^r /'- //.A ^' ^ i- 4^^^ >-'' ^ :^ ^ fj/^ /^T^T^-^^^^^t^A-C A VIEW OF THE HUMAN HEART, BY BARBARA ALLAN ''SIMON, *-TjTaon OF "the bvaxgelical review of moderx (ii;xics." TO WHICH IS ADDED, VX APPENDIX, CONTAINING THOUGHTS ON rHE SCRIPTURAL EXPECTATIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. t'llLLADELVllU. I'KLN 1 1.1) UV L. R. BAILEY, No. 10, NORTH ALLEY. 182S. A SERIES ALLEGORICAL DESIGNS, REPRESENTING THE HUMAN HEART FROM ITS NATURAL TO ITS REGENERATED STATE, WITH EXPLANATORY ADDRESSES, MEDITATIONS, PRAYERS, AND HYMNS, FOK THE INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH. BY BARBARA ALLAN SIMON, AUTHOR OF TilE " EVA.VGKUCAt HKVIKW OF MODEIIN GENIUS. " At our gates are all manner of choice fruits, new and old, which I have gathered for thee O my beloved." — Solomon's Song. PHILADELPHlJi . PRINTED BY LYDIA R. BAILEY, No. 10, North Alley. 1S2S. Southern District of NeW'York, ss. BE IT REMEMBERED, That on ihe siMccntli day oi Ma;. . \. D. 1825, in the forty-nintti year of the Indepenclcnce of the United States of America, Barkara Allan Simon, of the said District, hath deposited in this Office the Title of a Book, tlie right whereof slie claims as Author, in the words following, to wit :— " A Series of Allegorical Designs, representing the Human Heart from its Natural to its Regenerated State, with explanato- ry Addresses, Meditations, Prayers, and Hymns, for the Instruc- tion of Youth. By Baiibaua Allan Simon. * At our g.ites are all manner of choice fruits, new and old, which 1 have gathered for thee O my beloved.' — Suiomoa's Song." In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, " An Act for the encouragement of learning, by secur- ing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and pro- prietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned ;'* and also to the Act, entitled, "An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, • An Act for the encouragement of learning, by secur- ing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, en- graving, and etching, historical and other prints." JAMES BILL, Ckrk of the Southtrn Disfrirt of New-Yorlf f CONTENTS. Dedication, ........ 7 Introduction, .., 9 Pride, 19 Covetousness, .--.-...-22 Envy, 30 Anger, 32 Sloth, 4Q Sensuality, --..-....44 Intemperance, 49 First Stage of Regeneration, 55 More advanced state of Regeneration, - . . 59 The form of Religion, ...... 63 The Backslider, 65 Thd Philosopher, ..-.-.. 71 Regenerated Heart, .......75 The Laws of God written on the Heart, - - . 81 The Heart of one who has overcome, &c. - . - 87 Concluding Address, - 95 Appendix — Thoughts on the Scriptural Expectations of the Christian Church, - - - 119 A 'i DEDICATION. I DEDICATE this work to the Chiefs of the In- dian tribes of this land, as an expression of esteem for the moral grandeur of their feeling, and of ad- miration at the noble, mild, and conciliatory sen- timents contained in their late addresses to go- vernment, in behalf of yw.y^/ce, honour, and hu- manity — in behalf of their nation. Accept this sincere, though humble tribute, from one who is affectionately desirous of seeing your tribes unil- ed in love to the Redeemer. chiefs of the forest ! whose sun-setting glory To morning awaketh the orient earth. Tribes of a secret, but Heaven whisper'd story ! Lords of the land which gave Freedom her birth To you would a stranger this tribute of feeling Inscribe— for its spirit no fetters confine. r;reat Spirit ! the truth of thy record revealing Arise on the tribes who are destined to shine ' 8 Long have you wander'd as outcasts forsaken — Been driven by the lawless to ocean's wild shove r But now shall your spring'-time of promise awaken. As vines yield their blossoms when winter is o'er Your free-born spirits, unquell'd by oppression, Have tower'd o'er the wrongs that would smother their flame — Untutor'd by art — unsubdued by depression, Have nobly defended your dear native claim, lUumin'd by Truth, that pure light of the Holy ! How bright its reflection shall lighten from you ! O say not salvation to you hath moved slowly " The last" it o'ertakes "shall be first" to pursue. THE AUTHOR New-York, Jipril7th, 1825. INTRODUCTION. The fas])ions of the world are ever changing — i.hc opinions of men are ever vacillating — the truth of God is always the same, and shall endure for ever ! Like a mighty rock which raises its awful head above the waves that spend them- selves against its immoveable base, the word of God has met the assaults of human and satanic rage; successively have they spent their com- bined strength for nought : the place which once knew them noiv knoweth them 7io more, but eter- nal, immutable truth is the same yesterday, to- day, and for ever ! '' T/ie holy scriptures are able to make us loisc unto salvation,^' through faith in Christ Jesus ; and they teach that the foundation of all know- ledge which includes salvation, is to know what we are by nature, and what we must become by regeneration. The posteritv of fallen Adam ar*^ 10 there declared, without exception, to be born w sin, and under the dominion of Satan the deceiver ; and that unless we are born again, proving by moral resemblance our affinity to the second Adam, as unequivocally as we never fail to de- monstrate our derivation from the first, we can- not enter into the kingdom of God. This truth, so decidedly, so repeatedly taught in Scripture, and so much illustrated by knowledge of our own heart, and daily observation, is the first which children ought to learn ; for not until they are thoroughly convinced i7i themselves that to do evil is the native and spontaneous growth of their heart, can they Jeel their need of Christ as an atonement and mediator between them and an infinitely holy God, whose justice is ready to be glorified in consuming them ; for while '*God is love" ''to those who come to him by Christ, whom he hath appointed to be the way, the truth and the life," /M is a consuming Jire to the dis- obedient. Without thus laying the axe to the root of this deadly evil, the most elaborate instruction which the schools can furnish on other subjects will be of no avail. The youth may by any other species of mental improvement become superficial cha- racters. As whited sepulchres, they may bear 11 an imposing aspect, but within they are full of every abomination. Their lives are spent in deceiving and being deceived, and their end is without hope. Parents and teachers have hitherto found it difficult to gain more than a passive commitment of these all-important truths to memory. Chil- dren instinctively revolt from abstract doctrines, these requiring a stretch of thought, and an exer- tion of their yet undeveloped intellect, which fa- tigues them. Weariness and lassitude thus cre- ate an aversion which is not easily conquered. From a studious observance of the character and earliest mental developments of children, I have constantly found that the instruction which has been, by their own free will, conveyed to their understanding through the medium of alle- gorical representations of good and evil passions, excites the deepest interest, affords the greatest pleasure, and makes the most lasting impression. Thus they pursue with the consent of all their powers a research whose object it is to lead them into all truth, and bring into captivity every power to the love and service of the Redeemer. The care of youth is a trust of the greatest responsibility. They are not only to become, so far as the bent which good instruction and exam 1^ ^le can give, happy and useful, or uiiserable, aud unprofitable in themselves ; but they are to give tone and colour to the generation which shall suc- ceed ours. They are to be as lights, so shining in their sphere of duty, that all around may glo- rify the name they bear, or to become moral plagues, blasting all within their influence. The prevention of evil, by training up a child in the way he should go, is wiser and safer than to attempt the cure of it in any subsequent stage. When the moral soil, from neglect — from the want of being duly cultured, weeded and watched over, has hecome covered with ramified and aspiring weeds; — when, in other words, the heart has been permitted to harliour its vSpontaneous growth of* ' secret and presumptuous sins unchecked, there is little hope of sowing the precious seed of reveal- ed truth there. The thorns will chonk it, or the watchful tempter will hurry it away, before it has gained more than surface ground. Can the Ethiopian change his hue, and the leopard his spots ? then may they who are accustomed to do evil, do good. If we desire to promote the interests of Christ's kingdom on earth — if we desire that the rising generation should adorn the doctrine of God the Saviour in all things, "let those to whose care ihey are intrusted watch over their souls, as they ihdii must give an account — let the youth be root- ed and grounded in the faith once delivered to the saints^^ — that when the winds of false doctrine shall afterwards assail them, they may remain steadfast, immoveable — always abounding in that faith which purifieth the heart, and works by love lo God. Much catechetical instruction may be committed lo memory without at all affecting the heart, or even acting on the understanding ; but even admit- ting that children could comprehend that body of theological divinity which the catechism con- tains, such kind of knowledge seldom does more than constitute, them speculative professors. It is that kind of knowledge which is more likely to puff up than edify ; the head has been recognised, but no appeal has been made lo the heart ; and therefore this source, from whence proceeds the issues of life, remains the same. The very terms employed to convey these ab- stract doctrines are unintelligible to children ; and the consequence is, that under the notion of a duty to God, they acquire {bij this lip service) the habit of taking His great and dreadful name, and the solemn truths of his word on their lips, while their hearts are far from him. P 14 The children of the higher and middle classes must needs be sent to liberalize their minds, and form their taste by the study of the profane, im- moral, and gross productions of Heathen genius. Knowledge of the revealed mind of God, and self-knowledge, are deemed much less essential than the Latin classics. The tree . of prohibit- ed knowledge is coveted^ and the tree of life is rejected. If the world be thus deceived by Satan it is no marvel. But that those who believe in Christ for salvation, and are there- fore required to come out from among them, and be separated, should permit the hearts of their children to be thus contaminated, and taught to glory in shame, is inexplicable. If you, however, determine still to be the deluded fol- lowers of that multitude who throng the broad way, be entreated to fortify the susceptible hearts of your unsuspecting children with the antidote, before you permit them to imbibe the poison — then if they receive the deadly mixture it cannot hurt them. This doctrine is, we are aware, ill suited to the taste of the world ; but are Chris- tians to be conformed to the world ? It is long since the influence, and even the existence of the God of this world, who ruleth in the heart of the disobedient, has been exploded as an old fash- ioned legend or an obsolete figure of speech. 15 The German, the French, and other schools of false philosophy are sound asleep on this alarm- ing subject ; consequently the enemy has taken advantage of their situation, liberally to sow his tares among them. These take root inwardly, but bring forth fruit, which cannot be hid ; yet they have not sufficiently recovered their sen- ses to say, "surely an enemy hath done this? or to recognise in that enemy, the Devil : of whose devices (the scriptures teach us J we ought not to be ignorant. For whether as a roaring lion he goeth about seeking whom he may devour, or seduces men from obedience by transform- ing himself into the semblance of an angel of light, still, he is the enemy. Christ teaches that certain characters are of their father, the Devil, and his works they will do. Paul teach- es by the same spirit, that Satan blinds the minds of men, lest the glorious light of the gospel should enlighten their hearts. Again, he testifies that he is the god of this blinded world. He having the bestowment of those things which worldlings covet, and for which they contend, and to lohom he will he giveth them. Their service and homage is the tribute he demands, and they willingly render it, to be put in posession of the lust of the eye, of the flesh, and the pride of life. 16 John teaches that whoso committeth sin is of the Devil, who sinned from the beginning ; and that Christ was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil. James admonishes believers to resist the Devil and he will flee from them. Again John characterizes him as the adversary of Christ's kingdom, and the accuser of the brethren, warning the latter days, that he shall then come down having great power, knowing that his time is short. The prophets make mention of him un- der various titles suited to the versatile aspects he assumes. Our Lord and Master was tempted of him as we are, yet without the sin of yield- ing : and has, as our great Exemplar, taught usi to resist his allurements (which are always ad- dressed to self) by the authority of the written loord of God, This chief of the powers of darkness is ever wakeful and persevering, watching the moment when the servant of Christ is off his guard, or has laid aside that shield which is able to repel his fiery darts. To such characters he affects another than his ordinary form : to appear in the shape oi moral deformity would shock and disgust /Aem — to such he appears as an angel of light. Thus, under the mask he assumed to deceive them, he has whetted and put into their hand the sword of 17 persecution to do God service — kindled and in- vested them with the torch of discord under the notion of zeal — furnished and assisted them to scatter the seeds of contention — prepared mate- rials and afforded direction in building up the walls of separation — and meted out to each his measure of party spirit. "Ye therefore belov- ed, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace ! and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ — to whom be glory both now and for ever. Amen !"* • 2 Peter, iii. 17. E 3 {J3*I think it proper to acknowledge that I am indebted for the leading ideas of the allegorical designs to the wood cuts of a nameless little book written in the German language. ''/f/z/i'f f'/ //y/- ///yy ir/ r/ ^//f/// /vy^'/','' A/' /') !'ff////fffy//'y/. ##lt% 11 " 7'//i- /Af/r/ />• //rrt ■////// tf/'t'ii- ////////////. v '/■//, /Oy-fv/ . yy/fy ///•/• jl ' ' /yy/Zf-r , /ry'ryyi'/r' , //-fi/'yy/yyyryy/ . Ayy,jyy^y/y/yy , ,), yV y,>Af//y,)/y yyt/.) . "^yy/AZ/yy/y , r>/f'/A , y>^///yyy/,) . 19 FRIDS. After considering attentively the picture of our natural heart, I think I hear you say, what has pride to do among such shameful associates ! This inconsistence/, my dear child, must strike every one. The truth is, pride is so blinded by self-love, as to be ignorant of luhere it is, and who are its associates. Could it only see the vile rab- ble among whom it has been so long shut up, in- stead of showing off its self-important airs, it would hide its head for shame. Before Adam fell from his original innocent and happy state, which you know he did, by dis- obedience to the will of God plainly revealed to him in the garden of Eden, he had none of those evil passions in his heart, because he was formed in his Maker's image. The holy scripture teaches us, that the father oi pride is the Devil. He who has fallen so hope- lessly, was once an angel of light in heaven : there God had appointed him the rank Ive should hold, and the sphere of duty he should adorn ^ but he became ambitious of *e/^ exaltation, not reflecting, that to be truly great and distinguish- ed, is to subdue self, seeking above all the glory of God. He was cast down from that abode of 20 peace and love because of his rebellion, together with those angels he had seduced to partake of his sin, and is with them, reserved under chains of everlasting duration for that place of horror and despair prepared for him. Beware, dear child, of being tempted by this seducing sin of Satan. You can only escape its attacks by watchfulness and prayer, and argu- ments from the holy scripture. Although this dangerous sin is most easily dis- covered in others, it is safer and wiser to detect it in ourselves. I shall tell you how to know it, in order that you may guard against its attempts to seduce you : — Are you disposed to boast of your own merit or doings ? Do you seek to be admired, or no- ticed ? or are you eager to obtain the precedence of your brothers, sisters, or school-fellows ? This is the evil spirit called pride, from which you should flee as from the face of a serpent. Hear what the holy scripture teaches: — ''God hath respect to the lowly, but the proud he knoweth afar oflP." Again : " Before honour is humility — and a haughty spirit before a fall." What a mon- strous inconsistency is pride in man ! — a creature made of dust, and continually depending on his maker for his very breath, as well as every thing 21 • he possesses. Alas ! iv/uii has he to be proud of, whose heart has been declared *' deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked ?" — Sooner may the garden be proud of its thorns, and the field of its thistles, than man of aught he may '?all his OAvn. PRAYER. Heavenly Father ! preserve thy frail and erring child from being tempted to indulge this great sin ; let thy good spirit enlighten my dark mind, tiiat I may be enabled bi/ that iig/it, to discover the evils of my heart. Grant me, Fatheft", power from thee to resist and to subdue my other corrupt pas- sions. When I meditate on the humility of the Lord of Glory, who, to do thy ivill, became of no reputation in the eye of the world — who was meek and lowly of heart — I am overwhelmed with shame and confusion at my own ingratitude, folly and stupidity, in having so long oflbnded thy pure eye with a heart at enmity with thee. Help me, Heavenly Father, by the influence of thy holy spirit, to"devote my future life to thy service. I ask this and every other petition, in the name, and for the sake, of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen. 23 HYMN. " O happy is the child who hears " Instruction's warning- voice, *• And who celestial Wisdom makes " His early, only choice ! " For she has treasures greater far " Than east or west unfold ; *' And her rewards more precious are " Than stores of gems or gold. '• In her right hand she holds to view " A hfe of peaceful days ; " True riches with true honours join'd •• Are ^hat her left displays. '* She guides the young with innocence " The path of life to tread ; " A crown of glor)' she bestows " Upon the hoary head. ** According as her labours rise, " So her rewards increase ; " Her ways are w.ays of blessedness — *' They lead to perfect peace I" COVETOUSNESS. CovETOUSNEss is an evil spirit, which the holy scripture expressly forbids us to harbour. To de- 23 sire ariy thing which belongs to another, is, in the sight of God, (who knows our thoughts,) as bad as stealing ; a vice so base and shameful, that none but the outcasts of society would be guilty of it. The tenth commandment contains the prohibi- tion of God against covetousness, which if in- dulged, would turn society into an image of hell. In reading history, we learn how much mischief this lawless passion has brought on the world. — The ambitious worldlinghas cot'e/ec? the possession of another, and having power, he has seized it, while the blood of thousands of immortal beings has been shed to pay its price. I shall illustrate the deceitful and desperately wicked nature of this passion, by two interesting selections from sacred history. Achan the son of Carmi saw, coveted, and took possession of a splendid Babylonish garment, although he knew that the command of God had prohibited the peo- ple of Israel from even touching the least thing •' that had belonged to that people. The tribes of Israel were smitten with a dreadful visitation from the Lord ; so that Joshua, their leader, began to fear that some individual had committed a great sin : He assembled the people, and haying cast lots, Achan was discovered to be the guilty one : then Joshua said, " My son, give glory to the God 24 • of Israel, and make confession unto Him, and tell mewhat thou hast done, hiding nothing from me." Then Achan answered saying, "indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, for thus have I done : When I saw among the spoils a good- ly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a gold wedge sixty shekels weight, I coveted them — and took them — and behold they are hid in the earth, in the midst of my tent ; and Joshua and all Israel took Achan, and the silver, and the gold, together Avith his sons and daughters, his oxen, his asses, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had ; and they brought them to the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, why hast thou troubled us ? The Lord shall trouble thee this day, and all Israel stoned them with stones, and burned them with fire." The other illustration is in the Book of 2 Kings, chapter 5. Naaman the Syrian was a great man, loaded with riches and honours ; but he was a leper, (that is to say) afflicted with a very loathsome, and al- most incurable disease. He had brought away captive a little maid out of the land of Israel, who now waited on his (Naaman's) wife. This little maid had in her own land heard much about the Prophet El isha, andshesaid to her mistress, would to God, my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria ! for he would recover him of hislepresv. 25 This kind desire of the little maid was told the King of Syria, who greatly esteemed Naaman, and he said go, and I will send a letter unto the King of Israel. Naaman therefore departed, loaded with costly presents, and gave the letter to the king. The contents of this letter were dictated by the wisdom of the ivorld, which is in reality foolishness, for there the S3'rian monaroli asks the king to cure Naaman, as if the wealth, and power, and greatness of this world could do what could only be done by the Spirit of God. The King of Israel rent his clothes, and said, " am I a God to kill or make alive, that this man doth send unto me Jo recover a man of his leprosy ? But when Eli- sha, the man of God, heard that the King of Israel was shocked at this proposal, he said to him, ''Wherefore hast thou rent tliy clothes ? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." Naaman therefore came with great pomp, and stood in his chariot at the door of Elisha. The Prophet sent to him a mes- sage that he must bathe seven times in the river Jordan. Naaman had noi faith to believe that he could be cured by means so simple ; he had not yet learnt that the whole secret of the cure lay in oheying the will of God: he was wroth, and went away ; he thought that the prophet would come in person, with much ceremony invokingthe name C 26 of his God, and that he would recover him by vir tue of his touch : like his monarch, he was blind- ed and seduced by worldly wisdom, and thus he reasoned: ''Are not Abna and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel ? May I not as well wash in them to be cured ?" So he turned and went away in a rage ; but a wise servant of his advised him to try the simple reme- dy which the prophet had prescribed. He was persuaded — went down to Jordan, and dipped himself seven times, according to the command of God, by the prophet, and he became renewed in body as fresh as a little child. He being reco- vered, went back to the man of God, declaring to him, that now he knew there was no God but the God of Irsael, and also entreating the prophet to receive from him a token of his gratitude ; but the prophet, desirous of recommending that religion which actuates men to do good without reward^ said, as the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing. Naaman then entreated to be per- mitted to carry home with him two burdens of earth from the place where he had been cured, and taught to know God ; then he departed in peace ; but the servant of Elishahad none of his master's spirit. The evil spirit of covetousness took pos^ session of him. He thought it was hard to see the rich gifts which Naaman brought as a reward 27 for his cure, return back with him to his own coun- try : he determined, since his master had refused his reward, to take it instead of him ; therefore, ])e followed and overtook Naaman, who alighted from his chariot to meet him, saying, is all well? The spirit of covetousness now was insufficient to act alone ; another evil spirit must be called in to assist in the deception : it became necessary to t.ell a lie in order to make his return plausible. My master, said he, hath sent me to say, two young men, sons of the prophets, are arrived from Mount Ephraim — give them, I pray thee, a talent of sil- ver and two changes of raiment. So Naaman made his servants carry them before this covetous and false deceiver. Such deeds cannot endure the light : he hid the goods in a tower of the house, and having let the servants go, he was again be- fore his master, as if nothing had happened. What must have been his surprise and shame, when the man of God said to him, *< Whence comest thou, Gehazi ?" Another lie had again become necessa- ry. ** Thy servant went no where," said he : But his master said, did not mine heart move when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee?— The leprosy, therefore, of Naaman, cleave unto thee and thy seed for ever : and he went out from his presence a leper. 28 MEDITATION. How often docs a covetous spirit, lead its pos- sessors to affect distinction in spheres of life in- volving other duties and capability than they have the power to exercise. To desert the sphere which Providence has pointed out to us, and for which nature has fitted us, is a subversion of moral and social order ; for there is no situation which the Christian may not adorn, by letting his light so shine in it, that his Heavenly Father may be glorified. A usurpation which is thus effected by the power of money , instead of affording that dis- tinction which has been coveted, only holds its dupes forth to notice as ridiculous imitators. In aspiring after a new selection of titled and fashion- able associates, they have heartlessly forsaken the pious and worthy whom they formerly knew, while those for whom they have been sacrificed, stoop only to recognise the equality of their ac- companiments. Themselves they ridicule and despise. True nobility is not to be purchased. — It throws around the chiefs of the wilderness a moral grandeur of feeling and sentiment, before which adventitious attributes sink into insigni- ficance and contempt. 29 PRAYER. Merciful. Father ! Thy erring child entreats thee to take entire possession of a heart too long the unguarded retreat of the adversary and de- ceiver. thou giver of every good and perfect gift ! give me thy Holy Spirit, that I may hence- forth yield my heart as a temple dedicated to thee, enlightened from above, and having tlie flame of pure love ever ascending from Christ its altar. I have now seen what a hateful thing sin is ; I have no longer a desire to be enslaved by the vile passions which have so long been harboured in my heart : I wish now to serve and obey my Re- deemer, who, to ransom me from the power of evil here, and its punishment hereafter, shed his own blood. I come to thee weak and frail ; but who ever asked of thee in failh, and was sent timpty away ? IVJiO ever trusted in thy power, and was confounded? I ask all in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour, AilEX. " God is a spirit just and wise, ♦• He knows our inmost mind; *• In vain to him wc raise our voice " And leave our hearts behind. c2 30 " In spirit and in truth alone, " We must present our prayer ; •' The formal and the false are knowi. " Through each disguise they wear. " Their lifted eyes salute the skies, " Their bending knees the ground, " But God abhors the empty form " Where not the heart is found." Envy is an immediate influence from Satan — he first conceived envy against Adam and Eve in Eden. He could not endure to contrast their state with his own. They were happy in the fa- vour of God, and in communion with him and his holy angels, while he was hopelessly driven from his presence for ever. Envy of their blessedness and peace led him to plan their ruin. He tempt- ed them with the desire of becoming ^rea/er than they were, by forbidden ?neans: they listened — were deceived — disobeyed God ; and thus, instead of improving their condition, in becoming as Gods to know good and evil, they acquired by that pro- hibited knowledge the new feelings of fear and 31 shame. They were now afraid of God — why ? Be- cause they had disobeyed his command; and they were ashamed of themselves, because they had lost their innocence. Conscious guilt taught them to hide themselves from God, whom they were wont to behold with perfect delight. Again : The evil spirit of envy took possession of Cain, who first envied, then hated, and finally slew his brother. Another illustration of this Sa- tanic passion, we have in the history of Joseph and his brethren : first they envied him, and then concerted how to destroy him. By the interpo- sition of Reuben and Judah, he was delivered from them, and sold to a company of Ismaelites, who carried him to Egypt. God overruled their evij purpose for much good to Joseph, and also to his brethren, who repentedy and vf eve forgiven by him. Envy is seldom without its usual accompani- ments, which are deceit, malice, perfidy, and fraud J so that a person who cherishes, or even admits pride, covetousness and envy, may be said to possess a legion of evil spirits. Such a heart had Mary Magdalene, out of whom our blessed Sa- viour cast seven devils. Such devils have a kind of faith ; they know that Jesus Christ is the holy one ©f God, but they still continue devils : their faith 32 only teaches them to/ear that he will give them up to their decreed torment before the time. ANGER. Anger is a passion, which we are informed by scripture, " rests in the bosom of fools." A good man never for any injury associated with self, lets the sun go down upon his wrath ; but there is a holy indignation against si?i, unhelief, and hy- poctnsy, which is sometimes in scripture called an- ger. Thus, God is represented as being ^^ angry with the wicked every day,'' He is indignant that all that light and privilege which his revealed word unfolds to them, is abused and neglected, or per- verted. The psalmist experienced this feeling of loyalty to God and zeal for his glory, when he said, "do not I hate them who hate thee, and hold them as mine enemies?" Our Heavenly Master, who was meek and lowly as regarded his indivi- dual requisitions, was roused to resentment when he characterized the chief priests, scribes and pharisees of those times, as serpents — a generation of vipers ! ! who ought to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. Instead of being disinterested, upright, and sincere, having an eye single to the glory of God, whom they professed to honour, they were self-interested hypocrites. The same 33 }ioly indignation urged him to enter into tiic temple, and drive out those who had turned it into a place of merchandise. Yes ! an individu- al, insignificant in their eye, having neither the af- fluence nor investment which secures influence, and purchases the respect of men, said, ''take these things hence — it is ivritten, 'my house shall be called an house of prayer for all people, but ye iiave made it a den of thieves !' " But this holy excitement of zeal for the glory ©f God, is as opposite to any emotion of personal anger, as light is from darkness. If we admit or cherish resentment toward those who have per- sonally injured us — or against persons instead of sins, (even when our resentment is not associated with self) our prayers are unacceptable to God j for if we have any cause of disagreement with our fellow men, we are required first, to go and grant submission or forgiveness to those who oflTend us, and then come and offer our prayers ; because, " if we forgive not men their trespasses against us, nei- ther will our Heavenly Father forgive our tres- passes against Him." The apostles of our Lord on one occasion, were moved to resent a />er.yontt/ affront which the Sa- maritans oflcred to their Lord and themselves ; who, (because Wxsfacc ivas toivardJerusalem,^rQ.- fused from him a passing visit : they were deter- 34 mined if they could not have a first, to refuse a secondary place in his regard. The apostles said to their master, "Lord, shall we command fire to come down from Heaven, and consume them as Elijah did ? But Jesus said, "Ye know not v^^hat manner of spirit ye are of, for the son of man came not to destroy men, but to save them." Another illustration of this zeal, which is not according to J knowledge, we find in the history of the prophet Jonah. The city of Ninive was very great, and had become very wicked in the sight of God. Jo- nah was commanded (much against his will) to go and declare to them their iniquity, and warn them, that if they did not repent, the city would be de- stroyed within forty days. When he had done this, the King of Ninive came down from his throne, put on sackcloth, and humbled himself to the dust: he also proclaimed a universal fast during tiiree days, when neither man nor beast should eat or drink ; but by prayer and contrition, avert the judgment which the prophet had pro- claimed in the name of God. ■Jonah went up to a mountain which overlook- ed, the city, to see its destruction — vviiich he now heartily wished, in order that lie might have credit as a true prophet. This selfish feeling taught him to forget that he had preached repentance to the 35 people, as well as retribution, and that their repentance was to be the condition of their preservation from the threatened vengeance of God ; an issue which glorified God as much, and even more than the infliction of unconditional destruction would have done, his promise being fulfilled in either case. The people of Ninive actually did repent, from one end of the city to the other : they nhstained from their worldly pur- suits, and repenting in dust and ashes, fasted and prayed to the Lord for pardon and mercy. The universal cry of contrition which the whole city sent up, reached the Lord, and was accepted by him as the fulfilment of that condition which should avert his judgment. Jonah knew nothing of all this while he waited on the mountain, im- patient to see the fulfilment of his denunciation. The Lord taught him his error by a striking em- blem. The sun beat fiercely on the spot where he stood, having no shelter there. He wished for death, to relieve him of his present bodily suffer- ing, as well as affronted feelings ; for now the time was elapsed in which the destruction of Ninive should have taken place. He at length sunk un- der the oppression of his mind and body, into sleep. While he slept, the Lord caused a magni- ficent plant to spring up, whose broad and fresh 36 leaves covered him from the scorching rays of the sun. When Jonah awoke and saw this refreshing and friendly shelter, he felt attachment to the beauteous plant for the protection it afforded him — but the Lord caused a worm to attack its root, when presently it began to droop, fade, and final- ly die. Again — Jonah felt actuated by personal anger. Then God said to Jonah, dost thou well to be angry for the loss of the gourd ? which nei- ther grew, nor was planted by thy care or labour ! which was the growth of a day ! — and should I not spare Ninive, that great city, wherein are more than sice thousand children, that cannot discern between their right hand and their left — and also much cattle ? How compassionate is our Hea- venly Father ! — for we learn that little chil- dren, and even the inferior animals, are objects of his solicitude and care. Many, during the dark ages, have thought they did God service, in robbing and murdering the Jews and others who differed from them in opi- nion, while they only were actuated by their own party ov personal anger, which never burns so fiercely as when contendingfor opinion. The false zeal which this evil passion excites, has deluged Christendom with crime and blood. The most impious of all wars, was that which they miscalled 37 the holy war. But if this evil spirit has stolen the cloak of religion, it has also borrowed the mask of fashion. When you mix with society, dear child, you will not unfrcquently hear of the sacrifices which this evil spirit demands as the tribute of its infatuated votaries. Yes, you will hear of rational, accountable, and immortal beings, paying what are styled debts of honour, with their lives ; or by taking the life, at least shedding the blood, of their fellow immortals. One allows the spirit of anger to arise in his breast — (always in some cause where sel/"\s concerned,) he gives it ut- terance in reproach, ridicule, or malicious insinu- ation. When such an assault is made against a Christian character, he would not degrade himself by resenting it in kind : he knows that a mind of his own rank cannot offend him; and from a lower grade of character he will not receive any affront — he would in doing so, be sunk to the same un- principled level. But unhappily, when such a challenge as an angry word or look, is given to a person having the passions of his natural heart uji- expelled, his pride is hurt, his anger is roused, his passions are in a wild tumult, Satan foments their disorder — affront is taken, redress is demand- ed, a convenient place is appointed, instruments of death are provided, and forthwith the men of honour adjust the quarrel : By means of acknow- D 38 ledgment of error, by reason, by argument? no ! This magnanimous conquest of pride, and passion, and self, the deceiver has taught them to consider cowardice : their manner of settling the affair, must be by means of steel and balls : these are the arguments to which each party resort, leaving the worthy part of society to think that both cham- pions are alike unprincipled ; both alike cowards of opinion, and slaves of passion. MEDITATION. When I meditate on the long-suffering patience of God, I am lost in wonder and praise ! How- many and aggravated have been my provocations, and still I am spared that I may repent. I have too long been a cumberer of the ground ; the good fruit of the Holy Spirit I have not brought forth, so as to reward the labour of the heaven- ly husbandman. My Lord, who planted, and daily bedewed me with his choicest blessings, looked for grapes, and have I yielded only wild grapes ? but still I am not cut down ! — Teach me, Lord, to be long-suffering, weaned so much from exactions for self, as to feel no emotion of anger for personal injury, or provocation. For 39 the meek alone shall inherit the earth, when thy will shall be done as in heaven ! PRAYER. Our Father who art in Heaven ! constrain us by the power of thy good spirit to yield up our hearts, with all our first and warmest affections to thee ! Forbid, Lord, that (having known thy revealed mind from our youth,) we should devote our early years, and our prime of life, to the service of the world, the Devil, and self; and afterwards provoke thee to just anger, by offering thee the sin- worn remnant of our age, when not the willj but ihe power to sin, becomes extinct. Henceforth I determine by thy help, to offer up soul and body to thee, my Redeemer, as a living sacrifice, which is my reasonable service ! I desire not only to be free from the punishment of sin hereafter, but to be free from its dominion here. Lord take forci- ble and entire possession of my heart ! When its affections ebb, let it be to centre in thee ! and when they flow forth, let it be in thy service ! I ask this and every blessing, in the name and for the sake of my Lord and Saviour. Amex. *r-' 40 HYMN. " Giver of concord, Prince of Peace, " Meek lamb-like Son of God ! " Bid our unruly passions cease — " EiTace them by thy blood. " Then shall we find the ancient way, " The wondering- world to move ; *' Again fierce disputants shall say, «< ' See how these Christians love !' " SLOTH. Not slothful in business ; hut fervent in spirit serving the Lord, is an injunction exemplified in the lives of Christ, and his apostles. Sloth is a base and degrading characteristic of the natural heart. Man in a savage, barbarous, and degene- rate state, is slothful. Activity of mind and body, are attributes of the Christian character : their time, and every other talent, are considered a loan to be improved by industry : so that when an account of their stewardship is demanded, they may not be found unprofitable servants. The wise Monarch of Israel, bids the sluggard *' go to the ant," in order to receive instruction and reproof. The bees are also a wise communi- 41 ty, from which man may derive much instruction : their labours are not selfish, but social : each fur- nishes some part of the common stock of provi- sion : those who refuse to work, are not permitted to partake of the sweets which joint labour has furnished. However shameful is this disposition, and how- ever deplorable are its results to society, there is a much more lamentable and common expression of it in that sphere of duty which man as a ration- al, accountable, and immortal being, was intended to adorn. There are persons as active and as wise in making temporal provision for the future, as the ants or bees ; who nevertheless are sluggards, where the interests of their soul are concerned : they have fallen sound asleep, and dream that W\\ho\xislrivingf they may enter into the strait gate ; without knocking, the door of mercy will open to them ; without seeking, they will find salvation ; without doing the will of their Father, they will be acknowledged by Christ when they only call him Lord ! Lord ! ******* The slothful professor has not the feeling of love to the Saviour in his heart ; for this would redeem his time from waste ; it would impel him to be ac- tive in improving this, and every other loan, from his heavenly Father. When those faculties which are capable of becoming exalted, expanded, and d2 42 enlightened bi/ exertion in their proper sphere, be- come by slothfulness, torpid and unprofitable ; how must the sluggard be terrified, when the account of his stewardship is demanded by an all righteous Judge ? Alas ! like the spider's airy web, his long cherished delusion vanishes. He novj finds that speculative faith is a deception of Satan's own con- trivance : he now finds that God is no/ an arbitrary, but a righteous sovereign ; not reaping where he never sowed, nor requiring what he never gave. He is then taught, but too late, that not the igno- rant, but unbelievers, hypocrites, liars, &c. are ex- cluded from those blessings which the blood of Christ had power to procure for the world. MEDITATION. When I contemplate the history of Christ my master ! — when I consider his unwearied activity in doing good to the souls and bodies of those among whom he sojourned, I am ready to blush for shame at my sluggishness of soul and mind. — How often have I seen difficulties in the path of duty, rising like mighty mountains ; and instead of going on in the spirit of true faith, I have been dis- mayed : yet blessed be thy name, and be it testi- iied to thy glor}'^, thy servants have found these 43 mountain-like difficulties disappear, as often as in true faith they have gone fearlessly forth leaning upon the divine Redeemer ! Heavenly Father ! give me that activity which love tb thee, and gra- titude to my Redeemer, inspires ! Then when I am no longer fettered by any weight, not even the sin which most easily besets me, I shall run without being weary or faint in my prescribed path of duty : Like the rising sun, I shall go forth increasing in glory as I advance on my way. I have got a sight of my native sin, and loathe it: and by thy grace, I have learnt to taste the sweets of holiness, love, and peace ! Never leave me, never forsake me, my heavenly Father! lest if left to myself, I should fall into temptation, and thus grieve thy holy spirit. I have now no more relish for the gross and insipid husks which the na- tural heart covets : I desire to be fed with the bread which came from heaven, for the life of my immortal being: havingtasted the blessings of free- dom y/'owi sin, let me die, rather than be again en- slaved by its power. I give myself to thee wholly : take my heart, and reign there its Lord and love for ever. Amen. 44 " Ye indolent and slothful rise ! " View the ant's labours, and be wise j " She has no guide to point her way, " No ruler chiding her delay. — " Yet see with what incessant cares " She for the winter's storm prepares ; " In summer she provides her sweets, *' And autumn her research completes. " But when will sluggish fools arise ? " How long "shall sloth seal up their eyes ? " Sloth more indulgence still demands ; " Sloth shuts the eyes, and folds the hands 5 *' But mark the end : — want shall assail " When youthful strength and vigour fail. •• Just retribution on shall rush, ♦' Their vain delusive hope to crush." SENSUALZTV. Sensuality is a base passion. Self is the idol of the sensualist : Its early stage discovers itself in children who have a special regard to themselves in all they think, say, and do. When I see a boy selecting for himself what he considers the best of every thing, this disposition assures me that he will be a sordid character through life, the slave of his 45 passion3, and his will be ignoble pursuits, and dis- honourable gains. To expect that such a charac- ter will aspire after moral or intellectual improve- ment, is as vain as to expect that a bat can be taught to love day-light. Such characters exem- plify that the curse of the serpent extends to those he tempts to love themselves : they grovel in the mire, and eat dust : when a selfish boy, who loves ease too much to improve his mind, and refine his taste by study, becomes a man ; he is truly an ob- ject of disgust : his impurity of heart evinces itself by grossness of expression : even people who are not regulated by the decisions of religion, shun such a pest. Education has refined their minds ; and of such a person they say, " he is a brutal fel- low :" he was baptized with water without his own consent, and this is all the title which he has to the name of Christian. Such a mere animal would be quite out of his element in the society of the "holy and blessed :" to him, holiness, peace, 3nd love, would be misery : his passions are his masters, and hell is their kindred sphere. But if there are under the Christian name multitudes of such characters who assimilate more with the brutes that perish, than with man as a rational and immor- tal being, there is another class equally self-wor. shippers, who may be characterized as the insects 46 of fashion. Large cities swarm with these ephem- era, who flutter from one trifling pursuit to another, with the same claim to reason as the gaudy and trifling butterfly ; for neither they, nor the restless insect they resemble, think of or provide for the time to come. <*Afool," says the wise man, "may be known by his laughter, manner, and attire," even before he confirms the fact by speaking. Again : The eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth : self- knowledge he has none. The wise heathen max- im, *' Know thyself," has never entered his ear. Such characters instinctively shun any exposure of their heart, even to themselves. There the goods of their strong master are secure. Should truth in the form of a cherub, declare that their hearts are deceitful above all things, desperately wick- ed ; like the deaf adder they would close their ear against such information ; they would refuse to be charmed to self-knowledge, though wisdom herself should charm them ever so wisely. When I meditate on the great, the magnanimous souls, whose histories are recorded in the holy book of God, I am covered with shame and confu- ision. Moses chose rather to sufier affliction with the people of God, (in the faith of participating in their promised glory) than to enjoy a luxurious life 47 in the court of Egypt. Abraham, simply trusting in the promise which God revealed to him, left his native land, and went forth in faith, not knowing