<n.Biii6?nt 
 
 BX  7117  .J3  I860  v. 5 
 James,  John  Angell,  1785- 
 
 1859. 
 The  works  of  John  Angell 
 
 James 
 
THE    WORKS 
 
 JOHN  ANGELL   JAMES 
 
 ONEWH1LE    MINISTER    OF    THE    CHURCH    ASSEMBLING    IN 
 CARRS    LANE    BIRMINGHAM 
 
 EDITED    BY    HIS    SON. 
 
 Vol.   XL 
 
 THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSOR  (Continued). 
 
 CHRISTIAN  FELLOWSHIP  OR  THE  CHURCH  MEMBER'S 
 GUIDE. 
 
 A  MANUAL  FOR  CHURCH  MEMBERS. 
 
 LONDON       HAMILTON     ADAMS    &    CO, 
 BIRMINGHAM    HUDSON   &  SONT. 
 
 MDCCCLXI. 
 
THE    CHRISTIAN    LIFE 
 
 JOHN   ANGELL   JAMES 
 
 OXEWHILE    MINISTER   OF    THE    CHUKCH    ASSEMBLING    IN 
 CAKRS    LANE    BIRMINGHAM 
 
 EDITED    BY    HIS    SON. 
 
 VOL.    II. 
 
 LONDON      HAMILTON    ADAMS    &    CO, 
 BIRMINGHAM     HUDSON  &  SON. 
 
 MDCCCLXI. 
 
If  "  The  Church  Member's  Guide"  was  one  of  the  Author's  earliest 
 books,  it  was  also  the  one  in  which  he  from  time  to  time  made 
 additions  and  alterations  of  the  greatest  importance.  The  subjects 
 of  it  were  perpetually  recurring  to  his  mind  with  the  deepest 
 interest,  as  they  related  to  the  scenes  and  institutions  amidst 
 which  he  lived  :  for  his  life  was  spent  in  teaching  men  their 
 duties,  especially  those  relating  to  the  self-government  of  the  church 
 of  Christ.  Finding  no  treatise  on  that  subject  sufficiently  minute 
 and  practical,  he  offered  this  work  to  the  churches  of  his  order,  and 
 it  immediately  attained  a  widely-extended  circulation  in  England  and 
 the  United  States. 
 
 The  notice  which  it  received  from  members  of  the  Anglican 
 Church,  is  stated  in  the  Preface  to  the  ninth  edition,  which  was 
 not  reprinted  after  the  publication  of  "  Dissent  and  the  Church  of 
 England,"  and  will  be  found  in  the  volume  containing  the  Author's 
 controversial  pieces,  with  a  further  notice  by  the  Editor. 
 
 This  book  was  considered  by  many  to  exaggerate  the  extent  and 
 frequency  in  the  Author's  denomination  of  the  evils  which  it  points 
 out,  and  his  anxiety  to  remove  those  evils  from  the  system  which  he 
 supported  as,  in  his  view,  most  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  and  ex- 
 amples of  the  New  Testament,  may  have  given  some  foundation  for 
 this  complaint :  but  whether  this  were  so  or  not,  the  candour  and  the 
 confidence  in  the  churches  which  the  whole  book  manifests,  and  the 
 noble  spirit  with  which  it  was  received  by  them,  may  challenge  a 
 parallel  in  church  history,  and  afford  no  slight  evidence  of  the  truth 
 and  influence  of  Congregational  principles.  The  Author  was  so 
 desirous  to  secure  a  wide  circulation  for  these  cautions  and  counsels 
 
among  those  of  his  own  communion,  that  at  last  he  printed  an 
 edition  of  it,  with  slight  abridgments,  which  he  sold  for  a  shilling. 
 
 The  ninth  edition  of  the  entire  work,  which  is  believed  to  have 
 received  the  Author's  last  corrections,  is  followed  here ;  but  a  section 
 on  the  private  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  omitted  in  it,  after 
 having  appeared  in  several  editions,  is  given  in  a  detached  form.  It 
 was  omitted  most  likely  because  not  needed  by  the  Congregational 
 denominations ;  certainly  not  because  the  Author  had  changed  his 
 opinions  there  expressed,  as  they  are  maintained  (though  very 
 briefly)  in  his  Manual  for  his  own  church  on  sale  at  his  decease. 
 
 This  Manual  is  reprinted  here  (with  the  omission  of  such  para- 
 graphs as  either  related  exclusively  to  that  church,  or  were  taken 
 from  the  "  Church  Member's  Guide,")  because  it  is  not  a  mere 
 abridgment  of  that  work,  but  is,  with  the  exceptiou  of  the  omitted 
 passages,  re-written. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 THE    CHRISTIAN   PROFESSOR  (Continued). 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Deference  to  the  Opinions  of  the  World   .         .  9 
 
 The  Duties  of  Professors  as  Citizens          .         .  12 
 
 Brotherly  Love        ......  25 
 
 The  Influence  of  Professors      ....  45 
 
 The     Duty     of    Professors     to     Unconverted 
 
 Relatives          ......  70 
 
 The  Unmarried  Professor         ....  90 
 
 The  Prosperous  Professor         .         .         .         .  104 
 
 The  Professor  in  Adversity       .         .         .         .  128 
 
 The  Conduct  of  Professors  from  Home     .         .  148 
 
 The  Backsliding  Professor        ....  166 
 
 The  Dependence  of  Professors   on   the   Holy 
 
 Spirit's  Influence     .          .          .          .          .  183 
 
 The  Dying  Professor        .         .         .         .         .  211 
 
 CHRISTIAN  FELLOWSHIP  OR  THE  CHURCH  MEMBERS 
 GUIDE. 
 
 Prefaces 233 
 
 The  Nature  of  a  Christian  Church  ...  239 
 
 The  Nature  and  Design  of  Church  Fellowship  254 
 
 The  Privileges  of  Membership          .         .         .  265 
 The   general   Duties   of   Church   Members   in 
 
 their  individual  capacity           .         .         .  272 
 The  Duties  of  Church  Members  towards  each 
 
 other 303 
 
 The  Duties  of  Church  Members  to  the  Mem- 
 bers of  other  Christian  Societies        .         .  332 
 The  Duties   of  Church  Members   in  peculiar 
 
 characters  and  stations      ....  343 
 
Miscellaneous  Subjects 
 
 The  nature  and  extent  of  Church  Power        .  380 
 
 The  supposed  Democracy  of  Congregational 
 
 Churches      .         .    '      .         .         .      n  .  382 
 
 The  Validity  of  the  Dissenting  Ministry       .  384 
 
 The  mode  of  conducting  Church  Meetings    .  387 
 
 The  Admission  of  Members  to  the  Church    .  389 
 
 Church  Discipline  .....  304 
 The  Removal  of  Members  from  one  Church 
 
 to  another  in  the  same  town  .          .  40-1 
 
 The  Choice  of  a  Minister 409 
 
 Counsels  to  a  Church  in  the   Choice  of    a 
 
 Minister       .         .  .         .          .         .  415 
 
 The  Causes  of  the  Schisms  which  sometimes 
 
 distract  and  disturb  Churches        .         .  425 
 
 Prayer  Meetings  .....  441 
 
 Private  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  448 
 
 A  MANUAL  FOR  CHURCH  MEMBERS. 
 
 The  Officers  of  the  Church       ....  455 
 
 The  Religious  Opinions  of  the  Church      .         .  457 
 
 The  Ends  of  Church  Fellowship       .         .         .  458 
 
 Admission  to  the  Church  ....  462 
 
 The  manner  of  Church  Discipline    .          .  .  465 
 
 Bye-Laws  of  the  Church  ....  471 
 
 Duties  of  Church  Members      ....  475 
 
 Attendance  at  Public  Worship  .         .         .  487 
 
 Church  Meetings 490 
 
 District  Meetings    ...  491 
 
 Directions  as  to  attending  Public  Worship        .  493 
 
 The  Duty  of  Supporting  Religious  Charities     .  497 
 
 Queries  for  Self-Examination  ....  499 
 Queries    for   Persons    Intending   to    Join   the 
 
 Church 501 
 
DEFERENCE  TO  THE  OPINIONS  OF  THE  WORLD. 
 
 CHAPTER    IX. 
 
 DEFERENCE    TO    THE    OPINIONS    OF    THE    WORLD. 
 
 This  is,  in  fact,  only  another  manifestation  of 
 worldly  conformity ;  but  is  so  specific  in  its  character, 
 of  such  frequent  occurrence,  and  if  persisted  in  without 
 repentance  to  the  end  of  life,  so  fatal  in  its  termination, 
 that  it  well  deserves  to  be  separately  considered. 
 
 Having,  in  a  former  chapter,  employed  the  language 
 of  one  American  divine,   I  shall   now  fill  this  chapter 
 with  the  pungent  address  of  another  :   and  I  do  this 
 because  no  language  or  sentiments  of  my  own  could 
 have  the  same  force.     It  is  quite  evident,  that  this  is 
 not  an  age  in  which  it  become  the  ministers  of  Christ 
 to  deliver  their  messages  in  dulcet  words,  or  to  prophesy 
 smooth  things  to  the  church.     The  tendencies  and  dan- 
 gers of  professors,  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  are  to 
 substitute  a  half-hearted  religion,  in  place  of  that  entire 
 yielding   up   the  judgment,  affections,  conscience,  and 
 life,  to  its  influence   and  control,  which  the  Word  of 
 God  demands.     A  very  large  portion  of  the  christians, 
 if  such  indeed  they  be,  of  this  age,  need  to  be  alarmed, 
 rather  than  comforted,  and  require  caustics  more  than 
 cordials.     It  is,  therefore,  not  only  without  scruple,  but 
 with  the  greatest  readiness,  I  avail  myself  of  the  follow - 
 Vol.  11  « 
 
10  DEFERENCE    TO    THE 
 
 ing  quotation  from  Mr  Finney's  tremendously  searching 
 volume  of  Lectures  to  Professors.* 
 
 I  make  no  apology  for  the  length  of  this  extract : 
 nor  do  I  shrink  from  the  charge  of  making  my  book  a 
 mere  compilation.  I  want  to  do  good  by  stirring  up 
 the  minds  of  professors  to  solemn  and  anxious  exami- 
 nation into  their  state;  by  shaking  that  unwarranted 
 confidence  in  which  some,  who  give  no  evidence  of 
 decided  spiritual  religion,  are  indulging,  and  I  care  not 
 by  what  means,  or  by  whose  help  I  do  this,  provided 
 the  means  and  the  help  are  lawful.  I  enter,  I  hope, 
 somewhat  into  the  spirit  of  the  apostle,  when  he  says, 
 "Work  out  your  salvation,  with  fear  and  trembling. " 
 I  see  professors  settling  upon  their  lees,  subsiding  into 
 an  easy  worldly  kind  of  religion,  taking  their  station 
 
 [*  This  extract  extends  to  so  many  pages,  that  the  reader  is 
 referred  to  the  original :  it  will  he  found  in  pp.  70  to  80  of  the 
 London  edition,  (the  third,)  1839.  Some  passages,  it  should  be  stated, 
 are  omitted.] 
 
 I  must  again  deliver  an  emphatic  caution  to  all  who  read  the 
 books  of  this  extraordinary  writer.  I  cannot  agree  with  some  of  his 
 statements,  which,  in  my  view,  unquestionably  tend  to  Arminianism, 
 if  they  may  not  be  declared  to  be  actually  such.  And  his  whole  style 
 of  address  is  too  dogmatical,  too  anathematising:  but  still,  never  was 
 there  a  writer  more  adapted  to  rouse  the  slumbering  professor,  and  to 
 dispel  the  illusions  of  the  self-deceived  one.  It  may  be  said  of  him 
 in  measure,  as  was  said  of  our  divine  Lord,  "  Whose  fan  is  in  his 
 hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor."  Yes,  he  does  indeed 
 lay  the  axe  to  the  root  of  the  tree ;  hewing  down  every  tree  that 
 brings  not  forth  good  fruit,  and  showing  that  it  is  only  fit  to  be  cast 
 into  the  fire.  Such  writers  and  preachers  are,  I  am  quite  sure,  needed. 
 He  may  carry  his  views  perhaps,  in  some  things,  too  far ;  but  his 
 sifting,  searching  mode  of  discriminating  between  true  and  false 
 religion,  is  eminently  calculated,  certainly  not  to  comfort,  but  to 
 counsel,  instruct,  and  warn.  There  are  many  things  in  the  volume 
 from  which  the  above  extract  is  taken,  which  prevent  me  from  giving 
 it  my  unqualified  recommendation.     Author's  Note. 
 
OPINIONS    OF    THE    WORLD.  11 
 
 half  way  between  the  church  and  the  world,  and  stand- 
 ins  with  their  face  to  the  latter,  and  their  back  to  the 
 former,  and  I  am  painfully  solicitous  to  shew  them  their 
 danger;  to  make  them  consider  how  dreadful,  how 
 possible,  yea  how  common  it  is,  to  go  down  to  the  pit 
 under  the  cloak  of  a  profession  of  religion.  It  is  in  the 
 exercise  of  this  solicitude  that  I  have  called  in  the  aid 
 of  Mr  Finney :  God  grant  that  we  may  be  the  means 
 of  awakening  many  to  deep  anxiety  and  searching 
 enquiry. 
 
12  DUTIES    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 CHAPTER    X. 
 
 THE    DUTIES    OF    PROFESSORS    AS    CITIZENS. 
 
 In  attempting  to  settle  the  difficult  question  of  the 
 extent  to  which  a  Christian  may  carry  his  active  con- 
 cern in  the  affairs  of  civil  government,  or  what  are 
 technically  called  politics,  two  things  must  be  borne  in 
 mind.  First,  that  civil  government  and  Christianity, 
 though  altogether  distinct  in  their  nature  and  designs, 
 are  not  opposed  to  each  other.  The  latter  acquaints  us 
 with  our  religious  duties,  or  in  other  words,  how  we 
 may  serve  God  here,  and  obtain  eternal  salvation 
 beyond  the  grave ;  while  civil  government,  though 
 sanctified  and  enforced  as  to  its  general  principles  by 
 the  New  Testament,  is  altogether,  as  to  its  specific 
 arrangements,  a  provision  of  human  skill,  to  secure 
 tranquillity  and  freedom  during  our  continuance  in  the 
 present  life.  "  Between  institutions,"  says  Mr  Hall, 
 "  so  different  in  their  nature  and  object,  it  is  plain  no 
 real  opposition  can  subsist ;  and  if  they  are  ever  repre- 
 sented in  this  light,  or  held  to  be  inconsistent  with 
 each  other,  it  must  proceed  from  an  ignorance  of  their 
 respective  genius  and  functions."  It  is  manifest,  then, 
 that  there  is  nothing  in  politics  as  such,  that  is  incom- 
 patible with  the  strictest  profession  of  Christianity. 
 Secondly,  it  is  of  importance  to  recollect  that  the  con- 
 
AS    CITIZENS.  13 
 
 stitution  or  system  of  civil  government  under  winch 
 our  lot  is  cast,  is  of  a  compound  nature,  and  includes 
 a  very  large  admixture  of  popular  rights  and  power. 
 The  people,  as  well  as  the  monarch  and  the  peers, 
 are  the  depositories  of  political  power,  and  have  a  share 
 in  the  government  of  the  country.  They,  by  their 
 representatives  in  the  Commons,  assist  in  making  the 
 laws  by  which  the  realm  is  governed.  They  have, 
 therefore,  a  legal  right  to  interfere,  and  a  right  which 
 is  in  fact,  in  the  view  of  the  constitution,  indefeasible. 
 Their  interference,  when  constitutionally  exerted,  is  no 
 stepping  out  of  their  place,  not  a  usurpation,  or  invasion 
 of  the  rights  and  prerogatives  of  their  rulers.  Things 
 were  different  when  the  epistles  of  Paul  and  Peter  were 
 written.  There  was  then  but  the  shadow  of  popular 
 influence  left  in  the  Roman  government ;  the  power 
 had  passed  away  from  the  people,  and  they  had  little 
 or  no  opportunity  of  intermeddling  with  the  affairs  of 
 government,  except  in  the  way  of  insurrection  and  riot ; 
 which,  of  course,  Christianity  forbad,  enjoining  upon 
 those  who  had  received  the  gospel,  a  submission  to  the 
 powers  that  were.  Its  injunctions  on  this  subject  are 
 strict  and  explicit,  as  may  be  seen  by  consulting 
 Rom.  xiii,  and  1  Peter  ii.  But  surely  these  passages 
 can  never  be  justly  stretched,  in  a  free  country,  and 
 under  a  government  admitting  of  popular  interference, 
 to  forbid  the  exercise  of  those  rights  with  which  the 
 subject  is  invested  by  the  constitution.  Even  allowing 
 that  passive  obedience,  and  unresisting  submission  were 
 the  duty  of  the  inhabitants  of  a  country  under  a  despotic 
 government,  it  cannot  be  proved  that  those  who  are  in 
 legal  possession  of  popular  rights,  should  renounce  them, 
 and  give  up  all  active  concern  in  civil  affairs.     However 
 
14  DUTIES    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 difficult  it  may  be  to  ascertain  in  what  way,  and  to  what 
 extent,  it  would  be  lawful  for  the  christian  inhabitants 
 of  Austria  or  Russia,  to  exert  themselves  to  obtain  a 
 free  government,  and  thus  make  politics  a  matter  of 
 practical  solicitude,  there  can  be  no  such  difficulty  as  to 
 the  lawful  interference,  lawful  both  in  the  view  of 
 Christianity  and  of  the  constitution,  of  the  christian 
 inhabitants  of  Great  Britain,  for  it  belongs  to  them 
 of  right. 
 
 But  perhaps  it  will  be  said,  the  question  is  not  about 
 the  right  of  an  Englishman's  interference,  for  this  is 
 allowed  by  all  ;  but  the  expediency  of  a  Christian's 
 troubling  himself  about  these  matters.  It  appears  to 
 me,  that  to  a  certain  extent,  popular  rights  are  popular 
 duties.  Every  enfranchised  person  is  by  his  repre- 
 sentative not  only  the  subject  of  law,  but  the  maker 
 of  law;  and  it  is  not  only  his  privilege,  but  his  duty, 
 to  seek,  constitutionally,  the  repeal  of  bad  laws,  the 
 improvement  of  defective  ones,  and  the  making  of  good 
 ones.  As  we  are  governed  by  laws,  and  not  merely 
 by  men,  it  is  of  immense  consequence  what  laws  are 
 enacted  ;  and  the  country,  that  is,  all  present  and  future 
 generations,  will  have  a  claim  upon  every  English- 
 man, for  his  influence  in  seeking  that  our  legislative 
 code  may  be  as  conducive  as  can  be  to  the  welfare 
 of  the  nation.  Is  it  nothing,  ought  it  to  be  nothing, 
 to  a  Christian,  what  kinds  of  laws  are  made  ?  Legis- 
 lation takes  cognizance  of  every  interest  he  has  in  the 
 world,  and  unless  he  is  to  give  up  all  that  concerns 
 his  individual  and  social  rights,  his  domestic  com- 
 fort, and  his  trade,  he  ought  to  pay  some  attention 
 to  the  affairs  of  civil  government.  He  does  not  cease 
 to  be  a  citizen,  when   he  becomes  a  Christian  :    nor 
 
AS    CITIZENS.  15 
 
 does  he  go  out  of  the  world  when  he  enters  the 
 church.  Religion,  when  it  conies  to  his  heart  in 
 power  and  authority,  finds  him  a  member  of  society, 
 enjoying  many  social  privileges,  and  performing  many 
 duties,  for  which  he  is  not  disqualified,  or  released  by 
 the  new  and  more  sacred  obligation  that  he  has  under- 
 taken to  discharge.  If  we  could  conceive  that  civil 
 affairs  generally  are  too  earthly  for  the  spiritual  nature 
 that  he  has  now  assumed,  to  attend  to,  there  is  at 
 least  one  view  of  them  of  transcendent  importance 
 to  him,  even  as  a  Christian  :  I  mean  their  connexion 
 with  the  great  subject  of  civil  and  religious  freedom. 
 Now,  even  allowing  that  civil  liberty  is  a  subject  too 
 earthly  and  too  exciting,  leading  too  often  to  the  arena, 
 and  disfiguring  our  piety  too  much  with  the  dust  of 
 political  controversy ;  a  subject  which  brings  us  too 
 much  into  parties  far  removed  from  the  influence  of 
 religion ;  what  shall  we  say  of  religious  freedom,  a 
 blessing  so  important  to  the  comfortable  discharge  of 
 the  duties  of  our  holy  calling,  and  also  to  the  leisure 
 and  opportunity  necessary  for  promulgating  religion  ? 
 This  is  a  blessing  worth  infinitely  more  to  us  than  all 
 our  insular  or  continental  colonies  in  the  Eastern  or 
 Western  Indies,  in  Africa,  or  in  America.  This  pre- 
 cious deposit,  bought  with  the  martyrs'  blood,  and 
 worth  even  the  price  thus  paid  for  it,  is  in  our  keeping 
 under  God,  and  ought  we  not  to  watch  it  well  ?  We 
 are  trustees  of  this  benefit  for  all  future  generations. 
 But  can  we  keep  it  in  the  absence  of  civil  liberty  ?  Is 
 it  to  be  abandoned,  then,  by  those  very  men  who  most 
 need  the  blessing,  and  are  most  dependent  upon  it,  for 
 their  enjoyment  and  safety  ? 
 .   While,  therefore,  a  professor  is  under  solemn  obliga- 
 
16  DUTIES    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 tions  to  be  a  loyal  subject,  or  to  submit  to  the  king, 
 and  honour  him,  as  the  executive  branch  of  the  con- 
 stitution ;  he  is  also  bound  to  be  a  patriotic  member 
 of  the  social  body,  by  giving  his  practical  support  to 
 the  legislative  branch.  He  is  to  be  obedient  to  the  laws 
 that  are  made,  and  he  is  also  to  give  his  assistance  in 
 making  them.  It  is  his  duty  to  give  his  conscientious 
 vote  for  the  election  of  his  representative  in  his  own 
 branch  of  the  legislature;  he  may  join  his  fellow  sub- 
 jects to  petition  for  the  redress  of  civil  or  ecclesiastical 
 grievances;  and  to  the  extent  of  his  influence,  mildly 
 and  properly  exerted,  without  injuring  his  own  piety  and 
 charity,  or  unnecessarily  wounding  the  feelings  and 
 exciting  the  passions  of  others,  he  may  endeavour  to 
 direct  public  opinion  in  favour  of  what  is  just  and 
 beneficial.  The  calm,  dispassionate,  charitable,  and 
 conscientious  exercise  of  your  political  rights,  without 
 sectarian  bitterness  and  party  animosity,  in  such  measure 
 as  does  not  interfere  with  your  own  personal  religion, 
 and  in  such  manner  as  does  not  wantonly  injure  the 
 feelings  of  those  who  are  opposed  to  you ;  which  does 
 not  take  you  too  much  from  your  closet,  your  family, 
 and  your  shop,  if  indeed  you  can  thus  exercise  your 
 rights,  is  quite  lawful  for  you  as  professors.  These  rules 
 and  restrictions,  however,  must  be  imposed;  for,  with- 
 out them  the  subject  will  be  sure  to  do  you  harm.  A 
 Christian  must  carry  his  religion  into  every  thing,  and 
 sanctify  every  thing  he  does  by  it.  "Whatsoever  he 
 does,  he  must  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God."  Every  thing 
 must  be  done  religiously,  done  in  such  a  manner  that  no 
 one  shall  say  justly,  "  This  is  contrary  to  his  profession." 
 His  politics  must  form  no  exception  to  this.  Even  in 
 them  he  must  be  guided  by  conscience,  and  his  con- 
 
AS    CITIZENS.  17 
 
 science  by  the  Word  of  God.  He  must  look  well  to 
 his  motives,  and  be  able  to  appeal  to  the  Searcher  of 
 Hearts  for  their  purity.  If  his  attention  to  these 
 matters  be  such  as  to  flatten  his  own  devotional  spirit, 
 take  him  off  from  his  religious  duties,  or  diminish  seri- 
 ously the  power  of  godliness  and  the  vigour  of  faith ; 
 if  it  fill  his  imagination,  make  him  restless,  uneasy,  and 
 anxious,  disturbing  the  calmness  of  his  religious  peace 
 and  comfort ;  if  it  interfere  more  with  his  business  than 
 is  good  for  his  worldly  prosperity,  or  with  his  family 
 more  than  is  consistent  with  his  obligations  to  instruct 
 and  benefit  them;  if  it  injure  his  charity,  and  fill  his 
 bosom  with  ill-will  and  hatred  to  those  who  differ  from 
 him ;  if  it  lead  him  into  political  associations,  and  place 
 him  upon  committees ;  if  it  make  him  looked  up  to  as  a 
 leader  and  champion  of  a  party;  if  it  cause  his  pious 
 friends  to  shake  their  heads  and  say,  "  I  wish  he  were 
 not  quite  so  political  •"  we  may  be  very  sure,  and  he 
 may  be  sure  too,  that  although  it  is  not  easy  to  fix  with 
 precision  the  boundary  that  separates  right  from  wrong 
 on  this  subject,  he  has  passed  the  line,  and  is  on 
 dangerous  and  unlawful  ground. 
 
 It  is  our  duty  and  interest  at  all  times  to  observe  the 
 signs  of  the  times,  and  the  characteristics  of  the  age,  in 
 order  to  learn  the  particular  errors  to  which,  in  con- 
 sequence of  these  things,  we  are  more  peculiarly  exposed. 
 Now  it  cannot  be  doubted,  that  the  danger  of  professors 
 in  the  present  age,  is  not  to  be  too  little,  but  too  much 
 interested  in  politics.  Party  spirit  scarcely  ever  ran  so 
 high,  and  the  contention  of  opposing  factions  was 
 scarcely  ever  more  fierce  than  it  is  now,  except  in  times 
 of  internal  commotion.  At  such  a  period,  christians 
 of  all  denominations   in   religion,   and   all   parties   in 
 
18  DUTIES    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 politics,  are  in  danger  of  being  too  much  absorbed  by 
 the  engrossing  questions  which  are  the  subjects  of 
 national  agitation.  At  such  a  time,  and  amidst  such 
 circumstances,  we  are  all  in  danger  of  being  drawn  into 
 the  whirlpool,  or  swept  away  by  the  torrent,  of  party 
 questions,  and  having  our  passions  far  too  much  engaged 
 in  the  collision  of  opposing  factions.  These  subjects 
 are  likely  to  become,  next  to  trade,  the  great  business 
 of  life,  the  theme  of  all  circles  and  all  places.  Not  a 
 few  persons  have  been  so  far  engrossed  by  them  as  to 
 neglect  their  business,  and  to  be  ruined  for  life :  and 
 still  more  have  lost  their  religion  in  their  political 
 fervour,  and  in  the  misery  of  a  backsliding  or  apostate 
 state,  have  cursed  the  hour  in  which  they  neglected  the 
 concerns  of  eternity,  for  the  struggles  of  the  times. 
 Their  thoughts  and  affections  were  so  filled  with  those 
 things,  that  they  could  neither  talk  nor  think  of  any 
 thing  else ;  they  became  members  of  political  clubs ; 
 plunged  into  the  conflict  of  a  contested  election ;  became 
 members  of  the  committee  of  one  of  the  competitors; 
 went  all  lengths,  in  the  means  usually  resorted  to  on 
 such  occasions,  for  securing  the  return  of  their  favourite 
 candidate ;  were  found  at  every  political  dinner  or  meet- 
 ing, and  among  the  most  forward  and  most  zealous :  in 
 short,  politics  were  the  element  in  which  they  lived, 
 moved,  and  had  their  being.  Who  can  wonder  at  the 
 result  ?  Who  is  astonished  at  being  informed  that  such 
 men  found  their  way  into  the  gazette,  and  that  their 
 creditors  had  to  pay  for  the  time  they  had  devoted  to 
 the  profitless  subject?  And  what  religion  can  live  in 
 such  a  state  of  mind  as  this  ?  The  newspaper  supplants 
 the  Bible ;  the  speeches  and  writings  of  politicians  have 
 far  more  interest  for  such  persons  than  the  sermons 
 
AS    CITIZENS.  19 
 
 of  the  preacher  j  and  the  attractions  of  the  public 
 meeting  far  overpower  those  of  the  devotional  service ; 
 spiritual  conversation  is  neither  relished  nor  encouraged, 
 and  nothing  permitted,  or  at  least,  welcomed,  but  the 
 all-engrossing  subject ;  even  the  Sabbath-day  is  not 
 exempted  from  the  desecration  of  such  topics;  if  they 
 do  not  read  the  newspapers  themselves,  they  enquire 
 of  those  who  do,  or  talk  with  those  who  are  as  deeply 
 engrossed  as  themselves  by  the  topic.  Nothing  of  piety 
 remains  but  the  name,  and  even  that  has  been  in  some 
 cases  abandoned.  Such  are  the  rocks  among  which 
 many  of  all  parties,  Whigs  and  Tories,  Churchmen  and 
 Dissenters,  for  I  apply  the  remarks  to  all,  have  split. 
 
 And  if  it  be  unmeet  even  for  a  Christian  to  be  thus 
 deeply  immersed  in  party  politics,  how  much  more  so  for 
 a  minister  of  religion  :  and  it  is  impossible  to  deny  that 
 too  many  of  all  denominations  have,  by  this  ensnaring 
 topic,  been  drawn  from  their  sacred  occupations  far 
 more  than  was  becoming.  I  am  quite  aware  that  there 
 are  seasons  when  the  nation  seems  to  be  in  the  very 
 crisis  of  its  destiny,  and  when,  therefore,  even  the  ser- 
 vant of  the  Lord  may  feel  that  his  country  appeals  to 
 his  patriotism,  and  asks  him  for  his  help,  and  when  he 
 may  scarcely  think  he  is  at  liberty  to  remain  quiescent 
 and  inactive :  but  such  seasons  rarely  occur  in  reality, 
 though  they  do  so  frequently  in  men's  imaginations. 
 It  is  but  seldom  that  the  pulpit  and  the  hustings  are 
 compatible  with  each  other,  and  that  the  minister  of 
 reconciliation  adds  any  thing  to  his  dignity  or  useful- 
 ness, by  the  dust  which  settles  upon  him  in  the  arena 
 of  political  strife.  The  harangue  of  the  public  meeting 
 gives  but  little  emphasis  to  the  sermon,  and  but  ill 
 prepares  those  who  heard  it  to  listen  to  more  solemn 
 
20  DUTIES    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 themes  from  the  same  lips  in  the  sanctuary.  The 
 minister  of  the  gospel  should  excite  no  needless  preju- 
 dices in  any  mind,  and  this  he  is  sure  to  do  by  becoming 
 a  violent  political  partisan.  Most  men  of  all  parties  have 
 good  sense  enough  to  see  that  the  clergy  are  far  more 
 in  their  place  by  the  beds  of  the  dying,  in  the  scenes 
 of  ignorance  wretchedness  and  vice,  for  the  purpose 
 of  dispensing  knowledge  holiness  and  bliss,  than  in  the 
 crowd  and  clamour,  the  passions  and  revilings,  of  a 
 political  meeting.  But  the  time  that  is  thus  consumed 
 and  taken  away  from  the  souls  committed  to  their  care, 
 is,  perhaps,  the  least  evil  resulting  from  such  pursuits; 
 the  more  serious  mischief  is  the  influence  of  their 
 example  upon  others ;  and  the  diminution  of  public 
 respect  both  for  the  office  and  the  object  of  the  minis- 
 terial character. 
 
 It  cannot  be  inferred  or  imagined,  I  hope,  from  any 
 thing  I  have  said,  that  I  wish  to  detach  the  great  body 
 of  Christians  from  all  attention  to  the  affairs  of  the 
 nation,  or  co-operation  with  those  who  are  endeavouring 
 to  give  them  a  right  direction.  My  object  in  these 
 remarks  is  not  to  neutralize  patriotic  feeling  into  abso- 
 lute indifference,  nor  to  paralyse  healthful  and  well 
 directed  efforts  for  the  country's  good;  but  simply  to 
 prevent  the  former  from  becoming  malignant  or  exces- 
 sive, and  the  latter  from  degenerating  into  the  violent 
 action  of  political  partisanship.  The  conquest  of  the 
 world  which  faith  is  called  upon  to  achieve,  is  not  to 
 tear  up  patriotism,  that  fine  flower  of  humanity,  by  the 
 roots,  but  to  prevent  its  attaining  such  a  wild  luxuriance 
 as  would  draw  away  all  the  vigour  of  the  soil  from 
 other  and  still  more  important  plants,  or  as  would 
 wither  them  by  the  chilling  influence  of  its  too  ample 
 
AS    CITIZENS.  21 
 
 shadow.     I  do  not  ask,  I  do  not  wish  christians  to  give 
 up  the  world  into  the  hands  of  the  wicked,  but  to  take 
 care  that  their  interference  be  that  of  religious  men  ; 
 a  calm,  serene  patriotism,  the  more  effectual,  because 
 of  its  moderation  and  firmness,  its  conscientiousness  and 
 sanctity.      Every  man's  opinion   should  be   made  up, 
 firmly    held,    publicly   known,    and    consistently    acted 
 upon,  without  concealment  or  trimming.     Neutrality  is 
 no  man's  glory,  when  great  interests  are  in  jeopardy, 
 and  great  questions  concerning  them  are  in  discussion. 
 Christianity,  the  dearest  interest  to  the  heart  of  every 
 child  of  God,  is,  in  one  sense,  independent  of  all  the 
 questions  of  party  politics ;  yet  in  another,  is  in  some 
 measure,  as  to  its  progress  at  least,  affected  by  them ; 
 and   therefore   demands   such    attention    to  the  affairs 
 of  nations,  but  only  such,  as  is  compatible  with  supreme 
 regard  to  its  own  pure  laws,  benign  spirit,  and  heavenly 
 object.     As  politics,  therefore,  are  not  sinful  in  them- 
 selves, but  only  in  that   excess  of  attention  to  them 
 which  takes  a  man's  time  too  much  from  his  business, 
 embitters  his  heart  towards  his  neighbour  who  differs 
 from   him   in   sentiment,    or   diminishes    his    religious 
 feeling,  every  one  must  be  careful  to  observe  that  mode- 
 ration which  Christianity  prescribes  in  this,  as  well  as 
 in   all  other  matters  that  appeal  to  our  appetites  and 
 our  passions.     That  is  evil  to  us,  which,  either  in  kind 
 or  degree,  is  injurious  to  our  religion. 
 
 A  question  is  sometimes  asked,  whether  a  professing 
 christian,  in  exercising  his  elective  franchise,  ought  to 
 give  his  vote  for  an  ungodly  man;  or  whether,  in  the 
 case  of  a  contested  election,  he  ought  not  to  uphold  the 
 interests  of  piety,  rather  than  those  of  a  party,  by- 
 endeavouring   to   promote   the   return  of    a  christian, 
 
22  DUTIES    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 though  he  may  take  a  side  in  politics  opposed  to  his 
 own  ?  This  resolves  itself  into  another  question,  "What 
 is  the  end  of  civil  government  ? "  If  this  be  the  pro- 
 motion of  religion,  there  can  be  no  question  but  the 
 christian  man  ought  to  be  supported  by  all  Christians ; 
 but  if,  on  the  other  hand,  the  end  of  civil  government 
 be  the  protection  of  life,  liberty,  and  property,  with 
 all  that  conduces  to  their  complete  enjoyment,  piety, 
 however  desirable  as  a  qualification,  is  not  indispen- 
 sable. He  who  best  understands  the  purposes  of  civil 
 government,  and  has  the  best  views  of  the  means  of 
 promoting  them,  is  the  fittest  person  for  such  a  situa- 
 tion. Piety  is  desirable  for  persons  in  all  circumstances. 
 Who  would  not  wish  to  have  a  pious  lawyer  or  phy- 
 sician ;  but  does  any  one  reject  an  eminently  skilful 
 one,  because  he  is  not  a  pious  man,  and  choose  one 
 of  less  skill,  on  the  ground  of  his  religion  ?  A  man 
 may  be  a  very  holy  professor,  and  yet  a  very  bad  states- 
 man ;  and  indeed  the  holier  he  is  as  a  man,  the  more 
 mischievous  he  may  be  as  a  senator  if  he  has  wrong 
 political  sentiments,  as  his  virtues  may  produce  a  tolera- 
 tion even  for  his  errors.  No  false  measures  are  likely 
 to  do  half  the  harm,  which  is  done  by  those  of  good 
 men.  Many  of  the  most  distinguished  statesmen,  in 
 whom  all  parties,  according  to  their  political  creed,  have 
 placed  the  greatest  confidence,  have  been  far  enough  off 
 from  personal  religion.  If  none  but  good  men  are  to 
 be  chosen,  we  must  go  without  a  legislature,  or  have  a 
 very  incompetent  one.  True  it  is,  there  are  some  men 
 so  utterly  bad,  so  notoriously  vicious  and  immoral,  that 
 it  is  an  insult  to  virtue,  and  an  outrage  upon  decency 
 to  elect  them.  But,  with  such  exceptions  as  these,  it  is 
 not  possible  to  make  piety  a  test  of  senatorial  eligibility. 
 
AS    CITIZENS.  23 
 
 Converted  men  may  make  very  bad  laws,  and  uncon- 
 verted ones,  very  good  laws.  Still  it  is  a  consumma- 
 tion devoutly  to  be  wished,  that  our  "officers  should 
 be  peace,  and  our  exactors,  righteousness."  Christian 
 Houses  of  Commons  and  Lords  will  be  one  of  the 
 beautiful  signs  and  resplendent  glories  of  the  Mil- 
 lennium. 
 
 Professors  should  be  aware  of  their  danger,  and 
 watch  and  pray  lest  they  enter  into  temptation.  Let 
 them  never  forget  that  they  belong  to  a  kingdom  which 
 is  not  of  this  world ;  that  their  citizenship  is  in  heaven, 
 and  that  therefore  they  should  live  as  strangers  upon 
 the  earth.  As  pilgrims,  abiding  for  a  short  season  in  a 
 strange  city,  they  should  be  willing  to  promote  its 
 welfare  during  their  temporary  sojourn :  but  still  with 
 their  eyes,,  hopes,  and  hearts,  upon  the  land  of  their 
 inheritance.  A  deep  sense  of  the  infinite  importance 
 of  eternal  salvation  and  invisible  realities;  a  due  im- 
 pression of  the  shortness  of  time  and  the  uncertainty 
 of  life;  together  with  an  intelligent  consideration  of 
 the  great  end  of  God  in  sending  us  into  this  world, 
 would  repress  all  undue  political  fervour,  and  teach  us 
 how  to  act  the  part  of  a  patriot,  without  neglecting 
 that  of  a  christian ;  and  make  us  feel  that  we  are  not 
 only  inhabitants  of  a  country,  or  citizens  of  the  world, 
 but  subjects  of  the  Great  King  of  the  universe,  and  that 
 every  inferior  interest  should  be  pursued  with  a  proper 
 regard  to  true  religion.  We  ought  ever  to  be  intent  upon 
 this  as  our  daily  work,  as  that  alone  which  can  prepare 
 us  for  heaven ;  so  that  if  asked  at  any  time,  what  we 
 are  aiming  at,  or  what  we  are  doing,  we  may  be 
 able  to  give  this  true  answer,  "We  are  dressing  our- 
 selves  for  eternity."      No   pretext,   however  specious, 
 
24  DUTIES    OF    PROFESSORS    AS    CITIZENS. 
 
 whether  relating  to  our  family  or  our  country,  can  be  a 
 legitimate  excuse  for  neglecting  the  process  of  prepara- 
 tion for  immortality.  Nothing  can  be  conceived  of  more 
 opposite  to  the  temper  of  heaven,  the  disposition  of  the 
 blessed  above,  which  is  un mingled  holy  love,  than  the 
 political  spirit,  which,  when  seen  as  it  is  too  often 
 in  its  most  virulent  form,  is  the  gall  of  bitterness  and 
 the  essence  of  malignity.  If  charity  be  the  crown- 
 ing excellence  of  piety,  how  contrary  to  this  divine 
 virtue  is  the  present  spirit  of  parties,  which  like  a 
 burning  volcano  is  perpetually  pouring  from  its  crater 
 '  the  fiery  eruptions  of  envy,  malice,  and  all  uncharitable- 
 ness  !  Better,  far  better,  professing  christians,  never 
 to  see  a  newspaper,  or  know  a  single  fact,  or  utter  a 
 syllable  of  politics,  than  enter  into  the  subject,  if  it 
 must  produce  in  you  such  a  temper  as  this.  But  it 
 need  not  produce  it.  There  may  be  moderation  in  this 
 as  well  as  in  any  thing  else.  A  man  may  be  a  reli- 
 gious patriot,  without  degenerating  into  a  malignant 
 partisan. 
 
 I  cannot  do  better  than  close  this  chapter  with 
 another  quotation  from  the  works  of  that  sublime  and 
 gentle  spirit,  the  illustrious  John  Howe ;  whose  in- 
 valuable memoir,  as  published  by  Mr  Rogers,  is  a 
 "  Tract  for  the  Times"  indeed.* 
 
 *  This  extract  also  is  long,  and  the  reader  is  referred  to  Vol.  3, 
 pp.  330-332,  edition  1812.  "  And  with  a  proportionable  unconcerned- 
 uess in  this  our  present  state." 
 
HKOTIIKKLY     H>\  I 
 
 CHAPTER    XI. 
 
 liROTUERLY     LOVE. 
 
 It  is  a  beautiful  remark  of  Mr  Beverley,  "  That  if  a 
 well  instructed  physiologist  were  to  lose  his  way  in  the 
 pathless  tracts  of  the  earth,  he  would  nevertheless  be 
 able  to  divine  the  country  through  which  he  was  wander- 
 ing, by  attentively  considering  the  productions  of  the 
 soil,  and  the  appearance  of  animal  life  surrounding  him." 
 The  flowers  that  grew  in  his  path,  or  the  living  creatures 
 that  crossed  it,  would  announce  to  him  in  what  zone  or 
 empire  he  was  bending  his  course.  "  So  it  is  in  the 
 land  of  Emmanuel,  the  delightful  fruit  found  there  and 
 no  where  else,  is  love.  Christian  love,  love  in  Christ, 
 the  divine  agape  of  the  Word  of  God,  the  fruit  of  the 
 Spirit,  the  evidence  of  the  twice-born  and  redeemed 
 people."  Yes,  it  is  indeed  true,  that  love  in  the  christian 
 sense  of  the  term,  is  found  nowhere  beyond  the  kingdom 
 of  the  Redeemer,  for  it  grows  in  no  soil  but  that  of 
 Christianity ;  so  that  when  it  is  found,  we  may  assuredly 
 pronounce  that  we  have  reached  holy  land.  But  is  this 
 plant,  which  is  indigenous  to  the  church  of  Christ, 
 found  even  there  in  profusion,  in  all  its  bloom  and 
 beauty  ?  Ah,  no !  it  is  of  stunted  growth,  of  faded 
 beauty,  and  of  diminished  fragrance.  I  join  with  Mr 
 Beverley  in  acknowledging  and  lamenting,  that  there  is 
 Vol.  1 L  C 
 
2C  BROTHERLY    LOVE. 
 
 far  too  little  of  this  heavenly  disposition  among  the 
 members  of  Christ's  church  upon  earth,  but  I  am  per- 
 suaded that  there  is  more  of  it  than  he  is  prepared  to 
 admit. 
 
 "  Let  us  suppose,  that  by  some  unwonted  tribulation  you  were 
 bowed  down  with  a  weight  of  sorrow,  and  the  cup  of  tears  were 
 given  you  to  drink  in  great  measure,  would  you  think  of  turning  to 
 that  religious  society  of  which  you  are  a  member  for  counsel  and 
 sympathy  ?  Do  you  feel  so  bound  to  your  nominal  brethren,  and  are 
 you  so  confident  of  the  strength  of  their  christian  love,  that  you 
 have  no  doubt  of  their  affectionate  commiseration  and  tender  sup- 
 port? And  do  you  believe  they  are  so  anxious  to  fulfil  the  law 
 of  Christ  according  to  the  epitome  of  that  law,  that  you  feel  con- 
 fident they  will  gladly  bear  your  burden?  Let  every  one  answer 
 this  question  according  to  his  experience,  his  knowledge,  and  his 
 serious  belief." 
 
 And  if  they  were  so  to  answer  the  question,  myriads 
 and  myriads,  with  tears  of  gratitude  and  smiles  of  joy, 
 would  testify  to  the  kindness  of  their  brethren  in  Christ, 
 during  the  dark  and  dreary  season  of  their  sore  afflic- 
 tion. But  a  few  hours  before  writing  this  page,  I 
 saw  the  gloom  of  a  poor  man's  sick  chamber  lighted 
 up,  and  the  burden  of  his  suffering  alleviated  by  the 
 sunshine  of  his  countenance,  as  he  bore  his  willing, 
 grateful,  and  emphatic  testimony  to  the  love  and 
 sympathy  of  his  fellow-members.  "  And  am  I,"  he  ex- 
 claimed, as  the  tear  sparkled  in  his  eye,  "  under  the 
 protection  of  the  church?"  his  surprise  being  occa- 
 sioned not  by  the  uncommonness,  but  by  the  greatness 
 of  this  precious  privilege.  And  it  is,  (blessed  be  the 
 God  of  love,  who  has  breathed  his  own  nature  into 
 the  hearts  of  his  people,)  no  uncommon  reward  of  a 
 pastor's  labour,  as  he  takes  his  official  walks  among  the 
 people  of  his  charge,  often  to  listen  to  the  report  they 
 make  of  each  other's   love   in   the    Spirit.       O   what 
 
BROTHERLY    I  <>\  i;.  27 
 
 blessed  scenes  of  brotherly  kindness  have  1  witnessed 
 within  the  wide  circle  of  ray  own  church,  and  rejoiced 
 over  them  with  thankfulness,  as  sweet  and  sacred  proofs 
 that  I  had  not  preached  in  vain  the  doctrine  of  re- 
 deeming love,  nor  inculcated  in  vain  the  necessary  fruit 
 of  it,  the  love  of  the  brethren. 
 
 Still,  however,  I  sorrowfully  confess,  that  among 
 professors  of  every  denomination,  and  of  my  own 
 among  the  rest,  there  is  far,  very  far,  too  little  of  this 
 God-like  temper.  We  are  all  verily  guilty  concerning 
 our  brethren.  We  all  need  to  go  again  to  the  cross 
 of  our  dying  Lord,  to  learn  how  he  has  loved  us,  and 
 how  we  ought  to  love  one  another.  The  measure  of 
 tender  affection  with  which  Christians  should  regard 
 each  other,  is  so  great,  that  what  they  have  done  in  this 
 way,  seems  as  nothing. 
 
 See  what  is  said,  and  how  much,  concerning  this 
 disposition  in  the  Word  of  God.  Scarcely  any  duty  is 
 enjoined  with  such  frequency,  or  in  so  great  a  variety 
 of  forms.  It  is  the  peculiar  law  of  Christ's  kingdom, 
 "This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one  another, 
 as  I  have  loved  you."  It  is  the  identifying  mark 
 of  Christ's  disciples,  the  sign  of  their  caste,  the  ne- 
 cessary and  certain  token  of  their  discipleship ;  "  By 
 this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye 
 have  love  to  one  another."  It  is  the  fruit  and  evidence 
 of  our  regeneration.  1  Peter  i,  22,  23.  "We  know 
 that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we 
 love  the  brethren."  It  is  the  mark  of  spiritual  pros- 
 perity in  a  church.  Eph.  i,  15.  It  is  the  ground  of 
 apostolic  eulogium  on  individual  character ;  "  I  thank 
 God,  making  mention  of  thee  always  in  my  prayers, 
 hearing  of  thy  love  and  faith  which  thou  hast  towards 
 
28  BROTHERLY    LOVE. 
 
 the  Lord  Jesus  and  all  the  saints."  It  is  the  subject 
 of  frequent  and  emphatic  apostolic  admonition ;  "  Bear 
 ye  one  another's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ." 
 Nearly  the  whole  of  the  three  epistles  of  John  were 
 written  to  enforce  this  duty.  It  is  dignified  with  the 
 appellation  of  the  new  commandment.  New  in  its  kind, 
 its  model,  its  strength,  its  motives ;  "  As  I  have  loved 
 you."  Moses  enjoined  us  to  love  our  neighbour  as 
 ourselves ;  Christ  has  commanded  us  to  love  our  neigh- 
 bour in  one  respect,  more  than  ourselves;  for  we  are, 
 if  need  be,  "  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  our  brethren." 
 This  love  is  made  the  test  of  character  at  the  judgment- 
 day  ;  the  want  of  it,  the  ground  of  condemnation  to  the 
 wicked,  and  the  possession  of  it  the  ground  of  justifica- 
 tion and  approbation  to  the  righteous ;  "  Inasmuch,  as 
 ye  did  it,  [or  did  it  not,]  to  one  of  the  least  of  these  my 
 brethren,  ye  did  it,  [or  did  it  not,]  to  me."  Let  any  man 
 read  and  study  all  these  passages,  and  mark  the  vast 
 importance  which  is  attached  to  brotherly  love,  and  then 
 let  him  look  round  upon  the  church  of  Christ,  and  say 
 if  it  is  not  yet  lamentably  deficient  in  this  duty. 
 
 We  should  attentively  consider  the  grounds  on  which 
 this  love  is  to  be  exercised.  It  is  love  to  the  brethren, 
 as  such ;  love  to  them  for  God's  sake  and  Christ's  sake ; 
 love  to  them  as  the  objects  of  the  Father's  eternal,  in- 
 finite and  unchangeable  affection ;  the  purchase  of  the 
 Son's  agonies  and  blood ;  the  workmanship  of  the 
 Spirit's  grace.  How  dear  the  saints  are  to  the  heart 
 of  Christ  and  of  God,  none  can  know  but  the  infinite 
 mind  of  God.  This  is  the  ground  of  genuine  love  to 
 Christians ;  this  is  the  agape  of  the  New  Testament,  not 
 an  affection  based  on  sectarian  distinctions,  or  party 
 names ;  for  a  Jew,  a  Mahometan,  a  Pagan,  may  have 
 
BROTHERLY    LOVE.  29 
 
 that.       If    we    can   only    love   Christians   of   our  own 
 denomination  or  party ;  if  our  love  be  founded  on  the 
 Book  of  Common  Prayer ;  or  on  John  Wesley's  works ; 
 or  on  the  Assembly's  Catechism ;  or  on  adult  baptism  j 
 it  is  not  the  love  of  the  brethren,  but  the  love  of  party ; 
 and  there  is  much  of  this  love  of  party,  where  there  is 
 not  one  particle  of  love  to  Christ's  followers.    The  ground 
 of  christian  love  is  this,  "  Ye  are  Christ's j"  any  thing 
 substituted  for  this  or  added  to  it,  turns  our  affection 
 into  quite  another  thing.     If  this  single  idea  be  not 
 of  itself  enough  to  engage  our  heart  to  any  one,  then 
 we  have  not  the  love  of   the  brethren.     If   a  man's 
 relation  to  Christ  as  one  of  his  redeemed  people,  one 
 of  the  members  of  his  body,  and  one  who  bears  his 
 image,  be  not  sufficient  to  attract  our  regards,  except 
 also  he  be  one  of  our  own  church  or  denomination ;  and 
 we  feel  an  instant  damp  upon  our  affections,  and  an 
 alienation  of  heart,  when  we  are  told  that  he  is  a  Dis- 
 senter or  a  Churchman,  a  Calvinist  or  a  Methodist,  we 
 are  either  altogether  wanting,  or  very  weak,  in  brotherly 
 love.     We  may  not,  and  indeed  cannot,  love  true  chris- 
 tians because  they  differ  from  us,  it  would  not  be  right 
 to  do  so,  but  we  ought  to  love  them  in  spite  of  their 
 differences. 
 
 The  moral  likeness  of  Christ  is  that  one  object,  the 
 contemplation  of  which  excites  this  holy  emotion. 
 Wherever  we  discover  the  image  of  Jesus,  or  see  a 
 course  of  action  which  evinces  the  possession  of  his 
 spirit,  there  will  be  awakened  all  the  sympathies,  there 
 will  be  set  in  motion  all  the  sensibilities,  there  will  be 
 centred  all  the  feelings  which  are  the  elements  of 
 brotherly  love.  Let  me  see  an  individual  of  any  colour, 
 clime,  or  sect,  who  calls  himself  a  christian,  and  who  in 
 
30  BROTHERLY    LOVE. 
 
 his  conduct  is  manifestly  governed  by  a  love  to  Jesus; 
 
 who  is  cultivating  the  heavenly  dispositions'  and  holy 
 
 habits  of  the  gospel ;  who  has  embarked  his  heart  in  the 
 
 high  interests  in  which  God  is  engaged  ;  and  (if  I  have 
 
 any  brotherly  love  in  me,)  I  see  a  man  who  has  higher 
 
 claims  on  my  regard  and  my  sympathy  than  the  mere 
 
 natural  relations  of  life  can  command ;  "  loving  him  that 
 
 begat,  I  love  him  that  is  begotten  of  him."     Bound  to 
 
 the  throne  of  God  by  those  moral  excellences  which 
 
 brighten  the  Divine  character,  and  make  him  an  object 
 
 of  delightful  complacency,  I  am  also  bound  in  affection 
 
 to  every  son  and  daughter  of  Adam,  who  beholding  the 
 
 glory  of  God  as  it  shines  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ, 
 
 has  been  changed  into  the  same  image.     As  he  is  the 
 
 centre  of  attraction  to  us  all,  and  we  all  alike  love  to 
 
 sit  at  his  feet,  and  imbibe  his  heavenly  spirit,  so  also  do 
 
 we  love  to  contemplate  the  faintest  reflections  of  his 
 
 glory  wherever  visible.     If  I  were  in  a  foreign  country, 
 
 surrounded  by  strangers,  and  saw  in  different  situations, 
 
 and   among   different    people,   portraits    of   a   beloved 
 
 and    honoured    father,    I    should    be    intuitively    and 
 
 strongly  drawn  towards  them,  in  whose  house  or  hands 
 
 soever  they  were  to  be  found ;  and  that  picture  would 
 
 have  most   attraction   for  my   heart   which   bore   the 
 
 strongest  resemblance  to  my  beloved  parent,  although  its 
 
 frame  might  not  be  so  elegant  as  some  others,  and  it 
 
 might  be  in  the  possession  of  one  whom  I  did  not  value 
 
 so  much  as  I  did  my  more  intimate  friends.     So  let  me 
 
 see  the  image  of  God  my  Father,  and  Christ  my  Saviour, 
 
 in   the   communion   of  the    Churches   of    England  or 
 
 of  Rome;   in  a  Methodist,  Baptist,  or   Independent; 
 
 and  I  love  it  for  the  sake  of  the  Divine  original,  and 
 
 I  love  that  portrait  best  which  is  most  like  the  original, 
 
BROTHERLY    LOVE.  31 
 
 No  one  who  is  in  the  possession  of  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, and  has  made  himself  well  acquainted  with  its 
 contents,  can  be  ignorant  of  the  manner  in  which  love 
 should,  and  does,  operate  where  it  is  really  possessed. 
 There  can  be  no  mystery  in  this.  Affection  needs  no 
 schooling  and  lecturing  as  to  modes  of  action,  seasons 
 of  manifestation,  and  means  of  benefit.  It  is  all  heart 
 to  feel,  all  mind  to  invent,  all  foot  to  hasten,  and  all 
 hand  to  minister.  It  may  not  be  amiss,  however,  to 
 put  christians  in  remembrance  of  what  they  owe  to 
 their  brethren  ;  to  those  especially  with  whom  they  are 
 associated  in  the  bonds  of  immediate  intercourse  and 
 fellowship.  They  should  avoid  all  occasions  of  offence ; 
 repress  every  look,  word,  or  action,  that  is  in  the 
 remotest  degree  calculated  to  give  pain,  and  consider 
 their  brother's  peace  of  mind  as  sacred  as  their  own. 
 They  should  ever  be  willing,  ready,  and  even  forward, 
 to  exercise  the  most  sincere  and  tender  forgiveness.  To 
 be  implacable  is  to  be  like  the  devil ;  to  be  forgiving  is 
 to  be  like  Him  who  prayed  for  his  enemies,  even  from 
 his  cross.  But  what  is  this  to  the  consideration  how 
 much  he  has  forgiven  us  ?  To  forgive  a  brother  his 
 offences,  ought  to  be  the  easiest  and  most  delightful 
 work  which  a  christian  has  to  perform,  considering 
 what  an  example  he  has  to  copy  from,  and  what  a 
 motive  he  professes  to  feel.  It  is  beautifully  said  by 
 an  American  preacher,  "  As  the  little  children  of  one 
 family,  who  often  in  the  course  of  the  day  look  angrily 
 and  feel  soured  towards  one  another,  yet  say  'good 
 night/  with  an  affectionate  kiss,  and  in  the  morning 
 meet  again  in  love ;  so  should  it  be  the  care  of  the  dear 
 children  of  God  to  love  one  another  with  a  pure  heart 
 fervently,  and  from  the  heart  to  forgive  every  one  his 
 
3.2  BROTHERLY    LOVE. 
 
 brother  their  trespasses."  Another  operation  of  bro- 
 therly love,  is  forbearance  with  each  other's  differences 
 of  opinion,  infirmities  of  temper,  and  weakness  of  faith. 
 Allied  to  this,  is  a  disposition  to  avoid  all  rash  judg- 
 ments. Love  is  not  censorious ;  but  is  inclined  to  think 
 well  of  its  object ;  to  diminish  rather  than  to  magnify 
 its  faults,  and  to  conceal  rather  than  to  publish  them. 
 Brotherly  love  will  induce  a  person  to  speak  the  lan- 
 guage of  admonition,  and  to  administer  reproof ;  but  in 
 a  manner  so  gentle,  so  tender,  and  so  humble,  that  the 
 object  of  it,  unless  he  be  more  of  a  brute  than  a 
 christian  or  a  man,  in  his  temper,  will  feel  that  a 
 kindness  is  done  to  him,  for  which  there  is  a  demand 
 upon  his  gratitude  and  affection.  A  tender  sympathy 
 which  leads  us  to  bear  one  another's  burdens  of  care 
 and  sorrow,  is  essential  to  this  love.  A  sympathy, 
 which,  not  with  impertinent  curiosity,  but  with  genuine 
 pity,  enquires  into  the  cause  of  another's  grief,  to  re- 
 lieve it :  a  sympathy  which  invites  the  confidence  of  the 
 mourner,  and  draws  to  its  own  bosom  from  his  oppressed 
 heart,  the  secret  of  the  cloud  that  hangs  upon  his  brow. 
 "  Oh  !  there  is  something  that  is  wanting  in  the  church 
 here,"  says  the  American  preacher,  whose  expressions  I 
 have  already  quoted,  "  something  which  shall  so  bind  us 
 together,  that  when  one  member  suffers,  all  the  mem- 
 bers shall  suffer  with  it;  when  any  are  in  bonds,  shall 
 be  bound  with  them :  something  which  shall  bring  us 
 into  a  dearer  union,  and  wake  up  within  us  a  more  pure, 
 refined,  pervading  sympathy,  which  shall  be  touched 
 with  the  feeling  of  one  another's  infirmities,  and  vibrate 
 to  the  chord  of  woe,  which  is  strung  in  a  brother's 
 heart."  Love  will  make  us  regardful  of  the  wants  of 
 our  poorer  brethren  !      "  For  whoso  hath  this  world's 
 
BROTHERLY    LOVE.  •">•> 
 
 goods,  and  sectli  his  brother  have  need,  and  shuttcth 
 up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth 
 the  love  of  God  in  him  ?"  In  these,  and  in  every  other 
 way  in  which  we  can  shew  our  interest  in  the  members 
 of  Christ,  and  our  tender  regard  for  their  happiness, 
 will  brotherly  love  operate,  where  it  exists  in  reality  and 
 in  vigour. 
 
 We  may  now  contemplate  for  our  edification  and 
 quickening,  one  or  two  bright  specimens  of  this  lovely 
 virtue.  Read  the  account  preserved  in  the  Acts  of  the 
 Apostles,  of  the  scenes  which  followed  the  day  of 
 Pentecost.  "  Then  they  that  gladly  received  his  word 
 were  baptised,  and  the  same  day  there  were  added  unto 
 them,  about  three  thousand  souls.  And  they  continued 
 stedfastly  in  the  apostle's  doctrine,  and  fellowship,  and 
 in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayers.  And  all  that 
 believed  were  together,  and  had  all  things  common  : 
 and  sold  their  possessions  and  goods,  and  parted  to  all 
 men  as  every  man  had  need.  And  they,  continuing 
 daily  with  one  accord  in  the  temple,  and  breaking  bread 
 from  house  to  house,  did  eat  their  meat  with  gladness 
 and  singleness  of  heart,  praising  God,  and  having  favour 
 with  the  people."  Beautiful  scene  !  Surprising  effects  ! 
 Where,  in  all  the  history  of  our  world  was  any  thing 
 like  it,  before  or  since  ?  This  was  love.  It  seemed 
 intended  to  show  forth  at  the  very  origin  of  Christi- 
 anity, its  mighty  power  to  subdue  the  selfishness  of  our 
 nature,  and  to  set  before  all  ages  and  all  countries,  an 
 illustrious  example  of  this  heavenly  virtue.  I  need  not 
 ask  where  is  any  thing  like  this  now. 
 
 Consult  the  history  of  the  church  in  subsequent 
 "times,  and  even  amidst  growing  corruption  in  other 
 things,  you  will  find  some  bright  and  lovely  exhibitions 
 
•  ')  I  BROTHERLY    LOYE. 
 
 of  this  spirit  of  primitive  Christianity.  In  the  time  of 
 Tertullian,  charity  was  proverbial,  and  it  was  said  of 
 believers,  "  See  how  these  christians  love  one  another  :" 
 insomuch  that  the  heathens,  surprised  to  see  a  union  so 
 affectionate,  ascribed  it  to  supernatural  causes,  and 
 imagined  that  some  mysterious  characters,  imprinted 
 on  their  bodies,  operated  as  a  charm,  and  inspired  them 
 with  love  for  each  other.  They  were  mysterious  cha- 
 racters, but  they  were  imprinted  on  the  soul,  not  on 
 the  body,  and  the  name  and  image  of  Jesus  were  the 
 charm.  Lucian,  a  satirical  Greek  writer  of  the  second 
 century,  in  satirising  them,  passed  the  highest  possible 
 encomiums  upon  them  when  he  said,  "  It  is  incredible 
 what  pains  and  diligence  they  use  by  all  means  to 
 succour  one  another.  They  have  an  extreme  contempt 
 of  the  things  of  this  world.  Their  legislator  made 
 them  believe  that  they  were  all  brethren,  and  since 
 they  have  renounced  our  religion,  and  worshipped 
 their  crucified  leader,  they  live  according  to  his  laws, 
 and  all  their  riches  are  common."  Thus  did  Paganism, 
 while  still  possessed  of  the  ascendancy,  bear  testimony 
 to  the  superior  excellence  of  the  religion  of  the 
 gospel.  Julian  the  apostate  paid  a  fine  tribute  to 
 Christianity,  and  its  professors  in  his  own  times, 
 when  in  writing  to  a  heathen  priest,  he  says,  "  Let 
 us  consider  that  nothing  has  contributed  so  much 
 to  the  progress  of  the  superstition  of  christians,  as  their 
 charity  to  strangers.  I  think  we  ought  to  discharge  this 
 obligation  ourselves.  Establish  hospitals  in  every  place, 
 for  it  would  be  a  shame  in  us  to  abandon  our  poor, 
 while  the  Jews  have  none,  and  the  impious  Galileans 
 [thus  he  calls  the  Christians]  provide  not  only  for  their 
 
BBOTHERLY    LOVE.  33 
 
 own  poor,  but  also  for  ours."  O  Christianity  !  it  is  one 
 of  thy  brightest  triumphs,  that  this  malignant  and 
 subtle  foe  could  find  no  better  way  of  attacking  thee, 
 than  by  imitating  thy  virtues !  Eusebius,  an  ecclesias- 
 tical historian  of  the  fourth  century,  gives  a  striking 
 proof  of  the  love  of  the  brethren  in  his  time,  when 
 speaking  of  a  plague  which  ravaged  Egypt,  he  says, 
 "  Many  of  our  brethren,  neglecting  their  own  health, 
 through  an  excess  of  charity,  have  brought  upon  them- 
 selves the  misfortunes  and  maladies  of  others.  After 
 they  had  held  in  their  arms  the  dying  saints,  after  they 
 had  closed  their  mouths  and  their  eyes,  after  they  had 
 embraced,  kissed,  washed,  and  adorned  them  with  their 
 best  habits,  and  carried  them  on  their  shoulders  to  the 
 grave,  they  have  been  glad  themselves  to  receive  the 
 same  kind  offices  from  others,  who  have  imitated  their 
 zeal  and  charity."  The  acts  were  indeed  imprudent  and 
 improper,  as  Eusebius  admits ;  but  O,  the  power  of  love 
 which  induced  those  acts  !  And  then  we  have  a  famous 
 example  of  the  care  those  early  christians  took  of  their 
 poor,  in  the  conduct  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  in  the 
 earlier  and  better  period  of  her  history.  The  Emperor 
 Decius  demanded  their  treasure.  A  deacon  answered 
 for  the  whole  church,  and  required  one  day  to  comply 
 with  the  order  of  the  tyrant.  When  the  term  was 
 expired,  he  assembled  all  the  blind,  and  the  lame,  and 
 the  sick  that  were  supported  by  the  church,  and  pointing 
 to  them,  told  the  Emperor,  "  These  are  the  riches  of  the 
 church,  these  its  revenue  and  treasure."  Such  were 
 christians  once,  in  brotherly  love.  "We  have  purified 
 ourselves,  happily,  from  many  of  their  errors  and  super- 
 stitions, but  have  we  not,  in  rubbing  off  the  tinsel  of 
 
36  BROTHERLY    LOVE. 
 
 their  gaudy  decorations,  rasped  away  also  some  of  the 
 more  substantial  parts  of  their  piety  ?  Is  there  much, 
 I  say,  of  this  kind  of  love  in  the  church  now  ? 
 
 In  urging  this  divine  love  upon  you,  I  call  upon  you 
 to  dwell  upon  your  own  peculiar  principles,  as  voluntary 
 societies  of  christians,  united  upon  the  ground  of  mutual 
 knowledge.  You  are  not  a  church  formed  by  law,  or 
 associated  by  the  mere  circumstance  of  geographical 
 boundaries,  but  on  the  principle  of  free  consent,  and  on 
 an  acquaintance  with  each  other,  as  those,  who  in  the 
 judgment  of  charity  are  partakers  of  the  like  precious 
 faith,  and  the  common  salvation.  Scarcely  any  churches 
 in  existence  have  such  means  or  motives  for  brotherly 
 love,  as  yours.  You  know  the  sentiments,  the  character, 
 and  even  the  religious  experience  of  those  whom  you 
 receive  to  your  communion,  for  you  have  heard  their 
 confessions.  And  I  do  not  hesitate  for  a  moment  in 
 saying,  that  I  believe  there  is  more  pure  and  practical 
 love  among  you,  than,  with  one  solitary  exception,  (I 
 mean  the  Moravians,)  is  to  be  found  in  any  other 
 denomination  :  and  you  ought  from  these  circumstances 
 I  have  mentioned,  to  have  more.  But  still  you  have 
 far,  far,  too  little.  Weigh  all  the  particulars  I  have 
 enumerated,  and  say  if  there  is  not  yet  a  criminal 
 deficiency  amongst  us.  And  what  are  the  causes  of 
 this  want  of  love  ? 
 
 The  external  prosperity  of  the  church,  its  worldly 
 ease,  and  unrestricted  religious  liberty,  is  one  cause.  In 
 times  of  persecution  the  sheep  run  together ;  but  when 
 the  dogs  cease  to  bark  at,  to  chase,  and  to  worry  them, 
 then  they  separate  and  quarrel  with  one  another.  Shall 
 we,  then,  suffer  our  love  to  each  other  to  grow  cool, 
 
BROTHERLY    LOVE.  .")7 
 
 because  we  are  at  ease  in  Zion?  Is  this  how  wc  improve 
 our  liberty,  and  tempt  God  to  bind  us  together  by  the 
 iron  fetters  of  intolerance  ? 
 
 Professors  do  not  properly  consider  the  subject,  nor 
 dwell  enough  upon  the  ends  of  christian  fellowship. 
 These  are  too  little  thought  of,  and  too  little  studied. 
 They  do  not  stir  up  their  hearts  to  love  one  another, 
 because  they  do  not  properly  consider  how  much  they 
 are  called  to  the  exercise  of  this  holy  and  tender 
 affection. 
 
 The  largeness  of  some  of  our  churches,  might  be 
 thought  by  some  to  be  a  cause  of  the  deficiency,  and  I 
 should  think  so,  if  it  did  not  exist  in  an  equal  degree  in 
 smaller  ones.  Still,  however,  it  must  be  admitted,  that 
 a  body  of  four,  five,  or  six  hundred  members,  scattered 
 over  the  whole  expanse  of  a  large  town  and  neigh- 
 bourhood, cannot  have  much  opportunity  for  personal 
 acquaintance,  and  for  interchange  of  christian  sym- 
 pathy. To  meet  this  case,  there  should  be  a  more 
 numerous  eldership  than  usually  exists,  and  district 
 associations  and  meetings  of  the  members  should  be 
 promoted. 
 
 I  am  inclined  to  think,  that  the  deficiency  is  in 
 many  cases,  and  in  no  small  measure,  to  be  traced  to 
 the  pulpit.  If  the  pastor  be  not  a  man  of  love,  and  a 
 preacher  of  love ;  if  he  do  not,  both  by  his  sermons  and 
 his  example,  breathe  a  spirit  of  affection  into  his  people, 
 and  labour  to  the  uttermost  to  do  so,  there  will  be  a 
 visible  want  of  this  essential  feature  of  church  pros- 
 perity. It  has  not  been  with  many  ministers  perhaps 
 sufficiently  an  object  to  promote  the  love  of  the 
 brethren.     We    have    preached    doctrines,    experience, 
 
38  BROTHERLY    LOVE. 
 
 and  morality ;  we  have  insisted  upon  faith  and  hope ; 
 but  has  charity,  the  greatest  of  the  three  graces,  been 
 sufficiently  inculcated  ? 
 
 But  after  all,  the  chief  causes  of  the  deficiency  of 
 love,  are  still  to  be  mentioned ;  and  these  are,  the  want 
 of  strong  love  to  Christ,  and  a  selfish  worldly-minded- 
 ness.  If  we  loved  Christ  more,  we  should  inevitably 
 love  one  another  more,  since  we  love  each  other  for  his 
 sake.  If  we  felt,  as  we  ought,  his  amazing  love  to  us, 
 we  should  love  him  more  fervently  in  return :  and  then, 
 as  a  necessary  consequence,  we  should  be  more  tenderly 
 attached  to  his  people ;  nor  would  less  worldly-minded- 
 ness,  more  spirituality  of  mind,  fail  to  be  followed  by 
 the  same  effect.  The  most  eminent  christians  are  most 
 tenderly  disposed  towards  God's  dear  children,  and 
 Christ's  dear  saints.  A  love  of  riches  or  of  grandeur  is 
 a  cold  and  selfish  temper :  it  concentrates  a  man's 
 attention  upon  himself,  and  of  course  withdraws  his 
 affection  from  the  church.  The  present  divided  and 
 alienated  state  of  the  christian  world  in  this  country,  is 
 a  plain  proof  that,  notwithstanding  the  prevalence  of 
 evangelical  sentiment,  love  to  Christ  is  by  no  means  so 
 ardent  as  it  appears  to  be.  The  rancorous  feeling, 
 amounting  almost  to  malignity,  with  which  some  pro- 
 fessing christians  treat  others,  cannot  comport  with 
 a  high  degree  of  pure  affection  to  the  Lord  Jesus. 
 
 Permit  me,  then,  to  enjoin  very  earnestly,  an  atten- 
 tion to  this  interesting  and  most  important  duty;  a 
 duty  which  brings  in  its  performance  its  own  reward. 
 Love  is  happiness;  hatred  is  misery;  and  selfish  in- 
 difference at  best  midway  between  both.  And  while 
 on  this  subject,  alluding  to  sentiments  already  touched 
 upon,    I    would    dwell    upon    the    singular    emphasis 
 
BROTHERLY    I.<>\  i:.  39 
 
 which  Christ  lays  ou  tlii-s  duty  in  the  following  injunc- 
 tion ;  "This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one 
 another."  Every  leader  of  a  sect,  both  among  the 
 Jews  and  heathen,  it  has  been  said,  appointed  some  rite 
 or  speculative  opinion,  the  belief  or  observance  of  which 
 was  the  distinction  of  his  followers,  by  which  they  were 
 known  to  be  his  disciples.  Thus  the  Pharisees  and  Sad- 
 ducees,  and  the  Platonists  Pythagoreans  and  Epicureans, 
 were  distinguished  from  each  other.  Each  sect  had  its 
 leading  principle,  its  favourite  opinion,  to  which  it  was 
 warmly  attached,  and  by  which  its  adherents  were  easily 
 known.  In  allusion  to  this,  the  Saviour  of  the  world, 
 the  Head  of  the  heavenly  sect,  says  to  his  followers, 
 "  This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one  another ; 
 and  by  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples, 
 if  ye  love  one  another."  "  I  am  incarnate  love :  none 
 have  loved  like  me :  I  am  the  type  and  pattern  of  love  : 
 and  you  are  the  objects  of  my  love.  If,  therefore,  ye 
 would  prove  yourselves  the  disciples  of  him  who  came 
 to  teach  love,  and  who  taught  by  his  example,  you  must 
 love  as  I  have  loved,  and  must  love  whom  I  love."  Now 
 this  injunction  and  description  of  our  duty  is  Christ's 
 law,  and  no  wonder  that  he  should  attach  such  emphasis 
 to  it,  considering  the  state  of  his  own  mind.  The  laws 
 of  an  absolute  monarch  are  always  expressive  of  his 
 character  :  emanating  from  his  own  disposition,  they 
 bear  the  impress  of  his  heart,  discover  the  tyrant  or  the 
 friend  of  his  people,  and  are  manifestations  of  cruelty 
 or  kindness.  "What,  then,  might  be  looked  for  from 
 Christ,  but  a  law  of  love?  His  laws  for  his  church 
 came  from  his  heart,  and  that  heart  was  love.  "What 
 other  king  ever  gave  it  as  the  badge  of  his  subjects,  or 
 philosopher  ever  gave  it  as  the  distinction  of  his  dis- 
 
40  BROTHERLY    LOVE. 
 
 ciples,  that  they  should  love  one  another?     But  Christ 
 has  clone  so. 
 
 There  is  much  even  in  the  christian  himself,  as  the 
 object  of  our  affection,  in  what  he  is,  and  what  he  will 
 be,  to  kindle,  call  forth,  and  sustain,  a  pure  and  exalted 
 flame.      That  man,   amidst  all   his  imperfections,   has 
 germs  of  immortal  excellence  in  his  nature,  which  in 
 the  paradise  above  will  grow  and  thrive  for  ever.     He 
 is  an  infant  seraph,  displaying  at  present  the  ignorance, 
 wilfulness,  and  waywardness  of  childhood ;  he  thinks  as 
 a  child,  he  speaks  as  a  child,  he  acts  as  a  child ;  but  he 
 is  to  rise  to  the  manhood  of  perfect  and  heavenly  virtue, 
 and  put  away  all  childish  things.     He  is  to  be  holy  as 
 an  angel,  and  to  run  an  endless  career  of  spotless  purity. 
 You  will  see  him  a  perfect  saint ;  yea,  a  perfect,  living, 
 everlasting  resemblance  of  Christ;  as  perfectly  so  as  a 
 good  mirror  is  of  the  sun  whose  dazzling  image  is  reflected 
 from  its  polished  speckless  surface.     You  will  love  that 
 man  for  ever,  and  see  in  him  every  thing  worthy  of  your 
 love.     But  this  consideration  is  nothing  compared  with 
 the  reason  for  loving  him  for  God's  sake,  and  Christ's 
 sake.    On  that  man  the  mind  of  God  was  fixed  from  ever- 
 lasting ages ;  towards  him  the  thoughts  and  affections  of 
 the  Great  God  were  moving  from  eternity.     In  him  the 
 heart  of  Jehovah  finds  its  resting  place.     That  man  was 
 in  the  view  of  Jesus,  when  He  was  contemplating  his 
 death,  and  his  salvation  was  part  of  the  joy  that  was  set 
 before   Christ,   for  which   He   endured  the  cross,   and 
 despised  the  shame.     Out  of  love  to  him,  the  Son  of 
 God  became  incarnate,  and  it  was  love  for  Him  which 
 sustained   Him  amidst  the  scenes  of  His  humiliation. 
 Yes,  Christ  loved  him  unto  the  death  of  the  cross,  and 
 loved  him  in  death,  and  loves  him  beyond  death,  and  by 
 
BROTHERLY    LOVE.  11 
 
 all  His  own  love,  and  all  His  own  agony  which  mani- 
 fested it,  commends  him  to  our  love.  Next  to  Christ 
 himself,  there  is  not  an  object  in  creation  we  should 
 love  as  we  do  a  christian,  for  he  is  not  only  Christ's 
 representative,  but  he  is  the  object  of  Christ's  love. 
 In  that  christian  our  heart  meets  Christ's  heart.  O, 
 what  a  depth  of  meaning,  and  a  cogency  of  argu- 
 ment, and  a  force  of  persuasion,  is  there  in  that  rule 
 and  motive  of  our  affection,  for  it  is  both,  "As  I 
 have  loved  you ! "  Who  but  himself  can  tell  how 
 that  is?  Who  can  say  how  Christ  has  loved  his 
 people  ?  We  can  see  the  expression,  the  outward 
 manifestation  of  it ;  we  can  look  at  the  cross,  but  who 
 can  look  into  the  heart  ?  Who  can  see  or  understand 
 the  love  itself?  "Jesus  Christ  was  an  incarnation  of 
 love  in  our  world.  He  was  love  living,  breathing, 
 speaking,  acting,  amongst  men.  His  birth  was  the 
 nativity  of  love;  his  sermons  the  words  of  love;  his 
 miracles  the  wonders  of  love ;  his  tears  the  meltings 
 of  love;  his  crucifixion  the  agonies  of  love;  his  resur- 
 rection the  triumph  of  love."  And  yet  we  are  to  love 
 one  another  as  Christ  has  loved  us.  We  cannot  now 
 feel  the  full  force  of  this ;  if  we  did,  we  should  be  unfit 
 for  the  present  world ;  the  love  of  kin  and  of  country 
 would  die  away  like  household  fires  in  the  blaze 
 of  the  sun.  But  the  full  force  of  it  will  be  felt  in 
 heaven.  All  the  love  of  kin  and  of  country  will  then 
 have  died  with  the  world  in  which  it  existed ;  and  we 
 shall  see  before  us,  not  husbands  and  wives,  parents  and 
 children,  brothers  and  sisters,  fellow  church  members 
 and  fellow  subjects,  but  simply  objects  of  Christ's  love, 
 who  were  washed  from  their  sins  in  his  blood,  and 
 redeemed  by  his  grace  from  hell,  and  who  arc  to  be  ever 
 Vol.  11  d 
 
42  BROTHERLY    LOVE. 
 
 loved  for  his  sake.  And  we  shall  love  them  thus.  Every 
 look  of  complacency  we  shall  see  him  dart  upon  them, 
 instead  of  kindling  envy,  (so  perfect  shall  we  be  in  love,) 
 will  be  fresh  fuel  to  the  flame  of  our  own  pure  affection 
 for  them.  My  God,  where  is  this  love  now?  Where 
 do  we  see  any  thing  like  it  ?  Among  a  thousand  other 
 reasons  for  a  christian's  desiring  to  depart  and  be  with 
 Christ,  one  is,  that  he  may  feel  what  it  is  to  love  and 
 be  loved  for  his  sake;  to  have  the  mystery  developed, 
 what  it  is  to  love  Christ  perfectly,  and  perfectly  to  love 
 all  his  saints  for  his  sake. 
 
 Professors,  if  there  be  any  truth  in  all  this,  and  it  be 
 not  fiction  or  rhapsody,  yield  to  the  force  of  it,  and  open 
 your  hearts  afresh  to  the  brethren.  You  have  never 
 loved  them  as  you  ought ;  nor  have  you  ever  been 
 beloved  by  them  as  you  have  a  claim  to  be.  O  what  a 
 beauty  and  a  power  of  spiritual  excellence  lie  hidden  in 
 the  pages  of  the  New  Testament,  waiting  to  be  developed 
 in  some  better  age  of  the  church,  when  the  Spirit  of 
 God  shall  be  poured  out  from  on  high.  I  can  imagine 
 that  one  of  the  first  acts  of  the  church,  when  it  shall 
 appear  on  earth  possessed  of  the  glory  of  God,  will  be 
 to  collect  the  books  of  ecclesiastical  history,  and  con- 
 sume them  to  ashes,  as  if  ashamed  to  know  how  little, 
 the  christians  of  other  ages  loved  one  another;  and 
 having  destroyed  these  records  of  their  disgrace,  to 
 send  after  them  into  oblivion  all  the  angry  controversies 
 which  for  so  many  ages  past  seemed  to  metamorphose 
 the  sheep  of  Christ  into  wolves,  and  his  doves  into 
 vultures.  Christians,  for  the  credit  of  religion,  for 
 the  honour  of  your  Redeemer,  and  for  the  good  of  the 
 world,  seek  to  recover  in  full  beauty  this  feature  of 
 Christianity,  the  love  of  the  brethren. 
 
BR0THERL1     LOVE. 
 
 I  close  this  chapter  with  a  passage  from  Mr  I 
 which  I  recommend  to  the  serious  consideration  of  all 
 who  may  read  these  pages. 
 
 "The  effects  of  Messiah's  reign  are  to  be  something  more  than 
 decent  and  comely  in  society;  they  are  to  he  wonderful,  extraor- 
 dinary, miraculous:  'The  wolf  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the 
 leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid.'  The  changes  that  shall  take 
 place  shall  be  fundamental.  '  Every  valley  shall  be  exalted,  and 
 i  very  mountain  and  hill  shall  he  made  low.' 
 
 "  But  if  we  think  that  the  church  has  done  her  duty,  when  she 
 Iris  established  a  standard  of  sobriety,  courtesy,  and  honesty  amongst 
 men,  we  are  grievously  mistaken  ;  she  has  to  exhibit  to  the  world  all 
 her  children  as  one  family,  united  as  one  close-knit  and  vital  body, 
 having  one  spirit  and  one  life  :  bound  together,  not  in  the  ties 
 of  politeness,  but  of  blood  ;  not  in  a  treaty  of  civility,  but  in  a  family 
 compact  of  kindred  affection.  What  then  are  the  effects  of  this 
 mystical  union  ?  Precisely  that  which  is  now  wanting  in  the 
 churches ;  that  all  christians  should  find  their  brethren  in  Christ 
 really  and  substantially  their  friends,  protectors,  and  counsellors  in 
 time  of  need,  distress,  and  apprehension  :  and  that  the  church  should 
 be  a  port  and  refuge  to  the  weary  pilgrims,  who  are  sorely  beset  and 
 buffetted  with  the  tempest  of  adversity. 
 
 "  Christians  are  endowed  with  mighty  privileges,  and  are  made 
 partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  that  they  might,  by  the  resplendent 
 and  Goddike  virtues  of  their  society,  bring  back  the  glory  of  God 
 upon  earth,  manifesting  him  as  he  has  manifested  himself  to  them, 
 the  God  of  love.  For  if  we  look  upon  the  earth,  out  of  the  precincts 
 of  the  church,  we  find  it  a  desolation  of  selfishness,  cruelty,  and 
 hardness  of  heart ;  a  waste  howling  wilderness  of  sin  and  death  ; 
 a  habitation  of  miserable  beings,  who,  without  any  choice  of  their 
 own,  have  been  thrust  into  life  for  labour  and  sorrow,  for  vanity  and 
 vexation  of  spirit,  and  whose  sad  unfriended  condition  has  led  many 
 to  entertain  hard  thoughts  of  the  Creator  and  Ruler  of  such  a  world 
 as  if  he  was,  indeed,  the  evil  demiurge  of  Manichean  theology.  But 
 ihristiaus,  the  body  of  Christ,  have  received  a  commission  to  display 
 the  Creator  in  the  majesty  and  beauty  of  his  second  creation ;  to 
 exalt  by  their  faith  and  conversation,  the  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One 
 of  Israel,  and  to  show  that  the  earth  may  be  a  second  paradise  in  the 
 light  and  glory  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  They  have  to  prove 
 by  the  lovely  operations  of  the  church,  that  the  second  creation  is  the 
 work  of  the  same  God,  who,  being  himself  essential  goodness  and 
 
44  BROTHERLY    LOVE. 
 
 benevolence,  did,  at  the  first,  suffer  the  plenitude  of  his  felicity  to 
 overflow  in  thousands  of  channels,  receiving  from  none,  but  imparting 
 to  all,  the  joys  and  wonders  of  the  first  creation ;  and  though  an 
 enemy  has  .embittered  the  channels,  and  introduced  a  curse  where 
 there  was  a  blessing,  and  sorrow  where  there  was  joy,  and  sin  where 
 there  was  innocence,  and  death  where  there  was  life ;  and  though  the 
 earth  is  filled  with  wicked  men,  who  by  their  active  crimes,  plunge 
 their  fellow-creatures  into  distress,  or,  with  pitiless  apathy,  pass 
 them  by  unheeded,  when  distress  is  breaking  their  hearts ;  yet  the 
 church,  the  nation  of  ransomed  saints,  have,  in  the  gospel,  and 
 through  the  unction  that  teacheth  all  things,  received  so  excellent  a 
 plan  for  a  universal  restitution,  that  if  they  did  but  exactly  follow 
 that  plan  and  hearken  to  the  instructions  they  had  received,  all  evils, 
 excepting  disease  and  death,  would  disappear  from  among  men,  and 
 the  astonished  world,  in  an  exclamation  of  surprise  and  gratitude, 
 would  cry  out,  '  Behold !  again,  the  God  that  made  all  things,  and 
 pronounced  them  to  be  good.' 
 
 "  First  of  all,  then,  harmony,  peace,  and  perfect  friendship  must  be 
 conspicuous  in  the  church :  it  must  be  seen  that  christians  love  one 
 another  ;  that  their  union  is  a  wonder-working  phenomenon,  which  no 
 wisdom  of  the  world  can  counterfeit ;  that  the  gates  of  the  christian 
 enclosure  open  into  the  sanctuary  of  love;  that  a  man,  that  is 
 Christ  in  his  human  nature  joined  to  his  brethren,  and  they  in  him,  is 
 a  '  hiding  place  from  the  wind,  a  covert  from  the  tempest ; '  that 
 when  the  storm  is  raging  in  all  the  world  besides,  there  is  peace 
 there ;  that  every  believer  is  the  brother  of  every  believer  ;  that  they 
 are  all  concerned  in  the  temporal  welfare  of  their  brethren,  and  all 
 deeply  interested  in  their  final  and  everlasting  salvation. 
 
 "  But  is  it  so  at  present  ?  alas !  let  any  one  who  is  thoroughly 
 acquainted  with  the  churches  give  the  melancholy  answer !  There 
 are,  indeed,  christian  societies  wherein  the  poor  are  treated  with 
 kindness  and  sympathy  ;  or,  in  some  places  a  few  of  the  church 
 members  are  united  in  a  pious  friendship,  and  brotherly  love,  which 
 as  far  as  it  extends,  produces  happy  effects ;  but  generally  speaking1 
 there  is  a  sad  distance  between  the  brethren.  They  know  not  one 
 another  in  the  bonds  of  the  gospel ;  they  are  estranged  by  the  cold 
 and  distant  formalities  of  the  ceremonious  world ;  they  are  either  too 
 intent  on  the  pursuit  of  their  own  interest,  or  too  deeply  embedded  in 
 the  well-lined  nest  of  opulent  selfishness,  to  care  for  the  labour  and 
 the  sorrows,  the  beauty  and  edification  of  the  church." 
 
THE    INFLUENCE    OF    PROFESSORS.  I .") 
 
 CHAPTER    XII. 
 
 THE    INFLUENCE    OF    PROFESSORS. 
 
 Amongst  the  various  talents  with  which  God  has 
 entrusted  us,  and  for  the  use  of  which  a  strict  account 
 will  be  required  at  the  day  of  judgment,  is  our  power 
 of  influencing  others.  Made  for  society,  and  placed 
 in  the  midst  of  it,  we  are  always  acting  upon  others, 
 and  being  acted  upon  by  them  :  a  solemn  consideration 
 which  we  should  never  forget  for  a  single  hour.  This 
 applies  universally ;  we  are  all  perpetually  sending  forth 
 and  receiving  influence.  Our  spheres  of  operations 
 are  of  very  different  dimensions,  enlarging,  of  course, 
 according  to  the  number,  publicity,  and  importance 
 of  the  relations  in  which  we  stand  to  the  social 
 system;  but  all  persons,  not  excepting  a  poor  widow 
 in  an  almshouse,  have  a  circle  of  which  they  are 
 the  centre.  Least  of  all  can  it  be  supposed  that 
 the  professor  of  religion  is  without  influence.  Con- 
 sider what  it  is  he  professes  in  the  way  of  privilege, 
 that  he  is  a  member  of  Christ,  a  child  of  God,  a 
 candidate  for  immortality,  an  heir  of  glory;  and  in 
 the  way  of  duty,  that  he  is  a  saint,  a  lover  of  God, 
 an  imitator  of  Christ,  a  friend  of  man,  the  law  of  God 
 incarnate,  a  living  comment  on  the  Bible,  the  religion 
 of  the  New  Testament  embodied.     Such  a  man  must 
 
46  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 have  influence  of  some  kind.  From  the  very  nature 
 of  his  character  and  avowed  principles,  he  must  be 
 acting  upon  others  for  good  or  for  harm.  Whoever  is 
 negative,  such  a  person  cannot  be  so.  Think  also  of 
 the  kind  of  influence  he  exerts :  it  is  not  literary,  it  is 
 hot  political,  it  is  not  scientific,  it  is  not  merely  moral, 
 but  it  is  spiritual,  it  is  religious.  It  is  an  influence,  not 
 for  time  only,  but  for  eternity ;  not  for  earth  merely, 
 but  for  heaven  or  hell.  It  is  an  influence  which  will  in 
 some  instances  go  before  him  into  eternity,  and  in 
 others  will  outlive  him  on  earth,  and  then  follow  him 
 into  his  everlasting  inheritance  of  torment  or  of  bliss, 
 in  the  torment  or  bliss  of  those  to  whose  ruin  or  salva- 
 tion he  has  been  accessory ;  he  is  ever  and  every  where 
 aiding  men  in  their  progress  to  perdition,  or  to  glory. 
 Whether  he  intends  it  or  not ;  whether  he  considers  it 
 or  not;  he  is  sending  out  an  influence  which  either 
 withers  or  nourishes  the  interests  of  immortal  souls. 
 How  much  then  does  it  become  him,  to  consider  well 
 his  momentous  situation,  and  the  account  he  will  have 
 to  render  at  last,  for  the  results  of  his  conduct ! 
 
 I.  Consider  the  influence  of  professors  upon  each 
 other. 
 
 This  may  be  applied  either  to  the  members  of  the 
 same  church,  to  those  of  different  churches  of  the 
 same  denomination,  or  to  those  of  different  denomina- 
 tions. As  regards  the  first,  it  cannot  be  questioned  or 
 unnoticed,  that  they  act  powerfully  on  each  other.  The 
 Word  of  God  abounds  with  remarks,  precepts,  and 
 examples,  which  imply  this.  We  have  the  excellences 
 and  faults  of  the  saints  set  before  us,  that  we  may  avoid 
 the  one  and  imitate  the  other;  we  are  called  upon  to 
 let  our  light  shine  before  men  ;   to  provoke  unto  love 
 
OF    PROFESSORS.  i7 
 
 and  good  works ;  to  do  good  to  all  ;  to  edify  one 
 another.  This  reciprocal  influence  of  professors  may 
 be  seen  exemplified  as  well  as  proved,  in  various  points 
 of  view  :  such  for  instance  as  the  following  : 
 
 In  their  spirituality  and  heavenliness  of  mind.  Re- 
 ligion is  not,  as  you  know,  a  mere  round  of  ceremonies,, 
 or  a  mere  set  of  opinions ;  it  is  a  state  of  holy  affection, 
 a  principle  of  divine  life  in  the  soul ;  it  is  faith,  hope, 
 love  j  a  minding  of  the  things  of  the  Spirit ;  righteous- 
 ness, peace  and  joy,  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  evident, 
 therefore,  that  those  who  profess  it,  must  be  always 
 doing  something  to  raise  or  depress  each  other's  piety, 
 fanning  or  damping  the  flame  of  each  other's  divine 
 love.  One  lively,  ardent,  active  Christian,  is  a  blessing 
 to  the  circle  in  which  he  moves,  and  sometimes  to  the 
 whole  church  of  which  he  is  a  member.  His  prayers  at 
 meetings  for  social  devotion,  and  his  conversation  in  the 
 company  of  christian  friends,  tend  not  only  to  stop  the 
 spreading  lukewarmness  of  many  others ;  but  to  kindle 
 a  similar  spirit  to  his  own,  in  the  hearts  of  those  with 
 whom  he  associates.  He  keeps  up  the  spiritual  atmos- 
 phere of  the  church,  and  makes  it  genial  and  reviving. 
 TVhile  on  the  other  hand,  one  worldly-minded,  political, 
 or  convivial  professor,  whose  spiritual  affections,  if  not 
 wholly  extinguished,  are  smouldering  under  a  heap  of 
 earthly  cares  and  tastes,  depresses  and  chills  the  piety 
 of  all  who  come  near  him.  He  is  a  hindrance  to 
 religious  conversation,  an  interruption  to  the  commu- 
 nion of  saints,  and  an  extinguisher  upon  the  devotion 
 of  a  party.  However  profitable  the  intercourse  of  the 
 company  may  have  been  before  he  entered  the  room, 
 he  soon  contrives  by  anecdotes,  politics,  or  business,  to 
 turn  the  current  into  some  low  and  earthly  channel.     It 
 
48  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 is  of  immense  consequence  that  we  should  all  consider 
 this  subject ;  that  we  should  ask  the  question  of  our- 
 selves, "  What  should  I  wish  the  church  to  be  to  which 
 I  belong :  would  I  have  it  resemble  that  of  Philadelphia, 
 which  the  Lord  accused  of  nothing  bad,  or  that  of 
 Laodicea,  which  he  did  not  praise  for  any  thing  good  ? 
 What  I  wish  the  church  to  be,  that  by  divine  grace, 
 will  I  seek  to  be  myself :  for  that  in  fact  which  I  am 
 in  my  spirit  and  temper,  am  I  in  reality  seeking  to 
 make  the  whole  body." 
 
 It  has  not,  I  believe,  unfrequently  occurred  that 
 young  converts,  in  the  ardour  of  their  first  love,  and 
 while  little  acquainted  with  what  is  called  the  religious 
 world,  have  looked  upon  the  church  of  Christ  as  a 
 sacred  enclosure,  within  which  dwelt  scarcely  any  other 
 than  a  kind  of  heavenly  inhabitants;  as  a  sort  of  ves- 
 tibule to  the  temple  above,  where  as  these  blessed  spirits 
 were  putting  off  their  earthly  affections,  and  preparing 
 to  enter  into  the  presence  of  their  divine  Redeemer, 
 they  could  think  or  speak  of  little  else  than  the  glory 
 that  awaited  them;  and  where  every  addition  to  their 
 number  would  be  hailed  with  delight,  and  welcomed  as 
 an  accession  to  the  fervour  of  their  piety.  In  such 
 society,  these  novices  expected  soon  to  attain  to  the  full 
 maturity  of  the  christian  character,  and  ripen  into  the 
 greatest  perfection  attainable  on  earth.  They  antici- 
 pated the  sweetest  and  holiest  intercourse,  an  almost 
 unearthly  spirituality,  and  an  uninterrupted  strain  of 
 religious  conversation  in  the  communion  of  saints :  but 
 alas  !  what  a  woeful  disappointment  did  the  reality 
 produce;  in  the  sacred  enclosure  they  found  worldly- 
 minded  professors  almost  as  intent  upon  things  seen 
 and  temporal,  as  any  they  had  left  without  the  gates; 
 
OF    PROFESSORS.  I!) 
 
 in  the  vestibule  of  heaven  they  beheld  men  and  women 
 covered  with  the  dust,  disordered  with  the  anxieties, 
 and  given  up  to  the  enjoyment,  of  earth.  They  saw 
 little  but  the  world  in  the  conduct  of  those  around 
 them,  and  heard  little  else  in  the  conversation.  A  cold 
 chill  fell  upon  their  hearts,  which  seemed  at  once,  like 
 a  frosty  atmosphere  acting  upon  a  newly  exposed  plant, 
 to  check  the  ardour  of  their  religious  affections;  and 
 they  themselves,  lately  so  fervent,  soon  sunk  and  set- 
 tled down  into  the  lukewarmness  of  those  among  whom 
 they  had  come  to  dwell.  It  is  true  they  expected  too 
 much ;  they  had  formed  a  standard  for  the  church 
 militant,  too  nearly  approaching  that  of  the  church 
 triumphant;  but  still,  evenfpersons  with  a  more  correct 
 knowledge  of  professing  christians,  and  with  more  sober 
 expectations  of  what  was  to  be  derived  from  them,  have, 
 upon  coming  among  them,  experienced  much  less  of  the 
 benefits  of  fellowship  than  they  expected.  This  should 
 not  be.  Happily  it  is  not  always  thus.  In  our  churches 
 are  to  be  found  some,  who  by  their  knowledge,  piety, 
 and  experience,  are  nursing  fathers  and  mothers  of  the 
 young  christian,  and  who  by  the  blessing  of  God, 
 breathe  into  him  their  own  spirit. 
 
 Our  influence  upon  each  other  is  very  great  in  pro- 
 moting or  discouraging  an  attendance  upon  the  means 
 of  grace,  especially  on  week  days.  A  diligent  and 
 constant  resort  to  the  house  of  God,  both  for  hearing 
 the  word  and  social  prayer,  is  of  incalculable  import^ 
 ance  to  the  spirit  of  piety.  If  we  would  grow  in  grace, 
 and  keep  up  the  principle  and  exercise  of  faith,  we  must 
 avail  ourselves  of  all  possible,  or  at  least  attainable, 
 helps.  An  irregular  attendant  upon  these  advantages 
 discourages  others,  lends  the  influence  of  his  example  to 
 
50  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 dissuade  them  from  going  to  the  place  of  instruction,  and 
 says  to  them,  in  effect,  "There  is  no  need  of  so  much 
 diligence/'  Fearful  is  the  injury  thus  done,  espe- 
 cially by  deacons  and  leading  members,  when  they  are 
 inconstant.  On  the  contrary,  how  influential  for  good 
 is  he  whose  place  is  never  vacant ;  who  as  he  passes  the 
 house  of  the  less  regular  attendant,  says,  by  his  example, 
 "Come  with  us;"  and  who  as  he  meets  a  negligent 
 brother  in  the  street,  causes  him  to  turn  and  accompany 
 him  to  the  house  of  God  ! 
 
 Our  morality  is  materially  affected  by  each  other.  I 
 need  not  say  how  refined,  how  pure,  how  rigid,  are  the 
 morals  of  the  New  Testament,  forbidding  not  only  the 
 outward  act,  but  also  the  inward  feeling  of  sin ;  com- 
 manding not  only  whatsoever  things  are  true,  pure,  just, 
 and  honest,  but  also  whatsoever  things  are  lovely  and 
 of  good  report.  A  professing  Christian  should  be  not 
 only  eminent  in  the  church  for  his  piety,  but  as  eminent 
 also  in  the  world  for  his  morality.  We  should  excel  on 
 his  own  ground  the  worldling,  who  is  apt  to  boast  of  his 
 morals,  while  he  sneers  at  us  for  our  piety.  We  should 
 be  above  and  beyond  him  in  this  respect.  His  summit 
 should  be  our  lowest  level ;  his  goal  should  be  our  start- 
 ing place.  It  is  evident,  notwithstanding  the  boast  of 
 some,  that  morals,  so  far  as  truth,  honesty,  and  justice 
 are  concerned,  are  at  a  very  low  ebb  in  the  world,  and  I 
 am  alarmed  and  concerned  lest  the  tide  should  sink  in 
 the  church.  The  loose  maxims  and  looser  practice  of 
 modern  trade,  are  finding  their  way  among  professed 
 christians,  and  principles  are  now  adopted  and  acted 
 upon,  and  prevail  extensively,  which  if  tested  by  the 
 Word  of  God,  cannot  be  justified.  Here  again,  the  re- 
 ciprocal influence  of  believers  is  great  and  dangerous. 
 
ol     PROFESSORS.  51 
 
 Had  the  church  from  the  beginning  taken  its  stand 
 upon  the  Scriptures,  and  repudiated  every  thing  con- 
 demned by  them,  there  would  not  have  been  exhibited 
 in  the  practices  of  modern  professors,  such  a  mass  of 
 questionable  conduct  as  we  are  often  pained  to  behold. 
 One  christian  makes  a  small  deviation  from  the  "  what- 
 soever things  are  lovely ;"  another  sees  it,  and  goes  a 
 step  further  to  infringe  upon  the  "  whatsoever  things  are 
 of  good  report ;"  a  third  is  emboldened  by  their  sanc- 
 tion to  neglect  the  "  whatsoever  things  are  true ;"  and 
 so  the  matter  goes  on.  Some  things  are  avoided  as 
 long  as  they  are  confined  to  the  world ;  but  once  seen 
 in  the  church,  they  are  practised  under  the  considera- 
 tion that  if  not  actually  right,  they  cannot  be  far  wrong, 
 when  they  are  done  by  professors. 
 
 Thus  the  church  goes  on  lowering  the  standard  of 
 morals,  and  corrupting  itself.  A  christian  ought  to 
 tremble  at  the  idea  of  venturing  one  single  step  beyond 
 the  line  of  propriety,  and  especially  in  any  new  case 
 of  commercial  casuistry;  for  there  are  among  his 
 brethren,  many  waiting  first  to  imitate  him,  and  then  to 
 plead  his  example  for  going  one  step  further  than  he 
 did.  Thus  he  acts  the  part  of  Jeroboam,  the  son  of 
 Nebat,  of  whom  it  is  so  emphatically  and  repeatedly 
 said,  "he  made  Israel  to  sin."  One  single  act  of 
 doubtful  morality,  performed  by  a  professing  christian, 
 may  be  observed  by  many,  and  copied  by  some,  who  till 
 that  time  never  epiestioned  its  sinfulness ;  and  who  from 
 that  moment  feel  all  the  safeguards  of  their  character, 
 all  the  defences  of  their  integrity,  give  way  before  the 
 influence  of  one,  whom  they  had  been  accustomed  to 
 look  up  to,  not  only  as  an  older  and  a  wiser,  but  also 
 a  holier,  christian  than  themselves ;  till  at  length,  going 
 
52  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 on  from  one  stage  of  delinquency  to  another,  they 
 make  shipwreck  of  faith,  and  a  good  conscience  to- 
 gether. On  the  contrary,  how  noble,  honourable,  and 
 useful  is  the  man,  whose  stern  and  stedfast  integrity 
 stands  firm  amidst  the  shifting  and  fluctuating  tides 
 of  modern  commerce  and  commercial  devices,  like  a 
 rock  among  the  billows  and  currents  of  the  ocean. 
 There  he  is  among  his  brethren,  the  relic  of  a  juster 
 and  more  honourable  age,  the  type  of  what  a  christian 
 tradesman  should  be,  and  the  means  of  still  restraining 
 within  the  boundaries  of  truth  and  honesty  those  who 
 would  otherwise  be  found  wandering. 
 
 Nor  is  our  influence  upon  each  other  inconsiderable, 
 as  regards  zeal  and  liberality.  There  are  few  things 
 to  which  the  remark,  that  men  move  more  by  imitation 
 than  conviction,  is  so  applicable  as  it  to  this.  "  What 
 will  others  do?"  is  the  question  often  asked,  instead  of, 
 "What  ought  I  to  do?"  Let  a  plan  be  presented  to 
 them  of  some  new  effort  for  extending  the  Redeemer's 
 kingdom  in  the  world ;  some  fresh  and  just  demand 
 upon  the  energies  and  property  of  his  friends;  and 
 instead  of  examining  its  merits,  they  scrutinize  its 
 supporters ;  instead  of  reading  the  prospectus,  they  run 
 over  the  list  of  contributors ;  instead  of  saying  to  them- 
 selves, "  What  ought  I  to  do  ?"  they  ask  the  bearer  what 
 their  neighbours  have  done.  This  is  a  shameful  way 
 of  supporting  God's  cause,  and  yet  it  is  far  too  exten- 
 sively prevalent.  What  responsibility,  therefore,  does 
 it  entail  on  professors,  first  to  give  their  names,  since 
 names  are  arguments  and  recommendations ;  and  next 
 to  couple  with  their  names  a  liberal  and  proportionate 
 donation ;  proportionate  to  the  merits  of  the  cause,  and 
 proportionate  also  to  their  own  station  and  means  of 
 
OF    PROFESSORS.  53 
 
 assisting  it !  Especially  does  this  prove  the  respon- 
 sibility of  rich  professors.  Their  contributions  fix  the 
 scale  of  donations,  and  determine  in  effect,  whether 
 much  or  little  shall  be  done.  They  open  or  close  the 
 hearts  and  hands  of  the  rest;  they  cause  the  stream 
 of  liberality  to  flow  full  and  rapidly,  or  to  stagnate; 
 they,  in  many  cases,  determine  whether  the  scheme 
 shall  succeed  or  fail.  There  are  frequently  to  be  found 
 liberal  minds  who  devise  liberal  things,  but  on  being 
 informed  that  some  richer  neighbour  has  done  much 
 less  than  they  intended  to  do,  are  prevented  from 
 fulfilling  their  own  purposes,  although  they  know  they 
 are  within  their  ability,  because  it  would  appear  either 
 like  ostentation  or  ambition,  to  surpass  one  so  much 
 better  able  to  give  than  themselves ;  and  thus  the  cause 
 of  Christ  is  doubly  robbed,  by  covetousness  on  the  one 
 hand,  and  mistaken  modesty  on  the  other.  Away  with 
 such  modesty;  let  all  men  accomplish  the  desires  of 
 their  own  heart,  and  obey  the  dictates  of  their  own 
 conscience,  regardless  of  the  conduct  of  the  rich  nig- 
 gard, remembering  that  their  example  may  work 
 upward,  and  shame  him  out  of  his  detestable  covetous- 
 ness. 
 
 Members  of  different  churches  of  the  same  order,  do 
 each  other  much  good,  by  cultivating  friendly  inter- 
 course, by  reciprocal  interest  and  sympathy,  and  by 
 good  neighbourhood  and  co-operation;  or  much  harm, 
 by  a  spirit  of  alienation  and  hostility,  of  envy  and 
 jealousy,  and  of  detraction  and  division.  Yes,  different 
 communities  act  upon  each  other,  as  well  as  different 
 individuals  in  the  same  community;  and  this,  not  only 
 in  the  way  I  have  already  glanced  at,  but  in  many 
 others.      The  apostle  tells  us   that   even  in  primitive 
 
54  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 times,  the  zeal  and  liberality  of  one  society  provoked 
 another  to  love  and  good  works;  and  he  proposed  the 
 example  of  one  church  for  the  imitation  of  the  rest. 
 Every  community  of  christians  has  influence  upon 
 others,  and  influence  of  course  in  the  ratio  of  its  mag- 
 nitude, wealth,  and  reputation.  This  is  a  circumstance 
 which  ought  to  be  well  and  solemnly  considered  by  all 
 large  and  affluent  congregations,  whether  in  London  or 
 in  the  country.  They  are  to  the  church  at  large,  what 
 their  localities  are  to  the  empire.  The  metropolis, 
 and  other  cities  and  large  towns,  give  the  tone  in  a 
 great  measure  to  the  smaller  towns  and  villages.  Hence, 
 lukewarmness,  worldly-mindedness,  and  covetousness  in 
 the  larger  churches,  are  almost  sure  to  infect  others; 
 while  their  spiritual  life,  activity,  and  liberality,  are 
 very  likely  to  be  communicated  to  the  body,  of  which 
 they  are  the  greater  limbs. 
 
 In  reference  to  the  reciprocal  influence  of  professors 
 of  different  denominations,  far  more  might  be  said  than 
 can  be  said  in  this  chapter.  They  must  and  do  act 
 upon  each  other,  and  that  powerfully.  The  knowledge 
 and  piety,  the  love  and  zeal  of  one  section  of  the  chris- 
 tian church,  can  no  more  be  confined  within  the  pale 
 of  its  communion,  than  the  air  it  breathes  or  the  light 
 it  enjoys :  nor  are  the  bad  influences  of  party  spirit, 
 sectarian  bitterness,  and  political  animosity,  more  likely 
 to  be  pent  up  within  the  community  that  indulges  them, 
 than  the  pestilential  miasmata  of  an  epidemic  within 
 the  house  where  it  is  first  seen.  There  is  a  continual 
 action  and  re-action  going  on  between  the  different 
 divisions  of  the  catholic  church.  If  a  revival  of  piety 
 takes  place  in  one,  it  will  in  all  probability  extend  to 
 others.    The  niethodists  and  dissenters  were  the  means 
 
01     PRO] 
 
 of  rekindling  the  flame  of*  evangelical  religion  in  the 
 Church  of  England,  which  will  act  upon  its  source,  and 
 cause  that  to  burn  with  still  greater  intensity.  A  solemn 
 obligation  to  promote  the  spirit  of  pure  and  undcfilcd 
 religion  ought  to  be  felt  by  each  party,  not  only  for  its 
 own  sake,  but  for  the  sake  of  all.  Our  books,  our 
 examples,  the  records  of  our  zeal  and  liberality,  overleap 
 the  boundaries  of  party,  and  circulate  amongst  each 
 other,  in  spite  of  prejudice  and  bigotry.  I  say,  in  spite 
 of  prejudice  and  bigotry,  for  such  bigotry  there  is,  of 
 which  I  have  myself  been  the  object.  God  has  honoured 
 me  by  enabling  me  to  write  a  little  work,  "  The  Anxious 
 Inquirer/'  which,  in  his  infinite  condescension,  he  has 
 blessed  to  an  extent  which  fills  me  with  astonishment 
 and  gratitude.  It  has  obtained  favour  in  the  eyes  of 
 many,  very  many,  pious  clergymen  of  the  Church  of 
 England,  from  some  of  whom  I  have  received  testi- 
 monies to  its  usefulness,  as  honourable  to  their  candour, 
 as  they  are  gratifying  to  my  heart.  Such  men,  intent 
 upon  the  objects  of  their  high  and  holy  calling,  and 
 willing  by  any  proper  means  to  save  souls,  have  not 
 scrupled  to  avail  themselves  of  an  instrument  which 
 they  thought  was  made  ready  to  their  hands,  though 
 constructed  by  a  dissenter.  Not  so,  however,  with  all ; 
 for  instances  have  come  to  my  knowledge  of  evangelical 
 clergymen  having  acknowledged  the  useful  tendency  of 
 this  book,  and  yet  refused  to  circulate  it,  because  it 
 bore  a  dissenter's  name  on  the  title  page.  In  one  case 
 of  this  kind,  a  lady  was  so  much  hurt  by  its  being 
 refused  admission  into  a  religious  library,  that  she 
 immediately  purchased  a  considerable  number  for  circu- 
 lation. I  know  not  whether  I  ought  to  make  such  a 
 concession  to  bigotry  as  the  suppression  of  my  aame. 
 
56  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 but  if  it  would  at  all  aid  the  usefulness,  by  extending 
 the  circulation  of  the  book,  I  should,  perhaps,  consent 
 to  the  Tract  Society's  doing  so,  as  it  is  now  their  pro- 
 perty. I  can,  I  believe,  most  unhesitatingly  declare  on 
 behalf  of  the  body  to  which  I  belong,  that  they  are  al- 
 together strangers  to  the  feeling  which  would  lead  them 
 to  refuse  to  circulate  any  useful  book,  because  it  bears 
 the  name  of  a  churchman.  As  regards  the  prejudice 
 against  myself,  for  such  prejudice  I  do  know  exists  in 
 some  quarters,  I  can  descend  to  nothing  servile,  nothing 
 mean,  nothing  below  what  becomes  a  man  or  a  christian, 
 to  remove  it ;  remembering  what  was  once  said  by  a 
 bishop  of  the  Church  of  England,  "  that  prejudice  has 
 neither  eyes  nor  ears."  I  am  a  dissenter,  nor  would  I 
 give  up  my  principles  for  the  wealth  that  all  the  en- 
 dowed churches  in  Christendom  have  to  offer ;  and  I 
 have  written  for  the  cause  of  dissent;  not,  however, 
 from  factious  motives,  in  a  rancorous  spirit,  or  with  a 
 reviling  pen.  What  I  have  written  is  in  existence,  and 
 still  in  circulation,  and  let  any  man  show  me  a  sentence 
 which  is  contrary  to  charity  or  courtesy,  and  I  will  blot 
 it  from  my  page.  In  one  instance,  and  it  was  a 
 principal  cause  of  the  prejudice  against  me  in  certain 
 quarters,  I  was  not  merely  misunderstood,  but  grossly 
 and  wickedly  misrepresented,  and  made  to  say  the  very 
 reverse  of  what  I  did  say.  Instead  of  affirming  at  a 
 public  meeting,  as  was  reported,  "that  we  ought  to 
 forget  our  Christianity  in  our  dissent,"  I  really  said 
 that  we  ought  not  to  do  so.  How  much  of  the  bad 
 feeling  which  now  exists  between  different  religious 
 parties,  is  to  be  traced  up  to  some  of  the  organs  of 
 public  opinion.  Let  us,  however,  not  carry  our  antipa- 
 thies, if  any  exist,  so  far  as  to  refuse  the  circulation 
 
OF    PROFESSORS.  57 
 
 of  each  other's  useful  books;  for  this  is  worse  than 
 exclusive  dealing,  and  is  deliberately  to  abandon  the 
 church  of  Christ  at  large  to  the  ruthless  havoc  of  party 
 spirit,  unchecked  by  one  of  the  most  likely  means  to 
 preserve  from  utter  extinction,  the  last  embers  of  ex- 
 piring charity. 
 
 Wherever  and  on  whomsoever  God  bestows  his  gifts 
 and  graces,  he  intends  them  as  the  common  blessings 
 of  the  church  :  and  it  is  impossible  for  prejudice  and 
 bigotry  altogether  to  restrain  or  resist  their  influence. 
 We  get  good  in  some  cases,  unconsciously  to  ourselves, 
 from  the  very  men  whom  we  oppose;  just  as  we  should 
 catch  a  sweet  and  rich  perfume  with  which  an  individual 
 might  be  scented,  by  wrestling  with  him.  The  lamp  that 
 lights  my  neighbour  to  his  house,  though  he  be  an  enemy, 
 lends  a  friendly  illumination  to  the  road  to  mine.  There 
 is  a  communion  in  spiritual  benefits  where  there  can  be 
 none  of  persons.  I  wish  for  a  greater  revival  of  religion 
 amongst  the  dissenters,  that  it  may  do  good  to  the 
 Church  of  England ;  and  I  wish  for  a  greater  revival 
 of  it  in  the  Church  of  England  that  it  may  do  good  to 
 the  dissenters;  and  I  wish  for  it  in  the  Methodists,  to 
 do  good  to  both  the  others,  and  in  both  the  others  to 
 do  good  to  the  Methodists.  Wherever  it  begins,  it  will 
 not  and  cannot  stop  there.  The  Spirit  of  God  will 
 not  be  limited  by  our  narrow  views  and  selfish  policy, 
 but  will  make  us  blessings  to  each  other,  in  spite  of 
 ourselves. 
 
 On  the  other  hand,  if  benefits  be  communicable,  so 
 is  evil :  and  if  in  one  way,  the  different  sections  of  the 
 church  of  Christ  are  doing  each  other  good ;  they  are, 
 in  another,  doing  each  other  great  harm.  They  are 
 provoking  each  other  to  love  and  good  works,  as  their 
 Vol.  11  E 
 
58  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 different  religious  institutions  can  testify ;  but  they  are 
 also  provoking  each  other  to  strife,  contention  and 
 enmity,  as  their  controversies  and  periodicals  bear  wit- 
 ness. Never  was  the  warfare  of  the  brethren  so  fierce 
 and  so  rancorous  as  it  now  is.  Their  tongues  are  sharp 
 swords,  and  their  pens  are  spears.  One  party  is  at- 
 tacking what  they  believe  to  be  a  corrupt  system ;  the 
 other  in  defending  it,  are  reviling  those  who  are  en- 
 gaged in  the  assault.  The  conflict  cannot  as  yet  be  ter- 
 minated, since  it  is  for  truth  ;  but  still  it  should  be 
 carried  on  in  the  spirit  of  love.  We  must  still  carry 
 on  controversy,  for  neither  party  dare  quit  the  field, 
 but  let  it  be  like  Michael,  the  archangel,  who  when 
 contending  even  with  the  devil  about  the  body  of  Moses, 
 durst  not  bring  against  him  a  railing  accusation,  but 
 said,  "  The  Lord  rebuke  thee."  Let  the  accuser,  re- 
 viler,  and  defamer  of  his  brethren,  remember  this ;  and 
 like  the  serpent  fabled  to  spit  out  her  venom  before  she 
 drinks,  cast  away  the  poison  of  his  malice,  and  then 
 repair  to  the  source  of  christian  arguments.  Let  the 
 incendiaries  of  all  religious  parties,  whose  tongues  are 
 set  on  fire  of  hell,  remember  this,  and  consider  that, 
 like  other  incendiaries,  they  have  no  power  to  stop  the 
 flames  they  kindle,  and  that  they  may  not  only  con- 
 sume their  neighbour's  homestead,  but  their  own  also. 
 Every  hot,  turbulent,  and  defamatory  professor,  though 
 not  a  preacher  or  a  writer,  but  only  a  talker,  is  a  mis- 
 chief-maker in  the  church,  and  not  only  does  what  in 
 him  lies  to  drive  away  charity  from  his  own  party,  but 
 also  to  expel  it  from  that  of  his  opponents.  He  is  an 
 enemy  to  all  churches,  by  the  manner  in  which  he 
 defends  his  own;  and  by  offering  up  love  in  sacrifice, 
 
OF    PROFESSORS.  59 
 
 at  the  shrine  of  what  he  calls  truth,  destroys  one  halt. 
 and  that  the  better  half,  of  what  is  worth  contending 
 for  in  Christianity.  He  provokes  others  to  join  him  in 
 destroying  that  holy,  heavenly  temper,  which  is  of  infi- 
 nitely greater  value  than  all  the  forms  of  polity,  and  all 
 the  ceremonies,  ever  devised  by  man,  or  instituted  by 
 God ;  which  these  forms  and  ceremonies  were  granted 
 and  designed  to  promote ;  and  which  shall  survive 
 and  flourish,  infinite  ages  after  they  have  ceased  to  be 
 remembered. 
 
 I  have  my  opinion,  of  course,  where  the  most  active 
 cause  and  the  chief  blame  of  this  unhappy  state  of 
 things  arc  to  be  found,  but  as  I  would  not  add  one 
 particle  of  inflammable  matter  to  the  unholy  fire  which 
 is  raging  like  a  conflagration,  I  shall  abstain  from  utter- 
 ing my  convictions.  I  cannot  however  forbear  to  ex- 
 press my  persuasion,  that  a  great  part  of  the  anger  that 
 is  felt  by  one  of  the  parties,  is  produced  by  an  entire 
 misconception  of  the  object  of  the  other;  I  would  not 
 aver,  that  either  of  the  parties  is  without  any  blame,  but 
 I  cannot  think  that  in  this  respect  they  are  both  on  an 
 equality.  O  for  a  truce  to  every  thing  but  dispassionate 
 argument,  and  the  charitable  use  of  those  methods  for 
 obtaining  the  redress  of  grievances,  which  the  constitu- 
 tion puts  within  our  reach  !  AVhen  shall  that  sweet  and 
 holy  voice  be  heard  throughout  the  land,  which  learning 
 its  melody,  and  borrowing  its  theme,  from  the  angel's 
 song,  shall  call  the  church  to  unity  of  spirit,  in  notes, 
 which  he  who  came  to  give  peace  on  eai'th  must  approve, 
 as  the  echo  of  his  natal  anthem  ?  "When  shall  that  dear 
 servant  of  his  master,  whom  so  many  admire,  and  so 
 few  imitate,  find  that  by  his  heavenly  music,  he  has 
 
60  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 tamed  the  fierceness  of  bigotry,  and  exorcised  the  evil 
 spirit  of  intolerance  ?  O  God,  do  thou  in  thy  great 
 mercy  to  thy  distracted  church,  bless  the  circulation, 
 even  as  I  believe  thou  didst  help  the  composition,  of 
 that  invaluable  tract.  I  scarcely  need  say  I  refer  to 
 the  Rev.  Baptist  Noel's  tract,  entitled,  "The  Unity 
 of  the  Church." 
 
 Such,  then,  is  the  influence  of  professors  on  each 
 other;  a  subject,  I  am  persuaded,  too  little,  far  too 
 little  considered.  We  have  seen  the  necessity,  and  felt 
 the  importance,  of  converting  the  world ;  but  have  we 
 seen  the  necessity  and  felt  the  importance  of  improving 
 the  church  ?  We  have  been  engaged  in  extending  Chris- 
 tianity abroad ;  but  have  we  been  brought  to  refine  and 
 exalt  it  at  home?  We  have  acknowledged  the  claims 
 that  aliens  have  upon  us,  but  have  we  not  withheld 
 ourselves  from  our  brethren  ?  Is  the  church  the  better 
 or  the  worse  for  us  ?  Have  we  done  it  good  or  harm 
 by  our  union  with  it  ?  Have  we  increased  the  fervour 
 of  its  piety,  or  added  to  its  lukewarmness  ?  Have  we 
 raised  or  depressed  its  standard  of  morality  ?  Have  we 
 drawn  our  fellow  christians  to  the  sanctuary,  or  led 
 them  away  from  it  ?  Have  we  warmed  or  paralysed  the 
 zeal  of  others ;  expanded  or  contracted  their  liberality  ? 
 We  have  been  doing  something.  We  have  stood  neither 
 idle  nor  neutral.  Our  fellow  professors  are  either  better 
 or  worse  for  our  association  with  them.  What  has  been 
 will  be.  We  shall  still  continue  to  send  out  influence, 
 and  receive  it  too.  May  we  therefore  consider  well  our 
 situation  and  our  obligations. 
 
 II.  But  I  now  go  on  to  consider  the  influence  of 
 professors  upon  their  families. 
 
or  professors.  <;i 
 
 The  power  of  influence  is  regulated  by  three  circum- 
 stances. By  the  opportunity  which  those  over  whom 
 it  is  exerted  have  of  observing  us ;  by  the  affection  they 
 bear  to  us,  and  the  habit  which  they  have  acquired  of 
 looking  up  to  us  for  imitation.  What  then  must  be  the 
 influence  of  parents?  Their  children  are  almost  con- 
 tinually with  them ;  they  are  seen  by  them  in  nearly  all 
 they  do,  in  their  habitual  conduct,  and  in  the  undress 
 of  their  character  at  home.  When  they  little  reflect 
 upon  it,  they  are  heard  in  what  they  say,  seen  in  what 
 they  do,  studied  in  their  various  phases  of  behaviour,  by 
 ears,  eyes,  and  minds,  which  are  scarcely  ever  closed. 
 Affection  prepares  the  child  to  receive  impressions  from 
 parental  conduct ;  it  warms  the  heart,  and  makes  it  soft 
 and  ductile  to  a  father's  or  a  mother's  hand.  And 
 whom  has  the  child  been  taught  to  regard  with  the 
 esteem  and  reverence  equal  to  that  which  he  feels 
 for  his  parents?  Their  plastic  influence  has  been 
 moulding  him  from  the  dawn  of  reason.  He  knew  them 
 first,  sees  them  most,  and  loves  them  best,  and  therefore 
 is  likely  to  yield  to  them  with  deepest  submission. 
 "What,  then,  ought  to  be  the  behaviour  at  home  of  a 
 professing  christian?  It  is  not  my  design  to  enter  at 
 large  into  the  subject  and  plan  of  a  religious  educa- 
 tion ;  I  would  merely  say,  that  the  whole  cultivation, 
 direction,  and  management  of  a  child's  mind,  from  the 
 very  dawn  of  reason,  and  the  developement  of  moral 
 emotions,  should  be  carried  on  with  special  reference 
 to  the  formation  of  religious  character.  This  should 
 be  the  one  thing,  in  reference  to  the  children  of  every 
 professor,  to  which  all  other  things  should  be  subor- 
 dinate and  subsidiary.     Schools,  preceptors,  businesses, 
 
62  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 situations,  all  should  be  selected  with  reference  to  this. 
 There  should  be  no  doubt  about  this  matter,  no  hesita- 
 tion or  stopping  in  this  course. 
 
 But  I  now  refer  more  particularly  to  the  silent  influ- 
 ence of  parental  conduct ;  and  it  is  an  undoubted  fact, 
 that  this  is  far  greater,  either  for  good  or  for  evil,  than 
 most  parents  are  aware.  They  teach  by  what  they 
 say,  they  influence  by  what  they  do,  and  also  by  what 
 they  do  not  say,  and  do  not  perform.  The  father, 
 who  in  the  best  sense  of  the  word,  is  the  prophet,  priest, 
 and  king  of  his  family ;  and  the  mother,  whose  piety  is 
 as  warm  and  consistent  as  her  affection ;  this  godly 
 couple,  in  whom  meek,  benevolent,  ardent,  and  con- 
 sistent religion  is  embodied ;  who  are  known  to  be 
 saints,  as  well  as  felt  to  be  parents,  exert  an  influence 
 over  the  minds  of  their  children,  not  to  be  cal- 
 culated by  numbers,  or  described  in  language.  But, 
 oh !  the  dreadful  contrast  in  the  case  of  those  whose 
 unsanctified  tempers,  worldly  associations,  gay  and 
 extravagant  habits,  political  antipathies,  trifling  con- 
 versation, and  want  of  seriousness  and  spirituality,  often 
 lead  their  children  and  servants  to  ask  the  question 
 wherein  their  fathers  and  masters  differ  from  those  who 
 make  no  profession  at  all !  What  can  be  expected  but 
 that  the  children  of  such  parents  should  regard  religion 
 with  insufferable  disgust  ?  When  surprise  is  expressed 
 by  children  at  their  parents  being  church  members,  we 
 may  be  very  sure  that  they  ought  not  to  be  such ;  and 
 should  it  be  their  conviction  and  testimony,  that  if  there 
 be  a  christian  in  the  world,  their  father  is  one,  we  may 
 be  tolerably  sure  they  are  right.  Every  man  is  best 
 known  at  home,  and  if  he  has  established  a  belief  in  all 
 
OF    PROFESSORS.  68 
 
 who  know  hi  in  there  that  he  is  a  christian,  it  is  a  strong 
 presumption  that  he  is  sincere  and  consistent.  He  may 
 be  a  hypocrite,  but  it  is  not  probable,  for  the  disguise 
 of  hypocrisy  is  rarely  worn  at  home ;  it  is  the  great  coat 
 for  the  character,  used  when  he  goes  abroad,  but  usually 
 taken  off  on  his  return  to  the  bosom  of  his  family. 
 
 I  knew  a  gentleman,  and  I  have  alluded  to  the  fact 
 in  another  of  my  works,  whose  history  furnished  a  strik- 
 ing proof  and  illustration  of  the  power  of  parental  in- 
 fluence. His  father  was  a  professor  of  eminent  piety. 
 The  son,  when  a  youth,  was  worldly,  though  not  vicious ; 
 he  disliked  the  restraints  of  religion,  which  were  im- 
 posed upon  him  under  the  parental  roof,  and  wished  to 
 be  free  from  the  obligations  of  piety  altogether.  His 
 easiest  way  to  do  this,  was  to  persuade  himself  that 
 religion  was  but  a  name ;  and  that  all  who  made  a  pro- 
 fession of  it,  were  hypocrites.  He  was  determined  to 
 test  the  subject  by  the  conduct  of  his  father.  He  knew 
 him  to  be  esteemed  a  saint  above  most  saints ;  he 
 resolved,  therefore,  to  watch  him  closely;  with  the 
 resolution,  that  if  by  reason  of  any  inconsistency,  he 
 saw  ground  to  doubt  his  sincerity,  he  should  conclude 
 that  religion  was  all  gross  delusion,  for  if  his  father  was 
 a  hypocrite,  all  others  must  be  so.  He  began  the 
 scrutiny  almost  with  a  wish  to  find  some  evidence  on 
 his  own  side ;  but  after  a  microscopic  examination, 
 nothing  could  he  find  in  the  smallest  degree  at  variance 
 with  the  good  man's  profession.  The  result  was,  that  it 
 had  a  favourable  influence  upon  his  own  mind,  and  led 
 to  a  decision  in  favour  of  true  godliness,  and  he  became 
 an  eminent  christian.  He  was  a  magistrate,  a  man  of 
 unusual  power  of  mind ;  a  public  blessing  to  the  large 
 
G4  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 town  in  which  he  lived;  and  equally  distinguished  for 
 the  extent  of  his  knowledge,  and  his  talents  as  a  public 
 speaker.  Here  was  the  influence  of  professors  at  home.* 
 Let  parents  consider  this  and  weigh  it  well.  It  is  a 
 momentous  subject.  They  are  ever  doing  something  to 
 prepossess  their  children  in  favour  of  religion,  or  to  pre- 
 judice them  against  it :  doing  something  to  draw  them 
 into  the  church,  or  to  drive  them  into  the  world :  lend- 
 ing a  helping  hand  to  lead  them  to  heaven,  or  to  guide 
 them  to  hell.  What  tone  of  expostulation  is  deep 
 enough  or  tender  enough,  to  address  to  those  who  are 
 inconsistent,  on  such  a  subject  as  this?  "What  note  of 
 alarm  is  loud  enough  or  startling  enough  to  sound  in 
 their  ears  ?  "Where,  oh !  where  shall  be  found  arrows 
 sharp  or  barbed  enough,  to  pierce  their  hearts?  Is  it 
 not  sufficient  that  your  influence  is  ruining  the  souls  of 
 
 *  As  an  illustration  of  his  conduct  at  home,  I  may  mention  the 
 following  fact,  which  I  had  from  the  lips  of  his  son,  who  witnessed 
 the  scene.  He  was  naturally  of  an  irritable  disposition,  which,  how- 
 ever, by  watching,  struggling,  and  prayer,  he  had  so  far  subdued, 
 as  not  to  be  easily  betrayed  by  it  into  any  unbecoming  warmth.  One 
 day  at  dinner  he  spoke  rather  sharply  to  his  second  wife,  who  was 
 not  the  mother  of  his  children.  He  immediately  afterwards  became 
 silent  and  pensive.  As  soon  as  dinner  was  over,  he  retired  from  the 
 table,  without  saying  a  word.  On  his  return,  he  took  his  seat  for  a 
 minute,  and  then  addressed  himself  to  his  children,  to  the  following 
 effect :  "  My  children,  you  were  the  witnesses  of  the  unkind  and  im- 
 proper manner  in  which  I  spoke  to  your  mother.  It  was  a  sin  both 
 against  God  and  against  her.  I  have  been  to  my  closet  to  pray  to 
 God  for  his  forgiveness,  and  now,  as  the  offence  was  committed  in 
 your  presence,  I  ask  her  pardon."  0  how  must  this  saintly  man 
 have  risen,  by  such  an  act  of  humiliation,  in  the  estimation  of  his 
 children !  With  what  reverence  must  they  ever  after  have  looked  up 
 to  such  a  father !  Who  can  wonder  that  they  should  have  felt  how 
 true,  and  sweet,  and  blessed,  such  piety  is !  See  what  professors 
 should  be  at  home. 
 
