of injustice : For, in the case supposed, 
 God would treat every man according to his ovvn 
 work. If vre do not grant that this prerogative, to 
 form characters according to his own pleasure, be- 
 longs to the great Creator, it will be difficult to re- 
 concile with justice the original depravity of all the 
 sons and daughters of Adam. All that are bcrn af 
 woman, the m.an Christ Jesus excepted, begin their 
 existence in a state of total depravity. We ought to 
 feel blame-worthy, because wc cLTQsinfuLcvQn without 
 taking into view that wc, being in the loins of our first 
 father, were once in a better state. 
 
 We have been more particular in speaking upon 
 the first covenant, because it is known, that some 
 have thought the doctrine of original sin, coming as 
 18 
 
U^ A SERMON BY 
 
 a fruit of the apostacy of onr first parents, is incon- 
 sistent with what is said in the prophecy of Ezekiel, 
 about the child's not bearing his father's sin. I have 
 also supposed, that if the covenant with Adam for 
 himself and hhs posterity were to be properly under- 
 stood, the covenant with Abraham for himself and 
 liis seed, and with other believers and their seed, 
 would be greatly elucidated. Adam's covenant was 
 a federal covena.it, and so is Abraham's. The co- 
 venant vvith Adam was mrtually this. Walk be- 
 fore me and be thou perfect, and i will be a God un- 
 to thee and thy seed after thee, in their generations. 
 This is the tenor and words of the covenant with 
 Abraham. Both covenants lay up good for the seed, 
 upon conditions to be performed by their parents ; 
 yet in neither, could the seed enjoy the favor of God, 
 without personal holiness. Had Adam kept cove- 
 nant, we have seen that the consequence w^ould have 
 been, his children would have been perfect. And of 
 Abraham it is said by the Most High, ' 1 know him 
 that he will command his children and his household 
 after him, and tbey ^h^W keep the way of the Lord.* 
 There are two points of difference in these covenants 
 which now occur to mind. Adam's covenant not be- 
 iiig ordained in the hands of a Mediator, proffered no 
 good to himself or to his children on any condition 
 short of perfect obedience ; but in the covenant made 
 Avith Abraham, God promises geat good to sinners, 
 who repent and believe on his Son Jesus Christ. In 
 the first covenant, Adam could not enjoy the divine 
 favor himselj, without doing that, which would en- 
 sure the happiness of his children ; but in the cove- 
 nant of grace, c-'oery true believer will be saved, but 
 it is not e'oery true believer, whose children will be 
 saved with him. Though there are these dissimila- 
 rities ; yet the covenants operate on the same general 
 principle, of shaping the character of the child accord- 
 in.^ to thai of the parent. It is only in view of the 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 147 
 
 character of the child being shaped, by the charac- 
 ter of the father, that tlie conduct of the father 
 fixes the destiny of his child. Abraham's children 
 could no more have the Lord for their God, without 
 faith and obedience than any other children. And 
 here we see what false notions the Pharisaic Jews 
 had of this covenant, in the time of John and of Christ. 
 They say, ' We have Abraham to our father.' They 
 intended to cover over all their impiety with the man- 
 tle of Abraham's covenant. Christ tells them, ' If 
 ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works 
 of Abraham.' Their being destitute of Abraham's 
 faith and works made it unsuitable, that they should 
 plead an interest in the promises made to him and his 
 seed. 
 
 It would sully the justice and purity of the Supreme 
 Being, if he suffered pious parents to take their wick- 
 ed unconverted children to heaven. Pious parents, 
 in the exercise of unfeigned love to God, would not 
 wish it. But such parents may have great desires 
 for the conversion of their children : They may lons^ 
 to have them saved, in such a way as to glorify^ as 
 well as enjoy God. And I do not see why God may 
 not, without tarnishing his glory, or contradicting his 
 most solemn declarations in the text and context, 
 condescend to promise believers, whom he calls his 
 jewels, his lambs, his hidden ones, that he will grati- 
 fy them in these holy longings after the souls of their 
 dear children. And be assured, christian parents, 
 that there are none but holy longings, and holy yearn- 
 ings over your children, to which God has ever 
 deigned to make a promise. Graceless parents have 
 selfish desires, that their children may not be sent tp 
 hell, but that they may be received to happiness when 
 they die. Such parents, however, do not have ear- 
 nest desires that their children may serve, please 
 and glorify the blessed God, to all"^ eternity. But 
 the friends of God will desire, that their children 
 Taay be saved to the praise of the glory of grace. -^ 
 
148 A SRMON BY 
 
 ^ When the God of Abraham was manifest in the 
 flesh and dwelt among men, he received into his arms 
 and blessed all the little ones, which his pious friends 
 brought to him for this purpose. Why is it not as 
 consistent, that he should leave a standing promise 
 with his church, that he will in all generations, bless 
 all their cliildren, which shall be presented to him in 
 the arms of fiiith ? To excite the faith of parents, to 
 rouse up all their attention, and make them wrestlers 
 in prayer, and to engage them in persevering faithful- 
 ly in the holy education of their children, why may not 
 he make a covenant, promising on his part, that he 
 will add his blessing to their holy endeavors to disci- 
 ple their children and bring them under the yoke of 
 Christ ? Why may he not make a covenant, to be a 
 God unto them, and also to tbc'ir seed ajter them^ and 
 make parental faithfulness the condition of claiming 
 the promise for the seed ? Why may he not to 
 strengthen their faith in his promise^ and also to seal 
 their engagements concerning these precious im.mor- 
 tal souls, command some token to be placed upon 
 the children, to seal the compact ? Did not the admi- 
 nistering of the seal of circumcision to the childreii 
 of Abraham, and of other believers, imply some good 
 promised to them for these sealed children ? Was it 
 not so understood by the ancient church, and was it 
 not so understood by the apostle, when he declared, 
 that the Jev/s had much advantage, and circumcision 
 much profit every way? x\nd has not the administer- 
 ing of baptism to the infants of beli evers in Christ 
 been almost universally considered by the christian 
 ^hurch, as a token of some blessings contained in the 
 ^ovenant of grace for our little ones ?* We have no 
 
 * Thh discourse tahss infant baptism for granted^ as the ol^ectors hai's 
 no controvjrsy lu'ith tl:j 'Zifrifer on this account. They agree 'with him ic 
 hdievlng ir. ',h: h'jpt'ism of infarJs ; but thry think he mahes it mtcin. IQk' 
 
SETH WlLLlSTON. 149 
 
 idea, that circumcision, or baptism, confers the bless- 
 ings on the child ; but is it not a token, or seal of 
 some blessing to be communicated to that child, 
 which is truly dedicated to God, and trained up in 
 his fear ? God cannot, consistently with his holiness, 
 receive children to heaven, merely because they are 
 baptized , but why may he not promise the parent, 
 who truly Uikes hold of his covenant, and, committing 
 his infant into the hands of Christ, has him baptized 
 with water — why may he not prom.ise, that his child 
 shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost ? This would 
 not be saving a v/icked child for the sake cf the good- 
 ness of his parent ; but it would be changing a wick- 
 ed child into a good one, and so rendering him meet 
 for heaven, and this in a way of covenant faithful- 
 ness to his believing parent. Why may not the 
 Lord promise such a blessing as this^ as well as 
 a fruitful field, increase of cattle and flocks and 
 full stores, as an expression of his love to, and de- 
 light in his obedient people ? This is expressly men- 
 tioned among the other blessings promised to the o- 
 bedient iit the 28th chapter of Deut. ' l^lessed shall 
 be the fruit of thy body.' But Solomon says ' A 
 foolish (i. e. a graceless) son is a grief to his father, 
 and bitterness to her that bare him.' From this we 
 learn, that children, to become a blessing, m^ust be- 
 come pious. God's promise to bless the fruit of the 
 body must then include the blessing of grace. In 
 the 103d Psalm, it is declared, ' The mercy of the 
 Lord is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them 
 that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's 
 children, to such as keep his covenant.' Does not 
 this put the children of godly, covenant-keeping pa- 
 rents in a fairer situation for a blessing, than the 
 children of those not in covenant ? It is said of the 
 saints, that they are the seed of the blessed of the 
 Lord, and their offspring with them. This is never 
 said of the offspring of the wicked If the children 
 
150 A SERxMON BY 
 
 of the wicked arc blessed, it is not a ccvenant bless* 
 ing : Hence the force of this exhortation, Deut. 30, 
 19. ' Choose life, that both thou and tby seed may 
 live.' There is a threatening in the 4th chapter of 
 IIos. which is the counterpart of this promise ; ' See- 
 ing tbou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also 
 forget thy children,'' 
 
 It is very evident, from what has actually taken 
 place, that parents, both good and bad, are often made 
 to give a moral complexion to the character of their 
 childrei^. This is evident, not only in the case of 
 Adam and Abraham, of whom we have spoken alrea- 
 dy, but the same truth is displayed in the case of 
 Cain and Seth, two sons of Adam, and in the case of 
 Esau and Jacob, the two sons of Isaac, who gave 
 comp'exion to iheir desce dants for many successive 
 generations. Ham, one of the sons of Noah, brought 
 a reproach upon his posterity, which is not wiped 
 oif to the present day. The curse pronounced upon 
 Amalek Exod. 17. 16. throws light on this subject; 
 ' Because the Lord hath sworn, that the Lord will 
 have war with Amalek from generation to genera- 
 tion.' But why would the Lord have war with Ama- 
 lek from generation to generation ? Because this gen- 
 eration, A'hich was now upo-n the stage, had laid wait 
 for Israel in the way when he came up from Egypt. 
 This generation gave character to all the succeeding 
 generations, and the Lord had war with them till 
 their name was blotted out from under heaven ; and 
 all this was particularly designed, to manifest the di- 
 vine displeasure against those, who laid w^ait for Is- 
 rael in the wilderness. 
 
 The truth now under consideration is strikingly 
 illustrated and proved, by the present state of the 
 Jewish nation. The Jews of the present generation 
 feel the weight of that imprecation, ' His blood be on 
 ;is and on our children !' They are punished for their 
 gwxi sins. Each generation follows the steps of the 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 151 
 
 one which has gone before — approves its savings and 
 crucifies the Son of God afresh. Here is a clear and 
 actual ilhistration of that which has been so difficult 
 to many, viz. God's visiting the iniquities of the fa- 
 thers upon the children. That these unbelieving Jews 
 do not go to hell for their father's sins, will be seen 
 by and by, when the present, or some succeeding ge- 
 neration shall turn unto the Lord, As soon as this 
 takes place, the curse will be taken off, and the Jews, 
 which have been broken off, will be graffed again in- 
 to their own olive tree, and will, with us, partake of 
 all the root and fatness of the olive ; Rom. 11. As 
 soon as the current of iniquity ceases to Row, God 
 will cease to visit the iniquity of the father's upon the 
 children, whether it be in the fourth, third, second, 
 or even first generation : Therefore, as soon as the 
 Jews shall return unto him from whom they have so 
 long revolted, not only the Gentile church Vvill open 
 her bosom joyfully to receive them (for to her it will 
 be like life from the dead ;) but the Saviour himself 
 will, Vv ith all readiness, embrace them and give them 
 as good a place in his family, as if their father's had 
 not crucified him. This v. ill show plainly, that it is 
 their own and not their father's sin, which now causes 
 the separation between them and Christ. Yet it is 
 most manifest, that it is a judicial blindness and hard- 
 ness of heart, which has happened to Israel. God is 
 evidently manifesting his infinite displeasure against 
 the murderers of Christ, by suffering their posterity, 
 for such a course of generations, to continue in unbe- 
 lief, and to be scattered around the world, as a hisSj 
 a proverb and a bye-word. In the latter day glory, 
 when the people shall turn to the Lord, they shall 
 prove his faithfulness to his promises, as they now 
 prove his severity in executing his threatenings. It 
 will then be exemplified, by the uninterrupted des- 
 cent of the blessing, as it is now by the descent of 
 the curse. By comparing Isa. 59. 20, 21. with Kom. 
 
152 A SERMON BY 
 
 11. 26, 27, it appears that tlie prophet is speaking of 
 the conversion oi* the Jews at the Millennium. At 
 that blessed period, this will be true : * As for me, this 
 is iTiy covenant witli them sailh ihe Lord: My Spirit 
 ivhich is upon thee, and my w ords v/hich I have put 
 in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor 
 out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth 
 of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth 
 and forever.' A careful attention to this scripture, 
 "i^ ill reflect great light upon the covenant, which God 
 made with Abraham, "w hich indeed is the gracious 
 olive in which believing gentiles now fiourish, and in- 
 to which the returning Jews will be rc-engraifeel. In 
 the Millennium, and not till then, the blessings of this 
 covenant will be realized in their full extent. The 
 covenant, through the unfaithfulness of parents, and 
 the consequent disobedience of children, has run out 
 of some branches of families, in which it has once 
 had place. The covenant v. as in the family of Abra- 
 ham, but its blessings did not descend to the genera- 
 tions of Ishmaers posterity ; nor to those proceeding 
 from the sons of Keturah. This was the case of 
 Esau and his posterity, though he was the son of a 
 covenant father. After a while, ten of the sons of 
 Israel with their generations \vere broken off from the 
 church ; and soon after our Saviour's advent, the other 
 two tribes, a few excepted, were broken off. Thus, 
 the covenant kept departing cut of the mouth of the 
 seed, and the seed's seed ; but in the good days which 
 are coming, it will be directly the reverse ; then it 
 will not depart out of their mouth, i. e. they will be 
 real and not hypocritical professors ; it Vv'iil not de- 
 part out of the mouth of their seed ; which is as much 
 as to say, their children shall all be taught of God ; it 
 will not depart out of the mouth of their seed's seed, 
 thenceforth forever: This is a declaration, that their 
 children's children will be pious, and that this order 
 of things will continue for a long time, if not to the 
 
SETH VVILLISTON. 153 
 
 v'eiy end of the world. And let it be noticed, that 
 all this good is communicated by virtue of God's co- 
 venant; ' This is my covenant with them, saith the 
 Lord.' Now, there will be no new covenant made 
 w ith the church in the Millennium. It will seem to 
 be new, by being more strictly kept, and by its bless- 
 ings being much more fully realized: But the same 
 covenant has existed all along, and it is wholly our 
 fault, that we do not now so keep it, as not only to 
 prevent it from departing out of our mouth, but also 
 out of the mouth of our seed. 
 
 In the Millennium, when the blessings shall des-- 
 cend so uninterruptedly, from generation to genera- 
 tion, the children of the pious will not be saved with- 
 out personal piety. Godly parents will not then take 
 their ungodly children to heaven ; but godly parents 
 will then be enabled to travail again in birth for their 
 children, until Christ be formed in their souls. The 
 faithfulness of these holy parents will issue in the 
 salvation of their children, because it will issue in the 
 holiness of their children; and this altogether through 
 the mercy of God. I say altogether through the mer- 
 cy of God; for it is not supposed, that parents, by 
 any means, merit such infinite and eternal blessings 
 for their children. They do not merit their own sal- 
 vation ; much less can they merit any thing for 
 others. It is all free, unmeritted mercy, that God has 
 ever promised any blessings to parents for their chil- 
 dren ; especially that he should say, I will be a God 
 to your seed after you. It is all of mercy that God has 
 established any connexion between a pious educa- 
 tion, and the piety of children; that he has said, 
 i Train up a child in the way he should go, and %\)hen 
 he IS old he njjill not depart Jrom it.'' After this mer- 
 ciful establishment, it is all of mercy, if parents are 
 ienabled to train their children up in the way they 
 should go. But what we maintain is this, that if they 
 
 19 
 
154 A SERMON BY 
 
 are en:ibled to be faithful to their children (which is 
 a possible case) God is under obligation, by his own 
 gracious promise, to bless the children, and keep 
 them from departing from the good way, in which 
 they are trained up. I know him, said the "God of 
 Abraham, that he will command his children and 
 household after him, and they shall keep the way of 
 the Lord. Is this making parents the saviours of their 
 children, in any way, which derogates from the ho- 
 nor of the divine Saviour ? It is only making them 
 the instrumental, and not the meritorious or efficient 
 cause of good to their children. It also supposes that, 
 as instruments, they derive all their sufficiency from 
 Christ. In this sense, the scripture represents min- 
 isters as saving their hearers. Take heed to thyself, 
 and to thy doctrine, said an aged apostle to a young 
 minister, that thou mayest sa'de thyself and them who 
 hear thee. But, said the same apostle, we have this 
 treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the 
 power may be of God, and not of us. What is here 
 spoken of the perfect dependence of ministers is whol- 
 ly applicable to the case of parents ; ' the excellency 
 of the power is of God and not of them. I beg that 
 I may hot be misunderstood, or misrepresented in 
 this important point. I repeat the sentiment, parents 
 do not merit any thing for their children. And yet 
 parents may do that for their childen, to which God 
 has promised the gift of a new heart and eternal life, 
 A poor man, who lives wholly upon charity, may 
 have a promise, that if he will daily come, as a beg- 
 gar, to the door of a ccrtahi ricli and benevolent man, 
 he shall always receive sufficient supplies for him- 
 self and his needy children. This man has a promise 
 of a support for himself and his children ; upon the 
 easy 'condition of being a daily beggar at the door of 
 one, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not; yet 
 who would infer, that the beggar supports himself 
 and family, by his own earnings I Let this be appli- 
 ed to the case before us. 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 155 
 
 Some have thought that the matter has been carried 
 Xqo far, when it hu$ been said, that it* parents were 
 to be faithful in keeping covenant, as it respects them- 
 selves, and their children, all their chitdren would be 
 saiicd. It is supposed by those, who make this ob- 
 jection, that the faithfulness of parents would issue 
 in the salvation of some of their children. But if our 
 text stands in opposition to the one sentiment, it does 
 to the other. If the salvation of a whole family ^ through 
 ihe covenant established with the head of it, be in- 
 consistent with God's treating every man accord- 
 ing to his own and not his father's character, then thp 
 salvation of one child., in a covenant w^ay, would be 
 equally inconsistent. If there is any promise to pa- 
 rents, that any of their children shall be saved, on any 
 condition ; if that condition is fulfilled on their part, I 
 do not see why the promise does not extend to all their 
 children. The covenant runs thus, ' I will be a God 
 to thee and thy seed after thee.' The prpmise is to you 
 and to your children, the seed of the blessed of the 
 Lord and their offspring with them. Jblessed shall 
 be the fruit of thy body. Here observe, the bless- 
 ing is to the seed, the children, the offspring and the 
 fruit oj their body. Does not this include all the chil- 
 dren of covenant keeping parents ? There is nothing 
 said in the covenant about dividing them. But it is 
 thought by some, that Paul, in his epistle to the Ro- 
 mans, and in his epistle to the Galatians, explains the 
 matter, so as to mean only a part of the seed. We 
 acknowledge, that the apostle explains it in such a 
 manner as to make it evident, that none of the natu- 
 ral seed of believers will be saved, unless they be- 
 come believers themselves ; and that just so many of 
 of the children of believers will be saved, as become 
 united to Christ by a living faith, and no more. This 
 was said in order to cut off all dependence on ex- 
 ternal pri\' lieges, ^s sufficient to introdjLice a soul in- 
 to the kingdom of Jieaven. Nothing short of pfSff 
 
156 A SERMON BY 
 
 sonal holiness will prepare any one to dvvcU in 
 the presence of God. But did the apostle say, that 
 God had made no promises to those parents, who 
 commanded their children and households after them,- 
 that their children should keep the way of the Lord ? 
 But again it will be urged, that fact proves the 
 blessing of the covenant to be confined to 2l part of 
 the seed of believers. Isaac, Eli, David and a great 
 many other dear servants of God, had very wicked 
 children. It is granted, that fact proves, that there 
 are no covenant blessings for children, or that pious 
 men may fail to obtain those blessings, by their fail- 
 ing to keep that part of the covenant, which respects 
 the education of their children. A number of scrip- 
 tures have been brought into view, which seem to 
 promise blessings for the children of those, who keep 
 covenant. These promises must not be trifled widi, 
 and treated as if they meant nothing. Let God be 
 true, if every man is made a covenant breaker. We 
 do not suppose, that the mere existence of piety in a 
 parent, insures the piety of his seed. It is said in 
 the 1 12th Psalm, ' «: lessed is the man who feareth the 
 Lord, who delightelh greatly in his commandments ; 
 his seed shall be mighty upon the earth.' tint it will 
 ht said, that David was one, who delighted greatly in 
 God's commandments ; yet he had an Adonijah and 
 an Absolom. It is required in the covenant, that in 
 order to obtain the blessing of God upon our children, 
 we should be very faithful to tkem, and do all in our 
 power, to keep out those obstructions, vrhich tend 
 to hinder their religious education. Some good men 
 are extremely inattentive to this important branch of 
 practical religion. This was a very notorious fault 
 in good Eli. And it is pretty evident, that David was 
 quite deficient in the government of his house. Con- 
 cerning Adonijah, it is said, his father had not dis- 
 pleased him at any time, in saying, why hast thou 
 done so ? This is about as much as to sav, that 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 157 
 
 David had no authority, at least, over this child. — 
 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to 
 himself bringeth his mother to shame. The Most 
 High, by proposing to godly parents, to bless their 
 children, provided they m'ost industriously and prayer- 
 fully train them up in wisdom's ways, no doubt, de- 
 signs to excite their most earnest attention to this 
 duty. If then, godly parents are quite remiss in this 
 thing, it would give too much countenance to their 
 sloth and neglect, if the blessing should still come 
 on all their children. We could here remark, that 
 probably one reason why the pious patriarchs and 
 kings, with all their eminency in religion, saw no 
 more piety in their families, was, because they did 
 not confine themselves to one wife, which we are 
 taught, Mai. 2. 15, is the way to seek a godly seed. 
 
 Infinite Wisdom has seen fit so to order it, that 
 this gracious and infinitely rich covenant, should hi- 
 therto be but imperfectly understood, and that through 
 unbelief and unfaithfulness, the blessings of it should 
 be drawn out in but a small degree ; but this does 
 not alter the nature of the covenant, nor does it prove 
 but that it is charged with a shower of blessings, 
 which is about to be poured out upon the world. The 
 children which are yet to be born, shall arise and praise 
 God for such a covenant. 
 
 We shall now, at the close of this discourse, pre- 
 sent in one point of view, the leading ideas, which 
 have already been exhibited. ' Now, of the things 
 which we have spoken, this is the sum.' 
 
 First. It is acknowledged, that the text, with the 
 context, clearly holds forth, that it would be incon- 
 sistent for God to punish the innocent, or clear the 
 guilty, let them be related to whom they may. In dis- 
 tributing rewards and punishments, God always re- 
 gards the personal character oi those, whom he re- 
 wards and punishes. Even those who are saved 
 through the merit of Jesus Christ, will be treated ac^ 
 
i^S A SERMON BY 
 
 cording to their own personal character-, yet not ac 
 cording to their own personal desert. All the righte- 
 ous will be rewarded, and all the -coicked will be dri- 
 ven into hell ; yet these righteous do not deserve any 
 reward ; for they ban)e sinned. 
 
 Secondly. From the view which we have taken 
 of this subject, ^it is also clear, that though it be in- 
 consistent for God to punish the innocent, or clear 
 the guilty ; yet it is consistent with his character, as 
 a licly Governor, to suffer one creature to be the- 
 sncans of ruining another, by entir/nig and leading 
 him into sin, as in the case of Satan tempting our first 
 parents, and Jeroboam making Israel to sin. It is al- 
 rso as consistent, that one man should be an instrument 
 cf doing another, great good, and of drawing hini to 
 God. Paul was sent to open blind eyes, and turn 
 men from satan to God. Ihough the apostle could 
 i«ot raise unconverted m.en to the kingdom of heaven ; 
 yet he was the instrument, w hich the mighty God, 
 osed to convert many from the error of their ways; 
 by which they were prepared unto glory. Man was 
 the instrument ; but the power w^as of God. 
 
 Thirdly. We have shown, that God might, con- 
 sistently with his infinite regard to justice, make great 
 use of parents, to stamp the character of their children; 
 and yet the children be treated according to their own 
 character. It has, I trust, been made to appear, that 
 this \\ as the tenor of the covenant of works, which 
 was made with the first parents of mankind. ' by 
 one man's disobedience, many were made sinners.' 
 In consequence of the fall of our federal head, we are 
 Dot imputed sinners, but real personal sinners ; and .be- 
 cause we arc real sinners, we deserve to be punished 
 for our evil nature, and our own transgressions. 
 
 Fourthly. In this view of matters, it is thought 
 Jtot to be inconsistent with the truth contained in the 
 text, to suppose that God has promised those parents, 
 who give their children to him in faith, sealing them 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 159 
 
 with the token of his gracious covenant, and who di- 
 ligently bring them up in the nurture and admonition 
 of the Lord, that he will pour out his spirit upon their 
 seed, and his blessing upon their offspring (Isaiah 
 44.) and so it makes them with their pious, faithful pa- 
 rents, heirs together of the grace of life. We not only 
 think that such a covenant might consistently be made ; 
 but that there is abundant proof from the scriptures, 
 that such a covenant is made. This it is conceived, is 
 the very spirit of the covenant made with Abraham, 
 the father of the faithful. In the 17th chapter of 
 Genesis, Jehovah promises to be the God of Abraham 
 and of his seed ; and in the 18th chapter 19th verse, 
 he speaks of Abrahams's faithfulness issuing in the 
 piety of his children, and as being the condition up- 
 on which he would bestow promised blessings. All 
 the promises, made to the friends of God, of blessin :>; 
 them in their seed, children and offspring, are built 
 upon the plan, which has been just now exhibited. I 
 cannot but think, that it is in view of a mutual en^ 
 gagement between the most merciful God and believ- 
 ing, godly parents (for none others ever did sincerely 
 covenant w^ith God) in which they engage to brino- 
 up their children for God, and that ^^ engages, in 
 case they do so, he will bless their children with sav- 
 ing blessings ; that it is in- view of such a covenant, 
 infant circumcision and infant baptism have all their 
 signijicancy and importance. 
 
 FiFTfiLY. It is thought, that this view of the con- 
 nexion between parents and children, in which parents 
 are considered, as giving complexion to the character 
 of their children, not only clears the divine Being 
 from the imputation of injustice, but that it very glo- 
 riously exhibits his infinite regard to holiness, and hir. 
 perfect of)position to sin. Since God is the Sove- 
 reign Pbtter, he has almost undoubted right to make 
 vessels of honor or of dishonor, as it seemeth good 
 in his sight. What a proof did he i>:iYe Adam of his 
 
160 A SERMON BY 
 
 infinite complacency in moral goodness, by assuring 
 him that bis obedience alone should infallibly secure 
 holiness andhappiness to the countless millions which 
 should proceed from his loins. What a proof also 
 has he given of his infinite hatred of moral evil, by 
 causing one sin to plunge them all into a state of ruin. 
 There is no wrong done to his posterity ; for the 
 state of ruin into which we are plunged is also a state 
 of sin ; indeed, this is the thing in which our ruin 
 very much consists. Again, what a proof did God 
 give of his pleasedness with Abraham's faith, by his 
 promise to him of building up the church in his fami- 
 ly. Why did God build up his church in the family 
 of Abraham, rather than in the family of Abimelech, 
 who v/as a cotemporary with the patriarch ? Was 
 it not evidently to manifest, that through Christ, 
 God accepted of the faith of Abraham, and disap- 
 proved the unbelief of Abimelech ? The God of Israel 
 also manifested a peculiar delight in David, in dis- 
 tinction from Saul, by setting his son upon the throne 
 after him. And since the Most High had an origi- 
 nal right to make the descendants of Ham, servants 
 to their brethren, was there not wisdom in this being 
 done in a way of a curse upon their progenitor ? In this 
 way there is an infinite stigma placed upon his want 
 of filial respect for his father ; also, this sin in all 
 others is made to appear exceedingly sinful. The fa- 
 ther has given a^much fuller display of his displeasure 
 with the crucifiers of his well-beloved son, by entail- 
 ing their sin and wretchedness on so many genera- 
 tions, proceeding from their loins, than he would have 
 done, had he only punished them in their own per- 
 sons. Our children are dear to us all, whether we be 
 J rends or enemies to religion. Keeping this truth in 
 view, we cati all see, that God gives a striking proof 
 of his love of obedience, and hatred of rebellion, by 
 telling the one, that he will bless, and the other that 
 he will curse the fruit of their body. 
 
SETH WILLISTON. 161 
 
 The- representation which has been given, in the 
 last of these two discourses, of the moral, as well as 
 natural relation between parents and children, will no. 
 doubty appear to some extravagant, and of a. danger- 
 ous tendency. Kit appeared so to me, I could not, 
 with a clear conscience, jnake such a representation. 
 But the representation appears to me, not only scrip- 
 tural, but highly important, and the less it is under- 
 stood, the more necessary it seems to be, that it should 
 be made public. Let me ask, what is the dangerous 
 tendancy of this sentiment ? Is it not calculated to 
 make parents (all of whom have natural affection for 
 their children) look about them, when they find, that 
 they do, in an important sense, hold in their hands the 
 eternal destiny of the offspring of their own bowels? 
 Will pious parents be less determined, that for them- 
 selves and their house they will serve the Lord ; that 
 they will cbmmand their children and their household 
 after them, by being told, that, if they do so, God 
 will bless their children, and incline their hearts by his 
 free spirit to walk in wisdom's ways ? This will, it 
 is presumed, above any thing, stir up parents to live 
 holy lives and to be faithful to their children. 
 
 Will it do any thing towards making ungodly, 
 prayerless parents feel easy in their sinful course, to 
 read, that the curse of the Lord is upon the house of 
 the wicked, and that the seed of evil doers shall not 
 be renowned ? These curses, which the scripture de- 
 nounces on the children of those, who are out of 
 Christ, are calculated to operate powerfully to deter 
 them from going on in impenitence. 
 
 To the children of unbelieving parents I have a 
 word to say , your case is by no means hopeless. — 
 There is not an unalterable connexion between the 
 state of your parents and your own. There is a no- 
 ticeable distinction in the second commandment, be- 
 tween God's visiting the iniquities of ungodly parents 
 
 20 
 
162 A SERMON BY he. &tc. 
 
 on their children, and his showing mercy unto the 
 children of those who love him and keep his com- 
 mandments. Take into view all that has been said, 
 and you must be convinced, that if you die, it will 
 be for your own sin and impenitence. If you see 
 your father's sin, and do not the like, but turn unto 
 God with your hearts, you shall not die, you shall 
 shurely 'ive. 
 
 Let the children of the pious feel the necessity of 
 personal piety. Your parents must leave you behind 
 them, when they go to glory, if you do not hear their 
 counsel and folio Af their example in this, the day of 
 your peace : for without holiness no man shall see 
 the Lord, 
 
NATURE AND POWER OF TRUTH, 
 
 ILLUSTRATED IN 
 
 TWO DISCOURSES, 
 
 BY 
 
 DAVID PORTER, 
 
 l»ASTOR OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CATSKILL, N. YOR?;. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 John xviii. 38. 
 
 Pilate saith unto him, what is truth ? 
 
 AFTER Jesus was apprehended by Judas Iscariot, 
 he was first conducted to Annas, father. in-law to 
 Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. In the next 
 place, Jesus was bound and led to the palace of the 
 high priest himself. Caiaphas, immediately, entered 
 into conversation with him, respecting his disciples 
 and doctrine. It was the intention of the high priest, 
 that Jesus should be condemned and crucified ; he did 
 not, therefore proceed to try him, because the Jews 
 had no authority, in any case, to inflict capital pu- 
 nishment. From Caiaphas's palace, the chief priests 
 removed Jesus to Pilate's judgment-hall. I,t will be 
 recollected, that at this time Judea was & Roman 
 province, of which Pilate was governor. No sooner 
 had the chief-priests surrendered up Jesus into the 
 hands of Pilate, than he went out and conferred 
 with them ; for they did not themselves enter into 
 the judgment-hall, as to tread on the fioor of an 
 uncircumcised heathen, they conceived would dis- 
 qualify them to eat the passover, which was then 
 
164 A SERMON BY 
 
 approaching. Pilate asked them, what ?\ccusation 
 they had against Jesus, whom they had delivered 
 bound to him. They identified no specific charge 
 against him at first ; but replied, that had he not been 
 a malefactor they should not have commenced the 
 prosecution against him. Pilate then told them to pur- 
 sue the process in their own way, and according to 
 their own law. The chief priests replied, that their 
 authority did not extend to the taking of life, which 
 they hoped might be the verdict against the prisoner. 
 Pilate then left them and returned to the judgment- 
 hall ; and now commenced the most interesting trial 
 ever witnessed by these heavens, and this earth ! 
 
 The incarnate God was the prisoner at the bar I 
 The inhabitants of both worlds were spectators of 
 the scene ! Consequences as eventful as eternity, were 
 suspended on the issue of this trial ! 
 
 The first question, Pilate asked Jesus, was, wheth- 
 er he was king of the Jews. To this Jesus did not 
 give a direct reply. Pilate had unquestionably been 
 informed that Jesus made this claim, and if by this 
 he meant to assume the authority of a temporal prince 
 it would amount to treason against Caesar and the 
 Roman goverment and subject him to capital pun- 
 ishment, Christ's answer to Pilate's question was 
 this ; ' say est thou this thing of thyself^ of did others 
 tell it thee of me?'* By this Jesus inquired, whether 
 Pilate asked the question for his Own satisfactiori, or 
 because of any suspicion he himsdf Had of Jesus^ as- 
 suming temporal dominion ; or whether the accusa- 
 tion wa^ from his prosecutors. Pilate perfectly un- 
 derstood him and replied in these words. Am I a 
 Jew ? intimating that he was not, and that during his 
 regency in the province, he had never found Jesiis 
 disloyal to the government ; that the accusation Was 
 from his own nation ; that he acted only as judge, 
 and wished Jesus to inforni him respecting the facts 
 of which he stood accused. Ijpon this Jesus replies 
 «vith decision, and tells Pilate that his kingdom was 
 
DAVID PORTER. 165 
 
 not of this world ; that he never assumed princely 
 authority, nor intermeddled with the affairs of civil 
 -government. And to assure Pilate of this' fact, ob- 
 serves farther, that if his kingdom had been of this 
 World, his servants would have fought, and that he 
 should not have been brought, without resistance, 
 to that tribunal. Pilate now admits, that Jesus claim- 
 ed no temporal prerogatives, but is inquisitive to 
 know, whether he was a king over any kingdom. 
 Hast thou a kingdom over which ihou presidest of 
 any description ? Jesus answers, ' thou sayest, that 
 I am a king,' or thou mayest say in truth, that I 
 am king and governor of the whole universe ; and 
 adds, for this end, or because I sustain this ex- 
 alted character, was I born, that I should bear tes- 
 timony to the truth on which my- kingdom rests; 
 and then asserts,. that every one, who is of the truth, 
 will hear his voice or give the fullest credit to his 
 declarations. Upon this Pilate asks the question, 
 * IVkat is truth ?' and then as if enveloped in the full 
 blaze of truth itself, retires from the judgment-hall, 
 and informs the Jews, that he found no fault at all in 
 him. 
 
 What I shall attempt at this time, will be an ap- 
 propriate answer to Pilate's last question, ' IVhat is 
 truth ?' 
 