whither, or for what purpose. This the Lord re- vealed when he set out on his journey^ but not be- fore. Daniel, a man greatly beloved for the sanc- tity of his character, chose to subsist on pulse, rather than revel in the luxury of the king's ban- quets. He refused to obey the king's order to cease from praying to the Almighty, and was thrown into a den among fierce lions, whom God restrained from harming him. Such was his faith in the omniscience of God, and of his power to protect those who trust in him ; that the lions' mouths were shut by it: they dared not harm him. PRAYER. O Holy Father ! enable me to strive against my besetting sins. Give me power to prevail against those principalities and strong-holds, which Satan has so long fortified for himself in my heart. I know that our present state of existence is a state of probation ; that here we are to be proved and tried, in order that the use or abuse of our privi- 48 Jeges may determine our eternal destination. I know that it is only they who overcome the world, the Devil, and the flesh, that shall have a right to that tree of life, which is in the midst of the para- dise of God ; even the true vine ! give me a child-like confidence in thy word, written for my instruction by thy faithful servants, and dictated by thy holy spirit ; give me a teachable and sub- missive spirit, that when I sit at the feet of Jesus to hear his commands, I may obey them. I ask all in the name of my Redeemer. Amen. " Lord, if thou thy grace impart, " Self and sin shall leave my heart ; •' I shall as my master be " Adorned with meek humility. " Simple, teachable, and mild, *' Changed into a weaned child. " Pleased with all thy word decides, " Weaned from all the world besides. " Father, fix my heart on thee ! " Thine would its affections be ! " All its treasure is above, •' Where reigneth Christ — its light and love." 49 INTEBSFERANCE. The apostle enjoins Christians to '' let their tnodeircttion (or temperance) be known to all men." This moderation has unhappily, in mo- dern times, been in many instances transferred from its original application, namely, the things of this loorldy to the things which belong to our eter- nul peace. Here a lamentable moderation pre- vails ; while much superfluous extravagance con- tradicts the apostolic injunction. The wants of nature are few, and easily supplied ; and in a ha- bitual temperance, there is great reward ; for not only the body is thus preserved from languor, disease, and suffering, but the mind is healthful and vigorous, with no intercepting clog to with- hold communion with its risen Lord, and that cloud of witnesses who, although withdrawn in body, are yet present in spirit, to instruct and comfort believers. On the contrary, to abuse by intemperance those good things which God hath bestowed for a temperate use, is to lay up a store of physical as well as moral evil for the time to come. Who hath redness of eyes ? saith the wise man : v^rho hath babbling, and hurts without cause ? They that tarry long at the wine, &c. Who hath E 50 sleepless nights, and a diseased mind and body ? They that wallow in luxurious abundance, *' whose God is their belly." When I have seen a table groaning under cost- ly and successive variety of vitiated blessings, I have contrasted this prodigal waste with the scan- ty meal of penury. How many destitute widows and orphans, I have said, might be relieved from the gnawings of hunger by the very refuse of these voluptuaries. Insult not the majesty of hea- ven, ye votaries of riot and waste, by invoking, with affected grimace, his blessing on your abuse of his gifts. Be consistent. Your banquet declares that ye refuse to obey his precepts. Aggravate not his indignation by asking a blessing on his dis- honoured laws. "Be not deceived:" God is not mocked : " They that sow to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption.^' An asp lurks in the wine cup to sting you ; and diseases of every form lie in ambush in that vitiated profusion. Our Lord and Master was strictly temperate ; and he admonishes his followers to take no thought what they shall eat or drink, nor with what they shall be clothed. Even Heathen worthies have been remarkable for inculcat- ing and practising temperance. It constituted one of their most eminent virtues. Nobility of 51 soul was never associated with the characteristics of an epicure or glutton. The character whom our Lord represents as awaking from his sensual dream in hell, is not accused of any positive breach of the law of God ; but he fared sumptu- ously, while he neglected a destitute child of God, who desired the crumbs, or refuse of his table. Another sensualist is represented as saying, ' ' Soul take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry, for thou hast much store laid up for many years. " To whom God replied, *'Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee ; for whom then hast thou provided these things ?" Our Lord not on- ly recommends uniform temperance, but occasion- al fasting. When besought to heal a youth who had a certain evil spirit ; this kind, said he, can on- ly be expelled by prayer and fasting. To attempt drawing the attention of this lowest grade of man, to the cnlighteningd^wdipurifyingivw^hs oi divine revelation, is as inconsiderate as it would be to throw pearls before swine, in the hope that they would be enabled by a miraculous change of nature to appreciate tliem : both animals must hopelessly wallow in their congenial mire. fallen man ! tuho, seeing thy inglorious slavery and sordid des- liny, would for one moment question, that human nature, and human intellect in thee, is sunk to tlie level of animal instinct ! 52 PRAYER. Merciful Father ! I have the tvUl to come t& thee, that I may become thy child ; grant me the •power ! My prayers are not yet inspired by filial gratitude. They are like the cry of the young raven, which yet thou deignest to hear. I cannot yet hope that thou wilt hear my supplica- tion as those of thy obedient children ; for, alas, I have not yet the claim of i\\y friend — but because of my importunity I know thou wilt answer me in peace. Lord ! I pray not for the distinction, wealth, or reputation of this vain world. I ask that I may receive the gift of thy Holy Spirit! to illumine what is dark in me — to ennoble what is sordid — to expand what is contracted — to elevate what is mean. I have seen what a hateful thing sin is ; I abhor and detest the crooked serpent in every shape of evil he assumes to tempt and deceive — I admire virtue, and love peace ! I de- sire to grow in grace and in the knowledge of my Lord and Saviour ; but I am weak, and I distrust myself. I would, as a little child who makes a first efibrt to stand upright, cling to thy proffered aid ; conscious that if I take one step, even to- ward thee, trusting in my own ability, I shall fall. 53 Lead me and guide me in tiie path of life which conducts to peace, for the sake of thy beloved Son. Amen. HYMN. " While wordly men with all their might '« Their worthless cheats pursue, ^' How slow is each advance I make " With Christ my Lord in view ! " Inspire my soul with holy zeal, " My cold dead heart inflame — " Religion without zeal and love *• Is but an empty name. " To gain the rest of Zion hill, " May I unwearied strive ; '• And all those powers employ for thee " Which I from thee derive." r2 iUllii ' ''/f/// >f /Y f/' , ^f/y/f/ /^A/f// //f^. J ///,./ Ay /f / /y/ // trV-ir f/ ////A /Ar y/>y/- /■/ fAvr/A / ' //^fA/^////// /■// /Af ^> />/ / / //y f'A AAf , -^r/'A// ' A///^// Af ^ ///yfrz/ff . " AAy-y/ y/'/zrA Ay,AA,f// "/r//ff/ .i-Z^y/// / f/,> /f> /v .iv/rr,/" \ A^, ■//,/;■ /// AA/ ^^y-fzA A,///,i f'A)/,)/ y///fA aA/'/z .tAy.'A/ 55 This Heart represents one who has had a sight of death and judgment. Many must be laid on beds of sickness, before they permit themselves to think on this alarming subject. When the sinner, conscious of guilt fe^^ecis to be launched into that eternal existence for which he has made no prepa- ration, the vanities of the world lose their power to fascinate. Sometimes on recovering, this salu- tary conviction is retained; but in most cases, with health, the sinner returns to his wallowing in the mire. The holy spirit is ever ready to act in con- cert with the first emotion of this conviction. Sometimes a continued will to sin repels its striv- ings. In other cases, its admission is permitted, and its stay secured by using the appointed means for growing in grace. When the husbandman has ploughed ajjd sow- ed, he may pray to Him, who by giving sunshine and rain can crown his labour with a good har- vest ; but without using these means, he has no rea- son to expect a crop as an answer of prayer. It is equally vain to dream that the influence of the great spirit, which is as sunshine and refreshing showers, would produce the good fruits of the spirit, without the co-operation of the affec- tion and will. When affliction, or some other cause, ploughs the heart, the affection and will 56 "^^ must receive the precious truths of revelation ; thus taking root, they soon yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness. Watchfulness and prayer are equally to be observed, as the means of guarding the heart from the re-admission of temptation. " Watch and pray that ye enter not into tempta- tion.^^ If these duties could be dispensed with in us, v^^hyare they so solemnly, so repeatedly urged upon us by our heavenly Father ? Would he say, " My ^OKi^give me thy heart," if it was not in our power to give or withhold its affections ? Why would he bid us cease to do evil, and learn to do well, if we were no more than passive machines? What means our Lord and Saviour, when he says, -' Behold, I stand at the door and knock !" Why^ and for lohat, dear child, does thy Saviour stand knocking at thy heart, but for admittance ? He would call its affections his own ! Surely thou wilt not refuse him ! Has he not bought thee with the price of his blood? To whom then dost thou belong but to him who gave himself for thee ? A death-bed repentance, as it is termed, is in many cases a la- mentable delusion. How can God be reconciled to those who have given the service of their youth and prime to the Devil, the world, and self, and have spurned the instructions, invitations, and warnings of jiis beloved son, whom he sent into 57 the world iopurify unto hbnself a peculiar people zealous ofgoodivorks ? Not filial love, but slavish fiear of punishment, compels their tardy submis- sion. What ! shall Christ become thus the minis- ter of sin ? Shall the mere confession which fear has extorted from alarmed consciousness, serve as a passport to that society who have Jbught the good fight of faith, and obtained the victory over those very enemies, which the unregenerated have served and obeyed ? Why is the gospel hid to any? The apostle solves the question : '< The god of this world has blinded them ; they have been led captives by him at his will." Can Christ and Belial assimilate ? Can holiness and pollution reign to- gether ? No ! Such characters are not branches of the true vine ; neither will he own their too late cry of Lord ! Lord ! it is a fatal delusion, from which -"thousands have awaked in those flames which just retribution has kindled The case of the pardoned thief on the cross bears no affinity to such infatuated presumption. He believed in Christ as soon as he knew him : both his knowledge of him, and his faith, were at the last hour of life ; but the modern sinner has sin- ned against line upon line and precept upon pre- cept. During his whole life he has slighted his proffered mercy, and neglected his great salvation. 58 Tremble then, ye who delay repentance till the horrcis of a death-bed shall surround you. Instead of receiving the salutation of "Well done good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,'' to such it shall righteouslj^ be said, "When I called, ye would not answer ; when I spake, ye would not hear ; but did choose that in which I delighted not : therefore, I will laugh at your ca- lamity, and mock when your fear cometh as de- solation." The unimproved loan shall be taken from the unprofitable steward, and given to that servant who gained an increase by a beneficial improvement of the talents he received. These are the declarations of Christ — these are the tests by which he judges : and an angel from heaven cannot reverse them. ji^ys m Jl'fr/c// f the spirit's influence, in him who has had a viewof death and judgment. Muchdependsnowin using the means o{ groiving in grace. Vigilance and watchfulness are required to guard against the surprisals of temptation, which the dethroned ene- my will not fail to renew. Fervent jorayer is also indispensable; for only those who ask shall receive power to withstand that guileful fascination, which the enemy now assumes. The constant and assi- duous study of the revealed mind of God^ is the third means within our power. Satan cannot break this three-fold cord: Thus the spirit (not being grieved nor resisted) carries on the work of sanctification, until the babe in Christ attains the stature of a perfect Christian character. But if the sinner who has obtained a view of death and judgment, fails to make use of these ap- pointed means for going forward in the Christian life, he shdW fall away : the good seed which fell on a stony place soon withered, because it lacked depth and moisture. If for want of striving, and asking, and seeking, the influence of the spirit withdraws from his heart, and his love waxes cold, it were better that he had never heard of the way of salvation, and the holy commandment delivered unto him ; for he shall be speecJUess before hi* 60 judge. The heathen are in a safer condition, if from ignorance they sin and worship stocks and stones. They have a cloak for their sin : and if Jer sus was never made known to them as their sa- viour and teacher, they can urge as a plea, that they have nGverrefusedhim, nor re^w^e^ his spirit, the only sin which he cannot forgive. The fourth Heart represents such an one. This class involves various grades ; from the lukewarm formalist, who has the form of religion, while he denies its power, up to^he party zealot, who contends for specula- tive opinion. Characters of this kind would be shocked and surprised to have it even hinted by an angel from heaven, that they are in a more dan- gerous state than the heathen, whom they have probably, with very little reluctance, doomed to everlasting misery for the crime of ignorance. They are punctual attenders of outward ordinan- ces ; but unhappily 7'est there. They have not omitted an occasional reading of the scriptures; but they have never studied them. Instead of "asking" in prayer the enlightening and sanctify- ing giftof the holy spirit, who is promised on these terms, and whose office it is to lead into all truth ! human commentators and expositors have been applied to for this purpose : MeeV judgment is re- lied on ; their opinions are imbibed ; while, could 61 tliey exercise a small portion of discernment, they would learn from the contradictory nature of their opinions, that they have also failed to apply (as little children) to the SOURCE of all truth, for the gift o[his '^spirit, ivhich searchethallihings, yea even the deep things of God." The higher grade of this character has, in addition to these charac- teristics, a persecuting zeal: they have their heads filled with speculative theory, but there is no love in their hearts : the sacred fire has subsided into ashes and smoke : these are the characters whom the second coming of Christ, as the bridegroom of his church, shall surprise by stealth. They cal- culated on other circumstances than those which he has chosen, to bespeak his approach. They are surprised with the empty lamps of profession in their hand; instead of being replenished with the iioly fire of love, fed from the source of divine light, truth and wisdom. P »y"fr4 " ///-/r///// y/ //rf///,- /f> //rf /y// a'c f/tff//." 63 The fourth Heart represents one of whom the glorified Saviour thus speaks : I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. — I wish that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm I will cast thee out. Such an one says, I am rich — I want nothing, and knoweth not that he is poor, wretched, miserable, blind, and naked. The language of the judge again is : I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou may- cst be rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten : Be zealous therefore and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. Such persons frequently pass through the mechanical business of religion with great punc- tuality. They go to church, and participate in the memorials of the Lord's broken bodj' and shed blood ; they also devote set times to read pious books ; and even the holy scripture is not altoge- ther forgotten, but their favourite commentators must guide them througli what appears to incxpe rienced vision deep waters and inaccessible moun- tains. This character has the dead form of reli- gion — the living spirit is gone, or never existed 64 tflere. Such an expression of duty, as, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?'' never breaks on t|;e complacent torpor of that nominal professor. The outward means of grace are beautiful in their grder, and all needful to build up; but these pri- vileges ought not to supersede the still more ur- gent duties oi searching the scripture, prayer and loatchfulness : the former may be compared to the candlestick; but the latter is the holy oil which keeps alive the flame of devotion. The pe- culiar set of opinions they adopt have been hand- ed dov^^n from their forefathers, just like any other property. They are called protestants because !lieir remote ancestors protested against some glar- ing corruption ; but any corruption may exist for 'liosp who have a name to live, and are dead. ■tr.x ///)■ irr/r I'/' /•/f////ii'//.y//iy.)- ///ff// <■///{■/• Afrvt'/t// Avo'ir// ////• //f/v u'l'/r I'/a'i' iV/Z/t/Atcf/t'tY li? //e/V(- /t/.y/(i/ //fi' j/m'tf tt'i^n/ o/' Crt'tf Sf't/it- /'Ottrr ('/'///I- ii'('/-/i/ tu ri>///t- //'/An- .y///i//^/ii// tiwiij', A<' /■/■///•ii' ///i-//i ,\'/KtMn/ /y.lfSi, /li;ni/,h-/./f.,\'//iM. /Owl- /•]■ /'.l/,nY,lW.-. 65 This Heart exhibits that state of hopeless apos- tacy, which is characterized in holy writ by the imagery of '^ Trees twice dead, plucked up by the roots." They have trodden under foot the means which God appointed for their salvation ; and they '' have done despite to the spirit of grace : There remains therefore, no more sacrifice for their sin, but a fearful looking for of judgment, which shall devour the adversaries." It is impossible to renew them unto repentance again; seeing they crucify the Lord of glory afresh, and put him to open shame. Our Redeemer illustrated the hopeless case of the backslider by a parable. The evil spirit which had been driven out of a man, is represent- ed by him as going about seeking rest ; and finding none, he saith, I will return to the abode from whence I came. The evil spirit kn^w well, that if he should be admitted a second time, he would have rest, for it would then be impossible to de- throne him. He seized a fit opportunity when the man was off his guard ; he gained admittance ; he entered the Heart which had once been his pollut- ed habitation, and found it empty, swept, and gar- nished. This change had been efTected by the holy spirit. Not only its native passions were gone ; but it was free from any trace of them : nay, F 2 66 it was adorned with some of the graces of the spi- rit, instead of them. How lamentable, that at such a stage of advancement in the new life, the man should be lost, only because he had neglected to ivatch andpray against thepower of temptation ! How sad, that the subtle enemy should have ta- ken advantage of the moment when he had laid aside that armour with which the word of God ivas stored for his supply. That evil one took to him- self seven spirits more wicked than himself, in or- der to secure his continuance. These evil spirits^ brought back all his former depraved passions, and perverted affections : and that Heart became the image of hell : and its latter end was worse Ihan its beginning. Such characters are scattered as tares among the wheat : both are permitted to grow, and in some measure be associated, until the harvest, when they shall be cut down and gather- ed in bundles, to be thrown into the fire. Their self-tormenting consciousness oi zhwsedi mercies is compared to a worm which dieth not ; and the in- exorable wrath of God, which their ingratitude has kindled, shall be to them an unquenchable flame, to burn without purifying ihemfor ever. — There is no repentance in the abyss of outer dark- ness. Hope there assumes the name and charac- ter oi despair : weeping, wailing, and gnashing of 67 teeth, are the varieties of their experience. They weep at having refused instruction ; and rejected every offer of mercy. They wail, because of their folly and madness in selling their heavenly birthright for the base pleasures of sin. They gnash their teeth, for envy of those whom they see coming from the east, and west, and north, and south, to sit down in the heavenly kingdom, with Christ and his faithful servants, (who have denied themselves to follow him,) while they cannot pro- cure even a momentary respite from their intole- rable misery, aggravated by self-reproach. dear youth, turn ye, turn ye, for why would ye create for yourselves an eternity of horror and despair, of weeping and wailing, when you are invited to join that happy company who surround the throne of the Majesty on high, singing his praise with hearts overflowing with grateful adoration ? The everlasting fire was not prepared for y ok, ye children of men, but for the Devil and his angels. delay not, dear children and youth, to come td Christ, for he hath said, that " whosoever cometh unto him, he will in no wise reject : Whosoever will, let him come, and take of the water of life freely." Know ye not that ye were chosen by God to be conformed to the image of his son ? — The foreknowledge of God enabled him to know 68 that comparatively few would submit to the terms of salvation : they will neither strive against sin, norybr holiness : they will noicome to Christ, that they may have life : they will not repent and return : any thing that requires self-denial they refuse to acknowledge : therefore, Christ says, his is a little flock. Few there be that find the strait gate, and the narrow way. Pray for faith, dear youth, for without it, you cannot please God in any thing you do ; nor can you without it be saved. When our Lord healed the bodily diseases of men, he required their will to co-operate with his power. To illustrate this, the man who had a withered arm did not say, I cannot stretch it forth. When the Lord said, " Stretch forth thine hand^'' had the man indulged reason instead of faith, he would have said, " how can I stretch forth an arm that has for many years been motionless ?" But the man had faith, and obeyed Christ ; and in making the exertion, {thus giving evidence of his faith) he was cured. The prodigal actually was return- ing with a penitent heart, when his father met him. If the diligent maketh rich in temporal things, this is mucl) more the case in a higher sphere of action. Paul compares the Christian life to a race, in which theprize is keptin view, as an incitement 69 to tlie utmost exo'tion. " Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith," we are to run our prescribed race, having laid aside every encum- bering weight that might impede our course, or check our speed. Here is not only a voluntary surrender of all our worldly passions implied, but a strainingof every nerve, in attaining the mark of our high calling. Again : The apostle compares the Christian liferto a warfare ; ar ihe Christian to a soldier fighting against sin and Satan, with the sword of the spirit ; satisfied with nothing.shOrt of a glorious victory over these enemies. There- fore, " be sober, be vigilant, for your adversary, the Devil, goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour ; whom resist steadfast in Ihe faith." /27>e heart IS i/eenff,, I above all t/imz/s ^ desperafrly mcle,/ ' Who ImoHv It/ r y/f r y}/-///>f el/ e/ r/feVli'/ //■■//e'.ie' //el/uf'//.