OF    PROFESSORS.  65 
 
 those  that  have  no  connexion  with  you,  but  you  must 
 also  employ  it  to  send  your  children  to  perdition  ?  Oh  ! 
 tremble  at  the  interview  you  must  have  with  them  at 
 the  day  of  judgment,  and  the  intercourse  you  must  hold 
 with  them  for  ever  in  the  bottomless  pit !  ! 
 
 III.  I  now  dwell  upon  the  influence  of  professors  on 
 the  world.  This  is  both  direct  and  intentional :  or 
 indirect  and  involuntary.  By  the  former,  I  mean  that 
 which  is  concentrated  in  schemes,  efforts,  and  societies 
 to  do  good  to  all  men,  cither  for  their  temporal  or 
 spiritual  welfare.  Professing  christians  are  to  bless  the 
 world  by  their  prayers,  their  property,  and  their  energies. 
 "Who  is  to  illuminate  the  dark  places  of  the  earth,  to 
 convert  Pagans,  Mahometans,  and  Jews;  to  set  up  the 
 kingdom  of  Christ  on  earth ;  but  the  church  ?  We 
 avIio  profess  Christ  are  to  make  him  known.  Ours  is 
 the  awful  responsibility  to  have  been  put  in  trust  with 
 the  gospel.  Every  christian's  heart  ought  to  contain  a 
 spring  of  blessings  for  the  world;  and  an  influence  is 
 continually  going  forth  from  Zion,  which  will  ultimately 
 change  the  moral  and  spiritual  state  of  the  whole  earth. 
 
 But  I  now  more  particularly  allude  to  the  silent  and 
 indirect  influence  of  example  and  conduct ;  and  this  is 
 really  so  great  either  for  the  injury  or  benefit  of  others, 
 that  every  one  ought  to  tremble  for  himself.  Our  re- 
 sponsibility on  this  ground  is  truly  awful.  Multitudes 
 have  staked  the  credit,  and  even  the  truth,  of  religion, 
 on  the  conduct  of  its  professors.  This,  I  admit,  is  not 
 fair,  since  God  has  given  it  evidences  of  its  own,  apart 
 from  our  conduct;  The  Bible  is  true,  whosoever  may 
 prove  false.  But  many  will  not  go  to  the  proofs  of 
 Christianity  to  ascertain  its  truth,  but  will  do  that  which 
 is  at  once  more  easy  and  more  congenial  with  the  enmity 
 
GO  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 of  the  heart  against  God,  they  will  go  to  the  misconduct 
 of  Christians,  to  demonstrate  its  falsehood.  Infidelity 
 sharpens  its  sword  and  points  its  arrows,  on  the  stones 
 of  stumbling  cast  in  its  way,  by  men  that  call  themselves 
 believers.  Its  arguments  would  be  dull  and  pointless, 
 but  for  this.  Minds  that  cannot  comprehend  the 
 subtleties  of  Hume's  arguments  on  miracles,  can  feel 
 the  taunts  and  sneers  of  Gibbon  against  the  follies  and 
 misconduct  of  Christians.  But  apart  from  infidelity, 
 many  receive  a  prejudice  from  such  sources,  who  take 
 no  trouble  at  all  about  the  question  of  the  truth  of 
 religion :  it  is  enough  to  satisfy  them  that  it  does  not 
 make  its  professors  better  than  their  neighbours;  and 
 they  resolve  to  let  it  alone.  Inconsistent  professors, 
 therefore,  are  the  abettors  of  infidelity,  profanity,  and 
 irreligion;  they  are  mere  caricatures  of  piety,  which 
 they  represent  with  hideous  and  distorted  features,  and 
 commend  to  the  ridicule  and  disgust  of  those  who  are 
 already  ill  disposed  towards  it :  they  are  traitors  in  the 
 camp,  and  betray  the  cause  which  they  profess  to 
 defend :  they  are  destroyers  of  other  men's  souls,  while 
 professedly  seeking  the  salvation  of  their  own.  No  sins 
 have  so  much  power  to  do  mischief  as  theirs ;  and  none 
 have  been  so  successful  and  so  destructive.  Hell  swarms 
 with  souls  whom  inconsistent  professors  have  hurried 
 on  to  perdition. 
 
 If  a  professor  of  religion  be  known,  acknowledged, 
 and  reported  to  be  a  man  that  never  fails  to  make  a 
 hard  bargain,  always  saying  of  an  article  he  wishes  to 
 purchase,  "  'Tis  naught,  'tis  naught,"  depreciating  its 
 value  that  he  may  diminish  its  price,  and  never  content 
 till  he  has  got  it  into  his  possession  under  the  market 
 value ;  if  he  has  thus  acquired  the  discredit  of  a  selfish, 
 
OF    PR0FE8S0RS.  67 
 
 screwing,  higgling  disposition ;  if  lie  employs  all  sorts 
 of  pretexts,  and  all  kinds  of  equivocation,  to  induce  a 
 seller  to  favour  him  in  the  buying;  if  he  be  one  whom 
 his  neighbours  do  not  wish  to  deal  with  if  they  can  get 
 another  customer,  and  whom  they  feel  a  reluctance  to 
 have  any  transactions  with,  because  of  his  artful,  over- 
 reaching tricks;  if  he  has  the  reputation  either  of 
 "  a  sharp  one/'  or  "  a  hard  one/'  then  his  influence 
 upon  the  worldly  part  of  the  community  is  decidedly 
 and  unquestionably  bad.  It  is  not  required  that  he 
 should  be  regardless  of  his  own  interests,  invite  oppres- 
 sion, and  surrender  himself  to  the  fangs  of  sharpers  a 
 victim  to  be  torn  to  pieces  and  devoured.  Such  weak- 
 ness exerts  no  influence  in  favour  of  piety,  but  would 
 exhibit  it  in  the  contemptible  form  of  a  silly  dotard.  It 
 is  intelligence,  sagacity,  and  firmness,  able  to  detect 
 and  resist  imposition,  combined  not  only  with  honesty, 
 but  with  honour  and  generosity;  which  knows  and 
 defends  a  man's  own  rights,  but  cannot  allow  him  even 
 to  seem  to  make  an  encroachment  on  the  rights  of 
 others;  it  is  this  that  gives  to  a  Christian  influence 
 of  the  best  kind  in  his  intercourse  with  the  world. 
 But  even  this  high-toned  excellence  must  be  asso- 
 ciated with  unostentatious,  unobtrusive  humility.  A 
 forward,  pushing,  ambitious  man,  whatever  may  be 
 his  honour  in  the  transactions  of  business,  will  diminish 
 the  beauty  and  lessen  the  force  of  his  christian  pro- 
 fession. I  shall  recur  to  this  subject  again,  when  I 
 speak  of  the  professor  in  prosperity,  and  pass  on  to 
 mention  another  virtue  necessary  to  give  to  the  Chris- 
 tian a  right  influence  upon  society  in  favour  of  religion  ; 
 and  that  is  a  transparency  of  character,  an  unstudied 
 artlessness  of  conduct.     Men  must  be  quite  sure  that 
 
68  THE    INFLUENCE 
 
 they  hear  his  heart  speaking  through  his  lips.  There 
 must  be  nothing  to  make  them  suspect  him,  or  afraid 
 of  him ;  nothing  to  make  them  say,  "  he  is  a  deep  one;" 
 nothing  to  compel  them  to  look  cautiously  to  see 
 what  he  conceals;  this  would  strip  him  of  all  influ- 
 ence, except  such  as  will  produce  a  prejudice  against 
 religion.  It  is  also  of  importance  that  a  Christian 
 should,  if  his  circumstances  allow  it,  be  willing  to 
 co-operate  with  his  fellow  townsmen  in  all  the  local 
 institutions  that  may  exist  in  the  place  for  the  instruc- 
 tion of  ignorance  or  the  relief  of  misery.  In  reference 
 to  these  things,  he  should  be  a  public  man,  though 
 not  of  course  to  such  an  extent  as  to  interrupt  his 
 attention  to  business ;  an  extreme  into  which  some  have 
 fallen.  His  exertions  in  this  way  should,  like  all  other 
 parts  of  his  conduct,  bear  the  impress  of  his  piety,  and 
 make  his  influence  to  be  felt,  as  a  man  that  fears  God. 
 All  who  see  him  should  perceive  that  he  is  guided  in 
 his  actions  by  conscience,  and  not  by  a  regard  to  favour- 
 itism, party,  or  self-will. 
 
 Happily  I  can  speak  of  many  of  this  kind  of  pro- 
 fessors, who  exert  only  a  good  influence.  Yes,  millions, 
 notwithstanding  the  imperfections  which  cleave  to 
 human  nature  in  its  best  estate,  have  been  the  witnesses 
 for  God's  religion  in  the  world,  and  have  borne  a  testi- 
 mony for  its  holy  and  benevolent  nature,  before  which 
 the  demon  spirit  of  infidelity  has  stood  abashed,  like 
 Satan  in  the  presence  of  Ithuriel,  and  felt  how  awful 
 goodness  is.  The  faith,  patience,  and  holiness  of  the 
 saints  are  God's  ordinances  for  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
 and  ordinances  that  have  been  greatly  blessed.  The 
 beauties  of  holiness  displayed  in  all  their  symmetry  and 
 harmony,  by  eminent  Christians,  have  been  employed  by 
 
or    PROFESSORS.  00 
 
 the  Spirit  of  God  to  soften  prejudice,  and  subdue  en- 
 mity ;  and  those  who  turned  with  disgust  from  religion, 
 as  it  was  seen  disfigured  and  deformed  in  some  inconsis- 
 tent church  member,  have,  by  a  more  pure  and  lovely 
 manifestation  of  it,  been  charmed  into  admiration,  affec- 
 tion, and  imitation. 
 
 Hence,  then,  a  professor,  go  where  he  may,  do  what 
 he  may,  and  deal  with  whom  he  may,  is  sending  out  an 
 influence  for  or  against  true  piety.     In  his  intercourse 
 with  men  of  business ;  in  his  conference  with  his  fellow 
 townsmen ;  in  his  conduct  in  the  social  party ;  in  his  be- 
 haviour to  his  servants  ;  his  spirit  in  the  pursuit  of  com- 
 merce ;  and  in  his  temper  towards  his  friends,  strangers, 
 or  enemies,  he  is  acting  out  his  principles,  or  opposing 
 them;  sustaining  or  abandoning  his  character;  walking 
 worthily  or  unworthily  of  his  calling;  and  raising  or 
 sinking  the  credit  of  true  religion.     He  is  adding  to  the 
 attractions  of  the  cross,  or  repelling  men  from  it :  is 
 gathering  out  the  stones  from  the  ways  that  lead  to  it, 
 or  making  the  avenues  to  it  more  difficult.      His  in- 
 fluence never  ceases.      He  is  not,  cannot  be  neutral. 
 "Whatever  road  he  takes,  whether  that  of  consistency  or 
 inconsistency,  he  must  to  a  certain  extent  draw  others 
 with  him.     If  he  perish,  the  privilege  of  perishing  alone 
 will  not  be  his ;  nor  will  it  be  his  lament,  if  he  be  saved, 
 that  he  had  no  influence  in  saving  others.     Through  all 
 time  he  is  exerting  influence,  and  through  all  eternity 
 he  will  be  calculating  its  results ;  it  goes  forth  from  him 
 unseen   on  earth,   to  be  collected  in  enduring  forms 
 of  happiness  in  heaven,  or  torment  in  hell.     Professors, 
 never  in  any  place,  nor  in  any  company,  nor  for  one 
 hour,  forget  your  influence. 
 
70  THE    DUTY    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 CHAPTER    XIII. 
 
 THE    DUTY    OF    PROFESSORS    TO    UNCONVERTED    RELATIVES. 
 
 "  I  will  take  you  one  of  a  city,  and  two  of  a  family, 
 and  bring  you  to  Zion,"  so  spake  God  to  the  Jews; 
 "one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  left,"  so  spake 
 Jesus  to  his  disciples;  and  we  see  both  sayings  con- 
 tinually verified  in  the  history  of  the  Christian  church, 
 and  the  experience  of  the  Lord's  people.  How  rarely 
 does  it  happen  that  a  whole  family  are  believers ;  how 
 commonly  is  it  the  case  that  one  or  two  are  called,  and 
 the  rest  left !  God  has  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have 
 mercy.  Consequently  most  Christians  are  placed  in 
 near  connection  with  some  who  are  yet  in  an  unregene- 
 rate  state,  which  of  course  greatly  increases  the  difficulty 
 of  maintaining  their  profession  with  consistency,  and 
 yet  at  the  same  time  increases  their  obligation  to  do  so. 
 It  is  comparatively  easy  to  carry  on  our  religious  duties, 
 surrounded  by  those  who  would  uphold  and  encourage 
 us  by  their  example,  their  prayers,  their  smiles,  and 
 their  counsels ;  but  many  are  called  to  maintain  their 
 principles  amidst  those  by  whom  they  are  opposed. 
 Some  have  unconverted  husbands,  others  wives ;  some 
 have  irreligious  children,  others  parents;  some  have 
 ungodly  brothers,  others  sisters;  some  have  wicked 
 masters,  others  servants. 
 
TO    UNCONVERTED    REI  LTIV]  71 
 
 I  shall  state  some  general  duties  which  belong  to  all 
 alike. 
 
 Persons  thus  situated,  should  be  deeply  impressed 
 with  the  conviction  that  they  are  placed  in  circum- 
 stances of  difficulty,  delicacy,  and  danger,  which  require 
 great  caution,  circumspection,  and  prudence.  They 
 have  a  most  arduous  part  to  act,  so  as  not  to  lose 
 their  own  piety  on  the  one  hand,  or  unnecessarily  to 
 disgust  their  friends  with  it  on  the  other.  All  need  "  a 
 spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  of  counsel  and 
 of  might,  of  knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord." 
 Not  only  every  thing  sinful  but  any  thing  imprudent 
 in  them  will  do  much  harm.  A  want  of  judgment 
 in  them  will  be  mischievous,  as  well  as  a  want  of  in- 
 tegrity. A  good  action  done  by  them  out  of  season  or 
 out  of  place,  or  in  a  wrong  manner,  will  be  attended 
 with  consequences  almost  as  injurious  as  a  bad  one.  To 
 combine  a  due  regard  to  our  own  consistency,  with  a 
 spirit  of  prudence  as  to  the  prejudices  of  others,  is  a 
 most  rare  accomplishment.  Not  to  allow  our  firmness 
 to  assume  the  character  of  obstinacy  or  uncommanded 
 scrupulosity  in  one  extreme,  nor  our  caution  to  degene- 
 rate into  cowardice  or  compromise  in  the  other,  requires 
 no  ordinary  measure  of  divine  help;  but  God  has 
 promised  to  make  his  grace  sufficient  even  for  this. 
 The  confidence  of  faith,  united  with  fervent  prayer,  and 
 the  spirit  of  dependence,  will  bring  you  all  necessary 
 assistance  from  above. 
 
 It  is  of  the  last  importance  that  you  should  see  and 
 feel  your  need  of  unbending  firmness  in  all  things  re- 
 quired by  God.  You  should  be  in  matters  of  absolute 
 indifference,  or  of  mere  taste  and  feeling,  pliant  as  an 
 osier,  but  in  matters  of  principle,  inflexible  as  an  oak. 
 
7  A  THE    DUTY    OF      ROFESSORS 
 
 It  will  be  the  great  object  of  your  unconverted  relatives 
 to  subdue  your  constancy ;  and  to  induce  you  to  change 
 your  course;  and  they  will  seek  to  accomplish  this 
 object,  not,  perhaps,  by  asking  you  to  throw  off  your 
 profession  all  at  once,  but  by  tempting  you,  from  time 
 to  time,  to  engage  in  practices  inconsistent  with  it. 
 They  will  insinuate  that  you  are  unnecessarily  rigid, 
 even  when  tried  by  your  own  standard ;  they  will  point 
 to  some  worldly-minded,  inconsistent  member  of  your 
 own  church,  who  ventures  without  scruple  upon  what 
 you  refuse  to  do;  they  will  assure  you  that  it  is  but 
 that  once,  or  in  that  one  thing,  that  they  ask  a  con- 
 cession; they  will  sometimes  affectionately  entreat,  at 
 others,  angrily  demand ;  they  will  ridicule  or  threaten, 
 as  they  think  they  are  most  likely  to  succeed ;  they  will 
 promise  to  conform  to  some  of  your  religious  prac- 
 tices, if  you  will  only  adopt  some  of  theirs,  to  which 
 you  object.  Against  all  these  attempts  to  bend  your 
 purpose,  shake  your  constancy,  or  destroy  your  con- 
 sistency, you  must  be  fortified  by  a  holy  resoluteness 
 of  purpose,  and  a  simple  dependence  on  divine  grace. 
 "  None  of  these  things  move  me,"  must  be  your  deter- 
 mination. One  concession  will  only  lead  to  another, 
 till  all  is  relinquished  which  your  profession  implies.  A 
 calm,  determined  firmness  at  first,  will  save  you  from 
 much  subsequent  annoyance  and  perplexity. 
 
 This  unyielding  firmness,  in  reference  to  what  you 
 deem  to  be  your  duty,  must  be  maintained,  at  the  same 
 time,  with  much  sweetness  of  temper,  and  amiability 
 of  disposition.  In  you  inflexibility  of  principle  must  be 
 sustained  by  the  gentleness  of  love.  A  professor  who 
 has  to  hold  fast  his  religion,  in  opposition  to  his  nearest 
 friends,  should  be  the  very  model  of  meekness,  kind- 
 
TO    UNCONVERTED    RELATIVES.  7» 
 
 ness,  and  courtesy,  in  every  thing  else;  this  will  con- 
 vince them  that  his  constancy  is  the  dictate  of  a  tender 
 conscience,  and  not  the  caprice  of  a  pugnacious  dis- 
 position. 
 
 There  should  be  the  most  entire  and  unvarying  con- 
 sistency, and  an  untiring  perseverance.  Take  care  that 
 there  is  nothing  which  may  justly  lead  to  a  doubt  of 
 your  sincerity,  or  that  would  fasten  upon  you  the  charge, 
 or  even  the  suspicion  of  hypocrisy.  This  would  create 
 inexpressible  disgust.  The  spectators  of  your  conduct 
 must  be  the  vouchers  for  your  sincerity,  and  be  com- 
 pelled to  testify,  that  you  are  at  any  rate  self-consistent. 
 Their  eyes  are  ever  upon  you,  with  a  pre- disposition  to 
 criminate  you,  in  matters  of  obvious  or  even  doubtful 
 wrong.  They  try  you  by  your  profession  ;  and  by  what 
 other  standard  should  they  try  you  ?  I  would  enforce 
 upon  your  special  attention,  the  consideration  that  your 
 religion  must  not  be;  nor  appear  to  be,  an  abstract  thing, 
 a  habit  distinct  and  separable  from  your  social  character, 
 but  a  part  of  it,  binding  all  into  unity,  symmetry, 
 and  beauty.  It  must  not,  like  oil,  float  by  itself  upon 
 the  surface,  refusing  to  blend,  but  must  be  held  in 
 solution  like  sugar,  and  sweeten  your  whole  life.  You 
 must  let  it  make  you  conscientious  in  common  things, 
 as  well  as  devotional  in  sacred  ones ;  you  must  not  only 
 be  more  righteous  than  your  neighbours,  but  more  meek, 
 gentle,  kind  and  just.  You  must  not  only  be  fitted  by 
 your  piety  for  communion  with  the  members  of  your 
 church  but  by  your  social  excellence  for  intercourse  with 
 the  members  of  your  family.  Any  want  of  consistency 
 will  sharpen  the  stings  and  increase  the  venom  with 
 which  your  unconverted  friends  will  annoy  you ;  while 
 an  opposite  line  of  conduct,  will,  in  many  cases,  put  an 
 Vul.  11  r 
 
74  THE    DUTY    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 end  to  hostility,  even  where  it  does  not  conciliate 
 regard. 
 
 It  is  also  of  great  consequence,  that  you  should 
 present  religion  to  your  friends  under  an  aspect  of 
 cheerfulness.  It  should  be  clearly  seen  by  them  that 
 it  makes  you  as  happy  as  it  makes  you  holy.  Remember 
 their  opinion  of  it  is,  that  though  it  may  lead  to  heaven 
 hereafter,  it  is  little  better  than  penance  here ;  and  that, 
 admitting  it  conducts  to  realms  of  light  and  glory,  it  is 
 by  a  path  gloomy  as  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death. 
 Many  real  Christians,  by  their  sombre  looks,  their 
 monkish  stiffness,  and  lugubrious  wailings,  have  con- 
 firmed this  prejudice.  On  the  contrary,  take  care  to 
 let  those  who  meet  you  know,  by  your  holy,  serious 
 cheerfulness,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  only 
 righteousness,  but  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 Let  them  see  you  going  on  your  way  rejoicing.  Con- 
 vince them  that  you  can  take  pleasure  in  all  that  is 
 innocently  pleasant ;  that  you  can  smile  with  those  that 
 smile  on  whatever  is  purely  delightful ;  that  you  can 
 enjoy  with  as  keen  a  relish  as  they  can,  friendship, 
 scenery,  literature,  science,  and  the  fine  arts ;  that  your 
 aim  is  only  to  defecate  earthly  pleasures  of  whatever  is 
 polluting  and  deleterious,  and  to  add  to  them  the  more 
 holy,  solid,  and  satisfying  delights  of  religion,  the  joy 
 of  faith,  hope,  and  love.  Let  it  be  seen  that  you  are 
 walking  in  the  light  of  God's  countenance,  and  that 
 your  spirit  dwells  in  a  Goshen,  compared  with  which 
 their  state  of  mind  is  but  as  Egyptian  night.  This  is 
 the  way  to  allure  them  to  piety,  as  well  as  to  abate  their 
 unkindly  disposition  towards  yourselves. 
 
 As  much  as  possible  avoid  all  uncouth  phraseology, 
 and  what  may  be  called  religious  slang.     Do  not  deal  in 
 
TO    UNCONVERTED    RELATIVES.  7.") 
 
 cant  terras  or  phrases,  or  apply  scripture  expressions, 
 in  a  way  of  half-seriousness,  half-joke,  to  ungodly 
 persons.  I  do  not  mean  by  this  that  you  are  to  avoid 
 altogether  the  use  of  religious  terms,  or  the  quotation 
 of  scriptural  language;  but  to  encumber  and  disfigure 
 our  ordinary  discourse  with  the  words  and  phrases  of 
 the  old  divines,  or  of  systematic  and  experimental 
 theology;  to  interject  our  speech  with  habitual  refer- 
 ences to  the  Lord,  and  the  "  Lord's  will,"  and  "  the 
 Lord's  people,"  till  it  sounds  either  ludicrous  or  irre- 
 verend,  or  both,  is  letting  our  "  good  be  evil  spoken  of," 
 and  strengthening  prejudice  against  piety. 
 
 In  whatever  attempts  you  make  for  the  conversion 
 of  relatives,  act  with  judgment.  In  many  cases  more 
 can  be  done  by  the  silent  influence  of  a  holy  example, 
 than  by  instruction,  admonition,  or  rebuke.  Remember 
 that  superiors  will  rarely  allow  inferiors  to  admonish 
 them.  The  proud  heart  of  man  refuses  reproof  from 
 any  one,  especially  from  one  below  him.  With  all 
 persons,  example  must  be  the  chief  instrument  of 
 usefulness  to  unconverted  relatives,  and  with  some,  it 
 must  be  the  only  one.  Even  where  we  are  authorised 
 to  admonish  and  to  warn,  great  discretion  is  necessary 
 to  do  it  in  the  best  manner,  lest  we  digust  where  we 
 intend  to  benefit.  If  we  would  do  good,  we  must  be 
 kind,  gentle,  and  affectionate ;  we  must  not  use  a  cold, 
 harsh,  scolding,  and  unfeeling  tone,  or  affect  a  magis- 
 terial or  dogmatical  manner,  but  must  employ  the 
 meekness  of  wisdom  and  the  tenderness  of  love.  We 
 must  not  dash  religion  in  a  person's  face,  or  pour  it 
 down  his  throat,  as  with  a  drenching  force ;  but  insinuate 
 it  into  his  mind,  little  by  little,  as  tenderly  and  judici- 
 ously as  we  would  medicine  into  the  lips  of  a  sick  child, 
 
76  THE    DUTY    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 or  food  into  the  mouth  of  a  starving  man.  We  must 
 watch  for  our  opportunity,  choose  the  best  time  and  the 
 best  circumstances,  and  especially  remember  not  to  be 
 always  boring  the  objects  of  our  solicitude,  with  a  kind 
 of  dunning  importunity.  We  must  well  consider  the 
 temper  and  disposition  of  the  person  whom  we  are 
 anxious  to  convert,  and  adopt  our  methods  to  his  turn 
 of  mind ;  some  will  hear  a  whole  lecture  from  us,  others 
 will  scarcely  bear  a  hint;  some  should  be  alarmed  by 
 the  thunders  of  divine  vengeance,  others  moved  by  the 
 soft  music  of  love's  inviting  voice;  some  must  be 
 reasoned  with,  others  melted  by  appeals  to  their  feel- 
 ings ;  some  will  bear  at  one  time  what  they  will  not  at 
 another;  we  must,  therefore,  like  a  wise  physician, 
 study  well  each  case,  and  adapt  our  treatment  to  its 
 peculiarity.  Two  things,  however,  must  be  remem- 
 bered in  all  cases,  to  do  everything  lovingly,  and  to  do 
 everything  prayerfully;  for  who  can  open  and  change 
 the  heart  but  God? 
 
 It  may  be,  that  in  some  cases  you  will  be  called  to 
 suffer  persecution,  and  that  of  the  most  painful  kind,  the 
 unkind  treatment  of  near  relatives;  and  thus  to  ex- 
 perience the  truth  of  our  Lord's  words,  "  I  come  not  to 
 send  peace  but  a  sword.  For  I  am  come  to  set  a  man 
 at  variance  against  his  father,  and  the  daughter  against 
 her  mother,  and  the  daughter-in-law  against  her  mother- 
 in-law.  And  a  man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own 
 household."  If  this  be  the  case,  turn  at  once  and 
 continually  for  consolation,  to  the  antidote  which  Christ 
 has  provided  for  this  deep  sorrow.  "Blessed  are  they 
 which  are  persecuted  for  righteousness  sake,  for  theirs  is 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad, 
 for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven."     It  is  to  this  state 
 
TO    UNCONVERTED    RELATIVES.  77 
 
 of  things  the  apostle  refers,  when  he  says,  "  Count  it  all 
 joy  when  you  fall  into  divers  temptations,"  (or  trials.) 
 Do  not  be  cast  down  or  faint  under  your  afflictions. 
 They  are  not  for  the  present  "joyous  but  grievous; 
 nevertheless,  afterwards  they  yield  the  peaceable  fruit 
 of  righteousness."  "  They  that  sow  in  tears  shall  reap  in 
 joy."  No  seed  that  can  be  sown  on  earth,  will  yield 
 such  a  produce  of  heavenly  joy,  as  the  tears  of  God's 
 persecuted  people.  These  are  the  light  afflictions  which 
 are  but  for  a  moment,  and  which  work  out  "the  far 
 more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory."  Comfort, 
 then,  ye  troubled  ones,  comfort  your  hearts ;  your  crown 
 of  thorns,  like  that  of  your  persecuted  Lord,  will  soon 
 be  exchanged  for  a  crown  of  glory ;  and  the  cross  under 
 which  you  are  ready  to  sink,  be  changed  for  a  throne, 
 from  which  you  will  never  descend.  Bear  your  troubles 
 in  the  spirit  of  meekness ;  seek  for  grace  to  be  neither 
 irritated  nor  sullen;  return  not  railing  for  railing,  but 
 blessing  for  cursing.  Conquer,  or  at  any  rate  soften, 
 hostility  by  gentleness  and  passive  courage.  Smile  with 
 love  upon  the  countenance  that  frowns  upon  you ;  and 
 kiss  the  hand  that  smites  you.  Let  not  the  length  or 
 violence  of  oppression  induce  you  to  give  up  your 
 principles.  Take  heed  against  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief, 
 in  departing  from  the  living  God.  Endeavour  so  to  act 
 that  those  who  dislike  your  religion,  may  "  find  nothing 
 against  you,  but  as  touching  the  law  of  your  God."  Be 
 firm,  consistent,  mild,  judicious,  and  affectionate;  and 
 then  God  will  not  only  support  you  under  persecution, 
 but  give  you  honour  in  the  midst  of  it. 
 
 II.  I  now  lay  down  some  directions  which  are 
 specially  applicable  to  the  various  relations  of  life. 
 
 1.  Take  that  of  husband  and  wife.    If  the  former  be  a 
 
78  THE    DUTY    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 professor,  and  the  latter  not,  let  him  rather  increase  than 
 abate  the  tenderness  and  affection  of  his  conjugal  love. 
 He  has  need  of  great  watchfulness  and  prayer  on  his  own 
 account,  that  his  wife's  want  of  piety  may  not  diminish 
 his,  and  that  the  defects  and  blemishes  of  religion  in  him 
 may  not  be  such  as  to  prevent  it  in  her.  How  careful 
 must  he  be  not  to  have  family  devotion  hindered  by 
 her  disinclination;  and  how  diligent  must  he  be  to  make 
 up  for  her  deficiencies  in  the  religious  instruction  of  his 
 children !  How  much  grace  will  he  need  to  maintain 
 his  own  influence,  and  yet  not  in  any  way  teach  his  off- 
 spring to  disesteem  their  mother,  or  make  her  feel  that 
 she  is  lowered  in  their  estimation  or  his,  by  her  want 
 of  piety  !  Let  it  be  his  endeavour  to  win  her  to  Christ 
 by  every  attention  to  her  comfort  and  wishes,  and  to 
 give  her  proof  that  he  still  tenderly  loves  her  as  a  wife, 
 though  he  cannot  yet  consider  her  as  a  decided  Christian. 
 If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  wife  is  a  professor  and 
 the  husband  is  not,  there  is,  perhaps,  still  more  diffi- 
 culty and  delicacy  in  her  maintaining  her  position 
 with  propriety.  She  must  be  anxious  and  watchful  not 
 to  allow  even  the  appearance  of  an  air  of  conscious 
 superiority,  much  less  of  the  contempt  which  says, 
 "  Stand  by,  I  am  holier  than  thou."  There  must  be 
 an  augmented  humility  and  meekness ;  an  increased 
 tenderness  and  devotedness  towards  her  husband;  a 
 most  exemplary  attention  to  his  comfort,  and  that  of 
 the  family;  in  short,  the  good  wife  and  mother  must 
 be  seen  in  intimate  union  with  the  good  Christian : 
 and  the  former  must  evidently  appear  improved  and 
 sustained  by  the  latter.  She  must  never  reproach  him 
 for  his  want  of  religion;  never  talk  at  him  before  his 
 face,  nor  talk  against  him  behind  his  back.     Upon  her 
 
TO    UNCONVERTED    RELATIVES.  7W 
 
 will  devolve  the  religious  instruction  of  the  children  and 
 servants,  which  she  must  sacredly  maintain,  but  still  in 
 a  way  as  little  offensive  as  possible  to  him.  How 
 beautiful  is  the  advice  given  by  the  apostle  to  females  in 
 these  circumstances  !     1  Peter  iii,  1-6. 
 
 2.  Parents  and  children.  If  the  former  are  profes- 
 sors, how  uniform  and  consistent  should  be  their  piety, 
 that  their  children  should  receive  no  disgust  against 
 religion  by  what  they  see  in  them ;  how  anxious  should 
 they  be,  and  appear  to  be,  to  bring  them  up  in  the  fear 
 of  God,  selecting  their  schools,  and  their  situations, 
 with  direct  reference  to  this  object ;  how  firmly  and  yet 
 how  mildly  should  they  maintain  all  the  religious  laws, 
 customs,  and  habits  of  their  household,  against  the 
 wishes  or  the  encroachments  of  their  children's  irreli- 
 gion;  with  how  much  of  gentleness  and  firmness,  as 
 opposed  to  stern  severity  on  the  one  hand,  and  to 
 ruinous  indulgence  on  the  other,  should  they  maintain 
 the  household  discipline;  and  thus  adorn  the  doctrine 
 of  God  their  Saviour. 
 
 But  in  some  cases  divine  grace  has  called  the  child- 
 ren, and  passed  over  the  parents ;  and  where  it  is  so, 
 there  requires  great  solicitude,  that  their  piety  towards 
 God,  be  not  abused  to  encourage  and  justify  a  want 
 of  piety  towards  their  parents.  It  will  not  only  not 
 recommend  religion,  but  will  excite  great  disgust  to- 
 wards it,  if  they  see  that  it  has  abated  aught  of  that 
 dutiful  obedience,  respect  and  honour,  towards  them, 
 which  nature  dictates,  the  Word  of  God  enjoins, 
 and  which  they  before  conversion  had  been  accustomed 
 to  render.  A  greater  reproach  cannot  possibly  rest 
 upon  young  persons,  than  for  a  father  or  mother  to  say, 
 "  Yes,  they  are  very  religious  in  their  way,  but  their 
 
80  THE    DUTY    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 religion  has  spoiled  them  as  children,  for  they  seem  to 
 take  a  licence  to  disesteem,  neglect,  and  disobey  me, 
 because  they  consider  me  unconverted."  On  the  con- 
 trary, what  a  beautiful  and  powerful  testimony  to  the 
 excellence  of  religion  is  it  to  hear  a  parent  say,  "  I  was 
 living  in  entire  neglect  and  utter  ignorance  of  religion, 
 till  I  beheld  it  exemplified  in  its  loveliest  forms,  in  the 
 conduct  of  my  dear  child.  I  saw  her  earnestness,  her 
 diligence,  her  holiness,  and  I  felt  her  dutifulness,  her 
 kindness,  and  her  tender  yet  respectful  solitude  towards 
 myself.  From  the  time  she  became  a  Christian,  her 
 conduct,  never  very  disobedient,  was  marked  by  more 
 attention  than  ever.  She  has  sometimes  ventured  to 
 expostulate  with  me  on  my  neglect  of  religion,  but  it 
 was  always  with  such  reverence,  such  diffidence,  and 
 affection,  that  it  was  impossible  to  be  offended  :  so  that 
 by  the  grace  of  God  I  may  say  her  piety  towards  me, 
 has  been  the  blessed  means  of  mine  towards  God." 
 Young  people,  behold  your  rule  and  pattern. 
 
 3.  Brothers  and  sisters  are  sometimes  divided  by  a 
 difference  of  religious  taste.  In  such  a  case  those  who 
 make  a  profession  should  be  solicitous,  by  the  most 
 assiduous,  ingenious,  and  watchful  attention  and  affec- 
 tion, to  conciliate  the  regards,  and  to  win  the  confidence 
 of  the  others.  They  should  with  kindness  and  humility 
 admonish  them,  and  when  from  home  address  them  by 
 letter ;  they  should  select  and  recommend  suitable  books 
 to  them ;  join  with  them  in  all  their  innocent  pursuits 
 and  tastes ;  avoid  all  appearance  of  shunning  their 
 society  even  for  religious  associates;  and  make  them 
 feel  that  piety  has  strengthened  the  fraternal  bond. 
 Sisters,  by  many  little  ingenious  works  of  the  needle, 
 the  pencil,  and  the  pen;  by  laying  themselves  out  to 
 
TO    UNCONVERTED    RELATIVES.  81 
 
 meet  the  wishes,  aud  promote  the  comfort  of  uncon- 
 verted brothers,  may  be  able,  by  the  varied  devices 
 of  genuine  love,  to  endear  themselves  to  those  hearts 
 which  they  should  be  anxious  and  watchful  to  win  to 
 Christ.  While  brothers,  by  all  those  kind,  delicate, 
 and  polite  attentions  to  sisters  yet  unacquainted  with 
 the  power  of  religion,  which  females  expect  as  due  to 
 their  sex ;  by  paying  those  attentions  not  only  in  the 
 seclusion  of  the  domestic  circle,  but  in  the  publicity 
 of  social  life ;  by  being  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  good 
 brothers,  as  well  as  good  Christians,  may  do  much,  very 
 much,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  in  awakening  an  interest 
 for  religion  in  the  minds  of  those  who  are  so  nearly 
 related  to  them. 
 
 4.  Masters  and  mistresses  making  a  profession,  are 
 under  solemn  obligations  not  only  to  be  just  towards 
 their  servants  in  paying  their  wages,  but  to  err  rather 
 on  the  side  of  being  too  generous,  than  too  rigid,  in  the 
 amount  of  their  wages.  There  must  be  a  merciful 
 attention  to  their  comfort,  in  not  exacting  too  much 
 work,  in  not  wearying  them  by  incessant  and  angry 
 complaints ;  in  speaking  kindly  to  them,  and  providing 
 suitable  and  sufficient  food  and  medical  attendance  in 
 their  sickness.  There  should  be  a  due  regard  to  their 
 spiritual  welfare,  not  only  by  calling  them  to  family 
 prayer,  morning  and  evening,  but  by  releasing  them 
 from  all  unnecessary  labour  on  the  Sabbath,  by  giving 
 them  ample  opportunity  for  attending  on  public  worship, 
 and  by  privately  instructing  them  in  the  principles 
 of  religion.  Those  professors,  who  have  not  by  their 
 conduct  compelled  their  servants  to  say,  "  I  have  a 
 truly  religious  master  and  mistress,  who  are  kindly 
 anxious  for  my  comfort  in  this  world,  and  still  more  so 
 
82  THE    DUTY    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 for  my  salvation   in  the  world   to  come/'   cannot  be 
 acting  consistently ;  there  is  something  wanting. 
 
 Religious  servants  who  are  placed  in  families  which 
 make  no  profession,  are  called  to  a  situation  of  equal 
 difficulty  and  importance.  In  not  a  few  instances  they 
 have  been  remotely  or  directly  the  means  of  converting 
 their  employers ;  and  piety  has  thus  ascended  from  the 
 kitchen  to  the  parlour.  But  this  has  never  happened 
 unless  the  piety  of  the  servant  was  eminently  consistent, 
 uniform,  and  conspicuous.  Some  persons  in  this  con- 
 dition, have,  it  must  be  admitted,  so  disgusted  their 
 masters  and  mistresses,  by  their  consequential  airs, 
 their  troublesome  and  angry  clamour  about  their  reli- 
 gious privileges,  and  neglect  of  their  proper  duties  in 
 order  to  enjoy  these  privileges,  that  they  have  resolved 
 never  again  to  have  religious  servants.  It  is  when 
 piety  makes  a  servant  doubly  diligent,  dutiful,  kind, 
 neat,  honest,  and  devout,  and  secures  a  testimony  from 
 her  employer  that  her  piety  is  thus  influential,  that  she 
 adorns  her  profession,  and  walks  worthy  of  her  calling. 
 
 5.  Connexions  in  trade  are  sometimes  formed  be- 
 tween professors  and  men  of  the  world.  This  is  an  un- 
 desirable thing,  except  in  those  cases  where  the  latter 
 are  known  to  be  men  of  the  most  inflexible  principle, 
 and  possessing  a  high  sense  of  commercial  honour. 
 Some  there  are,  who,  in  whatsoever  things  are  true, 
 honest,  just,  lovely,  and  of  good  report,  are  patterns 
 Avhich  all  professors  may  copy  with  advantage;  and 
 which  some  must  contemplate  with  a  blush.  Many, 
 however,  are  of  an  opposite  character,  and  are  very 
 unscrupulous  as  to  the  means  they  employ  to  increase 
 their  trade  and  their  profits.  When  a  Christian  is 
 linked  with  such,  his  situation  is  uncomfortable  and 
 
TO    UNCONVERTED    RELATIVES. 
 
 perilous.  It  is  a  difficult  thing  for  a  man  to  act  in 
 constant  opposition  to  a  partner ;  but  he  must  oppose 
 him  in  all  matters  wherein  he  may  wish  to  violate 
 the  principles  of  integrity.  He  must  not  allow  injus- 
 tice, fraud,  or  lying,  to  be  carried  on  under  the  sanction 
 of  his  name,  and  if  he  cannot  prevent  it,  he  ought  to 
 separate.  I  knew  a  tradesman,  who,  while  engaged 
 in  a  most  profitable  business  with  two  partners  as 
 worldly  as  himself,  was  converted  by  the  grace  of 
 God.  He  became  attentive  to  the  means  of  grace, 
 not  only  on  the  Sabbath  but  on  week  days.  His 
 partners  expressed  their  disapprobation,  and  accused 
 him  of  neglecting  the  business.  In  this,  as  well  as  in 
 other  ways,  they  wished  to  interfere  with  his  religious 
 pursuits,  which,  with  him,  had  now  become  matters 
 of  moment  and  of  conscience.  He  found  he  was  in 
 danger,  and  knowing  that  any  accumulation  of  wealth, 
 weighed  against  the  salvation  of  his  soul,  was  but  as  the 
 small  dust  of  the  balance,  he  left  the  concern  amidst  the 
 reproaches  of  some  of  his  friends,  and  the  astonishment 
 of  all.  But  he  had  the  rejoicing  that  results  from  the 
 testimony  of  his  conscience,  that,  not  with  fleshly  wis- 
 dom, but  by  the  grace  of  God,  he  had  had  his  con- 
 versation in  the  world.  He  honoured  God,  and  God 
 consequently  honoured  him,  for  he  became  more  abun- 
 dantly prosperous  than  ever.  But  if  he  had  not,  I  am 
 persuaded  he  would  have  never  repented.  How  careful 
 ought  the  christian  tradesman  to  be,  that  his  worldly 
 partner  should  see  nothing  in  him,  but  what  recom- 
 mends religion.  How  much  has  its  character  suffered 
 from  the  conduct  of  some  who  have  taken  in  partners 
 on  the  eve  of  their  own  bankruptcy ;  who  have  deceived 
 them  by  false  representations  of  the  capabilities  of  the 
 
81  THE    DUTY    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 business ;  or  who  have  carried  on  a  system  of  selfish 
 encroachments  on  their  share  of  the  profits.  It  is  truly 
 shocking  to  hear,  as  we  sometimes  do  hear,  persons  say 
 that  they  would  rather  have  for  a  partner,  a  man  that 
 makes  no  profession,  than  one  that  does.  Christian 
 tradesmen,  do,  do  consider  this,  and  tremble  lest  any 
 part  of  your  conduct  should  be  such  as  to  justify  this 
 dreadful  satire  upon  the  character  of  professors. 
 
 There  is  one  duty  to  unconverted  relatives,  and 
 indeed  to  converted  ones  also,  which  some  professors 
 have  most  lamentably  neglected  ;  I  mean  the  relief 
 of  their  necessities,  when  in  circumstances  of  want. 
 One  can  easily  imagine  in  what  reflections  such  per- 
 sons must  indulge  upon  the  conduct  of  those  to 
 whom  they  are  nearly  related,  who  are  known  by 
 them  to  be  members,  or  officers,  perhaps  even  pastors 
 of  a  christian  church,  and  to  be  comparatively  rich, 
 but  who  still  refuse  to  help  a  brother  or  a  sister  in 
 distress,  except  it  be  with  a  grudged  pittance,  occa- 
 sionally wrung  from  them  by  the  force  of  an  appeal 
 unusually  urgent.  "  Can  it  indeed  be  true,"  they 
 say,  "  that  my  brother  professes  himself  to  be  a  dis- 
 ciple of  the  compassionate  Saviour,  and  to  have  caught 
 the  spirit  of  Him,  who  never  turned  away  his  ear 
 from  a  tale  of  human  woe,  and  yet  refuses  to  assist  a 
 sister,  pining  away  in  almost  absolute  want  ?  Is  this 
 the  way  in  which  he  adorns  his  calling  ?  I  thought 
 that  mercy  was  an  essential  feature  in  the  character 
 of  a  Christian.  Admitting  that  my  affliction  has  been 
 brought  on  by  imprudence,  has  he  no  sins  to  be  for- 
 given, by  the  God  from  whom  he  looks  for  all  his  sup- 
 plies ?  1  have  been  told  he  is  the  deacon  of  a  christian 
 church,  and   has  to  dispense  the  bounty  of  the  rich 
 
TO    UNCONVERTED    RELATIVES.  85 
 
 members  to  their  poorer  brethren ;  does  he  on  his  visits 
 of  mercy  to  the  habitations  of  the  sons  and  daughters 
 of  poverty,  never  recollect  that  he  has  a  sister  enduring 
 such  privations  as  he  is  honoured  to  relieve  ?      But, 
 perhaps,  he  considers  that  as  I  am  unconverted,  he  need 
 not  concern  himself  about  the  sorrows  of  one  to  whom 
 he  is  related  only  by  the  ties  of  flesh  and  blood.     Is 
 this  the  way  to  draw  me  to  religion  ?     Does  his  conduct 
 towards  his  poor  relatives,  tend  to  exalt  in  their  estima- 
 tion the  profession  that  he  makes  ?      Is  this  the  way 
 to  soften  the  heart  of  my  husband,  and  my  children, 
 towards  religion  ?     Oh !  what  questions  have  they  not 
 asked,  and  what  sneers  have  they  not  uttered,  in  refer- 
 ence  to   that   form   of  religion,  which   has   not   even 
 common  charity  to  support  it  ?     Does  not  the  Scripture 
 say,   '  "Whoso  hath  this  world's    goods,   and  seeth   his 
 brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  com- 
 passion from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in 
 him  V     Oh  !  my  brother,  my  brother,  did  our  parents, 
 now  in  their  graves,  think  you  would  ever  leave  one 
 of  their  children,  thus  to  endure,  unpitied  and  unre- 
 lieved, the  wants  of  penury?"     Should  such  a  cry  as 
 this  ever  go  up  to  heaven  against  a  Christian  ?     And 
 does  it  not  go  up  against  some  Christians  of  all  denomi- 
 nations, against  deacons  and  ministers  too,  of  different 
 churches  ?     How  many  tears  are  shed  daily,  how  many 
 hearts  are  bursting,  of  persons  who  have  christian  rela- 
 tives that  could,  but  will  not  help  them?     What  shall 
 we  say,  what  does  the  world  say,  of  those  who  figure 
 away  at  public  meetings,  and  in  the  list  of  contributors 
 to  societies ;  but  who  suffer  their  own  flesh  and  blood 
 to    be   unclothed   and    unfed  ?      But   there   are   some 
 who  are  as  parsimonious  towards  the  cause  of  religion 
 
86  THE    DUTY    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 and  charity,  as  they  are  to  their  poor  relations ;  and 
 are  never  liberal  in  any  thing,  except  for  their  own 
 gratification.  In  many  cases,  this  want  of  compas- 
 sion for  needy  relatives  is,  I  believe,  the  result  of 
 that  wicked  and  detestable  pride,  which  is  ashamed 
 of  them.  In  others,  it  is  considered  to  be  a  righteous 
 retribution,  for  rashness,  imprudence,  and  unprincipled 
 conduct,  which  has  occasioned  their  distress.  I  would 
 not  encourage  imprudence  or  improvidence,  but  when 
 the  offender  is  already  suffering  her  punishment,  even 
 to  a  degree  of  starvation  and  remorse,  that  has  all  but 
 broken  her  heart,  is  it  for  the  hand  of  a  professing 
 Christian,  a  man  who  owns  that  but  for  infinite  mercy 
 he  had  been  in  hell,  to  inflict  by  his  cruelty,  the  only 
 blow  that  is  wanting  to  crush  the  sufferer  to  the  dust  ? 
 Ye  rich  professors,  and  ye  that  are  not  rich,  but  are  still 
 in  comfortable  circumstances,  let  me  plead  with  you  on 
 behalf  of  those  who  are  bone  of  your  bone,  and  flesh  of 
 your  flesh.  I  will  not  ask  you  for  relief  to  a  relative 
 nearer  than  a  brother  or  a  sister,  for  to  suppose  the 
 church  of  God  is  disgraced,  denied,  insulted,  by  the 
 union  of  such  a  monster  as  a  child  that  refuses  help  to 
 a  destitute  father  or  mother,  is  too  improbable  a  con- 
 jecture to  be  made. 
 
 If  it  may  be  permitted,  in  the  conclusion  of  this 
 chapter,  to  suggest  a  few  words  of  encouragement 
 and  comfort ;  topics  of  this  kind  are  both  numerous 
 and  delightful.  Think  of  the  grace  that  has  made  you 
 to  differ  from  your  unregenerate  relatives.  While  you 
 pity  them  and  mourn  over  their  condition,  give  God 
 unceasing  and  unbounded  thanks  that  you  are  not  like 
 them.  Cherish  the  hope  that  you  may  yet  be  useful  in 
 persuading  some  of  them   to  accompany  you   to   the 
 
TO    UNCONVERTED    RELATIVES.  87 
 
 kingdom  of  heaven.  Grace  when  it  enters  a  family,  is 
 generally  diffusive.  You  may  not  now  see  any  influence 
 of  your  example,  nor  any  answers  to  your  prayers,  but 
 you  do  not  see  the  end.  You  may  never  live  to  realise 
 your  hopes,  or  gather  the  fruit  of  your  exertions ;  this 
 may  be  a  felicity  designed  to  swell  the  rapture  of  the 
 skies.  You  may  meet  in  heaven,  those  whom  you  leave 
 apparently  on  the  road  to  hell. 
 
 But  you  tremble  for  yourself;  instead  of  hoping  to 
 be  useful  to  others,  you  sometimes  fear  that  you  shall 
 fall.  How  can  you  withstand  the  influence  of  example 
 and  solicitation  ?  It  is  a  hard  thing  to  get  along  with 
 every  body  to  help,  how  much  more  with  every  body  to 
 hinder.  Hearken  to  what  God  says,  "My  grace  is 
 sufficient  for  thee."  Mark  that,  for  thee.  Trust  it, 
 expect  it,  hope  for  it.  Look  up  into  heaven  by  faith, 
 see  those  millions  round  the  throne,  they  were  all,  or 
 nearly  all,  at  one  time  as  you  are  now.  They  had  the 
 same  difficulties,  and  surveyed  them  with  the  same  fears 
 as  you  do,  but  behold,  there  they  are.  The  great 
 Captain  of  their  Salvation  sustained  them,  the  omni- 
 potent, faithful  God  never  forsook  them.  The  arm  that 
 sustained  them,  is  not  shortened  that  it  cannot  save  you. 
 "  Wherefore  dost  thou  doubt,  O  thou  of  little  faith  ? " 
 "  Be  not  faithless,  but  believing." 
 
 Anticipate  that  blissful  world  where  all  the  righteous, 
 none  but  the  righteous,  and  the  righteous  in  the  abso- 
 lute perfection  of  righteousness,  will  be  found.  Sustain 
 your  present  struggles  against  the  influence  and  the 
 danger  of  the  examples  of  the  unconverted,  by  the  con- 
 sideration that  they  will  cease  with  your  continuance 
 in  this  world.  Maintain,  therefore,  with  untiring  zeal 
 and  unyielding  firmness,  your  separation  from  the  world, 
 
88  THE    DUTY    OF    PROFESSORS 
 
 and  soon  the  world  will  be  for  ever  separated  from  you. 
 The  ungodliness  of  the  ungodly  will  then  no  more 
 distress  you,  but  you  will  through  eternity,  delight 
 yourself  in  the  presence  of  God  your  Saviour,  with  the 
 intercourse  of  the  innumerable  company  of  angels,  and 
 the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect. 
 
 If  it  should  sometimes  distress  you  to  think  of  miss- 
 ing in  heaven  those  who  are  dear  to  you  on  earth,  let 
 it  stir  you  up  to  more  affectionate,  earnest,  and  prayerful 
 efforts  for  their  eternal  salvation  :  but  let  it  not  lead  you 
 to  suppose  that  it  will  be  there,  as  it  is  here,  a  real 
 diminution  of  your  bliss.  The  mutual  recognition  of 
 saints  in  the  heavenly  world,  seems  highly  probable, 
 notwithstanding  the  silence  maintained  by  Scripture  on 
 a  subject  so  deeply  interesting  to  all  our  social  feelings, 
 but  to  our  social  feelings  only.  A  great  deal  more 
 inquisitiveness  has  been  exercised  in  reference  to  this 
 subject,  and  much  more  importance  attached  to  it,  than 
 really  belongs  to  it.  The  social  feelings  arise  out  of  the 
 social  ties,  and  depend  upon  them  for  their  existence 
 and  continuance ;  and  consequently  when  the  cause 
 ceases,  the  effect  will  cease  with  it.  To  suppose  that  in 
 heaven,  where  all  our  animal  propensities,  our  natural 
 instincts,  and  our  social  relations  will  exist  no  longer; 
 where  the  very  body  of  the  resurrection  will  have  under- 
 gone an  entire  change  of  organization,  and  will  bear  no 
 longer  an  affinity  to  flesh  and  blood,  there  will  or  can 
 be  any  near  resemblance  to  the  present  emotions  which 
 are  awakened  by  the  names  of  husband  and  wife,  parent 
 and  child,  brother  and  sister,  is  to  forget  the  great  and 
 entire  change  which  immortality  is  to  make  in  our 
 nature.  It  is  amidst  these  dear  relationships,  these 
 tender  charities,  and  these  strong  propensities,  necessary 
 
TO    UNCONVERTED    RELATIVES.  B9 
 
 indeed  to  our  earthly  sojourn,  that  we  arc  trained  up 
 for  that  higher,  holier,  and  more  intellectual  existence ; 
 but  they  will  fall  away  from  the  spiritual  body,  as  its 
 mere  swaddling  bands  in  the  chrysalis  state  of  its 
 being,  in  that  moment  when  it  rises  from  the  grave, 
 the  pure  image  of  its  glorified  Redeemer.  No ;  we  are 
 compelled  to  believe,  difficult  as  it  may  be  to  conceive 
 of  it  now,  that  the  absence  from  heaven  of  those  who 
 form  so  large  a  portion  of  our  happiness  ou  earth,  will 
 be  no  diminution  of  the  bliss  of  the  celestial  paradise ; 
 though,  doubtless,  that  bliss  will  be  enhanced  and 
 sweetened  by  the  presence  of  those  we  loved,  here 
 below. 
 
 VOL.    n 
 
90  THE    UNMARRIED 
 
 CHAPTER    XIV. 
 
 THE    UNMARRIED    PROFESSOR. 
 
 When  Jehovah  had  proceeded  so  far  in  the  work  of 
 creation,  as  to  have  produced  the  mineral,  vegetable, 
 and  irrational  tribes,  he  saw  that  there  yet  needed  a 
 rational  and  presiding  mind  to  govern  the  whole,  to  be 
 his  representative  in  his  own  world,  and  to  act  as  the 
 High  Priest  of  this  new  and  beautiful  temple  of  nature, 
 in  offering  up  on  their  behalf,  as  well  as  on  his  own. 
 the  praise  of  all  creatures  to  their  Omnipotent  Parent. 
 "  And  God  created  man  in  his  own  image."  Still, 
 however,  the  last  finishing  stroke  of  grace  was  even  yet 
 to  be  added ;  and  God  created  woman,  to  be  his  com- 
 panion. "  The  Lord  God  saw  that  it  was  not  good 
 that  the  man  should  be  alone."  Even  then,  when  all 
 the  beauties  of  Paradise,  as  yet  unsoiled,  bloomed  and 
 glowed  around  him,  to  please  his  eye ;  when  all  its 
 melodies  and  harmonies  sent  their  music  through  the 
 ear  to  his  soul ;  when  he  fed  on  fruits  which  no  worm 
 had  ever  corrupted,  no  frost  had  ever  shrivelled ;  then 
 when  he  needed  none  to  wipe  the  tear  from  his  eye,  or 
 the  sweat  from  his  brow;  none  to  counsel  him,  for  he 
 was  wise ;  none  to  comfort  him,  for  he  was  happy ;  none 
 to  calm  the  perturbations  of  his  conscience,  for  he  was 
 innocent ;  none  to  lighten  his  care,  for  he  was  at  ease ; 
 
PROFESSOR.  91 
 
 none  to  minister  to  him  in  sickness,  for  he  was  a 
 Btranger  to  its  malady;  none  to  bear  up  his  head  in 
 death,  for  he  was  not  yet  mortal ;  even  then,  said  his 
 Maker,  (and  he  knew  the  being  he  had  made,)  it  is  not 
 good  for  the  man  to  be  alone  :  and  he  made  him  a  wife 
 out  of  his  own  body,  and  married  them  himself  in  the 
 garden  of  Eden ;  and  blessed  them,  and  said  unto  them, 
 Be  fruitful,  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth. 
 What  an  honour  and  a  necessity  did  this  attach  to 
 marriage  !  It  is  an  institute  of  God,  an  institute 
 of  the  paradisaic  state.  And  it  still  survives  the 
 fall,  the  gracious  provision  of  a  God  intent  in  his 
 unmerited  bounty  upon  the  comfort  of  his  apostate 
 creatures,  for  the  solace  of  man,  amidst  the  cares,  the 
 labours,  and  the  sorrows  of  his  earthly  pilgrimage. 
 And  while  it  is  designed  for  his  comfort  in  his  terres- 
 trial sojourn,  it  is  also  intended  to  help  him  in  his 
 journey  to  the  skies.  Itself  the  type  of  that  closer 
 union,  into  which  his  soul  is  brought  to  Christ  by  faith 
 in  order  to  salvation,  its  tender  sympathies,  its  zealous 
 charities,  and  its  loving  ingenuities,  are  all  designed  b\ 
 God  to  sustain  by  vigilance,  counsel,  and  prayer,  the 
 interests  of  his  immortal  spirit.  The  marriage  of  human 
 beings  is  a  union  of  minds  as  well  as  bodies,  and  a 
 union  intended  to  keep  up  the  religion  as  well  as  the 
 population  of  the  world  ;  by  promoting  piety  first  in  the 
 parties  themselves,  next  in  their  children,  and  then 
 through  them,  in  mankind  in  general.  Every  family 
 seems  to  be  a  miniature  both  of  the  church  and  of  the 
 nation,  in  which  the  piety  of  the  one,  and  the  subjection 
 of  the  other,  shall  be  seen  in  its  simplest  and  its  purest 
 form,  and  from  which,  as  it  springs  up,  those  greater 
 communities  shall  be  fed.      But  how  are  these  ends,  tu 
 
92  THE    UNMARRIED 
 
 be  accomplished,  if  piety  be  not  a  part  of  the  character 
 and  conduct  of  those  who  enter  into  the  marriage  com- 
 pact ?  That  people  who  are  not  pious  themselves,  should 
 disregard  this,  and  not  choose  or  wish  a  holy  companion 
 in  the  journey  of  life,  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  but  to 
 be  expected ;  but  that  professors  of  religion  should 
 neglect  it,  is  matter  both  of  surprise  and  regret. 
 
 This  brings  me  to  the  subject  of  the  present  chapter, 
 the  duty  of  Christians  to  marry  only  such  as  are  hope- 
 fully pious.  This  duty  is  so  obvious,  and  involves  so 
 much  of  their  comfort  in  future  life,  that  it  might  have 
 been  supposed  the  general  performance  of  it  would 
 render  any  admonition  on  the  subject  unnecessary. 
 Observation,  however,  confirms  the  fact,  that  there  is 
 scarcely  any  branch  of  christian  obligation  more  neg- 
 lected ;  a  circumstance  which  renders  it  incumbent  on 
 the  ministers  of  religion,  and  the  pastors  of  churches, 
 to  call  the  attention  of  their  hearers  to  this  subject.* 
 
 Let  us  hear  the  law  of  Christ,  as  delivered  by  the 
 pen  of  the  apostle ;  "  The  wife  is  bound  by  the  law,  as 
 long  as  her  husband  liveth ;  but  if  her  husband  be  dead, 
 she  is  at  liberty  to  be  married  to  whom  she  will,  only  in 
 the  Lord."  To  marry  in  the  Lord,  must  mean  marry- 
 ing one  who  is  a  Christian,  at  least  by  profession.  This 
 rule,  it  is  true,  is  by  the  apostle  applied  to  the  case  of 
 widows;  but  the  same  reason  exists  for  applying  it  to 
 
 *  The  importance  of  the  subject,  and  the  great  neglect  of  it,  must 
 be  my  apology  for  again  dwelling  upon  it,  after  having  already  intro- 
 duced it  into  some  of  my  former  publications.  On  this  account,  I  had 
 determined  to  pass  it  over  in  this  work ;  but  on  re-considering  the 
 matter,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  so  entirely  in  place  here, 
 and  concerns  so  large  a  number  of  professors,  it  ought  not  to  be 
 omitted,  and  I  have  therefore  devoted  this  chapter  to  it,  where  it  will 
 be  read  by  many,  who  never  saw  my  other  books. 
 
PROFESSOR.  9  \ 
 
 all  unmarried  persons.  The  other  passage  usually 
 quoted  on  the  subject,  "  Be  not  unequally  yoked  toge- 
 ther with  unbelievers,"  refers  perhaps  specifically  to  the 
 fellowship  of  the  church,  but  still  by  fair  inference  may 
 be  extended  to  marriage.  This  is  the  law  then,  that  no 
 Christian  should  marry  any  one  who  is  not  also  a  Chris- 
 tian j  or  who  is  not  upon  good  grounds  supposed  to  be 
 such.  I  say  it  is  the  law ;  not  merely  advice  or  counsel, 
 but  command,  and  as  binding  on  our  conscience  as  any 
 other  precept  of  the  New  Testament.  We  have  no  more 
 right  to  attempt  to  annul  or  evade  this  command,  than 
 any  other  of  Christ's  laws. 
 
 Permit  me  to  bring  before  you  the  evils  resulting 
 from  neglecting  this  rule,  and  marrying  an  irreligious 
 person.     Some  of  these  affect  yourselves. 
 
 Your  comfort  is  materially  involved.  A  difference 
 of  taste  or  pursuit  in  minor  matters  is  not  conducive  to 
 happiness.  "  How  can  two  walk  together,  except  they 
 be  agreed?"  This  applies  to  all  things,  but  most  of  all 
 to  the  transceudently  important  affair  of  religion.  This 
 is  a  subject  continually  recurring,  entering  into  all  the 
 arrangements  of  the  family,  never  to  be  put  aside,  except 
 by  the  professor's  consenting,  for  the  sake  of  peace,  to 
 give  up  or  conceal  his  religion,  and  becoming  an  apos- 
 tate. You  will  not  merely  be  left  to  pursue  your  own 
 course,  without  sympathy  or  fellowship  from  your 
 dearest  earthly  friend ;  but  by  consistently  supporting 
 your  religion,  you  will,  perhaps,  provoke  distaste,  dis- 
 like, ill-will,  strife,  and  alienation.  How  many  have 
 had  to  choose  between  apostacy  or  domestic  peace ! 
 Dreadful  alternative  !  And  where  they  have  had  grace 
 to  give  up  their  comfort  instead  of  their  religion,  they 
 have  not  only  died  a  martyr's  death,  but  lived  a  life  of 
 
91  THE    UNMARRIED 
 
 martyrdom.  What  have  not  many  wives  endured  from 
 irreligious  husbands  in  being  not  merely  the  silent  but 
 horrified  witnesses  of  their  sins,  but  the  victims  of  their 
 wrath.  Many  a  man  has  been  the  murderer  of  his  wife 
 without  being  hanged  for  it.  But  where  things  do  not 
 come  to  this  pitch,  and  the  want  of  religion  does  not 
 affect  in  the  smallest  degree  the  exercise  of  conjugal 
 love,  yet  think  of  the  pain  of  being  obliged  to  consider 
 that  good  wife,  or  kind  husband,  an  enemy  of  God  :  if 
 in  sickness,  about  to  die,  unprepared  for  the  change. 
 Oh  !  can  you  imagine  the  anguish  of  a  wife,  occupying 
 "the  dreadful  post  of  observation,  darker  every  hour," 
 watching  the  slow  progress  of  disease  in  a  dying  hus- 
 band, anxious  to  catch  from  his  departing  spirit  some 
 few  words  to  sustain  her  hope  that  he  is  going  to 
 heaven,  and  then  for  ever  after  to  be  haunted  with  the 
 recollection  that  "  he  died  and  made  no  sign  !"  Will 
 you  hazard  this  ? 
 
 Think  of  the  influence  of  such  a  connexion  on  your 
 religion.  We  all  need  helps,  not  hindrances,  in  the 
 walk  of  faith.  With  every  advantage  in  our  favour,  how 
 slow  is  our  progress  heavenward  !  And  how  much  are 
 we  likely  to  be  impeded  by  a  companion  who  is  ever 
 seeking  to  draw  or  drag  us  back?  Can  we  rise  with 
 such  a  weight,  or  walk  with  such  a  clog  ?  How  is  our 
 devotion  flattened  by  the  constant  companionship  of  one 
 who  has  no  sympathy  with  us  in  our  spiritual  feelings 
 or  tastes?  You  will  often  be  hindered  and  prevented 
 from  attending  the  means  of  grace ;  required  to  do 
 things  against  which  your  conscience  revolts;  and  will 
 sometimes  give  way,  for  the  sake  of  peace,  in  matters 
 which  will  bring  guilt  and  distress  into  your  minds. 
 
 Even   your   salvation   may   be    brought    into   peril. 
 
PBOFESSOB.  95 
 
 Many  cases  have  occurred  in  which  persons  appeared  to 
 be  pious  till  they  were  married :  I  have  known  such, 
 and  have  seen  them  from  that  time  commence  a  retro- 
 grade course.  Apostacy  has,  in  myriads  of  instances, 
 commenced  at  the  altar.  Instead  of  taking  their  com- 
 panions with  them  to  heaven,  as  they  imagined  they 
 should,  those  companions  took  them  to  perdition.  How 
 insidious  is  the  influence  of  a  husband  or  a  wife  in 
 decoying  the  other  from  the  paths  of  godliness  into  the 
 ways  of  the  world ;  and  in  some  cases,  how  systematic, 
 persevering,  and  successful.  There  is  the  silent  in- 
 fluence of  example,  which  alone  is  most  powerful ;  then 
 there  are  concealed  temptations  to  little  departures 
 from  consistency,  till  by  degrees,  the  poor  victim  is 
 caught  in  the  snare,  and  gives  up  all  spiritual  piety  and 
 even  all  religious  observances. 
 
 I  now  call  upon  you  to  consider  the  consequences 
 of  such  a  marriage  upon  the  children,  if  there  should  be 
 any.  Will  they  be  brought  up  for  God  and  his 
 church?  Suppose  the  converted  party  should  labour 
 for  the  salvation  of  the  family,  and  labour  the  more  for 
 being  left  alone  in  the  work,  what  a  counteraction  must 
 come  from  the  other.  The  hearts  of  the  children  are 
 by  nature  corrupt,  and  have  already  a  bias  towards  evil 
 example.  How  will  they  shield  themselves  from  a 
 mother's  pious  remarks,  by  a  father's  irreligious  ex- 
 ample !  Oh  with  what  heart-breaking  anguish  has 
 many  a  pious  mother  seen  her  children  led  away  from 
 her  side  as  she  was  walking  with  God,  and  to  heaven,  by 
 the  hand  of  her  own  husband,  and  their  own  father ! 
 With  what  a  mixture  of  delicacy  and  distress  have  I 
 heard  some  mothers  and  wives  allude  to  this  sad  circum- 
 stance.    Some  of  the  worst  families  have  been  those 
 
96  THE    UNMARRIED 
 
 which  were  the  children  of  parents,  one  of  whom  was  a 
 professor  and  the  other  not. 
 
 Dwell  upon  the  effects  of  such  unions  to  the  church 
 of  Christ.  These  are  inscribed  in  dark  characters  upon 
 the  page  of  sacred  history.  This  was  the  cause  which 
 corrupted  the  antediluvian  church,  and  became  the 
 source  of  that  universal  depravity  which  brought  the 
 flood  upon  the  earth.  "The  sons  of  God/'  i.  e.  the 
 professors  of  religion  in  the  line  of  Seth,  "  saw  the 
 daughters  of  men/'  i.  e.  the  descendants  of  Cain,  who 
 made  no  profession  of  true  religion,  "that  they  were 
 fair,  and  they  took  them  wives  of  all  that  they  chose." 
 In  subsequent  times  the  crime  of  idolatry  flowed  in 
 continually  upon  the  Jewish  church  through  the  channel 
 of  unholy  marriages.  "  And  the  children  of  Israel  dwelt 
 among  the  Canaanites,  and  they  took  their  daughters  to 
 be  their  wives,  and  gave  their  daughters  to  their  sons, 
 and  served  their  gods.  And  the  children  of  Israel  did 
 evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  forgot  the  Lord  their 
 God,  and  served  Baalim  and  the  groves."  Solomon's 
 history  has  a  fearful  interest  in  reference  to  this  subject, 
 and  shows  that  the  strongest  mind,  and  the  most  en- 
 lightened piety  and  zeal  may  be  corrupted  by  ungodly 
 wives.  See  also  how  the  marriage  of  Ahab  is  recorded  : 
 "And  it  came  to  pass,  as  if  it  had  been  a  light  thing 
 for  him  to  walk  in  the  sins  of  Jeroboam,  that  he  took 
 to  wife  Jezebel,  the  daughter  of  Ethbaal,  the  King 
 of  the  Zidonians,  and  went  and  served  Baal,  and  wor- 
 shipped him.  But  there  was  none  like  unto  Ahab,  who 
 did  sell  himself  to  work  wickedness  in  the  sight  of  the 
 Lord,  whom  Jezebel  his  wife  stirred  up."  Read  the 
 language  of  Ezra,  chapter  ix.,  and  also  the  admonitory 
 words  of  Nehemiah,  xiii,  23-27. 
 
PBOFE880B.  !>7 
 
 If  wc  come  forward  to  the  christian  church,  we  may 
 safely  affirm  that  few  circumstances  have  had  a  greater 
 influence  in  deteriorating  religion  in  the  hearts  of  profes- 
 sors, or  in  corrupting  the  communion  of  the  saints,  than 
 a  neglect  of  the  christian  rule  of  marriage.  The  pious 
 parties  have  not  only  had  the  tone  of  religion  lowered  in 
 their  own  minds,  but  have  been  anxious,  and  in  in- 
 numerable cases  have  succeeded,  to  introduce  the  other 
 into  the  church,  and  that,  by  the  operation  of  the  two- 
 fold mischief,  has  been  grievously  injured  in  its  piety  and 
 purity. 
 
 On  all  these  grounds,  such  marriages  are  injurious 
 and  should  be  avoided.  Perhaps  female  professors  more 
 frequently  violate  this  rule  than  men ;  which  may  be 
 accounted  for  in  great  measure  by  the  circumstance, 
 that  they  are  the  chosen,  and  not  the  choosing  party. 
 An  offer  of  marriage,  where  the  individual  who  makes 
 it  is  in  some  tolerable  degree  respectable  and  desirable, 
 is  a  compliment,  so  far  as  it  goes,  which  of  itself  is 
 apt  to  entangle  a  female's  heart,  or  at  any  rate  her 
 vanity,  and  to  produce  a  hesitancy  even  where  her  con- 
 science dictates  the  propriety  of  an  immediate  negative. 
 This  hesitancy  is  greatly  increased,  of  course,  when  the 
 offer  comes  from  one  who  is  in  every  respect  desirable, 
 with  the  solitary  exception  of  the  want  of  religion.  How 
 many  have  been  induced  by  the  prospect  of  an  advan- 
 tageous settlement  in  life,  to  overlook  this  one  great 
 defect,  and  to  balance  the  want  of  piety  by  wealth  and 
 worldly  respectability;  and  of  these  how  large  a  pro- 
 portion have  repented  of  their  sin,  and  lived  to  envy  the 
 woman,  who,  though  struggling  with  poverty,  was  blest 
 and  happy  with  a  pious  husband.  It  is  of  great  con- 
 sequence that  the  mind  should  be  previously  fortified 
 
98  THE    UNMARRIED 
 
 against  this  danger  by  a  deep  inwrought  conviction  of 
 the  obligation  of  the  Christian  rule  of  marriage,  and 
 the  unlawfulness  of  violating  it.  We  must  not  in  any 
 case  have  our  weapons  to  seek  when  we  want  them  to 
 use.  If  we  have  then  to  discuss  the  propriety  of  an  act 
 gainful  in  itself,  when  the  temptation  to  perform  it  is 
 pressing  upon  us,  we  are  almost  sure  to  be  overcome. 
 The  heart  is  a  bad  casuist  in  all  cases,  but  especially  in 
 a  love  affair,  or  in  the  prospect  of  a  gainful  marriage. 
 Young  people  who  are  professors  should  begin  life  with 
 this,  as  one  of  their  maxims,  which  they  should  feel 
 no  more  at  liberty  to  set  aside  than  any  other  precept 
 of  religion,  that  no  inducement  should  be  strong  enough 
 to  lead  a  Christian  to  marry  an  irreligious  person. 
 
 When  a  connexion  has  been  formed  while  both  parties 
 were  in  an  unconverted  state,  a  subsequent  change  in  the 
 religious  views  and  feelings  of  either  of  them,  is  not  a 
 sufficient  ground  for  dissolving  the  connexion,  except  by 
 the  consent  of  the  other ;  but  where  the  engagement 
 was  entered  into  while  both  parties  were  professors,  and 
 one  of  them  before  marriage  throws  off  religion,  the 
 other  is  not  only  authorised  by  the  word  of  God  to 
 terminate  the  connexion,  but  is  required  to  do  so. 
 
 The  excuses  by  which  many  attempt  to  justify  their 
 neglect  of  this  law  of  Christ,  are  often  specious,  but 
 never  valid.  Sometimes  the  hopeful  appearances  of  the 
 individual  whom  a  professor  wishes  to  marry,  are  pleaded. 
 These  appearances  are  often  hypocritically  assumed 
 purposely  to  deceive;  in  other  cases,  they  are  a  real 
 yielding  to  the  persuasion  of  affection,  and  an  actual 
 intention  to  alter  the  conduct,  but  still  far  from  true 
 religion.  Piety  appears  lovely  in  those  we  love,  and 
 may,  for  their  sake,  be  imitated  as  far  as  it  can  be 
 
PROFESSOR.  99 
 
 without  the  reality  of  it.  The  godliness  which  is  seen 
 for  the  first  time  in  a  person  when  he  desires  to  gain  the 
 heart  of  a  true  Christian,  should  be  always  looked  upon 
 with  great  caution,  and  even  suspicion.  When  we  wish 
 to  think  an  object  of  our  regard  a  Christian,  a  very  little 
 evidence  will  suffice  to  produce  conviction.  If  the  indi- 
 vidual whom  a  person  wishes  to  marry  be  not  a  professor, 
 in  the  sense  attached  to  that  term  in  these  pages,  it  is  a 
 •presumption,  though  certainly  not  a  proof,  that  he  is 
 undecided  in  his  religious  character. 
 
 It  is  not,  I  believe,  an  uncommon  case  for  Christians 
 to  marry  unconverted  persons  under  the  idea  and  hope 
 of  converting  them.  Is  marriage,  then,  one  of  the 
 means  of  grace  ?  Has  the  plan  usually  succeeded  where 
 it  has  been  tried  ?  Alas,  how  often  the  conversion  has 
 been  the  other  way,  and  the  professor  has  been  led 
 back  to  the  world  ?  We  must  give  up  all  excuses, 
 then,  and  admit  that  it  is  the  duty  of  a  professor  to 
 marrv  only  in  the  Lord.  But  if  it  were  not,  and  it  were 
 left  to  his  own  option,  would  it  not  be  for  his  happiness 
 to  choose  a  pious  companion  ?  One  who  could  help 
 him  in  his  christian  course,  and  enter  into  his  hopes 
 and  fears,  his  joys  and  sorrows,  touching  the  subject 
 that  lies  nearest  to  his  heart  ?  One  who  would  aid  him 
 to  bring  up  his  children  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  who 
 would  not  thwart  him  in  his  plans  for  their  eternal 
 interests  ?  One  that  would  co-operate  with  him  in  all 
 his  efforts  to  glorify  God,  to  bless  his  species,  and  to 
 extend  the  church  ?  One  that  would  soothe  him  in 
 sickness,  sadness,  and  death,  with  the  words  of  consola- 
 tion, experience,  and  prayer  ?  One  whom  he  would  be 
 in  no  fear  of  losing  in  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
 death  ?     One  whom  he  would  hope  to  dwell  with  as  an 
 
100  THE    UNMARRIED 
 
 angel  spirit  in  heaven,  after  having  dwelt  with  her  as  an 
 angel  in  the  flesh  on  earth  ?  O,  who  that  has  tasted  the 
 sweet  and  holy  influence  which  religion  imparts  to  the 
 intercourse  of  a  holy  couple,  their  mingled  love  and 
 piety,  would  willingly  forego  this  sacred  and  solemn 
 delight  ? 
 
 You  are  not,  however,  to  suppose  that  religion  is  the 
 only  thing  to  be  thought  of  as  a  suitable  pre-requisite 
 for  the  formation  of  this  union  between  Christians. 
 There  must  be  a  general  suitableness  in  age,  rank, 
 education,  temper,  and  taste.  It  would  be  extravagant 
 enthusiasm  to  imagine  that  religion,  because  it  is  the 
 first  thing,  is  every  thing ;  and  that  any  one  who  pre- 
 sents himself  should  be  accepted,  provided  he  can  make 
 good  his  pretensions  to  the  character  of  a  Christian. 
 Christianity  does  not  level  distinctions,  and  annihilate 
 dissimilarities ;  does  not  convert  age  into  youth,  de- 
 formity into  beauty,  ignorance  into  knowledge,  or 
 absolute  clownishness  into  elegance;  nor  does  it  offer 
 an  amalgam  to  make  these  opposites  blend  into  an  har- 
 monious and  an  agreeable  compound.  Religion  is 
 offended  by  all  unseemly  things,  as  well  as  all  unholy 
 ones.  Under  the  law  an  ox  and  an  ass  were  not  to  be 
 yoked  together  in  ploughing ;  nor  linen  and  woollen  to 
 be  woven  into  the  same  texture  for  garments.  And 
 under  the  gospel  we  are  to  do  nothing  unlovely  or  of 
 bad  report,  in  the  way  of  incongruous  marriage  mix- 
 tures :  they  are  an  offence  against  the  dignity,  if  not  a 
 violation  of  the  sanctity,  of  the  institute  of  matrimony. 
 
 Much  less  is  it  allowable  to  professors  to  treat  the 
 preliminary  course  with  fickleness  or  levity.  The  very 
 steps  to  the  altar  of  marriage  are  sacred,  and  no  one 
 should  act  the  flirt,  the  coquette,  or  the  traitor  there. 
 
PROFESSOR.  101 
 
 A  darker  stain,  short  of  gross  and  palpable  immorality, 
 ran  scarcely  rest  upon  the  character  of  a  professor,  than 
 faithlessness  to  his  engagements  as  a  lover.  To  desert 
 a  female  after  he  has  engaged  her  affections,  is  a 
 hateful  compound  of  many  vices  in  one;  it  is  cruelty 
 which  lias  sent  many  a  lovely  girl  to  her  grave,  or  to  a 
 madhouse ;  and  where  it  has  not  gone  so  far  as  this,  has 
 withered  her  peace  of  mind  for  ever ;  it  is  treachery  of 
 the  basest  kind  j  a  cold,  heartless,  and  often  remorseless, 
 baseness,  which  should  never  be  heard  of  among  saints. 
 Nor  ought  only  this  crime  in  all  its  enormity  to  be  avoided, 
 but  all  approaches  to  it  also;  all  attentions,  which,  though 
 unaccompanied  by  a  direct  proposal,  indicate  a  prefer- 
 ence, and  may  be  fairly  construed  into  a  declaration  of  it, 
 should  be  carefully  abstained  from,  if  nothing  ulterior  be 
 contemplated.  It  is  wrong  for  any  one  to  inveigle  the 
 affections  of  another,  and  then  to  defend  himself  after 
 he  has  retired,  by  the  excuse  that  he  never  made  any 
 proposals,  nor  even  a  declaration  of  attachment.  Per- 
 haps it  will  be  asked,  "  How  are  we  to  know  the  suit- 
 ableness of  a  person  for  such  a  union  with  us,  without 
 being  with  them  and  paying  attentions  which  cannot  be 
 mistaken;  and  if  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  retire  after 
 we  have  once  committed  ourselves,  how  perilous  a  thing 
 is  marriage?"  To  this  I  reply,  hold  your  heart  in 
 abeyance  till  suitable  enquiry,  and  silent,  unnoticed 
 observation,  have  been  made.  All  trifling  with  the 
 affections  of  another,  is  most  dishonourable  in  every- 
 one, and  especially  in  a  Christian  :  and  yet  it  is  too 
 often  done,  and  the  credit  of  the  religious  profession  has 
 been  materially  injured  by  it.  If  any  thing  of  im- 
 portance, any  thing  likely  to  affect  the  future  happiness 
 of  the  parties,  should  come  out  during  the  progress  of 
 
102  THE    UNMARRIED 
 
 the  acquaintance,  which  in  the  commencement  of  it  was 
 concealed  by  either  of  them,  such  as  liability  to  serious 
 bodily  or  mental  disease,  or  deranged  worldly  circum- 
 stances, or  insincerity  of  religious  profession,  in  that 
 case  no  blame  can  attach  to  the  one  that  retires.  Nor 
 is  any  censure  merited  in  those  cases  where  the  con- 
 nexion is  dissolved  by  mutual  consent.  Much  reproach 
 has  been  brought  upon  some  young  professors,  by  rash, 
 precipitate  offers  to  unsuitable  persons,  from  whom  it 
 has  become,  at  length,  almost  absolutely  necessary  they 
 should  withdraw.  Nor  can  some  be  cleared  from  the 
 reproach  of  imprudently  marrying  before  they  had  a 
 rational  prospect  of  supporting  a  family.  Expenses 
 increased  faster  than  they  were  able  to  meet  them, 
 debts  were  contracted,  means  forbidden  by  every  prin- 
 ciple of  honour  were  resorted  to  for  liquidating  them, 
 and  disgrace  soon  followed.  It  pains  me  to  think  of  the 
 instances  which  I  have  witnessed  of  young  people,  once 
 bidding  fair  to  be  respectable  and  respected,  not  only  in 
 the  world,  but  in  the  church  also,  ruiued  as  to  their 
 prospects  and  reputation,  by  an  imprudent  marriage. 
 It  is  then,  an  absolute  sin,  for  any  one  to  marry 
 without  the  rational  prospect  of  supporting  a  family. 
 It  is  also  a  great  discredit  to  young  professors,  especially 
 while  living  at  home,  to  form  any  such  intimacy  as 
 I  have  referred  to,  without  the  knowledge,  and  especially 
 against  the  wishes,  of  their  parents.  I  admit  there  are 
 exceptions  to  this  general  rule,  but  they  rarely  occur. 
 Disobedience  to  parental  authority  in  this  matter,  where 
 the  children  are  under  age,  and,  in  most  cases,  where 
 they  are  beyond  it,  is  a  deep  blot  upon  a  christian 
 profession.      The   social   and   domestic  virtues   should 
 
PROFESSOR.  103 
 
 always  shine  forth  with  peculiar  lustre  in  the  charaeter 
 of  a  Christian. 
 
 A  union  for  life  is  so  serious  a  matter,  so  deeply 
 involving  not  only  our  own  and  our  companion's  com- 
 fort, but  our  piety  also ;  so  powerfully  affecting,  per- 
 haps, the  welfare  for  both  worlds  of  a  family  ;  so  greatly 
 influencing  the  church  of  Christ,  and  the  cause  of  reli- 
 gion in  the  world,  that  it  cannot  be  treated  with  too 
 much  solemnity,  or  approached,  even  in  its  preliminary 
 steps,  with  too  much  caution.  Nor  is  there  any  thing 
 next  to  our  own  salvation  which  should  be  made  the 
 subject  of  so  much  earnest  prayer  to  God,  for  direction 
 and  guidance. 
 
104  THE     PROSPEROUS 
 
 CHAPTER    XV. 
 
 THE    PROSPEROUS    PROFESSOR. 
 
 C(  I  know  how  to  abound."  The  apostle  claims  for 
 himself  in  these  words,  one  of  the  most  rare  and  diffi- 
 cult attainments  ever  made  in  this  world  of  imperfec- 
 tion and  probation ;  I  mean  the  right  use  of  prosperity. 
 How  few  are  his  imitators !  Prosperity  is  a  compara- 
 tive term,  and  signifies  an  improved  or  improving 
 state  of  our  temporal  affairs;  in  its  most  emphatic 
 sense  it  imports  a  considerable  improvement,  a  marked 
 elevation  in  society,  or  great  accumulation  of  wealth : 
 it  is  sometimes  employed  as  denoting  any  advancement, 
 whether  it  be  in  the  humbler  or  more  exalted  stations 
 of  life.  A  workman  or  servant  is  in  prosperity  whose 
 wages  are  doubled;  a  female  is  in  prosperity  who  is 
 raised  by  marriage  from  a  lower  to  a  higher  grade  of 
 society ;  the  small  tradesman  is  in  prosperity  who  is 
 delivered  from  the  difficulties  he  once  experienced,  and 
 is  enabled  to  provide  for  his  family,  though  only  a 
 competency.  But  it  is  usually  expressive  of  a  some- 
 what higher  state  of  things  than  this,  and  as  indicating 
 a  thriving  trade,  or  the  possession  of  considerable 
 property. 
 
 A  professor  is  to  let  his  light  shine  before  men. 
 This  of  course  extends  to  every  situation  in  which  he  is 
 
PROFESSOR.  105 
 
 placed.     His  is  to  be  an  ever  shining  light;  a  radiance 
 
 that  is  every  whore  to  attend  him;  it  must  illumine  the 
 "loom  of  his  poverty,  or  add  even  to  the  splendour 
 of  his  prosperity.  Like  the  sun,  his  own  appropriate 
 emblem,  he  should  shine  the  brighter  the  higher  he 
 rises.  Prosperity  is  a  gift  granted  him,  that  he  may 
 glorify  God :  a  golden  talent  to  be  carried  with  deep 
 humility  and  gratitude  to  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and 
 consecrated  to  Him,  who  bought  him  with  his  precious 
 blood.  It  widens  the  sphere  of  his  opportunity  to 
 honour  God,  a  sphere  which  he  should  be  anxious  to  fill 
 with  a  hallowed  influence  to  its  very  circumference. 
 
 There  are  four  virtues  especially  necessary  in  a  state 
 of  prosperity.  Of  these,  the  first  is,  gratitude.  Thank- 
 less prosperity  is  an  unnatural  and  an  unholy  state. 
 An  ungrateful  man's  heart  is  hard  as  the  rock,  and 
 barren  as  the  sand,  which  continually  receives  the  rays 
 of  the  sun,  and  the  riches  of  the  clouds,  but  returns 
 nothing.  A  Christian  must  not  only  in  his  feelings 
 be  remote  from  that  atheistic  state  of  mind,  which 
 traces  up  all  to  lucky  accidents  and  fortunate  turns,  but 
 he  must  take  care  to  acknowledge  God  before  men,  as 
 the  sole  author  of  his  success.  His  whole  frame  and 
 deportment  must  be  a  devout  confession  of  God.  It 
 must  be  seen  that  he  ascribes  all  he  has,  not  to  his  own 
 skill,  sagacity,  or  industry,  but  to  the  blessing  of  the 
 Most  High.  "By  the  grace  of  God,  I  am  what  I  am/' 
 must  be  his  declaration.  On  every  favour  he  should 
 inscribe  the  name  of  God  as  the  giver,  just  as  we  write 
 the  name  of  our  friends  on  their  gifts. 
 
 God  should  not  only  be  acknowledged,  but  praised 
 for  prosperity.     It  is  a  blessing,   unless   by  our  abuse 
 of  it,  we  turn  it  into  a  curse;   and  is  spoken  of  as  such 
 Vol.   11  n 
 
106  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 throughout  the  Word  of  God.  God  has  not  confounded 
 the  distinction  between  plenty  and  want,  nor  required 
 us  to  do  so.  To  be  set  above  or  to  be  released  from 
 privation  care  and  want  is  a  mercy,  and  it  should  be 
 accounted  so.  The  man  who  talks  of  poverty  as  good  in 
 itself,  speaks  against  reason  and  against  revelation  alike ; 
 it  may  be  overruled  for  good,  and  often  is,  but  in  itself 
 it  is  an  evil.  A  cause  of  thankfulness  it  certainly  is,  to 
 have  the  comforts  of  this  life;  and  prosperity,  both  as 
 a  means  of  enjoyment  and  usefulness,  demands  our 
 gratitude.  Were  all  our  temporal  mercies  employed  as 
 they  ought  to  be,  as  means  of  proving  to  us  the  enor- 
 mity of  our  sins,  as  fuel  to  feed  the  flame  of  our  love, 
 as  mirrors  in  which  to  see  the  goodness  of  Jehovah,  as 
 ties  to  bind  our  hearts  to  his  service,  and  as  instruments 
 to  promote  his  cause  in  the  world,  prosperity  would, 
 indeed,  be  felt  to  be  a  blessing,  and  would  send  us  to 
 God  with  the  language  of  the  Psalmist,  and  with  his 
 emotions  too,  "  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  all  that 
 is  within  me,  bless  his  holy  name.  Bless  the  Lord,  O 
 my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  his  benefits." 
 
 Watchfulness  is  the  next  duty  incumbent  upon  the 
 prosperous  professor,  for  prosperity  is  a  state  of  danger. 
 This  has  been  confessed  by  all,  and  experienced  by  mul- 
 titudes. It  is  the  most  trite  and  hacknied  of  all  themes, 
 on  which  moralists,  as  well  as  divines,  have  equally  des- 
 canted. In  what  vivid  colours  does  Asaph  pourtray  this 
 subject  in  the  seventy-third  Psalm.  How  often  are  we 
 in  effect  told  that  "  The  prosperity  of  fools  shall  slay 
 them."  How  affectingly  is  this  expressed  in  the 
 prayer  of  Agur.  Prov.  xxx,  4,  6.  In  what  alarming 
 terms  is  it  thundered  forth  in  the  words  of  Christ ; 
 "  How  hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches  enter  into  the 
 
PROFESSOR.  107 
 
 kingdom  of  God.  \  erily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  it  is 
 easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle, 
 than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  :" 
 and  the  fearful  sentiment  is  echoed  by  the  apostle, 
 "They  that  will  be  rich,  fall  into  temptation  and  a 
 snare,  and  into  many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which 
 drown  men  in  destruction  and  perdition ;  for  the  love 
 of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil,  which,  while  some  have 
 coveted  after,  they  have  erred  from  the  faith,  and 
 pierced  themselves  through  with  many  sorrows."  I 
 seem  in  reading  such  language  almost  to  question  the 
 truth  of  what  I  have  before  written,  and  to  doubt 
 whether  prosperity  is  really  good ;  at  any  rate  it  must 
 be  allowed  to  be  a  dangerous  good,  of  which  we  have 
 seen  numerous  instances  and  melancholy  proofs.  How 
 rarely  does  it  happen  that  persons  are  not  injured  by  it; 
 how  still  more  rarely  that  they  are  the  better  for  it ; 
 so  rarely  indeed  that  an  individual  who  passes  through 
 the  trial  unhurt,  is  admired  as  a  striking  proof  of  the 
 riches  of  divine  grace ;  while  he  that  is  really  improved 
 by  it,  is  wondered  at  and  talked  of  as  a  religious  marvel. 
 But  oh  !  the  myriads  ruined  for  eternity  by  an  improved 
 condition  in  life  !  What  multitudes  as  they  ascended 
 from  the  humble  vale  of  poverty,  and  emerged  from  the 
 thorny  and  secpiestered  glens  which  it  contained,  into 
 the  sunny  spots  and  higher  grounds  of  wealth  or  easy 
 competence,  have  lost  their  religion  as  they  rose,  till  by 
 the  time  they  had  reached  the  summit,  it  was  all  gone ; 
 and  those  who  in  the  valley  looked  habitually  up  to 
 heaven,  as  soon  as  they  were  upon  the  flowery  [mount, 
 looked  exclusively  at  the  earthly  prospect  below  them. 
 Some  have  become  heretical  in  opinion,  others 'have 
 sunk  into  confirmed  and  unrestrained  worldly-minded- 
 
108  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 ness,  while  not  a  few  have  plunged  into  actual  and 
 notorious  immorality.  In  the  far  greater  number  of 
 instances,  however,  it  has  not  gone  to  this  length,  but 
 only  produced  a  lukewarmness,  which,  without  impairing 
 the  moral  character,  has  destroyed  the  spiritual  one,  by 
 leaving  nothing  of  godliness  but  the  form. 
 
 The  danger  of  prosperity  arises  from  two  causes. 
 1.  Its  tendency  to  repress  some  of  the  dispositions  in 
 which  real  religion  consists.  There  is  little  room  in 
 such  a  state  for  submission  to  the  will  of  God,  and 
 for  faith,  trust,  and  hope,  in  reference  to  providential 
 arrangements  and  temporal  affairs.  Not  that  prosperity 
 excludes  all  room  for  these  virtues ;  but  still  it  must 
 be  admitted,  there  is  not  the  same  opportunity  or  call 
 for  them  as  in  a  state  of  adversity.  And  these,  be  it 
 recollected,  are  some  of  the  higher  elements  and  more 
 vigorous  exercises  of  true  piety.  It  is  true  that  as 
 regards  spiritual  things,  there  is  as  much  opportunity, 
 necessity,  and  call,  for  faith  and  hope,  in  the  one  state 
 as  in  the  other ;  but  as  for  that  daily  exercise  of  patient 
 submission  to  present  privations ;  that  equally  constant 
 trust  in  Providence  for  future  supplies  :  and  that  stedfast 
 faith  in  the  promise  of  deriving  ultimate  good  from 
 seeming  evil,  which  the  afflicted  and  necessitous  are 
 called  to  exercise,  the  prosperous  know  little  of  these 
 things.  Their  religion  is  apt  to  become  not  only 
 enfeebled  but  diseased  for  the  want  of  these  more  ath- 
 letic and  healthy  exertions;  just  as  the  sons  of  affluence, 
 who  feed  on  luxury,  who  are  clad  in  purple  and  fine 
 linen,  and  sleep  on  down,  are  puny  and  effeminate  com- 
 pared with  the  weather-beaten  mariner,  or  the  hardy 
 mountaineer.  Great  caution,  much  watchfulness,  and 
 earnest   prayer,    are   necessary    to    guard    against  this 
 
PR0FES80R.  ]f)Q 
 
 danger.  It  requires  much  grace  indeed  to  rise  upon  the 
 wings  of  faith,  and  to  soar  above  the  enchanting  scene 
 of  things  temporal  into  the  region  of  things  eternal, 
 when  the  former  spread  out  their  variegated  beauties 
 amidst  the  glowing  sunshine  of  prosperity ;  and  with  all 
 that  is  gratifying  in  present  possessions,  to  yield  our 
 hearts  to  the  impulses  of  hope,  and  travel  onward  to  the 
 unseen  and  comparatively  unknown  future. 
 
 2.  But  the  danger  of  prosperity  arises  from  its 
 tendency  to  generate  and  foster  some  states  of  mind  to 
 which  Christianity  is  directly  opposed.  Numerous  are 
 the  weeds,  which,  though  apparently  killed  by  the 
 frosts  and  buried  under  the  snows  of  winter,  obtain  a 
 resurrection  and  vigorous  life  by  the  summer's  sun; 
 numerous  the  noxious  and  disgusting  reptiles  and 
 vermin  that  come  forth  from  their  holes  when  the 
 season  of  storm  is  over,  to  breed  and  bask  in  the 
 warmth  of  the  solar  beams.  Prosperity  is  that  to  the 
 imperfections  and  corruptions  of  our  hearts,  which  the 
 sun  is  to  these  annoyances  of  our  earth. 
 
 To  those  whose  besetting  sins  lie  in  that  direction,  it 
 furnishes  resources  for  the  indulgence  of  appetites  and 
 the  gratification  of  tastes,  by  no  means  friendly,  when 
 carried  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  strictest  moderation, 
 to  the  spirit  of  vital  godliness.  True  piety  is  self- 
 denying,  requiring  the  most  rigid  temperance  in  all 
 things.  Every  approach  not  only  to  drunkenness  and 
 gluttony,  but  even  to  tippling  and  epicurism,  is  inimical 
 to  the  spirituality  and  heavenly-miudedness  of  true 
 religion.  Now  it  has  happened,  that  some  with  in- 
 creased means  of  gratifying  their  appetites  have  fallen 
 into  the  snare,  and  acquired  habits  of  self-indulgence, 
 which  have  utterly  destroyed  every  vestige  of  piety  in 
 their  soul. 
 
110  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 A  haughty  spirit,  and  a  feeling  of  independence,  are 
 frequently  observable  in  the  prosperous ;  a  temper  that 
 seems  to  say,  "  Mine  own  arm  hath  gotten  me  this  •" 
 a  disposition  "to  sacrifice  to  their  own  drag,  and  to 
 burn  incense  to  their  own  net;"  an  insensible  and 
 unintentional  but  at  the  same  time  an  habitual  and 
 sinful  leaving  God  out  of  their  calculations  and  con- 
 templations; and  a  reliance  upon  their  own  energies 
 and  exertions.  There  is  about  some  persons  a  con- 
 sciousness of  power,  and  a  feeling  of  self-buoyancy,  as 
 if  they  could  and  must  rise  however  unaided,  and  even 
 opposed.  Now  this  is  a  guilty  temper,  a  state  of  mind 
 of  great  criminality  and  odiousness  in  the  sight  of  God, 
 in  whom  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being,  and 
 without  whom  we  can  neither  lift  an  arm,  move  a  step, 
 nor  exercise  a  volition. 
 
 Pride  is  another  evil  against  which  the  prosperous 
 professor  has  the  most  urgent  need  to  be  upon  his  guard. 
 It  is  not  requisite  here  to  dwell  upon  the  sinfulness  and 
 loathsomeness  of  this  disposition.  It  is  irreligious  in 
 itself,  and  it  is  most  inimical  to  religion  in  its  influence. 
 There  are  various  kinds  of  pride,  or  to  speak  more 
 correctly,  it  is  exercised  in  reference  to  various  kinds 
 of  objects;  there  is  pride  of  rank,  pride  of  intellect, 
 pride  of  person,  pride  of  righteousness ;  but  besides  all 
 these,  there  is  pride  of  money.  It  is  of  the  latter  kind 
 I  now  speak :  that  which,  to  use  a  common  expression, 
 makes  a  man  purse-proud.  The  union  of  prosperity 
 and  pride  is  one  of  the  most  common  associations  of 
 ideas  that  we  ever  form  :  so  common  that  we  almost 
 naturally  and  invariably  imagine  that  a  rich  man  must 
 be  a  proud  one ;  and  are  filled  with  admiration  and 
 astonishment   when   the  contrary    takes   place.      This 
 
PROFESSOR.  ]  1  1 
 
 combination  is  referred  to  in  many  places  of  the  Word 
 of  God.  The  Psalmist,  speaking  of  the  rich,  savs, 
 "With  their  mouth  they  speak  proudly;"  and  in 
 another  place,  "  Pride  compasseth  them  about  as  a 
 chain."  In  a  person  whose  heart  is  subdued,  humbled, 
 and  renewed  by  grace,  we  may  not  expect  to  sec 
 such  offensive  manifestations  of  this  vice,  as  in  an 
 unconverted  individual;  but  even  in  him,  prosperity 
 often  produces  too  much  of  it.  He  values  himself 
 on  account  of  his  Avealth;  he  feels  that  he  is  a 
 man  of  consequence  who  ought  to  be  looked  up  to; 
 gives  himself  airs  of  importance ;  expects  his  opinion  to 
 be  law ;  is  oracular,  dogmatical,  overbearing,  intolerant, 
 and  gives  his  sentiments  with  an  emphatic,  ff  I  think 
 so."  He  exacts  attention,  deference,  respect ;  is  sus- 
 ceptible of  offence  if  he  imagines  himself  slighted,  and 
 from  the  high  demands  he  prefers,  often  does  imagine 
 that  he  is  slighted.  He  is  jealous  of  rivals,  suspicious, 
 censorious.  Now  all  this  is  pride,  purse-pride,  and  is 
 too  often  seen  in  the  prosperous  professor.  He  is  not, 
 perhaps,  sufficiently  aware  of  it,  himself,  but  his  friends 
 are,  and  lament  his  infirmity.  He  feels,  however,  that 
 he  is  not  so  happy  nor  so  holy  as  he  once  was,  but 
 scarcely  suspects  the  cause ;  it  is  in  fact,  "  The  rich  man 
 fading  away  in  his  ways."  It  is  the  worm  of  pride 
 feeding  upon  the  root  of  piety.  Religion  cannot  flourish 
 in  such  a  state  of  mind  as  this,  for  it  will  prevent  that 
 deep  humiliation  before  God,  that  self- abhorrence,  that 
 self-annihilation,  that  entire  dependence,  that  sense  of 
 ill  desert,  which  are  essential  to  the  spirit  of  true  piety ; 
 and  at  the  same  time  will  call  into  active  operation  many 
 tempers  most  injurious  to  godliness. 
 
 Akin  to  this  is  ambition,  or  a  feeling  which  disposes 
 
112  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 a  man  to  be  craving  after  something  higher  and  better 
 than  he  has,  rather  than  to  enjoy  and  improve  what  he 
 already  possesses.  No  man  is  forbidden  to  improve 
 his  condition  in  this  world,  or  required  to  stop  short  in 
 the  ascending  path,  into  which  he  has  been  led  by 
 Providence,  much  less  to  turn  out  of  it ;  but  a  restless 
 desire  after  distinction,  an  aspiring  and  dissatisfied 
 temper,  which  makes  the  level  of  ordinary  circumstances 
 disagreeable  and  intolerable,  and  that  envying  those  who 
 are  on  higher  ground,  which  leads  to  the  determination 
 at  all  costs  to  be  up  with  them,  is  quite  contrary  to 
 the  apostolic  injunction,  "  Seekest  thou  great  things  for 
 thyself?  Seek  them  not."  Prosperity  is  very  apt  to 
 make  a  professor  seek  for  gay  or  at  any  rate  rich  and 
 fashionable  acquaintance.  He  must  have,  he  thinks, 
 suitable  acquaintance  for  himself  and  his  children,  and 
 if  he  cannot  find  them  in  the  church,  he  goes  for  them 
 into  the  world ;  he  contracts  acquaintance  with  such  per- 
 sons ;  exchanges  visits  with  them ;  relaxes  his  religious 
 strictness ;  adopts  their  customs ;  and  thus  by  little  and 
 little,  gives  up  his  spirituality,  and  becomes  a  worldling 
 in  heart,  though  he  is  still  a  professor  by  name.  Some- 
 times his  ambition  .takes  the  turn  of  a  longing  desire 
 after  secular  distinctions  and  civic  honours ;  he  wishes 
 to  be  a  member  of  parliament,  or  of  a  corporation,  or 
 of  a  board  of  guardians,  or  of  some  commercial  or 
 political  committee.  He  courts  office,  for  he  fancies 
 himself  fairly  entitled  to  it,  much  more  than  many  who 
 already  hold  it.  His  mind  is  much  taken  up  about  the 
 means  to  accomplish  his  end.  He  goes  into  company ; 
 courts  notice;  pushes  himself  forward,  and  at  length 
 succeeds.  But  is  he  satisfied?  No.  He  has  reached 
 one  summit,  but  it  is  only  to  rest  and  breathe  preparatory 
 
PROFESSOR.  1  l."» 
 
 to  Ins  climbing  another  before  him.  He  is  not  at  ease, 
 for  as  the  career  of  his  prosperity  continues,  so,  he 
 thinks,  ought  his  elevation.  But  where  is  his  religion 
 all  this  while  ?  Alas  !  alas  !  behind  on  the  road ;  or 
 below  in  the  valley.  The  house  of  God,  the  prayer- 
 meeting,  the  Bible,  the  family  altar,  the  closet,  are  all 
 neglected.  He  is  at  a  political  association,  or  a  civic 
 entertainment,  or  at  a  party  committee,  when  he  ought 
 to  be  hearing  a  sermon,  assisting  at  a  church-meeting, 
 or  uniting  in  prayer  with  his  brethren.  Ambition  of 
 this  kind  has  ruined  many  professors  in  these  days,  and 
 will  ruin  many  more  if  care  be  not  taken. 
 
 Perhaps  it  will  be  asked,  if  professors  ought  to  abstain 
 from  all  such  public  offices,  and  refuse  all  such  secular 
 distinctions  as  those  I  have  alluded  to?  I  reply,  cer- 
 tainly not.  I  am  only  shewing  that  they  ought  not  to  be 
 ambitious,  eager,  and  active,  to  obtain  them.  "When 
 they  come  unsought  and  unsolicited  ;  when  they  are  put 
 upon  us,  almost  forced  upon  us;  then  they  may  be 
 regarded  as  coming  from  God,  and  as  affording  us  an 
 opportunity  of  glorifying  Him,  and  serving  our  genera- 
 tion. But  even  in  this  case,  the  Christian  should 
 consider  that  he  is  set  in  slippery  places,  and  should 
 watch  and  pray  that  he  enter  not  into  temptation.  The 
 higher  he  rises,  the  more  he  is  likely  to  turn  giddy,  and 
 the  more  earnestly  should  he  present  that  prayer,  "  Hold 
 thou  me  up,  and  I  shall  be  safe." 
 
 Worldlv-mindedness  is  a  very  common,  it  may  be 
 almost  said,  a  general  fruit  of  prosperity.  I  do  not 
 mean  by  this  term  absolute  covetousness,  but  a  disposi- 
 tion to  seek  our  happiness  rather  from  earthly  sources, 
 than  spiritual  ones.  Our  profession  certainly  implies 
 a  contrary  temper,  and  supposes  that  our  chief  consola- 
 
Ill  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 tion,  our  habitual  comfort,  is  derived  from  the  spring 
 of  religion,  the  wells   of  salvation,   the  pure  river  of 
 water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  from  the  throne 
 of  God  and  the  Lamb.     But  O  how  difficult  is  it  to 
 maintain  this  pure,  spiritual,  unearthly,  heavenly  taste  in 
 the  midst  of  prosperity  !    How  difficult  is  it  to  help  loving 
 the  world,  when  it  puts  on  all  its  charms,  when  it  smiles 
 upon  us,  and  caresses  us.    When  we  have  built  a  conve- 
 nient house  in  a  pleasant  situation,  furnished  it  elegantly, 
 surrounded  it  with  a  beautiful  garden  and  shrubbery,  and 
 made  all  things  ready  for  our  friends  ;  when  our  family 
 is  as  agreeable  within,  as  the  scene  is  pleasant  without, 
 how  difficult  is  it  then  to  ftvoid  saying,  "  It  is  good 
 to  be  here,  let  us  remain  here  long,   and  if  it  were 
 possible  for  ever."     The  worldling  says,  "  Give  me  such 
 a  paradise  as  this,  and  I  want  no  other  or  better  heaven." 
 Yes,  and  even  the  professor  sometimes  feels  this  though 
 he  does  not  say  it.     His  house,  and  not  his  God,  is  the 
 home  of  his  heart.     He  lives  not  by  faith  in  God,  in 
 Christ,  in  heaven ;  but  by  sense,  in  the  enjoyment  of 
 his  comforts.     He  goes  not  to  fashionable  amusements ; 
 his  taste,  his  habits,  and  his  reputation  as  a  Christian, 
 are  against  that ;    but  he  seeks  that  happiness  in  his 
 home,  which  others  seek  in  the  ball  room,  the  theatre, 
 and  the  card  party.     Many  a  man  and  many  a  woman, 
 who  goes  regularly  to  all  the  sabbath  and  many  of  the 
 week-day  ordinances  of  religion,  and  passes  for  a  toler- 
 ably prosperous  Christian,  is  miserably  low  in  spiritual 
 piety,  and  has  but  little  enjoyment  of  God,  little  com- 
 munion~with  Christ,  and  as  little  lively  hope  of  glory  to 
 be  revealed.     Prosperity,  by  multiplying  the  sources  of 
 earthly  gratification,  tends  to  take  us  off  from  those 
 which  are  spiritual  and  divine;  tends  to  carnalize  our 
 
PROFESSOR.  1  l."> 
 
 affections,  to  vitiate  our  holy  taste,  and  to  flatten  our 
 devotion. 
 
 Such  are  the  evils  to  which  the  successful  professor 
 is  ever  exposed,  and  which  call  for  his  vigilance,  caution, 
 and  alarm  ;  not  that  they  are  necessarily  and  always 
 connected  with  prosperity,  (for  how  then  could  it  be  a 
 blessing  ?)  but  they  are  the  abuses  of  it,  against  which 
 he  should  watch  and  pray. 
 
 Humility  is  a  grace  which  the  prosperous  are  espe- 
 cially required  to  cultivate.  "  Walk  humbly  with  thy 
 God,"  is  an  injunction  which  is  appropriate  to  all,  but 
 especially  to  them.  In  none  can  humility  shine  with 
 such  lustre  as  in  them.  It  is  then  like  a  gem  set 
 in  gold ;  like  a  lovely  flower  putting  forth  all  its  beau- 
 ties in  full  sunshine  ;  like  a  lark  coming  down  from 
 his  lofty  flight  to  rest  in  his  lowly  bed  upon  the 
 earth.  Nothing  is  more  beautiful  in  our  world  than 
 the  association  of  humble  piety  and  temporal  pros- 
 perity ;  it  is  the  temper  of  heaven  united  with  the 
 possession  of  earth.  The  man  who  makes  this  attain- 
 ment, is  great  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  His  prosperity 
 is  maintained  without  the  envy  of  others,  and  without 
 injury  to  himself.  Let  the  prosperous  Christian,  then, 
 aim  at  this  beautiful  combination.  His  lowliness  will 
 not  keep  him  long  behind  or  below  his  place.  There 
 is  a  buoyancy  in  prosperity  which  is  sure  to  raise  him 
 to  the  surface,  and  place  him  where  he  should  be;  for 
 there  is  no  individual  whose  assistance  and  influence 
 are  more  generally  and  urgently  sought,  or  more  truly 
 valued,  than  his,  whose  humility  keeps  pace  with  his 
 success. 
 
 Liberality  is  an  incumbent  duty  in  the  circumstances 
 which  I  am  now  describing ;  and  yet  it  is  not  a  duty 
 
116  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 always,  or  often  performed,  to  the  full  extent  of  its 
 obligation.  In  some  cases,  prosperity  withers  the  bene- 
 volent affections  of  the  heart,  and  closes  the  outlets  of 
 mercy.  Like  those  flowers  that  bloom  at  night  or  in 
 the  wintry  months,  but  die  away  before  the  power  of  the 
 sun :  or  like  others  that  nourish  best  in  a  poor  soil,  the 
 liberality  of  some  professors  seems  to  become  stunted, 
 enfeebled,  and  contracted,  as  they  increase  in  riches  : 
 the  more  they  have,  the  less  they  give.  I  have  read  or 
 heard  somewhere,  of  a  person  who  had  been  singularly 
 generous  while  comparatively  poor,  but  who  was  ob- 
 served to  become  parsimonious  when  he  was  prosperous ; 
 and  who  upon  being  asked  how  it  came  to  pass  that  he 
 who  gave  so  much,  in  proportion  to  his  income,  when 
 he  had  but  little,  now  gave  little  when  he  had  so  much ; 
 made  this  shocking  reply,  "When  I  had  little,  it  was 
 not  worth  saving,  but  when  my  fortune  became  large,  it 
 seemed  an  object  worthy  of  being  kept  together  and 
 accumulated."  If  I  do  not  forget,  this  confession  was 
 made  upon  a  death  bed,  and  amidst  the  horrors  of  an 
 awakened  and  guilty  conscience.  This  is  by  no  means 
 a  rare,  though  a  very  melancholy  case.  The  love  of 
 money  very  commonly  increases  with  money,  and  there- 
 fore needs  to  be  most  tremblingly  and  prayerfully 
 watched,  lest,  as  property  gradually  comes  in,  it  steal 
 over  the  heart  and  hold  it  in  occupation  for  Mammon. 
 It  sometimes  happens  that  the  heart  gets  corrupted  by 
 an  appropriation  of  the  first  fruits  of  prosperity  to 
 worldly  show,  and  to  an  enlarged  domestic  expenditure. 
 This  begets  a  habit  of  expense,  and  produces  a  scale 
 of  living,  which  goes  on  increasing,  all  the  while  swal- 
 lowing up  prosperity  as  fast  as  it  comes  in,  and  thus 
 leaving  but  little  for  God.    On  the  contrary,  a  professor 
 
PROFESSOR.  ]  17 
 
 should  devote  the  first  fruits  of  his  success  to  God, 
 and  satisfy  himself  with  moderate  accommodations,  thus 
 enlarging  by  frugality  in  domestic  expenses  his  means 
 of  serving  both  God  and  himself  also.  Many  begin 
 where  they  should  leave  off,  and  therefore  end  worse 
 than  they  began. 
 
 The  subject  of  this  chapter  is  so  important,  that  I 
 must  prolong  it  for  the  purpose  of  most  solemnly  ad- 
 monishing at  still  greater  length,  not  only  those  who 
 are  prosperous,  but  those  who  are  desiring  and  expecting 
 to  be  rich.  The  enemies  of  religion  are  continually 
 reproaching  its  friends  with  an  undue  regard  to  wealth, 
 and  their  very  sarcasms  are  instructive,  though  not 
 always  just.  They  assume  what  is  not  correct,  that 
 religion  is  intended  to  inspire  us  with  aversion,  or  at 
 any  rate  to  produce  absolute  indifference,  to  wealth  ; 
 instead  of  merely  moderating  our  desires  after  it,  making 
 us  contented  if  we  do  not  obtain  it,  and  leading  us  to 
 consecrate  it  to  God  if  we  do.  It  is  not  the  possession, 
 but  the  inordinate  desire,  the  dishonest  means,  the 
 undue  love,  and  the  covetous  hoarding  of  it,  that  we 
 should  dread.  I  am  quite  aware  that  it  is  difficult  to 
 have  money  and  not  love  it ;  hard  indeed  to  have  a 
 golden  image  in  the  house,  and  not  worship  it.  It  is 
 also  quite  evident  that  covetousness  is  the  sin  of  the 
 church  as  well  as  the  world.  In  this  commercial  age  and 
 country,  where  men  often  rise  from  workman  to  master, 
 and  from  nothing  to  affluence ;  where  every  career 
 is  open  to  all ;  and  where,  when  once  engaged  iu  the 
 complexity  and  onward  impulse  of  a  large  business,  it  is 
 so  difficult  to  stop  or  slacken  the  pace,  there  is  imminent 
 peril  of  professors  forgetting  their  high  vocation,  and 
 living  onlv  to   get  riches.      We  see  them  toiling  and 
 
118  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 panting  along  the  road  of  trade,  in  pursuit  of  the  golden 
 object  of  ambition,  apparently  as  eager  to  obtain  it,  as 
 any  of  those  who  do  not  profess,  as  they  do,  to  seek  first 
 the  kingdom  of  God  ;  enlarging  their  desires  with  every 
 addition  to  their  gains ;  and  then  increasing  their  expen- 
 diture to  their  wildest  desires.  Professors,  ye  who  are  in 
 this  situation,  pause  for  one  short  season  in  your  career, 
 and  read  that  solemn  admonition,  which  one  who  knows 
 both  your  own  hearts,  and  the  secrets  of  eternity,  better 
 than  you  do,  has  caused  to  stand  out  in  characters  more 
 fearful  and  intelligible  than  those  which  the  mystic 
 hand  inscribed  on  the  walls  of  Belshazzar's  palace : 
 "  How  hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches,  enter  into  the 
 kingdom  of  God."  There  it  stands,  written  in  im- 
 perishable letters,  that  riches  render  the  way  to  heaven 
 difficult,  and  the  road  to  hell  smooth.  There  it  is, 
 printed,  published,  (shall  I  say  placarded  ?)  on  the  road 
 side,  yea,  on  the  side  posts  of  the  narrow  gate  that 
 opens  into  the  path  of  life,  that  wealth  is  a  snare  to 
 the  soul,  and  makes  salvation  difficult.  No  prophet's 
 inspiration  is  necessary  to  interpret  this  declaration 
 of  Christ,  no  expositor's  comment  to  illustrate  it ;  it  is 
 so  plain  that  he  who  runs  may  read,  and  he  who  reads 
 must  understand.  Good  in  itself,  and  capable  of  doing 
 good,  and  evil  only  when  it  is  abused,  and  yet  so 
 often  abused  that  its  possession  is  more  frequently 
 injurious  than  beneficial,  wealth  should  never  be  in- 
 tensely longed  after  by  any.  Professors,  take  as  it 
 were  a  bird's  eye  view  of  the  dangers  it  throws  in  the 
 way  of  travellers  to  eternity.  Does  it  not,  as  I  have 
 shown,  produce  the  pride  of  life,  so  opposite  to  the 
 humility  and  poverty  of  spirit,  which  are  essential  to  the 
 nature  of  true  religion  ?    Does  it  not  generate  a  worldly- 
 
PR0FE8S0K.  1  L9 
 
 mindedness,  which  makes  its  possessor  contented  with 
 things  seen  and  temporal,  and  disposes  him  to  mind 
 only  earthly  thiugs?  Does  it  not  lead  to  a  prevalent 
 feeling  of  self-dependence,  instead  of  that  habitual  trust 
 and  reliance  on  God,  which  the  Scriptures  require? 
 Does  it  not  originate  and  keep  up,  hoth  the  care  and 
 perplexity  of  getting,  and  the  anxiety  of  disposing ;  and 
 thus  exhaust  our  vigour  as  well  as  time  upon  worldly 
 ohjects,  leaving  the  soul  neglected,  impoverished,  and 
 defrauded  ?  Does  it  not  draw  away  the  Christian  from 
 the  means  of  grace?  Does  it  not  corrupt  the  simplicity 
 of  the  mind,  and  the  gentleness  of  the  character  ?  Does 
 it  not  bring  guilt  upon  the  conscience,  and  hardness 
 into  the  heart,  by  frequent  omissions  and  refusals  to  do 
 good  with  it ;  and  thus,  besides  increasing  the  account 
 against  us  in  the  book  of  God's  remembrance,  inflict  an 
 injury  upon  our  souls  now?  Yes,  wealth  has  a  ten- 
 dency to  do  all  this  in  consequence  of  the  depravity 
 of  our  hearts,  and  thus  to  cast  stumbling  blocks  in  the 
 path  of  salvation.  And  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  far 
 greater  danger  attends  the  wealth  which  flows  in  upon 
 us  as  the  result  of  success  in  business,  or  in  some  un- 
 expected manner,  than  that  which  descends  to  us  in  the 
 channel  of  patrimonial  inheritance,  with  the  contem- 
 plation and  expectation  of  which  we  have  been  familiar- 
 ised from  childhood.  Will  you  then  earnestly  covet 
 and  restlessly  long  for  it;  what,  with  all  these  snares 
 attending  it?  Do  you  really  believe  Christ  when  he 
 said,  "  How  hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches  enter 
 into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  !  It  is  easier  for  a  camel 
 to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a  rich  man 
 to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  Will  you  then 
 envy  the  rich;  what,  with  such  snares  as  these  which 
 
120  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 endanger  his  soul  ?  For  what  purpose  has  Christ  opened 
 hell,  and  disclosed  to  us  the  scene  of  Dives  tormented 
 in  its  flames,  but  to  warn  us  against  the  dangers  of 
 wealth  ?  Has  not  God  branded  as  a  fool,  the  man  who 
 congratulated  himself  on  his  wealth,  as  a  source  of 
 adequate  and  permanent  enjoyment  ?  Has  he  not  said 
 that  "they  that  will  be  rich  fall  into  temptation,  and 
 many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men  in 
 destruction  and  perdition?"  If  when  standing  on  the 
 shore  after  a  shipwreck,  you  saw  rolled  up  by  the  waves 
 to  your  feet,  the  miserable  corpse  of  a  poor  deluded 
 creature,  who,  in  trying  to  escape  from  the  sinking 
 vessel,  had  so  loaded  himself  with  gold  that  he  could 
 not  swim  to  land,  but  sank  immediately  in  the  deep, 
 would  you  not  exclaim,  "What  does  it  profit  him  now  ? 
 And  oh  !  could  you  see  the  more  miserable  ghost  of  a 
 lost  rich  worldling  return  from  the  unseen  world,  and 
 hear  him  go  howling  about  our  earth,  "  "What  shall  it 
 profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world ;  or  what  shall 
 a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?"  would  you  not 
 be  struck  with  the  folly  of  being  so  anxious  to  join  in 
 the  scramble  which  is  carried  on  by  many,  while  our 
 world  is  sinking  for  wealth,  the  very  weight  of  which, 
 if  they  get  it,  tends  to  make  their  escape  from  eternal 
 ruin  the  more  difficult? 
 
 What  then  would  I  have  you  to  do  ?  Stop  in  your 
 career  of  industry?  Break  up  your  prosperous  con- 
 cern ?  Turn  from  your  flattering  prospects  ?  Quit  the 
 pursuits  of  wealth  to  avoid  its  dangers  ?  Refuse  riches 
 when  they  are  sent  by  Providence?  Choose  poverty 
 with  its  privations,  because  it  is  less  dangerous  than 
 affluence  ?  No,  I  advise  no  such  thing.  God  is  omni- 
 potent and  all-sufficient,  and  can  make  his  grace  suffi- 
 
PROFESSOR,  1:21 
 
 cient  for  the  salvation  of  a  rich  man,  as  well  as  a  poor 
 one.  What  you  are  to  do,  is  to  moderate  your  anxiety 
 to  be  rich ;  to  lower  your  sense  of  the  importance  of 
 wealth  ;  to  feel  that  you  could  be  content  if  God  were 
 to  deny  you  prosperity,  or  to  diminish  your  fortune;  to 
 avoid  a  grasping  and  ever  extending  ambition ;  to  let  it 
 be  seen  that  your  prosperity  rather  comes  upon  you, 
 than  is  anxiously  sought  by  you ;  to  give  the  impression 
 to  those  who  know  and  see  you,  that  it  has  fallen  like  a 
 shower  from  heaven,  rather  than  been  drawn  up  as  from 
 a  well  dug  with  almost  consuming  labour  in  the  earth 
 by  your  own  hands;  and  especially  to  take  care  that  your 
 riches  be  acquired  by  honest  industry,  and  unambitious, 
 unengrossing  diligence,  and  be  diffused  for  the  glory  of 
 God,  and  the  best  interests  of  man.  AVealth  justly  ob- 
 tained, and  piously  spent,  instead  of  being  a  curse,  is  a 
 blessing;  instead  of  diminishing  a  man's  religion,  in- 
 creases it ;  and  instead  of  hindering  him  in  his  way  to 
 heaven,  helps  him.  Where  Providence  has  blessed  you 
 then  with  the  possession  of  property,  seek  for  divine 
 grace,  that  you  may  be  blessed  in  the  use  of  it,  for  with- 
 out the  latter,  the  former  is  no  blessing  at  all. 
 
 Rich  professors,  I  entreat  you  to  consider  the  right 
 uses  and  solemn  responsibility  of  wealth.  The  age  of 
 miracles  is  past ;  and  indeed  while  it  lasted  the  employ- 
 ment of  property  in  the  spread  of  the  gospel  was  not 
 dispensed  with.  Read  the  admonition  again,  which  is 
 addressed  to  you.  "Charge  them  that  are  rich  in  this 
 world  that  they  be  not  high-minded  nor  trust-in  uncer- 
 tain riches,  but  in  the  living  God,  who  giveth  us  all 
 things  richly  to  enjoy  :  that  they  do  good;  that  they  be 
 rich  in  good  works,  ready  to  distribute,  willing  to  com- 
 municate, laying  up  in  store  for  themselves  a  good 
 Vol.11  I 
 
122  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 foundation  against  the  time  to  come,  that  they  may  lay 
 hold  on  eternal  life."  Enter  into  the  spirit  as  well  as 
 comply  with  the  letter,  of  this  apostolic  admonition. 
 By  how  many  motives  may  the  liberal  use  of  your  pro- 
 perty be  urged  upon  you,  each  of  which  ought  to  be 
 of  itself  sufficient,  and  all  united,  irresistible.  You 
 cannot  be  ignorant,  that  God  has  made  known  his  will 
 that  your  property  should  be  so  employed.  He  has 
 commanded  it,  and  thus  has  not  left  it  to  your  own 
 inclination  or  option.  Your  property  is  the  gift  of  God, 
 given  not  for  your  own  use  only,  but  for  the  glory  of 
 his  name  and  the  good  of  his  creatures.  You  must  give 
 account,  in  the  day  of  judgment,  for  every  farthing- 
 entrusted  to  your  care ;  and  in  that  account  will  be 
 included  all  that  you  have  spent  upon  yourselves,  all 
 the  opportunities  you  have  had  of  doing  any  thing  for 
 Christ,  as  well  those  you  have  neglected,  as  those  you 
 have  embraced.  You  have  the  most  powerful  and 
 moving  of  all  possible  examples  set  before  you  in  "  the 
 grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  though  he  was 
 rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  became  poor,  that  you  through 
 his  poverty  may  become  rich."  "You  are  redeemed 
 that  others  might  be  delivered;  renewed  that  others 
 may  be  converted ;  blessed  yourselves  that  you  may  be 
 a  blessing  to  others ;  and  are  so  consecrated  to  God  as 
 to  be  obliged  to  make  it  apparent,  not  from  professions 
 but  from  actions,  that  the  objects  to  which  you  are 
 supremely  devoted,  are  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's 
 kingdom,  in  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  men,  the 
 honour  of  religion,  and  the  glory  of  God ;  that,  in  one 
 word,  religion  is  the  great  business  of  life."*  You 
 should  remember  the  incalculably  superior  value  of  pro- 
 *  "Is  All  Well?"    By  the  Rev.  Joseph  Fletcher,  D.D. 
 
PROFESSOR. 
 
 perty  when  employed  for  glorifying  God  and  saving 
 souls,  than  when  devoted  to  personal  gratification  and 
 family  aggrandisement.  You  should  consider  the  in- 
 fluence which  benevolence  will  have  upon  your  own 
 character,  in  strengthening  the  virtues  of  Christianity, 
 and  ripening  you  for  a  state  of  unmingled  love.  You 
 should  dwell  much  upon  the  present  condition  of  the 
 world,  and  the  claims  which  its  moral  miseries  urge 
 upon  the  heart  of  every  Christian;  a  world  lying  in 
 wickedness,  from  which  nearly  a  hundred  thousand 
 immortal  souls  pass  away  each  day,  and  a  large  pro- 
 portion of  them  to  the  pit  of  eternal  destruction.  You 
 should  ponder  upon  the  solemn  consideration,  that  the 
 work  of  soul  destruction,  the  perdition  of  immortal 
 beings,  is  thus  frightfully  going  on  for  want  of  money 
 to  arrest  its  progress  :  that  hell  is  filling  with  the  lost 
 spirits  of  men,  and  professing  Christians  are  all  the 
 while  refusing  to  supply  them  before  they  perish,  with 
 the  means  of  salvation.  You  should  recollect  that  you 
 live  in  an  age  distinguished  above  all  that  preceded  it 
 by  its  growing  facilities  for  doing  good,  by  its  clear 
 exposition  of  the  sin  of  covetousness,  by  its  frequent 
 appeals  to  the  liberality  of  Christians,  and  by  its  encou- 
 ragements to  proceed  in  the  career  of  benevolence.  You 
 should  weigh  well  your  responsibility  for  the  influence 
 you  exert  upon  others  by  your  liberality  or  parsimony. 
 But  when  and  where  shall  I  end  in  stating  the  obliga- 
 tions of  the  rich  professor  of  the  gospel  ? 
 
 I  will  put  to  you  the  following  case.  Suppose  the 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ  were  to  come  to  you  in  a  visible  form 
 of  glory,  somewhat  similar  to  that  in  which  he  appeared 
 to  his  apostle  in  the  Isle  of  Patmos,  and  should  deposit 
 in   your  hands,  twenty,  fifty,  or  a  hundred  thousand 
 
124  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 pounds,    and  were  to  address  you  thus :    "  I  entrust 
 this  property  to  your  care,  with  a  permission  to  use  a 
 part  of  it  for  yourselves,  in  promoting  your  own  tem- 
 poral comfort;  but  the  rest,  and  indeed  the  bulk,  I 
 require  you  to  lay  out  in  promoting  the  cause  for  which 
 I  bled  upon  the  cross,  and  which  you  know  lies  nearest 
 my  heart,  even  the  salvation  of  immortal   souls.     To 
 guard  you  against  any  breach  of  the  trust,  I  forewarn 
 you  that  I  shall  require  an  account  of  every  farthing  at 
 some  future  period :  and  at  the  same  time  to  encourage 
 your  zeal  in  my  interests,  I  promise  you  a  gracious 
 reward  for  fidelity,  when  I  shall  call  you  to  account  for 
 your  stewardship.     Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I 
 will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life  that  fadeth  not  away." 
 Should  you  not  feel  both  honoured  in  being  the  almoner 
 of  his  bounty,  and  tremblingly  anxious  to  lay  out  his 
 money  to  the  best  advantage  for  his  cause,  that  when 
 you  gave  in  your  account,  it  might  be  with  joy  and  not 
 with  grief?     Should  you  not  be  almost  afraid  to  spend 
 any  thing  upon  yourselves,  lest  it  should  be  considered 
 too  much  to  be  diverted  from  his  cause  ?     When  about 
 to  enlarge,  beautify,  or  refurnish  your  house,  or  to  go 
 on  an  excursion  of  pleasure  at  the  expense  of  the  fund 
 entrusted  to  you,  should  you  not  hear  a  voice  within 
 you  asking,  "  Is  this  the  purpose  for  which  the  money 
 was  entrusted  to  your  care?       Does  this  please  Christ 
 now,  and  will  it  be  a  good  item  in  the  account  at  the 
 last  day  ?"    Methinks  you  would  grudge  every  thing  for 
 yourselves,  beyond  absolute  necessaries,  that  you  might 
 be  able  to  say  at  last,  "  Lord,  it  was  all  spent  for  thee  ?" 
 Is  this  entirely  fiction  ?     True  it  is  that  Christ  has  not 
 appeared  personally  to  you,  for  we  walk  by  faith ;  but 
 he  has  entrusted  money  to  your  care  to  be  employed  for 
 
PROFESSOR.  125 
 
 him.  Yes,  that  property  which  you  call  your  own,  is 
 not  your  own,  "  For  ye  are  Christ's,"  and  all  that  you 
 have  is  his.  And  he  will  require  an  account  of  it  at  the 
 last  day. 
 