 That your minds may be assisted in this interest- 
 ing subject , I shall, 
 
 I.- -Show, what wc; are to. understand by truth in 
 reference to this question. And, 
 
 II. Point out its nature and effects. 
 
 I. \ shall show what we are to understand by 
 truth, in reference, to the question, * JVhat is truth V 
 
 ' There is a rule of right in the. nature of things pri- 
 or even to the consideration of an express law, to 
 which all moral beings are obliged to conform. Mor- 
 al obligation is groHjJsded in the difference between 
 right and wrong whicli exists necessarily ; and truth 
 taken in the widest sense, is the exposition of this 
 
166 A SERMON BY 
 
 difference exactly as it exists, in the mind of the in-^ 
 finite God. The divine law is a perfect rule, draw- 
 ing an undeviating line between virtue and vice, 
 requiring that w^e love the one and hate the other, ac- 
 cording to the difference existing between them in 
 the nature of things. The law of God is said to be 
 holy, just and good, because it explains and enjoins 
 obligation according to the eternal and unerring stand- 
 ard of rectitude. To this unalterable standard, all 
 moral beings in the universe are, and will be forever, 
 under obligation to conform. In this respect there 
 is no difference between God and his creatures. The 
 moral excellence of Deity consists in his disposition 
 invariably to regard this eternal and uncreated stand- 
 ard of right. In his word, God frequently appeals 
 to this standard in vindicating the rectitude of his 
 administration in the government of the world. God 
 speaks in Micah. vi. 3. ' O my people what have I 
 done unto thee ? and wherein have I wearied thee ? 
 Testify against me.' He submits his conduct to be 
 approved by his creatures, only as it coincides with 
 what is fit and right in the nature of things- , 
 
 Neither does God criminate creatures, only as 
 they violate moral obligation. God and his crea- 
 tures are bound to do right by one and the same rule. 
 If it should be imagined, at first thought, that Qod 
 is not duly revered by conceiving him bound to do 
 right, it might be asked, whether he would not be 
 dishonored, upon the contrary supposition ? If God 
 were not bound to do right, would he refer his crea- 
 tures to the nature and fitness of things in the vindi- 
 cation of the equity of his ways ? It is the glory of 
 God that he implicitly adheres, in all his acts, to the 
 standard of moral excellence, and his obligation thus 
 to do, explains the reasonableness and authority of his 
 law. God's law is reasonable, not simply because it 
 is his law; but because it is excellent, and in its own 
 nature conformable to the eternal standard of recti« 
 
DAVID PORTER. 167 
 
 hide. God's law is binding on us, not because we 
 are commanded to yield obedience to it, but because 
 his commandment'is in itself right. The mouths of 
 the wicked in the other world will be stopped, and they 
 become guilty before God, because he will convince 
 them, that the extent of his vindictive displeasure is 
 conformable to the same fitness, as the law they had 
 violated. God will not punish the wicked like an arbi- 
 trary despot, because he has more power than they ; 
 but because he is under an eternal obligation thus to 
 do, from which he cannot depart, without forfeiting 
 his holiness. To say this of the ever-blessed God, is 
 vastly more honorary to his character, than to con- 
 ceive him above such obligation. If wc should say, 
 God is above the eternal rule of right, and is not ob- 
 liged to conform to it, no reason can be given to 
 make it certain, that his adherence to this standard 
 will be uniform. If we should say, that moral obli- 
 gation does not arise from the necessary and immu- 
 table diiference between right and wrong, we must 
 admit, that it rests on some other foundation. And 
 if on any other, it must be the revealed law. The 
 revealed law of God is, that we should love him 
 with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves. 
 To this law it is our indispensable dut)^ to yield obe- 
 dience, and for this reason and no other, that it is fit 
 and right in the nature of things. Supposing God 
 should create another world, and furnish it with a 
 superior order of intelligences, and should make a law 
 enjoining them to commit murder and suicide, would 
 it be right in them to regard this law ? It certainly 
 would not, and for this plain reason, it would be con- 
 trary to what is right in the nature of things. It is 
 impossible for God to change vice into virtue, or vir- 
 tue into vice. Sin is wrong in its own nature, and 
 it is impossible for God to make it otherwise by a 
 law. It is hence evident, that law is not the ground 
 of moral obligation ; but moral obligation the ground 
 
1^8 A SERMON BY 
 
 of law, since law is no farther binding, than it is right 
 and lit in the nature of things. To say that God can- 
 not destroy the standard of moral obligation, is say- 
 ing no more, than that he cannot do wrong , and say- 
 ing that he is under this obligation, is saying no less, 
 than that he is infinitely good. 
 
 We are now prepared to answer Pilate's question, 
 ' IFhat is truth ? Truth in reference to this question 
 is the testimony of Jesus Christ to the excellency and 
 authority of the law of God, grounded on the eter- 
 nal and unalterable difference betweenright and wrong, 
 as it exists in the nature of things. To bear testi- 
 mony to the truth in this wide extent, was the ultimate 
 end for which Christ came unto the world, and per- 
 formed his mediatorial work. 
 
 The scriptures are Christ's testimony. These con- 
 tain a true account of sin and holiness, of their eter- 
 nal and immutable difference, as they lie in the infi- 
 nite mind of God. Jesus Christ is called ' the truth, 
 the faithful and true witness,' and is the divine ex- 
 pounder of truth, as it exists in the nature of things. 
 Truth, in its appropriation to the question before us, 
 is the exposition of Jesus Christ, bequeathed to the 
 world, of God's unalterable conformity to the stand- 
 ard of moral obligation in the kingdom of providence ; 
 or it is a dispensation of combined truth, which God, 
 by an eternal rule of righteousness, was bound in 
 honor to himself to exhibit, for the highest possible 
 good of the universe. God is, in no case, amena- 
 ble to creatures, as such, in themselves considered ; 
 but he is obliged, from the infinite perfection of his 
 nature, to make that display of truth, which should 
 set moral good and evil in such contrast, as should 
 result most to his own honor, and to the holiness and 
 felicity of his moral kingdom. If we only take the 
 pains to examine closely the several parts of truth, 
 Jesus has unfolded to the world, in the dispensation 
 he has revealed and executed, we shall see that his 
 
dAvid porter, ie^ 
 
 kingdom is a kingdom of truth in eonformity to the 
 eternal and immutable standard of rectitude. 
 
 Jesus in the dominion of his providence or by his 
 whole work, has portrayed the divine character ex- 
 actly according to its reality. He has not deviated 
 in his representation from truth in the least possible 
 degree. He attributed to God all those perfections 
 ^md glories, which must exist in the glorious Crea- 
 t^or and Governor of the world. 
 
 The account Jesus gives of God, perfectly tallies 
 in all its applications and bearings, with the displays 
 he makes of himself in the constitution and course 
 of nature. Jesus Christ asserted the universal gov- 
 erment of God, and this is as certain as that the world 
 was indebted to a cause for its beginning. 
 
 2d. Jesus Christ testified to a law, Vv^hich is bind^ 
 ing on all moral beings, and which Xve may cer- 
 tainly know is the divine law. Human lav/ never in 
 any case whatever respects any other than overt acts. 
 An action miist be visible to reach human cognizance. 
 Hence legislative bodies have never undertaken to 
 give law for the regulation of the heart. They do 
 not call men to an account for their secret sins. And 
 it is impossible they should. Because a crime which 
 is latent is not cognizable. But the law which Jesus 
 came to magnify extends to every secret of the soul. 
 Respecting the penalty annexed to this infinitely ho- 
 ly law, Jesus has given us the truth. The penalty 
 is an expression of its infinite authority and shews 
 the law to be like its author, transcendently excellent 
 and pure. 
 
 3d. The testimony of Jesus Christ is true respect- 
 ing human nature in its degenerate state. Men in 
 every age have proved themselves by actions as far 
 
 removed from God, as Christ represented them - 
 
 His assertions concur with those facts, which are 
 certain evidence that h? knew * what was in man.' 
 
 21 
 
170- A SERMON BY 
 
 Jesus when in the world, did not make a single mis- 
 take in judgment. Eighteen hundred years have 
 never detected him in a fault. The portraiture he 
 has drawn of this fallen worW, the fountain of in- 
 dwelling sin, and the degree and seat of it in the mind, 
 as by him described, proves him omnicient and in- 
 finitely wise. Jesus' eye is ail-piercing, not a pas- 
 sion, not a motion of the heart does he overlook» 
 The correctnes of his sentiments respecting human 
 guilt, holds an assent, even where it mortifies and ir- 
 ritates. His pencil drew a picture we know to be 
 our own. The gospel is a glass, held out by Jesus 
 in which we may see ourselves lost^ and that he alone 
 is our helper, 
 
 4th. Jesus Christ is perfectly correct and true in 
 the system of rules he has given for the regulation of 
 our moral conduct. You may con over every rule he 
 has laid down, every moral sentiment he has expres- 
 sed, and you will not find a single article, if adopted, 
 and carried into practice, but would be most excel- 
 lent in its opperation. Those most hostile to Jesus 
 and his gospel are necessiated to confess his moral 
 rules unexceptionally excellent. While Jesus is made 
 the butt of ridicule and infidel scoffing, the impious 
 assailants, are irresistibly constrained to a confession 
 honorary to the truth, that there has never been a 
 religion in the world so conducive to human hap- 
 piness, so well calculated to alleviate wo, so friendly 
 to social compact, as the christian religion. On read- 
 ing the New Testament, infidels themselves, bring 
 in this witness and leave it at the feet of Jesus. 
 
 If, therefore, the testimony of Jesus is true upon 
 the points already suggested, his whole system must 
 rest on a foundation which never shall be moved. The 
 mysteries of Godliness, Christ's humanity and equal- 
 ity with God, his mediatorial kingdom, his efficacy 
 and merit are veracity in capitals, ' known and read" 
 of all heaven. High and lifted up Jesus is enthroned. 
 
DAVID PORTER. 171 
 
 His name is truth. And for this end was he born, 
 that he might redr a kingdom, from every nation, 
 kindred and language, to be witnesses before him. 
 Whatever clouds may now veil the minds of guilty 
 men, whatever doubts they may entertain of the char- 
 acter of the Redeemer, and the doctrines which he 
 taught ; the time will come when the veil of mystery 
 will be rent, when truth all potent — overwhelming 
 truth, will carry conviction to all hearts. Then will 
 every doctrine of the cross be believed ; then will 
 Christ Jesus appear in the resplendent glory of his 
 character, and to him every knee shall ultimately 
 bow, and every tongue confess, that his kingdom is 
 a kingdom of truth, righteousness and light, and that 
 in him * is no darkness at alL' 
 
NATURE AND POWER OF TRUTH, 
 
 ILLUSTRATED IN 
 
 TWO DISCOURSES, 
 
 BY 
 
 DAVID PORTER, 
 
 SARTOR OF THE PRESBYTERIAS CHURCH IN CATSKILL, No YORK. 
 
 SERMON II, 
 
 John xviii. 38. 
 
 Pilaie saith imto him, 'what is truth ? 
 
 IN the preceeding discourse an appropriate answer 
 was attempted to this great question. Your attention 
 is now invited to the 
 
 11. Particular, which is to point out the nature and 
 effects of truth. 
 
 A subject, frequently rises in its importance, much 
 higher, by attaching to it the effects of its operation, 
 than by resting it on definitions, though ever so cor- 
 rect and pertinent. 
 
 Should you find a man who is a total stranger to the 
 compass, and should you define to him all the parts 
 destinctly, and how they are put together, so as to 
 give him a perfect idea. of the instrument, he would 
 have but a very contracted view of its importance, 
 till you had explained to him its utility, and the im- 
 mense advantages resulting from it to the world. 
 When you had done this, the subject would magnify- 
 in his eye, and he would appreciate it as one of the 
 most useful discoveries ever made by the human mind. 
 It is very much so with truth in application to the 
 object before us. We have defined truth. We liave 
 
174 A SERMON BY 
 
 said to this effect, that it is the testimony of Jesus 
 Christ to the divine law, grounded on the eternal and 
 unalterable difference between right and wrong, as it 
 exists in the nature of things, and is viewed by God. 
 But if on this, or on any similar abstract definition, 
 the subject should be rested, a very small proportion 
 of the importance of it will be realized and felt, com- 
 pared with what might be expected, in case we should 
 trace out its peculiar qualities, and its tendency, and 
 the effects of its operation. 
 
 If this part of the subject can be managed advanta- 
 geously, if we can follow truth in the paths marked 
 out by the great Master of Assemblies, it is hoped 
 we shall go away more convinced, more humbled, 
 more deeply penetrated with the truth, and with more 
 earnest solicitude to know it as it is in Jesus Christ 
 our Lord, than when we convened. 
 
 Shall we then behold in the light of God's word, 
 the truths which Jesus has disclosed, in its nature, in 
 its tendency, and in the effects of its operation. And 
 
 1. Truth is enlightening. 
 
 Jesus Christ, who is the Alpha and the Omega^ the 
 beginning and the ending, and every cope stone of 
 truth, is represented in the scripture, by way of emi- 
 nence, and with peculiar emphasis, the enlightener of 
 the world. John his forerunner speaks of him in these 
 words. * In him was life, and the life was the light 
 of men. And the light shineth in darkness and the 
 darkness comprehendeth it not. That was the true 
 light, which lighteth every man that cometh into 
 the world.' Simeon a just and devout man, and one 
 v/ho waited for the consolation of Israel has given 
 us the same testimony. ' For mine eyes have seen 
 thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before face 
 of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and 
 the glory of thy people Israel.' David tells us, that 
 * the commandment of the Lord,' by which is meant, 
 tnithy * is pure, enlightening the eyes.' It is the n^ 
 
DAVID PORTER. 175 
 
 ture of truth to enlighten. This will appear abun- 
 dantly evident by marking the vestages and course it. 
 has taken. I'hose to whom the oracle of truth was 
 first committed were enlightened far beyond those 
 who were enveloped in heathenism. A comparative 
 view of the nations of the world, from the first dawn 
 of light shed forth by the son of righteousnes af- 
 fords complete demonstration on this point. As early 
 as the patriarchal age, we discover remarkable dis- 
 parity between the nations which were given over 
 to heathenism, and the few who vvcre favored with 
 the light of divine truth. While the Israelites to 
 whom God gave the special communications of his 
 mind, worshipped the one living and true God, the 
 nations round about them, were begotted to the most 
 abominable idolatry. They defied not only the hosts 
 of heaven, but offered sacrifices to Gods of wood and 
 of stone, and even creeping reptiles and fouls of the 
 air. In this early period, the Egyptians prided them- 
 slves as superior to their neighbors ; but their boast- 
 ed fame was none other than an imaginary greatness. 
 Magic was the principal acquisition to which their 
 ambition aspired. In moral sentiment they were 
 shrouded in midnight gloom. Call up to your re- 
 collection, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and look 
 among their heathen cotemporaries for their equals, 
 and do you find them ? God had selected a people 
 to be peculiarly his own, to whom he unfolded some 
 pages of truth, which, though obscured by interven- 
 ing clouds, so enlightened them, as to give decided 
 ascendency to them, in point of correct inform.ation, 
 over all the nations of the earth. 
 
 If from the patriarchal age we move farther down, 
 tlie line of destinction between those God had under- 
 taken to instruct, and those who were given over to 
 their bev/ildered imaginations, gradually magnifies.. 
 As God discovered more of truth, so his people be- 
 came more enlightened. One Israelite spiritu *!ly 
 
176 A SERMON BY 
 
 taught, in the truth outshone the whole heathen world 
 combined. The collected wisdom of the babylonian 
 monarchy, feil as far short of the wisdom of Daniel, 
 as a dim taper is beneath the unclouded sun. The 
 light of his mind was confessed as a prodigy by three 
 of the greatest and most splendid monarchs^ whoever 
 ascended the eastern throne. The illumination of that 
 wonderful man w^as the effect of truth taught him by 
 the Lord God Almighty. Detached from this ac- 
 qusition, he was no more than another man. 
 
 When Jesus made his disccnt he opened an im- 
 mense treasure of truth to the world and demonstrat- 
 ed this fact, that truth is enlightening. Enlightened 
 by Jesus from whom truth shone with unborrowed lus- 
 tre, and shed its genial rays, a few plain men whose 
 acquired abilities were inferior to no small proportion 
 of their cotemporaries confounded the boasted wisdom 
 of the great and honorable of the earth. During 
 Christ^s ministry and the apostolic age, there was such 
 an astoni shins: disclosure of truth, that in a short time 
 its cheering inlluence had extended through the greater 
 part of the Roman empire. The shades of heathenish 
 superstition and false philosophy were chased away 
 by the irradiating beams of that immense combina- 
 tion of truth reflected by Jesus upon a benighted world, 
 and on subjects of everlasting importance. Heathen 
 temples and worship side by side with Christian as- 
 semblies stood abashed and dwindled into contempt. 
 The votaries of Pagan divinities awakening from de- 
 lusion, revolted in crouds from the shrines of super- 
 stition, to the courts of the liviag God. Concurring 
 here with the celebrated Mosheim, very elegantly and 
 justly observes.* 
 
 •' Jesus, being ascended into heaven, soon shewed 
 his aflicted disciples, that though invisible to mortal 
 eyes, he was still their omnipotent protector and their 
 _ . ,«. . „ , , , . , , , , , . - . . . . ■■ , 
 
 VoJ. isfy chap. d. 
 
DAViD PORTEU, 177 
 
 benevolent guide. About fifty days after his depar- 
 ture from them, he gave thenl the first proof of that 
 majesty and power to which he was exalted, by the 
 effusion of the Holy Ghost upon them according to 
 his promise. The consequences of this grand event 
 were surprising and glorious, infinitely honorable to 
 the Christian religion and the divine mission of its 
 triumphant author. For no sooner had the apostles 
 received this precious gift, this celestial guide, than 
 their ignorance was turned into light, their doubts in- 
 to certainty, their fears into a firm and invincible for- 
 titude, and their former backwardness into an ardent 
 and inextinguishable zeal, which led them to under- 
 take their sacred office with the utmost intrepidity and 
 alacrity of mind. This marvellous event was attend- 
 ed with a variety of gifts; particularly the gift of 
 tongues, so indispensably necessary to qualify the 
 apostles to preach the gospel in the different nations. 
 The holy apostles were also filled with a perfect per- 
 suasion, founded on Christ's express promise, that 
 the divine presence would perpetually accompany 
 them, and shew itself by miraculous interpositions, 
 as often as the successof the jr ministry should render 
 this necessary. 
 
 Relying upon these celestial succours, the apos- 
 tles began their glorious ministry, by preaching the 
 gospel, according to Christ's positive'command, first 
 to the Jews, and by endeavoring to bring that de- 
 luded people to the knowledge of the truth. Nor were 
 their labors unsuccessful, since in a very short time, 
 many thousands were converted, by the infiuence of 
 their ministry to the Christian faith, from the Jews 
 they passed to the Samaritans, to Avhom they preach- 
 ed with such efficacy, that great numbers of that na- 
 tion acknowledged the Messiah. And after they had 
 exercised their ministry, during several years, at Je- 
 rusalem, and brought to a sufficient degree of consist- 
 ence and maturity the Christian churches which were 
 
178 A SERMON BY 
 
 founded In Palestine 2ir\d the adjacent countries, they 
 extended their views further, carried the divine lamp 
 of the gospel to all the nations of the world, and saw 
 their labors crowned, almost every where, with the 
 most abundant fruits." 
 
 Light so resplendent as that beaming from the ex- 
 alted redeemer, could not but irradiate every one who 
 would open his eyes to the full orbed Sun. Truth 
 has marked its wav and carried with it such a blaze of 
 light, as has set the christian in point of correctness 
 in moral sentiment, as fai' superior to the heathen, 
 as they arc to the gods they adore. Whence all this 
 wide disparity, if not the effect of truth ? 
 
 When we compare those parts of the world, where 
 the truth, as it is in Jesus, has been propagated, with 
 those which have never received the heavenly message^ 
 have we not all the corroboration any fact can pos- 
 sibly have to sustain it, that truth is enlightening. 
 If, in any one, there can be an inclination to hesitate 
 rcsoectins: this sentiment, let him bestow a momen- 
 tary look on the northern and western aborigines of 
 our oun country ; let him turn his thoughts on Asia 
 and Africa, and most of the insulated parts of the 
 globe, and then let him in his imagination bring them 
 near cur own enlightened habitation, and is there 
 scarce a comparison to be formed between the con- 
 trasted objects in point of moral and intellectual at« 
 tainments ? And still we have but a faint picture of 
 the enlightening power of truth. Its illuminating ef- 
 fect has been and is still, truly astonishing, as it exists 
 in the chosen followers of the Lamb ; and yet compa- 
 ratively, the day is beginning to dawn. Girt about 
 widi truth, Jesus can do more still ; and blessed be 
 his name, he will, when he shall make the light of the 
 moon, as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun 
 as the light of seven days cause such bright shining of 
 truth, that the infant shall die an hundred years old 
 in the knowledge of the Lor<i God. 
 
DAVID PORTER. 179 
 
 When the new Jerusalem shall come down, and 
 there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, it will 
 bring such an orb of light from the majesty on high, 
 as shall irradiate the minds of Jehovah's elect, surpass- 
 ing all the experience of past ages, as far as the hea- 
 vens arc high above the earth. The truth of Jesus 
 will never have completed its glorious work of en- 
 lightening. Jesus will set upon the throne of truth 
 enlightening the redeemed more and more into the 
 mysteries and glories of the triune majesty. Hence 
 we may rest assured, that truth is enlightening 
 
 2d. With equal pertinency it may be said that truth 
 is convincing. Truth is of such a nature as is calcu- 
 lated to produce conviction in the human mind. Men 
 by nature are opposed to the truth, and are extremely 
 averse to come to the knowledge of it as it is in Jesiis; 
 yet such is its nature that they are liable to be con- 
 vinced by it. Multitudes were convinced of the truth 
 before the incarnation ; multitudes since that period, 
 so that what has already transpired, proves to a cer- 
 tainty that truth is convincing. Many of Christ's en- 
 emies, and who continued to the last to be his enemies, 
 were convinced by the truth of God. Conviction of 
 truth is nol holiness. It is not religion. Holiness 
 belongs to the heart — conviction to the conscience. 
 Devils may be convinced as well as Saints in glory. 
 Devils believe and tremble. The inhabitants of the 
 old world, the Sodomites, Pharaoh and his hosts, and 
 the kings of Babylon, though extremely averse to it, 
 were nevertheless convinced of the truth. Judas and 
 Pilate, and many of the Jewish Sanhedrim, who were 
 the immediate agents in the crucifixion, were brought 
 to deep conviction of the truth. The Centurion at 
 the cross made a public confession, of an entire con= 
 viction, in these expressions ; * Surely this man is the 
 son of God.' That the nature of truth is convincing, 
 we may rest assured from what has transpired in the 
 world, since the first promulgation of the gospel. Mul- 
 
180 A SERMON BY 
 
 titudes of all classes of men, from the sage philoso- 
 pher to the rude barbarian, have set to their seal that 
 God is true. God is continually carrying on the 
 v/ork of convincing men. IVuth is calculated to pro- 
 duce conviction. 
 
 3d. Truth is not only enlipjhtening and convincing, 
 but it is unconquerable. The kingdom of truth, re- 
 presented by the stone cut out of the mountain with- 
 out hands, is a kingdom which never can be vanquish- 
 ed. It is aloof from hostile access. The enemy may 
 rise like a tovverhig surge; and brake in upon it like a 
 flood, and yet they are overcome in the attempt and 
 fall maimed at its feet, like Dagon before the ark of 
 the living God. The powers of darkness have assailed 
 the truth in all the different modes of encounter, creat- 
 ed subtlety could devise, and without the least effect, 
 Nero, Decius Trajan, Severus and Julian the apos- 
 ate, made the bold and fruitless attempt. They 
 could do nothing ; they left the lield beaten and over- 
 come. Modern infidels have made great promises to 
 the world of the achievements they should execute in 
 the abolition of the truth, as it is in Christ ; but in the 
 very moment of effort, truth has trampled them under 
 foot, and laughed them to scorn. They h'*ve greatly 
 mistaken the strength of the arm against which they 
 have risen up. It is an arm shielded, which no point- 
 ed javelin can touch. As well might the child of yes- 
 terday, remove and shake the heavens and earth from 
 their base, as for the whole combination of wricked 
 men and devils remove one particle of truth fromits 
 place. 
 
 True, the faithful, of whom the world was not wor- 
 thy, have fallen a sacrifice in instances not a few, to 
 the monsters of iniquity, Herod and Pontius Pilate, 
 with the Gentiles and people of Israel, made a despe- 
 rate effort to extinguish the light of divine truth, in 
 the crucifixion of our Lord; but it is to be noticed, 
 what they did was the establishment of one of the 
 
DAVID PORTER. \Bl 
 
 greatest truths ever witnessed in the universe. In this 
 flagrant transaction the divine determination was per^ 
 fectly accomplished, and the faithfulness of God to his 
 elect confirmed. The divine plan brought to light 
 by Jesus, is eternal truth in conformity to the fitness 
 of things ; it is therefore superior to every opposing 
 power that ever has or ever can conspire for its over- 
 throw. The proof is demonstration itself, that truth 
 is invincible. Of truth, we may say still more than 
 this, it is irresistible. Let this be our 
 
 4th. Particular. Ever since the introduction of mo- 
 ral evil into the system, the wicked of both worlds, in- 
 self justification, have sought to confound the differ- 
 ence between right and wrong in the nature of things. 
 For if they could destroy this ground of moral obliga- 
 tion, they could exculpate themselves for their rebel- 
 lion against God. And God has given up a vast part 
 of the wicked to take their course, that he might prove 
 to them, that -truth is irresistible '; that neither his 
 revealed will nor law, constitutes the difference be- 
 tween right and v/rong, but are the faithful and perfect 
 exposition of this difierence. Nothing is more com- 
 mon in the world, than for men to labor with all tli^ 
 powers they possess, to make that appear right which is 
 palpable wrong, and that wrong which is perfectly right. 
 This is a prominent trait in sinful characters, both as 
 respects principles of action, and actions flowing from 
 such principles. This matter needs some illustration, 
 that we might have a clearer view of the triumph and 
 irresistible power of truth. In this illustration, we 
 shall have recourse to facts. Satan undertook in tempt- 
 ing our first parents to eat the forbiden fruit, to make 
 them believe he was their friend, and God their ene- 
 my. His object was to change the positions of moral 
 good and evil, or of truth and falsehood, or so con- 
 found them as to destroy their difference. Adam and 
 Eve acted upon his plan : and what was was the result ^ 
 Why God met them in the garden, and no sooner did 
 
182 A SERMON BY 
 
 they hear his voice, than they were completely over. 
 come by the irresistible power of truth. The buil- 
 ders of Babel iu defiance of the living God, under- 
 took to erect a tower whose summit should reach hea- 
 ven. In this enterprize they made no inconsiderable 
 progress. They were ardent in the pursuit of their 
 object, and no question, entertained high expecta- 
 tions of success, but when God came down, they 
 were in a moment confounded by the irresistible force 
 of truth, and abandoned their enterprize forever. 
 
 During the negociation of Moses, at the court of 
 Fharaoh, there was the greatest etlort made by the 
 proud monarch and his magicians to confound right 
 and wrong, and thereby to justify themselves in tramp- 
 ling on the rights of God and men. God took methods 
 to instruct Pharaoh and his people by the irresistible 
 force of truth, and the result vv^as, they brought in ver- 
 dict against themselves, and for God, that he was 
 good and that they themselves vrere wicked. Had 
 not truth been irresistible, they never vv^ould have 
 signed this mortifying confession. Belsha2zar was a 
 monarch of the greatest empire then existing. ' He 
 made a great feast to a thousand of his Lords and 
 drank v.ine before the thousand. And he praised 
 the Gods of gold and of silver, of brass and of iron, 
 of wood and of stone. God took occasion to let him 
 see the truth in a most impressive manner. For in 
 the same hour came forth a m.an's hand, and wrote over 
 aginst the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall 
 of the king's palace, and the king saw part of the hand 
 that wrote. And the kings countenance was chang- 
 ed and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints 
 of his loins Vv^ere loosed and his knees smote one 
 against the other.' And what was the cause of this an- 
 guish of soul, which shook every particle of his body ? 
 Why God shewed him the truth, and he found it to 
 be irresistible. He could not stand under its weight- 
 
DAVID PORTER. 183 
 
 Saul of Tarsus, verily thought through the blhid- 
 iies3 of his heart, he ought to do many things conti-a- 
 ry to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And for this 
 cause he received letters from Authority and went on 
 his way towards Damascus. On this journey Jesus 
 met him — yes he met him clad in the armour of truth, 
 having on his vesture, written King of Kings and 
 Lord of Lords ! And how was Saul affected at the 
 sight ? V\ hy, he instantly fell prostrate on the earth, 
 and as he tells king Agrippa, he could not resist it, 
 * What was 1 that 1 should resist God V 
 
 The thief on the cross came to the place of execu- 
 tion, an abettor of Christ's murderers, and filled with 
 odium against Jesus. He was at first determined to 
 maintain his opposition to the last extremity. But 
 this was the time and place, eternally in Christ's mind, 
 to make a display of his irresistible grace. Truth 
 flashed into his soul like the forked lightening. Hp 
 was overcome by the irresistible power of God, and 
 offers this prayer in attestation of its reality. * Lord 
 remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.' 
 In the day of God's power, in all cases, periods and 
 parts of the world, the truth will prove itself to be ir- 
 resistible. In this period, in this wicked generation, 
 there are thousands of witnesses rising up for God and 
 against themselves, that truth is irresistible. This 
 will eternally be the case with the damned as well as 
 the saved. They will yield to the irresistible force 
 of truth. In the moral universe there will eternally 
 be a concordance in this matter. The mouths of the 
 wicked will be stepped, because of the irresistible 
 operation of the truth upon their consciences. This 
 brings me to a, 
 
 5th Observation, that truth is perfectly and eter- 
 nally independent. It is impossible that it should be 
 destroyed or weakened. As truth exists in the na- 
 ture of things, it cannot be destroyed witiiout des- 
 troying the nature of things. And this is bevond the 
 
184 A SERMON B\^ 
 
 reach of all bcjngs in the universe. It is no more pos- 
 sil^ie for God to destroy the diiFerence between right 
 and wrong, which is the ground of truth itself, than 
 it is, that he should annihilate his own existence. It 
 is the glorv- of God that he cannot lie, and it is his 
 glory that he cannot destroy the nature of things, and 
 hence truth is eternallv and unalterably independent. 
 I add, 
 
 Gthly. That truth is searching and penetrating. 
 It is like the refiner's fu'e, it will take out every par> 
 tide of alloy from the pure metal. It is like the fuU 
 ler's soap, it will wipe oif and expunge every minutia 
 of filth and uncleanness. The nature of the truth, 
 as w^e have it from the Lord God, is to hew away 
 all the trasli that comes in its way. It will go down 
 into tiie hiding place of the forger of lies, and bring 
 him out and lead him bound hand and foot to a tribu- 
 nal, from which there is no escape. The co-worker 
 \vith Satan, who denies that there is danger in sinning^ 
 is to be pierced right through, with the truth. Er- 
 ror is vulnerable in every part, and truth will follov/ 
 it. It will seek it out, froni all the mazes and laby- 
 rinths of hellish secrecy. It will so cut away root 
 and branch as to leave the enemy of truth nothing 
 oh Vv^hich to rest. It will leave him hopeless and de- 
 fenceless, goaded by the stings of conscience and 
 sunk under a sense of his own guilt. God's sove 
 leignty, his absolute decrees, the final ruin of the im- 
 penetent, the permanency of Jesus' throne will cut 
 up modern error, and make its avowers revolt with 
 horror even at existence, and wish that they had never 
 been born. Truth will have its way; Jesus v/ill 
 ride by its side conquering and to conquer. It will 
 do all its work : it will palsy every tongue, that moves 
 to its prejudice, and kindle a fire upon hellish festiv- 
 ity, that shall never be quenched. Truth is not con- 
 fined by limits ; it runs up to the Judgment seat. — It is 
 Jesus' Throne---it is eternal and unalterable, and thi' 
 
DAVID PORTER. 185 
 
 same in all worlds, and forever and ever. O blessed 
 redeemer, wilt thou enrich us with the knowledge of 
 thy truth. 
 
 7thly. Truth is humiliating^. 
 
 Whenever truth is made efficacious to the heart, it 
 empties the creature of self exaltation and glorying 
 and postrates him in the dust. Truth always gives 
 God the throne and the creature the footstool. Noth- 
 ing stirs up the enmity of the carnal mind like truth 
 seen in its connexion ; and nothing makes the crea- 
 ture humble like truth made efficacious by the sove- 
 reign act of God. While through a deluded heart, 
 proud man would fain conceive God to be such ano- 
 ther as himself; yet when brought cordially to receive 
 the truth, it is his chief joy that the Lord reigns. — 
 Having by sovereign grace become willing that God 
 should be God, the creature wants no other heaveit 
 than to be in his hand and to see him act. As the re- 
 newed man progresses in the knowledge of the truth, 
 he loses in self-esteem and increases in humility; As 
 God magnifies more and more in the eye of the be- 
 liever, so he will find himself disposed to take a low- 
 er seat, and will fell himself lost in Jehovah's glory. 
 Humility increases in proportion as truth is seen and 
 relished. Truth will never have completed all its 
 humiliating work. In the triumphant state, when 
 truth shall shine in unsullied radiance, the glorified 
 will veil their faces. One truth upon the back of 
 another will rise in quick and eternal succession, and 
 the mysteries of the Redeemer's character and work 
 will so eclipse all finite excellence, as to produce the 
 very perfection of humility in the myriads of God's 
 elect in the world of eternal glory. Would any ask 
 respecting the ground of increasing humility in the 
 blessed ; I'answer, the ground is truth seen and loved, 
 and showing a contrast between the creature and the 
 creator. The more perfectly this contrast is made 
 visible between the redeemer and the redeemed, t\K 
 
l8t> A SERxMON BY 
 
 lower win the creature choose to lie, and the more 
 will he exalt God. It is the tenc'eicy of truth re- 
 ceived, and admired to humble tiie creature more 
 and more, and this will be its increasing effect, in 
 heaven, to all eternity, 
 
 Sthly. Truth is harmonious. 
 