> Ae///' /vVV ,>/l/'//l^i-r/ /'// ' >''A^/f'.)r////u. "/>'<■///)/// f/// jr /////^ /,///'///■ (/ //f///i' //''fi/ r(>////'ir/.'yv<>ur.>r/iY,\- ///v'/// ;////■ x/'(/rA',y . \V///A' /// //if /////// ^vr /ir/rr r/r////y/ /r/ii/ /// ,'//> .i-/)///-A'x,vi- ////)■/• A-////i'/i// ////.i-,\f A/'/vi' /// //////>' A/,//^,A .^ IV ,)•/•//// /// t/^nr/i /// .yt'r/-r/// " 75 The Heart which has become a temple for the Holy Spirit, holds communion with the Father and the Son, having peace and joy in believing ! The will and affections are changed into obedi- ence and gratitude. The fruit of the holy spirit admits not of counterfeit. Love is the seal of its alliance to the Holy One ; and the bond which unites the new creature to his whole, sinless, and ransomed family above, and on earth. "Ifi/e love me," saith the Redeemer, "keep my commandments." Happy they whose hearts are thus renewed after the image of the second Adam ! Newness of life bears witness that they are indeed the children of God. They trust with implicit confidence in the guidance of their glorified Head. His will prompts every action ; dictates every en- terprise ; regulates every wish. Was he crucified to the blandishments of the world, which lieth in the wicked one ? Was he cold to its applause ; re- gardless of its censure ; dead to its attractions ? So urc his members. Was he made perfect by suffer- ing ? So are they. Did he bear witness to Truth, regardless of personal consequence ? So do they. Was he reproached without a ca-use ? So are they. The servants are as their Lord. Wouldstthou be acknowledged, dear youth, by thy Lord, when he comes surrounded with hosts 76 of holy angels, to be admired by all who believeci his testimony ? Wouldst thou participate in the glory then to be revealed ? Wouldst thou wear a crown which shall never pass from thee ? Seekest thou to be one of those who shall be the first fruits of the first resurrection of believers ? One of those whom thy Lord calls blessed and holy, in being made partakers with him of that rest which re- maineth for the people of God ; of that heavenly kingdom, where his will shall be done on earth as It is in Heaven ? Art thou then that blessed youth, who walketh not in the way of sinners ; nor stand- eth In the counsel of the ungodly ; nor sitteth in the seat of the scorner ; but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, meditating thereon day and night? Dostthouhunger and thirst after Righteousness ? Dost thou pray for the guidance of thy Lord, and watch for the manifestations of his will, more than they that watch for morning ? Is thy soul as a weaned child to the allurements of the world, sin, and self? Dost thou dig for truth as for hid trea- sure, seeking wisdom before all worldly honours, gains, and rewards ? Dost thou prize those who are upright and virtuous, wherever, and under whatever circumstances they are found ? Hast thou an eye to discover, and a heart to love the Image of thy Lord, whether those who bear it in- 77 habit a hut, or adorn a palace ? Couldst thou have discovered a constellation of heavenly attributes in Him, who was born in the stable, and cradled in the manger of Bethlehem ? Couldst thou have discerned the divine root and offspring of David, >n the lowliest plant of the Judean valley : in other words, art thou free from the blinding sins of prejudice and worldly ivisdom ? As a little child, willing to be instructed, dost thou sit at thy Sa- viour's feet, to hear his words ? Then art thou, beloved youth, not far from the kingdom of thy Lord. Such characters, and such alone, shall en- ter therein. The good Shepherd will bear thee, as it were, in his bosom, above the rough path of tribulation, which leadeth to rest and peace. — Those good angels, who are sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation, watch over thee with un- remitting care. Their benevolent natures rejoice, that a ransomed child of the human family should, by the mediation of Him they adore, approach nearer the throne of the Holy One than they. — There was joy throughout their hosts, on the day thou turnedst thy heart to seek their Creator. — When thy Lord's voice was heard amid the still- ness of a cloud of witnesses, saying, ^^ My son, give me thine heart, ''^ how did they rejoice, when thine heart replied, Lord, it is thine by creation, G 2 78 thine by redemption ; purify its affections, and ac- cept of them all as thy living sacrifice, and my rea- sonable service ! But, I tremble at the thought ! Can it be possible, that these animating truths are addressed to a youth who is dead in trespasses and sins ? who is as void of the noble ambition of God's dear children, as the brutes who live by instinct, and perish without hope ? If thou canst not answer in the affirmative to the preceding questions, thou art such an one. Perhaps thou makest thy boast, that thou art negatively good : that is to say, thou dost not commit glaring immorality. Admitting this to be the case, thou hast little cause of self- complacency : thou art convicted of that black, that monstrous crime, ingratitude ; and that to- ward thy first benefactor ; to love and serve whom, thou art bound by every tie human and divine. — Art thou willing and content to wear out thy term of probation, deceivingand being deceived ; living in open rebellion against the authority and law of God, which constrains thee by every noble motive to serve him here, and reign with him hereafter ? Is it thy voluntary lot to grovel amid the perish- able enjoyments of animal nature, and at last experience that dust is thy portion } Hast thou a human soul, and one spark of that spirit which ^vas breathed into thy being with its life, and canst 79 thou slavishly endure the ignominious yoke of Satan's bondage, without one aspiring thought Visiter freedom from sin — without one magnani- mous struggle to assert thy ewmor/a/character and claims ? Pluck out a right-eye passion — cut off a right-hand prejudice without hesitation, if thou wouldst yet be saved : let the vile idols on whom thou hast mispent thy service and worship, no longer provoke the holy one of Israel to anger. He cannot share thy heart with such abominations. Beware of procrastination : another, and another year hath the Father, at the intercession of his beloved Son, had patience with thee : another day, and he may say in his wrath, cut down the unprofitable cumberer of the ground. *drise noWf prodigal, and with a contrite heart return to thy heavenly Father from whom thou hast so long, so deeply revolted. If thou comest to him in the name of Christ, he will in no wise reject thee, for as his Majesty, so is his mercy to the peni- tent. deceived youth, instantly determine — and having determined, linger not by the way — neither waste one moment in looking behind thee : danger is in delay — ruin in hesitation — and despair in turning back ; none such being fit for the kingdom of God. Should mountain-like difficulties arise in terrific 80 range to oppose thy return — should floods of tri- bulation threaten thee, fear not to go forward : these are unreal phantoms which the adversary has raised to frighten and seduce thee back to his bondage. Mountains oppose no barrier to true Faith ! Many waters cannot quench pure Love ! 81 The Heart on which the laws of God are writ- ten, is in a more advanced stage of the new life than the former ; not that it is more enlightened, or more holy, or more devoted — but faith and the other fruits of the spirit are called into vigorous exercise in contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, and in bearing testimony to Truth in opposition to popular prejudice. The Apostles of our Lord exhibited the higher grade of this matured stage of the new life. With what patience did they endure opposition and wrong — with what magnanimity did they fol- low their Lord without the camp, bearing his re- proach ! With what zeal did they prosecute the glorious object they had in view, even the work which he gave them to do, in his name, and for his glory ! How disinterested were their works of faith ! their labours of love ! We are, says Paul, troubled on every side, yet not disheartened ; perplexed, but not in despair ; persecuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not destroyed. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceed- ing, an eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen. Hear how the man who hath the law of God written on his heart speaks : 82 '•After that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated as you know, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of our God with much contention, (or opposition.) For our exhortation was not of deceit, or of unclean- ness, or of guile ; but as we were permitted of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who trieth our hearts. " Neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know ; nor a cloak of covetousness : God is witness. Nor of man sought w^e glory, neither of you nor of others, when we might -have taken authority as the apostles of Christ ; but we were tender among you even as a nurse cherisheth her children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also ourown souls, because ye were dear to us. For ye remember, brethren, what labour and travail, for labouring night and day, because we would not be charge- able unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblameably we be- haved ourselves among you that believe. And ye know how we exhorted every one of you as a father doth his children, that ve would walk wor- S3 thy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory." Blessed, says our Lord, are they who arc per- secuted for righteousness^ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and say all manner of evil against yo\i falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad ; on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. Some of the attributes of this stage of the new life, may grace a mud-walled cottage. The hum- ble cottager may be careful to obgigrvc the com- mandments of his heavenly Father, to whom he prays for his daily bread ; may train up his chil- dren to fear and love their Creator and Redeem- er in the days of their youth ; his heart may be pure, and his hands clean of dishonest gain ; he may abhor a perverting bribe ; and may so adorn the doctrine of God his Saviour, that all who know him must acknowledge that blessed is the man who feareth the Lord and obeyeth his command- ments. The mother may so shine in her assigned sphere of duty, as to glorify her heavenly Father, having his laws written on her heart ; she may give an early direction to the will and affections, and establish the principles of her children ; she 84 may win iheir ductile minds to the love of noble and disinterested feeling and pursuits ; she may- represent vice in all its moral deformity, so as to be an object of their detestation ; she may sow the precious seed of the word in their hearts, as yet uncorrupted by the contagion of example ; she may weed the moral soil, and plant therein the love of truth, integrity and virtue ; she may watch over the growth of these buds of promise. The unmarried may evince the same characters of the new life, by jftinistrations of compassion, sympa- thy, and benevolence, to the desolate widow, the helpless orphan, the sick, the aged, and the friendless stranger. Widows and women not having the care of fa- milies of their own, may do offices of love to the homeless and friendless — may, as of old, be fellow labourers in the Gospel, and wash the feet of the saints. Even the youth may show the law of God written on their heart ; they may adorn the doctrine of their Lord by diligently seeking to know and do the will of God, and by abstaining from all appearance of evil. The young Samuel was, from his early childhood, de- voted by his pious mother to the service of the Most High, and to that little one the Lord revealed himself; for the child Samuel ministered before 85 him in tiie temple ; and was commissioned to lu- form old Eli of the punishment that awaited his sons, for they were exceedingly wicked in the sight of God ; and the foundation of that wickedness was in consequence of \.\\q false indul- gence of their father, who restrained them not, noi corrected them. Our Lord was well pleased with the hosannahs of the children on a certain occasion, when he said to his disciples, "have ye never read, that out of the moutli of little children God hath per- fected praise ?" There is something in the cha- racter and disposition of little children which the Lord loves. He referred to their simplicity, their implicit confidence, their obedience, their artless openness, their want of trust in them- selves, their purity of mind, their ignorance of hypocrisy and deceit, their fear of offending, and their perfect sincerity, when he said. Suffer the little Children to come to me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. H ^*^. \t}uvt s/iaB r,;yn jmti Aini ':«^Af.// A.-./iY./////// /^/^^" '^'■"'^' ■'■^'"^^ '■'■''^"'^ ^^'' "'""'" '■'^' '^' ■'" 87 This Heart represents one who can say, " I have finished my course ; I have kept the faith ! Hence- forth there is laid up for me a crown of glory." In addition to the preceding stages of the new life, this veteran in faith and love, has stood stead- fast when assaulted by the combined powers of darkness. His faith is unshaken, for it is built on the Rock of ages ! That heart is fortified by a triple guard, on the right hand and on the left; it cannot be taken by surprise, because its afiections are centred in the Redeemer. There is no mo- ment in which they are not exploring their trea- sure, or difi'using HIS blessings. His power to re- sist temptation is omnipotent ; for Christ, the wis- dom and power of God, has become the wisdom and power by whom he is made more than con- queror. There is now no condemnation for such a character. Neither death nor life, nor any cre- ated thing, can separate him from Christ, the life- breath of his renewed existence. Divine light ■clothes him as with a glory. The earth is under his feet : he looks down upon the world as a con- quered foe : he treads on serpents and scorpions, and all the powers of the enemy, and nothing can by any means hurt him. He is called, and chosen, and faithful, and shall be of the first fruits of the first resurrection. There the remembrance of his 88 suffering and sorrow hath passed away; the days ol his mourning and conflict are ended : what he sow- ed in tears he shall reap in joy. The Lord whom he loved even unto death, now wipes all tears from his eyes ; yea, he maketh that faithful servant sit down to meat, while he girds himself to serve him. Blessed ! how blessed ! are the dead who die in the Lord, who is their resurrection, their life ! Yea, saith the spirit, thatthey may re*/from their labours and their works follow them. Dear child, dear youth ! Thy Saviour invites thee to become, by r€generalio)i, such a noble spe- cimen of the Christian character. The same spi- rit which has here been admitted, cherished, and i)y whom the work of grace was completed, strives for admission to thy heart ; and wilt thou grieve and reM5/ the heavenly Comforter? Wilt thou still be a wretched imitator of the children of this world, who devour the husks of animal nature, and grub like moles in the earth for that which is to the worldling the root of all evil, and which never fails to pierce them with many sorrows ? Or wilt ihou not rather aspire after the enjoyment of mind to which thy high destiny invites tliee ? Compare the ignoble pursuits, the sordid character of the children of the world, the slaves of Satan, with the godlike fame of him wha has subdued Satan, ancl 89 conquered self, and who gives glory, and honour, and praise, to Him in whose name and strength he won the victory. Dost thou expect, dear youth, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of hea- ven ? Dost thou pray for this blessed lot at the end of the days ? This is not enough. Art thou willing to fulfil the conditions of thy reception there ? Canst thou make those sacrifices which are indispensable to thy admission ? Hear how the Divine Teacher illustrates this, to one who on a certain occasion said, 2i?z7Aow/ reflection, "Bless- ed are they ivho shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.^^ "A certain nobleman made a great sup- per, and invited many. At supper time he sent his servant to say. Come, for all things are now ready ;" but instead of accepting this invitation with gratitude, they all with one consent began to make pitiful excuses. Each had to attend some sinister object, in which selfw^s concerned. A piece of land prevented one from accepting the in- vitation ; another allowed a still more frivolous pretext to be his apology ; another found an equal- ly absurd reason for a refusal. When the servant told these things to his Lord, the Master of the House was angry or indignant that they should slight his society and feast, and that too for paltry concerns of their own. The servant was sent to bring from the outskirts of the eity, the poor, the lame, the blind. These gladly accepted the invi- tation ; but the servant told his Lord that there was room for more guests. The master of the feast then commanded him, saying, "go out to the highways and hedges, andcompelihefnto come in that my house may be filled, for I say unto* you, that none of those nienthat luere bidden shall taste of my supper." The explanation of this parable is contained in the verses which immedi- ately follow it. Whosoever he be of you, that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my dis- ciple. In like manner the p7'eseie7iee of our Lord en- ables him to declare that comparatively yee^J of the highly privileged will, on these terms, eat bread in the kingdom of Heaven, and if they re- fuse on account of self-interested motives, in any relation or shape, those who they may consider unworthy, shall supply their place ; yea, the hea- then from the ends of the earth, shall even with- out adequate preparation, he compelled to come in rather than that the feast should be without guests ; rather than those hypocritical professors, who expected to arrive there by means of a spe- culative dead faith, unassociated with love and 91 obedience, should partakeofit. Thisisthedoctrine of thy Saviour, which an Angel cannot gainsay, nor reverse ; but the time comes, saith the apostle, when they will not give heed to sound doctrine, liaving itching ears ; that is to say, having no re- lish for that which demands sacrifice and obedience, biit wholly giving themselves up to a curious in- truding into those things which are kept secret, and shall remain so ; as the nature and mode of the divine existence — the deductions of reason from the sovereignty of God, his decrees, and such like ; these theorists mistake the shadow for the substance ; they spend their lives in visionary spe- culations, without reflecting that while they thus trifle, they fail to give those practical dernonstra- iions of their attachment which shall secure them an entrance into the kingdom of God. Your judge will not investigate the orthodoxy of your creed, but the evidence of your faith. He will not ask under what name or leader you rank yourself: not arbitrary power will divide between the sheep and the goats ; their own actions will be made the separating cause. They who have done evil shall without one exception be found on his left hand, and those who have done good shall without fail be found at his right hand. To them on his right hand he shall say, "Come ye blessed of my Father, 92 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world !" He then enumerates the proofs which they gave of their faith and love to him. To those who are at his left hand he says, " Depart from me accursed, into everlasting fire, prej)ared for the Devil and his »^ngels. When I was an hungred, ye gave me no meat ; when I was athirst, ye gave me no drink ; when I was a stranger, ye took me not in ; when I was naked, ye clothed me not ; when I was sick and in prison, ye visited me not ; for inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, my brethren, ye did it not to me." Seeing then, that this is the Truth ; and that ye have been duly warned of the consequence of slighting it, take heed that ye make your calling and election sure. In the language of the inspired Apostle, I entreat you, dear youth. * " Giving all diligence, to add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, to tempe- rance joa^/e/ice, to patience ^oc?///ie55, to godliness hrotherly -kindness, to brotherly-kindness chari- ty; for if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be unsound nor imfruitfy] in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus ' 2 Peter, i. 5. 93 Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blhidf and cannot see afar off, (or the end,) and hath for- gotten that he is purged from his old sins. Where- fore rather, brethren, give diligeyice to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things ye shall never fail ; for thus an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you ever in mind of these things.^' The latter part of the verse I put to you in the form of a question : Do you know these things ? are you established in this truth ? SECOND PART. Having by the light of revelation endeavoured to show the necessity of securing personal reli- gion ; I proceed to illustrate the progressive, ge- nerous, and diffusive nature of Christianity, which teaches us, that even the hope of personal salva- tion, and the peace and joy which arise from that hope, are not to engross our attention, limit our exertions, boundoxxr views, ora^^or^ourfeelings, these being no longer selfish, but social. We are now to participate in all the vicissitudes of that visibly separated, yet invisibly united body of which our Lord is the Head. Do you ask what causes produce visible separation, and what invi- sible ties unite the members to their head, and to each other ? Human names, opinions, and inven- tions, separate what is visible — love, obedience, and purity, are the invisible ties which unite the whole family in heaven and on earth. These being the only ties acknowledged by God, they only can survive that jealous flame which shall in 96 the last days make inquisition of every visible association : the wood, hay, and stubble, shall be consumed, and that which cannot suffer loss shall remain. There is a time, dear youth, to be instructed in the rudiments of revealed truth ; and there is a time when we are expected to bring forth out of the treasures which we have laid up, things new and old, for the use of the less privileged members of our Lord's household. Paul sharply reproves certain characters, whom he character- izes as silly, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth ; the whole counsel of God being revealed for our instruc- tion : of such persons our Lord said, '' I have ma- ny things to say, but ye cannot bear them now.'* To such persons Paul alludes, when he would trace the nature of the divine priesthood of Christ, which the mysterious king and priest of Salem prefigured many ages before. "Of whom," says he, "I have many things to say, and hard to be understood, seeing ye are dull of hearing ; for when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat j for every one who useth milk is unskilful in the 97 word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age — those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil." What must we think of that student, who, in- stead of advancing to the varied, luminous, and decisive demonstrations contained in a self-illus- trating science, should never attain to more than the knowledge of those scattered elements, with- out connexion or result, which are found in its alphabet or rudiments ? The Apostle John cha- racterizes three stages of attainment : little chil- dren — young men — and fathers. In the former part of this little book I have fed you with the milk which belongs to babes in di- vine knovvledge ; but remember, the same pro- gress which lakes place in the natural, is expect- ed in the renewed life : " Leaving, therefore, the principles of the doctrines of Christ, let us go on to perfection ;" let us not be of those whom the apostle reproves as silly — ever learning, and ne- ver taught ; since the Word of God is revealed for the instruction of the lowest and least of the ilock. The glorious expectation of the latter-day re- novation and restitution of all things, to which prophets, apostles, and our Lord, have especially I 98 directed the attention of believers, as an incite- ment to fidelity, watchfulness and patience, claim a full share of our regard. With reference to this blessed hope of his se- cond coming, our Lord's command is, '' Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord : Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he conieth shall find watching.'