 By  such  motives  as  these,  professors,  I  admonish  you 
 to  liberality.  I  lay  down  no  proportions  of  tenths, 
 thirds,  or  halves;  for  Christ  has  not  done  so.  Under 
 the  Levitical  law  every  thing  was  demanded  by  weight, 
 number,  and  measure ;  but  it  is  not  so  under  the  more 
 free,  and  generous,  and  spiritual  dispensation  of  the 
 gospel.  Christ  has  entrusted  his  cause  to  our  love,  our 
 honour,  our  sense  of  gratitude.  Under  the  legal  dis- 
 pensation, all  things  taken  into  account,  a  Jew's  religion 
 must  have  cost  him  little  less  than  half  his  income ;  and 
 yet  some  Christians  talk  of  a  tenth  for  theirs.  I  do  not 
 say  how  much  is  enough  for  poorer  Christians,  but  I 
 am  sure  that  for  rich  ones  this  is  a  paltry  sum  to  carry 
 to  Him  who  gave  his  all  for  them.  Ye  rich  Christians, 
 read  the  book  entitled  "  Mavnnion."  I  say  read  it,  and 
 not  only  buy  it.  It  is  become  a  fashion  to  purchase  it ; 
 I  wish  it  may  be  a  fashion  to  practise  its  principles. 
 You  are  the  people  for  whom  it  is  especially  designed, 
 and  therefore  lay  your  souls  open  to  its  searching  en- 
 quiries, and  let  it  expel  the  sin  of  covetousness  from 
 your  hearts.  Remember  the  rule  to  bless  in  proportion 
 as  you  are  blessed ;  and  that,  he  whose  prosperity  flows 
 upon  him  by  copious  streams,  but  whose  liberality  is 
 only  like  drops  oozing  from  a  rock,  is  robbing  God, 
 defrauding  the  world,  and  rendering  it  doubtful  whether 
 he  is  a  Christian  in  deed  and  in  truth.  "  If  any  man 
 love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him." 
 
 And  now,  dear  brethren,  take  the  alarm.  Prosperity 
 is  a  dangerous  blessing.     It  is  said  of  Mr  Cecil,  that  on 
 
126  THE    PROSPEROUS 
 
 being  informed  one  of  his  congregation  was  become 
 rich,  he  called  upon  him,  and  addressed  him  thus : 
 "  Sir,  I  hear  you  are  in  great  danger/'  "  In  danger 
 of  what  ?"  said  his  friend  :  "  I  am  not  conscious  of  any 
 danger  to  which  I  am  exposed."  "  You  are  growing 
 rich,"  continued  the  faithful  minister,  "  and  is  not  that 
 a  dangerous  condition  ?"  So  sensible  was  another  good 
 minister  of  his  danger,  that  on  his  having  a  fortune  left 
 him,  he  devoted  three  days  to  humiliation  and  prayer 
 to  be  kept  from  the  new  perils  into  which  he  had  been 
 brought.  Admit  the  danger  then.  Do  not  put  aside 
 the  subject  with  a  light  and  careless  air :  this  increases 
 the  peril  ten-fold.  The  man  who  is  walking  on  the 
 edge  of  a  precipice,  but  cannot  be  prevailed  upon  to 
 take  heed  to  his  steps,  is  almost  sure  to  fall  over.  A 
 constant  sense  of  your  peril,  will  arouse  you  to  caution. 
 Do,  do  consider  in  how  many  instances  prosperity  has 
 been  injurious  to  the  souls  of  men,  that  once  stood  high 
 in  the  church,  as  well  as  in  the  world.  It  is  the  green 
 and  flowery  mount  from  which  many  have  slid  down  into 
 the  bottomless  pit ;  for  it  has  proved  to  many  the  occa- 
 sion of  apostacy.  And  even  should  it  not  lead  you  wrong 
 to  this  extent,  still  without  great  watchfulness  and 
 prayer,  without  incessant  struggling,  you  will  be  sure  to 
 lose  your  spirituality,  and  receive  much  injury  in  your 
 soul.  In  that  case,  the  more  you  have  of  earth,  the  less 
 you  will  have  of  heaven ;  your  gain  here,  will  be  a  loss  to 
 you  there.  There  are,  as  I  have  already  said,  degrees 
 of  glory  ;  higher  and  lower  seats  in  heaven,  gradations 
 of  honour,  and  of  capacity  for  bliss,  in  paradise ;  and 
 though  your  worldly-mindedness  may  not  be  such  as  to 
 unchristianize  you,  yet  it  may  be  enough  to  make  you 
 Christians  of  a  low  standard,  and  therefore  fit  only  for 
 
PROFESSOR.  1J7 
 
 one  of  the  lowest  stations  of  the  kingdom  of  (J  oil  : 
 while,  on  the  other  hand,  sanctified  wealth  may  meeten 
 you  for  one  of  the  highest.  Thus  your  prosperity  will 
 extend  to  both  worlds :  it  will  be  immortal,  and  you 
 will  be  made  ruler  of  ten  cities. 
 
 Give  yourselves  then  to  prayer.  Call  upon  God. 
 His  grace  can  be  made  sufficient  for  you,  and  nothing 
 else  can.  He  giveth  more  grace,  and  you  need  more. 
 "  Ask,  and  you  shall  receive ;  seek  and  you  shall  find ; 
 knock  and  it  shall  be  opened  to  you."  "  Remember 
 Lot's  wife."  Remember  the  prosperous  man,  whose 
 goods  increased  in  abundance;  but  who  was  cut  off  in 
 one  night  from  his  prospects,  his  possessions,  and  his 
 folly.  Remember  the  rich  man  who  was  clad  in  purple 
 and  fine  linen,  and  fared  sumptuously  every  day,  but 
 who  died,  and  in  hell  lifted  up  his  eyes  being  in  tor- 
 ments :  and  to  whose  request  for  only  a  drop  of  cold 
 water,  no  other  answer  was  given  than,  "  Remember 
 thou  hast  had  thy  good  things."  May  you  not  pluck  the 
 fruits  of  unsanctified  prosperity  for  ever  and  ever  in  hell ; 
 but  gather  the  harvest  of  a  well-employed  abundance  in 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven  throughout  eternity. 
 
128  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 CHAPTER   XVI. 
 
 THE    PROFESSOR    IN    ADVERSITY. 
 
 It  is  hard  to  say  which  is  the  more  difficult  and 
 dangerous  effort,  to  ascend  or  descend  a  steep  and 
 rocky  mountain.  In  either  case,  to  proceed  with  safety, 
 is  no  easy  matter.  So  it  is  a  difficulty  with  some,  to 
 decide  whether  prosperity  or  adversity  is  more  perilous 
 to  the  Christian.  Each  has  its  snares,  and  each  requires 
 caution,  watchfulness,  and  prayer.  Each  brings  on  a 
 crisis  in  our  religious  history,  and  makes  us  either 
 better  or  worse.  It  is  an  undoubted  fact,  that  by  far 
 the  greater  number  of  God's  people  have  been  found, 
 hitherto,  in  poverty  or  adversity ;  a  fact,  which  in  con- 
 nection with  what  the  Scriptures  say,  is  a  strong  pre- 
 sumption that  in  the  judgment  of  omniscient  and  infal- 
 lible wisdom,  piety  is  likely  to  nourish  most  in  the  shade. 
 God  could  cause  the  sun  ever  to  shine  upon  his  people, 
 and  prevent  any  cloud  from  obscuring  its  rays  for  a 
 moment;  it  is  not  for  want  of  power  to  make  them  rich, 
 that  he  suffers  any  of  his  children  to  be  poor.  All 
 things  are  at  his  disposal,  and  under  his  direction;  he 
 could  give  them  all  a  patrimony  in  this  world,  which 
 would  exalt  them  above  their  fellows.  He  could  make 
 them  all  by  acquisition  great  in  fame,  rank,  or  wealth, 
 but  he  does  not,  and  therefore  it  must  be  best  that  he 
 
IN"    ai>vi:usity.  [29 
 
 should  not.  Each  of  them  may  look  at  the  cross  and 
 say  with  an  apostle,  "  lie  that  spared  not  his  own  Son, 
 but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with 
 him  also  freely  give  us  all  things?"  There  is  no 
 answering  that  logic;  the  conclusion  is  as  just  as  the 
 premises  are  true.  The  disproportion  between  a  crumb 
 and  a  kingdom  is  not  so  great  as  that  between  a  king- 
 dom and  God's  only  begotten  Son.  He  that  has  the 
 Son,  may  infer  with  absolute  certainty  that  he  has  every 
 thing  else  wThich  infinite  wisdom  sees  it  best  that  he 
 should  have ;  there  is  nothing  more  certain  under  the 
 heavens,  than  that  Infinite  Love,  after  having  given  a 
 man  Christ,  will  withhold  nothing  else  from  him  that 
 is  for  his  real  good. 
 
 How  then  should  a  professor  conduct  himself  in 
 adversity,  so  as  to  glorify  God?  In  this  description  I 
 comprise  three  classes  of  persons,  the  poor,  the  unfortu- 
 nate, and  the  afflicted.  I  am  aware  that  by  adversity 
 is  usually  meant  misfortune;  but  if  I  were  to  use  it 
 in  this  limited  sense,  I  should  exclude  many  whom  I 
 wish  to  address. 
 
 There  are  some  duties  which  are  common  to  all  these 
 three  classes  alike. 
 
 Submission  to  the  will  of  God  is  one  of  them.  By 
 submission,  I  mean  the  avoidance  of  all  repining  lan- 
 guage, the  resistance  of  all  rebellious  feeling,  and 
 determined  repression  of  all  hard  thoughts  of  God,  as 
 if  he  had  dealt  unkindly  or  severely  with  us :  together 
 with  an  acquiescence  in  all  he  does  as  right  and  good. 
 The  temper  for  instance  which  is  expressed  in  such 
 language  as  this,  "It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what 
 seemeth  good  to  him."  "I  was  dumb,  I  opened  not 
 my  mouth,  because  thou  didst  it."      The  grounds  of 
 
130  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 submission  are,  clear  views  and  a  firm  belief  of  God's 
 power,  wisdom,  and  love,  such  a  deep  sense  of  our  sins 
 as  leads  us  to  say,  ' •  It  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies  we  are 
 not  consumed :  wherefore  then  should  a  man  complain, 
 a  living  man  for  the  punishment  of  his  sins,  since  he 
 hath  not  dealt  with  us  after  our  sins,  nor  rewarded  us 
 according  to  our  iniquities;"  a  strong  and  steady  faith 
 in  Christ,  for  pardon,  peace  and  hope;  a  vivid  appre- 
 hension of  eternal  glory  ;  and  a  settled  assurance  that 
 all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love 
 God.  These  are  the  grounds  of  submission,  and  it 
 cannot  exist  where  they  are  not,  and  cannot  be  absent 
 where  they  are.  A  murmuring,  complaining,  fretful, 
 and  peevish  Christian,  whose  words  approach  as  nearly 
 as  possible  to  rebellion  against  God,  disgraces  and  belies 
 every  principle  of  his  profession. 
 
 Somewhat  of  christian  cheerfulness  should  be  mani- 
 fested by  all  persons  in  adversity.  If  they  would  glorify 
 God;  if  they  would  cause  the  light  of  their  principles 
 to  shine  forth ;  if  they  would  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God 
 their  Saviour ;  if  they  would  appear  different  from  other 
 men;  they  must  break  the  silence  even  of  submission 
 with  the  words  of  contentment,  and  if  possible,  with  the 
 notes  of  praise.  They  must  like  the  nightingale  sing, 
 and  like  the  glow-worm  shine,  in  the  dark.  They  must 
 rejoice  in  the  Lord,  delight  themselves  in  God,  repose 
 their  aching  heart  on  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  exult 
 in  assurance  that  in  heaven  they  have  an  enduring  sub- 
 stance. As  they  sit  amidst  the  fragments  of  their 
 broken  cisterns,  they  must  be  heard  singing  the  words 
 of  the  prophet,  "With  joy  will  I  draw  water  out  of  the 
 wells  of  salvation."  Thus  will  they  glorify  God,  when 
 the  smile  of  cheerfulness  on  their  countenance,  looks 
 
IN     ADVERSITY.  ].'jl 
 
 like  the  bow  upon  the  cloud,  and  they  render  the  dark 
 scene  of  their  sorrows  a  means  of  displaying  the  re- 
 splendent beauties  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  O  how 
 is  God  honoured  by  the  Christian  in  adversity,  when  all 
 his  conduct,  no  less  than  his  words,  seems  to  say,  "  I 
 have  lost  much,  but  1  still  possess  infinitely  more  than 
 I  have  lost  or  can  lose.  With  Christ  as  my  Saviour, 
 God  as  my  Father,  salvation  as  my  portion,  and  heaven 
 as  my  home ;  how  can  I  be  poor  or  wretched  ? " 
 
 There  are  also  duties  peculiar  to  each  of  the  three 
 classes  which  I  have  specified. 
 
 The  poor  should  be  contented,  and  exhibit  to  all 
 around  the  power  of  religion  in  reconciling  them  to 
 their  situation  in  life.  A  large  proportion  of  the  Lord's 
 people  are  in  the  humbler  walks  of  society.  "  I  have 
 left  in  the  midst  of  thee/'  said  Jehovah  to  Jerusalem, 
 "  a  poor  and  afflicted  people."  Christ  seemed  to  mark 
 them  out  as  the  objects  of  his  special  attention,  when 
 he  said,  "The  poor  have  the  gospel  preached  to  them." 
 This  shows  the  benignant  spirit  of  the  gospel,  and  dis- 
 tinguishes it  from  every  system  of  philosophy,  of  art, 
 and  of  false  religion.  What  have  the  founders  of 
 empire,  the  teachers  of  science,  or  the  inventors  of 
 false  religions,  cared  about  the  poor  ?  Sunk  in  the 
 low  abyss  of  penury,  the  poor  were  neglected,  no  one 
 caring  to  raise  them  from  the  depths  of  ignorance, 
 vice,  and  misery,  to  knowledge,  virtue,  and  bliss.  Age 
 succeeded  to  age,  and  school  to  school ;  a  thousand 
 sects  and  systems  rose,  flourished,  and  fell :  but  the 
 degradation  of  the  multitude  remained.  No  Howard 
 descended  to  explore  their  deep,  dark,  and  cheerless 
 dungeon,  to  ascertain  the  weight  of  their  chains,  to  let 
 the  light  of  heaven  in  upon  their  rayless  abode,  or  to 
 
132  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 sweeten  their  cup  of  woe  by  the  cordial  of  sympathy, 
 till  one  infinitely  greater  than  Howard,  and  one  from 
 whose  heart  of  boundless  love  that  distinguished  philan- 
 thropist derived  its  mercy,  appeared  upon  the  stage 
 of  our  world.  The  Son  of  God,  and  Saviour  of  man- 
 kind, when  he  came  to  earth,  dwelt  in  the  humble  vale 
 of  poverty,  grew  up  to  manhood  amidst  its  privations, 
 drank  its  bitter  waters,  chose  his  apostles  from  the  same 
 station,  and  gathered  his  first  followers,  and  founded  his 
 church,  chiefly  from  among  the  sons  and  daughters 
 of  penury.  Thus  by  his  example,  his  conduct,  and  his 
 benedictions,  Christ  seemed  not  only  to  strip  poverty  of 
 its  terrors,  but  to  invest  it  with  a  kind  of  endearing 
 honour,  as  long  as  it  is  associated  with  holiness.  Con- 
 sider this,  ye  poor  of  the  flock.  Are  you  as  destitute  as 
 Christ  was  ?  Can  you  say,  as  he  did,  "  The  foxes  have 
 holes,  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests,  but  the  Son  of 
 Man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head?"  Did  he  not 
 depend  on  charity  for  every  thing,  his  home,  his  bread, 
 his  grave?  Shall  the  disciple  think  it  hard  to  be  as 
 his  master  ?  How  easily,  how  speedily,  and  how  delight- 
 fully, will  it  pluck  the  sting  from  poverty,  when  it 
 begins  to  wound  you ;  and  cover  its  imaginary  disgrace 
 when  you  are  in  danger  of  blushing  over  it,  to  recollect, 
 that  the  character  of  a  holy  poor  man,  was  the  state  in 
 which  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory  chose  to  dwell,  during 
 his  sojourn  in  our  world  ! 
 
 Besides,  remember  that  the  Lord  has  chosen  this  lot 
 for  you,  and  he  knows  your  disposition  better  than  you 
 know  it  yourselves.  Some  plants,  as  I  have  already  re- 
 marked, thrive  best  in  a  poor  soil,  and  sheltered  from 
 the  sun,  and  you  are  among  the  number.  In  the  eye 
 of  Omniscient  Wisdom,  your  present  privations  comport 
 
IN    ADVERSITY.  133 
 
 host  with  the  possession  of  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
 Christ,  and  with  the  enjoyment  of  the  inheritance  in- 
 corruptible, undefiled,  and  unfading.  You  are  like  an 
 heir  to  an  immense  estate,  whom  his  father  judges  it 
 best  for  his  future  character  and  happiness,  to  keep  short 
 of  money  during  his  minority.  Trust  in  God.  "  If  he 
 has  loved  you  so  as  not  to  spare  his  own  Son,  but 
 delivered  him  up  for  you,  how  shall  he  not  with  him 
 freely  give  you  all  things?"  After  that  amazing  donation, 
 you  may  expect  every  thing  that  will  do  you  good.  A 
 thousand  worlds  compared  with  that  are  not  as  a  farthing 
 to  a  kingdom.  "Would  you  be  rich  for  this  world,  and 
 ruined  for  the  next?  Wealthy  in  time,  to  be  poor 
 throughout  eternity  ?  Would  you  sell  heaven  for  all 
 the  fortunes  upon  earth?  Would  you  not  rather  be 
 poor  as  you  are,  and  poorer  too,  with  religion,  than  rich 
 as  the  wealthiest  man  in  the  kingdom,  without  it  ? 
 
 Consider  what  you  possess,  what  grace  has  given  you, 
 though  providence  has  denied  you  many  things  given  to 
 others.  You  have,  or  will  have,  all  that  the  love  of  the 
 Father  designed  from  eternity  for  his  people,  all  that  the 
 death  of  Christ  obtained,  all  that  the  Bible  promises,  all 
 that  heaven  contains ;  and  is  not  this  enough  to  satisfy 
 and  bless  you,  without  gold  and  silver,  houses  and  lands  ? 
 Is  not  Christ  in  a  cottage,  to  be  infinitely  preferred  to  a 
 palace  without  him  ?  "  Better  is  a  little  that  a  righteous 
 man  hath,  than  the  riches  of  many  wicked/'  Do  you 
 believe  this  ?  Then  reconcile  yourselves  to  your  poverty, 
 and  hush  every  murmuring  word,  and  repress  every 
 repining  feeling. 
 
 Recollect  if  you  have  not  the  gratification  of  riches, 
 you  have  neither  their  dangers  nor  their  cares.  You 
 mistake  if  you  suppose  that  happiness  increases  witl. 
 
134  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 possessions.  As  to  the  greater  calamities  of  life,  sickness, 
 pain,  and  death,  together  with  the  mental  sorrows  which 
 are  produced  by  ingratitude  and  unkindness,  by  dis- 
 appointment, envy,  and  jealousy,  they  are  laid  as  heavily 
 upon  the  rich  as  the  poor,  and  perhaps  more  so ;  while 
 all  the  more  substantial  enjoyments  of  our  present  lot, 
 are  as  freely  bestowed  upon  the  poor  as  the  rich.  The 
 poor  have  health,  appetite,  sleep,  peace  of  mind,  social 
 relationships;  the  bright  sun,  the  blue  sky,  the  green 
 earth,  the  balmy  air,  the  cheerful  day,  the  still  night,  as 
 well  as  the  rich ;  and  in  addition,  if  they  are  Christians, 
 they  have  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  things  in 
 Christ;  they  possess  an  interest  in  him,  who  is  the 
 fountain  of  all  blessedness,  and  the  possessor  of  heaven 
 and  earth ;  they  have  a  charter  for  all  that  is  good  for 
 them,  which  cannot  be  revoked;  they  are  enriched 
 through  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  influ- 
 ence of  faith  purifying  their  hearts,  with  a  temper  of 
 mind  and  disposition,  which  are  the  seeds  of  true 
 happiness;  they  have  the  well-grounded  prospect  of  a 
 state  beyond  the  grave,  where  every  source  of  sorrow 
 shall  be  dried  up,  and  every  spring  of  joy  opened.  And 
 is  not  this  enough  to  comfort  them  under  the  privation 
 of  poverty? 
 
 Let  them  also  remember  how  short  is  the  term  of 
 their  destitute  state.  What  a  force  and  a  balm  are 
 there  in  the  words  of  the  apostle,  "  Let  those  that  weep, 
 be  as  though  they  wept  not,  for  the  time  is  short  \" 
 Tears  that  are  so  soon  to  cease  for  ever  may  be  wiped 
 away  with  a  smile.  There  remains  a  rest  for  the  people 
 of  God.  When  the  labouring  man  lays  down  the 
 implements  of  labour,  he  knows  not  that  he  shall  ever 
 be  called  upon  to  resume  them.     Soon,  perhaps  sooner 
 
I\     ADVERSITY.  135 
 
 that  lie  expects,  the  flail  and  the  hammer  will  drop  from 
 his  hands,  to  be  substituted  by  the  harp  of  gold,  and  the 
 palm  of  victory.  How  sweet  it  is  to  gather  up  his  tools 
 on  Saturday  evening,  and  to  reflect,  "  To-morrow  I  shall 
 rest."  Let  him  recollect  that  the  Saturday  evening 
 of  life  is  at  hand,  to  be  followed  by  the  dawn  of  a 
 Sabbath  whose  sun  will  never  set.  "When  the  labours 
 of  the  day  and  its  weariness  extort  an  involuntary 
 exclamation,  "  How  long ;"  or  when,  with  a  feeling 
 bordering  on  repining,  he  throws  down  his  instruments 
 of  toil,  to  wipe  away  the  sweat  of  his  moistened  brow, 
 let  him  hear  the  voice  which  says  to  him,  "The  end  of 
 all  things  is  at  hand,  when  thou  shalt  sleep  in  Jesus  and 
 rest  from  thy  labours."  And  O  !  how  will  the  priva- 
 tions, hardships,  and  sorrows  of  poverty,  prepare  for  the 
 enjoyment  of  that  fulness  of  joy,  and  those  pleasures 
 for  evermore,  which  await  the  Christian  at  the  right 
 hand  of  God  !  What  will  the  delectable  mountains 
 of  heaven  be,  whose  tops  are  ever  gilded  with  celestial 
 glory,  to  the  man  who  has  ascended  to  them  from  the 
 gloomy  valley  which  has  never  been  illuminated  by  the 
 sun  of  worldly  prosperity  ! 
 
 "  Yes,  there's  a  better  world  on  high, 
 Hope  on,  thou  pious  breast ; 
 Faint  not,  thou  traveller  to  the  sky, 
 Thy  weary  feet  shall  rest." 
 
 The  poor  should  check  all  feelings  of  envy,  all  dis- 
 position to  ill  will  towards  the  rich,  for  this  of  course  is 
 contrary  to  christian  contentment.  They  should  avoid 
 all  tendency  to  misconstrue  the  actions  and  misconceive 
 the  motives  of  their  wealthier  brethren ;  and  should 
 sedulously  guard  against  the  insinuations  of  persons 
 who  would  excite  their  prejudices  by  unfounded  suspi- 
 
136  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 cions,  and  stir  them  up  to  turbulent  discontent  and 
 insubordination. 
 
 They  should  endeavour  to  combine,  with  a  just  self- 
 respect,  all  due  respect  for  those  whom  Providence  has 
 raised  to  higher  stations.  Conscious  that  in  the  sight 
 of  God  they  are  upon  a  perfect  level  with  the  richest 
 and  the  greatest,  they  should  yet  so  far  regard  the  dis- 
 tinctions of  society,  as  to  be  respectful,  courteous,  and 
 submissive  towards  those  who  are  their  superiors  in 
 rank  and  property,  though  not  in  nature  or  in  christian 
 privilege.  A  forward,  bold,  obtrusive  poor  man  is 
 certainly  no  credit  to  the  christian  profession. 
 
 I  now  state  the  duties  of  the  second  class,  those 
 who,  in  the  most  specific  sense  of  the  term,  are  in  ad- 
 versity. I  mean  the  unfortunate,  if  indeed  the  word 
 "unfortunate,"  ought  to  be  admitted  to  the  vocabulary 
 of  a  Christian.  How  numerous  is  this  class,  how  many 
 at  all  times  are  there  in  this  trading  country  who  are 
 sliding  down  from  wealth  or  competence,  into  compara- 
 tive or  actual  poverty.  What  sudden  and  painful 
 reverses  are  some  called  to  experience,  and  others  to 
 witness !  What  shiftings  of  property  are  perpetually 
 going  on  !  And  oh  !  how  much  is  the  credit  of  religion, 
 and  the  honour  of  the  christian  profession,  involved  in 
 these  vicissitudes !  How  comparatively  few  descend 
 with  honour  into  the  vale  below,  and  dwell  there  with 
 dignity  and  grace  !  How  many  lose  their  reputation  in 
 losing  their  fortune !  Not  that  they  are  designing 
 cheats  or  determined  knaves,  but  they  are  misled  by  the 
 deceitfulness  of  the  heart  to  do  many  things  in  en- 
 deavouring to  avert  their  impending  ruin,  which,  by 
 whatever  specious  pretexts  they  are  first  prompted  and 
 afterwards  defended,  cannot  be  justified  by  the  strict 
 
IN     ADVERSITY.  137 
 
 rule  of  christian  integrity.  The  credit  of  religion,  as  I 
 have  remarked  already,  lias  Buffered  incalculable  and 
 irreparable  injury  in  the  world's  estimation,  from  the 
 dishonourable  conduct  of  christian  tradesmen,  who 
 have  been  involved  in  difficulties ;  and  even  from  the 
 misconduct  of  those  whose  piety  could  not  be  reasonably 
 doubted  by  any  that  knew  them.  There  is  unusual 
 surprise  felt  when  a  professor  fails.  A  fine  tribute  this 
 to  religion,  as  possessing  a  power  to  bless  in  this  world, 
 as  well  as  the  next !  There  is  also  unusual  disgust  and 
 reproach  expressed  when  such  a  man  fails  under  circum- 
 stances unfavourable  to  his  reputation.  Another  tribute 
 to  religion,  as  in  itself  intended  to  produce  whatsoever 
 things  are  just,  honest,  and  of  good  report !  Hence, 
 then,  it  is  a  matter  of  indescribable  importance  that  a 
 Christian  whose  circumstances  are  impaired,  should 
 make  up  his  mind  by  Divine  help,  never  to  attempt  to 
 save  himself  by  sinning  against  God  and  violating  the 
 least  rule  of  morality  j  never  to  prop  his  falling  fortunes 
 by  any  thing  that  is  contrary  to  the  principles  of  fair 
 and  honourable  trading.  A  professor  involved  in  com- 
 mercial difficulties  is  in  the  most  imminent  peril.  It  is 
 the  severest  trial  of  his  integrity  ;  a  kind  of  martyrdom, 
 and  a  most  painful  one  too.  His  very  regard  to  his 
 reputation,  and  the  credit  of  religion,  are  sometimes 
 really  amongst  the  temptations  to  which  he  yields  in 
 doing  what  is  wrong.  He  dreads  a  failure,  for  he 
 knows  that  with  no  just  ground  of  reproach,  he  shall  be 
 suspected  by  the  ignorant,  blamed  by  the  censorious, 
 and  calumniated  by  the  malicious.  To  avert  a  calamity 
 so  great,  he  resorts  to  means  which  though  he  considers 
 them  to  be  far  off  from  downright  dishonesty,  are  still 
 improper  and  censurable;   he  adopts  various  and  doubt- 
 
 VOL,   II  K 
 
138  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 fill  experiments  for  raising  money ;  lie  borrows  of  friends 
 with  promises  of  repayment,  which  he  might  know,  if 
 he  reflected  for  a  moment,  he  has  no  hope  of  fulfilling ; 
 he  draws  in  the  unwary  by  bargains  which  he  must 
 be  quite  sure  they  would  never  make  if  they  knew  his 
 circumstances;  he  speculates  with  part  of  his  little 
 capital,  (which  in  fact  is  not  his,)  in  hope  to  retain  and 
 increase  the  remainder :  and  if  while  doing  all  this, 
 conscience  suggests,  as  it  sometimes  will  do,  that  it 
 cannot  be  right,  he  quiets  the  awakened  and  trouble- 
 some monitor,  by  the  allegation  that  all  is  designed  to 
 prevent  a  catastrophe,  which  if  it  occur  will  bring  cer- 
 tain disgrace  upon  his  profession,  and  if  that  be  averted, 
 will  remain  unknown.  The  catastrophe,  however,  in 
 spite  of  all  these  improper  expedients  takes  place, 
 and  with  it  the  exposure  of  what  was  done  to  ward  it 
 off,  and  the  character  and  credit  of  the  professor  are 
 lost  in  the  wreck,  though  the  salvation  of  the  Christian 
 is  secured,  yet  so  as  by  fire.  I  would  by  no  means 
 become  the  apologist  for  such  conduct.  It  cannot  be 
 defended,  and  must  be  condemned ;  yet  I  believe  it  has 
 been  pursued  by  many  a  man  whose  heart  will  be  found 
 at  the  last  day  to  have  been  right  with  God.  The  great 
 difficulty  with  an  embarrassed  tradesman  is  to  know 
 when  to  stop.  Like  a  gamester,  he  is  led  on  by  the 
 delusive  expectation  that  the  next  throw  will  recover  all 
 he  has  lost.  In  nineteen  cases  out  of  twenty,  this  hope 
 of  recovery  proves  fallacious,  and  only  plunges  him 
 deeper  into  ruin.  Unfortunately  the  present  age  offers 
 too  many  expedients  by  which  men  of  declining  pros- 
 perity may  endeavour  by  some  sudden  effort  in  specula- 
 tion to  avert  the  impending  stroke,  and  be  saved  from 
 bankruptcy.     How  much  better  would  it  be,  as  soon  as 
 
IX     ADVERSITY.  |;;i| 
 
 they  are  aware  of  their  perilous  situation,  to  consult 
 their  creditors  as  to  the  propriety  of  proceeding,  and 
 make  them  morally  responsible  for  whatever" risks 
 would  be  incurred  by  their  going  on  in  trade !  Or  if 
 this  be  not  prudent,  as  in  some  cases  it  may  not  be, 
 how  important  is  it  to  take  counsel  with  some  judicious 
 friend,  to  whom  the  whole  state  of  their  affairs  should  be 
 laid  open  !  Nothing,  however,  is  more  common  in  such 
 cases  than  for  the  person  who  asks  a  friend's  opinion,  to 
 disclose  only  half  the  real  truth,  and  make  a  partial 
 representation  of  even  that;  just  as  clients  do,  who 
 consult  an  attorney  in  a  bad  business,  and  mislead  him 
 by  making  him  acquainted  with  only  that  part  of  the 
 case  which  is  in  their  favour. 
 
 A  very  considerable  degree  of  difficulty  arises  some- 
 times, both  on  the  part  of  a  distressed  tradesman  and 
 his  religious  friends,  on  the  subject  of  borrowing  and 
 lending  money  to  assist  him  out  of  his  embarrassments. 
 The  Scripture  is  certainly  explicit  in  its  injunctions  on 
 this  head.     Our  Lord  says,  "  From  him  that  would  bor- 
 row of  thee  turn  not  thou  away."     This,  however,  it  is 
 plain,  must  be  interpreted  with  a  just  regard  to  the 
 rules  of  prudence.     An  indiscreet  and  lavish  system 
 of  lending,  would  soon  reduce  even  an  affluent  professor 
 to  ruin,  and  act  as  a  premium  upon  imprudence  and 
 knavery  in  others.     Yet  there  is  the  law,  and  it  is  also 
 involved  in  other  passages,  which  speak  of  our  "  bearing 
 one  another's  burdens,"  and  helping  one  another  in 
 difficulty.    I  believe  that  one  great  reason  why  this  rule 
 is  so  much  neglected,  is  the  improper  conduct  of  some 
 who  have  borrowed,  when  there  was  no  rational  pros- 
 pect  of  repayment,   and   whose  failure  has  not  only 
 brought  discredit  on  themselves,  but  produced  a  deter- 
 
140  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 mination  on  the  part  of  many  not  to  lend  to  any  one. 
 A  man  who  is  really  in  difficulties,  ought  to  be  ex- 
 tremely cautious  about  asking  money  in  the  way  of 
 loan  from  friends  :  nothing  far  short  of  an  absolute 
 certainty  of  being  able  to  return  it  should  allow  him 
 to  solicit  their  aid.  He  should,  of  course,  lay  open  to 
 them  the  very  worst  of  his  affairs,  that  they  may  be  in 
 full  possession  of  all  particulars  before  the  advance  is 
 made.  Christians  certainly  ought  to  help  one  another, 
 but  then  no  one  ought  to  put  the  property  of  his 
 friends  in  jeopardy.  Much  discredit  has  been  thrown 
 on  the  christian  profession  by  a  neglect  of  this  rule. 
 In  attempting  to  save  themselves  from  ruin,  many  have 
 dragged  their  friends  down  with  them.  Yet  they  did 
 not  impose  upon  others,  so  much  as  they  imposed  upon 
 themselves.  They  did  not  say  what  they  did  not  be- 
 lieve at  the  time  to  be  true,  but  they  believed  what  they 
 ought  not  to  have  believed ;  and  they  were  therefore 
 responsible  for  their  practical  errors,  as  others  are  for 
 their  doctrinal  errors.  It  is  bad  policy,  as  well  as  bad 
 morality,  to  jeopardise  the  property  of  others,  as  it  often 
 drains  the  resources  which  at  the  time  did  them  no 
 good,  and  afterwards  would  have  been  of  considerable 
 service  to  them.  Where  assistance  is  wanted  by  a 
 suffering  brother,  whose  difficulties  cannot  be  referred 
 to  his  own  imprudence,  and  who  can  be  effectually 
 served  without  much  risk,  such  help  ought  not  to 
 be  refused ;  and  such  a  man  should  not  be  allowed 
 to  sink. 
 
 Christians,  suffer  the  word  of  exhortation.  Carry 
 your  profession  with  you  into  your  business,  and  let 
 your  character  as  tradesmen  sustain  the  honour  of  your 
 profession.     Let  the  principle  of  integrity  guide  you  in 
 
IN     \DVi;ksi  i  i  .  ]  |  [ 
 
 your  shop,,  and  the  practice  of  economy  in  your  house. 
 Avoid,  I  beseech  you,  a  showy  and  extravagant  style 
 of  living.  Be  not  ambitious  of  obtaining  a  large  house, 
 elegant  furniture,  a  handsome  equipage,  and  a  cbuntry 
 residence.  What  are  these  things  to  a  man  whose 
 heart  should  be  in  heaven  ?  Much  less  have  them,  or 
 even  covet  them,  till  you  are  quite  sure  you  can  pay  for 
 them.  Do  not  let  the  first  flush  of  a  precarious  pros- 
 perity prompt  you  to  launch  out  into  expenses  which 
 you  could  not  be  authorised  to  incur  till  after  a  lonjr 
 course  of  success.  And  then  when  the  tide  begins  to 
 turn,  and  the  ebb  has  commenced,  immediately  curtail 
 and  retrench.  Do  not  continue  to  enjoy  conveniences 
 and  luxuries  at  the  risk  of  your  creditors,  determined 
 never  to  relinquish  them  till  they  are  torn  from  you  by 
 the  strong  hand  of  the  law.  Let  no  false  shame  make 
 you  afraid  of  being  suspected  to  be  poor.  Let  it  be  a 
 principle  with  you  never  to  have  a  single  enjoyment  at 
 other  people's  expense,  or  even  risk. 
 
 If  your  adversity  has  been  in  any  measure  induced 
 by  any  fault  of  your  own,  confess  that  both  to  God  and 
 man.  Blind  not  yourself  to  your  own  misconduct.  Do 
 not  shut  the  wiudows  of  your  souls,  resolving  that  no 
 light  of  conviction  shall  come  in,  to  reveal  what  is 
 wrong.  Struggle  not  against  public  opinion;  much 
 less  resist  the  expostulations,  or  despise  the  censures, 
 of  your  brethren.  Your  peace,  honour,  and  safety,  all 
 depend  upon  an  ingenuous  confession.  The  man  who 
 says  with  a  magnanimous  frankness,  "  I  have  done 
 wrong,"  rises  as  he  sinks :  is  exalted  by  his  humilia- 
 tion, and  manifests  a  remaining  power  of  inward  piety 
 and  principle,  which  bursting  forth  from  his  soul,  like 
 the  sun  dispersing  the  mist  that  has  veiled  his  lustre, 
 
142  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 scatters  the  cloud  which  for  a  while  had  enveloped  his 
 character. 
 
 But  I  now  proceed  to  give  some  directions  to  those 
 who  are  in  adversity,  and  who  may  not  be  conscious 
 of  any  special  fault,  to  which  they  can  look,  as  the 
 cause  of  their  misfortunes. 
 
 If  your  troubles  have  been  brought  upon  you  by  the 
 imprudence  or  injustice  of  others,  allow  your  minds 
 neither  to  dwell  upon  their  conduct  with  resentful  feel- 
 ings, nor  to  stop  in  the  contemplation  of  second  causes. 
 God  has  permitted  it,  or  they  could  not  have  done  it. 
 He  employs  wicked  men,  and  even  their  wickedness, 
 for  the  fulfilment  of  his  purposes  to  his  children.  ■ 
 
 Act  not  atheistically  in  your  affliction,  by  com- 
 plaining and  fretting  as  if  your  adversity  was  the  result 
 of  chance;  but  let  it  be  seen  that  you  believe  in  the 
 doctrine  of  Providence. 
 
 Manifest  a  dignified  composure,  a  calm  and  tranquil 
 mind,  that  can  stand  the  shock  of  those  storms  without 
 having  your  confidence  in  God  uprooted.  Realise  what 
 is  said  of  the  righteous,  "  He  shall  not  be  moved.  He 
 shall  not  be  afraid  of  evil  tidings,  his  heart  is  fixed, 
 trusting  in  the  Lord." 
 
 Watch  against  a  despairing,  reckless  temper;  a  dis- 
 position to  give  up  all  for  lost ;  a  feeling  of  hopelessness, 
 as  if  you  were  irrecoverably  doomed  to  adversity,  and  it 
 were  useless  to  make  further  attempts  to  gather  up  into 
 any  other  scheme  the  fragments  of  your  fortunes.  "  If 
 thou  faint  in  the  day  of  adversity,  thy  strength  is 
 small;"  and  what  is  this  despondency  but  fainting? 
 It  is  always  too  soon  to  despair  in  this  world,  in  refer- 
 ence either  to  temporal  or  spiritual  things.  Earth  is 
 the  region  of  hope.     The  severest  part  of  winter  is  just 
 
IN    ADVERSITY.  1   I  •"> 
 
 before  spring;  the  tide  is  lowest  just  before  it  begins  to 
 rise ;  the  break  of  clay  issues  from  the  deepest  gloom 
 of  midnight.  Job  sank  from  a  mansion  to  a  dunghill, 
 and  then  rose  from  a  dunghill  to  a  nobler  mansion  still. 
 Hope  in  God ;  his  best  gifts  of  an  earthly  nature  may 
 be  yet  to  come.  Banish  despondency.  Be  of  good 
 courage ;  wait  on  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  strengthen 
 thy  heart. 
 
 Besides,  consider  what  mercies  are  still  left  you.  Set 
 one  thing  over  against  another ;  God  does,  and  so  ought 
 you.  Francis  I.,  of  France,  long  enjoyed  the  credit  of 
 having  written  to  his  mother,  after  the  battle  of  Pavia, 
 "All  is  lost,  but  our  honour."  Christian  integrity,  if  it 
 still  remains  with  you,  is  worth  infinitely  more  than  all 
 you  have  lost.  You  have  health,  friends,  reason,  still. 
 But  you  have  richer  blessings  left  than  those.  Perhaps 
 your  children  are  with  you  in  Christ  and  travelling  by 
 your  side  to  heaven.  You  have  all  the  blessings  of 
 grace  in  hand,  and  all  the  blessings  of  glory  in  hope. 
 You  have  lost  your  property,  but  not  your  salvation. 
 Earth  has  fallen  from  your  left  hand,  but  your  right 
 lays  hold  on  heaven.  You  are  poorer  for  time,  but 
 perhaps  it  is  only  to  be  richer  for  eternity.  Be  com- 
 forted, all  is  working  together  for  good ;  you  cannot 
 tell  how ;  that  is  not  your  business,  but  God's ;  yours 
 is  to  believe  it  will  be  so. 
 
 "Watch  and  strive  against  a  spirit  of  envy.  Perhaps 
 in  your  descent  into  the  vale  of  adversity,  you  have 
 passed  some  on  their  way  up  the  hill  of  prosperity . 
 Pray  for  grace  to  rejoice  with  them  that  rejoice;  this 
 is  the  best  way  to  make  them  weep  with  you  that  weep. 
 We  ought  to  cast  our  own  cares  upon  God,  and  empty 
 our  hearts  as  much  as  possible  of  our  own  sorrows,  that 
 
114 
 
 THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 there  may  be  room  in  them  for  both  the  joys  and  sor- 
 rows of  others.  Envy  will  make  the  wounds  of  our 
 mind  fester  and  mortify,  and  add  something  of  the 
 torments  of  hell  to  the  trials  of  earth.  It  is  poison 
 in  the  cup  of  woe.  And  it  is  of  importance  also  that 
 you  should  avoid  a  jealous  and  suspicious  temper ;  a 
 constant  susceptibility  of  offence.  Your  situation  will 
 produce  a  tendency  to  this.  Aware  that  you  have  sunk 
 in  property,  you  will  be  apt  to  think  you  have  sunk  in 
 esteem  and  importance,  and  that  in  consequence  of  this 
 you  are  slighted  and  neglected.  This  will  induce  a  petu- 
 lant, querulous,  and  misanthropic  temper,  destructive  of 
 your  peace,  and  injurious  to  your  profession.  I  admit 
 that  every  man  in  whom  the  spirit  of  christian  charity 
 dwells,  will  be  doubly  assiduous  and  watchful  not  to 
 aggravate  the  sorrows  of  your  adversity,  by  making  you 
 feel  that  you  have  sunk ;  but  unintentional,  and  only 
 apparent,  neglects  will  sometimes  occur,  which,  if  you 
 are  not  vigilant,  and  blessed  with  an  eminent  degree 
 of  humility  and  meekness,  will  chafe  and  irritate  your 
 mind,  and  prevent  your  light  from  shining  in  the  dark- 
 ness. 
 
 It  should  be  the  study,  endeavour,  and  prayer  of 
 every  Christian,  to  make  his  adversity  subservient  to 
 his  growth  in  grace,  and  the  depression  of  his  circum- 
 stances, the  means  of  his  moral  and  spiritual  elevation. 
 In  many  cases  it  has  been  so,  and  spectators  have  been 
 delighted  and  astonished  to  witness  a  grand  and  beauti- 
 ful developement  of  character,  where  before  they  scarcely 
 supposed  there  was  even  the  principle  of  piety.  That 
 which  looked  all  earthy  matter  and  refuse,  when  sub- 
 jected to  the  searching  test  of  fire,  glowed  in  the  fur- 
 nace, and  yielded  a  stream  of  pure  and  liquid  gold.    The 
 
IN     ADVERSITY.  1   1.") 
 
 incrustations  of  pride,  worldly-mindcdncss,  and  a  harsh 
 severity  of  temper,  which  had  hidden  and  disfigured 
 the  character,  were  separated  from  it,  and  the  profession 
 so  imperfect,  and  even  doubtful  before,  came  forth  ex- 
 hibiting not  only  the  loftier  graces  of  faith  and  submis- 
 sion, but  even  the  softer  beauties  of  holiness,  humility, 
 meekness,  and  affection. 
 
 Nor  ought  I  to  omit,  that  professors  singularly 
 glorify  God  in  adversity,  by  feeling,  and  causing  it  to 
 be  seen  that  they  feel  it,  to  be  one  of  its  bitterest  sor- 
 rows, that  they  have  been  the  means  of  injuring  others. 
 They  have,  perhaps  unintentionally,  but  still  injuriously, 
 involved  many  in  loss.  To  see  a  man  reckless  of  the 
 property,  and  regardless  of  the  misfortunes  of  his  friends, 
 misfortunes  of  which  he  has  been  the  cause,  is  not 
 honesty,  much  less  honour  or  Christianity.  It  should 
 be  the  aim  and  determination  of  every  Christian,  that 
 by  the  most  unwearied  labour,  the  most  persevering 
 diligence,  and  the  most  rigid  economy,  he  may  at  length 
 pay  every  creditor  to  the  full  amount  of  his  demands. 
 A  legal  clearance  is  not  a  moral  one.  It  is  a  disgraceful 
 sight,  even  for  a  man  of  the  world,  to  be  seen  rising  out 
 of  adversity,  and  living  in  splendour,  while  his  creditors 
 have  not  received  one  half  or  one  quarter  of  their 
 just  due :  such  a  person  may  not  be  called  a  rogue,  but 
 who  will  call  him  an  honest  man? 
 
 To  the  third  class,  I  mean  those  who  are  in  affliction 
 from  any  of  the  various  causes  of  human  sorrow, 
 whether  it  be  personal  or  relative  trouble,  it  is  not 
 necessary  I  should  say  much  in  addition  to  what  I  have 
 already  advanced. 
 
 Let  them  restrain  their  grief,  and  not  be  swallowed 
 ■up  by  overmuch  sorrow.     An  excessive  degree  of  dis- 
 
146  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 tress,  a  refusal  to  be  comforted,  a  disposition  to  nourish 
 grief,  is  a  temper  dishonourable  to  a  professor,  who,  in 
 the  darkest  and  dreariest  scenes  of  human  life,  ought 
 not  to  appear  like  the  men  who  are  without  God,  and 
 without  hope.  Patience  must  have  its  perfect  work, 
 that  ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire,  lacking  nothing. 
 Resignation  must  not  only  suppress  the  murmur,  but 
 dictate  words  of  confidence  and  peace.  "  Though  he 
 slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him,"  must  be  your  declara- 
 tion as  well  as  your  purpose.  Faith,  strong,  steady 
 faith,  which  cleaves  closer  to  Christ  in  proportion  as 
 other  things  fail,  must  be  in  exercise.  Hope,  as  the 
 anchor  of  your  soul,  must  keep  your  little  bark  safe 
 amidst  the  storm.  Meekness  must  put  forth  all  its 
 power  and  beauty,  in  preventing  peevishness,  and  pro- 
 ducing a  sweetness  of  temper  in  the  midst  of  perplexing 
 and  ruffling  circumstances.  The  assurance  that  all  things 
 are  working  together  for  good,  should  bear  the  soul  above 
 the  low  and  cloudy  horizon  of  present  trials,  and  enable 
 it  to  descry  eternal  sunshine  beyond  the  storm,  and 
 rendered  the  brighter  by  the  gloom  from  the  midst 
 of  which  it  is  contemplated.  While  at  the  same  time  a 
 deep  concern  should  be  manifested  for  a  sanctified  use 
 of  every  affliction.  Anxiety  to  glorify  God  in  the  fires 
 should  be  manifested;  to  have  every  corruption  mor- 
 tified, and  every  grace  strengthened;  to  die  to  earth, 
 and  live  for  heaven. 
 
 Thus  may  the  various  classes  of  Christians  in  adver- 
 sity, support,  adorn,  and  recommend  the  religion  they 
 profess;  and  enjoy  consolation  in  their  trouble,  derived 
 from  the  reflection  that  their  affliction  has  yielded 
 something  for  the  advancement  of  God's  cause,  and  the 
 
IN    ADVERSITY.  1  17 
 
 manifestation  of  his  glory  in  the  world;  while  at  tin- 
 same  time  it  has  been  ripening  them  for  that  blessed 
 state,  where  they  shall  "  Be  before  the  throne  of  God, 
 and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple.  They  shall 
 hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more;  neither  shall 
 the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb 
 that  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and 
 shall  lead  them  unto  fountains  of  living  waters;  and 
 God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from^  their  eyes." 
 
148  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 CHAPTER    XVII. 
 
 THE    CONDUCT    OF    PROFESSORS    FROM    HOME. 
 
 Real  religion  is  not  merely  an  occasional  act,  but  a 
 permanent  habit,  resulting  from  an  internal  principle; 
 a  principle  so  fixed  as  to  constitute  the  moral  nature, 
 and  so  steadily  operative  as  to  form  the  unchanging 
 character.  A  real  Christian  is  a  Christian  always,  every 
 where,  and  for  all  companies;  he  carries  with  him  his 
 piety  wherever  he  goes,  as  an  integral  part  of  himself. 
 It  is  not  like  his  dress,  which  may  be  continually 
 altered  or  varied  to  suit  his  situation,  occupation,  and 
 society.  He  needs  it  every  where,  he  loves  it  every 
 where,  and  is  commanded  to  let  it  be  seen  every  where. 
 Is  this,  however,  invariably  remembered  and  acted  upon 
 by  professors  ?  Is  there  not  too  much  of  a  chameleon 
 kind  of  religion,  that  takes  its  hue  from  surrounding 
 objects;  a  flexible,  yielding,  easy  kind  of  piety,  which 
 can  accommodate  itself  to  circumstances,  by  little  sacri- 
 fices of  principle  and  consistency?  This  is  seen  most 
 conspicuously  in  the  conduct  of  professing  Christians, 
 when  away  from  home.  While  in  the  midst  of  their 
 connexions,  they  cannot  go  far  astray  without  its  being 
 noticed;  and  indeed,  the  temptations  to  wander  from 
 the  line  of  strict  propriety,  are  neither  numerous  nor 
 strong  there :  the  eyes  of  their  religious  friends  and  of 
 
FROM     HOM1  1  !0 
 
 their  pastor  arc  upon  them  j  they  would  be  missed  from 
 the  house  of  God,  and  seen  by  those  who  know  them, 
 in  the  company  of  the  gay,  and  in  the  amusements 
 of  the  fashionable.  Hence  they  are  not  so  much  in 
 danger  in  those  circumstances,  as  when  removed  by  any 
 cause  from  beneath  the  notice  of  those,  who,  by  office, 
 relationship,  or  affection,  are  called  to  watch  over  them. 
 Temptations  in  various  ways  assail  them  when  from 
 home,  from  which  they  are  sheltered  at  home. 
 
 Professors  visit  in  gay  and  worldly  families  j  in  such 
 a  situation  they  require  great  caution  and  courage, 
 neither  to  conceal  nor  compromise  their  principles. 
 Such  visits  are  undesirable,  and  are  not  to  be  chosen, 
 but  merely  submitted  to  as  matter  of  necessity.  There 
 is  nothing  in  such  a  situation  congenial  with  the  spirit 
 of  piety ;  and  they  can  rarely  maintain  their  consistency, 
 and  at  the  same  time  give  or  receive  pleasure.  Still, 
 however,  they  cannot  always  avoid  such  intercourse,  and 
 when  they  are  under  any  kind  of  necessity  to  enter 
 into  it,  they  should  be  aware  of  all  their  difficulties, 
 and^pray  for  grace  to  be  carried  through  them  with 
 honour  and  a  good  conscience.  They  should  recollect 
 that  they  will  be  both  watched  as  to  their  consistency, 
 and  tried  as  to  their  stedfastness,  and  will  need  much 
 firmness  and  circumspection.  It  is  demanded  of  them 
 by  their  allegiance  to  Christ,  that  while  they  observe  all 
 the  rules  of  politeness  and  good  breeding,  there  be  no 
 concealment  of  their  profession,  no  joining  in  amuse- 
 ments from  which  they  conscientiously  abstain  at  home, 
 and  no  attendance  upon  heretical  worship  out  of  compli- 
 ment to  their  host;  but  on  the  contrary,  an  inflexible, 
 dignified,  and  courteous  maintenance  of  their  separation 
 from   the    world,   their  christian   habits,   and   religious 
 
150  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 observances.  This  is  one  of  their  opportunities  for  con- 
 fessing Christ.  I  once  spent  a  few  days  in  a  family,  in 
 which  there  was  visiting  at  the  same  time  a  young  lady, 
 belonging  to  a  society  of  Christians  that  hold  it  unlawful 
 to  associate  in  any  act  of  worship,  either  public  or 
 domestic,  with  those  who  differ  from  them  in  ever  so 
 comparatively  slight  a  matter.  I  was  struck  with  the 
 unyielding  firmness  and  unvarying  consistency,  with 
 which  she  maintained  her  uncharitable  and  exclusive 
 creed.  When  we  assembled  for  family  prayer  she  with- 
 drew to  her  chamber;  when  we  rose  to  give  thanks  at 
 our  meals,  she  kept  her  seat,  and  gave  plain  indication 
 that  even  in  that  short  act  of  domestic  piety,  she  took 
 no  part.  I  ought  to  observe,  that  there  was  nothing  of 
 obtrusiveness,  contempt,  or  sullenness  in  her  deport- 
 ment; but  an  unbroken  consistency,  in  which  she  is 
 worthy  of  imitation  by  all  who  profess  a  more  charitable 
 creed.  It  requires,  I  allow,  great  moral  courage,  when 
 receiving  the  rites  of  hospitality,  to  separate  ourselves 
 from  those  who  are  aiming  to  contribute  to  our  gratifi- 
 cation in  things  which  they  consider  quite  harmless; 
 and  when  called  to  exercise  this  act  of  self-denial,  we 
 should  do  it  with  due  regard  to  all  the  laws  of  courtesy, 
 and  with  such  gentle  conscientiousness  as  will  not  give 
 offence  to  any  really  polite  person. 
 
 Professors  may  be  sometimes  thrown  for  a  while,  in 
 the  ever  varying  circumstances  of  life,  into  a  town  or 
 village,  where  there  are  none  like-minded  with  them- 
 selves in  religious  sentiment  and  feeling,  and  where  they 
 are  surrounded  only  by  worldly  people.  Of  course  such 
 a  situation  should  never  be  chosen,  except  it  be  to  carry 
 into  it  the  means  of  grace ;  but  it  may  be,  in  some 
 cases,  the  result  of  circumstances  not  to  be  controlled. 
 
FROM     HOME.  1  T>  1 
 
 I:i  such  ii  scene  of  moral  darkness,  the  Christian,  instead 
 of  extinguishing  the  light  of  his  profession,  or  putting 
 it  under  a  bushel,  should  cause  it,  if  possible,  to  shine 
 With  a  clearer  and  more  public  brightness.     He  should 
 let  it  be  seen  at  once,  that  he  fears  God,  and  that  how- 
 ever he  may  be  disposed  to  exchange  the  civilities  of  life, 
 and  the  courtesies  of  neighbourhood,  he  can  do  nothing 
 contrary  to  the  strictness  of  his  religion.     He  must  be 
 content  to  be  regarded  as  precise,  narrow-minded,  and 
 unfashionable,   and   never  defend    himself  against  the 
 sneers   of  the    gay,    by   leaving   off   a    single   practice 
 which  his  conscience  dictates.    Nay,  he  must  go  further, 
 and    endeavour,    I   repeat,    to   introduce   those   means 
 of  grace,  which  he  does  not  find  in  the  place  of  his 
 residence.     He  must  carry  his  light  with  him,  not  only 
 to  display  it  by  his  consistent  piety,  but  to  diffuse  it  by 
 holy  zeal.     In  such  ways  as  prudence  shall  dictate,  and 
 opportunity  shall  allow,  he  must  be  "  The  voice  of  one 
 crying  in  the  wilderness,  prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
 make  straight  in  the  desert,  a  highway  for  our  God." 
 And  if  the  place  should  not  be  quite  destitute  of  the 
 means  of  grace  and  the  people  of  God,  but  contain 
 a  few  poor  disciples  of  Christ,  accustomed  to  assemble 
 in  some  lowly  tabernacle  of  genuine  piety;  instead  of 
 being  ashamed  of  those  humble  manifestations  of  the 
 kingdom  of  the   Lord,  he   must   follow   the    Saviour, 
 though  it  be  as  the  shepherds  did  at  His  nativity,  into 
 an  out-house,  or  as  the  disciples  did  after  His  ascension, 
 into  an  attic.     To  forsake  the  cause  of  evangelical  reli- 
 gion, because  it  is  seen  in  its  primitive  poverty,  and  to 
 associate  only  with  the  ungodly,  because  they  are  rich 
 and  fashionable,  is  to  abandon  the  church  and  follow 
 the  world. 
 
152  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 How  often,  and  how  forcibly,  has  it  been  submitted 
 to  those  rich  Christians,  and  to  others  of  moderate 
 wealth,  who  are  retiring  from  the  cares  of  trade  to  the 
 calm  seclusion  of  private  life,  whether  it  is  not  their 
 duty  in  the  selection  of  the  place  of  their  retreat  and 
 repose,  to  be  guided  by  a  view  to  usefulness,  rather  than 
 by  a  desire  of  gratification  !  One  of  the  first  objects 
 thought  of  by  such  persons  generally,  is  a  popular 
 preacher,  and  a  genteel  congregation ;  a  situation  where 
 their  sabbath-days  shall  be  delightfully  occupied  by  the 
 good  sermons  of  the  former,  aud  their  week-days  by 
 intercourse  with  the  latter.  I  know  that  it  is  a  strong 
 temptation  to  those  who  can  command  the  gratification, 
 to  place  themselves  within  the  magic  circle  of  some 
 eminent  preacher's  ministerial  labours,  and  the  elegantly 
 pious  society  which  he  has  drawn  around  him ;  but  how 
 noble,  how  heroic,  how  Christlike,  is  the  spirit  which 
 causes  a  man  in  such  circumstances  to  say,  "  God  has 
 blessed  my  industrjr,  and  raised  me  to  an  independence 
 of  the  toils  and  anxieties  of  business,  and  I  am  now 
 retiring  to  spend  the  remainder  of  my  days  in  unmo- 
 lested quiet.  Where  shall  I  choose  my  residence,  and 
 pitch  my  tent?  Shall  I  select  some  Paradisaic  spot, 
 where  beautiful  scenery  shall  perpetually  feast  my 
 senses  ?  Shall  I  repair  to  the  resort  of  the  gay  and 
 fashionable?  Shall  I  follow  the  attractions  of  some 
 eloquent  preacher,  and  regale  myself  continually  with 
 the  display  of  sacred  genius?  No.  I  will  forego  all 
 this,  and  settle  where  I  can  best  serve  that  God  who 
 has  blessed  me  with  all  things  richly  to  enjoy.  I  will 
 glorify  that  blessed  Saviour,  who  has  bought  me  with 
 his  blood,  and  whose  I  am,  with  all  I  have.  He  is  my 
 Lord,  and  I  am  his  servant,  and  I  must  settle  where 
 
FROM     HOME.  t53 
 
 I  can  best  serve  Him.  I  will  go  therefore  where  hia 
 cause  is  weak,  that  I  may  be  the  honoured  instrument  of 
 strengthening  it.  True  it  is,  this  will  require  self-denial, 
 for  I  cannot  expect  to  hear  a  distinguished  preacher, 
 or  to  find  a  numerous  and  a  genteel  congregation,  in  a 
 small  country  town ;  but  am  I  not  a  disciple  of  Him, 
 who  prescribed  the  cross  as  the  condition  of  receiving  me 
 among  the  number  of  his  followers?  What  honour 
 and  happiness  will  gild  the  evening  of  my  days,  if  I 
 should  be  the  instrument  of  supporting  and  encouraging 
 some  faithful  minister  of  Christ,  and  building  up  some 
 low  and  needy  church  of  the  living  God.  I  follow  the 
 cloud  therefore  to  the  scene  of  usefulness."  O  give  me 
 that  man's  reward  in  the  day  of  account,  the  smile,  and 
 the  "  AVell  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,"  which  he 
 will  then  receive  from  his  Lord,  and  I  would  resign  all 
 the  gratification  to  be  derived  from  listening  for  ages,  if 
 it  were  possible,  to  the  sermons  of  the  greatest  of  all 
 preachers.  And  why  is  there  not  more  of  this  self- 
 denial  ?  Why  do  not  wealthy  Christians  act  more  upon 
 such  principles  as  these  ?  Have  they  not,  nominally  at 
 least,  consecrated  themselves  and  their  wealth  to  God  ? 
 Is  zeal  for  the  cause  of  Christ,  compassion  for  immortal 
 souls,  no  part  of  their  duty  ?  Is  absenteeism  never 
 found  in  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  as  well  as  in 
 our  sister  island?  Are  not  many  away  from  their 
 country,  the  places  that  claim  them  because  they  were 
 born  there,  or  have  property  there,  or  could  do  good 
 there?  Ye  unemployed  Christians,  who  have  thrown 
 off  the  shackles  of  trade,  "The  world  is  all  before  you, 
 where  to  choose/'  make  Providence  your  guide,  and 
 follow  the  cry  of  souls  that  are  perishing  for  lack  of 
 knowledge. 
 
 Vur..  11  L 
 
154  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 It  sometimes  happens  that  members  of  our  churches 
 leave  home  in  the  capacity  of  female  servants,  appren- 
 tices, and  shopmen;  and  are  placed  in  families,  and 
 surrounded  by  companions,  that  make  no  profession 
 of  religion.  Such  a  situation  presents  one  of  the  most 
 trying  and  severe  ordeals,  through  which  a  professor  in 
 modern  times  is  called  to  pass.  The  countenance, 
 watchfulness,  and  assistance  they  had  been  accustomed 
 to  receive  from  their  parents,  companions,  or  minister, 
 perhaps  from  all  these  together,  is  suddenly  withdrawn, 
 and  in  the  first  feebleness  and  timidity  of  a  young 
 Christian,  they  are  exposed  to  the  curious  gaze,  the 
 ignorant  astonishment,  the  unconcealed  sneer,  or  the 
 embittered  enmity  of  those  who  are  not  merely  stran- 
 gers, but  enemies,  to  religion.  In  such  a  situation, 
 there  is  not  a  single  individual  but  is  silently  or  openly 
 opposed  to  this  young  disciple  of  Christ ;  who,  cut  off 
 from  some  of  the  means  of  grace,  and  nearly,  if  not 
 quite,  the  whole  of  ministerial  supervision,  has  to  sus- 
 tain almost  daily,  the  rude  assault,  or  subtle  attack 
 upon  his  principles.  He  is  like  a  lamb  in  the  midst 
 of  wolves;  an  alien  surrounded  by  those  who  are  ill 
 affected  towards  both  his  country  and  his  sovereign.  O 
 how  much  grace  does  he  need  to  keep  him  faithful ! 
 What  but  Omnipotence  can  preserve  him?  Where  it 
 can  be  avoided,  young  Christians  should  not  go,  or  be 
 sent  into  such  situations.  But  servants  and  shopmen 
 cannot  always  choose  their  places :  and  where  no  alter- 
 native is  open  to  them,  and  they  must  go  into  tempta- 
 tion, let  them  watch  unto  prayer;  and  for  their 
 encouragement,  let  them  recollect  that  he  who  kept 
 Lot  pure  even  in  Sodom,  can  uphold  their  integrity 
 where  there  is  every  thing  to  pull  it  down.     Consider 
 
FROM    HOME.  155 
 
 your  situation  ;  there  you  are,  the  representatives,  in  one 
 sense,  of  real  religion,  of  Christ,  of  God  himself,  in  a 
 place  where  they  are  not  known.  Make  no  secret  of 
 your  piety,  but  let  it  be  seen  in  all  its  purity,  power, 
 and  consistency.  Be  firm  ;  yield  nothing  to  the  rage  or 
 ridicule  of  those  around  you.  Be  consistent,  and  let  it 
 be  seen  that  you  act  from  conscience  and  not  from 
 caprice.  Be  good-natured,  kind,  obliging,  and  thus 
 conciliate  to  yourself  that  affection  which  you  cannot 
 win  to  your  piety,  and  then  your  piety  will  be  borne 
 with,  for  the  sake  of  the  loveliness  with  which  it  is 
 associated.  Pray  for  divine  help,  and  tremble  lest  you 
 should  do  any  thing  to  excite,  as  many  have  done, 
 a  prejudice  against  the  religion  which  you  profess. 
 "  Blessed  is  the  man  that  endurcth  temptation,  for 
 when  he  is  tried,  he  shall  receive  ihe  crown  of  life,  that 
 fadeth  not  away." 
 
 Travellers  have  sometimes  a  difficult  part  to  act,  and 
 are  exposed  to  great  temptation,  especially  such  as  take 
 their  journies  in  the  way  of  business,  and  who  are  a  great 
 part  of  their  time  away  from  home.  The  company  they 
 meet  with  at  inns,  their  usual  places  of  sojourn,  is 
 generally  such  as  puts  their  consistency  to  a  test.  It  is 
 true,  there  is  some  improvement  in  the  habits  of  men 
 of  this  class,  inasmuch  as  education  has  in  some 
 measure  refined  their  taste,  and  preserves  them  from 
 the  grosser  vices,  but  with  every  abatement  of  the  evil, 
 it  will  be  admitted  by  all  who  are  acquainted  with 
 the  facts  of  the  case,  that  a  traveller's  room  is  not  the 
 place  where  piety  often  finds  any  thing  congenial  with 
 itself;  the  drinking  and  card  playing;  the  filthy  dis- 
 course and  the  angry  debating,  which  are  but  too  often 
 found  there,  require  on  the  part  of  a  professor  of  reli- 
 
156  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 gion,  much  moral  courage,  and  well  fixed  principles,  sus- 
 tained by  divine  grace,  to  escape  the  snare.  To  some 
 young  men,  who  once  bid  fair  to  be  respectable,  the  situa- 
 tion has  proved  an  occasion  of  ruin  for  both  worlds,  and 
 even  to  those  who  have  been  long  and  deeply  rooted  in 
 their  profession,  it  has  been  a  severe  and  painful  trial  of 
 their  principles ;  where  it  has  not  destroyed  their  consis- 
 tency, it  has  been  a  constant  affliction  to  their  minds. 
 How  watchful  and  circumspect  ought  a  Christian  to  be 
 in  such  a  situation,  in  his  table  habits,  in  his  general 
 conversation,  in  his  whole  conduct ;  how  careful  to 
 avoid  the  irritation  of  debate  on  the  subject  of  politics 
 or  questions  of  trade ;  how  unwilling  to  provoke  or  to 
 be  provoked ;  how  firm,  yet  how  gentle ;  how  pious,  yet 
 how  courteous  and  gentlemanly ;  how  observant  of  the 
 sabbath ;  how  bold,  and  fearless,  and  unconcealed  in  his 
 profession  of  reverence  for  religion  in  all  its  institutes, 
 and  all  its  requirements  !  Such  a  man,  maintaining 
 his  consistency  with  kindness,  calmness,  and  dignity ; 
 bearing  with  unruffled  serenity  of  temper,  the  taunts  and 
 sneers  of  the  witling  and  scoffer,  will  soon  silence  the 
 tongue  of  the  scorner,  even  where  he  does  not  subdue 
 his  heart  to  the  obedience  of  faith.  It  would  be  well 
 for  such  persons  to  make  themselves  well  acquainted 
 with  the  evidences  of  Christianity,  and  also  the  argu- 
 ments and  the  cavils  of  infidels,  that  on  suitable 
 occasions  they  may  be  prepared  to  meet  and  vanquish 
 objections  to  revelation.  I  believe  there  is  much 
 flippant  and  shallow  scepticism  often  to  be  found  in  a 
 traveller's  room.  A  Christian,  whose  occupation  calls 
 him  into  such  company,  should  always  carry  about  with 
 him  a  volume  on  the  evidences  of  his  faith,  that  he  may 
 be  qualified  to  instruct  the  ignorant,  stop  the  mouth 
 
FROM     HOME.  ],-,7 
 
 of  gainsayers,  and  relieve  the  perplexed ;  and  thus  aim 
 to  do  good  on  his  journeys.  This  he  should  also  endea- 
 vour to  effect  in  other  ways  as  opportunity  may  present 
 itself,  as  by  persuading  his  companions  to  accompany 
 him  to  the  house  of  God.  But,  O  !  how  much  grace  is 
 needful  for  such  arduous  and  often  self-denying  con- 
 sistency ! 
 
 There  are  also  travellers  for  pleasure,  as  well  as  for 
 business,  and  they  too  have  their  temptations ;  tempta- 
 tions which  they  have  not  always  the  courage  and  the 
 virtue  to  resist.  Excursions  for  pleasure,  now  become 
 so  common,  even  where  they  do  not  extend  beyond  the 
 United  Kingdom,  and  when  made  under  the  most 
 favourable  circumstances,  are  not  usually  found  to  be 
 conducive  to  spiritual  improvement.  The  constant  suc- 
 cession and  survey  of  beautiful  scenery  and  new  objects 
 of  interest,  do  not  always  lead  the  mind  "through 
 nature  up  to  nature's  God,"  nor  produce  that  pious 
 frame  of  mind  which  led  the  Psalmist  to  say,  in  holy 
 rapture,  as  he  gazed  on  the  beauties  of  creation,  "  My 
 meditation  of  thee  shall  be  sweet/'  The  excitement 
 of  the  mind  often  prevents,  instead  of  aiding,  reflection ; 
 and  the  curiosity,  kept  on  the  full  stretch  of  expectation 
 or  gratification,  too  often  represses  the  tranquil  exercises 
 of  faith  and  hope ;  while  the  hurry  and  fatigue  of  each 
 day's  locomotion,  leave  but  little  leisure  or  inclination 
 for  the  duties  of  the  closet.  The  senses  are  so  luxuri- 
 ously occupied  with  the  things  that  are  seen  and 
 temporal,  as  to  flatten  the  desires  of  the  soul  after  com- 
 munion with  God,  and  to  suspend  her  intercourse  with 
 things  unseen  and  eternal.  Thus  many  a  Christian  has 
 returned  from  a  journey  of  pleasure,  rather  carnalised 
 than  spiritualised  by  what  he  has  seen.     This,  I  am 
 
158  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 aware,  is  rather  the  abuse  of  travelling,  than  its  neces- 
 sary effect,  and  does  not  always  happen ;  and  even  where 
 it  does,  the  injurious  influence  is  generally  temporary. 
 Be  it  so ;  but  let  us  ever  be  anxious  to  guard  our  souls 
 against  the  snare.  The  best  way  of  doing  this  is  to  make 
 it  matter  of  prayer  before  we  set  out,  that  we  may  be 
 kept  from  evil,  and  then  most  conscientiously  to  seek  as 
 we  wander  from  place  to  place,  that  we  may  not  be 
 permited  to  wander  from  God. 
 
 A  Christian  should  get  good  from  every  thing,  and 
 if  his  mind  were  as  spiritual  as  it  should  be,  his  excur- 
 sions would  be  among  the  all  things  that  work  together 
 for  this.  And  as  he  ought  to  seek  to  get  good,  so  he 
 ought  to  seek  to  do  it.  That  tour  will  be  a  subject 
 of  delightful  reminiscence  in  heaven,  and  a  source  of 
 gratitude  through  eternity,  on  which  we  can  look  back, 
 as  the  means  of  saving  a  soul  from  death,  and  convert- 
 ing a  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  ways.  This  may  be 
 sought  by  various  methods;  some  persons  have  been 
 converted  by  the  conversation  of  a  fellow  traveller  in  a 
 stage  coach,  or  a  steam  packet;  others  by  means  of  a 
 religious  tract  given  to  them ;  and  others  by  means  still 
 more  casual. 
 
 "  One  day  as  Felix  Neff  was  walking  in  a  street  in  the  city  of 
 Lausanne,  he  saw  at  a  distance  a  man  whom  he  took  for  one  of  his 
 friends.  He  ran  up  behind  him,  tapped  him  on  the  shoulder  before 
 looking  in  his  face,  and  asked  him,  'What  is  the  state  of  your  soul, 
 my  friend?'  The  stranger  turned;  Neff  perceived  his  error,  apolo- 
 gized, and  went  his  way.  About  three  or  four  years  afterwards,  a 
 person  came  to  Neff,  and  accosted  him,  saying  he  was  indebted  to 
 him  for  his  inestimable  kindness.  Neff  did  not  recognize  the  man, 
 and  begged  he  would  explain.  Tbe  stranger  replied,  '  Have  you 
 forgotten  an  unknown  person,  whose  shoulder  you  touched  in  a  street 
 in  Lausanne,  asking  him,  'How  do  you  find  your  soul?'  It  was  I; 
 your  question  led  me  to  serious  reflection,  and  now  I  find  it  is  well 
 with  my  soul."       , 
 
prom  no  mi:.  L59 
 
 This  proves  wliat  apparently  small  means  may  be 
 blessed  of  God  for  the  conversion  of  sinners,  and  how 
 many  opportunities  for  doing  good  we  are  all  continually 
 letting  slip,  and  allowing  to  pass  irrecoverably  beyond 
 our  reach.  One  of  the  questions  which  every  Christian 
 should  propose  to  himself  upon  setting  out  upon  a  jour- 
 ney is,  ' '  What  opportunities  shall  I  have  to  do  good  ?" 
 And  one  of  the  points  on  which  he  should  examine 
 himself  on  his  return  is,  "  What  opportunities  have  I 
 lost?"  No  one  should  go  from  home  without  a  good 
 stock  of  religious  tracts ;  and  it  would  in  many  cases  be 
 proper  for  those  who  are  in  the  habit  of  conducting 
 extempore  prayer  at  home,  and  who  have  courage  and 
 an  easy  command  of  language,  to  invite  the  residents 
 of  the  inns  where  they  pass  the  night,  to  join  them  in 
 an  act  of  solemn  worship. 
 
 Foreign  excursions  require  still  more  watchfulness 
 and  care,  not  to  fall  into  temptation.  Those  who  travel 
 on  the  continent  of  Eui'ope,  a  practice  becoming  ex- 
 ceedingly common,  had  need  look  well  to  the  state  of 
 their  hearts,  and  to  their  outward  conduct.  Cut  off, 
 perhaps,  in  many  instances,  from  public  worship,  either 
 because  they  do  not  understand  the  language,  or  because 
 they  find  nothing  but  Popery,  they  are  exposed  to  the 
 danger  of  mis-spending  the  Sabbath,  or  at  any  rate, 
 of  losing  the  quickening  influence  of  public  ordinances ; 
 and  that  in  circumstances  in  which  they  most  need  it. 
 Nor  is  this  all.  Wishing  to  see  all  scenes  in  the 
 country,  which  they  have  taken  so  much  trouble  to 
 visit,  they  frequent  places  which  they  would  not  venture 
 to  approach  at  home.  Have  not  American  professors 
 been  seen  at  our  horse-races  and  theatres  ?  And  have 
 not  both  English  and  American  Christians  been  found  at 
 
160  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 the  operas  in  Paris,  and  at  Versailles  on  the  sabbath,  to 
 see  the  gardens  and  water- works  of  the  palace?  If 
 these  travellers  were  to  keep  a  journal  of  all  they  see 
 and  do,  when  away  from  home,  would  it  do  to  be  read 
 at  home  for  the  edification  of  their  christian  brethren  ? 
 
 But  what  shall  be  said  of  the  conduct  of  some  pro- 
 fessors at  our  watering  places?  It  has  become  almost 
 one  of  the  necessaries  of  life  to  Englishmen,  to  pay  a 
 summer  or  autumnal  visit  to  the  coast,  or  to  one 
 of  our  inland  places  of  resort.  I  certainly  do  not 
 mean  to  say  that  this  is  wrong,  in  those  who  can  afford 
 to  pay  for  it.  That  many  take  these  trips  at  other 
 people's  expense,  is  an  undoubted  fact ;  for  some  who 
 have  been  seen  dashing  away  one  year  at  Brighton  or 
 Cheltenham,  have  been  seen  the  next  year  in  the 
 gazette.  Tradesmen,  and  even  christian  tradesmen 
 too,  have  ruined  themselves,  and  plunged  their  families 
 into  poverty  and  distress,  by  habits  of  expense  and 
 idleness,  acquired  by  this  annual  excursion  to  the  sea. 
 The  taste  of  the  age  is  for  luxurious  gratification,  and 
 it  is  certainly  one  of  these  luxuries  to  while  away  a 
 month  amidst  the  beauties  of  the  coast,  or  in  the  gay 
 throng  of  a  fashionable  lounging  place.  But  to  do  this 
 without  ample  means  of  paying  for  it,  is  to  act  dis- 
 honestly as  a  man,  and  most  disgracefully  as  a  Chris- 
 tian. 
 
 I  will  suppose,  however,  that  there  is  no  lack  of 
 wealth,  and  that  the  professor  can  command  this  gratifica- 
 tion, without  putting  other  people's  property  in  jeopardy; 
 still  are  not  his  spendings  for  this  enjoyment  out  of  all 
 due  proportion  with  his  donations  to  the  cause  of  Christ  ? 
 When  did  he  ever  give  in  one  amount  to  any  religious 
 
FROM    HOME.  lfil 
 
 object,  what  he  gives  in  one  amount  for  his  treat  to  his 
 family  at  a  watering  place?  Nay,  put  together  all  he 
 gives  to  the  cause  of  the  Lord  for  a  whole  year,  and 
 does  it  equal  what  he  spends  upon  one  excursion  ?  How 
 often  does  he  turn  away  a  claimant,  sent  to  him  in  the 
 name  of  Jesus,  with  the  excuse  that  he  has  nothing  to 
 spare?  Perhaps  he  says  this,  just  after  he  has  been 
 lavishing  tens  or  scores  of  pounds  in  a  journey.  When 
 a  world  is  perishing,  and  immortal  souls  are  sinking 
 daily  in  crowds  to  perdition,  a  Christian  should  look 
 with  grudging  eye  on  almost  every  shilling  he  spends  in 
 luxury. 
 
 But  let  it  be  granted,  that  professors  are  liberal  in 
 the  gift  of  their  property  for  the  cause  of  humanity  and 
 religion,  that  they  spend  in  recreation  no  more  than  is 
 consistent,  still  are  there  no  perils  for  piety  at  a  watering 
 place  ?  Temptations  abound  every  where,  entering  like 
 a  poisoned  atmosphere  into  every  place ;  but  surely  no 
 one  acquainted  with  the  subject  will  deny,  that  they  are 
 found  in  greater  number  and  force  in  those  places 
 which  fashion  has  set  apart  for  relaxation  and  amuse- 
 ment. The  sudden  transition  from  employment  to 
 idleness,  is  rarely  friendly  to  habits  of  devotion.  It 
 might  indeed  be  supposed,  that  the  Christian,  finding 
 himself  released  from  the  demands  of  business,  and 
 obtaining  a  respite  from  the  urgent  cares  of  secular 
 pursuits,  would  hail  with  delight  a  season  for  meditation 
 and  prayer,  and  convert  his  absence  into  one  long  sweet 
 sabbath  for  his  soul,  to  enjoy  communion  with  his  God. 
 But  does  experience  prove  that^he  expectation  is  well 
 founded  ?  Perhaps  "  the  soft  dominion  of  perfect 
 idleness,"  and  the  opportunity  for  luxurious  repose,  are 
 
162  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 more  unfriendly  to  the  cultivation  of  piety,  than  even 
 the  ceaseless  round  of  worldly  occupations.  We  there 
 are  tempted  to  lounge  away  our  time,  without  either 
 glorifying  God  or  benefitting  our  fellow-creatures.  "  If 
 a  moralist  were  justified  in  saying,  that  but  few  indi- 
 viduals know  how  to  take  a  walk,  the  christian  preacher 
 is  certainly  warranted  in  affirming,  that  but  few,  even 
 among  consistent  Christians,  know  how  to  spend  a  month 
 from  home."  The  mixed  society  to  be  found  in  such 
 haunts  of  pleasure,  the  amusements  which  are  resorted 
 to,  and  the  general  air  of  dissipation  which  pervades 
 the  whole  scene,  are  all  uncongenial  with  the  spirit  of 
 piety.  If  in  the  crowded  city,  men  appear  as  if  they 
 lived  to  get  wealth  by  labour,  at  a  watering  place  they 
 look  as  if  it  were  the  object  of  existence  to  spend  it  in 
 pleasure ;  in  either  case  religion  seems  to  be  banished 
 from  their  minds. 
 
 "At  a  fashionable  watering  place,"  says  a  competent  witness  on 
 such  a  subject,  "  the  incentive  to  a  blameless  deportment,  arising 
 from  the  observation  of  their  religious  connexions  at  home,  is 
 entirely  wanting ;  and  multitudes,  I  am  sorry  to  believe,  take 
 advantage  of  its  absence.  Indulging  a  hope  that  they  are  unknown 
 or  unregarded,  they  make  religion  bow  to  convenience,  while  every 
 solicitation  of  pleasure  assumes  an  imperative  character,  and  is 
 obeyed,  though  at  the  same  moment,  the  sanctuary  of  God  invites, 
 and  conscience  remonstrates.  They  seem  studiously  to  avoid  all 
 intercourse  with  those  who  belong  to  their  own,  or  any  other  religious 
 persuasion.  Thus  they  lay  themselves  open  to  associates  of  another 
 description.  Not  choosing  to  be  recognized  as  the  self-denying 
 humble  followers  of  the  Saviour,  they  place  themselves  without  the 
 pale  of  the  green  pastures,  which  he  as  the  Good  Shepherd  has 
 provided  for  his  flock.  Thejvorld  considers  them  as  its  own,  and 
 they  appear  infinitely  careful  to  prevent  a  detection  of  the  mistake. 
 The  facilities  of  communication  with  all  sorts  of  persons,  are  in  such 
 places,  likewise  numerous  and  great.    Formal  introductions  are  seldom 
 
prom  home.  K;;} 
 
 necessary,  ami  acquaintances  are  made  for  the  season,  which, 
 however  respectable  as  to  their  situation  in  life,  are  so  far  from 
 making  a  profession  of  religion  themselves,  that  they  cordially 
 despise  it  in  others."* 
 
 It  is  indeed  to  be  feared  that  some  professing  Chris- 
 tians when  they  set  out  on  their  summer's  retreat,  leave 
 their   religion    at    home,    in   order   that    nothing    may 
 interrupt  their  pursuit  or  enjoyment  of  pleasure.     It  is 
 true  they  do  not  turn  away  from  the  house  of  God 
 on  the  Sabbath,  but  where  are  they  at  the  time  of  the 
 weekly  sermon,  or  the  prayer  meeting?     "A  weekly 
 sermon  or  prayer  meeting,  indeed,"  they  are  ready  to 
 exclaim,  "  at  a  watering  place  !      Why  who  ever  thinks 
 of  such  a  thing  ?     Surely  it  is  enough  to  attend  to  these 
 things   at  home."     Is   this  a  question  for  a  professor 
 to  ask  ?     Does  he  in  such  a  situation  less  need   the 
 influence  of  these  means  ?     Perhaps  it  will  be  said,  no, 
 but  he  is  not  much  disposed  for  them.     Very  true,  he  is 
 not :  and  it  is  a  plain  proof  of  the  dissipating  tendency 
 of  such  scenes,  and  the  pernicious  influence  they  exert 
 in  disturbing  the   habits,   and   diminishing   the  power 
 of  personal  godliness.     Some  of   our  more  fashionable 
 professors  would  feel,  no  doubt,  a  little  ashamed  to  be 
 seen  by  some  of  the  gay  acquaintances  they  have  lately 
 made,  coming  from  the  lowly  place,  "where  prayer  is 
 wont  to  be  made,"  or  from  the  still  lowlier   company 
 of  those  who  make  it.     It  might  be  asked,  if  some  are 
 not  more  frequently  seen  at  the  Sunday  evening  pro- 
 menade or  on  the  cliffs,  than  at  the  week  day  services. 
 And  yet,   perhaps,  these   persons   are  very  regular  tat 
 home,  but  have  not  strength  of   principle  enough  to 
 withstand  the   current  of   temptation   abroad.     Many 
 
 *  "  The  Temptations  of  a  Watering  Place  ;"  by  Dr.  Styles. 
 
164  THE    PROFESSOR 
 
 have  gone  to  places  of  fashionable  resort  to  have  their 
 profession  lastingly  injured;  and  some  to  lose  it  alto- 
 gether. They  commenced  a  retrograde  course  in 
 religion  from  the  day  when  they  went  joyfully  and 
 thoughtlessly  to  the  coast  in  search  of  recreation. 
 Surely,  surely,  then,  it  cannot  be  thought  unseasonable 
 or  unnecessary  to  utter  the  warning  voice,  and  to  make 
 it  loud  and  strong,  when  it  is  becoming  increasingly 
 prevalent  among  professors,  to  seek  in  this  species  of 
 gratification,  a  temporary  release  from  the  dull  cares 
 of  home,  and  the  plodding  pursuits  of  business. 
 
 I  cannot  close  this  chapter  to  more  advantage  than 
 by  another  quotation  from  Dr.  Styles's  Sermon. 
 
 "  The  man  who  fears  God,  while  he  sees  others  idle,  worldly,  and 
 selfish,  will  consider  how  he  may  actively  be  employed  in  promoting 
 the  divine  glory.  '  Every  place,'  he  will  say,  'shall  be  the  better  for 
 my  presence.  I  will  be  the  same  character  every  where,  and  in  all 
 circumstances :  I  must  act  as  '  ever  in  my  great  Task-master's 
 eye.'  He  beholds  me.  I  cannot  flee  from  his  presence,  and  if  I 
 could,  how  ungrateful,  how  sinful  would  be  the  attempt  !  That  pre- 
 sence has  been  my  ;solace  in  affliction, ?my  support  in  difficulty,  my 
 defence  in  danger.  Why  should  I  wish  to  escape  from  it  now  ?  I  am 
 a  stranger,  and  unknown,  but  my  '  light  is  to  shine  before  men.' 
 Let  me  choose  for  my  companions  the  righteous,  who  are  the 
 excellent  of  the  earth.  Let  me  enquire  what  benevolent  and  reli- 
 gious institutions  already  exist,  that  I  may  forward  them  to  the  best 
 of  my  ability.  Can  I  not  suggest  others  that  may  easily  be  estab- 
 lished, and  thus  live  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of  my  fellow 
 creatures?  Let  me  countenance  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and  assist 
 them  by  my  prayers  and  example,  to  stem  the  torrent  of  abounding 
 iniquity,  and  as  far  as  I  can,  to  check  the  subtle  operation  of  a 
 worldly  temper,  in  a  situation  so  full  of  danger.'  0 !  if  our  pro- 
 fessedly religious  visitors,  and  our  residents  of  the  same  description, 
 were  influenced  by  such  a  spirit,  what  an  awful  glory  would  beam 
 from  the  sanctuary !  What  a  stream  of  holy  light  would  shed  its 
 influence  around,  carrying  irresistible  evidence  of  the  truth  of  religion, 
 illustrating  its  unrivalled  excellence,  and  proclaiming  its  infinite  im- 
 
FROM    HOME.  165 
 
 portance !  A  strong  line  of  distinction  would  thus  be  drawn  between 
 the  world  and  the  church.  The  inconsistencies  of  Christians  would 
 no  longer  be  the  jest  of  the  libertine,  the  scoff  of  the  vain,  and  the 
 text-of  the  infidel.  Ministers  surrounded  with  a  numerous  audience, 
 would  not  have  to  mourn  the  inefficiency  of  their  labours,  nor  to 
 weep  in  secret  that  all  their  efforts  are  frustated,  by  the  captivations 
 and  the  follies  of  a  world  that  passeth  away.  That  all  this  may  be 
 prevented,  let  those  who  '  name  the  name  of  Christ,'  both  visitors 
 and  stated  inhabitants,  ponder  well  the  peculiar  temptations  and 
 snares,  which  it  is  their  duty,  and  will  be  their  happiness,  to  avoid. 
 If  they  are  disposed  to  think  of  them  lightly,  to  imagine  that  they 
 offer  only  innocent  gratifications,  and  that  to  view  them  as  dangerous, 
 and  to  condemn  them  as  sinful,  is  neither  justified  by  reason,  nor 
 required  by  Scripture ;  such  persons  have  yet  to  imbibe  the  spirit  of 
 Christianity,  have  yet  to  learn  the  nature  of  holiness.  It  is  evident 
 that  however  they  may  be  versed  in  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  the 
 sacred  volume,  there  is  one  important  passage  which  describes  the 
 essence  and  pronounces  the  eulogy  of  vital  religion,  to  which  they 
 are  utter  strangers,  and  which  they  have  not  at  present  the  moral 
 capacity  to  understand,  namely,  'Blessed  is  the  man  that  feareth 
 always." 
 
10G  THE    BACKSLIDING 
 
 CHAPTER   XVIII. 
 
 THE    BACKSLIDING    PROFESSOR. 
 
 There  are  three  stages  of  departure  from  God,  spirit- 
 ual declension,  actual  backsliding,  and  final  apostacy. 
 These  are  intimately  connected  together,  and  lead  on, 
 unless  stopped  by  divine  grace,  from  one  to  the  other. 
 There  have  been  many  persons  in  these  states  in  every 
 age  of  the  church :  there  are  some  now.  Our  most 
 solemn  attention  is  required  to  this  subject.  Professors 
 are  continually  falling  away  from  Christ,  some  only  in 
 heart,  others  openly  in  conduct ;  some  partially  and  for 
 a  season,  others  entirely  and  for  ever.  The  hopes  of 
 pastors  and  churches  are  continually  receiving  the 
 bitterest  disappointment  from  the  relapses  of  those  who 
 "did  run  well."  Like  the  blossoms  in  the  spring,  for 
 a  time  they  excited  the  most  pleasing  anticipations,  but 
 a  blight  succeeded,  "  the  blossom  went  up  as  dust,  and 
 the  root  appeared  to  be  rottenness."  The  present 
 chapter  will  include  a  consideration  of  the  first  two 
 stages  only. 
 
 Declension  in  religion  means  a  diminution  of  its 
 vigour  at  the  heart ;  a  loss  of  the  power  of  godliness,  or 
 to  use  a  scriptural  phrase,  "a  leaving  our  first  love." 
 We  have  a  very  expressive  description  of  such  a  state 
 of  soul  in  our  Lord's  address  to  the  church  of  Sardis, 
 
PROFESSOR.  16/ 
 
 "  Strengthen  the  things  that  remain,  that  are  ready  to 
 die."  Their  religion  was  not  all  gone,  but  it  was  nearly 
 so ;  only  a  little  of  it  remained,  and  that  was  ready  to 
 expire.  This  is  a  very  common  case  now.  There  is  no 
 immorality  in  such  persons  and  no  open  sin,  but  an  utter 
 decay  of  religious  affection.  "What  little  piety  they 
 have  left,  is  cold,  heartless,  dead  formality.  The  funda- 
 mental doctrines  and  precious  truths  of  the  gospel, 
 though  not  denounced,  are  not  relished  and  fed  upon 
 with  that  eager  appetite,  keen  relish,  and  exquisite  zest 
 which  they  once  were  by  them,  and  can  be  very  well 
 spared  by  them  from  sermons,  if  their  loss  is  supplied 
 by  displays  of  eloquence  and  the  flowers  of  rhetoric ;  the 
 means  of  grace,  though  not  neglected  by  them,  become 
 mere  forms,  imparting  no  quickening  power,  and  yielding 
 no  spiritual  enjoyment;  their  religious  affections  of 
 peace,  joy,  love,  delight  in  God,  and  hope  of  heaven,  are 
 almost  extinguished ;  their  vigour  of  watchfulness,  spiritu- 
 ality of  mind,  and  severity  of  mortification  are  relaxed 
 under  the  idea  that  so  much  strictness  in  religion  is  not 
 necessary;  the  company  of  the  righteous  is  forsaken, 
 and  their  conversation  is  insipid;  the  tenderness  of  their 
 consciences  is  blunted,  and  little  sins  of  temper,  of  trade, 
 of  the  heart,  and  the  tongue,  are  committed  with  far 
 less  repugnance  than  formerly ;  besetting  sins,  once 
 well  nigh  subdued,  acquire  fresh  life  and  power :  in 
 short,  religion  as  an  elevating,  sanctifying,  and  satis- 
 fying reality,  has  lost  its  hold  upon  their  minds,  hearts, 
 and  consciences.  Delight  in  God,  the  love  of  Christ, 
 the  joyful  hope  of  heaven,  have  almost  ceased. 
 
 Still,  as  I  would  not  distress  the  humble  and  timid 
 disciple,  I  would  observe,  that  we  are  not  to  conclude 
 that  religion  is  declining,  merely  because  our  feelings 
 
168  THE    BACKSLIDING 
 
 are  not  so  violent  or  excitable  as  they  once  were.  If 
 there  be  a  growth  in  humility  and  meekness,  in  tender- 
 ness of  conscience  and  self-denial,  in  a  sense  of  the 
 value  of  Christ,  and  in  dependence  upon  the  Spirit, 
 there  is  no  declension  in  piety,  although  there  may  be 
 less  of  vivid  emotion  than  there  once  was ;  just  as  there 
 is  no  decay  of  strength  in  the  human  frame,  though  the 
 sprightliness  and  efflorescence  of  youth  are  gone,  if  the 
 grave  robustness  of  manhood  remains.  Nor  should  the 
 aged  believer  mistake  the  decay  of  nature  for  the  decline 
 of  grace.  He  hears,  prays,  reads,  remembers,  and 
 enjoys  with  less  power  and  interest  than  he  once  did;  but 
 that  is  the  effect  of  old  age,  and  not  of  backsliding. 
 The  plant  of  righteousness  seems  to  droop,  but  it  is 
 because  the  prop  that  sustained  it  has  given  way.  The 
 gracious  Redeemer  will  make  the  same  excuse  in  this 
 case,  as  he  once  did  for  his  slumbering  disciples,  that 
 "  The  spirit  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak." 
 
 Unhappily  for  many,  a  state  of  declension  exists  in 
 their  souls  without  their  being  aware  of  it.  "  Strangers 
 have  devoured  his  strength,"  said  God,  when  speaking 
 of  Israel,  "  and  he  knoweth  it  not ;  yea,  grey  hairs  are 
 here  and  there  upon  him,  yet  he  knoweth  it  not."  So 
 it  is  with  professors,  they  are  in  a  state  of  decay,  and 
 yet  are  not  sufficiently  aware  of  the  awful  fact.  It  may 
 be  worth  while  to  inquire  into  the  causes  of  this  self- 
 ignorance. 
 
 The  natural  consequence  of  decay,  whether  of  body 
 or  mind,  is  a  proportionate  insensibility.  The  old  man 
 is  not  so  sensible  of  his  accumulating  infirmities,  as 
 those  around  him  are.  He  scarcely  remembers  what  he 
 was,  and  is  but  imperfectly  aware  of  what  he  is.  So  it 
 is  with  the  declining  Christian,  his  heart  is  hardening, 
 
PROFESSOE.  169 
 
 Ins  conscience  becoming  more  dull,  and  bis  spiritual 
 perception  more  dim.  A  totally  unrcgeuerate  state  is 
 death,  a  state  of  absolute  insensibility;  and  in  pro- 
 portion as  we  lose  the  vitality  of  religion,  wc  return  or 
 approximate  to  that  state. 
 
 Declension  is  gradual.  It  is  so  in  the  human  frame 
 as  age  advances,  and  it  is  so  in  religion  also.  If  we 
 passed  from  the  vigour  of  youth  to  the  decrepitude  of 
 age,  how  visible  would  be  the  transition,  and  how  in- 
 supportable too ;  but  it  is  made  so  slowly  as  to  be 
 imperceptible,  and  even  tolerable.  It  is  thus  with  piety, 
 decay  is  usually  so  gradual  as  to  be  perceived  only  by  a 
 comparison  of  distant  periods  :  an  exercise  which  the 
 backslider  is  rarely  disposed  to  carry  on.  He  goes  back 
 step  by  step.  He  first  loses  the  glow  of  holy  affection ; 
 then  the  spontaneousness  of  spiritual  thoughts;  then 
 the  tenderness  of  an  enlightened  conscience ;  and  then 
 the  consistency  of  religious  conduct.  Private  prayer  is 
 neglected,  then  family  devotion,  and  lastly  social  reli- 
 gion. From  neglect  of  duties,  he  goes  on  to  the  com- 
 mission of  sins.  Yet  he  was  at  first  quite  unaware 
 of  any  deterioration. 
 
 Self-ignorance  is  often  the  result  of  a  neglect  of  the 
 duty  of  self-examination.  Many  seem  to  think,  that 
 religion  is  of  so  hardy  a  nature,  that  when  once  planted 
 in  the  soul,  like  a  weed  in  the  desert,  or  a  shrub  upon 
 the  mountain,  it  must  flourish  without  care  or  culture. 
 On  the  contrary,  it  is  a  tender  exotic  of  the  hot-house, 
 that  requires  the  constant  examination  and  most  de- 
 voted care  of  the  gardener  to  keep  it  alive,  much  more 
 to  make  it  grow.  How  few  set  apart  seasons  for  close 
 and  diligent  inspection  of  their  hearts  ;  and  who  can 
 wonder  then,  that  their  piety  should  be  declining  without 
 Vol  11  \i 
 
170  THE    BACKSLIDING 
 
 their  knowing  it  ?  Would  it  be  a  matter  of  surprise 
 that  a  tradesman  should  be  on  the  verge  of  bankruptcy, 
 without  his  knowing  the  situation  of  his  affairs,  if  he 
 never  examined  his  books  or  took  stock  ?  It  will  not 
 do  in  temporal  affairs,  much  less  in  spiritual  ones,  to 
 take  it  for  granted  that  we  are  going  on  well. 
 
 What  increases  the  ruinous  ignorance  is,  that  pro- 
 fessors are  apt,  when  they  cursorily  examine  their  state, 
 to  adopt  wrong  standards  of  character,  and  to  compare 
 themselves  with  each  other,  instead  of  the  WTord  of  God. 
 "  I  am  no  worse  than  my  neighbours,"  is  the  excuse  not 
 only  of  the  worldling  for  his  total  neglect  of  religion, 
 but  of  the  professor  for  his  low  degrees  of  it.  Instead 
 of  examining  the  Bible  to  see  what  he  ought  to  be,  and 
 comparing  himself  with  that,  he  just  looks  round  upon 
 his  fellow-christians,  to  see  what  they  are,  and  is  quite 
 satisfied  if  he  finds  himself  not  below  others.  Alas, 
 alas,  the  average  attainments  of  the  church  of  Christ 
 are  not  such,  as  that  its  members  having  reached  them, 
 need  not  trouble  themselves  about  any  thing  further. 
 
 Mistaken  symptoms  of  prosperity  often  lead  to  igno- 
 rance of  our  real  condition.  The  hectic  flush  upon  the 
 countenance,  and  the  sparkle  of  the  eye,  may  be  sup- 
 posed by  some  ignorant  persons  to  be  the  marks  of 
 blooming  health,  when  in  fact,  they  are  the  tokens  of 
 incipient  consumption.  The  increased  appetite  may  be 
 regarded  as  the  symptom  of  returning  strength,  when, 
 in  reality,  it  may  be  only  the  harbinger  of  dissolution. 
 So  in  religion  also  there  are  delusive  signs  of  spiritual 
 health  and  vigour.  Increased  ability  and  disposition  to 
 talk  of  religion  in  the  way  of  explaining  and  defending  its 
 doctrines,  may  be  supposed  to  show  an  increase  of  its  in- 
 fluence in  the  heart,  whereas  they  may  be  nothing  but  the 
 
P&OFE380R.  171 
 
 workings  of  pride  or  of  vanity.  Zeal  for  some  peculiar 
 notions  or  forms,  may  be  mistaken  for  pure  concern  for 
 God's  glory,  though  all  the  while  it  may  be  the  most 
 rancorous  party  spirit.  Liberality  in  giving  may  be  self- 
 righteousness  or  ostentation  ;  undeviating  formality  may 
 be  taken  for  ardent  devotion;  enthusiastic  attachment 
 to  some  novel  opinion,  may  be  erroneously  believed  to  be 
 spirituality  of  mind.  These  are  but  a  few  specimens  of 
 the  errors  into  which  men  fall  in  judging  of  their  own 
 religious  prosperity;  and  they  tend  to  show  the  vast 
 importance  of  our  having  a  scriptural  knowledge  of  the 
 correct  tests  of  personal  godliness. 
 
 In  all  these  ways  may  professors  be  kept  in  ignorance 
 of  the  state  of  their  souls,  and  be  in  a  declining  condi- 
 tion, without  being  sufficiently  aware  of  their  alarming 
 situation. 
 
 I  now  go  on  to  consider  the  case  of  the  backslider  in 
 conduct.  I  mean  the  professor  who  has  yielded  to  the 
 power  of  temptation,  and  fallen  into  actual  sin.  The 
 Scriptures  furnish  us  with  melancholy  instances  of  this 
 in  the  history  of  Noah,  Lot,  David,  Jonah,  and  Peter; 
 while  our  knowledge  of  the  church  of  Christ  in  our  own 
 days,  adds  to  the  number.  Some  have  fallen  into  in- 
 temperance ;  some  into  impurity ;  some  into  fraud ; 
 and  some  into  all  the  varieties  of  human  misconduct. 
 In  some  cases  there  have  been  gross  departures  from 
 the  rule  of  Christian  morals,  without  their  being  sus- 
 pected, and  the  backslider  has  pursued  his  guilty  course, 
 without  its  being  known  to  any  one  but  God  and  his 
 conscience.  Generally,  however,  the  awful  fact  sooner 
 or  later  becomes  notorious,  and  is  matter  of  public 
 scandal.  Persons  of  all  ages,  of  both  sexes,  of  the 
 various  grades  of  society,  and  of  the  different  sections 
 
172  THE    BACKSLIDING 
 
 of  the  church,  have  been  guilty  of  the  sin  of  back- 
 sliding. That  such  things  should  occur,  however  it 
 may  be  lamented,  cannot  be  matter  of  surprise,  when 
 we  consider  the  prevalence  of  temptation,  the  constitu- 
 tion of  human  nature,  and  the  imperfection  and  occa- 
 sional unwatchfulness  of  the  best  of  men.  To  such  as 
 are  in  this  melancholy  and  awful  condition,  I  now  make 
 my  appeal. 
 
 Is  it  necessary  to  represent  to  you  the  sinfulness  of 
 your  conduct  ?  And  who  shall  describe  its  enormity  ? 
 What  pencil  can  delineate  in  shades  dark  enough,  the 
 aggravated  nature  of  your  crime  ?  Against  what  light, 
 what  professions,  what  vows,  what  privileges,  have  you 
 sinned  ?  Your  transgressions  include  the  blackest  trea- 
 son, united  with  the  vilest  ingratitude.  "But  I  will 
 suppose  that  you  are  already  sensible  of  this.  Permit 
 me,  then,  to  ask  you,  are  you  happy  ?  Impossible, 
 unless  your  heart  is  hardened,  and  your  conscience  is 
 seared  as  with  a  hot  iron.  No ;  the  streams  of  religious 
 comfort  are  dried  up ;  the  fountain  of  life  is  at  a  dis- 
 tance, and  nothing  but  a  cup  of  wormwood  is  its  sub- 
 stitute. Faith  is  suppressed,  love  quenched,  hope 
 clouded,  joy  fled,  prayer  restrained,  and  every  spiritual 
 delight  vanished.  Guilt,  shame,  darkness,  and  defile- 
 ment, have  taken  possession  of  your  soul.  In  what 
 agony  of  spirit  have  you  sometimes  repeated  those 
 verses  : 
 
 "  Where  is  the  blessedness  I  knew 
 
 When  first  I  saw  the  Lord, 
 Where  is  the  soul-refreshing  view 
 
 Of  Jesus  and  his  word  ? 
 What  peaceful  hours  I  once  enjoyed, 
 
 How  sweet  their  mem'ry  still ; 
 But  they  have  left  an  aching  void, 
 
 The  world  can  never  fill." 
 
PROFESSOR.  17". 
 
 Is  not  your  experience  a  living  comment  on  those 
 words,  "  Thine  own  wickedness  shall  correct  thee,  and 
 thy  backslidings  shall  reprove  thee ;  know  therefore, 
 and  sec,  that  it  is  an  evil  thing  and  bitter,  that  thou 
 hast  forsaken  the  Lord  thy  God  1" 
 
 It  is,  or  ought  to  be,  no  small  addition  to  the  misery 
 of  a  backsliding  state,  that  it  stops  your  usefulness.  In 
 your  holier  and  better  days  you  did  good ;  but  what 
 good  can  you  do  now  ?  Why  even  the  declining  pro- 
 fessor, who  still  keeps  up  his  place  in  the  church,  and 
 among  his  fellows,  has  ceased  to  be  what  he  was.  His 
 prayers  in  public  have  lost  their  unction,  his  conversa- 
 tion in  private  its  savour ;  the  sick  are  not  visited  j  the 
 poor  not  relieved  j  the  young  not  counselled  j  the  sinner 
 not  warned,  as  they  once  were.  His  energies  are  para- 
 lysed, his  influence  gone.  He  has  begun  to  withhold 
 his  property,  time,  and  labour,  from  the  cause  of  God. 
 His  family  and  friends  all  see,  feel,  and  lament  the 
 alteration.  O  how  changed  from  that  useful  member 
 of  the  church  of  Christ,  which  he  once  was.  And  if 
 this  be  the  case  with  him,  how  much  more  of  you, 
 whose  misconduct  has  in  effect  separated  you  from  all 
 those  scenes  of  usefulness,  which  he  in  some  measure 
 still  frequents.  You  not  only  do  no  good,  but  much 
 harm.  You  are  not  privileged  to  be  even  neutral.  You 
 diffuse  around  you  the  savour  of  death.  If  a  parent, 
 you  prejudice  the  minds  of  your  children  against  reli- 
 gion, and  may  live  to  see  your  sins  acted  over  again  in 
 their  transgressions,  as  David  did  his,  in  the  conduct 
 of  Ammon  and  Absalom.  You  harden  sinners;  dis- 
 courage enquirers ;  give  strength  to  the  arguments  of 
 the  infidel,  point  to  the  jests  of  the  scoffer,  and  im- 
 pudence to  the  brow  of  the  profane. 
 
174  THE    BACKSLIDING 
 
 But  consider  the  imminent  danger  you  are  in  of 
 falling  into  future  temptations,  of  sinking  deeper  into 
 the  mire  of  sin,  and  departing  further  and  further  from 
 God.  You  cannot  stop  where  you  are,  but  must  come 
 back  in  the  character  of  a  penitent,  or  go  on  to  that  of  an 
 apostate.     You  are  in  danger  of  eternal  damnation. 
 
 "The  object  at  which  sin  aims,  whether  in  believers  or  unbe- 
 lievers, is  death,  eternal  death,  and  to  this  it  has  a  natural  and  direct 
 tendency.  And  if  it  does  not  come  in  all  cases  to  this  issue,  it  is  not 
 because  of  its  being  different  as  to  its  nature  or  tendency  in  some 
 persons  to  what  it  is  in  others,  but  because  a  timely  stop  is  put  to 
 its  operations.  Only  let  it  go  on  without  repentance  till  it  has 
 finished  its  work,  and  eternal  death  will  be  the  issue.  Whatever  we 
 are,  so  long  as  sin  lies  unlamented  upon  the  conscience,  we  can  have 
 no  scriptural  foundation  to  conclude  that  we  are  Christians.  No  real 
 christiaii,  'tis  true,  will  prove  an  apostate;  yet,  while  we  are  under 
 the  influence  of  sin,  we  are  moving  in  the  direction  which  leads  to 
 apostacy.  If  we  are  contented  with  a  relapsed  state  of  mind,  what 
 ground  have  we  to  conclude  that  it  is  not  our  element,  or  that  we 
 have  ever  been  the  subjects  of  true  religion  ?"* 
 
 I  now  suggest  one  or  two  cautions,  and  some  direc- 
 tions, which  are  applicable  to  your  case. 
 
 Do  not  attempt  while  any  sinful  practice  is  continued, 
 to  gain  any  comfort  of  mind  by  the  supposition  that  you 
 are  a  true  Christian  still,  and  will  one  day  be  restored 
 to  God  by  penitence  and  faith.  Do  not  attempt  to 
 establish  in  reference  to  your  own  case,  the  distinction 
 between  the  backsliding  of  a  child  of  God,  and  that 
 of  a  hypocrite.     There  is  a  difference,  I  know,  both  as 
 
 *  Andrew  Fuller's  Works,  vol.  iv,  460.  Some  of  the  sentiments 
 in  this  chapter  are  derived  from  the  Essay  on  Backsliding,  by  that 
 great  man.  Did  our  students  and  ministers  know  the  inexhaustible 
 mine  of  truth  in  his  works,  not  one  that  could  afford  to  purchase  them 
 would  be  without  them.  They  contain  the  most  entire  body  of  sound 
 Calvinistic  divinity  of  the  moderate  school,  Christian  ethics,  and 
 religious  experience  in  the  English  language,  not  excepting  even  the 
 works  of  President  Edwards. 
 
PBOFE8SOR.  17") 
 
 to  causes  and  results,  but  as  long  as  you  arc  living  in 
 sin,  you  cannot  discern  it  in  yourself,  nor  can  othcis 
 discern  it  in  you.  There  is  no  view  of  God's  Word,  nor 
 any  recollection  of  your  own  experience,  that  should 
 have  the  smallest  influence  to  comfort  you  in  sin. 
 There  is  more  in  that  one  sin  which  you  refuse  to 
 repent  of  and  forsake,  to  make  it  probable,  so  far  as 
 we  can  judge,  that  you  will  draw  back  to  perdition, 
 than  there  is  in  all  your  supposed  conversion,  and  in 
 all  the  doctrines  of  grace,  to  make  it  probable  that  you 
 will  be  brought  to  heaven.  To  take  any  comfort  in  the 
 idea  of  future  repentance,  while  sin  is  for  the  present 
 committed  and  enjoyed,  is  the  most  unscriptural,  irra- 
 tional, and  shocking  of  all  delusions. 
 
 Do  not  allow  yourselves  to  believe  that  you  have 
 repented,  except  upon  good  grounds.  Imagine  not  that 
 you  are  penitent,  because  you  grieve  over  the  sin  and 
 condemn  it,  if  you  have  not  forsaken  it.  You  may  shed 
 floods  of  tears,  and  give  up  the  act  to  the  severest  con- 
 demnation, without  a  word  of  justification  or  palliation; 
 but  if  it  is  not  relinquished,  you  are  a  backslider  still, 
 and  such  you  must  remain  till  you  have  given  up  the 
 evil  thing.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  you  have  given  up 
 the  sin,  but  still  continue  to  justify  or  palliate  it,  you 
 are  far  from  penitence.  Nor  is  it  enough  to  have  made 
 a  partial  and  transient  amendment,  produced  rather  by 
 some  temporary  cause  such  as  a  sermon  or  an  alarmiug 
 event,  than  by  a  renewed  exercise  of  penitence  and  faith. 
 Equally  inadequate  is  that  amendment  which  is  the 
 result,  not  of  deep  humiliation  before  God,  but  of  mere 
 selfish  and  prudential  considerations.  And  be  assured, 
 that  you  have  not  yet  been  brought  to  sufficient  com- 
 punction and  reformation,  if  you  love  to  talk  or  think 
 
17G  THE    BACKSLIDING 
 
 of  the  sin  you  have  committed.  Repentance  blushes 
 even  to  think,  much  more  to  speak,  of  our  transgressions. 
 It  is  a  silent  retiring  grace,  and  it  is  moreover  charac- 
 terised by  the  most  exquisite  sensibility  in  dreading  and 
 avoiding  every  thing  that  in  the  remotest  degree  tends 
 or  tempts  to  the  repetition  of  the  sin,  so  that  if  we  put 
 ourselves  in  the  way  of  sinning  again,  we  are  still  in  a 
 backsliding  state. 
 
 Backsliders,  be  not  deceived  then.  And  do  not,  oh  ! 
 do  not  remain  as  you  are.  In  seeking  restoration,  take 
 care  to  use  the  right  means.  Mistake  not  the  way  back 
 to  God.  Add  not  another  error  to  those  into  which  you 
 have  already  fallen.  The  following  directions  may  be 
 of  service  to  you. 
 
 There  must  be  a  sincere  desire  to  return.  In  what- 
 ever way  you  may  have  departed  from  God,  there  must 
 be  a  sincere  desire  to  come  back  to  him  again.  With- 
 out this  all  directions  will  be  in  vain,  and  all  means 
 without  effect.  And  do  you  not  desire  it  ?  Is  back- 
 sliding pleasant  ?  Are  you  as  happy  as  when  living 
 near  to  God,  and  enjoying  the  testimony  of  your  con- 
 science ?  To  quicken  your  desires  and  make  you  long 
 more  earnestly  for  restoration  to  the  enjoyment  of  the 
 divine  favour,  it  may  be  well  to  listen  to  the  admonition 
 given  by  our  Lord  to  the  church  of  Ephesus.  "  Re- 
 member from  whence  thou  art  fallen."  This  was  not 
 said  in  the  way  of  taunt,  (it  had  then  been  severely  just,) 
 but  in  the  way  of  friendly  counsel.  Think,  backsliding 
 Christian,  what  you  once  were,  and  ask,  "  Is  it  better 
 with  me  now  than  it  was  then  ?  "  Think  of  your  holi- 
 ness and  happiness  in  those  days  of  your  first  and  fervent 
 love ;  think  how  sweet,  yea  sweeter  than  the  honeycomb, 
 were  those  precious  truths,  for  which  you  have  lately 
 
PROFESSOR.  17? 
 
 had  no  relish ;  how  delightful  were  those  means  of 
 grace  in  which  you  now  take  no  pleasure  ;  how  joyfully 
 you  resorted  to  the  house  of  God,  welcomed  the  Sab- 
 bath, and  joined  in  the  communion  of  saints  at  the  table 
 of  the  Lord ;  with  what  confidence  you  drew  near  to 
 God,  while  your  conscience  testified  in  your  favour  and 
 took  away  all  dread  of  the  Most  High;  you  had  the 
 joy  of  faith,  the  comfort  of  love,  the  patience  of  hope, 
 and  a  humble  consciousness  of  purity ;  but  this  is  all 
 gone,  and  how  changed,  how  fallen  !  Look  up  to  those 
 delectable  mountains,  from  the  sunny  tops,  and  verdant 
 slopes,  and  beautiful  prospects  of  which  you  have  de- 
 scended into  the  gloomy  and  sterile  wilderness  in  which 
 your  spirit  now  roams  like  the  ejected  demon  in  the 
 gospel,  seeking  rest  and  finding  none.  Return,  return 
 to  God.  Let  a  sense  of  duty  draw  you  back  to  him 
 from  whom  you  have  departed. 
 
 You  must  at  once  abandon,  and  with  abhorrence  too, 
 the  sin  by  which  you  have  departed  from  God.  You 
 must  instantly  and  without  reluctance,  forsake  your 
 evil  ways.     Y'ou  must  say  with  the  poet, 
 
 "The  dearest  idol  I  have  known, 
 Whate'er  that  idol  be, 
 Help  me  to  tear  it  from  thy  throne, 
 And  worship  only  thee." 
 
 "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way  and  the  unrighteous 
 man  his  thoughts,  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord, 
 and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him,  and  to  our  God,  for 
 he  will  abundantly  pardon."  This  is  the  direction  for 
 the  sinner,  and  the  same  applies  to  the  backslider.  The 
 hand  of  faith  when  it  opens  to  lay  hold  of  Christ,  drops 
 the  sin  it  had  grasped  before.  Y'ou  must  part  with 
 vour  sin  or  Christ. 
 
178  THE    BACKSLIDING 
 
 It  may  be  well  to  consider  in  what  way  you  have 
 fallen,  that  your  repentance  may  have  a  special  reference 
 to  your  transgressions,  and  that  your  restoration  may  be 
 in  the  way  and  at  the  point  of  your  departure.  Was  it 
 by  a  sudden  temptation  plunging  you  into  sin,  or  by  a 
 long  accumulation  of  little  sins,  that  you  were  prepared 
 for  the  greater  fall  ?  Was  it  by  pride  and  prosperity, 
 or  by  rashness  and  imprudence?  Was  it  by  neglect 
 of  private  prayer,  or  of  the  Scriptures?  An  examina- 
 tion of  this  point  is  of  considerable  importance  in 
 various  ways. 
 
 You  must  closely  consider  and  rightly  understand 
 the  evil  nature  of  your  backslidings,  as  sins  committed 
 after  your  conversion  to  God.  As  our  first  return  to 
 God  begins  with  conviction,  so  must  every  other  return 
 to  Him.  Such  sins  as  yours  have  been  committed  in 
 violation  of  solemn  vows  and  engagements ;  without  any 
 provocation  on  the  part  of  God,  and  against  greatest 
 and  frequently  repeated  mercies  :  they  are  characterised 
 by  singular  perils  in  reference  to  yourselves,  and  pecu- 
 liar danger  as  regards  the  well-being  of  others.  But  all 
 this  is  nothing,  if  your  hearts  are  not  duly  impressed 
 with  it.  The  clearer  your  perceptions  are  of  the  enor- 
 mity of  your  conduct,  the  more  earnestly  you  will  covet 
 renewed  expressions  of  divine  forgiveness,  and  the  re- 
 turning sense  of  pardoning  mercy. 
 
 Consider  God's  infinite  willingness  to  receive  and 
 pardon  the  penitent  and  returning  backslider.  When 
 once  the  erring  Christian  is  brought  to  a  due  and  deep 
 sense  of  his  sins,  how  pungent  is  his  grief,  and  how 
 oppressive  the  weight  of  his  guilt !  He  is  in  danger 
 of  sinking  into  the  depths  of  despondency,  and  viewing 
 
PROFESSOR.  1 7'.) 
 
 himself  as  an  outcast  from  both  God  and  his  people. 
 His  sins  appear  to  his  distracted  mind  in  all  their 
 aggravations.  Satan  accuses,  conscience  stings.  Every 
 look  of  every  Christian  seems  to  reproach  him.  And 
 what  is  worse,  God  seems  to  frown,  and  has,  to  his 
 perturbed  imagination,  appeared  to  cover  his  throne 
 with  a  cloud  from  which  thunders  roll,  and  lightnings 
 flash,  and  awful  forms  of  justice  come  forth.  No,  thou 
 art  mistaken,  trembling  penitent;  the  cloud,  and  the 
 thunder,  and  the  lightnings,  and  the  awful  forms  of 
 justice,  exist  only  in  thy  imagination.  God  has  scat- 
 tered over  the  whole  page  of  revelation,  invitations, 
 encouragements,  and  promises  to  draw  thee  back  to 
 himself.  From  the  hour  of  thy  departure  he  has  never 
 ceased  to  look  after  thee,  and  even  to  follow  thee  with 
 messages  of  wounded  love  and  inviting  mercy.  Hearken 
 to  a  few  of  them.  "  O  Israel,  return  unto  the  Lord 
 thy  God  ;  for  thou  hast  fallen  by  thine  iniquity.  Take 
 with  you  words,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord;  say  unto 
 him,  take  away  all  iniquity,  and  receive  us  graci- 
 ously. I  will  heal  their  backsliding,  I  will  love  them 
 freely;  for  mine  anger  is  turned  away  from  him." 
 Can  you  need  encouragement  after  this  ?  Will  not  this 
 cheer  you,  and  be  felt  as  a  sufficient  warrant  to  return 
 to  God,  and  hope  for  mercy?  If  not,  listen  to  the 
 following  pathetic  language :  "  Surely  I  have  heard 
 Ephraim  bemoaning  himself  thus,  '  Thou  hast  chastised 
 me,  and  I  was  chastised  as  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to 
 the  yoke ;  turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned,  for  thou 
 art  the  Lord  my  God/  Is  Ephraim  my  dear  son  ?  Is 
 he  a  pleasant  child  ?  For  since  I  spake  against  him,  I 
 do  earnestly  remember  him  still ;  therefore  my  bowels 
 
180  THE    BACKSLIDING 
 
 are  troubled  for  him ;  I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon 
 him,  saith  the  Lord."  What  unbelief  or  despondence 
 can  stand  out  against  this  ? 
 
 But  perhaps  you  want  still  more  particular  directions. 
 Your  case  is  difficult,  your  situation  one  of  danger  and 
 urgency.  Embrace  every  opportunity  of  retirement,  for 
 reading  the  Scriptures,  especially  those  parts  which  are 
 suited  to  your  case.  Turn  to  such  portions  of  Holy  Writ 
 as  Jeremiah  ii,  xxxi;  Hosea  xiv;  Micah  vii;  Psalms 
 xxv,  xxxii,  xxxviii,  li;  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son, 
 and  other  portions,  which  set  forth  at  once  the  spirit 
 of  penitence,  and  the  mercy  of  God.  Be  also  much 
 in  prayer.  Solemn  approaches  to  God  are  eminently 
 calculated  to  impress  the  mind  with  a  sense  of  sin, 
 to  inspire  us  with  abhorrence  of  it,  and  at  the  same 
 time  to  encourage  our  faith  in  God's  pardoning  mercy, 
 and  our  dependence  on  his  restoring  grace.  There 
 must  be  minute  and  unreserved  confession  of  sin, 
 an  utter  renunciation  of  all  self-defence,  excuses,  and 
 palliations ;  a  disposition  to  lay  the  hand  upon  the 
 mouth,  and  united  with  this,  a  spirit  of  self-condemna- 
 tion. You  must  admit  all  the  aggravations  of  your  sin, 
 and  look  upon  it  just  as  we  may  suppose  God  does. 
 You  should  praise  God  that  he  has  borne  so  long  with 
 your  misconduct,  and  be  especially  grateful  that  he  did 
 not  cut  you  off  in  your  sins,  nor  allow  you  to  go  on  still 
 sinning,  and  acting  out  your  transgressions  to  the  full 
 extent  of  their  nature  and  tendency.  Set  apart  special 
 seasons  of  devotion  to  humble  yourselves  before  God, 
 by  fasting  and  prayer.  Extraordinary  cases  require  the 
 use  of  extraordinary  means.  "  A  day,"  says  Mr  Fuller, 
 "  devoted  to  God  in  humiliation,  fasting,  and  prayer, 
 
PROFESSOR.  1M 
 
 occasionally  occupied  with  reading  suitable  parts  of  the 
 Scriptures,  may,  by  the  blessing  of  the  Holy  Spiiit, 
 contribute  more  to  the  subduing  of  sin,  and  the  re- 
 covery of  a  right  mind,  than  years  spent  in  a  sort  of 
 half-hearted  exercises."  Be  neither  surprised,  morti- 
 fied, nor  offended,  if  for  awhile,  your  fellow  Christians 
 who  are  acquainted  with  your  lapses,  should  look  shy 
 upon  you,  and  seem  incredulous  as  to  the  sincerity  of 
 your  repentance.  "  Wherefore  should  a  man  complain, 
 a  living  man  for  the  punishment  of  his  sins.  I  will 
 bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because  I  have  sinned 
 against  him."  Let  the  spirit  of  these  passages  be  in  you, 
 and  consider  whatever  you  may  be  called  to  endure,  as 
 light  compared  with  what  you  have  deserved.  In  all 
 your  approaches  to  the  Saviour,  let  it  be  under  the 
 character  in  which  you  first  applied  to  him  for  mercy, 
 that  of  a  sinner. 
 
 "  If  you  attempt  to  approach  the  throne  of  grace  as  a  good  man, 
 who  has  backslidden  from  God,  you  may  find  it  impossible  to  support 
 tbat  character.  The  reality  of  your  conversion  may  be  doubtful,  not 
 only  in  your  apprehension,  but  in  itself.  Your  approach,  therefore, 
 must  not  be  as  one  that  is  '  washed  and  needeth  not  save  to  wash  his 
 feet ;'  but  as  one  who  is  defiled  throughout,  whose  hands  and  head 
 and  every  part  need  to  be  cleansed.  Do  not  employ  yourself  in 
 raking  over  the  rubbish  of  your  past  life  in  search  of  evidence  that 
 you  are  a  Christian.  You  will  not  be  able  in  your  present  state 
 of  mind,  to  decide  that  question ;  nor  would  it  be  of  any  service  to 
 you  if  you  could  decide  it.  One  thing  is  certain ;  you  are  a  sinner,  a 
 poor,  miserable,  and  perishing  sinner;  the  door  of  mercy  is  open,  and 
 you  are  welcome  to  enter  in.  Let  your  past  character  be  what  it 
 may,  and  let  your  conversion  be  ever  so  doubtful,  if  you  can  from  this 
 time  relinquish  all  for  Christ,  eternal  life  is  before  you."     Fuller. 
 
 In  your  approaches  to  God  as  a  sinner  feel  as  much 
 your  need  of  Christ  as  you  ever  did :  you  can  go  in  no 
 
182  THE    BACKSLIDING    PROFESSOR. 
 
 other  character  than  a  sinner,  and  by  no  other  way 
 than  Christ.  God  meets  his*  returning  children  just 
 where  he  meets  his  repenting  enemies,  at  the  cross ;  and 
 nothing  is  so  eminently  adapted  to  open  all  the  springs 
 of  godly  sorrow,  as  a  believing  contemplation  of  the 
 death  of  Christ.  There  must  be  a  simple  dependence 
 upon  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  your  restoration.  We  can 
 of  our  own  accord  depart  from  God,  but  it  requires  the 
 omnipotence  of  his  grace  to  bring  us  back.  You  must 
 be  satisfied  with  nothing  short  of  a  complete  recovery, 
 which  includes  two  things :  a  sweet  and  comfortable 
 sense  of  pardon,  such  a  faith  in  God's  promise  of  mercy, 
 such  a  full  reliance  on  the  blood  of  Christ,  as  take 
 away  all  tormenting  sense  of  sin  and  dread  of  God,  and 
 restore  the  soul  to  peace;  and  together  with  this, 
 recovery  includes  such  a  victory  over  your  corruptions, 
 as  that  they  shall  lie  wounded  to  death  before  you.  And 
 with  all  this  must  be  united  a  holy  and  trembling 
 jealousy  over  yourself,  a  spirit  of  deep  humility,  an 
 abasing  consciousness  of  weakness,  a  feeling  of  depend- 
 ence and  a  purpose  of  watchfulness  for  the  future. 
 
DEPENDENCE  UPON  THE  lUH.Y  SPIRIT'S   INI  I  l  BN<  I  .      lS.'J 
 
 CHAPTER   XIX. 
 
 THE    DEPENDENCE    OF    PROFESSORS    ON    THE    IIOl.V 
 SPIRITS    INFLUENCE. 
 
 The  duties  of  the  christian  profession  are  so  nume- 
 rous, so  arduous,  and  so  much  beyond  any  resources 
 which  we  have  in  ourselves,  that  this  volume  would  be 
 incomplete  in  a  very  important  and  essential  point,  if  it 
 contained  no  distinct  and  explicit  reference  to  the  assist- 
 ance necessary  to  their  right  performance.  I  devote  this 
 chapter,  therefore,  to  a  consideration  of  the  work  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  as  the  source  of  the  believer's  strength. 
 There  is  a  passage  of  Scripture  on  this  subject,  so 
 fraught  with  instruction,  that  it  may  be  well  made  the 
 basis  of  what  I  have  now  to  advance ;  "  If  we  live  in  the 
 [promised]  Spirit,  let  us  also  walk  in  the  Spirit."  The 
 premise  in  this  text  gives  a  striking  and  beautiful 
 description  of  the  nature  of  true  piety,  "living  in 
 the  Spirit :"  and  its  conclusion,  an  equally  beautiful 
 description  of  its  visible  developement  and  gradual 
 progress,  "  walking  in  the  Spirit."  These  are  in- 
 separable from  each  other;  there  can  be  no  spiritual 
 walking  without  life,  and  where  there  is  life,  there  will 
 be  walking. 
 
 The  unconverted  sinner  is  in  a  state  of  moral  death ; 
 "  lie  is  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."     He  has  animal, 
 
184  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 intellectual,  and  social  existence,  but  as  to  divine  and 
 heavenly  things,  he  is  as  dead  as  a  corpse  is  to  surround- 
 ing material  objects;  he  has  no  spiritual  perception,  no 
 holy  sensibilities,  no  pious  sympathies,  no  religious 
 activity ;  he  is  destitute  of  all  moral  vitality.  Regene- 
 ration is  the  transition  of  the  sinner  from  this  state  into 
 one  which  is  its  very  opposite :  it  is  the  impartation  and 
 commencement  of  a  new  spiritual  existence.  It  adds 
 no  new  natural  faculties,  but  only  gives  a  right  bias  and 
 direction  to  those  which  as  rational  creatures  we  already 
 possess. 
 
 The  Scripture  has  given  us  two  descriptions  of  this 
 new  and  holy  state  or  conduct  into  which  divine 
 grace  brings  us.  The  first  is  in  our  Lord's  words, 
 "That  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  Spirit 
 here  does  not  mean  man's  intelligent  nature,  his 
 understanding  or  reasoning  faculty,  or  his  animal  na- 
 ture, these  he  has  by  his  physical  birth ;  but  it  signi- 
 fies a  new  moral  nature,  a  spirit  entering  into  his  spirit. 
 It  is  not  a  thing  which  lies  upon  the  surface  of  a  man, 
 which  consists  in  mere  forms,  ceremonies,  or  talk ;  but 
 which  enters  into  him,  and  seats  and  centres  itself  in 
 his  mind,  and  takes  possession  of  his  inmost  self,  as  the 
 soul  of  his  very  soul.  Religion  is  spirit,  a  something 
 produced  by  the  Divine  Infinite  Spirit,  and  of  the 
 nature  and  likeness  of  the  Parent  by  whom  it  is  be- 
 gotten. It  is  a  thing,  as  to  its  essence  and  true  exist- 
 ence, invisible  as  the  soul  in  which  it  dwells ;  but  like 
 that,  animating  the  body  with  which  it  is  united.  When 
 the  prophet  would  speak  disparagingly  and  with  contempt 
 of  the  Egyptian  nation,  he  says,  "  Their  horses  are  flesh 
 and  not  spirit."  Religion,  on  the  contrary,  is  not  flesh, 
 but  spirit,  as  if  there  were  scarcely  any  thing  else,  that 
 
THE    HOLY    SPIRIT^    INFLUENCE.  IS.'; 
 
 deserved  the  term:  and  all  besides  this  new,  holy, 
 heavenly,  divine  nature,  were  too  nearly  allied  to  matter 
 to  be  called  spirit.  The  other  term  by  which  religion  is 
 described  is  allied  to  this,  it  is  life.  How  mysterious, 
 how  precious  a  thing  is  life.  Nothing  in  a  general  wav 
 is  better  understood ;  yet  nothing,  upon  the  attempt  to 
 analyse  it,  more  speedily  or  completely  evades  the  power 
 of  scrutiny.  What  philosopher  shall  strip  this  little 
 monosyllable,  life,  of  all  the  mystery  that  hangs  around 
 it,  and  lay  bare  to  our  perception  the  principle  of  life  ? 
 Religion  is  life;  not  animal  intellectual  or  social,  but 
 spiritual  life.  In  looking  into  nature  we  find  a  gradu- 
 ated scale  of  animated  beings;  the  most  insignificant 
 vegetable  is  above  the  greatest  mass  of  inanimate  mat- 
 ter :  the  weed  of  the  wilderness,  for  instance,  is  supe- 
 rior, in  one  view,  to  the  rock  of  Gibraltar,  because  it 
 has  the  principle  of  life.  The  least  insect  that  crawls,  is 
 above  the  noblest  vegetable  production,  the  cedar  of 
 Lebanon,  or  the  oak  of  the  forest,  because  it  has  a 
 higher  kind  of  life,  a  power  of  volition  and  locomo- 
 tion. The  child  of  a  year  or  two  old  is  in  dignity  above 
 the  noblest  objects  of  inanimate  nature  ;  above  the  sun 
 in  all  his  glory ;  above  the  ocean,  or  the  forest :  above 
 the  lion,  notwithstanding  his  strength;  the  elephant, 
 with  his  sagacity ;  or  the  leviathan,  with  his  bulk ;  for 
 that  child  has  a  rational  mind,  and  is  the  subject  not 
 only  of  intelligence,  but  of  conscience  and  moral 
 emotion.  But  a  Christian  has  a  principle  of  vitality  in 
 him,  which  is  far  above  every  other  kind  of  life;  the 
 in-dwelling  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his  soul  produces 
 that  which  is  the  perfection  of  life,  the  highest  point  in 
 the  scale  of  earthly  being,  the  flower  of  animated  nature; 
 so  that  the  regenerated  peasant  is,  in  the  eye  of  God,  a 
 Vol..  11  N 
 
180  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 being  far  more  like  himself,  far  more  nearly  allied  to 
 the  Infinite,  the  Parent  Spirit,  than  the  greatest  un- 
 converted philosopher  in  the  world.  This  divine  life 
 consists  of  that  illumination  of  the  judgment,  by  which 
 not  only  the  theoretic  meaning,  but  the  moral  glory  of 
 spiritual  things  is  perceived  :  together  with  that  love 
 to  them  in  the  heart,  which  is  drawn  forth  in  all  the 
 exercises  of  a  course  of  righteousness.  God  is  light. 
 God  is  love.  Or  uniting  both  together,  God  is  holy 
 love.  So  is  the  renewed  mind ;  and  this  is  religion, 
 this  is  life. 
 