 In some minerals there are substances of divers na- 
 tures and qualities. From the same strata the chy- 
 uiist will extract a variety of substances, each of 
 which has a nature peculiar to itselu When he has 
 done tliis, he will reduce them back to their original 
 composition. Vv^ith truth it is different^ It has only 
 one simple nature. It is conformable to a rule which 
 is eternal. It is, therefore, harmonious in its parts, 
 and indivisible. In the whole disclosure of truth 
 made by Jesus, there is not a symptom of discordance. 
 I'he bible is a perfect v)hole consisting of parts, each 
 bearing the signature of the one infinite God who 
 cannot err. Truth Is linked together in its nature, is 
 so perfectly consistent with itself, that it is as easy to 
 destroy its existence as its harmony. This golden 
 chain unites in one common bond a kingdom of ten 
 thousand time ten thousand, including not a dissen- 
 ter from truth, not a discord in praise, who unceasingly 
 €xclaim before the redeemer's throne, * Saying, great 
 and marvellous are thy works. Lord God Almighty; 
 just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints.' A 
 few inferences will conclude. And 
 
 1. We may infer, that all moral beings, in the uni- 
 verse will finally agree in religious sentiments. The 
 diversity of opinion on religious subjects, so preva- 
 lent in the v/orld, is not owing to any defect in the 
 understandings of men. Let a thousand men have 
 an equal degree of conviction of any truth, and 
 they will perfectly concur in opinion respecting that 
 truth. Five hundred may be delighted, and the 
 other five hundred totally displeased, with the object, 
 but with an equal degree of conviction ; opposition of 
 moral feeling will never produce opposition of senti- 
 
DAVID PORTER. 187 
 
 iHents. And for this reason, conscience is the facul- 
 ty which receives conviction, and over this the heart 
 has no control. If the heart has no control over 
 the conscience, then nothing prevents men from uni- 
 formity in religious sentiments, except an equal de- 
 gree of conviction, and this they Vv ill ultimately have* 
 For since truth is unchangeably the same and inde« 
 pendent, and tends in its very nature to produce con- 
 viction, it is/impossible for conscience when enlight- 
 ened to view truth otherwise than it is ; and when the 
 moral universe shall be brought to this issue, there 
 will be no more disagreement in religious opinions 
 henceforward forever. We may reason thus with 
 great safety, because we know from fact, that the vi- 
 lest men, even thieves and murderers, have exactly 
 the same opinions of right and wrong, so far as they 
 are enlightened, as the best men living. So soon 
 as Pharaoh, king of Egypt, became convicted, he con= 
 curred in opinion with Moses and Aaron respecting 
 his ov/n vileness and God's goodness. From nume- 
 rous instances it is easy to see, that the result will be 
 a perfect agreement in religious opinions, between 
 moral beings, even from beelzebub up to the highest 
 seraph before God^s throne. Hence 
 
 2. Truth is complete master of natural consci- 
 ence. Conscience is a power in man of accusing 
 and execusing according to rectitude and not a pow- 
 er of controling the positions of virtue and vice. 
 Conscience is obliged to report correctly, even though 
 it reports against us. If truth were not master of con- 
 science, it would be impossible for us to feel guilt. 
 A sense of guih however small, is certain evidence, 
 that conscience is under the government of truth. It 
 is true, conscience may be blunted for a while, it may 
 not accuse at the very instant of sinning, but it will 
 act in due time. It will — it must of necessity witness 
 for Jesus, that his work is perfect. It is in vain for 
 the wicked to make attempts to destroy conscience or 
 keep it down. The business between truth and con- 
 science must of necessitv be done. The hear r. ma v 
 
188 A SERMON BY 
 
 revolt at it, but truth will find its way to the sinner^s 
 retreat and sue up its demand, exacting the uttermost 
 farthing'; neither will conscience dispute the account. 
 The wicked will as one, be brought to a spot of 
 which they litde dream. In an hour, when they think 
 not, the inward monitor will make a report complete- 
 ly ruinous to the ungodly. They have the ingredi- 
 ents of a dreadful hell in their own minds. 
 
 3. We may infer that God's goodness will be as 
 conspicious in punishing the wicked, as in saving the 
 righteous. Some suppose that God's goodness will 
 shield them from his vindictive wrath, and hence that 
 there is no danger in sinning. This is making God 
 the servant of their wishes, at the expense of his ho- 
 nor. A greater insult cannot be offered to God than 
 this. It aims destruction against his throne. For 
 the same reason God will save the redeemed, he will 
 cast off the wicked. He will save the righteous be- 
 cause it is for the honor of his name, and he will damn 
 the wicked for the same end. It is as right to pu- 
 nish the rebellous as to reward the obedient, and thus 
 God, from his very nature, is bound to do. Should 
 God depart from this rule of acting, and reward pro- 
 miscuously, virtue and vice would stand on a level as 
 viewed by him. But such procedure is incompa- 
 table with infinite goodness, and a violation of the 
 eternal rule of rectitude as it exists in the nature of 
 things. The very quarter from which the wicked 
 are expecting peace and safety, is the place of alarm. 
 God's goodness signs the doom of the incorrigibly 
 %vicked, and makes their ruin mevitable. The vindic- 
 tive displeasure of God at sin, has been too often 
 witnessed in the world to be disputed. His good- 
 ness and truth will cut short the sinner's vain expec- 
 tations to his overthrow. 
 
 4. We may see the reason why Christ's kingdom 
 has stood and cannot be destroyed. It is a kingdom 
 of truth, and therefore permanent of itself. Nothing 
 is so weak, but is capable of being held up by exteri- 
 
DAVID PORTER. 189 
 
 or strengtk. Human power may for a while support in- 
 consistency and error, buterror cannot support itself. 
 Withdraw support from false theories and they fall by 
 their own weight. But with Christianity it is not so. 
 It can stand of itself, yea, it has resisted all that wic- 
 ked men and devils could do to effect its ruin . 
 
 Its foundation, its superstructure, the whole edifice is 
 eternal truth, and therefore no weapon formed against 
 it shall prosper. When earthly thrones shall totter 
 and crumble, Jesus' throne shall stand immoveable 
 through eternal ages. Hence, 
 
 5. We infer the safety and blessedness of those who 
 are united with Christ in the truth. Christ is their 
 chosen king, and if he be for them, who can be against 
 them? ' Happy followers of JesuS) because he lives, 
 ye shall live also. Forget not the ruin from which 
 you were taken, and the price of your ransom. You 
 %vere conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity. You 
 were cast out into the open field to the loathing of 
 your persons. You were without hope and without 
 God in the world. Your sins gathered over your 
 heads like a thick cloud. Sinai's mountain was all 
 on fire, and the penalty due to sin was ready to fall 
 on you and plunge you into endless pain. But then 
 did the arm of the Lord bring salvation. Then, O 
 then, was a time of love. I have found a ransom said 
 the father ; and the Son responds — Lo I come in the 
 volume of the book that is written of me, I delight to 
 do thy will. And did the Son of God descend so 
 low as to take thy place thou most unworthy of all 
 God's creatures ! Yes, he did bleed for thee, and thy 
 life is the price of blood. Rich, free grace, has brought 
 thee out of darkness into God's marvellous light, and 
 made thee an heir with Emmanuel, to an inheritance 
 incorruptible, undefiled and thatfadeth not away. As 
 Jesus is of the truth, so art thou, O thou highly fa- 
 voredof the Lord; and what manner of person oughtest 
 thou to be ! How faithful, how devoted to the king- 
 dom, how valiant for the trutji, how indefatigable in 
 
190 A SERMON BY 
 
 the vineyard of God ! Ye sons and daughters of the 
 Lord, born of the incorruptible seed, which liveth and 
 abideth for ever, by the side of such prince will you 
 ever grow faint and let down your watch ? Remem- 
 ber ye have nothing to fear. Though the sea rage 
 and the heavens gather blackness, though the hail 
 descend, lightnings play, thunders roar, and the earth 
 shake from its centre, yet in Jesus ye are secure. He 
 lives. As he is true and faithful, your feet shall never 
 slide. Keep your eye upon his blessed character, stay 
 yourselves upon his truth, follow him whithersoever 
 he goeth and glory in his presence. 
 
 6. We may infer, the wretchedness of those who 
 are opposed in heart to the truth. The foundation of 
 your hope is in the sand and cannot stand the day of 
 trial. As you are opposed to the truth, you are op- 
 posed to God. You are dreaming of peace and safe- 
 ty, in a place of the utmost hazard. Do not for the 
 world be indifferent to your situation, and the steps 
 you are taking. Stop and pause ! Remember you 
 are in arms against a king more mighty than your- 
 selves. Your disaffection with the truth is as pre- 
 posterous as it is base. You are completely in 
 God's hand, from which there is no release. While 
 3^ou are imagining your fortress is strong, and 
 are defying the Almighty, you are shut in at every 
 avenue, and absolutely taken. While you ase at 
 ease on you pillow, judgment slumbereth not, damna- 
 tion lingereth not. From whatsoever pretext you 
 have come out in hostile array against the truth, 
 will you deem it too much to review, the ground 
 you have taken, and the strength and excellence 
 against which you are contending ? If you find on 
 mature deliberation, that your situatioa is unsafe, 
 that your prospects for eternity can yeild no rest in 
 the moment of dissolution, will you not flee for re- 
 fuge to that rock which is higher than you ? Hi- 
 therto you have been feeding on an airly phantom, 
 but believe, ' if the Son make you free, you shall 
 be free indeed.' Reader, if this moment thou art a 
 
DAVID PORTER, 191 
 
 despiser of gospel grace, yet reflect, you are hasten- 
 ing to the judgment to receive thy last sentence from 
 which there is no respite, no reprieve. * If once you 
 fall beneath his stroke, there is no deliverer there.' 
 
 7. We may infer, that ministers of the gospel hold 
 a place of immense responsibility to God and the souls 
 of men. If they suppress the truth as it is in Jesus, 
 for fear of offending their hearers ; if they substitute 
 laxness of principle, for the doctrines of the cross, 
 dry outside morality for practical godliness, they 
 do it at an awful peril. They are not placed on Jerusa- 
 lem's wall to amuse the multitude with a mock reli- 
 gion in human attire. They are not sent forth to 
 fabricate new theories, or gloss the truth, to render 
 it less offensive to the carnal heart. For no such end 
 w^as the christian ministery instituted. The gospel 
 heralds are not at liberty thus to aspire. They are em- 
 bassadors from God to deliver his message in its true 
 spirit and genuine simplicity. If from this they de- 
 part, through cowardice or thirst- for popular applause, 
 they are no longer embassadors of Christ, but traitors 
 to his cause. And can there be a higher crime com- 
 mitted against the Supreme Majesty, than coming 
 out under a cloak of friendship for Christ, and then 
 aiming destruction at his throne. Verily God will 
 not hold them guiltless. Such treachery will not es- 
 cape with impunity. And with what face will the 
 unfaithful preacher meet his hearers at the judgment 
 bar ? He had taught his hearers ; but had taught them 
 to disbelieve. He had confirmed them in their guilt 
 by refusing to expose it. He had blinded their eyes 
 about God by keeping his character out of sight. He 
 had feasted their pride, when they needed humbling. 
 He had pleased their fancies, at the expence of their 
 souls. He had inflated them with expectations of 
 heaven, when on the brink of destruction, and closed 
 their eyes, giving them God-speed with a lie in their 
 right hand ; and how is he to settle this account on the 
 day of final reckoning 1 How is he to clear himself from 
 
192 A SERMON BY &c. &c. 
 
 the blood of souls! Wherewith will he frame his plea 
 in self defence, against his flock thus accusing and up- 
 braiding} ? ' We were thy flock and thou wert our 
 shepherd. With you were the treasures of knowledge 
 and truth. And why didst thou withhold from us the 
 messages thou wast sent to deliver. We are undone 
 forever through thy unfaitfulness. You never describ- 
 ed in our hearing the character of our Judge, nor the 
 truth of his word. The doctrines you taught us to 
 despise, we find to be the truth of God. You aliov/ed 
 us to sport with his sovereignty and decrees, and in 
 this, thou didst awfully deceive us. You reproved us 
 politely for disgraceful crimes, but never described to 
 us the sin of our nature. When we were sometimes 
 alarmed at cur state and prospects, you hushed our 
 fears by crying, peace, peace, whereas God had said, 
 there is no peace to the v/icked.' How overwhelmed 
 with guilt and horror will such preachers be with their 
 deceived hearers, on the great day of account. Ye 
 who lead in the assemblies of the saints, and are em- 
 basadors of Christ to an ungodly world, can ye be 
 indifferent to the high responsibility, with which you 
 are cloathed ? Your m/mistry is as eventful as eter- 
 nity. Keeping nigh the standard of truth, may every 
 word you utter be such as shall give you boldness 
 and rejoicing in the day of Christ's appearing. Be not 
 dismayed nor discouraged. Truth will outlive ail op- 
 position raised to its prejudice. Not as at the bar of 
 Pontius Pilate, but before the whole assembled uni- 
 verse, Jesus v»-ill honor the truth, to which every con- 
 science will ascent to the glory of God. 
 
 Finally, Let not a soul be indifferent to the truth. 
 If you are saved it will be through a cheerful acquies- 
 cence with Jesus in the doctrines of his word. It is 
 your life to be with Christ in the truth. You are rich 
 for eternity if on this foundation, but if on any other, 
 you are gone — gone, and lost forever. Amen. 
 
LOVE TO CHRIST. 
 
 A S E k M O N. 
 
 BY 
 
 E. PORTER. 
 
 ffASTOB. Ot A COKGREGATIONAL CHURCH IM THE- FIRST 
 SOCIETY IN WASHINGTON CONNECTICUT. 
 
 John xxi. 17. 
 
 ^^moft^, son ofjonds^ lovest thou me ? 
 
 ^ MANY there are, even in christian lands, who 
 discard Christianity ; many rest in a cold assent to 
 its doctrines, while they believe and know nothing 
 of the heaven- born principle of vital religion in the 
 soul. Like the poor brutes around them, they ej^t 
 amd drink and sleep, breathe and walk ; while the in- 
 terests of another life are thought, exclusively, to con- 
 cern * the weak, the sickly, the aged and the dying.' 
 The hearts of others are so entirely occupied with 
 business or amusements, that they remain strangers 
 to their bible, to their Saviour, to themselves; stran- 
 gers indeed to every thing which it is the great purpose 
 of life to learn. Multitudes, in these awful circum- 
 stances, live with as much apparent tranquility as 
 though they were perfectly assured, that Christianity 
 is a fiction and eternity a dream. 
 
 My brethren, are we immortal creatures ? Shall 
 these souls of ours survive the changes of time, and 
 exist in glory or despair, when the petty interests of 
 this mutable and perishing world shall have passed 
 into oblivion ? What subject can better deserve our 
 attention than a careful inquiry into our own mpral 
 state and prospects for an endless hereafter ? What 
 
 24 
 
194 A SERMON BY 
 
 question can more solemnly address our interests or 
 feelings, tHan that of the Divine Saviour, in its appro- 
 priate application to each heart, ' Lovest thou me 1^ 
 In comparison with an inquiry, involving consequen- 
 ces of such infinite moment, all others are ' less than 
 nothing.' Who can leave this point undecided, and 
 rest easy ? Who can decide it against himself, and 
 feel safe ? Earthly thrones and empires are trifies of 
 a moment, when laid in the balance against the joys or 
 sufterings of eternity. 
 
 At the last interview Christ had with his disciples^ 
 before his ascension, the question which I have cho- 
 sen for a text, was addressed to Simon Peter. Thrice 
 had he denied his Master at the high-priest's palace ;. 
 and now thrice was he put upon the trial of his since- 
 rity by this pointed interrogatory. Though Peter, 
 as a christian minister, was required to give evidence 
 of his love peculiar to^his office, by feeding Christ's 
 sheep and lambs, the subject is not necessarily limit- 
 ed to any class of christians or men. Let us sup- 
 pose then, the divine Jesus to stand in the midst of 
 us, and address us individually with this solemn, 
 searching question, 'Lovest thou me?' Who of 
 us could, understandingly, make the appeal to his 
 omniscience, ' Lord thou knowest all things, thou 
 knowest tliat I love thee.' To settle this point, to 
 the satisfaction of an enlightened conscience, requires 
 that we carefully examine the nature and fruits of 
 love to Christ. 
 
 Let it be remarked then in general, that love to 
 Christ, is something above the instinct of natural gra- 
 titude, 
 
 Thosewords of the appostle John * We love him be* 
 cause heyfr^/ loved us,' have been understood by some 
 to import, that there can be no true love to Christy 
 which does not proceed from an apprehension of his 
 special favor to us. Such an opinion, whether de- 
 signedly or not, does really substitute refined selfish^ 
 
£. PORTER. 1^ 
 
 ri.ess for holy affection. The love of Christ in the 
 purchase of the cross and the gift of the Holy Spirit^ 
 for the effectual calling and sanctiiication of men is the 
 producthe cause of all the genuine love that exists in 
 any human heart. In this sense, if we love him, it is 
 because ht first loved us. And gratitude, for favor 
 so astonishing, is essential to tlie christian temper. 
 But to love Christ from no other principle than the 
 hope of being personally benefited by him, is clearly 
 not to love him at all with any supreme affectioUu 
 From the same temper, wicked Gallileans followed 
 }iim, while he fed them ; and wicked Gadarenes de- 
 sired him to depart, when no stlfish advantage w^as 
 expected from his presence. To exercise this sort 
 of love, is no more than publicans may do ; and no 
 more than Satan, if he could be released from suffer- 
 ing, might do, and be Satan still. 
 
 Let it be remarked again, that love to Christ is 
 something superior to the exercise of mere pity. 
 
 Among the multitude that attended the i-iviour 
 from Pilate's judgment-hall, to the place of crucifix- 
 ion, he observed some who were tenderly moved at 
 his circumstances. With a perfect Icnowledge of 
 their characters and prospects, he gave the prophetic 
 admonition ' Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for 
 me, but weep for yourselves and for your chil- 
 dren.' Whatever else these words imply, they seem 
 evidently to indicate that the t^ar^ of some, on that 
 occasion, flowed from no higher fountain than the 
 instinct of compassion. From the same fountain 
 they might have flowed as freely, on witnessing any 
 other scene of deep suffering, especially of suffering 
 innocence. A similar effect may be produced on per- 
 sons of sympathetic minds by reading the history of 
 the crucifixion. They may weep for Christ, while 
 they know not what it is to love him. They may be 
 sorry for a suffering Saviour, without any proper 
 sorrow for sin, the occasion of his sufferings. T-hey 
 
1^ A SERMON BY 
 
 may feel every exercise of natural humanity, and yet 
 be strangers to every exercise of gospel humility. 
 
 The great inquiry remains to be answered, what is 
 <true love to Christ ? I reply, 
 
 I. It is a proper and just regard to his whole char- 
 acter. 
 
 It is not a partial, transient emotion, but a perma- 
 nent, moral temper. It is that animating, opera- 
 tive, vital principle of the new heart, which unites it 
 to Christ, and ' enthrones him in the soul.' It is 
 that disinterested affection which loves its object be- 
 cause it is ' altogether lovely.' He who possesses 
 this temper, acknowledges Christ, not simply as tlie 
 son of Mary, or the Prophet of Nazareth ; but as ai^ 
 eternal and divine person : as possessing, equally 
 with the Father and Spirit, all the attributes of the 
 undivided Godhead. To regard the ' author and fin- 
 isher of our faith,' as a mere creature, the equal of 
 man, or at most, the bare superior of angels, is to de- 
 ny th;p Lord that bought us. It is to sink the amaz- 
 ing scene on the hill of Calvary, to an event of com- 
 mon history. It is to blot out every syllable of good 
 news from the gospel ; to annihilate the faith and joy 
 of the christian's heart, and to debar him from the pos- 
 session or the hope of heaven. True love contem- 
 plates the Deity and atonement of Christ as insepa- 
 rable. Here is room for its eternal exercise. The 
 ynion of the divine nature with humanity, in the per- 
 son of the Redeemer, gives to his sacrifice on the 
 cross all its efficacy' to vindicate the honor of the 
 Godhead, and to ransom' perishing men. Unitedly 
 to celebrate this, in loud and everlasting anthems, will 
 be the work and blessedness of those happy spirits 
 that share in the benefits of gospel grace. 
 
 II. If we truly love Christ we shall possess a pro- 
 per regard to the divine law. 
 
 Without seeing the perfection of this law, it is im- 
 possible to comprehend the design of his incarnation 
 
E. PORTER. 197 
 
 mid sufFerings, or to view his cross in any other light 
 ^ than as * a stumbling block and foolishness.' Ignor- 
 ance and mistake on this point have occasioned some 
 of the most fatal errors in religion. To magnify 
 the gospel, as some have done, at the expense of the 
 law, is to dishonor the Saviour and endanger the 
 souls of meuo If the law be unjust, there can be no 
 crime in transgression — no grace in forgivenss ; and 
 if so, the gospel, at best, is but, * a cunningly devised 
 fabel.' The perfect Author of both on this supposi- 
 tion, must be at variance with himself, and his moral 
 kingdom must contain the radical principles of its 
 own dissolution. 
 
 God challenges the supreme, undivided love of 
 creatures as his due. He will submit to no com- 
 promise with any rival. He will allow of * no other 
 God, before him^ in the affections. He demands an 
 unconditional surrender of the heart, — the ivbole heait 
 to himself. The great design of the gospel is, not 
 to invalidate but, to vindicate and enforce these holy 
 claims. If the preceptive demands of God's law re- 
 quire not too much of creatures, its penalty cannot 
 be abated in behalf of transgressors, without some 
 equivalent testimony of its perfection. An indis- 
 criminate forgiveness of the guilty, without any ade- 
 quate satisfaction for their offences, would be want 
 Qf benevolence. 
 
 * A God all mercy, is a God unjust.' 
 
 If grace reign at all, consistently with the interests 
 of the divine kingdom, it must reign through right- 
 eousness.' The Son of God came into ' the world 
 to condemn rebellion against his Father's government, 
 not to justify it : he came to establish and magnify 
 the law, not to destroy it. Vain is the hope of in- 
 definite and unconditional salvation to all men built 
 on misapprehension of the atonement. Vain are all 
 professions of love to Christ originating from the 
 same source. Say \vhat we vnll of our obligations to 
 
1^ A SERMON BY 
 
 the Redeemer, it is all empty talk if we do not feel 
 that lie came to deliver us from the just penalty of a 
 righteous and violated law. 
 
 III. If v.-e love Christ, we shall cordially approve 
 of the doctrines which he taught. 
 
 Such are the eternal existence and infinite perfec- 
 tion of one supreme God, in three persons ; his holy 
 and immutable purposes ; the unlimited extent and 
 duration of his all-perfect, all-pervading and all-dis- 
 posing providence ; the awful depravity and perish- 
 ing state of men by nature ; the glorious fulness of 
 the gospel atonement ; the necessity of the supernat- 
 ural, sanctifying agency of God's Spirit on the heart, 
 of repentance, faith and evangelical holiness ; the sta- 
 bility of the covenant of grace ; the richness and per- 
 petuity of its promises, and the endless state of bliss 
 or misery, which will folio v the great day of recom- 
 pence. The friends of Christ love these doctrines, 
 for the same reason that unholy hearts hate them ; 
 because they exalt God and humble human pride. 
 That Catholicism which confounds truth with error, 
 which bids God speed to any thing and every thing 
 assuming the name of religion, however much at va- 
 riance with the vital principles of Christianity, is not 
 tlie benevolence of the gospeU 
 
 IV. If we love Christ we shall sincerely and hum- 
 bly accept the salvation which he offers — salvation 
 from natural and moral evil — salvation by free grace. 
 
 The happiness to be enjoyed in heaven is exactly 
 suited to the temper and feelings of the sanctified be- 
 liever. There, God will be glorified. There, per- 
 fect, unceasing holiness will reign in every heart. 
 To a soul that loves Christ, deliverance from misery 
 is not enough, without deliverance from sin. Far 
 would such an one think himself from happiness, to 
 be rescued from hell, and left under the dominion of 
 a wicked heart. The salvation of the gospel is ther^* 
 
E. PORTER. 199 
 
 fore precisely such as suits the true christian. He is^ 
 in all respects, pleased with the heaven which the di- 
 vine redeemer has purchased for his followers ; and 
 with the terms on which they are admitted to its en- 
 joyment. 
 
 V. If we love Christ, we shall cheerfully submit 
 to the services and sufferings of the christian life» 
 Thus Peter evinced his love. Did he deny his di- 
 vine Master ? deny him in the face of solemn warn- 
 ings, and vows ? deny him before his enemies and in 
 an hour of awful trial I He did : and the mournful 
 fact is recorded, as one among a thousand demon- 
 strations, that the best of men are frail and fallible. 
 But, as became a christian, he remembered that wo- 
 ful fall, w^ith an acking, contrite heart. He remem- 
 bered it, and ' wept bitterly.' He remembered it, 
 and no more lacked for courage to do his duty. The 
 beloved name which he abjured before Pilate, he 
 was afterwards bold to acknowledge before Jews and 
 Romans, in the streets and synagogues, in prison 
 and on the cross. Behold the man who trembled at 
 the voice of a ciamsel, triumphs amidst the flames of 
 persecution ! Undismayed at peril or suffering, in 
 their most terriffic forms, he encounters with a mar- 
 tyr's intrepidity, chains, dungeons and death I Many 
 would be glad to sit on Christ's right hand, without 
 drinking of the cup that he drank of. Many vainly 
 hope to reign with him, who refuse to ^crue him, or 
 to suffer for him. When duty is easy and danger 
 distant, the mere coward may seem courageous. — 
 The good soldier of Christ is known by his constan- 
 cy in the hour of trial. That service which costs 
 him most, is the best evidence of his sincerty. — 
 Through the varying scenes of wealth or poverty, 
 honor or disgrace, he stands inflexible. He fears 
 not the scoffs of dying men. He shrinks not from 
 the terrors of a frowning world. The utmost that 
 human power or malice can inflict, he dares to en- 
 
200 A SERMON BY 
 
 dure, for so dear a Saviour. In so good a causCy suf- 
 fering is pleasure, reproach is praise. * The cup that 
 our father hath given us, shall we not drink it ? Bless- 
 ed Saviour ! By the bitterness of thy pains, we may 
 estimate the force of thy love ; and therefore, if thou 
 so ordainest, welcome disappointment and poverty ; 
 welcome sickness and pain ; welcome shame and con- 
 tempt. If this be a rough and thorny path, it is one 
 in which thou hast gone before us. Where we sec 
 ^y footsteps, let us not repine*.' 
 
 VI . If we love Christ we shall labor for a tho- 
 rough acquaintance Vv ith his religion. The moderit 
 opinion which disclaims any standard of faith, and 
 maintains the innocence of error, is virtual infidelity. 
 Does the gospel contain a scheme of truths which 
 the son of God taught with his lips, exemplified in 
 his life, and sealed widi his blood ? Can we then be 
 innocent, wilfully or heedlessly rejecting any of these 
 truths ? If there be any need of a revelation from 
 heaven, unquestionably it is important that the reve- 
 lation should be rightly understood. It is implied in 
 the character of true christians, that they have some 
 acquaintance with the leading truths of the gospel. 
 But their knowledge, in many cases, is much less 
 than it ought to be, or than it need be. In religion, 
 as well as other things, a little knowledge is often 
 dangerous. Though a little knowledge might secure 
 our own salvation — what then ? Can we be christians 
 on such narrow principles ? Have the cause of truth, 
 the salvation of souls, the honor of God our Saviour, 
 no share in our regard ? Think of an inquiring 
 neighbor or an own child, under the burden of a 
 < wounded spirit,' coming to such a christian ; com- 
 ing perhaps to you, and begging instruction in the 
 >vay of life. Alas, in so solemn a case, shall igno- 
 rance compel you to say nothing, or expose you to 
 the hazard of saying what may be infinitely worse f 
 
E. PORTER 201 
 
 When open and covert enemies of pure religion 
 abound, when errors of every description are propa- 
 gated with unexampled industry and zeal, shall those 
 who are men in stature and christians by profession, 
 remain babes in knowledge ? Shall those who can 
 talk understandingly and by the hour together, on 
 common topics, be put to silence when a reason of 
 their hope is required, or the very foundation of their 
 hope assaulted ? Shall they be so poorly equipped with 
 armour, or so unskillful to use it, as to furnish occa- 
 sion for profane triumph to the enemies of Jesus ? 
 Let us know that our love to Christ is, to say the least, 
 very low and languid, if, at such a day as this, ^ve 
 can sit down supinely, in the neglect of a diligent, 
 prayerful, systematic study of the scriptures ; with- 
 out understanding well, and being able to vindicate, 
 the essential truths of the gospel. 
 
 VII. If we love Christ, we shall also love his true 
 disciples. 
 
 It is characteristic of his followers that they * love 
 one another.' That bond of holy affection which 
 unites them to their divine head, unites them to their 
 fellow members. Redeemed by one Saviour, sancti- 
 fied by one spirit, embracing one faith, heirs of one 
 inheritance ; their desires, pursuits, interests, sor- 
 rows and enjoyments are essentially the same. Their 
 birth and residence m.ay be in different quarters of 
 the globe; they may. be separated by intervening 
 continents or oceans ; still, they are brethren. In 
 proportion as they have opportunity for familiar in- 
 tercourse of hearts, their mutual love will be more 
 strong and apparent. Especially will this be the case 
 with those who meet, for the highest exercise of 
 christian fellowship, at the same communion table. 
 To those who love Christ, there is no privilege so ' 
 exquisitely solemn and delightful as that of testify- 
 ing tjjeir remembrance of his affectionate and dying 
 commands. Upon this part of the subject, it is im- 
 Dossible to dwell without feelinffits attractions. Cold 
 
 9.5 
 
202 A S£HMON BY 
 
 and hard as fiint must be the heart, that does not here- 
 swell with emotions which language cannot utter.-— 
 There is something so ineHably tender and endearing 
 in the Saviour's parting counsels to his little family. -i. 
 on their union to himself and among themselves, es- 
 pecially in his parting prayer that his disciples should 
 love one another, that he who can read the latter part 
 of St. John's gospel, v/ithout feeling his heart moved^ 
 I had almost said inched ^ has much reason to ques- 
 tion his love to Christ. 
 
 VIII. If we love Christ, we shall possess a spirit of 
 general good will to our fellow creatures. We shall 
 embrace the whole ' family of man,' in our benevo- 
 lent regards. 
 
 The gospel recognises no bond of union among in- 
 telligent beings, but love. When this becomes an 
 universal principle of action, as assuredly it will, in 
 God's appointed time, men will ' beat their swords 
 into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning 
 hooks.' Earthly rulers will reverence the Ruler of 
 heaven : earthly laws will accord with his laws. Man 
 will cease to be the enemy of man. Peace, holiness 
 and joy v. ill pervade the earth. This will make hap^ 
 py families, happy nations and a happy v/orld. A 
 world, O how unlike one that is filled with discord 
 and sin ! When shall infatuated mortals, blind to their 
 own true interest, cease to hate a religion which pro- 
 claims peace on earth and good will to men ! When 
 shall this divine religion extend its heavenly influence 
 over the nations and heal this distracted, bleeding 
 world of its enmities, its wars, and its miseries ! ' Fly 
 swiftly the intermediate years... Come, O come the 
 delightful period^' when nations shall be born to God 
 in a day, and unnumbered millions feel the power, and 
 share in the blessiiigs of gospel love 1 For this long 
 predicted joyful day, shall not the friends of Christ 
 and of human happiness, pray with united hearts ! 1 
 * Amen :>.. even so, c^mc Lord Jesus^' 
 
 ! 
 
Tmally: If. vve love Cbrist, we slvall clesirc the uni- 
 versal spread of his gospeL 
 
 Millions of our race are perVshmg: m ignorance of a 
 Sariour. Tlie infant setUements, spread over the 
 wide wilderness of out own country, are lamentably 
 destitute of religious instruction. Vast objects are 
 here presented to awaken otir Christian philanthropy : 
 Objects which require us to love in deed as well as in 
 word.. .to act as well as pray. Our brethren m the 
 eastern hemisphere have nobly led the v/ay and in- 
 vite usi to emulate their labors of benevoknce. While 
 thousands have joined in the animated prayer, to the 
 head of the church, ' Thy kingdom come.' The 
 heralds of the gospel have met around the globe. 
 Where Sataii's empire had remained quiet for ap:eSj 
 the standard of the cross has been displayed. Yes, 
 In this sinful world, men have been found, that from 
 love to Christ and immortal souls, could quit their 
 pleasant homes for a dreary wilderness; encounter 
 the perils of the deep to embrace their pagan breth- 
 ren ; aad to publish the unsearchable riches of re- 
 deeming grace, could traverse the ' snowy cliffs of 
 <Jreenland or the burning plains of Africa.' To unite 
 in this work of love, ' a great door and effectual is op- 
 ened' to the christians of America. More ministers 
 are wanted. To say nothing of the lack of able 
 and faithful pastors, for the s'lpply of old and vacant 
 churclies ; in the new settlements, the field is spaci- 
 ous but the labourers are emphatically few. Their 
 condition claims the commisseration of all that have 
 hearts to pray. O how earnestly should we implore 
 the great head of the church, that he .vould raise up 
 more Mayhew's and Elliot's and Brainard's ; that he 
 would sanctify the hearts of young men for himself; 
 give them zeal to labor, and holy courage to suffer, 
 if need be, in his service! The signs of the times 
 summon us to; diligence. The kiijgdom of Satan 
 snust fall :„An will fall . But its dying struggles may 
 
204. A SERMON BY. 
 
 shake the moral world to its foundation. Before the 
 knowledge of the Lord shall fill the earth, the contest 
 betwixt truth and error, will probably be mighty and 
 terrible. The trumpet sounds. Soldiers of Ema- 
 nuel! prepare for battle. Is Christianity then in dan- 
 ger ? No. Impregnable walls surround the beloved 
 city : Zion's God is wiser... is mightier than all her 
 foes. He will take care of his own cause ; but not 
 by miracles. He will not set the elements to work 
 to print bibles : he will not bid the winds blow stone 
 and timber into temples of worship : he will not ap- 
 point the rocks or trees to preach the gospel :...No ; 
 he will fulfil his own promises by his own means. 
 He will cause Christianity to triumph and spread over 
 the earth, by awakening its friends to united activity 
 and prayer, and by raising up gospel ministers, full 
 of faith and the Holy Ghost, who shall be ready * both 
 to be bound and to die also for the name of the Lord 
 Jesus.' 
 
 The subject will be finished with four reflections. 
 
 1st. Christians are not sufficiently awake and en- 
 gaged in the service of their divine master. 
 
 The petty pursuits of private interest, the applause, 
 emoluments or contests of this transitory world, en- 
 kindle our burning zeal ; while alas, our dull hearts 
 are often indifferent to the honor of the immortal 
 king, and the blessings of his everlasting kingdom ! 
 We crawl like reptiles ; when we should stand up 
 like men, and run, like christians, the race set before 
 us. How do the children of this world rebuke our 
 timidity and our indolence ! See what waging of wars, 
 enlisting armies and equipping fleets ! what rapid 
 journeys... what buying and selling.., what industry, in 
 the shop, in the field, "in the market/ Whence all 
 this exertion ? Do men spend days and nights of an- 
 xious toil... traverse the ocean and dig in the earth 
 for the empty, fleeting happiness of time ? They are 
 in earnest. And should not inen be in earnest that 
 
E, PORTER. 205 
 
 seek the honor of Christ, and hope for solid, induring 
 happiness in heaven ? We goabout our business with 
 two much indifference. We read our bibles, as 
 though we read them not. We pray, as though we 
 prayed not. We preach, as though we preached not. 
 We hear, as though we beared not. If the love of 
 Christ dwell in the soul, it will burn and shine so 
 that its nvarmth and light may be perceived by others. 
 Brethren, shall the enemies of the cross longer tri* 
 umph in our luke-warmness ? Let us put them to si- 
 lence by holding fast our profession and living like 
 Christians. 
 