* At mid night, the season of darkness and security, when professors are slumbering, and the children of this world are fast asleep as to this expectation, the cry shall be heard, " Behold the Bridegroom ! go forth to meet him !" This anticipation of latter- day glory was once the delightful experience of his servants, from the days of Enoch to John, whose vision in theisleof Patmos was arevelation of Mes- siah's Kingdom on Earth. The warnings, exhor- tations, promises, and consolation of the prophets and apostles, were all with reference to this re- ward of Messiah's sufierings, this crown of his glory, this consummation of his triumph. Our Lord, who knew the end from the beginning, foretold that there would be great blindness on this animating subject, in the latter times, %vhen transgressors are come to the full. Thus has he made watchfulness the subject of many warn- 99 Jngs. Hence he declared, that as it was in the days of Noah and Lot, it shall be in the day when the Son of man is revealed ; for as a sna7'e shall the manner of his coming be to the whole earth. The foolish who are ignorant of it, shall be surprised in the depth of carnal security ; and even the wise who believe in his coming as the Bridegroom of his Church, and who are thus far enabled to re- ceive him, shall yet not meet him in the attitude oi watchful attention. Whatever the unwise do, let us who are of the day, not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober, lest that day should overtake us by stealth. The prophets, apostles, and our Lord, teach us t^>Aa/ constitutes the blessedness of his Kingdom on Earth, which in its nature and character is Hea- venly. One feature of its blessedness is the ab- sence of all sin and temptation ; another is, the universal love, peace, holiness, and unity, which shall prevail on earth, where the will of God shall be done as in heaven. ''The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. The whole earth shall be full of his glory. Then shall none teach his neighbour to know the Lord, for all shall know him from the least to the greatest." John saw a ransomed and glorified host above, and they sung a new song of 100 praise to the Lamb who had redeemed them out of every nation and people, saying, "Thou hast made us kings and priests unto God, and ive shall reign on the earth.''' Of these same faithful servants, our Lord had said while he was yet with them, *' Ye are they who have followed me in the rege- neration, and I have appointed unto you a kingdom, even as my Father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. " Again, "Ye shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Perhaps you imagine that God will enlighten this Blessed and Holy time with some new revela- tion, in order to produce this general knowledge, this perfect and uniform standard of belief and practice. No ! " The word of the Lord endureth for ever, and this is the word which by the Gospel is ministered to you." The sun constantly shines with the same degree of splendour. The reason why one time is darker than another to us, is the intercepting uxo^iii'inm. of clouds and earthly vapours. Thus also has the Sun of Righteousness been darkened in his going forth. But the secret of this universal change will be easy of solution, if we consider that all, from the least to the greatest, shall seek " to the law and to the testimony,'' Then the language of all shall 101 be, '^ By thee only will we make mention of thy name. The Lord shall teach us his ways, and we loill walk in his paths.'' Jesus rejoiced in spirit when he said, " I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes !" Why was the truth hid from the wise and prudent ? Because human expositions led them to form other calculations than those of di- vine appointment. Why was it revealed to chil- dren ? Because thfey had no preconceived opi- nion. They believed simply on the evidence of their own senses. Unity of spirit shall then super- sede diversity of opinion. Love, the principle of unity, shall characterize all. The Church of Christ shall then be without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing ; fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terribly surrounded with banners. But before these things, or rather when the sign of them begins to appear, Satan, the adversary, shall come down to earth with great power, know- ing that his time there is short. He would crush, i,), its infancy, the hope of all the faithful, which have been since the world began. But God pre- vents his evil design, by placing his purpose above and beyond his reach. In studying with attention the testimony of our Lord and his apostles, you i2 102 will learn that a false and deceitful spirit called Antichrist, shall practise and prosper ; even "that Wicked whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the light of his coming." This evil spirit is characterized as a usurper, demanding a homage which is due to God alone. He is also a deceiving and lying spi- rit ; for were it not that mankind are deceived by his false reasoning, they would not be overtaken unawares by the coming of the Lord ; nor would that happy day of blissful expectation come upon Ihem as a snare. This false spirit has taught many to follow his pernicious ways, by reason of which the way of Truth is evil spoken of. The inspired apostles testify, that Christ shall again come in liJee manner as he was seen ascending into heaven. — Antichrist teaches, that Christ shall not come in like manner as he went, but shall reign in spirit as he has done eighteen centuries on earth. Zion and Jerusalem, whose renovation to more than pristine glory formed the theme of their prophetic thanksgiving, Antichrist teaches are no long- er realities, but figures of speech, to be applied to any thing but the LAND OF PROMISE. When our Lord and his apostles make mention of coming downio^weW among men, Antichrist teaches that Earth means Heaven : that wherever Jews and 103 House of Israel are addressed, connected with pro- mised blessing, any order of professing Gentiles may engross these names ; those who own them having been superseded by them for ever. Anti- christ moreover teaches, that an eternity of punish- ment, as the well-earned loages oi privileged un- believers, is quite a mistake ; the words eternal, everlasting, for ever, being intended to convey the notion of a limited term : while the declaration that "their worm shall not die, neither shall their fjre be quenched," describes in vivid imagery a hopeful stage of reforming discipline. The lan- guage of the Deceiver again is, "Ye shall not sure- ly die." — The Lord may change, or cease to be holy, just, and true ; or your consciousness of me- rited punishment, may cease to accuse and tor- ment you: perhaps your zmmor/a/ spirit may die. Although Satan with all his artifice never could, never shall, pass that great gulph which separates the holy from the unregenerate, under his precept and example he has sufficient address to make the deceived imagine they need not despair. This is the doctrine of Antichrist the deceiver ; and many shall it lull as an opiate to sleep, until they awake from their delusion in the fire which never shall be quenched. I would not have been thus explicit in detailing 104 the characteristics of Antichrist, had not the apos- tles said to those who are awake and watching, ^^ See that ye j^ut the brethren in continual remembrance of these things; namely, the se- cond coming of Christ, and the efibrts which the adversary of his kingdom shall finally make to op- pose its Jirst feeble struggles into existence. That the adversary has discountenanced, and well nigh discarded this doctrine which Christ and his apos- tles so sedulously taught, is no marvel ; for Satan, who knows that his time is short when these things begin to be signified, also knows that the kingdom of Christ shall be raised on the ruins of Antichrist. To be wise above what is written ; intruding in- to the secret counsels of the infinite one, is prohi- bited. To be wise up to what is written, "taking heed to the sure word of prophecy, which shineth as a light in a dark place," is commended. " Se- cret things belong to God : things revealed, belong to us and our children. " How shall we avoid hav- ing the name and mark, and authority of the Deceiver, unless we know the prohibited charac- teristics of his doctrine, by contrasting the nature of it with the doctrine of Christ and his apostles. — - We are solemnly required, nay commanded, to guard against them, unless we would drink of the 105 wrath of God poured into the cup of his indigna- tion for ever ; and that, too, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the insulted Lamb. I subjoin, with cordial assent to them, the remarks of a latter-day luminary of the Church of England, written with reference to the state of feeling preceding the restoration of the covenant people of God; an event synonymous with the Kingdom of Messiah. *< It is necessary to show that the plain words of inspiration cannot have a literal signification ; it is necessary to show that body means spirit, that earth means heaven ; — that Jerusalem and Monnt Zion mean the throne of God above, or the respective churches below ; — that Jews and Israelites mean Gentiles and Christians, in eve- ry text connected with latter-day glory. — In short, it is necessary to show that the language of Scripture needs an index formed by human au- iliority, before it can be rightly understood." *< We would ask our spiritualizing interpreters what they would have to offer with respect to this prophecy, (alluding to Ezek. 36.) How poor, and jejune, and flat, are those schemes of interpretation which instead of coming up to the standard of the sanctuary, lead their abettors into the pernicious error of bringing down the stand- 106 ard of the sanctuary to the scanty measures of human theory. Persons who support such schemes, never come to the scriptures, to learn, with simple and teachable understanding, the mind of the spirit, but like those whose vision is imperfect, and who need the help of spectacles to read the letter of the word, these persons bring their systems in their pockets to aid them in dis- covering thie purpose of Him, who, as if to mock the aberrations of human wisdom, hath said, Who directed the Spirit of the Lord ? or being his counsellor, who hath instructed him? &c. Without doubt spiritualizers will boldly affirm that the pre- diction which Ezekiel addresses to the mountains of Israel, contains nothing about their return to their own land, as the Papists maintain that after the consecration of the wafer, nothing of the real substance remains, but is really and substantially transubstantiated into the body of Christ, although they cannot deny that the outward appearance continues to be that of a wafer. So these persons, taking a bold flight in allegory, will tell us that the mountains, hills, rivers, valleys, desolate wastes, and cities^ of Israel, in this prophecy, are by no means to be understood in a literal sense, but are to be understood of the Christian Church among the Gentiles ; and that the return of the 107 Children of Israel to those places means their con- version to Christ. Now by what argument are we to assail those who thus twist and pervert the Word of God ? Assuredly, to reason with them would be a loss of time and pains, because our arguments cannot be plainer than those promises to Israel, which we charge them with turning aside from the plain meaning of scripture, which unequivocally declares to us, that the unchange- able purpose of God, with regard to his people Israel, is not only to graft them again into their own olive tree, but also to plant them in their own landj with his lohole heart and with his whole soul, whence they shall no more be pluck- ed up for ever. We shall therefore close this pa- per with remarking, that they, who, under the notion of spiritualizing the Word of God, set up their own crude and jejune systems, in opposition to that Word, were in reality under the spirit of unbelief; and instead of reasoning with them, we may address to them the words spoken on an- other occasion : — ' slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.' * Hath God said, and shall he not do ?' " "To my mind, the apostacy of the Intellect amongst the Protestant nations, hath been, for a century, as remarkable and afflictive as the apos- 108 tacy of Sense is amongst the Catholic nations. The intellect hath become all-sufficient, and such an in- tellect ! We must preach from the intellect to the intellect, instead of preaching from the Word of God to the faith of his children. No one will be- lieve more than he can understand, and that is ge- nerally as much as he can see the good of. As an instance whereof, this doctrine of Christ's second coming, which was wont to shine so bright in the eyes of believers, that they were always plunging forward to reach it before the time, hath become, through the decay of faith, almost forgotten, till within these few years, some of God's faithful ones have made a strong effort to revive it again. And in general, the prophecies, which are the test of faith, as being unseen, are given up by this clear headed, sound minded generation of believers, who have tuned the whole organ of scripture to their own flat key. The long probation of the Gentiles will come to an end in the great battle of Arma- geddon. Oh, how it afflicts me while I write, not so much that punishment will come upon us, as that the punishment should have been merited by us. Who is he that saith Satan is not still the prince of this world, and his angels the ministers thereof.'' But this is not to go on for ever. The spirit of God is not to be blasphemed for ever, and the blood of 109 the covenant for ever trampled under foot, nor the Holy City for ever trodden down of the Gentiles. The Gentiles have had almost as long a proba- tion as the Jews, and tenfold more advantageous. The Jews thought theirs was to be perpetual ; and the Gentiles are now, in the last hour of theirs, dreaming the same. Principle of every kind was never so much disregarded, nor expediency so much idolized. Will the Lord be worsted ? Will he flee before his enemies ? Shall his word fail in its promises? Shall there be no peace, no bless- edness, no glory, in the latter days, upon this Earth; no keeping of a Sabl)ath, no reign of the Saints, no second coming of Messiah to rule the world with righteousness, and the folk with equi- ty ? Shall these things utterly fail ? Heaven and earth shall pass away, before one jot or tittle of these things shall fail. And this which remaineth to be accomplished before any glory can be ma- nifested upon the earth, v\ ill be accomplished in the battle of Armageddon. All the mighty effects preparatory to the reign of peace, shall be accom- plished in that great day of controversy and judg- ment which the Lord shall hold with the Gentiles ■in the valley of Jehoshaphat, when that sacrifice of nations shall be offered up on the mountains of Israel. The issues and effects of this great achievement of divine justice, it hath been the K 110 custom, during the last century and half, where- in all things have drooped and faded, (until with- in these few years that we have been holpen with a little help,) — to refer till the end of the world, and the last general Judgment, thereby removing them wholly from the region of space and time, into the region of the invisible world. That this blindness should come upon the churches, I per- ceive is foretold by our Lord, in the parable of the ten virgins and of the householder, and every other parable which refers to the event of his second coming. And I further perceive that this very condition of security and carelessness will be the exclusion of many, who if they would be- lieve, and hold themselves in readiness, might be saved. Before concluding this, I beg, (for what hath been set forth therein,) to apologize, to the soft effeminate spirit of this generation of pro- fessors, whose untempered edge I must oft have injured — and to the political and expedient spirit of this generation of saints, whose zeal for expe- diency and temporizing I must oft have galled — to all such spirits, sorely tried by the above discourse, I have my apology to make, by referring them back to the history and commemoration of God's former dealings with the impenitent generations of men since the world began — if they will not be enlightened by the past history of truth, natu- Ill ral and revealed, nor give ear to the perpetual voice of prophesy since the world began ; what do these dreamers of poetical and sentimental fancies say to the awful and overwhelming debt of justice, which the Gentiles have been contrac- ting? Or shall Messiah not be a king and deliver- er to his people ? And shall his dealings with his saints no longer be justified in their sight and in the sight of all the nations round about ? And, what ! Shall he allow his people to be captive for ever, and for ever hang their harps upon the wil- lows, and mourn for Zion which is desolate ? Shall the remnant which still remaineth a distinct people, scattered among all nations and oppressed with scorn and cruelty, remain a despised and rejected people? And shall the names with which they have been railed against not be written against themselves, and the evil measures which they served out, be returned upon their own heads, and their prosperity perish, and all their glory and strength be scattered like chaff before the wind ? Then hath tlie Lord forgotten to be gracious, and his covenant is no longer sure; and there is no more a Judge over all the earth to do righteously. If the life of the soul were not dear in my sight, I would not be moved with horror against those who consume souls by thousands and tens of thousands. If tlie liberty of tlie soul 112 were not glorious, I would not thus be grieved by the captivity of so many millions, or rejoice that i-he day of their redemption draweth nigh. The Lord judge between me and these soft-hearted optimists, if I love not the souls of mea better ihan they. The apologies for that which I have set forth concerning the last catastrophe of divine wrath, I make as to a generation whose travail in the prophecies is small, and whose faith therein is faint. But the true apology is to teach them what this battle of Armageddon is, if indeed they will be taught, which I count to be no less than the last rrisis of the strife between good and evil, where- of the event is to determine whether Messiah or Satan shall have it and hold it for ever. When in their true sense and full significancy, all the pro- mises made to the saints shall flourish like the ce- dar of Lebanon, and all the prophecies, fully rip- ened, shall shed fruit every where, and Jerusalem and Zion shall no longer be figures of speech,, and Messiah's kingdom and reign shall be no long- er a figure, the resurrection shall be no longer a figure, but a reality j and there can be no more scepticism when the faithful people are standing in their lots — Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the patriarchs — Job, David, and Daniel, and all the prophets. And let no man calling himself a Chris- tian, go to sicken the. life of these conclusions 113 from the faithful Word of God, by his puling sen- timent concerning this miserable earth, and his desire to escape from it as fast as may be. Who art thou ? man ! that speaketh so of this earth, to reclaim which the Lord of Glory came down, and was a despised and rejected servant ? And what are thy sentiments, thou fallen reptile, to set them up against the true and faithful book of God ; which forsooth thou wilt foreclose because thou hast a sentiment ? Perish thy sentiment, which thus veileth one word of the everlasting truth, of which, before one iota shall pass, heaven and earth, and thou too, with all thy sentiments, shall likewise pass. But if thou wilt bring thy meagre mind and more meagre faith to take a mo- ment's thought upon the subject, wilt thou please to answer this question — If this earth was deem- ed worthy to be the place of the contest between Christ and Satan, why should it not be worthy to be the place of the triumph? If saints are re- generated on earth, and on earth maintained in their warfare, why on earth should they not have rest and victory ? But besides this childish senti- ment of the mind, there is another of the heart, widely prevalent in the Church, (if I might call that heterogeneous mixture of worldly wisdom and divine wisdom, of human fancies and faith- ful truths, of form and expediency, by the holy K 2 114 »ame of Chorch,) that these judgments of t}«e Lord upon the nations are not to be spoken in charitable ears. Ye tender hearted objectors to God's most righteous judgments, what say ye to the holocaust of a generation at the deluge ? what to the smiting of Egypt's first born ? what to the root and branch destruction of the Canaanitish na- tions ? and to Saul's cutting off, because he spar- ed any creature of Amalek who breathed the breath of life ? And what say ye to the five cities full of men who were consumed by fire from heaven? Niniveh had but sixty days for repent- ance. These nations have had almost two thou- sand years. Was not Jesus of Nazareth as tender as you when he wept over Jerusalem, yet brought on it the destruction which maketh the ear still tingle.'* Weep, yea weep, and because you pity ory aloud like Jonah. It is a weighty commission; but flee not from it ye who bear the name of pro- phets, lest the Lord overtake you in the way, and bring on you swift destruction. Ye lovers of your natural tastes and feelings more than of the reve- lation of God ! Ye disbelievers of his holiness and 'truth ! Ye intolerant indulgers of heresy, and the arch heretic ! Ye disguised lovers of the Mother of harlots ! Fear, greatly fear, I say, lest ye be overwhelmed with her. But take not on V ou the name of God's messengers, if ye dare not 115 deliver his fearful messages. Let others stand forth to be the videttes of the camp, the watch- men of the holy city, if ye speak favourable words, and hold out signals of peace to the ene- my. The promises shall be taken from you, and ye shall not enter into his rest, by means of un- belief. Fear, fear, lest a promise being left you of entering in, any of you should fall short. * * * There can be no doubt that the second coming of Christ is attended with the resurrection of them that sleep in him, who are thereafter to in- herit the earth, and reign with him on the earth. Christ the first fruits, afterwards they that are. Christ's at his coming. It is a poor view of Christ's reign upon earth, though we believe it is the common one, that it shall be over those saints who are thus found in being, and over the genera- tions which shall follow, till the thousand years have run their course — that it will be but a gene- ral amelioration of the world — the optimism of the philosophers, not the glorious kingdom of Messiah and his saints. It is poor consolation to his saints who have suffered and died, looking forward to this second coming, to be defeated of all share in it when it doth come ; and it is against the word of every prophecy and every promise. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection : on such the second death 116 hath no power : but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign a thousand years." "When reasoning on righteousness and judg- ment to come, is forced on the ear of the present age, many may like Felix tremble ; but the con- venient season for laying these things to heart, seldom arrives. The consideration that all things remain as they were, has acted as an opiate to lull the attention even of professors themselves, to the signs of the times. Where is the promise of his coming? would not be confined to scoff- ers, did not decency prescribe silence. *'It is time for professors to live in ceiled houses ; but according to their calculation^ the time is not come for the Lord's House to be built. They are as secure and worldly-minded, ^s if no Bridegroom were expected. *'The religion of too many consists in being as good as their neighbours, and in doing no vi- sible harm ; and they expect to escape as it were with their neighbours, and suffer no harm, in the day of retribution, which shall hwn as a fur- nace ; when all the proud, yea all that do wick- edly, shall be consumed as stubble. Remember, dear youth, your blood shall be required at your own hand, if you are overtaken unawares. Be not deceived ; for it is when mankind say peace and safety, that sudden destruction cometh upon 117 khem, and they shall not escape. Let not then the universal aspect of security which prevails, lull jt/ou asleep ; for the Bridegroom cometh at a time and in a manner that few can discern. Hear what thy Lord saith ; and thus at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. "I know thy works, that thou hast a name to live, but art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die ; for I have not found thy works upright before God. — Remember, therefore, how thou hast remvea? and heard; and holdfast and repent. If thou wilt not ivatch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Blessed is he that is called to the MARRIAGE supper of the Lamb. Blessed and holy are they who have part in Xhe first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." Search the Scriptures; watch and pray, that thou mayest be enabled to say, with all those who love his appearing, COME LORD JESUS, GOME QUICKLY. FINIS. APPENDIX, Gontaining the Thoughts of Basilicus on the Scriptural Expectations of the Christian Church. The Writings of Basilicus require no eulogy. They are now freely offered for publication, with- out other motive than that of giving " a bright and shining light ;" not only to rejoice the hearts of " our Lord's household," but to arrest the attention and enlighten the minds of the many who are in the outer courts of speculative knowledge, and fast asleep to the " Scriptural expectations of the Church" therein revived. The enlightened character who writes under the signature of " Basilicus," is justly esteemed one of the most exemplary of men, and one of the most accomplished oi scholars. — His learning is not of that common-place kind which is associated with the thoughts or opinions of men. — " His genius has angelic wings, and feeds on manna !" Master of the original languages in which Holy Writ was penned, he draws pure 'l^rulh fiom its unsullied source. Hundreds of the higher class in London, attract- ed by his eloquence, have, by this mighty Student of Scripiure Truth, been brought from the narrow enclosures which confined their views and attach- ment, to " look for and hasten unto that glorious appearing and kingdom," to which prophets and apostles bare testimony in their times. — May the 120 writings of " Basilicus" allure many to ^^ search the Scriptures daily, proving whether these things are so" and may none reject them before appealing " to the law and to the testimony." THOUGHTS ON THE SCRIPTURAL EXPECTATIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. To the Editors of the Jewish Expositor. — Gentlemen, While under the awful circumstances of the pre- sent day, the secular arm is constrained to interpose to stop (if possible) the mouth of blasphemy, the spiritual mind cannot but discern in existing facts a new development of the mystery of iniquity, by so near an approach towards a renunciation of all authority, human and divine. Support and conso- lation under such an appalling prospect can alone proceed from an anticipation derived from the word of truth, that when iniquity abounds to the full, the transgressors shall themselves be *' brought to desolation in a moment, and be utterly consumed with terrors." Another mystery will receive a si- multaneous accomplishment and issue in the reno- vation of a distracted world, and the triumphant es- tablishment of the kingdom of God. Under these impressions the author of this letter conceives the Jewish Expositor to be a suitable ve- hicle for some thoughts on the scriptural expectO' tions of the Christian Church, because he considers the cause to which its labours are devoted as most .immediately connected with the subjects hereby re- 121 commended to a sober consideration under tlie fol- lowing; distribution. 1. The glorious Epiphany. Titus ii. 13. 2. The first Resurrection. Rev. xx. 5. 3. The End of the World. Matt, xxviii. 20. 4. The World to come. Hebrews ii. 5. 5. The Restitution of all things. Acts iii. 21. 6. The Kingdom of Israel. Acts i. 6. 7. Types. 8. Practical View. Some of these titles it is imagined may afford oc- casion either of ridicule to the profane or of of- fence to the serious, but such consequences are not justly to be charged upon the writer, who has taken them from the word of God, and purposes to ex- amine their import by the law and testimony thi"reof, without any undue partiality for human authority whether of early or later date. It is by no means his intention to question any article of " the Faith once delivered to the Saints," but to examine how far the purity of its stream may have been affected by the chaimels of interpretation through which it has come down to us. As an apology (if any be requi- site) for such an attempt to elucidate some import- ant passages of scripture, he would observe, that any former abuse or absurd exhibition of the doctrines they contain, will afford no better argument for their absolute rejection, than such as the corruptions of Christianity can offer to justify the denial of its truth. The several points intended for discussion in the following papers, are stated at once in the order in which they will be treated. The candid reader who may deem them not unworthy of his notice, may thus be prepared, if he will, by a previous exami- nation of corresponding passages, and be induced to L 122 withhold a premature and therefore defective judg- ment on the whole argument, until the light which these converging subjects may afford shall be col- lected into one and the same focus. The great counsel of God in "/Ae dispensation of the fulness of times" is far too important to have es- caped from the devices of the enemy, and it has ac- cordingly been much darkened by words without knowledge; it may be collected from scripture, that this obscurity would be allowed to continue till the period immediately preceding its fulfilment. The latter part of the vision of Daniel was sealed, l)ut the revelation of it in St. John, is an open book. It is "the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show to his servants," and "blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein, for the Time is at hand." Sect. 1. The glorious Epiphany. Titus ii. 15. The context of this expression will introduce at once the distinction of the first and second Epipha- ny intended to be marked out in the whole subse- quent discussion. " The grace of God hath appeared" sTis^avy;, and by it we are taught to look forward to "the appearance of the glory" iTtL^avnav; grace came by Jesus Christ at his first, and He will come in glory at his second appearance. We are exhorted to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this pre- sent world, or the "age that now is," that in the age to come we may be partakers of this glory, or as it is expressed by the same Apostle, Ephesians ii. 2, by " grace we are saved" or raised up already to anew life with Christ, that "in the ages to come," he might show the exceeding riches of his grace, 123 that is, his glory, of which present grace is the pledge and assurance — for "the Lord will give grace and glory," (Psalm Ixxxiv. 11.) "whom he justi- fied them he also glorified," (Romans viii. 30.) " He shall come to be glorified in his saints," (2 Thess. i. 10.) " If we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together ; for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time^ are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, for the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God," and their deliver- ance " from the bondage of corruption into the glo- rious liberty of the children of God," who have " the first fruits of the Spirit," and yet groan within our- selves waiting for the adoption, to wit, " the redemp- tion of the body," (Romans viii.) "Looking for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change their vile body, that it may be made like unto his glorious body," or the body of the glory of himself. lameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ," "for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him," (verse 14,) " and the dead in Christ shall rise first." The bodies of the saints shall rise in an order of priority more distinctly marked in other passages of sacred Scripture, and by the Apostle in I Cor. XV. which treats largely of the resurrection of the body as connected with the resurrection of Christ, of whom the spiritual resurrection of the soul in this life from the death of sin cannot be pre- dicated at all. With reference to the literal resurrection of the body, a distinct succession is declared. "By man came death, by man also the resurrection from the dead — as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all 137 be made alive," that is, receive their bodies, r///, but all are not made alive in their souls. — Some in that sense, are " twice dead," but every man (as to the resurrection of the body) " in his own order, Christ the first fruits, afterward, they that arc Christ's at his coming," exprcssio unius est exclusio alterius — therefore, it might be inferred from this declaration, that " the rest of the dead, (bodies) lived not again, or were not raised at that time; and the time when they shall live again or be raised, is distinctly mark- ed out, when this part of the mystery is more fully revealed by Jesus Christ himself. St. Paul says," Be- hold, I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but wc shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trum- pet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incor- ruptible, and we shall be changed, for this corrup- tible, (that is, the body) must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. " These expressions must relate to the body "dead in Christ," to be raised at his coming, and not to the soul, which sleeps in Jesus, for they that sleep in Je- sus, when " absent from the body, and present with the Lord," have already in that sense, put on both incorruption and immortality, — they are already "born of incorruptible seed, by the word of God which liveih for ever," — they are already " passed from death unto life," and they, who are thus " alive and remain" till the coming of Christ, will be chang- ed as soon as the ''dead in Christ," and asleep in Jesus, are reunited in body and soul; — this is that celestial body, like unto the glorious body of Christ, the image of the heaveviiy Adam, which every mem- ber of the invisible church will bear, and of which he may say Avith David, " I shall behold thy face M 2 138 in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when / awake with thy likeness." "The second Adam is a quickening spirit" as to the body, of which St. Paul is here speaking; and in another place he says, " If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Rom. i. 8. And this will be, as appears by the same chapter, at the " manifestation of the sons of God," at "the redemption of the body," Avhen " the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, unto the glorious liberty of the children of God." But " the children of God" are called by our Lord, (as observed above) "the children of the resurrection," in a peculiar sense, (Luke XX. 36.) for " when they shall rise from the dead, they are as the angels," (ccj a/^'yixoc) Mark xii. 25. " neither can they die any moi"e, for they are equal to the angels," (tcfoyyj^oi) Luke. This honour have all his saints, but above all, those who have suffered for the testimony of Jesus, " If so be that we suffer Avith him, that we may be also glorified together," " these light afflictions work out a far more exceed- ing and eternal weight of glory," — "one star differ- eth from another star in glory, so also is the resur- rection of the dead." — " Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake," — " and they that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firma- ment, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars." — Dan. xii. 3. A beam of this glory seems to have fallen on the face of the proto-martyr Ste- phen, — ^" All that sat in the council, looking stead- fastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face •fan angel," and " he looking up steadfastly into hea- 139 ven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hanr? of God," and so will all '"the congrega- tion of saints" when the " Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with bis holy angels;" when every Israelite indeed, shall, with Nathanael, see " heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. " The first resurrection is thus immediately con- nected with the appearance, tmd kingdom, and com- ing of Christ " with all his saints," when " he shall change their vile body, (or the body of humiliation, cw/ia rrii TartnvusuJi) that it may be fashioned like unto his i,^lcrious body," PI '1. iii. 21. comp. ver. 10, 11. "When he will present them faultless before his presence with exceeding joy," (Jude 25.) "holy, and unblamable, and unreprovable in his sight," (Col. i. 22.) when they Avho are already risen in spirit with Christ, and are seeking those things that are above, shall also "appear with him in glory," " when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord," Acts iii. 19. — tlie expression, in our translation of this passage, falls far short of the original word, and seems only its secondary sense. If there be meaning in language, it signi- fies the times (or seasons) of reanimatiox, restora- tion of the soul to the body ; according to all analo- gy of diction — if aw-faatj means re-surrection, avo- ■^v^ii implies re-animation, — ^^ wa-^vxnv, dicuntur (inquit Eusthasius) quae animam reducunt, ut con- tra arto4a);t*'«'j animam efflare, wo^f ;t"? idem quod re- animo." (vide Steph. Lex.) If this be so, the mean- ing of the expressions in Rev. xx. 4 — 6. is plain enouii:h,and cleared at once from all objections rais- ed against the doctrine so clearly maintained by the context, — because St. John speaks of t/ie souls, it 140 may be suggested it does not follow, that the bodies M'c.) c raised at that time, but at the last and general resurrection. But let it be observed, they that lived, were they that were beheaded, who had not received the mark of the beast on their forehead or hands. These are all bodily signs, and, as the martyrs had glorified Christ in their " bodies terrestrial," so now they are glorified by Christ, with "bodies celestial." St. John says, " I saw thrones, and they sat on them ;^* • — the bodies were beheaded, but now they lived — their souls were reunited to them — this is the time of their re-animation, for the soul is the life of the body. — ^" Hoc potissimum cogitasse arbitror illos, qui animam, -^xv^ vocitarunt, quod haec quoties adest corpori, causa est illi vivendi, respirandi, et refrigerandi vim exhibet, et cum desierit quod refri- gerat dissolvitur corpus, et interit — unde ■^^xv^ no- minasse videntur quasi ava-^^xo", respirando refrige- rans." Dialog. Plat, in Cratyllo. " The souls of the righteous" being " in the hand of God," and their life " hidden with Christ," could not properly be said to live again out of the body in any sense, or to be reanimated at all. " In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die, but in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble; they shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever."/' We fools account- ed his life madness, and his end to be without ho- nour. Now is he numbered among the children of God, and his lot is among the saints." — " Then the righteous that is dead shall condemn the ungodly that is living." — ^" Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord." "Blessed is he that hath part in the FIRST RESURRECTION." " Blcsscd ishc that watchcth." 141 For a clear and practical view ol" this interesting- subject, the reader is referred to " TJie Nature of the First Resurrection, and the Character and Privile- ges of those that shall partake of it : with an ^Qppendix^ containing extracts from the works of Bishop Newton and Mr. Mode : by a Spiritual JVatclcman, printed for Seeley and Ilatcliard, Dec. 1819."— This Sermon was published after the above imperfect sketch vv^as drawn up, and Basilicus is encouraged by perceiving, that others are sent forth to spy out the land of pro- mise — the cluster of grapes, which is thus cut down, is weighty enough to be borne by two — the eongregation of our Israel may possibly murmur and doubt our report, that "the land which we pass- ed through to search it, is an exceeding good land ;" but we will say as to the company of old, (Numbers xiii. 8.) "If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us, a land which flow- eth with milk and honey ;" and if our report be false, how are some of the promises to Israel of old, ever to be verified, as they must be, in their own land ? The Sermon is here recommended not only for its own sake, but on account of the judicious se- lection of authorities annexed to it. Basilicus, was , it not contrary to his present avowed design, could add many more from the fathers of the church and others — " Veteres duplicem resurrectionem crede- bant, unam particularem justorum in adventu Mes- siae, alteram generaliorem in fine mundi." (Hulsii Theol. Jud.) The general resurrection appears to take place before " the white throne and him that sat on it," at the expiration of the thousand years, when death, and hell give up their dead, (Rev. xx. 11. 15.) which is the last judgment according to ivorks, and is thus 142 distinguished in the parallel account, (Mat. xxv. 31.) when the second advent is set forth under the figure of the nobleman who cometh after his departure for a season, to take account of his servants, where the unprofitable servant is cast alive into outer dark- ness, as the false prophet in the Revelations is, at the same period, cast alive into the lake of fire. The different statements seem to show, that the living wicked (then in the flesh) will be destroyed at the appearance of Christ. — They that will not have him to reign over them will be slai7i before his presence, when he returns "having received the kingdom," (Luke xix. 8. 27.) and will be raised up with the dead, great and small, when the thousand years are expired, and all enemies being subdued, the kingdom is given up, and the mediatorial dispensation closed. These remarks on the general resurrection are add- ed, to show that it is no more affected by this view of the first resurrection of the just, than other gene- rals are affected by their respective ;?ar^ic?, each of which appears to have a distinct signification, must necessarily occasion some ambiguity in those passages wherein any two of them are used in connexion; and if this ambiguity should in any degree be removed by the simple sub- stitution of more appropriate and analogous expres- sions, some light may be thrown upon subjects of the greatest concern and moment. Take for instance a passage in the same Evangelist, where xoofioi and atcov are used in the same connexion, and both trans- lated "world." (Matt. xiii. 38.) "The field is the world." The ^^ harvest IS the end of the world." "So shall it be in the end of this world." On perusing the passage in which these words appear, any plain mind must draw the inference, that at the destruction of this material globe, the procedure represented un- der the figure of an harvest would take place — but when it appears in the original, that different words 149 are used, that the world which is the field, is xofj^ttoj, mundus, universe, and the world which is then to end is aiwr, saeculum, age; and that " this worlds" re- fers to the word signifying age; and not to that which signifies wnj'rcrse/ the natural and obvious inference would rather be, '•^when this age of the world shall end, then shall the liar vest come." That "-^ this age" is not the proper end of the world, and, therefore, that the harvest is not the end of all things here below, may appear from a passage where our Lord is also the speaker; ^^ this world" is contrasted with '■'• that world," Avhich on any con- struction will be allowed to be still future — and as the word is there also acwv, if " that world" means eternity, then " this ivorld" must mean eternity also, for it is the same expression precisely. " This world" used for the earth, may be opposed in an English translation to *^ that world" as heaven; but if a^v be age and not icorld, then this age and that age have both a reference to times and seasons, and are periods distinguished from each other. Luke xx. 34. ''The children o{ this icorld marry and are giv- en in marriage, but they Avhich shall be accounted worthy to obtain that ivorld and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in mar- riage," that is, one to another : for they are now be- trothed, and then will be married to Christ ; for at his glorious appearance and kingdom, and the first resurrection of the just, " the marriage of the Lamb is come." The bridegroom is absent in this age, and the church mourneth ; but in that he will be pre- sent, and the church will rejoice. " Lo ! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world," (atwy, age.) This presence will be allowed to be spiritual, not personal; but it will then be personal, as well N 2 150 as spiritual. The sacrament was instituted for this age, in that it should seem it would cease. " Ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come," but when Christ who is our life shall appear, we shall appear with him, and enjoy the fulness of that intermediate pledge in the marriage supper of the Lamb. In the parable of the tares, he that soiveth the good seed is the Son of man, (Luke xiii. 37.) and when the " harvest of the earth is ripe," (Rev. xiv. 15.) " the chief reaper is the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." Thus the sower and the reaper will re- joice together, not in the destruction of the world ; but of the wicked on the face of it; not in the end of theworld,hut'm the termination of the age of the reign of Antichrist, and in the fall of Babylon. "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and pro- phets." Rev. xviii. 20. "Let us be glad and rejoice, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." It is thus manifest, that if the harvest in Matt. xiii. 39. be the end of the world literally, it is not so in Rev. xiv. 14 — 16, for many things succeed the harvest on the face of it, till it is renewed, not destroyed. "The heavens and the earth shall perish," that is, in their present form, " they shall wax old as a garment, and be fold- ed up as a vesture, and they shall be changed" for a more beautiful garment, a xoa/itoj ornamentum, a new earth, wherein righteousness shall dwell. If the promise to Abraham that he siiould be heir of the ivorld, xodfjLov, (Rom.iv. 13.) is to be fulfilled, it must be in another age and state thereof, for neither he nor his posterity have enjoyed that inheritance as yet; if it be limited to his spiritual seed ; if the meek arf; to inherit the earth, (yjjv) Matt. v. it must be 151 the "new earth," ytiv xatvr^v of the Apocalypse, in one of *' the ages to come," aiwtfi. i7tipx^H-^voi,[n w'uch God will show the exceeclinsj riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus, Eph. ii. 7. when Satan will be bound, and not in this age of this world, of which he is the ruler, and (ver. 2.) in which he now worketh in the children of disobedi- ence. There is another passage, where the same indis- criminate use is made of the term world, as used for xoofioi and aiwi-, Heb. ix. 26. "Then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the worlds (xo(Tftoj) but now once in the aid of the world, (aiuw) hath he appeared to put away sin, by the sacrifice of himself, and then follows, " to the ni that look for him, shall he appear the second time, without sin unto salvation ;" If he appeared in the end of the ivorld to put away sin, and he is to appear again without sin, and promises after he had put away sin, by the sacrifice of himself, to be with his disciples to the end of the world, these expressions cannot refer to the end of the world, propv-rly so called, for of that kind there can be only one, and these are clearly as distinct as the first and second advent, or the dis- pensation of " thefidne-is of time," when "God sent forth his Son made of a woman," Gal. iv. 4, and *' the dispensation of the fulness of times," when he will " gather together all things in Christ," Eph.i. 10, or when "he shall send Jesus Christ, which be- fore was preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things." Theiefore neither of these expressions properly sig- nify the end of the ivorld, (xouixoi) but the termination of an age, (at»v) respectively. 