 But  it  is  said  we  live  in  the  Spirit.  Not  simply  by, 
 but  (with  a  still  greater  intensity  and  emphasis  of 
 meaning)  in,  the  Spirit.  Importing  that  the  Holy 
 Ghost  is  not  only  the  efficient  cause  and  author  of  our 
 spiritual  life,  but  that  he  is  the  sustainer  of  it :  "  As  if," 
 says  Mr  Howe,  "  the  soul  had  its  very  situs  or  situation 
 in  a  region  of  life,  which  the  Spirit  creates  for  it  by  his 
 vital  abiding  presence."  Just  as  the  soul  is  present 
 with  the  body,  diffusing  its  vivifying  influence  through- 
 out all  its  parts,  warming  all,  sustaining  all,  moving  all, 
 directing  all ;  "  till  the  body  may  in  one  sense  be  truly 
 said  to  be  in  the  soul,  rather  than  the  soul  in  the  body ; 
 so  is  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  New  Creature,  which  he 
 has  formed  in  the  believer,  imparting  life  to  it,  clothing, 
 it  as  it  were  with  life,  filling  it  with  life,  and  is  all  in  all 
 of  life  to  it." 
 
 The  Christian  partakes  of  this  life  in  the  Spirit,  by 
 virtue  of  his  union  to  Christ  by  faith.  There  can  be  no 
 communication  of  life  apart  from  Christ.  He  is  the 
 head,  and  his  people  are  the  body :  he  the  tree,  and 
 they  are  the  branches ;  all  the  fulness  of  the  Spirit  is  in 
 him,  and  comes  from  him  to  his  people.     "  God  hath 
 
THE    HOL1     SPIRIT'S    l.Ml.l  ENC1  1  ST 
 
 _iu-n  to  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son,  and 
 he  that  hath  the  Son,  hath  life."  As  no  branch  that  is 
 not  united  to  the  tree,  and  as  no  limb  that  is  not  united 
 to  the  head,  can  have  life,  or  retain  it;  so  neither  can 
 there  be  any  spiritual  life  in  the  soul,  without  union  to 
 Christ.  Hence  his  admonition  to  his  disciples,  "Abide 
 in  me  and  I  in  you.  As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit 
 of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine,  no  more  can  ye, 
 except  ye  abide  in  me.  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the 
 branches ;  he  that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the 
 same  bringeth  forth  much  fruit ;  for  without  (or  apart 
 from)  me,  ye  can  do  nothing."  Hence  also  that  striking 
 language  of  the  apostle,  "Ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is 
 hid  with  Christ  in  God,"  hidden  as  to  its  spring,  which 
 is  in  God  :  a  stream  fed  by  a  spring  which  rises  up  in 
 the  depths  of  the  divine  nature. 
 
 "  This,  which  it  is  our  duty  to  seek,  it  is  our  dignity  to  possess.  It 
 is  the  glory  of  a  man  in  Christ,  that  lie  hath  an  higher  Spirit  than  liis 
 own,  no  less  than  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  in  him.  This  Holy  Spirit, 
 which  is  in  Christ  an  infinite  and  overflowing  fulness,  is  diffused  into 
 his  members  in  consequence  of  their  union  with  him,  just  as  the  vital 
 influence  and  directing  power  of  tin:  head  is  sent  forth  to  all  the  limbs 
 of  the  body.  The  Holy  Spirit  works  the  great  work  in  them;  it 
 inspires  a  divine  life  into  them:  it  doth,  as  in  tlie  first  creation, 
 command  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness;  it  calls  the  holy  graces, 
 which  before  were  not,  into  being:  it  raises  up  the  new  creature  out 
 of  nothing;  nay,  as  it  were,  in  mighty  waters,  in  the  midst  of  that 
 torrent  of  corruption  which  is  in  the  heart;  putting  back  the  stream 
 of  nature,  it  sets  up  a  noble  structure  of  grace  in  them ;  it  accommo- 
 dates graces  to  every  faculty,  as  the  dew  is  white  in  the  lily,  and  red 
 in  the  rose;  so  the  Holy  Spirit  in  its  graces,  is  light  in  the  mind, 
 liberty  in  the  will,  order  in  the  affections;  also  it  accommodates 
 suitable  influences  to  every  grace ;  it  gives  such  sweet  touches  upon 
 their  holy  love,  fear,  meekness,  patience,  as  makes  them  go  forth  into 
 act  in  a  free  spontaneous  manner ;  it  acts  so  powerfully,  as  if  there 
 were  no  room  left  for  human  liberty;  and  yet  so  eonnaturally,  as  if 
 there  wen  no  power  at  all  in  it    Farther  it  accommodates  itself  to  them 
 
188  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 at  every  turn;  it  is  a  spirit  of  grace  in  their  penitential  meltings  ;  a 
 spirit  of  supplication  in  their  ardent  devotions;  a  spirit  of  revelation 
 in  their4evangelical  studies ;  a  spirit  of  love  in  their  charities  ;  a  spirit 
 of  power  in  their  infirmities ;  a  spirit  of  fear  in  their  holy  walkings  ; 
 a  spirit  of  meekness  in  their  carriage  towards  others  ;  a  spirit  of  com- 
 fort in  their  afflictions ;  a  spirit  of  glory  in  their  reproaches ;  a  spirit 
 of  holiness  in  all  their  converses ;  it  lives,  breathes,  moves,  aptly 
 operates  in  them.  Hence  in  all  their  good  actions,  they  are  lifted  up 
 above  themselves,  and  carried  beyond  the  line  of  a  mere  human  spirit ; 
 they  walk  in  a  divine  circle  from  God  as  the  first  cause,  to  God  as  the 
 last  end ;  they  centre  on  nothing  less  than  God  himself,  and  take  an 
 aim  no  lower  than  his  glory  :  whether  they  eat,  or  drink,  or  pray,  or 
 hear,  or  whatever  good  thing  they  do,  they  are  still  carrying  on  the 
 great  design,  that  God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified ;  the  great  Alpha 
 is  their  Omega ;  the  supreme  good  is  their  ultimate  end ;  they  dare 
 not  centre  in  a  creature,  or  make  God  a  medium  ;  this  is  practical 
 blasphemy  ;  and  in  effect  it  saith,  that  God  is  not  God,  or  that  there 
 is  something  better  than  he ;  it  is  their  study  how  to  serve  the  blessed 
 God  ;  how  to  shew  forth  his  praise  in  an  holy,  humble,  righteous, 
 heavenly  conversation ;  still  there  is  a  pure  intention  at  his  glory,  as 
 the  end  of  all ;  by  that  intention  they  are  so  joined  unto  him,  that  all 
 their  works  are  spiritualised,  and  attain  a  kind  of  immortality."* 
 
 It  is  exceedingly  important  that  professors  should 
 well  understand,  and  often  and  seriously  meditate  on 
 this  subject,  that  they  may  know  from  what  source  to 
 draw  their  supplies  for  the  christian  warfare,  and  for 
 keeping  up  the  power  of  godliness  in  the  soul,  and  be 
 led  to  something  more  than  maintaining  a  round  of 
 bodily  exercises.  There  must  be  a  continued  exercise 
 of  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  revealed  and  exhibited  in  his 
 Word,  as  the  source  of  all  spiritual  life;  a  pressing,  as 
 it  were,  still  closer  and  closer  to  him,  to  receive  out 
 of  his  fulness,  and  grace  for  grace ;  and  at  the  same 
 time  a  feeling  of  dependence  upon  the  power  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  for  all  that  is  necessary  to  a  life  of  pure, 
 undefiled,  and  consistent  religion. 
 
 *  Polhill  on  Union  with  Christ. 
 
THE    HOLY    SPIRITS    INFLUENCE.  L89 
 
 The  apostle  calls  upon  those  who  live  in  the  Spirit, 
 to  walk  in  the  Spirit.  There  is  great  force  and  beauty 
 in  this  expression.  It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  "  Since  you 
 profess  to  be  alive,  arise,  walk,  act.  Prove  that  you 
 have  received  a  new  life,  by  a  new  and  corresponding 
 course  of  action.  Act  out  your  spiritual  nature,  in 
 spiritual  conduct ;  and  let  a  holy  mind  be  seen  forming 
 and  animating  a  holy  character.  And  remember  also, 
 that  you  must  ever  depend  for  the  manifestation  of  life, 
 on  the  same  power  that  gave  it.  Walk  in  the  Spirit. " 
 This  is  a  just,  forcible,  and  natural  argument.  All 
 living  things  act  according  to  their  nature.  Trees  act 
 out  their  nature  in  bearing  fruit,  according  to  the  law 
 of  vegetable  life  which  is  in  them.  Animals,  whether 
 wild  or  domestic,  carnivorous  or  granivorous,  act  out 
 their  nature,  by  propagating  their  kind,  and  obtaining 
 sustenance,  according  to  the  modification  of  animal  life 
 which  is  in  them.  Rational  creatures  act  out  their 
 nature  by  thinking  and  willing,  according  to  the  prin- 
 ciple of  intellectual  life  which  is  in  them.  In  all  these 
 cases,  there  is  no  dormancy  in  the  principle  of  vitality  ; 
 it  is  not  inert,  but  active ;  and  its  activity  is  appropriate 
 to  its  nature,  and  regulated  by  its  own  fixed  law.  So 
 must  it  be  with  the  Christian;  he  is  a  species  in  the 
 world  of  living  beings,  peculiar  to  himself.  He  has  a 
 life,  which,  viewed  in  all  its  circumstances,  is  unique  in 
 its  nature,  and  in  the  sphere  in  which  it  is  to  act,  and 
 he  therefore  is  to  act  out  this  nature ;  and  as  he  lives 
 in  the  Spirit,  he  is  also  to  walk  in  the  Spirit. 
 
 I  need  scarcely  say,  that  by  walking  we  are  to 
 understand  acting.  Mr  Howe,  in  his  admirable  ser- 
 mons on  this  passage,  to  which  I  refer  the  attention 
 of  all  who  would  see  an  important  theological  subject 
 
190  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 profoundly  and  beautifully  treated,  has  an  admirable 
 illustration  of  this  figure,  which  is  ingenious  without 
 being  far-fetched  or  overstrained.  Walking  is  self- 
 motion,  proceeding  from  an  internal  principle  in  the 
 thing  that  moves,  so  is  religion,  not  like  the  mechanical 
 actions  of  an  automaton,  or  the  carrying  forward  of  a 
 corpse ;  it  is  a  voluntary  motion,  not  the  being  dragged 
 along  by  force,  but  a  man's  freely  going  forward,  so  is 
 religion  a  matter  of  voluntary  choice ;  it  is  an  orderly 
 motion,  acting  according  to  a  prescribed  course,  not  a 
 freakish,  wild,  eccentric  action,  so  is  religion  a  pro- 
 cedure according  to  a  rule,  a  going  on  in  a  way  laid 
 down  and  set  before  us :  it  is  to  a  man  in  health  a 
 pleasurable  motion,  so  is  religion  a  way  of  pleasant- 
 ness, the  healthful  exercise  of  moral  energies ;  it  is  a 
 continued  motion,  so  is  religion,  not  a  sudden  and  tem- 
 porary resolve,  but  a  remaining  habit;  it  is  a  pro- 
 gressive motion,  not  a  moving  backward  and  forward  in 
 the  same  place,  but  going  onward  from  place  to  place, 
 so  is  religion,  a  progress  in  knowledge,  in  faith,  in 
 holiness. 
 
 I  shall  now  state  what  are  those  acts  and  habits  which 
 constitute  the  course  of  conduct  thus  denominated. 
 
 ] .  It  is  acting  according  to  the  Spirit's  rule,  which 
 is  the  Word  of  God.  The  Scriptures  are  given  by  in- 
 spiration of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  are  his  instrument  in 
 the  great  work  of  regeneration  and  sanctification.  All 
 the  Spirit's  communications  are  of  things  promised, 
 and  with  direct  reference  to  things  revealed  in  the 
 Word.  All  religious  sentiments,  all  practical  precepts, 
 all  emotions,  are  to  be  tried  by  the  Word.  This  is  the 
 standard,  the  test,  the  judge.  It  is  the  rule  by  which 
 the  Spirit  works,  and  it  is  the  rule  by  which  the  subjects 
 
THE    HOLY    SPIRIT  S    INFLUENCE.  191 
 
 of  the  Spirit's  influence  arc  to  act.  Dreams,  visions, 
 impulses,  and  unintelligible  inward  emotions,  are  not  to 
 be  regarded,  but  only  the  Word  fairly  interpreted.  We 
 know  nothing  of  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  but  as  he  has 
 revealed  it  in  the  Scriptures;  and  there  he  has  revealed 
 it,  and  \vc  are  "To  walk  by  the  same  rule,  to  mind  the 
 same  thing."  We  are  not  to  judge  of  our  own  state  bv 
 any  supposed  direct  witness  of  this  Divine  Agent,  but 
 by  comparing  his  work  in  us,  with  the  description 
 of  that  work  in  the  Word.  The  apostle  has  given  us  a 
 beautiful  metaphorical  representation  of  this,  where  he 
 says,  "  Ye  have  obeyed  from  the  heart  that  form  of  doc- 
 trine which  was  delivered  you  ;"  or  as  it  should  be  ren- 
 dered, into  which  ye  were  delivered  as  into  a  mould. 
 The  metaphor  is  taken  from  the  art  of  casting  metals  j 
 the  believer's  heart,  softened  and  melted  by  the  fire 
 of  the  Spirit's  influence,  is  cast  into  the  mould  of  Scrip- 
 ture, so  as  to  come  forth  answering  to  its  type,  line  to 
 line,  and  feature  to  feature.  The  character  which  the 
 Spirit  forms,  is  according  that  which  he  has  delineated 
 in  the  Word.  A  Christian  is  the  production  of  a  living 
 holy  being  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  according  to  the  rule 
 which  he  has  laid  down  in  the  Bible. 
 
 2.  Walking  in  the  Spirit,  signifies  our  keeping  up  a 
 practical  regard  to  those  objects,  the  spiritual  excellence 
 of  which  was  revealed  to  the  mind,  and  for  which  an 
 appetite  and  relish  were  imparted,  in  regeneration.  New 
 light  then  broke  in  upon  the  mind,  things  altogether 
 unknown  were  discovered  to  the  soul,  and  others,  only 
 theoretically  known,  were  seen  in  a  new  and  heart- 
 affecting  manner.  This  seems  to  be  the  discovery  which 
 the  Holy  Ghost  makes  to  the  mind  which,  in  infitiitr 
 mercy,  he  condescends  to  renew  and  sanctify  ;    1   mean, 
 
192  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 a  perception  of  the  moral  excellence  or  holiness  of  those 
 objects,  accompanied  by  a  taste  or  relish  for  them  on 
 that  account.  Holiness  comprehends  all  the  true  moral 
 excellence  of  all  intelligent  beings.  It  is  the  beauty 
 and  glory  of  the  divine  character,  and  the  sum  of  all 
 virtue  in  men  or  angels.  It  constitutes  the  perfection 
 of  the  law  and  of  the  gospel,  of  all  divine  ordinances, 
 and  religious  institutes.  It  was  the  glory  of  man  at 
 his  creation,  which  he  lost  by  the  fall,  but  is  restored  by 
 regeneration,  and  consummated  in  eternal  glory.  The 
 great  design  of  the  Spirit's  work  in  regeneration,  is  to 
 produce  in  man's  soul,  an  affinity  for  holiness,  a  love  to 
 holiness,  and  a  delight  in  holiness,  which  shall  be  con- 
 tinually called  into  activity  by  the  presence  of  holy 
 objects.  Religion,  or  the  divine  life  in  the  soul,  I  have 
 already  said  is  holy  love ;  and  consequently  walking  in 
 the  Spirit  is  the  action  of  this  holy  love  in  reference  to 
 holy  objects.  As  all  life  seems  to  have  natural  and 
 instinctive  antipathy  to  what  is  injurious  to  it,  so  the 
 divine  life  in  the  human  soul  has  an  antipathy  to  sin, 
 which  is  its  poison,  its  antagonist  principle,  and  its 
 deadly  enemy ;  and  so  a  good  man  walking  in  confor- 
 mity with  this  holy  vitality,  is  ever  watching,  praying, 
 striving  against  sin.  His  new  nature  recoils  from  it, 
 and  he  studiously  keeps  up  this  holy  shuddering  of 
 heart  in  its  presence.  In  all  life  there  are  movements 
 towards  its  appropriate  objects  of  sustenance  and  grati- 
 fication ;  vegetables  strike  their  roots  into  the  soil,  and 
 open  their  air  and  sap  vessels  to  receive  the  influence 
 of  the  atmosphere  and  the  earth;  animals  are  ever 
 carrying  into  act  their  appropriate  instincts  to  obtain 
 support,  and  enjoy  all  the  good  of  which  their  nature  is 
 
THE    HOLY    SPIRIT'S    INFLUENCE.  1  '.)'■) 
 
 capable ;  the  soaring  and  singing  of  the  lark  ;  the  labour 
 of  the  bee;  the  spinning  of  the  spider;  the  chasing 
 of  his  prey  by  the  lion,  are  all  actions  of  the  life  that  is 
 in  them.  The  artist  working  at  his  bust  or  his  picture; 
 the  poet  throwing  off  the  fine  imaginings  of  his  genius  ; 
 the  scholar  analyzing  language ;  and  the  philosopher 
 examining  the  laws  of  creation,  all  exhibit  workings 
 of  intelligent  existence.  And  what  are  the  actings 
 of  spiritual  life  ?  The  voluntary  pushing  onward  of  the 
 soul,  through  the  visible  to  the  invisible  world ;  its 
 ascension  from  earth  to  heaven ;  its  passing  the  bounda- 
 ries of  time  and  sense,  to  roam  amidst  things  unseen 
 and  eternal ;  faith  in  an  unseen  Saviour;  the  love  of  an 
 unseen  God,  and  the  hope  of  an  unseen  heaven.  This 
 is  walking  in  the  Spirit,  walking  with  God,  and  visibly 
 walking  with  him  ;  enjoying  him  as  the  chief  good, 
 seeking  him  as  the  supreme  end,  and  obeying  him 
 as  the  Sovereign  Ruler.  I  know  no  other  art  by  which 
 spiritual  life  is  so  clearly  distinguished  from  merely 
 rational  life,  as  it  is  by  its  tending,  as  by  a  law 
 of  spiritual  gravitation,  towards  God  in  Christ,  as  its 
 centre.  The  apostle  in  one  short  sentence  has  described 
 this  new  nature :  "  for  me  to  live  is  Christ."  The 
 Spirit's  work  in  the  New  Testament,  and  in  the  Old 
 Testament  too,  is  to  testify  of  Christ,  and  to  glorify 
 him ;  and  His  work  in  the  believer's  heart  has  the  same 
 object,  to  lead  him  to  live  before  the  world,  for  the 
 honour  of  the  Saviour ;  and  for  this  purpose,  to  enable 
 him  to  derive  all  his  supplies  from  the  fulness  in  Him, 
 that  Christ  may  be  seen  to  be  all  in  all  to  him.  This  is 
 spiritual  walking,  the  soul's  escaping  from  the  region, 
 and  rising  above  the  influence,  of  earthly  objects,  and 
 
194  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 dwelling  in  a  sphere  of  spiritual  tilings,  and  finding 
 these  to  be  its  vital  atmosphere,  its  native  element,  its 
 beloved  home. 
 
 3.  To  walk  in  the  Spirit  implies  the  cultivation 
 and  exercise  of  those  holy  virtues  towards  our  fellow 
 creatures,  the  seminal  principles  of  which  were  sown 
 in  our  heart  at  the  time  of  our  conversion.  There  is, 
 I  believe,  a  prevalent  mistake  on  this  subject  among 
 some  good  people,  who  appear  to  suppose  that  the 
 only  effect  of  regeneration,  is  a  right  disposition  of  the 
 human  heart  towards  God.  That  this  is  its  principal 
 object  is  admitted,  but  it  is  not  its  only  one ;  for  it 
 also  gives  the  heart  a  proper  disposition  towards  our 
 fellow  creatures,  which  we  have  not  till  we  are  changed 
 by  divine  grace.  When  man  sinned  he  fell,  not  only 
 as  to  God,  but  as  to  his  fellow  creatures  also.  Love, 
 which  had  been  created  with  him,  and  in  him,  departed 
 from  his  soul,  and  left  him  under  the  dominion  of 
 uncontrolled  selfishness.  The  gracious  change  which 
 restores  him  to  God,  restores  him  to  his  fellows.  In 
 that  great  renovation,  selfishness  is  dethroned,  and 
 love  again  raised  to  be  the  regent  of  the  soul.  Love 
 exercises  itself  first  and  supremely  towards  God  as 
 infinitely  the  greatest  and  best  of  beings ;  but  it  does 
 not,  cannot  stop  there,  for  from  its  very  nature,  it  must 
 expand  to  embrace  the  universe.  It  is  worthy  of 
 remark,  though  perhaps  it  has  not  been  noticed  as  it 
 ought  to  have  been,  that  in  most  places  where  the  sub- 
 ject of  regeneration  occurs  in  Scripture,  it  is  spoken  of 
 in  connexion  with  the  exercise  of  a  right  disposition 
 towards  our  fellow  creatures :  in  proof  of  this,  I  refer  to 
 the  following  passages:  James  i,  18-20;  1  Peter  i,  22, 
 23;  u,  2,  3;  1  John  iv,  8-11.     But  I  need  not  go  for 
 
THE    HOI.Y    si'i  nil's    INFLUENCE.  195 
 
 evidence  of  this  further  than  the  context  of  the  pas 
 I  am  now  considering.  The  apostle  in  deriving  his 
 metaphor  for  the  actions  of  a  man,  from  the  produce 
 of  a  tree,  says,  "  The  fruits  of  the  Spirit  are  love,  joy, 
 peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  (that 
 is,  fidelity,)  meekness,  temperance."  These  virtues 
 almost  exclusively  refer  to  our  fellow  creatures :  yet 
 they  are  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  evident  that  they 
 are  most  of  them  only  so  many  varied  operations  and 
 exercises  of  the  chanty  which  the  apostle  so  beautifully 
 describes  in  his  epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  The  culti- 
 vation of  these  virtues  in  dependence  upon  divine  grace, 
 and  with  a  view  to  the  divine  glory,  is  walking  in  the 
 Spirit;  and  "There  is  one  point  of  view,"  Dr  Dwight 
 says,  "  in  which  the  performance  of  these  duties  more 
 effectually  evinces  the  christian  character  and  proves 
 the  reality  of  our  religion,  than  most  of  those  which 
 are  classed  under  the  head  of  piety  :  it  is  this ;  they 
 ordinarily  demand  a  greater  exercise  of  self-denial." 
 Yes,  it  is  far  easier  to  hear  a  sermon,  celebrate  the 
 Lord's  Supper,  read  a  chapter,  or  pray,  than  it  is  to 
 repress  the  feeling  of  envy,  extinguish  the  spark  of 
 resentment  kindled  by  a  supposed  injury,  or  cast  out 
 the  spirit  of  malice.  The  man  who  cherishes  in  his 
 bosom  the  disposition  of  charity  to  his  fellow  creatures, 
 from  a  deep  sense  of  God's  love  to  him  in  Christ,  and 
 who  is  enabled  to  make  some  tolerable  proficiency  in 
 learning  of  Jesus,  who  is  "  meek  and  lowly  in  heart," 
 has  more  of  the  living  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  his 
 soul,  than  he  who  is  dissolved  in  tears  or  rapt  in  ecstacy 
 under  the  burning,  melting  words  and  tones  of  some 
 eloquent  preacher.  Never  can  it  be  repeated  too  often, 
 or  expressed  too  emphatically,  that  to  walk  in  the  Spirit 
 
196  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 is  to  walk  in  love.  When  the  apostle  admonishes  us 
 not  to  grieve  this  Divine  Person,  he  suggests,  by  what 
 immediately  follows  this  extraordinary  injunction,  that 
 it  is  by  the  opposite  of  love  that  he  is  displeased ;  for 
 after  commanding  us  to  put  away  angry  feelings,  and  to 
 restrain  all  passionate  language,  he  adds,  "  Be  ye  imita- 
 tors of  God  as  dear  children,  and  walk  in  love,  as  Christ 
 also  hath  loved  us."  We  can  never  be  more  entirely 
 going  the  same  way  as  the  Spirit,  never  press  closer  to 
 his  side,  never  be  in  sweeter  fellowship  and  accord- 
 ance with  his  mind,  than  when  cultivating  the  spirit 
 of  love.  "  From  his  descending  on  Christ  in  the  form 
 of  a  dove,  as  well  as  from  many  express  declarations 
 of  Scripture,  we  may  with  certainty  conclude  the  in- 
 dulgence of  all  the  irascible  and  malignant  passions  to 
 be  peculiarly  repugnant  to  his  nature.  Vindictive  pas- 
 sions surround  the  soul  with  a  sort  of  turbulent  atmos- 
 phere, than  which  nothing  can  be  conceived  more 
 opposite  to  the  calm  and  holy  light  in  which  the  blessed 
 Spirit  loves  to  dwell."  It  is  a  well-known  phenomenon 
 in  natural  history  that  the  dew  does  not  ordinarily  fall 
 in  a  stormy  night;  so  neither  does  the  dew  of  divine 
 influence  descend  on  that  heart  which  is  given  up  to  the 
 raging  of  tempestuous  tempers.  It  must  become  calm 
 and  still  if  it  would  have  this  blessed  privilege. 
 
 4.  Walking  imports  a  progress  in  spirituality ;  a 
 going  on  in  this  divine  life,  a  gradual  drawing  nearer 
 and  nearer  to  the  end  of  our  calling  of  God  in  Christ 
 Jesus.  All  things  that  have  a  principle  of  life,  have 
 also  a  principle  of  growth,  unless  they  are  in  a  state  of 
 disease,  or  have  passed  their  perfection,  and,  according 
 to  a  law  of  nature,  begin  to  decay.  If  the  sapling  do  not 
 grow,  it  is  unhealthy ;  if  the  young  lion  do  not  grow,  it 
 
THE    HOLT    SIM  KIT'S    INFLUENCE.  1  'J  7 
 
 is  in  disease;  if  the  child  do  not  grow,  it  is  sickly;  for 
 life  tends  to  growth.  This  is  equally  true  in  reference 
 to  the  Christian,  if  there  be  life,  there  will  be  increase, 
 and  if  there  be  not,  how  can  it  be  said  there  is  walking 
 with  God  ?  All  the  figures  by  which  the  divine  life  is 
 set  forth  in  the  Word  of  God  are  taken  from  things  of 
 life  and  growth  :  it  is  the  babe  growing  to  manhood  ;  the 
 tender  seedling  growing  to  a  tree;  the  grain  of  wheat 
 growing  to  the  full  corn  in  the  ear ;  it  is  the  shining 
 light,  shining  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day. 
 What  is  set  forth  in  figure,  is  also  enjoined  in  plain 
 precept,  and  we  are  commanded  to  grow  in  grace.  Now 
 the  end  to  which  we  are  tending,  is  a  perfect  conformity 
 to  the  image  of  God ;  a  perfect  love  to  our  fcllow 
 creatures;  a  perfect  freedom  from  the  lusts  of  the  flesh ; 
 a  perfect  separation  from  all  sin;  a  perfect  emancipa- 
 tion from  the  love  of  the  world,  and  every  thing  that  is 
 contrary  to  the  love  of  God ;  a  perfect  knowledge, 
 humility,  and  holy  felicity.  In  these  things,  therefore, 
 we  ought  to  increase  now.  If  we  are  not  continually 
 advancing  towards  this  perfection ;  if  we  do  not  find  a 
 gradual  influence  of  divine  light,  life,  and  power ;  more 
 discernible  impressions  of  the  divine  image ;  a  greater 
 suitableness,  so  to  speak,  for  God,  a  closer  acquaintance 
 with  him,  a  higher  delight  in  him,  and  a  more  entire 
 devotedness  to  him,  how  can  we  imagine  we  are  walking 
 in  the  Spirit  ?  We  may  keep  moving,  but  if  it  be  in  a 
 circle,  a  round  of  empty  duties,  heartless  ceremonies, 
 and  cold  formalities,  what  proof  have  we  that  we  have 
 life,  or  if  we  have  it,  that  we  are  not  in  a  state  of  disease, 
 and  sinking  back  again  into  death  ? 
 
 Having    thus    considered   what    is   implied    in    this 
 spiritual  motion  of  the  renewed  soul,  I  go  on  to  point 
 
198  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 out  the  relation  it  bears  to  its  divine  cause.  It  is 
 walking  in  the  Spirit.  To  do  any  thing  in  the  Spirit, 
 is  to  do  it  by  his  light  and  by  his  power.  We  need 
 his  light  to  shew  us  what  is  to  be  done,  and  how  it  is 
 to  be  done ;  as  well  as  his  power  to  enable  us  to  do  it. 
 The  New  Testament  makes  frequent  mention  of  the 
 gracious  illumination  which  believers  receive  from  the 
 Divine  fountain  of  light  through  the  whole  course  of 
 their  christian  life.  In  the  natural  world,  he  who  in 
 the  beginning  said,  "  Let  there  be  light,"  and  produced 
 what  he  called  for,  repeats,  in  effect,  the  command  each 
 morning,  and  causes  the  sun  to  rise  upon  the  earth. 
 The  same  Almighty  Power  that  formed  the  orb  of  day, 
 and  produced  the  splendour  of  the  first  morning,  still 
 continues  to  fill  that  orb  with  light,  and  to  pour  forth 
 his  radiance  day  by  day.  Let  the  creating  power,  as  it 
 perpetuates  itself  in  the  providential  work  of  preserva- 
 tion, be  suspended  for  a  single  moment,  and  the  light 
 of  the  universe  would  become  extinct,  and  the  vail  of 
 darkness  fall  over  the  solar  system.  So  also  is  it  in  the 
 world  of  grace.  The  divine  Spirit  is  the  cause,  not  only 
 of  the  first  illumination  of  the  sinner's  mind,  but  of  the 
 continued  illumination  of  the  believer's  soul.  Hence, 
 the  prayers  of  the  apostle  for  the  Ephesian  and  Colos- 
 sian  churches,  Ephes.  i,  17,  18;  Col.  i,  9.  How 
 beautiful  is  his  language  to  the  former :  "  Ye  were 
 darkness,  but  now  are  ye  light  in  the  Lord,  walk  as 
 children  of  light."  "  Light  is  here  spoken  of  as  the 
 very  composition  of  the  New  Creature,  as  if  it  were  a 
 being  all  of  light;  now  are  ye  light  in  the  Lord."  They 
 are  made  up  of  light,  being  born  of  the  Spirit.  The 
 great  and  glorious  God  himself  is  called  the  God  of 
 Light;   they  are  called  the  children  of  light.     That  is 
 
THE    HOLY    SPIRITS    [NFLUENC1  L99 
 
 their  parentage.  Light  descended  of  light,  begotten 
 of  light.  "  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at 
 all."  All  converse  with  him  "  is  walking  in  the  light, 
 as  he  is  in  the  light."  "  It  is  true  that  light  signifies 
 holiness,  it  necessarily  connotes  it ;  but  then  this  only 
 doth  import  and  signify  that  the  light  which  goes  into 
 the  composition  of  a  new  creature,  is  efficacious,  refining, 
 transforming  light,  such  as  makes  the  soul  some  way 
 throughout  suitable  unto  the  notions  of  truth,  which 
 are  now  placed  in  the  speculative  understanding."  Such 
 is  the  noble  character  of  regenerated  souls ;  they  are 
 children  of  light,  sons  of  the  morning,  "  made  meet  to 
 be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light." 
 The  apostle  describes  their  present,  and  not  merely  their 
 future,  condition,  where  he  says,  "  Giving  thanks  to 
 the  Father  who  hath  made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of 
 the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light."  The  christian 
 church,  if  not  the  city  and  metropolis  of  the  kingdom 
 of  light,  is  the  suburbs  of  it ;  and  believers,  enlightened 
 by  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  already  dwelling  in  the  environs 
 of  the  world  of  light.  They  are  within  reach  of  those 
 beams  of  spiritual  radiance,  which  are  for  ever  flowing 
 forth  from  the  fountain  of  splendour.  But  they  need 
 continued  supplies  from  that  fountain,  to  sustain,  in- 
 crease, and  invigorate  the  spiritual  life  within  them. 
 The  influence  of  the  world  is  continually  opposing  and 
 counteracting  the  holy  principles  of  their  new  nature, 
 and  the  remains  of  corruption  within  are  rendering  the 
 eye  of  faith  weak,  its  perceptions  dim,  and  the  sensi- 
 bility of  the  soul  to  spiritual  objects  dull  and  obtuse. 
 The  whole  work  of  grace  in  the  soul  is  carried  on  by 
 the  instrumentality  of  truth,  and  by  the  means  of  a 
 holy  illumination  of  the  mind  to  perceive  and   feel  it. 
 
200  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 Spiritual  light  is  to  the  principles  of  holiness  in  the 
 soul,  that  which  solar  light  is  to  the  seeds  of  vegetables 
 in  the  natural  world;  they  cannot  germinate  or  grow 
 without  light,  and  their  growth  is  impeded  during  a 
 dark,  cold,  and  cloudy  season,  in  which  the  rays  of  the 
 sun  are  much  diminished  :  so  also  the  fruits  of  the 
 Spirit  cannot  grow  but  in  the  light  of  the  Spirit.  We 
 cannot  therefore  do  without  renewed  communications 
 of  this  divine  influence,  this  quickening,  vivifying  illu- 
 mination. If  it  be  withheld,  our  graces  will  appear  like 
 the  stunted  plants,  or  the  diminutive,  colourless,  taste- 
 less fruits,  of  a  short,  cold,  and  cloudy  summer.  It  is 
 only  as  spiritual  truths  are  seen  by  us  and  kept  before 
 us,  in  the  clear  and  holy  light  which  is  imparted  by  the 
 Spirit's  influence,  and  felt  by  us  to  be  entering  like 
 warm  sunbeams  into  the  very  soul  itself,  that  we  can 
 grow  in  grace.  We  need  fresh  communications  every 
 step  of  our  course  to  keep  before  us  the  glory  of  God  as 
 our  centre,  rest,  and  end;  the  loveliness,  beauty,  and  pre- 
 ciousness  of  Christ ;  the  evil  of  sin  and  the  transcendent 
 excellence  of  holiness  ;  the  sublimity  and  importance 
 of  heaven  and  eternal  life ;  and  it  is  only  by  the  Spirit, 
 that  this  can  be  done. 
 
 But  we  want  power  or  moral  ability,  as  well  as  light. 
 We  need  to  be  disposed,  moved,  and  helped  in  this 
 divine  walking.  When  a  child  is  born,  he  is  not  en- 
 dowed with  a  stock  of  life  sufficient  for  him  in  all  the 
 future  stages  of  his  growth.  Of  that  child  it  is  said 
 with  truth,  that  in  all  his  subsequent  growth  and  acti- 
 vity, "  In  God  he  lives,  and  moves,  and  has  his  being." 
 The  living,  moving,  acting  principle  of  his  nature,  is 
 still  derived  from  God  ;  he  lives  in  God,  and  does  not 
 perform  a  single  action  but  as  helped  by  God.      So  it 
 
tiik   iioi.y   snurr's   [NFLUENCE.  :2« )  1 
 
 is  with  the  new-born  child  of  God,  he  is  made  to  live  by 
 the  Divine  Parent;  but  no  stock  of  grace  is  imparted  in 
 regeneration,  sufficient  for  all  the  future  continuance, 
 growth,  and  actings  of  religion.  No,  we  must  live  and 
 move  in  the  Spirit  of  grace,  as  well  as  have  our  being  in 
 him.  We  must  all  along  act  by  the  power  of  God.  In 
 regeneration  a  new  nature  is  imparted,  composed  of 
 many  divine,  holy,  and  heavenly  principles  :  so  that  we 
 are  not  only  then  disposed  and  enabled  to  perform  a 
 single  act  or  succession  of  acts,  but  we  are  brought  into 
 a  spiritual  state ;  a  holy  nature  is  formed  as  diverse 
 from  our  former  one,  or  from  any  thing  else,  as  the. 
 nature  of  one  species  of  creature  is  from  another ;  a 
 nature  is  more  than  even  a  habit.  Now  this  nature  is 
 not  all  that  we  need,  but  it  must  itself  also  be  continually 
 excited  and  helped  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 Though  there  is  this  new  nature  in  us,  there  is  sonu  - 
 thing  else  in  us,  even  the  remains  of  the  old  and  corrupt 
 nature;  and  as  the  latter  is  continually  hindering  and 
 opposing  the  former,  the  flesh  lusting  against  the  spirit, 
 we  need  divine  power  to  quicken  and  aid  the  spirit,  and 
 enable  it  to  gain  the  victory  over  the  flesh.  To  walk  in 
 the  Spirit,  then,  is  to  do  all  things  through  the  whole 
 course  of  our  profession  in  a  frame  of  humble  and 
 constant  dependence  upon  Divine  aid. 
 
 It  is  our  unspeakable  privilege,  that  this  gracious 
 assistance  is  ensured  to  us  by  the  Word  of  God.  It  is 
 called  "  the  Spirit  of  promise,"  because  the  subject  of  so 
 many  assurances  from  God.  And  even  the  very  com- 
 mand is  an  implied  promise.  How  encouraging  as  well 
 as  extraordinary  are  the  injunctions  :  "  Be  filled  with 
 the  Spirit;"  "  Be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power 
 of  his  might;"  "  Walk  in  the  Spirit;"  as  if  all  the 
 Voi  11  o 
 
202  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 infinite,  inexhaustible  and  omnipotent  power  of  that 
 Divine  Agent,  were  at  our  command,  and  we  might 
 have  as  much  of  it  as  we  wanted,  wished,  and  chose  to 
 appropi-iate  to  ourselves. 
 
 A  few  directions  in  reference  to  this  Divine  light  and 
 power,  will  occupy  the  remainder  of  this  chapter. 
 
 1 .  Divine  agency  is  not  intended  to  supersede,  but  to 
 aid  our  own  exertions.  This  is  the  meaning  of  that  re- 
 markable passage  of  Scripture,  "  Work  out  your  salva- 
 tion with  fear  and  trembling,  for  it  is  God  that  worketh 
 in  you  to  will  and  to  do."  The  apostle  does  not  say, 
 "  As  God  works  in  you,  there  is  no  need  of  your  work- 
 ing ;"  but  on  the  contrary,  ' '  Do  you  work,  because  God 
 works."  We  must  be  as  diligent,  as  devoted,  as  intent, 
 as  if  all  depended  upon  ourselves;  as  dependent  as  if 
 we  could  do  nothing.  God  does  nothing  without  us, 
 and  we  can  do  nothing  without  him.  We  must  walk, 
 but  it  must  be  in  the  Spirit.  If  then,  we  would  have 
 Divine  aid,  we  must  not  be  found  in  a  lying,  sitting,  or 
 even  standing  posture,  but  in  a  walking  attitude.  We 
 must  gird  up  our  loins,  take  our  staff,  and  set  forward, 
 but  all  in  a  frame  of  dependance  upon  the  power  of 
 God.  "  Thou  meetest  him,"  says  the  Prophet,  "  that 
 worketh  righteousness."  God's  Spirit  comes  upon  the 
 walking,  working  servant,  not  upon  the  sleeping  one. 
 
 2.  If  we  would  have  much  of  the  Spirit,  we  must 
 have  faith  in  the  Spirit.  This  is  as  necessary  as  faith  in 
 Christ.  There  must  be  different  acts  of  faith,  appropri- 
 ate to  the  distinct  offices  and  works  of  the  Holy  Trinity 
 in  the  method  of  redemption.  We  must  believe  in  the 
 Father's  moving,  originating  love,  in  the  Son's  perform- 
 ing grace,  and  in  the  Spirit's  applying  power.    We  must 
 
THE    HOI.V    SPIRITS    [NFLUENCE.  203 
 
 believe  in  the  promises  of  this  divine  power,  consider  it 
 as  solemnly  engaged  to  believers  by  covenant,  and  as  a 
 thing  to  be  expected  according  to  the  declaration  of  the 
 Word  of  God.  It  must  not  appear  to  us  as  a  matter  so 
 vast  and  surprising  that  we  can  hardly  presume  to 
 calculate  upon  it;  for  this  is  an  obstacle  of  unbelief 
 that  will  prevent  the  divine  communication  from  flowing 
 in  upon  us.  Instead  of  wondering  at  those  large  com- 
 munications which  have  been  granted  to  particular 
 persons  and  communities,  we  should  attribute  it  to  the 
 unbelief  and  indolence  of  the  church  that  they  are  not 
 more  frequent,  and  more  copious.  Placed  as  we  are 
 under  the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit,  his  gracious 
 communications  should  no  more  surprise  us,  than 
 showers  of  rain  do  in  a  country  where  rain  abounds ; 
 it  is  drought  rather,  that  should  be  matter  of  astonish- 
 ment in  such  a  situation.  There  is  evidently  a  weak- 
 ness of  faith  in  the  church  of  Christ,  touching  this 
 divine  communication. 
 
 3.  There  must  be  deep  poverty  of  mind,  an  impressive 
 sense  of  indigence  and  dependance,  if  we  would  walk  in 
 the  Spirit,  and  be  sustained  by  his  gracious  aid.  We 
 must  feel,  as  if  in  our  spiritual  course,  we  could  not 
 stir  a  step,  nor  perform  a  single  action  without  him. 
 Our  frame  of  mind  should  be  the  very  opposite  of 
 that  of  the  church  of  Laodicea,  who  thought  they 
 had  need  of  nothing.  We  must  think  and  feel,  that  we 
 have  need  of  every  thing.  This  Divine  Agent  is  not 
 likely  to  bestow  his  aid,  where  it  is  neither  valued  nor 
 sought.  It  is  fitting  that  before  we  are  enriched  we 
 should  feel  our  poverty  and  cry  out  from  the  depths 
 of  our  indigence,  "  Have  mercy  upon  me,  for  I  am  poor 
 
204  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 and  needy."  O  where  is  this  sense  of  need  among  pro- 
 fessors of  the  present  day?  It  is  an  article  of  their 
 creed,  but  is  it  a  deep  inwrought  feeling  of  their  heart  ? 
 Do  they  look  and  talk  as  if  they  felt  their  destitution  ? 
 They  mention  it  in  their  prayers,  and  admit  it  in  their 
 conversation,  but  is  not  this  all  ?  "Whom  do  we  hear 
 mourning  their  low  estate,  their  deep  necessity  of  divine 
 grace,  and  expressing  their  longing  for  more  copious 
 effusions  of  celestial  influence  ?  Who  complains  of  the 
 drought?  Who  says,  "When  will  the  spiritual  rain 
 come?"  Who  enquires  why  the  Spirit  does  not  come 
 down  upon  the  church,  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  and 
 upon  the  wilderness  and  solitary  place  ? 
 
 "  It  is  with  a  great  many  Christians  as  it  is  said  to  have  been 
 with  Sampson,  he  wist  not  that  the  Lord  was  departed  from  him. 
 God  was  gone:  his  great  strength  was  gone,  yet  he  knew  it  not,  but 
 thought  to  have  found  it  with  him  as  at  other  times.  When  we  walk 
 or  run  from  day  to  day,  in  a  course  of  ordinary  duty,  and,  it  may  be, 
 get  nothing  by  it ;  no  life,  no  strength,  no  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
 how  little  sense  all  this  while  is  there  of  its  absence  from  us  ?  How 
 few  that  regret  the  matter !  One  would  think  that  there  should  be 
 strange  throbbings  and  palpitations  of  heart  amongst  us,  to  think 
 how  little  there  is  of  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God  breathing  in  his 
 own  ordinances,  and  through  the  most  sacred,  and  weighty,  and  im- 
 portant truths  that  we  hear,  from  time  to  time.  Mcthinks  our  hearts 
 should  misgive  us,  and  we  should  be  often  recounting  with  ourselves, 
 '  What  will  this  come  to  ?  A  religion  not  animated  by  the  Spirit,  in 
 which  there  is  no  life,  no  influence,  what  will  this  come  to  ?' " 
 
 4.  If  we  would  have  much  of  Divine  influence,  we 
 must  feel  an  intense  desire  after  the  precious  boon, 
 united  with  a  deep  sense  of  our  utter  unworthiness  of  it. 
 God  is  under  no  other  obligation  to  grant  it,  than  that 
 which  he  has  voluntarily  submitted  to,  in  binding  him- 
 self by  his  promise.     We  are  not  to  suppose  that  it  is 
 
THE    HOLY    SPIRITS    INFLUENCE.  205 
 
 this  promise,  or  the  gracious  communication  which  it 
 assures  to  us,  that  constitutes  the  ground  of  our  re- 
 sponsibility, as  if  God  could  not  justly  require  any 
 thing  from  us,  or  punish  us  for  not  doing  it,  if  he  did 
 not  grant  us  his  grace  for  its  performance.  All  that  is 
 necessary  to  make  us  accountable,  is  the  means  of  know- 
 ing what  God's  will  is,  natural  faculties  to  apprehend  it, 
 and  sufficient  motives  to  do  it.  We  have  this  without 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  whose  influence,  where  it  is  given,  is  as 
 much  an  act  of  pure  grace  and  sovereign  mercy,  as  the 
 mission  of  Jesus  Christ.  We  must,  therefore,  cast 
 away  from  us  all  idea  of  deserving  this  bestowment,  or 
 claiming  it  on  the  ground  of  justice.  We  must  feel  it 
 to  be  an  act  of  amazing  love  that  God  should  not  only 
 give  us  his  Son,  but  his  Spirit  also ;  that  it  is  an  act  of 
 most  wonderful  condescension,  never  to  be  sufficiently 
 admired,  that  God  should  make  a  temple  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost  in  our  hearts ;  a  display  of  infinitely  greater 
 condescension,  than  for  the  greatest  monarch  on  earth  to 
 take  up  his  dwelling  in  a  cottage  of  mud  for  the  benefit 
 of  his  subjects.  We  should  say,  therefore,  as  the  cen- 
 turion did,  "  Lord,  I  am  not  worthy  that  thou  shouldest 
 come  under  my  roof."  The  lower  we  lie,  and  the 
 deeper  we  sink  in  humility  and  a  sense  of  unworthiness, 
 the  more  we  shall  have  of  this  blessed  power.  The 
 grace  of  God,  like  the  dew,  falls  everywhere,  but  falls  in 
 greatest  abundance  in  the  valley,  and  lies  longest  in  the 
 shade.  But  this  sense  of  unworthiness  must  not  check 
 our  desire  for  it ;  we  cannot  deserve  it,  but  we  must 
 desire  it ;  yes,  and  with  vehement  longings  of  the  soul, 
 and  pantings  of  the  heart.  And  can  we  need  to  be 
 stirred  up  to  desire  so  inestimable  a  benefit?     What! 
 
206  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 are  arguments  necessary  to  prove  to  us  the  value  of  that, 
 without  which  our  body  is  but  the  sepulchre  of  a  dead 
 soul,  and  our  whole  existence  but  walking  in  a  vain 
 show  ?  Are  motives  necessary  to  induce  us  to  seek 
 after' that  without  which  we  are  dead  while  we  live? 
 
 CI 
 
 If  we  could  do  without  it,  we  need  not  desire  it;  if  we 
 could  not  have  it,  it  would  be  vain  to  cherish  any  long- 
 ings after  it;  but  when  it  is  essential  to  our  spiritual 
 existence ;  when  it  is  promised  by  God ;  when  we  are 
 commanded  to  seek  it ;  when  the  possession  of  it  in  a 
 large  measure  may  be  solicited ;  when  the  possession  of 
 it  would  be  followed  by  such  happy  results,  how  earnestly 
 should  we  covet  it,  and  vehemently  pant  for  it !  O ! 
 did  we  but  properly  consider  what  a  glorious  communi- 
 cation the  Spirit  of  God  is,  and  what  a  blessed  thing  it 
 is  to  be  filled  with  the  Spirit ;  what  an  honour  and  a 
 felicity  it  is  to  have  this  divine  guest  taking  full  possession 
 of  our  soul  as  his  temple,  overshadowing  us  with  his 
 glory,  and  filling  us  with  his  presence,  as  he  did  the 
 Holy  of  Holies  on  Mount  Zion,  how  eagerly  should  we 
 long  for  it,  and  how  intensely  should  we  breathe  forth 
 the  desires  of  our  soul  after  it !  In  the  visible  heavens, 
 we  see  God  above  us ;  in  the  earth,  God  around  us ;  in 
 the  law,  God  against  us ;  in  Christ,  God  with  us ;  but 
 in  the  in-dwelling  of  the  Spirit  we  have  God  in  us. 
 And  if  it  be  the  presence  of  God  that  makes  heaven, 
 then  by  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit,  we  have  something 
 of  heaven  upon  earth.  It  not  only  leads  us  to  the  porch 
 of  heaven  and  the  confines  of  eternity;  not  only  con- 
 ducts us  to  the  top  of  Pisgah,  where  we  may  take  a 
 survey  of  the  promised  land  ;  but  carries  us  to  the 
 Mount   of  Transfiguration,  where  beholding,   as  in  a 
 
THK    BOLT    SPIRIT  B    INFLUENCE.  207 
 
 glass,  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  we  are  changed,  as  by  the 
 Spirit  of  the  Lord,  from  glory  to  glory,  into  the  same 
 image.  O  Christians,  let  us  stir  up  our  hearts  to  covet 
 this  heavenly  communication.  Let  us  set  before  our 
 minds  the  sad  case  of  those  who  are  destitute  of  it,  or 
 have  but  small  measures  of  it;  how  low,  and  earthly, 
 and  vain  a  life  they  are  living;  how  little  of  God,  or 
 Christ,  or  heaven,  or  holiness,  there  appears  in  them  j 
 and  how  much  is  such  a  course  to  be  dreaded.  Let  us 
 consider  what  blessed  fruits,  what  holy  tempers,  what 
 spiritual  joys,  what  foretastes  of  heaven,  what  blossom- 
 ings of  glory,  would  result  to  us  from  large  measures 
 of  this  divine  light  and  power.  Let  us,  therefore,  shake 
 off  our  indolence,  resist  the  world,  put  away  every 
 obstacle  to  the  coming  down  upon  us,  and  into  us,  of 
 this  holy  influence.  Let  us  open  the  doors  of  our  hearts, 
 and  keep  them  wide  open  for  the  entrance  of  this 
 heavenly  visitant.  Let  us  look  for  him,  wait  for  him, 
 and  long  for  him,  as  we  should  for  the  arrival  of  a 
 friend  that  was  to  bring  us  a  medicine  which  would 
 save  us  from  death,  or  property  that  was  to  prevent  us 
 from  going  to  prison. 
 
 5.  If  we  would  have  the  Holy  Spirit  to  assist  us  in  the 
 divine  walk,  we  must  earnestly  pray  for  it.  This  is  the 
 gracious  blessing  which  our  Lord  has  encouraged  us  to 
 solicit,  by  that  touching  appeal  which  he  makes  to  our 
 own  parental  feelings,  "  If  ye  being  evil  know  how  to  give 
 good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  more  shall  your 
 Heavenly  Father  give  his  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
 him."  Wonderful  passage  !  It  teaches  us  that  having 
 given  us  his  Son,  his  Holy  Spirit  is  the  next  boon  which 
 his  paternal  heart  is  delighted  to  bestow  ;  and  which; 
 
208  PROFESSORS    DEPENDENT    UPON 
 
 like  the  mother  waiting  to  feed  a  hungry,  crying,  and 
 imploring  child,  he  is  ready  to  grant.  But  oh,  where 
 I  ask  again,  where  are  those  vehement  longings  after 
 the  Spirit,  which  are  breathed  forth  in  fervent,  believing 
 and  effectual  prayers;  those  pantings  after  God,  those 
 longings  and  thirstings  after  righteousness  which  are 
 represented  as  bringing  after  them  their  own  gratifica- 
 tion ?  To  be  rich  in  worldly  gain,  not  rich  in  spiritual 
 influence,  is  the  object  with  the  great  multitude  of  pro- 
 fessing Christians. 
 
 6.  If  we  would  have  the  Spirit,  there  must  be  the 
 resignation  of  ourselves  to  his  guiding  wisdom  and 
 governing  power;  the  giving  up  of  ourselves  into  his 
 hands,  to  be  habitually  led  by  him.  Just  such  a  sur- 
 render and  such  a  following  him,  as  we  should  determine 
 upon  in  reference  to  a  skilful  guide  who  had  undertaken 
 to  conduct  us  over  high  mountains,  by  the  side  of 
 dangerous  precipices.  How  we  should  mark  his  foot- 
 steps, watch  the  motion  of  his  arm,  as  it  pointed  out 
 the  track,  and  in  some  instances  entreat  him  to  take  us 
 by  the  hand,  and  lead  us  forward.  So  should  we  give 
 ourselves  up  to  be  led  and  helped  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 
 There  should  be  a  flexible  frame  of  mind,  yielding  to 
 the  gentlest  touches;  a  docile  spirit,  learning  by  the 
 most  distant  hints.  "  As  the  natural  consequence," 
 says  Mr  Hall,  in  his  valuable  tract  on  the  work  of  the 
 Spirit, 
 
 "  of  being  long  under  the  guidance  of  another,  is  a  quick  perception 
 of  his  meaning,  so  that  we  can  meet  his  wishes  before  they  are  verb- 
 ally expressed;  something  of  this  ready  discernment,  accompanied 
 with  instant  compliance,  may  reasonably  be  expected  from  those  who 
 profess  to  be  habitually  led  by  the  Spirit.  You  have  sometimes  felt 
 a  peculiar  seriousness  of  mind,  the  delusive  glare  of  worldly  objects 
 
THE    HOLY    SPIRIT'S    INFLUENCE. 
 
 has  laded  away,  or  become  dim  before  your  eyes,  and  deatb  and 
 eternity  appearing  at  the  door,  have  filled  the  whole  field  of  vision. 
 
 Have  you  improved  such  seasons,  for  lixing  those  maxims  and  estab- 
 lishing those  practical  conclusions,  which  may  produce  an  habitual 
 sobriety  of*  mind  when  things  appear  under  a  different  aspect.  The 
 Spirit  is  said  to  make  intercession  for  the  saints  with  groanings  that 
 cannot  be  uttered.  When  yon  have  frit  those  ineffable  longings  after 
 God,  have  you  indulged  them  to  the  uttermost?  Have  you  stretched 
 every  sail,  launched  forth  into  the  deep  of  the  divine  perfections  and 
 promises,  and  possessed  yourselves,  as  much  as  possible,  of  the  ful- 
 ness of  God  ?  There  are  moments  when  the  conscience  of  a  good 
 man  is  more  tender,  has  a  nicer  and  more  discriminating  touch  than 
 usual  ;  the  evil  of  sin  in  general,  and  of  his  own  in  particular,  appears 
 in  a  more  pure  and  piercing  light.  Have  you  availed  yourselves  of 
 such  seasons  as  these  for  searching  into  the  chambers  of  imagery,  and 
 while  you  detected  greater  and  greater  abominations,  been  at  pains 
 to  bring  them  out  and  lay  them  before  the  Lord?  Have  such  visita- 
 tions effected  something  towards  the  mortification  of  sin  ;  or  have 
 they  been  suffered  to  expire  in  mere  ineffectual  resolutions?  There 
 are  moments  in  the  experience  of  a  good  man,  when  he  feels  a  more 
 than  ordinary  softness  of  mind  ;  the  frost  of  selfishness  dissolves,  and 
 his  heart  flows  forth  in  love  to  God  and  his  fellow-creatures.  How 
 careful  should  we  be  to  cherish  such  a  frame,  and  to  embrace  the 
 opportunity  of  subduing  resentment  and  of  healing  those  wounds  that 
 it  is  scarcely  possible  to  avoid,  in  passing  through  this  unquiet 
 world." 
 
 Walk  then,  brethren,  in  the  Spirit.  Cherish  an  ha- 
 bitual sense  of  dependence  on  that  Divine  Agent.  The 
 christian  profession  is  a  great  and  awful  thing;  to  fail 
 in  it  will  be  dreadful,  yea,  intolerable  misery.  To  fail 
 here  is  to  fail  for  eternity,  to  miscarry  in  the  greatest 
 and  most  solemn  transaction  in  which  we  can  ever  be 
 engaged.  And  fail  we  must,  if  the  Spirit  of  God  do 
 not  help  us.  We  may  not  become  immoral,  or  infidels, 
 or  heretical,  or  profane;  but  we  shall  lie  down  and 
 die  in  worldly-mindedness ;  we  shall  perish  in  apparent 
 respectability  and  comfort ;  we  shall  sink  to  the  bottom- 
 
210      DEPENDENCE  UPON  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT^  INFLUENCE. 
 
 less  pit  amidst  ease,  and  wealth,  and  all  that  is  pleasant 
 iu  this  world ;  we  shall  go  down  to  the  regions  of  eternal 
 night  from  the  very  midst  of  the  church,  if  we  have  not 
 the  Spirit  of  God.  Be  this,  then,  our  supreme,  our 
 habitual,  our  ever-quickening,  moving  solicitude,  to 
 obtain  the  Spirit  of  God.  There  is  no  other  way  to 
 live,  but  by  the  Spirit;  no  other  way  to  walk,  but  by 
 the  Spirit;  this  is  the  principle  of  holy  vitality  in  our 
 profession,  which  will  render  it  like  a  tree  verdant  in  its 
 leaf,  and  abundant  in  its  fruit;  but  without  which,  it 
 will  be  a  fruitless  vine,  withered  in  its  foliage,  scathed 
 in  its  branches  and  its  trunk,  and  fit  for  nothing  but  to 
 be  cut  down,  aud  cast  into  the  fire. 
 
Till     DYING    PROFESSOR.  2]  1 
 
 CHAPTER    XX. 
 
 THE    DYING    PROFESSOR. 
 
 "  It  is  appointed  unto  all  men  once  to  die  •"  there  is 
 no  exemption,  even  for  believers,  from  this  decree.  They 
 are  delivered  from  the  sting  of  death,  but  not  from  its 
 stroke ;  still,  in  one  sense,  they  conquer,  like  their 
 divine  Lord,  in  being  conquered.  "  If  ever  Christi- 
 anity," says  Mr  Hall,  "  appears  in  its  power,  it  is  when 
 it  erects  its  trophies  on  the  tomb;  when  it  takes  up 
 its  votaries  where  the  world  leaves  them,  and  fills  the 
 breast  with  immortal  hopes  in  dying  moments."  Christ 
 triumphed  for  his  saints,  by  his  own  death,  and  he  is 
 continually  renewing  the  victory  in  them,  amidst  all  the 
 sufferings  and  decay  of  their  own  dissolution.  This  is 
 beautifully  illustrated  in  the  subject  of  the  present 
 chapter  j  in  which  we  are  to  contemplate  the  Christian's 
 termination  of  her  profession  on  earth,  and  see  her 
 finishing  her  course  with  joy.  I  shall  not  exhibit  to 
 my  readers  an  ideal  scene,  but  lay  before  them  one  of 
 those  glorious  and  blissful  realities,  which  are  contin- 
 ually occurring  in  the  dying  chamber  of  believers,  that 
 border  land  which  connects  the  regions  of  earth  and 
 heaven,  and  where  the  darkest  scenes  of  the  one  are 
 frequently  irradiated  by  the  reflected  glory  of  the 
 other. 
 
212 
 
 THE    DYING 
 
 Mrs  P[inson]  was  a  member  of  the  church  under  my 
 pastoral  oversight  about  ten  years,  and  was  one  of 
 many,  who  never  cost  her  pastor's  heart  a  sigh  till  he 
 lost  her.  Lovely  in  person,  gentle  and  affectionate  in 
 her  disposition,  she  added  a  lustre  to  her  consistency  as 
 a  Christian,  by  all  that  usually  interests  us  in  the 
 general  character.  Tried  much,  and  often,  in  the  fur- 
 nace of  affliction,  her  faith,  more  precious  than  gold 
 that  perishes,  was  found  unto  the  praise,  and  honour, 
 and  glory  of  Jesus  Christ.  At  length  her  last  sickness 
 came  on,  in  the  form  of  a  lingering  consumption.  It 
 found  her  the  happy  wife  of  an  affectionate  and  devoted 
 husband,  and  the  fond  mother  of  a  son  twelve  years 
 of  age,  and  two  daughters,  one  ten,  and  the  other  eight. 
 Possessing  such  ties  to  life,  she  was  called  to  submit 
 to  the  stroke  of  death.  Her  profession,  which  always 
 was  a  clear  and  steady  light,  now  shone  forth  with 
 radiance  that  made  her  departure  resemble  a  beautiful 
 sun-set,  after  a  cloudless  day.  Amidst  the  alternations 
 usually  produced  by  the  flattering  illusions  of  her  dis- 
 order, she  was  never  elated  by  hope,  or  depressed  by 
 fear,  but  smiled  on  her  physician,  whether  he  spoke  of 
 recovery  or  of  death.  However  languishing  with  weak- 
 ness, racked  by  pain,  or  harassed  by  coughing,  she  was 
 instantly  roused  and  made  happy,  by  one  word  of  death 
 or  Christ.  Such  was  the  charm  of  these  themes,  that  I 
 have  frequently  seen  their  potency  change  her  counte- 
 nance in  a  moment,  from  an  expression  of  great  suffer- 
 ing, to  a  smile  that  looked  like  a  ray  of  the  excellent 
 glory,  falling  on  her  previously  dim  and  languid  eye. 
 Instead,  however,  of  speaking  of  her,  or  attempting  to 
 describe  her,  I  will  let  her  speak  for  herself.  As  I  was 
 about  to  leave  home  for  a  few  days,  and  supposed  that 
 
PROFESSOR.  213 
 
 her  end  was  not  remote,  I  requested  her  husband  to 
 take  minutes  of  any  remarks  that  might  drop  from  her 
 lips,  in  order  that  I  might  be  in  possession  of  her  last 
 t  istimony  to  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  the  power 
 of  religion.  The  following  diary,  extending  only  through 
 ten  days,  is  but  a  specimen  of  what  occurred  almost 
 uninterruptedly  for  many  months. 
 
 "  Tell  Mr  James,"  she  said  one  day,  "  that  the  fear  and  sting  of  death 
 are  both  taken  away :  the  fear,  because  Christ  died  for  sinners:  the 
 sting,  because  he  fulfilled  and  magnified  the  law."  And  in  reply  to 
 a  remark  that  death  was  hard  work,  l:  No,"  she  said,  "  sweet  death, 
 that  opens  heaven  and  shuts  out  earth." 
 
 This  morning  sin-  awoke  exceedingly  happy  and  said,  "What  a 
 mercy  it  is  to  have  a  Father  in  heaven.  I  wake  every  morning  more 
 happy,  with  more  love  to  God,  and  more  deadness  to  the  world.  0 
 my  happy  midnight  hours !  The  tilings  I  most  dreaded,  I  find  most 
 mercy  in.  I  cannot  say  much,  but  I  wish  when  I  can  say  a  few 
 words  only,  to  utter  the  praises  of  that  God  who  is  so  good  to  me." 
 
 At  another  time  she  said,  "  My  bliss  is  too  great  to  be  endured  on 
 earth,  and  it  is  too  pure  for  it.  Oh  !  seek  God  earnestly  with  all  the 
 heart,  and  then  he  will  comfort  you  on  a  death-bed,  in  the  same  way 
 he  now  comforts  me.  Confess  to  him  all  your  sins,  make  no  reserve, 
 and  remember  not  to  put  off  the  confession  of  little  sins,  for  they  will 
 only  harden  the  heart,  and  delay  will  make  the  confession  more 
 difficult  at  last." 
 
 "I  have  been  unspeakably  happy,"  she  said  "to-night.  Oh!  seek 
 God  with  all  your  heart;  seek  him  while  he  may  be  found,  call  upon 
 him  while  he  is  near."  On  having  her  pillows  adjusted  and  made 
 easy,  her  uplifted  hands  and  eyes  spoke  more  than  words  could  do, 
 her  feelings  of  gratitude  and  thankfulness ;  "  How  can  I  sufficiently 
 adore  and  honour  God,  for  all  his  mercies  towards  me.  I  feel  my 
 heart  almost  ready  to  burst,  and  my  whole  soul  swallowed  up  in 
 gratitude  aud  love  to  him;  surely,  surely,  heaven  is  begun  below!" 
 
 Sin-  observed,  "Satan  has  been  tempting  me  in  the  night,  by  a 
 sense  of  past  sins,  but  I  have  been  enabled  to  beat  him  off,  by 
 praying  for  faith,  and  looking  steadily  at  the  cross.  This  life  is  as 
 St.  Paul  describes  it,  a  constant  fight ;  I  have  found  it  to  be  so,  but 
 the  idea  that  it's  so  near  a  close  is  to  me  exquisite.  You  will 
 (addressing  me)  find  it  so  yourself,  but  watch  and  pray,  and  y    1 
 
214  THE    DYING 
 
 will  ultimately  triumph.  Sin  is  mixed  with  every  thing  here,  and 
 remember,  whatever  comes  between  the  soul  and  God,  as  a  cloud 
 to  dim  the  lustre  of  his  glory,  is  sin.  I  was  much  struck  with 
 this  idea  about  eighteen  years  ago,  in  attending  the  theatre,  at  the 
 particular  request  of  a  friend;  for  I  found  when  I  retired  to  bed,  I 
 could  not  pray ;  which  convinced  me  of  the  sinfulness  of  the  theatre, 
 and  I  never  went  again."  This  morning  she  joined  the  whole  family 
 in  singing,  "  When  I  can  read  my  title  clear,"  &c.  She  did  so  in 
 a  peculiarly  animated  manner,  but  with  so  trembling  and  feeble  a 
 voice,  that  it  was  pleasure  mixed  with  pain,  and  the  circumstance 
 will  never  be  forgotten.  During  the  day,  such  was  her  patience 
 and  resignation,  that  in  allusion  to  her  sufferings  she  said,  "  I  think 
 I  could  bear  a  little  more,  if  God  thought  fit  to  lay  it  upon  me ;"  and 
 looking  upon  her  poor  skeleton  fingers,  added  "I  like  to  see  them;" 
 and  then  with  an  apparent  smile  of  triumph  said,  "You  know  you 
 cannot  keep  me  here  much  longer,  I  shall  soon  be  gone." 
 
 This  last  night  has  been  to  her  a  sleepless,  restless  one ;  she 
 appears  almost  worn  out,  and  to  be  much  engaged  in  prayer  for 
 waiting  patience:  she  said,  "What  an  unspeakable  mercy  it  is,  that 
 I've  not  a  doubt  or  a  fear !  but  pray  for  me,  that  I  may  so  continue 
 to  the  end,  for  many  a  good  Christian  is  permitted  to  be  much 
 harassed  by  the  enemy  at  last ;  I  have  been  much  distressed  to-night 
 by  Satan.  I  found  I  could  not  pray,  but  the  passage  came  to  my 
 mind,  'There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are 
 in  Christ  Jesus,'  &c,  and  this  comforted  me." 
 
 A  few  days  ago  she  sent  a  message  to  a  friend,  that  she  would 
 send  him  the  "Anxious  Enquirer;"  with  her  dying  request  that  he 
 would  not  only  read  it  attentively,  but  with  prayer ;  and  if  he 
 did,  she  was  sure  it  would  conduct  him  in  a  safer  and  surer  way 
 to  happiness,  than  he  was  now  going.  To-day  she  sent  the  book,  and 
 how  much  was  she  rejoiced  at  hearing  that  he  had  become  so  im- 
 patient for  it,  as  to  send  to  town  to  buy  one,  and  was  then  engaged 
 in  reading  it :  may  her  prayer  that  it  may  be  blessed  to  his  con- 
 version be  answered ! 
 
 To-day  she  is  so  exceedingly  feeble,  that  I  can  scarcely  hear  her 
 speak,  but  with  difficulty  I  caught  the  following  words :  "  What  a 
 mercy  it  is  that  the  work  is  finished,  and  that  when  in  health  I 
 sought  God  with  all  my  heart,  in  his  own  appointed  way :  I  cannot 
 talk  to-day,  I  feel  so  ill :  but  all  is  sweet  peace  within  :  I  die,  resting 
 simply  on  the  righteousness  of  Christ."  In  the  evening  she  said, 
 "  My  God,  my  Bible,  and  my  Saviour,  are  increasing  sources  of  hap- 
 
1'KOFESSOR. 
 
 ss,  to  which  I  can  turn  at  any  moment,  without  disappointment, 
 
 and  I  find  them  more  solid  as  other  things  fade  away." 
 
 In  reply  to  the  words,  "God  bless  you,"  I  addressed  to  her  this 
 morning,  she  said,  "Ah  !  God  does  indeed  bless  me  with  the  choicest 
 of  his  blessings  ;  he  supplies  all  ray  necessary  wants,  and  '  Whatever 
 else  I  think  I  want,  'tis  right  to  be  denied.' "  This  afternoon  she  has 
 fatigued  and  weakened  herself  by  again  talking  for  a  long  time  to 
 
 Mrs ,  as  to  her  soul's  concerns.    Mrs  at  one  time  made  a 
 
 great  profession  of  religion,  and  was  apparently  before  my  poor  wife 
 in  the  christian  race,  but  the  world  has  laid  fast  hold  upon  her  and 
 she  has  backslidden.  My  dear  wife  is  much  interested  about  her,  and 
 considers  she  is  not  a  lost  character,  as  she  appears  not  only  to  be 
 aware  of,  but  to  feel  her  sad  state,  and  is  an  unhappy  woman,  and 
 augurs  much  from  what  she  has  said  to  her  during  the  two  inter- 
 views,    Mr  received  his  present  of  the  book,  she  said,  with 
 
 much  pleasure,  and  was  affected  with  the  idea  that  there  was  one  in 
 the  world  who  cared  for  his  soul,  and  intimated  his  wish,  if  there  was 
 no  impropriety,  to  see  my  wife,  to  which  she  assented.  If  he  come, 
 may  God  strengthen  her  for  the  interview,  for  she  is  determined,  by 
 the  help  of  God,  to  be  plain  and  faithful,  and  say  much  to  him. 
 
 Very  ill  to-day  and  yesterday ;  she  suffers  much  from  great  diffi- 
 culty iu  breathing,  and  spasms  in  the  chest.  When  a  little  relieved, 
 she  said,  "  Oh,  what  a  mercy  it  is  to  feel  patience  and  perfect  resigna- 
 tion ;  I  can  say  from  my  heart,  Lord,  thy  time,  thy  will,  thy  way." 
 
 Her  prayers  for  my  spiritual  good,  accompanied  with  her  sincere 
 thanks  for  what  she  termed  my  great  kindness  and  affection  to  her 
 as  a  husband,  were  very  affecting ;  "  Love  and  serve  God,"  she  said, 
 'with  all  your  heart,  soul,  and  strength,  and  let  this  be  a  fixed  and 
 settled  principle  in  all  the  concerns  of  life."  In  the  midst  of  her 
 sufferings,  and  they  were  very  severe,  she  said,  "  I  love  God  more 
 than  ever."  In  the  afternoon  she  said,  "I  could  not  have  thought 
 that  any  one  could  have  suffered  so  much,  and  yet  live  :  and  if  God 
 inflicts  such  sufferings  upon  his  own  children,  what  must  the  pains 
 of  hell  be  to  the  wicked  ?  0  sin  !  sin  !  Remember,  all  sorrow  and 
 suffering  are  the  fruits  and  effects  of  sin.  I  cannot  think  what  the 
 wicked  do  on  a  death-bed,  when  the  horrors  of  the  mind  are  added  to 
 the  pains  of  the  body." 
 
 Her  sufferings  increased,  and  she  was  at  a  loss  to  reconcile  the 
 sufferings  of  God's  people  with  her  belief  iu  his  great  kindness  and 
 regard  towards  them;  and  it  was  apparent  that  though  she  had  so 
 often  said  that  she  had  no  doubts,  no  fears,  no  anxieties,  yet  that  a 
 
216  THE    DYING 
 
 dark  cloud  was  coming  over  the  mind.  "  This  is  indeed,"  she  said, 
 "  the  hour  and  power  of  darkness  ;  it  is  horrible." 
 
 Mr called  on  Monday  morning  to  talk  and  pray  with  her. 
 
 His  visit  much  consoled  her,  and  in  an  hour  or  two  after,  her  spirit 
 seemed  to  emerge  from  the  darkness  which  had  for  so  many  hours 
 hung  over  her,  and  all  was  bright  sunshine  again.  She  then  said, 
 "  All  is  sweet  peace  again,  solid  peace.  I  am  as  certain  of  heaven  as 
 if  I  were  already  there;  not  that  I  have  merited  heaven,  no  :  I  have 
 no  works,  no  worthiness.  'Nothing  in  my  hand  I  bring,  simply  to 
 Thy  cross  I  cling.'  " 
 
 The  words  of  the  Psalmist,  "  Thou  hast  brought  me  up  out  of  an 
 horrible  pit,  out  of  the  miry  clay,  and  set  my  feet  upon  a  rock,"  &c, 
 were  peculiarly  expressive  of  her  state  and  feelings  now. 
 
 Perhaps  nothing  need  be  added  to  this  testimony  of  her  husband  ; 
 I  will,  however,  give  the  substance  of  only  one  or  two  conversations 
 I  had  with  her  during  the  last  few  days  of  her  mortal  conflict.  On 
 one  occasion  she  said,  "  I  have  lain  awake  night  after  night,  ex- 
 amining the  foundation  of  my  hope,  but  I  cannot  find  a  single  flaw. 
 I  depend  entirely  upon  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  for  acceptance  with 
 God,  and  not  at  all  upon  my  own  works.  I  have  not  a  doubt  or  a 
 fear.  I  have  had  my  seasons  of  spiritual  distress,  but  have  been 
 enabled  by  God's  Spirit  to  be  faithful." 
 
 Speaking  of  her  children,  who  had  been  for  some  time  removed 
 from  home,  she  said,  "  When  I  first  saw  them  after  their  return,  I  felt 
 a  pang  at  the  thought  of  leaving  them ;  but  I  prayed  for  faith,  and 
 was  enabled  instantly  to  give  up  both  them  and  my  husband." 
 
 At  another  time,  she  exclaimed,  "  0  that  all  the  world  knew  what 
 I  enjoyed,  they  would  not  then  neglect  religion.  I  now  feel  the 
 advantage  of  a  remark  I  met  with  some  time  since  in  an  old  author, 
 '  Tt  is  well  to  lay  up  a  good  stock  of  prayers  for  a  dying  hour.' "  By 
 which  she  meant  as  the  author  did,  that  through  her  whole  pro- 
 fession, she  had  been  much  engaged  in  prayer  to  God  for  his  com- 
 fortable presence  and  gracious  support  in  her  dying  hour.  She  then 
 adverted  to  the  answer  of  her  prayers,  which  she  was  receiving,  and 
 said,  "  This  state  of  mind  is  not  natural  to  me.  I  used  to  be  much 
 afraid  of  dying,  and  this  led  me  to  be  much  in  prayer ;  and  now  see 
 how  God  is  granting  my  request." 
 
 About  the  time  of  this  interview  of  my  own,  a  friend  called  upon 
 her,  who  upon  hearing  her  talk  beyond  her  strength,  gently  admon- 
 ished her  to  spare  herself.  "  Oh,  it  matters  not,"  she  replied,  "  I 
 believe  I  shall  die  to-night,  and  it  does  not  signify  ;  I  wanted  to  pray 
 
PBOPESSOB.  :i  1  7 
 
 for  my  minister  in  his  presence  when  he  was  last  here,  Inn  bad  not 
 courage."    And  then  lifting  ap  her  eyes  to  heaven,  poured  forth  a 
 
 most  fervent  and  appropriate  prayer  both  for  him  and  liis  wife. 
 
 At  a  subsequent  visit  finding  her,  beyond  expectation,  alive,  I 
 said,  "  What  still  in  the  flesh  ?"  and  knowing  the  danger  of  her 
 becoming  impatient  to  be  gone,  I  asked  her  if  she  was  willing  to  wait 
 in  her  Buffering  state,  any  time  that  God  might  see  fit  to  detain  her 
 on  earthy  "Quite,"  she  replied,  "quite  willing  to  wait  and  wait  and 
 suffer  any  time,  for  I  am  sure  God  will  give  me  grace.  I  am  a  wonder 
 to  myself.  I  am  a  monument  of  mercy.  0  the  mercies  of  God. 
 What  a  mercy  the  work  of  salvation  is  all  done  !  What  a  blessing  to 
 have  the  soul  safe !  I  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  go.  I  am  quite 
 ready.  When  my  husband  reads  the  Scriptures  to  me,  I  now  see  a 
 glory  greater  than  I  ever  saw  before.  I  see  them  in  a  new  light.  No 
 other  book  but  the  Bible  will  do  now.  I  cannot  bear,  sir,  (turning  to 
 me,  she  said)  even  your  books  now.  Nothing  but  the  pure  truth  of 
 God  will  do  now.  Sometimes  it  seems  as  if  God  had  direct  commu- 
 nion with  my  soul." 
 
 Then  speaking  of  the  generality  of  professors  of  all  denominations, 
 she  said  "  0  what  a  difference  have  I  seen  in  those  I  have  had  to  do 
 with.  They  do  not  live  near  enough  to  God :  they  are  too  worldly. 
 Tell  those  of  our  church,  from  me,  to  live  closer  to  God,  and  to  give 
 themselves  more  up  to  his  service.  I  love  the  church  of  which  I  am 
 a  member.  I  die  in  communion  with  every  member  of  it;  but  charge 
 them  from  me,  to  be  less  worldly  and  to  live  nearer  to  God." 
 
 She  then  gave  utterance  to  a  lamentation  over  some  acquaintances 
 whom  she  feared  had  been  living  without  spiritual  religion,  and 
 charged  me  to  speak  seriously  after  her  decease  to  one  friend  in  par- 
 ticular, on  this  subject.  After  this,  followed  a  strain  of  exulting  hope 
 of  the  heavenly  world.  "  There  I  shall  see  the  apostle  Paul,  and  all 
 the  blessed  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect :  and  above  all  the  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  and  be  overshadowed  with  his  glory." 
 
 A  lady  of  great  respectability  and  intelligence,  but  holding  Uni- 
 tarian sentiments,  who  had  been  exceedingly  kind  to  her,  visited  her 
 more  than  once,  and  was  so  struck  with  the  scene,  that  she  not  only 
 wept  abundantlj',  but  took  two  of  her  daughters  with  her  to  wit 
 it  also,  and  see  how  peacefully  a  Christian  could  die.  The  mind 
 of  the  dying  saint  felt  some  fear  lest  she  should  not  have  courage  to 
 bear  testimony  on  behalf  of  her  Divine  Lord,  or  speak  with  propriety 
 on  those  truths  which  then  yielded  her  strong  consolation.  She 
 prayed  earnestly  to  God  for  help,  and  help  was  granted  her;  and  it 
 
 Vol.  11  P 
 
218  THE    DYING 
 
 was  delightful  to  observe  with  what  modest  thankfulness  she  acknow- 
 ledged the  grace  she  had  obtained  to  be  faithful.  Indeed  it  was  one 
 pleasing  feature  of  her  dying  experience  that  she  was  anxious  to  do 
 good  to  all  around  her,  and  scarcely  any  came  to  her  dying  bed,  who 
 did  not  carry  from  it  some  instructive  admonition.  Among  others, 
 her  nurse  was  an  object  of  most  tender  solicitude,  and  while  anxious 
 for  her  spiritual  welfare,  she  did  not  forget  her  temporal  comfort,  as 
 the  following  little  incident  will  prove.  Among  the  friends  who 
 visited  her,  was  one  who  was  in  the  habit  of  distributing  garments  to 
 the  poor,  from  whom  with  great  diffidence  she  solicited  a  flannel 
 gown,  that  the  poor  woman,  when  she  herself  was  in  the  grave,  might 
 be  protected  from  the  cold  in  her  night  watches  in  sick  chambers  that 
 might  not  be  so  warm  as  that  in  which  she  had  waited  upon  her. 
 Such  a  considerateness  of  the  comfort  of  others,  when  flesh  and  heart 
 were  failing  her,  is  a  beautiful  exemplification  of  the  charity  that 
 is  kind. 
 
 Among  other  things  she  uttered  during  the  last  day  or  two  of  her 
 life,  she  said,  "I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course, 
 I  have  kept  the  faith  :  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown 
 of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give  me 
 at  that  day ;  and  not  to  me  only,  but  to  them  also  that  love  his 
 appearing."  The  words  "  Not  to  me  only,  but  to  them  also  that  love 
 his  appearing,"  seemed  to  give  her  peculiar  delight.  "The  nearer  I 
 get  home,"  she  continued,  "the  clearer  I  see  my  Father's  house,  and 
 the  more  certain  I  am  I  shall  be  welcome  there."  On  a  great  increase 
 of  bodily  pain,  she  faintly  said  "  Spirit  brighter  ;  suffering  very  mys- 
 terious." Her  last  words  in  reference  to  her  state  of  mind  were, 
 "Peace,  peace,  0  sweet  peace!"  She  died  with  her  finger  pointing 
 up  to  heaven. 
 
 Behold  the  dying  professor,  and  receive  her  testi- 
 mony to  the  grace  and  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 who  having  put  his  righteousness  upon  her,  and  his 
 Spirit  within  her,  has  called  her  to  join  the  palm- 
 bearing  multitude  in  making  her  confession  before  the 
 angels  of  God.  "  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints ; 
 here  are  they  that  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and 
 the  faith  of  Jesus.  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven, 
 saying  unto  me  write,  blessed  are  the  dead  that  die  in 
 the  Lord  from  henceforth:  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that 
 
PROFESSOR.  219 
 
 they  may  rest  from  their  labours,  and  their  works  do 
 follow  them." 
 
 Thus  ends,  though  not  in  all  cases  with  the  same 
 degree  of  holy  triumph,  the  profession  of  the  sincere, 
 consistent,  and  exemplary  Christian.  How  bright  a 
 scene ;  how  beautiful  and  how  powerful  a  testimony  to 
 the  reality  and  excellence  of  religion  !  I  need  not  ask, 
 whether  infidelity  can  produce,  or  ever  did  produce  any- 
 thing like  it,  or  whether  philosophy  ever  did  so  with  her 
 enchantments.  Socrates,  conversing  so  calmly  with  his 
 friends  on  the  subject  of  immortality,  just  before  he 
 drank  the  hemlock,  is  a  feeble  exhibition  of  moral 
 grandeur,  compared  with  this.  O  Christianity  !  this  is 
 thy  triumph  and  trophy.  What  a  proof  is  this  of  an 
 immaterial  and  undying  mind.  To  see  reason  in  all  its 
 power,  religion  in  its  sublimest  flights,  then  when  the 
 heart  is  fluttering  in  the  conflict  with  death;  then  for 
 the  soul  to  soar  with  angel  flight,  till  its  expressions  are 
 so  grand,  its  conceptions  so  unearthly,  its  joys  so  much 
 above  sense  and  reason,  and  even  faith  too,  that  it 
 looks  all  covered  with  the  cloud  of  glory  into  which  it 
 has  already,  in  a  measure,  entered ;  can  this  be  a 
 mere  modification  of  flesh  and  blood?  Oh  no,  it  is 
 mind  triumphing  over  the  weakness  of  matter.  It  is 
 the  original  from  which  the  poet  has  taken  his  beautiful 
 copy  : 
 
 "The  holy  triumphs  of  my  soul 
 Shall  death  itself  outbrave, 
 Leave  dull  mortality  behind, 
 And  fly  beyond  the  grave." 
 
 And  what  was  it  that  this  immaterial,  imperishable  mind 
 was  then  intent  upon?  On  what  was  the  eye  of  the 
 soul  fixed,  and  to  what  boundless  object  were  its  aspira- 
 
220  THE    DYING 
 
 tions  rising  ?  Earth  had  receded,  and  carried  with  it  all 
 its  kingdoms  and  their  glory ;  but  there  was  another  glory 
 rising  to  fill  its  place,  in  beholding  the  blaze  of  which, 
 even  husband,  children,  mother,  friends,  minister,  and 
 church,  were  all  lost  sight  of.  She  saw  as  with  a  new 
 sense,  granted  to  dying  saints,  but  unknown  to  most 
 living  ones,  things  almost  as  unutterable  as  those  which 
 Paul  witnessed  in  the  third  heavens ;  and  loosening  from 
 every  terrestrial  object,  sprang  forward  to  lay  hold  upon 
 immortality. 
 
 I  grant  that  it  is  not  the  privilege  of  all  the  children 
 of  God  to  enjoy  so  large  a  share  of  heaven  upon  earth 
 as  did  this  dear  saint ;  for  it  is  an  undoubted  fact,  that 
 even  some  of  the  most  eminent  of  his  servants,  have 
 been  far  less  favoured  in  their  dying  hour  than  she  was. 
 I  could  mention  names  of  the  most  distinguished  divines 
 of  modern  times,  whose  passage  through  the  dark  valley 
 was  not  irradiated'with  these  bright  corruscations  of  the 
 heavenly  glory.  This  fact  has  not  been  unnoticed  by 
 others.  Can  we  account  for  it  ?  No  doubt  in  some 
 cases  the  nature  of  their  complaint  may  have  had  an 
 influence,  as  certain  disorders  predispose  more  power- 
 fully to  the  depression  of  the  animal  spirits  than  others. 
 Mr  Fuller,  during  his  last  illness  laboured  under  this  to 
 a  considerable  extent,  and  the  celebrated  Mr  Scott,  the 
 author  of  the  Commentary,  did  the  same ;  but  it  was  in 
 each  of  these  cases,  the  effect  of  disease.  "  I  never 
 recollect,"  said  the  former,  "to  have  had  such  depres- 
 sion of  animal  spirits,  accompanied  with  such  calmness 
 of  mind."  "I  could  be  glad,"  he  said,  "to  be 
 favoured  with  some  lively  hopes,  before  I  depart  hence." 
 "  My  hope  is  such,  however,  that  I  am  not  afraid  to 
 plunge  into  eternity."     I  have  no  doubt,  that  both  in 
 
PROFESSOR.  221 
 
 living  saints  and  in  dying  ones  too,  disease  has  much  to 
 do  in  preventing  what  is  usually  denominated  comfort ; 
 bat  surely,  if  disease  may  in  some  cases  prevent  comfort, 
 it  cannot,  in  a  sane  mind,  produce  it.  The  experience 
 recorded  in  this  chapter  is  unquestionably  the  inworking 
 of  the  mighty  power  of  God.  That  the  humbler  saints 
 should  be  thus  favoured,  while  useful  preachers,  and 
 great  theologians,  who  have  served  God  in  their  own, 
 and  will  continue  to  serve  him  by  their  works  in  all 
 future,  generations,  should  be  denied  those  bright  mani- 
 festations of  God's  presence  in  death,  is  an  arrangement 
 that  must  have  some  object,  and  teach  some  lessons  in 
 the  divine  administration.  Does  it  not  shew  the  sove- 
 reignty of  God,  in  the  bestowment  of  his  favours? 
 Does  it  not  hide  pride  from  man,  by  proving  that  it  is 
 not  even  distinction  in  the  church  that  can  insure  the 
 brightest  light  of  God's  countenance  ?  Does  it  not  tend 
 to  keep  humble  living  Christians,  and  ministers,  and 
 authors  of  eminence,  by  reminding  them,  that  persons 
 never  heard  of  beyond  a  narrow  circle,  may  have  a  more 
 glorious  close  of  their  profession  than  they?  Does  it 
 not  prove  that  God  holds  himself  no  man's  debtor,  for 
 what  he  has  done?  Does  it  not  manifest  how  in- 
 adequate all  we  do  for  Christ,  is  to  comfort  us  in  a  dying 
 hour,  and  that  giants  in  theology,  as  well  as  the  least 
 child  in  God's  family,  can  derive  no  comfort  then,  but 
 from  simple  dependence  on  Jesus.  Does  it  not  illus- 
 trate the  power  of  Christ,  in  raising  such  meek  and 
 humble  saints,  such  seemingly  weak  believers,  into 
 the  spiritual  prowess  of  the  greatest  conquerors  of 
 death?  Does  it  not  distribute  more  widely  the  honour 
 of  doing  something  for  God,  and  of  bringing  glory  to 
 Christ  ;  so  that  while  some  shall  do  much  by  their  living 
 
222  THE    DYING 
 
 labours,  others  shall  do  it  by  their  dying  experience? 
 Does  it  not  encourage  less  publicly  known  professors 
 (who  are  the  greatest  in  number,)  to  look  forward  with 
 lively  hope  and  joyful  anticipations  to  the  close  of  life? 
 Such  lessons  as  these  are  of  great  consequence  in  the 
 school  of  Christ,  and  we  cannot  wonder  that  God 
 should  take  such  methods  to  teach  them. 
 
 Professors,  the  close  of  your  profession  will  come, 
 and  the  nature  of  that  close  should  be  a  matter  of 
 solicitude  to  you.  Whether  your  sun  shall  set  in 
 clouds,  or  in  brightness,  ought  not  to  be  a  subject  of 
 absolute  indifference  to  you.  True  it  is,  that  your  chief 
 concern  should  be  to  maintain  a  consistent  profession 
 while  you  live ;  for  this  is  the  most  likely  way  to  make 
 a  happy  one  when  you  die ;  but  still,  when  you  consider 
 how  much  it  tends  to  edify  the  church,  to  hear  of  the 
 lively  faith  and  hope  of  its  dying  members;  and  how 
 much  it  tends  also  to  awaken  and  impress  careless 
 sinners,  it  ought  to  be  a  matter  of  desire  and  prayer, 
 that  you  may  finish  your  course  with  joy,  and  glorify 
 God  in  death.  A  holy  life,  and  a  happy  death,  and 
 both  of  them  for  the  honour  of  Christ,  the  credit  of 
 religion,  and  the  good  of  immortal  souls,  should  be  the 
 object  of  every  Christian's  ambition.  The  two  act  upon 
 each  other;  he  who  would  be  happy  in  death,  should 
 be  holy  in  life ;  and  did  we  keep  the  death-bed  scene  in 
 view,  it  would  be  one  motive,  and  that  not  a  weak  one, 
 to  a  life  of  eminent  godliness.  Death  is  a  scene  in 
 which  we  can  be  found  but  once.  We  can  glorify  God 
 through  all  time,  and  through  all  eternity,  by  ten  thou- 
 sand living  acts,  ten  thousand  times  repeated,  but  we 
 can  honour  him  but  once,  in  dying;  how  much  ought 
 
PROFESSOR.  JJ.; 
 
 we  to  he  concerned  then,  to  do  that  well,  and  realise 
 the  saying,  "  His  God  sustain'd  him  in  his  dying  hour ; 
 his  dying  hour  brought  glory  to  his  God."  For  this 
 purpose  we  should,  like  the  apostle,  die  daily.  The 
 whole  of  life  should  be  one  continued  exercise  and 
 discipline  for  death.  All  days  should  be  spent  with 
 reference  to  the  last,  and  all  objects  looked  at  in  con- 
 nexion with  the  sepulchre.  We  should  never  forget 
 "  To  lay  up  a  stock  of  prayers  for  a  death-bed." 
 
 The  prospects  of  death  should  not  distress  us.  The 
 fear  that  has  torment,  the  dread  that  brings  into 
 bondage,  should  be  subdued  by  a  distinct  exercise  of 
 faith,  in  reference  to  this  awful  event.  Faith  should 
 have  exercises  appropriate  to  every  situation  in  which 
 we  can  be  found ;  we  should  have  faith  for  life ;  faith 
 for  death ;  faith  for  eternity.  Not  only  faith  in  a  dying 
 hour  when  it  is  present,  but  faith  for  it  while  it  is  yet 
 future.  All  evils  look  greatest  at  a  distance,  not  ex- 
 cepting death  itself.  There  is  scarcely  one  fact  more 
 borne  out  by  the  experience  of  the  church,  than  that 
 the  fear  of  death  diminishes  in  the  hearts  of  God's 
 people  the  nearer  they  approach  the  dark  valley ;  for  in 
 truth  the  nearer  they  draw  to  that  scene  of  gloom,  the 
 closer  do  they  come  to  the  heavenly  glory,  the  light  of 
 which  there  breaks  on  the  night  of  the  tomb.  Multi- 
 tudes, who,  during  their  lives,  could  never  think  of 
 dying  but  with  some  painful  solicitude,  have  been 
 astonished  to  find  how  their  fears  all  vanished,  and  with 
 what  peaceful  hope  they  could  lie  down  and  expire. 
 
 Reasons  may  be  assigned  for  this,  which  are  quite 
 sufficient  to  account  for  the  encouraging  fact.  In  those 
 awful  circumstances,  the  attention,  hitherto  divided  be- 
 
224  THE    DYING 
 
 tween  earth  and  heaven,  is  more  concentrated,  yea,  is 
 exclusively  fixed  on  the  latter.  Like  a  pilgrim  going  to 
 the  Holy  City,  who  has  arrived  at  its  very  suburbs,  and 
 there  loses  sight  of,  and  interest  in,  the  things  that  had 
 attracted  his  notice  on  the  road,  and  sees  only  the 
 towers,  and  walls,  and  domes  of  the  object  of  his  long 
 and  weary  journey;  so  the  departing  saint  now  sees 
 only  the  things  that  are  heavenly,  and  is  occupied  in 
 the  contemplation  of  the  exceeding  great  and  eternal 
 weight  of  glory.  His  dependence  upon  God's  mercy 
 in  Christ  Jesus,  is  now  more  simple  and  more  firm,  in 
 the  near  prospect  of  standing  in  the  immediate  presence 
 of  a  Holy  God.  The  last  remains  of  pride,  self- 
 righteousness,  and  vain  glory,  die  within  him :  his 
 fancied  excellences  vanish :  his  sins  appear  in  their 
 true  light :  and  he  feels  more  deeply  and  more  delight- 
 fully that  Christ  is  all  in  all.  With  a  grasp  of  faith, 
 new  in  its  power,  though  not  in  its  kind,  he  lays  hold 
 on  the  cross,  and  finds  that  it  can  sustain  him  even  when 
 sinking  iu  death.  His  assurance  is  then  more  confident. 
 He  finds  the  necessity  of  coming  to  a  conclusion  about 
 his  state.  The  question  must  be  settled.  He  cannot 
 now  do  with  doubts  and  fears,  but  must  have  the  point 
 cleared  up,  whether  he  is  a  child  of  God,  an  heir  of 
 glory,  or  not ;  and  it  is  cleared  up.  He  knows  and  feels 
 that  he  depends  on  Christ,  and  nothing  else.  He  is 
 peaceful  in  the  billows  of  Jordan ;  unaffrighted  amidst 
 the  shadows  of  the  dark  valley ;  dead  in  heart  to  the 
 world,  before  he  is  dead  in  body;  and  hopeful  in  the 
 prospect  of  eternity.  All  this  is  evidence  to  him  of  per- 
 sonal religion  !  He  feels  he  is  a  Christian.  Blessed 
 conclusion  !     And  it  blesses  him.     Assurance,  which  he 
 
l'UUl  I 
 
 had  sought  through  life,  comes  iu  death.  It  was  riot  a 
 sun  to  shine  upon  his  patli  through  the  world,  it  is  a 
 lamp  to  cheer  him  along  the  dark  avenue  of  the  grave. 
 He  can  die  in  peace,  for  he  now  knows  in  whom  he  has 
 believed.  But  in  addition  to  all  this,  God  is  especially 
 near  his  dying  saints,  and  loves  then  to  grant  them  the 
 strongest  consolations  of  his  Spirit.  It  seems  to  be  his 
 design  and  pleasure  to  make  grace  most  triumphant 
 amidst  the  weakness  and  decays  of  nature,  and  to  prove 
 that  the  blessedness  of  an  immortal  soul  arises  from 
 himself,  since  he  makes  it  happy  by  his  presence,  when 
 everything  else  conspires  to  make  it  miserable.  "We  can 
 imagine  that  the  object  most  interesting  to  the  heart 
 of  infinite  love  is  the  dying  martyr,  and  next  to  him 
 the  dying  Christian.  It  is  the  last  time,  till  the  resur- 
 rection morning,  that  God  permits  the  world  to 
 look  upon  his  children ;  and  then,  when  he  is  taking 
 them  away,  he  presents  them  with  the  smile  of 
 peace  upon  their  countenance,  and  sometimes  with 
 the  song  of  victory  on  their  lips.  He  seems  to 
 make  it  a  point  to  meet  them  in  the  dark  valley, 
 and  reserves  his  strongest  cordials  for  their  expi- 
 ring moments.  It  is  said  of  those  that  believe  in 
 Jesus,  that  they  shall  not  see  death.  The  grim  monster 
 is  in  the  gloomy  passage,  but  Christ  interposing  between 
 him  and  the  dying  believer,  the  Christian  looking  only 
 at  the  Saviour,  passes  by,  without  noticing  the  terrors 
 of  the  last  enemy.  God  has  promised  not  to  forsake  his 
 people  even  amidst  the  troubles  of  life,  but  he  com- 
 passes them  with  his  presence  amidst  the  sorrows  of 
 death.  How  rarely  we  hear  of  a  consistent  Christian 
 dying  in  a  disconsolate  state!    That  some  who  have  been 
 
226  THE    DYING 
 
 lukewarm  and  irregular,  who  have  not  been  watchful  and 
 diligent,  are  left  to  disquietude  and  perturbation  in  that 
 season  when  it  is  most  desirable  there  should  be  peace, 
 is  very  true.  God  chastises  the  inconsistencies  of  their 
 lives,  in  the  season  of  their  death.  Purgatory  is  a  mere 
 Popish  delusion,  but  the  disciplinary  process  of  a  long 
 and  cheerless  approach  to  the  tomb,  is  sometimes 
 employed  by  Sovereign  Mercy,  to  meeten  the  backslider 
 in  heart  for  the  realms  of  glory.  Seldom,  however,  is 
 the  consistent  professor  left  to  darkness  and  distress,  in 
 his  last  moments ;  on  the  contrary,  he  usually  finds  his 
 dying  chamber  to  be  the  vestibule  of  heaven,  where  the 
 anthems  of  the  redeemed  are  heard  from  within,  in- 
 viting him  to  the  work  of  everlasting  praise. 
 
 Let  the  consistent  professor,  therefore,  go  cheerfully 
 forward  to  his  latter  end.  Let  him  cast  away  all 
 fearful  apprehensions  of  his  dying  hour.  Not  that  all 
 kinds  and  degrees  of  fear  can  be  totally  suppressed. 
 Death  is  an  awful  event ;  and  to  regard  it  with  careless 
 indifference  is  the  mark  of  a  hardened  heart,  not  of  a 
 renewed  one.  Some  good  people  have  distressed  their 
 minds,  and  written  bitter  things  against  themselves, 
 because  they  could  not  altogether  rise  above  the  fear 
 of  death.  But  this  is  needless  self-torment.  There  is 
 an  apprehensiveness  of  this  great  change  which  is  al- 
 most inseparable  from  humanity,  and  indeed  is  one 
 of  the  safeguards  of  life,  and  which  is  greatly  in- 
 creased, in  some  cases,  by  physical  temperament.  This 
 may  co-exist  with  sincere,  and  even  with  eminent  piety. 
 Mr  Jay,  I  remember,  illustrates  the  subject  thus.  A 
 man  may  be  in  America,  while  his  wife  and  family  are 
 in  this  country.    And  he  may  wish  to  be  with  them,  for 
 
professor.  ::':, 
 
 his  Jicart  is  there  :  but  still  he  may  dread  to  cross  the 
 Atlantic  Ocean  which  lies  between  himself  and  them. 
 So  a  Christian's  heart  may  be  in  heaven,  yet  he  may 
 dread  to  pass  through  death,  though  it  leads  to  glory. 
 Nothing  tends  more  to  subdue  this  natural  fear  of  the 
 last  enemy,  than  the  habitual  contemplation  of  the 
 heavenly  state,  and  the  exercise  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ, 
 for  the  dying  hour.  As  a  dark  object  when  seen 
 between  two  resplendent  ones,  loses  its  gloomy  aspect, 
 and  becomes  itself  almost  bright ;  so  death,  when  viewed 
 between  the  cross  of  Christ  and  the  crown  of  glory, 
 receives  by  reflection  a  lustre  which  conceals,  if  it  does 
 not  altogether  remove,  its  horrors.  Wherefore  let  us 
 go  on  to  meet  the  last  enemy  with  the  joint  language  of 
 both  Testaments  upon  our  lips,  "  Yea,  though  I  walk 
 through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear 
 no  evil ;  for  thou  art  with  me ;  thy  rod  and  staff  comfort 
 me."  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  per- 
 suaded that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  com- 
 mitted to  him."  "  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  O 
 grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ?  The  sting  of  death  is  sin, 
 and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law.  But  thanks  be  to 
 God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 Who  can  lift  up  the  veil  and  sec  the  Christian  in  his 
 eternal  state?  If  in  an  earlier  part  of  this  volume, 
 when  considering  the  dangers  of  self-deception,  I  ex- 
 claimed with  shuddering  horror,  "  A  professor  in  hell  I" 
 with  what  transporting  delight  may  I  exclaim,  "A 
 professor  in  heaven  \"  But  who  can  follow  him  into 
 the  unapproachable  light,  the  insufferable  spendour  of  the 
 divine  presence?    Mortality  is  swallowed  up  of  life:  hu- 
 
228  THE    DYING 
 
 manity  is  absorbed  in  glory.  There  is  one  tiling,  among 
 many  others,  which  deserves  a  momentary  attention ;  it 
 is  the  interview  of  the  sincere,  consistent,  and  persever- 
 ing professor,  with  "the  Lord  that  bought  him."  Of 
 that  scene,  however,  little  can  be  imagined  but  what  is 
 suggested  by  the  words  which  his  Lord  will  then  say  to 
 him,  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant ;  enter  thou 
 into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord.  Thou  hast  taken  up  my  name, 
 and  hast  not  dishonoured  it;  entered  my  church,  and 
 not  defiled  it;  professed  my  religion,  and  not  dis- 
 paraged it;  borne  my  cross,  and  not  added  to  its 
 ignominy,  by  inconsistency  of  conduct.  Well  done,  well 
 done."  O  rapturous  expression  !  How  joyful  a  sound 
 does  such  a  testimony  carry  from  the  mouth  of  Christ ! 
 O  what  can  be  so  grateful  and  reviving  to  the  heart  of 
 a  good  man,  as  to  have  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory  say  to 
 him,  well  done  !  What  a  reward  for  all  the  labours,  and 
 self-denial,  and  sufferings  of  a  life  of  piety,  to  hear  God 
 say,  "  I  am  well  pleased  with  thee  \"  But  this  is  not 
 all :  for  he  will  add  "  Enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy 
 Lord."  "  Thou  hast  laboured  well  in  thy  profession ; 
 that  is  all  over  for  ever,  and  now  enter  upon  thy  rest  and 
 thy  rewaixl ;  thou  hast  denied  thyself,  but  not  me,  and 
 now  I  confess  thee  as  my  faithful  follower  before  my 
 Father  and  his  holy  angels;  thou  hast  had  fellowship 
 with  me  in  my  suffering,  and  nothing  now  remains  for 
 me  and  thee,  but  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory; 
 enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."  This  is  the  sum 
 of  all  felicity.  But  who  shall  explain  it  ?  What  does  it 
 mean?  The  joy  of  which  Christ  is  the  object,  felicity 
 to  be  derived  from  being  with  him  and  beholding  his 
 glory  ?     Or  the  joy  of  which  he  is  the  author ;  which  he 
 
PROFESSOR.  229 
 
 creates  around  us  and  within  us?  Or  the  joy  of  which 
 he  is  the  possessor?  As  though  he  had  said,  "Enter 
 into  that  joy  that  is  now  to  be  common  both  to  me  and 
 thee,  and  of  which  thou  shalt  partake  with  me."  It  is 
 all  these  united.  Into  this  joy  the  faithful  professor  will 
 be  welcomed  and  introduced  by  Christ  himself.  "  It 
 shall  not  so  much  enter  into  him,  as  he  into  it ;  he  is  not 
 so  much  to  possess  it,  as  to  be  possessed  by  it ;  it  is  the 
 atmosphere  which  is  to  surround  him ;  the  light  which 
 is  to  shine  upon  him  j  the  glory  which  is  to  cover  him  ; 
 the  very  element  which  is  to  absorb  him.  Into  this  he 
 is  to  enter,  but  never  to  depart  from  it ;  the  last  thing 
 we  hear  of  him  is,  that  he  is  gone  into  joy." 
 
CHRISTIAN      FELLOWSHIP; 
 
 THE    CHURCH     MEMBERS    GUIDE. 
 
 "  Ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus.     Walk  in  love."     St.  Paul. 
 "  Yea,  all  of  you  be  subject  one  to  another,  and  be  clothed  in 
 humility."    St,  Peter. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The  chief  value  of  a  book  consists  in  its  utility. 
 We  may  be  surprised  by  what  is  original,  amused  by 
 what  is  entertaining,  and  dazzled  by  what  is  splendid ; 
 but  we  can  be  benefited  only  by  what  is  good.  To 
 discover  new  territories  in  the  world  of  thought,  is  an 
 effort  of  genius  to  which  few  can  aspire.  Every  sailor 
 cannot  be  a  Columbus :  but  the  labours  of  the  pilot  are 
 not  to  be  despised,  because  they  are  restricted  to  the 
 humbler  task  of  conducting  the  voyager  through  seas 
 and  shoals  long  known  to  geography :  at  any  rate  he 
 has  facilitated  the  pursuits  of  established  trade,  if  he 
 have  not  opened  new  fields  for  the  exploits  of  com- 
 mercial enterprise.  Such  are  the  pretensions  of  the 
 Author  in  the  following  treatise;  he  aspires  to  no  loftier 
 character,  than  that  of  a  guide  through  channels  which 
 although  intricate  are  certainly  not  new. 
 
 The  Author  has  treated  the  subject  of  church  govern- 
 ment more  in  a  practical,  than  in  a  controversial,  man- 
 ner. Numerous  are  the  votive  offerings  which  already 
 hang  around  this  compartment  of  the  temple  of  truth, 
 but  they  are  too  generally  composed  of,  or  attended 
 with,  a  chaplet  of  thorns.  In  this  treatise,  the  Author 
 has  endeavoured  to  sacrifice  at  the  same  time,  to  both 
 Vol.  11  Q 
 
234  PREFACE. 
 
 truth  and  love,  whose  altars  should  ever  be  near  to  each 
 other.  He  has  endeavoured  to  state  his  own  opinions 
 with  clearness  and  boldness,  but  at  the  same  time 
 without  dogmatism  or  asperity.  His  aim  has  been 
 rather  to  regulate  the  spiritual  police  of  our  Zion,  than 
 either  professedly  to  strengthen  its  bulwarks,  or  to  in- 
 crease its  means  of  spiritual  conquest;  assured  that  it 
 is  most  mighty,  when  it  is  most  holy  and  most  peaceful; 
 and  that  love  and  purity  render  our  churches  "  bright 
 as  the  sun,  fair  as  the  moon,  and  terrible  as  an  army 
 with  banners." 
 
 As  the  form  of  church  government  here  exhibited, 
 so  far  as  human  direction  is  concerned,  allows  of  a  con- 
 siderable share  of  popular  influence,  the  Author  has 
 adopted  two  general  principles,  to  which  he  has  given 
 great  prominence  in  the  following  pages,  and  these  are 
 the  absolute  impropriety  of  a  few  rich  men  attempting 
 to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage,  and  the  equal  impropriety 
 of  those  who  are  young,  or  immature  in  knowledge  and 
 experience,  practically  asserting  their  claim  to  equal 
 rights,  in  a  vehement,  contentious  manner.  In  all 
 societies,  there  necessarily  must  be  some  individuals  of 
 greater  influence  than  the  rest ;  but  such  influence 
 should  ever  be  the  result  of  character  and  usefulness, 
 rather  than  of  rank  ;  and  should  be  most  cheerfully  con- 
 ceded them  by  others,  but  should  never  be  usurped. 
 
 If  the  Author  had  been  acquainted  with  any  treatise 
 on  the  subject,  in  which  the  principles  here  laid  down 
 and  illustrated  had  been  sufficiently  developed,  he  would 
 have  spared  himself  the  trouble  of  this  production. 
 The  little  tract  of  Dr.  Owen's,  entitled  "  Eshcol,"  the 
 addresses  of  Dr.  Harris  and  Mr  Hackett,  and  the 
 Catechism  of  Mr  Miller,  are  excellent;  and   the  only 
 
1'Hl TU  B.  •-'■">.") 
 
 fault  belonging  to  them,  which  the  Author  has  any 
 hope  of  correcting  in  his  book,  is  their  brevity.  The 
 compendium  of  the  late  llev.  Daniel  Turner,  of  Abing- 
 don, is  very  useful  as  a  skeleton ;  but  a  mere  unclothed 
 synopsis  of  principles,  unaccompanied  by  illustration, 
 is  not  sufficiently  attractive  for  ordinary  readers,  who 
 need  not  only  to  be  informed  what  is  their  duty,  but 
 to  be  allured  to  its  performance.  Mr  Innes's  Sketches 
 of  Human  Nature  arc  judicious  to  admiration,  and  have 
 furnished  many  valuable  remarks  to  enrich  the  following 
 work ;  but  do  not  so  directly  and  comprehensively  treat 
 on  the  subject  of  church  government,  as  to  render  this 
 volume  unnecessary. 
 
 It  will  probably  be  thought  by  some  readers,  that 
 the  evils  occasionally  attendant  on  the  Independent  form 
 of  church  government,  are  too  much  exposed  in  the 
 following  pages ;  and  that  strength  will  thus  be  given 
 to  the  objections  which  are  urged  against  the  principles 
 of  nonconformity.  To  this  the  Author  replies,  that  it 
 is  the  existence,  not  the  statement,  of  these  adventitious 
 evils,  that  will  injure  the  cause  of  dissent.  No  secrets 
 are  betrayed  in  this  volume.  Nothing  is  promulgated 
 but  what  is  already  known.  Anxiety  to  remove  those 
 evils,  which,  through  the  imperfection  of  human  nature, 
 have  grown  like  excrescences  upon  our  system,  and  dis- 
 figured its  beauty,  is  far  more  useful,  and  certainly 
 more  honourable,  than  any  efforts  to  conceal  them. 
 
 As  the  Author  not  only  renounces  all  claim  to  in- 
 fallibility, but  is  sorrowfully  'conscious  of  liability  to 
 error;  and  as  he  is  anxious  to  render  this  little  work 
 as  useful  as  possible,  he  will  be  most  happy,  in  case  of 
 its  coming  to  a  second  edition,  to  avail  himself  of  the 
 hints  of  his  brethren,  and  the  remarks  of  friendly  critics, 
 
236  PREFACE. 
 
 in  order  to  render  it  more  worthy  of  public  esteem,  and 
 more  adapted  to  general  usefulness.  It  is  more  than 
 probable  that  on  such  a  subject  his  views  will  be  opposed 
 by  some,  and  the  moment  they  are  shewn  to  be  opposed 
 to  the  Scripture,  he  will  abandon  them  himself,  and 
 thank  the  man  who  has  convinced  him  of  his  error.  In 
 sending  another  of  his  mental  offspring  to  be  tried  at 
 the  bar  of  criticism,  he  is,  (shall  he  say  it  ?)  too  proud 
 to  ask  that  it  may  obtain  mercy,  for  the  critic's  chair 
 should  not  be  a  throne  of  grace,  but  a  bench  of  jus- 
 tice ;  the  only  message  which  he  sends  with  it  to  the 
 scrutiny  is,  "  Fiat  Justitia."  If  it  be  doomed  to  execu- 
 tion, and  shall  be  found  deserving  of  so  untimely  and 
 dishonourable  a  grave,  however  its  parent  may  lament 
 that  he  has  given  birth  to  a  child  unworthy  to  live, 
 he  has  still  enough  of  Roman  virtue  to  consent  to  its 
 death,  rather  than  beg  its  existence  to  the  hazard  of  the 
 community. 
 
 June  15,  1822. 
 
i- 1;  i  i  ace.  237 
 
 PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 
 
 The  Author  of  the  following  work  cannot  but  feel 
 gratified  at  the  reception  which  it  has  experienced  from 
 the  religious  public,  of  which  a  flattering  proof  is  afforded 
 to  him,  by  the  circumstance  of  a  second  edition  having 
 been  called  for  within  three  months  after  the  publication 
 of  the  first.  This  comparatively  rapid  sale  he  interprets 
 as  an  indication,  that  the  professors  of  Congregational 
 views  of  church  government  are  in  general  neither  so 
 uninterested  in  their  principles  as  Dissenters,  nor  so 
 indifferent  to  their  duties  as  Christians,  as  his  fears  led 
 him  to  anticipate.  Happy,  most  happy  will  he  feel, 
 if  evidence  should  be  afforded  of  his  having  produced 
 in  any  instance,  a  more  enlightened,  and  at  the  same 
 time  a  more  holy  and  peaceful,  exemplification  of  the 
 sentiments  of  Independency,  than  it  has  been  some- 
 times his  lot  to  witness.  Of  them  he  would  say  what 
 Matthew  Henry  affirmed  of  other  sentiments,  "  If  they 
 were  more  improved  in  practice,  they  would  be  less 
 opposed  in  theory."  Attached  to  them  upon  conviction, 
 the  Author  wishes  them  to  prevail ;  and  to  prevail,  they 
 must  be  seen  in  connexion  not  only  with  purity,  but 
 love.     The  Furies  are  bad  Apostles  in  any  cause,  espe- 
 
238  PREFACE. 
 
 cially  in  that  of  truth  :  the  Graces  are  much  more  likely 
 to  be  successful. 
 
 This  edition  has  been,  the  Author  hopes,  somewhat 
 improved  by  the  aid  of  both  public  and  private  criticism. 
 To  the  Eclectic  Reviewers,  and  to  the  Conductors  of  the 
 "  Congregational  Magazine,"  he  offers  his  sincere  thanks 
 for  their  kind  and  friendly  notice  of  the  work. 
 
 Nov.  5,  1822. 
 
 The  Preface  to  the  Ninth  Edition  will  be  given  in  the  volume 
 containing  the  Author's  Controversial  Tracts.     Ed. 
 
Tin:    NATURE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.  239 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 THE    NATURE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH. 
 
 It  is  obviously  incumbent  on  the  members  of  any 
 community,  whether  civil  or  sacred,  to  acquaint  them- 
 selves with  its  constitution  and  design ;  without  this, 
 they  can  neither  adequately  enjoy  the  privileges,  nor 
 properly  discharge  the  duties,  which  their  membership 
 brings  with  it.  It  is  feared,  and  not  without  grounds, 
 that  many  of  those  who  are  united  in  the  fellowship 
 of  dissenting  churches,  are  very  censurably  ignorant 
 of  the  reasons  on  which  alone  their  practice  can  be 
 defended.  Such  persons  are  held  to  us  more  by  feeling 
 than  by  principle ;  a  tenure  quite  insufficient  as  a  bond 
 of  religious  connection.  It  is  not  that  they  prefer  our 
 sentiments  upon  deliberation,  but  they  are  attracted 
 and  retained  amongst  us  by  some  favourite  preacher, 
 upon  whose  removal  they  will  probably  return  to  the 
 bosom  of  the  Establishment. 
 
 Others  again,  from  an  extreme  aversion  to  religious 
 controversy,  remain  willingly  ignorant  of  the  principles 
 of  Protestant  Nonconformity.  It  is  readily  conceded 
 that  the  arena  of  controversy,  whether  doctrines  sacra- 
 ments or  church  government  be  the  subject  of  conten- 
 tion, is  not  the  situation  most  congenial  with  the  feelings 
 of  true  piety ;  which  with  the  nature  of  the  dove,  and  not 
 
240  THE    NATURE    OF 
 
 that  of  the  vulture,  flies  from  the  realms  of  noise 
 and  strife,  to  seek  the  fruits  of  love  in  the  bowers  of 
 peace.  Many,  it  must  be  confessed,  have  argued  for 
 the  forms  of  religion,  till  they  have  lost  its  spirit;  and 
 a  furious  and  bigoted  dissenter  is,  for  aught  I  know,  as 
 bad  as  the  furious  bigot  of  any  other  denomination. 
 Still,  an  enquiry  into  the  principles  of  dissent  may  be 
 conducted  in  a  manner  so  calm  and  dispassionate,  as 
 not  to  awaken  a  single  angry  feeling  in  the  bosom.  We 
 certainly  may  search  for  truth,  without  railing  at  every 
 step  against  those  who  profess  to  be  seeking  the  same 
 object,  although  they  are  pursuing  it  in  an  opposite 
 direction.  If  we  neglect  to  enquire  into  these  principles 
 because  they  are  the  matter  of  controversy,  we  should 
 do  the  same  in  reference  to  all  our  opinions,  for  which 
 of  them  is  there  that  has  not  been  in  some  way  or  other 
 opposed  ?  To  avoid  the  ills  of  conflict,  we  must  take 
 shelter  at  once  under  the  protection  of  Popery ;  whose 
 votaries  are  spared  the  terrors  of  contest,  but  only  by 
 being  denied  the  privilege  of  action ;  an  immunity  as 
 precious,  as  for  men  to  be  kept  from  the  ills  of  intestine 
 strife,  by  being  shut  up  in  Bastiles,  or  by  having  their 
 limbs  piuioned. 
 
 It  is  admitted,  that  as  in  the  human  frame,  so  in  the 
 system  of  divine  truth,  there  are  parts  of  greater  and  less 
 importance ;  and  the  man  who  would  put  the  principles 
 of  dissent  upon  a  level  with  the  doctrine  of  the  atone- 
 ment, and  represent  a  belief  in  the  former  as  no  less 
 essential  to  salvation  than  a  reliance  upon  the  latter, 
 betrays  a  lamentable  ignorance  of  both.  Still,  however, 
 although  the  hand  is  of  less  consequence  to  vitality  than 
 the  head  or  the  heart,  is  it  of  no  value  ?  "Will  any  one 
 be  reckless  of  his  limbs,  because  he  can  lose  them  and 
 
A    CHRISTIAN    (  llliu  II.  2  I  1 
 
 yet  live  ?  So,  because  church  government  is  of  less 
 moment  to  spiritual  and  eternal  life  than  faith  in  Christ, 
 will  any  one  abandon  it  as  a  vain  and  profitless  subject? 
 Whatever  God  has  made  the  subject  of  revelation, 
 should  on  that  account  be  guarded  from  being  con- 
 sidered as  too  frivolous  to  deserve  our  attention. 
 
 It  may  indeed  be  shewn,  that  there  is  far  greater 
 importance  in  the  principles  of  dissent,  viewed  in  con- 
 nection with  either  the  interests  of  vital  religion  at 
 home,  or  the  spread  of  the  gospel  abroad,  than  many 
 persons  perceive ;  and  it  is  this  importance,  indeed, 
 which  constitutes  their  chief  glory.  The  government 
 of  the  church  ought  never  to  be  viewed  apart  from  its 
 moral  and  spiritual  improvement,  any  more  than  the 
 laws  of  a  country  should  be  considered  as  something 
 distinct  from  the  means  of  its  civil  order,  comfort,  and 
 strength.  We  must  suppose  that  the  Head  of  the 
 church  arranged  its  government  with  direct  reference 
 to  its  purity  and  peace,  and  that  the  system  he  laid 
 down  is  the  best  calculated  to  promote  those  ends. 
 Hence,  it  is  obviously  our  duty  to  enquire  what  that 
 system  is,  not  merely  for  its  own  sake,  but  for  the  sake 
 of  the  interests  of  evangelical  piety.  The  error  of  view- 
 ing the  subject  of  church  government  as  a  mere  abstract 
 question,  is  very  common,  and  has  tended  more  than 
 any  thing  else  to  lead  many  persons  to  regard  it  with 
 indifference  and  neglect.  The  acknowledgement  of  no 
 other  rule  of  faith  and  practice  than  the  "Word  of  God, 
 must  tend  to  exalt  the  only  infallible  standard  of  truth 
 and  the  only  divine  means  of  sanctity;  the  refusal  to 
 own  any  other  head  of  the  church  than  Christ,  must 
 bring  the  soul  into  more  direct  submission  to  him ;  the 
 scheme  of  founding  a  right  to  spiritual  privileges,  ex- 
 
242  THE    NATURE    OF 
 
 clusively  on  religious  character,  and  not  upon  legislative 
 enactments,  or  national  descent,  must  have  a  tendency 
 to  produce  examination,  and  prevent  delusion ;  and 
 indeed  the  habit  of  viewing  the  whole  business  of  reli- 
 gion as  a  matter  of  conscience  and  not  of  custom,  to  be 
 settled  between  God  and  a  man's  own  soul,  must  ensure 
 for  it  a  degree  of  attention  more  solemn  and  more 
 effectual  than  can  be  expected,  if  it  be  allowed  in  any 
 degree  to  rank  with  the  affairs  which  are  regulated  by 
 civil  legislation. 
 
 It  will  probably  be  contended  by  some,  in  apology 
 for  their  neglect,  that  the  New  Testament  has  laid  down 
 no  specific  form  of  church  government,  and  that  where 
 we  are  left  without  a  guide,  it  is  useless  to  enquire  if  we 
 are  following  its  directions.  If  by  this  it  be  meant, 
 that  we  have  no  apostolic  precept  or  example,  directory 
 of  our  practice,  and  therefore  obligatory  upon  our  con- 
 science, in  the  formation  of  christian  societies,  nothing 
 can  be  more  erroneous.  It  might  be  presumed  a  priori, 
 that  a  matter  of  such  moment  would  not  be  left  so 
 unsettled,  and  we  have  only  to  look  into  the  Word  of 
 God  to  see  how  groundless  is  the  assertion.  It  is  true 
 that  we  shall  search  the  New  Testament  in  vain  for 
 either  precept  or  practice,  which  will  support  all  the 
 usages  of  our  churches,  otherwise  than  as  those  usages 
 are  deduced  from  the  spirit  and  bearing  of  general  prin- 
 ciples. But  these  are  laid  down  by  the  Apostles  with 
 sufficient  precision  to  enable  us  to  determine  whether 
 the  Episcopal,  the  Presbyterian,  or  Independent  form 
 of  church  government  be  most  consonant  with  the  mind 
 and  will  of  Christ. 
 
 No  sufficient  excuse  can  be  pleaded  by  any  person, 
 who  acts  as  a  dissenter,  and  is  at  the  same  time  ignorant 
 
V    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.  2  L3 
 
 of  the  principles  on  which  his  conduct  is  founded.  It 
 appears  to  me,  that  no  one  ought  to  separate  from  the 
 Church  of  England,  until  he  is  prepared  to  give  a  reason 
 for  his  conduct  in  so  doing ;  for  in  the  absence  of  all 
 investigation,  he  ought  to  presume  that  a  system  sup- 
 ported by  so  large  a  portion  of  Englishmen  is  right. 
 Not  that  I  mean  to  say  this  circumstance  ought  to 
 repress  investigation ;  but  that  if  we  refuse  to  examine, 
 such  a  presumption  ought  to  be  our  guide.  Causeless 
 separation  is  the  essence  of  schism ;  a  sin  of  which  that 
 man  is  guilty  who  knows  not  why  he  is  a  dissenter. 
 
 It  is  not  my  intention  to  enter  largely  into  the  subject 
 of  nonconformity.  The  nature  of  my  work  does  not 
 require  it,  and  its  limits  forbid  such  an  extension.* 
 
 What  is  a  Christian  Church?  The  word  church 
 signifies  an  assembly.  In  the  New  Testament  it  in- 
 variably applies  to  persons,  not  to  places.  It  means  not 
 the  building  in  which  the  assembly  is  convened,  but  the 
 assembly  itself.  It  has  in  the  Word  of  God  an  enlarged, 
 and  also  a  more  confined  signification.  It  some  places 
 it  is  employed  to  comprehend  the  aggregate  of  believers 
 of  every  age  and  nation ;  hence  we  read  of  the  "  general 
 assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born/'  and  of  the 
 church  which  "Christ  loved  and  purchased  with  his 
 blood/3  In  its  more  confined  acceptation,  it  means  a 
 congregation  of  professing  christians,  meeting  for  worship 
 in  one  place ;  hence  we  read  of  the  church  at  Corinth, 
 of  the  Thessalonians,  of  Ephesus,  &c.  These  are  the 
 only  two  senses  in  which  the  word  is  ever  employed  by  the 
 
 *  To  others  who  wish  to  pursue  the  investigation  of  this  subject 
 I  recommend  the  following  tracts  and  books :  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
 Graham  on  Religious  Establishments,  Towgood's  Letters,  Conder  on 
 Protestant  Nonconformity,  and  Scales  on  Dissent. 
 
.'2  14  THE    NATURE    OF 
 
 sacred  writers;  consequently  to  speak  of  provincial  and 
 national  churches,  or  in  other  words  to  call  the  people 
 of  a  province  or  nation  a  church  of  Christ,  is  a  most 
 gross  perversion  of  the  term,  rendering  the  kingdom 
 of  Jesus  a  matter  more  of  geography  than  of  religion. 
 The  sacred  writers,  when  speaking  of  the  Christians  of  a 
 whole  province,  never  employ  the  term  in  the  singular 
 number,  but  with  great  precision  of  language  speak 
 of  the  churches  of  Galatia,  Syria,  Macedonia,  Asia,  &c. 
 A  church  of  Christ,  then,  in  the  latter  and  more  usual 
 acceptation  of  the  term,  means,  "  A  number  of  profess- 
 ing Christians,  united  to  each  other  by  their  own  volun- 
 tary consent;  having  their  proper  officers;  meeting  in 
 one  place  for  the  observance  of  religious  ordinances; 
 and  being  independent  of  all  other  control  than  the 
 authority  of  Christ  expressed  in  his  word."  This  com- 
 pany of  professing  Christians  may  be  few  or  many  in 
 number ;  rich  or  poor  in  their  circumstances ;  and  may 
 meet  either  in  a  mean  or  magnificent  building,  or  in  no 
 building  at  all :  these  things  are  purely  adventitious ; 
 for,  provided  they  answer  to  the  above  definition,  they 
 are  still  to  all  intents  and  purposes  a  church  of  Christ. 
 
 I.  The  members  of  the  church  should  be  such  as 
 make  a  credible  profession  of  their  faith  in  Christ;  or 
 in  other  words,  such  as  appear  to  be  regenerated  by  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  to  have  believed  in  the  Lord  Jesus  for 
 salvation,  and  to  have  submitted  themselves  in  their 
 conduct  to  the  authority  of  his  word.  To  such  the 
 Head  of  the  church  has  limited  the  privileges  of  his 
 kingdom ;  they  alone  can  enjoy  its  blessings  and  perform 
 its  duties;  and  to  such  the  Epistles  are  uniformly 
 addressed,  Romans  i,  7.  1  Cor.  i,  2,  &c.  If  these 
 passages  are  read,  it  will  be  found  that  the  members 
 
A    CHRISTIAN     CHURCH.  2  | ."> 
 
 of  the  first  churches  are  not  merely  admonished  to  be 
 saints,  but  are  addressed  as  such;  which  is  a  circum- 
 stance of  great  weight  in  determining  the  question  about 
 the  proper  subjects  of  fellowship.  But  who  is  to  judge 
 in  this  case  ?  I  answer  the  church ;  for  if  no  instance 
 could  be  brought  from  the  New  Testament  in  which  any 
 one  of  the  primitive  churches  can  be  proved  to  have 
 exercised  this  power,  yet,  as  it  is  a  voluntary  society, 
 founded  on  the  principle  of  mutual  recognition,  it  seems 
 reasonable  that  the  church  should  judge  of  the  existence 
 of  those  qualifications  which  are  necessary  to  the  enjoy- 
 ment of  communion.  The  very  act  of  obtruding  upon 
 them  any  one  without  their  own  consent,  whether  by  a 
 minister  or  by  elders,  is  destructive  of  one  purpose  of 
 christian  association,  that  is  the  fellowship  of  the 
 brethren.  And  moreover,  as  the  churches  possessed  the 
 power  of  excommunication,  as  is  evident  from  the  fact 
 of  the  church  at  Corinth  been  called  upon  to  put  away 
 the  incestuous  member,  1  Cor.  v,  7,  and  afterwards  to 
 receive  him  again  to  their  communion,  2  Cor.  ii,  6,  8;  it 
 may  be  fairly  presumed,  and  argued,  that  they  possessed 
 also  the  right  of  admitting  members  to  their  fellowship. 
 Exclusion  and  admission  must  rest  with  the  same  body, 
 to  prevent  endless  strife  and  confusion.  Nor  is  the 
 power  of  searching  the  heart  requisite  for  those  who 
 exercise  the  right  of  admission,  since  we  are  to  judge 
 of  each  other  by  outward  conduct. 
 
 II.  This  company  of  professing  Christians  must  meet 
 in  one  place  for  the  observance  of  religious  institutes. 
 A  society  that  cannot  associate,  an  assembly  that  cannot 
 assemble,  are  perfect  solecisms.  When,  therefore,  a 
 church  becomes  too  large  to  communicate  at  one  tabic, 
 and  divides  to  eat  the  Lord's  supper  in  two  distinct 
 
246  THE    NATURE    OF 
 
 places  of  worship,  each  having  its  own  pastor,  there  are 
 two  churches  and  no  longer  one  only.  In  the  case  of 
 large  churches,  or  of  churches  scattered  over  a  consider- 
 able extent  of  country,  where  there  are  many  aged  and 
 infirm  persons,  who  cannot  often  assemble  with  the 
 whole  body,  there  can  be  no  impropriety,  no  violation 
 of  the  unity  of  the  church,  in  the  Pastors  administering 
 the  Lord's  Supper  occasionally  in  small  dependent 
 chapels,  or  even  private  rooms,  to  small  parties  of  those 
 who  would  otherwise  be  deprived  of  the  ordinances  by 
 distance  or  infirmity.  And  this  is  generally  far  better 
 than  setting  up  little  fragmental  separate  churches, 
 which  are  too  weak  to  support  themselves  in  a  state  of 
 independence. 
 