 2dly. Fellow Christians, are too great strangers. 
 They are not free and familiar enough in religious 
 conversation. A more perfect acquaintance with each 
 other's spiritual circumstances would much better en- 
 able them to perform all the important duties of Chris- 
 tian fellowship. How many who meet at the same 
 communion table here, and expect to meet in the same 
 heaven hereafter, reside but a few miles, or perhaps 
 rods asunder, and yet from year to year, do not 
 spend an hour in friendly, unreserved interchange of 
 views and feelings concerning the greatest of all sub- 
 jects—the interest of the redeemer's kingdom and 
 the salvation of their own souls. Is such the influ- 
 ence of Gospel Love ? In no wise. The heart lies 
 at the root of the tongue ; out of its abundance, the 
 mouth speaketh. On this principle, I affirm, some 
 reasonable conclusion may be drawn, as to the state 
 CI vital piety in a church, from the freedom which 
 its members enjoy, among themselves, in religious 
 conversation. Can the business or trifles of this earth 
 always employ our tongues, if our hearts are in hea. 
 ven ? Can we make those our chosen companions 
 who expect from us so dreadful a compliment to their 
 characters or our own, as to forbear speaking of him 
 whom our soul loveth r The example of antient 
 faints, recorded in God's holy book, demands our 
 
206. A SERMON BY 
 
 ijnitation^ ' Then they that feared the Lord spake of-. 
 ten, one to another. * 
 
 3dly. We are not faithful enough in maintaining 
 cliscipline. Solemn are our vows of allegianee to 
 Christ : terrible the consequences of slighting his 
 authority. Alas, brethren, that the order, peace, beau- 
 ty and prosperity of his church should so often be 
 marred by the careless or wilful negligence of his 
 4isc!ples 1 Alas, that when men point to his suffering 
 cause, saying ' What are these wounds ?' w^e are so 
 often compelled to answer ' Those with w^hich he 
 was wounded in the house of his friends.' The world 
 joins with the bible in demaiiding that the visible 
 fiends of Christ should do ' more than others.' Shall 
 we east a stumbling block before blind sinners to en- 
 danger their everlasting interests ? Shall we tempt 
 them to the false and fatal conclusion, that the church 
 ®f God is a house divided against itself ? Shall we 
 ssiotvra at the prevalence of bold impiety, and sigh 
 over the decline of vital Godliness, while our own 
 backslidings contribute to its decline ? In plain truth, 
 the discipline of our churches is awfully relaxed. In 
 too many cases., it is nothing but a name. How can 
 churches be in health and prosper, when the cords, 
 with which Christ has bound them, are cut or untied... 
 When the sacred inclosures of our Zion- are laid open 
 to. the rude assaults of its enemies ? 
 
 4thly. Humble, united, persevering prayer is a du-. 
 ty in which the visible family of Christ are too defi- 
 cient. We pray indeed; but do we preserve the spi- 
 rit of the duty ? Do we pray as though we expected 
 to be heard? Through the coldness of our hearts, do 
 not our devotions often die on our tongues ? If the 
 inspection of our own characters and wants, does not 
 furnish sufficient motives to animate our pi^ayers, can 
 w^^e not feel for a world of sinners around us ? Can 
 we not feel for our guilty country- --overspread with 
 prayerless families, despisers of the gospel ? ' Are we 
 
E. PORTER. 207 
 
 blind also' to the ' signs of this time/ and deaf to the 
 voice of heaven which cries in our eiirs, ' People of 
 America ! Choose ye this day whom ye will serve... 
 Choose ye betv/een Jehovah and Baal... between re for ^ 
 mation and ruin. 
 
 Professed disciples of Jesus! what think you of this 
 subject ? The great, the momentous question, wheth- 
 er you love Christ or not, m»ust soon be decided. 
 If you serve him here, you will reign with him here- 
 after. If you are penetents on earth, you will soon be 
 saints in glory. There, faith will be swallowed up in 
 vision, and hope in consummate, endless enjoyment. 
 There, christians from every clime and country will 
 gather around their father's table ; patriarchs and pro- 
 phets ; apostles and martyrs ; the pious and faithful 
 of every age, kindred and tongue will have a happy 
 meetin.^, and that happy meeting will last foreve, . 
 There, millions of redeemed souls will raise their joy- 
 ful hosannas to the Lamb, while they look back on 
 earth and time, where they w^ere born to God, and 
 trained for immortal bliss. 
 
 Sinners in Zion ! what think you of this subject ? 
 Can you still live at ease, without Christ and with- 
 out hope ? Can you still shut the Saviour from your 
 hearts, trifle with his authority and trample on his 
 blood ? Will you scorn the grace which he has pur- 
 chased, and the glory which he offers ? Then know 
 assuredly that he will debar you from the bles:^ings 
 which you have so awfully undervalued, and consiga 
 you to the misery, which you have so foolishly refus- 
 ed to escape. 'To day if ye will hear his voice, har- 
 den not your hearts^' 
 
THE FOLLY, GUILT, AND MISCHIEFS Ot 
 DUELLING. 
 
 A S E R M O K 
 
 BV 
 
 TIMOTHY DWIGHT, D. D. 
 
 PRESIDENT OF YALE-COLLEGE. 
 
 PROVERBS xxviii. 17. 
 
 ^ man, that doeth violence to the blood of any per f on, Jh all flee to the pit 'fi- 
 let no mart flay him. 
 
 THIS passage of scripture is a republication of 
 that general law concerning homicide, which is re- 
 corded in Gen. ix. 5, 6. "But surely your blood of 
 your lives will I require : at the hand of ever)' beast 
 will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the 
 hand of every man's brother will I require the life of 
 man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall 
 his blood be shed : for in the image of God made he 
 man." 
 
 This law was published at the timCj when the kil- 
 ling of beasts for food was permitted. No time could 
 have been equally proper. As the shedding of ani- 
 mal blood would naturally remove the inherent hor-^ 
 ror at destroying life, and prepare men to shed the 
 blood of each other ; the law became indespensable 
 for the prevention of this crime, from the beginning. 
 It ought to be observed, that the detestation, with 
 which God regards this sin, is marked with a pen of 
 iron in that singular declaration ; At the hand oj eiicry 
 beast ivill I require it. If homicide is so odious in 
 
 26 
 
210 A SERMON BY 
 
 the sight of God, as to expose the unconscious brute, 
 which effected it, to the loss of his own life as an ex- 
 piation ; with what views must he regard a man, a ra- 
 tional agent, formed in his ow^n image, when accom- 
 plishing the death of his brother man with design, 
 from the indulgence of malice, and in the execution 
 of revenge ? As this original law w^as given to Noah, 
 the progenitor of all postdiluvian men, it is evidently- 
 binding on the v/hole human race. Every nation has 
 accordingly felt its force, and executed it upon the 
 transgressor. 
 
 In the text, the same law^ is promulged with one 
 additional injunction. ' He shall flee to the pit ; lei 
 no raan stay bim,' However strongly the past servi- 
 ces of the criminal, or the tender affections of his 
 friends may plead for his exemption from the sen- 
 tence ; no man from any motive, or with any view, 
 iihall prevent, or even retard, his progress towards the 
 punishment required. To this punishment God has 
 consigned him, absolutely and with his own voice. 
 No consideration, therefore, can prevent, or hinder, 
 the execution. 
 
 A sober man would naturally conclude, after read- 
 ing these precepts, that in every country, where their 
 authority is acknowledged to be divine, homicide 
 %vould in all cases, beside those excepted expressly 
 by God, be invariably punished with death. At least, 
 he would expect to find all men in such countries 
 agi-eeing, with a single voice, that such ought to be 
 the fact ; and uniting with a single effort, to bring it 
 to pass. Above all, he would certaiiVly conclude, 
 that whatever might be the decision of the vulgar^ 
 and the ignorant, there could be but one opinion, in 
 such countries, among those who filled the superior 
 ranks of society^ 
 
 How greatly then, must such a person fee aston- 
 ished, when he was informed, that in christian coun- 
 tries only, and in such countries among those only. 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 211 
 
 who are enrolled on the list of superiority and dis- 
 tinction, homicide of a kind no v/here excepted by 
 God from this general destiny, but marked with aU 
 the guilt, of which homicide is succeptible, is not only 
 not thus punished but is vindicated, honored and 
 rewarded, by common consent, and undisguised suf- 
 frage. 
 
 The views; which I entertain of Duelling may be 
 sufficiently expressed under the following heads ; 
 
 7he Folly, 
 
 Ihe Guilt, and 
 
 Ihe Mischiefs, of this Crime. 
 
 Duelling is vindicated, so far as my knowledge ex- 
 tends, on the following considerations only ; That it is 
 
 A punishment, 
 
 A reparation, 
 
 A prcoention of injuries ; 
 
 And a source of reputation to the parties. 
 
 If it can be shown to be neither of these, in any 
 such sense, as reason can approve, or argument sus- 
 tain ; if it can be proved to be wholly unnecessary to 
 all these purposes, and a preposterous method of ac- 
 com|)lishing them ; it must evidently fail of all vin- 
 dication, and be condemned as foolish, irrational, and 
 deserving only of contempt. 
 
 As a punishment of an offence, which for the pre» 
 sent shall be supposed to be a real one, duelling is 
 fraught with absurdity only. If a duel be fought on 
 equal terms, the only terms allowed by duellists, the 
 person injured exposes himself, equally with the in- 
 jurer, to a new suffering ; always greater in truth, and 
 commonly in his own opinion, than that which he 
 purposes to punish. The injurer only ought to suf- 
 fer, or to be exposed to suffering. No possible i^a- 
 son can be alledged, why the innocent man should 
 be at all put in hazard. * Were the tribunals of jus- 
 tice to place the injured party, appealing to them for 
 redress, in the same hazard of being obliged to pay a 
 
212 A SERMON BY 
 
 debt, with the fraudulent debtor, in the same dan-r 
 ger, of suffering a new fraud, with the swindler ; or 
 in an equal chance of suffering a second mayhem, 
 with the assaulter of his life, or were they to turn 
 him out upon the road, to try his fortune, in another 
 robbery, with the highwaymen ; what would com- 
 mon sense say of their distribution ? It would doubt- 
 less pronounce them to have just escaped from bed- 
 lam ; and order them to be strait- w^aistcoated, until 
 they should recover their reason. Here the injured 
 person constitutes himself his own judge ; and re- 
 solves on a mode of punishment, which, if ordered 
 by any other umpire, he would reject with indigna- 
 tion. What ? he would exclaim ; am I, because I 
 have been injured once, to be injured a second time ? 
 And is my enemy, because he has robbed me of my 
 character, to be permitted also to rob me of my life I 
 I^et it be remembered, that the decision is not the 
 less mad, because it is voluntarily formed by him- 
 self. He, who wantonly wastes his own well being 
 js of all fools the greatest. 
 
 Js a reparation^ duelling has still less claim to the 
 character of rational. What is the reparation propos- 
 ed ? If it be any thing, it must consist either in the 
 act of fighting, or in the death of the wrong-doer. If 
 the injury be a fraud, neither of these will restore the 
 lost property ; if a personal suffering, neither can re- 
 store health, or renew a limb, or a faculty. Or if the 
 WTong be an injury to the character, it cannot need 
 to be asserted, that neither fighting as a duellist, nor 
 killing the wrong-doer, can alter at all the reputa- 
 tion which has been attacked. He has, perhaps, been 
 charged with lying. If the charge is just, he is a liar 
 still. If it be known to be just, neither fighting nor 
 killing his antagonist, will wipe off the stain. The 
 public knew him to be a liar before the combat ; with 
 the same certainty they know him to be such after 
 the combat. What reparation has he gained ? Not 
 
 v\ 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 213 
 
 one man will believe the story the less, because he 
 has fought a duel, or killed his man. If on the other 
 hand, the charge is false, fighting will not in the 
 least degree prove it to be so. Truth and falsehood 
 must, if evinced at all, be evinced by evidence; not 
 by fighting. In the days of knight-errantry this me- 
 thod of deciding controversies had, in the reigning 
 superstition, one rational plea, which now it cannot 
 claim* God was then believed to give success inva- 
 riably, to the party which had justice on its side. 
 Modern duellists neither believe, nor wish God to 
 interfere in their concerns. 
 
 The reparation, enjoyed in the mere gratification 
 of revenge, will not here be pleaded, because, duel- 
 lists disclaim with indignation the indulgence of that 
 contemptible passion. In the progress of the dis- 
 course, however, this subject will be further exam- 
 ined. 
 
 As a prevention of crimes generally it is equally ab- 
 surd. 1 acknowledge readily, that the fear of dan- 
 ger and suffering will, in a greater or less degree, pre- 
 vent crimes, and that men may, in some instances, 
 be discouraged from committing private injuries by 
 the dread of being called to account in this manner. 
 But these instances will be few ; and this mode of 
 
 preventing injuries is almost wholly inefiectual. 
 
 Duelling is always honorable among duellists ; and 
 to be generally practised, must be generally esteem- 
 ed honorable. That which is honorable will always 
 be courted. The danger to life, will therefore re- 
 commend duelling to most men instead of deterring 
 from it. None who call themselves men of honor, 
 ever shew any serious reluctance to give, or accept, 
 a challange. All are brave enough to hazard life, 
 whenever the hazard becomes a sourse of glory. — . 
 Every savage, that is, every man in a state of nature, 
 will fight because it is glorious. Civilized men have 
 exactly the same natural character. Persuade them 
 
2U A SERMON BY 
 
 that it is glorious to give and accept challenges, and 
 to fight duels, and few or none of them will hesi- 
 tate. The dread of danger, appealed to, and relied 
 on, in this case, is therefore chiefly imaginar}^ 
 
 Few persons will ultimately, be prevented from do- 
 ing injuries by duelling. Afironts on the contary 
 Vviil be given, merely to create opportunities of fight- 
 ing. Fighting in the case supposed, is glory; and to 
 acquire glory men will make their way to fighting 
 through affronts, injuries and every other course of 
 conduct, necessary, or believed to be necessary, to the 
 end. This fact in the case of humbler and more vul- 
 gar battles has long been realized. Many a bully 
 spends a great part of his life in fighting ; and will at 
 any time abuse those, with whom he is conversant, 
 not from malice nor revenge, but merely to provoke 
 them to battle, that he may obtain the honor of fight- 
 ing. The nature of all classes of men is the same ; 
 and polished persons will do the same things which 
 are done by clowns, without any other difference than 
 that which exists in the mode. The clown will fight 
 vulgarly ; the polished man genteelly : the provoca- 
 tions of the clown will be coarse; those of the gentle- 
 man will be more refined. With this dissimilarity 
 excepted, the conduct of both will be the same ; but 
 as the gentlemen will feel the sense of glory more ex- 
 quisitely, he will seek it with more ardour, and do 
 wanton injuries with more frequency, and less regret. 
 Thus the ultimate efiect will be to increase, and not 
 to prevent, injuries; and the extent of the increase 
 cannot be measured. 
 
 Besides, injuries so slight as to be ordinarily dis- 
 regarded ; nay, imaginary and unintended injuries, 
 will, amidst the domination of such pride and passion, 
 as regulate this custom, be construed into serious 
 abuses ; and satisfaction will be demanded with such 
 imperiousness, as to preclude all attempt at repara- 
 tion, on the part of the offender; least, in the very 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 215 
 
 offer of them, he should be thought to forfeit the cha- 
 racter of an honorable man. Whenever fighting be- 
 comes the direct and chief avenue to glory, no occa- 
 sion, on which it may be acquired, will be neglected. 
 The loss of any opportunity will be regarded of course 
 as a serious loss ; and the neglect of the least, as a 
 serious disgrace. The mind will,, therefore, be alive, 
 vigilant, and jealous, least such a loss, or such a dis- 
 grace should be incurred. Almost every thing, which 
 is either done, or omitted, will by such a mind be 
 challenged as an aiTront, and resented as an injury. 
 Thus the injuries, Vvhich will he Jell will be incalcu- 
 lably multiplied. 
 
 To what a condition will this reduce society ? But 
 duelling is considered as a source of reputation. In 
 what does the reputation conferred by it, consist ? 
 
 The duellist is a brave maii. So is the highway- 
 man, the burglar, the pir?.te, and the bravo, who de- 
 rives his name from gallant assassination. Nay, the 
 bull- dog is as bold as either. Bravery is honorable 
 toman, only vrheri exerted in a just, useful, rational 
 cause; v/here some real good is intended, and may 
 hopefully be accomplished. In every other case it is 
 the courage of a brute. Can a man wish to become 
 a competitor with an animal ? 
 
 But this claim to bravery is questioned. If from 
 the list of duellists were to be subtracted all those ^ 
 who either give, or receive challenges from the fear 
 of being disgraced by the omission, or refusal; how 
 small would be the remainder ? But is acting from the 
 fear of disgrace, merely, to be regarded as brave- 
 ry in the honorable sense ; or as courage in any sense ? 
 Is it not, on the contrary, simply choosing, of two 
 evils, that which is felt to be the least. Is there any 
 creature, which is not bold enough to do this ? 
 
 Genuine bravery, when employed at all, is always 
 employed in combating some real evil ; something 
 which ought to be opposed. When public opinion 
 
216 A SERMON BY 
 
 is false and mischievous, it will of course meet resd- 
 lutely, public opinion ; and dare nobly to stem the 
 torrent, which is wasting with its violence the public 
 good. Genuine bravery would nobly disdain to give, 
 or receive a challenge ; because both are pernicious 
 to the safety and peace of mankind. No man is truly 
 great who has no resolution to withstand, and will not 
 invariably and undauntedly withstand every false and 
 ruinous public opinion. 
 
 But suppose it were really reputable in the view of 
 the public, the question would still recur with all its 
 force. Is it right ? Is it agreeable to the will of God ? 
 Is it useful to mankind ? No advance is made towards 
 the defence of duelling, until these questions can be 
 answered in the affirmative. The opinion of the pub- 
 lic cannot alter the nature of moral principles, nor of 
 moral conduct. In the days of Jeroboam, the public 
 opinion of Israel decreed, and supported, the worship 
 of the two calves ; and both before, and afterwards, 
 sanctioned sacrifices of children to Moloch. The 
 pubhc opinion at Carthage destined the brightest and 
 best youths in the state as victims to Saturn. In a sim= 
 liar manner public opinion has erred endlessly in every 
 age and country. An honest and brave man would 
 in every such case have withstood the public opinion 
 and would firmly resolve with Abdiel to stand alone 
 rather than fall vvith multitudes. He who will not do 
 this, when either the worship of a stock, the immola- 
 tion of a human victim, or the murder of his fellow 
 men, is justified by public opinion, is not only de- 
 void of sound principles, but the subject of misera- 
 ble cowardice. It is a mockery of language, and an 
 affront to common sense, to call him, who trembling 
 for fear of loosing popular applause, sacrifices his faith 
 and his integrity to the opinion of his fellow men, by 
 any other name than a coward. 
 
 6ut duellists claim the character of delicate and pe- 
 culiar honor. On what is this claim founded ? Are 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 217 
 
 they more sincere, just, kind, peaceable, generous, 
 and reasonable than other men ? These are the ingre- 
 dients of an honorable character. They themselves 
 cannot deny it. That some men who have fought du- 
 els, have exhibited greater or less degrees of this spiut, 
 I shall not hesitate to acknowledge. Men of real 
 worth have undoubtedly been guilty of this folly and 
 sin, as well as of other follies and other sins. But 
 these men derived all their worth from other sources ; 
 and gained all that was honorable in their minds, and 
 lives, by their character, as men, and not as duellists. 
 As duellists they fell from the height, to v*'hich they 
 had risen. He who will explain in what the honor 
 or the delicacy, of the spirit of duelling consists, will 
 confer an obligation on his fellow men, and may un- 
 doubtedly claim the wreath due to superior intellect, 
 
 Hovo generally are duellists y on the contrary, haugh- 
 ty, overbearing, quarrelsome, passionate and abusive; 
 troublesome neighbours, uncomfortable friends, and 
 disturbers of the common happiness ? Their preten- 
 sions to honor and delicacy, are usually mere preten- 
 sions ; a deplorable egotism of character, vvhieh pre- 
 cludes them from all enjoyment, and prevents those 
 around tbem from possessing quiet, and comfort, un-- 
 less every thing is conformed to their vain and capri- 
 cious demands. 
 
 There is ^either delicacy, nor honor, in giving, ot 
 taking, affronts easily, and suddenly ; nor in justify- 
 ing them on the one hand, br in revenging them on 
 the other. Very little children do all these things 
 daily, without either honor or delicacy, from the mere 
 impulse of infantine passion. Those who imitate 
 them in this conduct, resemble them in character; 
 and are only bigger children. 
 
 But duelling is reputable in the public opinion. I have 
 already answered this declaration ; but I will answer 
 it again. Who are the persons of whon\ this pubiio 
 
 07 
 
21B A SERMON BY 
 
 is constituted ? Are they wise and good men ? Can 
 one wise and good man, unqestionably wise and good, 
 be named, who has publicly appeared to vinciicate 
 diielling? If there were even one, his name would ere 
 this, have been announced to the world. This public 
 is not then formed of such men, and does not include 
 them in its number. Is it formed of the mass of man- 
 kind; either in this, or any other civilized country ? 
 i boldly deny, that the generality of men^ in any such 
 country, ever justified duelling, or respected duel- 
 lists. Let the appeal be made to facts. In this coun-^ 
 try certainly, the public voice is wholly against the 
 practice. Some persons who have fought duels, have 
 unqestionably been here respected for their talents, 
 snd their conduct ; but not one for duelling. The 
 proof of thfs is complete. This part of their conduct 
 is never the theme of public, and hardly ever of pri- 
 vate commendation. On the contrary, it is always 
 mentioned with regret, and generally with detestation. 
 Who then is this public ? It is the little collection of 
 duellists, magnified by its own voice, as every other 
 little party is, into the splendid character of the pub= 
 lie. That duellists should pronounce duelling to be 
 reputable cannot be thought a wonder, nor alledged 
 as an argument. 
 
 But it is dishonorable not to ghe a challenge, vohcn 
 affronted', and to refuse one when given IVbo can 
 endure the sense of shame^ or consent to live in iiU 
 Jamy ? VVhat is lifevcorth vAthout reputation^ and how 
 can reputation be preserved, as the i::orhl no%v is, vjitb^- 
 out obeying the dictates of this custom ? 
 
 This, 1 pre':iunie, is the chief argument, on which 
 duelling rests; and by v^hich its vataries are, at least 
 a grf at part of them, chiefly governed. Take auay 
 the shame of neglecting to give, or refusing to accept 
 a challenge; and few men would probably enter the 
 field of single combat, except from motives of re- 
 yen ge,- 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 219 
 
 On tills argument I observe, that he, who alleges 
 it, gives up the former arguments of course. If a 
 man fights to avoid the shame oj not fightings he does 
 not fight, to punishy repair, or prevent an injury. If 
 the disgrace of not fighting, is his vindication for 
 lighting, then he is not vindicated by any of these con- 
 siderations ; nor by that of delicate lionor, nor by any 
 thing else. The real reason, and that on which alone 
 he ultimately relies for his justification is, that if he 
 does not fight, he shall be disgraced ; and that this dis- 
 grace is attended with such misery, as to neGessitatc 
 and to justify, his fighting. 
 
 in alleging this reason, as his justification, the du» 
 ellist gives up, also, the inherent rectitude of duelling 
 and acknowledges it to be in itself wrong. Otherwise 
 he plainly could not need, nor appeal to, this rea^- 
 son, as his vindication. The misery of this disgrace; 
 therefore, is according to his declaration, such as to 
 render that right, which is inher<?ntly, and which, but 
 for this misery, would still be wrong, or sinful. — 
 This is indeed a strange opinion. God has, and it 
 will not often be denied that he has, prohibited certain 
 kinds of conduct to men. These he has absolutely 
 prohibite<l. According to this opinion, however, he 
 places men by his providence in such circumstances 
 of distress, that they may lawfully disobey his prohi- 
 bitions ; because otherwise, they would endure intole- 
 rable misery. Has God, then published a law, and 
 afterwards placed men in such circumstances, as to 
 make their disobedience to it lawful "? How unreason- 
 ably, according to this doctrine, have the scriptures 
 charged Satan with sin. His misery, as exhibited 
 by them, is certainly more intolerable than that, w^hich 
 is here professed, and of course will warrant him to 
 pursue the several courses, in which he expects to les- 
 sen it. This is the present plea of the duellist; Sata^n 
 might make it with double force. 
 
 Had the Apostles bethought themselves of this ar. 
 gument, they might, it would seem, have spared 
 
g20 A SERMON BY 
 
 themselves the scorn, the reproach, the hunger, the 
 nakedness, the persecution, and the violent death, 
 which they firmly encountered, rather than disobedi- 
 ence to God. Foolii^hly indeed must they have gone 
 to the stake and the cross, when they raight have 
 found a quiet refuge from both in the mere recollec 
 tion, that the loss of reputation was such extreme dis- 
 tress, as to justify him who was exposed to this evil, 
 in any measures of disobedience, necessary in his view 
 to secure his escape. 
 
 What an exhibition is here given of the character 
 of God ? He has published a lav/, which forbids ho- 
 micide, a law universally acknowledged to be just 
 and particularly acknowledged to be just in the very 
 adoption of this argument. At the same time it is in 
 this argument averred, that he often places his crea- 
 tures in such circumstances, that they may lawfully 
 disobey it. Of these circumstances every man is 
 considered as being his own judge. If then any man 
 j-udgc that his circumstances will justify his disobe- 
 dience, he may according to this argument lawfully 
 disobey. If the argument were universally admitted, 
 how evident is it, that every man would disobey every 
 law of God, and yet be justified ? Obedience would 
 therefore vanish from men, the lav*^ become a nullity, 
 and God cease to govern and be unable to govern his 
 creatureSo This certainly would be a most ingenious 
 iPiCthod of annihilating that law, every jot and tittle of 
 which he has declared shall stand though to fulfil it 
 hca^dcn and earth pass aivay. 
 
 On the same ground might every man, in equal dis- 
 tress, seek the life of him who occasioned it however 
 innocently ; and hazard his own. But poverty, dis- 
 appointed ambition and a thousand other misfortunesi, 
 involve men in equal sufferings ; as we continually 
 See by the suicide which follows them. Of these mis- 
 fortunes, generally, men, either intentionally, or unin- 
 tentionally, are the causes. He, therefore who causes 
 them, may, on this ground, be lawfully put to death 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 221 
 
 by the sufferer. What boundless havoc would this 
 doctrhie make of human life ; and how totally would 
 it subvert every moral principle ? 
 
 How different was the conduct of St. Paul, in suf- 
 ferings, inestimably greater than those here alleged I 
 Being rcuiled^ says he, we blcrs ; being persecuted, %ve 
 suffer it ; being defamed^ we entreat. Thus he acted, 
 when, as he declares in the same passage, he was hun- 
 gry, and thirsty, and naked:, and. buffeted, and had no 
 certain dwelling place, 
 
 L But what is this suffering ? It is nothing but the an- 
 guish of wounded pride. Ought, then, this imperi- 
 pus, deceitful, debasing passion to be gratified at the 
 expense of murder, and suicide ? Ought it to be grati- 
 fied at all ? Is not most of the turpitude, shame, and 
 misery, of man the effect of this passion only ? Angels 
 by the indulgence of this passion lost heaven ; and 
 the parents of mankind ruined a v.orld. 
 . But a good name is ,by the scriptures themselves as- 
 serted to be an in^aaluable possession. It is. But what 
 is a good name in the view of the scriptures ? It is 
 the result of wisdom and virtue ; not of folly and sin ; 
 a plant brought dov/n from the heavens, which will 
 flourish, and blossom, and bear fruit forever. 
 : . But is not the esteem oj our fellow men an inestimable 
 enjoyment? And have not wise meii, in every age of the 
 world, given this as their opinion ? '1 he esteem let 
 me ask of what men ? The esteem of banditti is cer- 
 tainly of no value. The character of the men is, there- 
 fore, that which determines the worth of their esteem. 
 The esteem of wise and good men is undoubtedly a 
 possession, of the value alledged; particularly, because 
 it is given only to wise and good conduct. If you co- 
 Vet esteem then, merit it by wisdom and virtue ; and 
 you will of course gain the blessing. By folly and 
 guilt you can gain no applause, but that of fools and 
 sinners; while you assure. youKself of the contempt 
 and abhorrence of all others. 
 
222 A SERMON BY 
 
 I shall conclude this part of the discussion with the 
 following summary remarks. 
 
 Duelling is eminentl}?- absurd, because the reasons, 
 v.hich create thecentest, are generally trivial. These 
 are almost ahvays trifling affronts, which a magnani- 
 mous man would disdain to regard. A brave and me- 
 rltorious officer in the British army was lately killed 
 in a duel, which arose out of the fighting of two dogs. 
 
 As an adjustment of disputes, it is supremely absurd. 
 If the pardes possess equal skilL innocence and crime 
 are placed on the same level ; and their interests are 
 decided by a game of hazard. A die would better 
 terminate the controversy; because the chances would 
 be the same, and the danger and death would be avoid- 
 ed. If the parties possess unequal skilly the concerns 
 of both are committed to the decision of one ; deeply 
 interested ; perfectly selfish ; enraged ; and precluded 
 by the very plan of adjustment from doing that, which 
 which is right, unless in doing it, he will consent to 
 suffer an incomprehensible evil. To avoid this evil he 
 is by the laws of the controversy, justified in doing to 
 his antagonist all the future injustice in his power. 
 Never was there a more improper judge ; nor a more 
 improper situation for judging. To add to the folly, 
 the very mode of decision involves new evils ; so that 
 the injustice already done can never be redressed ; but 
 by doing other and greater injustice.* 
 
 * This, koivever^ is beyond a douht the realjlate of the fuhject. Duel- 
 tjfts profefs to fight on equal terms : and make much parade of adjujiing the 
 combat fo as to accord with thsfe terms. But all this is mere profejfion, 
 Mojlof thofetivho defign to become duellifls^ apply them/elves nvith great 
 jffiduUy to /I:ooting with pidols at a mark placed at the utmojl ufual fighting 
 diflancc. In this manner they prove ^ that they intend to avail themfelves of 
 their faper'iorJkiVi thus laboriously acquired^ to decide the combat again/i 
 their aniagonijls. It makes not the leajl d't^erenccy whether the advantage 
 enrjijls in better arms, a better pnjition, an earlier fire, or a more Jkillful 
 hand. In each cafe the advantage liis in the greater probability which it fur- 
 n'floes one of the combatants offuccefs in the duel. Superior fhill enfures this 
 probability : and is therefore ^ according iQ the profejions of dueUt/ls, an m^ 
 fair and iwquitous advantage. 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 223 
 
 Finally, it is infinite folly, as in every duel, each 
 party puts his soul, and his eternity^ into extreme ha- 
 zard, voluntarily; and rushes before the bar of God, 
 stained with the guilt of suicide, and with the design 
 of shedding violently the blood of his fellow men. 
 
 The guilt of duelling involves a train of the most so- 
 lemn considerations. An understanding, benumbed 
 by the torpor of the lethargy, only v/ouid fail to dis- 
 cern them ; a heart of flint to feel them ; and a con- 
 science vanquished, bound and trodden under foot, to 
 regard them with horror. 
 
 Duelling is a violation of the laivs of man. Submit 
 to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake^ is equaU 
 ly a precept of reason and revelation. The govern- 
 ment of every country is the indispensable source of 
 protection, peace, safety, and happiness, to its inha- 
 bitants ; and the only means of transmitting these 
 blessings, together with education, knowledge, and 
 religion, to their children. It is therefore a good, 
 which cannot be estimated. But without obedience 
 to its laws, no government can continue a moment. 
 He, therefore, who violates them, contributes volun- 
 tarily to the destruction of the government itself, and 
 of all the blessings which it secures. 
 
 The laws of every civilized country forbid duelling,^ 
 nnd forbid it in its various stages by denouncing 
 against it severe and dreadful penalties; thus proving, 
 that the wise and good men of every such country have 
 with one voice, regarded it, as an injury of no com- 
 mon magnitude. The duellist, therefore, openly and 
 of system, attacks the lav/s, and the peace, and the 
 happiness, of his country ; loosens the bonds of socie. 
 ty ; and makes an open war on his feliovz-citizens, and 
 their pester ity. 
 
 At the same time, he takes the decision of liis own 
 controversies out of the hands of the public, and con- 
 stitutes himself his own judge, and avenger. Ills 
 arm he makes the umpire of all his concerns; and in^ 
 
224: A SERMON BY 
 
 soiently requires his countrymen to submit their in. 
 terest, when connected with his own, to the adjudica- 
 tion of his passions. Claiming, and sharing, all the 
 blessings of civilized society, he arogates, also, the 
 savage independence of wild and brutal nature ; wrests 
 the sword of justice fi-om the hand of the magistrate, 
 and wields it, as the v/eapon of an assassin. To him 
 government is annihilated. Laws and trials, judges 
 and juries, vanish before him. Arms are his laws 
 and a party his judge ; his only trial is a battle, and 
 his hail a field of blood. 
 
 Ail his countrymen have the same rights which he 
 has. Should they claim to exercise those which he 
 claims, what v/ould be the consequence ? Every con- 
 troversy, every concern, of man would be terminated 
 by the sword and pistol. Civil war ; war, Vvaged by 
 friends and neighbours, by father, sons, and brothers ; 
 war, of that dreadful kind, which the Romans de- 
 nominated a tumult ; would spread through every 
 country : a Vv'ar, in which all the fierce passions of 
 man would be let loose ; and wrath and malice, re- 
 venge and phrensy, would change the vv^arld into a 
 dungeon, filled with maniacs, who had broken their 
 cliains, and glutted their rage with each other's mis- 
 ery. Thus duelling universally adopted, would ruin 
 every country, destroy all the peace and safety, and 
 blast every hope, of mankind. Who but a fiend 
 w^ould V, iilingly contribute to this devastation ? 
 
 The guilt, begun in the violation of the laws of man; 
 is finished in the violation of the laws of God. This 
 awful Being who gave us existence, and preserves it, 
 who is every where, and sees every thing ; who made^ 
 and rules the universe ; who will judge and reward, 
 both angels and men ; and before whom, eT)crywork^ 
 %\)itb eiiery secret thing shall he brought into judgment ; 
 with his own voice proclaimed to this bloody world, 
 from Mount Sinai, * Thou shalt not kill.' The com- 
 mand, as I explained it the last season in this place,-. 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 225 
 
 forbids killing absolutely. No exception, as 1 then 
 observed, can be lawfully made to the precept, ex- 
 cept those, which the Lawgiver has himself made. 
 These I further observed, are limited to killing beasts, 
 when necessary for food, or plainly noxious ; and put- 
 ting men to death by the sword of public justice, or 
 in self defence ; whether private or public. This be- 
 ing the only ground of justifiable war. As these are 
 the sole exceptions, it is clear that duelling is an open 
 violation of this law of God. 
 
 The guilt of duelling in this view is manifold ; and 
 in all its varieties is sufficiently dreadful to alarm any 
 man, whose conscience is susceptible of alarm, and 
 whose mind is not too stupid to discern, that it is a 
 fearjul thing to fall into tjie hands of the living God, 
 
 If the duellist is 2i mere creature of solitude, in whose 
 life or death, happiness or misery, no human being is 
 particularly interested ; if no bosom will glow with 
 his prosperity, or bleed with his sufferings ; if no 
 mourner will follow his hearse, and no eye drop a tear 
 over his grave ; still he is a man. Asa man, he owe^ 
 ten thousand duties to his fellow men ; and these are 
 all commanded by his God. His labors, his example, 
 his prayers, are daily due to the neighbor, the stran- 
 ger, the poor, and the public. He cannot withdraw 
 them without sin. The eternal Being, whose wisdom 
 and justice have sanctioned all these claims, will exact 
 tile forfeiture at his hands ; and inquire of the wick^ 
 ed and slothful servant, why, in open defiance of his 
 known pleasure he has thus shrunk from his duty, and 
 buried his talent in the grave. 
 