152 Sect. 4. '• Tlie world to cojne." Heb. ii. 5. It has been remarked, that the Gospel dispensa- tion is denominated by the apostle to the Hebrews, "the last days," in reference to anterior periods; — and thus the first ad vent of Christ was the consum- mation of all preceding ages, awttXsia tuv aiwrwy, and in this sense only, " the end of the World," in which He appeared, and of all these ages, past, pre- sent, and to come, He is the sovereign disposer, BA- 2IAET2 TS2N AliiNQN, 1 Tim, i. 17. At « xoc taj otwvas srtoi^jas. Heb. i. 2. per quem fecit et specula, Trans. Vulg. They were all constructed, and re- spectively adapted to successive dispensations un- der each, by the word and wisdom of God, as the Creator and Redeemer of man, the Saviour of the world; (xocifiw) as Prophet, Priest, and King; — and thus even the passage in Heb. xi. 3. " through faith we understand that the worlds {tovs attoraj) were framed by the word of God," is translated by the best Vulgate, " Fide intelligimus aptata esse saecida verbo Dei," and by Tremellius, " Per fidem intelli- gimus quod constructafuerints^ci wv aicjvt, in this age, but in that which is to come, iv r« nixxovm. Ef, f.enl, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy ser- vant, but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him, who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb or deaf, or the seeing or the blind ? have not 1 the Lord ? Now therefore, go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shall say." Thus was this man of Ciod brought off from hie. r2 198 calculalion of practical probabilities, to a simple compliance with a command, and simple performance of a work. Hear his words, " Send, I pray thee, by the hand of him thou wilt send," Exodus iv. In the dealings of God with man, the practical re- sults of dociv'me and duty are in general very differ- ent, and often exactly opposite to those which igno- rance and unbelief would anticipate. The means of apparent destruction may be turned, in the walk of faith and in the path of duty, into the means of immediate deliverance, accoz'ding to the saying of our Lord, "He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Under what unpromising circumstances was this lesson inculcated on God's ancient people ? Surroun- ded by the mountains of Pihahiroth, " entangled in the land, when the wilderness had shut them in ;" six hundred chosen chariots behind, and a raging sea in front, the Lord said unto Moses, "Where- fore criest thou unto me ? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go fouwaud." The consideration of practical inference, must, i» this case, have been as urgent as possible ; with ap- parent destruction in view, but the practical result of a ready compliance was the very opposite to any probable anticipation, " The children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and Isra- el saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore." Es-od. xiv. Numerous instances might be adduced in corro- boration of the above to show, both from the record of revelation and the result of Christian experience, that when doctrine is clear, and the path of duty plain, practical inference is not the most important subject for human consideration. It is sufficient if faith be 199 made the standard of opinion, and obediente ti:c guide of practice. But if Moses, the man of God, was thus compassed with infirmities, who can ex- pect exemption ? How great are the allowances to be made for all, who being children of Abraham, as heirs of his faith, have not received it in all re- spects in equal measure and proportion ? Without contending, therefore, for an exclusive ground which might be taken, viz. Practical inferen- ces form no necessary part of the question^, under consid- eration^ it shall be our endeavour, in the present sec- tion, to show, that the view promulgated in these papers, so far from bearing the aspect of a merely specidative question^ has a practical trndevcy of an operative and influential nature upon many of the most important and vital parts of Christian obliga- tion and positive duty. It may be expedient to distribute these consider- ations, as they may severally affect, I. The ministers of the Gospel in particular. II. The members of the church in general. III. The world at large. If any apology be requisite for the introduction of the first head of consideration, it may be found in the apostolic injunctions of Paul to Timothy, and through him to the successive ministers of the Gospel to the end of time. A pecidiar obligation to the study of the question, seems to be thereby laid upon those individuals to whom " the ministry of reconciliation," may be committed in "the lat- lER TIMES." " Now the Spirit spcaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their consciences 200 seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry," Sec. and then follows, (1 Timothy iv. 6.) "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these thiyigs, thou shalt be a good minister of jesus christ, nour- ished up in the words offaith^ and of good doctrine." By this admonition of the apostle, it appears, that one characteristic at least of a good minister, in the latter times especially, is to study most attentively the progress of the great apostacy from the faith once delivered to the saints, for how can he put the brethren in remembrance of these things, if they are not sufficiently impressed upon his own mind. Ad- mitting, for the sake of argument, that the apostle had chiefly, or even exclusively in view in this pas- sage, that departure from the simplicity of Christ, which was afterwards exemplified in the supersti- tion and corruptions of the church of Rome : it may be averred, Avithout offence to individuals, the fact being general, that the ministers of the Gospel in later periods subsequent to the reformation, have not been sufficiently impressed themselves, and therefore have by no means sufficiently impressed on their brethren or others, the diversified evils, and unscriptural practices, pretensions, claims, and expectations of the papal see; insomuch that in this our day, congregations and communities are either so ignorant, or so careless on the subject, that it is become comparatively a matter of indifference ; nay more, should a Ciiristian now speak of that church, its tenets, and pretensions, after a Scriptural man- ner, or in the very language of our own primitive reformers, who sealed tLeir opposition to them with their blood, he would be generally esteemed a bigot, or at least, a person strangely deficient in that mod- ern subsiitute for Christian charity, so falsely call- 201 rd liberality, when the term is applied to the con- '>erns of an immortal soul. A minister of the Gos- pel who should in these days, lift up his voice like a trumpet, and ^'•put the brethren in remembrance" of the enormities formerly committed under that apos- tacy, against the real members of Christ's mystical body, and the probability of a renewal of the same on the removal of those restraints and disabilities wisely imposed by protestants upon persons of that opposite communion, instead of being reputed a good minister of Jesus Christ, would be generally regard- r'd as raising unnecessary and groundless appre- hension in the present advanced state of Christian knowledge, illumination, and benevolence. Such is the practical effect of a practiced disregard to this apostolic admonition for the latter times, as far as may regard the papacy; and the evil of such omis- sion extends to the correspondent neglect of the circumstances connected with the second advent of the Messiah ; for it is evident from the word of pro- phecy, and the uniform tenor of protestant inter- pretation, that this apostacy will continue, however enfeebled and broken, till its utter destruction at the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven, by the brightness of which epiphany and personal presence, (jtof 8n, age). " Looking {'or that blessed hope, and the glorious appearance of the ^reat God and our Saviour Jt-sus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. Thesk things speak and exhort," Titus ii. 11. ad fin. To what consideration do we find these practical injunctions referred, but to that very mani- festation and kingdom on earth, the anticipation of which, and not our going to heaven, is the constant and uniform scope of all the apostle's argument on the subject, as St. Peter testifies in his behalf, using the same practical inferences. Speaking on the very cjuestion, he says, "Wherefore beloved, seeing ye look fur such things (a new heaven and a new earth) be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless; and account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul, tvho in all his epistles, ac- cording to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you, speaking in them oi' these things. In which (c-v oij, in the things, not in the epistles, as generally supposed") are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, to their own de- struction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, i)ewarc lest ye also being led away witli the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness, but groiv in grace, arul in the knowledge of our IjOrd and Saviour Jesus Christ.^* The general epistles of St. Peter will be more properly considered in detail, under the second head, with reference to the church at large, but there is one passage, which, with great propriety, may be introduced here, wherein the same connexion is ob- S 206 siM'ved between the sitfferlng and reigning slates ot' the church, the same period referred to for the com- mencement of the latter, and a similar /)?'«c/ico/ in- ference deduced. The apostle, after discoursing largely of the believers' participation in the suffer- ings of Christ, and the joy which should succeed, "zr/ien his glory should be revealed," makes this so- lemn appeal to the elders of the church : " The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an el- der, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the over- sight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither as be- ing lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away," 1 Pet. v. 1 — 4. It may be generally remarked of ministers and other members of the church, that the attention and expectation of both, are exclusively directed, by the received mode of interpretation, to what is generally understood by the expression of going to heaven, by an immediate irar\s]a.\.\on to the celestial glory; where- as the views of the apostle invariably point to a pre- vious consideration, the coming of Christ from heaven with all his saints, who during their absence from the body are now present with him; and thus, even in the time of St. Paul, the church was led to expect his speedy return to take his kingdom, and reign up- on earth. To rectify all misconception of this event, which appears to have been enforced at that time, as it should still be, more with a practical than a propheti- cal view, the ap.ostle wrote his epistles to the Thessa- lonians 1 but It is well descrvincr of notice, that while 207 lie places Lhe event, as it were, at its prophetical dis- tance, he maintains throiig-hout, the practical tenden- cy of tlic expectation itself. 'J'lie coudng and king- dom of Christ and his saints, forms still the scope of each ej)i5tle, every doctrinal position, and every practical inference turns upon, and hinges in every chapter upon this ciirdinal point, thk i-ersonal de- scent, when '• we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air," and when " them also which aleep in Jesus will God bring with him." 1 Thess. i, "^TFait (or his son from heaven." 1 Thess. ii. ''The presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming." 1 Thess. iii. ^'' At the coming o^ our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints." 1 Thess. iv. " The Lord himsele shall descend." 1 Thess. V. "I pray God, your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the com- ing of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess. i. *' When he shall come to be glorified in his saints." 2 Thess. ii. '■• We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our LordJeaus Christ." 2 Thess. iii. "The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, into the patient waiting {or Christ." If the apostle was taught to giound all his doc- trines and precepts upoti this one great expectation, and to fix the attention of the church upon it, at a time, when the event was comparatively distant, the practical inferences drawn by him fi-om this sole con- sideration, might be expected to operate with in- creasing energy, according to its nearer approxima- tion. The apostle has, in fuct, drawn this inference himself in all the fulness of its acunuilative force, 20S aud progressive, practical importance; "Let us> consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of our- selves together, as the manner of some is, but ex- horting one another, and so tnucli the more^ as ye see the day approaching." (Heb. x. 25,) Have we not witnessed, not only the taking away of him that let- teth, but the revelation of " that wicked one whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth, .md destroy with the brightness of his coming?" If St. Paul, notwithstanding his specific cautions, still founded his exhortation to ^^patience," by fixing the attention of the church upon the certainty of this event, and upheld their confidence by the consider- i'-lion of its actual approach, "For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, aud will not tar- ry," Heb, X. 35. If St. James adopted precisely the same course of admonition, " Be patient unto the com- ing of the Lord; stablish your hearts, for the com- ing of the Lord draweth nigh." If wc know perfectly^ that " the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night," ought it not to be our desire to be found among those brethren " who are not in darkness, that that day should overtake them as a thief?" Ought we not to "comfort ourselves together, and edify one another, and pray always that our God would count us worthy of this calling," aud "stab- lish us in every good word aud work ?" May it not be alleged, that the very reasons assigned by St. Paul in his own days for a protracted expectation of the glorious epiphany, might now be advanced with perfect consistency for a near anticipation of the circumstances under which, according to the apos- tolic testimony, we are to expect "the corning of 209 o"ur Lord Jesus Christ, mul our gathering together unto him?" 2 Thess. ii. 1. Has not our Lord himself condescended to deline- ate the very prognostics by vhich his disciples are to KNOW "that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand?" " When these things bea:in to come to pass." Have we not his own practical admonition^ written for our encouragement and reproof? " Take heed to your- selves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted wor- thy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke xxi. 34—36. The considerations adduced under the preceding head, concerning ministers of the gospel, have an especial reference to ihe personal advent of Christ, and the duty laid upon them of directing their at- tention to that primary event ; but in contemplating the subject, as it affects "Me members of the church in general^" a wider range may be taken, as many additional encouragements of a practical nature are to be deduced from the several concomitant circum- stances, or immediate consequences of the glorious rmphany. It is an observation suggested by a superficial I'iew of human life, and confirmed by common ex- perience, that, objects indefinite and distant, do not affect the mind, or inlluencc the conduct of indivi- duals ; whereas distinctness of apprehension, and proximity of attainment, command immediate no- 'ice, and excite practical exertion, Tlic Christiari s 9 210 church at large exemplifies the remark. The day of judgment, the resurrection of the dead, the world to come, even the recovery of Israel, and the latter day glory of the church, are subjects so confounded by indistinct conceptions of their nature and rela- tive connexion, that hitherto they have rarely made a suitable impression on the mind, and some of theni are placed at such an immoderate distance, as to be scarcely perceptible to the eye of rational inquiry. Education, habit, and prejudice have concurred with a common understanding among men to leave these matters to their own generalities and suppos- ed impenetrable obscurity. The general pleas of presumption, enthusiasm, self-delusion, and the like, are advanced, and admitted as sufficient to stifle at once any pretensions to nicer investigation and advanced discovery. Thus even believers re- main in a state of nonage, babes for the most part in divine attainments, and have need to be taught again the rudiments of a science in which, consid- ering the age in which they were born, and the times in which their lot is cast, they ought to be instruct- ors to their generation. When some of these great truths are incidentally firought before them in the course of public instruc- tion, they, like Agrippa, are ahnosf persuaded. When reasonings upon righteousness and judgment to come are forced upon their ears, they, like Felix, tremhhy but the convenient season for laying these things to heart seldom arrives. The consideration that ''* all things remain as they were," has acted as a general opiate to lull the attention of mankind; the fljuestiou, '* where is the promise of his coming?" .vould not be confined to scoffers, did not decency silence a doubt, which faith has perhaps not altoge- 211 ther dispelled. It is still time lor tlie professing people of God, to live in ceiled houses, but the time is not yet come, according to general estima- tion, to build the house of the Lord. They eat, they drink, they marry, and arc as full of the cares of this life as if they had no bread which the world knoweth not of, no mansion not made with hands, no reserved inheritance, no bridegroom to go forth and meet. Many, we may suppose, assisted in the prepara- tion of the ark, who secretly derided its builder, though he were a preacher of righteousness; and more than a century, would probably be consumed in preaching a kingdom and an earth, wherein the righteous shall dwell, and reign, before attention would be conciliated to the consideration of times and circumstances, marvellously analogous to the days of Noah. The vision was for an appointed fime, when it should speak, but the time will probably come, and the vision speak in vain, till the awful proclamation issue, that " lime shall be no more." Such, it must be admitted, with comparatively few exceptions, is the practical fffect of generally received opinions concerning the second advent, and "the age to come." As the religion of the illiterate consists in being as good as their neigh- bo'irs, and in doing no harm, so they expect to es- cape, as it were, with their neighbours, and have no harm done to them in the day of account ; as the religion of the learned turns on their knowledge of doctrine, and habit of doing good, they for the most part expect to be distinguished from the crowd by the merit of their attainments and works; each pro- crastinates the day, or at least postpones the prac- 212 tical consideration of it, till bodily dissolution ap- proaches. Persons truly awakened and converted, are not to be reckoned in either class, whatever their con- dition may be, but early education has so much in- fluence in forming even their opinions upon the subjects in question, that when personal religion •seriously arrests their attention, it is generally so engrossed thereby, that the glorious expectations of the church here upon earth, seldom occupy that place to which they are entitled, in the secret medi- tations, or public exercises of its genuine and spiri- tual members. The salvation of the soul is all in all with them, " the redemption of the body," is comparatively of little concern ; the fact of the re- surrection is admitted, while the circumstances of its order, priorities, and distinctions, so clearly re- cognised in holy writ, are for the most part disre- garded. The condition of the Jews is viewed only as a standing miracle, and is thus allowed to remain ; that neglected part of the community, regarded by the world with scorn and derision, supplies the Christian with an argument for the truth of his own religion, while the promises concerning their re- storation are admitted into his creed so far only as their accommodation ministers to his own spiritual requirements, and furnishes manna for himself un- der the privations of his figurative wilderness. He takes up his station on Gerizim, and engrossing all its blessings, consigns to its original occupants, the possession and curse of Ebal. The Gentile en- joying the figure, overlooks a literal fulfilment to the Jew. Canaan is transferred to his own bosom, or placed in the heavens above, any inhere but in thr Land of Promise. 