 III.  These  persons  must  be  formed  into  a  society 
 upon  the  principle  of  mutual  voluntary  consent.  They 
 are  not  to  be  associated  by  act  of  parliament,  by  ecclesi- 
 astical decree,  by  ministerial  authority,  or  by  any  other 
 ^ower  than  that  of  their  own  unconstrained  choice. 
 They  are  to  give  themselves  first  to  the  Lord,  and  then 
 to  each  other.  No  authority  whatever,  of  an  earthly 
 nature,  is  to  constrain  them  to  unite  themselves  in 
 fellowship,  or  to  select  for  them  any  particular  com- 
 pany of  believers  with  whom  they  shall  associate.  All 
 is  to  be  the  result  of  their  own  choice.  Parochial 
 limits,  ecclesiastical  divisions  of  country,  and  ministerial 
 authority,  have  nothing  to  do  in  regulating  the  fellow- 
 ship of  the  saints.  The  civil  power,  when  employed  to 
 direct  the  affairs  of  the  church  of  Christ,  is  as  mani- 
 festly out  of  place  as  it  would  be  in  controlling  the  con- 
 cerns of  sick  clubs  or  literary  societies.  It  is  as  much 
 at  a  man's  own  option,  so  far  as  human  authority  is 
 concerned,  to  say  with  whom  he  will  associate  in  matters 
 
A    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.  2  17 
 
 of  religion,  as  it  is  to  decide  who  shall  be  his  fellows  in 
 philosophical  or  literary  pursuits. 
 
 IV.  A  church  of  Christ  has  its  scriptural  officers. 
 Here  two  questions  arise :  First,  How  many  kinds  of 
 officers  does  the  New  Testament  mention  ?  Secondly, 
 How  are  they  to  be  chosen  ?  As  to  the  kinds  of  office 
 bearers  in  the  primitive  churches,  there  can  be  neither 
 doubt  nor  difficulty  with  any  one  who  will  impartially 
 consult  the  "Word  of  God.  With  all  that  simplicity 
 which  characterises  the  works  of  God,  which  neither 
 disfigures  his  productions  with  what  is  excrescent,  nor 
 encumbers  them  with  what  is  unnecessary,  He  has 
 instituted  but  two  kinds  of  permanent  officers  in  his 
 church,  Bishops  and  Deacons ;  the  former  to  attend  to 
 its  spiritual  affairs,  and  the  latter  to  direct  its  temporal 
 concerns.  That  there  were  but  two  is  evident,  because 
 we  have  no  information  concerning  the  choice,  qualifi- 
 cations, or  duties  of  any  other.  The  bishops  of  the 
 primitive  churches  correspond  exactly  to  the  pastors 
 of  modern  ones.  That  bishop,  elder,  and  pastor  are 
 only  different  terms  for  the  same  office,  is  evident  from 
 Acts  xx,  17,  compared  with  the  28th;  Titus  i,  5-7,  and 
 1st  Peter  v,  1,  2.  They  are  called  Bishops,  which 
 signifies  overseers,  because  they  overlook  the  spiritual 
 concerns,  and  watch  for  the  souls  of  their  brethren, 
 Acts  xx,  28,  1st  Tim.  iii,  1  ;  Pastors  or  shepherds, 
 because  they  feed  the  flock  of  God  with  truth,  Ephes. 
 iv,  11  ;  Rulers,  because  they  guide  the  church,  Heb. 
 xiii,  7  ;  Elders,  because  of  their  age,  or  of  their  possess- 
 ing those  qualities  which  age  supposes,  Titus  i,  5 ;  Min- 
 isters, because  they  are  the  servants  of  Christ  and  the 
 gospel,  Ephes.  vi,  21. 
 
 The  Deacon  is  appointed  to  receive   and   distribute 
 
248  THE    NATURE    OF 
 
 the  funds  of  the  church,  especially  those  which  are  raised 
 for  the  relief  of  the  poor.  All  other  kinds  of  officers 
 than  these  two,  are  the  inventions  of  men,  and  not 
 the  appointment  of  Christ ;  and  being  intended  to  add 
 splendour  to  the  kingdom  of  Jesus,  have  corrupted  its 
 simplicity,  destroyed  its  spirituality,  and  caused  it  to 
 symbolize  with  the  kingdoms  of  this  world. 
 
 On  the  mode  of  electing  them  to  their  office  the 
 Scripture  is  sufficiently  explicit  to  justify  the  practice 
 of  those  denominations  who  appeal  to  the  suffrages  of 
 the  people.  If  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  be  studied  with 
 care,  a  book  which  seems  given  us  more  for  the  regula- 
 tion of  ecclesiastical  practices  than  the  revelation  of 
 theological  opinions,  we  shall  find  that  nothing  was 
 done  in  the  primitive  churches  without  the  co-operation 
 of  the  members;  no,  not  even  when  the  apostles  them- 
 selves were  present.  Even  the  election  of  a  new  apostle 
 was  made  by  the  brethren,  and  not  by  the  ministers 
 exclusively.  Acts  i,  21-26.  The  deacons  were  chosen  by 
 the  same  persons.  Acts  vi.  The  decrees  of  the  council 
 at  Jerusalem  were  passed  also  by  them,  and  went  forth 
 with  their  name.  Acts  xv,  23.  Hence  we  infer,  that 
 although  no  case  occurs  in  the  inspired  history  where  it 
 is  mentioned  that  a  church  elected  its  pastor,  yet  it  so 
 entirely  accords  with  the  practice  of  the  church  in  other 
 respects,  that  an  exception  in  this  particular  would  have 
 been  a  singular  anomaly,  which  nothing  could  justify 
 but  the  plainest  and  most  express  provision.  It  is, 
 moreover,  an  undoubted  fact,  which  no  one  acquainted 
 with  the  records  of  church  history  will  venture  to  deny 
 or  to  question,  that  for  the  three  first  centuries  of  the 
 Christian  era,  the  choice  of  the  bishops  was  made  by 
 the  people ;  and  that  it  was  not  till  after  the  conversion 
 
A    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.  219 
 
 of  Constantino,  when  religion  received  the  support  and 
 authority  of  the  secular  power,  that  this  privilege  was 
 wrested  from  them,  and  transferred  to  civil  or  ecclesi- 
 astical patrons.  The  decisions  of  reason  harmonise  on 
 this  subject  with  the  testimony  of  revelation  and  the 
 records  of  history;  for  if  we  have  an  undoubted  right 
 to  choose  our  own  lawyer  or  physician,  how  much  more 
 have  we  to  elect  the  man  to  whom  we  shall  entrust  the 
 care  of  our  soul.  If  we  should  feel  it  hard  to  be  obliged 
 to  take  the  medicines  of  the  parish  doctor  whether  we 
 liked  them  or  not,  how  much  more  oppressive  is  it  that 
 we  should  be  obliged  to  hear  the  opinions  of  the  parish 
 minister,  who  may  have  been  appointed  by  the  patron 
 for  other  qualifications  than  those  of  a  spiritual  nature, 
 and  whose  sentiments  may  be  as  much  opposed  to  the 
 doctrines  of  the  gospel,  as  his  conduct  is  to  its  holiness. 
 What !  are  we  to  be  obliged  to  look  up  to  such  a  man 
 as  our  spiritual  instructor,  because  some  profligate  crea- 
 ture, who  has  the  living  in  his  gift,  chooses  to  introduce 
 him  to  the  vacant  pulpit?* 
 
 V.    A  christian  church,  with   its  office  bearers,  is 
 
 *  The  Author  does  not  mean  to  insinuate  that  the  clergy  of  the 
 Church  of  England  are  either  erroneous  or  unholy  as  a  body.  God 
 forbid  that  an  insinuation  so  wanting  in  candour  and  in  truth  should 
 be  imputed  to  him.  It  is  his  happiness  to  be  surrounded,  and  his 
 honour  to  be  associated  in  good  works,  with  some,  whose  virtues, 
 equalling  their  talents,  would  adorn  any  communion ;  whose  friend- 
 ship he  shall  ever  esteem  amongst  the  felicities  of  his  life,  and  whose 
 examples  it  will  be  his  endeavour  in  most  things  to  imitate.  Nor  are 
 such  to  be  found  only  in  his  neighbourhood,  they  are  continually 
 multiplying  in  every  part  of  the  country,  and  to  such  a  degree,  that 
 if  the  reasons  of  dissent  were  to  be  found  only  in  the  conduct  of  the 
 clergy,  instead  of  the  principles  of  the  Establishment,  it  would  soon 
 be  difficult  indeed  to  withdraw  from  the  communion  of  the  Church 
 of  England. 
 
 Vol.  11  R 
 
250  THE    NATURE    OF 
 
 complete  within  itself,  for  the  observance  of  divine  ordi- 
 nances and  the  exercise  of  discipline,  and  is  subject  to 
 no  authority  or  tribunal  on  earth.  This  is  the  Congre- 
 gational, or  Independent,  form  of  church  government; 
 and  it  is  thus  denominated  to  distinguish  it  from  the 
 Episcopal,  or  the  government  of  a  diocesan  bishop  ;  and 
 from  the  Presbyterian,  or  the  government  of  the  churches 
 by  the  authority  of  their  assembled  pastors  and  elders. 
 No  trace  of  any  foreign  control  over  a  church  of  Christ 
 can  be  found  in  the  New  Testament,  except  such  as  was 
 exercised  by  the  apostles  as  the  representatives  of  Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 VI.  Such  a  church  is  bound  by  the  authority  of 
 Christ  to  observe,  in  their  associated  capacity,  all  the 
 institutes,  to  obey  all  the  commands,  and  to  cherish  all 
 the  dispositions,  which  relate  to  their  social  union,  in 
 the  time,  order,  and  manner  in  which  they  are  enjoined 
 by  the  Word  of  God.  They  are  to  assemble  in  public 
 on  the  first  day  of  the  week  for  prayer,  praise,  hearing 
 the  Scriptures  read  and  expounded,  celebrating  the 
 Lord's  supper,  and  cultivating  mutual  affection.  They 
 are  also  bound  by  divine  authority  to  maintain  the 
 purity  of  the  church  by  receiving  only  such  as  give 
 evidence  of  true  faith,  and  by  excluding  from  their  com- 
 munion all  those  whose  life  is  opposed  to  the  doctrine 
 which  is  according  to  godliness.  They  are  to  live  in  the 
 exercise  of  mutual  submission  and  brotherly  love,  and 
 ever  to  consider  themselves  amenable  to  the  tribunal 
 of  Christ  for  their  conduct  in  their  church  capacity. 
 
 Such  is  a  very  concise  view  of  the  nature  of  a  chris- 
 tian church ;  from  which  the  principles  of  Protestant 
 Dissenters  will  easily  be  deduced.  These  principles  are 
 either  general  or  particular.     What  may  be  termed  the 
 
A    CHRIST!  \\     (  ill  lt(  II.  251 
 
 general  principles  of  dissent  are,  the  all-sufficiency  and 
 exclusive  authority  of  the  Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith 
 and  practice  in  matters  of  religion  :  the  consequent 
 denial  of  the  right  of  legislatures  and  ecclesiastical  con- 
 ventions to  impose  any  rites,  ceremonies,  observances, 
 or  interpretations  of  the  Word  of  God,  upon  our  belief 
 and  practice ;  the  unlimited  and  inalienable  right  of 
 every  man  to  expound  the  Word  of  God  for  himself,  and 
 to  worship  his  Maker  in  that  form  and  manner  which  he 
 deems  to  be  most  accordant  with  the  directions  of  the 
 Bible ;  the  utter  impropriety  of  any  alliance  or  incor- 
 poration of  the  church  of  Christ  with  the  governments 
 or  the  kingdoms  of  this  world ;  the  duty  of  every  Chris- 
 tian to  oppose  the  authority  which  would  attempt  to 
 fetter  his  conscience  with  obligations  to  religious  ob- 
 servances not  enjoined  by  Christ.  These  are  general 
 principles  of  dissent,  which  lead  a  Nonconformist  to 
 separate  from  all  national  establishments  of  religion 
 whatever. 
 
 But  there  are  also  particular  reasons  relating  to  the 
 Church  of  England.  Her  prayer  book  appears  to  us 
 self  contradictory :  she  teaches  in  her  catechism  that 
 infants  are  regenerated  by  baptism;  that  her  bishops 
 have  the  power  of  conferring  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the 
 ordination  of  ministers ;  that  her  priests  have  authority 
 to  absolve  sins  j*  her  burial  service,  in  manifest  opposi- 
 tion to  some  parts  of  itself,  and  to  other  parts  of  the 
 liturgy,  leads  us  to  conclude  that  all,  who  are  interred 
 with  the  prescribed  rites  of  sepulture,  certainly  go  to 
 heaven,  whatever  were  their  previous  characters.  She 
 practices  liturgical  forms  of  worship  which  we  deem  less 
 
 *  See  the  office  fur  the  Visitation  of  the  Sick;  than  which  the 
 Ifasa  Buuk  scarcely  cuntains  any  thing  more  objectionable. 
 
252  THE    NATURE    OF 
 
 edifying  than  extempore  prayer;  while  her  liturgy, 
 though  in  many  respects  sublime,  scriptural,  and 
 devotional,  abounds  with  vain  repetitions.  She  multi- 
 plies offices  in  her  hierarcy  beyond  all  Scripture  pre- 
 cedent, until  she  has  quite  secularised  her  nature  and 
 appearance.  By  her  system  of  patronage,  she  has  taken 
 from  the  people  their  just  right  to  elect  their  own 
 pastors,  and  deprived  herself  of  the  means  of  preserving 
 a  faithful  and  holy  ministry ;  and  she  has  corrupted  the 
 communion  of  the  saints  by  the  too  indiscrimate  admis- 
 sion of  persons  of  all  characters  to  the  Lord's  table. 
 
 These  are  among  the  special  reasons  on  which  we 
 ground  our  separation  from  the  religious  establishment 
 of  our  country.  That  we  think  they  are  scriptural  is 
 evident  from  our  making  them  the  ground  of  our  con- 
 duct in  opposition  to  the  derision  with  which  they  are 
 sometimes  treated,  and  to  the  persecution  which  they 
 sometimes  bring  upon  us.  We  offer  them  to  the  public, 
 and  invite  for  them  the  severest  scrutiny,  being  confi- 
 dent of  their  truth.  We  have  examined  them  ourselves, 
 and  wish  others  to  investigate  them  also,  being  assured 
 that  the  more  they  are  scrutinized  the  more  they  will  be 
 approved.  Let  them  be  weighed  with  especial  care  by 
 all  the  members  of  our  churches.  As  they  are  dissen- 
 ters in  conduct  let  them  be  well  acquainted  with  the 
 ground  on  which  they  act.  It  is  not  enough  to  plead 
 the  authority  of  example,  or  of  mere  feeling,  as  a  reason 
 for  any  religious  service.  These  are  insufficient  pilots 
 on  the  troubled  ocean  of  theological  opinion,  where 
 opposing  currents,  stormy  winds,  and  concealed  rocks, 
 endanger  the  safety  of  the  voyager  to  eternity.  Our 
 compass  is  the  Word  of  God.  Reason  must  be  the 
 steersman  at  the  helm  to  guide  the  vessel  by  the  direc- 
 
A    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.  253 
 
 tion  of  the  needle,  and  that  mariner  is  accountable  for 
 the  consequences,  who  is  too  ignorant  or  too  indolent  to 
 examine  his  course. 
 
 Away  with  that  morbid  insensibility  which  exclaims, 
 "  It  is  of  no  consequence  whether  a  man  be  a  dissenter 
 or  a  churchman,  provided  he  be  a  Christian."  Such  a 
 spirit  is  a  conspiracy  against  the  throne  of  truth,  and  is 
 the  first  step  towards  a  complete  abandonment  of  the 
 importance  of  right  sentiments.  Admitting  that  error 
 is  to  be  measured  by  a  graduated  scale,  who  will  under- 
 take to  fix  upon  the  point,  where  harmless  mistakes  end, 
 and  mischievous  ones  begin?  Every  thing  relating  to 
 religion  is  of  consequence.  In  the  temple  of  truth,  not 
 only  the  foundation  is  to  be  valued  and  defended,  but 
 every  point  and  every  pinnacle. 
 
 It  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  an  enquiry 
 into  the  grounds  of  our  conduct  should  embitter  our 
 temper.  The  mist  of  passion  obscures  the  splendour 
 of  truth,  as  much  as  the  fogs  of  a  November  morning 
 do  the  effulgence  of  the  solar  orb.  Let  us  contend 
 earnestly  for  right  principles,  but  let  it  be  in  the  exercise 
 of  right  feelings.  Let  us  hold  the  truth  in  love.  Then 
 do  our  sentiments  appear  to  greatest  advantage,  and 
 look  like  gems  set  in  gold,  when  they  are  supported  by  a 
 spirit  of  christian  charity.* 
 
 *  There  is  here  introduced  the  passage  from  Cudworth's  Sermon 
 before  the  House  of  Commons,  beginning  "  0  divine  love, "and  ending 
 "  or  that  they  did  so  much  as  singe  a  hair  of  their  heads."    Ed. 
 
254  THE  NATURE  AND  DESIGN 
 
 CHAPTER   II. 
 
 THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN    OF    CHURCH    FELLOWSHIP. 
 
 "  For  want  of  clear  information  on  this  head,  there 
 is,  both  before  and  after  admission,  in  the  minds  of 
 many  persons,  a  certain  mystic  obscurity  hanging  over 
 the  subject,  which  either  repels  them  from  seeking  for 
 admission,  or  fills  them  with  disquiet.  Christian 
 churches  have  no  mysteries,  no  adyta,  no  free-mason's 
 secrets.  It  is  a  pernicious  policy  which  would  exalt 
 plain  duties  into  secret  rites,  and  transform  the  simple 
 institutions  of  the  gospel  into  enigmas.''"*  Nothing  is 
 more  plain  than  the  nature  of  christian  fellowship,  yet 
 nothing  is  less  understood. 
 
 I.  Church  fellowship  is  the  exercise  of  the  social  prin- 
 ciple in  matters  of  religion,  and  in  obedience  to  the 
 authority  of  Christ.  Many  persons  seem  to  imagine 
 that  the  only  end  and  object  of  church  fellowship  is  the 
 participation  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Hence  they  attach 
 no  other  idea  to  a  church,  than  that  of  a  company 
 of  Christians  meeting  together  at  the  sacramental  table ; 
 who  have  nothing  to  do  with  each  other  until  they 
 arrive  there,  and  whose  reciprocal  duties  end  with  that 
 ordinance.  The  observance  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  it  is 
 confessed,  is  one  design  and  exercise  of  fellowship,  but 
 *  Eclectic  Review,  vol.  xviii,  p.  325. 
 
«M    CHUBCB    FELLOWSHIP.  255 
 
 it  is  not  the  only  one.  Man  is  a  social  creature,  by 
 which  I  mean  that  he  instinctively  seeks  the  company 
 of  his  fellows ;  is  capable  of  enjoying  their  society,  and 
 derives  from  their  communion  no  small  portion  of  his 
 improvement  and  felicity.  The  aphorism  of  Solomon 
 is  as  just  as  it  is  beautiful:  "As  iron  sharpeneth  iron, 
 so  a  man  sharpeneth  the  countenance  of  his  friend." 
 Social  bliss  was  the  completion  of  paradisaical  happi- 
 ness ;  its  influence  has  survived  the  shock  of  our  apos- 
 tasy, and  will  be  felt  amidst  the  felicities  of  the  heavenly 
 state.  It  is  not  matter  of  surprise,  therefore,  that  the 
 Lord  Jesus  should  recognize  the  social  principle  in  the 
 arrangements  of  his  wise  and  merciful  economy.  He 
 might  have  left  his  people  unconnected  by  any  visible 
 bond,  or  at  best  with  no  other  guide  to  each  other  than 
 the  natural  workings  and  affinities  of  the  human  bosom. 
 Instead  of  this,  however,  he  has,  by  explicit  authority, 
 grafted  the  duties  of  his  religion  upon  the  propensities 
 of  our  social  nature.  The  identifying  law  of  Christ's 
 kingdom  is  love  to  one  another;  and  in  order  that  this 
 love  may  be  more  perfect  in  its  exercise,  we  are  united 
 in  visible  communion.  "When  therefore  we  join  a  chris- 
 tian church,  we  enter  a  society  of  believers  for  the  pur- 
 pose of  giving  and  receiving  every  suitable  expression 
 of  mutual  love.  We  then  associate  ourselves  with  those 
 towards  whom  we  are  to  cherish,  in  consequence  of  a 
 common  relationship,  the  kindest  emotions.  We  are 
 not  only  to  worship  with  them  in  the  same  place,  not 
 only  to  sit  with  them  at  the  same  sacramental  board, 
 but  we  are  to  consider  ourselves  as  one  of  their  fellow- 
 ship, to  identify  our  best  feelings  with  theirs,  and  in 
 all  things  to  consider  ourselves  members  one  of  another. 
 Our  fellowship  is  not  intended  for,  nor  is  it  to  be  c\- 
 
256  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 
 
 pressed  by,  any  one  exclusive  act,  but  it  is  to  extend 
 itself  to  every  possible  way  of  having  communion  with 
 each  other ;  we  are  to  rejoice  together  in  the  common 
 salvation;  and  to  bring  forth  together  the  fruits  of  a 
 like  precious  faith.  Dr.  Watts  has  very  beautifully  ex- 
 pressed the  feelings  which  every  church  member  who 
 understands  his  relationship  constantly  recognises  : 
 
 "  My  soul  shall  pray  for  Zion  still, 
 While  life  or  breath  remains ; 
 There  my  best  friends  my  kindred  dwell, 
 There  God  my  Saviour  reigns." 
 
 The  great  end  of  christian  fellowship,  and  the  impro- 
 priety of  limiting  its  design  to  a  celebration  of  the 
 eucharist,  are  strikingly  represented  by  Mr  Hall : 
 
 "  Nothing  is  more  certain  than  that  the  communion  of  saints  is  by 
 no  means  confined  to  one  particular  occasion,  or  limited  to  one  tran- 
 saction, such  as  that  of  assembling  round  the  Lord's  table  ;  it  extends 
 to  all  the  modes  by  which  believers  recognize  each  other  as  the  mem- 
 bers of  a  common  Head.  Every  expression  of  fraternal  regard,  every 
 participation  in  the  enjoyments  of  social  worship,  every  instance  of 
 the  unity  of  the  Spirit  exerted  in  prayer  and  supplication,  or  in  acts 
 of  christian  sympathy  and  friendship,  as  truly  belong  to  the  commu- 
 nion of  saints  as  the  celebration  of  the  eucharist.  In  truth,  if  we  are 
 strangers  to  communion  with  our  fellow  Christians  on  other  occasions, 
 it  is  impossible  for  us  to  enjoy  it  there ;  for  the  mind  is  not  a  piece  of 
 mechanism  which  can  be  set  a  going  at  pleasure,  whose  movements 
 are  obedient  to  the  call  of  time  and  place.  Nothing  short  of  an 
 habitual  sympathy  of  spirit,  springing  from  the  cultivation  of  benevo- 
 lent feeling,  and  the  interchange  of  kind  offices,  will  secure  that  re- 
 ciprocal delight,  that  social  pleasure,  which  is  the  soul  of  christian 
 communion.  Its  richest  fruits  are  frequently  reserved  for  private 
 conference,  like  that  in  which  the  two  disciples  were  engaged,  in  their 
 way  to  Emmaus,  when  their  hearts  burned  within  them,  while  the 
 Lord  opened  to  them  the  Scriptures.  When  they  take  sweet  counsel 
 together  as  they  go  the  house  of  God  in  company,  when  they  bear 
 each  other's  burdens,  weep  with  those  that  weep,  and  rejoice  with 
 them  that  rejoice;  say,  have  Christians  no  mutual  fellowship?" 
 
OF    CHUttCH    FELLOWSHIP.  J.»7 
 
 The  sacred  historian  has  given  us  a  very  beautiful 
 practical  exhibition  of  the  ends  of  christian  fellowship  : 
 "  Then  they  that  gladly  received  his  word  were  bap- 
 tized :  and  the  same  day  there  were  added  unto  them 
 about  three  thousand  souls.  And  they  continued  sted- 
 fastly  in  the  apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in 
 breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayers.  And  fear  came  upon 
 every  soul :  and  many  wonders  and  signs  were  done  by 
 the  apostles.  And  all  that  believed  were  together,  and 
 had  all  things  common ;  and  sold  their  possessions  and 
 goods,  and  parted  them  to  all  men,  as  every  man  had 
 need.  And  they,  continuing  daily  with  one  accord  in 
 the  temple,  and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house,  did 
 eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart, 
 praising  God,  and  having  favour  with  all  the  people. 
 And  the  Lord  added  to  the  church  daily  such  as  should 
 be  saved."  Here  we  see  the  social  principle  putting 
 forth  all  its  energies  in  the  way  of  sacred  fellowship,  and 
 with  direct  reference  to  religion.  A  new  and  holy  bro- 
 therhood was  set  up,  of  which  love  to  Christ,  and  to 
 each  other  for  Christ's  sake,  was  the  bond.  There  was 
 the  recognition  of  a  common  relationship,  and  the  exer- 
 cise of  all  the  affection  which  it  involved.  The  con- 
 verts immediately  gave  themselves  to  each  other,  as 
 members  one  of  another,  and  not  only  performed  acts 
 of  religious  worship  together,  but  exercised  a  reciprocal 
 and  most  substantial  benevolence,  and  afforded  the  most 
 valuable  mutual  service.  "  Imagination  can  scarcely 
 delineate  a  scene  more  amiably  interesting,  than  that 
 which  the  infant  church  in  reality  displayed.  Bound 
 together  by  the  fellowship  of  sentiments,  feeling,  and 
 affection,  having  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  the 
 believers  in  Christ,  found  more  than  a  compensation  for 
 
258  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 
 
 the  contempt,  and  hatred,  and  persecution  of  the  world, 
 in  their  common  hopes,  and  mutual  offices  of  kindness. 
 Around  them  was  a  scene  of  rude  agitation  and  wild 
 confusion ;  but  within  the  little  circle  of  their  society 
 all  was  union,  harmony,  and  love."  Alas,  alas,  that 
 this  reign  of  love  and  peace  should  have  been  of  such 
 short  duration,  that  the  apostles  lived  to  witness,  not 
 indeed  its  termination,  but  its  interruption,  and  had  to 
 interpose  their  authority  to  stop  the  progress  of  false 
 opinions,  and  the  alienation  of  heart  to  which  error  had 
 given  rise. 
 
 This  exercise  of  the  social  principle  is  conducted 
 with  direct  reference  to  the  authority  of  Christ.  He 
 who  is  our  Lord  has  commanded  it.  It  is  his  will  that 
 his  people  should  not  live  solitarily  and  unconnected, 
 but  in  visible  association.  To  the  question  therefore, 
 "Why  are  you  a  church  member?"  the  first  answer 
 must  be,  "Because  Jesus  Christ  has  commanded  it." 
 Independently  of  the  advantages  arising  from  this  prac- 
 tice, the  true  ground  of  it  is  the  authority  of  our  divine 
 Lord.  It  is  not  only  a  privilege  which  he  has  permitted 
 us  to  enjoy,  but  a  duty  which  he  has  commanded  us  to 
 perform.  If  we  were  unable  to  perceive  its  advantages, 
 it  would  still  be  our  duty  to  comply  with  it.  Church 
 fellowship  is  no  less  a  duty,  than  the  observance  of  the 
 first  day  sabbath,  as  the  same  reasons  may  be  advanced 
 for  one  as  for  the  other.  From  not  viewing  it  in  this 
 light  it  is,  that  so  many  refuse  to  join  themselves  to  the 
 church :  they  consider  membership  merely  in  the  light 
 of  a  privilege,  which  it  is  at  their  option  to  receive  or 
 refuse.  This  is  a  very  great  and  a  very  injurious  error. 
 If  a  believer  remain  without  visible  connection-  with 
 
OF    CHUBCH    FELLOWSHIP,  259 
 
 some  christian  society,  lie  is  guilty  of  direct  disobedience 
 against  his  rightful  Lord. 
 
 While  I  could  wish  that  religious  discourse  were 
 disencumbered  of  much  of  that  uncouth  and  technical 
 phraseology  with  which  it  is  so  repulsively  disfigured, 
 I  am  free  to  admit,  that  there  are  some  expressions 
 current  among  us,  of  such  comprehensive  meaning  and 
 emphatic  power,  that  we  may  well  wish  them  never  to 
 be  laid  aside  ;  among  these  is  the  very  common  one, 
 of  "joining  the  church/'  as  significant  of  membership. 
 Nothing  can  more  justly  or  more  beautifully  designate 
 this  act ;  it  means  far  more  than  merely  going  to  the 
 Lord's  Table,  or  any  series  of  devotional  exercises,  and 
 indicates  an  entire  incorporation  with  the  body  of  the 
 faithful ;  an  intimate  association  with  them,  in  mind, 
 heart,  and  action;  and  an  identity  of  interests,  object, 
 and  sympathies. 
 
 II.  Fellowship  is  the  instituted  way  of  making  a 
 public  profession  of  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  gospel. 
 A  man  may  hold  the  opinions  and  approve  the  practices 
 of  some  voluntary  worldly  society,  but  till  he  has  united 
 himself  with  it,  he  is  not  considered,  either  by  its  mem- 
 bers or  the  public,  as  one  of  their  number.  His  actually 
 joining  himself  to  them  according  to  the  established 
 usage,  is  his  profession.*     Thus  a  man  may  be  a  sincere 
 
 *  If  it  is  asked,  whether  an  attendance  on  divine  worship  is  not  a 
 profession  of  religion,  I. scruple  not  to  reply  in  the  negative.  It  is 
 not  a  profession,  because  it  is  not  what  the  word  implies,  a  confession, 
 a  public  avowal  of  faith  before  men.  It  is  not  considered  as  such  by 
 the  irreligious.  A  mere  attendance  at  a  place  of  worship,  except 
 under  particular  circumstances,  brings  on  a  man  no  reproach  from  the 
 scoffer,  is  not  an  offence  against  the  world.  It  implies  nothing  de- 
 cisive on  the  part  of  the  individual.  It  is  the  common  practice 
 of  men  of  every  shade  of  decent  character,  of  men  who  would  be 
 
260  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 
 
 believer  of  the  gospel,  and  so  far  as  respects  his  own 
 private  conduct,  an  exemplary  example  of  genuine  piety, 
 but  until  he  has  connected  himself  with  a  christian 
 church  he  has  not  professed  himself-  to  be  a  Christian. 
 It  is  by  that  act  that  he  declares  to  the  world  his  faith 
 and  hope  as  a  believer  in  Christ.  It  is  then  he  virtually 
 says,  "  I  receive  the  opinions,  possess  the  dispositions, 
 submit  to  the  obligations,  and  observe  the  practices  of 
 the  church  of  God  with  which  I  now  connect  myself." 
 Jesus  Christ  has  made  it  our  duty  not  only  to  receive 
 his  truths  into  our  heart,  but  to  confess  him  before 
 men ;  and  it  is  a  duty  on  which  very  considerable  stress 
 is  laid.  This  is  to  be  done  not  in  any  ostentatious  way, 
 but  by  joining  ourselves  to  his  people ;  which  is  a  con- 
 fession, that  both  the  church  and  the  world  clearly 
 understand.  Hence  it  is  apparent  that  church  mem- 
 bership is  no  trifling  matter,  since  it  is  calling  heaven, 
 earth,  and  hell  to  witness  our  solemn  declaration  of 
 submission  to  the  authority  of  Christ.  It  is  saying 
 in  the  hearing  of  more  worlds  than  one,  "  I  am  a 
 Christian." 
 
 startled  at  the  idea  of  making  any  avowal  or  confession  of  their 
 belief  by  so  doing.  If  it  is  not  so  considered  by  the  world,  still  less 
 can  it  be  by  the  church.  By  its  members,  an  attendance  on  divine 
 worship,  which  stops  short  of  an  observance  of  other  christian  duties, 
 must  be  viewed  as  the  opposite  of  a  confession,  as  a  tacit  refusal  to 
 comply  with  the  laws  of  Christ,  as  an  act  at  variance  with  the 
 christian  character.  The  individual  himself  may  be  well  thought  of, 
 may  even  be  highly  esteemed.  It  would  be  the  height  of  injustice 
 and  bigotry  to  doubt  the  piety  of  such  persons.  They  are  Christians  ; 
 still  they  are  not  professors  of  the  religion  of  Christ ;  they  believe, 
 but  they  do  not  confess.  Their  faith  may  be  genuine,  but  their 
 practice  is  defective.  If  this  is  not  true,  then  christian  fellowship  is 
 no  duty,  all  obligation  vanishes,  and  the  whole  thing  is  a  delusion. 
 Eclectic  Review,  vol.  xviii.  p.  326. 
 
OF   CHUBCB    FELLOWSHIP.  2G1 
 
 III.  It  is  the  visible  bond  of  union  with  the  disciples 
 of  Jesus.  Christians  are  not  only  to  be  united,  but  arc 
 to  exhibit  their  union.  Their  oneness  of  sentiment,  of 
 affection,  of  purpose,  is  to  be  seen.  We  are  not  only  to 
 love  one  another,  but  our  love  is  to  be  known ;  which 
 is  impossible  without  membership.  In  its  collective 
 capacity,  a  church  concentrates,  as  in  a  focus,  the  light 
 and  love  that  exist  in  her  individual  members.  Without 
 being  combined  in  a  visible  union,  its  splendour  would 
 be  only  as  the  dim  and  scattered  light  which  was  diffused 
 over  the  chaos  in  the  twilight  of  creation,  while  the 
 fellowship  of  the  saints  is  the  same  light  gathered  up 
 and  embodied  in  the  solar  orb.  We  are  indeed  united 
 in  spirit  with  the  church  of  Christ  from  the  moment  we 
 have  believed  his  gospel,  but  our  union  is  neither  ex- 
 pressed nor  recognised,  until  we  have  joined  in  the  usual 
 way.  We  are  citizens  in  feeling  and  intention,  but 
 not  yet  known  from  enemies,  aliens,  and  spies.  Mem- 
 bership, therefore,  is  the  bond  of  visible  union  with  the 
 brethren  in  Christ. 
 
 IV.  It  is  an  explicit  declaration  of  our  determina- 
 tion to  submit  to  the  government  and  discipline  of  the 
 church.  Every  society  has  laws  for  the  regulation  of 
 its  affairs.  Without  these  it  could  not  exist ;  and  to 
 which  every  member  professes,  at  the  time  of  his  en- 
 trance, his  determination  to  submit.  The  church  of  the 
 Redeemer  has  in  like  manner  its  social  rules,  which 
 respect  the  members  in  their  associated  capacity.  We 
 are  therefore  amenable  not  only  to  the  direct  authority 
 of  Christ,  but  also  to  that  authority  expressed  by  the 
 voice  of  the  church ;  we  must  submit  to  all  its  regula- 
 tions, observe  all  its  injunctions,  support  its  decisions,  or 
 we  can  no  longer  remain  in  its  communion.     If  we  are 
 
262  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 
 
 called  before  it,  we  must  appear ;  if  required  to  explain 
 any  part  of  our  conduct,  we  must  comply ;  if  censured,  we 
 must  submit.  We  are  in  no  case  haughtily  to  exclaim, 
 ' '  What  is  the  church,  that  I  should  obey  it  ?  to  my  own 
 master  I  stand  or  fall."  Our  act  of  joining  the  society 
 is  an  explicit  declaration  of  our  willingness  to  submit 
 to  the  laws  by  which  it  is  governed.  We  can  voluntarily 
 secede  when  there  is  just  occasion,  or  in  case  of  a  false 
 decision  we  can  mildly  protest,  but  as  long  as  we 
 continue  members,  we  must  submit,  for  our  very  mem- 
 bership professes  and  requires  it. 
 
 V.  It  is  designed  to  exhibit,  upon  a  smaller  scale, 
 that  sublime  and  glorious  union  and  communion  which 
 subsist,  not  only  between  all  real  Christians  of  every 
 country,  name,  and  age,  but  between  the  whole  re- 
 deemed church  and  its  Divine  Head.  Passages  of 
 very  striking  import  speak  of  this  most  comprehensive 
 confederation  :  "  That  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness 
 of  times  he  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things  in 
 Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven  and  which  are  on 
 earth;  even  in  him."  "There  is  one  body  and  one 
 Spirit."  "That  which  we  have  seen  and  heard,  declare 
 we  unto  you,  that  ye  also  may  have  fellowship  with  us ; 
 and  truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father  and  his  Son 
 Jesus  Christ."  From  these  passages  we  learn  that  the 
 aggregate  of  believers,  united  to  Jesus  Christ,  and 
 through  him  to  the  Father,  form  one  vast  harmonious 
 fellowship  of  holiness  and  benevolence.  They  are  united 
 in  the  same  pursuit,  which  is  the  divine  glory ;  in  the 
 same  means  for  the  attainment  of  that  object,  which  is 
 the  salvation  of  the  soul.  The  church  universal  will 
 ever  remain  the  one  grand  monument  on  which  are 
 recorded  the  praises  of  the  living  God.     Of  this  general 
 
OP   <  BUBCH    i  u.i.mvsiiip.  263 
 
 assembly  every  particular  society  is  the  miniature  resem- 
 blance. By  its  public  worship,  its  beautiful  subordina- 
 tion, its  mutual  affection,  its  truth,  its  holiness,  its 
 peace,  it  is  an  exhibition  to  the  world  of  that  fellowship 
 which  has  God  in  Christ  for  its  head,  all  believers  for 
 its  members,  heaven  for  its  temple,  and  eternity  for  its 
 duration;  while  every  time  it  assembles  for  worship, 
 it  shews  forth  the  unity  of  the  holy  catholic  church,  and 
 the  communion  of  saints. 
 
 VI.  It  is  intended  to  engage  believers  by  the  bond 
 of  a  mutual  relationship,  to  a  constant  endeavour  after 
 mutual  helpfulness. 
 
 We  are  united  to  give  and  to  receive  assistance  in 
 our  religious  course.  Each  is  required  to  contribute 
 something  to  the  good  of  the  whole,  and  to  receive  back 
 good  from  the  whole,  by  reciprocal  inspection,  counsel, 
 watchfulness,  caution,  comfort  and  admonition.  Hence 
 the  apostle's  comparison  of  the  church  to  the  human 
 frame,  of  which  the  members  are  all  reciprocally  helpful 
 to  one  another.  The  details  of  this  helpfulness  will 
 come  to  be  considered  in  another  chapter,  when  the 
 duties  of  church  members  are  set  forth ;  it  is  only  the 
 general  principles,  the  ends  of  fellowship,  that  are  now 
 spoken  of.  This  is  far  too  much  forgotten,  and  indeed 
 it  is  to  be  feared  that  by  some,  has  scarcely  ever  been 
 thought  of.  The  person  who  joins  a  church  merely  to 
 receive  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  without  expecting  or 
 intending  to  receive  advantage  from,  or  communicate 
 advantage  to  his  fellow  members,  knows  not  the  nature 
 or  design  of  this  visible  communion  of  saints ;  he  joins 
 a  society  only  to  perform  an  individual  act,  and  without 
 either  giving  or  receiving  any  social  benefit  whatever; 
 and   it   certainly   docs  become  many   church   members 
 
264         NATURE  AND  DESIGN  OF  CHURCH  FELLOWSHIP. 
 
 seriously  to  enquire,  what  one  social  benefit  they  have 
 conferred  or  received  ever  since  they  have  been  admitted 
 to  the  communion  of  the  church.  Whom  have  they 
 helped,  by  counsel,  comfort,  or  admonition  ?  Or  from 
 whom  have  they  sought  this?  When  did  they  ever 
 recognise  by  one  single  feeling  or  exercise  of  relation- 
 ship, the  principle  that  they  belonged  to  a  community  ? 
 When  were  their  sensibilities  ever  moved,  their  sympa- 
 thies excited,  or  their  helpfulness  set  in  motion  towards 
 their  brethren  and  sisters  in  the  church?  True  it  is, 
 that  in  large  churches,  situated  in  large  towns,  the  ends 
 of  fellowship  can  be  but  imperfectly  accomplished ;  but 
 they  ought  to  be  recognised.  There  should  be  a  con- 
 stant recollection  that  we  belong  to  a  body  in  which 
 we  should  take  a  deep  interest,  and  to  the  welfare  of 
 which  we  should  be  ever  alive,  by  all  the  tender  prompt- 
 ings of  a  felt  relationship.  A  christian  church,  it  is 
 again  repeated,  is  a  sacred  fellowship,  a  union  of  be- 
 lievers upon  the  ground  of  common  principles,  and  for 
 the  enjoyment  of  common  advantages  in  a  religious 
 life. 
 
THE    PRIVILEGES    OF    MEMBERSHIP.  '-'<'>,") 
 
 CHAPTER    III. 
 
 THE    PRIVILEGES    OF    MEMBERSHIP. 
 
 "The  privileges  of  membership  are,  in  a  general 
 sense,  the  privileges  of  christian  society :  and  churches 
 were  originally  formed  only  to  secure  and  promote  these 
 social  objects ;  to  bring  Christians,  as  such,  more  closely 
 together;  to  make  them  known  to  each  other  in  that 
 character,  and  to  bind  them  by  positive  engagements  to 
 neighbourly  offices,  religious  communion,  and  brotherly 
 kindness;"  but  to  descend  to  particulars,  these  privi- 
 leges consist  in, 
 
 I.  The  participation  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  That  a 
 reception  of  the  appointed  memorials  of  the  Saviour's 
 dying  love  is  indeed  a  privilege,  requires  no  proof.  As 
 creatures,  whose  minds  are  instructed  and  whose  hearts 
 are  impressed  through  the  medium  of  our  senses,  how 
 affecting  are  the  emblems  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ !  Enough  of  resemblance  may  be  observed  by 
 the  fancy  between  the  sign  and  the  thing  signified 
 to  aid  the  exercise  of  the  affections,  while  enough  of 
 simplicity  remains  to  prevent  the  excursions  of  the 
 imagination  from  interfering  with  the  more  sublime 
 and  scriptural  operations  of  our  faith.  That  sacra- 
 mental seasons  are  commonly  the  most  happy  and  most 
 profitable  which  a  believer  ever  spends  under  the  means 
 Vol.  11  8 
 
206  THE    PRIVILEGES 
 
 of  grace,  is  a  fact  not  to  be  denied.  It  is  no  wonder 
 that  it  should  be  so.  It  is  at  the  sacred  supper 
 that  the  attention  is  more  powerfully  arrested  and 
 fixed,  and  the  heart  impressed  and  affected.  It  is 
 there  that  the  scheme  of  redeeming  mercy  seems  pecu- 
 liarly to  be  developed  to  the  understanding,  and  to  excite 
 the  emotions  of  the  bosom  in  a  degree  almost  unknown 
 elsewhere.  It  is  there,  that  the  glory  of  the  divine 
 character  has  been  most  clearly  discovered  by  our  mind  ; 
 there,  that  Jesus  has  unfolded  to  us  the  wonders  of  his 
 mediation ;  and  there,  the  Eternal  Spirit  has  descended 
 into  our  souls,  in  the  most  munificent  communications 
 of  his  sanctifying  and  consoling  influence.  How  have 
 our  icy  hearts  there  melted  beneath  the  ardour  of 
 celestial  love,  and  flowed  down  in  streams  of  godly 
 sorrow  !  How  have  our  grovelling,  earthly  minds  soared 
 on  the  wings  of  faith  and  hope,  till  we  have  lost  sight 
 of  earthly  scenes  and  sounds,  amidst  the  glory  of  such 
 as  are  divine !  It  is  there  that  we  have  felt  ourselves 
 crucified  with  Christ,  and  have  risen  with  him  into  new- 
 ness of  life.  It  is  there  that  brotherly  love  has  glowed 
 with  its  most  perfect  fervour,  and  the  communion  of 
 saints  has  yielded  its  most  precious  delights.  Happier 
 hours  than  those  which  have  been  there  spent,  we  never 
 expect  to  know  in  this  world :  they  have  left  a  relish 
 and  a  fragrance  upon  the  mind;  the  remembrance  of 
 them  is  sweet,  and  the  anticipation  of  their  return  is 
 amongst  the  brightest  hopes  we  have  on  this  side  the 
 veil. 
 
 II.  Another  privilege  connected  with  membership  is 
 the  right  of  assisting  in  the  choice  of  a  pastor,  in  the 
 election  of  deacons,  and  in  the  admission  and  exclusion 
 of  members.     It  may  indeed  be  said  that  in  many  cases 
 
ol     MEMBERSHIP.  2V>7 
 
 this  is  in  part  enjoyed  by  those  who  are  not  church 
 members;  be  it  so;  but  as  it  is  in  every  case  enjoyed  by 
 those  who  are  members,  it  may  be  very  fairly  placed  in 
 the  number  of  their  privileges.  That  it  is  also  in  a 
 measure  exercised  by  all  persons  who,  in  a  town  where 
 there  are  more  places  of  worship  than  one,  choose  the 
 minister  whose  preaching  they  will  attend,  is  also  granted; 
 but  still  there  is  a  great  difference  between  choosing  a 
 minister  to  occupy  a  particular  station,  and  merely  going 
 to  hear  him  when  chosen  by  others.  If  these  things  are 
 not  different,  than  it  might  be  said  that  church  people  in 
 towns  where  there  are  more  churches  than  one,  choose 
 their  own  clergymen,  notwithstanding  they  have  been 
 presented  by  the  patrons  of  the  livings. 
 
 It  must  surely  be  accounted  no  inconsiderable  privi- 
 lege to  have  a  voice  in  the  election  of  an  individual  on 
 whose  ministrations  so  much  of  our  own  spiritual  wel- 
 fare, and  that  of  our  families  depends ;  nor  is  it  a  light 
 thing  to  be  admitted  to  a  participation  in  the  other 
 business  connected  with,  and  arising  from  the  circum- 
 stances of  a  church. 
 
 III.  A  church  member  has  the  advantage  of  pastoral 
 oversight  and  supplication.  "  They  watch  for  your 
 souls,"  said  the  apostle  to  the  ancient  Christians  when 
 speaking  of  their  pastors;  evidently  implying  that  it 
 was  a  great  privilege  to  be  the  subjects  of  such  inspection. 
 A  faithful  friend  that  will  instruct,  warn,  comfort,  or 
 reprove  as  circumstances  may  requii'e,  is  a  great  trea- 
 sure, and  such  an  one  a  Christian  will  find,  or  ought  to 
 find,  in  his  minister.*     In  him  he  has  a  right  to  expect 
 
 *  I  say  ought  to  find,  for  I  am  afraid  that  this  is  an  age  in  which 
 pastoral  avocations  are  too  little  thought  of,  and  the  pastor  is  nearly 
 merged  in  the  preacher. 
 
268  THE    PRIVILEGES 
 
 a  steady,  active,  and  vigilant  guardian  of  his  eternal 
 interests.  One  who  will  follow  every  individual  of  his 
 charge,  as  far  as  can  be,  through  all  his  spiritual  career ; 
 comforting  them  when  in  distress,  rousing  them  when 
 lukewarm,  reproving  them  when  their  conduct  needs 
 rebuke,  lending  his  ear  to  all  their  complaints,  and 
 opening  his  heart  to  receive  all  their  griefs.  A  faithful 
 pastor  will  consider  himself  as  the  guide  and  shield  of 
 the  souls  committed  to  his  care.  A  shepherd  to  provide 
 for  their  wants,  a  watchman  to  observe  the  approach 
 of  their  dangers.  He  will  visit  them  in  the  afflictions 
 which  attend  their  pilgrimage ;  will  hasten  to  their  bed- 
 side when  the  sorrows  of  death  encompass  them ;  will 
 disclose  to  the  eye  of  faith  the  visions  of  immortality 
 which  irradiate  the  dark  valley  itself,  and  will  never 
 cease  his  solicitude  until  the  portals  of  heaven  have 
 closed  upon  their  disembodied  spirits.  In  addition  to 
 this,  the  pastor  bears  the  church  in  the  arms  of  his 
 affection,  and  presents  them  in  his  prayers  before  the 
 throne  of  grace.  He  approaches  the  mercy  seat,  not 
 with  the  names  of  the  people  merely  engraven  upon  his 
 breastplate,  like  the  high  priest  of  the  Jews,  but  written 
 upon  his  heart.  Nor  does  he  confine  himself  to  general 
 supplications  for  the  society  in  the  aggregate ;  its  indi- 
 vidual members  as  to  their  separate  characters  and  pecu- 
 liar circumstances,  are  often  the  subjects  of  his  inter- 
 cession before  the  Fountain  of  life.  As  he  takes  a  deep 
 interest  in  them  as  individuals,  no  less  than  in  their  col- 
 lective capacity,  he  expresses  his  concern  by  definite  and 
 special  supplication.  Not  only  are  sermons  composed, 
 but  prayers  presented,  which  are  adapted  to  the  various 
 cases  of  his  flock.  The  afflicted,  the  backsliding,  the 
 tempted,  the  novice,  are  all  in  turn  remembered  in  his 
 
OP    MEMBERSHIP.  269 
 
 holiest  moments  before  God.  Nor  can  any  of  these 
 individuals  say  to  which  they  arc  most  indebted,  to  his 
 labours  in  the  pulpit,  or  to  his  supplications  in  the 
 closet :  for  if  "  the  effectual,  fervent  prayer  of  the 
 righteous  man  availeth  much,"  we  certainly  may  believe 
 that  the  entreaty  of  the  righteous  minister  is  not  less 
 availing. 
 
 IV.  The  watchfulness,  sympathy,  and  prayers  of  the 
 church  are  no  inconsiderable  privilege  of  membership. 
 In  what  way  these  duties  should  be  performed  will  be 
 matter  of  consideration  hereafter ;  and  therefore  I  shall 
 not  enter  minutely  into  the  subject  now,  any  further 
 than  to  shew  how  great  a  mercy  it  is  to  enjoy  an 
 interest  in  the  affection  and  the  intercession  of  a 
 christian  society.  We  are  commanded  to  exhort  one 
 another  daily ;  and  amidst  such  temptations,  weakness, 
 and  corruptions  as  ours,  is  it  not  an  unspeakable  mercy 
 to  be  surrounded  by  those  who  will  watch  over  and 
 assist  us?  With  every  help,  how  hard  a  thing  is  it 
 to  be  a  consistent  Christian :  how  difficult  to  maintain 
 the  purity  and  vigour  of  true  godliness;  how  often  do 
 our  steps  slip,  and  our  efforts  become  relaxed  !  Often 
 through  the  deceitfulness  of  the  human  heart,  others 
 may  perceive  our  danger  before  we  ourselves  are  aware 
 of  its  existence,  and  it  may  be  said  of  us,  as  it 
 was  of  Israel  of  old,  "  Strangers  have  devoured  his 
 strength,  yet  he  knoweth  it  not;  grey  hairs  are  here 
 and  there  upon  him,  yet  he  knoweth  it  not."  None  can 
 estimate  the  value  of  those  christian  friends  who,  in 
 such  cases,  with  faithful  love  remind  us  of  our  danger 
 and  affectionately  admonish  us.  How  inestimable  is 
 the  privilege  of  having  those  who  will  tenderly  reprove 
 us,  and  draw  us  back  with  the  cords  of  a  man  and  the 
 
270  THE    PRIVILEGES 
 
 bands  of  love  !  In  the  case  of  our  soul's  salvation,  more 
 than  worlds  are  at  stake,  and  he  who  will  give  himself 
 the  trouble  to  admonish  us  and  exhort  us  to  diligence, 
 performs  a  service  of  infinite  value,  for  which,  if  we 
 improve  by  it,  we  shall  offer  him  our  gratitude  in 
 eternity. 
 
 And  think  of  the  value  of  christian  sympathy.  How 
 consolatory  it  is  in  our  troubles,  to  recollect  that  there 
 are  those  who  are  thinking  of  our  situation,  and  pitying 
 our  distress !  Even  when  they  do  not  visit  us,  they  are 
 probably  talking  to  each  other  about  us.  We  have  their 
 affectionate  remembrance,  their  tenderest  interest. 
 
 Nor  are  their  prayers  withheld  when  they  meet  in 
 the  temple,  or  when  they  retire  to  their  closets ;  when 
 they  join  with  one  accord  in  supplication,  and  when 
 they  pray  to  their  Father  in  secret,  they  mention  their 
 suffering  brother  or  sister  to  Him  who  loves  the  church. 
 Ah  !  how  often  has  the  troubled  believer,  as  he  groaned 
 away  the  hour  when  the  church  was  assembled,  felt  it 
 lighten  his  load  and  irradiate  his  gloom,  to  believe  that 
 they  were  thinking  of  him,  and  blessing  him  with  their 
 prayers.  It  has  been  as  if  an  angel  were  despatched  to 
 inform  him  that  supplication  was  being  made  for  him, 
 and  that  therefore  he  ought  to  dry  up  his  tears.  Yes, 
 and  the  sweet  remembrance  has  in  some  cases  made  the 
 tears  forget  to  fall,  and  the  half  uttered  groan  to  die 
 away  in  silent  submission.  He  has  laid  down  upon  his 
 restless  couch  again,  and  it  seemed  as  if  it  had  been 
 smoothed  afresh  for  him  by  some  viewless  agent :  and 
 so  it  has,  for  God  has  heard  the  prayers  of  the  church 
 on  his  behalf,  and  has  made  "  all  his  bed  in  sickness." 
 
 It  has  been  said  that  the  last  two  particulars  are  not 
 the  privileges  of  members  exclusively,  nor  of  them  as 
 
01    MEMBERSHIP.  271 
 
 members  of  a  particular  church,  but  as  Christians  in 
 general.  It  is  unquestionable,  however,  that  church 
 members  have  a  prior  and  a  stronger  claim  upon  their 
 pastors  and  each  other  for  these  expressions  of  sympathy 
 than  any  others  have ;  and  it  has  been  admitted,  (even 
 by  those  who  object  to  the  author's  statement,)  "  that 
 churches  were  originally  formed  only  to  secure  and 
 promote  the  social  objects  of  their  union;  that  is,  to 
 bring  Christians,  as  Christians,  more  closely  together,  to 
 make  them  known  to  each  other  in  that  character,  and 
 to  bind  them  by  positive  engagements  to  neighbourly 
 offices  and  brotherly  kinduess  •"  but  if  this  be  correct,  as 
 it  unquestionably  is,  then  certainly  church  members,  as 
 such,  have  peculiar  claims  upon  their  pastors  and  each 
 other  for  neighbourly  offices  and  brotherly  kindness; 
 and  who  will  doubt  if  this  be  a  privilege  ?  One  great 
 end  of  membership  is  to  found  a  peculiar  claim  for 
 these  manifestations  not  merely  of  christian  but  of 
 brotherly  love.  If  there  be  no  peculiarity  of  claim 
 above  what  we  have  upon  each  other  as  Christians,  why 
 are  we  formed  into  separate  churches  ? 
 
 It  appears  to  me,  then,  that  in  addition  to  the  obliga- 
 tion which  rests  upon  upon  me  to  pray  for  and  watch 
 over  my  members  as  Christians,  I  am  bound  to  take 
 a  special  interest  in  their  spiritual  affairs  as  members 
 of  the  church  under  my  care.  They  stand  in  a  relation 
 totally  different  from  that  of  persons  not  in  communion, 
 and  are  entitled  far  beyond  the  latter  to  my  sympathy, 
 prayer,  and  vigilance. 
 
272  GENERAL    DUTIES    OP 
 
 CHAPTER   IV. 
 
 THE    GENERAL    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS    IN    THEIR 
 INDIVIDUAL    CAPACITY. 
 
 I.  They  should  seek  to  acquire  clear  and  enlarged 
 views  of  divine  truth.  It  is  a  fact  which  cannot  be 
 questioned,  that  a  very  large  proportion  of  those  whom 
 we  believe  to  be  real  Christians,  are  mere  babes  in 
 knowledge.  They  have  just  enough  instruction  to  know 
 that  they  are  sinners,  and  that  salvation  is  all  of  grace 
 through  Christ  Jesus :  but  ask  them  to  state,  prove,  and 
 defend,  in  a  scriptural  manner,  any  one  of  the  leading 
 doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  you  will  immediately  dis- 
 cover how  contracted  is  their  view,  and  how  feeble  is 
 their  perception,  of  divine  truth.  Instead  of  walking 
 amidst  the  splendid  light  and  varied  scenery  of  revela- 
 tion, with  the  confidence  and  joy  of  men  whose  vision 
 is  clear  and  strong,  they  are  groping  along  with  the  fear 
 and  hesitation  of  those  who  are  partially  blind.  This, 
 in  most  cases,  is  their  fault,  and  not  their  misfortune 
 merely.  We  are  commanded  to  grow  in  knowledge ; 
 and  the  apostle  in  the  following  very  severe  language, 
 reproved  the  believing  Hebrews  for  their  ignorance : 
 "  When  for  the  time  ye  ought  to  be  teachers,  ye  have 
 need  that  one  teach  you  again  which  be  the  first  prin- 
 ciples of  the  oracles  of  God."     After  this  he  exhorts 
 
(  BUBCB     MEMBERS.  273 
 
 them  to  leave  the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ, 
 and  go  on  to  perfection.  How  earnestly  in  other  parts 
 of  his  writings  did  he  supplicate  for  the  churches  an 
 increase  of  their  religious  knowledge,  Ephes.  i,  17,  18, 
 Colos.  i,  9  !  It  is  very  common  for  ministers  to  com- 
 plain that  they  are  almost  afraid  to  ascend  to  the  loftier 
 parts  of  revealed  truth,  lest  a  great  portion  of  their 
 hearers,  instead  of  eagerly  following  them,  should  re- 
 proach them  with  ascending  to  barren  and  almost  inac- 
 cessible summits. 
 
 The  causes  of  this  deficiency  of  religious  knowledge 
 in  church  members  are  numerous  and  various.  In  many 
 cases  the  want  of  religious  education  contributes  to  it. 
 Not  a  few  of  them  are  brought  in  from  the  world,  when 
 they  are  far  advanced  in  life.  But  there  is,  with  many, 
 a  more  culpable  cause ;  I  mean  a  systematic  neglect  of 
 the  subject.  ""What,"  they  exclaim,  "will  head  know- 
 ledge do  for  us ;  we  are  for  experience ;  experience  is 
 every  thing  in  religion."  What  kind  of  experience  that 
 is  which  is  not  founded  on  knowledge,  I  am  at  a  loss  to 
 conceive.  "With  such  people,  ignorance  appears  to  be 
 the  mother  of  devotion.  It  should  be  recollected  that 
 it  is  in  the  spiritual  world,  as  it  is  in  the  natural  j  the 
 seed  of  the  kingdom  is  sown  in  the  light,  and  light  is 
 essential  to  every  stage  of  its  growth.  If  that  be  not 
 right  knowledge  which  does  not  produce  feeling,  cer- 
 tainly that  is  not  right  feeling  which  is  not  produced  by 
 knowledge.  Those  who  have  only  head  knowledge, 
 dwell  in  the  frigid  zone  of  Christianity;  and  those  who 
 have  only  feeling,  occupy  the  torrid  zone.  The  former 
 are  frozen  amidst  mere  cold  and  heartless  speculation, 
 the  latter  are  scorched  amidst  wild  enthusiasm.  How 
 much  more  real  enjoyment  of  the  truth  is  possessed  by 
 
274  GENERAL    DUTIES    OF 
 
 him  who  clearly  and  comprehensively  understands  it; 
 and  how  much  more  useful  is  he  likely  to  be  in  com- 
 municating instruction,  than  the  individual  who  barely 
 understands  first  principles  !     Every  professing  Chris- 
 tian, at  least  all  those  who  have  leisure  for  reading, 
 should   endeavour  to   unite   the  knowledge  of  a  good 
 theologian,  with  the  experience  of  a  real  believer.     In 
 order  to  this,  let  Christians  set  apart  time  not  only  for 
 reading,   but  studying  the   Scriptures;   let   them  read 
 theological  books  which  explain  and  prove  the  doctrines 
 of  the  gospel ;  let  them  commit  to  memory  the  admi- 
 rable  definitions   of  those  doctrines  contained  in  the 
 Assembly's  Shorter  Catechism;  let  them  attend  upon 
 the  preaching  of  the  word,  with  a  view  not  only  to  be 
 comforted,  but  to  be  instructed.     The  exclusive  object 
 for  which  some  persons  hear  sermons,  is  to  obtain  a 
 little  comfort.     They  sit  waiting  and  watching  for  some 
 sweet  and  savoury  assurance,  some  well  known,  hack- 
 nied,  consolatory  topic,  some  lively  appeal  to  experience ; 
 and  until  this  comes  they  think  lightly  of  everything 
 else ;  the  minister  may  have  given  the  clearest  elucida- 
 tion of  some  dark  and  doubtful  passage,  the  most  pro- 
 found discussion  of  some  sublime  doctrine,  the  most 
 masterly  defence  of  some  disputed  truth;   but  to  the 
 mere  comfort-hunters,  all  this  is  nothing  else  than  the 
 husk  or  the  shell,  which  is  to  be  cracked  and  thrown  away 
 for  the  kernel  of  a  little  christian  experience.      From 
 such  sermons  they  go  home,  with  hungry  and  cheerless 
 appetites,  complaining  that  they  have  found  it  a  lost 
 opportunity.     Let  me  not  be  mistaken.     Comfort  ought 
 to  be  sought  for,  but  always  through  the  medium  of 
 knowledge.     The  best  warmth  is  that  which  comes,  not 
 from  ardent  spirits,  but  from  the  sun,  and  he  sends  his 
 
CHURCH    MEMBERS.  275 
 
 heat  to  the  frame  in  beams  which  also  convey  light  to 
 the  eye.  The  fact  is,  that  some  people's  religion  is  of 
 that  weak  unhealthy  kind,  which  is  supported  only  by 
 elixirs  and  cordials. 
 
 After  all,  I  am  constrained  to  confess,  that  the  dark- 
 ness which  rests  upon  the  mind  of  the  church  member, 
 is  the  result  in  some  cases  of  the  cloudiness  which 
 envelopes  the  mind  of  the  pastor;  if  there  is  ignorance 
 in  the  pew,  it  is  because  there  is  so  little  knowledge  in 
 the  pulpit.  When  the  preacher  dwells  on  nothing  but 
 a  few  common-place  topics  of  an  experimental  or  con- 
 solatory nature  j  when  all  the  varied  and  sublime  parts 
 of  revealed  truth  are  neglected  for  one  eternal  round 
 of  beaten  subjects ;  when  a  text  is  selected  from  time  to 
 time  which  it  requires  no  study  to  understand,  no  ability 
 to  expound;  when  nothing  is  heard  from  one  sabbath 
 to  another  but  the  same  sentiments  in  the  same  words, 
 until  the  introduction  of  a  new  or  original  conception 
 would  startle  the  congregation  almost  as  much  as  the 
 entrance  of  a  spectre ;  who  can  wonder,  if  under  such 
 circumstances,  the  congregation  should  grow  tired  of 
 their  preacher,  or  if  such  "drowsy  tinklings"  should 
 "  lull  the  fold,"  till  with  their  shepherd  they  sink  to  the 
 slumbers  of  indifference,  amidst  the  thickening  gloom 
 of  religious  ignorance  ? 
 
 II.  Advancement  in  religion  is  incumbent  on  every 
 professing  Christian.  As  the  usual  mode  of  admission 
 to  our  churches  subjects  the  members  to  a  scrutiny  of 
 their  conduct,  it  is  considered  by  many  as  a  kind  of 
 ordeal,  which,  once  passed,  remits  them  from  any  soli- 
 citude about  farther  improvement.  A  kind  of  indelible 
 character  is  then  impressed  upon  them,  which  is  sus- 
 ceptible of  neither  increase  nor  improvement.     I  do  not 
 
276  GENERAL    DUTIES    OF 
 
 mean  to  say  that  they  come  deliberately  to  such  a 
 conclusion,  or  that  they  are  aware  of  any  such  opinion 
 being  in  their  mind ;  but  having  passed  the  trial  with 
 honour,  they  insensibly  acquire  the  idea,  that  now  they 
 are  professed  and  acknowledged  Christians,  that  their 
 religion  is  admitted  to  be  genuine,  that  they  are  put 
 amongst  the  disciples,  and  therefore  the  same  anxiety 
 is  no  longer  necessary.  Often  and  often  have  I  seen, 
 especially  in  the  case  of  young  persons,  that  the  act 
 of  joining  the  church,  has  in  some  measure  diminished 
 the  earnestness  with  which  their  minds  were  formerly 
 directed  to  the  subject  of  religion.  They  were  growing 
 rapidly  as  babes  in  Christ,  till  the  consciousness  of  being 
 a  church  member,  and  acknowledged  as  a  Christian, 
 either  by  generating  pride,  or  relaxing  diligence,  has 
 paralysed  their  piety,  arrested  their  growth,  and  left 
 them  dwarfs  in  grace  for  ever  after. 
 
 We  should  consider  that  religion  is  not  an  abstract 
 thing  of  times,  places,  and  ceremonies ;  nor  is  the 
 religious  character  formed  by  any  single  compliance, 
 however  public  or  however  solemn.  If  it  be  admitted 
 that  regeneration  is  an  instantaneous  change,  in  which 
 the  whole  character  of  a  child  of  God  is  formed  at  once, 
 membership  is  not  that  change.  Instead  of  considering 
 our  union  with  the  church  as  the  goal  of  our  religious 
 career,  where  improvement  may  cease  and  progress  be 
 stopped,  we  should  view  it  as  but  the  very  starting  point, 
 whence  we  are  to  "forget  the  things  that  are  behind, 
 and  press  towards  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  our  high 
 calling."  From  that  moment  we  are  under  more  solemn 
 obligations  than  ever  to  grow  in  grace,  inasmuch  as  our 
 means  of  growth  are  increased.  Until  then,  we  have 
 been  as  trees  growing  in  obscurity  without  the  aid  of 
 
CHURCH    MEMBERS.  .1 ,  , 
 
 human  culture;  but  when  we  associate  with  a  church, 
 we  are  transplanted  into  a  garden,  and  have  the  advan- 
 tage of  the  gardener's  care,  and  should  therefore  abound 
 more  than  ever  in  all  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  which 
 are  by  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  of  God. 
 
 III.  Consistency  in  conduct,  as  professing  Christians, 
 is  a  most  obvious  and  pressing  duty  of  church  members. 
 The  want  of  this  has  clone  more  harm  to  Christianity 
 than  all  the  ravings  of  infidelity  from  the  time  of 
 Cain  to  the  death  of  Paine.  This  sacred  and  death- 
 less cause  lifts  her  venerable  form  bearing  the  scars 
 of  many  a  wound,  not  inflicted  by  arrows  plumed  with 
 the  pen  of  Voltaire  or  Hume;  oh,  no,  such  weapons 
 bounded  from  her  as  from  a  shield  of  triple  brass,  and 
 dropped  at  her  feet  to  be  deposited  with  the  spoils 
 of  her  victories ;  but  the  darts  that  wounded  her,  and 
 left  the  memorials  of  their  mischief  upon  her  form, 
 were  the  vices  and  follies  of  her  votaries.  O  Christians, 
 will  ye  scourge  and  lacerate  her,  will  ye  array  her  in 
 the  costume  of  scorn,  and  leading  her  forth  bleeding  and 
 dejected  to  meet  her  enemies  in  the  gate,  proclaim, 
 "  Behold  an  impostor  ? "  AVill  ye  assist  to  raise  the 
 clamour  which  infidel  philosophers  have  endeavoured  to 
 excite,  and  stir  up  the  multitude  to  exclaim,  "Away 
 with  her,  away  with  her!  Crucify  her,  crucify  her?" 
 Tremble  at  the  thought.  If  Christianity  ever  die,  it 
 will  not  be  in  the  field  of  conflict  by  the  power  of  her 
 enemies,  but,  like  Caesar  in  the  capitol,  by  the  hands 
 of  her  friends ;  and  which  of  us  would  like  to  meet  the 
 look  of  her  expiring  eye,  or  the  mild  reproach  of  her 
 faltering  tongue,  "What,  thou,  my  son?"  But  she 
 cannot  die ;  wounded  she  may  be,  and  has  been ;  the 
 memorials  of  her  injury  are  the  proofs  of  her  immor- 
 
278  GENERAL    DUTIES    OF 
 
 tality,  and  proclaim  her  to  be  of  heavenly  origin;  like 
 the  scars  of  the  fabled  gods  of  Greece  and  Rome, 
 her  very  wounds  demonstrably  prove,  that  a  divinity 
 sustains  her. 
 
 Still,  the  inconsistencies  of  professing  Christians  may 
 limit  her  reign,  although  they  cannot  destroy  her  ex- 
 istence. By  them  sinners  are  hardened  in  their  courses, 
 and  the  access  to  life  is  rendered  more  difficult,  whilst 
 the  avenues  of  eternal  death  are  made  more  wide  and 
 easy.  The  man  whose  conduct  opposes  his  profession, 
 may  be  certainly  arraigned  for  the  crime  of  murder.  Let 
 him  not  go  quietly  to  his  pillow  as  if  blood-guiltiness 
 were  not  upon  his  conscience,  for  it  is  there,  and  a  voice 
 is  continually  saying  to  him,  "Thy  brother's  blood  crieth 
 to  me  from  the  ground."  He  has  not  slain  the  body 
 of  a  fellow  mortal,  but  he  has  been  accessory  to  the 
 death  of  souls.  Some  that  sought  for  an  apology  for 
 their  sins,  an  opiate  for  their  conscience,  found  it  in  his 
 misconduct. 
 
 I  have  no  need  to  specify  the  duties  included  in 
 the  general  idea  of  consistency  :  they  are  known  well 
 enough.  The  apostle's  beautiful  and  comprehensive 
 admonition  is  a  sufficient  directory  :  "  Whatsoever 
 things  are  true,  whatsoever  things  are  honest,  what- 
 soever things  are  just,  whatsoever  things  are  pure, 
 whatsoever  things  are  lovely,  whatsoever  things  are  of 
 good  report,  if  there  be  any  virtue,  and  if  there  be  any 
 praise,  think  on  these  things." 
 
 I  particularly  exhort  church  members  to  beware 
 of  what  may  be  denominated  the  minor  breaches  of  con- 
 sistency. We  are  not  to  conclude  that  nothing  breaks 
 the  uniformity  of  our  character,  but  what  subjects  us 
 to  the  discipline  of  the  charch.      Overt  acts  of  im- 
 
CHURCH    MEMBERS.  27*.) 
 
 morality  arc  comparatively  rare,  while  ten  thousand 
 instances  of  lesser  delinquency,  such  as  the  church  can- 
 not take  cognizance  of,  are  continually  occurring  in  the 
 conduct  of  Christians,  to  the  disgrace  of  religion  and 
 the  injury  of  men's  souls.  Those  things  will  be  seen  in 
 us,  which  would  pass  unnoticed  in  others  who  make  no 
 profession  of  religion;  just  as  a  spot  which  would  be 
 lost  on  canvass  is  visible  on  cambric.  A  Christian's 
 character  is  like  polished  steel,  which  may  have  its 
 lustre  destroyed,  not  only  by  broad  spots  of  rust,  but 
 by  an  assemblage  of  innumerable  little  specks.  More 
 scandals  have  occurred  in  the  christian  church  from  dis- 
 honourable pecuniary  transactions  than  from  any  other 
 source.  Instances  of  drunkenness  and  debauchery  are 
 rare,  compared  with  instances  of  an  artful,  imposing, 
 dishonest  way  of  conducting  business.  The  world  is  a 
 dangerous  and  successful  foe  to  grace ;  and  although 
 every  church  member  professes  himself  to  be  through 
 faith  a  conqueror,  how  many  by  their  over-reaching,  un- 
 generous conduct,  prove  that  they  are  yet  enslaved  by 
 this  sordid  enemy  !  Some  there  are  who  betray  their 
 master  for  a  less  sum  than  that  which  Judas  set  upon 
 his  blood,  and,  for  a  tithe  of  thirty  pieces  will  be  guilty 
 of  an  action  which  they  must  know,  at  the  time,  will 
 provoke  the  severest  invective  and  bitterest  sarcasm 
 against  all  religion. 
 
 IV.  Church  members  should  excel  in  the  manifesta- 
 tion of  the  christian  temper.  The  mind  which  was  in 
 Christ  Jesus  should  be  in  them.  They  should  consider 
 his  character  as  the  model  of  their  own ;  and  be  con- 
 spicuous for  their  poverty  of  spirit,  meekness,  gentleness, 
 and  love.  They  should  seek  a  large  portion  of  the 
 "wisdom  which  coraeth  from  above;  which  is  first  pure, 
 
280  GENERAL    DUTIES    OF 
 
 than  peaceable,  gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of 
 mercy  and  good  fruits,  without  partiality  and  without 
 hypocrisy."  It  is  a  matter  of  surprise  and  regret,  that 
 many  persons  seem  to  think  that  religion  has  nothing  to 
 do  with  the  temper;  and  that  provided  they  are  free 
 from  gross  sins,  and  have  lively  feelings  in  devotional 
 exercises,  they  may  be  as  petulant,  irritable,  and  im- 
 placable as  they  please.  This  is  a  dreadful  error,  and 
 has  done  great  mischief  to  the  cause  of  God.  A  sour, 
 ill-natured  Christian,  is  a  character  as  monstrous  as  that 
 of  the  centaur;  as  a  lamb  with  a  dog's  head;  a  dove 
 with  a  vulture's  beak;  a  rose  with  leaves  of  nettles. 
 If  there  be  any  one  word  which  above  all  others  should 
 describe  a  Christian's  character,  it  is  that  which  repre- 
 sents his  divine  Father;  and  as  it  is  said  that  God  is 
 love,  so  should  it  be  also  affirmed  that  a  Christian  is 
 love,  love  embodied,  an  incarnation  of  love.  His  words 
 and  conduct,  and  his  very  looks,  should  be  so  many  ex- 
 pressions of  love. 
 
 V.  Church  members  should  be  very  eminent  for  a 
 right  discharge  of  all  their  social  duties.  The  apostles 
 have  given  great  importance  to  this,  by  the  frequency 
 with  which  they  have  introduced  it.  Ephes.  v,  22; 
 vi,  1-9.  Col.  iii,  18.  1  Tim.  vi,  1-4.  1  Pet.  iii,  1, 
 2.  1  Pet.  ii,  18.  Christianity  so  far  from  loosening 
 the  bands  of  society,  adds  to  them  incredible  strength 
 and  firmness,  by  motives  drawn  from  the  eternal  world. 
 One  part  of  the  design  of  revelation  is  to  purify  and 
 strengthen  the  social  principle,  and  carry  it  to  its  great- 
 est elevation  and  perfection.  A  good  Christian  and  yet 
 a  bad  husband,  father,  brother,  neighbour,  or  subject,  is 
 an  anomaly  which  the  world  never  yet  beheld.  Pro- 
 fessing Christians  should  excel  all  others  in  the  beauties 
 
CHUACH    MEMBERS.  28] 
 
 of  social  virtue.  Religion  should  give  additional  tender- 
 ness to  the  conjugal  relationship;  greater  love  to  the 
 parent,  and  obedience  to  the  child ;  fresh  kindness  to 
 the  master,  and  new  diligence  to  the  servant.  The  world 
 should  look  to  the  church  with  this  conviction,  "  Well, 
 if  social  virtue  were  driven  from  every  other  portion 
 of  society,  it  would  find  an  asylum,  and  be  cherished 
 with  care,  upon  the  heights  of  Zion."  Then  will 
 religion  have  attained  its  highest  credit  upon  earth, 
 when  it  shall  be  admitted,  by  universal  consent,  that 
 to  say  a  man  is  a  Christian,  is  an  indisputable  testi- 
 mony to  his  excellence,  in  all  the  relations  he  bears 
 to  society. 
 
 VI.  There  are  duties  to  be  discharged  in  reference 
 to  the  world.  By  the  world  I  mean  all  those  of  every 
 party  and  denomination,  who  are  destitute  of  true  god- 
 liness. The  apostle  has  summed  up  our  obligations 
 towards  them,  under  the  comprehensive  injunction, 
 "Walk  in  wisdom  towards  them  which  are  without." 
 In  another  place,  we  are  commanded  to  "  let  our  light 
 shine  before  men,  that  they  seeing  our  good  works  may 
 glorify  our  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  AVe  are  also 
 exhorted  "  to  have  our  conversation  honest  (the  word 
 signifies  beautiful,  honourable)  amongst  the  Gentiles." 
 In  order  to  comply  with  this,  avc  must  act  consistently 
 with  our  profession ;  excel  in  the  observance  of  social 
 duties  ;  abound  in  mercy  ;  bear  a  prudent  testimony 
 against  evil  practices ;  be  most  punctiliously  exact  in 
 fulfilling  all  our  engagements,  and  performing  all  our 
 promises;  live  in  a  most  peaceable  and  neighbourly 
 manner ;  perform  every  office  of  kindness  and  charity 
 which  can  please  or  benefit;  and  set  an  example  of  in- 
 dustry, honesty,  and  generosity. 
 
 Vol  n  t 
 
282  GENERAL    DUTIES    OF 
 
 VII.  We  should  as  professing  Christians  be  exem- 
 plary in  our  obedience  to  the  civil  magistrate. 
 
 The  Scriptures  which  enjoin  this  duty  are  too  nu- 
 merous to  be  quoted  at  length.  One  only  shall  be 
 given,  but  that  is  a  very  striking  one.  "  Let  every  soul 
 be  subject  to  the  higher  powers ;  for  there  is  no  power 
 but  of  God ;  the  powers  that  be,  are  ordained  of  God. 
 Whosoever  therefore  resisteth  the  power,  resisteth  the 
 ordinance  of  God :  and  they  that  resist  shall  receive  to 
 themselves  damnation."  This  injunction  must  of  course 
 be  understood  as  relating  to  matters  purely  civil ;  or  in 
 other  words  to  those  laws  which  are  not  in  opposition 
 to  the  spirit  and  letter  of  divine  revelation.  If  rulers 
 enjoin  any  thing  which  is  condemned  by  the  word  of 
 truth,  it  is  the  duty  of  a  Christian,  without  hesitation, 
 and  at  all  hazards,  to  act  upon  the  principles,  and  follow 
 the  example,  of  the  apostles,  and  "  obey  God  rather  than 
 man." 
 
 Whilst,  as  dissenters,  we  claim  the  right  of  judging 
 for  ourselves  in  matters  of  religion,  and  would  resist 
 unto  blood  every  effort  to  fetter  our  conscience  with  a 
 creed  or  ritual  which  we  do  not  believe,  we  should  be  no 
 less  careful  to  render  obedience  to  those  laws  which 
 relate  to  civil  life,  and  which  are  not  opposed  to  the 
 authority  of  the  Bible.  Rejecting  as  irrational  and 
 unscriptural  the  senseless  doctrines  of  passive  obedience 
 and  non-resistance;  doctrines  which  none  but  knaves 
 ever  preached,  none  but  fools  ever  believed,  and  none 
 but  slaves  ever  obeyed,  we  think  that  a  Christian  ought 
 not  to  be  a  turbulent,  factious,  or  noisy  politician.  To 
 deny  that  there  are  seasons  when  he  may  piously  lift  his 
 hand  against  the  government  of  his  country,  would  be 
 to  speak  treason  against  the  constitution  of  England, 
 
CIIURCII    MEMBERS.  283 
 
 which  rests  on  the  basis  of  the  Revolution.  Such 
 seasons,  however,  rarely  occur;  and  when  they  do,  are 
 ushered  in,  not  so  much  by  the  clamour  of  men,  as  by 
 the  voice  of  Divine  providence.  To  be  looking  for  them, 
 talking  of  them,  and  wishing  them  on  every  occasion 
 of  mal-administration  on  the  part  of  the  government,  is 
 neither  wisdom  nor  piety.  God  forbid  I  should  teach  a 
 doctrine  so  pernicious,  as  that  one  of  the  first  efforts 
 of  true  piety  when  it  enters  the  soul,  is  to  extinguish 
 the  love  of  civil  liberty;  or  that,  having  broken  the 
 fetters  of  vice,  it  immediately  bows  the  regenerated 
 soul  into  submission  to  the  yoke  of  despotism.  No  such 
 thing;  religion  is  a  noble  and  sublime  and  elevating 
 principle.  It  expands,  not  contracts,  the  mind;  it  is 
 not  a  spirit  of  bondage,  which  causes  its  possessor  to 
 fear,  but  it  is  a  spirit  of  power  and  of  a  sound  mind ; 
 it  lifts  the  soul  from  the  dust,  and  does  not  chain  it 
 there ;  it  has  raised  a  noble  army  of  martyrs,  every 
 one  of  whose  millions  was  a  hero,  that  defied  the 
 tyrant's  rage,  and  spurned  his  yoke :  religion  therefore 
 is  no  friend  of  slavery,  nor  can  any  of  its  precepts  be 
 quoted  by  the  tyrant,  as  an  excuse  for  his  trampling  on 
 the  liberties  of  mankind.  Avowing  thus  much,  and 
 admitting  that  the  most  spiritual  Christian  may  take  an 
 interest,  and  ought  to  take  an  interest,  in  public  affairs ; 
 nay,  that  he  ought  to  maintain  a  ceaseless  jealousy  over 
 the  constitution  and  freedom  of  his  country ;  still  I 
 contend  that  a  constant  and  noisy  and  factious  meddling 
 in  party  politics,  is  as  injurious  to  his  own  personal 
 religion,  as  it  is  to  the  interest  of  piety  in  general.  We 
 do  not  cease  to  be  citizens  when  we  become  Christians ; 
 but  we  are  in  danger  of  ceasing  to  be  Christians  when 
 we   become   politicians.      It   is   with   politics,  as  with 
 
284  GENERAL    DUTIES    OF 
 
 money ;  it  is  not  the  temperate  use  but  the  immoderate 
 love  of  it  that  is  the  root  of  all  evil.  Thousands  of  pro- 
 fessors of  religion  have  made  shipwreck  of  their  faith 
 and  a  good  conscience,  during  the  tempests  of  political 
 agitation;  let  us  then,  as  we  value  our  lives,  be 
 cautious  how  we  embark  on  this  stormy  and  troubled 
 ocean. 
 
 There  is  one  way  in  which  many  Christians  offend 
 against  the  laws  of  their  country  without  scruple,  and 
 without  remorse ;  I  mean  by  endeavouring  to  evade  the 
 payment  of  taxes.  Had  there  been  no  christian  statute 
 to  condemn  this  practice,  the  general  principles  of  reason 
 would  be  quite  sufficient  to  prove  its  criminality.  But 
 the  New  Testament  has  added  the  authority  of  revela- 
 tion to  the  dictates  of  reason ;  and  thus  made  it  a  sin 
 against  God,  no  less  than  a  crime  against  society,  to 
 defraud  the  revenue.  "  Render  unto  Csesar  the  things 
 that  are  Caesar's"  is  the  law  of  Christ;  "tribute  to 
 whom  tribute  is  due,  and  custom  to  whom  custom," 
 is  the  authoritative  language  of  St.  Paul.  This  last 
 precept  derives  great  force  from  the  consideration  that 
 it  was  delivered  at  a  time,  and  under  a  government, 
 in  which  the  taxes  were  not  imposed  by  the  people 
 themselves,  but  by  the  arbitary  power  of  a  despot. 
 Certainly  if  under  these  circumstances,  it  was  the  duty 
 of  a  Christian  to  pay  the  tribute  money,  any  effort 
 which  we  make  to  evade  it,  must  be  additionally 
 criminal,  since  we  are  taxed  by  the  will  of  our  parlia- 
 mentary representatives.  The  excuses  usually  made  in 
 justification  of  this  practice  only  serve  to  shew,  how 
 far  even  some  good  people  may  be  imposed  upon  by  the 
 deceitfulness  of  the  human  heart.     Every  time  that  we 
 
I  II IKC 11     MEMBERS.  28.") 
 
 have  made  a  false  return  in  the  schedule  which  regulates 
 our  quota  of  taxation,  or  that  we  have  purchased 
 knowingly  a  contraband  article  of  food,  beverage,  or 
 dress,  we  have  committed  a  fraud  upon  society,  have 
 assumed  a  power  to  dispense  with  the  laws  of  our 
 country,  have  violated  the  precepts  of  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, have  brought  the  guilt  of  a  complicated  crime 
 upon  our  conscience,  and  have  subjected  ourselves  to  the 
 displeasure  of  God,  and  the  discipline  of  his  church. 
 
286  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 CHAPTER    V. 
 
 THE    DUTIES    OF   CHURCH    MEMBERS    TO    THEIR 
 PASTORS. 
 
 It  is  the  will  and  appointment  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ,  the  king  and  head  of  his  churches,  that  they 
 should  behave  to  their  pastors,  as  to  his  ministers,  who 
 come  in  his  name,  bear  his  commands,  and  transact  his 
 business;  and  they  are  to  be  treated  in  every  respect, 
 in  the  manner  which  is  due  to  their  office.  In  a 
 subordinate  sense,  they  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  and 
 are  to  be  received  and  esteemed  in  a  way  that  corres- 
 ponds with  the  authority  and  glory  of  the  Sovereign 
 who  commissions  them.  Whoever  slights,  insults,  or 
 neglects  them,  in  the  discharge  of  their  official  duties, 
 disobeys  and  despises  their  divine  Master,  and  he  will 
 keenly  resent  all  the  injuries  that  are  offered  them.  No 
 earthly  sovereign  will  allow  his  messengers  to  be  re- 
 jected and  insulted  with  impunity,  much  less  will  the 
 Lord  of  the  church.  Those  who  entertain  low  thoughts 
 of  the  pastoral  office,  and  neglect  its  ministrations ; 
 who  speak  contemptuously  of  their  ministers;  who 
 undermine  their  authority;  who  excite  a  spirit  of  re- 
 sistance to  their  counsels,  admonitions,  and  reproofs ; 
 who  endeavour  to  lessen  that  just  reverence,  to  which 
 for  their  work's  sake,  and  on  their  Master's  behalf,  they 
 
TO    THEIR    PASTORS.  287 
 
 arc  entitled,  certainly  despise  them,  and  not  onlv  them, 
 but  Him  that  sent  them  also,  and  for  such  conduct  will 
 incur  the  heavy  displeasure  of  Christ,  Lnke  x,  16; 
 1  Thess.  v,  13.  But  to  descend  to  particulars;  the 
 duty  of  church  members  towards  their  pastors  includes  : 
 I.  Submission  to  their  just  and  scriptural  authority. 
 It  is  readily  admitted  that  the  unscriptural  and  therefore 
 usurped  domination  of  the  priesthood  is  the  root  of  the 
 whole  system  of  papal  tyranny;  which,  springing  up 
 like  a  poison  tree  in  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  has 
 withered  by  its  shadow,  and  blighted  by  its  influence 
 almost  every  plant  and  every  flower  of  genuine  Chris- 
 tianity. It  is  not  therefore,  a  matter  of  regret  or  of 
 surprise,  if  a  ceaseless  jealousy  should  be  maintained  by 
 those  who  understand  the  principles  of  religious  liberty, 
 of  the  encroachments  of  pastoral  authority.  Priestlv 
 dominion,  as  it  appears  in  the  Vatican,  is  the  most 
 detestable  and  the  most  mischievous  of  all  tyrannies ; 
 but  when  it  is  seen  in  the  pastor  of  an  Independent 
 church,  divested  at  once  of  the  elements  of  power  and 
 the  trappings  of  majesty,  the  mere  mimicry  of  authority, 
 it  is  rather  ridiculous  than  alarming,  and  bears  no  nearer 
 resemblance  to  its  prototype  at  Rome,  than  the  little 
 croaking,  hopping  animal  of  the  pond  did  to  the  ox, 
 which  his  pride  led  him  to  emulate  till  he  burst.  Still 
 however,  there  is  authority  belonging  to  the  pastor;  for 
 office  without  authority  is  a  solecism.  "  Remember 
 them  that  have  the  rule  over  you,"  said  St.  Paul  to  the 
 Hebrews.  "Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you. 
 Submit  yourselves,  for  they  watch  for  your  souls." 
 "They  addicted  themselves  to  the  ministry;  submit 
 yourselves  to  such."  These  are  inspired  injunctions, 
 and  they  enjoin   on  christian   churches  obedience   and 
 
.288  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 submission   to  their  pastors.     The  authority  of  pastors 
 however  is  not  legislative  or  coercive,  but  simply  declara- 
 tive and  executive.     To  define,  with  precision,  its  limits 
 is  as  difficult  as  to  mark  the  boundaries  of  the  several 
 colours  of  the  rainbow,  or  those  of  light  and  darkness, 
 at  the  hour  of  twilight.     The  minister  is  to  command, 
 yet  he  is  not  to  "  lord  it  over  God's  heritage."     This  is 
 not  the  only  case,  in  which  the  precise  limits  of  authority 
 are  left  undefined  by  the  Scriptures ;  the  duties  of  the 
 conjugal  union  are  laid  down  in  the  same  vague  and 
 general  manner ;  the  husband  is  to  rule  and  the  wife  to 
 obey ;  yet  it  is  difficult  to  declare,  where  in  this  instance, 
 authority  and  submission  end.     In   each  of  these  in- 
 stances the  union  is  founded  on  mutual  love,  confidence, 
 and  esteem ;  and  it  might  therefore  be  rationally  sup- 
 posed, that  under  these  circumstances,  general  terms  are 
 sufficient,  and  that  there  would  arise  no  contests  for 
 power.     If  the  people  see  that  all  the  authority  of  their 
 pastor  is  employed  for  their  benefit,  they  will  not  be 
 inclined  to  ascertain  by  measurement  whether  he  has 
 passed  its  limits.     The  very  circumstance  of  his  prero- 
 gative being  thus  undefined,  should  on  the  one  hand 
 make  him   afraid  of  extending  it,   and  on  the  other, 
 render  his  church  cautious  of  diminishing  it.     It  is  my 
 decided  conviction,  that  in  some  of  our  churches,  the 
 pastor  is   depressed   far   below  his  just  level.     He  is 
 considered  merely  in  the  light  of  a  speaking  brother. 
 He   has   no   official    distinction    or   authority.      Those 
 persons  who  are  anxious  to  strip  their  pastors  of  all  just 
 elevation,  cannot  expect  to  derive  much  edification  from 
 their  labours ;  for  instruction  and  advice,  like  substances 
 falling  to  the  earth,  impress  the  mind  with  a  momentum, 
 
To    THEIR    PAST0B8.  *-'v. I 
 
 in  sonic  measure  proportionate  to  the  height  from  which 
 they  descend. 
 
 II.  Church  members  should  treat  their  pastor  with 
 honour,  esteem,  and  love.  "  Let  the  elders  that  rule 
 well  be  accounted  worthy  of  double  honour,  especially 
 they  that  labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine."*  "  Know 
 them  that  have  the  rule  over  you,  and  esteem  them  very 
 highly  in  love,  for  their  works5  sake."  To  prescribe 
 in  what  way  our  love  should  express  itself,  is  almost 
 needless,  as  love  is  the  most  inventive  passion  of  the 
 heart,  and  will  find  or  make  a  thousand  opportunities 
 for  displaying  its  power.  Love  is  also  practical,  as  well 
 as  ingenious,  and  does  not  confine  itself  either  to  the 
 speculations  of  the  judgment,  or  the  feelings  of  the 
 heart.  It  breathes  in  kind  words,  and  lives  in  kind 
 deeds.  "Where  a  minister  is  properly  esteemed  and 
 loved,  there  will  be  the  greatest  deference  for  his 
 opinions,  the  most  delicate  attention  to  his  comfort,  a 
 scrupulous  respect  for  his  character.  Some  people  treat 
 their  minister  as  if  he  could  feel  nothing  but  blows. 
 They  are  rude,  uncourteous,  churlish.  Instead  of  this, 
 let  him  see  the  most  studious  and  constant  care  to  pro- 
 mote his  happiness  and  usefulness.  "When  he  is  in  sick- 
 ness, visit  him ;  in  trouble,  sympathize  with  him  ;  when 
 absent  from  home,  take  a  kind  interest  in  his  family; 
 when  he  returns,  greet  him  with  a  smile;  at  the  close 
 
 *  It  is  surprising  to  me  that  an  attempt  should  have  been  made  to 
 found  on  no  other  basis  than  this  passage,  a  double  office  of  eldership 
 in  the  church,  and  to  establish  a  distinction  between  ruling  and 
 preaching  elders  ;  when  nothing  more  can  be  fairly  inferred  from  it, 
 than  that  the  apostle  intended  to  shew  the  whole  design  and  duties 
 of  the  elder's  office,  and  to  pronounce  him  entitled  to  peculiar  respect 
 who  fulfilled  them  all,  and  who,  to  ruling  well,  added  mueh  diligence 
 in  preaching  the  word. 
 
290  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 of  the  labours  of  the  sabbath,  let  the  deacons  and  lead- 
 ing members  gather  round  him  in  the  vestry,  and  not 
 suffer  him  to  retire  from  his  scene  of  public  labour, 
 without  the  reward  of  some  tokens  of  their  approbation, 
 if  it  be  only  one  friendly  pressure  of  the  hand.     Let 
 him  see  that  his  prayers,  sermons,   and  his  solicitude, 
 render   him    dear   to   the   hearts   of  his   flock.     It   is 
 astonishing  what  an  iufluence  is  sometimes   produced 
 upon  a  minister's  mind  and  comfort,  even  by  the  least 
 expression  of  his  people's  regard.     Of  this  we  have  a 
 beautiful  instance  in  the  life    of  St.   Paul.     On  that 
 important  journey  to  Borne,  which  was  to  decide  the 
 question  of  his  life  or  death,  he  appears  to  have  felt  a 
 season  of  temporary  depression,  when  the  imperial  city 
 presented  itself  to  his  view.     In  silent  meditation  he 
 revolved,    not    without    some    degree    of   dismay,    his 
 approaching  appeal  to  a  tribunal  from  which  he  had 
 nothing  in  the  way  of  clemency  to  expect.     For  a  little 
 while,  the  heroism  of  this  exalted  man  was  somewhat 
 affected   by  his   situation.     At  this  juncture  some  of 
 the  Roman  Christians,  who  had  been  apprized  of  his 
 approach,  came  out  as  far  as  the  Appii -forum  and  the 
 Three  Taverns  to  meet  him,  "  whom  when  Paul  saw,  he 
 thanked  God  and  took  courage."     From  that  moment 
 fears  of  Nero,  of  prison,  and  of  death,  all  left  him.     He 
 sprang  forward  with  new  ardour  in  his  career,  prepared 
 to  offer  himself  in  sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  martyrdom. 
 If  then  the  love  of  these  brethren,  who  had  travelled  a 
 few  stages  to  meet  St.  Paul,  produced  so  happy  an  effect 
 upon  the  mind  of  that  illustrious  apostle,  how  certainly 
 might  the  members  of  our  churches  calculate  upon  a 
 similar  influence  being  produced  upon  the  hearts  of 
 
TO    TIIKIK    PASTORS;.  291 
 
 their  pastors,  by  even  the  lesser  expressions  of  their 
 affection  ! 
 
 III.  Attendance  upon  their  ministrations  is  another 
 duty  which  church  members  owe  their  pastors.  This 
 attendance  should  be  constant,  not  occasional.  Some 
 of  our  members  give  unspeakable  pain  to  their  pastors 
 by  the  irregularity  of  their  visits  to  the  house  of  God. 
 A  little  inclemency  of  weather,  or  the  slightest  indis- 
 position of  body,  is  sure  to  render  their  seats  vacant. 
 Sometimes  a  still  more  guilty  cause  than  this  exists. 
 Oh!  "Tell  it  not  in  Gath,  publish  it  not  in  Ascalon, 
 lest  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines  triumph."  Many 
 professors  do  not  scruple  to  devote  a  part  of  the  Sabbath 
 to  travelling !  They  do  not  probably  set  off  upon  a 
 journey  in  the  morning  of  the  Sabbath  and  travel  all 
 day,  but  they  depart  on  Saturday  evening,  and  arrive 
 at  home  late  on  Sunday  morning ;  or  they  leave  homo 
 after  tea  on  Sunday  evening,  and  thus  take  only  a  part 
 of  the  hallowed  day  from  its  destined  purpose.  This 
 practice,  it  is  to  be  feared,  has  much  increased  of  late, 
 and  is  become  one  of  the  prevailing  sins  of  the  religious 
 world.  Such  persons  deserve  to  be  brought  under  the 
 censure  of  the  church. 
 
 Some  persons  are  irregular  in  their  attendance, 
 through  the  distance  at  which  they  live  from  their  place 
 of  public  worship.  Oftentimes  this  is  unavoidable  :  but 
 it  is  a  great  inconsistency  for  professing  Christians 
 voluntarily  to  choose  a  residence  which,  from  its  re- 
 moteness from  the  house  of  God,  must  often  deprive 
 them  of  the  communion  of  the  saints.  Such  a  dispo- 
 sition to  sacrifice  spiritual  privileges  to  mere  temporal 
 enjoyment,  does  not  afford  much  evidence  that  religion 
 is  with  them  the  one  thing  needful,  or  that  they  have 
 
292  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 the  mind  of  David,  who  thought  the  threshold  of  the 
 sanctuary  was  to  be  preferred  to  the  palace  or  the 
 pavilion.  Injurious  as  the  practice  necessarily  must  be 
 to  the  individuals  themselves,  it  is  still  more  so  to  their 
 servants  and  children. 
 
 In  the  families  of  the  poor,  and  in  others  indeed 
 where  no  servants  are  kept,  the  mother  is  detained  from 
 public  worship  far  more  than  she  ought  to  be,  in  con- 
 sequence of  her  husband  not  taking  his  share  of  parental 
 duty.  Many  fathers  will  suffer  their  wives  to  be  kept 
 from  the  sanctuary  for  weeks  together,  rather  than  take 
 charge  of  their  children  even  for  one  part  of  the  Sabbath. 
 This  is  most  unkind  and  most  unjust.  A  mother,  it 
 might  be  thought,  has  pain  and  toil  enough  already, 
 without  being  called  to  suffer  unnecessary  privations  in 
 religious  matters.  He  must  be  an  unfeeling  husband 
 who  would  not  gladly  afford  an  hour's  rest  and  respite 
 to  his  wife  on  the  day  set  apart  for  sacred  repose. 
 
 Professing  Christians  should  feel  the  obligations  to 
 attend  week-day  services.  Most  ministers  have  often  to 
 complain,  that  they  are  half  deserted  on  these  occasions. 
 Surely,  with  such  hearts  and  amidst  such  circumstances 
 as  ours,  it  is  too  long  to  go  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath 
 without  the  aid  of  public  worship.  All  persons  have  not 
 the  command  of  their  own  time ;  but  in  the  case  of 
 those  who  have,  the  neglect  is  inexcusable,  and  argues 
 a  very  low  state  of  religion  in  the  soul.  And  what  shall 
 be  said  of  those  members,  whom  their  pastor  on  his  way 
 to  the  house  of  God,  either  meets  going  to  parties  of 
 pleasure,  or  sees  in  the  very  circles  of  gaiety  ?  A  min- 
 ister has  a  right  to  expect  his  members  at  the  meetings 
 for  social  prayer.  The  Christian  that  neglects  these, 
 betrays  such  an  utter  indifference  to  the  interest  of  the 
 
TO    THEIR    PASTORS. 
 
 church,  and  the  comfort  of  the  pastor,  as  well  as  so 
 much  lukewarmness  in  his  own  personal  religion,  as  to 
 be  a  fit  subject  for  the  exercise  of  discipline. 
 
 IV.  Earnest  prayer.  How  often  and  how  earnestly 
 did  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  repeat  that  sen- 
 tence, which  contained  at  once  the  authority  of  a  com- 
 mand and  the  tenderness  of  a  petition,  "  Brethren,  pray 
 for  us."  In  another  place  he  ascribes  his  deliverance 
 and  preservation  to  the  prayers  of  the  churches,  "  You 
 also  helping  together  by  prayer  for  us."  Surely  then 
 if  this  illustrious  man  was  dependent  upon,  and  indebted 
 to  the  prayers  of  Christians,  how  much  more  so  the 
 ordinary  ministers  of  Christ.  Pray  then  for  your  min- 
 isters; for  the  increase  of  their  intellectual  attainments, 
 spiritual  qualifications,  and  ministerial  success.  Pray 
 for  them  in  your  private  approaches  to  the  throne  of 
 grace;  and  pray  for  them  at  the  family  altar,  and  thus 
 teach  your  servants  and  children  to  respect  and  love 
 them.  Reasons  both  numerous  and  cogent  enforce  this 
 duty.  It  is  enjoined  by  divine  authority.  It  is  due  to 
 the  arduous  nature  of  their  employment.  Little  do  our 
 churches  know  the  number  and  magnitude  of  our  tempta- 
 tions, discouragements,  difficulties,  and  trials. 
 
 "  'Tis  not  a  cause  of  small  import 
 The  pastor's  care  demands, 
 But  what  might  fill  an  angel's  heart, 
 And  fill'd  a  Saviour's  hands." 
 
 Our  office  is  no  bed  of  down  or  of  roses,  on  which  the 
 indolent  may  repose  with  careless  indifference,  or  unin- 
 terrupted slumbers.  Far,  very  far  from  it.  Cares  of 
 oppressive  weight,  anxieties  which  can  be  known  only 
 by  experience,  labours  of  a  mental  kind  almost  too 
 strong  and  incessant  for  the  powers  of  mind  to  sustain, 
 
294  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 fall  to  our  lot,  and  demand  the  prayerful  sympathy  of 
 our  flocks.  And  then  as  another  claim  for  our  people's 
 prayers,  I  may  urge  the  consideration  of  their  own 
 interest,  which  is  identified  with  all  our  efforts.  We 
 are  to  our  people,  just  what  God  makes  us  and  no  more, 
 and  He  is  willing  to  make  us  almost  what  they  ask.  A 
 regard  to  their  own  spiritual  profit,  if  nothing  else, 
 should  induce  them  to  bear  us  much  on  their  hearts 
 before  the  throne  of  divine  grace.  Prayer  is  a  means 
 of  assisting  a  minister  within  the  reach  of  all.  They 
 who  can  do  nothing  more,  can  pray.  The  sick,  who 
 cannot  encourage  their  minister  by  their  presence  in 
 the  sanctuary,  can  bear  him  upon  their  hearts  in  their 
 lonely  chamber ;  the  poor,  who  cannot  add  to  his  tem- 
 poral comfort  by  pecuniary  donations,  can  supplicate 
 their  God  "to  supply  all  his  needs  according  to  his 
 riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus;"  the  timid,  who 
 cannot  approach  to  offer  him  the  tribute  of  their  gra- 
 titude, can  pour  their  praises  into  the  ear  of  Jehovah, 
 and  entreat  him  still  to  encourage  the  soul  of  his  ser- 
 vant ;  the  ignorant,  who  cannot  hope  to  add  one  idea  to 
 the  stock  of  his  knowledge,  can  place  him  by  prayer 
 before  the  fountain  of  celestial  radiance ;  even  the  dying, 
 who  can  no  longer  busy  themselves  as  aforetime  for  his 
 interests,  can  gather  up  their  remaining  strength,  and 
 employ  it  in  the  way  of  prayer  for  their  pastor.  Prayer, 
 if  it  be  sincere,  always  increases  our  affection  for  its 
 object.  We  never  feel  even  our  dearest  friends  to  be  so 
 dear,  as  when  we  have  commended  them  to  the  goodness 
 of  God.  It  is  the  best  extinguisher  of  enmity,  and  the 
 best  fuel  for  the  flame  of  love.  If  some  professing 
 Christians  were  to  take  from  the  time  which  they  spend 
 in  praising  their  ministers,  and  others  from  that  which 
 
TO    THEIR    PASTORS.  295 
 
 they  employ  in  blaming  them,  and  devote  it  to  the  act 
 of  praying  for  them,  the  former  would  find  still  more 
 cause  for  admiration,  and  the  latter  far  less  reason  for 
 censure. 
 
 \  .  Members  should  encourage  others  to  attend  upon 
 the  ministry  of  their  pastors.  "  Let  us  go  up  to  the 
 house  of  the  Lord,"  is  an  invitation  which  they  should 
 often  address  to  the  people  of  the  world,  who  either 
 attend  no  place  of  worship  at  all,  or  where  the  truth  is 
 not  preached.  A  minister  cannot  himself  ask  people  to 
 attend  his  place  of  worship,  but  those  who  are  in  the 
 habit  of  hearing  him  can,  and  it  is  astonishing  to  what 
 an  extent  the  usefulness  of  private  Christians  may  be 
 carried  in  this  way.  I  have  received  very  many  into 
 the  fellowship  of  the  church  under  my  care,  who  were 
 first  brought  under  the  sound  of  the  gospel  by  the  kind 
 solicitations  of  a  pious  neighbour.  To  draw  away  the 
 hearers  of  one  faithful  preacher  to  another,  is  a  despi- 
 cable ambition,  mere  sectarian  zeal ;  but  to  invite  those 
 who  never  hear  the  gospel  to  listen  to  the  joyful  sound, 
 is  an  effort  worthy  the  mind  of  an  angel.  Shall  sinners 
 invite  one  another  to  iniquity,  to  the  theatre,  the  tavern, 
 and  Christians  not  attempt  to  draw  them  to  the  house 
 of  God?  This  is  one  way  in  which  every  member  of 
 every  church  may  be  the  means  of  doing  great  good ; 
 the  rich,  the  poor,  male  and  female,  masters  and  ser- 
 vants, young  and  old,  have  all  some  acquaintance,  over 
 whom  they  may  exert  their  influence ;  and  how  can  it 
 be  better  employed  than  in  attracting  them  to  those 
 places,  "  Where  streams  of  heavenly  mercy  flow,  and 
 words  of  sweet  salvation  sound." 
 
 \  I.  It  is  incumbent  on  church  members  to  make 
 known  to  their  pastor  every  thing  of  importance  relating 
 
296  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 to  his  church  and  congregation  which  occurs  within  the 
 scope  of  their  observation,  or  the  course  of  their  expe- 
 rience. 
 
 For  instance,  their  own  spiritual  embarrassments, 
 trials,  temptations  j*  the  declensions,  backslidings,  and 
 sins  of  others,  which  they  imagine  may  have  escaped 
 his  notice,  and  which  they  have  first  tried  by  their  own 
 personal  efforts  to  remove.  If  they  perceive  any  root 
 of  bitterness  growing  up,  which  they  have  not  strength 
 or  skill  enough  to  eradicate,  such  as  dissatisfaction  in 
 the  minds  of  the  members  with  any  part  of  their  pas- 
 tor's conduct,  or  any  growing  strife  amongst  themselves, 
 it  is  then  manifestly  their  duty  to  inform  him  of  the 
 circumstance.  If  they  perceive  any  individual  whose 
 case  has  been  overlooked,  any  one  in  circumstances 
 which  need  sympathy  or  relief,  or  any  who  are  struggling 
 with  affliction,  but  are  too  modest  or  timid  to  disclose 
 their  situation;  they  should  bring  all  such  occurrences 
 under  his  notice.  Especially  they  should  encourage  by 
 their  own  personal  attention,  any  persons  in  the  congre- 
 
 *  It  is  very  common  to  hear  church  members  complain  that 
 they  seldom  enjoy  the  pastoral  visits  of  their  ministers;  the  fact 
 however  that  our  members  very  rarely  call  upon  us  is  no  weak 
 proof  that  our  visits  are  not  much  coveted  for  spiritual  purposes. 
 A  person  very  anxious  to  obtain  spiritual  advice  or  consolation, 
 in  any  case  of  emergency,  would  think  little  of  the  trouble  of  callin  » 
 upon  his  pastor.  This  is  not  too  much  to  expect  from  those  who 
 wish  to  have  private  conversation  with  us.  The  author  by  no  means 
 wishes  to  encourage  that  gossiping  intrusion  upon  his  domestic  com- 
 fort, and  upon  the  pursuits  of  his  study,  which  would  much  gratify 
 idlers  who  have  nothing  else  to  do ;  but  he  does  affirm  for  himself 
 and  his  brethren,  that  like  the  physician  and  surgeon  of  the  body, 
 their  door  is  ever  open  to  every  real  case  of  affliction.  A  distance 
 and  reserve  are  maintained  by  some  of  our  members  towards  us  in 
 reference  to  their  spiritual  concerns,  which  do  not  comport  with  the 
 nearness  and  tenderness  of  our  relation  to  them. 
 
TO    THEIR    PASTORS.  297 
 
 gation  who  appear  to  be  under  religious  concern  ;  in 
 such  cases  they  should  put  forth  all  their  tenderest 
 solicitude  to  shelter  and  cherish  such  hopeful  begin- 
 nings, and  introduce  the  subjects  of  them  to  their  min- 
 ister. There  are  some  Christians  (but  do  they  indeed 
 deserve  the  name?)  who  would  sec  all  the  process  of 
 conversion  going  on  in  the  very  next  seat  to  theirs,  and 
 observe  the  fixed  attention,  the  anxious  look,  the  tearful 
 eye,  the  serious  deportment,  and  all  this  repeated  one 
 Sabbath  after  another,  without  the  least  possible  interest, 
 or  ever  exchanging  a  single  syllabic  with  the  inquiring 
 penitent !  Shame,  shame  on  such  professors  !  Can  the 
 love  of  Christ  dwell  in  such  cold  and  careless  hearts? 
 Can  they  have  ever  felt  conviction  of  sin  ?  How  easy 
 and  how  incumbent  is  it  to  introduce  ourselves  to  such 
 individuals ;  a  word,  a  look,  would  be  received  with 
 gratitude.  I  am  aware  that  the  part  of  a  member's 
 duty  enforced  under  this  division  of  the  subject,  requires 
 extreme  caution  and  delicacy,  lest  it  degenerate  into  a 
 busy,  meddling,  officious  disposition.  All  impertinent 
 obtrusion,  all  fawning  activity,  should  be  carefully 
 avoided  by  the  people,  and  as  carefully  discouraged  by 
 the  pastor. 
 
 VII.  Zealous  co-operation  in  all  schemes  of  useful- 
 ness proposed  by  the  pastor,  whether  for  the  benefit 
 of  their  own  society  in  particular,  or  the  welfare  of  the 
 church  and  the  world  at  large,  is  the  duty  of  Christians. 
 This  is  an  age  of  restless  activity,  practical  benevolence, 
 and  progressive  improvement.  One  scheme  of  benefit 
 often  contains  the  germs  of  many  more.  The  love  of 
 innovation,  and  the  dread  of  it,  are  equally  remote  from 
 true  wisdom.  Zeal  when  guided  by  wisdom  is  a  noble 
 element  of  character,  and  the  source  of  incalculable 
 Vol-,  11  u 
 
298  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 good.  A  church  ought  always  to  stand  ready  to  support 
 any  scheme  which  is  proved  to  their  judgment  to  be 
 beneficial  either  to  themselves  or  others.  It  is  most 
 disheartening  to  ministers  to  find  all  their  efforts  count- 
 eracted by  ignorance  which  can  comprehend  nothing 
 strange,  by  bigotry  which  is  attached  to  every  thing  old, 
 by  timidity  which  starts  at  every  thing  new,  or  by 
 avarice  which  condemns  every  thing  expensive.  Usages 
 and  customs  venerable  for  their  antiquity,  I  admit, 
 should  not  be  touched  by  hot  spirits  and  rude  hands, 
 lest,  in  removing  the  sediment  deposited  by  the  stream 
 of  time  at  the  base  of  the  fabric,  they  should  touch  the 
 foundation  itself :  but  where  the  word  of  God  is  the  line 
 and  the  plummet ;  where  this  line  is  held  by  the  hand 
 of  caution  and  watched  by  the  eye  of  wisdom ;  in  such 
 cases,  innovation  upon  the  customs  of  our  churches  is 
 a  blessing,  and  ought  to  receive  the  support  of  the 
 people.  It  is  a  scandal  to  any  christian  society,  when 
 the  flame  of  ministerial  zeal  is  allowed  to  burn  in  the 
 pulpit  without  enkindling  a  similar  fire  in  the  pew. 
 
 VIII.  A  most  delicate  and  tender  regard  for  the 
 pastor's  reputation.  A  minister's  character  is  the  lock 
 of  his  strength,  and  if  once  this  be  sacrificed,  he  is  like 
 Samson  shorn  of  his  hair,  a  poor,  feeble,  faltering  crea- 
 ture, the  pity  of  his  friends  and  the  derision  of  his 
 enemies.  I  would  not  have  bad  ministers  screened,  nor 
 would  I  have  good  ones  maligned.  When  a  preacher 
 of  righteousness  has  stood  in  the  way  of  sinners,  and 
 walked  in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly,  he  should  never 
 again  open  his  lips  in  the  great  congregation,  until  his 
 repentance  is  as  notorious  as  his  sin.  But  while  his 
 character  is  unsullied,  his  friends  should  preserve  it  with 
 as  much  care  against  the  tongue  of  the  slanderer,  as 
 
n.    THEIR    PASTORS. 
 
 they  would  his  life  against  the  hand  of  the  assassin. 
 When  I  consider  the  restless  malignity  of  the  great 
 enemy  of  God  and  holiness,  and  add  to  this  his  subtlety 
 and  craft ;  when  I  consider  how  much  his  malice  would 
 be  gratified,  and  his  schemes  promoted,  by  blackening 
 the  character  of  the  ministers  of  the  gospel;  when  I 
 consider  what  a  multitude  of  creatures  there  are  who 
 are  his  vassals,  and  under  his  influence,  creatures  so 
 destitute  of  moral  principle  and  so  filled  with  venomous 
 spite  against  religion,  as  to  be  prepared  to  go  any 
 lengths  in  maligning  the  righteous,  and  especially  their 
 ministers,  I  can  account  for  it  on  no  other  ground,  than 
 that  of  a  special  interposition  of  Providence,  that  the 
 reputation  of  christian  pastors  is  not  more  frequently 
 attacked  by  slander,  and  destroyed  by  calumny.  But 
 probably  we  see  in  this  as  in  other  cases,  that  wise 
 arrangement  of  Providence,  by  which  things  of  delicacy 
 and  consequence  are  preserved,  by  calling  forth  greater 
 solicitude  for  their  safety.  Church  members  should 
 therefore  be  tremblingly  alive  to  the  importance  of 
 defending  their  minister's  character.  They  should 
 neither  expect  to  see  him  perfect,  nor  hunt  after  his 
 imperfections.  When  they  cannot  but  see  his  imper- 
 fections, imperfections  which  after  all  may  be  consistent 
 with  not  only  real,  but  eminent  piety,  they  should  not 
 take  pleasure  in  either  magnifying  or  looking  at  them; 
 but  make  all  reasonable  excuse  for  them,  and  endeavour 
 to  lose  sight  of  his  infirmities  in  his  virtues,  as  they  do 
 the  spots  of  the  sun  amidst  the  blaze  of  radiance  with 
 which  they  are  surrounded.  Let  them  not  be  the 
 subject  of  conversation  even  between  yourselves,  much 
 less  before  your  children,  servants,  and  the  world.  If 
 you  talk  of  his  faults  in  derision,  who  will  speak  of  his 
 
300  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 excellences  with  admiration  ?  Do  not  look  at  him  with 
 suspicion,  but  repose  an  honourable  confidence  in  his 
 character.  Do  not  make  him  an  offender  for  a  word, 
 and  refuse  to  him  that  charity  and  candour  of  judgment, 
 which  would  be  granted  to  every  one  else.  Do  not 
 magnify  indiscretions  into  immoralities,  and  exact  from 
 him  that  absolute  perfection  which  in  your  own  case  you 
 find  to  be  unattainable.  Beware  of  whispers,  inuendoes, 
 significant  nods,  and  that  slanderous  silence  which  is 
 more  defamatory  than  the  broadest  accusation. 
 
 Defend  him  against  the  groundless  attacks  of  others. 
 Never  hear  him  spoken  of  with  undeserved  reproach 
 without  indignantly  repelling  the  shafts  of  calumny. 
 Express  your  firm,  dignified  displeasure  against  the 
 witling  that  would  make  him  ridiculous,  the  scorner 
 that  would  render  him  contemptible,  and  the  defamer 
 that  would  brand  him  as  immoral.  Especially  guard 
 against  those  creeping  reptiles  which  infest  some 
 churches,  and  are  perpetually  insinuating  that  their 
 ministers  do  not  preach  the  gospel,  merely  because  they 
 do  not  eternally  repeat  the  same  truths  in  the  same 
 words;  because  they  do  not  allegorize  and  spiritualize 
 all  the  facts  of  the  Old  Testament,  until  they  have 
 found  as  much  gospel  in  the  horses  of  Pharaoh's  chariot 
 as  they  can  in  St.  Paul's  epistles ;  and  because  they 
 have  dared  to  enforce  the  moral  law  as  the  rule  of  a 
 believer's  conduct.  This  antinomian  spirit  has  become 
 the  pest  of  many  churches.*  It  is  the  most  mischievous 
 and  disgusting  of  all  errors.      If  the  heresies  which 
 
 *  This  is  not  the  case  with  Dissenters  exclusively.  One  single 
 clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  in  the  West,  has  diffused  more 
 of  the  poison  of  antinomianism,  than  all  the  Nonconformist  promul- 
 gators of  these  principles  put  together. 
 
U)     I'll  Kill     I  AMOKS. 
 
 abound  in  the  spiritual  world  were  to  be  represented 
 by  the  noxious  animals  of  the  natural  world,  we  could 
 find  some  errors  that  would  answer  to  the  vulture,  the 
 tiger,  and  the  serpent ;  but  we  could  find  nothing  that 
 would  be  au  adequate  emblem  of  antinomianism,  except 
 by  a  creation  of  our  own  we  had  united  in  some  mon- 
 strous reptile,  the  venom  of  the  wasp,  the  deformity 
 of  the  spider,  and  the  slime  of  the  snail. 
 
 IX.  Liberal  support.  The  Scripture  is  very  explicit 
 on  this  head.  "  Let  him  that  is  taught  in  the  word 
 communicate  unto  him  that  teacheth  in  all  good  things." 
 "  Who  goeth  a  warfare  any  time  at  his  own  charges  ? 
 even  so  hath  the  Lord  ordained,  that  they  which  preach 
 the  Gospel,  should  live  of  the  Gospel."  The  necessity 
 of  this  appears  from  the  injunctions  delivered  to  min- 
 isters to  devote  themselves  exclusively  to  the  duties 
 of  their  office.  I  by  no  means  contend  that  it  is  un- 
 lawful for  a  minister  to  engage  in  secular  concerns ;  for 
 necessity  is  a  law  which  supersedes  the  ordinary  rules 
 of  human  conduct,  and  what  arc  those  to  do,  whose 
 stipend  is  too  small  to  support  a  family,  and  who  have 
 no  private  source  of  supply  ?  A  minister  is  under  addi- 
 tional obligations  to  provide  things  honest,  not  only  in 
 the  sight  of  the  Lord,  but  of  men ;  to  owe  no  man  any 
 thing ;  to  provide  for  his  own  house ;  and  if  he  is  not 
 enabled  to  do  this  by  the  liberality  of  his  flock,  and  has 
 no  private  fortune,  he  must  have  recourse  to  the  labour 
 of  his  hands.  It  is  extremely  difficult  in  this  matter  to 
 lay  down  particular  rules;  all  that  can  be  done  is  to 
 state  general  principles,  and  leave  these  to  operate  in 
 particular  cases.  Let  all  Christians  therefore  consider 
 what  is  a  just  and  generous  reward  for  the  labours  of  a 
 man,  who  is  devoting  his  life  to  assist  them  in  obtaining 
 
302         DUTIES  OF  CHURCH  MEMBERS  TO  THEIR  PASTORS. 
 
 an  inheritance  incorruptible,  undented,  and  that  fades 
 not  away,  an  exceeding  great  and  eternal  weight  of 
 glory;  and  who  in  assisting  them  to  gain  eternal  life, 
 exerts  at  the  same  time  an  indirect,  but  a  beneficial 
 influence  upon  all  their  temporal  prosperity.  What  is 
 a  sufficient  annual  acknowledgment  for  all  those  ser- 
 mons which  they  hear  with  so  much  delight  ?  How 
 can  they  ever  reward  him  who  by  his  ministrations 
 soothes  their  cares,  lightens  their  sorrows,  reproves 
 their  sins,  throws  a  radiance  over  their  darkest  scenes, 
 and  gilds  their  brightest  ones  with  additional  splendour ; 
 who  brings  heaven  down  to  earth  for  their  comfort,  and 
 elevates  them  from  earth  to  heaven ;  and  who,  after 
 mitigating  for  them  the  ills  of  time  with  an  anticipation 
 of  the  joys  of  eternity,  is  prepared  to  attend  them  to  the 
 verge  of  the  dark  valley  and  irradiate  its  gloom  with  the 
 visions  of  immortality?  Let  it  not  be  thought  that 
 what  is  given  to  a  minister  is  a  charitable  donation ;  it 
 is  the  payment  of  a  just  debt.  It  is  what  Cbrist  claims 
 for  his  faithful  servants,  and  which  cannot  be  withheld 
 without  robbery.  I  spurn  for  myself  and  for  my 
 brethren,  the  degrading  apprehension  that  we  are  sup- 
 ported by  charity.  We  are  not  clerical  pensioners  upon 
 mere  bounty.  Our  appeal  is  to  justice,  and  if  our  claims 
 are  denied  on  this  ground,  we  refuse  to  plead  before  any 
 other  tribunal,  and  refer  the  matter  to  the  great  assize. 
 
DUTIES  OV  CHURCH  MEMBERS  TOWARDS   EACH   OTHER.     308 
 
 CHAPTER    VI. 
 
 THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS    TOWARDS 
 EACH    OTHER. 
 
 I.  The  first,  and  that  which  indeed  seems  to  include 
 every  other,  is  love.  The  stress  which  is  laid  on  this  in 
 the  Word  of  God,  both  as  it  respects  the  manner  in 
 which  it  is  stated,  and  the  frequency  with  which  it  is 
 enjoined,  sufficiently  prove  its  vast  importance  in  the 
 christian  temper,  and  its  powerful  influence  in  the  com- 
 munion of  believers.  It  is  enforced  by  our  Lord  as  the 
 identifying  law  of  his  kingdom,  "  This  is  my  command- 
 ment, that  ye  love  one  another  as  I  have  loved  you." 
 From  this  we  learn  that  the  subjects  of  Christ  are  to  be 
 known  and  distinguished  amongst  men,  by  their  mutual 
 affection.  This  injunction  is  denominated  the  new 
 commandment  of  the  christian  economy;  not  that  love 
 was  no  duty  before  the  coming  of  Christ,  but  it  is  now 
 placed  more  prominently  amongst  the  duties  of  believers, 
 is  urged  on  fresh  grounds,  enforced  by  a  more  perfect 
 example,  and  constrained  by  stronger  motives.  The 
 dispensation  of  Jesus  Christ  is  a  system  of  most  won- 
 derful, most  mysterious  grace;  it  is  the  manifestation, 
 commendation,  and  perfection  of  divine  love.  It  ori- 
 ginated in  the  love  of  the  Father,  and  is  accomplished 
 by  the  love  of  the  Son. 
 
304<  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  Christ  lias  made  his  love 
 to  us,  not  only  the  motive,  but  the  pattern  of  our  love 
 to  each  other.  This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love 
 one  another  as  I  have  loved  you.  Let  us  for  our  in- 
 struction dwell  upon  the  properties  of  his  love,  that  we 
 may  know  what  should  be  the  characteristics  of  our 
 own.  His  was  a  real  and  great  affection,  and  not  a  mere 
 nominal  one :  so  let  us  love  not  in  word  and  in  tongue 
 only,  but  also  in  deed  and  in  truth.  His  was  free  and 
 disinterested  without  any  regard  to  our  deserts ;  so  ours 
 should  be  independent  of  any  regard  to  our  own  advan- 
 tage. His  was  fruitful  unto  tears,  agonies,  and  death  : 
 so  should  ours  in  every  thing  that  can  promote  the 
 comfort  of  each  other.  His  was  a  love  of  forbearance 
 and  forgiveness ;  so  should  ours  be.  His  was  purely  a 
 spiritual  flame;  not  loving  them  as  rational  creatures 
 merely,  but  as  objects  of  divine  affection  and  partakers 
 of  the  divine  likeness.  His  was  unchangeable  notwith- 
 standing men's  weaknesses  and  unkindnesses:  and  we  are 
 thus  bound  to  love  one  another  and  continue  unalterable 
 in  our  affection  to  each  other,  in  opposition  to  all  those 
 little  infirmities  of  temper  and  conduct  which  we  daily 
 discover  in  our  fellow  Christians. 
 
 The  apostles  echoed  the  language  of  their  master, 
 and  continually  enjoined  the  churches  which  they 
 planted,  to  let  brotherly  love  abound  and  increase. 
 It  is  a  grace  so  important,  that  as  is  the  case  with 
 holiness,  no  measure  of  it  is  sufficient  to  satisfy  the 
 requirements  of  the  "Word  of  God.  It  is  the  basis, 
 cement,  and  beauty  of  the  christian  union.  The  church 
 where  it  is  wanting,  whatever  may  be  the  number  or 
 gifts  of  its  members,  is  nothing  better  than  a  heap 
 of  stones,  which,  however  polished,  want  the  coherence 
 
TOWARDS    EACH    OTHER.  305 
 
 and  similitude  of  a  palace.  In  the  best  and  purest  ages 
 of  the  church,  this  virtue  shone  so  brightly  in  the 
 character  of  its  members,  was  so  conspicuous  in  all  their 
 conduct,  was  expressed  in  actions  so  replete  with  noble, 
 disinterested,  and  heroic  affection,  as  to  become  a  proverb 
 with  surrounding  pagans,  and  called  forth  the  well 
 known  exclamation,  "  See  how  these  Christians  love  one 
 another."  A  finer  eulogium  was  never  pronounced  on 
 the  christian  church,  a  more  valuable  tribute  was  never 
 deposited  on  the  altar  of  Christianity.  Alas !  that  it 
 should  so  soon  have  ceased  to  be  just,  and  that  the 
 church  as  it  grew  older,  should  have  lost  its  loveliness 
 by  losing  its  love.  But  it  is  necessary  to  point  out  the 
 manner  in  which  brotherly  love,  whenever  it  exists,  will 
 operate. 
 
 1.  In  a  peculiar  complacency  in  our  fellow  members 
 viewed  as  the  object  of  divine  love.  Complacency  is 
 the  very  essence  of  love ;  and  the  ground  of  all  proper 
 complacency  in  the  saints  is  their  relation  and  likeness 
 to  God.  We  should  feel  peculiar  delight  in  each  other 
 as  "fellow  heirs  of  the  grace  of  God,"  partakers  of 
 "  like  precious  faith,"  and  joint  sharers  of  "the  common 
 salvation."  \Ye  must  be  dear  to  each  other  as  the 
 objects  of  the  Father's  mercy,  of  the  Son's  dying  grace, 
 and  of  the  Spirit's  sanctifying  influence.  The  love  of 
 Christians  is  of  a  very  sacred  nature,  and  is  quite 
 peculiar.  It  is  not  the  love  of  consanguinity,  friendship, 
 interest,  or  general  esteem ;  but  it  is  an  affection 
 cherished  for  Christ's  sake.  They  may  see  many  things 
 in  each  other  to  admire,  such  as  amiability  of  temper, 
 public  spirit,  tender  sympathy;  but  christian  love  does 
 not  rest  on  these  things,  although  they  may  increase  it, 
 but  on  the  ground  of  a  common  relationship  to  Christ. 
 
306  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 As  being  one  in  Christ,  they  are  on  this  account  to  take 
 peculiar  delight  in  each  other.  "  These,"  should  a 
 believer  exclaim  as  he  looks  on  the  church,  "  are  the 
 objects  of  the  Redeemer's  living  and  dying  love,  whom 
 he  regards  with  complacency,  and,  out  of  affection  to 
 him,  I  feel  an  inexpressible  delight  in  them.  I  love  to 
 associate  with  them,  to  talk  with  them,  to  look  upon 
 them,  because  they  are  Christ's." 
 
 2.  Love  to  our  brethren  will  lead  us  to  bear  one 
 another's  burthens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ.  When 
 we  see  them  oppressed  with  a  weight  of  anxious  care, 
 instead  of  carrying  ourselves  with  cold  indifference  and 
 unfeeling  distance  towards  them,  we  should  cherish  a 
 tender  solicitude  to  know  and  relieve  their  anxieties. 
 How  touching  would  such  a  salutation  as  the  following 
 be  from  one  Christian  to  another :  "  Brother,  I  have 
 observed  with  considerable  pain  that  your  countenance 
 has  been  covered  with  gloom,  as  if  you  were  sinking 
 under  some  inward  solicitude.  I  would  not  be  unplea- 
 santly officious,  nor  wish  to  obtrude  myself  upon  your 
 attention,  farther  than  is  agreeable,  but  I  offer  you  the 
 expressions  of  christian  sympathy,  and  the  assistance  of 
 christian  counsel.  Can  I  in  any  way  assist  to  mitigate 
 your  care,  and  to  restore  your  tranquillity?"  At  such 
 sounds  the  loaded  heart  would  feel  as  if  half  its  load 
 were  gone.  It  may  be,  the  kind  inquirer  could  yield  no 
 effectual  relief,  but  there  is  balm  in  his  sympathy.  The 
 indifference  of  some  professing  Christians  to  the  burthens 
 of  their  brethren  is  shocking ;  they  see  them  crushed  to 
 the  very  earth  with  cares  and  sorrows,  and  never  make 
 one  kind  inquiry  into  their  situation,  nor  lend  a  helping 
 hand  to  lift  them  from  the  dust.  Love  requires  that  we 
 should  take  the  deepest  interest  in  each  other's  case, 
 
TOWARDS    EACH    OTHER.  307 
 
 that  wc  should  patiently  listen  to  the  tale  of  woe 
 which  a  brother  brings  us,  that  we  should  mingle  our 
 tears  with  his,  that  we  should  offer  him  our  advice, 
 that  we  should  suggest  to  him  the  consolations  of  the 
 gospel ;  in  short,  we  should  let  him  see  that  his  troubles 
 reach  not  only  our  ear  but  our  heart.  Sympathy  is  one 
 of  the  finest,  the  most  natural,  the  most  easy  expressions 
 of  love. 
 