 Is he a son? Who licensed him in rebellion against 
 the fifth command of the decalogue, to pierce his 
 parents hearts with agony, and to bring down their grey 
 hairs with sorrow to the grave ? Why did he not live 
 io honor his father and his mother ; to obey, to com- 
 fort, to delight, and to support them in their declin- 
 ing years ; and to give them a rich reward for all their 
 
 28 
 
226 A SERMON BY 
 
 toil, expense, and suffering, in his birth and educa- 
 tion, by a dutiful, discreet, and amiable lite, the only 
 reuard which they ask .^Why did he shroud the morn- 
 ing of their happiness in midnight ; and cause their ris- 
 ing hopes to set in blood ? Why did he raise up before 
 their anguished eyes the spectre of a son, slain in the 
 enormous perpetration of sin ; escaping from a troub- 
 led grave ; or coming from the region of departed 
 spirits, to haunt their course through declining life, 
 to alarm their sleep, and chill their waking moments^ 
 widi the despairing, agonizing cry, 
 
 " Death ! lis a melancholy day 
 " To thore ihat have no God." 
 
 Is he a Husband? He has broken the marriage vow ; 
 the c:ith of God. He has forsaken the wife of his 
 youth. He has refused to furnish her sustenance ; 
 to share her joys ; to sooth her sorrows ; to watch 
 her sick bed ; and to provide for his children, and 
 hers, the means of living here, and the means of liv- 
 ing forever. He kas denied the faith and is worse 
 than an infidel. Where, in the fatal, guilty moment, 
 wheu he resolved to cast away his life, were his ten- 
 derness to the partner of his bosom ; the yearnings 
 of his bowels towards tlie olFspring of his loins ; his 
 sense of duty ; his remembrance of God ? In every 
 character, as a dependant creature^ az a sitijul man^ 
 his eternal life and death were suspended on his for- 
 giveness of his enemies. He vv^ho alone can forgive 
 sins, and save sinners, has said. If ye forgiiie not men 
 their trespasses, neither will your heavenly jather for- 
 give you. He has gone farther. He has forbiddeu 
 man even to ask pardon of God, unless v^^ith a forgiv- 
 ing spirit to his ftrllow m.en. In vain can the duellist 
 pretend to a forgiving temper. If he felt the spirit of 
 the cross, could he possibly for an affront^ an ofTence 
 lii^hter than air, shed the blood of his neighbor. Could 
 he plunge the friends of the suiferer into an abyss of 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 227 
 
 anguish ; sink bis parents into Irrecoverable despair; 
 break on the wheel the heartsofhis wife andchil^heii ; 
 and label on the door |:osts o. his house — monnur^g 
 lamentation and iiwr ? 
 
 Satisfaction for a projess^d ihpiryu the very demand 
 which he makes ; the only basis of his contest. Is 
 this the language of forgiveness ? It is an insult to 
 common sense, it is an outrage on common decency, 
 to hold this language ; and yet profess this temper. 
 The language is the language of revenge. The spi- 
 rit is the spirit of revenge. The varnish, notwith- 
 standing it is so laboriovisly spread, is too thin to 
 conceal the gross materials, or to deceive the most 
 careless eye. Revenge for a supposed affront, revenge 
 for Vvounded pride, for disappointed ambition, for 
 frustrated schemes of power, dictates the challenge, 
 seizes the weapon of death, and goads the champion 
 to the field. Revenge turns the heart to stone, di- 
 rects the fatal aim, and gloomily smiles over the ex- 
 piring victim. Remove this palliation, miserable as 
 it is, and you make man a fiend. A fiend would 
 murder v*ithout emotion; while a man is hurried to 
 the dreadful work by passion only. 
 
 But what an image Is presented to the eye by a 
 man, thus dreadfully executing revenge? A worm 
 of the dust; a sinful worm, an apostate, who lives 
 on mercy only ; who could not thus have lived, had 
 not his saviour died for him ; v/ho is crimsoned with 
 ten thousand crimes, committed against his God ; 
 who is soon to be tried, judged and rewarded, for 
 them all; this worm raises its crest, and talks loftily 
 of the affront it has received, of injured honor, of 
 wounded character, and of expiation by the blood of 
 its fellow-worm. All this is done under the all- 
 searching eye, and in the tremendous presence of 
 Jehovah ; who has hung the pardon of this miserable 
 being on his forgiveness of his fellow. Be astonish- 
 ed, O beavens, at this / and thoi; earthy be horribly 
 afraid \ 
 
228 A SERMON BY. 
 
 Nor is this crime merely an execution ofre%enge; 
 it is a cold deliberate revenge. The deliberate kil- 
 ling of a man is murder^ by the decision of common 
 sense, by the decision of human law, by the decision 
 of God. How few murderers have an equal oppor- 
 tunity, or equal advantages, to deliberate ? By a 
 mind informed with knowledge, softened with the 
 humanity of polished life, enlightened by revelation ; 
 conscious of a God, and acquainted with the Saviour 
 of mankind, a cool, deliberate purpose is formed, che- 
 rished, and executed, of murdering a fellow creature- 
 The servant, who forgave not his fellow servant his 
 debt of an hundred pcice, hut thrust him into prison^ 
 iv as delivered on^er to the tormentors by his Lord, until 
 he should pay the ten thousand talents, which he oived^ 
 'when he had nothing to pay ? What will be the desti- 
 ny of that servant, who in the same circumstances, for 
 a debt, an injury, of a tenth part of the value of an 
 hundred pence, robs his fellow servant of his life f 
 Had an Apostle ; had Paul ; amidst all the unexamp- 
 led injuries, which he suffered, sent a challenge, or 
 fought a duel, what would have become of his cha- 
 racter, as an apostle, or even as a good man. This sin- 
 gle act would have destroyed his character, and ruin- 
 ed his mission. Infidels, would have triumphantly 
 objected this act, as unquestioned proof of his im- 
 morality, of his consequent unfitness to be an Apos- 
 tle from God to mankind, and of his destitution, 
 therefore, of inspiration. Nor could christians have 
 answered the objection. But can that conduct which 
 would have proved Paul to be a sinner, consists with 
 a virtuous character in another man ? 
 
 Had the Saviour of the world* (I make the unnat- 
 
 * ItisIbeUeve unlverfally adm'uted by Christians, that the conduct 
 *which nvould have been ftnful in Chrt/i^ conftdered merely as placed under 
 the law ofGod^ and required to obey it, is ftnful in every man acquainted 
 rvith thegofpel ; and that the conduct of Chrift as a moral being, is m every 
 cap:, which is applicable to our circum/lances, a rule of duty to us. I havr 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 229 
 
 iural supposition with shuddering, but I hope with 
 becoming reverence for that great and glorious per- 
 son) sent a challenge, or fought a duel, would not this 
 single spot have eclipsed the Sun of Righteousness 
 forever ? Can that spot, which would have sullied the 
 divinity of the Redeemer, and obscured his media- 
 tion, fail to be an indelible stain, a hateful deformit}-, 
 on those whom he came to save ? If any man haiie 
 not the spirit of Christy he is none of his. 
 
 All these things, reason, ^nd humanity, and religion, 
 plead ; yet how often, even in this infant country, this 
 country boasting of its knowledge and virtue they plead 
 in vain ! Duels in great numbers are fought ; revenge 
 is glutted ; and the miserable victims of wrath and 
 madness are hurried to an untimely end. Come then, 
 thou surviving and, in thine own view, fortunate and 
 glorious champion, accompany me to the scenes of 
 calamity which thou has created, and survey the misr 
 chiejs of duelling. 
 
 Go with me to yonder church yard. Whose is 
 that newly opened grave ? Approach, and read the 
 letters on the yet uncovered coffin. If thou canst 
 retain a steady eye, thou wilt perceive, that they de- 
 note a man, who yesterday beheld, and enjoyed the 
 light of the living. Then he shared in all the 
 blessings, and hopes, of life. He possessed health, 
 and competence, and comfort, and usefulness, and 
 reputation. He was surrounded by neighbors who 
 respectt^d, and by friends who loved him. The 
 wife of his youth found in him every joy, and the 
 balm of every sorrow. The children of his bosom 
 hung on his knees to receive his embrace, and his 
 
 put thtsjirong cafe-^ becaufe I believe feiv of thofe, tuho may evade ivith va- 
 rious pretences the preceedtng arguments tvill be at a lofs to determine here. 
 In the fame manner divines cujiomarily make the fuppq/ition of injti/lire, 
 falfehoody or other turpitude, and apply it to the divint character ; to/heiVj 
 forcibly^ whatjieplorabU confequences fsuould folloiVt tuere . the fuppofitien 
 true. 
 
230 A SERMON BY 
 
 blessing. In a thousand designs was he embarked, to 
 provide for their support and education, and to set- 
 tle them usefully ancl comfortably in the world. He 
 inspired all their enjoyments ; he lighted up all their 
 hopes. 
 
 Yesterday he was himself a creature of hope, a 
 probationer for immortality. The voice of Mercy in- 
 vited him to faith and repentance in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, to holiness, and to heaven. The day of grace 
 shone, the smiles of forgiveness beamed, upon his 
 head. While this happy day lasted, God was recon- 
 cileable, his Redeemer might be found, and his soul 
 might be saved. The Jiigbt had not then come upon 
 him, in %vhicb no man can work. 
 
 Where is he now ? His body lies mouldering in 
 that coffin. His soul has ascended to God, with all 
 its sins upon its head, to be judged, and condemned 
 to wretchedness, which knows no end. Thy hand 
 hns hurried him to the grave, to the judgment, and 
 to damnation.- He affronted thee ; and this is the ex- 
 piation, which thy revenge exacted. 
 
 Turn \VQ now to the melancholy m^msion, v,'here, 
 yesterday, his presence diffused tenderness, hope, and 
 joy. Enter the door reluctantly opening to receive 
 even the most beloved guest. Here mark the affect- 
 ing group assembled by this catastrophe. That ve- 
 nerable man, fixed in motionless sorrow, whose hoary 
 head trembles with emotions unutterable, and whose 
 eye refuses a tear to lessen his anguish, is the Father 
 who bej^at him. That matron, wrung with agony, is 
 the Mother who bore him. Yesterday he was their 
 delight, their consolation, the staff of their declining 
 years. To him they looked under God, to lighten the 
 evils of their old age ; to close their eyes on the bed 
 of death ; and to increase their transports through- 
 out eternity. 
 
 But their comforts and their hopes have all van^ 
 ishcd together- He is now a corpse, a tenant of the 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 231 
 
 grave, cut off in the bloom of life, and sent unprepar- 
 ed to the judgment. To these immeasurable evils 
 thou hast added the hopeless agony of remembering, 
 while they live, that he was cut off in a gross and 
 dreadful act of sin, and without even a momentary 
 space of repentance, a remembrance which will en* 
 venom life, and double the pangs of death. 
 
 Turn thine eyes, next on that miserable form, 
 surrounded by a cluster of helpless and vvretched 
 children, see her eyes rolling with phrenzy, and her 
 frame quivering with terror. Thy hand has made 
 her a widow, and her children orphans. At thee, 
 though unseen, is directed that bewildered stare of 
 agony. At thee she trembles ; for thee she listens ; 
 lest the murderer of her husband should be now ap- 
 proaching to murder her children also. 
 
 She, and they, have lost their all. Thou hast 
 robbed them of their support, their protector, their 
 guide, their solace, their hope. In the grave all these 
 blessings have been buried by thy hand. If his af- 
 front to thee demanded this terrible expiation, what, 
 according to thine own decision, must be the suffer- 
 ings, destined to retribute the immesaurable injuries 
 which thou hast done to them. 
 
 The day of this retribution is approaching, ^he 
 "voice of thy. brother'' s blood crieth from the ground, and 
 thou art nouj cursed from the earthy vjhich hath open- 
 ed her mouth to receive thy brother^s blood, A mar% 
 is sctnpon thee by. thy God ; not for safety, but de- 
 struction. Disease, his aijenging Angel, is prepar- 
 ing to hurry thee to the bed of death. With what 
 agonies wilt thou there recal thy malice, thy revenge, 
 and the murder of thy friend ? With what exstacies 
 of woe will thy soul cling to this world ; with what 
 horror will it quake at the approach of eterni- 
 ty! Alone, naked, drenched in guilt thou wilt as- 
 cend to God. From him what reception v*ilt thou 
 meet ? From his voice what lanc^uaee v ilt thou hear r 
 
232 A SERMON BY 
 
 Depart thou cursed unto everlasting jire. And lo t 
 the melancholy world of sin and suffering- unfolds to 
 receive thee, Mark in the entrance, the man, whom 
 thou has plundered of life, and happiness, and hea- 
 ven already waiting to pour on thy devoted head for 
 the infinite wrongs which thou hast done to him, the 
 wrath and vengeance of eternity. 
 
 At the close of the awful survey, cast thine eyes 
 once more around thee, and see thyself, and thy bro- 
 ther duellists, the examples, the patrons, and the sole 
 causes, of all succeeding duelling. Were the exist- 
 ing advocates of this practice to cease from uphold- 
 ing it ; were they to join their own efforts to the com- 
 mon efforts of man, and hunt it out of the world ; it 
 would never return. On thee, therefore, and thy com- 
 panions, the innumerable and immense evils of fu- 
 ture duelling are justly charged. To you, a band of 
 enemies to the peace and safety of man ; a host of 
 Jeroboams, nvho not only sin but make Israel to sin 
 through a thousand generations, will^succeeding ages 
 impute their guilt and there sufferings. Your effica- 
 cious and baneful examples, will make thousands of 
 childless parents, distracted widows, and desolate or- 
 phans, after you are laid in the grave. You invite 
 posterity to wrest the right of deciding private con- 
 troversies out of the hands of public justice ; and to 
 make force and skill the only umpires between man 
 and man. You entail perpetual coatempt on the laws 
 of man, and on the laws of God ; kindle the flames 
 of civil discord ; and summon from his native abyss 
 anarchy, the worst of fiends, to lay waste all the hap- 
 piness, and all the hopes of mankind. 
 
 At the great and final day, your country will rise 
 up in judgment against you, and accuse you as the 
 destroyers of her peace, and the murderers of her 
 children. Against you will rise up in judgment all 
 the victims of your revenge, and a!ll the wretched 
 families, whom you have plunged in hopeless mis- 
 
TIMOTHY DWIGHT. 233 
 
 ery. The prowling Arab and the remorseless savage, 
 will there draw nigh, and whiten their crimes by a 
 comparison with your's. They indeed were mur- 
 derers; but thy were never dignified with the name, 
 nor blessed with the privileges, of Christians. Thej'- 
 were born in blood, and educated to slaughter.— 
 They were taught from their infancy, that to fight, 
 and to kill, was lawful, was honorable and virtuous. 
 You were born in the mansion of knowledge, hu- 
 manity, and religion. At the moment of your birth 
 you were offered up to God, and baptized in the name 
 of the Father^ of the Son^ and oj the Holy Ghost, You 
 were dandled on the knee, and educated in the school, 
 of piety. From the house of God you have gone to 
 the field of blood ; and from the foot of the cross to 
 the murder of your friends. You have cut off life 
 in the blossom, and shortend, to the wretched ob- 
 jects of your wrath, the day of repentance and saU 
 vation. The beams of the Sun of Kighteousness. 
 shining with life giving influence on them, you have 
 intercepted ; the smile of mercy, the gleam of hope, 
 the dawn of immortality you have overcast forever. 
 You have glutted the grave with untimely slaughter, 
 and helped to people the world with perdition. — 
 Crimsoned with guilt, and drunk with blood, Nine- 
 veh will ascend from the tomb, triumph over yoi;.r 
 ruin, and smile to see her own eternal destiny more 
 tolerable than yours, 
 
 00 
 
CHRISTIANS BOUND TO DISTINGUISH THEIV^ 
 SELVES FROM THE WORLD- 
 
 A SERMON 
 
 BY 
 
 STEPHEN FENN. 
 
 MINISTER OF A CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, HARPERSFIELD, 
 NEW-YORK. 
 
 MATTHEW V. xlvii, 
 -^What do ye more than others? 
 
 HE who knew what was in man, addressed him. 
 self directly to the heart. His mode of teaching was 
 calculated to bring out to view every trait in the hu- 
 man character ; and to shew, not only to others, but 
 to ourselves, what we are. That strong propensity in 
 human nature to conform to a sinful world is partic- 
 ularly condemned ; and christians are called upon to 
 distinguish themselves from others, by their piety and 
 good works. Christianity requires activity. He who 
 would be a follower of Him, ' who went about doing 
 good,' must not indulge in sloth and inactivity ; but, 
 like a watchman, must be constantly on his guard 
 against a subtle enemy, and ever ready to answer the 
 calls of his Lord and Master. 
 
 The eyes of the Jews were upon Christ and his 
 disciples : The eyes of the world are upon us. Man- 
 kind estimate the christian religion, by the lives of 
 christian professors. 
 
 In order to prepare the minds of his disciples for 
 that vital and active piety, which he was about to in- 
 culcate, the Saviour brings out to their view, in the 
 context, the character and life of sinners, \n the 43d 
 
236 A SERMON BY 
 
 verse, he says : * Ye have heard that it has been said, 
 thoii stiult love" tliy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.* 
 This v/as the Very dictate of the natural heart.' * But 
 I say unto you, love your enemies ; bless them, that 
 ciirse you ; do good to them that hate you ; and pray 
 for them who despitehiily use you, and persecute you. 
 For if ye love them, which love you, what reward 
 have ye ? Do not even the publicans the same ? And 
 if ye salute your brethern only, iv hat do ye more than 
 others ? Do not even the publicans so ? 
 
 This question contained in the text, may be justly 
 considered as amounting to a positive injunction : 
 ' Christians, it is my expectation — it is my will, that 
 ' ye do more than others. Others love themselves, 
 ^ and love those who promote their personal interest ; 
 
 * but you must have tliat general benevolence, that 
 ^ love to God and man, which shall enable youto cfo 
 
 * gaod to your enemies, and to stand ready to sacri- 
 ^ fi'ce your lives in the service of God.' 
 
 Are these hard sayings ? Does the Redeemer of 
 men require more of his elect, than is reasonable I 
 By no means : the Master whom we serve, is not 
 hard, or austere. 
 
 To impress upon your minds the reasonableness 
 of our Saviour's requirement, that christians should 
 do more than others, 1 observe, 
 
 1st. More is done for christians, than for others. 
 
 Free salvation is purchased for the whole worlds 
 But such is the depravity of human nature, that men, 
 unassisted by spiritual grace, m^ill not come unto 
 Christ, that they may have life, ^j nature chris- 
 tians are as perverse and obstinate as others. But 
 to them, God has, in infinite mercy, granted this spe- 
 c'lal grace, this richest of heavenly gifts, without 
 which, ail otlier blessings were in vain. Their proud 
 hearts have been humbled ; their blind eyes have 
 been opened. The snares of the devil, in which 
 they have been entangled, have been broken ; and his 
 
STEPHEN f ENN. 257 
 
 dO'rfiinion over them, abGlished. God, by an out- 
 stretched arm, hath brought them out of darkness, 
 into his marvelous light. They are made to behold 
 the beauty of religion, and the glories of the heaven- 
 ly world ; and, forgetting the things which are be- 
 hind, they are enabled to press forward towards the 
 mark, for the prize of the high calling of God, in 
 Christ Jesus. 
 
 While others are without any rational hope, and 
 without God in the world, they are from time to time, 
 blessed with his cheering presence, and animated 
 with the tight of his countenance. The evidence of 
 their title to an inheritance among the saints in light, 
 is constantly brightening; their views of heaven are 
 constantly enlarging; andj although they are oppress- 
 ed with all those trials and calamities incident to 
 human nature, they are bomc up and supported by 
 that glorious promise, * all things shall work together 
 for good to them that love God.' 
 
 Can those then, on whom the richest of heaven's 
 blessings have been lavished ; for whom such mir- 
 racles of mercy have been wrought, question their 
 obligation to do more than others ? 
 
 2dlv. Believers should do more than others, be- 
 cause they stand in a nearer relation to God. The 
 nearer the relation the greater the obligation. In this 
 respect believers on earth, are under greater obli- 
 gation, than angels in heaven. Angels stand in the 
 relation of servants to their Lord ; but believers are 
 more closely united- Christ is the head, and they 
 are the members. They are not only in common 
 with the children of the world created of God ; but 
 they are born of God. A son honoreth his father, if 
 then, says God, I be a father, where is mine honor ? 
 
 Every believer is a member of Christ's body, the 
 church. He is united to the father through faith in 
 the Son^ as the branches are united to the vine. 
 
238 A SERiMON BY 
 
 From this near relation of believers to God, their 
 obligations are enhanced ; they are bound to do more 
 than others ; to be more holy, more devoted to the 
 cause of God. In a peculiar manner ought they to 
 be patterns and examples in piety, in humility, in 
 meekness, and in faith. To be externally religious, 
 to maintain good outward conduct, without possess- 
 ing a spirit of true piety, will not come up to the 
 obligations of believers. The Pharisees were very 
 scrupulous in their observance of the Jewish law, 
 burdened as it was with rights and ceremonies ; but 
 our Lord in his public preaching, assured his hearers, 
 that except their righteousness exceeded the righte- 
 ousness of the Scribes and Farisees, they should in 
 no wise enter into the kingdom of God. 
 
 The near relation of believers to God is a rea- 
 son why they should not yield themselves the ser- 
 vants of sin. They in an essential manner arc bound 
 to serve God in spirit and in truth. Denying ungod- 
 liness, they, should live soberly, righteously, and 
 godly in this present evil w^orld. God expresses his 
 aMonishment at the conduct of christians. * Here 
 O heavens, and give ear O earth ; I have nourished 
 and brought up children, and they have rebelled 
 against me !' Believers standing to God, in the rela- 
 tion of children to a father, are bound to honor and 
 reverence liim ; to discover an attachment to his in- 
 terest, to walk as Christ Vvalked. 
 
 The Roman Censors took such a dislike to the son of 
 Scipio Africanus, that they plucked the ring from his 
 finger, on which v/as engraved the image of his father. 
 They would not sufter the degenerate son, who had 
 jione of the virtues of his father, to wear his picture. 
 Shall those walk in darkness, whose father is light ; 
 v.^ho ought to be the first to reverence and to adore 
 Jiim 1 
 
 3d. Christians should do more than others, because 
 they profess more. As trees are know by their fruits^ 
 
STEPHEN FENN. 230 
 
 so Christ's followers are to be known by their works. 
 There are some who profess to know Christ but 
 in works deny him, being abominable, disobedient 
 and to every good work reprobate. The man does 
 not appear in what he says, but what he does. 
 
 Believers in professing Christianity and dedicating 
 themselves to God, have solemnly engaged to make the 
 whole law and gospel of Christ the rule of their life, 
 no plea which they can make can free them from this 
 covenant obligation. They are to be wholly the Lords. 
 They have engaged to be his. They ought there- 
 fore to distinguish themselves from the people of 
 the world. What would pass unnoticed in the people 
 of thfj world, would be a great crime in them. He- 
 rod could live in adultery with his brother Philip's 
 wife and it be thought no crime ; but it was unpar- 
 donable for our Lord to go in. to be a guest with sin- 
 ners, or to eat with unwashen hands. 
 
 In the apostolic days it was said of the saints that 
 the world took knowledge of them, that they had been 
 with Jesus. Their life and conversation no doubt 
 gave evidence that they were on the side of Christ*^ 
 So christians in professing godliness have engaged to 
 give the same evidence ; and to do this, they must 
 be eminently holy. They must walk in newness of 
 life — in new obedience, 
 
 4th. It is incumbent on believers to do more than 
 others, because their conduct is more observed and 
 noticed by the world. 
 
 We are, saith the Apostle, a spectacle to men and 
 angels. The eyes of the world are attentively turn- 
 ed upon the professors of religion. They as care- 
 fully watch for their errors, as though they expected 
 their fall would procure their own salvation. This 
 should make them circumspect and guarded ; they 
 should condemn those by their lives who condemn 
 them with their lips. The direction is explicit, * come 
 ye out from among them, and be ye separate.' 
 
240 A SERMON BY 
 
 Believers are required to keep themseives pure 
 from the pollutions of the world. To this end, the 
 devout Psalmist prays ' Teach me thy way O Lord 
 and lead nie in plain paths, because of mine enemies.' 
 The malicious designs — the lying in wait of his en- 
 emies, was the reason why the Psalmist wished to be 
 directed in duty, why he wished to be more Gircum- 
 spect and guarded in his behaviour. 
 
 Says a pious divine : ' if you walk tn the unpaved 
 way of licentious looseness, the world will not go 
 backwards, like Shem and Japhet, to cover your na- 
 kedness ; but they vvill march forward, like cursed 
 Ham, to uncover your nakedness and make it more 
 shamefully to appear.' The ungodly make use gf 
 your weakness as a shield for their own wickedness. 
 When reproved for their wickedness, they will bring 
 forward your vices and follies as a defence for them- 
 selves. By your committing small errors, they Uaink 
 themselves justified in the commission of great crimes. 
 They will sooner aliow^ their own enormities, than 
 your small infirmities. To deprive sinners of this 
 reason, this pretext for sin, let your pure lives shut 
 their impure lips. To your virtues they are blind ; 
 but your foibles, they view with opticks clear. -— 
 One transient eclipse of the sun, excites the aston- 
 ishment, and arrests the attention of a gazing world, 
 but Avhen shining in his full orbed splendor, is uuno- 
 ticed. One crime into which you fall, will, eall 
 forth more observations, than a Vvhole life of the most 
 exemplary piety. David's sin with Bathslieba, has 
 drawn upon him, and upon religion in general, tor- 
 rents of censure, and has been improved as a defence 
 of whole lives of the most enormous wickedness. One 
 scar, may mar the beauty of the fairest face. Oae^ 
 wound which Christ may receive in the house of his 
 friends, may do more injury to the cause of religior, 
 than a thousand attacks from without. 
 
STEPHEN l^ENN. 241 
 
 Sthly. Believers should do more than others, that 
 it may 'appear that they are more than others. 
 
 The judgment of the world is not founded on pro- 
 fessions, but conduct. If good fruits do not ap- 
 pear in the life and conversation of christians, their 
 professions are vain. Unbelievers will pronounce 
 them hypocrites atid no better than themselves. To 
 bear the name of christians, and yet walk in the 
 courses of the wicked, is an inconsistency of which 
 the world will take advantage. The ruling temper 
 of the heart, is ever visible in the outward conducts 
 Where the heart is of a good constitution, the life 
 will be of a fair complexion. 
 
 If the will is subdued and brought into subjection 
 by divine grace, this will be manifest in the life and 
 conversation ; the walk will be in newness of life, in 
 obedience to the divine law. Grace will not always 
 lie buried in obsecurity ; it will at times appear and 
 cast a dazling lustre on its possessor. It is the coni. 
 mand, the solemn injunction of Christ to his disci* 
 pies, * Let your light so shine before men, that they 
 seeing your good worksj may glorify your father who 
 is in heaven.' 
 
 6thly. Christians are bound to do more than others, 
 because they are hereafter to be judges of others. 
 
 As the scriptures clearly teach us, that there is a day 
 -appointed when the whole assembled universe will be 
 judged, so they likewise teach us, that God, Christ, 
 and the Saints, have each their parts assigned in the 
 transactions of that day. God passes the sentence, 
 Christ executes it, and the Saints approve of it. Do 
 ye not know saith the Apostle , to his christian breth- 
 ren, that the Saints shall judge the world ? And if the 
 world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy of the 
 smallest matter ? 
 
 The time is approaching, it will soon come, when 
 we, when all the myriads of the apostate raceof Adami^ 
 
 30 
 
242 A SERMON BY 
 
 shall be suminoned to judgmentby the trumpet of the 
 arch-angel. Then the wicked will come forth like 
 miserable captives from their dungeons, filled w^ith 
 horror by the stings of conscience and apprehensions 
 of their approaching doom, while the saints will rise 
 out of their graves with joy and gladness in their 
 countenances, and approach widi rapture the solemni- 
 ties of the judgment. Enoch the seventh from Adam, 
 prophesied saying, ' Behold the Lord cometh with 
 ten thousand of his saints to execute judgment upon 
 all. When the Son of Man shall sit upon the throne 
 of his glory, ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judg- 
 ing the twelve tribes of Israel.' 
 
 Now% the wicked take it upon them to judge the 
 saints. They pass their censures and pronounce con- 
 demnation upon God's children as they see fit. Some 
 they denounce as the most arrant hypocrites ; others 
 as deluded fanatics, deceived themselves and labour- 
 ing to decive others. 
 
 The professions and devotions of christians ar« 
 frequently made a subject of ridicule by the wicked. 
 They will accuse them of exhibiting to the world 
 much outvv ard show of religion, while they carry with- 
 in them hearts desperately wicked : of being like 
 whited sepulchres, beautiful vv ithout ; but within full 
 of uncleanness. The malicious censures of the wick- 
 ed are often very forcibly felt by christians : they 
 acknowledge them just and are depressed and over- 
 come with a sense, of their sins, and of the dishonor 
 they have brought upon the religion they profess. — 
 The trials they experience are so great, that they 
 feel the full force of the observation of the Apostle — 
 * If we have hope in this life only, we are of all men 
 the most miserable.' 
 
 But christians, you have no cause to faint. The ac- 
 cusations of the wicked, will not disgrace you in the 
 view of your heavenly father. You are yet to judge 
 the world. You are to give your according appro- 
 
STEPHEN FENN. 243 
 
 bation to the final sentence which shall be pronoun- 
 ced upon those guilty men, who have with such 
 violence and malignity traduced your characters be- 
 fore the world. You will yet, O believer, be fully 
 vindicated before all the assembled universe. It will 
 be made to appear, that though you had many imper- 
 fections yet your motives and springs of action in 
 religious pursuits, were good, and that they have been 
 maliciously misrepresented by wicked men. 
 
 But how will you be able to pass a righteous sen- 
 tence on others, for those sins of which yourselves are 
 guilt}' ? This consideration should induce you to take 
 an elevated stand ; to pursue a course of life, which 
 shall reflect, lustre on your profession, and make the 
 fact strikingly to appear, that you do, and are, more 
 than others. By the holiness o^ your lives, you should 
 show the unrenewed in heart, the wickedness of 
 theirs. By your exemplary walk, you should endea- 
 vour to wipe away the prejudice which the world en- 
 tertain of religion. Let there be no longer occasion 
 for it to be reproachfully said, * that with your lips 
 you profess Christ; but in your works you deny him. 
 
 7thly. The disciples of Christ should do more than 
 others, because they expect more. They do not 
 view this world as their abiding place ; they consi- 
 der themselves as pilgrims and sojourners in a strange 
 land. They are seeking another and a better coun- 
 try, that is an heavenly. They expect soon to enter 
 upon that incorruptible inheritance, which fadeth not 
 away ; vv^hich Christ has gone before to prepare for 
 those that love him. John in his first epistle says, 
 Every man that has this hope, purifies himself, even 
 as he is pure. That hope which is like an anchor to 
 the soul, sure and steadfast, and entering into that 
 within the vail, never flourishes in a barren soil. 
 
 If you live thoughtless and secure here, you must 
 not expect to reign with Christ hereafter- You can- 
 not go from Delilah's lap of carnal case, to Abraham's 
 
g44 A SERMON BY 
 
 bosom of happy repose. As you are expecting an 
 open and abundant entrance to be administered unto 
 you into the kingdom of heaven ; you must lead a life 
 which will qualify you for the kingdom of heaven. 
 The unjrodiy do not expect to be crowned with glory. 
 They live without hope and without God in the world. 
 But believers are the expectants of a glorious and a 
 happy immortality. Let your present life and con- 
 versation be suitable to your prospects of future ad- 
 vancement at the right hand of the majesty on high, 
 when you shall be crowned with glory, honor, and 
 immortality. You cannot lead a vicious, unholy life 
 and receive the revv'ards of the blessed. It was im» 
 possible, for Balaam to die the death of the righteous, 
 or to have his last end like his, v/hen he had been a 
 ciiviner, a heathen soothsayer, and a worshiper of false 
 Gods. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. 
 Though holiness be what a sinner despises, it is that, 
 which a saviour crowns. If you would be crowned, 
 so run that ye may obtain. Lay aside every weight 
 and the sin which does most easily beset yon, and 
 run \vith patience the race which is set before you, 
 looking unto Jesus Christ. If you neglect to run 
 the race of holiness here, you will certainly lose the 
 crown of blessedness hereafter. Every tree that bear- 
 eth not good fruit is hewn down and cast into the 
 fire. You may perish for being servants that are un» 
 profitable, as well as for being servants that are abo- 
 minable. How constant, how diligent,ought believ- 
 ers to be in duty, when they are assured by infalli- 
 ble testimony that their labor is notinvain in the Lord, 
 If yoii wIk) profess religion do no more than others, 
 you certainly can expect no more in the eternal world. 
 If you love them that love you, what reward have you ? 
 It is nothing but mere nature to give, where you ex- 
 pect again to recehe. True religion teaches you to 
 bless them that curse you, to do good to them that 
 ^^ate youj and to pray for them which dispitefully 
 
STEPHEN FENN. 245 
 
 use you and persecute you, that ye may be the child, 
 ren of your father which is in heaven, for he maketh 
 his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and 
 sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if 
 ye love them which love you, what reward have ye ? 
 Do not even the Publicans the same ? And if ye 
 salute your brethren only, what do ye more than 
 others ? Do not even the Publicans so ? If you would 
 not have God put you off with a Pharisee's recom- 
 pence, do not put off God with a Pharasee's perform* 
 ance. 
 
 8thly Believers are bound to do more than others, 
 because they have a perfect pattern set for their im^ 
 itation. They are required to be conformed in all 
 things to Christ the Redeemer, to be perfect as he is 
 perfect. 
 
 Christ is the standard of moral excellency to which 
 all his followers are bound to conform. He is the 
 root on which the saint grov/s, and the rule by which 
 he is to square all his actions. It pleased him, for 
 whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in 
 bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of 
 their salvation perfect. Christ lived to teach you hov/ 
 to live, and died to. teach you how to die. His words 
 are, * For 1 have given you an example, that ye should 
 do as I have done. Glorious example ! Worthy of the 
 Blessed Redeemer who gave it- --worthy of the imi- 
 tation of all christians. 
 
 My christian brethren ; attend to the heavenly pre- 
 cepts which proceeded from his lips ; to that per- 
 fect conduct which appeared in his life. It should be 
 your greatest delight to yield obedience to his re- 
 quirements, to be holy in both heart and life. You 
 should be as willing to be ruled by his laws, as to be 
 saved by his grace. If you would reign with hini 
 in glory, you must take up your cross and follow hiiii 
 through lifcc 
 
246 A SERMON BY 
 
 IMPROVEMENT. 
 