213 The canon of accon\moclation, •' Valet ima sum- mis mutare et insignes attenuat," — the plainest ex- pressions submitted to its ordeal change their im- port — " KiNonoM OF Israel," thus transmuted, signifies Gentile dynasty — *' Coming down" is inter- preted '•''a strong metaphor for an ascension upwards" — '' Time" becomes the synchronism of Eternity, and " Earth" the synonyme o{ Heaven. Tliese remarks on the />r«c/ica/ operation of receiv- ed opinions, may be sufficient to excite a question, whether a result of such discrepancy to the great economy of man's probationary condition, may not have arisen from erroneous or inadequate concep- tions of its consummation and issue. If it shall appear that the redemption of soul and body is, ac- cording to the plain import of the scriptural view of salvation, brought more within the scope of our present capacity, than any condition purely spiritu- al and celestial can be ; if the glory of the Redeem- er shall seem to be concerned in the full manifesta- tion of his power and godhead, by the final deliver- ance and establishment of his church on the very theatre of their sufferings ; if expressions generally referred to heaven do relate to a state on earth ; if •' the dominion wider the whole heaven" is yet to be given to the Son of man; if " the saints of the most high" are to take this kingdom and possess it, and reign on the earth ; if the earth itself is to be renew- ed and fitted for tlie habitation of the righteous; if these things be so, and such things are recorded for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come, the argument from analogy, from expe- rience, and from the common operation of cause and effect, must show, that the practical efficacy of such views and rxpectations must operate with a 214 force and intensity proportional to such clearness ol' apprehension, and such proximity of attainment. Noah would not have been so diligent in his prepa- rations for the Arkj had he not been admonished that the deluge was at hand. David prepared ma- terials for the temple, because of the promise that his son should build it. Jonah was quickened in his mission to Nineveh, by the pressing considera- tion that '* yet forty days and that great city should be overthrown." Daniel set his face unto the Lord in prayer, having understood by books that the cap* tivity in Babylon was near its accomplishment. The Christian church escaped to Pella, when they un- derstood by certain prognostics, that the destruc- tion of Jerusalem was at hand. Doubtless the days Z.YC Julfilled when Christians should be warned to flee from the wrath to come ; when the materials of the spiritual temple are to be gathered ; when the gospel should be preached to the mystical Nineveh ; when earnest supplication should be made for the restoration of Israel; and when the beginning of sor- rows and judgments on the professing house of Ciod, call loudly upon his people to escape out of Babylon, lest they be partaker of her plagues, and sink in her fall. It is an important concession from an author who has written with the avowed purpose of refuting the views already exhibited in these essays, that "there is something in the hypothesis of the personal reign of the Messiah, which as far as it is believed, is EXCEEDINGLY AFFECTING TO THE MIND." The au- thor states these sentiments ^^from his own experi- ence" and thus affords ue most satisfactory evi- dence as to the practical view of the subject which any case can admit of,- for it is the confession of an 215 adversary, and therefore carries with it all the weight of unquestionable testimony. But the doctrine is of too much moment to be believed hy halves. The expectation is either scrip- tural^ or it is not ; if it is, it is entitled to full assent, and thus admitted in toto would not only " affect the mind exceedingly" but materially affect the conduct. The mind may be moved to excess, the affections excited even to transport, the passions considerably agitated by striking and animated exhibitions of the theory of salvation, and cold indeed must be the breast which is susceptible of ordinary impressions only, from the fervid and glowing colours in which the vs'ord of prophecy has delineated the circumstan- ces of the second advent, and the triumphant slate of the church on earth ; but when these subjects are handled in a doctrinal and didactic way, as they are by the apostles, the purpose is not the excitement of feeling, or the exercise of mental endowments, but the regulation of human condftct under the ex- isting circumstances, or successive changes of the world. The whole question assumes a practical form, doctrines are declared, and duties are enjoin- ed ; objects of faith are proposed as the ground and encouragement of a corresponding practice ; obedi- ence under the present economy is enforced by the consideration of a just and adequate reward, reserv- ed for distribution in a dispensation to come, and Christian profession is thus brought to the rigid lest, and unerring standard of Christian obligation. The whole subject, as it regards the members of the church in general, is treated after this manner in the two Catholic epistles of St. Peter, containing together the most systematic and comprehensive, and at the <5ame time the rr.o^^i pracfirnl r'inr whicb 216 is to be found in holy writ. The apostle delineates the character and condition of the believer from his birth of the incorruptible seed of the word, to his admission into "/Ae everlasting kingdom." He warns him of all his dangers, enforces all his duties, and sets before him all his privileges, ever main- taining the connexion of his suffering with his tri- umphant state, ever directing his mind to the glori- ous appearance, personal descent, and return of the Redeemer, as the scope of all his endeavours, and the substance of all his hopes. The condemnation of the fallen angels, the uni- versal flood, the overthrow of Sodom, the deliver- ance of Noah, and of Lot ; are set before the church and the world, not as types and figures only, but as patterns for imitation and examples to deter, un- der a dispensation yet to come, for the recompense of the just, and the perdition of the ungodly. The recapitulation of the whole is summed up in this practical exhortation, " Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God." (2 Peter iii. 11, 12.) The limits of this section, already extended be- yond its due proportion, by the copious matter which a practical view of the subject affords, will not admit of a general analysis of these epistles, which, if accurately made, would mainly conduce towards the settlement of a question, of which the last chapter of the 2d epistle may be deemed the scriptural key. The question itself concerning either advent, seems to be propounded in the 1st chapter of thft 217 hrst epistle, and the character of each is distinguish- ed. By an attentive perusal of the first 13 verses, it will appear, that two kinds or degrees of salvation are spoken of. In ver. 9, we read of a salvation re- ceived, even the salvation of the soul. " Of which salvation, the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you." In ver. 5, and 13, we read of another salvation, and another grace; "A salva- tion ready to be revealed in the last time," and " the grace that is to be brought unto you, at the revela- tion of Jesus Christ." The spirit of Christ "testi- fied beforehand of the si'J/erings of Christ and the glory that should follow." The apostle calls him- self '' a witness of the suflcrings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed." He exhorts others to " rejoice, inasmuch as ye are par- takei's of Christ's sufferings^ that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also, Avith exceed- ing great joy." He sets before them the pattern and pledge of this glory in the power and coming of Christ, as exhibited in the Holy Moimt, where Moses and Elias "appeared in glory." He is to come, according to another apostle, "to be glorifi- ed and admired in them that believe," to "change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like un- to his glorious body :" and again, " if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together," "if we sufi"er we shall also reign Avith him." On this glorious epiphany, and on this kingdom, both yet to come, does St. Peter, in perfect harmony with St. Paul, direct the church to fix its scriptural ex- pectation. He speaks under one view of "The ap- pearing of Jesus Christ, "—" The everlasting king- T 218 dom,"— " The day of judgment, " — and " a thousand years." Thus connecting the second advent, the reign of the Messiah upon earth, and the judgment of quick and dead, with the millennium ; a combina- tion and coincidence already exhibited in these pa- pers, and illustrated from scriptural evidence. On these grounds, and in expectation of a state so dif- ferent from the present, that it is denominated " new heavens, and a new earth," the apostle exhorts the church in general to pay a •practical attention to the following duties ; patience under trials — constancy in affliction — holiness in all manner of conversa- tion — careful circumspection — laying aside malice and hypocrisy — growth in grace — edification in the faith — abstinence from fleshly lusts — good works — honest conversation — submission to lawful au- thority — loyalty and philanthropy — family subjec- tion, and domestic authority — endurance of injuries — meekness of temper — unanimity — compassion — charity — courtesy — returning good for evil — re- straint of the tongue — suffering for righteousness* sake — bearing the reproach of Christ — sobriety — • vigilance — hospitality — gratuitous superintendence and support of Christ's flock — mutual subjection — entire resignation to God — and steadfast resistance of the devil. Such are the practical injunctions of the first epis- tle, and they are all virtually included in that brief, but comprehensive summary of Christian faith and practice, contained in 2 Pet.i. " Giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue, and to virtue, knowledge, and to knowledge, temperance, and to temperance, patience, and to patience godliness, and to godli- ness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, charity," &c. "for so an entrance shall be minis- 219 icred unto you abuiidanlly into the everlasting KINGDOM of our LoFcl aucl Saviour Jesus Christ.'' The apostle informs the church, that in both his epistles, it is his object to call to (heir remembrance " the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets." The prophet Daniel speaks of a time when "the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever," (Dan. vii. 18.) ''The kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high, whose kingdom is ax everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." The prophet and the apostle are both speaking of the second advent, and therefore this everlasting KINGDOM, so called, because it shall not be destroy- ed by any other, appears to be that which is given to the Son of man at his coming in the clouds of heaven, into which *^ an abundant entrance" is pro- mised to the church by St. Peter, and which Da- niel speaks of as taken and possessed by the saints. This appears to be no other than the glorious reign of the Messiah and his redeemed, on the destruction of the prophetical and apocalyptic beast, or Roman empire ; and that it is a kingdom on earthy and not in heaven^ is manifest from the expression, ^^ under the whole heaven;" and it is over the whole earth, otherwise how are all people, nations, and langua- ges, to serve therein ? If on a prophetical view of the subject it should appear, that according to any and every scriptural and possible calculation, this kingdom cannot be very far distant, if it should ap- pear highly probable, that it is nigh at hand, then it must be admitted, that a practical view must now or never be " exceedingly affecting to the mind," 220 and powerfully influential on the conduct. Kthk DAY OF THE LoRD, which St. Peter tells us, " will come as a thief in the night," be " the coming of the Son of man couched under that figure in Matt, xxiv. 43, and Rev. iii. 3, and xvii. 15 ; if the ex- haustion of the Turkish power be signified by the drying up of the Euphratsean waters under the 6th vial of the Apocalypse, all which appears not only plausible, but in the highest degree probable : then, indeed, though we know neither the day, nor the liour, the time is come, when, as Noah preached righteousness, and Jonah repentance ; as John came baptizing with water, so ought those disciples, who are not in darkness, that that day should overtake them as a thief, to be even now, " like unto men that wait for their Lord," for "blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching," Luke xii. 36. Not to discern " this time," under existing circumstances, can arise only from that species of hypocrisy to which such blindness is attributed in scripture. Here then we might leave the subject, as far as it concerns the church in general} for if the epistles of St. Peter do not, for the most part, justify the expectations contended for, and his view thereof be notpractical in the highest degree ; all such opinions, from w^hatever source derived, may be deemed merely speculative, and consequently of doubtful ob- ligation; but the scriptural evidence as to faith and practice is not confined to the testimony of this apostle, satisfactory and conclusive as it must ap- pear to every unprejudiced mind. In addition to the many confirmations contained in the parables and discourses of our Lord, and replete as they are with practical admonitions with reference to his comin^^ 221 as the Son of man to take his kingdom, there is a great body of evidence to be collected, not only from the whole book of the Apocalypse, but especially as to the practical view, from the epistolary admonitions addressed to the Asiatic churches. Whatever may be the opinions of learned exposi- tors as to the prophetical character of these remark- able addresses to the church in general, there can be no diversity of sentiment as to their jarac^ica/ im- port, and their application to the various circum- stances and condition of individual believers. ^^ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spint saith to the churches," is the monitory voice addressed to every one of the regenerate at the conclusion of each address, and the commencement of each is ixs, prac- tical as the conclusion is personal. " I know thy WORKS. " In the characters of these primitive church- es; the backslidei' — the false professor — the hypo- crite—the covetous man — the idolater — the spirit- ual adulterer — the formalist — aiid the lukewarm, are personally admonished. In each " He that over- cometh" is individually encouraged with a specific promise, and therein all true believers are included, for " Who is he that overcometh, but he that believ- eth ?" A very simple consideration of the nature and quality of these promises will be sufficient to show that many of them were not fulfilled to the churches originally addressed, and that having re- ceived no adequate fulfilment since, their ultimate and full accomplishment is yet in reserve to the col- lective body of the faithful in " the dispensation of the fulness of the times," and at " the restitution of all things," in " //le regeneration," when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, and the reign of the saints commence. rp O 222 The promises to "him that overcomcth," thai *• he shall eat of the tree of life," and " not be hurt of the second death," might alone illustrate the po- sition. Whatever may be the spiritual and inchoate reference of the first to the daily sustenance of the faithful, even now by the body and blood of Christ; we read in Rev. xxii. 2, that in the New Jerusalem state, "in the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life." This, and the preceding chapter, are considered by the ge- nerality of expositors, as figurative of the heavenly state alone, but the view now taken from their in- ternal evidence will go far towards the refutation of that exclusive reference, and show that a time state on earth is shadowed forth under this expressive imagery. Of this " tree of life," it is said, "the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations^" and few, it is conceived, if any, who maintain that the New Jerusalem is the celestial glory, will ex- pect the healing of the nations after the translation of the church to heaven itself. But the second promise, *'He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the se- cond death," is still more conclusive as to a prior condition of the redeemed upon earth. By Rev. xx. 6, it appears that exemption from the second death, is one of the high privileges of the first resurrec- tion, " Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power." It is well known, that the doctrine of the first re- surrection had such a 7Jracrjc«Z influence in the early ages of the church, that many suffered patiently, and even desired martyrdom, that they might en- sure a part in it, and St. Paul clearly intimates the .^ame, when he says, " others were tortured, not ac- 223 ceptitig deliverance, that they might obtain a bet TER resurrection," Heb. xi. 15. lis practical influ- ence on his own conduct, is recorded by himself in his epistle to the Philippians, chap. 3. — See also Bishop Newton's reference from Dodwell, ver. 3, p. 579. Another promise is equally conclusive, " He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, unto him will I give power over the nations." It may be asked, when have believers, as such, ever yet had power over the nations, or how can they be expected to administer such power in hea- ven ? Surely such an authority can only be exercised, "when the meek shall inherit the earth," and the earth shall be fitted as an habitation for the righte- ous, when the kingdom and dominion shall be giv- en to the saints, " to execute the judgment written. Tliis honour have all his saints.," Psalm cxlix. Another promise may with equal propriety, be re- ferred to the dispensation in question, "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white rai- ment, and I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before my Fa- ther, and his angels." The New Jerusalem is represented as *'a bride adorned for her husband," and " to her was grant- ed, that she should be arrayed in fine linen, white and clean, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints," Rev. xix. 8. "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he co- meth in the glory of his Father with his holy an- gels." These two passages sufficiently prove the 224 time and circumstances of the fulfilment of the pro- mise. There are still two promises, which, if language has any meaning, and is to be taken according to its obvious sense, do most abundantly show, that these promises await their full and final accomplishment on the restoration of the kingdom to Israel on the establishment of Christ's Davidical throne and the reign of the saints on earth. " I will write upon him the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven." — "To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. " In the last promise the throne of the Son is clearly distinguished from that of the Father, as it is in other places of Scripture, and by the Saviour him- self. — See Luke xxii. 29, 30, and Matt. xix. 28. If these promises are not to be referred to the glo- rious advent, and triumphant kingdom of the Mes- siah, it will be difficult to find any suitable and con- sistent application for them, collectively consider- ed; and if such be their reference, then not only the members of the church in general, but the world at LARGE, are concerned in their accomplishment. ** TTie kingdoms of this world, are to become the kingdoms of our Lord. " " The whole creation groan- eth and travaileth in pain together, and with ear- nest expectation- waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." But, " the creature is yet subject to vanity," and " the world lieth in wickedness. " The last days and the perilous times are come. The departure from the faith, of which " the Spirit speaketh expressly," 225 the very characters so accurately delineated by Pe- ter, Paul, Judc, and John, are hastening on the mys- tery of iniquity; earthquakes in divers places, dis- tress of nations with perplexity, the number of in- dividuals, who are at this time engaged in the pecu- liar investigation of the word of prophecy, these and many more signs of the latter days actually in appearance, render this subject one of immediate interest and importance, and of the most extensive practical application. Considering the immense preparation made by the economy of Redemption, for the salvation of man, and the means possessed by nations professing the faith, for the enlargement of the church of Christ, it is astonishing to a reflecting inind, that so little should hithert^have been effected thereby for theworld at large. Xnt nations dt-c still sitting in darkness, and the earth is stii! the habitation of cru- elty, and as much filled with violence as in the days of Noah. The Christian churches first planted, are either altogether extinguished, and swept from the earth, or have grossly degenerated from their pri- mitive state of simplicity. The prospect, lamenta- ble as it is, is no other than that delineated by the word of prophecy, but for want of attention to the light afforded by it in such darkness, the expecta- tion of the world, and the practical efforts of the church, are, for the most part, erroneous and ill di- rected. The potentates of the Roman apocalyptic world, are looking only to tlie enlargement of their dominions, and the coniinuance of their dynasties, to the building up again those very establishments, and the concentration of that very system, against which, divine judgments have hitherto, as in the davs of Pharaoh, been executed in vain. The church • 226 es are each looking to the propagation of their own peculiar tenets and the protection of their private interests. The powers in existence, secular and ec- clesiastical, appear equally blind to the great scrip- tural expectations of the church, and the judgments which are to begin at the house of God, and prepare for the restoration of his people. Hence the dispo- sition to favour a falling interest, and a blind indiffer- ence to that which is to rise again. Hence, " Edom saith, we are impoverished, but we will return, and build the desolate places. Thus saith the Lord of hosts. They shall build but I will throw down, and they shall call them, the border of wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord hath indig- nation for ever, and your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the BORDER OF IsRAEL," Mai. 1^4. It is just before the fall of Babylon, that the apostle " saw another angel fly in the midst of heav- en, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, " Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come." It may have been objected, that if the views suggested in these papers were received, it would draw off mankind from attention to their ordinary duties, and repress the present disposition to missionary exertions. So far from it, these views, as far as they have been promulgated and received, have been already bless- ed to the conversion of some to the true faith of Christ, and to the recovery of others who had de- parted from it, and as to the general diffusion of the gospel, as it was preached throughout the Ro- man world before the destruction of Jerusalem, so 227 possibly it will prove at last that this gospel of tht kingdom, (the gospel of the age to come), will be preached to all the world before the end : that is, the end of the present dispensation, for as Christ appeared " once in the end of the world," (the Jewr ish economy), to put away sin, so "to them that look for him shall he appear a second time (in the end of this world, the present Christian era,) with- out sin unto salvation," and then will "his king- dom come, and his will be done on earth." To expect that " the heathen will be given to the Son for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of ■the earth for his possession," before he is set up, as " KING upon his holy hill of Zion ;" to suppose that the nations will v/alk in the light of the New Jerusalem, before the restoration of Israel, is an ex- pectation, which, however general it may become, will not on that account be more scriptural. When Solomon was about to ascend the throne of his fa- ther, according to promise, "Adonijah exalted himself, saying, I will be king," and thus at the present time, it has been well remarked, the church, and even the world, expect a millennium of their own device and establishment. Hence, the vain expectation of some, of converting apostate Gen- tiles, and the hopelessness observable in others con- cerning the restoration of the Jews. Hence " the peo- ple imagine a vain thing, the kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together." Nevertheless " he that shall come will come, and will not tarry;" and as David said of the typical, so will it come to pass in the millennial reign, "Assured- ly Solomon my son shall reign, and sit upon my throne," and as the son of Bathsheba reigned of old, according to the promise, so according to the. 228 prophecy, " the kingdom shall come to the daugh ter of Jerusalem." There are two, and only two primary scriptural expectations prior to the great consummation. One is, the destruction of Babylon, and the other, the restoration of Israel. The practical consideration of these two would suffice if duly enforced, to regulate not only the current of public opinion, but the course of Christian duty. It would give a specific and peculiar efficacy to those missionary labours, by which the remnant according to the election of grace, is to be gathered in ; it would accelerate the last universal publication of the gospel, to be made as " A witness" to all nations. This, it appears, is intended rather for the conviction than the conver- sion of the world at large, for he who saith to his disciples " Occupy till I come, hath put also this practical question concerning mankind in general, When the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth ? rHE END. ■•'- J» St-.:'*