 3.  Love  requires  that  we  should  visit  our  brethren 
 in  their  affliction.  "  I  was  sick  and  ye  visited  me,  I 
 was  in  prison  and  ye  came  unto  me ;  for  as  much  as 
 ye  did  it  unto  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
 did  it  unto  me ;"  such  is  the  language  of  Jesus 
 Christ  to  his  people;  by  which  he  teaches  us  how  im- 
 portant and  incumbent  a  duty  it  is  for  church  members 
 to  visit  each  other  in  their  afflictions.  Probably  there 
 is  no  duty  more  neglected  than  this.  Christians  often 
 lie  on  beds  of  sickness  for  weeks  and  months  suc- 
 cessively without  seeing  a  fellow  member  cross  the 
 threshold  of  their  chamber  door.  How  often  have 
 I  been  shocked,  when  upon  inquiring  of  the  sufferer 
 whether  such  and  such  an  individual  residing  in 
 his  neighbourhood  had  been  to  visit  him,  it  has 
 been  said  in  reply,  "  Oh  !  no  sir,  I  have  now  been 
 stretched  on  this  bed  for  days  and  weeks.  My  pain 
 and  weakness  have  been  so  great,  that  I  have  scarcely 
 been  able  to  collect  my  thoughts  for  meditation  and 
 prayer.  The  sight  of  a  dear  christian  friend  would 
 indeed  have  relieved  the  dull  monotony  of  this  gloomy 
 scene,  and  the  voice  of  piety  would  have  been  as  music 
 to  blunt  my  sense  of  pain,  and  lull  my  troubled  heart 
 to  short  repose;  but  such  a  sight  and  such  a  sound 
 have  been  denied  me.      No  friend  has  been  near  me, 
 
308  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 and  it  has  aggravated  sorrows,  already  heavy,  to  be  thus 
 neglected  and  forgotten  by  a  church,  which  I  joined 
 with  the  hope  of  finding  amongst  them  the  comfort 
 of  sympathy.  But  alas  !  alas !  I  find  them  too  much 
 occupied  with  the  things  seen  and  temporal,  to  think 
 of  a  suffering  brother,  to  whom  wearisome  nights  and 
 months  of  vanity  are  appointed."  How  many  are  there, 
 now  bearing  the  christian  name,  who  scarcely  ever  yet 
 paid  one  visit  to  the  bed  side  of  a  suffering  brother ! 
 Shame  and  disgrace  upon  such  professors !  Let  them 
 not  expect  to  hear  the  Saviour  say,  "  I  was  sick  and  ye 
 visited  me."  That  this  branch  of  christian  love  might 
 be  performed  with  greater  diligence,  it  would  be  a  good 
 plan  for  the  pastor,  at  every  church  meeting,  to  mention 
 the  names  of  the  afflicted  members,  and  stir  up  the 
 brethren  to  visit  them.  It  would  be  particularly  desi- 
 rable for  Christians  to  go  to  the  scene  of  suffering  on  a 
 Sabbath  day,  and  read  the  Bible  and  sermons  to  the 
 afflicted  at  that  time,  as  they  are  then  peculiarly  apt  to 
 feel  their  sorrows,  in  consequence  of  being  cut  off  from 
 the  enjoyment  of  public  worship. 
 
 4.  "  Pray  for  one  another."  Not  only  with,  but  for 
 one  another.  A  Christian  should  take  the  interests 
 of  his  brethren  into  the  closet.  Private  devotion  is  not 
 to  be  selfish  devotion.  It  would  much  increase  our 
 affection  did  we  devote  more  of  our  private  prayers  to 
 each  other's  welfare. 
 
 5.  Pecuniary  relief  should  be  administered  to  those 
 who  need  it.  "  Distributing  to  the  necessities  of  the 
 saints,"  is  mentioned  amongst  the  incumbent  duties  of 
 professing  Christians.  How  just,  how  forcible,  is  the 
 interrogation  of  the  apostle,  "  Whoso  hath  this  world's 
 good,  and  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up 
 
TOWARDS  EACH  OTHER.  309 
 
 his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  tlwelleth  the 
 love  of  God  in  him?"  Nothing  can  be  more  absurd 
 than  those  pretensions  to  love  which  arc  not  supported 
 by  exertions  to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  object  beloved. 
 It  must  be  a  singular  affection  which  is  destitute  of 
 mercy.  So  powerfully  did  this  holy  passion  operate  in 
 the  first  ages  of  the  church,  that  many  of  the  rich 
 Christians  sold  their  estates,  and  shared  their  affluence 
 with  the  poor.  What  rendered  this  act  the  more  re- 
 markable is,  that  it  was  purely  voluntary.  It  is  not  our 
 duty  any  more  than  it  was  theirs,  to  go  this  length : 
 still,  however,  it  is  evident  both  from  general  principles 
 as  well  as  from  particular  precepts,  that  we  are  under 
 obligation  to  make  some  provisions  for  the  comfort  of 
 the  poor.  This  duty  must  be  left  in  the  statement  of 
 general  terms,  as  it  is  impossible  to  define  its  precise 
 limits.  It  does  not  appear  to  me,  to  be  at  all  incum- 
 bent to  make  regular  periodical  distributions  to  the 
 poor,  whether  in  circumstances  of  distress  or  not.  Some 
 churches  have  a  registered  list  of  pensioners,  who  come 
 as  regularly  for  their  pay  as  if  they  were  hired  servants. 
 If  they  are  old,  infirm,  or  unprovided  for,  this  is  very 
 well ;  but  for  those  to  receive  relief  who  are  getting  a 
 comfortable  subsistence  by  their  labour,  is  an  abuse 
 of  the  charity  of  the  church.  The  money  collected  at 
 the  Lord's  Supper  should  be  reserved  for  times  of  sick- 
 ness and  peculiar  necessity. 
 
 It  should  be  recollected  also,  that  public  contribu- 
 tions do  not  release  the  members  from  the  exercise 
 of  private  liberality.  The  shilling  a  month  which  is 
 given  at  the  sacrament,  seems,  in  the  opinion  of  many, 
 to  discharge  them  from  all  further  obligation  to  provide 
 fur  the  comfort  of  their  poorer  brethren,  and  to  be  a 
 
310  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 sort  of  composition  for  the  full  exercise  of  religious 
 charity.  This  is  a  great  mistake,  it  ought  rather  to  be 
 considered  as  a  mere  earnest  or  pledge  of  all  that  more 
 effective  and  abundant  liberality  which  they  should 
 exercise  in  secret.  Every  Christian  who  is  favoured 
 with  a  considerable  share  of  the  bounties  of  Providence, 
 ought  to  consider  the  poorer  members  of  the  church, 
 who  may  happen  to  live  in  his  neighbourhood,  as  the 
 objects  of  his  peculiar  care,  interest,  and  relief. 
 
 6.  Forbearance  is  a  great  part  of  love.  "  Forbear- 
 ing one  another  in  love."  In  a  christian  church, 
 especially  if  it  is  of  considerable  magnitude,  we  must 
 expect  to  find  very  great  diversity  of  character, 
 all  gradations  of  intellect,  and  all  varieties  of  tem- 
 per. This  being  so,  great  forbearance  is  absolutely 
 essential  to  the  preservation  of  harmony  and  peace. 
 The  strong  must  bear  with  the  infirmities  of  the  weak. 
 Christians  of  great  attainments  in  knowledge  should  not 
 in  their  hearts  despise,  or  in  their  conduct  ridicule,  the 
 feeble  conceptions  of  those  who  are  babes  in  Christ; 
 but  meekly  correct  their  errors,  and  kindly  instruct 
 their  ignorance.  This  is  love.  In  very  many  persons 
 there  will  unhappily  be  found  some  things  which, 
 although  they  by  no  means  affect  the  reality  and  sin- 
 cerity of  their  religion,  considerably  diminish  its  lustre, 
 and  have  a  tendency,  without  the  caution  of  love,  to 
 disturb  our  communion  with  them.  Some  have  a 
 forward  and  obtrusive  manner;  others  are  talkative; 
 others  indulge  a  complaining,  whining,  begging  dispo- 
 sition ;  others  are  abrupt  almost  to  rudeness  in  their 
 address ;  these  and  many  more  are  the  spots  of  God's 
 children,  with  which  we  are  sometimes  so  much  dis- 
 pleased, as  to  feel  an  alienation  of  heart  from  the  sub- 
 
TOWARDS    E  vc  II    OTHER.  -'Jl  I 
 
 jccts  of  them,  although  we  have  no  doubt  of  their  real 
 piety.  Now  here  is  room  for  the  exercise  of  love.  These 
 are  the  cases  in  which  we  are  to  employ  that  charity 
 which  covereth  all  things.  Are  we  to  love  only  amiable 
 Christians?  Perhaps,  after  all,  in  the  substantial  parts 
 of  religion,  these  rough  characters  far  excel  others, 
 whom  courtesy  and  amiablencss  have  carried  to  the 
 highest  degree  of  polish.  I  do  not  say  we  are  to  love 
 these  individuals  for  their  peculiarities,  but  in  spite 
 of  them ;  not  on  their  own  account,  but  for  Christ's 
 sake,  to  whom  they  belong.  And  what  can  be  a  greater 
 proof  of  our  affection  for  him,  than  to  love  an  unlovely 
 individual  on  his  account  ?  If  you  had  the  picture  of 
 a  valued  friend,  would  you  withdraw  it  from  your  affec- 
 tion, and  throw  it  away,  because  there  was  a  spot  upon 
 the  canvass,  which  in  some  degree  disfigured  the  paint- 
 ing ?  No ;  you  would  say,  it  is  a  likeness  of  my  friend 
 still,  and  I  love  it  notwithstanding  its  imperfection. 
 The  believer  is  a  picture  of  your  best  friend,  and  will 
 you  discard  or  neglect  him,  because  there  is  a  speck 
 upon  the  painting  ? 
 
 7.  Love  should  induce  us  to  watch  over  one  another. 
 Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?  was  an  inquiry  suitable 
 enough  to  the  lips  of  a  murderer,  but  most  unsuit- 
 able and  inconsistent  in  a  Christian.  We  are  brought 
 into  fellowship  for  the  very  purpose  of  being  keepers 
 of  each  other.  We  are  to  watch  over  our  brethren, 
 and  admonish  and  reprove  them  as  circumstances  may 
 require.  I  do  not  mean  that  church  members  should 
 pry  into  each  other's  secrets,  or  be  busy  bodies  in 
 other  men's  matters,  for  that  is  forbidden  by  God  and 
 abominable  in  the  sight  of  man.  1  Thess.  iii,  11  ; 
 1  Pet.  iv,  15.     Much  less  are  they  to  assume  authority 
 
312  THE    DUTIES   OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 over  each  other,  and  act  the  part  of  proud  and  tyran- 
 nical inquisitors.  But  still  we  are  to  "exhort  one 
 another  daily,  lest  any  be  hardened  through  the  deceit- 
 fulness  of  sin."  We  are  not  to  suffer  sin  to  be  com- 
 mitted, or  duty  to  be  omitted  by  a  brother,  without 
 affectionately  admonishing  him.  What  can  be  more 
 incumbent,  more  obligatory,  than  this  ?  Can  we  indeed 
 love  any  one,  and  at  the  same  time  see  him  do  that 
 which  we  know  will  injure  him,  without  entreating  him 
 to  desist?  " Brethren,  if  any  man  be  overtaken  in  a 
 fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual  restore  such  an  one  in  the 
 spirit  of  meekness."  Let  us  then  take  heed  against 
 that  Cain-like  spirit  which  is  too  prevalent,  and  which 
 leads  some  to  act  as  if  their  fellow  members  were  no 
 more  to  them  than  the  stranger  at  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
 Striking  are  the  words  of  God  to  the  Jews,  "  Thou  shalt 
 not  hate  thy  brother  in  thy  heart;  thou  shalt  in  any 
 wise  rebuke  him,  and  not  suffer  sin  upon  him."  Not 
 to  rebuke  him  then  when  he  sins,  is  instead  of  loving 
 him  to  hate  him.  ■  This  neglect  is  what  the  apostle 
 means  by  being  partakers  of  other  men's  sins.  The 
 admonition  to  "  warn  the  unruly,"  1  Thess.  v,  14,  was 
 delivered  not  merely  to  ministers,  but  to  private  Chris- 
 tians. I  know  no  duty  more  neglected  than  this.  It  is 
 one  of  the  most  prevailing  defects  of  Christians.  Many 
 a  backslider  would  have  been  prevented  from  going  far 
 astray,  if  in  the  very  first  stages  of  his  declension, 
 some  brother,  who  had  observed  his  critical  state,  had 
 faithfully  and  affectionately  warned  and  admonished 
 him.  What  shame,  anguish,  and  disgrace,  would  the 
 offender  himself  have  been  spared,  and  what  dishonour 
 and  scandal  would  have  been  averted  from  the  church 
 by  this  one  act  of  faithful  love  !     I  am  aware  it  is  a 
 
TOWARDS    BACH    OTHER.  313 
 
 difficult  and  self-denying  duty,  but  that  cannot  excuse 
 its  neglect.  Love  will  enable  us  to  perform  it,  and  the 
 neglect  of  it  violates  the  law  of  Christ. 
 
 II.  Church  members  should  cultivate  peace  and 
 harmony  one  with  another.  "  Keep  the  unity  of  the 
 Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace."  "  Be  of  one  mind,  live 
 in  peace."  "  Follow  after  the  things  which  make  for 
 peace."  It  is  quite  needless  to  expatiate  on  the  value 
 and  importance  of  peace.  What  society  can  exist  with- 
 out it  ?  I  shall  therefore  proceed  to  state  what  things 
 arc  necessary  for  the  attainment  of  this  end. 
 
 1.  Members  should  be  subject  one  to  another  in 
 humility.  "Likewise  ye  younger  submit  yourselves 
 unto  the  elder.  Yea,  all  of  you  be  subject  one  to 
 another,  and  be  clothed  with  humility."  Now  from 
 hence  we  learn,  that  some  kind  of  mutual  subjection 
 ought  to  be  established  in  every  christian  church. 
 This  of  course  does  not  mean,  that  some  members  are 
 to  make  an  entire  surrender  of  their  opinions  and 
 feelings  to  others,  so  far  as  never  to  oppose  them,  and 
 always  to  be  guided  by  them.  It  is  not  the  subjection 
 of  an  inferior  to  a  superior,  but  of  equals  to  one 
 another;  not  extorted  by  authority,  but  voluntarily 
 conceded  by  affection ;  not  yielded  as  matter  of  right, 
 but  given  for  the  sake  of  peace :  in  short,  it  is  the 
 mutual  subjection  of  love  and  humility.  Young  and 
 inexperienced  persons  ought  to  be  subject  to  the  aged; 
 for  what  can  be  more  indecorous  than  to  see  a  stripling 
 standing  up  at  a  church  meeting,  and  with  confidence 
 and  flippancy  opposing  his  views  to  those  of  a  disciple 
 old  enough  to  be  his  grandfather?  Youth  loses  its 
 loveliness  when  it  loses  its  modesty.  Young  people 
 should  be  seen,  but  not  heard,  in  the  assembly  of  the 
 
 V.!.    !1  X 
 
314  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 saints.  They  should  hearken  with  deference  and  most 
 reverential  attention  to  the  opinion  of  the  aged.  The 
 poor  should  be  so  far  in  subjection  to  the  rich,  as  to  pay 
 every  mark  of  respect  to  their  sentiments.  Nor  does 
 the  obligation  or  the  difficulty  stop  here ;  it  extends  to 
 those  who  are  equal  in  age  and  rank :  they  also  should 
 be  subject  to  each  other;  they  should  not  be  deter- 
 mined at  all  events  to  have  their  own  way,  but  should 
 go  as  far  as  principle  would  let  them,  in  giving  up  their 
 own  views  and  predilections  to  the  rest.  Every  one 
 should  hearken  with  respectful  attention  to  the  opinions 
 of  others,  and  state  his  own  with  modesty.  The  con- 
 tention ought  not  to  be  for  rule,  but  for  subjection. 
 Instead  of  haughtily  exclaiming,  "  I  have  as  much  right 
 to  have  my  way  as  any  one  else,"  we  should  say,  "  I 
 have  an  opinion,  and  will  mildly  and  respectfully  state 
 it ;  yet  I  will  not  force  it  upon  the  church,  but  give  way 
 to  the  superior  wisdom  of  others,  if  I  am  opposed." 
 There  should  be  in  every  member,  a  supposition  that 
 others  may  see  as  clearly,  probably  more  so,  than  him- 
 self. The  popular  principle  in  our  system  of  church 
 government  must  not  be  stretched  too  far.  The  idea 
 of  equal  rights,  is  soon  abused  and  converted  into  the 
 means  of  turbulence  and  faction.  Liberty,  fraternity, 
 and  equality,  are  words  which,  both  in  church  and  state, 
 have  often  become  the  signals  in  the  mouths  of  some, 
 for  the  lawless  invasion  of  the  rights  of  others.  It  has 
 been  strangely  forgotten,  that  no  man  in  social  life  has 
 a  right  to  please  only  himself;  his  will  is,  or  ought  to 
 be,  the  good  of  the  whole.  And  that  individual  violates 
 at  once  the  social  compact,  either  in  ecclesiastical  or 
 civil  society,  who  pertinaciously  and  selfishly  exclaims, 
 
TOWARDS    EACH    OTHER.  315 
 
 ''  I  will  have  my  way."  Such  a  declaration  constitutes 
 him  a  rebel  against  the  community.  Yet,  alas  !  how 
 much  of  this  rebellion  is  to  be  found  not  only  in  the 
 world,  but  in  the  church ;  and  what  havoc  and  desola- 
 tion has  it  occasioned.  Unfortunately  for  the  peace 
 of  our  societies,  it  is  sometimes  disguised,  by  the 
 dcceitfulness  of  the  human  heart,  under  the  cloak 
 of  zeal  for  the  general  good.  Church  members  should 
 comply  with  the  apostolic  admonition,  "  Let  nothing  be 
 done  through  strife  or  vain  glory ;  but  in  lowliness 
 of  mind  let  each  esteem  others  better  than  themselves." 
 "  In  honour  preferring  one  another." 
 
 2.  To  the  preservation  of  peace,  a  right  treatment 
 of  offences  is  essential.  We  should  ever  be  cautious 
 not  to  give  offence.  Some  persons  are  rude,  dogmatical, 
 or  indiscreet ;  they  never  consult  the  feelings  of  those 
 around  them,  and  are  equally  careless  whom  they  please, 
 and  whom  they  offend.  They  say  and  do  just  what 
 their  feelings  prompt,  without  the  least  regard  to  the 
 consequences  of  their  words  and  actions.  They  act  like 
 an  individual  who,  because  it  pleases  him,  discharges  a 
 loaded  musket  in  a  crowded  street,  where  it  is  almost 
 certain  some  will  be  wounded.  This  is  not  the  charity 
 which  is  kind  courteous  and  civil.  A  Christian  should 
 be  ever  afraid  of  giving  offence ;  he  should  be  anxious 
 not  to  injure  the  wing  of  an  insect,  much  less  the  mind 
 of  a  brother.  The  peace  of  his  brethren  should  even  be 
 more  sacred  than  his  own.  It  should  be  his  fixed  deter- 
 mination never,  if  possible,  to  occasion  a  moment's  pain. 
 For  this  purpose  he  should  be  discreet,  and  mild,  and 
 courteous  in  all  his  language,  weighing  the  import 
 of  words  before  he  utters  them,  and  calculating  the 
 
316  THE    DUTIES    OF   CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 consequence  of  actions  before  he  performs  them.  He 
 should  remember  that  he  is  moving  in  a  crowd,  and  be 
 careful  not  to  trample  on  or  jostle  his  neighbours. 
 
 We  should  all  be  backward  to  receive  offence. 
 Quarrels  often  begin  for  want  of  the  caution  I  have 
 just  stated,  and  are  then  continued  for  want  of  the 
 backwardness  I  am  now  enforcing.  The  observance 
 of  these  two  principles  would  keep  the  world  in  peace. 
 There  are  some  people  whose  passions  are  like  tow, 
 kindled  into  a  blaze  in  a  moment,  by  the  least  spark 
 which  has  been  designedly  or  accidentally  thrown  upon 
 it.  A  word,  a  look,  is  in  some  cases  quite  enough  to  be 
 considered  a  very  serious  injury.  It  is  no  uncommon 
 thing  for  such  persons  to  excuse  themselves  on  the 
 ground  that  their  feelings  are  so  delicately  sensible,  that 
 they  are  offended  by  the  least  touch.  This  is  a  humilia- 
 ting confession,  for  it  is  acknowledging  that  instead 
 of  being  like  the  cedar  of  Lebanon,  or  the  oak  of  the 
 forest,  which  laughs  at  the  tempest,  and  is  unmoved  by 
 the  boar  of  the  wood ;  they  resemble  the  sensitive  plant, 
 a  little  squeamish  shrub,  which  trembles  before  the 
 breeze,  and  shrivels  and  contracts  beneath  the  touch 
 of  a  finger.  Delicate  feelings  !  In  plain  English,  this 
 means  that  they  are  petulant  and  irascible.  We  should 
 never  suffer  ourselves  to  be  offended  until  we  are  sure 
 that  offence  was  intended ;  and  that  is  not  so  often  the 
 case  as  we  are  apt  to  conclude.  Had  we  but  patience 
 to  wait,  or  humility  to  enquire,  we  should  find  that 
 many  things  were  done  by  mistake  which  we  are  prone 
 to  attribute  to  design.  How  often  do  we  violate  that 
 charity  which  thinks  no  evil,  and  which  imperatively 
 demands  of  us  always  to  attribute  a  good  motive  until 
 a  bad  one  is  proved.      Let  us  then  deliberately  de- 
 
TOWARDS    EACH    OTHER.  317 
 
 termine,  that  by  God's  grace  we  will  not  be  easily 
 offended.  If  such  a  resolution  were  generally  made  and 
 kept,  offences  would  cease.  Let  us  ascertain  whether 
 offence  was  intended  before  we  suffer  the  least  emotion 
 of  anger  to  be  indulged ;  and  even  then,  when  we  have 
 proved  that  the  offence  was  not  committed  by  accident, 
 let  us  next  ask  ourselves  whether  it  is  necessary  to 
 notice  it.  What  wise  man  will  think  it  worth  while 
 when  an  insect  has  stung  him,  to  pursue  and  punish 
 it? 
 
 "When  we  have  received  an  injury  which  is  too 
 serious  to  be  passed  over  unnoticed,  and  requires  ex- 
 planation in  order  to  our  future  pleasant  intercourse 
 with  the  individual  who  inflicts  it,  we  should  neither 
 brood  over  it  in  silence,  nor  communicate  it  to  a  third 
 person,  but  go  directly  to  the  offender  himself,  and  state 
 to  him  in  private  our  views  of  his  conduct.  This  is 
 most  clearly  enjoined  by  our  divine  Lord,  "  Moreover, 
 if  thy  brother  trespass  against  thee,  go  and  tell  him  his 
 fault  between  thee  and  him  alone  :  if  he  shall  hear  thee, 
 thou  hast  gained  thy  brother."  Many  persons  lock  up 
 an  injury  in  their  own  bosom,  and,  instead  of  going  to 
 their  offending  brother,  dwell  upon  his  conduct  in 
 silence,  until  their  imagination  has  added  to  it  every 
 possible  aggravation,  and  their  mind  has  come  to  the 
 conclusion  to  separate  themselves  for  ever  from  his 
 society.  From  that  hour  they  neither  speak  to  him  nor 
 think  well  of  him;  but  consider  and  treat  him  as  an 
 alien  from  their  hearts.  This  is  not  religion.  Our 
 duty  is  to  go,  and  to  go  as  speedily  as  possible,  to  the 
 offender ;  the  longer  we  delay  the  more  serious  will  the 
 offence  appear  in  our  eyes,  and  the  more  difficult  will  it 
 be  to  persuade  ourselves  to  seek  the  interview.     Others, 
 
318  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 when  they  have  received  an  offence,  set  off  to  some 
 friend,  perhaps  to  more  than  one,  to  lodge  their  com- 
 plaint, and  tell  how  they  have  been  treated.  The  report 
 of  the  injury  spreads  farther  and  wider,  exaggerated 
 and  swelled  by  every  circumstance  which  any  gossip 
 through  whose  hands  it  passes  chooses  to  add  to  the  ori- 
 ginal account,  until  in  process  of  time  it  comes  round  to 
 the  offender  himself  in  its  magnified  and  distorted  form, 
 and  he  then  finds  that  he  in  his  turn  has  been  aggrieved 
 and  calumniated;  and  thus  a  difficult  and  complicated 
 case  of  offence  grows  out  of  what  was  at  first  very 
 simple  in  its  nature,  and  capable  of  being  adjusted. 
 We  ought  to  go  at  once  to  a  party  offending  us,  before 
 a  syllable  has  passed  our  lips  on  the  subject  to  a  third 
 person :  and  we  should  also  close  our  ears  against  the 
 complaints  of  any  individual  who  would  inform  us  of 
 the  fault  of  a  brother  before  he  has  told  the  offender 
 himself. 
 
 Sometimes  when  persons  have  received  a  supposed 
 offence,  they  will  endeavour  to  gain  information  from 
 others  in  a  circuitous  and  clandestine  manner,  in  order, 
 as  they  think,  to  conduct  the  affair  with  prudence. 
 This  is  crooked  policy,  and  rarely  succeeds.  It  is  next 
 to  impossible  to  creep  with  a  step  so  soft,  and  to  speak 
 with  a  voice  so  low,  as  to  escape  detection  ;  and  if  the 
 person  concerned  surprise  us  in  the  act  of  ferreting  into 
 holes  and  corners  for  evidence,  it  will  be  sure  to  excite 
 his  indignation  and  disgust.  No,  go  to  him  at  once, 
 and  alone.  This  is  the  command  of  Scripture,  and  it  is 
 approved  by  reason.  This  single  admonition  is  worth 
 all  the  volumes  that  philosophy  ever  wrote,  and  ought 
 to  be  inscribed  in  letters  of  gold.  It  cannot  be  too 
 often  repeated,  nor  can  too  much  stress  be  laid  upon  it. 
 
TOWARDS    EACH    OTHER.  319 
 
 Third  persons,  whose  ears  are  ever  open  to  catch  reports, 
 should  be  avoided  as  the  plague;  they  are  mischief- 
 makers,  and  quarrel-mongers,  and  the  very  pests  of  our 
 churches.  Great  caution,  however,  should  be  observed 
 as  to  the  spirit  in  which  wc  go  to  the  offending  brother. 
 All  the  meekness  and  gentleness  of  Christ  should  be  in 
 our  temper  and  manner.  \Ve  should  dip  our  tongue 
 in  the  very  fountain  of  love.  Every  feeling,  every 
 look,  every  tone  of  anger  should  be  suppressed.  We 
 should  not  at  once  accuse  our  brother  of  the  injury,  for 
 the  report  may  be  false;  but  modestly  ask  him  if  it  be 
 correct.  All  attempts  to  extort  confession  by  threaten- 
 ing should  be  avoided;  and  instead  of  them,  nothing 
 should  be  employed  but  the  appeals  of  wisdom,  the 
 gentle  persuasion  of  love.  If  we  succeed  in  this 
 private  interview  to  gain  our  brother  so  far  as  to  pro- 
 duce a  little  relenting,  we  ought  to  cherish  by  the 
 kindest  expressions  these  beginnings  of  repentance,  and 
 to  avoid  all  demands  of  unnecessary  concession,  all 
 haughty  airs  of  conscious  superiority,  all  insulting 
 methods  of  dispensing  pardon.  "  Brother,"  we  should 
 say,  "  my  aim  was  not  to  degrade  you,  but  to  convince 
 you ;  and  since  you  see  and  acknowledge  your  fault,  I 
 am  satisfied,  and  shall  forgive  and  forget  it  from  this 
 moment. " 
 
 If  the  offender  should  refuse  to  acknowledge  his  fault 
 and  it  should  be  necessary  for  us  to  take  a  witness  or 
 two,  which  is  our  next  step  in  settling  a  disagreement, 
 we  must  be  very  careful  to  select  men  of  great  discre- 
 tion and  calmness ;  men  who  will  not  be  likely  to  inflame 
 instead  of  healing  the  wound  ;  men  who  will  act  as 
 mediators  not  as  partizans. 
 
 It  is  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  offences  being 
 
320  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 removed,  that  the  offender,  upon  his  being  convicted 
 of  an  injury,  should  make  all  suitable  concession;  and 
 it  will  generally  be  found  that  in  long  continued  and 
 complicated  strifes,  this  obligation  becomes  mutual. 
 Whoever  is  the  original  aggressor,  a  feud  seldom  con- 
 tinues long,  ere  both  parties  are  to  blame.  Even  the 
 aggrieved  individual  has  something  to  concede,  and  the 
 way  to  induce  the  other  to  acknowledge  his  greater 
 offence,  is  for  him  to  confess  his  lesser  one.  It  is  the 
 mark  of  a  noble  and  ingenuous  mind  to  confess  an  error 
 and  solicit  its  forgiveness.  "  Confess  your  faults  one  to 
 another,"  is  an  inspired  injunction.  The  man  who  is 
 too  proud  to  acknowledge  his  fault  when  his  conduct 
 requires  it,  has  violated  his  duty,  and  is  a  fit  subject  for 
 censure.  There  are  some  persons  so  far  forgetful  of 
 their  obligations  to  Christ  and  to  their  brethren,  as  not 
 only  to  refuse  to  make  concession,  but  even  to  give 
 explanation.  Their  proud  spirits  disdain  even  to  afford 
 the  least  satisfaction  in  the  way  of  throwing  light  upon 
 a  supposed  offence.  This  is  most  criminal,  and  is  such 
 a  defiance  of  the  authority  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  ought 
 to  bring  the  individual  to  the  bar  of  the  church. 
 We  should  be  very  cautious  not  to  exact  unreasonable 
 concessions.  A  revengeful  spirit  is  often  as  effectually 
 gratified  by  imposing  hard  and  humiliating  terms  of 
 reconciliation,  as  it  possibly  could  be  by  making  the 
 severest  retaliation.  No  offender  is  so  severely  pun- 
 ished as  he  who  is  obliged  to  degrade  himself  in 
 order  to  obtain  a  pardon.  And  as  all  revenge  is  un- 
 lawful, we  should  be  extremely  careful  not  to  gratify  it 
 at  the  very  time  and  by  the  manner  in  which  we  are 
 dispensing  pardon.  To  convince  a  brother,  not  to 
 degrade  him,  is  the  object  we  are  to  seek,  and  especially 
 
TOWARD*     EACH    OTHER. 
 
 should  we  endeavour  to  shew  him  that  his  offence  is 
 more  against  Christ  than  against  ourselves.  When 
 suitable  acknowledgments  are  made,  the  act  of  for- 
 giveness is  no  longer  optional  with  us.  From  that 
 moment  every  spark  of  anger,  every  feeling  of  a  re- 
 vengeful nature,  is  to  be  quenched.  "  Let  not  the  sun 
 go  down  upon  your  wrath,  neither  give  place  to  the 
 devil."  If  we  suffer  sleep  to  visit  our  eyes  before  we 
 have  forgiven  an  offending  but  penitent  brother,  we  are 
 committing  a  greater  offence  against  Christ  than  our 
 brother  has  committed  against  us.  The  man  that  takes 
 a  revengeful  temper  to  his  pillow  is  inviting  Satan  to  be 
 his  guest.  The  word  revenge  should  be  blotted  from  a 
 Christian's  vocabulary  by  the  tears  which  he  sheds  for 
 his  own  offences.  How  can  an  implacable  Christian 
 repeat  that  petition  of  our  Lord's  Prayer,  "  Forgive  me 
 my  trespass  as  I  forgive  them  that  trespass  against  me." 
 Does  he  forget  that  if  he  uses  such  language  while  he  is 
 living  in  a  state  of  resentment  against  a  brother,  he  is 
 praying  for  perdition  :  for  how  does  he  forgive  them 
 that  trespass  against  him  ?  By  revenge.  How  strong 
 is  the  language  of  St.  Paul.  "  Grieve  not  the  Holy 
 Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of 
 redemption.  Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  clamour, 
 and  evil  speaking  be  put  away  from  you,  with  all  malice  : 
 and  be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  and  tender-hearted,  for- 
 giving one  another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath 
 forgiven  you."  What  motives  to  a  forgiving  spirit  ! 
 Can  that  man  have  ever  tasted  the  sweets  of  pardoning 
 mercy,  who  refuses  to  forgive  an  erring  brother  ?  Go, 
 christian  professor,  go  first  to  the  law  and  learn  thy 
 twice  ten  thousand  sins;  go  in  imagination  to  the  brink 
 of  the  bottomless  pit,  and  as  thou  hearkenest  to  the 
 
322  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 howlings  of  the  damned,  remember  that  those  howlings 
 might  have  been  thine ;  then  go  to  the  cross,  and  while 
 thou  lookest  on  the  bleeding  victim  which  is  nailed  to 
 it,  hearken  to  the  accents  of  mercy  which  breathe  like 
 soft  music  in  thine  ear,  "  Go  in  peace,  thy  sins  are  all 
 forgiven  thee."  "What,  will  you,  can  you  return  from 
 such  scenes  with  purposes  of  revenge  ?  No ;  impos- 
 sible. An  implacable  Christian  is  a  contradiction  in 
 terms.  "Bigots  there  may  be,  and  have  been,  of  all 
 denominations;  but  an  implacable,  irreconcileable,  un- 
 forgiving Christian,  is  of  the  same  figure  of  speech  as  a 
 godly  adulterer,  a  religious  drunkard,  a  devout  mur- 
 derer." 
 
 The  last  step  in  reclaiming  an  offender  is  to  bring 
 him  before  the  assembled  church.  "  If  he  will  not  hear 
 thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  in  the 
 mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses,  every  word  may  be 
 established ;  and  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it 
 unto  the  church ;  but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church, 
 let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man  and  a  publican." 
 Every  effort  that  ingenuity  can  invent,  affection  prompt, 
 or  patience  can  conduct,  ought  to  be  made,  before  it  be 
 brought  to  be  investigated  by  the  brethren  at  large. 
 If  every  trivial  disagreement  be  laid  before  the  church, 
 it  will  soon  become  a  court  of  common  pleas,  and  have 
 all  its  time  consumed  in  adjusting  matters  of  which  it 
 ought  never  to  have  heard.  Before  a  public  inquiry 
 takes  place,  the  pastor  should  be  made  acquainted  with 
 the  matter;  and  he,  if  he  possess  the  confidence  and  affec- 
 tion of  his  people,  will  have  sufficient  influence,  at  least 
 in  all  ordinary  cases,  to  terminate  the  difference  in  an 
 amicable  manner.  It  is  best  to  settle  it  even  without 
 his  interference  if  possible,  but  it  is  better  to  consult 
 
TOWARDS    EACH    OTHER.  323 
 
 him  in  every  case,  before  the  affair  is  submitted  to  the 
 last  tribunal. 
 
 An  offence  ought  never  to  be  considered  as  removed, 
 until  love  is  restored.  We  should  never  rest  till  such 
 an  explanation  has  been  given  and  received,  as  will 
 enable  us  to  return  to  harmony  and  confidence.  A 
 mere  cessation  of  actual  hostilities  may  do  for  the  inter- 
 course of  the  world,  but  not  for  the  fellowship  of  the 
 saints.  There  is  no  actual  strife  between  the  tenants 
 of  the  sepulchre,  but  the  cold  and  gloomy  stillness  of  a 
 churchyard  is  an  inappropriate  emblem  of  the  peace  of 
 a  christian  church.  In  such  a  community  we  expect 
 that  not  only  will  the  discords  and  sounds  of  enmity  be 
 hushed,  but  the  sweet  harmonies  of  love  be  heard  ;  not 
 only  that  the  conflict  of  rage  will  terminate,  but  be 
 succeeded  by  the  activity  of  genuine  affection. 
 
 When  once  an  offence  has  been  removed,  it  should 
 never  be  adverted  to  in  future.  Its  very  remembrance 
 should  if  possible  be  washed  from  the  memory  by  the 
 waters  of  Lethe.  Other  causes  of  disagreement  may 
 exist,  and  fresh  feuds  arise,  but  the  old  one  is  dead  and 
 buried,  and  its  angry  ghost  should  never  be  evoked  to 
 add  fury  to  the  passions  of  its  successor.  Nor  should 
 we,  when  in  our  turn  we  are  convicted  of  an  error, 
 shelter  ourselves  from  reproof,  by  reminding  our  re- 
 prover that  he  was  once  guilty  of  a  similar  offence.  This 
 is  mean,  dishonourable,  unchristian,  and  mischievous. 
 
 Every  Christian  should  bear  reproof  with  meekness. 
 Few  know  how  to  give  reproof  with  propriety,  still 
 fewer  how  to  bear  it.  "  Let  the  righteous  smite  me,  it 
 shall  be  a  kindness ;  and  let  him  reprove  me,  it  shall  be 
 an  excellent  oil,  which  shall  not  break  my  head."  How 
 small  is  the  number  who  can  adopt  this  language  in 
 
324  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 sincerity  !  What  wounded  pride,  what  mortification  and 
 resentment,  are  felt  by  many  when  their  faults  are  told 
 to  them  !  When  we  have  so  far  sinned  as  to  deserve 
 rebuke,  we  ought  to  have  humility  enough  to  bear  it 
 with  meekness  j  and  should  it  be  delivered  more  for- 
 cibly, or  with  less  affection,  than  we  think  is  proper,  a 
 penitential  remembrance  of  our  offence  should  prevent 
 all  feelings  of  irritation  or  resentment.  The  Scripture 
 is  very  severe  in  its  language  to  those  who  turn  with 
 neglect,  anger,  or  disgust  from  the  admonitions  of  their 
 brethren.  "  He  that  despiseth  reproof  sinneth."  "  He 
 that  hateth  reproof  is  brutish."  "  He  that  being 
 often  reproved,  hardeneth  his  neck,  shall  suddenly  be 
 destroyed,  and  that  without  remedy."  Such  persons  are 
 guilty  of  great  pride,  great  neglect  of  the  Word  of  God, 
 and  great  contempt  of  one  of  the  ordinances  of  heaven, 
 and  thus  injure  their  souls  by  that  which  is  given  to 
 benefit  them.  Do  not  then  act  so  wickedly  as  to  turn 
 with  indignation  from  a  brother  that  comes  in  the  spirit 
 of  meekness  to  admonish  and  reprove  you.  Rather 
 thank  him  for  his  fidelity,  and  profit  by  his  kindness.  I 
 know  not  a  more  decisive  mark  of  true  and  strong  piety 
 than  a  willingness  to  receive  reproof  with  meekness,  and 
 to  profit  by  admonition,  come  from  whom  it  might. 
 
 2.  If  the  peace  of  the  church  be  preserved,  the 
 members  must  watch  against  and  repress  a  tatling  dis- 
 position. There  are  few  circumstances  which  tend  more 
 to  disturb  the  harmony  and  repose  of  our  societies 
 than  a  proneness  in  some  of  their  members  to  a 
 gossiping,  tatling  disposition.  There  are  persons  so 
 deeply  infected  with  the  Athenian  passion  to  hear 
 or  tell  some  new  thing,  that  their  ears  or  lips  are 
 always  open.     They  are  generally,  like  the  grasshoppers 
 
TOWARDS    EACH    OTHER.  325 
 
 of  the  field,  little  hopping  shrivelled  insects,  too  insigni- 
 ficant to  be  noticed  by  any  thing  but  their  noise,  but 
 they  make  the  domain  ring  with  their  importunate 
 chink.  It  is  one  of  the  mysteries  of  God's  natural 
 government,  that  creatures  otherwise  very  low  in  the 
 scale  of  beings,  should  gain  a  sort  of  adventitious  con- 
 sequence by  the  mischief  they  occasion,  and  that  they 
 should  thus  be  sheltered  from  scorn  by  being  regarded 
 with  dread.  The  tatler  is  of  this  description:  I  mean  the 
 individual  who  loves  to  talk  of  other  men's  matters,  and 
 especially  of  their  faults :  for  it  will  be  found,  that  by  a 
 singular  perversity  of  disposition,  those  who  love  to  talk 
 about  the  circumstances  of  others,  rarely  ever  select 
 their  excellences  as  matter  of  discourse,  but  almost 
 always  fix  upon  their  failings;  and  thus,  to  borrow  a 
 simile  of  Solomon's,  they  resemble  the  fly  which  neglects 
 the  healthful  part  of  the  frame  to  pitch  and  luxuriate  on 
 the  sore.  In  the  case  of  tatling  there  are  generally 
 three  parties  to  blame ;  there  is  first  the  gossip  herself,* 
 then  the  person  who  is  weak  enough  to  listen  to,  and 
 report  her  tales;  and  lastly  the  individual  who  is  the 
 subject  of  the  report,  who  suffers  his  mind  to  be  irri- 
 tated, instead  of  going,  in  the  spirit  of  meekness,  to 
 obtain  an  explanation  from  the  original  reporter. 
 
 Now  let  it  be  a  rule  with  every  church  member,  to 
 avoid  speaking  of  the  circumstances,  and  especially  of 
 the  faults  of  others.     Let  this  rule  have  the  sanctity 
 
 *  The  author  hopes  he  shall  not  be  thought  wanting  in 
 charity  or  courtesy  to  the  female  sex,  for  thus  assuming,  what  pro- 
 bably after  all  is  but  an  assumption,  that  they  arc  peculiarly  liable  to 
 the  infirmity  here  condemned.  Somehow  or  other  it  has  been  as- 
 cribed to  them,  but  they  have  it  in  their  own  power  to  prove  that  it 
 is  an  unfounded  accusation. 
 
326  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 of  the  laws  of  heaven,  and  the  immutability  of  those 
 of  the  Medes  and  Persians.  Let  every  individual  resolve 
 with  himself  thus :  "  I  will  be  slow  to  speak  of  others. 
 I  will  neither  originate  a  report  by  saying  what  I  think, 
 nor  help  to  circulate  a  report  by  repeating  what  I  hear." 
 This  is  a  most  wise  regulation,  which  would  at  once 
 preserve  our  own  peace,  and  the  peace  of  society.  We 
 should  beware  of  saying  any  thing,  which  by  the  per- 
 verted ingenuity  of  a  slanderous  disposition,  may  become 
 the  basis  of  a  tale  to  the  disadvantage  of  another.  It 
 is  not  enough,  as  I  have  hinted,  that  we  do  not  originate 
 a  report,  we  ought  not  to  circulate  it.  When  it  reaches 
 us,  it  should  stop  with  us  and  go  no  further.  We  should 
 give  it  over  to  prudence,  to  be  buried  in  silence.  We 
 must  never  appear  pleased  with  the  tales  of  gossips  and 
 newsmongers,  much  less  with  the  scandals  of  the  back- 
 biter; our  smile  is  their  reward.  If  there  were  no 
 listeners  there  would  be  no  reporters.  In  company  let 
 us  always  discourage  and  repress  such  conversation. 
 Talkers  know  where  to  find  a  market  for  their  stuff; 
 and  like  poachers  and  smugglers,  who  never  carry  their 
 contraband  articles  to  the  house  of  an  exciseman,  they 
 never  offer  their  reports  to  an  individual  who  they  know 
 would  reprove  them  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 
 
 Let  us  avoid  and  discourage  the  hollow  deceitful 
 practice  of  indulging  a  tatling  disposition,  under  the 
 cover  of  lamenting  over  the  faults  of  our  brethren. 
 Many  who  would  be  afraid  or  ashamed  to  mention  the 
 faults  of  a  brother  in  the  way  of  direct  affirmation  or 
 report,  easily  find,  or  attempt  to  find,  a  disguise  for 
 their  backbiting  disposition  in  affected  lamentation. 
 "  What  a  pity  it  is,"  they  exclaim,  "  that  brother  B. 
 should  have  behaved  so  ill.     Poor  man,  I  am  sorry  that 
 
TOWARDS  EACH  OTHER.  327 
 
 he  should  have  committed  himself.  The  petulance  of 
 his  temper  is  exceedingly  to  be  regretted.  lie  does  not 
 much  honour  religion."  "  And  then,"  replies  a  second, 
 "  how  sorry  I  am  to  hear  this  report  of  sister  C. ;  how 
 the  world  will  talk,  and  the  cause  of  Christ  suffer  by 
 such  unwarrantable  things  in  the  conduct  of  a  professor. 
 It  will  not  be  a  secret  long,  or  I  would  not  mention  it." 
 "  Oh,"  says  a  third,  "  I  have  heard  whispers  of  the 
 same  kind  in  times  past.  I  have  long  suspected  it,  and 
 mentioned  my  fears  some  months  ago  to  a  friend  or 
 two.  I  thought  she  was  not  the  person  she  appeared  to 
 be.  I  am  very  sorry  for  her,  and  for  the  cause  of  Christ. 
 I  have  long  had  my  suspicions,  and  now  they  are  all 
 confirmed.  I  shall  tell  the  friends  to  whom  I  expressed 
 my  fears  what  I  have  now  heard."  In  this  way  is  a 
 tatling  disposition  indulged  in  the  circles  of  even  good 
 people,  under  the  guise  of  lamentation  for  the  sins 
 of  others.  "  Odious  and  disgusting  cant,"  would  a 
 noble  and  honourable  Christian  exclaim,  with  hallowed 
 indignation,  "which  of  you,  if  you  really  lamented  the 
 fact,  would  report  it !  Which  of  you  has  gone  to  the 
 erring  individual,  inquired  into  the  truth  of  the  matter, 
 and  finding  it  true,  has  mildly  expostulated  ?  Let  your 
 lamentations  be  poured  out  before  God  and  the  offender, 
 but  to  none  else." 
 
 Others  again  indulge  this  disposition  by  running 
 about  to  enquire  into  the  truth  of  the  report,  which 
 they  say  has  reached  them  respecting  a  brother.  "  Have 
 you  heard  any  thing  of  brother  H.  lately?"  they  ask 
 with  a  significant  look.  "  No ;"  replies  the  person. 
 "Then  I  suppose  it  is  not  true."  "Why  what  have 
 you  heard  ?  Nothing,  I  trust,  affecting  his  moral 
 character."     "Not  very  materially:    but  I   hope   it  is 
 
328  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 false."  The  tatler  cannot  go  however  without  letting 
 out  the  secret,  and  then  sets  off  to  inquire  of  another 
 and  another.  Mischief-making  creature  !  Why  had  he 
 not  gone,  as  was  his  obvious  duty,  to  the  individual  who 
 was  the  subject  of  the  report,  and  inquired  of  him  the 
 truth  of  it  ?  Aye,  but  then  the  story  would  have  been 
 contradicted  at  once,  and  the  pleasure  of  telling  it  would 
 have  been  ended. 
 
 There  are  cases  in  which  a  modest  disclosure  of  the 
 failings  of  others  is  necessary.  Such,  for  example,  as 
 when  a  church  is  likely  to  be  deceived  in  the  character 
 of  an  individual  whom  it  is  about  to  admit  to  com- 
 munion. In  such  instances,  the  person  who  is  aware 
 of  the  imposition  likely  to  be  practised,  should  go  di- 
 rectly to  the  pastor,  and  make  him  acquainted  with  the 
 fact :  but  instead  of  this,  some  persons  whisper  their 
 suspicions  to  any,  and  to  many,  except  the  pastor.  It 
 is  perfectly  lawful  also  to  prevent  any  brother  from 
 being  betrayed  into  a  ruinous  confidence  in  pecuniary 
 matters,  by  informing  him  of  the  character  of  the  indi- 
 vidual by  whom  he  is  about  to  be  deceived.  Silence  in 
 such  cases  would  be  an  obvious  injury.  Be  slow  to 
 speak,  then,  is  a  maxim  which  every  Christian  should 
 always  keep  before  his  eyes.  Silent  people  can  do  no 
 harm,  but  talkers  are  always  dangerous. 
 
 III.  Besides  these  things,  there  are  duties  which 
 members  owe  to  the  church  in  its  collective  capacity. 
 1.  They  are  bound  to  take  a  deep  interest  in  its  con- 
 cerns, and  to  seek  its  prosperity  by  all  lawful  means. 
 Every  one  should  feel  that  he  has  a  personal  share  in 
 the  welfare  of  the  society.  He  should  consider  that 
 having  selected  as  his  religious  home  that  particular 
 community  with  which  he  is  associated,  he  is  under  a 
 
TOWARDS    EACH    OTHER.  329 
 
 solemn  obligation  to  promote  its  real  interest  by  every 
 proper  effort.  He  is  to  be  indifferent  to  nothing  which 
 at  any  time  affects  its  prosperity.  Some  members,  from 
 the  moment  that  they  have  joined  a  christian  church,  take 
 no  concern  in  any  of  its  affairs.  They  scarcely  ever 
 attend  a  church  meeting,  they  know  neither  who  are 
 excluded  nor  who  arc  received ;  if  members  are  added, 
 they  express  no  delight  j  if  none  are  admitted,  they  feel 
 no  grief;  they  fill  up  their  places  at  the  table  of  the 
 Lord  and  in  the  house  of  God,  and  beyond  this  seem  to 
 have  nothing  else  to  do  with  the  church.  This  is  a  most 
 criminal  apathy.  A  Christian  ought  to  be  as  tremblingly 
 alive  to  the  welfare  of  the  religious  society  to  which  he 
 is  united  as  he  is  to  the  success  of  his  worldly  affairs. 
 
 2.  They  are  bound  to  attend  all  the  meetings  of  the 
 church,  at  least  so  far  as  their  circumstances  will  allow. 
 They  had  better  be  absent  from  sermons  and  prayer 
 meetings,  than  from  them.  How  can  they  know  the  state 
 of  the  society,  if  they  are  not  present  when  its  affairs 
 are  exhibited  and  arranged :  or  how  can  they  exercise 
 that  proper  confidence  in  the  piety  of  the  brethren, 
 which  is  essential  to  fellowship,  if  they  are  absent  at  the 
 time  of  their  admission  ? 
 
 3.  They  should  most  conscientiously  devote  their 
 gifts,  graces,  and  abilities  to  the  services  of  the  church, 
 in  an  orderly  and  modest  way ;  neither  obtruding  their 
 assistance  when  it  is  not  required,  nor  withholding  it 
 when  it  is  solicited.  Those  who  have  gifts  of  prayer 
 should  not  be  backward  to  exercise  them  for  the  edifi- 
 cation of  their  brethren.  Those  who  have  penetration 
 and  sound  judgment  should  render  their  counsel  and 
 advice  upon  every  occasion.  Persons  of  large  and 
 respectable  worldly  connexions  may  often  use  their  in- 
 
 Voh.  11  Y 
 
330  THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS 
 
 fluence  with  great  benefit  to  the  temporal  affairs  of  the 
 society.     And  there  is  one  line  of  charitable  exertion 
 which  would  be  peculiarly  beneficial,  and  which  has 
 been  too  much  neglected  in  all  our  societies;  I  mean 
 the  practice  of  respectable  members  reading  the  Scrip- 
 tures, religious  tracts,  and  sermons,  in  the  habitations 
 of  the  poor.     I  am  aware  that  this  is  an  age  when  many 
 run  to  and  fro,  and  when  lay  preaching  is  carried  to 
 a  very  improper  and  mischievous  extent.     Multitudes 
 who   have   no   other   qualification   for   preaching  than 
 boldness  and  ignorance,  are  every  Sabbath  employed, 
 of  whom  it  may  be  said,  that  it  is  a  pity  they  have  not 
 the  gift  of  silence.     Unfortunately,  those  who  are  most 
 qualified  are  frequently  least  disposed;  while  the  least 
 qualified  are  the  most  zealous.     But  how  many  wise, 
 judicious,  holy  men   are  there  in  our  churches,  who 
 would  be  most  honourably  and  most  usefully  employed 
 on  a  Sabbath  afternoon,  in  reading  the  word  of  life,  and 
 short  evangelical  sermons,  in  the  cottages  of  the  poor ! 
 Let  a  convenient  house  be  selected,  and  the  neighbours 
 invited  to  attend;  and  who  can  tell  what  vast  benefit 
 would  accrue  from  such  a  scheme.     By  the  blessing 
 of  God  upon  these  efforts,  reformation  would  be  wrought 
 in  the  lower  classes,  religion  would  gain  an  entrance 
 where  it  could  be  introduced  by  no  other  means,  and 
 our  churches  be  replenished  with  holy,  consistent  mem- 
 bers.    Persons  of  respectable  circumstances  in  life  espe- 
 cially, should  thus  employ  themselves ;  as  their  situaton 
 gives  them  greater  influence.      Females  may  be  thus 
 engaged,  without  transgressing  either  against  the  in- 
 junction of  the  apostle,  or  the  modesty  which  is  so 
 becoming  their  sex.      I  am  astonished  that  means  of 
 usefulness  so  simple,  so  easy,  and  so  efficient,  are  not 
 
TOWAKDs    EACH    OTHER.  331 
 
 more  generally  employed.*  That  such  efforts  are  neces- 
 sary, the  irreligion  and  immorality  of  a  large  proportion 
 of  the  lower  classes  will  most  abundantly  testify.  In 
 the  manufacturing  districts  of  this  country,  there  is  a 
 dense  population,  absolutely  impervious  to  the  ordinary 
 means  of  public  religious  instruction.  In  addition  to 
 the  want  of  places  of  worship,  there  is  amongst  multi- 
 tudes a  most  dreadful  indisposition  to  attend  the  means 
 of  grace.  They  must  have  the  word  of  salvation  lite- 
 rally carried  home  to  their  own  habitations,  and  have 
 their  attention  interested  by  personal  appeals  and  ex- 
 postulation ;  and  for  such  a  system  of  exertion  no 
 number  of  ministers  would  be  sufficient.  All  the  re- 
 sources of  enlightened  zeal  contained  in  our  churches, 
 must  be  called  forth.  Then,  and  not  till  then,  may  we 
 expect  to  see  a  visible  moral  effect  produced  upon  society, 
 when  that  part  of  it  which  is  truly  converted  to  God 
 shall  seek  the  reformation  of  that  which  is  not. 
 
 4.  It  is  due  to  the  authority  of  the  church,  that 
 every  member  should  cordially  submit  to  its  discipline. 
 Without  this,  order  will  be  destroyed,  and  the  reign 
 of  anarchy  introduced.  This  indeed,  as  we  have  already 
 considered,  is  essentially  implied  in  the  very  act  of 
 joining  the  church :  and  no  one  ought  to  think  of  such 
 an  act  of  union,  who  is  not  determined  to  submit  to  its 
 rules  and  its  decisions. 
 
 *  Since  this  was  penned,  Christian  Instruction  Societies  and  Town 
 Missions  have  sprung  up  in  all  our  large  provincial  towns  as  well  as 
 the  metropolis,  and  are  doing  great  good. 
 
332  DUTIES    TO    OTHER    CHURCHES 
 
 CHAPTER    VII. 
 
 THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS    TO    THE    MEMBERS 
 OF    OTHER    CHRISTIAN    SOCIETIES. 
 
 I.  In  those  cases  where  the  churches  are  of  a  diffe- 
 rent denomination. 
 
 1.  We  should  respect  their  religious  opinions  and 
 practices.  They  act  conscientiously ;  and  whatever  is 
 done  at  the  dictate  of  conscience  is  too  sacred  to  be 
 made  the  matter  of  ridicule.  If  derision  were  allowed 
 at  all,  they  would  have  as  much  right  and  as  much 
 reason  to  laugh  at  us  as  we  have  at  them.  The  way  to 
 bring  the  scorn  of  ungodly  men  upon  all  religion  is  for 
 religious  people,  differing  upon  minor  points,  to  jest 
 with  each  other's  practices.  If  we  do  not  believe  that 
 the  practice  or  opinion  is  scriptural,  let  us  respect  the 
 conduct  of  those  who  adopt  it  because  they  think  it  is 
 so.  Baptists  and  Independents  should  bear  these  re- 
 marks in  mind,  as  being  in  greater  danger  than  any  two 
 other  denominations,  of  violating  the  law  of  love.  Let 
 the  former  cease  to  pour  their  scorn  on  infant  baptism, 
 and  the  latter  to  pay  back  this  treatment  in  kind,  by 
 making  merry  with  adult  immersion ;  both  act  consci- 
 entiously in  what  they  do,  and  on  that  ground  there 
 should  be  mutual  respect. 
 
 2.  Let  us  avoid  religious  bigotry  and  prejudice.     By 
 
OR    DENOMINATIONS.  333 
 
 bigotry,  I  mean  such  an  overweening  attachment  to  our 
 opinions  and  denomination,  as  alienates  our  affections 
 from  Christians  of  another  name,  and  leads  us  to  con- 
 clude there  is  little  excellence  or  piety,  except  in  our 
 own  communion.  Some  Christians  are  rendered  so 
 shortsighted  by  prejudice,  that  they  cannot  discern  the 
 most  splendid  exhibitions  of  moral  excellence,  even  if 
 they  are  found  iu  the  denomination  most  nearly  approach- 
 ing to  their  own.  The  consideration  that  a  man  is  not 
 of  their  party,  is  sufficient  in  their  evil  eye,  to  dim  the 
 lustre  of  an  example  which  angels  admire,  and  to  eclipse 
 a  living  luminary  which  to  the  eye  of  heaven  shines 
 with  most  radiant  glory.  Their  moral  vision  has  so 
 long,  and  so  intently,  pored  over  the  minute  distinc- 
 tions of  party,  as  to  have  become  too  contracted  to 
 admit  of  their  comprehending  and  admiring  as  they 
 would  otherwise  do,  the  grander  features  of  religion  in 
 general. 
 
 I  know  not  a  proof  of  true  piety  more  decisive,  and 
 more  pleasing,  than  that  quick  perception  and  fervent 
 admiration  of  the  beauties  of  holiness,  which  lead  a  man 
 to  recognize  and  love  them,  wherever  they  are  seen, 
 whether  in  his  own  denomination  or  in  others.  "The 
 evil  to  be  deplored  in  the  present  state  of  the  church,  is 
 the  unnatural  distance  at  which  Christians  stand  from 
 each  other,  the  spirit  of  sects,  the  disposition  to  found 
 their  union  on  the  wood,  hay,  and  stubble  of  human 
 inventions  or  disputable  tenets,  instead  of  the  eternal 
 rock,  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  Surely, 
 surely,  we  shall  find  a  sufficient  bond  of  union,  a  suffi- 
 cient scope  for  all  our  sympathies  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
 cross."* 
 
 *  See  Hall's  Reply  to  Kinghorn,  p.  258. 
 
334  DUTIES    TO   OTHER   CHURCHES 
 
 3.  We  should  abstain  from  all  officious  controversy 
 and  underhand  proselytism.  I  will  not  deny  that  there 
 are  occasions  when  our  peculiar  opinions  may  with  pro- 
 priety be  brought  forward  and  advocated  with  zeal ;  when 
 silence  would  be  lukewarmness,  and  not  candour.  But 
 to  be  ever  obtruding  them  upon  the  attention  of  others, 
 and  to  be  always  seeking  after  opportunities  of  contro- 
 versy, is  as  disgusting  as  it  is  pernicious;  for  while  it 
 offends  others,  it  is  sure  to  do  harm  to  our  own  spirit. 
 Zealots,  however,  there  are,  who  like  the  Pharisees 
 of  old,  compass  sea  and  land  to  make  a  proselyte  to 
 their  sect ;  who,  having  fixed  their  envious  eye  on  some 
 individual  whom  they  wish  to  gain  over  to  their  party, 
 tease  him  with  conversation,  supply  him  with  books, 
 and  in  short,  have  recourse  to  any  means  and  any  in- 
 struments to  effect  their  purpose.  Although  he  may 
 be  holy  in  his  conduct,  happy  in  his  mind,  useful  in  his 
 station ;  and  therefore  they  cannot  plead  his  deficiency 
 of  holiness,  comfort,  or  usefulness,  as  the  ground  of  their 
 efforts.  Nothing  can  be  more  despicable  than  such 
 conduct,  except  the  habit  of  appealing  to  the  feelings 
 of  young  converts,  and  persons  under  religious  distress, 
 and  wheedling  them  away  by  the  insinuation,  that  they 
 can  never  expect  either  peace  of  mind  or  growth  in 
 holiness,  while  they  remain  in  their  present  connexion. 
 Let  us  never  imitate  the  conduct  of  these  spiritual  kid- 
 nappers, who  are  ever  decoying  unwary  children  from 
 their  homes.  Regarding  the  irreligious  part  of  our 
 population  as  an  immense  moral  desert,  surely  there  is 
 scope  enough  for  our  zeal,  to  reclaim  this  immense 
 waste,  and  convert  it  into  the  garden  of  the  Lord, 
 without  employing  our  energies  in  altering  the  position 
 of  those  plants  and  trees,  which  are  already  flourishing 
 
OR    DENOMINATIONS. 
 
 in  the  sacred  enclosure.  It  is  a  far  more  honourable 
 and  useful  kind  of  zeal  to  convert  sinners  into  Chris- 
 tians, than  real  Christians  of  one  name,  into  real  Chris- 
 tians of  another  name. 
 
 II.  I  shall  now  speak  of  the  conduct  of  Christians 
 to  the  members  of  other  churches  of  their  own  denomi- 
 nation. It  does  not  unfrequcntly  happen,  that  where 
 two  or  more  churches  of  the  same  denomination  exist 
 in  a  town,  a  most  unhappy,  unscriptural,  disgraceful 
 temper  is  manifested  towards  each  other.  All  the  feel- 
 ings of  envy,  jealousy,  and  ill  will,  are  cherished  and 
 displayed  with  as  much,  or  more  bitterness,  than  two 
 rival  tradesmen  would  exhibit  in  the  most  determined 
 opposition  of  interests.  This  is  peculiarly  the  case 
 where  two  churches  have  been  formed  out  of  one  by  a 
 schism.  Oftentimes  the  feud  has  been  perpetuated 
 through  more  than  one  generation.  Can  these  be 
 churches  of  saints?  Can  they  be  all  one  in  Christ'.' 
 Can  it  be  that  these  are  societies  whose  rule  is  the  word 
 of  Christ,  whose  conduct  is  the  image  of  Christ,  whose 
 end  is  the  glory  of  Christ?  Shame,  public,  deep,  in- 
 delible shame  on  such  societies  !  It  is  thus  that  churches 
 quarrel,  to  find  sport  for  devils  and  their  followers  upon 
 earth.  By  all  the  regard  which  is  due  to  the  authority 
 of  the  Lord  Jesus,  by  all  the  constraining  influence 
 of  his  love,  let  such  societies  be  impelled  to  terminate 
 their  hateful  strifes,  which  are  not  more  dishonourable 
 to  the  cause  of  religion  in  general,  than  they  are  inju- 
 rious to  the  interests  of  piety  within  their  own  imme- 
 diate sphere  of  action.  With  what  bitter  taunts,  with 
 what  sarcastic  triumph,  do  profane  and  infidel  spectators 
 point  to  such  scenes,  and  ironically  exclaim,  "  Sec  how 
 these  Cliristians  love  one  another." 
 
336  DUTIES    TO    OTHER    CHURCHES 
 
 Let  us  guard  against  this  evil  where  it  does  not 
 exist,  and  endeavour  to  suppress  it  where  it  does.  Let 
 us  not  look  with  envy  and  jealousy  on  the  growing 
 prosperity  of  other  societies.  Let  us  not  consider  their 
 success  as  in  any  degree  encroaching  upon  ours.  If  we 
 succeed  more  in  our  own  church,  let  us  be  thankful  but 
 not  boastful ;  if  others  take  precedence,  let  us  be  stirred 
 up  to  affectionate  holy  emulation,  but  not  to  envy  and 
 jealousy.  A  worthy  minister,  who  used  to  preach  a 
 week-day  lecture  in  the  city  of  London,  heard  a  friend 
 expressing  his  regret  that  it  was  so  ill  attended.  "  Oh 
 that,"  replied  the  minister,  "  is  of  little  consequence,  as 
 the  gospel  is  preached  by  several  others  in  the  same 
 neighbourhood ;  and  in  such  a  situation,  for  any  one  to 
 be  very  desirous  that  people  should  come  and  hear  the 
 gospel  from  him,  instead  of  others,  seems  as  unreason- 
 able, as  it  would  be  for  one  of  the  shopmen  in  a  large 
 shop  to  wish  all  the  customers  to  come  to  his  particular 
 part  of  the  counter.  If  the  customers  come  at  all,  and 
 the  goods  go  off,  in  so  far  as  he  feels  an  interest  in  the 
 prosperity  of  the  shop,  he  will  rejoice."  Beautiful  and 
 rare  example  of  true  humility,-  pure  zeal,  and  genuine 
 love  to  Christ !  Look  at  this,  ye  ministers  and  churches 
 who  quarrel  with  your  neighbours,  and  scarcely  speak 
 well  of  them,  because  they  prosper  as  well  as  you  ! 
 Shall  we  feel  mortified  when  immortal  souls  are  saved, 
 because  we  were  not  the  instruments  of  their  conversion  ? 
 Shall  we  say,  if  we  cannot  gather  them  into  our  church, 
 let  them  not  be  gathered  ?  If  two  rival  physicians,  who 
 had  each  as  much  as  he  could  do,  when  the  plague  was 
 raging  in  a  town,  looked  with  envy  and  grudging  on 
 each  other's  success,  what  should  we  say  of  their  spirit  ? 
 But  such  a  temper  in  these  circumstances,  is  far  less 
 
OR    DENOMINATIONS. 
 
 criminal  than  the  envious  disposition  of  sonic  ministers 
 and  their  flocks. 
 
 There  should  be  a  spirit  of  mutual  affection  between 
 the  members  of  different  churches ;  they  should  love  as 
 brethren,  and  that  this  may  not  be  disturbed,  they 
 should  avoid,  when  they  meet  in  their  respective  social 
 circles,  all  invidious  and  uncharitable  reference  to  the 
 others.  It  is  alas !  far  too  common  for  the  Christians 
 of  one  society  to  make  the  circumstances  and  faults 
 of  those  of  another,  the  leading  topics  of  conversation. 
 Thus  the  coals  of  strife  are  kindled  in  these  christian 
 parties,  and  every  one  present  lends  his  breath  to  fan 
 the  flame.  It  is  melancholy  indeed,  when  our  houses 
 are  thus  converted  into  temples  for  the  god  of  this 
 world,  the  divider  of  the  brethren ;  and  our  family  altar 
 is  lent  for  an  offering  of  scandal  to  his  glory.  Ministers, 
 and  leading  persons  in  the  company,  should  always  set 
 their  faces  against  this  mischievous  gossip.  All  com- 
 parisons between  the  talents  of  the  ministers,  and  the 
 respectability  of  their  churches,  should  be  carefully 
 abstained  from.  This  is  sure  to  do  harm.  It  is  right 
 for  every  church  member  to  be  attached  to  his  own 
 pastor,  and  he  may  very  innocently  think  that  his 
 minister  is  the  best  preacher  in  the  town,  but  it  is 
 insulting  and  mischievous  to  express  his  opinion  to 
 those  who  prefer  another.  It  is  not  unusual  for  the 
 pulpit  to  be  converted  into  a  source  of  the  most  dis- 
 gusting adulation,  and  for  a  ministerial  sycophant  to 
 flatter  the  pride  of  his  flock,  by  telling  them  how 
 superior  they  are  to  all  others  in  affluence,  liberality, 
 and  influence.  Such  fawning,  to  say  nothing  of  its 
 littleness,  is  exceedingly  injurious.  "What  is  intended 
 as  a  compliment  to  one  church,  is  felt  as  an  insult  by  all 
 
338  DUTIES    TO    OTHER    CHURCHES 
 
 others  in  its  vicinity.  All  boasting  should  be  most  con- 
 scientiously refrained  from,  both  on  the  part  of  ministers 
 and  people.  If  they  are  in  a  state  of  spiritual  prosperity, 
 let  them  be  thankful,  but  not  vainglorious.  "  Charity 
 vaunteth  not  herself,  is  not  puffed  up."  The  apostle 
 delivered  a  very  keen  rebuke  on  those  who  are  the 
 trumpeters  of  their  own  fame,  when  he  said,  "  I  speak 
 not  after  the  Lord,  but  as  it  were  foolishly  in  the  confi- 
 dence of  boasting.  Seeing  that  many  glory  after  the 
 flesh,  I  will  glory  also,  for  ye  suffer  fools  gladly." 
 
 Church  members  should  never  resent  by  coldness 
 and  distance  of  behaviour,  the  conduct  of  those  who 
 leave  their  society,  to  join  another  in  the  same  town. 
 They  have  a  right  to  exercise  their  own  judgment  as 
 well  as  we,  and  in  their  view  at  least,  have  as  good 
 reason  for  preferring  the  pastor  to  whom  they  go,  as  we 
 have  for  continuing  with  the  one  they  leave.  They  may 
 separate  too  hastily,  and  not  on  sufficient  grounds,  but 
 that  is  their  concern  not  ours.  I  have  known  cases  in 
 which  both  the  minister  and  his  flock,  have  refused  even 
 the  civilities  of  ordinary  intercourse  to  those  who  have 
 left  their  church  to  associate  with  another.  This  is  a 
 most  pitiful  and  unchristian  disposition. 
 
 There  are  duties  to  be  performed  by  the  church  in  its 
 collective  capacity  towards  other  societies  of  the  same 
 denomination. 
 
 1.  We  should  own  them  as  churches  of  Christ; 
 cherish  the  most  friendly  and  fraternal  feeling  towards 
 them,  and  hold  christian  communion  with  them,  in  all 
 the  duties  of  our  common  faith  and  practice.  Such 
 appears  to  have  been  the  feeling  of  the  primitive 
 churches.  "  The  churches  of  Christ  salute  you."  "  The 
 church  that  is  at  Babylon,  elected  together  with  you, 
 
OR    DENOMINATIONS.  339 
 
 saluteth  you."  "  Yc  arc  taught  of  God  to  love  one 
 another,  and  ye  do  it  towards  all  the  brethren  in  Ma- 
 cedonia." 
 
 2.  We  should  receive  their  members  when  recom- 
 mended to  us,  and  freely  grant  honourable  recommenda- 
 tions of  our  members  to  them.  "I  commend  unto 
 you  Phebe  our  sister,  a  servant  of  the  church  at 
 Cenchrea,  receive  her  in  the  Lord  as  becometh  saints, 
 and  assist  her  in  whatsoever  business  she  hath  need 
 of  you."  "They  are  the  messengers  of  the  churches, 
 shew  ye  to  them,  and  before  the  churches,  the  proof  of 
 your  love." 
 
 3.  We  should  co-operate  with  neighbouring  churches 
 for  promoting  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  either  by  local 
 or  general  institutions.  Many  objects,  of  vast  import- 
 ance to  the  spread  of  the  gospel  in  the  world,  can  be 
 accomplished  by  the  union  of  churches,  which  cannot 
 be  effected  without  it.  Union  is  power.  Places  of 
 worship  may  be  opened,  the  faithful  ministry  of  the 
 word  introduced,  and  churches  planted  in  dark  benighted 
 villages;  while  all  the  grand  and  noble  institutions 
 which  are  organized  to  save  a  perishing  world,  may  by 
 this  means  receive  additional  support.  United  fires 
 brighten  each  other's  blaze,  and  increase  each  other's 
 intensity ;  and  thus  the  association  of  churches  enkindles 
 each  other's  zeal,  and  provokes  one  another  to  love  and 
 to  good  works.  Nor  is  zeal  the  only  Christian  virtue 
 promoted  by  such  unions;  brotherly  love  is  cherished 
 and  excited.  The  presence  of  messengers  from  other 
 churches  at  the  annual  meetings  of  our  societies,  pro- 
 duces a  friendly  feeling  and  brotherly  interest,  not  un- 
 like that  which  a  family  experiences  when  gathered 
 together  at  their  Christmas  party.     One  great  end  Gf 
 
340  DUTIES    TO    OTHER    CHURCHES 
 
 assembling  the  males  of  the  Jewish  nation  three  times 
 a  year  before  the  ark,  was  to  keep  up  a  brotherly  feeling 
 between  the  different  and  distant  parts  of  the  nation. 
 Nothing  is  so  likely  to  cherish  the  fire  of  love,  as  the 
 fuel  supplied  by  works  of  zeal. 
 
 4.  We  should  be  willing  to  give  and  receive  advice 
 in  cases  of  difficulty  and  importance.  Of  course  the 
 independence  of  the  churches,  and  the  rights  of  private 
 judgment,  should  be  vigilantly  watched,  and  sacredly  pre- 
 served. We  have  no  dominion  over  each  other's  conduct, 
 any  more  than  over  each  other's  faith.  The  idea  of  con- 
 trol is  as  repugnant  to  revelation  as  it  is  to  reason.  And 
 we  are  to  resist  unto  blood,  striving  against  the  usurpa- 
 tion of  foreign  compulsory  interference.  But  advice 
 does  not  imply  control.  The  dread  which  has  been  felt 
 by  the  simple  act  of  one  church,  in  a  case  of  extreme 
 difficulty,  asking  the  advice  of  a  neighbouring  minis- 
 ter, or  an  association  of  ministers,  discovers  a  fear 
 of  domination,  which  is  perfectly  childish.  How  con- 
 sonant with  all  the  dictates  of  reason,  and  all  the 
 proceedings  of  civil  life,  is  it,  for  two  parties  in  a  state 
 of  litigation,  to  ask  the  opinion  of  a  third ;  or  for  one 
 individual  in  difficulty,  to  solicit  the  advice  of  another. 
 When  a  minister  and  his  flock  are  in  some  critical 
 situation,  let  them  jointly  agree  to  lay  their  affairs 
 before  some  two  or  three  neighbouring  ministers  and 
 laymen  of  sound  judgment,  for  counsel  and  direction. 
 How  often  by  this  simple,  rational,  scriptural  process, 
 would  a  society  be  brought  back  from  the  brink  of  ruin 
 to  peace  and  safety  !  But  what  if  they  should  not  take 
 the  advice  thus  given?  They  must  then  be  left  to 
 themselves,  and  would  be  but  where  they  were  before. 
 The  disposition  which  scorns  to  ask  and  refuses  to  take 
 
OR    DENOMINATIONS.  .'ill 
 
 advice  would  court  interminable  anarchy,  rather  than 
 be  indebted  for  the  restoration  of  order  to  the  opi- 
 nions and  persuasions  of  another.  Men  who  stand 
 out  of  the  mist  of  passion  can  see  more  clearly  than 
 those  enveloped  in  the  fog. 
 
 5.  We  should  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of 
 other  churches,  and  in  a  suitable  and  proper  manner 
 express  our  sympathy,  and  afford  to  them  our  assistance. 
 We  should  at  our  church  meetings  remember  in  prayer 
 the  cases  of  such  as  are  in  circumstances  of  affliction ; 
 and  in  the  event  of  the  death  of  a  pastor,  how  consoling 
 would  it  be  to  a  bereaved  church,  to  receive  letters 
 of  condolence  from  neighbouring  societies.  There  is 
 one  way,  in  which  the  most  effectual  help  may  be  ren- 
 dered by  one  church  to  another;  I  mean,  pecuniary 
 assistance  granted  from  such  as  are  wealthy  to  those 
 who  are  poor.  We  are  informed  that  the  disciples  at 
 Antioch  sent  relief,  according  to  their  abilities,  to  the 
 poor  saints  in  Judea.  "  Concerning  the  collection  for 
 the  saints,  as  I  had  given  orders  to  the  churches  at 
 Galatia,  even  so  do  do  ye."  I  am  aware  that  this  is 
 sometimes  done  out  of  a  fund,  raised  by  the  joint  con- 
 tributions of  the  churches  in  a  county  or  district  asso- 
 ciation; but  how  great  would  be  the  effect  produced, 
 if  a  church  in  its  individual  capacity,  were  from  year 
 to  year  to  send  a  donation  to  some  poor  community 
 in  its  neighbourhood  !  What  a  lovely  display  of  chris- 
 tian feeling  would  this  be !  How  would  it  endear  the 
 societies  to  each  other !  It  would  assist  those  to  gain 
 an  efficient  and  settled  minister,  who,  probably,  but  for 
 such  help,  would  only  enjoy  the  precarious  labours 
 of  occasional  and  incompetent  preachers.  The  comfort 
 of  many  faithful  and  laborious  ministers  would  be  thus 
 
342      DUTIES  TO  OTHER  CHURCHES  OR  DENOMINATIONS. 
 
 promoted,  the  respectability  of  the  dissenting  cause 
 would  be  raised,  and  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ 
 enlarged.  Ye  rich  churches  in  the  metropolis,  and  in 
 the  country,  whose  members  roll  in  affluence,  and  who, 
 without  effort,  can  raise  for  your  own  pastors  a  salary 
 of  four,  five,  or  six  hundred  pounds  a  year,  I  appeal  to 
 your  liberality,  on  behalf  of  those  many  churches  scat- 
 tered up  and  down  the  land,  which  are  withering  for  the 
 want  of  a  little  of  that  wealth,  which  you  could  spare, 
 without  lessening  the  comfort,  either  of  your  minister, 
 or  your  families.  I  would  not  rob  the  funds  of  Mis- 
 sionary, or  Bible  Societies,  to  replenish  the  little  store 
 of  Gospel  ministers  at  home;  but  I  will  say,  that  no 
 foreign  object  should  be  allowed  to  interfere  with  the 
 claims  of  those  deserving  and  holy  men,  who  are 
 labouring  for  souls  amidst  all  the  ills  of  poverty,  and  all 
 the  cares  and  woes  which  such  ills  must  necessarily  entail. 
 Where  is  the  favoured  individual,  into  whose  lap  the 
 bounty  of  heaven  has  poured  the  abundance  of  riches, 
 and  into  whose  heart  divine  grace  has  introduced  the 
 mercy  that  is  full  of  good  fruits;  here  let  him  find  an 
 object  worthy  of  his  wealth  and  his  zeal.  Let  him 
 become  the  nursing  father  of  our  poor  churches.  If  he 
 spend  two  thousand  a  year  in  this  way,  he  may  give 
 forty  pounds  a  year  to  fifty  ministers.  What  a  means 
 of  usefulness  !  How  many  infant  churches  would  smile 
 upon  him  from  their  cradle;  and  as  they  turned  upon 
 him,  their  eyes  glistening  with  gratitude,  would  exclaim, 
 "  My  Father,  my  Father."  In  how  many  church-books 
 would  his  name  be  enrolled,  amidst  the  benedictions 
 and  prayers  of  the  saints  ! 
 
IH'TIES    OF    PSCULIAB    STATION'S    IN    THE    (.III  Kill.     343 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 
 THE    DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS    IN    PECULIAR 
 CHARACTERS    AND    STATIONS. 
 
 1.  The  pastor's  wife.  A  station  so  honourable,  so 
 important,  so  responsible,  must  necessarily  be  attended 
 with  duties  numerous,  difficult,  and  of  great  conse- 
 quence. Her  situation  stands  next  in  influence,  and 
 therefore  in  responsibility,  to  that  of  her  husband  ;  the 
 minister  excepted,  she  has  the  greatest  opportunity  of 
 any  member  of  the  church,  to  do  good  or  harm.  As  a 
 wife  she  should  be  a  bright  pattern  of  all  that  tender 
 affection,  that  unsuspicious  confidence,  that  cheerful 
 obedience,  that  undivided  devotedness  to  her  husband's 
 comfort,  which  such  a  relationship  implies  ;  a  lovely, 
 spotless  exhibition  of  connubial  virtue.  No  man  is  in 
 greater  need  of  all  the  force  of  conjugal  sympathy  and 
 love  than  a  faithful  minister. 
 
 As  the  female  head  of  a  family,  she  should  direct  her 
 household  affairs  with  judgment,  and  be  a  model  of 
 order,  neatness,  and  domestic  discipline.  A  minister 
 derives  some  degree  of  respectability  from  the  state  of 
 his  family.  Home  scenes,  according  as  they  are  lovely 
 or  repulsive,  form  a  beauteous  halo  round,  or  dark  speck 
 upon,  the  orb  of  his  public  character.  It  is  required 
 of  him  that  he  should  rule  well  his  own  household ;  but 
 
314  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR   STATIONS 
 
 in  this,  lie  is  dependent  upon  his  wife.  What  a  disgrace 
 is  it,  that  his  house  should  be  such  a  scene  of  disorder, 
 as  to  disgust  by  its  dirt  and  confusion,  the  more  respect- 
 able part  of  his  friends.  Some  people,  if  we  were  to 
 judge  from  their  habits  and  their  homes,  seem  to  have 
 been  born  out  of  due  time ;  they  look  as  if  the  era  of 
 their  existence  were  the  reign  of  chaos.  Order  is 
 heaven's  first  law,  and  the  laws  of  heaven  certainly 
 should  govern  the  habitations  of  its  ministers. 
 
 If  a  mother,  a  minister's  wife  should  strive  to  excel 
 in  every  maternal  excellence.  How  often  is  it  the  case, 
 that  a  minister's  children  are  talked  of  almost  to  a 
 proverb,  for  their  rudeness,  ill  behaviour,  and  wicked- 
 ness :  in  such  instances,  much  blame  must  attach  to 
 the  mother. 
 
 In  her  own  personal  character,  there  are  two  traits 
 which  should  appear  with  peculiar  prominence  and  shine 
 with  attractive  lustre  in  a  minister's  wife  :  these  are 
 piety  and  prudence.  Her  piety  should  not  only  be 
 sincere  but  ardent;  not  only  unsuspected,  but  eminently 
 conspicuous.  Her  habits,  her  conversation,  her  whole 
 deportment,  should  bear  the  deep  bright  impress  of 
 heaven.  She  should  be  the  holiest,  most  spiritual 
 woman  in  the  church.  Her  prudence  should  equal  her 
 piety.  Without  the  former,  even  the  latter,  however 
 distinguished,  would  only  half  qualify  her  for  her  im- 
 portant station.  Her  prudence  should  display  itself  in 
 all  her  conduct  towards  her  husband.  She  should  be 
 very  careful  not  to  make  him  dissatisfied  with  the  situa- 
 tion he  occupies.  Many  a  minister  has  been  rendered 
 uncomfortable  in  a  situation  of  considerable  usefulness, 
 or  has  been  led  to  quit  it,  against  the  convictions  of  his 
 judgment,   by   the   capricious   prejudices  of  his  wife; 
 
IN    TIIE    CI1URCH.  .'51.J 
 
 whose  ambition  lias  aspired  to  something  higher,  or 
 whose  love  of  change  has  coveted  something  new.  A 
 minister's  wife  should  consult  her  husband's  usefulness, 
 and  be  willing  to  live  in  any  situation,  however  self- 
 denying  its  circumstances  may  prove,  where  this  is 
 promoted  :  and  considering  the  influence  she  has  over 
 his  decisions,  she  should  be  very  careful  how  she  em- 
 ploys it  in  those  seasons  when  a  change  is  meditated. 
 Her  prudence  should  render  her  extremely  careful,  not 
 to  prejudice  her  husband's  mind  against  auy  individual 
 who  may  have  designedly  or  unintentionally  injured  her. 
 In  not  a  few  cases,  have  pastors  been  drawn  into  con- 
 tention with  some  of  their  friends,  by  the  imprudent 
 conduct  of  their  wives,  who  possessing  a  morbid  sensi- 
 bility of  offence,  have  reported  with  much  exaggeration, 
 affronts  which  they  ought  not  to  have  felt,  or  feeling 
 ought  to  have  concealed.  Instead  of  acting  as  a  screen, 
 to  prevent  these  petty  vexations  from  reaching  his  ear, 
 they  have  rendered  their  tongues  a  conductor,  to  convey 
 them  to  his  bosom.  They  should  hide  many  things  of 
 this  kind,  which  it  is  not  important  he  should  know,  and 
 soften  those,  of  which  he  cannot  be  ignorant.  In  all 
 cases  where  her  husband  is  the  direct  object  of  a  sup- 
 posed or  real  injury,  a  minister's  wife  should  be  very 
 cautious  how  she  acts.  Intended  by  nature,  and  in- 
 clined by  affection,  to  be  a  partisan  and  an  advocate  in 
 her  husband's  cause,  so  far  as  truth  and  holiness  will 
 allow,  she  should  at  the  same  time  endeavour,  rather  to 
 mitigate  than  exasperate  the  displeasure  of  his  mind. 
 Her  breath  in  such  cases,  if  imprudently  employed,  will 
 fan  a  flame,  which  in  its  progress  may  consume  all  the 
 prosperity  of  the  church,  and  much  of  her  husband's  re- 
 putation. Let  her  therefore  govern  her  own  spirit,  as 
 Vol.  ll  z 
 
346  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 the  best  means  of  aiding  to  govern  his.  Let  her  calm, 
 conciliate,  and  direct  that  mind,  which  may  be  too 
 much  enveloped  in  the  mist  of  passion,  to  guide  itself. 
 Let  her  not  go  from  house  to  house,  dropping  sparks 
 and  scintillations  from  a  tongue  set  on  fire  of  hell.  If 
 her  husband  be  the  head  of  a  party,  let  her  not  envenom 
 their  minds  with  bitter  words,  which  are  sure  to  be 
 rendered  still  more  bitter,  by  the  lying  reporters  who 
 carry  them  to  the  opposite  party.  Prudence  in  a  pastor's 
 wife  would  have  often  saved  a  church  from  division. 
 
 A  minister's  wife  should  never  betray  the  confidence 
 reposed  in  her  by  her  husband,  and  report  the  opinions, 
 views,  and  feelings  which  he  has  communicated  in  the 
 seasons  of  their  private  conversation.  The  secrets  he 
 deposits  in  her  bosom  are  to  be  as  sacredly  preserved 
 and  guarded  as  the  ring  which,  on  the  morning  of  their 
 union,  he  placed  on  her  finger. 
 
 Prudence  is  to  be  displayed  in  all  her  conduct  towards 
 the  church.  Probably  the  chief  part  of  this  virtue  lies 
 in  a  proper  government  of  the  tongue.  A  very  large 
 proportion  of  the  disturbances  which  agitate  the  surface, 
 and  extend  their  influence  to  the  very  depths  of  society, 
 arise  from  imprudent  language.  There  appears  to  be  in 
 one  half  of  society,  an  incurable  propensity  to  relate 
 what  is  to  the  disadvantage  of  their  neighbours ;  and  in 
 the  other  half,  an  indestructible  appetite  to  relish  the 
 slander  when  it  is  reported.  Now  a  minister's  wife 
 should  most  anxiously  guard  against  this  propensity 
 in  herself,  and  most  assiduously  labour  to  lessen  this 
 appetite  in  others.  Let  her,  wherever  she  goes,  re- 
 member, that  there  are  many  waiting  and  watching 
 for  her  words,  which  they  will  be  sure  to  repeat  with 
 the  mimicry,  though  not  with  the  fidelity,  of  an  echo. 
 
in    TI1K    CHURCH.  317 
 
 Let  her  tongue  never  deal  in  sarcasm,  satire,  invective, 
 censure,  or  slander.  Let  it  be  an  invariable  rule  with 
 her  to  speak  ill  of  no  one.  She  should  never  appear 
 fond  of  receiving  ill  reports  from  others.  If  she  has  a 
 taste  of  this  kind,  gratification  enough  will  be  found 
 her.  Like  a  queen  bee,  she  has  no  need  to  roam  in 
 quest  of  honey,  she  may  sit  at  home  in  indolent  repose, 
 while  the  whole  hive  of  gossips  and  tatlers  is  collecting 
 for  her  an  exuberant  supply.  Let  her  rather  discourage 
 those  humming,  busy  insects,  and  convince  them  that 
 she  has  neither  ear  for  their  buz,  nor  taste  for  their 
 honey.  Let  her  never  betray  a  secret  which  she  has 
 been  compelled  to  receive ;  nor  become  umpire  between 
 two  contending  parties ;  since,  in  whatever  way  her  de- 
 cision is  pronounced,  she  is  almost  sure  to  offend  one 
 of  them.  She  should  avoid  as  much  as  possible  the 
 appearance  of  favouritism.  Some  there  must  be  with 
 whom  she  will  be  more  intimate  than  others,  but  this 
 fact,  if  it  be  known,  should  be  but  little  seen  j  and  her 
 friends  should  be  always  such  as  would  be  allotted  to 
 her  by  the  common  consent  of  the  society;  of  course 
 they  should  not  be  minions  selected  to  sustain  the 
 character  of  fawning  sycophants,  purveyors  of  news,  or 
 tools  of  selfishness.  In  all  her  deportment  towards  the 
 church,  she  should  maintain  a  dignified  though  not  a 
 proud  consciousness  of  her  station,  blended  with  the 
 greatest  affability  and  affection  :  the  law  of  kindness 
 should  be  upon  her  lips,  and  all  her  conduct  should  be 
 so  many  displays  of  the  meekness  of  wisdom.  Her 
 dignity  should  prevent  the  highest  from  being  obtrusive, 
 her  kindness  should  make  the  lowest  feel  that  she  is 
 accessible.  Without  being  a  busy  body,  and  meddling 
 with  the  concerns  of  others,  she  should  make  the  in- 
 
318  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 terests  of  her  friends  her  own.  Her  advice  and  assist- 
 ance should  always  be  granted  when  asked,  but  never 
 distributed  in  a  way  that  would  render  it  unwelcome 
 and  little  valued.  Over  all  institutions  which  have 
 been  formed  in  the  congregation  with  a  more  direct 
 reference  to  the  relief  of  female  necessities,  she  ought  to 
 preside  with  wisdom,  meekness,  and  zeal.  Her  influence 
 should  be  discreetly  exerted  in  forming  the  general  and 
 pious  habits  of  the  younger  females.  She  should  be  the 
 friend  of  the  poor,  and  be  often  seen  in  the  chambers 
 of  those  of  her  own  sex,  when  they  are  visited  with 
 sickness.  With  so  much  to  engage  her  attention,  she 
 will  have  little  leisure  for  visits  of  useless  show,  or 
 expensive  intercourse.  Such  she  ought  not  to  be  ex- 
 pected to  keep  up,  for  her  time  can  be  more  usefully 
 and  piously  employed.  For  visits  of  mere  gossip,  or 
 etiquette,  she  ought  not  to  be  put  in  requisition ;  and 
 if  she  is,  she  should  resist  the  attempt  which  is  thus 
 made  to  enslave  her,  by  the  bonds  of  fashion  or  of  folly. 
 She  is  the  wife  of  a  man,  whose  master  is  God,  whose 
 business  is  the  salvation  of  souls,  whose  scene  of  labour 
 is  the  church  of  Christ,  and  the  consequence  of  whose 
 exertions,  whether  they  succeed  or  fail,  are  infinite  and 
 eternal ;  let  her  act  accordingly. 
 
 II.  The  Deacons.  The  institution  of  the  deacon's 
 office  arose  from  a  seemingly  accidental  circumstance 
 which  occurred  in  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  the  particu- 
 lars of  which  are  recorded  in  the  6th  chapter  of  the  Acts 
 of  the  Apostles.*     The  original  design  of  this  office  was 
 
 *  Some  persons  are  of  opinion  that  this  occurrence  was  not  the 
 origin  of  the  deacon's  office,  and  that  the  individuals  there  mentioned 
 are  to  be  viewed,  not  as  officers  of  the  church,  but  merely  as  stewards 
 of  a  public  charity,  who  were  appointed  for  a  special  occasion,  and 
 not  as  a  general  and  authoritative  precedent.    It  is  said,  in  support 
 
IN    THE    CHURCH.  ,",  I'.) 
 
 to  administer  the  bounty  of  the  church.  The  first  dea- 
 cons were  simply  the  almoners  of  their  brethren.  They 
 dispensed  the  charities  of  the  rich,  for  the  relief  of  the 
 
 of  this  opinion,  that  these  individuals  are  not  called  deacons  by  the 
 1  historian,  and  that  in  consequence,  they  cannot  be  proved  to 
 have  been  such.  It  is  also  contended,  that  St.  Paul  does  not  specify, 
 in  his  epistle  to  Timothy,  the  duties  of  a  deacon  in  such  a  way  as  to 
 identify  them  with  those  which  Luke,  in  Acts  vi,  has  stated  to  be  the 
 duties  of  tin'  individuals  there  selected  for  the  primitive  church.  In 
 reply  to  this,  I  contend  that  this  was  the  origin  of  the  deacon's  office, 
 and  on  the  following  grounds  : 
 
 1.  Ecclesiastical  history  informs  us,  that  the  office  was  always 
 considered  from  the  very  earliest  ages,  as  designed  for  the  relief  of  the 
 poor;  if  so,  how  natural  is  it  to  trace  its  origin  to  the  circumstance 
 alluded  to,  which  so  easily  accounts  for  it. 
 
 2.  The  solemnity  with  which  the  seven  persons  were  set  apart  to 
 their  office,  that  is,  with  prayer  and  imposition  of  hands,  looks  as 
 if  their  appointment  was  to  be  considered  as  a  standing  and  autho- 
 ritative precedent. 
 
 3.  If  this  be  not  the  origin  of  the  deacon's  office,  where  shall  we 
 find  an  account  of  it?  And  what  is  still  stronger,  if  this  be  not  the 
 institution  of  it,  St.  Paul  has  given  directions  about  an  office,  the 
 duties  of  which  are  not  mentioned  in  the  Word  of  God.  He  has 
 certainly  said  nothing  himself  of  its  design,  a  circumstance  which 
 is  strongly  presumptive  of  the  truth  of  my  view  of  the  case,  since  his 
 silence  seems  to  imply  that  the  duties  of  the  deacon  were  already  too 
 well  known  to  need  that  he  should  specify  them.  The  very  omission 
 is  grounded  on  a  previous  institution.  Where  shall  we  find  this,  but 
 in  Acts  vi  ? 
 
 4.  The  reason  of  the  appointment  in  question  is  of  permanent 
 force;  namely,  that  those  who  minister  in  this  word  should  not  have 
 their  attention  diverted  by  temporal  concerns  ;  and  it,  therefore,  seems 
 as  if  a  permanent  office  was  then  established. 
 
 5.  I  would  ask  any  one  who  takes  a  different  view  from  that  which 
 I  hold,  what  are  the  duties  of  the  deacons  mentioned  by  Paul.  If  he 
 reply,  as  I  think  he  must,  "To  attend  to  the  concerns  of  the  poor  ;"  I 
 would  still  inquire  how  he  knows  that.  If  he  answer,  the  testimony 
 of  ecclesiastical  history ;  I  would  still  ask  on  what  the  immemorial 
 usages  of  the  church  could  be  founded,  if  not  on  the  fact  mentioned 
 by  Luke  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  ? 
 
350  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 poor :  and  this,  whatever  has  been  added  by  the  usages 
 of  the  churches,  must  still  be  considered  as  its  para- 
 mount duty.  What  a  lovely  and  attractive  view  does  it 
 give  us  of  Christianity,  and  how  strikingly  characteristic 
 of  its  merciful  genius,  to  behold  it  solemnly  instituting 
 an  office,  the  chief  design  of  which  is,  the  comfort  of  its 
 poorer  followers !  Where  shall  we  find  any  thing 
 analogous  to  this  in  other  systems  ?  Paganism  and 
 Mahometanism  have  nothing  like  it.  By  a  reference  to 
 the  origin  of  the  office,  we  shall  learn  how  widely  some 
 religious  communities  have  departed  from  the  design 
 of  this  simple,  merciful,  and  useful  institution. 
 
 The  Church  of  England,  which  retains  some  of  the 
 corruptions  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  has  imitated  her  in 
 the  total  alteration  of  this  office.  In  that  communion 
 the  deacon  is  not  a  secular,  but  a  spiritual  officer,  and 
 his  post  is  considered  as  the  first  grade  in  the  ascent  to 
 the  episcopal  throne.  He  is  a  preacher,  and  may 
 baptize,  but  not  administer  the  eucharist.  He  is  in  fact, 
 half  priest,  half  layman,  and  does  not  altogether  put  off 
 
 "Those  who  perverted  all  church  order,"  says  Dr.  Owen,  "took 
 out  of  the  hands  and  care  of  the  deacons,  that  work  which  was  com- 
 mitted to  them  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  apostles,  and  for  which  end 
 alone  their  office  was  instituted  in  the  church,  and  assigned  other 
 work  unto  them,  whereunto  they  were  not  called,  and  appointed.  And 
 whereas,  when  all  things  were  swelling  with  pride  and  ambition  in 
 the  church,  no  sort  of  its  officers  contenting  themselves  with  their 
 primitive  institution ;  but  striving  by  various  degrees  to  be  somewhat 
 in  name  and  thing,  that  was  high  and  aloft,  there  arose  from  the  name 
 of  this  office  the  meteor  of  an  archdeacon,  with  strange  power  and 
 authority  never  heard  of  in  the  church  for  many  ages.  But  this 
 belongs  to  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  whereunto  neither  the  scripture 
 nor  the  practice  of  the  primitive  churches  do  give  the  least  counten- 
 ance. But  some  think  it  not  inconvenient  to  sport  themselves  in 
 matters  of  church  order  and  constitutions."* 
 
 *  On  Church  Government. 
 
IN     THE    CHURCH.  35  ] 
 
 the  laic,  nor  put  on  the  claric  character,  till  his  second 
 ordination  to  the  full  orders  of  the  priesthood.  The 
 churchwarden  and  the  overseer  share  between  them  the 
 office  of  the  deacon. 
 
 Abuses  of  this  office,  however,  are  not  confined  to 
 the  churches  of  Rome  and  of  England,  but  may  be 
 found  in  the  ecclesiastical  polity  of  those  who  separate 
 from  both.  What  is  the  deacon  of  some  of  our  dissent- 
 ing communities?  Not  simply  the  laborious,  indefatig- 
 able, tender-hearted  dispenser  of  the  bounty  of  the 
 church  j  the  inspector  of  the  poor ;  the  comforter  of  the 
 distressed :  no,  but  "  the  bible  of  the  minister,  the 
 patron  of  the  living,  and  the  wolf  of  the  flock;"  an 
 individual  who,  thrusting  himself  into  the  seat  of 
 government,  attempts  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage, 
 by  dictating  alike  to  the  pastor  and  the  members; 
 who  thinks  that,  in  virtue  of  his  office,  his  opinion 
 is  to  be  law  in  all  matters  of  church  government, 
 whether  temporal  or  spiritual;  who,  upon  the  least 
 symptom  of  opposition  to  his  will,  frowns  like  a 
 tyrant  upon  the  spirit  of  rising  rebellion  amongst  his 
 slaves;  this  man  is  almost  as  distant  from  the  deacon 
 of  apostolic  times,  as  the  deacon  of  the  Vatican.  Such 
 men  there  have  been  whose  spirit  of  domination  in  the 
 church  has  produced  a  kind  of  diaconophobia  in  the 
 minds  of  many  ministers,  who  have  suffered  most  woe- 
 fully from  their  bite,  and  have  been  led  to  resolve  to  do 
 without  them  altogether,  rather  than  be  worried  any 
 more.*     Hence  it  is,  that  in  some  cases  the  plan  of 
 
 *  I  write  from  observation,  not  from  experience ;  besides  the 
 eight  deacons  with  whom  I  act  at  present,  I  have  already  outlived 
 eight  more,  and  both  the  dead  and  the  living  have  been  my  comfort 
 and  joy.     The  description  which  I  have  given  of  imperious  deacons,  I 
 
352  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 committees  has  been  resorted  to,  that  the  tyranny  of 
 lord  deacons  might  be  avoided.  I  do  beseech  those  who 
 bear  this  office  to  look  to  its  origin,  and  learn  that  it  is 
 an  office  of  service,  which  gives  no  authority,  or  power, 
 or  rule  in  the  church,  beyond  the  special  work  for 
 which  it  is  appointed,  and  which  is  to  provide  for  the 
 comfort  of  the  poorer  brethren.  This  is  their  business. 
 It  is  true,  that  by  the  usages  of  our  churches,  many 
 things  have  been  added  to  the  duties  of  the  office, 
 beyond  its  original  design,  but  this  is  mere  matter  of 
 expediency.  It  is  often  said  that  the  duty  of  the  office 
 is  to  serve  tables ;  the  table  of  the  Lord,  the  table 
 of  the  minister,  and  the  table  of  the  poor.  If  it  be 
 meant  that  this  was  the  design  of  its  appointment,  I 
 deny  the  statement,  and  affirm  that  the  table  of  the  poor 
 is  the  deacon's  appropriate  and  exclusive  duty.  What- 
 ever is  conjoined  with  this,  is  extra-diaconal  service,  and 
 vested  in  the  individual  merely  for  the  sake  of  utility. 
 Such  increase  of  their  duties  I  admit  is  wise  and  proper. 
 We  need  persons  to  take  care  of  the  comfort  of  the 
 minister,  to  provide  for  the  holy  feast  of  the  Lord's 
 supper,  to  superintend  the  cleaning  and  lighting  of  the 
 house  of  God,  to  direct  the  arrangements  of  all  matters 
 connected  with  public  worship;  and  who  so  proper  for 
 this,  as  the  brethren  who  already  fill  an  office,  of  which 
 temporalities  are  the  object  and  design.  But  these  are 
 all   additions   to   the   paramount  duty  of  the  deacon, 
 
 am  willing  to  confess,  is  too  strongly  drawn ;  not  that  the  portraiture 
 is  without  an  original,  but  such  a  prototype  is  rarely  found.  That 
 there  are  some  who  are  rather  too  prone  to  extend  the  jurisdiction, 
 and  to  magnify  the  dignity  of  this  office,  cannot  be  denied,  and,  con- 
 sidering the  materials  of  human  nature,  cannot  be  wondered  at.  I 
 have  chosen  to  let  the  account  which  I  gave  in  the  former  editions 
 remain  in  this,  to  shew  what  a  deacon  should  not  be. 
 
IN    TIIK    CHURCH.  353 
 
 which  is  to  take  care  of  the  poor.     Let  it  not  be  thought 
 
 that  this  is  exhibiting  the  office  in  a  naked,  and  meagre, 
 and  degrading  point  of  view ;  or  as  shorn  -of  the  beams 
 of  its  brightest  gloiy.  "What  can  be  a  more  happy  or 
 more  honourable  employment,  than  to  distribute  the 
 alms  of  the  brethren,  and  visit  the  habitations  of  the 
 poor,  like  angels  of  mercy,  with  words  of  peace  upon 
 the  lips,  and  the  means  of  comfort  in  the  hands  ?  A 
 faithful,  laborious,  affectionate  deacon,  must  necessarily 
 become  the  object  of  justly  deserved  regard  in  the 
 church,  and  be  looked  up  to  with  the  esteem  and  venera- 
 tion, which  are  paid  by  a  grateful  dependent  family  to 
 their  sire.  The  poor  will  tell  him  their  wants  and  woes, 
 spiritual  and  temporal ;  and  ask  his  advice  with  im- 
 plicit confidence.  He  will  move  through  the  orbit 
 of  his  duty  amidst  the  prayers  and  praises  of  his 
 brethren,  and  in  measure  may  adopt  the  language  of 
 Job,  "  AVhen  the  ear  heard  me,  then  it  blessed  me ; 
 and  when  the  eye  saw  me,  then  it  gave  witness  to 
 me  :  because  I  delivered  the  poor  that  cried,  and  the 
 fatherless,  and  him  that  had  none  to  help  him.  The 
 blessing  of  him  that  was  ready  to  perish  came  upon  me, 
 and  I  caused  the  widow's  heart  to  sing  for  joy.  I  was 
 eves  to  the  blind,  and  feet  was  I  to  the  lame.  I  was 
 a  father  to  the  poor,  and  the  cause  which  I  knew  not,  I 
 searched  out."  Surely,  surely,  here  is  honour,  much 
 pure,  legitimate,  exalted  honour,  without  the  deacon's 
 perverting  his  office  to  tyranny.  Such  a  man  must  be, 
 and  ought  to  be,  a  person  of  influence  in  the  society, 
 the  influence  of  character,  of  goodness,  of  usefulness. 
 Let  him  have  his  periodical  visitations  of  the  poor.  Let 
 him  go  and  see  their  wants  and  woes  in  their  own  habi- 
 tations, as  well  as  bid  them  come  and  tell  their  sorrows 
 
354  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 in  his.  Let  him  be  full  of  compassion  and  tender- 
 hearted :  let  his  eyes  drop  pity,  while  his  hands  dispense 
 bounty ;  let  him  be  affable  and  kind  as  well  as  attentive  : 
 and  such  a  man  shall  want  neither  honour  nor  power 
 amongst  his  brethren,  although  at  the  same  time,  he  be 
 peaceful  as  a  dove,  meek  as  a  lamb,  and  gentle  as  a 
 little  child. 
 
 I  have  already  said,  that  it  is  expedient  that  all 
 temporal  affairs  of  the  church  should  be  confided  to  the 
 hands  of  the  deacons ;  but  they  ought  to  render  to  the 
 brethren  a  most  faithful  account  to  the  last  farthing 
 of  all  but  the  details  of  the  distribution  of  the  alms 
 of  the  church.  Their  account  ought  to  be  annually 
 laid  before  the  members  of  the  church,  and  to  receive 
 their  approbation.  A  regard  to  their  own  reputation, 
 as  well  as  to  propriety  and  general  satisfaction,  should 
 dictate  this.  I  have  known  instances  where,  through 
 first  the  neglect  and  then  the  refusal  to  do  this,  the 
 affairs  of  religious  societies  have  been  carried,  by  the 
 party  demanding  a  statement,  into  chancery ;  and  strife, 
 ill  will,  confusion,  and  every  evil  work,  have  sprung  up 
 in  the  church  as  the  natural  and  necessary  consequence. 
 The  utmost  fairness  and  openness  should  ever  be  mani- 
 fested by  those  who  manage  the  temporalities  of  reli- 
 gious societies. 
 
 The  apostle  is  very  explicit  in  his  statement  of  the 
 qualifications  which  the  deacons  should  possess.  "  Like- 
 wise must  the  deacons  be  grave,"  men  of  serious  and 
 dignified  deportment ;  "  not  double  tongued,"  sincere, 
 not  addicted  to  duplicity  of  speech ;  "  not  given  to 
 much  wine  :  not  greedy  of  filthy  lucre ;  holding  the 
 mystery  of  the  faith  in  a  pure  conscience  •**  attached  to 
 the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  exhibiting  their  holy 
 
IN    THE    CHURCH.  355 
 
 influence  in  a  spotless  life:  "and  let  them  also  first  be 
 proved,  then  let  them  use  the  office  of  a  deacon,  being 
 found  blameless.  Let  them  be  the  husband  of  one  wife, 
 ruling  their  children  and  their  own  houses  well."* 
 
 Deacons  should  remember,  that  all  these  qualifica- 
 tions should  be  found  embodied,  as  much  as  possible,  in 
 each  individual  holding  the  office,  and  not  merely  some 
 in   one   and   some  in   another,  until  the  character  is 
 
 *  The  allusion  made  to  the  deacons'  wives  appears  to  me  to  be 
 a  mis-translation,  fur  the  original  refers  to  a  class  of  female  office 
 bearers  in  the  primitive  church;  "Even  so  the  women."  As  the 
 manners  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  and  especially  of  the  Asiatics, 
 did  not  permit  men  to  have  much  intercourse  with  women  of  cha- 
 racter, unless  they  were  relations,  it  was  proper  that  an  order  of 
 female  assistants  should  be  instituted,  for  visiting  and  privately 
 instructing  the  young  of  their  own  sex,  and  for  catechising  females 
 of  any  age ;  and  as  the  church  was  then  much  persecuted,  and  many 
 of  its  members  were  often  condemned  to  languish  in  a  prison,  those 
 holy  women  were  no  doubt  peculiarly  useful  in  visiting  the  captive 
 Christians,  and  performing  for  them  many  kind  offices  which  their 
 sex  can  best  render.  Such  an  one,  in  all  probability,  was  Phebe, 
 mentioned  Rom.  xvi,  1.  Such  were  the  widows  spoken  of  1  Tim.  v. 
 Such  were  Euodias  and  Syntyche,  Phil,  iv,  3.  Clement  of  Alexandria 
 reckons  widows  amongst  ecclesiastical  persons,  "  There  are  many 
 precepts  in  Scripture  for  those  who  are  chosen,  some  for  priests, 
 others  for  bishops,  others  for  deacons,  others  for  widows."  Pliny,  in  his 
 celebrated  Epistle  to  Trajan,  is  thought  to  refer  to  deaconesses,  when, 
 speaking  of  two  female  Christians  whom  he  put  to  the  torture,  he  says, 
 "quae  ministrae  dicebantur,"  who  were  called  deaconesses.  It  amounts 
 to  a  query  worthy  of  very  serious  consideration,  whether  we  are  per- 
 fectly justified  in  laying  aside  an  office  which  certainly  appears  to 
 have  existed  in  the  church,  and  which,  amidst  all  its  varying  circum- 
 stances, might  be  rendered  eminently  useful.  How  many  cases  are 
 continually  occurring  in  which  the  official  ministrations  of  a  female 
 would  at  once  be  more  effectual  and  more  discreet  than  those  of  the 
 opposite  sex!  How  many  scenes  of  half  penitent  profligacy  are  there 
 jnto  which  it  would  be  hazardous  to  a  man's  character  to  venture ! 
 How  many  cases  of  sickness  amongst  the  female  members,  which 
 none  can  so  effectually  relieve  as  one  of  their  own  sex  ! 
 
356  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 found  in  the  whole  number,  but  not  in  each  member 
 of  the  deaconry.  Some  have  contended  for  plurality 
 of  elders  in  a  church,  because  it  is  impossible  to  find  all 
 the  qualifications  of  a  christian  bishop  stated  by  the 
 apostle,  in  one  person.  That  we  are  to  look  for  one 
 excellence  in  one  man,  and  another  in  a  second,  that 
 what  is  wanting  in  one  may  be  made  up  in  another,  until 
 their  defects  and  attainments  are  made  to  unite,  like  the 
 corresponding  parts  of  a  dove-tail  joint.  I  confess, 
 however,  that  this  way  of  making  church  officers,  as  it 
 were  by  patch  work,  appears  to  me  a  most  absurd 
 idea. 
 
 The  deacons  from  their  being  officers  in  the  church, 
 although  their  office  refers  to  temporalities,  and  also 
 from  their  being  generally  acquainted  with  the  affairs 
 of  the  society,  will  be  considered  by  every  wise  and  pru- 
 dent minister,  as  his  privy  council  in  his  spiritual 
 government,  and  should  be  always  ready  to  afford  him 
 in  a  modest,  respectful,  and  unobtrusive  manner,  their 
 advice.  They  must  not  however  dictate.  If  they  do, 
 he  must  resist. 
 
 "Christian  brethren,"  said  a  preacher  on  this  subject,  "give  to  the 
 minister  I  love,  for  a  deacon,  a  man  in  whose  house  he  may  sit  down 
 at  ease,  wheh  he  is  weary  and  loaded  with  care ;  into  whose  bosom 
 he  may  freely  pour  his  sorrows,  and  by  whose  lips  he  may  be  soothed 
 when  he  is  vexed  and  perplexed ;  by  whose  illluminated  mind  he  may 
 be  guided  in  difficulty ;  and  by  whose  liberality  and  cordial  co-opera- 
 tion he  may  be  animated,  and  assisted  in  every  generous  under- 
 taking." 
 
 In  the  transactions  of  church  business,  the  deacons 
 should  exert  no  other  influence  than  that  which  arises 
 from  the  esteem  and  affection  in  which  they  are  held  by 
 the  people.  All  personal  and  official  authority  should  be 
 abstained  from.     Their  opinion  should  ever  be  stated 
 
in  Tin:  CHURCH.  3">7 
 
 with  pre-eminent  modesty;  for  if  it  be  a  wise  one,  its 
 wisdom  will  commend  itself  to  the  judgment  of  the 
 people,  whose  hearts  arc  already  prepared  by  affection 
 and  esteem  to  yield  to  its  influence.  Whereas,  the 
 wisest  opinion,  if  delivered  with  the  dogmatism  of 
 official  pride,  will  often  be  resisted,  merely  because  it  is 
 attempted  to  be  imposed.  If  a  man  deserve  influence, 
 he  will  be  sure  to  have  it  without  seeking  it,  or  de- 
 signedly exerting  it ;  if  he  do  not  deserve  it,  and  still 
 seek  it,  he  is  sure  to  be  resisted. 
 
 "  The  deacon's  duty  to  the  people  is  to  promote,  so  far  as  he  is 
 ahle,  the  happiness  of  individuals,  and  the  welfare  of  the  society. 
 In  his  intercourse  with  them  he  should  be  firm  and  unbending  in 
 principle,  but  kind  and  conciliatory  in  temper  and  in  manner.  In 
 those  parts  of  his  office,  which  are  sometimes  very  irksome  and 
 arduous,  from  the  difficulty  of  serving  all  according  to  their  wishes, 
 he  should  guard  against  every  thing  which  even  appears  to  be  harsh 
 and  unkind.  More  especially  should  he  do  this,  when  he  finds  it 
 impossible,  in  consistency  with  his  duty  to  others,  to  fulfil  their 
 desires.  The  apparently  insignificant  circumstance,  which  will  often 
 occur  in  our  congregations,  of  being  unable  to  accommodate  an 
 individual,  or  a  family,  with  a  seat,  may  be  mentioned  with  so  much 
 kindness,  and  with  such  unfeigned  regret  that  it  is  so,  as  to  lead  the 
 individual,  or  the  family,  patiently  to  wait  for  a  more  favourable 
 opportunity  ;  or  it  may  be  done,  although  without  design,  ill  a  tone 
 of  so  much  indifference,  as  to  lead  the  disappointed  applicant  to 
 relinquish  the  hope  of  success,  and  to  leave  the  place.  The  secret 
 charm  by  which  the  deacon's  office  may  be  rendered  comfortable  to 
 himself  and  beneficial  to  others,  is  that  golden  precept  of  inspiration, 
 '  Let  all  your  things  be  done  with  charity ;'  or,  as  Dr.  Doddridge 
 better  translates  the  passage,  '  Let  all  your  affairs  be  transacted  in 
 love.'  "* 
 
 III.    Heads  of  families.      The  station  occupied  by 
 
 such  persons  is   exceedingly  important,   and  therefore 
 
 very  responsible.      "We  naturally  look  to   the  families 
 
 of  professing  Christians  for  the  materials  with  which  the 
 
 *  Dr.  Winter's  Sermon  on  the  Office  of  Deacons. 
 
358  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 "spiritual  house"  is  to  be  repaired,  amidst  the  spolia- 
 tions of  sin  and  death.  A  large  proportion  of  our  mem- 
 bers are  the  children  of  the  righteous,  and  our  churches 
 would  be  still  more  enriched  with  the  fruits  of  domestic 
 piety,  if  that  piety  itself  were  more  ardent  and  more 
 exemplary.  It  is  impossible  to  urge  in  terms  too  strong, 
 the  sacred  duties  of  christian  masters,  mistresses  and 
 parents.  Their  influence  on  the  prosperity  of  the  church 
 is  greater  than  is  generally  conceived,  or  can  be  fully 
 stated.  The  duties  of  such  persons  are  of  a  twofold 
 nature : 
 
 1.  The  primary  ones,  of  course,  relate  to  your  chil- 
 dren. It  is  the  command  of  God  to  train  them  up  in 
 the  fear,  and  nurture,  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  Let 
 your  first,  and  deepest,  and  most  lasting  solicitude  be 
 for  the  formation  of  their  religious  character,  and  the 
 salvation  of  their  souls.  Let  this  regulate  all  your  con- 
 duct towards  them.  Let  it  impel  you  to  adopt  a  system 
 of  instruction  and  discipline  which  shall  have  a  close 
 and  constant  bearing  on  their  moral  and  religious  habits. 
 Let  it  guide  you  in  the  choice  of  schools  where  they  are 
 to  be  educated,  the  families  in  which  they  are  to  be 
 apprenticed.  Act  so  as  that  they  may  clearly  discern 
 that  your  most  ardent  prayer,  your  most  anxious  con- 
 cern, is  that  they  may  be  truly  pious.  They  should  see 
 this  interwoven  with  all  your  conduct  towards  them; 
 and  behold  a  uniform,  consistent,  constant  effort  to 
 accomplish  this  object.  Let  them  hear  it  expressed  in 
 your  advice  and  prayers,  and  see  it  manifested  in  all 
 your  arrangements.  Alas !  alas  !  how  many  children 
 of  church  members  are  there,  who  if  they  were  asked 
 the  question,  "  What  is  your  father  and  mother's  chief 
 concern  for  you  ?"  would  be  obliged  to  reply,  "  That  I 
 
IN    Tin:    CHURCH.  859 
 
 may  excel  in  fashionable  accomplishments,  and  make 
 a  figure  in  the  drawing  room."  There  appears  to  me 
 to  be  at  the  present  moment  the  most  criminal  neglect, 
 on  the  part  of  christian  parents,  of  the  religious  educa- 
 tion of  their  children.  Every  thing  is  sacrificed  to  the 
 lighter  and  more  frivolous  accomplishments  of  the 
 female  character,  and  to  the  literary  and  scientific 
 acquisitions  of  boys.  Religion  is  a  secondary  matter ; 
 but  ought  it  to  be  so?  Ought  it  not  rather  to  be  the 
 one  thing  needful  for  our  children  as  well  as  for  our- 
 selves ? 
 
 That  Christian  who  would  carry  on  a  system  of 
 religious  education  with  success,  should  enforce  it  with 
 all  the  commanding  influence  of  a  holy  example.  Let 
 your  children  see  all  the  "beauties  of  holiness"  reflected 
 from  your  character,  and  the  grand  outline  of  christian 
 morality  filled  up  with  all  the  delicate  touches  and 
 varied  colouring  of  the  christian  temper.  The  heathens 
 had  their  penates,  or  gods  which  they  kept  in  their 
 own  habitation,  to  remind  them  of  the  objects  of  their 
 religious  veneration  and  trust.  Be  you  to  your  families 
 instead  of  these  household  gods,  by  being  lovely  images 
 of  the  great  Jehovah.  Let  your  children  have  the  con- 
 viction in  their  hearts,  "  If  there  be  but  two  real  Chris- 
 tians in  the  world,  my  father  is  one,  and  my  mother  is 
 the  other."  It  is  dreadful,  but  not  uncommon,  for 
 children  to  employ  themselves  in  contrasting  the  appear- 
 ance which  their  parents  make  at  the  Lord's  table,  and 
 at  their  own ;  in  the  house  of  God,  and  at  home. 
 
 Family  prayer  should  be  performed  with  great  punc- 
 tuality, constancy,  and  seriousness.  It  is,  of  course, 
 presumed  that  every  Christian  does  pray  with  his  house- 
 hold.   It  should  not  be  performed  so  late  in  the  evening 
 
360  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 that  the  family  are  more  fit  for  sleep  than  devotion;  nor 
 so  late  in  the  morning,  as  for  business  to  interrupt  it. 
 It  should  ever  be  conducted  with  the  most  solemn  devo- 
 tion, and  never  rendered  tedious  by  extreme  length.  It 
 should  be  very  simple,  and  have  special  reference  to  the 
 case  of  the  children  and  the  servants.  That  it  may 
 be  performed  with  regularity,  heads  of  families  should 
 rarely  sup  from  home.  It  is  a  disgrace  for  a  Christian 
 master  or  parent  to  be  often  seen  in  the  streets  at  eleven 
 o'clock  at  night. 
 
 Professing  Christians  should  resist  the  entrance  of 
 worldly  conformity  into  their  families.  Expensive  enter- 
 tainments, gay  parties,  vain  and  frivolous  amusements, 
 showy  modes  of  dress,  should  be  most  cautiously  avoided. 
 Religion  will  not  dwell  amidst  such  scenes ;  her  refined 
 and  spiritual  taste  is  soon  offended,  and  she  retires.  A 
 Christian's  habit  should  be  simple  and  spiritual.  If  it 
 be  his  aim,  to  approach  as  nearly  as  possible,  to  the 
 manners  of  the  world  without  actually  being  numbered 
 with  its  votaries,  his  children  will  be  restrained  with 
 difficulty  on  the  right  side  of  the  line  of  demarcation, 
 and  be  perpetually  longing  and  trying  to  push  onward. 
 The  miserable  efforts  made  by  some  professing  Chris- 
 tians to  be  thought  people  of  taste  and  fashion ;  to  live 
 half  way  between  the  tradesman  and  the  gentleman, 
 show  how  ill  they  bear  the  christian  yoke,  and  how 
 nearly  they  are  resolved  to  cast  it  away  as  an  encum- 
 brance. We  should  despise  these  things  wherever  we 
 see  them,  if  they  did  not  prefer  claims  upon  our  pity, 
 still  stronger  than  those  upon  our  scorn.  When  a 
 worldly  temper  has  crept  into  the  circle  of  a  christian 
 church,  piety  retires  before  it,  and  the  spirit  of  error 
 soon  enters  to  take  possession  of  the  desolate  heritage. 
 
IN    THE    CHUB4  M.  301 
 
 2.  There  is  another  duty  which  devolves  on  those 
 whom  Providence  has  placed  at  the  head  of  a  family, 
 and  that  relates  to  their  servants.  Masters  and  mis- 
 tresses should  manifest  a  kind  solicitude  for  the  tem- 
 poral comfort  of  their  servants,  and  especially  a  deep 
 solicitude  for  their  spiritual  welfare.  They  should  take 
 care  that  their  domestics  are  provided  with  Bibles,  and 
 furnished  with  a  few  religious  books  to  peruse  on  the 
 Sabbath,  and  at  other  intervals  of  leisure.  In  every 
 respectable  habitation  there  should  certainly  be  a 
 kitchen  library,  comprising  a  few  plain,  interesting, 
 moral,  and  religious  treatises.  Great  care  should  be 
 taken  in  the  arrangement  of  domestic  affairs  to  afford 
 opportunities  to  the  servants  to  attend  the  solemnities 
 of  public  worship.  It  is  too  common  to  allow  them  this 
 privilege  only  in  the  afternoon,  which  is  a  part  of  the 
 day  least  favourable  to  religious  instruction  and  impres- 
 sion. The  master  and  mistress  then  generally  remain 
 at  home,  and  send  the  servants  to  church  or  meeting. 
 Is  not  this  a  most  cruel  deprivation  ?  If  the  heads  of  a 
 family  find  the  afternoon  a  dull  and  profitless  season, 
 how  much  more  so  must  it  be  to  those,  who  to  the 
 labour  of  the  week,  have  added  that  of  the  Sabbath 
 morning.  And  why  cannot  the  servants  be  permitted 
 to  go  to  worship  on  the  Sabbath  morning  ?  O  tell  it 
 not  in  Gath !  because  they  are  kept  at  home  to  cook  a 
 dinner  for  the  parlour.  Shame  and  disgrace  upon  that 
 professing  Christian,  who  would  not  forego  the  gratifi- 
 cations of  his  palate,  though  it  be  to  aid  in  saving  his 
 servant's  soul.  How  can  he  enjoy  the  hot  joint,  when 
 he  remembers  that  a  servant  has  been,  at  his  command, 
 profaning  the  Lord's-day,  to  prepare  the  feast.  He 
 comes  from  the  house  of  God,  perhaps  the  sacramental 
 Vol.  11  A  A 
 
362  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 table,  and  in  the  hearing  of  his  domestics,  talks  of  the 
 precious  season  he  has  experienced ;  while  they  revile 
 as  mere  disgusting  cant,  the  religious  conversation  of  a 
 man,  who  would  rob  the  souls  of  others,  to  pamper  his 
 appetite.  Such  men  are  worse  than  Esau ;  he  sold  his 
 own  birthright  for  the  gratification  of  his  palate,  but 
 they  sell  the  birthright  of  others.  Yes,  the  Sabbath  is 
 their  birthright,  or  rather  is  granted  to  them  by  charter 
 from  God ;  and  no  man  can  alienate  the  sacred  gift 
 from  them,  without  committing  a  felony  of  the  worst 
 kind.  Is  it  not  enough,  that  they  labour  for  our  com- 
 fort six  days  in  the  week,  but  they  must  also  have  the 
 seventh,  the  season  of  repose,  taken  from  them  ?  Great, 
 very  great  reproach  is  frequently  brought  upon  religion 
 by  the  manner  in  which  many  professors  conduct  them- 
 selves towards  their  servants,  by  forgetting  that  they 
 have  claims  for  something  more  than  their  wages.  It 
 has  been  said  that  no  man  is  great  in  the  eyes  of  his 
 valet.  I  am  afraid  that  the  sentiment  admits  of  exten- 
 sion, and  that  it  might  be  said,  that  few  men  are  exem- 
 plary for  piety  in  the  eyes  of  their  servants. 
 
 IV.  Servants.  There  is  no  class  of  church  members 
 for  whom  I  feel  more  anxious,  than  for  domestic  ser- 
 vants. Cut  off  in  a  considerable  degree,  by  their  very 
 situation,  from  pastoral  attentions :  urged  forward  in  a 
 course  of  labour,  which  in  many  cases  has  no  intervals 
 of  rest ;  often  most  cruelly  deprived  of  the  repose  of  the 
 Sabbath ;  it  is  difficult  indeed  for  them  to  keep  up  the 
 power,  or  enjoy  the  consolations  of  personal  religion. 
 They  have  peculiar  need  to  watch,  lest  the  flame  of 
 piety  should  languish  and  expire  in  their  hearts.  It  is 
 quite  interesting  to  observe  how  particular  the  apostle 
 is  in  his  directions  to  servants.     "  Servants,  be  obedient 
 
in   mi:  church.  3G3 
 
 to  them  that  arc  your  masters  according  to  the  flesh, 
 with  fear  and  trembling,  in  singleness  of  your  heart  as 
 unto  Christ :  not  with  eye  service,  as  men  pleasers,  but 
 as  the  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the 
 heart ;  with  good  will  doing  service  as  to  the  Lord,  and 
 not  to  men."     The  same  sentiments  are  repeated,  Col. 
 iii,  22-25.     Titus  ii,  1),  10.     It  is  to  servants  that  the 
 solemn  and  striking  admonition  is  addressed,  "  to  adorn 
 the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things."     Even 
 the  sublime  doctrine  of  a  redeeming  God,  that  bright 
 effulgence  which  has  issued  from  the  fountain  of  light, 
 is  susceptible  of  decoration,  and  receives  its  adorning 
 from  the  consistent  conduct,  not  merely  of  a  religious 
 monarch,   philosopher    or   scholar,   but   of  a   christian 
 servant.      The  most  scrupulous  honesty,  the  most  un- 
 wearied  diligence,  the   most   humble   submission,    the 
 most  inviolable  truth,  are  necessary  for  this.      A  ser- 
 vant should  make  the  interests  of  the  family  her  own, 
 and  act  in  all  things  towards  her  master's  property  as 
 if  she  were  its  possessor.     The  apostle  has  laid  uncom- 
 mon stress  upon  servants  being  uniformly  the  same  as 
 to  fidelity,  and  honesty,  and  diligence,  whether  in  the 
 presence  or  absence  of  their  employer.      All  they  do, 
 even  the  most  ordinary  duties  of  their  station,  is  to  be 
 done  as  to  the  Lord,  and  he  is  every  where  present. 
 Their  religion  should  be  distinctly  seen  in  the  manner 
 of  performing  the  duties  of  their  station :  and  it  should 
 be  confessed  by  their  masters  and  mistresses,  that  their 
 piety    has    considerably    improved    them    as    servants. 
 AY  here    they    are   placed    in    irreligious   families,    "let 
 them  count  their  own  masters  worthy  of  all  honour, 
 that  the  name  of  God  and  his  doctrine  be  not  blas- 
 phemed."    Let  them  not  feel  at  liberty  to  treat  their 
 
364  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 employers  with  contempt  and  neglect,  as  mere  worldly 
 persons ;  for  religion  does  not  abolish  the  distinctions 
 of  society,  nor  the  rights  connected  with  them.  I 
 scarcely  know  one  character  in  the  private  walks  of 
 life,  that  has  a  fairer  opportunity  to  glorify  God,  than 
 a  religious  servant  in  an  ungodly  family.  It  will  be 
 a  fine  testimony  to  the  excellence  of  piety,  when  we 
 shall  hear  even  irreligious  masters  and  mistresses  gene- 
 rally say,  "  We  will  never  have,  if  we  can  help  it,  any 
 but  religious  servants,  for  we  have  seen  that  piety  ren- 
 ders them  faithful,  humble,  diligent,  and  trustworthy." 
 Where  pious  servants  are  placed  in  irreligious  families, 
 they  should  certainly  endeavour  to  act  the  part  of  re- 
 formers, but  it  must  be  rather  by  their  actions  than 
 their  words.  Masters  and  mistresses  will  not  often  bear 
 to  be  lectured  by  servants,  but  they  will  bear  to  be 
 instructed,  warned,  and  even  rebuked  by  the  good  con- 
 duct of  even  the  lowest  menial.  Mr  Jay  informs  us, 
 that  in  his  conversation  with  a  pious  domestic,  she 
 exclaimed,  "  My  master  and  mistress  will  not  hear  a 
 word  1  have  to  say  on  religion."  "  What  you  say,"  he 
 replied ;  "  you  should  do,  and  not  say.  You  should 
 instruct  them  by  early  rising,  by  diligence,  by  fidelity, 
 by  not  replying  again."  Servants  have  a  most  favour- 
 able opportunity  of  letting  their  employers  see  what 
 religion  is  :  but  then  it  is  not  merely  by  going  to 
 meeting  or  church,  but  by  diligence,  good  temper,  order 
 and  fidelity,  obliging  conduct,  submission,  meekness, 
 and  letting  it  be  apparent  that  all  this  is  the  result 
 of  their  religion. 
 
 "  They  that  have  believing  masters,  let  them  not 
 despise  them  because  they  are  brethren ;  but  rather  do 
 them  service,  because  they  are  faithful  and   beloved, 
 
IN    THE    CHURCH.  365 
 
 partakers  of  the  benefit."  They  arc  not  in  such  cir- 
 cumstances to  abate  one  iota  of  that  reverence  and 
 obedience  which  are  due  to  them  :  for  though  by  the 
 law  of  Christ  they  are  brethren,  this  docs  not  destroy 
 their  superiority  as  masters.  It  is  no  uncommon  thing 
 for  religious  servants  to  give  themselves  such  airs,  to 
 manifest  such  a  degree  of  consequence,  and  to  expect 
 so  much  deference,  as  to  lead  some  heads  of  families 
 to  say,  that  they  would  rather  have  merely  moral 
 servants,  than  religious  ones.  In  some  cases  where 
 religious  servants  have  been  deprived,  not  by  any  capri- 
 cious, or  arbitrary  arrangement,  but  by  the  unavoid- 
 able necessities  of  the  family,  from  enjoying  as  many 
 opportunities  of  public  worship  as  they  wished ;  or 
 when  they  have  been  unexpectedly  deprived  of  the 
 privilege  of  attending  it  on  a  single  occasion,  they 
 have  manifested  so  much  petulance,  and  performed 
 their  duties  with  so  much  sullen  reluctance  and  ill 
 humour,  that  their  religion,  or  rather  I  ought  to  say 
 their  want  of  it,  has  become  a  source  of  disgust  and 
 uneasiness.  The  means  of  grace  ought  to  be  valued 
 and  improved,  but  the  occasional  and  unavoidable  loss 
 of  them  should  not  be  attended  with  the  destruction  of 
 the  christian  temper.  It  would  be  well  if  servants  on 
 entering  upon  a  place,  were  to  have  an  understanding 
 with  their  employers,  on  the  subject  of  their  attendance 
 at  public  worship.  This  would  prevent  all  disagreement 
 afterwards,  or  would  at  least  furnish  a  compact  to  which 
 a  reference  might  be  made  in  future.  It  cannot  surely 
 be  necessary  to  admonish  such  as  make  a  profession  of 
 religion,  never  to  go  into  any  situation,  whatever  pecu- 
 niary advantages  may  present  themselves,  in  which  they 
 are  prevented  from  attending  the  public  means  of  grace. 
 
366  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 That  servant  cannot  really  seek  first  the  kingdom  of 
 God,  who  for  the  sake  of  higher  wages  would  go  into 
 a  place,  which  excludes  all  enjoyment  of  the  Sabbath 
 and  the  house  of  God,  and  almost  all  opportunities 
 of  private  prayer.  A  servant  having  obtained  a  com- 
 fortable situation,  should  be  anxious  to  retain  it,  for  it 
 is  not  creditable  to  her  profession  to  be  often  changing 
 place.  It  would  also  be  honourable  to  her  character,  to 
 be  ever  distinguished  for  neatness  rather  than  gaudiness 
 of  attire.  A  love  for  dress  is  censurable  in  all  profess- 
 ing Christians,  but  most  of  all  in  those,  whose  means 
 scarcely  enable  them  to  command  the  vanities  of  this 
 world.  How  much  more  would  it  be  to  their  honour 
 and  comfort  to  lay  by  a  portion  of  their  wages  for  a 
 time  of  need. 
 