 1st. While attending to this subject, I make no 
 doubt, but the sinner has been flattering himself with 
 the idea, that, it furnishes him with an excuse for his 
 neglect of religion. It may have been the language of 
 his heart. ' I am glad to hear it thus publicly acknow- 
 iedgcd, that cliristians are bound to do more than 
 others : they have indeed a burden lying upon them, 
 of which I rejoice that I am free : While they are 
 tied up to rigid rules, and obliged by their profes- 
 sion to lead the rigid, and austere life, which has been 
 described, I am not shackled with these restrictions, 
 but may live as I list. 
 
 But suffer me O sinner, to reply to you, that if what 
 has now been said pointing out the obligations of 
 Christians to holy living, has ailbrded any food to 
 your guilty mind, it is not more substantial, than the 
 husks on which the prodigal fed before he was brought 
 to a sense of his situation. It is the plain truth, that 
 you are under the most indispensibie obligations to 
 immediately become a christian, and to lead the very 
 life which the godly man leads. No plea, or excuse 
 which you can frame, can free you from this solemn 
 obligation ; and every moment v/hich you delay to be- 
 come a hearty penitant and a true follower of the 
 lamb; you are hazarding your eternal all. You are 
 in a most awful manner aggravating your eternal con- 
 demnation. Kow gloriously will the justice of God 
 soon shine in your utter destruction, unless you im- 
 mediately fiee for refuge and lay hold on Jesus Christ 
 by a true and Rving faith. 
 
 2dly. Learn hence tliat a christian's life is a life of 
 activity, A sleepy, lifeless christian, is a, stumbling 
 block to the wicked. Hear what the Lord says of 
 the Laodicean Church. ' And unto the Angel of the 
 Church of the Laodiceans write, These things saith 
 the Am.en, the faitful and the true witness, the begin- 
 ning of the creation of God ; I know thy works that 
 
STEPHEN FENN. 24T 
 
 thou art neither cold nor hot ; so then because thou 
 art lukewarm and art neither cold nor hot ; I will 
 spue thee out of my mouth.' The religion of hea- 
 ven gives no toleration to spiritual sluggishness. 
 The direction is — Awake thou that sleepest, and call 
 upon thy God. Can you who have had your hearts 
 warmed by divine grace, be cold and inactive ? Can 
 you who by the distinguishing mercy of God, have 
 been led to see something of the value of that salva- 
 tion which is brought to light in the gospel, be alwavs 
 silent on this sublime, this interesting theme ? Can 
 you who expect at the close of this short life to re- 
 ceive a crown of glory, neglect to run with patience 
 the race set before you ! Can you, who have dedicat- 
 ed yourselves unreservedly to God, sink back into 
 the beggarly elements of the world, and give the 
 wicked occasion to say, that religion is but an empty 
 name ! Brethren, shut the mouth of the wicked by 
 your holy lives and conversation. Let your light so 
 shine before men, that they, seeing your good u oi-ks, 
 may glorify your father who is in heaven. 
 
 3dly. We infer from the subject, that it is the du- 
 ty of christians, seriously to consider, whether thev 
 live in character : for each individual, to often put 
 the inquiry to his own heart, do I more than others ? 
 
 Am 1 any more exemplary and circumspect in my 
 outward walk ? Do I pay a more strict observance 
 to the sabbath, to public worship, to prayer ? Am 
 I more faithful in my family, in instructing my chil- 
 dren and in training them up for God ? And farther ; 
 do I differ from others in the exercises of my heart ? 
 Am I more meek, more humble, more submissive 
 to the dispensations of providence ? Do I hate sin, 
 as it tends to dishonor God, and is a thing which his 
 soul hateth ? Or rather ; am I not buried in the vain, 
 trifling, wicked pursuits of the world r Am I not 
 ready to lay aside the character of the christian and 
 to join with the wricked, in trilling, in vain jest- 
 
248 A SERMON BY \c, fee. 
 
 ing, in sinfiil amusements, and thus extinguish the 
 light which I ever ought to hold up ? When i hear 
 others treating serious things with ridicule and deri- 
 sion, am I not found joining with them, rather than 
 reproving them for their impiety and presumption ? 
 After having solemnly covenanted in the presence of 
 Almighty God, angles and men, that I would live 
 soberly, righteously, and godly in this present evil 
 world, that I would walk in all the ordinances and 
 innstitutions of the Lord blameless; and that I would 
 keep myself unspotted from the world, what ac- 
 count shall I have to give to my God, in the great 
 dav, when the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed ! 
 Will not those of my fellow mortals, who by my wick- 
 ed and unholy life have been emboldened to sin, and 
 induced to walk in the broad way to ruin, rise up as 
 swift witnesses against me in the day of final retribu-^ 
 tion ? How awfully wTetched will be our eternal ex- 
 istence, if while vre have by solemn profession engag- 
 ed under Christ, we shall all our life time have been 
 in the service of Satan, and finally be rejected of God 
 with this solemn denunciation, * Depart ye cursed into 
 everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels,* 
 
THE APPROPRIATE DUTY AND ORNAMENT 6f 
 THE FEMALE SEX. 
 
 A SERMON 
 
 BY 
 
 SAMUEL MILLER, D. li. 
 
 ONE OF THE PASTORS OF THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHESj, 
 IN THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 Acts ix, . 
 
 Fer, 36. Now there was at Joppaa certain disciple named. Tabithaj 
 '^vhich, by interpretation, is called Dorcas : this woman was full of good 
 works and alms-deeds which fhe did. 
 
 37. And it came to pafs in thofe days that (he was Tick, and died ; 
 whom, when they had wa(hed, they laid her in an upper chamber. 
 
 38. And forafmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples 
 had heard that Peter was there, they fent unto him two men, defiring 
 him that he would not delay to come to them. 
 
 39. Then Peter arofei and went with them. When he was come, 
 they brought him into the upper chamber ; and all the widows flood 
 by him weeping, and (hewing the coats and garments which Dorcas 
 made while (he was with therh. 
 
 40. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down and prayed ; 
 and turning him to the body, faid, Tabitha, arife. And (he opened 
 her eyes ; and when (he faw Peter (he fat up. 
 
 41. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up ; and when he had 
 called the faints and widows, he prefehted her aiive. 
 
 SACRED history diftei's from profane, in a varie- 
 ty of important particulars. The latter is chiefly em- 
 ployed in exhibiting the struggles of ambition, the 
 triumphs of power, and the glare of blood-stained 
 honours ; the former dwells more on the duties of 
 private life, and especially on the meek, humble, and 
 retiring graces of the Christian. The one presents 
 a splendid, but not always faithful picture, which is 
 calculated to indulge curiosity, and vO flatter pride ^j 
 
 31 
 
250 A SERMON BY 
 
 the other unfolds the heart; displays its character in 
 all the simplicity and correctness of truth ; and sets 
 before us examples proper for the imitation of every 
 age and sex, and condition of mankind. 
 
 The portion of sacred history before us comprises^ 
 within a very small compass, much matter for reflec- 
 tion. It exhibits a character, and a train of circum- 
 stances, from vvdiich we may at all times learn a varie- 
 ty of important lessons. 
 
 There was residing ^2? J^ppcty a sea-port town on 
 the Mediterranean, about thirty-four miles northwest 
 from Jerusalem, a certain womafi named Tabitha, 
 wjkich by 'interpretation^ is called Dorcas, The for- 
 mer of these names is a Syriac word, signifying a roc 
 or fawn : the latter a Greek word, of the same im- 
 port. This woman was a disciple. That is, she had 
 embraced the gospel, and lived under its power. Her 
 religion did not consist merely in calling Christ Lord^ 
 Lord, She testified the sincerity of her faith by a ho- 
 ly life and conversation. She was full of good works ^ 
 and of alms-deeds which she did. 
 
 But the most sincere and exemplary piety is no de- 
 fence against the attacks of disease and death. All 
 die, because all have sinned. It came to pass, there- 
 fore, in those days^ that is, v/hen the apostle Peter was 
 preaching in Lydda, a neighboring town, that Dorcas 
 w^as taken sick and died. Immediately after her death, 
 the pious v^idows, and other disciples, who had at- 
 tended her durinf^ her illness, having taken a decent 
 and respectful care of the corpse, dispatched messen- 
 gers to the apostle, entreating him to come to them 
 without delay. Whether they anticipated his raising 
 their departed friend from the dead, or only expected 
 him to attend the funeral, and to comfort them under 
 their bereavement, we have scarcely ground even to 
 conjecture. At any rate, in sending for the apostle, 
 they manifested at once, their attachment and respect 
 for the deceased, and a taste for his evangelical instruc- 
 tion and conversation. 
 
SAMUEL MILLER. 2fcl 
 
 I know scarcely any thing in this world, more de- 
 sirable, or more gratifying, than the friendship, the 
 consolations, and the kind offices of the pious ; and 
 especially in the day of trial, and at the hour of death. 
 At seasons of this kind, the gay and the worldly are 
 apt to fly from us. But even if they give us their 
 j>res€nce, xvhat will it'avail ? Alas ! miserable comfort' 
 ers are they all! What can they tell us of that Gos- 
 pel which hath poured eternal day on '* the night of 
 the grave;" or of \ki2X Blood ivhicb cleanseth from 
 all sin ? What can they tell us of the exceeding 
 great and precious promises^ — of everlasti7ig consola- 
 tion — and of ?igood hope through grace ? When my 
 last hour is come, let pious friends surround my bed ! 
 Let those who fear God, and have an interest at the 
 throne of grace, direct my trembling aspirations to 
 Jesus, the friend of sinners ! Let pious hands close 
 my eyes ! And let deijout men carry me, like Stephen, 
 to my burial ! 
 
 The holy apostle on receiving the summons, enter- 
 ed immediately into the spirit of that pious friendship 
 which had called him, and followed the messengers 
 without delay. When he came to the dwelling which 
 had been lately adorned with the piety and the active 
 beneficence of Dorcas^ he found her lifeless remains 
 lying in an upper chamber, and surrounded with 
 mourning widows. On his entering the apartment, 
 they gathered about him, ^weeping and shelving the 
 coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she 
 ^as with them. It is probable from the tenor of the 
 narrative, that these pious widows had been them- 
 selves the objects of her alms-deeds; and that the 
 toais and other garments with which they were then 
 clothed, had been made by the hands, and bestowed 
 by the ]30unty of their deceased benefactor. These 
 they showed to the apostle, as testimonies of her be- 
 nevolent character, and as causes for lamenting her 
 departure. Simple, but touching and elegant eulo^ 
 
PS2 A SERMON BY 
 
 gium ! O how much more precious to the mgenuous 
 mind, to be embalmed in the memory of the virtuous 
 and the wise, than to be commemorated by the sculp- 
 tured marble, or the massy pyramid ! How much bet- 
 ter than all the blaze of heraldry, or " pomp of pow- 
 er," to have it said concerning us, when we are gone 
 — " There lies one who fed me when I was hungry; 
 who clothed me when I was naked ; who enlightened 
 my mind v/ith heavenly knowledge, and pointed te 
 me the path of life eternal." 
 
 The apostle having witnessed those tears, and 
 contemplated these memorials, requested the mourn- 
 ers to withdraw, that he might avoid all appearance 
 of ostentation in the miracle which he was about to 
 perform ; and that he might with more perfect free- 
 dom pour out his soul in prayer. When they had 
 retired, he kneeled down and prayed ; and-, turning him 
 to the body^ said Tabitha, arise. And she opened her 
 eyes ; and ivhen she sa%\) Peter she sat up, Aiid he 
 gave her his hand^ and lijted her up ; and nxihen he had 
 called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 
 
 Who can describe the surprise and joy of the at- 
 tendants at seeing their amiabLe friend restored to life 
 and usefulness ? Above all, who can describe the 
 mingled emotions of regret and pleasure, which must 
 have filled the mind oi Dorcas, to find herself brought 
 back to a world which she had supposed herself to 
 have for ever quitted ; and again united to compani- 
 ons whom she had expected never to see more until 
 they should join her in the paradise of God ? I dar^ 
 not attempt the task. Leaving, therefore, this topic 
 of meditation, which however deeply interesting, 
 cannot subserve any important practical purpose, — 
 
 I hasten to employ the example of this excellent 
 woman as the basis of some very brief and general 
 remarks on the appropriate duty and orna« 
 
 MENT OF THE FeMALE SeX. 
 
 And here I shall not stop to enquire, whether the 
 
SAMUEL MILLER, 256 
 
 native character of the female mind is, in all respects, 
 precisely the same with that of the other sex. What- 
 ever opinion may be formed on this subject, I take 
 for granted, v/e shall all agree, that Women ought not 
 to be considered as destined to the same employments 
 with Men ; and, of course, that there is a species of 
 education, and a sphere of action, which more parti- 
 cularly belong to thenji. There was a time indeed, 
 when a very different doctrine had many advocates, 
 and appeared to be growing popular : ---viz. that in 
 conducting education, and in selecting employments, 
 all distinctions of sex ought to be forgotten and con- 
 founded ; and that females are as well fitted to fill the 
 academic Chair, to shine in the Senate, to adorn the 
 Bench of justice, and even to lead the train of War, as 
 the more hardy sex. This delusion, however, is now 
 generally discarded. It begins to be perceived, that 
 the God of nature has raised everlasting barriers against 
 such wild and mischievous speculations ; and that to 
 urge them, is to renounce reason, to contradict ex- 
 perience, to trample on the divine authority, and to 
 degrade the usefulness, the honor, and the real en- 
 joyments of the female sex. 
 
 i3ut an error of an opposite kind has gained a la- 
 mentable currency in the world. This is, that the 
 station of females is so humble, and their sphere of 
 duty so extremely limited, that they neither can, nor 
 ought to aspire to extensive usefulness. This is the 
 mistake of indolence, or of f^lse humility ; and is as 
 plainly contradicted by reason, by scripture, and by 
 experience, as the extreme before mentioned. While 
 females are shut out by the express authority of God 
 from some offices, and by the common sense of man- 
 kind from others ; there is yet open to them an im- 
 mense field for the most dignified activity, in which 
 they may glorify God, render essential service to so* 
 ciety, and gain everlasting honor to themselves. 
 
 We often have occasion from the sacred desk, to 
 «;chibit in contrast, the representations of scripture ;, 
 
254 ' A SERMON BY 
 
 and the sentiments of a depraved world. This con- 
 trast seldom appears in a stronger light than it does 
 on the subject of which we are now speaking. In 
 the codes of modern infidelity and licentiousness, as 
 well as among uncivilized nations, woman is exhibit- 
 ed as the mere servile instrument of convenience or 
 pleasure. In the volume of Revelation she is repre- 
 sented as the equal, the companion, and the help- meet 
 of man. In the language of worldly taste, a fine 
 woman, is one who is distinguished for her personal 
 charms, and polite accomplishments. In the lan- 
 guage of Scripture, she is the enlightened and virtu- 
 ous mistress of a family, and the useful member of 
 society. The woman who is formed on the princi- 
 ples of the world, finds no enjoyment but in the cir- 
 cles of afilucncc, gayety, and fashion. The woman 
 who is formed on the principles of the Bible goetb about 
 doin^ good : she 'visiteth the fartherless and the widows 
 in their affiiction: she srretcheth forth her hands to the 
 poor y yea, she reacheih forth her hands to the needy. The 
 one dresses with elegance, and shines in the dance : the 
 other opens her mouth with wisdom ; in her tongue is 
 the !aw of kindness , and her most valued adorning is 
 not gold ^ or pearls, or costly array ; but good works ^ 
 (tnd the orna7nent oj a meek and quiet spirit » The 
 hours of the one are divided between routs, and as- 
 semblies, and visiting, and theatres, and cards : the 
 other looketh well to the ways of her household, and 
 eatetb not the bread of idleness, " The business of 
 the dne is pleasure ; the pleasure of the other is busi- 
 ness!: The one is admired abroad ; the other is be- 
 loved and honored at home.'* Her children rise 
 np and call her blessed ; her husband also, and he 
 prmsstb her, Fa'-cor is deceitful, and beauty is vain ; 
 ^ut a woman that fear eth the Lord, she shall be praised, 
 ■ From these representations of sacred writ> and 
 from many others of similar import,^ it is manifest^ 
 that the ornament and the duty of the female sex, are 
 ks appropriate as they are important : and that thqr 
 
SAMUEL MILLER. <^SS 
 
 pertain especially to the relations which they bear as 
 wives,*— as mothers, — as domestic companions, andr-* 
 as members of society. On each of these relations, 
 an extensive field of enquiry opens to our view ; but 
 it is oi ly possible to take a very rapid glance at each, 
 in the order in which tliey have been mentioned. 
 
 L How interesting and important are the duties 
 devolved on females as wives 1 On their temper and 
 deportment, more than those of any other individualSj 
 it depends, whether their husbands be happy or mise* 
 rable ; whether the households over which they pre- 
 side be well ordered and regular, or neglected and 
 wretched ; whether the property of their partners be 
 wisely and economically applied, or carelessly and 
 ignobly squandered ; in a word, whether peace, af- 
 fection, order, and plenty, reign in their dwellings, 
 or v/aste, confusion, discord, and alienation disgrace 
 them. Females have been often honored with the 
 title of angels, if it be ever proper to apply such an 
 appellation to a daughter of a fallen race, there is sure- 
 ly no mortal to whom it so properly applies, as a pru- 
 dent, virtuous, and amiable wife, the counsellor and 
 friend of her husband ; who makes it her daily study 
 to lighten his cares, to sooth his sorrows, and to aug- 
 ment his joys; wlio like a guardian angel, watches 
 over his interests, warns him against dangers, com- 
 forts him under trials ; and by her pious, assiduous^ 
 and attractive deportment, constantly endeavors to 
 render him more virtuous, more useful, more honor- 
 ed and more happy. The blessings v/hich such a 
 woman is capable of conferring on her partner, and 
 through him, on society, are more numerous and di- 
 versified than a volume would be sufficient to display. 
 In how many instances have we known wives of this 
 character become the means of winning their unbe- 
 lieving husbands to the obedience of the faith ! When 
 this is the case, who can estimate the greatness of the 
 blessing ? Like the light of day, it pours its benign 
 
256 A SERxMON BY 
 
 influence upon each member of the favored domestic 
 circle; and ever permanent in its effects, reaches 
 through eternal ages. 
 
 II. No less numerous and weighty are the duties 
 devolved on females as mothers. Children, during 
 the first years of their lives, are necessarily committed 
 almost entirely to the care of mothers. And the im- 
 pressions which are then made on their tender minds, 
 generally decide their character and destiny, not only 
 for this life, but also for that which is to come, lu 
 that soft and plastic season, when the temper, 
 the principles and the habits are formed; when 
 the heart is deeply impressed ; when the conscience 
 is tender, when the whole character is ductile ; when 
 almost every thing but the regeneration of the 
 heart may be said to be within the power of a parent 
 to bestow; and when even the attainment of this 
 greatest of all gifts has a closer connection with pa- 
 rental faithfulness than is generally imagined ---This 
 is empathatically, the period of the maternal empire. 
 Her's is the delightful, the all- important task, to 
 watch o^'er the infant years of her oflspring ; to guard 
 them from the thousand dangers to which they are ex- 
 posed ; to form a sound mind in a sound body ; to 
 whisper in their listening ears, the sentiments of vir- 
 tue and piety ; and to prepare them for living to God, 
 to their country, and to themselves. 
 
 On this ground, I have no scruple in avowing mj^ 
 conviction, that in the whole business of educatioi^p 
 
 THE MOTHER IS THE MORE IMPORTANT PARENT. 
 
 It may, perhaps, without extravagance be said, that to 
 the female sex pre-eminently belongs the mighty task^ 
 so far as it depends on human agency, of forming the 
 heads and hearts of the great mass of mankind. To 
 them it belongs to render their Tamilics the nurseries 
 either of heaven or hell. Their enlightened fidelity 
 or their criminal negligence, will, under God, decide 
 the character of those future citizens, on v/host^ virtues 
 
SAMUEL MILLER. 257 
 
 the whole interests of the commonwealth will de- 
 pend ; of those legislators on whose wisdom the char- 
 acter of our laws must rest ; of those magistrates, 
 with whose learning and correct principles the whole 
 fabrick of public justice must stand or fall ; and of 
 those ministers bf the gospel i on whose orthodoxy 
 and piety the salvation of millions, speaking after the 
 manner of men, may be suspended. It is thus that 
 maternal faithfulness or negligence goes to the root 
 of social happiness. It is thus that mothers may be 
 the means of transmitting blessings or calamities, of 
 incalculable extent, to distant generations. 
 
 IIL Every domestic relation which females 
 sustain, may be considered as opening to them an 
 appropriate and important sphere of duty. Great 
 and permanent usefulness in domestic life is by no 
 means confined to wives and Triothers. The female 
 w ho sustains neither of these honorable and interes- 
 ting relations, may yet be eminently usefuL How 
 much may every Daughter y by uniformly dutiful and 
 affectionate conduct towards her parents, promote 
 the happiness of the whole household to which she 
 belongs; and by her example contribute to the iin- 
 provement of all around her ! How much solid good 
 may every Sister daily accomplish, by diligently em- 
 ploying her talents, in assisting to educate her youn- 
 ger brothers and sisters, in promoting the regularity, 
 order, and comfort of the family, of which she is a 
 member, and in recommending at once, by her whole 
 deportment, the wisdom of economy, the sweetness 
 of benevolence, and the purity of holinsss ? Nay, 
 how much may every female servant contribute to 
 the advantage of the family in which her lot is cast ! 
 It was a little maid in the house of Naamqn, the Sy- 
 rian, that directed her master to the prophet of the 
 Lord, by whom his leprosy was healed^ and by whose 
 ministry he became a convert to the true religion. 
 
 32 
 
Sm A SERMON BY 
 
 And were the historj^ of many families laid open to 
 Gur view, how often should we see the pious lan- 
 guage and holy example of some inferior domestic 
 made a blessing to more than one of those whom she 
 served ! 
 
 Every female, then, who, in whatever capacity, 
 makes a part of any domestic establishment, whether 
 she preside as its head, or serve as its humblest me- 
 nial, has it in her power to do good, to an extent 
 %vhich it is the prerogative of Omniscience alone to es- 
 tinirite. She has means and opportunities cf useful- 
 ness peculiar to her sex and station. Means and op- 
 portunities which, if faithfully improved, cannot fail, 
 acccording to the divine promise, to produce a rich 
 result of blessing. The tciigue of eloquence indeed 
 may never pronounce her eulogiiim, nor the pen of 
 history record her deeds. But rn the ' heraldry of 
 heaven,' in which to be good is better than to be 
 great, and to be useful than to shine, she may hold 
 a place more illustrious and honorable than many of 
 those who have wielded the sceptre of empire, and 
 filled the world with the thunder of their fame, 
 
 IV. Females have set before them a wide and ap- 
 propriate iield of useful activity, as meberrs of so- 
 ciety. Let no woman imagine that she has no- 
 thing to do beyond the sphere of her own househokL 
 In every walk, and in every hour of life, she may be 
 contributing something to the purity, the order, and 
 the happiness of the community to which she belongs. 
 The influence of the female character in forming pub- 
 lie taste, and public manners, is incalculable. It has 
 been felt and acknowledged in all ages. Of this in- 
 infiuence, every woman, whatever be her talents or 
 her station, possesses a share ; and by her whole de- 
 portment is conferring either a benefit or an injury 
 on society. It is in the pov/er of women, by con- 
 stantly exhibiting the dignity of virtue, and the at- 
 tractions of piety, to repress the impcrtin.ence, to 
 
SAMUEL MILLER. ^ 25^ 
 
 polish the roughness, and to frown out of sip-ht, ;find, 
 in many instances, out of existence, the vices of the 
 other sex. It is in the power of women, by exam- 
 ple and by precept, to regulate at pleasure the deco- 
 rums of dress, the purity of manners, and all the ha- 
 bits, of the younger and more inexperienced part of 
 their own sex. In short, it is in the power of women, 
 to an extent to which few of them seem to be aware] 
 to discountenance and banish those pernicious cus- 
 toms which, from time to time, display their hvdra 
 form in society, and to exercise a most efficient guar- 
 dianship over public taste and virtue. No false sen- 
 timents can have much prevalence against which they 
 resolutely set their faces. No corrupt practices can 
 be general or popular v/hich they are willing to ex.- 
 pel from society. 
 
 ' Human happiness,' says a modern writer, ' is on 
 the whole, much less affected by great, but unfre- 
 quent events, whether of prosperity or of adversity, 
 of benefit or of injury, than by small, but perpetu- 
 ally recurring incidents of good or evil. The man. 
 ner in which the influence of the female character is 
 felt, belongs to the latter description. It is not like 
 the periodical inundation of a river, which once ia 
 a year, overspreads a desert with transient plenty. 
 It is like the dew of heaven, which descends at all 
 seasons, returns after short intervals, and permanently 
 nourishes every herb of the field*." 
 
 To the female sex also properly appertains a lar^e 
 portion of those offices of charity, to which we are 
 constantly called. To feed tlie hungry, and clothe 
 the naked; to Vieep mtb them that nveep ; to soften 
 the bed of sickness, and to wipe away the tears of sor- 
 row, are duties incumbent upon us all. But they be- 
 long, more particularly to the tender sex. They 
 ai:e best acquainted with domestic w ants. They are 
 
 * Gisborne. Duties ffthe Female S.-y:. p, 8. 
 
260 A SERMON BY 
 
 the best judges of domestic character. They have 
 more sympathy, more tenderness, more leisure, and 
 more patience than men ; and, on a variety of ac- 
 counts, are more capable of performing these duties 
 with ease to themselves, and with advantage to the 
 objects of their charity. 
 
 Here is surely enough to excite all the ambitionj 
 and to employ all the talents of a reasonable mind. 
 What though females cannot stand in the sacred 
 Desk, nor sit on the Bench of justice ? What though 
 they cannot be employed in framing laws, nor in 
 conducting diplomatic missions, nor in organizing 
 or governing nations^? They can contribute more by 
 their virtues and their influence to bind society to- 
 gether, than all the laws that legislators ever formed. 
 They are called to duties which are not only worthy of 
 the most exalted powers ; but which have this pre- 
 eminent advantage, that, while they are immediately 
 calculated to meliorate the hearts of those who per- 
 form them, they also tend to reSne and elevate the 
 human character in general, and to render earth more 
 like the paradise of God. 
 
 The foregoing hints, if they do not satisfactorily 
 elucidate the subject to which they relate, will at least 
 suffice to show its importance ; and to prepare the 
 way for some remarks more immediately practical. 
 To these permit me now to request your attention. 
 
 1 Let me apply this subject, by inferring from 
 what has been said, the unspeakable importance of Je- 
 male education. If the female character be so im- 
 portant, then the formation of that character must be 
 equally so. If education in general lie at the foun 
 dation of individual, domestic, and national hap- 
 piness, this is especially the case with female educa- 
 tion. It is a concern in which the highest interests 
 <jf mankind are at stake. It involves the vital prin. 
 ;^iplp of social v/elfare. And according as it is at^ 
 
SAMUEL MILLER. 2j61 
 
 fended to or neglected ; according as it is wisely or 
 erroneously pursued, will public and private hap- 
 piness be nourished or poisoned at its root. Upon 
 the education of woman it depends, under God, 
 whether she shall be the most useful, or the most mis- 
 chievous of mortals ; whether she shall be the most 
 invaluable blessing of human society, or ' the most 
 dreadful scourge of Almighty visitation.' Solemn 
 thought ! How deeply ought the subject to engage 
 the attention, to interest the heart, to excite the pray- 
 ers, and to animate the diligence of every parent I 
 
 We are, perhaps, wiser than our fathers, in having 
 learned to appreciate more justly than they did, the 
 talents of women, and in devising plans of education, 
 better fitted to develope and improve these talents. 
 But I am afraid we fall below our venerable predeces- 
 sors, in cultivating the moral and religious charac- 
 ter of females, and in fitting them for some of the 
 more useful and important duties of their sex. When 
 we learn generally to correct this error ; when wc 
 teach our daughters properly to estimate their true 
 dignity, and diligently to pursue their real happiness ; 
 when we persuade them to reflect, that education con- 
 sists, not in the acquisition of dazzling and meretri- 
 cious arts ; but in preparing themselves to be res- 
 pectable and useful as wives, mothers, members of 
 society, and christians — Then, and not till then, may 
 we hope to see the moral character of society raised, 
 and the real importance of the female sex more just- 
 ly estimated, and more duly honored. 
 
 2. Allow me to apply this subject by recommending 
 the character njohich has been draiDn^ to the studious imi- 
 tation oj the female part of my audience, and espicially 
 of the younger class. Contracted in its extent, and fee- 
 ble in its outline, as is the sketch which I have attempt- 
 ed to exhibit, believe me, it is worthy of your atten- 
 tion. It is a character which involves the highest 
 honor, and which embraces its own reward. In re-. 
 
^(S2 A SERMON BY 
 
 commending it to j'Our imitation, therefore, I am 
 pleading the cause of your own elevation and happi- 
 ness, as well as the c$LUse of God, and the cause of 
 mankind. 
 
 My 3'oung female friends ! it ought to be your am- 
 bition to possess and to evince a sound understand- 
 ing, and a respectable portion of literary knowledge. 
 All that has been said, serves to show that the culti- 
 vation of female intellect is as important, and as ne- 
 cessary, as the intellectual culture of the other sex. 
 But it ought to be jnor^ especially your ambition, to 
 cultivate your hearts. The Heart-— 1 repeat it — ^the 
 Heart — ^sanctified by religion, v/armed and softened by 
 benevolence, and taught to throb in affectionate res- 
 ponse to every si,^h of suffering, and every claim of 
 humanity — this is the grand ornament of woman — 
 this is the strong hold of wornan. To be so many 
 TabitkaSy adorning' the doctrine of God, your Sa- 
 viour, and diffusing happiness among all around you^ 
 would be innnitely more to your honor as well as your 
 comfort, even in the present life, than to stand in the 
 list of those masculine fem.ales, who, while they gain 
 a proud civil pre-eminence, really disgrace their sex. 
 
 When therefore, I see a young female devoting 
 lier supreme attention to external accomplishments ; 
 itbsorbed in the love of ornament, and of admiration; 
 habitually venturing, in obedience to fashion, to the 
 ;:ery ^oerge qJ decorum ; never satisfied but when ei- 
 ther preparing for the splendor of a public appearance^ 
 or discussing the merits of a past exhibition — I say 
 within myself- —The hand of some infatuated parent, 
 or of some incompetent or unfaithful guardian is here. 
 What perversion of talents ! What misapplication of 
 exertions ! What v.aste of time ! What pains to trea- 
 sure up sorrow and tears for after life \ How much 
 >nore attractive v/onld be that fair form, were it em- 
 ployed in works of charity, and more frequently seen 
 bending over the couch of poverty and suffering/ 
 
SAMUEL MILLEL. 265 
 
 How much more beautiful would be that lovely face, 
 \vere it habitually beaming with benevolence and pie- 
 ty ! And how unspeakably more happy, and more 
 respectable its possessor, if the cultivation of her 
 heart, and the employment of her time, on evanf^eli 
 cal principles, were the great object of her care ! 
 
 Let the youngs let females of all ages, be indite 
 ccd to consider the duties incumbent upon them in 
 their respective situations in life. A sphere of ac^ 
 tion is assigned you by your Creator^ and you are 
 capable of being eminently useful in the age in which 
 you live. Your exertions are cah - lated not merc» 
 ly' to relieve present disstress, but to improve the 
 condition of society, to cultivate the hearts of tht; 
 young, and confer blessings on generations yet un^ 
 born. How great the satisfaction, how exquisite the 
 pleasure of doing good, of adding to the sum of hu- 
 man happiness! *> What is there in all the pageantry 
 of state, in all the gratiiications of sense, in all thci 
 delirious joys of giddy dissipation, once to be com^ 
 pared with this ? O p»leasures cheaply purchased, pla- 
 cidly enjoyed ; ever rising, ever new ; never languid, 
 never remorseful, why are you pursued so seldom, 
 and attained by so few ?"* 
 
 Brethren 1 the time is shorty and the Jashion of this 
 n^jorld passcth aivay. Like Dorcas^ we must all soon 
 sicken and die. Are we habitually anticipating th^e 
 solemnities of that hour ? Are we daily directing oui' 
 pursuits, employing our property, and framing our 
 lives, agreeably to this anticipation ? Do we resem^ 
 ble the excellent Woman, on whose example Vv'c havc^ 
 been meditating, in our character and hopes, as *»veU 
 as in our mortality ? We cannot resemble her, un- 
 less we are disciples indeed. We may * give all our 
 goods to feed the poor,' and * our bodies to be burn 
 ed,' and yet be nothing more than * a sounding brass, 
 
 * Kanter's Qccafional Sermons, II. p. 140. 
 
264 A SERMON BY 
 
 and a tinkling cymbal.' But those deeds of charity 
 which spring from a living faith in a living Redeem- 
 er ; those works of obedience which are performed 
 from a principle of love for his name ;---these are ' the 
 good works, and the alms-deeds,' which shed a lus- 
 tre around the bed of death, and upon which, in a 
 dying hour, we may look back with holy satisfaction, 
 with heavenly joy :---not as the ground of our con- 
 fidence ; not as the price of pardon; not as our title 
 to everlasting life :--.no ; the righteousness of ' Him, 
 who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself with- 
 out spot to God,' is the only foundation of a sinner's 
 hope : but as means by which a Divine Saviour has 
 enabled us to glorify the riches of his grace ; as the 
 fruits of his blessed Spirit ; as evidences of a vital 
 union to his body ; and as pledges of admission to the 
 glories of his presence. 
 
 May that God, who has declared himself the ' Fa- 
 ther of the fatherless, and the Judge of the widow, in 
 his holy habitation,' fill us all with the spirit and the 
 consolations of his children, enable us to imitate his 
 holy benevolence, and prepare us, in due time, for his 
 heavenly kingdom ! And to Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, one God, be all the praise, both now and ever ! 
 Amen f 
 
MESSIAH'S throne: 
 A SERMON 
 
 ^REACHED BEFORE THE LONDON MISSIONARY 
 SOClEtY 1802. 
 
 JOHN M. MASON. D.^D. 
 
 PASTOR OF THE ASSOC! ATE*REFORMED CHURCH, IN THE CITY OF 
 HEW-YORK. 
 
 Heb. i. vili. 
 
 But unto the Soti he faith , Thy Throne ^ God^ is for ever and ever. 
 