 V.  Young  persons.  These  generally  form  a  very 
 considerable  class  of  our  members,  and  have  duties  to 
 perform  appropriate  to  their  age  and  station.  They 
 should  be  very  watchful  against  the  sins  to  which  the 
 ardour  and  inexperience  of  their  years  may  expose  them. 
 They  should  flee  youthful  lusts,  and  be  very  cautious  to 
 abstain  from  vanity  and  self-conceit.  Since  their  in- 
 troduction at  so  early  a  period  to  the  church,  has  a 
 tendency  to  inflate  them  with  pride,  to  invest  them 
 with  self-importance,  and  to  impair  that  modesty  of 
 deportment,  which  is  the  loveliest  ornament  of  their 
 character.  In  all  their  conduct  towards  the  church, 
 there  should  be  an  amiable  retiredness  of  disposition. 
 They  should  be  seen  at  the  church  meetings,  but  very 
 rarely  heard.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  a  more  dis- 
 gusting or  mischievous  spectacle,  than  a  young  member 
 dogmatically  stating  his  opinion,  and  pertinaciously  en- 
 forcing it  before  men,  who  were  grey  in  the  service  of 
 
i\    ill i:   CHURCH.  3G7 
 
 God  before  his  head  was  covered  with  the  down  of 
 infancy. 
 
 Young  Christians  should  be  very  careful  not  to  form 
 matrimonial  connexions,  in  opposition  to  the  apostolic 
 injunction,  "  not  to  be  unequally  yoked  together  with 
 unbelievers."  "Both  reason  and  revelation  unite  their 
 testimony  against  the  practice  of  Christians  marrying 
 irreligious  persons.  What  an  interruption  to  conjugal 
 comfort,  what  an  obstacle  to  domestic  piety,  what  an 
 injury  to  the  cause  of  religion,  does  such  a  practice 
 bring  with  it.  There  is  one  way  in  which  young 
 Christians  may  bring  great  reproach  upon  the  cause 
 of  God,  and  that  is  by  engaging  the  affections  of  a 
 female,  and  then  abandoning  her.  This  is  a  species 
 of  cruelty  which  certainly  deserves,  and  always  receives, 
 the  severest  reprobation.  It  is  dishonourable  in  a  man 
 of  the  world,  much  more  in  a  church  member. 
 
 VI.  Rich  members.  It  is  true  our  churches  do  not 
 abound  with  such  persons,  and  are  likely,  if  we  may  judge 
 from  the  conduct  of  the  affluent  dissenters  of  the  present 
 age,  to  have  still  fewer  of  this  description.  It  has  been 
 my  lot  to  witness  many  of  them  drawn  off  to  the  pale  of 
 the  established  religion.  I  presume  not  to  arraign  their 
 conduct,  nor  to  affirm  that  it  is  not  founded  on  con- 
 viction ;  it  looks,  however,  a  little  suspicious.  It  is 
 unworthy  of  a  rational,  much  more  of  a  religious  being, 
 to  let  his  creed  and  his  devotions  be  decided  before  any 
 other  tribunal  than  that  of  conscience,  and  by  any  other 
 authority  than  the  dictates  of  his  judgment.  It  is  an 
 unutterable  degradation,  for  any  man  to  become  a 
 churchman,  merely  because  he  thinks  it  is  more  res- 
 pectable than  to  be  a  dissenter.  Such  an  individual 
 would  not  have  been  a  Joseph  of  Arimathca,  had  he 
 
368  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 lived  in  the  days  of  Christ ;  nor  a  Christian  in  the 
 times'  of  Trajan  or  Antoninus ;  nor  a  Protestant  in  the 
 days  of  Mary  :  his  devotion  like  the  weather  vane  is 
 blown  about  by  the  wind,  and  points  to  that  quarter  of 
 the  heavens,  be  it  what  it  might,  from  whence  the 
 current  of  fashion  proceeds.  If  such  men  acted  upon 
 the  principles  of  policy  or  ambition,  and  policy  or 
 ambition  may  as  lawfully  regulate  their  religion  as 
 fashion,  tliey  would  never  quit  the  ranks  of  dissent. 
 The  Church  of  England,  boasting  as  it  does  of  the 
 aristocracy  of  the  kingdom,  and  almost  all  its  gentry, 
 thinks  little  of  the  accession  of  a  few  rich  dissenters.  It 
 may  be,  such  individuals  receive  a  visit  or  a  smile  from 
 some  few  distinguished  episcopalians,  which  with  spaniel 
 fawning  they  have  coveted ;  or  perhaps  some  municipal 
 office,  some  civic  honour,  is  the  price  of  their  apostacy:  * 
 but  as  to  influence  and  distinction,  they  would  have 
 enjoyed  inconceivably  more  of  this  in  their  old  con- 
 nexion; and  they  might  have  been  conspicious  among 
 dissenters,  while  they  can  never  be  any  more  than  little 
 among  churchmen.  Their  secession,  however,  takes 
 with  it  none  of  the  real  glory  of  the  cause  of  dissent, 
 but  furnishes  another  proof,  if  proof  were  wanting,  that 
 being  founded  upon  revelation,  and  supported  by  reason, 
 it  can  exist  and  flourish  without  the  aid  of  rank  or 
 wealth.  Probably  there  never  was  a  period  since  the 
 rise  of  nonconformity,  when  it  owed  so  little  to  the 
 patronage  of  title  or  wealth  as  it  does  at  the  present 
 moment.  Not  a  peer,  not  a  baronet,  and  comparatively 
 few  country  gentlemen,  are  to   be  found   among   the 
 
 *  This  was  -written  before  the  repeal  of  the  Test  and  Corpora- 
 tion Acts,  and  stands  as  a  record  of  Dissenters'  former  disabilities, 
 which  are  now  almost  forgotten.    En. 
 
IN    Till.    (  II L  KC1I. 
 
 evangelical  dissenters  of  this  kingdom.  Still,  however, 
 the  cause  of  dissent  is  progressive  and  triumphant  in  the 
 middling  classes  of  society,  and  thus  bears  at  least  one 
 feature  of  resemblance  to  the  cause  of  Christianity  itself 
 during  its  first  ages,  which  went  on  from  conquering  to 
 conquer,  not  only  without,  but  against  the  smiles  of  the 
 great.  Christianity  never  flourished  more,  than  when 
 fishermen  were  its  apostles,  and  the  poor  its  votaries; 
 but  when  brought  in  triumph  into  the  blaze  of  imperial 
 splendour,  when  robed  in  the  purple  aud  crowned  with 
 the  diadem,  it  pined  amidst  its  honours,  sickened,  and 
 languished.  We  do  not  despise  the  riches  of  this 
 world,  but  we  can  do  without  them.  Enriched  as  our 
 cause  is,  with  the  principles  of  divine  truth,  and  patron- 
 ised by  the  smiles  of  heaven,  we  can  dispense  with 
 the  blazonry  and  patronage  of  secular  distinctions. 
 Enough  of  wealth  we  have,  to  build  our  chapels,  edu- 
 cate our  ministers,  and  propagate  our  religion ;  more  it 
 is  true  we  could  employ,  but  if  those  who  have  it  with- 
 draw our  resources,  we  must  renew  our  liberality,  aud 
 make  them  feel  that  we  can  do  without  them.  Honour- 
 able exceptions  there  are,  of  men,  who,  amidst  the 
 accumulations  of  increasing  wealth,  remain  firmly 
 attached  to  the  principles  of  nonconformity,  and  who 
 delight  to  lavish  their  fortunes  in  supporting  the  cause 
 they  love  and  espouse.  Let  all  such  consider  it  as  their 
 incumbent  duty,  to  consecrate  no  small  portion  of 
 their  affluence,  not  merely  to  propagate  the  principles 
 of  Christianity  abroad,  but  to  uphold  the  cause  of 
 dissent  at  home.  The  erection  of  chapels,  the  support 
 of  seminaries,  the  maintenance  of  poor  ministers,  the 
 establishment  of  churches,  should  with  them  be  an 
 object  of  deep  anxiety.     Let  them,  in  order  to  abound 
 
370  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 more  and  more  in  such  efforts,  as  well  as  to  exhibit  a 
 bright  example  of  pure  and  undefiled  religion,  avoid 
 all  unnecessary  worldly  conformity,  and  all  expensive 
 modes  of  living.  Something  is  due  to  their  rank  and 
 station,  but  more  than  is  necessary  ought  not  to  be 
 devoted  to  it.  There  is  in  the  present  age,  a  disposition 
 even  in  professing  Christians,  to  a  showy  and  expensive 
 style  of  living,  which  cannot  be  more  effectually  re- 
 pressed that  by  the  plain  and  simple  habits  of  those, 
 who  are  known  to  have  an  easy  access  to  all  the  ele- 
 gances and  splendours  of  life.  "  Charge  them  that  are 
 rich  in  this  Avorld,  that  they  be  not  high-minded,  nor 
 trust  in  uncertain  riches,  but  in  the  living  God,  who 
 giveth  us  all  things  richly  to  enjoy;  that  they  do  good, 
 that  they  be  rich  in  good  works,  ready  to  distribute, 
 willing  to  communicate."  Such  was  the  admonition 
 of  St.  Paul  to  Timothy,  from  which  we  gather,  that 
 rich  Christians  ought  to  be  far  more  anxious  to  lay  out, 
 than  to  lay  up,  their  fortunes.  When  we  enter  their 
 mansions,  and  see  magnificence  in  every  room,  luxury 
 on  every  table ;  when  we  see  their  gay  equipage,  their 
 splendid  liveries,  we  cannot  help  saying,  "  How  much 
 ought  a  disciple  of  Jesus  who  lives  in  this  manner, 
 to  give  away  to  the  cause  of  religion  and  humanity, 
 before  he  is  justified  in  such  an  expenditure  !"  There 
 appears  to  me  to  be  yet  wanting  a  proportionate  libe- 
 rality on  the  part  of  the  rich.  Their  efforts  bear  no 
 comparison  with  those  of  the  middling  classes,  and  of 
 the  poor.  The  former  give  of  their  abundance,  the 
 latter  of  their  little;  at  most,  the  former  only  tax 
 their  luxuries,  but  the  latter  their  comforts  and  ne- 
 cessaries. 
 
 Rich  Christians  should  be  exceedingly  attentive  to 
 
IN    THE    CHURCH.  371 
 
 the  wants  and  comforts  of  their  poorer  brethren.  There 
 is  a  great  lack  of  this  in  the  churches  of  Christ.  "  Whoso 
 hath  this  world's  goods  and  seeth  his  brother  have  need, 
 and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him, 
 how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him  V  Such  persons 
 should  carefully  and  tenderly  inquire  into  the  condition 
 of  the  poor,  and  not  content  themselves  with  a  monthly 
 contribution  at  the  Lord's  Supper,  to  be  disposed  of 
 by  the  deacons.  And  it  would  be  well  if  the  dea- 
 cons were  often  to  go  to  the  habitations  of  the  more 
 affluent  members  of  the  church,  and  lay  before  them 
 the  case  of  their  destitute  brethren. 
 
 The  more  wealthy  members  should  be  very  cautious 
 not  to  assume  undue  power  in  the  government  of  the 
 church.  The  distinctions  of  wealth  have  no  place  in 
 the  kingdom  of  Christ.  No  haughty  airs,  no  proud 
 scorn  of  the  opinions  of  others  less  affluent  than  them- 
 selves, no  overbearing  urgency  in  stating  their  own 
 views,  should  ever  be  discovered  in  their  conduct  in  the 
 transaction  of  church  business.  Their  superior  wealth, 
 if  not  attended  with  a  spirit  of  domination,  is  sure  in 
 every  case  to  procure  for  them  all  the  deference  that  is 
 compatible  with  the  independence  of  the  church  :  but 
 any  attempt  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage  is  at  once 
 both  sinful  and  mischievous. 
 
 In  short,  the  vices  to  which  the  rich  are  more  par- 
 ticularly exposed,  and  against  which  they  should  vigil- 
 antly guard,  are  pride,  haughtiness,  love  of  money, 
 idleness,  self  indulgence,  luxury,  worldly  conformity, 
 ecclesiastical  domination,  and  oppression  of  the  poor. 
 The  virtues  they  are  called  to  exercise,  are  gratitude  to 
 God,  humility  and  condescension  to  men,  economy,  tem- 
 perance, and  liberality  j  together  with  tender  sympathy 
 
372  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 for  their  poorer  brethren,  and  a  generous  regard  to  the 
 support  of  the  cause  of  pure  religion,  protestant  non- 
 conformity, and  general  benevolence. 
 
 VII.  The  poor.  Contentment  with  such  things  as 
 they  have,  and  an  unmurmuring  submission  to  the 
 appointment  of  Providence,  are  most  obviously  their 
 duty,  and  should  be  conspicuously  manifested  in  all 
 their  deportment.  It  should  not  appear  as  if  they 
 thought  it  hard,  that  their  lot  was  cast  in  the  humble 
 vale  of  poverty.  A  cheerful  resignation  to  the  irremedi- 
 able ills  of  their  station,  a  frame  of  mind  that  looks  as 
 if  they  were  so  grateful  for  the  blessings  of  grace,  as  to 
 be  almost  insensible  to  the  privations  of  poverty,  is  one 
 of  the  ways  in  which  poor  Christians  may  signally 
 glorify  God. 
 
 The  poor  should  watch  against  an  envious  spirit. 
 "  Grudge  not  one  against  another,"  said  the  apostle. 
 They  should  be  conspicuous  for  their  industry,  nor  wish 
 to  eat  the  bread  of  idleness.  "  For  this  is  commanded 
 you,  that  if  any  would  not  work  neither  should  he  eat. 
 For  some  walk  among  you  disorderly,  working  not  at 
 all,  but  are  busy  bodies.  Such  we  command  and  exhort 
 by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  with  quietness  they  work 
 and  eat  their  own  bread."  The  poor  have  no  right 
 therefore  to  expect,  that  in  consequence  of  their  associ- 
 ation with  a  christian  church,  they  are  in  any  measure 
 released  from  the  obligation  of  the  most  unwearied 
 industry.  They  are  not  to  be  supported  by  the  society 
 in  idleness,  nor  ought  they  to  look  for  any  pecuniary 
 allowance  while  they  are  able  to  provide  for  themselves 
 and  their  family.  The  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  was 
 never  intended  to  establish  a  system  of  religious 
 pauperism.     It  is  to  be  feared,  that  not  a  few  have 
 
in  Tin:  CHUBi  n.  373 
 
 entered  into  christian  fellowship,  on  purpose  to  share  its 
 funds.  This  is  an  awful  case  wherever  it  occurs,  and 
 should  make  all  the  poor  members  of  our  churches 
 tremble  at  the  most  distant  approximation  to  such  a 
 crime.  The  only  times  in  which  members  should  feel 
 that  they  have  claims  upon  the  funds  collected  at  the 
 Lord's  supper,  are,  when  sickness  has  entered  their 
 dwelling,  when  age  has  incapacitated  them  for  labour, 
 or  when  the  produce  of  their  industry  is  too  scanty  to 
 procure  the  necessary  comforts  of  life.* 
 
 *  It  is  a  question  that  has  been  sometimes  agitated,  whether  it  is 
 right  for  a  church  to  allow  the  members  to  apply  for  parochial  assist- 
 ance. Such  a  question,  however,  may  be  set  at  rest  by  a  law,  which, 
 where  it  really  exists,  allows  of  no  further  appeal,  I  mean  the  law 
 of  necessity.  Some  churches  are  composed  in  a  great  measure  of 
 poor  persons,  and  even  of  the  remainder  who  are  not  poor,  there  are 
 few  above  the  rank  of  small  tradesmen.  In  this  case,  when  trade  is 
 bad,  and  disease  is  prevalent,  it  is  next  to  impossible,  if  not  quite  so, 
 for  the  church  to  relieve  all  the  wants  of  its  members.  But  setting 
 aside  this  extreme  case,  what  law  is  violated,  what  obligation  is 
 broken  through,  by  our  members  applying  for  a  portion  of  that 
 property,  which  is  collected  for  them  no  less  than  others,  and  to  which 
 they  are  legally  entitled  in  common  with  other  paupers  ?  There  can 
 be  nothing  wrong  on  the  part  of  the  poor  themselves  in  applying  for 
 this  relief,  unless  they  are  so  well  provided  for  by  the  church,  as  not 
 to  need  it.  In  this  case  their  application  would  be  manifestly  an  im- 
 position. The  only  question  is,  whether  a  church,  in  which  affluent 
 members  are  to  be  found,  ought  to  allow  such  application.  It 
 would  certainly  be  an  act  of  great  generosity  in  such  a  church,  to 
 render  its  members  independent  of  parochial  assistance  ;  but  I  do  not 
 see  by  what  law  this  is  actually  their  duty.  We  stand  in  a  double  re- 
 lationship to  the  poor,  as  fellow-citizens  and  fellow-christians ;  in  our 
 former  connexion  we  may  ask  for  them  a  share  of  a  civil  fund,  while 
 in  the  latter  we  relieve  them  from  a  still  more  sacred  source.  The 
 poor  by  entering  our  churches,  do  not  forfeit  any  of  their  civil  rights, 
 and  since  they  are  legally  entitled  to  the  assistance  of  their  fellow- 
 subjects,  it  is  not  necessary  that  we  should  take  upon  ourselves, 
 as  christians,  those  burthens  which  others  are  bound  to  share  with 
 -  citizens. 
 
374  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 The  poor  should  not  be  exorbitant  in  their  expecta- 
 tions of  relief;  and  should  the  bounty  of  the  church 
 flow  less  freely  towards  them  than  they  have  reason  and 
 right  to  look  for,  they  should  not  indulge  in  the 
 language  of  reproach  and  complaint.  Not  that  they  are 
 forbidden  in  mild  and  modest  language  to  represent  their 
 situation  to  the  deacons. 
 
 They  should  be  particularly  careful  not  to  manifest 
 an  encroaching  and  begging  disposition.  I  have  known 
 cases,  in  which  the  greatest  disgust  and  the  most  uncon- 
 querable prejudice  have  been  excited  against  individuals, 
 by  their  proneness  to  beg  of  every  one  who  visited  them, 
 till  at  length  their  fellow-members,  wearied,  too  soon  it 
 must  be  admitted,  with  the  language  of  perpetual  com- 
 plaint and  petition,  have  altogether  left  off  visiting  them. 
 
 Cleanliness  is  a  very  incumbent  duty  of  the  poor. 
 Their  cottages  may  be  lowly,  but  certainly  need  not  be 
 dirty.  Filthiness  is  one  species  of  vice,  and  cleanliness 
 is  not  only  next  to  godliness,  but  a  part  of  it.  The 
 credit  of  religion  often  depends  on  little  things,  and  this 
 is  one  of  them. 
 
 The  poor  should  not  expect  too  much  familiarity 
 from  their  superiors.  Our  relationship  in  the  church 
 does  not  destroy  our  distinctions  in  the  world.  Our 
 equality  goes  not  one  step  beyond  our  spiritual  ties.  A 
 poor  man  upon  meeting  a  rich  brother  in  the  street,  is 
 not  to  expect  him  always  to  stop,  shake  shands,  and  talk 
 familiarly  with  him ;  all  he  ought  to  look  for,  is  a  civil 
 expression  of  general  courtesy.  Less  than  this  would 
 be  an  offence  against  the  laws  of  Christ ;  more  than 
 this  would  be  a  demolition  of  the  rules  of  the  society. 
 It  is  to  be  apprehended,  that  some  of  the  poor  of  the 
 flock  think  the  rest  very  proud,  because  they  do  not  at 
 
in    Till.    CHURCH.  '.\7'> 
 
 all  times,  and  in  all  places,  converse  with  them  in  a  strain 
 of  uncontrolled  familiarity,  and  rigid  equality. 
 
 In  all  the  meetings  of  the  church,  and  in  the  trans- 
 actions of  the  church  business,  the  poor  should  manifest 
 a  peculiar  modesty  of  deportment.  They  should  listen 
 with  deference  to  the  opinions  of  those  who  have  more 
 knowledge  than  themselves,  and,  without  sacrificing  the 
 right  of  private  judgment,  should  be  much  guided  by 
 the  views  of  others. 
 
 VIII.  Tradesmen.  A  very  large  number  of  our 
 church  members  are  engaged  in  the  pursuits  of  trade, 
 manufacture,  or  commerce ;  and  from  their  very  calling, 
 are  exposed  to  peculiar  dangers,  which  must  be  met  with 
 proportionate  vigilance.  It  is  highly  incumbent  upon 
 them  to  take  care  against  a  worldly  spirit.  They  are  in 
 extreme  peril  of  losing  the  power  of  godliness  from 
 their  hearts,  and  joining  the  number  of  those,  of  whom 
 it  is  said  in  the  expressive  language  of  St.  Paul,  that 
 "  they  mind  earthly  things."  Such  persons  look  upon 
 the  possession  of  wealth  as  "the  one  thing  needful."  It 
 is  their  chief  object  of  pursuit,  their  chief  source  of 
 happiness.  Nothing  modifies  or  mitigates  their  desire 
 of  riches.  They  are  of  the  earth,  earthy.  Now  certainly 
 a  christian  tradesman  is,  or  ought  to  be,  of  another 
 spirit  than  this.  He  should  be  industrious,  frugal,  and 
 persevering  in  his  attention  to  the  concerns  of  this 
 world ;  but  still  there  should  be  in  his  mind  an  ultimate 
 and  supreme  regard  to  the  possession  of  everlasting  life. 
 He  ought  not  to  be  slothful  in  business,  but  then  he 
 must  be  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord.  He  should 
 be  seen  to  unite  the  clever  tradesman  and  sincere 
 Christian;  and  to  be  busy  for  both  worlds.  The  men 
 of  this   world   should    be  constrained   to   say  of  him, 
 
376  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 "  This  man  is  as  attentive  to  business  and  as  clever  in  it 
 as  we  are,  but  we  can  perceive  in  all  he  does  an  inflexible 
 regard  to  principle,  an  invariable  reference  to  religion. 
 We  can  discover  no  lack  of  diligence  or  prudence,  but 
 it  is  perfectly  evident,  that  his  heart  and  highest  hope 
 are  in  heaven.  He  is  neither  so  elated  in  prosperity, 
 nor  so  depressed  in  adversity  as  we  are.  He  has  some 
 secret  source  of  happiness  of  which  we  are  not  possessed ; 
 and  his  eye  is  upon  some  standard  of  action  which  we 
 do  not  recognise.  He  is  a  Christian,  as  well  as  a  trades- 
 man." What  a  testimony !  who  can  obtain  a  higher 
 one,  and  who  would  seek  less  ? 
 
 There  are  many  snares  to  which  a  christian  trades- 
 man is  peculiarly  exposed  in  the  present  mode  of  con- 
 ducting business.  The  stream  of  trade  no  longer  glides 
 along  its  old  accustomed  channel,  where  established  and 
 ordinary  causes  impelled  its  motion  and  guided  its 
 course;  but  under  the  violent  operation  of  new  and 
 powerful  impulses,  it  has  of  late  years  started  from  its 
 bed,  and  with  the  rapidity  of  a  torrent  and  the  force  of 
 an  inundation,  has  swept  away  the  restraint  of  religious 
 principle,  and  carried  a  deluge  of  dishonesty  over  the 
 moral  world.  A  rage  for  uncontrolled  speculation,  a 
 system  of  fictitious  credit,  an  almost  unlimited  paper 
 currency,  threatened  at  one  time  to  sink  the  whole 
 moral  interests  of  this  country  in  a  flood  of  commercial 
 gambling.  The  waters  have  indeed  subsided,  but  not 
 till  hundreds  had  been  swept  away,  not  merely  from 
 their  stations  in  the  world,  but  from  their  seats  in  the 
 church.  The  wreck  of  fortunes  is  comparatively  the 
 smallest  part  of  the  catastrophe,  for  that  has  been 
 attended  with  the  demolition  of  character;  and  few  are 
 the  churches  whose  records  will  not  furnish,  in  sentences 
 
IN    THE    CHURCH,  '■)',', 
 
 of  suspension  and  excommunication,  the  melancholy 
 memorials  of  this  commercial  disruption.  It  is  quite 
 time  for  christian  tradesmen  to  return,  in  their  mode 
 of  conducting  business,  to  the  sound  principles  of 
 christian  morality.  Let  them  beware  of  excessive 
 speculation,  and  where  the  property  with  which  they 
 trade  is  scarcely  their  own,  let  them  err  rather  on  the 
 side  of  caution  than  of  enterprise.  Let  them  beware 
 of  all  dishonourable  means  of  propping  up  a  sinking 
 credit.  Let  them  view  with  abhorrence  those  practices 
 which  are  resorted  to  only  by  rogues  and  swindlers. 
 Let  them  tremble  and  blush  at  a  single  effort  to  extri- 
 cate themselves  from  difficulty,  which  the  world  would 
 condemn  as  unfair  or  dishonourable.  Let  their  motto 
 be,  "  Whatsoever  things  arc  true,  whatsoever  things  are 
 honest,  whatsoever  things  are  just,  whatsoever  things 
 are  pure,  whatsoever  things  are  lovely,  whatsoever  things 
 are  of  good  report,  if  there  be  any  virtue,  and  if  there 
 be  any  praise,  think  on  these  things." 
 
 A  Christian  should  be  careful  not  to  conceal  too  long 
 the  fact  of  his  being  in  a  state  of  insolvency.  A  false 
 pride,  or  a  foolish  hope,  has  led  many,  to  the  dishonour 
 of  their  profession,  to  go  on  floundering  in  difficulties, 
 while  every  struggle  has  only  carried  them  farther  and 
 farther  into  the  current  of  ruin,  till  at  length  their 
 fortune  and  their  character  have  sunk  together,  to  rise 
 no  more.  I  do  not  say  that  a  man  ought  in  every  case 
 to  call  his  creditors  together  the  moment  that  he  dis- 
 covers he  cannot  pay  twenty  shillings  in  the  pound,  but 
 he  certainly  ought  to  do  it  without  delay,  as  soon  as  he 
 ceases  to  hope  that  he  shall  ultimately  do  so.* 
 
 *  I  think  there  should  be  a  standing  rule  in  every  chord 
 when  any  member  becomes  insolvent,  inquiry  should  b    made  ■• 
 Vol.  11  "  » 
 
378  DUTIES    OF    PECULIAR    STATIONS 
 
 Every  christian  tradesman  should  be  very  watchful 
 against  those  artifices,  violations  of  truth,  and  unfair 
 advantages,  which  many  resort  to  in  the  disposal  of 
 their  articles.  It  may  indeed  have  become  the  general 
 practice;  but  tricks  of  trade,  if  contrary  to  truth  and 
 honesty,  are  clear  and  flagrant  violations  of  religious 
 duty.  No  prevalence  of  custom  can  make  that  right, 
 which  in  itself  is  wrong.  The  standard  of  a  Christian's 
 morality  is  the  Bible,  and  whatever  is  opposed  to  that, 
 he  must  avoid  and  abhor.  A  tradesman  who  makes 
 a  profession  of  religion,  should  be  most  eminent  for 
 justice,  truth,  honour,  and  generosity  in  all  his  dealings. 
 His  religion  should  be  seen  in  all  his  conduct.  "  I 
 know  nothing  of  that  man's  creed,"  said  a  person  of  a 
 religious  tradesman  with  whom  he  dealt,  "  because  I 
 never  asked  him  what  he  believed ;  but  a  more  honour- 
 able, punctual,  generous  tradesman,  I  never  met  with 
 in  my  life.  I  would  as  soon  take  his  word  for  a  thou- 
 sand pounds,  as  I  would  another  man's  bond  for  a 
 shilling.  Whatever  he  promises  he  performs,  and  to 
 the  time  also."  This  is  adorning  the  doctrine  of  God 
 his  Saviour  in  all  things. 
 
 It  is  very  dishonourable,  for  a  christian  tradesman 
 to  be  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  envy  and  jealousy  towards 
 others,  and  to  employ  ungenerous  means  to  prevent 
 their  success.  No  one  has  an  exclusive  monopoly, 
 except  in  the  case  of  patents.  Others  have  as  much 
 riaht  to  live  where  thev  like  as  we  have.     It  is  their 
 
 his  failure  has  been  attended  with  circumstances  dishonourable  to  his 
 christian  profession.  This  may  be  very  soon  and  very  easily  ascer- 
 tained. That  three  or  four  of  the  principal  creditors  are  satisfied 
 that  his  conduct  has  not  been  dishonourable,  would  be  sufficient  to 
 satisfy  the  church  in  ordinary  cases. 
 
l\     IIIK    CHUBCH.  379 
 
 world  as  well  as  ours :  and  to  employ  our  wealth  in  any 
 ease  to  ruin  them,  by  underselling,  is  a  spirit  perfectly 
 incompatible  with  the  genius  of  religion,  and  the  nature 
 of  christian  fellowship.  Such  an  envious  person  de- 
 serves excommunication,  not  only  from  the  church  of 
 God,  but  from  the  society  of  rational  creatures. 
 
 It  is  perfectly  obvious,  that  a  tradesman  ought  to 
 regulate  his  expenditure  by  his  income.  The  man  that 
 lives  beyond  his  resources,  is  a  robber  and  a  thief.  His 
 extravagance  is  supported  by  the  property  of  others, 
 and  as  it  is  taken  without  their  consent,  it  is  a  felony, 
 for  which  he  is  answerable,  if  not  at  the  bar  of  man,  yet 
 certainly  at  the  tribunal  of  God. 
 
380  THE    NATURE    OF 
 
 CHAPTER   IX. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS    SUBJECTS. 
 THE    TRUE    NATURE    AND    EXTENT    OF    CHURCH    POWER. 
 
 In  conversation  upon  the  subject  of  church  govern- 
 ment, it  is  very  common  to  talk  of  the  power  or 
 authority  of  our  churches  :  but  in  what  does  this  power 
 really  consist,  and  how  far  does  it  extend?  Every 
 society  has  certainly  an  unquestionable  right  to  regulate 
 all  its  own  temporal  and  spiritual  affairs,  to  the  entire 
 exclusion  of  all  human  interference  and  control  what- 
 ever :  but  we  must  be  careful  not  to  carry  the  idea 
 of  independence  so  far,  as  to  trench  upon  the  dominion 
 of  Jesus  Christ.  The  power  of  a  church  is  simply 
 a  right  to  put  their  own  construction  upon  the  laws  of 
 Christ,  and  to  obey  them  in  the  way  which  they  think 
 will  be  most  agreeable  to  him.  This  is  neither  under- 
 stood nor  remembered  with  as  much  distinctness  as  it 
 should  be.  Hence  it  is  a  very  usual  thing  for  churches 
 at  their  stated  or  occasional  meetings,  to  consider  them- 
 selves as  met  to  make  laws,  and  set  in  order  the  affairs 
 of  the  spiritual  kingdom  j  and  a  great  deal  is  said 
 about,  "our  church,"  and  "the  rules  that  we  have 
 established  in  our  church."  Our  church  !  How  came 
 it  ours?  The  church  is  Christ's.  The  rule3  we  have 
 established !     The  sole   right  of   making  laws  is  with 
 
(  iiiiu  ii    row  ik.  ;sl 
 
 him  to  whom  the  church  belongs.  The  church  is  a 
 kingdom,  of  which  Christ  is  sole  monarch,  the  New 
 Testament  is  his  spiritual  code,  and  all  the  power  we 
 have  is  to  execute  the  laws  which  he  has  already  estab- 
 lished. In  the  whole  business  of  church  government 
 we  are  to  acknowledge  the  authority,  and  consider 
 ourselves  as  doing  the  will  of  Christ.  Nothing  is  left  to 
 our  will,  to  our  wisdom,  to  our  caprice ;  but  in  all 
 things  we  are  to  be  guided  by  the  law  of  Jesus,  laid 
 down  in  his  Word.  In  the  choice  of  officers,  in  the 
 admission  of  members,  in  the  exercise  of  discipline,  we 
 are  not  to  act  upon  views  and  principles  of  our  own,  but 
 are  to  be  guided  by  those  we  find  in  the  New  Testament. 
 We  have  no  power  to  legislate,  but  merely  to  interpret 
 the  law  and  obey.  When  we  meet,  Christ  is  in  the 
 midst  of  us,  not  only  by  his  essential  presence,  but  by 
 his  revealed  will ;  and  every  authoritative  voice  is 
 hushed,  but  that  which  speaks  to  us  from  the  sacred 
 canon.  When  a  member  is  proposed,  we  are  not  to  ask, 
 "  Is  he  such  an  one  as  we  think  will  add  respectability 
 to  our  communion,  is  he  of  long  standing  in  the  ways 
 of  God,  is  he  peculiar  in  his  habits  ?"  but,  "  Has  Christ 
 received  him?"  When  a  measure  is  submitted  for  our 
 adoption,  we  have  first  to  inquire  whether  it  is  in  exact 
 accordance  with  the  general  principles  and  spirit  of  the 
 New  Testament.  Eveiy  act  of  church  government 
 must  be  an  explicit  acknowledgment  of  the  authority  of 
 Jesus,  as  King  in  Zion,  and  an  act  of  obedience  to  his 
 laws.  It  is  impossible  for  this  sentiment  to  be  stated 
 too  frequently  or  too  forcibly.  It  lays  the  axe  to  the 
 root  of  all  the  errors  on  church  government  which  have 
 crept  into  the  world.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  observe 
 that  the  power  of  the  church  is  purely  spiritual.     It  has 
 
382  THE    DEMOCRACY 
 
 no  dominion  whatever,  over  the  property,  liberty,  or  life 
 of  its  members.  It  is  simply  an  authority  to  regulate 
 its  own  religious  concerns,  according  to  the  law  of 
 Christ. 
 
 THE     SUPPOSED     DEMOCRACY     OF     CONGREGATIONAL 
 CHURCHES. 
 
 It  has  been  sometimes  asked,  under  what  head  of 
 government  that  of  our  churches  is  to  be  classed  ?  To 
 whicll  I  reply,  the  government  of  the  church  of  Christ 
 is  sui  generis,  and  is  neither  to  be  likened  to,  nor  tried 
 by,  any  of  those  systems  of  authority  by  which  the 
 kingdoms  of  this  world  are  ruled.  It  is  in  one  sense  an 
 absolute  monarchy,  since  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
 only  sovereign,  whose  single,  absolute,  and  irresponsible 
 will  is  law ;  in  another  sense  it  seems,  and  but  seems,  to 
 be  a  democracy,  inasmuch  as  though  the  members  are 
 called  upon  to  decide  all  matters,  yet  this  decision  is 
 rather  the  application  of  laws  already  made  by  Christ, 
 than  making  laws  for  themselves ;  and  even  this  appli- 
 cation takes  place  under  the  direction  of  the  pastors. 
 It  is  not  denied  that  there  may  have  existed  in  certain 
 congregations  a  species  of  spiritual  democracy  which 
 reduces  the  pastors  to  the  same  level  as  their  people; 
 but  this  is  a  departure  from  the  principles  of  the  sys- 
 tem. Real  Congregationalism  is  not  democracy.  It 
 maintains  indeed  that  every  separate  congregation  of 
 believers  has  the  entire  power  of  government  within 
 itself;  but  it  does  not  teach  that  that  power  is  vested  in 
 the  private  members  of  the  church.  It  admits  and 
 affirms,  in  common  with  other  systems,  that  pastors 
 alone  are  the  rulers  of  the  church,  but  it  more  fully 
 explains   the   nature,   and   limits,    and   extent   of  this 
 
OF    CONGREGATIONALISM.  •".s"> 
 
 authority,  than  they.  It  teaches  that  pastors  arc  in  no 
 Bense  legislators,  that  they  rule,  not  by  making  laws, 
 but  by  executing  those  which  the  Saviour  has  insti- 
 tuted. It  teaches  farther,  that  they  are  not  authorised 
 to  execute  even  his  laws  without  the  concurrence  of  the 
 church.  Carson,  in  his  reply  to  Brown,  makes  a  dis- 
 tinction between  ruling  and  judging;  the  pastor  rules, 
 he  states,  by  exhibiting  the  law  of  Christ,  which  bears 
 upon  each  separate  case  that  comes  under  the  cognizance 
 of  the  church;  the  people  judge  of  the  application 
 of  the  law.  It  may  be  admitted  that  this  distinction 
 is  substantially  correct,  but  the  facts  of  the  case  may, 
 it  is  apprehended,  be  better  stated.  The  pastor  rules, 
 by  explaining  the  meaning  of  the  laws  of  Christ,  and 
 showing  their  bearing  on  the  specific  case  before  the 
 church,  and  the  flock  are  bound  to  the  execution  of  the 
 law  thus  expounded,  unless  they  can  show  scriptural 
 ground  for  another  mode  of  proceeding  than  the  one 
 recommended  by  the  pastor,  the  onus  probandi  being 
 thrown  upon  them.  They  must,  indeed,  judge  whether 
 he  has  given  a  right  exposition  of  the  law,  as  well  as  of 
 its  proposed  application  ;  still,  they  are  not  called  speci- 
 fically and  officially  to  sit  in  judgment,  but  to  give  their 
 consent  to  the  execution  of  a  law  of  Christ.  And  the  infi- 
 nite wisdom  of  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  has  provided 
 a  sufficient  guard  against  democrative  insubordination 
 on  the  one  hand,  and  priestly  domination  on  the  other.* 
 Hence  it  is  manifest  that  though  the  people  have  a 
 voice  in  all  church  matters,  still  the  government  of  our 
 churches  is  not  a  pure  democracy ;  which  means  that 
 the  people  make  the  laws,  and  direct  the  execution 
 of  them,  without  any  official  superior  or  authority  to 
 *  Dr.  Payne's  Church  of  Christ  Considered,  pp.  80,  81. 
 
384  ON    THE    A^ALIDITY    OF 
 
 rule  over  them.  But  I  again  repeat,  the  government 
 of  a  christian  church  is  perfectly  unique,  it  is  a  Christ- 
 ocracy,  in  which  He  is  the  supreme  and  only  legislator ; 
 the  New  Testament  is  his  code  of  laws;  the  pastor  is 
 his  minister  to  explain  and  enforce  by  authoritative  per- 
 suasion their  laws  upon  the  people ;  while  they  are  to 
 carry  the  law  so  explained  and  enforced,  into  effect,  un- 
 less they  can  bring  forward  scriptural  proof  that  it  is 
 not  a  law  of  Christ. 
 
 ON    THE    VALIDITY    OF    THE    DISSENTING    MINISTRY. 
 
 It  is  a  part  and  parcel  of  the  constitution  of  the 
 Church  of  England,  which  has  been  of  late  put  forth 
 with  greater  prominence  and  zeal  than  ever,  by  the 
 authors  of  what  are  called  the  "  Oxford  Tracts,"  that  no 
 man  is  authorised  to  preach  the  Gospel,  or  administer 
 the  sacraments,  who  has  not  been  ordained  by  a  Diocesan 
 Bishop,  that  can  trace  up,  in  an  unbroken  line  of 
 succession,  his  descent  from  the  apostles.  The  arrogance 
 and  insolence  with  which  this  pretension  has  been 
 insisted  upon,  by  the  authors  of  these  semi-popish  pub- 
 lications, is  disgusting,  not  only  to  those  who  are  the 
 immediate  objects  of  their  attack,  but  to  very  many 
 members  of  their  own  church,  who,  though  they  agree 
 with  them  in  the  opinion  itself,  are  more  courteous  and 
 charitable  in  their  manner  of  stating  it.  The  sentiment 
 is  really  so  fearful  in  its  consequences,  excluding,  as  it 
 does  at  one  fell  swoop,  from  the  pale  of  the  covenanted 
 church,  not  only  the  great  body  of  evangelical  Dissenters, 
 and  Methodists,  but  the  whole  Church  of   Scotland,* 
 
 *  Observe  here  the  anomaly  of  the  Parliament,  (including  the 
 Bishops)  from  time  to  time  recognising  a  Church  governed  by  Pres- 
 byters, who,  not  having  received  Episcopal  ordination,  are  by  the 
 
Tin:    DISSENTING    MINISTER.  .')S.". 
 
 nearly  all  the  reformed  churches  on  the  continent,  and 
 all  the  churches  of  America,  except  the  Episcopalians. 
 "What  an  excision  !  Mark  the  necessary  result  of  this 
 dogma  of  apostolical  succession.  No  true  churches,  no 
 true  ministers  of  Christ,  where  this  dogma  is  not  held ; 
 the  former  illegal  associations,  treasonable  conspira- 
 cies against  the  authority  of  Christ;  and  the  latter, 
 no  servants  of  Christ,  but  impious  obtruders  into  the 
 sacred  office,  thieves  and  robbers,  that  have  not  entered 
 the  fold  by  the  door,  but  have  climbed  over  the  wall ! 
 The  very  idea  is  so  truly  alarming,  that  it  makes  one 
 shudder  to  reflect  upon  it.  I  admit  that  if  it  be  true,  we 
 must  take  it  with  all  its  consequences.  But  how  care- 
 fully should  the  evidence  of  such  a  doctrine  be  examined  ; 
 how  full  and  convincing  ought  to  be  the  proof,  which 
 should  lead  us  to  adopt  it.  Instead  of  fulness  of  proof, 
 however,  there  never  was  a  claim  so  arrogantly  put 
 forth,  which  had  so  little  of  even  apparent  evidence  to 
 sustain  it.  This  is  the  position,  "no  man  is  a  valid 
 minister  of  Christ,  who  has  not  been  ordained  by  a 
 Diocesan  Bishop  that  can  trace  up  his  ecclesiastical 
 office  through  an  unbroken  line  of  similar  bishops,  to 
 the  apostles."  It  must  also  be  recollected,  that  the 
 Church  of  England  traces  its  descent  through  the 
 lloraish  Church,  to  the  Apostle  Peter,  as  Bishop  of 
 Rome.  Now  for  the  proof  of  the  entire  error  of  this 
 doctrine. 
 
 I.  It  rests  upon  a  series  of  assumptions,  every  one 
 of  which  is  false ;  it  assumes  that  Peter  was  Bishop  of 
 Rome ;  that  the  Apostles  had  successors,  which  from  the 
 
 canon  law  of  England,  declared  no  true  ministers,  but  unlawful 
 ministers;  and  nut  merely  tolerating  it,  but  in  the  colonies  pro- 
 viding for  it  equally  with  the  Church  of  England 
 
38G  ON    THE    VALIDITY    OF 
 
 peculiarity  of  their  office,  they  neither  had,  nor  could 
 have;  that  they  ordained  Bishops  to  be  their  successors, 
 of  which  there  is  no  evidence;  that  Bishops  are  a 
 superior  order  to  Presbyters,  which  is  disproved  by 
 Scripture,  and  denied  by  the  Reformers  and  founders 
 of  the  English  Church. 
 
 II.  It  is  not  only  unsupported  by  a  single  passage  of 
 the  New  Testament,  but  is  in  direct  and  manifest  con- 
 tradiction to  its  general  directions,  which  make  moral 
 and  spiritual  qualifications  the  pre-requisities  for  the 
 christian  ministry,  and  not  ecclesiastical  ancestry.  See 
 Matt,  vii,  15,  23;  2  Cor.  vi,  3,  10,  xi,  12,  15;  Gal.  i, 
 8,  9 ;    1  Tim.  iii ;    Titus  i. 
 
 III.  It  is  disproved  by  the  Homilies  of  the  Church 
 of  England,  which  declare  the  Church  of  Rome  to  be 
 no  true  church,  but  "  an  old,  foul,  filthy  harlot."  If  it 
 be  not  a  true  church,  it  is  no  church  at  all,  and  its 
 Popes  and  Bishops  are  not  true  ministers  of  Christ ;  and 
 how  then  can  it  convey  valid  orders  ? 
 
 IV.  As  a  fact,  and  a  question  of  history,  the  succes- 
 sion cannot  be  sustained ;  ecclesiastical  historians  greatly 
 differ,  as  to  the  succession ;  there  have  been  false  Popes, 
 and  how  then  can  the  line  be  traced,  or  the  succession 
 be  supposed  to  be  pure  ?  What  a  filthy  channel  is  the 
 Popedom  for  holy  orders  to  flow  through. 
 
 V.  If  the  succession  could  be  traced  by  an  unbroken 
 line,  what  is  it  worth  as  to  its  moral  influence  ?  Does 
 the  possession  of  it  add  to  the  efficiency  of  the  ministry 
 of  those  who  possess  it,  or  the  want  of  it  diminish  the 
 usefulness  of  those  who  have  no  claim  to  it  ?  Have  not 
 nine-tenths  of  all  who  have  been  converted  to  God, 
 lived  holy  lives,  and  died  happy  deaths,  been  converted 
 without  it?     Are  not  laborious  and  faithful  Dissenting 
 
THE    DI8SKNTING    MINISTKV.  387 
 
 "Ministers  as  useful  as  those  of  the  Church  of  England? 
 It  is,  therefore,  unsupported  by  a  single  valid  argu- 
 ment. I  do  not  say  they  are  no  ministers  of  Christ 
 who  contend  for  it,  and  who  as  they  suppose  have  it ;  but 
 I  contend  it  is  not  this  that  makes  them  ministers,  but 
 their  call  to  the  work  by  Christ  and  their  intellectual 
 and  spiritual  qualifications.  And  those  whom  Christ  has 
 called  and  qualified,  in  other  denominations,  and  many 
 such  he  has  so  called  and  qualified,  are  as  truly  ministers 
 of  the  gospel  as  they.  To  declare  that  he  is  a  true 
 minister  of  Christ,  who  has  been  episcopally  ordained, 
 though  he  is  false  in  doctrine,  unholy  in  life,  and  in- 
 competent in  talent ;  and  that  he  is  not  one,  who  is  pious, 
 orthodox,  able,  zealous,  and  successful  in  bringing  souls 
 to  Christ,  is  so  utterly  preposterous,  that  it  is  surprising, 
 sensible  men,  and  especially  good  men,  can  be  found  to 
 adopt  the  absurdity.  The  Dissenting  ministry  have  no 
 need  to  fear  that  their  flocks  will  be  misled  by  such  a 
 pretension  as  is  set  up  by  the  supporters  of  the  apostoli- 
 cal succession. 
 
 THE    MODE    OF    CONDUCTING    CHURCH    MEETINGS. 
 
 Every  well  regulated  church  will  have  its  solemn  and 
 stated  meetings  for  conducting  the  business  necessarily 
 connected  with  its  existence  and  progress.  Many  min- 
 isters have  imbibed  a  prejudice  against  these  meetings, 
 and  like  Charles  the  First,  who  not  finding  his  parlia- 
 ment as  suppliant  as  he  could  wish,  determined  to  govern 
 without  parliaments  altogether,  they  have  resolved  to 
 rule  without  calling  the  church  together,  except  at  least 
 on  extraordinary  emergencies.  I  admit  that  church 
 meetings  have  been  abused;  but  this  has  been  more 
 frequently   the   fault   of  the   pastor   than   the   people. 
 
388  .     THE    MODE    OF    CONDUCTING 
 
 They  have  sometimes  exhibited  scenes  of  confusion 
 little  recommendatory  of  our  form  of  church  govern- 
 ment :  this,  however,  is  not  the  error  of  the  system,  but 
 the  improper  way  in  which  it  is  administered.  When 
 ignorance  or  imprudence  is  elevated  to  the  chair,  order 
 and  decorum  cannot  be  looked  for  in  the  assembly.  It 
 would  conduce  to  the  order  of  church  meetings  if  it 
 were  much  inculcated  by  the  pastor,  and  generally  un- 
 derstood by  the  people,  that  they  were  meetings  for 
 devotion,  and  not  for  debate.  They  should  ever  be 
 attended  with  the  usual  services  of  a  prayer  meeting, 
 that  is  with  singing,  supplication,  and  ministerial  ex- 
 hortation. If  business  is  to  be  done,  it  should  be  thus 
 introduced  and  transacted  in  the  spirit,  and  amidst  the 
 services,  of  devotion.  The  times  of  assembling  should 
 be  periodical;  for  when  they  are  only  occasional,  they 
 lose  the  character  of  devotional  seasons,  assume  the 
 form  of  business  meetings,  to  which  the  members  come 
 prepared  for  discussion  and  debate.  All  the  proceedings 
 at  a  church  meeting  should  either  emanate  directly  from 
 the  pastor,  or  from  others,  with  his  previous  know- 
 ledge and  consent.  The  president  of  every  society,  and 
 of  every  meeting,  ought  to  be  acquainted  with  all  the 
 business  which  is  to  be  transacted  by  the  assembly.  He 
 announces  and  explains  the  object  of  their  being  con- 
 vened, and  regulates  the  discussions  which  ensue.  Every 
 case,  therefore,  that  is  to  be  laid  before  the  church, 
 should  be  stated  by  the  pastor;  who,  like  the  judge 
 upon  the  bench,  is  to  show  what  the  law  says  touching 
 the  business  in  hand.  If  this  be  neglected,  and  mem- 
 bers are  allowed  to  introduce  any  business  which  they 
 please,  our  church  meetings  would  very  soon  resemble 
 the  scene  which  was  exhibited  at  the  tower  of  Babel. 
 
CHUBCH    MEETINGS.  •">^,.> 
 
 Au  attention  to  this  single,  simple  circumstance,  will 
 very  much  tend  to  ensure  the  order  and  harmony  of  our 
 meetings. 
 
 As  little  discussion  as  is  really  possible  should  take 
 place  at  our  church  meetings.  The  admonition  of  the 
 apostle  is  always  in  season,  but  never  more  so  than  in 
 reference  to  the  times  of  the  assembling  of  the  saints : 
 "  Let  every  man  be  slow  to  speak."  Nothing  but  the 
 most  obvious  necessity  should  induce  any  individual 
 to  utter  a  syllabic ;  and  when  any  one  does  deliver  his 
 opinion,  it  should  not  be  in  a  prating,  dogmatical  man- 
 ner, but  in  a  few  words  modestly  spoken.  Not  only  the 
 pastor,  but  the  people  themselves,  should  discourage 
 those  forward  obtrusive  spirits,  to  whom  no  music  or 
 melody  is  so  pleasant  as  the  sound  of  their  own  voice. 
 Talking  assemblies  soon  become  disorderly  ones.  A 
 wise  and  prudent  minister  will  set  his  face  against 
 them ;  and  a  wise  and  prudent  church  will  support  him 
 in  this  conduct. 
 
 It  is  of  course  no  less  the  interest  than  the  duty 
 of  the  society  to  support  at  all  its  meetings  the  just 
 and  scriptural  authority  of  the  pastor.  He  should  never 
 be  addressed  but  in  the  most  courteous  and  respectful 
 manner,  and  every  expression  of  rudeness,  or  insult, 
 should  be  marked  with  the  disapprobation  of  the  mem- 
 bers present. 
 
 THE    ADMISSION    OF    MEMBERS    TO    THE    CHURCH. 
 
 AVhcn  an  individual  is  known  to  be  desirous  of  fellow- 
 ship, information  of  it  should  be  conveyed  without 
 delay  to  the  pastor,  who  upon  conversing  with  the 
 person  and  making  suitable  inquiries  about  his  cha- 
 racter and  conduct,  must  be  considered  at  liberty,  either 
 
390  THE    ADMISSION    OF 
 
 to  mention  him  as  a  candidate  for  fellowship  or  not, 
 according  as  his  views  shall  dictate.  No  member  should 
 presume  to  bring  forward  a  candidate  in  opposition  to 
 the  opinion  of  the  pastor.  It  is  of  course  to  be  expected 
 that  he  will  never  reject  an  individual,  but  upon  grounds 
 which  appear  to  him  to  be  quite  sufficient,  and  then  he 
 should  without  hesitation  or  reserve,  communicate  to 
 the  person  himself. 
 
 On  the  part  of  the  church  there  is  sometimes  a  very 
 unscriptural  reluctance  to  receive  persons  into  member- 
 ship, till  after  they  have  had  a  long  trial  of  their  chris- 
 tian stedfastness  and  integrity.  It  is  very  common  for 
 some  members  to  exclaim  in  surprise,  when  the  name 
 of  a  candidate  is  mentioned  to  them  in  secret,  "  What, 
 is  he  going  to  be  proposed  to  the  church  ?  why  he  has 
 not  been  converted  three  months."  I  wish  these  over 
 cautious  Christians  to  tell  me,  what  length  of  time 
 ought  to  elapse  after  conversion  before  the  individual 
 is  introduced  to  communion  ?  Has  Jesus  Christ  stated 
 any  term  of  probation  which  we  must  pass  through 
 before  we  are  received  into  the  church  ?  Certainly  not. 
 What  right  then  have  we  to  fix  upon  any  ?  Is  it  not 
 establishing  terms  of  communion  which  he  has  not 
 established?  Is  it  not  a  direct  invasion  of  his  autho- 
 rity? If  we  consult  the  precedents  furnished  by  the 
 practice  of  the  apostles,  they  most  decisively  condemn 
 the  overstrained  caution  of  those  who  would  put  a 
 Christian  upon  trial  for  a  year  or  two  before  he  is 
 admitted  to  communion.  The  very  day  in  which  a  man 
 professed  himself  a  Christian,  he  was  added  to  the 
 church :  in  fact,  his  joining  himself  to  the  church,  was 
 his  profession.  I  would  have  every  step  taken  to  in- 
 quire into  the  knowledge,  faith,  and  conduct  of  an  indi- 
 
MEMBERS    TO    ill  I :    CHURCH.  391 
 
 vidua!  who  proposes  himself  for  fellowship;  and  if  they 
 are  satisfactory,  I  would  admit  him,  although  he  had 
 been  converted  but  a  single  month;  and  I  call  upon  any 
 person  who  would  refuse  to  join  in  such  admission,  to 
 show  on  what  grounds  he  acts.  Let  him  not  talk  about 
 the  necessity  of  caution,  and  the  possibility  of  being 
 deceived :  this  is  very  true,  but  it  must  not  be  allowed 
 to  interfere  with  the  rules  which  Christ  has  laid  down 
 for  the  government  of  his  church.  Our  views  of  policy 
 cannot  improve  his  institutions,  and  ought  not  to  oppose 
 the  practice  of  his  apostles.  The  rule  of  our  proceeding 
 is  simply  this,  "  We  must  receive  those  whom  we  think 
 the  Lord  hath  received."  Abandon  this  rule,  and  we 
 have  no  directory  for  our  conduct.  One  person  may 
 think  a  year's  trial  enough,  but  another  may  think  two 
 years  necessary.  It  is  truly  painful  to  see  how  many 
 excellent  and  exemplary  Christians  are  kept  by  some 
 churches,  month  after  month,  at  a  distance  from  the 
 fellowship  of  the  faithful,  under  the  pretence  of  trying 
 their  stedfastness.  "  We  must  not  take  the  children's 
 bread,"  say  these  ultra-cautious  disciples,  "  and  cast 
 it  to  the  dogs."  Nor  have  you  a  right  to  starve  the 
 children  any  more  than  you  have  to  pamper  dogs. 
 Our  rule  should  be  this,  "  Evidence  of  personal  religion, 
 whether  that  evidence  be  the  result  of  a  month  or  a  year." 
 The  Lord's  Supper  is  intended  no  less  for  babes  than  for 
 fathers  in  Christ ;  and  who  will  contend  that  the  right 
 way  to  treat  a  new  born  infant  is  to  neglect  him,  and 
 leave  him  to  himself,  to  sec  whether  he  will  live  ?  To 
 nurse  and  feed  him  arc  the  ordained  means  to  preserve 
 his  life.  It  is  precisely  the  same  in  spirituals  as  in 
 temporals.  And  if  it  be  proper  to  say  of  a  child  dying 
 in  consequence  of  neglect,  that  he  would  have  lived  if 
 
392  THE    ADMISSION    OF 
 
 proper  care  had  been  taken  of  him,  it  is  not  less  cor- 
 rect to  say  of  some  persons  who  once  appeared  hopeful, 
 but  afterwards  returned  to  the  world,  they  would  have 
 proved  honourable  Christians  had  they  not  been  neg- 
 lected by  the  church.  The  same  unscriptural  caution 
 is  sometimes  displayed  towards  those  converts  who  are 
 young  in  years.  It  is  surprising  to  see  what  a  panic 
 some  members  are  thrown  into,  when  a  young  person 
 is  proposed  as  a  candidate  for  fellowship ;  and  if  they 
 happen  to  discover  that  the  youth  is  only  fifteen  or 
 sixteen  years  of  age,  they  seem  to  feel  as  if  the  church 
 was  either  going  to  be  profaned  or  destroyed.  Is  there 
 then  a  canonical  age  of  membership  ?  Is  the  same  rule 
 established  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  which  is  observed 
 in  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  every  one  considered 
 as  unfit  for  the  privileges  of  citizenship  until  they  arrive 
 at  the  age  of  one  and  twenty  ?  If  not,  what  right  have 
 we  to  speak  or  think  about  the  age  of  a  candidate? 
 Piety  is  all  we  have  to  inquire  into;  and  whether  the 
 individual  be  fourteen,  or  fourscore,  we  are  to  receive 
 him,  provided  we  have  reason  to  suppose  "that  Christ 
 has  received  him." 
 
 The  mode  of  admission  is  various  in  different  churches. 
 On  this  subject,  we  have  no  other  scriptural  guide  than 
 mere  general  principles.  The  church  is  to  receive  the 
 member,  and  any  mode  which  they  may  adopt  to  ascer- 
 tain the  sincerity  of  his  piety  is  lawful,  provided  that 
 it  is  not  so  rigid  as  to  deter  persons  from  applying  for 
 admission.  In  every  case,  the  church  ought  to  have 
 means  of  ascertaining  the  piety  of  the  individual ;  with- 
 out this  there  can  be  no  real  communion.  In  some 
 churches  the  pastor  only  examines  the  candidate  :  but 
 this  is  too  great  a  power  to  delegate  to  any  man,  and 
 
MEMBERS   TO    THE    CHURCH.  393 
 
 too  great  a  responsibility  for  an)'  man  willingly  to  incur. 
 In  other  churches,  the  individuals  arc  examined  before 
 the  body  of  the  brethren  j  but  this  appears  to  be  highly 
 objcctional ;   for  many  timid  or  modest  persons  would 
 either  be  deterred  from  applying  at  all,  or  be  so  terrified 
 as  to  be  unable  to  say  any  thing  satisfactorily.    I  cannot 
 but  express  my  surprise  that  this  mode  should  have 
 gained  the  footing  which  it  appears  to  have  done   in 
 some  very  considerable  and  respectable  churches.     It 
 surely  cannot   be  pleaded   for  as  the  most   scriptural 
 method,  since  the  scripture  is  silent   on  the  subject. 
 Nor  can  it  be  thought  the  most  satisfactory  one.    What 
 timid,  modest,  retiring  female  could  enter  at  length  into 
 the  details  of  her  religious  experience,  her  views  of 
 christian  doctrine,  and  the  grounds  of  her  eternal  hope, 
 before  an  assembly  of  perhaps  three  or  four  hundred 
 persons.     To  say  that  she  ought  not  to  be  subject  to 
 these  feelings  on  such  occasions  is  to  say  that  female 
 modesty  is  a  sin.     What  can  be  expected  from  a  person 
 so  situated,  but  the  simple  monosyllables  of  Yes  or  No, 
 in  answer  to  interrogatories  put  to  them  ?     And  is  that 
 satisfactory  ?    And  does  it  not  surround  the  table  of  the 
 Lord  with  terrors  that  drive  away  some,  while,  on  the 
 other  hand,  it  is  an  inducement  to  the  bold  and  obtru- 
 sive to  indulge  the  love  of  display  and  the  propensity  to 
 talk.     A  less  objectionable  plan  is,  for  the  pastor  and 
 two  of  the  brethren  to  converse  with  the  candidate  in 
 private,  and  then  state  their  opinion  to  the  assembled 
 church.     In  addition  to  this,  some  churches  require  a 
 written  statement  of  the  religious  views  and  feclin  a 
 of  the  candidate.      To  make  this  a  sine  qua  non  of 
 admission,    is    unscriptural    and    absurd,    since    mam 
 cannot   write  at  all,   and  others   arc  so  unaccustomed 
 Vor..  11  c  c 
 
394  CHURCH    DISCIPLINE. 
 
 to  commit  their  thoughts  to  writing,  that  their  letters 
 are  too  incoherent  to  be  read  in  public.  It  is  admitted 
 that  there  are  some  advantages  connected  with  the  plan. 
 It  is  deeply  interesting  to  hear  a  simple,  artless  account 
 of  a  sinner's  conversion,  from  his  own  pen;  and  his 
 particularising  the  very  sermons  which  were  the  means 
 of  his  conversion,  helps  in  no  small  degree  to  raise 
 the  pastor  in  the  estimation  of  the  church,  by  these 
 proofs  of  his  usefulness  and  success,  and  to  endear 
 him  to  their  hearts ;  while  the  record,  by  being  pre- 
 served, may  at  some  future  period  be  brought  forward 
 with  peculiar  advantage  and  force,  to  reclaim  its  author 
 from  a  state  of  backsliding.  In  the  church  under  my 
 care  we  never  make  it  indispensable  in  the  admission 
 of  a  member  to  have  a  written  account;  but  such  has 
 been  the  deep  interest  excited  by  some  admirable  letters 
 which  we  have  received,  that  I  should  be  extremely 
 reluctant  to  abandon  the  practice. 
 
 CHURCH    DISCIPLINE. 
 
 By  discipline  is  meant  the  right  treatment  of  offend- 
 ing members.  The  church  which  neglects  this  duty, 
 resembles  a  state  in  which  the  administration  of  justice 
 is  omitted,  and  crime  permitted  to  be  practised  with 
 impunity.  That  part  of  the  design  of  church  union, 
 which  consists  in  mutual  watchfulness,  is  lost ;  back- 
 sliders are  encouraged  to  go  farther  astray,  hypocrites 
 are  patronised  in  their  self-delusion,  the  ruin  of  men's 
 souls  abetted,  the  society  is  corrupted,  and  the  honour 
 of  religion  is  compromised.  It  is  this  sin  which  the 
 apostle  describes  in  those  awful  words,  "  If  any  man 
 defile  the  temple  of  God,  him  shall  God  destroy."     The 
 
(  III  BCH     DISCIPLINE. 
 
 church  is  that  temple,  and  to  defile  it  is  to  introduce 
 improper  members  to  its  communion,  or  to  tolerate 
 them  in  the  practice  of  sin.  The  passage  of  scripture 
 which  is  connected  with  the  one  I  have  just  quoted, 
 appears  to  me  to  be  very  generally  misunderstood,  and 
 in  its  true  meaning  to  be  deserving  of  especial  con- 
 sideration, in  reference  to  the  subject  of  church  disci- 
 pline. "  Now,  if  any  man  build  upon  this  foundation, 
 gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  wood,  hay,  stubble;  every 
 man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest.  For  the  day  shall 
 declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by  fire;  and  the 
 fire  shall  try  every  man's  work  of  what  sort  it  is.  If 
 any  man's  work  abide  which  he  hath  built  thereupon, 
 he  shall  receive  a  reward.  If  any  man's  work  shall  be 
 burnt,  he  shall  suffer  loss,  but  he  himself  shall  be  saved, 
 yet  so  as  by  fire."  It  has  been  usual  to  interpret  this 
 passage  in  reference  to  doctrines,  but  the  true  view  of  it 
 refers  us  to  persons.  The  materials  laid  by  different 
 preachers  are  not  the  sentiments  which  they  preach, 
 but  the  members  which  they  add  to  the  church.  The 
 leaders  of  the  different  sects  in  the  Corinthian  church 
 were  under  the  temptation  of  introducing  improper 
 persons  to  the  communion,  with  the  view  of  increasing 
 their  party.  Now,  says  the  apostle,  this  is  building  up 
 the  temple  of  Christ  with  unsuitable  materials,  and 
 therefore  debasing  it  with  the  admixture  of  hay  and 
 stubble.  The  fire  of  persecution,  however,  would  try 
 every  man's  work ;  for  the  times  of  suffering  would  be 
 sure  to  drive  off  those  false  professors,  in  whom  the 
 word  had  no  root,  and  then  this  bad  workmanship 
 would  be  utterly  destroyed.  Let  ministers  and  churches, 
 therefore,  beware  of  that  want  of  discipline,  by  which 
 
396  CHURCH    DISCIPLINE. 
 
 bad  materials  are  either  added  to,  or  kept  in  the  walls 
 of  the  spiritual  house,  since  this  is  the  crime  of  debasing 
 the  temple  of  God. 
 
 To  suffer  offences  to  be  committed  from  time  to 
 time,  without  being  noticed  and  removed,  must  be  as 
 displeasing  in  the  sight  of  God,  as  it  would  have  been, 
 for  the  Jews  to  have  permitted  filthy  substances  to 
 remain  in  the  temple  of  Solomon,  or  to  have  swept  the 
 impurities  of  the  sacrifices  into  the  holy  of  holies.  A 
 single  unpunished  transgressor  troubled  the  whole  camp 
 of  Israel,  and  brought  calamity  upon  the  nation ;  nor 
 could  the  favour  of  God  rest  upon  the  people  till  Achan 
 was  discovered  and  destroyed.  Nothing  can  be  con- 
 ceived of  more  likely  to  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  to 
 induce  Him  to  withdraw  His  gracious  influence  from  a 
 church,  than  the  neglect  of  scriptural  discipline :  and 
 it  is  worth  while  to  examine,  whether  this  is  not  one 
 of  the  causes  of  the  declining  state  of  many  christian 
 societies. 
 
 The  advantages  of  discipline  are  obvious  and  nume- 
 rous. It  reclaims  backsliders,  detects  hypocrites,  cir- 
 culates a  secret  and  salutary  awe  through  the  church, 
 and  supplies  an  additional  incentive  to  watchfulness  and 
 prayer,  by  exhibiting  at  once  the  most  affecting  proofs 
 of  human  frailty,  and  the  painful  consequences  resulting 
 from  its  exposure ;  while,  in  addition,  it  is  a  public 
 testimony  borne  by  the  church  against  all  unrighte- 
 ousness. Here  several  things  deserve  particular  con- 
 sideration. 
 
 I.  What  offences  should  become  the  subject  of 
 discipline. 
 
 1.  Of  course  all  scandalous  vices  and  immoralities. 
 "  Not  to  keep  company,  if  any  man  that  is  called  a 
 
.  IK  KC1I    DISCIPLINE.  395 
 
 brother,  be  a  fornicator  or  covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or 
 a  railer,  or  a  drunkard,  or  an  extortioner ;  with  such  an 
 one,  no  not  to  eat :  put  away  from  yourselves  that 
 wicked  person." 
 
 2.  The  denial  of  essential  articles  of  the  christian 
 faith,  and  persisting  in  the  error.  "  But  though  we,  or 
 an  angel  from  heaven,  preach  any  other  gospel  to  you, 
 than  that  we  have  preached,  let  him  be  accursed." 
 "  Of  whom  is  Hymeneus  and  Philetus,  who  concerning 
 the  truth  have  erred,  saying  the  resurrection  is  past 
 already,  and  overthrow  the  faith  of  some  :  whom  I 
 deliver  to  Satan."  "  If  any  man  teach  otherwise,  and 
 consent  not  to  the  words  of  Christ  and  sound  doctrine, 
 according  to  godliness,  from  such  withdraw  thyself." 
 "  If  there  come  any  unto  you  and  bring  not  this  doc- 
 trine, receive  him  not  into  your  house,  neither  bid  him 
 God  speed ;  for  he  that  biddeth  him  God  speed  is  a 
 partaker  of  his  deeds."  Nothing  can  be  more  plain, 
 than  that  these  passages  require  us  to  separate  from  our 
 communion  those  who  deny  what  we  consider  to  be  the 
 essential  articles  of  our  faith.  Every  church  has  an 
 indubitable  right  of  determining  for  themselves  what 
 they  consider  to  be  fundamental  truths;  they  should, 
 however,  be  extremely  cautious  not  to  set  up  other 
 terms  of  communion  than  those  which  are  established 
 in  the  Word  of  God.  It  is  difficult  to  say  where  for- 
 bearance should  terminate,  and  discipline  begin ;  but 
 there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  path  of  duty,  when  a 
 member  denies  the  divinity,  atonement,  and  special 
 influence  of  our  blessed  Lord.  With  such  a  person  it 
 is  impossible  to  have  any  spiritual  communion,  and  we 
 ought  not  to  hold  any  visible  union  with  him.  Reason 
 as  well  as  revelation  forbids  it. 
 
398  CHURCH    DISCIPLINE. 
 
 3.  Disturbing  the  peace  of  the  church  in  any  way,  is 
 an  offence  that  imperatively  demands  the  exercise  of 
 discipline.  "A  man  that  is  a  heretic,*  after  the  first 
 and  second  admonition  reject."  "  I  would  they  were  cut 
 off  that  trouble  you."  "  Mark  them  which  cause  divi- 
 sions, and  avoid  them."  "  We  command  you  brethren, 
 in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  withdraw 
 yourselves  from  every  brother  that  walketh  disorderly." 
 We  are  here  taught,  that  if  any  man  disturb  the  peace, 
 or  break  the  unity  of  the  church,  no  matter  in  what 
 way,  whether  by  insinuating  that  the  pastor  does  not 
 preach  the  gospel,  or  by  forming  a  party  against  him, 
 or  by  raising  up  a  division  to  oppose  the  proceedings 
 of  the  society,  in  a  factions  and  contentious  manner,  he 
 must  be  dealt  with  without  delay  as  an  offender.  He 
 may  be  a  moral,  and  in  appearance  a  holy,  man,  but  this 
 is  not  to  screen  him  from  discipline;  on  the  contrary, 
 those  very  qualities  enable  him,  if  suffered  to  continue, 
 to  do  the  greater  mischief.  A  factious  temper,  when 
 united  with  reputed  sanctity,  is  the  most  dangerous 
 character  that  can  exist  in  a  christian  society.  An 
 immoral  man  can  do  little  harm ;  his  vices  have  a 
 repellent  power  to  drive  away  from  him  all  who  have 
 a  regard  for  their  own  reputation ;  but  a  man  who, 
 under  the  guise  of  piety,  becomes  a  troubler  of  Israel, 
 will  be  a  troubler  indeed.  He  should  be  instantly  called 
 to  account  for  his  conduct,  and  if  not  reclaimed  by  mild 
 and  affectionate  admonition,  separated  from  communion. 
 
 *  The  word  here  translated  heretic,  signifies  rather  the  author 
 and  leader  of  a  party,  whatever  his  opinions  may  be,  than  one  who 
 holds  erroneous  sentiments ;  a  factious  person,  who  raises  a  sect  in 
 the  society,  whether  the  ground  of  their  association  be  a  matter 
 of  feeling  or  opinion. 
 
I  III  iU  II    DISCIPLINE. 
 
 As  long  as  the  church  contains  such  an  individual,  it  is 
 cherishing  a  viper  in  its  bosom. 
 
 I.  Suffering  near  relatives  to  want  the  necessaru > 
 of  life,  when  able  to  relieve  them.  "  If  any  man  pro- 
 vide not  for  his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith, 
 and  is  worse  than  an  infidel." 
 
 5.  Living  in  a  state  of  irrcconcilcable  enmity  with 
 any  of  the  brethren,  and  refusing  to  make  suitable  con- 
 cessions for  an  injury  inflicted.  "If  he  will  not  hear 
 the  church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  an  heathen  man 
 and  a  publican." 
 
 II.  The  manner  of  proceeding  in  cases  of  discipline. 
 
 There  are  many  things  of  which  no  other  notice 
 should  be  taken,  than  the  private  admonition  of  one 
 member  to  another.  "When  the  offence  is  comparatively 
 trivial,  and  known  only  to  an  individual  or  two,  nothing 
 more  is  necessary  than  for  those  individuals,  without 
 saying  a  syllable  about  the  matter  to  any  one  else,  to 
 go  in  a  spirit  of  great  meekness  and  affection  to  the 
 offender,  and  to  admonish  him.  If  the  desired  effect  is 
 not  produced,  they  should  then  acquaint  the  pastor  with 
 the  fact,  who  will  join  his  admonition  to  theirs,  and  this 
 will  in  most  cases  be  sufficient  to  produce  a  spirit  of 
 contrition.  It  is  very  undesirable  to  bring  any  thing 
 more  into  our  church  meetings  than  is  absolutely 
 necessary :  they  will  otherwise  become  the  scenes  of 
 endless  contention.  It  must  be  entrusted  to  the  pastor's 
 discretion,  to  decide  what  matters  shall  be  brought  under 
 the  review  of  the  society.  If  the  sin  be  attended  with 
 much  aggravation,  and  be  generally  known,  it  is  his 
 duty  to  mention  it  to  the  church.  Should  the  offender 
 confess  the  fact,  and  manifest  satisfactory  proofs  of 
 contrition,  a  simple  and  affectionate  admonition  to  him, 
 
400  CHURCH    DISCIPLINE. 
 
 to  go  and  sin  no  more,  is  sufficient.  The  church  should 
 be  satisfied,  and  restore  him  forthwith  to  their  con- 
 fidence. But  if  he  be  obstinate,  if  he  either  deny  the 
 charge,  or  palliate  his  sin,  it  will  be  proper  to  appoint 
 two  or  three  discreet  persons  to  enquire  into  the  fact, 
 and  to  endeavour  to  bring  him  to  repentance.  At  the 
 time  the  deputation  is  appointed,  a  resolution  ought 
 to  be  passed,  suspending  him  from  the  privileges  of 
 communion.  Time  after  time  he  should  be  visited  by 
 the  pastor,  and  admonished;  and  if  after  one,  or  two, 
 or  three  months,  he  should  confess  his  offence,  and 
 discover  satisfactory  contrition,  he  should  without  delay 
 be  restored  to  the  confidence  and  communion  of  the 
 church.  But  after  waiting  a  reasonable  time,  and  wait- 
 ing in  vain,  for  any  marks  of  repentance,  the  church 
 should  proceed  to  separate  him  from  their  communion. 
 His  contumacy  has  immeasurably  aggravated  his  original 
 offence.  He  has  now  resisted  pertinaciously  the  com- 
 mand and  will  of  Christ,  declared  through  the  church, 
 and  must  be  treated  as  a  heathen  man  and  a  publican. 
 If  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  he  must,  whatever 
 might  have  been  his  original  transgression,  be  expelled 
 from  its  fellowship. 
 
 In  some  cases,  where  the  crime  is  highly  scandalous, 
 and  very  notorious,  it  is  necessary  for  the  honour  of  re- 
 ligion, the  credit  of  the  society,  and  the  good  of  the 
 offender,  to  proceed  immediately  to  excommunication, 
 as  soon  as  the  fact  is  clearly  proved.  By  excommunica- 
 tion we  mean  nothing  more  than  an  entire  separation 
 of  the  offender  from  all  relation  to  the  church  whatever, 
 and  an  utter  exclusion  from  its  privileges.  This  solemn 
 sentence  is  purely  spiritual,  designed  to  maintain  the 
 purity  of  the  church,  and  to  manifest  the  glory  of  Christ's 
 
CHUBC  II    DISCIPLINE. 
 
 holiness  in  the  government  of  his  kingdom,  and  cannot 
 extend  to  the  person's  estate,  or  liberty,  or  any  civil 
 rights  whatever  of  the  excluded  member.*  The  sentence 
 of  excommunication  should  never  be  proceeded  to  by 
 the  church,  but  with  the  greatest  caution  and  serious- 
 ness; it  should  be  accompanied  with  sorrowful  and 
 humble  confession  of  the  delinquent's  sin,  and  earnest 
 prayer  that  it  may  have  a  suitable  effect  upon  his  mind, 
 and  the  minds  of  others :  it  should  be  done  in  the  name 
 
 *  There  is  some  difficulty,  and  consequently  has  been  much 
 dispute,  about  the  precise  import  of  the  apostle's  expression,  "  To 
 deliver  such  an  one  unto  Satan  for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh."  The 
 same  expression  is  used  in  reference  to  Hymeneus  and  PhiletUBi 
 "  Whom  I  have  delivered  unto  Satan,  that  they  may  learn  not  to 
 blaspheme."  Some  have  supposed,  that  nothing  more  is  intended  than 
 their  being  delivered  over  again  to  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  from  which 
 they  were  translated  into  the  kingdom  or  church  of  Christ.  In  other 
 words,  that  they  were  sent  back  again  to  the  state  of  unconverted 
 men,  to  be  subject  to  the  usurped  dominion  of  the  god  of  this  world 
 and  led  captive  by  him  at  his  will.  Cut  I  do  not  see  how  by  this 
 means  they  were  to  learn  "not  to  blaspheme,"  or  to  have  "the  flesh 
 destroyed,"  which  are  stated  by  the  apostle  as  the  end  and  design  of 
 his  thus  dealing  with  them.  To  get  over  this,  some  have  supposed 
 that  the  offender's  pride,  lust,  and  other  fleshly  passions  would  be 
 mortified  when  he  found  himself  despised  and  shunned  by  all.  This 
 view  of  the  case  is  rather  farfetched,  and  does  not  agree  so  well  with 
 the  more  natural  interpretation  of  the  words  given  by  others,  nor 
 with  the  threatenings  denounced  by  the  apostle  in  other  places.  It 
 is  certain  the  apostles  had  power  to  punish  notorious  offenders  with 
 disease  and  death.  If  so,  may  we  not  believe  that  the  command 
 which  the  apostle  gave  on  this  occasion  to  the  Corinthians,  "  to  deliver 
 the  incestuous  person  to  Satan  for  the  destruction  of  his  flesh,"  was 
 an  exertion  of  that  power?  The  oidy  difficulty  which  occurs  in 
 regard  to  this  interpretation  is,  that  it  ascribes  to  Satan  an  instru- 
 mentality in  the  infliction  of  disease,  which  is  no  where  acknowledged 
 in  the  Word  of  God.  More  than  hints,  however,  are  to  be  found  both 
 in  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New,  that  such  an  influence  is  possessed 
 by  him.  The  case  of  Job,  and  the  woman  "whom  Satan  hath  bouud, 
 lo  these  eighteen  years,"  are  quite  in  p 
 
402  CHURCH    DISCIPLINE. 
 
 of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  not  as  an  act  of  the  church's 
 own  authority ;  it  should  have  an  immediate  reference 
 to  the  ends  of  church  fellowship,  and  the  benefit  of  the 
 offender;  it  should  be  unattended  by  any  emotions  of 
 wrath,  malice,  party  spirit,  or  personal  resentment;  in 
 short,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  fearful  pro- 
 ceeding, there  should  be  a  manifestation  of  all  that 
 deliberation,  discretion,  seriousness,  grief,  and  awe, 
 which  this  solemn  act  of  excision  seems  naturally  to 
 demand.  There  appears  in  this  act  a  reference  to  the 
 future  judgment  of  Christ.  In  one  sense  the  church 
 now  judges  for  Christ  in  matters  of  his  kingdom,  and 
 woe  to  them  who  dare  pronounce  this  sentence  without 
 being  persuaded  on  good  grounds  that  it  is  the  sentence 
 of  Christ  himself;  it  is  the  echo  of  his  awful  voice  say- 
 ing even  now  to  the  offender,  "  Depart  from  my  house ;" 
 and  unless  the  offender  repent,  an  anticipation  of  his 
 sentence,  saying  at  the  last  day,  "  Depart  from  my 
 heaven." 
 
 Mr  Hall's  description  of  the  nature  and  usefulness 
 of  excommunication  is  very  striking. 
 
 It  is  a  question  worthy  of  consideration,  "  How 
 church  members  should  conduct  themselves  towards 
 those  who  are  thus  separated  from  their  communion." 
 We  are  not  left  without  instructions  on  this  head.  "  If 
 any  man  obey  not  our  word  by  this  epistle,  note  that 
 man,  and  have  no  company  with  him,  that  he  may  be 
 ashamed.  Yet  count  him  not  as  an  enemy,  but  admonish 
 him  as  a  brother."  "  I  have  written  unto  you,  not  to 
 keep  company,  if  any  man  that  is  called  a  brother  be  a 
 fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or  a  railer,  or 
 a  drunkard,  or  an  extortioner,  with  such  an  one,  no  not 
 to  eat."     Two  things  are  here  evident :   first,  "We  are 
 
CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  103 
 
 expressly  commanded  to  withdraw  from  all  voluntary 
 association  with  such  individuals.  Wc  arc  to  shun  their 
 company.  We  arc  not  even  to  sit  down  with  them 
 at  an  ordinary  meal,  nor  freely  or  familiarly  converse 
 with  them,  except  they  arc  our  relations,  or  we  are 
 necessarily  thrown  by  the  contingencies  of  business  into 
 their  society.  Of  course,  none  of  the  relative  ties  are 
 to  be  dissolved,  nor  any  of  the  social  duties  to  be  neg- 
 lected; but  all  voluntary  intercourse  with  excommuni- 
 cated persons,  who  are  not  related  to  us  by  the  ties  of 
 nature,  is  to  be  cautiously  avoided  :  and  this  is  to  be 
 done,  to  testify  our  abhorrence  of  the  sin,  and  that  the 
 offender  himself  may  be  ashamed,  and  feel  the  awful 
 situation  in  which  his  transgression  has  placed  him. 
 But  it  is  equally  evident  from  the  apostolic  injunction, 
 that  excommunicated  persons  are  not  to  be  utterly  for- 
 saken and  abandoned.  "  Count  him  not  as  an  enemy, 
 but  admonish  him  as  a  brother."  Pains  should  be 
 taken  to  bring  them  to  repentance.  They  should  not 
 be  given  up  to  their  sins,  and  given  over  as  it  were  to 
 become  more  and  more  vile.  The  pastor  and  members 
 should  seek  opportunities  to  admonish  and  warn  them  : 
 "  peradventure  God  may  give  them  repentance  to  the 
 acknowledging  of  the  truth."  Upon  their  penitence 
 and  reformation  they  should  be  again  received  into 
 communion  with  compassion  and  love,  joy  and  gratitude. 
 "Better,"  says  Dr.  Owen,  "never  excommunicate  a 
 person  at  all,  than  forsake  and  abandon  him  when  he  is 
 expelled,  or  refuse  to  receive  him  back  again  upon 
 his  repentance;  but  there  is  a  class  of  persons  unto 
 whom,  if  a  man  be  an  offender,  he  shall  be  so  for  ever." 
 Great  care  should  be  taken  by  a  church,  to  display 
 the  most  inflexible  impartiality  in  the  exercise  of  dis- 
 
401  REMOVAL    TO    ANOTHER    CHURCH 
 
 cipline.  To  allow  the  riches,  talents,  or  influence  of 
 any  offender,  to  blind  the  eyes  of  the  society,  and  to 
 screen  him  from  punishment,  is  a  most  flagrant  crime 
 against  the  authority  of  Christ,  and  the  laws  of  his 
 kingdom.  We  can  scarcely  conceive  of  any  thing  more 
 displeasing  in  his  sight,  anything  more  likely  to  bring 
 down  his  fearful  indignation  upon  a  church,  than  to 
 allow  his  temple  to  be  defiled,  out  of  compliment  to 
 secular  distinctions. 
 
 No  member  should  be  allowed  to  resign,  in  order  to 
 avoid  expulsion.  If  he  has  done  any  thing  worthy  of 
 censure  or  separation,  he  should  not  be  allowed  to  retire 
 with  his  conduct  unnoticed.  "  It  becomes  not  the  wis- 
 dom and  order  of  any  society,  entrusted  with  authority 
 for  its  own  preservation,  as  the  church  is  by  Christ  him- 
 self, to  suffer  persons  obnoxious  to  censure  by  the 
 fundamental  rules  of  that  society,  to  cast  off  all  respect 
 unto  it,  to  break  their  order  and  relation,  without 
 animadverting  thereupon,  according  to  the  authority 
 wherewith  they  are  entrusted.  To  do  otherwise  is  to 
 expose  their  order  unto  contempt,  and  proclaim  a  diffi- 
 dence in  their  own  authority,  for  the  spiritual  punish- 
 ment of  offenders."* 
 
 THE    REMOVAL    OF    MEMBERS     FROM     ONE     CHURCH     TO 
 ANOTHER    IN    THE    SAME    TOWN. 
 
 Church  fellowship  is  a  very  sacred  bond,  which 
 ought  not  to  be  formed  without  serious  deliberation, 
 nor  broken  without  just  cause.  No  member  should 
 dissolve  his  connexion  with  a  christian  society,  but 
 upon  such  grounds  as  will  stand  the  test  of  reason 
 and  revelation.     The  slight  pretexts  on  which  some  per- 
 
 *  Dr.  Owen  on  Church  Government,  p.  222. 
 
I.V    THE    SAME    TOWN.  10.") 
 
 sons  transfer  themselves  from  one  church  to  another, 
 betrays  a  frivolity  and  volatility  of  mind,  which  looks 
 like  trifling  with  sacred  things.  On  the  least  offence, 
 either  imaginary  or  real,  produced  cither  by  minister 
 or  people,  they  send  for  their  dismission  to  another 
 communion,  and  are  off.  Sometimes  a  disagreement 
 with  one  of  the  members  is  the  cause  of  secession. 
 This  is  manifestly  wrong.  The  Scripture  is  very  ex- 
 plicit on  the  subject  of  offences.  Instead  of  leaving  a 
 church  on  this  ground,  we  ought  to  take  immediate 
 steps  towards  reconciliation.  It  is  no  justification  to 
 say,  "  If  I  cannot  sit  down  at  the  Lord's  supper  in  love 
 with  a  person,  I  had  better  not  sit  down  at  all  •"  because 
 we  ought  without  delay  to  have  the  offence  removed,  and 
 come  to  an  agreement  with  the  offender. 
 
 Some  persons  break  their  connexion  with  a  church, 
 because  they  think  that  there  are  sinful  members  re- 
 tained in  its  communion.  Instead  of  removing,  our 
 duty  is  either  by  private  admonition  to  reclaim  such 
 supposed  delinquents,  or  by  informing  the  pastor,  to 
 take  the  proper  measures  for  their  expulsion.  If  the 
 matter  should  be  brought  before  the  church,  and  the 
 brethren  should  not  be  convinced  that  there  is  sufficient 
 ground  to  proceed  to  discipline,  we  ought  immediately 
 to  acquiesce,  and  to  suppose  that  through  want  of  in- 
 formation, or  some  secret  prejudice,  we  have  formed 
 an  incorrect  opinion,  and  from  that  time  should  feel 
 charitably  towards  the  individuals  in  question.  And 
 even  if  we  are  persuaded  that  the  church  has  erred  in 
 its  judgment,  yet  as  they  examined  the  evidence,  and 
 acted  upon  conviction,  it  is  not  our  duty  to  retire. 
 They  endeavoured  to  decide  impartially,  and  as  they  did 
 not   connive   at   wickedness,  their   communion   is  not 
 
406  REMOVAL  TO  ANOTHER  CHURCH 
 
 defiled.  Societies  must  be  governed  by  fixed  general 
 laws,  which  may  sometimes  fail  to  reach  particular  cases. 
 We  must  always  act  upon  evidence,  and  if  this  fail  to 
 prove  a  member  guilty,  we  must  still  consider  ourselves 
 bound  to  continue  him  in  the  privileges  of  communion. 
 If  a  church  refuses  to  take  cognizance  of  flagrant  im- 
 morality, or  in  order  to  screen  some  rich  and  powerful 
 member,  declines  to  receive  testimony ;  or  acts  in  direct 
 opposition  to  the  clearest  evidence,  a  case  which  rarely 
 happens,  then  the  communion  is  defiled,  and  a  member 
 may  conscientiously  withdraw. 
 
 It  happens  not  unfrequently  that  members  secede, 
 because  a  pastor  is  chosen  whose  election  they  cannot 
 approve.  This  forms  a  difficult  case  of  casuistry.  It 
 ought,  however,  to  be  a  last  resort.  We  should  never 
 form  a  separation  on  this  ground  in  haste.  We  should 
 give  a  patient  and  impartial  hearing  to  the  minister, 
 and  strive  by  every  possible  effort  to  have  our  preju- 
 dices removed.  We  should  not  suffer  ourselves  to  be 
 disaffected  towards  him,  by  circumstances  trivial  and 
 indifferent.  We  should  not  lend  our  ear  to  those  who 
 have  similar  views,  nor  suffer  a  party  feeling  to  be 
 excited :  but  acting  singly  and  for  ourselves,  strive  to 
 edify  so  far  by  his  ministry  as  to  render  secession  un- 
 necessary. If,  however,  after  earnest  prayer  for  direc- 
 tion, coupled  with  great  efforts  to  subdue  every  preju- 
 dice, we  still  find  our  religious  edification  not  promoted 
 by  his  preaching,  then  we  may  quietly  and  peaceably 
 retire.  We  should  never  attempt  to  prejudice  the 
 minds  of  others;  a  step  which  is  taken  by  some  to 
 justify  their  own  conduct;  but  which  is  exceedingly 
 wrong. 
 
 It  is  quite  unlawful  to  separate  merely  on  the  ground 
 
in   tiil:  same  town.  lo; 
 
 of  disaffection  with  the  decision  of  the  church,  in  its 
 ordinary  affairs. 
 
 It  is  equally  improper  to  retire,  because  of  some 
 imaginary  or  real  offence  given  us  by  the  pastor.  The 
 same  steps  of  explanation  and  reconciliation  are  to  be 
 taken  in  this  case  as  in  that  of  a  private  member.  We 
 should  go  to  him  alone,  but  in  the  spirit  of  the  greatest 
 meekness  and  respect,  on  account  of  his  office.  Nothing 
 should  be  said  in  the  way  of  accusation,  crimination,  or 
 demand  ;  but  a  kind,  respectful,  modest  statement  of 
 the  supposed  offence  should  be  given ;  which,  with  any 
 reasonable  man,  will  always  be  sufficient  to  lead  to  a 
 satisfactory  explanation.  A  member  ought  not  to  retire, 
 even  on  the  ground  of  supposed  misconduct  on  the  part 
 of  the  pastor.  If  his  inconsistencies  affect  his  christian 
 character,  they  should  become  matter  of  church  investi- 
 gation; if  they  are  but  imprudences,  or  the  lighter 
 imperfections  to  which  even  the  best  of  men  are  subject, 
 we  should  be  rather  disposed  to  treat  them  with  all 
 reasonable  candour,  and  cover  them  with  the  veil  of 
 love ;  at  the  same  time  it  would  be  proper  that  a  re- 
 spectful and  kind  expostulation  should  be  delivered  to 
 him  by  the  deacons,  or  the  senior  members  of  his  flock. 
 Still  it  must  be  admitted,  that  there  are  cases  in  which 
 members  may,  by  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the 
 conduct  of  a  pastor,  have  acquired  such  accumulating 
 knowledge  of  his  many  infirmities,  as  to  have  lost  all 
 esteem  for  his  character,  and  to  have  destroyed  all  hope 
 of  profiting  by  his  ministrations.  In  this  case  it  is 
 better  quietly  to  withdraw,  than  to  attempt  to  unsettle 
 the  minds  of  others  who  may  still  be  attached  to  him. 
 II  is  inconsistencies  may  not  be  such  as  absolutely  to 
 unchristianisc  him,    and   yet   may  be  of  a  nature  and 
 
408  REMOVAL  TO  ANOTHER  CHURCH. 
 
 degree  very  much  to  impede  the  edification  of  those  to 
 whom  they  are  known.  If  I  ceased  to  respect  the  man, 
 I  certainly  could  never  profit  by  his  ministry ;  at  least, 
 my  profit  must  be  interrupted,  and  my  pleasure  de- 
 stroyed. 
 
 In  cases  where  a  newly-married  couple  are  members 
 of  two  churches,  it  is  quite  proper  for  the  wife  to  with- 
 draw from  her  own  church  to  that  of  her  husband, 
 provided  she  can  edify  by  his  minister;  if  not,  the 
 husband  ought  not  to  desire  her  to  accompany  him. 
 If  by  a  removal  of  our  dwelling  place,  we  are  situated 
 at  an  inconvenient  distance  from  the  house  of  God,  it  is 
 quite  justifiable  in  this  case  to  connect  ourselves  with  a 
 religious  society  nearer  to  our  abode;  but  then  we 
 ought  to  withdraw  altogether,  and  not  hear  the  word 
 preached  in  one  place,  and  receive  the  Lord's  Supper  in 
 another.  This  practice  is  very  common  in  the  metro- 
 polis, than  which,  I  think,  nothing  can  be  more  opposed 
 to  the  very  spirit  of  church  fellowship.  This  is  resolving 
 the  whole  of  christian  communion  into  the  mere  act 
 of  celebrating  the  Lord's  Supper;  whereas  it  is  but 
 one  part  of  it.  This  practice  is  destructive  of  many 
 ends  of  fellowship.  It  interferes  with  pastoral  inspec- 
 tion ;  for  how  can  a  minister  judge  of  a  member's 
 regular  attendance  upon  the  ordinances  of  religion, 
 when  he  sees  him  only  once  a  month  at  the  table  of  the 
 Lord  ?  It  also  interrupts  the  growth  of  brotherly  love, 
 which  is  promoted  by  frequent  association  in  the  public 
 ordinances  of  religion. 
 
 Let  us  then  consider  that  our  connexion  with  a 
 christian  church  is  a  bond  of  a  very  sacred  nature,  and 
 which,  though  not  indissoluble,  should  not  be  broken 
 but  upon  some  great  and  rare  occurrence. 
 
THE    PERSONS    TO    CHOOSE    A    MINISTER.  409 
 
 THE  PERSONS  TO  WHOM  BELONGS  THE  RIGHT  OF  VOTING 
 IN  THE  ELECTION  OF  A  MINISTER,  AND  WHETHER 
 FEMALES     SHOULD     BE     ALLOWED     THIS     PRIVILEGE. 
 
 On  this  point,  the  practice  of  our  churches  is  so 
 multiform,  that  if  I  were  asked  for  the  general  rule 
 of  dissenters,  I  must  reply  that  they  have  none.  This 
 is  characteristic,  it  is  true,  of  our  principles  as  Inde- 
 pendents ;  but  it  is  a  serious  question,  whether  divine 
 authority  is  not  sometimes  resisted  as  well  as  human 
 control.  Amongst  some  irregular  and  anomalous  bodies 
 of  dissenters,  the  right  of  appointment  is  with  trustees; 
 but  as  this  rarely  occurs  amidst  the  regular  noncon- 
 formists, and  is  so  flagrantly  an  invasion  of  the  people's 
 right  where  it  does  occur,  it  will  not  be  necessary  for 
 me  to  combat  the  practice,  and  expose  its  impropriety.* 
 
 There  is  another  custom  far  more  prevalent  than 
 this,  and  which,  in  my  opinion,  has  been  the  source 
 of  no  small  degree  of  mischief  to  our  churches ;  I  mean, 
 the  admission  to  the  elective  franchise  of  subscribers 
 who  are  not  members.  In  some  cases  the  subscribers 
 and  members  vote  together,  in  others  they  both  vote, 
 but  in  separate  bodies.  Now  I  am  utterly  at  a  loss  to 
 conceive  on  what  ground  this  practice  can  be  defended  : 
 certainly  not  on  the  principles  or  the  precedents  of  the 
 New  Testament.  The  primitive  churches,  as  is  evident, 
 admitted  none  to  a  participation  in  the  business  and 
 government  of  their  society  but  members.  It  is  very 
 true,  that  at  that  time  there  existed  not  the  singular 
 
 *  An  exception  must,  of  course,  be  made  of  those  cases  in  which 
 new  places  of  worship  are  opened  by  the  benevolence  of  some  neigh- 
 bouring friends  of  religion.  The  trustees  must,  of  course,  in  this 
 case  elect  the  minister,  and  continue  to  do  so  until  a  church  is  form'  J, 
 because  there  are  none  else  to  do  it. 
 
 Vol.  11  D  D 
 
410  THE    PERSONS    TO 
 
 fact,  of  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  congregation  not 
 being  in  fellowship.  All,  or  nearly  all  who  formed  their 
 religious  assemblies,  were  members.  This  however  alters 
 not  the  argument,  unless  the  absence  of  nominal  Chris- 
 tians from  their  places  of  worship  is  a  proof  that  their 
 presence  in  ours  gives  them  a  right  to  direct  in  church 
 business.  The  primitive  assemblies  were  occasionally 
 frequented  by  strangers ;  but  these,  however  constant 
 their  attendance  might  become,  were  considered  as 
 having  no  part  or  lot  in  the  matter  till  united  in 
 fellowship.  In  the  first  age  of  the  gospel  everything 
 was  done  by  the  church,  that  is  by  those  who  were  in 
 actual  fellowship.  If  revelation  does  not  sanction  the 
 practice  of  extending  the  right  of  voting  beyond  the 
 members,  reason  does  not :  for  if  the  church  be  really  a 
 separate  and  distinct  body  from  the  mere  congregation, 
 it  ought  to  manage  its  own  business.  To  allow  of  the 
 interference  of  a  foreign  body  in  its  most  solemn  and 
 weighty  decisions,  is  not  reasonable.  Analogy  is  against 
 the  practice.  In  the  election  of  a  parliamentary  re- 
 presentative for  a  county,  unqualified  persons,  however 
 numerous,  who  have  come  to  settle  in  the  shire,  and 
 who  blend  with  the  inhabitants,  in  all  its  customs  and 
 most  of  its  privileges,  are  excluded  from  the  right  of 
 voting.  If  they  wish  for  the  privilege  they  can  become 
 freeholders;  if  not,  they  have  no  right  to  complain. 
 Nor  can  expediency  be  pleaded.  Nothing  can  be  ex- 
 pedient in  church  government,  but  that  which  tends  to 
 maintain  the  purity  and  peace  of  the  society ;  and  does 
 this?  If  we  grant  the  right  of  voting  to  subscribers, 
 where  shall  we  stop  ?  All  the  seat-holders  are  sub- 
 scribers, and  therefore  every  individual  who  occupies  a 
 single  sitting,  and  pays  for  it,  can  claim  a  vote.     How 
 
(  B008I    A    MINISTER.  Ill 
 
 much  you  increase  the  probabilities  of  cabal,  intrigue, 
 and  division,  by  so  widely  extending  the  privilege  of 
 election  !  In  small  societies,  and  especially  when  they 
 are  to  be  found  in  small  towns,  there  may  be  Arians 
 and  Socinians  occupying  scats ;  and  is  it  right,  is  it 
 safe,  to  give  such  persons  the  right  of  choosing  our 
 ministers  ?  I  have  no  question  that  it  is  in  this  way, 
 such  numbers  of  once  orthodox  places  have  fallen  into 
 the  possession  of  those  who  oppose  the  truth  as  it  is 
 in  Jesus.  The  many  pulpits  now  devoted  to  the  propa- 
 gation of  Unitarian  doctrine,  but  once  the  fountains 
 of  purer  principles,  shew  the  danger  of  suffering  mere 
 subscribers  to  join  in  electing  the  pastor.  But  where 
 it  is  not  the  case  that  there  are  Socinians  in  the  con- 
 gregation, there  may  be  in  it  worldly-minded  persons, 
 whose  influence  would  be  exerted  to  elect  the  individual 
 not  most  suitable  for  the  office,  but  most  congenial 
 with  their  taste,  whether  that  taste  were  for  a  literary, 
 scientific,  or  political  companion. 
 
 The  principles  of  Independency  are  equally  opposed 
 to  this  practice.  The  subscribers  generally  outnumber 
 the  members,  at  least  in  large  congregations;  and  a 
 case  might  occur,  nor  is  it  supposing  a  very  extreme 
 one,  in  which  the  church  might  have  a  minister  forced 
 upon  them,  in  opposition  to  their  own  convictions.  Is 
 it  right  even  to  run  any  hazard  of  this  ? 
 
 But  it  will  be  pleaded,  "  That  the  subscriber  is  a 
 stated  hearer,  although  not  a  member,  is  as  much  in- 
 terested in  the  election  as  if  he  were  actually  in  fellow- 
 ship, and  in  consequence  of  his  subscription,  has  a  right 
 to  determine  a  question  which  relates  to  the  appropria- 
 tion of  his  own  money."  If  in  acknowledgment  for 
 the   pleasure  and  profit  he  derives  from  a  minister's 
 
412  THE    PERSONS    TO 
 
 labours,  he  is  willing  to  contribute  his  property,  it  ought 
 to  be  received ;  but  it  would  be  strange  indeed,  if  a 
 yearly  contribution  to  such  an  object  could  entitle  him 
 to  a  participation  in  church  business.  That  he  isthte- 
 rested  is  admitted,  but  this  cannot  give  him  a  claim, 
 unless  we  have  a  right  to  do  a  thing  merely  because  it 
 would  be  advantageous  to  us.  An  alien  pays  his  quota 
 of  taxes,  and  is  interested  in  the  decision  of  the  legis- 
 lature no  less  than  a  citizen,  but  this  gives  him  no  right 
 to  the  privileges  of  the  latter.  He  can  be  naturalized 
 if  he  will ;  if  not,  neither  payment  of  taxes,  nor  personal 
 interest  in  the  acts  of  legislature,  can  give  him  a  claim 
 to  the  elective  franchise.  There  may  be  cases  in  which 
 it  would  be  prudent  to  consult  the  feeling  of  subscri- 
 bers ;  but  to  incorporate  them  with  the  members  in  the 
 most  important  act  of  church  business,  which  the  choice 
 of  a  pastor  most  certainly  is,  cannot  be  justified  by  an 
 appeal  to  revelation,  reason,  analogy,  expediency,  or 
 Independency. 
 
 I  shall  be  deemed,  perhaps,  severely  rigid  on  this 
 point,  by  some  latitudinarians ;  this  is  of  little  conse- 
 quence; I  view  the  system  as  a  gross  violation  of  the 
 principles  of  the  New  Testament,  a  corruption  of  the 
 Independent  form  of  church  government,  and  as  having 
 a  tendency  to  blend  two  things  essentially  distinct,  the 
 church  and  the  world.  I  consider  what  is  usually 
 termed  the  congregation,  as  those  whom  the  apostle 
 speaks  of  as,  "  without."  To  consider  them  and  treat 
 them  as  otherwise,  is  viewing  them  in  an  erroneous 
 light,  and  is  indeed  aiding  them  in  the  work  of  self- 
 delusion.  They  make  no  profession  of  religion,  at  least 
 no  other  than  that  which  arises  from  their  being  born 
 in  a  christian  land,  and  educated  generally  in  christian 
 
CHOOSE    A    MINISTER.  413 
 
 principles.  To  incorporate  them  with  the  church,  is 
 confounding  things  that  differ,  disturbing  the  order, 
 and  destroying  the  simplicity,  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
 It  is  an  inconsistency  and  anomaly  in  church  affairs, 
 since  it  is  holding  communion  with,  and  extending  the 
 right  hand  of  fellowship  to  men,  from  many  of  whom, 
 in  other  things,  we  should  retire  as  heathens. 
 
 It  has  been  a  question  whether  females  should  be 
 permitted  to  vote  in  the  decisions  of  the  church.  Some 
 have  contended  against  this  privilege  being  granted  to 
 them,  amongst  whom  is  Mr  Turner,  in  his  excellent 
 compendium.  His  arguments  are  these:  1.  "We  have 
 no  account  of  their  any  way  acting,  or  even  of  their 
 being  present  at  church  meetings  for  business.  At  the 
 church  meetings,  Acts  vi,  for  the  choice  of  deacons,  the 
 direction  is,  Brethren,  look  ye  out,  &c."  In  reply,  it 
 has  been  said,  that  women  certainly  were  present  at  the 
 time  an  apostle  was  chosen  to  be  the  successor  of  Judas, 
 Acts  i,  14.  As  to  the  term  brethren,  being  employed, 
 it  might  be  observed  that  it  is  generally  used  compre- 
 hensively, as  including  women,  and  not  restrictively,  as 
 excluding  them.  "To  the  saints  and  faithful  brethren 
 in  Christ,  which  are  at  Colosse;  grace  be  unto  you." 
 Surely  females  are  included  in  this  apostolical  address 
 and  benediction. 
 
 But  Mr  Turner  argues,  secondly,  That  their  voting 
 is  contrary  to  the  express  scriptural  rule,  concerning 
 their  behaviour  in  general,  and  in  the  church  in  par- 
 ticular. "  Let  your  women  keep  silence  in  the  churches, 
 for  they  are  commanded  to  be  under  obedience.  If  they 
 will  learn  any  thing,  let  them  ask  their  husbands  at 
 home,  for  it  is  a  shame  for  a  woman  to  speak  in  the 
 church."      "  I    suffer   not   a  woman  to  teach,   nor  to 
 
414  THE    PERSONS    TO 
 
 usurp  authority  over  the  man,  but  to  be  in  silence  and 
 learn  in  silence  with  all  subjection."  "Expressions 
 (says  Mr  T.)  that  appear  to  me  quite  incompatible  with 
 the  power  of  voting  in  the  church;  which  seems  to 
 imply  rule,  government,  at  least  by  judicial  decisions; 
 and  supposing  their  votes  to  be  given  by  the  sign  of 
 holding  up  the  hands,  yet  if  a  majority,  as  might  be  the 
 case,  they  would  then  apparently  determine  and  decide 
 against  the  men,  and  consequently  exercise  authority 
 over  them,  and  not  be  in  any  sense  in  subjection." 
 
 In  reply  to  this,  the  supporters  of  female  rights 
 have  said  that  the  apostle's  prohibitions  are  specifically 
 directed  against  public  teaching ;  and  therefore  nothing 
 can  be  inferred  from  this  against  voting,  except  voting 
 should  obviously  oppose  the  ground  on  which  the  pro- 
 hibition against  preaching  rests.  Public  teaching  is 
 forbidden,  because  it  implies  that  the  teacher  is  superior 
 to  the  taught ;  but  this  cannot  be  said  of  voting,  when 
 all  are  on  a  level.  As  to  the  supposition  of  females 
 gaining  a  majority  against  the  men,  it  is  a  case  too  im- 
 probable and  extreme  to  sustain  an  argument.  And 
 even  if  it  did  happen,  it  would  imply  no  supremacy,  but 
 merely  constitute  a  majority,  to  which  no  other  supe- 
 riority attaches  than  that  of  numbers. 
 
 In  the  nature  of  things,  say  some,  it  seems  but 
 reasonable  that  as  women  are  equally  competent,  equally 
 interested  to  give  their  vote,  they  should  be  allowed  to 
 exercise  a  privilege  which  does  not  oppose  the  dictates 
 of  reason,  the  authority  of  revelation,  the  analogies 
 of  civil  societies,  or  the  general  principles  of  church 
 government.  "  Whether  male  or  female,"  says  St. 
 Paul,  "  we  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus." 
 
 Mr.  Turner  admits  "  that  in  the  choice  of  a  minister 
 
CHOOSE    A    MINISTER.  415 
 
 they  have  a  right  to  be  satisfied  as  well  as  the  men, 
 and  therefore  should  be  consulted  by  a  proper  deputa- 
 tion from  the  church ;  and  their  sentiments  should  have 
 their  proper  weight,  which  for  all  reasonable  purposes, 
 would  be  the  same  as  if  given  by  vote  in  the  church." 
 This,  however,  is  thought  to  be  a  circuitous  and  trouble- 
 some way  of  doing  that,  which  would  be  more  easily 
 and  directly  performed  by  lifting  up  the  hand  at  a 
 church  meeting ;  an  act  which,  as  it  is  common  to  all 
 present,  cannot  by  any  construction  imply  authority 
 of  one  above  the  rest. 
 
 THE     CONDUCT     TO     BE     OBSERVED     BY     A     CHURCH     IN 
 THE    ELECTION    OF    A    PASTOR. 
 
 When  a  christian  minister  is  removed  either  to  his 
 eternal  rest,  or  to  some  other  sphere  of  labour  in  the 
 present  world,  the  choice  of  a  successor  always  brings 
 on  a  crisis  in  the  history  of  the  church  of  which  he  was 
 the  pastor.  Xo  event  can  happen  which  places  the 
 interests  of  the  society  in  greater  peril.  Distraction 
 and  division  have  so  frequently  resulted  from  this  cir- 
 cumstance, so  many  churches  have  been  rent  by  it, 
 that  an  argument  has  been  founded  upon  it,  if  not 
 against  the  right  of  popular  election  to  the  pastoral 
 office,  yet  against  the  expediency  of  using  it.  It  must 
 be  admitted  that  on  these  occasions,  our  principles  as 
 dissenters  and  our  practices  as  Christians,  have  not  been 
 unfrequently  brought  into  disrepute.  We  have  been 
 accused  of  wrangling  about  a  teacher  of  religion  till  we 
 have  lost  our  religion  itself  in  the  contest;  and  the  state 
 of  many  of  our  congregations  proves,  that  the  charge 
 is  not  altogether  without  foundation. 
 
 God    sometimes    overrules    these    divisions    for    the 
 
416  THE    ELECTION 
 
 furtherance  of  the  gospel,  even  as  he  has  made  the 
 introduction  of  evil  into  the  moral  world  an  occasion 
 of  displaying  his  glory;  but  this  does  not  alter  the 
 character  of  the  act.  Schisms  are  altogether  evil  in 
 themselves,  and  are  always  to  be  deprecated,  and  if 
 possible  avoided.  Their  occurrence  forms  no  solid 
 objection,  however,  against  that  great  principle  of  dis- 
 sent, the  right  of  every  Christian  to  choose  his  own 
 spiritual  instructor.  We  must  carefully  separate  in  a 
 system,  what  is  accidental  from  what  is  essential ;  and 
 if,  through  the  infirmity  of  our  nature,  some  evils  of  an 
 adventitious  kind  arise  in  the  administration  of  a  sys- 
 tem clearly  founded  on  reason  and  revelation,  we  are  no 
 more  authorised  to  subvert  the  latter  on  account  of  the 
 former,  than  we  should  be  to  demolish  a  hospital,  in 
 order  to  suppress  the  litigations  which  arise  in  its  com- 
 mittee, about  the  direction  of  its  concerns.  The  elective 
 franchise,  in  reference  to  parliamentary  representatives, 
 is  an  essential  part  of  a  free  constitution,  and  one  of 
 our  most  valuable  rights  as  Englishmen :  yet  what 
 divisions  of  feeling,  what  alienation  of  mind,  what 
 distraction  aud  confusion,  especially  at  the  time  of 
 election,  does  the  exercise  of  the  privilege  produce  ! 
 But  who,  to  get  rid  of  the  evils  of  the  system,  would 
 sink  into  the  greater  evil  of  absolute  monarchy  ?  Un- 
 der the  despotism  of  Turkey,  Spain,  or  Russia,  no  such 
 divisions,  alienations,  or  confusions  exist :  shall  we  covet 
 tyranny,  as  a  relief  from  the  partial  mischiefs  of  liberty  ? 
 No.  The  benefit  is  essential,  its  evils  are  incidental. 
 Good  principles  may  be  abused  by  the  evil  that  is  in 
 men's  hearts ;  let  us  endeavour  to  mend  the  men,  but 
 not  sacrifice  the  principles.  And  this  is  the  answer  we 
 give  to  Episcopalians,  who  assign  the  evils  connected 
 
Of    A    PASTOR.  !17 
 
 with  the  principles  of  independency,  as  a  reason  why 
 they  should  be  abandoned.  What  we  have  to  do  in  one 
 case  and  the  other,  is  to  leave  the  institution  untouched, 
 and  endeavour  to  avoid  those  evils  which  arise  from  our 
 imperfections,  to  obscure  its  excellence,  and  limit  its 
 benefits. 
 
 Under  these  views,  I  shall  proceed  to  point  out  in 
 what  way  a  church  should  conduct  itself,  when  called 
 upon  to  exercise  its  right  in  the  choice  of  a  minister. 
 
 Let  all  the  members,  as  soon  as  their  pastor  is 
 removed  or  dead,  seriously  reflect  upon  the  crisis  into 
 which  the  church  is  brought,  the  great  importance  of 
 preserving  its  peace,  and  the  influence  that  their  indi- 
 vidual conduct  may  have  upon  the  future  prosperity 
 of  the  society.  Let  them  deliberately  reflect  thus : 
 "  The  church  is  now  coming  into  circumstances  of 
 peril,  and  I  as  an  individual  may  be  accessory,  according 
 as  my  conduct  shall  be,  to  its  injury  or  prosperity.  God 
 forbid  our  harmony  should  be  disturbed,  or  our  Zion 
 become  otherwise  than  a  quiet  habitation.  So  far  as 
 depends  upon  myself,  1  will  sacrifice  anything  but  prin- 
 ciple, rather  than  have  those  scenes  of  distraction  and 
 division  amongst  us,  which  are  so  common  in  the 
 religious  world." 
 
 Let  the  members  instantly  make  it  an  object  of 
 fervent  and  constant  prayer,  that  the  church  may  be 
 kept  in  harmony  and  peace,  and  guided  in  the  choice  of 
 a  minister,  and  that  they  may  be  enabled,  each  in  his 
 private  capacity,  to  conduct  himself  in  a  spirit  of  quiet- 
 ness and  brotherly  love.  Each  should  pray  himself  to 
 manifest  a  christian  spirit  j  and  periodical  seasons  should 
 be  appointed,  when  these  objects  should  be  recognised 
 and  these  desires  expressed  by  social  prayer.     Prayer  is 
 
418  THE    ELECTION 
 
 the  best  bulwark  against  strifes.  The  spirit  of  healing 
 and  union  descends  in  the  cloud  of  incense  formed  by 
 the  church's  prayers. 
 
 Let  the  members  recollect,  that  the  choice  of  a 
 pastor  is  one  of  those  occasions,  which  render  pre-emi- 
 nently necessary  the  exercise  of  that  love  which  St.  Paul 
 has  so  beautifully  described  in  the  first  Epistle  to  the 
 Corinthians.  This  chapter  should  be  devoutly  read  at 
 the  church  meeting,  together  with  the  122nd  and  the 
 133rd  Psalms.  They  should  form  the  standing  lessons 
 for  the  occasion.  The  business  then  under  consideration 
 requires,  on  all  hands,  the  utmost  caution,  candour, 
 patience,  and  mutual  forbearance.  Many  opinions  are 
 then  to  be  consulted,  many  tempers  to  be  tried,  and  each 
 one  should  subject  the  passions  of  his  own  mind  to  the 
 government  of  the  Word  of  God.  If  love  were  elevated 
 to  the  throne  of  the  church,  all  would  go  right.  No 
 division  would  then  take  place.  Difference  of  opinion 
 might  be  expressed,  but  it  would  produce  no  alienation 
 of  heart.  Directly,  therefore,  as  it  becomes  necessary 
 to  elect  a  new  pastor,  the  relationship  of  the  church  as 
 brethren,  and  the  new  commandment  of  Christ,  as  the 
 law  of  his  kingdom,  should,  by  a  solemn  act  of  the 
 church,  be  recognised  afresh. 
 
 The  members  should  study  St.  Paul's  epistles  to 
 Timothy  and  Titus,  to  learn  what  are  the  qualifications 
 of  a  christian  minister.  They  should  well  consider  and 
 settle  with  themselves  what  objects  should  direct  their 
 choice.  It  appears  to  me,  they  should  unite  in  their 
 view,  personal  edification  and  general  benefit.  They 
 should  seek  for  a  man,  whom  they  can  hear  with  plea- 
 sure, and  who  is  likely  to  prove  attractive  to  others. 
 The   benefit  of   the  society   at   large   is   the   ultimate 
 
or    A    PASTOR.  Hi) 
 
 standard  to  which  private  and  personal  taste  must  ever 
 give  way. 
 
 A  committee  composed  either  exclusively  of  the 
 deacons,  or  of  the  deacons  and  a  few  of  the  most  judi- 
 cious members,  should  be  appointed  to  procure  supplies 
 and  look  out  for  a  candidate.  This  committee  should 
 write  to  the  most  discreet  and  esteemed  ministers  in 
 their  neighbourhood,  or  at  a  distance,  who  may  be  best 
 acquainted  with  the  circumstances  of  the  destitute 
 church,  to  recommend  any  person  or  persons  who  in 
 their  judgment  may  be  eligible  as  its  future  pastor.  To 
 ask  advice  is  not  to  solicit  imposition.  And  in  such  an 
 affair  as  this,  not  to  ask  advice  is  to  betray  a  want  of 
 prudent  caution,  most  censurable  in  itself,  and  often 
 most  injurious  in  its  consequences.  At  the  same  time, 
 there  are  so  many  motives  which  influence  people  in 
 giving  advice,  that  no  church  should  be  guided  implicitly 
 in  their  choice  of  a  pastor  by  the  opinions  of  others. 
 Whosoever  may  nominate,  or  whomsoever  may  be  re- 
 commended, the  church  should  exercise  its  own  judgment 
 as  to  the  fitness  of  the  person  recommended :  for  want 
 of  this,  I  have  known  mistakes  committed  of  the  most 
 lamentable  nature.* 
 
 Great  care  should  be  taken  by  those  to  whom  the 
 church  has  delegated  the  power  of  procuring  candidates, 
 
 *  Let  ministers  to  whom  applications  are  made  by  a  destitute 
 church,  to  recommend  them  a  candidate,  beware  of  suffering  them- 
 selves to  mention  the  name  of  any  individual,  whom  in  their  con- 
 scientious opinion  they  do  not  think  to  be  suitable.  To  recommend 
 any  person  out  of  mere  pity,  because  he  is  destitute  of  a  situation, 
 or  out  of  natural  affection  or  friendship,  because  he  happens  to  be  a 
 relative  or  acquaintance,  without  regard  to  his  character,  general 
 qualifications,  or  such  ability  for  the  situation  in  question,  is  a  most 
 criminal  act,  and  deserves  the  severest  reprobation.  It  is  an  act 
 of  the  most  guilty  treachery  towards,  not  an  individual,  but  a  com- 
 
420  THE    ELECTION 
 
 not  to  invite  upon  probation,  any  individual  of  whose 
 suitableness  they  have  not  received  previous  and  satis- 
 factory testimony.  Let  it  by  no  means  be  thought 
 necessary  to  wait  long  after  the  decease  of  a  pastor 
 before  a  successor  is  elected.  Respect  for  his  memory 
 does  not  require  that  the  pulpit  should  be  continued 
 vacant,  or  that  the  weeds  of  widowhood  should  be  worn 
 by  the  church,  for  any  given  period.  When  an  officer 
 falls  in  battle,  the  welfare  of  the  army  requires  that  a 
 successor  should  be  immediately  appointed. 
 
 Neither  is  it  necessary,  that  a  church  should  hear  a 
 great  variety  of  candidates  before  an  election  is  made. 
 To  set  out  with  the  intention  of  hearing  many,  in  order 
 to  choose  one,  is  of  all  plans  the  most  injudicious  and 
 mischievous.  The  very  idea  that  others  are  to  follow, 
 will  suspend  the  impartial  exercise  of  the  judgment  con- 
 cerning every  one ;  will  in  all  probability  lead  to  a 
 variety  of  opinions ;  and  will  insure  a  repetition  of  the 
 state  of  things  at  Corinth,  where  one  said,  "I  am  of  Paul ; 
 another,  I  am  of  Apollos ;  and  a  third,  I  am  of  Cephas." 
 As  soon  as  an  individual  is  found,  who  possesses  the 
 scriptural  qualifications  of  a  christian  pastor,  and  in 
 whom  the  great  body  of  the  church  is  united,  he  should 
 be  immediately  chosen,  even  if  he  be  the  first  who  has 
 presented  himself. 
 
 munity ;  in  reference  not  to  temporal  interests,  but  to  spiritual  and 
 eternal  ones.  In  some  cases,  unsuitable  recommendations  are  given 
 from  a  lust  of  patronage ;  in  others  from  an  excess  of  good  nature ; 
 but  from  whatever  cause  they  proceed,  the  mischief  they  do  is  in- 
 calculable. Oftentimes  the  evil  cures  itself,  as  it  respects  particular 
 individuals,  for  their  sanction  of  a  case,  or  their  testimonial  to  a  person, 
 is  so  easily  and  so  generally  procured ;  is  so  indiscriminately  and  so 
 lavishly  given,  that  with  all  persons  of  discernment  it  really  stands 
 for  nothing.  Every  man  is  responsible  to  God  for  all  the  evil  con- 
 sequences which  result  from  a  recommendation  carelessly  given. 
 
or  a  pastor.  !:J1 
 
 Great  caution  however  ought  to  be  exercised  in 
 forming  a  judgment  upon  the  suitableness  of  an  indivi- 
 dual. That  a  proper  opportunity  may  be  afforded  to 
 the  church  for  coming  to  this  opinion,  the  probationary 
 term  of  a  candidate's  labours  should  not  be  too  short. 
 Preaching  is  not  the  only  thing  to  be  judged  of;  piety, 
 prudence,  diligence,  general  deportment,  are  all  to  be 
 taken  into  the  account. 
 
 Especial  deference  should  be  paid  by  the  younger  and 
 inexperienced  members  of  the  church  to  the  opinion  of 
 their  senior  and  more  experienced  brethren.  The  senti- 
 ments of  the  deacons,  and  those  individuals  who  have 
 grown  grey  in  the  service  of  the  Lord  and  the  church, 
 should  be  received  writh  great  attention,  and  have  great 
 weight.  A  youth  of  seventeen  is  a  very  incompetent 
 judge  of  ministerial  qualifications,  compared  with  a 
 venerable  father  of  seventy.  That  haughty  spirit  which 
 leads  a  young  person,  or  a  novice  to  say,  "  I  have  a  vote 
 as  well  as  the  oldest  and  richest,  and  have  as  much 
 right  to  be  heard  and  consulted  as  they/'  is  not  the 
 spirit  of  the  gospel,  but  of  turbulence  and  faction. 
 How  much  more  amiable  and  lovely  is  such  a  declaration 
 as  the  following :  "  I,  young  and  inexperienced,  am  a 
 very  inadequate  judge  of  the  suitableness  of  a  minister 
 for  this  situation,  and  therefore  shall  be  pretty  much 
 guided  in  my  decision  by  the  opinion  of  others,  older 
 and  wiser  than  myself/5  This  is  independency  exercised 
 in  the  spirit  of  the  gospel. 
 
 All  secret  canvassing,  and  attempts  to  influence  the 
 minds  of  others,  should  be  studiously  avoided. 
 
 It  would  be  well  for  every  church,  to  have  a  standing 
 rule,  that  no  pastor  should  be  chosen  but  by  the  suffrages 
 of  two-thirds,  or  three-fourths,  of  the  members  present. 
 
422  THE    ELECTION 
 
 The  choice  of  a  pastor  is  a  business  of  too  much  im- 
 portance to  be  carried  simply  by  a  majority. 
 
 It  would  be  well,  if  in  every  case,  the  church  could 
 be  unanimous ;  but  this  is  more  than  can  be  looked  for. 
 It  should  certainly  be  sought  for  in  the  use  of  all  proper 
 means.  The  majority  should  exercise  peculiar  for- 
 bearance and  affection  towards  those  who  are  opposed 
 to  them,  carefully  avoiding  to  impute  their  objections  to 
 any  improper  motives;  listening  to  their  statements 
 with  patience;  treating  them  with  candour;  reasoning 
 with  them  in  the  spirit  of  love ;  and  giving  them  time 
 to  have  their  difficulties  removed.  The  happiest  results 
 have  been  often  the  issue  of  such  kind  and  christian 
 conduct.  If,  however,  instead  of  this,  the  dissentients 
 are  treated  with  harshness  and  intolerance  ;  if  their 
 opposition  be  attributed  to  a  factious  and  cavilling 
 temper ;  if  they  are  regarded  with  contempt,  as  a 
 despicable  minority,  of  which  no  notice  should  be  taken ; 
 and  are  left  immediately  to  themselves,  without  any 
 conciliatory  measures  being  taken,  while  the  majority 
 proceeds  immediately  to  decide;  a  schism  is  sure  to  be 
 the  consequence,  as  mischievous  to  the  church,  as  dis- 
 graceful to  religion. 
 
 The  party  who  wish  a  minister  to  be  elected,  should 
 seriously  reflect  thus  :  "  If  we  choose  this  man,  we  may 
 give  pain  to  the  minds  of  a  large  body  of  our  brethren, 
 which  we  most  anxiously  deprecate,  and  which  we  cannot 
 allow  ourselves  to  do,  except  through  the  conviction  that 
 we  are  promoting  the  permanent  welfare  of  the  church 
 at  large."  While  the  party  opposing  should  say,  "  The 
 general  body  appear  to  consider  this  minister  as  pos- 
 sessing the  requisite  qualifications  for  their  pastor,  and 
 this  has  been  so  satisfactorily  ascertained,  that  it  ought 
 
OK    A    PASTOR.  !'-•'» 
 
 not  to  be  with  us  a  light  matter  to  obstruct  the  general 
 edification.  Nothing  but  the  good  of  the  church  shall 
 lead  us  to  set  up  our  opinion  in  opposition  to  that  of  a 
 large  majority  of  its  members."  Such  a  lovely  temper 
 Mould  generally  lead  to  beneficial  results. 
 
 It  would  be  very  advisable  in  some  cases,  for  even  so 
 large  a  majority  as  two-thirds,  or  even  three-fourths,  to 
 give  up  the  point,  rather  than  carry  it  in  opposition  to 
 a  minority,  which  includes  in  it  the  deacons,  and  many 
 of  the  most  experienced  and  respectable  members  of  the 
 society.  The  majority  in  such  instances  have  the  right 
 to  decide,  but  it  is  a  question  whether  they  ought  not, 
 for  the  sake  of  peace,  to  waive  the  exercise  of  it. 
 
 Persons  of  property  and  influence  should  be  very 
 careful  how  they  conduct  themselves  on  these  occasions. 
 There  are  in  many  churches,  individuals  whose  circum- 
 stances must  necessarily  give  peculiar  weight  to  their 
 opinions.  Let  them,  however,  not  assume  the  office 
 of  dictators.  Let  them  not.  robe  themselves  in  the 
 dress  of  Diotrephes,  nor  display  amongst  the  brethren 
 the  love  of  pre-eminence.  The  system  of  Independency 
 admits  of  influence,  but  not  of  patronage  ;  men  may 
 lead  but  not  drive.  Democracies  are  peculiarly  liable 
 to  the  control  of  a  few  leading  individuals,  probably 
 more  so  than  any  other  system  j  but  such  individuals 
 should  act  by  causing  the  people  to  act  according  to 
 their  opinions.  An  attempt  to  exert  their  influence,  in 
 opposition  to  the  wishes  of  the  people,  is  a  most  irra- 
 tional, unscriptural  assumption  of  power.  To  sacrifice 
 the  interests  of  the  church  for  the  gratification  of  their 
 own  taste ;  to  attempt  to  force  upon  it  a  man  not 
 approved  by  it,  or  to  reject  one  who  is  chosen  by  it,  is 
 the  most  disgusting  exercise  of  the  most  disgusting 
 tyranny. 
 
424  THE    ELECTION 
 
 When  a  minister  is  at  length  brought  in  by  a  large 
 majority,  it  then  becomes  a  question,  what  ought  to  be 
 the  conduct  of  the  minority.  Should  they  separate  and 
 form  another  religious  society  ?  Certainly  not,  except 
 as  a  dernier  resort.  Let  them  consider  the  evils  con- 
 nected with  such  a  state  of  things.  What  ill  will  is 
 often  produced  between  the  two  societies  !  How  much 
 anti-christian  feeling  is  excited ;  how  it  injures  the 
 spirit  of  both  parties;  what  envies,  and  jealousies,  and 
 evil  speakings,  commence  and  continue,  to  the  injury 
 of  religion,  and  the  triumph  of  its  enemies.  Let  all, 
 before  they  separate,  endeavour  to  lay  aside  their  pre- 
 judice, and  hear  for  a  season,  with  as  much  impartiality 
 as  possible,  the  man  to  whom  they  object.  On  his 
 part,  much  consummate  prudence  is  necessary,  and  the 
 most  conciliatory  conduct.  All  he  does  and  says  should 
 have  a  healing  tendency.  Much  depends  upon  himself. 
 Great  credit  is  due  to  that  minister,  who  has  conciliated 
 his  opponents  without  alienating  his  friends,  and  who 
 has  become  the  reconciling  medium  of  two  parties,  once 
 at  variance  about  himself. 
 
 In  some  cases,  a  division  is  necessary.  Where  this 
 is  unavoidable,  great  efforts  should  be  made  to  effect  it 
 in  love.  If  the  two  parties  cannot  unite  in  peace,  at 
 least  let  them  separate  in  charity.  Let  the  separation 
 take  place  without  alienation. 
 
 What  we  want,  in  order  to  preserve  the  peace  of 
 our  churches  unbroken,  is  a  more  distinct  recognition 
 and  a  more  powerful  influence  of  the  principles  of  the 
 gospel;  more  humility,  more  spirituality,  more  zeal  for 
 the  divine  glory.  We  carry  into  the  sanctuary  and  into 
 the  church,  our  pride,  our  self-will,  our  personal  tastes. 
 The  spirit  of  mutual  submission,    brotherly  love,  and 
 
op  a  pastor.  425 
 
 surrender  of  our  own  gratification  to  the  good  of  others, 
 which  the  Word  of  God  enjoins,  and  our  profession 
 avows,  would  keep  the  church  always  happy  and  har- 
 monious, and  enable  it  to  pass  in  safety  through  the 
 most  critical  circumstances  in  which  it  can  be  placed. 
 
 ON    THE    CAUSES    OF    THOSE    SCHISMS    WHICH    SOMETIMES 
 DISTRACT    AND    DISTURB    THE    CHURCHES. 
 
 The  existence  of  this  evil,  truth  will  not  allow  us  to 
 deny,  nor  ingenuity  enable  us  to  conceal.  To  the 
 charge  of  schism,  preferred  against  us  by  episcopalian 
 bigots,  with  such  vituperation  and  such  perseverance, 
 we  are  as  insensible  as  one  human  being  can  be  to  the 
 accusations  of  another.  Such  a  charge  comes  with  an 
 ill  grace  from  a  religious  community,  which  if  separa- 
 tion be  schism,  set  us  the  example  in  their  own  conduct, 
 and  by  seceding  from  the  church  of  Rome,  taught  us  the 
 lawfulness  of  dissenting  from  the  Church  of  England. 
 
 I  wish  the  charge  of  schism  from  all  other  quarters 
 were  as  groundless  as  it  is  from  the  Church  of  England. 
 Alas,  alas  !  who  can  say  this  with  truth?  How  many 
 of  our  churches  present  at  this  moment  the  sad  spec- 
 tacle of  a  "house  divided  against  itself."  Such  scenes, 
 however,  ought  not  to  surprise  us,  though  we  cannot 
 but  lament  them.  They  are  evils  necessarily  growing 
 out  of  the  present  imperfect  state  of  humanity.  They 
 existed  in  apostolic  times,  and  grew  up  in  the  garden 
 of  the  Lord,  while  the  sacred  enclosure  was  yet  under 
 the  culture  of  the  holy  and  inspired  individuals  bv  whom 
 it  was  planted.  These  things  therefore  do  not  neces- 
 sarily disprove  the  scriptural  origin  of  the  system  with 
 which  they  are  connected. 
 
 Divisions  in  our  churches  produce  incalculable  mis- 
 Vol.  11  j,E 
 
426  THE    CAUSES 
 
 chief,  since  they  not  only  prevent  the  growth  of  religion 
 in  the  distracted  societies,  but  they  impair  and  destroy 
 it ;  they  excite  a  prejudice,  a  fearful  and  destructive 
 prejudice,  against  the  principles  of  dissent,  and  extend 
 their  mischief  still  farther,  by  obscuring  the  glory  of 
 religion  itself.  Infidels,  like  vultures  drawn  by  the 
 scent  of  blood,  hover  over  the  scenes  of  these  lament- 
 able conflicts,  ever  ready  to  glut  their  bloody  appetite 
 with  the  carcases  of  the  slain. 
 