 IN the all iriiportant argument which occupies 
 this epistle, Paul assumes, what the believeing He- 
 brews had already professed, that Jesus of Nazareth 
 is the true Messiah, To prepare them for the con- 
 sequences of their own principle ; a principle involv- 
 ing nothing less than the abolition of their law, the 
 subversion of theu' state, the ruin of their city, the 
 fmal extinction of their carnal hopes, he leads them 
 to the doctrine 'of their Redeemer's person in order 
 to explain the nature of his oif&ces, to evince the val- 
 ue of his Spiritual salvation, and to shew in both, the 
 accomplishment of their oeconomy which was ' now 
 ready to vanish away.' Under no apprehension of 
 betraying the unwary into idolatrous homage by giv-^ 
 ing to the Lord Jesus greater glory than is * due un- 
 to his name ;' the aposde sets out with ascribing to 
 him e:^cellence and attributes which belong to no 
 
 33 
 
266 A SERMON BY 
 
 creature. Creatures of most elvated rank are intt-o- 
 duced ; but it is to display, by contrast, the pre-em-- 
 inence of Him who is ' the brightness of the Father^s 
 glory, and the express image of his person.' Angels 
 are great in might and in dignity ; but * unto them 
 hath he not put in subjection the world to come. 
 ^ Unto which of them said he, at any time, Thou art 
 my son r' To which of them^ ' Sit thou at my right 
 hp^d ?' Ke saith they are spirits, * minuter ing spir- 
 its, sent forth to minister unto them who are the 
 Heirs of salvation,' But unto the SON, in a style 
 which annihilates competition and comparison, unto 
 the SON he saith, thy throne , O God^ is forever and 
 ever. ^ * 
 
 Brethren, if the majesty of Jesus is the subject 
 \Vhich the Holy Ghost selected for the encourage- 
 ment and consolation of his people, when he was 
 shaking the earth and the heavens, and diffusing his 
 gospel among the nations ; can it be otherwise than^ 
 suitable and precious to us onthi^ occasion ? Shall it 
 not expand our viev.^s, and warm our hearts, and nerve 
 our arm, in our efforts to exalt his fame ? L.et me im- 
 plore then, the aid of your prayers y but far more im= 
 portunately the aids of his own Spirit, while I speak 
 of ' the things which concern the king :' those great 
 things contained in the text — his personal glory — . 
 his sovereign rule. — 
 
 I. His personal glory shines forth in the name by 
 which he is revealed ; a name above every name, 
 THY throne--- O Goo I 
 
 To the single eye nothing can be more evident, in 
 the 
 
 First YAvLCCf than that the Holy Ghost here asserts 
 the eessential deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of his- 
 enemies, whom he will ' make his footstool,' some 
 have, indeed, controverted this position, and endca- 
 voured to blot out the text from the catalogue of his- 
 witnesses. Instead of ' thy throne, O God ;' they 
 
JOHN M. MASON. B67 
 
 Tvould compel us, by a perversion of phraseology, of 
 figure, and of sense, to read, 'God is thy throne ;' 
 converting the great and dreadful God into a symbol 
 cf authority in one of his own creatures. The scrip- 
 tures, it seems, may utter contradictions or impiety, 
 but the divinity of the Son they shall not attest. The 
 crown however, which ' flourishes on his head,' is 
 not to be torn away ; nor the anchor of our hope to 
 be wrested from us, by the rude hand of licentious 
 criticism. 
 
 I cannot find, in the lively oracles, a single distinc- 
 tive mark of deity which is not applied, without reserve or 
 limitation, to the only begotten Son. * All things 
 that the Father hath are his,'' JVbo is that mysterious 
 Word tliat was ' in the bginning^ with God ?' Who 
 is the * Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the 
 ending, the first and the last, the Almighty?' Who 
 i$ he that ' knows what is in man,' because he search- 
 es the deep and dark recesses of the heart ? Who is 
 or the Omnipresent, that has promised, ' Wherever 
 two or three are gathered together in my name, there 
 am I in the midst of them ? the light of whose coun- 
 tenance is, at the same moment, the joy of heaven : 
 and the salvation of earth : who is incircled by 
 the Seraphim on high, and ' walks in the midst of 
 the golden candlesticks : who is in this assembly ; 
 in all the assemblies of his people : in every wor^ 
 shipping family : in every closet of prayer : in every 
 holy heart. ' Whose hands have stretched out the 
 heavens and laid the foundations of the earth ?' Who 
 hath replenished them with inhabitants, and gar- 
 nished them with beauty .; having created all things 
 that are in both, ' visible and invisible, whether they 
 be thrones, or dominions, or principalities or pow- 
 ers ?' By Whom do ' all thmgs consist?' Who is ' the 
 governor among the nations, having on his vesture 
 ^nd on his thigh a name written ' King of Kings and 
 ^.prd of Lords,' Whom is it the Fathjsr's will that 
 
260 A SERMON BY 
 
 * all men should honor, even as they honor himself ?* 
 Whom has he commanded his angels to worship I 
 wbam to obey ? Before v)bom do the devils tremble ? 
 Who is qualified to redeem millions of sinners ' from 
 the vv^rath to come,' and preserve them, by his grace, 
 to his everlasting kingdom r Who raiseth the clead, 
 in trespasses and sins, ? * having life in himself, to 
 quicken v/hom he will,' at 'ujhose voice shall all that 
 are in their graves ' come forth ; and death and hell* 
 surrender their numerous and forgotten captives ? 
 Who shall weigh, in the balance of Judgment, the 
 destinies of angels and men ? dispose of the thrones 
 of paradise ? and bestow eternal life ? Shall I sub- 
 mit to the decision of reason ? Shall I ask a response 
 from heaven ? Shall I summon the devils from their 
 ^ chains of darkness V The response from heaven 
 sounds in my ears ; reason approves, and the devils 
 confess-. -This, O Christians, is none other than the 
 GREAT Gop our Saviour / 
 
 Indeed my brethren, the doctrine of our Lord's di- 
 vinity is not J as ^fact^ more interesting to our faith, 
 than, as a principle^ it is essential to our hope. If he 
 were not ' the true God,' he could not be ' eternal 
 life.' When pressed down by guilt and languishing 
 for happiness, I look around for a deliverer such as 
 my conscience and my heart and the word of God 
 assure me I need, insult not my agony by directing 
 me to a creature- --to a man, a mere man like my-> 
 self/ A creature / a man / My Hedeemer owns my 
 perso7i.' My immortal spirit is his property. When 
 I come to die, I must commit it into his hands. My 
 soul/ My infinitely precious soul committed to a mere 
 man / become the property of a mere man / I woijld 
 not thus, entrust my body to the highest angel in 
 l^eaveii. It is only the ' Father of spirits,' that can 
 have property in spirits, and be their refuge in the 
 |iour of transition from the present to the approach- 
 |;ig world. In short the divinity of Jesus, is in the 
 
JOHN M, MASON. 269 
 
 system of grace, the sun to which all its parts are sub- 
 ordinate, and all their stations refer- --which binds 
 them in sacred concord ; and imparts to them their 
 radiance, and life, and vigor. Take from it this cen- 
 tral luminary, and the glory is departed- -Its holy 
 harmonies are broken--.The elements rush to chaos 
 —The light of salvation is extinguished for ever / 
 
 But it is not the deity of the bon, simply consi- 
 sidered, to which the text confines our attention. 
 We are in the 
 
 Second place to contemplate it as subsisting in a 
 personal union with the human nature. 
 
 Long before this epistle was WTitten had he ' by 
 himself purged our sins, and sat down at the right 
 hand of majesty on higij,' It is, therefore, as ' God 
 manifested in the flesh ;' as my own brother, while he 
 is ' the express image of the Father's person,' as the 
 Mediator of the new covenant, that he is seated on 
 the throne. Of this throne, to which the pretensions 
 of a creature were mad and blasphemous, the majes- 
 ty is, indeed, maintained by his divine power; but 
 the foundation is laid in his Meditorial character. I 
 need not prove to this audience, that all his gracious 
 offices and all his redeeming work originated in the 
 love and the election of his Father. Obedient to that 
 will, which fully accorded with his own, he came 
 down from heaven ; tabernacled in our clay ; was 
 * a naan of sorrows and acquainted with griefs ;' sub- 
 mitted to the * contradictions of sinners ;' the temp- 
 tations of the old Serpent, and the wrath of an aveng- 
 ing God. In the merit of his obedience which threw 
 a lustre round the divine law ; and in the atonement 
 of his death by which he offered ' himself a sacrifice 
 without spot unto God,' repairing the injuries of 
 man's rebellion, expiating sin through the blood of 
 his cross ; and conciliating its pardon with infinite 
 purity, and unalterable truth; summarily, in his per- 
 forming thos^ conditipns on which was suspended all 
 
270 A SERMON BY 
 
 God's mercy to man, and all man's enjoyment of God, 
 in these stupendous ' works of righteousness' are we 
 to look for the cause of his present glory. ' He hum- 
 bled himself and became obedient unto death, even 
 the death of the cross ; wherefore God also hath high- 
 ly 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 in earth, 
 and things under the earth ; and that every tongue 
 sliould confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the 
 glory of God the Father/ ' Exalted' thus, * to be a 
 Prince and a Saviour,' he fills heaven with his beau- 
 ty, and obtains from its blest inhabitants the purest 
 and most reverential praise. ' Worthy,' cry the ming- 
 led voices of his angels and his redeemed, ' worthy 
 is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and rich- 
 es, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glor)^ 
 and^blessing.' ' Worthy' again cry his redeemed, in a 
 song which belongs not to the angels, but in which 
 with holy ecstacy, we will join, ' worthy art thou, 
 for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by 
 thy blood.' 
 
 Delightful, brethren, transcendently delightful were 
 it to dwell upon this theme. But we must refrain ; 
 and having taken a transient glance at our Redeemer's 
 personal glory, let us turn to the 
 
 IL View v/hich the text exhibits — the view of hjs 
 
 s.o'oercign rule Thy throne, God is foreiier 
 
 and ever. 
 
 The mediatorial kingdom of Christ Jesus, directed 
 and upheld by his divinity, is now the object of our 
 contemplation. To advance Jehovah*s glory in the 
 salvation of men, is the purpose of its erection. Tho' 
 earth .is the scene and human life the limit, of those 
 great operations by which they are interested in its 
 mercies, and prepared for its consummation ; its 
 principles, its provisions, its issues are eternal. When 
 it rises up before us in all its grandeur of design, col- 
 
JOHN M. MASON. 271 
 
 kctingand conducting to the heavens of God, mil- 
 lions of immortals in comparison with the least of 
 whom the destruction of the material universe were a 
 thing of naught, whatever the carnal mind calls vast 
 and magnificent, slvrinks away into nothing. 
 
 But it is not so much the general nature of Messi- 
 ah's kingdom on which I am to insist, as its stability y 
 ks administration^ and the prospects which they open 
 to the church of God. 
 
 Messiah's throne is not one of those airy fabrlcks 
 which are reared by vanity and overthrown by Time; 
 it is fixed of old : it is stable and cannot be shaken, 
 for 
 
 (1,) It is the throne of God. He who sitteth on 
 it is the Omnipotent. Universal being is in his hand. 
 Kevolution, force, fear, as applied to his kingdom, 
 are words without meaning. Rise up in rebellion, if 
 thou hast courage. Associate with thee the whole 
 mass of infernal power. Begin with the ruin of 
 whateve is fair and good in this little globe---Pass 
 from hence to pluck the Sun but of his place—and 
 roll the volume of dessolation through the starry world 
 ---What hast thou done unto him ? It is the puny- 
 menace of a worm against Him whose frown is per- 
 dition. * He that siitelh in the heavens shall laugh.' 
 (2.) With the stability which Messiah's Godhead 
 communicates to his throne, let us connect the stabi- 
 lity resulting from his Father's covenant. 
 
 His throne is founded not merely in strength, but in 
 right. God hath laid the government upon the shoul- 
 der of his holy child Jesus, and set him upon mount 
 Zion as his king forever. He has promised, and sworn 
 to * build up his throne to all generations ;' to ^make 
 it endure as the days of heaven ;' to ' beat down his 
 foes before his face,' and plague them that hate him. 
 But my faithfulness' adds he, ' and my mercy shall 
 be with him, and in my name shall his horn be ex- 
 alted. Hath he said it ? And will he not do it? 
 
272 A SERMON BY 
 
 Hath he spoken it, and shall it not coitie to pass ?• 
 Whatever disappointnrents rebuke the visionary pro- 
 jects of men, or the more crafty schemes of Satan, 
 ' the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.' The blood 
 of sprinkling, which sealed all the promises made to 
 Messiah, and binds down his fathers faithfulness to 
 their accomplishment, witnesses continually in the 
 heavenly sanctuary. « He must,' therefore, ' reign till 
 he have put all his enemies under his feetc' And al- 
 though the dispensation of his authority shall, upon 
 this event, be changed ; and he shall deliver it up, in 
 its present form, to the Father, he shall still remain^ 
 in his substantial glory, * a priest upon his throne,' to , 
 
 be the eternal bond of our union, and the eternal me - | 
 
 dium of our fellow^ship, with the living God. ^ 
 
 Seeing that the throne of our king is as immovea- 
 ble as it is exalted, let us * wdth joy draw water out of 
 that well of salvation' w hich is opened to us in the 
 
 Administration of his kingdom. Here we must 
 consider its general characters^ and the means by 
 \vhich it operates. 
 
 The general characters which I shall illustrate, are 
 the following. 
 
 (1.) Mystery— Ylt IS the unsearchable God, and 
 his government must be like himself. Facts con^ 
 cerning both he has graciously revealed. These we 
 must admit upon the credit of his own testimony : 
 with these we must satisfy our wishes, and limit our 
 inquiry. * To intrude into those things which he 
 hath not seen' because God has not disclosed them, 
 whether they relate to his arrangements for this work! 
 or the next, is the arrogance of one ' vainly puf- 
 fed up by his fleshly mind.' There are secrets in 
 our Lord's procedure which he will not explain to us 
 in this life, and which may not, perhaps, be explained 
 in the life to coUie. We cannot tell how he makes 
 evil the minister of good : how^he combines physical 
 and moraV agencies of different kind and order, in the 
 
JOHN M. MASON. 27S 
 
 production of blessings. We cannot so much as 
 conjecture what bearings the system of redemption, 
 in every part of its process, may have upon the rela- 
 tions of the universe ; nor even what may be all the 
 connections of providence in the occurrences of this 
 moment, or of the last. ' Such knowledge is too 
 wonderful for us : it is high, we cannot attain it.' 
 Our Sovereign's ' way is in the sea, and his path in 
 the deep waters; and his footsteps are not known.' 
 When, therefore, we are surrounded with difficulty ; 
 when we cannot unriddle his conduct in particular 
 dispensations, we must remember that he is God ; 
 that we are to ' walk by faith ;' and to trust him as 
 implicitly when we are in the ' valley of the shadow 
 of death,' as when his ' candle shines upon our heads.' 
 We must remember that it is not for us to be admitted 
 into the cabinet of the King of Kings ; that crea- 
 tures constituted as we are could not sustain the view 
 of his unveiled agency ; that it would confound, and 
 scatter, and annihilate our little intellects. As of- 
 ten, then, as he retires from our observation, blend- 
 ing goodness with majesty, let us lay our hands up- 
 on our mouths and worship. This stateliness of our 
 king can afford us no just ground of uneasiness. On 
 the contrary it contributes to our tranquility : For we 
 know, 
 
 (2.) That if his administration is mysterious, it is 
 also wise. 
 
 ' Great is our Lord, and of great power ; his un- 
 derstanding is infinite.' That infinite understand- 
 ing watches over, and arranges, and directs all the 
 affairs of his church and of the world. /F^ arc per^ 
 plexed at every step ; embarassed by opposition ; lost 
 in confusion ; fretted by disappointment , and ready 
 to conclude, in our haste, that all things are against 
 our own good, and our Master's honor. But ' this 
 is our infirmity ;' it is the dictate of impatience and 
 indiscretion. We forget the ' years of the right hand 
 
 34 
 
274 A SERMON BY 
 
 of the Most High.' We arc slow of heart in learning 
 a lesson which shall soothe our spirits at the expence 
 of out pride. We turn a\\ay from the consolation 
 to be derived frotn believing that though wc know 
 not the connections and results of holy providence, 
 our Lord Jesus knows them perfectly. With him 
 there is no irregularity, no chance, no conjecture. 
 Disposed^ before his eye, in the most luminous and 
 exquisite order ^ the whole series of events occupy 
 the very place and crisis where they are most ef- 
 fectually to subserve the purposes of his love. Not 
 a moment of time is wasted, nor a fragment of ac- 
 tion misapplied. What he does, we do not, indeed, 
 know at present, but so far as we shall be permitted 
 to know hereafter, we shall see that his most inscruta- 
 ble procedure was guided by consummate wisdom ; 
 that our choice was often f\3 foolish as our petulance 
 was provoking ; that the success of our own wishes 
 would have been our most painful chastisement ; 
 would have diminished our happiness, aud detracted 
 from his praise. Let us therefore, study to subject 
 our ignorance to his knowledge ; instead of prescrib- 
 ing, to obey ; instead of questioning, to believe ; to 
 perform our part without that despondency which be- 
 trays a f^ar that our Lord may neglect his ; and ta- 
 citlv accusts him of a less concern than we feci for 
 the'glory of hit; own name. Let us not shrink from 
 this duty as imposing too rigorous a condition upon 
 our obedience, for a 
 
 (3.) Character of Messiah's administration is nght- 
 €ousness. ' The sceptre of his kingdom is a right 
 sceptre.' If ^ Clouds and darkness arc round about 
 him, righteousness and judgment are the habitation 
 of his throne.' In the times of old his redeemed 
 * wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way ; but, 
 nevertheless, he led them forth by the right way, 
 that they might go to a city of habitation.' He loves 
 his church and the members of it too tenderly to lay 
 
JOHN M. MASON. 275 
 
 upon them any burdens, or fxposc them to any 
 trials, which are not indispensible to their good. It 
 is right for them to ' go through lire and through wa- 
 ter,' that he may * bring them out into a wealthy 
 place,' — ^right to * endure chastening,' that ' they 
 may be partakers of his holiness'— r-right to ' have 
 the sentence of death in themselves,' that they may 
 * trust in the living God, and that his strength may 
 be perfected in their weakness.' It is right that 
 he should ' endure with much long suffering the 
 vessels qt w rath fitted to destruction : ' that he should 
 permit * iniquity to abound, the love of many to 
 wax cold,' and the dangers of his church to accu- 
 mulate, till the interposition of his arm be necessary 
 and decisive. In the day of final retribution not one 
 mouth shall be opened to complain of injustice. It 
 Will be seen that ' the Judge of all the earth has done 
 right ; that the works of his hands have been verity and 
 Judgment/ and done every one of them, in * truth 
 and uprightness.' Let us, then, think not only re- 
 spectfully, but reverently of his dispensations, repress 
 the voice of murmur, and rebuke the spirit of discon- 
 tent ; w^ait, in faith and patience, till he become his 
 own interpreter, when * the heavens shall declare his 
 righteousness, and all the people see his glory.' 
 
 You will anticipate me in enumerating the means 
 which Messiah employs in the administration of his 
 kingdom. 
 
 (1.) The Gospel; of which himself, as an all-suf- 
 ficient and condescending Saviour, is the great and 
 affecting theme. Derided by the world it is, never- 
 theless, effectual to the salvation of them who be- 
 lieve. * We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a 
 stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness ; 
 but to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, 
 Christ the power of God an^ the wisdom of God.* 
 The doctrine of the cross connected with evangeli- 
 cal ordinances--thc ministry of reconciliation ; t,hc 
 
276 A SERMON BY 
 
 holy sabbath ; the sacraments of his covenant : brief- 
 ly, the whole system of instituted worship, is the 
 ' rod of the Redeemer's strength' by which he sub- 
 dues sinners to himself ; rules even * in the midst of 
 his enemies ;' exercises his glorious authority in his 
 church, and exhibits a visible proof to men and an- 
 gles, that he is King in Zion. 
 
 (2. The efficient means to which the gospel ov/es 
 its success, and the name of Jesus its praise, is the 
 agency of the Holy Ghost, 
 
 Christianity is ' the ministration of the Spirit.' 
 All real and sanctifying knowledge of the truth and 
 love of God is from his inspiration. It was the last, 
 and best promise which the Saviour made to his af- 
 flicted disciples at the moment of parting, ' I will send 
 the Comjorter, the spirit of truth ; He shall glorify 
 me, for he shall take of mine and shew it unto you.' 
 It is he * whoconvinces the world of sin, of righteous- 
 ness, and of judgment'---who infuses resistless vi- 
 gour into means otherwise weak and useless. ' For 
 the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty 
 through God,' God the Spirit, ' to the pulling down 
 of strong holds. ^ Without his benediction the min- 
 istry of an archangel w^ould never * convert one sin- 
 ner from the error of his way.' But when he de- 
 scends, with his lifegiving influence from God out 
 of heaven, then ' foolish things of the world confound 
 the wise ; and weak things of the world confound 
 the things which are mighty ; and base things of the 
 "World, and things which are despised, yea, and things 
 which are not, bring to nought things which are.' It 
 is this ministration of the Spirit which renders the 
 preaching of the gospel to * men dead in trespasses 
 and sins' a reasonable service. When I am set down in 
 the ' valley of vision,' and view the bones, * very 
 many and very dry,' and am desired to try the effect 
 of my own ability in recalling them to life, I fold my 
 hands and stand mute in astonishment and despair^. 
 
JOHN M. MASON. 277 
 
 But when the Lord God commands me to speak in 
 HIS name, my closed lips shall be opened; when 
 HE calls upon * the breath from the four winds to 
 breathe upon the slain that they may live,' I will 
 prophesy without fear, — * O ye dry bones, Hear the 
 word of the Lord,' and, obedient to his voice, they 
 * shall come together, bone to his bone ; shall be 
 covered with sinews and flesh:' shall receive new 
 life : and • stand up upon their feet, an exceeding 
 great army.' In this manner, from the graves of na- 
 ture and the dry bones of natural men, does the Ho- 
 ly Spirit recruit the armies of the living God :' and 
 make them, collectively and individually, * a name, 
 and a praise, and a glory,' to the * Captain of their 
 salvation.' 
 
 (3.) Among the instruments which the Lord Jesus 
 employs in the administration of his government are 
 the resources of the physical and vioralvjorld. 
 
 Supreme in heaven and in earth, ' upholding all 
 things by the word of his power,' the universe is his 
 magazine of means. Nothing which acts or exists, 
 is exempted from promoting, in its own place, the 
 purposes of his kingdom. Beings rational and irra- 
 tional ; animate and inanimate ; the heavens above 
 and^the earth below ; the obedience of sanctified, and 
 the disobedience of unsanctified men ; all holy spir- 
 its ; all damned spirits : in one word, every agency, 
 every element, every atom, are but the ministers of 
 his will, and concur in the execution of his designs. 
 And this he will demonstrate to the confusion of his 
 enemies, and the joy of his people, in that ' great and 
 terrible day' when he ' shall sit upon the throne of 
 his glory,' and dispense ultimate judgment to the 
 quick and the dead. 
 
 Upon these hills of holiness, the stability of Messi- 
 ah's Throne, and the perfect administration of his 
 kingdom, let us take our station, and survey the 
 Prospects \v\\\q\\ rise up before tJie Church of God, 
 
278 A SERMON BY 
 
 When I look upon the magnificent scene, I can- 
 not repress the salutation, ' liaii thou that art highly 
 fiivoured I' 
 
 She has the prospect of preservation, of increase, 
 and of triumph. 
 
 (1.) The prospect of preservatiojj. 
 
 The long existence of the Christian church would 
 be pronounced, upon common principles of reasoning, 
 impossible. She finds in every man a natural and in- 
 veterate enemy. To encounter and overcome the 
 unanimous hostility of the world, she boasts no po- 
 litical stratagem, no disciplined legions, no outward 
 coercion of any kind. Yet her expectation is that 
 she live forever. To mock this hope, and to blot 
 out her memorial from under heaven, the most furi- 
 ous efforts of fanaticism, the most ingenious arts of 
 statesmen, the concentrated strength of empires, have 
 been frequently and perseveringly applied. The 
 blood of her sons and her daughters has stream- 
 ed like Avater; the smoke of the scaffold and the stake, 
 where they won the crown of martyrdom in the cause 
 of Jesus, has ascended in thick volumes to the skies. 
 The tribes of persecution have sported over her woes, 
 and erected monuments, as they imagined, of her 
 perpetual ruin. But w^here are her tyrants, and where 
 their empires ? the tyrants have long since gone to 
 their own place ; their names have descended upon 
 the roll of infamy ; their empires have passed, like 
 shadow^s over the rock — they have successively dis- 
 appeared, and left not a trace behind I 
 
 But what became of the church ? She rose from 
 her ashes fresh in beauty and might. Celestial glo- 
 ry beamed around her ; she dashed down the monu- 
 mental marble of her foes, and they who hated her 
 fled before her. She has celebrated the funeral of 
 kings and kingdoms that plotted her destruction; 
 and, with the inscriptions of their pride, has trans- 
 mitted to posterity the records of their shame. How 
 
JOHN M. MASON, ^79 
 
 iihall this phaeaomenon be explained ? W c ar(^ at 
 the present moment, witnesses of the fact ; l>ut who 
 can unfold the mystery. This blessed book, the 
 book of truth and life, has made our wonder to cease. 
 * The Lord HER God in the midst of her is 
 MIGHTY.* His presence is a fountain of health, and 
 his protection a ' wall of fire.' He has betrothed her, 
 in eternal covenant to himself. Her living head, in 
 whom she lives, is above, and his quickening spirit 
 shall never depart from her. Armed with divine 
 virtue, his gospel, secret, silent, unobserved, enters 
 the hearts of men and sets up an everlasting kingdom. 
 It eludes all the vigilance, and baffles all the power 
 of the adversary, liars, and bolts, and dungeons are 
 no obstacle to its approach : t5onds, and tortures, and 
 death cannot extinguish its influence. Let no man's 
 heart, tremble, then, because of fear. Let no man 
 despair, in these days of rebuke and blasphemy of 
 the Christian cause. The ark is launched, indeed, 
 upon the floods ; the tempest sweeps along the deep ; 
 the billows break over her on every side. But Je- 
 hovah-Jesus has promised to conduct her in safety to 
 the haven of peace. She cannot be lost unless the 
 pilot perish. Why then do the heathen rage, and 
 and the people * imagine a vain thing ?' Hear, O Zi- 
 on, the word of thy God, and rejoice for the conso- 
 lation. * No weapon that is formed against thee shall 
 prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee 
 in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heri- 
 tage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteous- 
 ness is of mc, saith the Lord.' 
 
 Mere preservation, however, though a most com- 
 fortable, is not the only, hope of the Church ; she has 
 
 (2.) The prospect of increase. 
 
 Increase — from aneftectualblessin g upon the means 
 of grace in places where they are already enjoyed; 
 for thus saith the Lord, * I will pour water upon him 
 that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground : I will- 
 
280 A SERMQN BY 
 
 pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon 
 thine offspring; and they shall spring up as among 
 the grass, as willows by the water courses.' 
 
 Increase — from the diffusion of evangelical truth 
 through Pagan lands. ' For behold, the darkness shall 
 cover the earth, and gross darkness the people ; but 
 the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be 
 seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy 
 light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift 
 up thine eyes round about and see : all they gather 
 themselves together, they come to thee : thy sons shall 
 come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at 
 thy side. Then thou shall see, and flow together, and 
 thine heart shall fear and be enlarged ; because the 
 abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee^ 
 ihe forces of the gentiles shall come unto thee.' 
 
 Increase — from the recovery of the rejected Jews 
 to the faith and privileges of God's dear children. 
 '' Blindness in part has happened unto Israel'---they 
 have been cut off", for their unbelief, from the olive 
 tree. Age has followed age, and they remain to this 
 hour spread o^er the face of the earth, a fearful and 
 affecting testimony to the truth of God's word. They 
 are v/ithout their sanctuary, without their Messiah, 
 without the hope of their believing ancestors. But 
 it shall not be always thus. They are still beloved 
 for the father's sake.' When the ' fullness of the Gen- 
 tiles shall come in,' they too shall be gathered. They 
 shall discover, in our Jesus, the promised Messiah ; 
 and with tenderness proportioned to their former in- 
 sensibility, shall cling to his cross. Grafted again 
 into their own olive tree, ' all Israel shall be saved.' 
 It was ' through their fall that salvation came unt© 
 us Gentiles.' And, ' if the casting away of them be 
 the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiv- 
 ing of them be but life from the dead ?' What ec- 
 stasy, my brethren / the Gentile and the Jew taking 
 ' sweet counsel together, and going to the house of 
 
JOHN M. MASON. 281 
 
 God in company !' the path of the swift messenger 
 of grace marked, in every direction^ by the ' fuHness 
 of the blessing of the gospel of Christ--a nation 
 born at once'— -the children of Zi«on exclaiming, 
 * The place is too strait for me : give place to me 
 that I may dwell.' The knowledge of Jehovah over- 
 spreading the earth ' as the waters cover the sea ;' 
 and all flesh enjoying the salvation of God ! 
 . This faith ushers in a 
 
 (3.) Prospect of the Church---the prospect of 
 triumph. 
 
 Though often desolate, and ' afflicted, tossed with 
 tempest and not comforted,' the Lord her God will 
 then ' make her an eternal excellency,' and repay 
 her sorrows with triumph.--- 
 
 Tnumph--in complete victory over the enemies 
 who sought her hurt. ' The nation and kingdom,' 
 saith the Lord, ' that w ill not serve thee shall perish ; 
 yea those nations shall be utterly wasted. The sons 
 also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending un- 
 to thee ; and ail they that despised thee shall bow 
 themselves down at the soles of thy feet ; and they 
 shall call thee the city of the Lord, the Zion of the 
 Holy One of Israel.' That great enemy of her purity 
 and her peace, who shed the blood of lier saints and 
 her prophets, the Man of Sin who has exalted himself 
 above all that ' is called God,' shall appear, in the whole 
 horror of his doom as the ' son of perdition, whom the 
 Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and 
 shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.' 
 The terrible but joyous event shall be announced by 
 an angel from heaven * crying mightily with a strong 
 voice, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen !' * Alle- 
 luia,' shall be the response of the Church universal, 
 Salvation, and ^ glory, and honor, and power, unto 
 the Lord our God ; for true and righteous are his 
 judgments; for he hath judged the great whore which 
 did corrupt the earth wdth her fornication, and hath 
 avenged the blood of her servants at her hand i* Then, 
 
282 A SERMON BY 
 
 too, ' the accuser of the brethren*—* that old serpent 
 which is the Devil and Satan/ shall be east down, 
 
 * and bound a thousand years that he shall deceive 
 the nations no more*--This will introduce the Church's 
 
 Triumph — in the prevalence of righteousness and 
 peace throughout the world. 
 
 ' Her people shall be all righteous/ The voice of 
 the blasphemer shall no longer insult her car. Ini- 
 quity as ashamed shall stop its mouth, and hide its 
 head. 'All her olEcers shall be peace, and all her ex- 
 actors, righteousness. ' The kings of the earth hrin= 
 ing their glory and honor unto her,* shall accomplish 
 the gracious promise, ' The mountains shall bring 
 peace to the people, and the little hills by righteous- 
 ness.* Her prince whose throne is forever and ever, 
 
 * shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke 
 many people ; and they shall beat their swords into 
 plow- shares, andj their spears into pruning hooks : 
 nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither 
 shall they learn w^ar any more /' Every man shali 
 meet, in every other man, a brother without dissim- 
 ulation. Fear and the sword shall be far away, ' they 
 shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig- 
 tree, and none shall make them afraid.' For thus 
 saith the Lord, ' Violence shall no more be heard 
 in thy land, w^asting nor destruction within thy bor- 
 ders ; but thou shalt call thy wall, SalvatioUj an4 
 thy gates. Praise.' 
 
 Triumph — in the presence of God, in the commu- 
 nion of his love, and the signal manifestation of his 
 glory. * Behold the tabernacle of God shall be with 
 men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be 
 his people, and God himself shall be with them, and 
 be their God.' Then shall be seen, ' the holy Jeru- 
 salem descending out of heaven from God,' which 
 * shall have no need of the sun, neither of the moon,' 
 to shine in it ; for the glory of God shall lighten it, 
 and the Lamb shall be the light thereof. And the 
 
JOHN M. MASON. ^3 
 
 iaatloBS of them whicli are saved shall walk in the light 
 t)fit,--and they shall bring the glory and honor of 
 the nations into it ; and there shall in no wise enter 
 into it -an-y thing that defilelh, neither whatsoever 
 worketh abomination, or maketh a He : but they 
 which are written in the Lamb^s book of life.* 
 
 Such, according to the sure word of prophecy, will 
 be the.triumphs of Christianity ; and to this issue all 
 scriptural efforts to evangelize the heathen contribute 
 ^eir share. That mind is profane, indeed, which 
 repels the sentiment of awe ; and hard is the heart 
 which feels no bland emotion--.But let us pause,- 
 You exult, perhaps, in the view of that happ mess 
 which is reserved for the human race : you long lor its 
 arrival ; and are eager, in your place, to help on the 
 gracious work. It is well. But are there no heathen 
 in this assembly ? Are there none who, in the midst 
 of their zeal for foreign missions, forget their own 
 souls ; nor consider that they themselves ' neglect 
 the great salvation?* Remember, my brethren, that a 
 man may be active in measures which shall subserve 
 the com'ersion of others, and yet perish in his own 
 iniquity. That very gospel which you desire to send 
 to the Heathen, must be the gospel of your salvation i 
 it must tuvnym ' from darkness to light, from the powd- 
 er of Satan unto God ;' it must make you * meet for 
 the inheritance of the Saints,' or it shall fearfully ag- 
 gravate your condemnation at last. You pray ' Thy 
 kingdom come.' But is the ' kingdom of God within 
 you V Is the Lord Jesus in you, the hope of glory ?' 
 Be not deceived. The name of Christian will not 
 save you. Better had it been for you ' not to have 
 knovvn the way of ri^^hteousness'— better to have 
 been the most idolatrous Pagan—better, infinitely 
 better, not to have been born, than to die strangers 
 ^to the pardon of the Redeemer's blood, and the sanc- 
 tifying virtue of his spirit. From his throne on high 
 he calls; calls, mv brethren tp you, VLgok unto me 
 
284 A SERMON BY 
 
 and be ye saved, for I am God, and there is none else; 
 Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found ; call ye 
 upon him while he is near; Let the wicked forsake 
 his way ; and the unrighteous man his thougkis ; 
 and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have 
 mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he will abun- 
 dantly pardon.* 
 
 On the other hand, such as have * fled for refuge to 
 lay hold Oil the hope set before them,' are command- 
 ed to be 'joyful in their king.* He reigns, O believer, 
 for thee. The stability of his throne is thy safety. 
 The administration of his government is for thy good; 
 and the precious pledge that he ' will perfect that 
 which concerneth thee. ' In all thy troubles and in 
 all thy joy ' commit thy way unto him.' He will 
 guard the sacred deposit. Fear not that thou shalt 
 
 * lack any good thing.'— -Fear not that thou shalt be 
 forsaken- --Fear not that thou shalt fall beneath the 
 
 * arm of the oppressor.' * He went through the lires 
 of the pit to s»"ve thee ; and he will stake all the 
 glories of his crown to keep thee. Sing then thou 
 beloved, ' Behold God is my salvation ; I will trust 
 and not be afraid ; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength 
 and my song ; he also is become my salvation. 
 
 And if we have ' tasted that he is gracious ,'^ if we 
 look back with horror and transport upon the WTetch- 
 edness and the wrath which we have escaped, with 
 what anxiety shall we not hasten to the aid of our fel- 
 low men, who are * sitting in the region and shadow 
 of death.' What zeal will be too ardent ; what la- 
 bor too persevering ; what sacrifice too costly, if by 
 any means, we may tell them of Jesus, and the resur- 
 rection, and the life eternal ! Who shall be daunted 
 by difficulties, or deterred by discouragement ? If 
 but one Pagan should be brought, savingly, by your 
 instrumentality, to the knowledge of God, and the 
 kingdom of Heaven, will you not, my brethren, have 
 aai ample recompence ? Is there here a man who 
 
JOHN M. MASON. 2fi5 
 
 would give up all for lost because some favorite hope 
 has been disappointed ? or who regrets the worldly 
 substance which he has expended on so divine an en- 
 terprise ? Shame on thy coward spirit and thine ava- 
 ricious heart ! Do the Holy Scriptures, does the ex- 
 perience of ages, does the nature of things justify the 
 expectation, that we shall carry war into the central 
 regions of delusion and crime, without opposition » 
 without trial ? Shew me a plan which encounters not 
 fierce resistance from the Prince of Darkness and his 
 allies in the human heart, and I will shew you a plan 
 which never came from the inspiration of God. If 
 Missionary effort suftbr occasional embarrassment : if 
 impressions on the heathen be less speedy, and pow- 
 erful, and extensive, than fond wishes have anticipat- 
 ed : If particular parts of the great system of opera- 
 tion be, at times, disconcerted ; if any of the ^ minis- 
 ters of grace' fall a sacrifice to the violence of those 
 whom they go to bless ' in the name of the Lord -/ 
 these are events which ought to exercise our faith and 
 patience ^ to wean us from self sufficiency; to teach 
 us where our strength lies, and where our dependence 
 must be fixed ; but not to enfeeble hope, nor relax 
 dilligence. Let us not *• despise the day of smull 
 things.' Let us not overlook, as an unimportant 
 matter, the very existence of that Missionary spirit 
 which has already awakened Christians in different 
 countries from their long and dishonorable slumbers, 
 and bids fair to produce in due season, * a general 
 movement of the church upon earth.' Let us not for 
 one instant, harbor the ungracious thought, that the 
 prayers, and tears, and wrestlings of those who ' make 
 mention of the Lord,' form no link in that vast chain 
 of events by which he will establish,, and * will make 
 Jerusalem a praise in the earth.* That dispensation 
 which of all others is most repulsive to flesh and blood, 
 the violent death of faithful missionaries, should ani« 
 mate Christians with new resolution ► ' Precious in 
 
S86 A SERMON BY he. he. 
 
 the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.- The. 
 cry of may rtyred blood ascends the heavens ; it en- 
 ters into < the ears of the Lord of Sabadth.' It will 
 give him no rest till he * rain down righteousness' up- 
 on the land where it has been shed, and which it has 
 sealed as a future conquest for him who * in his ma- 
 jesty rides prosperously because of truth, and meek- 
 ness and righteousness.' 
 
 For the world, indeed ; and also for the church, 
 many calamities and trials are in store, before the 
 glory of the Lord shall be so revealed, that ' all flesh 
 shall see it together/ ' I will shake all nations,' is 
 the divine declaration, * 1 will shake all nations, and 
 the desire of all nations shall come.* The vials of 
 wrath which are now running, and others which re- 
 main to be poured out, must be exhausted. The 
 ^ supper of the great God,' must be prepared, and 
 his * strange work,' have its course. Yet the Mis- 
 sionary cause must ultimately succeed. It is th6 
 Cause of God, and sball prevail. The days, O breth- 
 ren, roll rapidly on, when the shout of the isles 
 shall swell the thunder of the Continent : when 
 the Thames and the Danube, when the Tiber and 
 the Uhine, shall call upon Euphrates, the Ganges, 
 and the Nile; and the loud concert shall be joined 
 by the Hudson, the Missisippi, and the i\mazon, 
 singing with one heart and one voice. Alleluia ! Sal- 
 vation ! The Lord God omnipotent reigneth / 
 
 Comfort one another with this faith, and with these 
 words. 
 
 Now, * Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Is- 
 rael, who only doeth wondrous things. And bles- 
 sed be his glorious name for ever : and let the V)hoh 
 sctrth hejiikd %mth his glory ! Amen and Amen / 
 
A SERMON 
 
 BY 
 
 DAVID OSGOOD, D. D. 
 
 ftAfSTQB. OF A CHURCH, IN WEDFQRIJ, MASS AC-KUSETTS- 
 
 JOSHUA xxiv. 15. 
 
 As for me and my houfcy we tuillfarve the Lord. 
 
 ON the death of Moses, Joshua his favorite min- 
 ister succceeded to the supreme command over all 
 the tribes of Israel, and was constituted their head 
 and leader. Under his conduct they passed over Jor- 
 dan, attacked the nations of Canaan, and in the course 
 of a few years, made a complete conquest of the coun- 
 try. This renouned general and ruler presided in 
 the partition of the lands, and in settling their civil 
 and religious polity. Through the whole of these 
 great transactions, he approved himself to God and 
 his people, exhibiting all those noble qualities of 
 heart and understanding which rendered him worthy 
 of his high station. When some years had elapsed, 
 and Joshua was now advanced in age, and the time of 
 his departure was at hand, he gathered all Israel to 
 Shechem, that he might give them his farewell dis- 
 course, his last, solemn, dying charge. A scene 
 more striking rarely occurs in history. How august 
 was the assembly of a great nation, with its Elders^ 
 Judges, and officers, civil and sacred, all attending 
 the man who had rendered them such various and im- 
 portant services .' They now behold for the last time, 
 the Hero, who had. been foremost in every danger, 
 leading their armies to battle through many succes- 
 sive campaigns, and under whose conduct, they had 
 become masters of one of the finest countries in the 
 
288 A SERMON BY 
 
 world, ' a land flowing with milk and honey.' Their 
 eyes are fixed on the venerable patriot, whose noble 
 disinterested exertions, whose wisdom and counsels 
 had established them in the quiet possession of liber- 
 ty, peace and plenty. Their attention is summoned 
 by the aged prophet, who had long been the oracle of 
 the Most High unto them, who had taught them the 
 good knowledge of God, and how to serve him ac- 
 ceptably : This prophet now addresses them with 
 his last message from the Almighty, Was it pos- 
 sible for them not to be atfected with the farewell dis- 
 course of one to whom they were under such manir 
 fold obligations ? They were aifected, and at no time 
 did this people discover a temper more susceptible 
 of good impressions, than was that exhiL)ited on the 
 present occasion. 
 
 : In a nervous and pathetic address, Joshua recapit- 
 li'lates some principal events in their history, in which 
 the arm of the Almighty had been made bare on 
 their behalf. He reminds them of their small origi- 
 nal, and of the divine favor and protection to their 
 progenitors, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob down to 
 the period when the family became resident in Egypt. 
 He sets before them an account of the signal inter- 
 positions of heaven in their deliverance from the 
 Egyptian bondage ; the wonders wrought for them 
 during their progress through the wilderness, and 
 while making a conquest of Canaan and getting pos- 
 session oF that good land. Having endeavoured to 
 warm their hearts with a sense of these blessings from 
 Jehovah, he comes to the main point, which is, to 
 fix them in a steady adherence to his worship, and 
 guard them against every species of idolatry. With 
 ?^reat earnestness and affection he applies to them, 
 * Now therefore, fear the Lord, and serve him insin- 
 cerity and truth;' adding in the verse of which the 
 text is a part, ' And if it^seern evil unto )^.ou to serve 
 tlie Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve ; 
 
DAVID OSGOOD. 28^ 
 
 Vhether the gods which your fathers served, that 
 were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the 
 Amoritcs in whose land ye dwell,' We arc iiot to 
 conclude from these words, that Joshua was appre- 
 hensive that the people were at this time act lally 
 wavering in their opinion concerning the obj(:ct of 
 their worship. He speak^s like an orator; he in- 
 vites them to choose, merely because he supposes the 
 choice already made. Just as if he hud addressed 
 them thus , * put away from you every object of idol- 
 atry, and determine to serve the Lord only. Ah/ 
 whom will you serve, speak candidly, whom will you 
 serve, if you refuse him your homage ? Where could 
 you hope to find a God, worthy to be compared with 
 him ? If the worship of those gods which your an- 
 cestors worshipped beyond the Euphrates, hath the 
 sanction of antiquity; ye know on the other hand, 
 that Abraham openly abjured that worship, that from 
 his heart he renounced those idols, and that thereby 
 drawing upon him the benediction of the Most High, 
 he obtained from his munificence, as his inheritance, 
 the country of which you now have taken possession*. 
 As to the gods of the Amoritcs, I know you arc con- 
 vinced how despicable tliose impotent idols are, whose 
 worshippers ye have subdued. Yet make your choice 
 however. Nothing should be more free than the pre- 
 ference given to a religion. But know, O Israelites I 
 the choice of Joshua no longer remains to be made ; 
 / and my house ; I and all my family, if I am master 
 of it, will serve the Lord^ and remain faithful to him 
 even to death.' 
 
 Such was the pious resolution of this great and 
 eminent personage, and thus firmly was it expressed, 
 with an air, a voice and looks---all bespeaking his 
 glowing zeal for God and his affectionate concern 
 for Israel. The large and solemn audience heard 
 him with attention, felt the force of his words, and 
 in a kind of religious transport, exclaimed ' God for- 
 
 36 
 
290 A SERMON BY 
 
 bid that we should forsake the Lord to serve other 
 gods---we slso will serve the Lord for he is our God.* 
 How happy was the preacher in being able thus te 
 impress the sentiments of his own heart on the hearis 
 of his hearers, and in bringing them into the same re- 
 solutions with himself, to avouch the Lord to be 
 their God, and to a solemn promise of fidelity to him/ 
 Joshua's example, as the head and master of a fa- 
 mily, is now, my hearers, proposed for our imitation ; 
 and to persuade those of you wha sustain a similar 
 relation, to come into his views and adopt his reso- 
 lution for yourselves and families with respect to the 
 service of God, is the design of the present discourse. 
 What the service of God was under the law, none, 
 who are acquainted with the writings of Moses, can 
 be ignorant. Under the gospel, the mode of serving 
 him is di&'ereiit. No longer encumbred with mani- 
 fold rites and ceremonies, with tedious forms of out- 
 ward purifications, nor requiring costly oblations; it 
 is plain and simple. In the direct and immediate 
 sense of the text as applicable to ourselves, the ser- 
 vice of God consists in our grateful acknowledgment 
 of the true and living Jehovah for our God ; in ren» 
 deringliim the homage required in his word, in call- 
 ing upon him in our families and closets; in attend- 
 ing the public ordinances of his worship, in professing 
 our faith in Christ, our regard for him as the medium 
 of our whole intercourse with the Father and the basis 
 of all our hopes ; and in a course of persevering obe- 
 dience to his precepts. As our whole duty is com- 
 prised in what Christ has enjohied, the service of 
 God requires, that, in obedience to our constituted 
 head and leader, we persevere in the practice of all the 
 branches of piety, benevolence and sobriety, regula- 
 ting our hearts and lives by the rules of the gospel, 
 and e::erting our whole infiuence to promote the in- 
 terests of christian virtue and holiness in the world, 
 la tills comprehensive sense, every sincere christian 
 
DAVID OSGOOD. 2^1 
 
 is devoted to the service of God, and firmly resolved 
 to persevere therein to the end of life. That this 
 should be the resolution of each one in this assembly 
 is, in itself, a matter of the greatest and most weighty- 
 concern. It is however, especially incumbent upon 
 those who preside as heads of families. Personal re- 
 ligion is essentially necessary in order to give rise to 
 such a resolution as is expressed in the text, and to 
 the keeping and fulfilling of it afterward : It is in» 
 dispcnsably requisite to the right performance of 
 those various duties to which an householder binds 
 himself when he says, as for me and my house ^ we will 
 zeme the Lord. Whatever of religion he here pro- 
 mises for his family, should be the fruit and effect of 
 vital religion in himself. In order therefore, to the 
 governing of a family in a religious manner, it is high- 
 ly important. 
 
 That the master of it should himself possess the 
 power of Godliness. Some indeed, who are stran- 
 gers to vital piety, may yet, from w^orldly consider- 
 ations, be induced to keep up the forms of religion 
 in their families : but as their hearts are not engaged 
 in such observances, it cannot be expected that they 
 should be so steady, and exemplary in them, as the 
 .tnan who has entered into the spirit of religion and 
 has a feeling sense of its reality and importance.-— 
 For the good of their families then, as well as for 
 their own future and everlasting welfare, it is of the 
 greatest moment that householders should be truly 
 religious, and each one, with the good man in the 
 text, resolve for himself in the first place, as for me, 
 I will serve the Lord. What resolution can be more 
 rational or more advantageous than this ? Has not God 
 every imaginable claim to our service ? He made and 
 upholds us in life, and is, every moment, pouring his 
 providential bounty around us. But, w hat ought still 
 more deeply to effect us, when we had undone our- 
 selves and were sinking under loads of guilt and mise- 
 
aP2 A SERMON BY 
 
 from his own self- moving compassion, he sent his 
 son to recover and save us. * Wc are redeemed not 
 by corruptible things such as silver and gold, but by 
 the precious blood of Christ, who his own self bare 
 our sins on the cross, and died for us, that hence- 
 forward we should live unto him.' In the view of 
 these things must not every heart be convinced of 
 its obligations to serve God, and melt in contrition 
 for having neglected his service so long ? Must not 
 every bosom wax warm with the emotions of love and 
 gratitude ? Being bought with a price, must we not 
 feel that we are not our own, that we owe ourselves 
 and all the service in our power, to Him who has ta- 
 ken such measures for our happiness, and at an ex- 
 pense which angles cannot compute, has ransomed us 
 from eternal ruin ? Must not the heart of that man be 
 exceedingly depraved, who feels not the constrain- 
 ing influence of redeeming love and grace, who still 
 declines the service of God ? Whom shall we serve, 
 if we refuse to serve him ? Into what certain and in- 
 evitable ruin are they hastening, who give themselves 
 up to the service of their lusts, of sin and of the world I 
 But what pleasure, honor and happiness may be ex- 
 pected from sincerity in the service of God / * In 
 keeping his commandments there is great reward- 
 Godliness is profitable unto all things, having pro- 
 mise of the life that now is, and of that which is to 
 come.' Will you not then, my friends, especially 
 those of you who are heads of families, come to a re- 
 solution to serve God ? May I not hope that on fixed, 
 and permanent principles, your hearts are now delibe- 
 rately, forming the noble purpose, and in an humble 
 dependence on divine grace, resolving that henceforth 
 you will serve the Lord in sincerity and truth ? Let 
 me then, 
 
 In the next place, recommend the open and ex- 
 plicit profession of this your good resolution. So 
 9id Joshua in the text; and so, at his persuasion, 
 
DAVID OSGOOD. 293 
 
 did the assembled tribes of Israel. Nor was it a new 
 thing for them thus publicly to enter into covenant 
 with God and bind themselves by the solemnity of 
 an oath, to fidelity in his service. Their history fur- 
 nishes many instances of similar transactions. From 
 the New Testament also we have abundant evidence 
 that it is the will of God, that all as they arrive to years 
 of discretion, should openly profess their faith in 
 Christ and devote themselves to his service. No 
 small stress seems to be laid upon this by our Sa- 
 viour when he says, ' whosoever shall confess me 
 before men, him will I also confess before my Father 
 who is in ncftven. And whosoever shall be ashamed 
 of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of Man 
 be ashamed when he shall come in his own and his 
 Father's glory.' As, * with the heart man belie veth 
 unto righteousness ; so with the mouth confession is 
 made unto salvation.' This confession was requir- 
 ed by the apostles, of all who offered to join in the 
 communion of the first christians. In opposition to 
 such plain texts of Scripture and to the usage of the 
 people of God in all ages, both under the law and un- 
 der the gospel, is it not strange that so many among 
 us can content themselves in the neglect of this duty, 
 even after they have children about them, before 
 whom a better example ought to be set ? 
 
 Indeed, if young people were truly wise, and had 
 a just sense of things, they would certainly give up 
 themselves to God, and recognize their obligation 
 to him who made, and to him who redeemed them, 
 prior to their entering into engagements to one an- 
 other. Before they think of changing their condi- 
 tion and encumbering their minds with family cares 
 and anxieties, they are called by the voice both of 
 reason and revelation to think seriously of their eternal 
 concerns, and to come to a fixed resolution about them, 
 by explicitly taking Christ's yoke upon them and bind- 
 ing themselves to the observance of all his institutions. 
 Py SQ doing, they WQuld launch forth into the world, and 
 
294 A SERMON BY 
 
 begin the voyage of life, furnished with a compass and 
 rudder. Mariners exposed to the winds and waves, 
 destitute of these requisite instruments, are in a sit- 
 uation less perilous than those } oang persons, who 
 begin the world without any fixed principles of reli- 
 gion. My young friends, whatever your temporal 
 s iccess may be, yet, if in the end, you shall fail of 
 reaching the haven of everlasting rest, you had bet- 
 ter never have been born. Let me entreat you to fix 
 your thoughts upon this great and awful concern ; 
 and whatever else you may neglect, neglect not, O 
 neglect not, ^ the one thing needful / Hasten, hasten 
 your choice of that ' good part Vv hich shall not be 
 taken from you.' Having made your choice, bind 
 yourselves to adhere to it by openly avowing it in the 
 face of the w^orld. 3y thus becoming and profes- 
 sing yourselves the servants of God, you will lay a 
 proper foundation for exerting your influence over 
 others. When you shall have families, you will be 
 qualified to preside oyer them with dignity and com- 
 fort to yourselves, and with advantage to them. The 
 influence of the resolution which you have formed 
 for yourselves, will be extended to those, whom 
 providence may place under your care, and afford a 
 degree of security that they also will serve the Lord, 
 
 On your becoming parents, it will be your first 
 care to give up your children to God, not only by acts 
 of devotion in private, but by having them publicly 
 baptized into the name of Christ, and thereby dedica- 
 ted to his service. That this is one of the first duties 
 of parents to their off'spring, has been believed by the 
 generality of Christians ever since the apostolic age. 
 
 As we know that of old, God required the seal of 
 his covenant to be applied to the children of his pro- 
 fessing people ; that the great Author of the gos- 
 pel dispensation has been so far from excluding 
 them from this new covenant, that he has explicitly 
 numbered them among his visible subjects ; that his 
 
DAVID OSGOOD. 295 
 
 apostles hav€ dignified them with the titles of saints 
 and disciples ; and actually baptized them on the pro- 
 fessed faith of their parents — to me it is wonderful, 
 how any can doubt whether it be the will of God that 
 parents should in this way, dedicate their children to 
 him and his service. It is with great concern, my 
 brethren, that I see such numbers among us living ia 
 the neglect of this duty. It is not indeed, neglected 
 by those of you who have professed your resolution to 
 serve God. But, are all the others unresolved upon 
 this subject. Are you still wavering and undeter- 
 mined whether to serve God or not ? Are you still 
 halting between two opinions ? Alas for you / Has 
 not the matter been under consideration long enough 
 already ? If you are not yet convinced of the proprie- 
 ty, reasonableness and advantage of serving God, 
 what further light or new arguments can you expect ? 
 When will you come to a conclusion? If you can feel 
 easy and unconcerned in your present situation, and 
 while you live on in the neglect of Christ's institutions., 
 neither devoting yourselves nor your children to his 
 service, you must be left to abide the consequences 
 of manifest disobedience to the divine authority. I 
 turn to professors. 
 
 My brethren, if you are sincere in your profession, 
 you will not content yourselves with having dedicated 
 your children to the service of God ; it will be your 
 next care to instruct them how to serve him, teach- 
 ing them the principles of that religion into which 
 they have been initiated. To * train them up in the 
 nurture and admonition of the Lord,^ is the express in- 
 junction of the gospel, and has been the endeavor of 
 religious parents in all ages. To the faithfulness of 
 Abraham in discharging this duty, God himself testi- 
 fies when he says, ' I know Abraham, that he will 
 command his children and household after him, and 
 they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and 
 judgment,' His example cannot but be imitated by 
 
^96 A SERMON BY 
 
 all who are of his character. If 3^011 believe that there 
 is a God, that his favor is life and the source of all hap* 
 piness to his creatures ; will you not instruct your 
 children in this most interesting truth, teaching them 
 betimes the good knowledge of their Creator ? If 
 3'-ouhave a just sense of the depravity and corruption 
 of human nature, and of the need we all stand in of 
 being cleansed by sanctifying grace ; will you not 
 endeavor to awaken in the consciences of your chil- 
 dren a conviction of the necessity and importance of 
 this great moral change, and travail in pain for them 
 till Christ be formed in them, and they are born again 
 of his spirit? If yourow^n hope of salvation be found- 
 ed on Christ, will you not hold him up to their view 
 in all those characters and offices which he sustains as 
 Mediator, and earnestly recommend him to their 
 esteem, their love, their trust and obedience ? If you 
 have yourselves experienced * the ways of wisdom to 
 be ways of pleasantness,' will you not endeavor to lead 
 your children into these delightful paths, and earnest- 
 ly W'ibh and pray, that they may largely participate of 
 the noble and reiined pleasures of true religion ? In 
 fine., if you believe that there is an inheritance incor- 
 ruptible, undefiled and which fadeth not away, reserv- 
 ed in heaven for all the faithful servants of God ; with 
 what anxious concern wdll you endeavor that your 
 own families may be of the happy number, and be- 
 long to the family of heaven / With what diligence 
 will you instruct them in the service of the Most 
 High, in all the various branches of their duty, teach- 
 ing them how to live and walk so as to please God I 
 In doing this, much prudence will be requisite. 
 Your instructions should be adapted to the age and 
 capacities of your children. It should be conveyed 
 in easy and familiar language, and illustrated by apt 
 and striking representations. It should be often re- 
 peated, drop as the rain, and distill as the dew on 
 their tender minds. ' iliese words,' says Moses to 
 
bAVID OSGOOD- 297 
 
 the Israeiites, ' which I command thee this day, shall 
 be in thine heart, and thou shcill teach the»n dilligent- 
 ly unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou 
 sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the 
 way, and when thou licst down, and when thou risest 
 up.' The occasional dropping of religious sentiments 
 in the hearing of children, though there be no direct 
 address to them, has a good tendency, and is some- 
 times exceedingly useful The religious parent will 
 Watch for opportunities to instill sentiments of piety 
 into their minds, and will improve those seasons when 
 any awakening providence or remarkable event has 
 disposed them to be more thoughtful than usual. If 
 he observes them to be under any serious impressions, 
 he will endeavor by every suitable mean, to render 
 those impressions lasting, to fix their wavering reso- 
 lution for the service of God, and stir them up to 
 their duty, by all the awakening motives of the gos- 
 pel. Beginning with the most plain and simple truths, 
 jou should endeavor gradually to lead them on, as' 
 they may be able to follow, to further and more en-, 
 larged vieus of the doctrines and duties of our holy 
 religion. Their memories however ought not to be 
 overburdened; and nothing should be. unnecessarily 
 imposed which may lead them to consider religion as 
 a task. Much of your success will depend upon 
 your conciliating their good aiTections, and so manage- 
 ing your instructions that they may listen to you with 
 pleasure. This will probably be the effect, if you 
 6an let them see that their good and happiness are 
 the objects of your solicitude. Let some little pre- 
 mium occasionally reward their diligence and atten- 
 tion. Commendation and praise for improvements 
 already made^ will whet their ambition, and excite 
 emulation in making further progress. 
 
 As the religious householder will be thus dilligent 
 in teaching his family in private, so it wvil be his care 
 
i9S A SERMON BY 
 
 that they regularly attend upon public instruction 
 and the several means which heaven has appointed 
 for our growth in the knowledge of God, and of our 
 duty. This is a special part of that service which 
 we owe to God, and which he, at a stated season, 
 expressly requ/res. To instruct both parents and 
 children in the doctrines and duties of the gospel, the 
 standing ministiy of God^s word is appointed. On 
 this ministry, at the seasons set apart for divine ser- 
 vice, every family ought to attend. If the master of 
 a house be himself truly religious, he will not suffer 
 any under his care to be unnecessarily absent. If a- 
 passion for rambling or novelty tempt a child or a 
 servant to distant and various places of worship, such 
 irregularity upon the Lord's day, wrll be frowned up- 
 dn and checked by the householder, who has any 
 mixture of wisdom with his piety. He will never ap- 
 prove of such disorderly behaviour. Much less will 
 he himself set so ill aa example. It is but a poor 
 character which the scripture gives of those who have 
 itching ears and are always ready to turn their backs 
 on tried and! faithful instructors, to follow strangers. 
 These are unstable souls, light and empty minds. The 
 judicious christian is incapable of such levity and 
 caprice. He moves on in one steady uniform course of 
 goodness, smd his authority is exerted in preserving 
 order and regularity in his family. At the hour of di- 
 vine worship, he appears in his place at the head of his 
 household. He watches the demeanour of the youn- 
 ger branches, that they may be serious and attentive. 
 They know that when the services of the day shall 
 be over, som€ account of what they have heard will 
 be required. This excites their attentin^n, and puts 
 them upon taking pains to treasure up divine instruc- 
 tion. Visits and social intercourses for the purposes 
 of amusement, are resolutely avoided on this day. 
 The Sabbath is not only begun and closed with the 
 exercises of secret and family worship ; but the whok 
 
^ 
 
 DAVID OSGOOD. S^m 
 
 tlay is regarded as sacred to religious improvement. 
 Nor is it on the Sabbath only that the religious 
 householder engages in the immediate service of 
 God ; he has every day his stated seasons for devo- 
 tion. He is regular in offering up the morning and 
 evening sacrifice, both in his closet and in the pre- 
 sence of his assembled family. On these occasions 
 no member is permitted to be absent without some 
 just excuse, Tlieir minds are improved in religious 
 knowledge, and prepared for the more solemn exer- 
 cises of devotion, by the previous reading of some 
 portion of scripture. In all the families where the 
 resolution of Joshua is adopted, these services regu- 
 larly performed, preserve order and decorum, cherish 
 the principles of piety, and promote the practice of 
 the social virtues, accompanied with harmony and 
 love, joy and peace. Hence such houses become 
 \ schools of virtue, temples of devotion, and nurseries 
 for heaven. 
 
 Ye heads of families, thus to preside in your hou- 
 ses, you are bound by all the regard which you owe 
 to God. If you believe in him, you must be sensi- 
 ble that all your social as well as personal comforts 
 are derived from his munificence. His providence 
 led you into those tender connections which have issu- 
 ed in a hopeful offspring, like olive plants surround- 
 ing your table. Your table itself is daily spread by 
 his bounty. He blesseth the works of your hands, 
 and giveth you richly all things to enjoy. If you 
 have comfortable accommodations for your families 
 and the means of supporting them — all are from him, 
 and you are continued in the possession of them from 
 day to day by his guardian care. Laban, with an air 
 of ignorance, said to Jacob, * These daughters are 
 my daughters, these children are my children, these 
 cattle arc my cattle, and all that thou seest is 7mne.^ 
 But with what perfect propriety, ye householders, 
 docs the great God address you in this style, remind- 
 
sm A SEKM©N BY 
 
 ing you that all you have, your families, youf posses- 
 sions, and even yourselves arc his ? Knowing then, 
 your entire dependence upon him, must you not fee! 
 your obligations to love and serve him, to use all your 
 influence and authority in your own house, that your 
 families may love and serve him too ? How fit and 
 x'easonable, how well-founded are these his claims 
 upon you ? Can you, dare you withhold from hint 
 the tribute which he demands for the blessings of 
 which he has put you in trust, and the possessions 
 which you hold of him ? In the tabernacles which the 
 Lord hath pitched for you, will you not erect alters 
 to him, and daily render him the oblations of prayer 
 and praise ? Will you not give back to him by aa 
 early and solemn dedication, the children you receive 
 'from him r On the birth of every child in your fa- 
 mily, the voice of his word and providence to you is> 
 * take this child and nurse it for me.' Will you not 
 accept the pleasing charge from your heavenly Father, 
 and be faithful in training it up for him in the ways 
 of virtue and holiness. 
 
 To this and the other branches of family religion, 
 I would further urge you by all the regard which yoti 
 feel for your families. Possessed of that affection 
 . which is natural to the conjugal and parental relations^ 
 5^ou exercise a constant and a tender concern for the 
 interest and comfort of your famalies. This concern 
 influences you in the management of your temporal 
 affairs, and puts you upon the exertion of all your 
 skill and abilities in providing, each one, for his own 
 house. You look upon your children, and seeing 
 your own features in them, you consider them as 
 parts of yourselves, and are tenderly solicitous for 
 their welfare. Helpless, tbey look up to you for sup- 
 j>ort ; defenceless, they fly to you for protection : 
 they cling around you and think themselves safe un- 
 der your paternal care. You cannot disappoint their 
 c^enfidence. You ca.nnot resist the feelingis of nature 
 
DAVID OSGOOD. S6l 
 
 towards them. The idea of their being exposed it 
 danger, or of their falling into wretchedness, harrows 
 tip your bosom. Whatever is within the compass 
 of your abilities you will do, to procure their safetj- 
 and their comfort. 
 
 Your care for them is not limited to the providing 
 for them in their present state of minority ; It throws 
 your thoughts forward, and leads you to consider how 
 you shall introduce them into the world under such 
 advantages, as may afford a prospect of their passing 
 respectably through it ; if not of theit* rising to w^ealth 
 and honor, yet of their possesing situations w^hieh 
 may be easy and comfortable. This care prompts 
 you to give them such an education as may qualify 
 them for the stations which it is expected, they may 
 hereafter fill, or for the callings and employments foi: 
 •Vjifc which they are intended. 
 '^' But, my brethren, as christians, must not your na^ 
 tural affections, your reason and your piety, all con* 
 spire to produce in you a further and a more impor- 
 tant care still-— a care for their future and everlasr 
 ting well being ? Looking upon your children as can- 
 didates for immortality, as haviog a part to act in thfe 
 present world that will be followed with everlasting 
 happiness or misery in the next ; and knowing that 
 unless they be interested in Christ and through the 
 influence of a lively faith in him, approve themselves 
 the sincere servants of God, there can be no hope ; 
 and apprized of the danger they are in of neglecting 
 Chrisit and salvation through the depravity of their 
 nature, the lusts of the flesh, the snares of the world 
 and the temptations of satati ; sensible of all these 
 things, must you not feel an anxiety for their souls in- 
 comparably greater than any concern you can have 
 for their temporal welfare 1 Overburdened with this 
 anxiety, must you not wish to lighten its weight up- 
 it>n your own mind by devolving it upon One able tb 
 i^o for your ■children more than you can ask or think ? 
 
S02 A SERMON BY 
 
 Must ybu not feel yourselves constrained to engage 
 for them, if possible, the assisting grace of God, by 
 an early dedication of them to him through Christ, by 
 instructing them in his service, by watching over 
 their morals, by praying with and for them, by set- 
 ting holy examples before them, by doing every thing 
 in your power to guide them into the way of salva- 
 tion that their feet may take hold on eternal life ? Do 
 you not feel a horror at the idea of their missing of 
 Valvation through your neglect ? can you be recon- 
 ciled to the agonizing apprehension of seeing them 
 lead an irriligious life in this world, and in the next, 
 sinking under accumulated guilt into irrecoverable 
 ruin ? There have been instances, I admit, of chil- 
 dren who, after the best religious education, have 
 proved graceless; also of others who, after having 
 been unnaturally neglected by their earthly parents^ 
 have yet, through the compassion of their heavcnljf 
 .Father, been plucked as brands out of the burning and 
 made the trophies of victorious grace. These how- 
 ever, seem to be deviations from the common me- 
 thods of providence. In general, the saying of the 
 ijoise man is verified, * Train up a child in the way he 
 should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from 
 it,' God having ordained means for transmitting re- 
 ligion to posterity and securing a godly seed, his bles- 
 sing so generally attends his own instructions that 
 there is abundant encouragement for our obseryapce 
 of them. 
 
 1 would therefore further press you to an imitation 
 of the example in the text by the regard which you 
 owe to your own country. If our happiness, as a 
 people, depend upon the continued favor of the Al- 
 mighty; in what way can we hope for the continu- 
 ance of his favor, but by our being sincere in serv- 
 ing him and approving ourselves to him a peculiar 
 people zealous of good works ? But this cannot be 
 \h€ character of the people at large, unless it be first 
 
DAVID OSGOOD. Sm 
 
 'the character of families; those smaller societies of 
 which the greater community is composed. For 
 the good of his country therefore it concerns every 
 householder to resolve, that ' as for htm and his 
 house thy will serve the Lord.' In proportion as thi^ 
 resolution is carried into effect by heads of families, 
 we shall become such a people as God will delight to 
 bless. Besides its moral influence^ it will have a na* 
 tural tendency to render the state of the public, prosi 
 perous. Religion is one of the strongest bands to hold 
 society together, and the main prop af civil govern^ 
 ment. When this fails, and profligacy and want of 
 principle becomes general, the wheels of government 
 are soon embarrassed^ and sometimes break in anar- 
 chy and confusion. It cannot be expected of a peo^ 
 pie who have cast off the fear of God, all regard foi' 
 his authority and laws, that they will pay such re- 
 spect to human lav;s, especially in republican gov- 
 ernments where the law makers are the creatures of 
 the people. Without religion, such governments 
 cannot be long supported. Be entreated then, as you 
 tender the liberties of your country and wish its pros- 
 perity, to^ fear and serve God in your houses, instil- 
 ling principles of virtue and piety into the minds o£ 
 your children, and so training them up, that, as they 
 come forward to act their parts Oii the great stage of 
 life, they may have wisdom and integrity as legisla-. 
 tors, fidelity and uncorruptness as magistrates, loy^ 
 alty and obedience as subjects, charity and benevo- 
 lence as neighbours, and all those virtues and ami-a- 
 bk qualities which make good and useful members 
 of society. 
 
 Lastly, to this let me urge you by all the concern 
 which, as christians, you feel for the church of God 
 and the continuance and success of religion among: 
 us. It is horn your families that the church expects 
 the supply of its members and the repair of the waste 
 made by death ; ?aid, woe be to yoti ! if through the 
 
304 A SEUMON SY &c. S^c. 
 
 neglect of religion in your houses, there shall b^ ' 
 none qualified to become pillars in the house of God* 
 The present prospect in this respect, is truly melan^ 
 choly. The generation who have passed the meri- 
 dian of their days, are hastening, one after another, 
 to the house appointed for all the living. What a 
 large proportion of those who, not long since, were 
 the most distinguished characters in this church arc 
 gone already ! Every year thins the number of com- ^ 
 municants. Compared with the whole assembly, it ^ 
 is but a small remnant who join in keeping up the 
 memory of the Saviour's death. Nor are the places of 
 those who are gone, supplied by the addition of new^ 
 members. The seats of deceased fathers of the gos- 
 pel feast, in many sad instances, remain vacant; while 
 their children who have succeeded to their worldly 
 possessions, leave it as yet uncertain whether they^»r! 
 will inherit their piety and regard for religious insti-f 
 tutions. What will be the ultimate issue of the pre- 
 sent indifference with respect, not only to the power, 
 but even to the forms of Godlines among us, heaven 
 only knows. Sure I am, that all who arc Israelites 
 indeed, have just ground for concern and painful ap- 
 prehension for the Ark of God. May He with whom 
 is the residue of the spirit, who is able in a spiritual 
 as well as in a literal sense, to turn dry ground into 
 water-springs, and cause the wilderness and solitary 
 places to flourish and blossom as the rose — may He 
 pour forth so plentiful an eifusion of his spirit and 
 grace both upon you and your children, that they 
 may grow up as among the grass, as willows by the 
 water courses ; that instead of tlie fathers there maf 
 be the children through successi/e generations! 
 
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