 In  searching  for  the  causes  of  these  divisions,  we  are 
 not  to  suppose  for  a  moment,  that  they  are  inseparably 
 connected  with  the  principles  of  dissent,  and  the  con- 
 gregational form  of  church  government.  Even  if  it 
 were  attempted  to  be  proved,  that  these  principles  give 
 more  opportunity  than  some  others,  for  the  develope- 
 ment  of  the  imperfections  yet  remaining  in  the  christian 
 character,  yet,  as  long  as  it  can  be  shewn  that  they 
 are  fairly  deducible  from  Scripture,  we  are  not  to 
 reject  them,  but  only  double  our  vigilance  against  the 
 depravity  of  our  nature.  Even  these  evils  are  less 
 than  others,  which  are  connected  with  the  systems  of 
 national  establishments.  That  uniformity  which  is  pro- 
 duced by  legislative  enactments,  is  far  more  fatal  to  the 
 interests  of  piety,  than  the  occasional  disturbances  of 
 churches,  formed  upon  the  ground  of  voluntary  consent. 
 The  occasional  storm  is  less  mischievous  in  its  effects, 
 than  the  stagnant  atmosphere  purified  by  no  breeze, 
 which  engenders  fever  and  pestilence.  But  what  are 
 the  causes  of  these  schisms  ? 
 
 I.  Some  of  these  lie  with  ministers. 
 
 1.  A  defective  education  may  prepare  a  minister  to 
 be  the  cause  of  much  uneasiness  in  a  christian  church. 
 Deprived   by   the   circumstances  of  his   birth,  of  the 
 
0*  schism.  427 
 
 advantages  of  education  and  cultivated  society,  be  enters 
 upon  his  academic  pursuits  with  little  knowledge  of 
 books  and  of  the  world.  When  he  has  been  a  student 
 but  two  or  three  years,  some  injudicious  congregation, 
 captivated  by  a  few  sermons,  solicits  him  to  become 
 their  pastor.  He  accepts  their  invitation,  and  with 
 little  information,  and  still  less  acquaintance  with  the 
 habits  of  respectable  society,  he  enters  upon  the  duties 
 of  his  office.  He  soon  betrays  his  ignorance,  incom- 
 petence, and  want  of  all  those  qualifications  which  fit  a 
 person  for  government  in  the  church,  and  prepare  him 
 for  esteem  in  the  world.  At  length,  by  the  meagreness 
 of  his  preaching,  and  the  want  of  prudence  and  respecta- 
 bility in  his  conduct,  he  disgusts  his  flock,  and  a  conflict 
 ensues.  Both  parties  are  to  blame ;  they  in  tempting 
 him  so  soon  to  leave  his  college,  and  he  in  acceding  to 
 their  wishes.  They  however  are  to  be  censured  most, 
 and  so  far  as  their  own  comfort  is  concerned,  are  rightly 
 punished  for  plucking  from  academic  bowers  that  fruit, 
 which,  had  it  been  permitted  to  hang  till  it  was  ripe, 
 would  have  done  them  much  service.  A  longer  term 
 of  education  would  not  only  have  given  him  more  in- 
 formation, but  more  knowledge  of  men  and  things,  and 
 more  capacity  to  conduct  himself  with  propriety.  Know- 
 ledge is  power,  by  increasing  a  man's  weight  of  character 
 and  degree  of  influence. 
 
 The  churches  ought  to  be  very  cautious  of  tempting 
 students  to  leave  their  colleges  before  the  term  of  edu- 
 cation has  been  completed ;  and  this  term  in  the  present 
 age  ought  to  be  lengthened  rather  than  diminished. 
 This  is  an  age  of  activity,  more  than  of  study,  and 
 therefore  a  young  man  should  be  well  instructed  at  the 
 academy,  for  he  is  sure  to  meet  with  many  interruptions 
 
428  THE    CAUSES 
 
 to  self-improvement  when  he  becomes  a  pastor.  An 
 inefficient  minister  is  the  cause  of  many  disturbances ; 
 and  that  inefficiency,  where  it  does  exist,  is  to  be  often 
 traced  up  to  a  contracted  term  of  education.  Much, 
 very  much  pains  should  be  bestowed  by  all  our  tutors, 
 not  only  to  form  the  scholar,  the  divine,  the  preacher, 
 but  also  the  pastor. 
 
 2.  In  some  cases,  the  evil  is  to  be  traced  to  the  want 
 of  ministerial  diligence.  Some,  instead  of  devoting 
 their  time  and  their  energies  to  the  pursuits  of  the 
 study,  spend  one  half  of  the  week  in  running  about 
 the  country  to  attend  public  meetings,  and  the  other  in 
 gossiping  either  at  their  own  house,  or  at  the  houses  of 
 their  friends.  The  natural  consequence  is,  that  their 
 sermons  are  poverty  itself,  or  a  mere  repetition  of  the 
 same  sentiments,  in  the  same  words.  The  people  be- 
 come dissatisfied,  perhaps  remonstrate  in  a  disrespectful 
 way;  the  minister  takes  offence;  forms  a  party  of  his 
 own;  and  the  consequence  is  a  distracted  and  divided 
 church. 
 
 3.  Others  are  imprudent.  They  live  beyond  their 
 income,  plunge  themselves  in  debt,  and  their  people  in 
 disgrace ;  or  they  speak  unadvisedly  with  their  lips,  and 
 involve  themselves  in  litigation,  with  either  their  own 
 friends,  or  persons  of  other  denominations ;  or  they 
 hastily  engage  in  paper  wars  with  their  neighbours ;  or 
 they  marry  persons  unsuitable  to  their  character,  and 
 offensive  to  their  congregation,  and  thus  lay  the  founda- 
 tion of  uneasiness  and  dislike ;  or  they  become  involved 
 in  politics,  or  public  business,  and  thus  neglect  the  in- 
 terests of  the  church ;  or  they  speak  ill  of  some  members 
 to  others,  and  thus  raise  a  prejudice  and  party  against 
 them  in  the  society ;  or  they  let  down  their  dignity  by 
 
OF   Sill  ISM.  1,29 
 
 becoming  the  gossiping  companions  of  some  of  their 
 congregation.  In  all  these  and  many  other  ways,  may 
 ministers  prepare  the  way  for  dissatisfaction  or  schism. 
 Piety  and  prudence  in  the  ministerial  character  would 
 prevent  many  of  the  divisions  of  our  churches. 
 
 4s.  Others  arc  men  of  bad  temper;  hasty,  impetuous, 
 and  peculiarly  susceptible  of  offence.  They  are  easily 
 offended,  frequently  where  no  intention  really  existed 
 to  wound  their  minds.  They  then  show  their  resent- 
 ment in  a  way  very  displeasing  to  the  people.  Many 
 hard  speeches  and  disrespectful  terms  drop  from  their 
 lips,  which  are  by  some  mischief  makers  conveyed  to 
 the  individuals  against  whom  they  were  uttered.  A  fire 
 of  contention  is  soon  kindled,  and  the  whole  church  is 
 enveloped  in  the  flames. 
 
 5.  Some  few,  and  they  are  very  few,  are  immoral. 
 They  commit  sin,  and  yet  attaching  to  themselves  a 
 party,  introduce  great  disorder  and  confusion  into  the 
 society.  It  is  a  point  in  casuistry,  which  I  do  not  take 
 upon  me  to  decide,  how  far  a  minister  might  go  in  sin, 
 and  yet  upon  his  repentance  be  authorised  to  continue 
 his  office  as  a  preacher  and  pastor.  I  am  inclined, 
 however,  to  think  that  if  his  transgression  has  been  very 
 flagrant,  no  penitence  however  deep,  no  reformation 
 however  manifest,  can  justify  him  in  continuing  an 
 office,  one  qualification  of  which  is,  that  he  who  holds 
 it  should  be  "  blameless,"  and  another,  that  he  should 
 have  "  a  good  report  of  them  that  are  without."  In- 
 stances have  occurred,  in  which  men  who  have  fallen 
 into  gross  sin,  have  been  restored  to  penitence,  and  with 
 it  to  their  accustomed  labour  and  success;  but  whether 
 they  are  sufficient  to  justify  the  practice,  admits  of  a 
 doubt.     It  has  been  alleged  that  Peter  was  not  dis- 
 
430  THE    CAUSES 
 
 charged  from  the  apostleship  because  of  his  crime, 
 which  was  a  very  great  one ;  but  it  may  be  ques- 
 tioned if  our  Lord's  conduct  in  this  instance  can  be 
 drawn  out  into  a  precedent  for  ours.  This  was  an  ex- 
 traordinary case  under  his  own  direction.  Moreover, 
 if  our  Lord's  conduct  in  retaining  Peter  after  his  fall, 
 is  a  precedent  for  our  retaining  ministers  who  have 
 committed  "presumptuous  sins;"  his  conduct  in  em- 
 ploying Judas,  whom  he  knew  to  be  a  bad  man,  may 
 be  quoted  as  authority  for  employing  such  as  are  wicked. 
 The  wonder  is,  that  any  church  should  wish  to  retain 
 a  minister  whose  conduct  has  been  grossly  immoral, 
 whatever  fruits  of  repentance  he  may  bring  forth.  It 
 appears,  to  me,  therefore,  upon  the  whole,  for  the  inte- 
 rests of  true  piety,  that  he  who  has  grossly  violated  the 
 principles  of  christian  morality,  should  think  no  more 
 of  the  ministerial  office.  It  is  of  infinite  importance  to 
 the  interests  of  religion,  that  the  ministry  be  not  blamed, 
 but  that  its  honour  be  maintained  with  singular  care. 
 The  misconduct  here  stated  to  be  sometimes  found  in 
 ministers,  are  but  the  exceptions  to  the  general  rule.  A 
 comparison  instituted  between  the  great  body  of  our 
 pastors  and  the  clergy  of  the  Established  Church, 
 would  not  be  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  former.  A 
 more  holy,  diligent,  or  prudent  body  of  men,  as  a  body, 
 does  not  exist,  than  Dissenting  Ministers,  their  enemies 
 being  judges.  But  among  them  occasional  delinquen- 
 cies both  of  a  lesser,  and  a  graver  kind,  will  occur :  and 
 in  what  denomination  do  they  not  occur  ? 
 
 6.  The  tenacity  with  which  some  ministers  retain 
 their  situation,  when  their  labours  are  no  longer  accep- 
 table to  their  people,  is  another  cause  of  uneasiness. 
 When  from  any  cause  a  minister's  services  are  no  longer 
 
of  b<  11  ism.  i:;i 
 
 desired  by  his  people,  or  the  bulk  of  them,  it  is  mani- 
 festly his  duty  to  give  up  his  situation  as  soon  as  he  can 
 procure  another.  Any  attempt  to  remain  in  opposition 
 to  their  wishes,  is  certainly  wrong,  as  the  union  is  not 
 only  formed  on  the  ground  of  mutual  consent,  but  for 
 the  purpose  of  their  spiritual  edification.  Extreme  cases 
 may  occur,  such  as  a  desire  on  the  part  of  the  majority 
 of  the  people  to  introduce  heterodox  sentiments,  in 
 which  a  minister  ought  to  remain,  in  opposition  to  a 
 decided  wish  for  him  to  retire.  In  this  case,  a  divi- 
 sion is  desirable ;  such  majority  ought  to  retire,  and  the 
 faithful  preacher  of  the  truth  to  remain  firmly  at  his 
 post.  Let  all  ministers  consider  how  much  the  peace 
 and  prosperity  of  the  churches  depend  on  their  diligence, 
 prudence,  temper,  and  piety.  Let  them  tremble  at  the 
 thought  of  introducing  strife  and  division  to  any  part 
 of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
 
 II.  Other  causes  of  division  are  to  be  found  among 
 the  people. 
 
 1.  A  very  large  proportion  of  our  schisms  arise  at 
 the  time  of  choosing  a  minister.  This  has  already 
 received  a  distinct  and  separate  consideration. 
 
 2.  A  hasty  choice  of  an  unsuitable  person  to  fill  the 
 pastoral  office,  has  ended  in  great  uneasiness.  The 
 people  have  discovered  their  error,  when  its  rectification 
 was  sure  to  cause  much  trouble  to  the  society.  Upon 
 our  system  of  church  government,  it  is  not  easy  to 
 displace  an  unsuitable  minister,  except  he  be  immoral, 
 and  therefore  great  caution  should  be  observed  in 
 choosing  one.  Few  men  will  venture  to  remain  in 
 opposition  to  the  wishes  of  a  whole  society,  but  how 
 rarely  docs  it  happen  that  an  individual  has  no  party  in 
 his  favour ! 
 
432  THE    CAUSES 
 
 3.  A  peculiar  and  dishonourable  fickleness  of  dis- 
 position on  the  part  of  the  church,  is  in  some  instances 
 the  cause  of  division.  They  soon  grow  tired  of  the 
 man  whom  they  chose  at  first  with  every  demonstration 
 of  sincere  and  strong  regard.  They  seldom  approve  a 
 minister  beyond  a  period  of  seven  years,  and  are  so 
 uniform  in  the  term  of  their  satisfaction,  as  to  make 
 their  neighbours  look  out  for  a  change,  when' that  term 
 is  about  to  expire. 
 
 4.  Uneasiness  has  occasionally  arisen  between  a 
 minister  and  people,  by  the  unwillingness  of  the  latter 
 to  raise  the  necessary  support  for  their  pastor.  They 
 have  seen  him  struggling  with  the  cares  of  an  increasing 
 family,  and  marked  the  cloud  of  gloom,  as  it  thickened 
 and  settled  upon  his  brow;  they  knew  his  wants,  and 
 yet,  though  able  to  double  his  salary  and  dissipate  every 
 anxious  thought,  they  have  refused  to  advance  his 
 stipend,  and  have  robbed  him  of  his  comfort,  either  to 
 gratify  their  avarice,  or  indulge  their  extravagance.  He 
 remonstrates,  they  are  offended  :  love  departs,  esteem  is 
 diminished,  confidence  is  destroyed ;  while  ill  will,  strife, 
 and  alienation,  grow  apace.  How  easily  might  all  this 
 have  been  prevented :  a  few  pounds  a-year  more,  given 
 by  some  individual  who  could  not  have  missed  the  sum, 
 would  have  spared  the  peace  of  a  faithful  servant  of 
 Christ,  and  what  is  of  still  greater  consequence,  the 
 harmony  of  a  christian  church.  Can  those  persons  be 
 disciples  of  Jesus,  who  would  put  a  religious  society  in 
 peril  rather  than  make  so  small  a  sacrifice?  Let  not 
 the  voice  of  avarice  reply,  "  Can  that  man  be  a  minister 
 of  Christ,  who  would  feel  offended  with  his  church,  for 
 not  increasing  his  salary."  What  is  a  minister  to  do, 
 starve,  beg,  or  steal  ?     If  he  is  already  living  in  luxury, 
 
OF    SCHISM.  t33 
 
 and  expects  more,  he  deserves  to  be  denied.  But  I  am 
 supposing  a  case,  in  which  a  minister  has  not  enough 
 to  support  his  family  in  comfort.  Here,  however,  it 
 must  be  conceded,  the  churches  in  general,  are  not 
 backward  to  act  justly  and  generously  towards  their 
 pastors. 
 
 5.  An  improper  method  of  expressing  dissatisfaction 
 with  a  minister's  labours  or  conduct,  has  often  led  to 
 trouble  in  a  church.  I  do  not  pretend  to  say,  that  a 
 minister  occupies  a  seat  too  elevated  for  the  voice  of 
 complaint  to  reach  him,  or  that  he  is  entitled,  like  his 
 Master,  to  an  entire  exemption  from  all  that  interference 
 which  would  say  unto  him,  "  What  doest  thou  ?"  There 
 are  times  when  it  may  be  proper  to  remind  a  minister 
 of  some  duty  neglected,  or  some  pastoral  avocation 
 overlooked;  but  if  anonymous  and  insolent  letters  are 
 sent  him ;  if  impertinent  or  dictatorial  persons  wait 
 upon  him;  if,  instead  of  the  modest,  respectful  hint 
 of  some  person  whose  age  and  station  give  him  a  right 
 to  be  heard,  he  is  schooled  in  an  objurgatory  strain, 
 by  those  who  have  nothing  to  recommend  them  but 
 their  impudence  and  officiousness ;  no  wonder,  consider- 
 ing that  he  is  but  an  imperfect  man,  if  he  feel  offended 
 with  the  liberty,  and  almost  command  the  intruders 
 from  his  presence.  The  apostle  has  spread  over  the 
 ministerial  character  the  shield  of  his  authority,  to 
 defend  it  from  the  rude  attacks  of  those  who  would  act 
 the  part  of  self-elected  accusers.  "  Rebuke  not  an 
 elder,  but  entreat  him  as  a  father." 
 
 6.  The  domineering  spirit  and  conduct  of  some 
 leading  members,  has  often  been  the  source  of  very 
 considerable  uneasiness  to  our  churches.  If  among  the 
 first  disciples  of  Christ,  and  even  in  the  churches  planted 
 
434 
 
 THE    CAUSES 
 
 by  the  apostles,  there  existed  a  strife  for  pre-eminence, 
 it  is  not  to  be  wondered,  however  much  it  is  to  be 
 regretted,  that  there  should  be  individuals  in  our  days, 
 who  carry  the  spirit  of  .the  world  into  the  church,  mani- 
 fest a  love  of  power,  and  struggle  with  others  for  its 
 possession.  Their  property,  and  perhaps  their  standing, 
 give  them  influence,  and  this,  unhappily,  is  employed 
 in  endeavouring  to  subjugate  both  the  minister  and  the 
 people.  No  scheme  is  supported  unless  it  originates 
 with  them ;  while  every  plan  of  theirs  is  introduced 
 almost  with  the  authority  of  a  law.  They  expect  to  be 
 consulted  on  the  most  trivial  occasion,  and  if  opposed 
 in  any  thing,  become  resentful,  sullen  and  distant. 
 Little  by  little,  they  endeavour  to  gain  a  complete 
 ascendancy  in  the  society;  and  watch  with  peculiar 
 jealousy  every  individual  who  is  likely  to  become  a 
 rival.*  Let  the  leading  individuals  of  our  churches,  the 
 men  of  property,  and  the  deacons,  consider  what  mis- 
 chief may  be  occasioned  by  the  least  assumption  of 
 undue  influence.  Let  them  watch  against  the  lust  of 
 power :  it  is  a  passion  most  guilty  and  most  mischievous: 
 it  arises  almost  imperceptibly  from  their  situation;  and 
 its  progress,  like  that  of  sin  in  general,  is  slow  but  cer- 
 tain. Let  them  conduct  themselves  with  humility,  and 
 deliver  their  opinions  with  modesty,  and  remember  that 
 
 *  This  is  not  an  evil  peculiar  to  Dissent :  something  like  it  at  any 
 rate,  sometimes  occurs  in  the  Church  of  England.  The  squire  of  the 
 parish,  or  even  some  wealthy  and  influential  farmer,  sometimes 
 proves  a  sore  annoyance  to  many  a  godly  clergyman,  who  is  opposed, 
 thwarted,  and  defeated  in  many  a  scheme  of  usefulness  and  plan 
 of  operation  by  this  lordly  tyrant  of  both  people  and  society.  I  had 
 a  long  detail  of  this  kind  some  years  ago,  from  a  clergyman,  who  was 
 not  only  opposed  in  the  village,  but  insulted  in  the  church,  by  one 
 of  these  descendants  from  Diotrephes  of  old. 
 
OF    SCHISM.  I  .",.") 
 
 every  exertion  of  illegal  authority  is  an  invasion,  not 
 only  of  the  liberty  of  the  church,  but  of  the  prerogative 
 of  its  divine  Head.  Let  them  consider  themselves  aa 
 persons  whose  opinion  is  to  have  no  other  influence 
 than  that  which  its  wisdom  gives  it ;  and  that  the 
 measure  of  this  wisdom  is  to  be  estimated,  not  by  them- 
 selves, but  by  their  brethren.  Let  them  seek  for  that 
 humility  which  can  bear  to  be  opposed,  and  that  gentle- 
 ness of  temper  which  can  submit  to  contradiction.  Let 
 them  distinctly  bear  in  recollection  that  the  church  of 
 God  is  a  society  where  all  are  equals,  all  are  brethren ; 
 where  the  government  of  terror,  or  interest,  or  property 
 is  unknown,  but  where  love  and  humility  are  to  prevail, 
 and  no  other  rule  is  to  be  acknowledged  but  that  of 
 Jesus  Christ. 
 
 7.  The  relaxation  of  scriptural  discipline  may  be 
 mentioned  as  another  source  of  evil.  "Where  the  church 
 is  unscripturally  lax  in  the  admission  of  members,  and 
 for  the  sake  of  enlarging  its  bulk,  admits  improper  per- 
 sons, it  is  certainly  multiplying  the  causes  of  schism 
 and  decay.  If  a  wall  is  built  with  unsound  bricks  and 
 untempered  mortar,  it  may  stand  for  a  while,  but  cracks 
 and  dilapidations  must  sooner  or  later  be  visible  in  its 
 structure.  And  if  men  of  unsanctified  dispositions  be 
 admitted  to  the  church,  what  can  be  expected  from  such 
 individuals  in  a  time  of  conflicting  opinion,  but  fuel  for 
 the  flame  of  contention  ?  The  danger  is  considerably 
 increased  where  the  individuals  improperly  admitted  are 
 persons  of  property.  If  the  ordinary  rules  of  admission 
 are  dispensed  with,  for  the  sake  of  bringing  into  fellow- 
 ship the  wealthy  and  the  worldly ;  if  a  less  rigid  exami- 
 nation of  their  personal  religion  take  place,  it  is  little 
 to  be  wondered  at  that  mischief  should  ultimately  ensue. 
 
436  THE    CAUSES 
 
 If  a  rich  member  be  an  unsanctified  man,  he  has  a 
 double  power  of  mischief;  and  in  the  time  of  trouble, 
 this  will  be  felt  to  the  bitter  experience  of  the  church. 
 "  Whence  come  wars  and  fightings  amongst  you  ?  Come 
 they  not  hence  even  of  your  lusts,  that  war  in  your 
 members?"  Of  course,  then,  if  we  are  careless  in  the 
 admission  of  members,  and  receive  those  who  do  not 
 give  satisfactory  evidence  of  personal  religion,  we  are 
 multiplying  the  sources  of  contention  within  our  socie- 
 ties. Civil  wars  are  to  be  expected  in  that  country 
 which  extends,  without  caution,  the  rights  of  citizens 
 to  aliens  and  enemies.  "Wolves  admitted  in  sheep's 
 clothing,  will  worry  and  scatter  the  flock.  As  therefore 
 we  would  not  prepare  for  division  and  distraction,  let  us 
 act  upon  scriptural  principles,  in  the  admission  of  mem- 
 bers. 
 
 8.  The  existence  and  prevalence  of  an  Antinomian 
 spirit  is  a  fruitful  source  of  schism  in  our  churches. 
 
 "  As  every  age  of  the  church  is  marked  by  its  appropriate 
 visitation  of  error,  so  little  penetration  is  requisite  to  perceive  that 
 Autinomianism  is  the  epidemic  malady  of  the  present,  and  that  it  is 
 an  evil  of  deadly  malignity.  It  is  qualified  for  mischief  by  the  very 
 properties  which  might  seem  to  render  it  merely  an  object  of  con- 
 tempt ;  its  vulgarity  of  conception,  its  paucity  of  ideas,  its  determined 
 hostility  to  taste,  science,  and  letters.  It  includes  within  a  compass 
 which  every  head  can  contain,  and  every  tongue  can  utter,  a  system 
 which  cancels  every  moral  tie,  consigns  the  whole  human  race  to  the 
 extremes  of  presumption  or  despair ;  erects  religion  on  the  ruins 
 of  morality,  and  imparts  to  the  dregs  of  stupidity  all  the  powers 
 of  the  most  active  poison."     Eobert  Hall. 
 
 This  ruinous  spirit  has  already  disorganized  or  con- 
 vulsed so  many  churches,  that  it  is  high  time  the  toscin 
 should  be  sounded  against  it,  and  all  good  citizens  of 
 Zion  take  the  alarm.  It  must  be  confessed,  however, 
 that  it  does  not  always  originate  among  the  people.     A 
 
OF    SCHISM.  4.37 
 
 perversion  of  divine  truth  so  monstrous,  so  mischievous 
 and  absurd,  would  hardly  have  acquired  such  power  and 
 prevalence,  if  it  had  not  received  the  sanction  of  minis- 
 terial authority.  I  speak  not  now  of  those  ministers 
 who  are  the  avowed  and  consistent  patrons  of  the 
 system,  but  of  men  more  reputable,  and  whose  strain 
 of  preaching  is  in  general  more  scriptural ;  men  who 
 abhor  the  tenets  of  Antinomianism,  but  who  are  igno- 
 rantly  the  abettors  of  them.  When  such  ministers 
 dwell  only  on  the  doctrinal  parts  of  revealed  truth,  and 
 state  these  in  a  phraseology  capable  of  misconstruction ; 
 when  their  preaching  is  exclusively  confined  to  a  few 
 topics,  and  to  a  stiff  systematic  exhibition  of  them; 
 when  a  wretched  taste  for  spiritualising  and  allegorising 
 pervades  their  pulpit  compositions ;  when  the  facts  and 
 doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  abstractedly  stated,  without 
 being  made  the  grounds  and  motives  of  social  duty,  and 
 moral  excellence;  when  terms  obviously  scriptural  are 
 avoided,  in  compliment  to  a  system  which  reprobates 
 without  understanding  them;  and  their  sermons  are 
 encumbered  and  disfigured  with  the  phraseology  of  a 
 false  experience ;  when  believers  are  nattered  and 
 caressed  into  the  conceit  of  their  peculiar  excellence; 
 then,  whatever  be  the  preacher's  tenets  or  intentions, 
 must  Antinomianism  be  generated  and  cherished. 
 Oftentimes  has  this  elfish  spirit  risen  up  to  be  the 
 tormentor  of  the  father  that  begat  him ;  but  if  quiet 
 till  his  head  was  beneath  the  clods  of  the  valley,  it  has 
 possessed  and  convulsed  the  church  during  the  time 
 of  his  successor.  To  cure  this  evil,  let  the  ministers  be 
 cautious  how  they  preach.  Let  them  give  a  full  exhibi- 
 tion of  the  doctrines  of  grace ;  but  at  the  same  time  let 
 them  exhibit  these  doctrines  in  a  scriptural  manner,  as 
 
438  THE    CAUSES 
 
 the  basis  of  holiness  and  moral  excellence;  let  them 
 introduce  into  their  preaching,  all  the  varieties  of  re- 
 vealed truth ;  let  them  avoid  the  trammels  of  system, 
 nor  ever  attempt  to  corrupt  the  testimony  of  Scripture, 
 by  making  a  text  say  what  it  was  never  intended  to 
 affirm.  The  chief  source  of  Antinomianism  is  in  the 
 pulpit,  and  let  the  first  effort  therefore  be  employed  on 
 the  fountain,  to  render  this  pure  and  salutary  ;  and  the 
 next  be  devoted  to  drain  off  those  streams  which  are 
 corrupting  the  churches. 
 
 When  an  individual,  or  any  individuals,  are  known 
 to  cavil  at  the  sermons  of  the  minister,  and  to  be  em- 
 ployed in  exciting  a  prejudice  against  him  by  insinuating 
 that  he  does  not  preach  the  gospel,  they  should  be  rea- 
 soned and  expostulated  with,  both  by  the  minister  and 
 the  more  judicious  members  of  his  flock.  Every  mild 
 and  persuasive  method  should  be  adopted  and  employed 
 cither  to  convince  or  silence  them.  If  they  cannot  be 
 convinced,  they  should  at  least  be  bound  over  to  keep 
 the  peace,  and  brought  under  promise  not  to  trouble  the 
 church  or  attempt  to  sow  the  seeds  of  disaffection  in  the 
 minds  of  the  brethren.  If  they  consent  on  these  terms 
 to  remain  in  communion,  they  should  of  course  be 
 retained ;  but  if  again  detected  in  the  act  of  disturbing 
 the  society,  they  should  forthwith  be  put  away,  as 
 troublers  of  Israel.  I  have  known  instances  in  which 
 ministers  of  great  eminence  and  influence  have  suffered 
 such  individuals  to  remain  in  communion,  for  the  sake 
 of  peace,  and  have  trusted  to  their  own  authority  to 
 prevent  the  mischief  from  spreading.  This  however  is 
 chaining  the  fiend,  not  casting  him  out,  and  leaving  him 
 to  burst  his  fetters,  when  the  hand  that  holds  him  in 
 vassalage  shall  be  paralysed  by  death,  and  permitting 
 
OF    SCHISM.  139 
 
 liira  to  waste  and  devour  the  church,  under  the  rule  of 
 a  younger  or  inferior  minister.  An  act  of  authority, 
 scripturally  and  seasonably  exerted,  would  thus  have 
 destroyed  an  evil,  which,  by  a  temporising  policy,  is 
 bequeathed  to  a  successor,  who  can  neither  destroy  nor 
 control  it. 
 
 9.  After  all  that  has  been  said  upon  distinct  and 
 specific  causes  of  disturbance,  it  must  be  admitted  that 
 the  grand  source  of  ecclesiastical  distraction,  is  the  very 
 feeble  operation  of  christian  principles  on  the  hearts 
 of  church  members.  There  is  not  that  solemn  recoffni- 
 tion  and  powerful  influence  of  these  principles  which 
 there  ought  to  be.  The  two  virtues  of  love  and  hu- 
 mility, if  prevalent,  would  effectually  preserve  the 
 peace  of  the  church  against  the  evils  of  intestine  com- 
 motion. Without  them,  even  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
 no  less  than  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  is  sure  to  be 
 convulsed  with  faction,  and  torn  by  schism.  As  long  as 
 Christians  suffer  the  passions  of  men  to  agitate  their 
 minds  and  direct  their  conduct  in  the  assembly  of  the 
 saints,  so  long  must  we  expect  to  see  even  that  holy 
 convention  liable  to  the  distractions  of  mere  worldly 
 communities.  Pride  is  the  polluted  and  polluting  foun- 
 tain of  faction.  It  is  pride  that  makes  men  turbulent 
 and  contentious,  that  renders  them  imperious,  dog- 
 matical, and  overbearing  j  that  forms  in  them  the 
 inflexible  determination  to  have  their  own  way,  and  that 
 makes  them  regardless  of  the  opinions  and  feelings 
 of  others.  Humility  and  love  would  keep  all  quiet  and 
 orderly.  There  is  one  single  passage  of  Scripture, 
 which,  if  sacredly  observed,  would  for  ever  shut  out  the 
 divider  of  the  brethren:  "If  there  be  therefore  any 
 consolation  in  Christ,  if  any  comfort  of  love,  if  any 
 
440  THE    CAUSE 
 
 fellowship  of  the  spirit,  if  any  bowels  and  mercies, 
 fulfil  ye  my  joy,  that  ye  be  like  minded,  having  the  same 
 love,  being  of  one  accord,  of  one  mind.  Let  nothing 
 be  done  through  strife,  or  vain  glory ;  but  in  lowliness 
 of  mind  let  each  esteem  other  better  than  themselves. 
 Look  not  every  man  on  his  own  things,  but  every  man 
 also  on  the  things  of  others.  Let  this  mind  be  in  you, 
 which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus."  The  observance  of 
 this  single  injunction  would  ever  preserve  our  harmony, 
 and  make  our  church  meetings  to  be  scenes  where  all 
 the  air  is  love,  and  all  the  region  peace. 
 
 And  where  is  our  religion,  if  we  do  not  obey  this 
 apostolic  command  ?  We  must  come  back  to  the  first 
 principles  of  practical  piety,  and  cultivate  the  passive 
 virtues  of  the  christian  temper.  We  must  remember 
 that  Christianity  is  being  like  Christ,  and  that  unless  we 
 partake  of  that  love  "  which  suffereth  long  and  is  kind ; 
 which  envieth  not,  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up ; 
 which  doth,  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  her 
 own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  thinketh  no  evil,  rejoiceth 
 not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth;  which  be- 
 lieveth  all  things,  beareth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things, 
 endureth  all  things ;"  we  are  only  "  as  sounding  brass  or 
 a  tinkling  cymbal."  The  necessity  of  the  christian 
 temper  as  a  personal  possession,  and  its  importance  as  a 
 relative  blessing,  has  hitherto  been  but  feebly  perceived, 
 and  reluctantly  acknowledged.  Amidst  the  controver- 
 sies which  have  been  carried  on  about  the  doctrines 
 of  revelation,  the  spirit  of  religion  has  been  too  much 
 lost  sight  of:  and  what  after  all  is  the  doctrine  without 
 the  spirit,  but  the  body  without  the  soul.  Strange 
 indeed  it  is,  that  men,  who  by  their  own  confession  are 
 apostate,  ruined,  helpless  sinners,  should  want  humility ; 
 
OF    SCHISM.  Ill 
 
 and  that  they  who  believe  themselves  to  be  saved  from 
 hell  by  unmerited  mercy,  should  be  destitute  of  love. 
 
 Never  until  we  are  brought  to  a  more  implicit  sub- 
 mission to  the  authority  of  Christ,  and  to  a  more  dis- 
 tinct and  practical  recognition  of  the  principles  of  true 
 religion,  can  we  rationally  expect  to  see  Zion  a  quiet 
 and  peaceful  habitation.  Heaven  itself  would  be  a 
 region  of  storms,  if  pride  could  enter,  or  love  diminish, 
 in  those  realms  of  perfect  peace.  We  must  crucify  that 
 selfishness,  which  fixes  its  exclusive  observation  on  our 
 own  gratification,  and  cherish  that  expansive  benevolence 
 which  looks  upon  the  good  of  others.  We  must  con- 
 tend who  shall  be  lowest,  not  who  shall  be  highest.  We 
 must  seek  to  please,  and  not  merely  to  be  pleased.  In 
 these  things  must  our  efforts  begin,  to  suppress  and 
 prevent  the  division  of  our  churches.  Let  ministers 
 inculcate  this  temper  from  the  pulpit,  and  exhibit  it  in 
 their  conduct ;  let  private  Christians  receive  the  in- 
 structions, and  copy  the  example  of  their  pastors.  Let 
 both  remember  that  humility  and  love  are  the  necessary 
 fruits  of  our  doctrines,  the  highest  beauty  of  our  cha- 
 racter, and  the  guardian  angels  of  our  churches. 
 
 PRAYER    MEETINGS. 
 
 These  are  of  great  importance  both  to  the  piety  of 
 individual  members,  and  the  prosperity  of  the  church. 
 There  are  three  parties  concerned  in  them;  First,  the 
 minister,  who  superintends  and  leads  them,  who  should 
 consider  them  as  seasons  especially  adapted,  as  well  as 
 obviously  designed,  to  cherish  the  feelings  of  devotion  in 
 his  church,  and  should  therefore  not  only  attend  them, 
 but  do  all  he  can  to  render  them  interesting :  to  whom 
 also  it  appertains  to  select  proper  persons  to  engage  in 
 Vol.  11  E  F 
 
142  PRAYER 
 
 the  devotional  exercises.  The  second  party  is  composed 
 of  the  brethren,  who  engage,  and  who  should  observe 
 the  following  rules : 
 
 1.  Their  prayers  should  be  short,  not  exceeding,  on 
 ordinary  occasions,  more  than  ten  minutes.  Long 
 prayers,  however  excellent  they  may  be,  are  wearisome, 
 and  quench  the  spirit  of  devotion.  Three  prayers  of 
 ten  minutes  each,  are  far  better  thaifc  two  of  a  quarter 
 of  an  hour  or  twenty  minutes  each.  It  is  of  great 
 consequence  that  this  should  be  attended  to ;  the  in- 
 terest of  the  meeting  depends  upon  it. 
 
 2.  The  prayers  should  vary.  It  is  by  no  means 
 necessary  that  each  should  embrace  all  the  topics  that 
 are  usually  brought  into  our  devotions.  This  is  a  great 
 error,  and  ought  to  be  corrected.  Let  the  first  who 
 engages,  confine  himself  to  one  or  two  topics,  such,  for 
 instance,  as  personal  experience,  or  the  case  of  those 
 present;  let  the  next  enlarge  upon  the  affairs  of  the 
 church,  the  minister,  the  families  of  the  people ;  let  the 
 third  take  up  the  conversion  of  the  heathen,  and 
 the  success  of  the  various  institutions  set  up  for  the 
 purpose.  Let  one  dwell  much  on  confession  of  sin; 
 another  on  thanksgiving  for  mercies ;  a  third  on  peti- 
 tions for  necessary  blessings.  A  little  attention  and 
 recollection  would  render  this  variety  easy  to  be  accom- 
 plished, and  very  beneficial  in  its  influence. 
 
 3.  In  tone  the  prayers  should  be  sufficiently  loud  to 
 be  heard  by  all,  but  not  so  loud  as  to  be  unpleasant; 
 and  should  be  characterised  by  the  deepest  solemnity 
 and  reverence,  and  the  entire  absence  of  all  that  is 
 clamorous  and  imperative. 
 
 4.  All  poetry  should  be  avoided  in  prayers ;  all 
 hard  words,  and  the  frequent  repetition  of  imprecatory 
 
MEETING  1  !.'> 
 
 epithets ;  such  as,  "we  beseech  thee,"  "we  entreat 
 thee,"  "  be  thou  pleased,"  &c. ;  and  the  too  frequent 
 repetition  of  any  of  the  titles  or  attributes  of  God :  and 
 as  a  general  rule,  though  admitting  of  occasional  ex- 
 ceptions, God  the  Father  should  be  addressed  as  the 
 direct  object  of  worship,  through  the  mediation  of  the 
 Son,  and  in  dependence  upon  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 5.  When  the  prayer  is  obviously  coming  to  a  con- 
 clusion, it  should  not  be  renewed  again  because  some- 
 thing else  has  come  into  the  person's  mind  which  he 
 thinks  should  have  been  remembered. 
 
 G.  The  prayers  should  be  in  the  strictest  sense 
 prayers,  and  not  preaching.  A  preaching  strain  is  very 
 unsuitable  for  this  exercise.  The  parts  of  prayer,  and 
 the  .usual  order  of  these  parts,  are  Adoration,  Confes- 
 sion, Petition,  Intercession,  and  Thanksgiving.  This 
 order  should  be  usually  observed,  or,  if  departed  from, 
 as  it  sometimes  may,  the  parts  should  not  be  blended  in 
 confusion. 
 
 The  third  party  at  a  prayer  meeting  are  those  who 
 assemble  to  join  in  prayer,  not  to  lead  it.  No  church 
 member,  who  has  opportunity  to  attend,  should  neglect 
 these  seasons  of  social  religion.  The  advantages  of  a 
 well  conducted  prayer-meeting  are  great  and  numerous. 
 It  tends  to  keep  alive  the  spirit  of  devotion,  demon- 
 strates, by  the  prayers  of  so  many  brethren  who  engage, 
 the  minor  varieties,  yet  prevailing  uniformity,  of  chris- 
 tian experience ;  humbles  the  rich  by  the  holy  gifts  and 
 graces  of  the  poor ;  encourages  the  poor  by  the  sympa- 
 thies, confessions  and  acknowledgments,  of  the  rich ; 
 cheers  the  heart  of  the  minister  by  the  kind  interest  and 
 fervent  supplications  of  his  flock ;  cements  the  minds 
 of  the  members ;  and  may  be  supposed  to  bring  down 
 
444  PRAYER 
 
 the  blessings  of  God  upon  the  church,  which  is  thus 
 united  in  supplication,  and  also  upon  all  those  varied 
 objects  which  the  church  bears  before  God  in  believing 
 prayer.  Surely  then,  none  ought  to  be  willingly  absent 
 from  such  seasons  as  these. 
 
 It  would  materially  contribute  to  maintaining  variety 
 in  prayer,  as  well  as  give  a  deeper  and  more  solemn 
 interest  to  the  act  of  prayer  itself,  and  indeed  would  be 
 more  entirely  consonant  with  the  nature  of  prayer,  if 
 the  subjects  to  be  taken  up  at  our  prayer  meetings  were 
 often,  indeed  generally,  made  special,  and  were  also 
 previously  known.  I  am  inclined  to  think,  that  the 
 whole  subject  of  extempore  prayer,  whether  it  relate  to 
 the  closet,  the  family,  or  the  social  meeting,  needs  to  be 
 reconsidered.  Our  prayers  ought  to  have  an  object. 
 We  should  not  pray  at  random.  Many  persons,  when  the 
 hour  is  come  for  retirement,  go  into  their  closets,  fall 
 upon  their  knees,  and  pray  for  what  just  comes  into  their 
 minds,  for  any  thing,  or  every  thing,  which  they  may 
 happen  to  think  about  at  the  time ;  without  having  one 
 single  definite  purpose  before  they  commence,  or  while 
 they  continue ;  and  after  they  have  ended,  can  hardly 
 tell  a  word  of  what  they  have  been  praying  for.  Instead 
 of  this,  they  ought,  before  they  begin,  to  pause,  and 
 solemnly  ask  "what  am  I  going  to  ask  for?"  It 
 would  be  well  for  Christians  to  have  written  down  a 
 list  of  subjects,  some  of  them  stated  and  perpetual, 
 others  special  and  recurring  at  intervals,  which  should 
 be  brought  into  their  supplications  to  God.  The  same 
 remark  applies  to  social  prayer.  It  would  be  greatly 
 to  edification,  if  the  pastor  were  to  select  topics  of 
 prayer,  announce  them  at  the  commencement  of  the 
 service,  and  request  the  brethren  to  confine  their  petitions 
 
MEETINGS.  1  I., 
 
 to  the  subject  so  selected.     Let  any  one  consider  how 
 many  objects  are  before  the  public  mind,  in  this  extra- 
 ordinary age,  how  many  agencies  are  engaged  in  the 
 various  societies  which  are  formed  for  the  conversion 
 of  the  world,  in  the  various  aspects  of  its  population,  all 
 of  which  should  be  made  the  objects  of  special  prayer. 
 It  is  not  enough  to  pray  for  these  in  the  mass,  as  means 
 for  spreading  the  gospel  j  but  they  should  be  the  matter 
 of  specific  and  appropriate  intercession.     How  deep  an 
 interest  would  be  excited  in  the  welfare  of  these  various 
 institutions;    how  much  more  would  be  known  about 
 them,  if  they  were  thus  separately  taken  up  at  our 
 prayer  meetings,  introduced  by  the  pastor  with  a  few 
 explanatory  and  hortatory  remarks,  and  then  laid  before 
 God  with  solemn  entreaty  !     I  have  drawn  out  a  list  for 
 the  whole  year,  which  I  intend  to  make  the  directory 
 for  the  prayers  of  our  meetings,  and  which  includes 
 every  distinct  object  of  importance,  which  is  now  sought 
 by  religious  zeal. 
 
 I  am  aware  that  an  objection  will  be  raised,  on  the 
 ground  of  the  difficulty  of  keeping  the  brethren  who 
 engage  in  prayer  to  the  point,  and  the  probability  of 
 each  going  over  the  same  ground.  To  avoid  this  I 
 would  suggest,  that  the  first  prayer  be  general,  and  the 
 least  gifted  brother  be  called  upon  to  take  it ;  that  the 
 second  should  refer  to  the  special  object,  and  should  be 
 assigned  to  one  whose  command  of  thought  and  lan- 
 guage is  greater  j  and  the  pastor  might,  in  his  conclu- 
 ding devotions,  resume  and  continue  the  given  subject. 
 This  plan  would  have  a  great  tendency  to  keep  up 
 the  life  and  spirit  of  prayer-meetings;  for  it  must  be 
 admitted,  that  they  are  sometimes  very  dull,  and  a  dull 
 prayer-meeting  is  a  very  dull  exercise;  while  the  repeti- 
 
440  PRAYER 
 
 tion  of  them,  has  a  very  injurious  influence  in  deadening 
 the  spirit  of  prayer  altogether,  both  as  regards  our  social 
 and  private  devotions  too. 
 
 Nothing,  however,  tends  so  much  to  flatten  a  prayer 
 meeting,  as  long  prayers;  and  nothing  is  more  condu- 
 cive to  this  prolixity,  than  the  idea,  so  prevalent,  that 
 each  one  who  engages  is  expected  to  continue  for  at 
 least  ten  minutes,  and  to  go  through  the  whole  round 
 of  common  place  topics.  On  the  contrary,  how  inte- 
 resting and  delightful  would  it  be,  to  hear  a  Christian 
 breathe  out  his  desires,  if  it  were  only  for  five  minutes, 
 upon  one  subject  somewhat  in  the  form  of  the  collects 
 of  the  Church  of  England,  in  a  manner  which  indicated 
 that  his  heart  was  much  set  upon  the  matter  of  his  peti- 
 tion, and  carried  the  hearts  of  all  present  with  him. 
 
 Much  depends  upon  the  judgment  of  the  pastor,  as 
 to  the  interest  of  these  meetings,  and  it  is  perhaps  a 
 part  of  the  pastoral  duty  which  has  been  far  too  much 
 neglected. 
 
 In  order  to  increase  the  number  of  those  who  engage 
 in  prayer,  and  yet  not  call  out  to  this  exercise  persons 
 whose  gifts  are  not  to  edification,  it  would  be  well  for 
 the  pastor  to  invite  a  few  who  have  never  been  tried,  to 
 hold  a  meeting  with  him  alone;  when,  without  the 
 embarrassment  and  trepidation  produced  by  a  large 
 number,  they  might,  as  it  were,  be  trained  for  more 
 public  exercises.  The  gift  of  prayer  may  be,  and  should 
 be  cultivated,  as  well  as  the  grace  of  prayer  sought. 
 Hints  might  be  privately  given,  which  would  contribute, 
 materially  contribute,  to  prepare  those  who  are  willing 
 to  receive  them  for  edifying  their  brethren. 
 
 But  besides  the  stated  and  public  prayer  meetings, 
 the  members  of  a  church,  residing  in  the  same  circuit, 
 
MEETINGS.  I  I? 
 
 should  often  form  little  praying  companies,  for  any 
 lawful  and  important  object.  When  any  thing  of  con- 
 sequence, whether  relating  to  the  church  or  not,  is  upon 
 the  mind  and  heart  of  any  one,  he  might,  with  great 
 propriety,  invite  his  neighbour  members  to  join  with 
 him  in  fervent  supplication  to  God. 
 
 The  spirit  of  prayer  is  the  life  of  religion,  both  in 
 individuals  and  communities,  and  every  thing  should  be 
 done  that  is  lawful  and  proper,  both  by  pastor  and 
 people  to  maintain  its  vigour  and  efficiency.  A  praying 
 ministry  is  usually  a  successful  one,  and  a  praying 
 church  a  prosperous  one. 
 
448  PRIVATE    ADMINISTRATION    OF 
 
 The  following  section  of  the  ninth  chapter  appeared  in  several 
 editions,  but  was  omitted  on  the  Author  making  large  additions  to 
 the  work.  He  remained  however  to  the  last  of  the  opinion  here 
 expressed. 
 
 ON  THE  PROPRIETY  OF  OCCASIONALLY  ADMINISTERING  THE 
 LORD'S  SUPPER  IN  PRIVATE  HOUSES,  FOR  THE  SAKE  OF 
 SICK  PERSONS  WHO  ARE  INCAPABLE  OF  ATTENDING  THE 
 SOLEMNITIES   OF   PUBLIC   WORSHIP. 
 
 I  do  not  allude  to  the  practice  so  common  in  the 
 Church  of  England,  of  administering  the  sacrament  to 
 dying  persons,  as  a  preparative  for  eternity ;  this  custom, 
 so  unscriptural  in  its  nature,  and  so  delusory  in  its  ten- 
 dency, is  unknown  I  believe  amongst  dissenters.  But 
 instances  have  occurred,  in  which  our  ministers,  for 
 the  sake  of  some  of  their  members  who  have  been  long 
 confined  to  their  own  habitations  by  chronic  diseases, 
 without  the  prospect  of  ever  going  to  the  house  of  God 
 again,  have  assembled  a  few  others  in  the  chamber  of 
 the  afflicted  person,  and  administered  to  them  the  Lord's 
 supper.  The  infirm  individual  is  supposed  to  be  a  real 
 Christian  in  church  fellowship ;  the  others  joining  in 
 the  act,  are  also  members  of  the  same  church,  or 
 Christians  of  undoubted  piety ;  and  the  design  of  the 
 act  is  not   to  countenance   any   pharisaic   notions   of 
 
i  in.  lord's  supper.  1 1'J 
 
 human  merit,  which  the  sick  person  might  have  con- 
 nected with  the  reception  of  the  sacrament,  but  simply 
 to  give  him  an  opportunity  of  expressing  his  obedience, 
 and  gratifying  his  love  to  Christ,  by  an  observance  of 
 our  Lord's  own  institution.  Is  it  right  under  these 
 circumstances  to  gratify  his  request,  and  observe  with 
 him  the  sacred  supper?  I  think  not;  and  on  the  fol- 
 lowing grounds : 
 
 1.  The  Lord's  supper  is  strictly  a  church  ordinance, 
 and  not  an  exercise  of  mere  social  religion,  such  as  joint 
 prayer,  and  therefore  ought  not  to  be  observed  but  when 
 the  church  is  professedly  assembled.  It  is  not  an  act 
 of  social  religion  which  may  be  performed  in  any  place, 
 where  two  or  three  Christians  are  convened  together,  by 
 accident  or  design,  but  in  the  place  of  their  public  con- 
 vention, and  at  the  time  when  they  are  so  convened. 
 All  the  directions  of  the  apostle  concerning  this  insti- 
 tution, are  given  to  the  church  in  its  collective  capacity ; 
 and  besides  this,  there  are  many  incidental  expressions 
 which  plainly  shew  that  this  was  the  view  which  he  took 
 of  it,  under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  the 
 eleventh  chapter  of  the  first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians, 
 he  interferes  to  regulate  the  abuses  which  upon  this 
 subject  had  crept  into  the  Corinthian  church.  He 
 begins  the  subject  thus,  "When  ye  come  together  in 
 one  place,  this  is  not  to  eat  the  Lord's  supper."  Now 
 his  meaning  in  this  language  must  evidently  be,  that 
 merely  coming  into  one  place  together  for  a  feast,  was 
 not  enough,  but  in  that  one  place  conforming  to  all  the 
 other  regulations  delivered  by  our  Lord  concerning  it. 
 The  act  of  coming  together  into  one  place  was  right  so 
 far  as  it  went,  but  it  was  not  enough.  In  1  Cor.  v,  8, 
 the  apostle   says,    "Let  us  keep  the  feast;"    i.  e.  the 
 
450  PRIVATE    ADMINISTRATION    OF 
 
 Lord's  supper,  ' '  not  with  old  leaven ;"  in  the  7th  verse 
 they  were  commanded  to  purge  out  the  old  leaven,  that 
 is,  to  put  away  the  offending  member ;  and  this  was  to 
 be  done  when  they  were  gathered  together :  the  feast 
 was  to  be  observed  then,  when  the  church  were  gathered 
 together. 
 
 It  is  plain  therefore  that  the  Lord's  supper  is  a 
 church  ordinance,  and  can  with  propriety  be  only 
 observed  by  the  church  in  its  assembled  form.  But  it 
 will  probably  be  said,  "  Do  not  two  or  three  persons 
 convened  together  at  any  time,  or  in  any  place,  consti- 
 tute a  church?"  The  answer  to  this  question  depends 
 on  circumstances.  If  these  two  or  three  meet  together 
 for  the  purposes  and  in  the  character  of  a  distinct  and 
 separate  society  of  Christians,  and  in  the  usual  time  and 
 place  of  assembly,  they  are  a  church,  notwithstanding 
 the  smallness  of  their  number ;  but  if  they  meet  to- 
 gether as  the  acknowledged  members  of  another  society 
 which  in  its  general  capacity  neither  do,  nor  can  assemble 
 with  them  in  that  place,  they  are  not  a  church,  but 
 merely  a  part  of  one ;  and  as  such  have  no  right  to 
 perform  acts  which  belong  to  the  whole  number.  This 
 does  not  imply  that  it  is  necessary  for  every  member  to 
 be  present  in  order  to  a  meeting  of  the  church  j  for 
 provided  all  be  invited  to  assemble  in  one  place,  those 
 who  meet  constitute  the  church,  however  few  may 
 attend.  This  may  be  illustrated  by  a  reference  to  the 
 British  parliament.  Two  or  three  members  meeting 
 together  in  one  place  do  not  constitute  the  senate,  nor 
 are  their  acts  legislatorial.  The  parliament  are  the 
 members  assembled  by  appointment,  whether  few  or 
 many,  in  the  specified  place  of  meeting.  Such  is  the 
 church,  not  a  casual,  ambulatory,  or  private  meeting 
 
THE    LORDS    si  it  Kit.  ID  I 
 
 of  a  few  of  its  members,  but  the  body  of  Christians, 
 convened  by  general  notice.  The  words  of  Christ, 
 "Wherever  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
 name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them,"  more  imme- 
 diately refer  to  the  exercise  of  social  prayer  j  but  viewed 
 in  their  most  extensive  sense,  will  by  no  means  coun- 
 tenance the  idea,  that  two  or  three  members  of  a  church, 
 constitute  of  themselves  a  church,  until  they  have  sepa- 
 rated from  their  late  connexion,  and  formed  themselves 
 into  another  distinct  society. 
 
 2.  The  practice  in  question  is  contrary  to  one  of  the 
 ends  of  the  Lord's  supper,  which  is  to  be  a  visible  sign 
 of  the  oneness  of  the  church,  of  the  union  of  all  its 
 members  in  one  body.  Hence  said  the  apostle  "  We 
 being  many  are  one  bread  (loaf,)  and  one  body :  for  we 
 are  all  partakers  of  that  one  bread  (loaf)."  The  loaf  by 
 its  unity  shews  the  oneness  of  the  church ;  by  its  divi- 
 sion into  many  parts,  its  many  members.  But  is  not 
 this  design  of  the  Lord's  supper  defeated  by  its  private 
 celebration  amongst  a  few  members  of  the  church?  Are 
 the  two  or  three  assembled  in  private,  detached  from 
 the  public  body,  a  representation  of  its  unity  ? 
 
 3.  There  is  not  a  single  instance  in  Scripture  of  any 
 company  of  Christians  whose  meetings  were  merely 
 occasional,  and  who  were  not  united  for  the  purpose  of 
 stated  fellowship  as  a  church,  in  a  particular  place,  ob- 
 serving the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  supper.  And  as  we 
 have  no  example,  so  we  have  no  precept  for  such  things, 
 not  so  much  as  a  hint  that  they  may  be  done.  Should 
 ministers  therefore,  without  the  shadow  of 'scriptural 
 authority  consent  to  them  ? 
 
 4.  As  a  precedent  the  practice  is  dangerous ;  for  if 
 the  scripture  mode  of  observing  the  Lord's  supper  be 
 
452      PRIVATE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 
 
 departed  from  in  one  way,  it  may  in  another.  If 
 ministers  depart  from  the  regulations  of  the  New  Tes- 
 tament for  the  advantage  of  the  sick,  may  they  not  be 
 led  on  to  do  it  in  other  cases,  till  even  the  purposes 
 of  faction  shall  be  promoted  by  the  practice  ? 
 
 It  is  not  enough  to  justify  it,  to  say  that  it  is  a  great 
 loss  to  the  individual  who  is  deprived  of  the  possibility 
 of  attending  public  worship,  and  therefore  it  is  an  act 
 of  christian  love  to  make  up,  in  this  way,  the  privation. 
 We  must  not,  in  any  instance,  exercise  charity  at  the 
 expense  of  principle.  The  regulations  of  the  Word 
 of  God  are  not  to  be  violated,  even  for  the  pious  conso- 
 lation of  his  people.  Every  one  who  is  visited  by  an 
 affliction  which  confines  him  to  his  house,  is  released 
 from  all  obligation  to  observe  this  command  of  Christ, 
 "  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me."  The  duty  to  him  is 
 impossible,  at  least  in  the  scriptural  mode  of  it,  and 
 impossibility  always  supersedes  obligation.  If  it  ceases 
 to  be  his  duty,  it  ought  no  longer  to  be  considered  a 
 privilege.  All  he  has  to  do,  is  to  submit  to  the  priva- 
 tion, and  not  attempt  to  supply  it  in  a  manner  un- 
 authorised by  the  Word  of  God. 
 
A  MANUAL  FOR  THE  MEMBERS 
 
 INDEPENDENT    CHURCH,    ASSEMBLING    IN    CARRS    LANE, 
 BIRMINGHAM. 
 
 "  But  speaking  the  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up  into  him  in  all 
 things,  which  is  the  head,  even  Christ.  From  whom  the  whole  hody 
 fitly  joined  together,  and  compacted  by  that  which  every  joint  sup- 
 plieth,  according  to  the  effectual  woiking  in  the  measure  of  every 
 part,  maketh  increase  of  the  body  to  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love." 
 Ephes.  iv,  15,  16. 
 
THE    OFFICERS    OF    THE    CHURCH.  I".") 
 
 The  first  Chapter  contains  the  history  of  the  Carrs  Lane  Church, 
 
 which  will  appear  in  another  volume. 
 
 CHAPTER   II. 
 
 THE    OFFICERS    OF   THE    CHURCH. 
 
 The  special  duty  of  the  Deacons  is  to  look  after  the 
 sick  and  needy  members  of  the  church,  and  to  be  the 
 almoners  of  its  bounty ;  and  if  the  monthly  collections 
 at  the  Lord's  supper  should  be  found  inadequate  to 
 this  purpose,  it  is  incumbent  on  them  to  apply  to  the 
 wealthier  members  for  an  augmentation  of  their  bene- 
 ficence. It  is  not  however  to  be  understood  that  the 
 church  entirely  supports  its  poor  members,  so  as  to 
 render  their  application  for  parochial  assistance  un- 
 necessary or  improper.  It  is  competent  for  any  member 
 of  the  church  to  apply  to  any  one  of  the  deacons  for 
 assistance  in  his  own  case,  or  that  of  any  other  mem- 
 ber ;  and  such  deacon  may  administer  relief  at  his  own 
 discretion  till  the  monthly  meeting  of  the  whole  number, 
 when  it  may  be  determined  whether  such  assistance 
 shall  be  continued  or  in  any  way  altered.  To  the  dea- 
 cons appertains  the  duty  of  taking  a  general  superin- 
 tendence of  the  circumstances  necessary  for  the  eclcbra- 
 
456  THE    OFFICERS    OF    THE    CHURCH. 
 
 tion  of  the  Lord's  supper,  such  as  providing  and  keeping 
 proper  utensils,  and  a  sufficiency  of  bread  and  wine ;  and 
 it  is  their  business  to  distribute  the  elements  to  the 
 communicants.  It  is  usual  also  for  them  to  appoint 
 the  inferior  officers  and  servants  of  the  congregation, 
 such  as  door-keepers,  cleaners,  &c. ;  to  see  that  the 
 house  of  God  be  kept  clean,  decent,  and  in  a  fit  state 
 for  the  due  observance  of  public  worship;  and  also  to 
 employ  some  of  their  own  number,  or  others  with  them, 
 to  provide  seats  for  those  who  wish  to  join  the  congre- 
 gation. 
 
 The  office  of  the  Trustees  is  exclusively  of  a  secular 
 kind,  being  confined  to  the  building  and  the  endow- 
 ments, which  it  is  their  duty  to  see  appropriated,  and 
 kept  to  the  uses  for  which  the  one  was  erected  and  the 
 other  given,  or  bequeathed.  They  have  nothing,  as 
 trustees,  to  do  with  the  choice  of  the  minister,  or  with 
 any  act  of  church  discipline.  They  are  in  all  their 
 duties  to  be  regulated  by  the  provisions  of  the  deed 
 of  trust  which  invests  them  with  office. 
 
RELIGIOUS   opinions   or   TI1K   CHURCH.  t5' 
 
 CHAPTER    III. 
 
 RELIGIOUS    OPINIONS    OF    THE    CHURCH. 
 
 Although  we  have  not  any  creed  or  articles  which 
 are  the  acknowledged  formularies  of  the  church,  and  to 
 which  a  written  or  even  a  verbal  assent  is  required  as  a 
 term  of  communion,  yet  our  principles  are  as  well 
 known  among  ourselves,  and  as  distinctly  recognised,  as 
 if  we  had ;  and  as  much  real  uniformity  of  opinion  will 
 be  found  amongst  U3  on  important  points,  as  is  gene- 
 rally to  be  met  with  among  those  who  require  a  decla- 
 ration of  assent  to  certain  prescribed  forms  of  doc- 
 trine. The  statement,  put  forth  under  the  sanction 
 of  the  Congregational  Union,  as  expressing  the  senti- 
 ments of  the  Independent  denomination  generally,  con- 
 tains a  declaration  of  the  opinions  which  arc  held  by  us 
 both  on  doctrine  and  church  government ;  and  though 
 it  has  not  been  agreed  upon  by  any  formal  act  of  the 
 church  as  its  creed,  and  though  there  may  be  among 
 us  those  who  differ  from  it  in  some  minor  points,  yet  it 
 is  substantially  and  in  all  important  particulars,  a  correct 
 exhibition  of  our  views  of  divine  truth. 
 
 Vmi..  11  gg 
 
458  THE    ENDS    OF 
 
 CHAPTER   IV. 
 
 THE    ENDS    OF    CHURCH    FELLOWSHIP. 
 
 The  will  of  Christ,  clearly  expressed  in  the  New 
 Testament,  is  the  ground  or  reason  of  a  believer's  duty 
 to  enter  into  visible  communion  with  some  society  of 
 Christians  or  other,  according  as  he  may  think  their 
 doctrine  and  discipline  most  consonant  with  the  Word 
 of  God.  To  the  question,  therefore,  "  Why  do  you  join 
 yourself  to  a  christian  church?"  or  in  other  words, 
 "What  makes  it  your  duty?"  I  answer,  the  will  of 
 Christ,  as  set  forth  in  the  practice  of  the  primitive 
 Christians  under  the  direction  of  the  apostles.  The 
 current  language  of  the  New  Testament  clearly  implies 
 that  it  is  the  duty  of  every  real  Christian  to  unite 
 himself  in  outward,  as  well  as  inward,  fellowship  with 
 some  church  or  other.  But  then,  another  question  may 
 be  asked,  "  What  is  the  end  and  object  of  the  duty  ? 
 Christ's  will  is  the  ground  of  it,  but  what  is  the  purpose 
 of  it  ?"     I  answer  : 
 
 1.  To  make  a  public  profession,  or  which  means  the 
 same  thing,  confession  of  our  faith  in  Christ.  "  Who- 
 soever shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  will  I  confess 
 before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."      "With  the 
 
CHURCH    FELLOWSHIP.  1."/.) 
 
 heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  and  with  the 
 mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation."  A  mere 
 attendance  at  a  place  of  christian  worship,  however 
 regularly,  does  not  in  the  present  circumstances  of 
 Christendom,  amount  to  a  confession,  for  multitudes  do 
 this,  who  make  no  pretensions  to  personal  religion.  The 
 act  of  confession  consists  in  our  separating  ourselves 
 from  the  people  of  the  world,  and  joining  ourselves  with 
 the  people  of  God  upon  a  public  declaration  of  our 
 faith  in  Christ,  and  our  determination  to  live  as  one 
 of  his  disciples. 
 
 .,'.  Another  end  of  church  fellowship  is,  to  join  in  the 
 celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  It  is  our  opinion 
 that  this  ordinance  is  designed  to  be  observed  by  the 
 church  in  its  usual  season  and  place  of  public  and 
 general  convocation,  and  that  to  administer  it  in  sick 
 chambers,  and  to  dying  persons,  is  turning  it  aside  from 
 its  proper  use,  and  opening  a  source  of  fatal  delusion. 
 It  is  a  church  ordinance  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  term  : 
 and  therefore  the  act  of  joining  the  church,  is  preparatory 
 and  introductory  to  the  solemnities  of  the  sacred  supper. 
 
 3.  But  this  is  not  all.  A  christian  church  is  a  fellow- 
 ship of  Christians,  and  is  designed  to  accomplish  all  the 
 ends  of  fellowship.  We  thus  exhibit  our  unity  to  the 
 world ;  a  unity  of  sentiment  and  feeling.  Everv 
 separate  church  is  a  miniature  representation  of  the 
 unity  of  the  catholic  church.  "  We,  being  many/'  says 
 the  apostle,  "are  one  bread,  (or  loaf)  and  one  body, 
 for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  bread."  We 
 join  the  church  then,  to  shew  the  world  that  Christ's 
 people  are  one,  all  one  in  Him  their  common  Head. 
 But  fellowship  implies  more  than  this,  for  it  involves, 
 not  only  the  holding  of  common  principles,  or  a  unity 
 
460  THE    ENDS    OF 
 
 of  sentiment,  but  the  enjoyment  of  common  advantages, 
 or  in  other  words,  a  mutual  helpfulness.  We  are  united 
 to  give  and  to  receive  assistance  in  our  religious  course. 
 Each  is  required  to  contribute  something  to  the  good 
 of  the  whole,  and  to  receive  back  good  from  the  whole 
 by  reciprocal  inspection,  counsel,  watchfulness,  caution, 
 comfort,  and  admonition.  Hence  the  apostle's  com- 
 parison of  the  church  to  the  human  frame,  of  which, 
 the  members  are  all  reciprocally  helpful  to  one  another. 
 1  Cor.  xii.  The  details  of  this  helpfulness  will  come  to 
 be  considered  in  another  chapter,  when  the  duties  of 
 church  members  are  set  forth;  it  is  only  the  general 
 principle,  as  .the  end  of  fellowship,  that  is  now  spoken 
 of.  This  is  far  too  much  forgotten,  and  indeed  it  is  to 
 be  feared  that  by  some  it  has  scarcely  ever  been  thought 
 of.  The  person  who  joins  a  church,  merely  to  receive 
 the  Lord's  supper,  without  expecting  or  intending  to 
 receive  advantage  from,  or  communicate  advantage  to 
 his  fellow-members,  knows  not  the  nature  or  design  of 
 this  visible  communion  of  saints;  he  joins  a  society 
 only  to  perform  an  individual  act,  and  without  either 
 giving  or  receiving  any  social  benefit  whatever;  and  it 
 certainly  does  become  many  church  members  seriously 
 to  inquire,  what  one  social  benefit  they  have  conferred 
 or  received  ever  since  they  have  been  admitted  to  the 
 communion  of  the  church.  Whom  have  they  helped, 
 by  counsel,  comfort,  or  admonition,  and  from  whom 
 have  they  sought  them  ?  When  did  they  ever  by  one 
 single  feeling  or  act  recognise  that  they  belonged  to  a 
 christian  community  ?  When  were  ever  their  sensi- 
 bilities moved,  their  sympathies  excited,  or  their  help- 
 fulness set  in  motion  towards  their  brethren  and  sisters 
 
i  111  in  II    FELLOWSHIP.  Mil 
 
 in  the  church  ?  True  it  is,  that  in  large  churches, 
 situated  in  large  towns,  the  ends  of  fellowship  can  be 
 but  imperfectly  accomplished  ;  but  they  ought  to  be 
 recognised.  There  should  be  a  constant  recollection 
 that  we  belong  to  a  body  in  which  we  should  take  a 
 deep  interest,  and  to  the  welfare  of  which  we  should  be 
 ever  alive,  by  all  the  tender  promptings  of  a  felt  relation- 
 ship. A  christian  church,  it  is  again  repeated,  is  a 
 sacred  fellowship,  a  union  of  believers  upon  the  ground 
 of  common  principles,  and  for  the  enjoyment  of  com- 
 mon advantages  in  a  religious  life. 
 
462  FORM    OF   ADMISSION 
 
 CHAPTER   V. 
 
 FORM    OF    ADMISSION    TO    THE    CHURCH. 
 
 It  should  be  stated  here  that  we  do  not  consider  the 
 Lord's  supper  and  church  fellowship,  converting  ordi- 
 nances, but  edifying,  strengthening,  comforting,  and 
 cementing  ones;  and  of  course  intended  only  for  such 
 as  are  hopefully  converted  already.  The  primitive 
 churches  were  addressed  as  "saints/'  "faithful  brethren," 
 "  those  who  call  on  the  Lord  Jesus ;"  and  indeed  none 
 else  could  fulfil  the  purposes  and  answer  the  design  of 
 the  Lord's  supper.  It  is  therefore  highly  improper  to 
 urge  people  to  join  the  church  till  there  is  good  reason 
 to  hope  they  are  truly  renewed ;  for  if  they  enter  into 
 church  communion  in  an  unconverted  state,  the  great 
 probability  is  that  they  will  always  remain  so. 
 
 When  persons  wish  to  enter  into  fellowship  with  us, 
 they  either  go  without  introduction  to  the  pastor,  or 
 speak  to  some  one  of  the  members  to  introduce  them : 
 and  it  is  considered  to  be  the  duty  of  the  members,  not 
 only  to  be  ready  to  perform  this  office  of  christian 
 friendship  when  solicited  to  do  it,  but  to  look  out  among 
 those  whom  they  may  happen  to  know,  for  truly  devout 
 persons,  and  offer  to  go  with  them  to  their  minister; 
 such  persons  being  often  timid  and  retiring  in  the  early 
 
to    THE    CHURCH.  163 
 
 :  ■  of  their  religious  history,  and  standing  in  great 
 need  of  encouragement.  Upon  their  interview  with  the 
 minister,  he  enters  into  conversation  with  them,  and  ex- 
 amines them  upon  the  two  points  of  their  knowledge 
 and  experience;  and  if  he  finds  them  sufficiently  ad- 
 vanced in  both  at  the  first  interview,  which  is  very 
 rarely  the  case,  he  consents  to  propose  them  to  the 
 church  for  fellowship  at  its  next  meeting.  If  on  the 
 contrary,  he  finds  them  too  immature,  he  requests 
 another,  and  another  interview,  which  in  some  cases  is 
 repeated  many  times.  When  he  deems  it  proper,  that  is, 
 when  he  has,  upon  the  whole,  sufficient  evidence  that 
 such  persons  are  sincere  Christians,  and  competently 
 acquainted  with  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  the  Word 
 of  God,  the  ends  of  church  communion,  and  the  nature 
 and  design  of  the  Lord's  supper,  he  proposes  their 
 names  to  the  assembled  church,  when  they  are  accepted 
 as  candidates  for  fellowship,  and  two  persons  appointed 
 to  converse  with  them  touching  their  religious  know- 
 ledge and  experience,  and  to  make  inquiry  into  their 
 manner  of  life  and  general  conduct.  It  would  seem  to 
 many,  as  if  this  were  the  exclusive  care  and  duty  of  the 
 pastor,  and  that  therefore  the  enquiries  of  the  brethren 
 were  superfluous  and  intrusive,  or  even  inquisitorial. 
 But  it  is  to  be  recollected  that  a  necessity  for  this  arises 
 out  of  the  constitution  of  our  churches,  which  are  formed 
 upon  the  principle  of  a  voluntary  union,  and  reciprocal 
 knowledge  of  each  other's  sentiments  and  characters; 
 and  it  is  therefore  every  way  proper,  that  the  church,  by 
 a  deputation  of  its  own,  should  be  satisfied  of  the  piety 
 of  those  whom  it  receives  into  its  communion.  More- 
 over, it  might  happen  also,  that  a  pastor,  if  the  sole 
 power  of  admission   were  vested   Avith   him,   would   be 
 
461  FORM    OF    ADMISSION    TO    THE    CHURCH. 
 
 tempted  in  some  cases  to  admit  improper  persons, 
 either,  for  instance,  to  magnify  his  own  importance 
 as  a  useful  preacher,  or  to  swell  his  party  in  a  time  of 
 conflict  with  his  people.  But  it  seems  clear  also,  that 
 in  the  first  churches,  the  right  of  admission  and  exclu- 
 sion was  with  the  people :  they  chose  the  deacons, 
 Acts  vi. :  they  were  commanded  to  receive  the  weak  in 
 faith,  "  Him  that  is  weak  in  faith  receive  ye."  Rom. 
 xiv,  1.  They  were  reasoned  with  and  reproved,  concern- 
 ing the  sinful  member  of  the  church  of  Corinth ;  both 
 his  exclusion  and  re-admission  were  referred  to  them. 
 1  Cor.  v,  4,  7 ;  2  Cor.  ii,  6,  8.  On  these  grounds  we 
 think  it  right  that  the  admission  of  members  to  the 
 church,  should  be  the  church's  own  act. 
 
 At  the  church  meeting  succeeding  that  when  the  can- 
 didates were  proposed,  the  pastor  and  the  deputies  make 
 their  report,  which  is  accompanied  frequently  by  a 
 written  statement  of  the  religious  views,  feelings,  and 
 determinations  of  the  candidates,  who  are  then  admitted 
 by  the  suffrages  of  the  brethren ;  and  on  being  intro- 
 duced, are  addressed  by  the  pastor,  who,  at  the  close  of 
 his  address,  gives  to  each  candidate  the  right  hand  of 
 christian  fellowship  in  the  name  of  the  church. 
 
 The  address  is  longer  or  shorter  as  the  feelings  of  the 
 pastor  may  prompt,  or  the  circumstances  of  the  candi- 
 dates may  seem  to  require. 
 
ON    CHURCH    DISCIPLINE.  t65 
 
 CHAPTER    VI. 
 
 ON    CIIl'RCU    discipline. 
 
 From  the  very  constitution  of  our  churches,  every 
 member  is  amenable  to  the  body  to  which  he  belongs, 
 that  is  it  appertains  to  the  church  to  take  cognizance, 
 in  Christ's  name,  and  by  virtue  of  his  authority,  of  the 
 conduct  of  its  members,  and  it  is  invested  by  him  with  a 
 right  to  call  any  one  to  account  for  his  behaviour,  to  ac- 
 quit or  to  condemn  him,  to  censure  or  to  excommunicate 
 him  ;  and  no  one  should  think  of  entering  into  commu- 
 nion, who  is  not  prepared  to  acknowledge  and  to  submit 
 to  this  spiritual  power.  In  proof  that  the  church  has 
 such  power,  we  refer  to  our  Lord's  own  directions,  Matt. 
 xviii,  15-20;  1  Cor.  vi,  1-7;  2  Thess.  iii,  6-16.  Indeed 
 this  power  of  the  church,  as  has  been  already  remarked, 
 arises  out  of  its  constitution,  for  the  right  of  exclusion 
 is  a  necessary  adjunct  to  the  right  of  admission.  In 
 publicly  rebuking,  or  excommunicating,  the  minister 
 acts  as  the  executive  of  the  church's  will  as  well  as  his 
 own,  or  rather  of  the  will  of  Christ,  expressed  through 
 and  by  the  church.  There  are  of  course  many  acts 
 of  lesser  impropriety  and  inconsistency  which  come  to 
 his  knowledge,  of  which  a  sufficient  notice  is  taken  by 
 his  own  private  expostulation  and  affectionate  reproof : 
 
466  ON    CHURCH 
 
 and  confidence  must  be  reposed  in  his  judgment  to 
 determine  what  cases  of  delinquency  are  of  sufficient 
 magnitude  to  bring  before  the  body  for  their  investiga- 
 tion and  decision.  But  a  question  very  properly  and 
 naturally  arises  concerning  the  duty  of  the  members  in 
 reference  to  offences  that  come  under  their  notice.  These 
 are  of  two  classes; 
 
 1.  Such  as  are  committed  against  themselves,  either 
 in  the  way  of  insulting  them,  wronging  them,  slandering 
 them,  or  in  any  other  way.  In  all  these  cases  the  duty 
 of  the  offended  party  is  plainly  laid  down  by  our  Lord. 
 ' '  Moreover  if  thy  brother  shall  trespass  against  thee,  go 
 and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone." 
 Now  this  is  the  first  step  to  be  taken.  We  ought  not  to 
 say  a  syllable  about  the  matter  to  a  single  indvidual,  but 
 go  at  once  in  a  spirit  of  great  meekness  and  gentleness 
 to  the  party,  and  with  affectionate  kindness  in  every 
 look  and  every  word,  to  ask,  not  demand  explanation. 
 We  ought  not  to  make  up  our  mind  before  hand  that 
 our  brother  intended  wrong,  and  was  influenced  by  a 
 bad  motive;  for  we  are  very  often  mistaken,  and  set 
 that  down  to  design,  which  was  really  the  effect  of 
 accident,  and  conclude  that  to  be  true,  which  is  incor- 
 rect and  unfounded.  If  we  go  in  an  angry  spirit,  with 
 displeasure  seated  on  our  brow,  cold  repulsive  defiance 
 in  our  manner,  resentment  in  our  tone,  and  accusation 
 upon  our  lips,  we  are  sure  to  do  mischief,  and  had  bet- 
 ter stay  away.  But  what  heart  could  withstand  such 
 an  appeal  as  this  ?  "  Brother,  I  think  you  have  not 
 acted  towards  me  quite  as  you  should  have  done,  but  as 
 it  is  possible  I  may  be  mistaken,  and  that  a  few  words 
 of  explanation  would  remove  all  doubt  and  painful  im- 
 pression from  my  mind,  I  have  followed  our  Saviour's 
 
DISCIPLINE. 
 
 rule,  and  liavc  come  to  you  alone."  Tlic  supposed 
 offender  must  be  any  thing  but  a  Christian  if  he  will 
 not  instantly  give  the  explanation  requested.  Such  is 
 the  right  mode,  and  it  would  be  usually  successful ;  but 
 what  is  the  prevailing  one?  Either  to  brood  in  resent- 
 ful silence  over  the  supposed  injury,  with  a  determina- 
 tion to  have  no  more  to  do  with  the  offender,  perhaps 
 also  to  return  evil  for  evil ;  or  else  to  run  off  with  a  re- 
 port of  the  matter,  to  a  third  person,  and  a  fourth,  and 
 a  fifth,  and  as  many  as  will  listen  to  it,  without  saying 
 one  syllable  to  the  offender;  till  the  matter  becomes 
 aggravated  and  complicated  beyond  the  possibility  of 
 amicable  arrangement.  Oh  how  easy  would  be  the 
 settlement  of  offences,  if  the  authority  of  Christ  were 
 submitted  to,  and  his  rule  followed  !  "  If  he  shall  hear 
 thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother :  but  if  he  will  not 
 hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  in 
 the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be 
 established."  This  is  the  second  step,  which  if  taken 
 by  all  parties  in  a  kind  judicious  manner  would  usually 
 succeed,  where  even  the  first  failed  ;  "  And  if  he  should 
 neglect  to  hear  thee,  tell  it  unto  the  church."  This 
 of  course  supposes  that  it  is  a  matter  of  importance, 
 for  it  would  be  ridiculous  to  magnify  every  trifle  into  so 
 grave  a  matter  as  to  make  it  a  church  question.  There 
 are  innumerable  little  things  continually  occurring  in 
 the  intercourse  of  society,  of  which,  though  they  may 
 be  rather  irritating  in  their  character,  no  notice  ought 
 to  be  taken.  "We  ought  to  have  that  charity  "which 
 suffereth  long,  is  not  easily  provoked,  thinketh  no  evil." 
 In  serious  matters  of  actual  wrong,  and  when  all  pre- 
 vious and  private  methods  have  failed  to  bring  the 
 offender  to  contrition  and  confession,  the  matter  must 
 
468  ON    CHURCH 
 
 be  laid  before  the  church,  which  then  appoints  two  or 
 three  of  its  number  to  investigate  the  affair,  and  deter- 
 mine who  is  wrong,  and  what  concession  ought  to  be 
 made;  upon  whose  report,  when  delivered,  the  body 
 acts,  in  the  way  of  rebuke  or  excommunication,  as  the 
 offence  is  more  or  less  aggravated. 
 
 2.  There  are  also  offences  which  the  members  some- 
 times witness  in  their  brethren,  that  are  not  committed 
 in  any  sense  against  themselves  personally  and  indi- 
 vidually ;  and  how,  it  may  be  asked,  are  they  to  act  in 
 these  cases  ?  If  it  be  a  slight  matter,  and  not  of  such 
 a  character  as  to  bring  scandal  upon  the  profession  of 
 the  individual,  a  few  words  of  humble,  meek,  and  affec- 
 tionate expostulation,  are  all  that  is  requisite.  This  in 
 most  cases  will  be  quite  sufficient,  not  merely  for  re- 
 lieving the  conscience  of  him  who  witnesses  the  sin,  but 
 for  awakening  that  of  the  individual  by  whom  it  is  com- 
 mitted. If,  on  the  other  hand,  it  be  a  matter  of  a  more 
 flagrant  nature,  and  is  known  to  others,  it  should  be 
 immediately  communicated  to  the  pastor,  with  whom  it 
 then  rests. 
 
 As  has  been  already  noticed,  there  are  some  cases  of 
 minor  offence,  which  the  pastor  may  be  thought  com- 
 petent to  settle,  and  which  may  be  dismissed  after  a 
 rebuke  from  him  :  but  all  serious  instances  of  immoral 
 and  improper  conduct,  are  referred  to  the  church,  which 
 appoints  a  deputation  to  enquire  into  the  matter,  "  that 
 in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may 
 be  established :"  upon  their  report  rebuke  is  adminis- 
 tered, or  the  unworthy  member  is  excommunicated. 
 With  us  the  sentence  of  excommunication  is,  of  course, 
 purely  a  spiritual  matter,  an  expulsion  from  the  church. 
 It  is  not  however  on  that  account  the  less  terrible. 
 
DISCIPLINE.  169 
 
 When  a  person  has  been  excommunicated,  it  is 
 against  the  law  of  Christ,  in  the  Xcw  Testament,  as  well 
 as  against  the  dictates  of  common  sense,  for  the  mem- 
 bers of  the  church  any  longer  to  associate  with  him,  as 
 if  nothing  had  happened.  He  is  to  be  them  as  a 
 heathen  or  a  publican,  that  is,  one  who  is  no  longer  in 
 any  connexion  with  the  church,  and  with  whom  its 
 members  ought  not  to  be  seen  in  voluntary  and  friendly 
 intercourse.  They  are  to  retire  from  him  j  still,  how- 
 ever, bearing  good  will  towards  him,  willing  to  do  him 
 any  kind  office,  and  even  visiting  him  in  love  to  bring 
 him  to  a  contrite  sense  of  his  sin.  This  is  twice  men- 
 tioned by  the  apostle.  1  Corinthians  v,  9-11;  2  Thes. 
 iii,  11,  15. 
 
 There  is  a  practical  error  into  which  the  members 
 of  our  churches  sometimes  fall,  in  the  case  of  offences 
 between  themselves;  and  that  is,  to  absent  themselves 
 from  the  Lord's  table,  because  of  their  disagreement 
 with  some  one  member ;  and  then  to  allege  as  their  ex- 
 cuse that,  as  they  cannot  comfortably  meet  him  there, 
 it  is  altogether  better  for  them  to  refrain.  But  this  is 
 wrong.  If  they  are  conscious  of  having  no  ill  will,  no 
 feeling  of  malice,  or  purpose  of  revenge  towards  him  in 
 their  own  breast,  what  should  prevent  their  meeting 
 him?  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are  conscious  that 
 they  have  such  feelings,  they  ought  instantly  to  put 
 them  away,  to  be  reconciled  to  their  brother,  and  in  a 
 spirit  of  love  to  fill  up  their  place.  If  they  are  the 
 offending  party,  they  should  instantly  go,  make  repara- 
 tion, and  seek  forgiveness.  If  they  are  the  injured 
 party,  then  let  them  go  to  the  table  in  the  spirit  of 
 forgiveness,  and  delight  to  feel  how  much  and  how 
 entirely  they  can  forgive  for  the  sake  of  Christ.     To 
 
470  ON    CHUllCH    DISCIPLINE. 
 
 stay  away  from  the  whole  church  for  the  supposed  or 
 even  real  misconduct  of  one  person,  and  that  before 
 the  church  has  taken  up  the  matter,  or  even  knows 
 anything  about  it,  is  separating  ourselves  from  the 
 fellowship  of  the  body,  because  we  are  not  in  perfect 
 communion  with  some  one  individual  member.  Should 
 the  church  refuse  to  take  cognizance  of  the  matter,  or 
 come  to  a  decision  which  we  conscientiously  believe  to 
 be  contrary,  not  only  to  our  wishes,  but  also  to  the 
 letter  and  precepts  of  the  New  Testament,  we  may 
 then  withdraw :  but  even  in  this  case,  we  should  be 
 very  careful  not  to  suffer  our  judgment  to  be  blinded 
 and  misled  by  the  deceitfulness  of  the  heart  and  the 
 power  of  self-love.  Though  our  churches  are  not  in- 
 fallible, yet  their  decisions  in  judging  between  two 
 parties  at  variance  are  rarely  unjust :  no  Christian's 
 heart  ought  ever  to  be  in  a  state  towards  any  one 
 which  would  prevent  him  from  meeting  a  fellow  mem- 
 ber at  the  table  of  the  Lord ;  our  connexion  is  with 
 the  whole  church,  and  not  with  any  one  member  of  it, 
 or  with  any  class  of  members :  and  to  abstain  from  the 
 solemn  season  of  communion  with  the  former,  because 
 we  are  not  in  perfect  concord  with  the  latter,  is,  I  re- 
 peat, to  break  up  our  fellowship  with  the  many,  because 
 Ave  have  lost  it  with  the  one,  or  with  the  few. 
 
BTB    i.AWs.  171 
 
 CHAPTER   VII. 
 
 BYE    LAWS    OF    THE    CHURCH. 
 
 It  is  of  great  importance  for  the  members  ever  to 
 recollect,  that  Christ  is  the  only  Head  of  the  church, 
 the  only  King  in  Zion,  and  therefore  the  only  Law- 
 maker. His  code  of  spiritual  legislation  is  the  New 
 Testament,  which  every  church  that  calls  itself  Chris- 
 tian is  bound  to  acknowledge  and  obey,  without  adding 
 to  it,  or  taking  from  it.  When,  therefore,  a  church 
 meets  and  acts,  it  is  not,  properly  speaking,  to  make 
 laws  for  itself,  but  to  execute  those  which  Christ  has 
 already  made.  It  resolves  for  instance  to  choose 
 a  pastor  or  deacons,  to  admit  or  exclude  members, 
 to  raise  a  minister's  salary,  to  appoint  seasons  of 
 prayer  and  humiliation,  to  co-operate  with  other 
 churches  in  the  neighbourhood  for  the  spread  of  the 
 gospel  at  home  and  abroad ;  but  in  all  these  acts  it  is 
 not  making  its  own  laws,  but  obeying  Christ's.  True  it 
 is,  there  are  many  things  that  are  not  either  forbidden 
 or  enjoined,  matters  of  pure  indifference,  which  are 
 neither  articles  of  faith,  nor  religious  ceremonies;  but 
 mere  affairs  of  ecclesiastical  business,  in  reference  to 
 which  the  church  is  to  exercise  its  own  discretion;  but 
 then    even    this    discretion    must    be    exercised   with   a 
 
472  BYE    LAWS. 
 
 reference  to  the  will  of  Christ,  it  being  intended  for  the 
 good  of  the  body,  and  with  a  view  of  carrying  into 
 execution  those  laws  which  he  has  laid  down.  The  only 
 bye-laws  of  our  church  are  the  following : 
 
 If  any  member  shall  absent  himself  from  the  Lord's 
 table  six  successive  times  of  the  administration  of  the 
 Lord's  supper,  without  satisfactory  reasons,  he  shall  be 
 thereby  excluded. 
 
 If,  however,  the  absentee  should  profess  penitence 
 for  his  neglect,  a  desire  to  continue  in  fellowship,  and  a 
 purpose  to  be  regular  in  his  attendance  on  the  ordinance 
 for  the  future,  he  is,  if  there  has  been  no  immorality,  or 
 other  inconsistency  added  to  this  neglect,  immediately 
 re-admitted.  The  plan  of  each  member's  putting  on 
 the  communion  plate  every  sacramental  season,  a  card 
 bearing  his  name,  is  essentially  necessary  to  the  opera- 
 tion of  this  law,  as  well  as  productive  of  many  other 
 benefits;  and  has  been  found  of  such  service  to  our 
 church,  that  we  are  ready  to  wonder  how  the  affairs 
 of  any  large  christian  society  can  be  carried  on  well 
 without  it. 
 
 Another  bye-law  which  is  set  up  among  us,  is  the 
 following : 
 
 If  any  member  of  the  church  shall  become  a  bank- 
 rupt, or  shall  compound  with  his  creditors  for  the  pay- 
 ment of  a  less  sum  than  his  whole  debt,  a  deputation 
 of  two  members  shall  be  appointed  to  inquire  whether 
 his  conduct  has  been  such  as  to  bring  any  reproach  upon 
 his  christian  profession,  and  make  their  report  as  early 
 as  convenient,  that  the  church  may  know  whether  it  is 
 called  upon  for  the  exercise  of  its  authority  in  a  way  of 
 discipline,  or  of  its  affection  in  a  way  of  sympathy. 
 
BYE    LAWS.  I?.'. 
 
 It  is  the  duty  of  professing  Christians  not  only  to  bo 
 devout,  but  to  be  moral ;  and  the  morality  which  should 
 satisfy  them  is  not  that  which  is  barely  within  the  limits 
 of  justice,  but  which  goes  far  beyond  them  into  the 
 regions  of  honour  and  generosity.  It  is  not  enough  for 
 them  to  think  of  and  practise  whatsoever  things  are 
 honest,  and  just,  and  true,  but  also  whatsoever  things  are 
 lovely  and  of  good  report.  Religion  must  be  seen  in 
 them,  as  well  as  professed  by  them :  it  must  be  seen  in 
 the  shop,  in  the  counting-house,  on  the  exchange,  as 
 well  as  in  the  church.  It  must  regulate  weights  and 
 measures;  words  and  contracts;  sales  and  purchases. 
 And  it  must  do  more ;  it  must  prevent  rash  and  exces- 
 sive speculation  at  other  people's  risk ;  undue  expendi- 
 ture at  other  people's  cost;  it  must  make  a  man  true  to 
 his  word;  just  in  his  dealings;  industrious  in  his  habits; 
 cautious  in  his  procedure ;  frugal  in  his  expenses ;  un- 
 ambitious in  his  aims ;  persevering  in  his  diligence ; 
 and  then,  generally  speaking,  he  will  be  successful  at 
 least  in  obtaining  a  competency  for  his  family.  But,  as 
 the  race  is  not  always  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the 
 strong,  even  the  most  industrious  and  frugal  tradesman 
 will  sometimes  fail;  and  it  is  therefore  highly  proper, 
 on  such  occasions,  that  he  should  receive  the  sympathy 
 of  his  fellow-members,  and  have  his  reputation  pro- 
 tected from  suspicion.  While  on  the  other  hand,  it  is 
 no  less  proper,  that  designing  knavery,  or  criminal  im- 
 prudence, should  be  marked  by  the  church's  censure. 
 A  christian  church  should  in  this  commercial  age  and 
 country  be  vigilant  and  jealous  over  the  moral  reputa- 
 tion of  its  members;  and  without  such  a  rule  as  this, 
 we  do  not  see  how  this  can  be  done.  Some  may  be 
 Vol.  11  u  ii 
 
474  BYE    LAWS. 
 
 ready  to  suppose  that  such  an  enquiry  as  we  make  in 
 all  cases  of  failure,  ought  to  be  instituted  only  in  those 
 that  are  suspicious.  But  who  is  to  decide  upon  such  as 
 are  suspicious  ?  The  selection  would  be  invidious,  and 
 in  fact,  would  be  prejudging  the  case  by  pronouncing  it 
 suspicious.  Whereas,  a  general  rule  implies  no  suspi- 
 cions ;  and  the  operation  of  the  law  is  no  less  intended 
 for  the  vindication  of  the  innocent,  and  the  comfort 
 of  the  unfortunate,  than  for  the  condemnation  of  the 
 guilty. 
 
DUTIES    01    i  III  1U  11     MEMBERS. 
 
 CHAPTER   VIII. 
 
 DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS. 
 
 These  are  so  numerous  and  various,  that  they  must 
 be  classed  under  different  heads.  I  do  not  now  intend 
 so  much  those  duties,  which  they  owe  in  common  to 
 God  as  Christians,  as  those  which  they  owe  to  the 
 church,  as  members.  If  I  was  speaking  of  the  former, 
 it  would  be  proper  to  enumerate,  supreme,  habitual, 
 practical  love  to  God,  Matthew  xii,  37 :  unreserved, 
 cheerful,  and  perpetual  devotedness  to  Christ,  Rom.  xiv, , 
 7-9.  1  Cor.  iii,  23 ;  vi,  19,  20.  Phil,  i,  21  :  entire 
 and  constant  depcndance  on  the  Holy  Spirit,  Rom. 
 iii,  13,  11,  16,  20.  1  Cor.  vi,  19.  Gal.  v,  16,  25  :  a 
 life  of  faith.  2  Cor.  v,  7.  Gal.  ii,  20  :  spirituality  of 
 mind.  Rom.  viii,  4-6  :  deadness  to  the  world,  Col. 
 iii,  2,  3.  1  John  ii,  15-17.  1  Cor.  vii,  29-31.  1  John 
 v,  4 :  heavenly  mindedness,  Col.  iii,  2,  3.  Phil,  iii, 
 20,  21  :  supreme  regard  to  eternity,  2  Cor.  iv,  16-18; 
 v,  1-4:  separation  from  the  world,  2  Cor.  vi,  17,  18. 
 Rom.  xii,  1,  2  :  universal  and  high  toned  morality, 
 Phil,  iv,  7.  2  Peter  iii,  10-11:  eminent  social  excel- 
 lence in  all  the  relative  duties  of  life,  Ephes.  v,  vi : 
 all  the  gentle  and  passive  virtues,  Matt,  v  ;  Ephes.  v, 
 26-32  :  diligent  attendance  on  all  the  means  of  grace, 
 
476  DUTIES    OF 
 
 Heb.  x,  25.  O,  what  a  character  is  that  of  a  consis- 
 tent Christian,  how  holy  and  heavenly,  how  meek,  how 
 gentle,  how  benevolent,  how  just,  how  devout,  how 
 useful,  how  happy  !  !  "  Lord,  who  is  sufficient  for  these 
 things  ?"     "My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee." 
 
 But  1  now  enumerate  the  duties  which  belong  to 
 church  members  as  such  : 
 
 I.  Some  are  due  to  the  Pastor. 
 
 Love  and  affection  for  his  work's  sake.  1  Thess.  v, 
 12,  13. 
 
 Submission  to  his  authority  as  the  servant  of  Christ, 
 appointed  to  enjoin  obedience  to  the  precepts  of  our 
 Lord,  and  to  rule  his  church.     Heb.  xiii,  17. 
 
 Constant,  punctual,  and  devout  attendance  on  his 
 ministrations,  not  neglecting  him  for  others,  not  led  by 
 curiosity  to  indulge  a  rambling  taste  for  novelty.  Heb. 
 xiii,  7.     2  Tim.  iv,  3,  4. 
 
 Provision  for  his  temporal  comfort.  Gal.  vi,  G.  1 
 Tim.  v,  17.     1  Cor.  ix,  13,  14. 
 
 Tender  regard  for  his  reputation.     Phil,  ii,  9. 
 
 Co-operation  with  him  in  all  his  scriptural  and  judi- 
 cious schemes  for  the  good  of  the  church,  or  the  spread 
 of  religion  in  the  world.  2  Cor.  1,  2.  Phil,  iv,  3. 
 Rom.  xvi,  2,  3,  4-12.     3  John,  5-8. 
 
 Sympathy  with  him  in  his  personal,  relative,  and 
 official  sorrows  and  anxieties.     Acts  xxviii,  15. 
 
 Earnest  and  constant  prayer.  2  Cor.  i,  12.  Ephes. 
 vi,  19.     Philip,  i,  19.     1  Thess.  v,  25. 
 
 Deep  and  constant  interest  in  the  success  of  his 
 ministerial  labours. 
 
 II.  There  are  solemn  duties  which  the  members  owe 
 to  each  other. 
 
 The  bond  which  unites  the  members  of  a  christian 
 
CHURCH    MEMBERS.  \,  , 
 
 church  is  a  very  sacred  and  very  tender  one.  It  is  alto- 
 gether  peculiar;  there  is  nothing  like  it  in  the  world. 
 It  is  not  a  tie  of  interest  or  consanguinity,  or  mere 
 friendship,  but  of  holy  love  :  they  are  all  one  in  Christ, 
 and  are  therefore  to  regard  one  another  for  Christ's 
 sake,  as  well  as  for  their  own. 
 
 1.  There  is  a  duty  of  reciprocal  love.  The  whole 
 system  of  the  gospel  is  a  system  of  love :  God  is  love, 
 and  redemption  is  a  manifestation  of  his  love ;  Christ  is 
 love  incarnate ;  and  religion  is  love,  love  to  God  for 
 his  own  sake,  love  to  man  for  God's  sake,  and  love  to 
 Christians  for  Christ's  sake.  All  who  make  a  profes- 
 sion of  such  a  religion  should  therefore  be  distinguished 
 by  its  characteristic  feature,  and  shine  forth  in  the  mild 
 beauty  of  holy  love.  This  is  enjoined  upon  us  in  many 
 parts  of  the  New  Testament :  "  Be  kindly  affectioned 
 one  to  another  with  brotherly  love."  Rom.  xii,  10. 
 "Let  brotherly  love  continue."  Heb.  xiii,  I.  A  chris- 
 tian church  is  a  society  of  brothers,  and  they  ought 
 therefore  to  love  as  brothers.  But  how  is  this  love  to 
 show  itself? 
 
 By  a  feeling  of  deep  interest  in  each  other,  not  only 
 as  belonging  to  the  church  universal,  but  to  that  parti- 
 cular branch  of  it  with  which  we  are  in  direct  association 
 and  communion. 
 
 By  bearing  with  each  other's  infirmities  of  manner, 
 temper,  and  ignorance,  and  neither  contemning  each 
 other  for  those  infirmities,  magnifying,  misrepresenting, 
 nor  reporting  them.  "We  then  that  are  strong  ought 
 to  bear  with  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  not  to 
 please  ourselves." 
 
 By  sympathising  with  each  other  in  our  sorrows  and 
 cares,  "  Weeping  with  those  that  weep."     We  ought  to 
 
478  DUTIES    OF 
 
 visit  one  another  in  sickness,  or  any  personal  or  family 
 trouble  of  mind,  or  estate.  Without  being  meddling 
 or  obtrusive,  we  certainly  ought  to  feel  it  our  duty 
 to  offer  to  the  afflicted  our  kind  condolence.  This  is 
 "  bearing  one  another's  burthens,  and  so  fulfilling  the 
 law  of  Christ." 
 
 By  relieving  each  other's  temporal  wants.  How 
 explicit  is  the  language  of  the  apostle  :  "  Distributing  to 
 the  necessity  of  saints,  given  to  hospitality."  Perhaps 
 there  is  scarcely  one  duty  more  neglected  by  Chris- 
 tians than  this.  The  richer  members  of  our  churches 
 are  strangely  neglectful  of  their  poorer  brethren.  It  is 
 true  that  considerable  caution  is  necessary,  lest  the  poor 
 should  be  induced  to  desire  to  enter  into  communion  for 
 the  sake  of  having  their  temporal  wants  relieved ;  against 
 this  danger,  however,  our  mode  of  admission  is  a  suffi- 
 cient check.  The  monthly  contribution  at  the  Lord's 
 supper  is  not,  in  most  cases,  what  it  ought  to  be.  It 
 is  oftentimes  matter  of  surprise  and  grief  to  the  deacons, 
 who  carry  round  the  plates,  to  see  how  many  pass  it 
 on  without  adding  a  farthing  to  its  contents,  from 
 whom,  too,  better  things  might  be  expected.  Every 
 single  member,  however  poor,  not  excepting  even  those 
 who  are  relieved  from  the  church  fund,  ought  to  put 
 something  into  the  plate,  if  it  were  only  a  single  penny. 
 But  the  richer  members  should  not  satisfy  themselves 
 with  what  they  do  at  the  Lord's  supper  for  their 
 poorer  brethren ;  but  ought,  especially  the  females,  to 
 make  themselves  personally  acquainted  with  the  con- 
 dition and  wants  of  the  poor,  in  order  to  supply  them. 
 How  striking  is  the  language  which  Christ  represents 
 himself  as  addressing  to  his  people  at  the  last  day :  "  I 
 was  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat;  I  was  thirsty, 
 
CHURCH    MEMBERS.  170 
 
 and  ye  gave  me  drink  ;  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took 
 me  in ;  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me ;  I  was  sick,  and  ye 
 visited  me ;  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me. 
 Verily  I  say  unto  you,  inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it 
 unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have 
 done  it  unto  me." 
 
 2.  Reciprocal  watchfulness  is  another  duty  that 
 church  members  owe  to  one  another.  "Am  I  my  bro- 
 ther's keeper  ?"  is  a  question  which  no  church  member 
 should  ever  allow  himself  to  ask :  for  we  are  united  in 
 fellowship  for  the  very  purpose  of  endeavouring  to  keep 
 each  other.  The  pastor  is  appointed  to  take  the  over- 
 sight of  the  church ;  but  this  by  no  means  relieves  the 
 church  from  the  duty  of  also  taking  the  oversight  of 
 itself.  How  utterly  impossible  is  it  for  one  man  effi- 
 ciently to  watch  over  several  hundred  members  !  How 
 can  the  members  of  the  church  really  love  one  another, 
 if  they  do  not  in  some  measure  watch  over  one  another  ? 
 Can  we  pretend  to  love  a  person,  and  yet  not  warn  him 
 of  the  danger  into  which  we  see  him  running  ?  Is  it 
 compatible  with  affection  never  to  warn  or  admonish 
 those  who  are  in  imminent  peril  ?  Even  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment enjoins  this  duty  in  the  following  striking  lan- 
 guage :  "  Thou  shalt  not  hate  thy  brother  in  thine  heart ; 
 thou  shalt  in  any  wise  rebuke  thy  neighbour,  and  not 
 suffer  sin  upon  him."  This  duty  is  still  more  explicitly 
 enjoined  in  the  new  Testament,  "  Comfort  yourselves 
 together,  and  edify  one  another.  Now  we  exhort  you, 
 brethren,  warn  them  that  are  unruly,  comfort  the  feeble 
 minded,  support  the  weak,  be  patient  towards  all  men." 
 This  was  addressed  to  church  members,  not  to  church 
 offieers.  If  any  one  sees  his  brother  living  in  the  known 
 neglect  of  an  obvious  duty,  or  in  the  commission  of  a 
 
480  DUTIES    OF 
 
 known  sin,  or  in  a  careless  and  lukewarm  manner;  it 
 is  his  duty,  in  a  spirit  of  true  humility,  meekness,  and 
 affection,  to  mention  it  to  him.  This,  however,  it  must 
 be  admitted,  is  an  extremely  difficult  and  delicate  matter, 
 and  ought  not  to  be  attempted  in  any  case,  but  in  a 
 spirit  of  the  purest  love,  and  in  a  manner  the  most 
 gentle,  unassuming,  and  inoffensive.  All  appearance  of 
 officiousness,  superiority,  or  dictation ;  all  that  savours 
 of  accusation,  scolding,  and  reproach,  must  be  avoided, 
 for  such  things  instead  of  producing  conviction  will  only 
 excite  irritation.  Except  in  rare  cases,  this  is  a  duty 
 Avhich  ought  generally  to  be  performed  by  the  old  to- 
 wards the  young,  and  the  experienced  towards  the  inex- 
 perienced, and  by  superiors  towards  inferiors.  Still  no 
 man,  whatever  be  his  situation,  ought  to  be  offended  in 
 being  told  in  a  kind,  humble,  and  delicate  manner,  of 
 his  faults.  Every  man  in  whom  is  the  meek  and  humble 
 spirit  of  the  gospel  is  ready  to  say  with  David,  "  Let  the 
 righteous  smite  me,  it  shall  be  a  kindness ;  and  let  him 
 reprove  me,  it  shall  be  as  excellent  oil,  which  shall  not 
 break  my  head."  To  give  warning  and  reproof,  and  to 
 take  it  in  a  right  spirit  and  manner,  are  both  difficult, 
 but  yet,  for  all  that,  incumbent  duties. 
 
 3.  Reciprocal  helpfulness  is  another  duty  of  church 
 members,  and  another  end  of  church  fellowship.  We 
 all  need  assistance  in  the  way  to  glory,  not  only  from 
 God,  but  as  his  instruments  from  each  other;  and  we 
 are  associated  together  for  this  purpose.  To  quote  a 
 passage  again,  which  has  been  already  before  us,  this 
 appears  to  be  plainly  our  duty  from  1  Thess.  v,  11. 
 1 '  Wherefore,  comfort  yourselves  together,  and  edify  one 
 another,  even  as  ye  also  do.  Now  we  exhort  you, 
 brethren,  warn  them  that  are  unruly,  comfort  the  feeble 
 
CHURCH    MEMBERS.  1  Si 
 
 minded,  support  the  weak."  Nothing  can  be  more 
 plain  than  that  the  members  of  a  church  are  to  help 
 their  fellow-members  in  their  spiritual  course,  in  such 
 manner  and  measure  as  their  circumstances  may  allow; 
 by  promoting  religious  conversation,  by  uniting  with 
 them  in  social  prayer,  encouraging  their  hopes,  dissi- 
 pating their  sorrows,  instructing  their  ignorance,  re- 
 moving their  doubts,  and  promoting  their  edification. 
 O  how  much  were  it  to  be  desired  that  they  could  all  be 
 baptised  into  the  spirit  of  that  holy  love  which  "suf- 
 fereth  long,  and  is  kind ;  which  envieth  not ;  vaunteth 
 not  itself;  is  not  puffed  up;  doth  not  behave  itself 
 unseemly;  seeketh  not  her  own;  is  not  easily  provoked; 
 thinketh  no  evil ;  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity ;  but  rcjoiceth 
 in  the  truth;  bcareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things, 
 hopeth  all  things,  endurcth  all  things." 
 
 III.  There  are  duties  which  the  members  owe  to  the 
 church  in  its  collective  capacity. 
 
 They  ought  to  take  a  deep  interest  in  its  welfare. 
 They  should  not  of  course  cherish  a  sectarian  spirit,  an 
 exclusive  feeling  of  separation  from  the  church  universal, 
 from  other  denominations  of  real  Christians,  or  other 
 congregations  of  their  own  denomination ;  but  they 
 should  consider  the  societ}'  with  which  they  arc  united  as 
 the  special  object  of  their  interest,  affectionate  solicitude, 
 and  fervent  prayer.  They  should  attend  all  its  meet- 
 ings, when  convenience  will  allow.  They  should  endea- 
 vour to  promote  its  welfare  by  leading  suitable  persons 
 into  its  communion.  They  should  in  an  especial  man- 
 ner do  all  they  can  to  preserve  or  restore  its  peace.  If 
 they  know  any  of  the  brethren  in  a  state  of  alienation 
 or  strife,  they  should  do  nothing  to  blow  the  coals  of 
 contention,  but  all  they  can  to  extinguish  the  unholy 
 
482  DUTIES    OF 
 
 fire.  They  should  never  lend  their  ear  to  the  tale- 
 bearer, and  sower  of  discord,  but  discourage  him.  They 
 should  never  connect  themselves  with  those  who  on  any 
 occasion  are  seeking  factiously  to  make  a  party  in  the 
 church,  either  on  the  ground  of  dissatisfaction  with  the 
 pastor's  labours,  or  the  church's  decisions  in  matters  of 
 discipline.  The  peace  of  the  society  should  lie  so  near 
 their  hearts,  that  for  the  sake  of  it,  they  should  be 
 willing  to  make  any  sacrifice  of  feeling,  and  any  sur- 
 render of  their  own  will,  except  in  matters  of  truth  and 
 conscience.  They  should  consider  a  spirit  of  cabal,  and 
 party,  and  faction,  as  a  species  of  high  treason  against 
 the  well-being  of  the  church.  "  Now  I  beseech  you, 
 brethren,  by  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  ye  all 
 speak  the  same  thing,  and  that  there  be  no  division 
 among  you;  but  that  ye  be  perfectly  joined  together  in 
 the  same  mind,  and  in  the  same  judgment."  "Mark 
 them  which  cause  divisions  and  offences,  contrary  to  the 
 doctrines  which  ye  have  learned,  and  avoid  them." 
 "All  of  you  be  subject  one  to  another,  and  be  clothed 
 with  humility."  "Let  nothing  be  done  through  strife 
 or  vain  glory,  but  in  lowliness  of  mind,  let  each  esteem 
 others  better  than  themselves.  Look  not  every  man  on 
 his  own  things,  but  every  man  also  on  the  things  of 
 others."  "  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem ;  they  shall 
 prosper  that  love  thee.  Peace  be  within  thy  walls  and 
 prosperity  within  thy  palaces.  For  my  brethren  and 
 companions'  sakes,  I  will  now  say,  Peace  be  within  thee. 
 Because  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  our  God  I  will  seek 
 thy  good." 
 
 IV.    The  duties  of  church  members   to   Christians 
 of  other  congregations  and  other  denominations. 
 
CHURCH    MEMBERS.  483 
 
 With  Christians  of  other  congregations  of  their  own 
 denomination,  it  is  their  duty  to  keep  up  friendly  inter- 
 course and  to  be  ever  ready  to  co-operate  with  them  in 
 every  proper  scheme  for  the  promotion  of  religion  in 
 general,  or  the  good  of  their  own  denomination  in  par- 
 ticular ;  avoiding  at  the  same  time  all  feelings  of  envy 
 and  jealousy,  and  all  expressions  in  reference  to  their 
 respective  ministers  or  societies,  in  the  smallest  degree 
 calculated  to  produce  hostility  or  alienation.  Towards 
 other  denominations  that  agree  with  us  in  the  funda- 
 mental truths  of  the  gospel,  there  should  be  a  charitable 
 forbearance  of  those  things  wherein  they  differ  from  us ; 
 a  belief  that  they  are  as  conscientious  in  their  views,  as 
 we  are  in  ours ;  a  candid  respect  for  their  conscience, 
 combined  with  an  opposition  to  their  opinions ;  an 
 abstinence  from  all  ridicule,  sarcasm,  and  bitterness, 
 though  at  the  same  time  a  readiness,  on  suitable  occa- 
 sions, by  reason  and  persuasion,  to  convince  them  and. 
 the  world  of  their  errors ;  a  unity  of  spirit  with  them  as 
 fellow  Christians :  a  love  to  them  for  the  sake  of  the 
 truth  which  is  in  them ;  and  a  willingness  not  only 
 to  blend  with  them  in  the  intercourse  of  private  life, 
 but  to  co-operate  with  them  in  all  those  public  objects 
 which  admit  of  union  without  compromise.  "And  John 
 answered  and  said,  Master,  we  saw  one  casting  out 
 devils  in  thy  name :  and  we  forbad  him  because  he 
 followed  not  with  us.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Forbid 
 him  not,  for  he  that  is  not  against  us  is  for  us."  "  Grace 
 be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
 sincerity."  "  Who  art  thou  that  judgest  another  man's 
 servant?  To  his  own  master  he  stand eth  or  fallcth. 
 Let  every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind." 
 
484  DUTIES    OF 
 
 "We  then  that  are  strong,  ought  to  bear  the  infirmities 
 of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please  ourselves.  Let  every  one 
 please  his  neighbour  for  his  good  to  his  edification." 
 
 V.  Duties  of  church  members  in  reference  to  the 
 world. 
 
 It  is  their  manifest  duty  to  pay  all  due  respect  and 
 obedience  to  civil  governors  in  secular  affairs,  honouring 
 the  king,  upholding  the  constitution,  observing  the 
 laws,  paying  all  lawful  taxes,  and  never  defrauding  the 
 revenue,  nor  in  any  way  obstructing  the  administration 
 of  public  justice ;  while  at  the  same  time  they  may  law- 
 fully exercise  all  their  rights  and  enjoy  all  their  privi- 
 leges as  citizens  of  a  free  state,  in  such  peaceable  and 
 orderly  manner  as  they  believe  will  be  for  the  benefit 
 of  their  country ;  and  remembering  that  as  it  is  by  God 
 that  kings  reign,  and  princes  decree  justice,  it  is  their 
 duty  to  sanctify  their  loyalty  and  their  patriotism,  by 
 earnest  prayer  for  their  king  and  country.  Rom.  xiii ; 
 1  Tim.  ii,  1-3;  1  Peter  ii,  12-17. 
 
 It  is  no  less  the  duty  of  church  members  meekly, 
 but  firmly  to  refuse  obedience  to  all  laws  that  are  mani- 
 festly in  opposition  to  the  Word  of  God.  Acts,  iv, 
 18,  19. 
 
 Towards  the  world  they  owe  all  the  ordinary  duties 
 of  social  life ;  and  it  should  be  their  especial  care,  in  all 
 their  transactions  with  the  ungodly,  to  manifest  the 
 utmost  kindness,  the  most  transparent  morality  of  every 
 kind,  the  greatest  courtesy,  the  most  conciliatory  spirit, 
 and  throughout  the  whole  of  their  demeanour,  avoid- 
 ing every  thing  that  is  in  the  smallest  degree  inconsis- 
 tent, that  savours  of  spiritual  pride,  or  that  looks  like 
 contempt,  or  conscious  moral  superiority.    "  Thus  walk- 
 
CHUfiCB    MEMBERS.  IS.") 
 
 ing  in  wisdom  towards  those  that  arc  without."  It  is 
 the  duty  of  church  members  to  avoid  what  arc  called 
 worldly  amusements,  such  as  theatrical  representations, 
 card  playing,  balls,  and  all  kinds  of  gambling,  frequent- 
 ing taverns,  fashionable  concerts  of  music,  private 
 dancing  parties,  and  fashionable  routs,  and  oratorios  : 
 for  although  some  of  these  entertainments  may  not  be 
 demoralising,  yet  they  abate  seriousness  and  spirituality, 
 promote  levity  and  frivolity  of  mind,  are  a  great  mis- 
 pence  of  time,  and  are  a  part  of  that  conformity  to  the 
 world  in  which  Christians  are  forbidden  to  indulge.  It 
 is  a  sad  proof  of  little  or  no  true  vital  piety,  when 
 persons  feel  it  a  hardship  to  be  debarred  by  their  pro- 
 fession from  such  engagements.  2  Cor.  vi,  17  ;  Rom. 
 xii,  2. 
 
 Nor  ought  real  Christians  to  intermarry  with  worldly 
 and  unconverted  persons.  "  She  is  at  liberty,"  says 
 the  apostle,  "to  marry  whom  she  will,  only  in  the 
 Lord."  This  law  of  Christ  is  strangely  forgotten  in  the 
 present  day ;  and  to  the  neglect  of  it  may  be  attributed 
 in  a  great  measure,  the  low  state  of  religion  in  the 
 hearts  of  many  professors. 
 
 It  is  the  solemn  duty  of  church  members  to  seek  the 
 conversion  of  the  world  to  Christ.  Every  church  ought 
 to  be  a  home  and  foreign  missionary  society  within 
 itself,  and  every  professing  Christian  should  consider 
 himself  converted  to  seek  the  conversion  of  others. 
 "  From  you,"  said  the  apostle  to  the  Thessalonian 
 church,  "  sounded  out  the  word  of  the  Lord,  not  only 
 in  Macedonia  and  Achaia,  but  also  in  every  place  your 
 faith  to  Godward  is  spread  abroad."  A  similar  testi- 
 mony should  be  borne  to  every  church. 
 
486  DUTIES    OF    CHURCH    MEMBERS. 
 
 Such  then  are  the  solemn  and  incumbent  duties  of 
 all  who  have  made  a  profession  of  religion,  and  taken 
 upon  them  the  name  of  Christ.  Let  them  often  read 
 over  this  Manual  of  their  obligations,  be  humbled  that 
 they  have  lived  so  far  below  the  standard  of  their  duty, 
 and  beg  renewed  grace  from  God,  to  live  more  and  more 
 to  his  glory. 
 
ATTENDANCE    AT    PUBLIC    WORSHIP.  IS 
 
 CHAPTER   IX. 
 
 AS  TO  ATTENDANCE  AT  PUBLIC  WORSHIP. 
 
 No  professing  Christian  should  allow  himself  to  be 
 satisfied  with  only  one  service  on  the  Sabbath,  unless 
 prevented  by  age,  infirmity,  or  distance,  from  attending 
 twice.  In  fixing  upon  a  place  of  abode,  where  it  is  a 
 matter  of  choice,  and  not  dictated  by  any  necessity, 
 every  church  member  should,  and  every  one  that  loves 
 the  house  of  God  does,  take  into  consideration  its  con- 
 venience for  attending  public  worship.  Many  a  one  has 
 sought  the  pleasures  of  a  rural  residence,  at  the  expense 
 of  his  soul's  welfare.  How  many  professing  Christians 
 have  brought  themselves  to  be  satisfied  with  only  one 
 sermon  a  week.  No  wonder  that  vital  godliness  is  at  a 
 low  ebb  with  such  persons. 
 
 It  is  very  lamentable  to  consider  what  slight  causes 
 are  allowed  to  keep  some  from  public  worship,  not  only 
 on  week  days,  but  on  the  sabbath ;  a  wet  or  cold  morn- 
 ing or  evening  which  would  not  keep  them  from  going 
 to  their  business,  a  degree  of  indisposition  which  would 
 not  interfere  with  any  one  worldly  occupation  either  at 
 home  or  abroad ;  perhaps  a  trifling  illness  in  a  child  or 
 any  other  branch  of  the  family,  which  would  not  be 
 thought   of    sufficient   importance    to   keep   a   wife  or 
 
488  ATTENDANCE    AT 
 
 mother  from  visiting  or  marketing,  will  be  deemed  by 
 many  a  most  valid  excuse  for  absence  from  the  house 
 of  God.  The  sick  ought  not  to  be  neglected,  but  have 
 all  necessary  and  proper  attention ;  but  to  have  a  whole 
 family  kept  at  home  because  one  member  is  ill,  when 
 they  can  do  nothing  in  the  Avay  of  alleviation  or  help ; 
 or  for  a  husband  or  wife  to  absent  themselves  because 
 one  of  them  has  a  slight  ailment  for  which  scarcely 
 any  thing  requires  to  be  done,  is  really  shewing  little 
 love  to  the  house  of  God,  and  little  honour  to  the  God 
 of  the  house.  Sick  people  ought  to  be  considerate  and 
 require  no  more  attendance  than  is  necessary,  and  be 
 anxious  to  keep  as  few  as  possible  from  public  worship. 
 
 It  has  been  thought  by  persons  who  have  an  exten- 
 sive acquaintance  with  the  religious  world,  and  the 
 habits  of  professing  Christians  in  modern  times,  that 
 there  is  a  spirit  of  lukewarmness  creeping  through  our 
 churches,  with  regard  to  social  as  well  as  private  and 
 family  religion.  Devotional  feeling  is  low,  and  the 
 spiritual  taste  languid  and  inert.  This  may  be  ac- 
 counted for  in  two  ways :  first,  by  the  increased  luxu- 
 riousness  of  modern  habits,  producing  a  love  of  ease  and 
 unwillingness  to  endure  the  personal  self-denial  which 
 public  worship  sometimes  requires :  and  secondly,  by 
 the  excitements  of  public  meetings,  which  not  only 
 abstract  the  time  from  week-day  services,  but  tend  to 
 make  those  of  the  Sabbath  appear  flat  and  insipid. 
 Christians  should  guard  against  both  of  these  snares,  as 
 indifference  to  devotional  exercises,  whether  public,  pri- 
 vate, domestic,  or  social,  is  a  sure  sign  of  declension  in 
 religion. 
 
 Attendance  at  public  worship  should  be  punctual  as 
 well  as  frequent.     This  is  required  by  various  considera- 
 
PUBLIC    WORSHIP.  489 
 
 tiona :  late  attendance  is  disrespectful  to  the  minister, 
 and  what  is  far  worse,  irreverent  towards  God.  How 
 shocking  is  it  while  the  prayers  of  the  congregation 
 are  going  up  to  God,  to  hear  the  clatter  of  doors  and  of 
 feet  half  drowning  the  voice  of  the  minister  j  and  then 
 how  disturbing  to  the  devout  worshipper,  how  detri- 
 mental to  the  pious  enjoyment  and  improvement  of  the 
 unpunctual  themselves.  It  is  a  reproach  to  any  one  to 
 be  seen  entering  a  place  of  worship  after  the  service  has 
 commenced.  How  much  does  it  conduce  to  edification 
 to  be  in  the  pew  a  few  minutes  before  the  worship 
 begins,  and  to  spend  that  time  not  in  looking  about 
 or  talking  with  others,  but  in  silent  meditation  and  in 
 mental  prayer;  the  mind  is  thus  composed  for  worship, 
 and  prepared  for  spiritual  profit. 
 
 And  as  we  should  solemnly  approach  the  house  of 
 God,  so  we  should  silently  and  devotionally  retire  from 
 it.  There  should  be  no  talking  with  our  neighbours  in 
 the  seats,  or  over  the  seats.  No  gossiping  in  the  aisles, 
 or  at  the  doors,  or  in  the  yard.  The  house  of  God  is 
 not  the  place  for  chit-chat,  nor  the  exchange  of  compli- 
 ments, nor  the  communication  of  domestic  intelligence, 
 much  less  for  making  engagements;  but  for  divine 
 worship,  and  the  business  of  our  souls.  No  wonder  the 
 impressions  of  the  sermons  arc  so  evanescent,  if  as  soon 
 as  it  is  over,  each  person  begins  talking  with  his  neigh- 
 bours, and  little  groups  of  acquaintance  are  seen  col- 
 lecting in  different  parts  of  the  chapel,  all  engaged  in 
 close  converse  about  any  thing,  and  every  thing,  but 
 that  for  which  they  came  together. 
 
 WEEK.    DAY    SERVICES. 
 
 These    are   of   considerable    importance    as    aids   to 
 religion,  tending,    as    they  certainly  do,  to  check  the 
 Vol.  11  ii 
 
490  church  meetings. 
 
 encroachments  of  the  world,  and  the  increase  of  earthly  - 
 mindedness.  No  professing  Christian  who  can  spare 
 the  time,  ought  to  neglect  these  opportunities  j  and  by 
 a  proper  foresight  and  forethought  through  the  day, 
 arrangements  may  be  easily  made,  in  most  cases,  for 
 securing  time  in  the  evening  to  worship  God  with  his 
 people.  The  Friends,  or  Quakers,  hold  their  week-day 
 service  from  ten  o'clock  to  twelve,  and  thus  give  to 
 religion  the  prime  hours  of  the  day ;  and  it  is  no  un- 
 common thing  for  them,  where  the  business  depends 
 upon  the  attendance  of  a  single  person,  to  close  the 
 shop,  in  order  to  enjoy  this  hour's  retirement  from  the 
 world.  In  the  evening,  when  our  services  are  held,  the 
 business  of  the  day  may  be  supposed,  in  general,  to  be 
 over.  Especial  care  ought  to  be  taken  to  keep  the 
 evenings  allotted  to  devotion  free  from  visiting.  A 
 church  member  ought  neither  to  give  nor  accept  invita- 
 tions for  those  seasons.  There  are  some  persons  who 
 are  as  regular  in  their  attendance  on  a  week  day  as  they 
 are  on  the  Sabbath ;  while  there  are  others,  who  never 
 think  of  attending,  and  it  would  look  as  if  they  ima- 
 gined that  these  matters  did  not  concern  them.  Such 
 persons  may  be  church  members,  but  it  is  a  serious 
 doubt  if  they  are  Christians. 
 
 PRAYER    MEETINGS. 
 
 [The  remarks  on  this  head  are  extracts  from  the  Church  Member's 
 Guide.] 
 
 CHURCH    MEETINGS. 
 
 These  are  held  on  the  Friday  preceding  the  adminis- 
 tration of  the  Lord's  Supper,  at  a  quarter  past  seven 
 o'clock;  at  these  meetings  members  are  admitted,  dis- 
 cipline is  exercised  when  necessary,  the  usual  business 
 connected  with  the  well-being  and  government  of  the 
 
DISTRICT    MEETINGS.  li)I 
 
 church  is  transacted,  and  devotional  services  are  per- 
 formed ;  and  it  is  manifestly  the  bounden  duty  of  every 
 member  that  has  health,  and  can  command  leisure,  to 
 attend.  It  is  the  family  meeting  of  the  household  of 
 faith ;  and  the  scenes  presented  there  are  usually  of  such 
 deep  and  holy  interest,  so  peaceful  and  so  solemn,  so 
 individually  refreshing,  and  tend  so  much  to  the  union 
 of  the  church,  that  it  is  a  serious  loss  no  less  than  a 
 dereliction  of  duty  for  any  one  to  be  absent. 
 
 It  is  considered  to  be.  conducive  to  order,  peace,  and 
 edification,  that  there  should  be  no  more  speaking  at 
 the  church  meeting  than  is  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
 right  understanding  and  decision  of  the  subject  in  hand. 
 
 It  is  also  proper,  that  nothing  be  introduced  by  any 
 member  without  previous  conference  with  the  pastor. 
 
 All  investigations  in  matters  of  discipline  are  carried 
 on  by  a  committee  consisting  of  the  pastors,  four  of  the 
 deacons,  and  some  of  the  members  appointed  annually 
 by  the  church,  who  make  a  report,  upon  which  the 
 church  founds  its  decision,  without  requiring  the  attend- 
 ance of  the  persons  implicated. 
 
 DISTRICT    MEETINGS    OF    THE    MEMBERS    FOR    PRAYER    AND 
 SOCIAL    CONFERENCE. 
 
 These  are  held  in  various  parts  of  the  town,  and  by 
 some  of  the  members,  and  are  found  to  be  pleasant  and 
 edifying.  One  of  the  members  opens  his  house  for 
 prayer,  and  the  pastors  occasionally  visit  and  conduct 
 the  service  and  converse  with  the  members  individually. 
 This  plan  brings  the  members  in  the  same  district 
 acquainted  with  each  other,  and  gives  to  many  an 
 opportunity  of  meeting  the  pastors  who  would  otherwise 
 rarely  speak  to  them. 
 
492  DIRECTIONS    AS    TO 
 
 CHAPTER   X. 
 
 DIRECTIONS    FOR    A    PROFITABLE    ATTENDANCE    UPON    THE 
 PUBLIC    MEANS    OF    GRACE. 
 
 Be  early,  always  taking  care  to  be  present  at  the 
 commencement  of  the  service,  that  the  body  may  re- 
 cover from  fatigue,  the  thoughts  be  collected,  and  the 
 mind  composed.  We  should  avoid  as  much  as  possible 
 all  light  and  trifling  conversation  on  the  way  to  the 
 house  of  God ;  and  it  would  be  well,  where  it  can  be 
 done,  to  avoid  also  on  week-day  evenings,  errands,  and 
 what  is  usually  denominated  shopping,  and  to  go  from 
 our  own  habitation  direct  to  the  place  of  worship. 
 
 We  should  consider  prayer  as  a  very  important  part 
 of  the  service,  and  not  go  merely  to  hear  the  sermon ; 
 and  should  also  consider  that  the  hymns  belong  to  us, 
 and  join  in  them  not  only  mentally,  but  where  there 
 is  a  capacity  for  singing,  vocally  also.  We  should  most 
 anxiously  watch  against  a  formal,  careless,  and  unde- 
 vout  manner  of  joining  in  prayer,  or  rather  of  not  join- 
 ing in  it  at  all,  as  nothing  is  more  likely  to  prevent  or 
 destroy  true  spirituality  of  mind  than  such  a  trifling 
 with  prayer  as  this ;  it  is  insulting  to  God  by  its  hypo- 
 crisy and  profaneness,  and  most  injurious  to  us.  There 
 is  scarcely  anything  about  which  a  Christian  should  be 
 
ATTENDING    PUBLIC    WORSHIP.  193 
 
 more  anxious  than  his  frame  of  mind  and  outward 
 manner  in  prayer.  The  frequency  of  our  seasons  of 
 prayer  is  likely,  without  great  watchfulness,  to  abate 
 the  sincerity,  solemnity,  and  reverence  with  which  it  is 
 performed.  Our  thoughts  in  social  prayer  should  be 
 kept  fixed  on  the  words  of  him  who  presents  it  on  our 
 behalf,  that  we  may  be  prepared  in  spirit  and  in  truth 
 to  say,  "  Amen." 
 
 Previous  to  our  going  to  the  house  of  God,  we  should 
 retire  for  a  few  moments  to  seek  a  prepared  heart,  and 
 implore  the  blessing  of  God  both  upon  the  minister 
 and  ourselves.  It  is  presumed  that  no  real  Christian 
 would  neglect  to  preface  his  attendance  on  social  wor- 
 ship with  secret  prayer. 
 
 We  should  establish  in  our  minds  the  highest  reve- 
 rence and  esteem  of  the  glorious  gospel,  and  recollect 
 the  tremendous  importance  and  responsibility  of  hearing 
 it  preached,  since  every  sermon  is  giving  a  tinge  to  our 
 character  for  eternity,  and  becomes  "  a  savour  of  life 
 unto  life,  or  of  death  unto  death." 
 
 We  should  hear  the  word  with  deep  and  fixed  atten- 
 tion, for  upon  the  degree  in  which  we  employ  this 
 faculty  of  the  soul  in  reference  to  what  we  hear,  we 
 shall  be  likely  to  obtain  benefit.  If  we  give  up  our 
 thoughts  to  vagrancy,  and  exercise  no  discipline  over 
 them,  we  shall  derive  no  advantage  from  the  most  in- 
 structive or  impressive  sermons;  while,  on  the  other 
 hand,  if  we  cultivate  a  habit  of  attention,  we  shall  by 
 degrees  experience  no  difficulty  in  following  the  track 
 of  the  longest  connected  discourse.  Our  first  business 
 is  to  fix  our  mind  on  the  text,  then  on  the  preacher's 
 explanation  of  it,  then  on  the  announcement  of  his 
 design  and  divisions  of  discourse,  taking  care  when  one 
 
494  DIRECTIONS    AS    TO 
 
 head  is  finished  to  cast  a  glance  back  at  that  which 
 has  preceded  it.  The  opposite  of  attention  is  sleeping, 
 than  which  a  greater  insult  can  be  scarcely  offered  to 
 the  minister  of  God.  "  If,"  says  Mr  Hall,  from  whom 
 many  of  these  sentiments  are  borrowed,  "the  apostle 
 indignantly  enquires  of  the  Corinthians  whether  they 
 had  not  houses  to  eat  and  drink  in  ?  may  we  not  with 
 equal  propriety  ask  those  who  indulge  in  this  practice, 
 whether  they  have  not  beds  to  sleep  in,  that  they  con- 
 vert the  house  of  God  into  a  dormitory  V 
 
 The  grand  secret  of  hearing  to  advantage  is  to  hear 
 in  faith;  to  realise  that  what  we  hear  is  the  truth  of 
 God ;  to  be  more  anxious  about  the  matter  than  the 
 manner  of  the  sermon ;  to  consider  the  minister  as 
 God's  messenger,  and  the  sermon  as  God's  message  to 
 us;  to  be  more  concerned  about  what  is  preached  than 
 by  whom :  and  to  receive  the  discourse  ' '  not  as  the 
 word  of  man,  but  as  the  word  of  God,  which  worketh 
 effectually  in  them  that  believe."  The  word  preached 
 cannot  profit,  if  it  be  not  mixed  with  faith  in  them  that 
 hear  it. 
 
 We  should  hear  the  word  of  God  with  impartiality ; 
 having  no  such  predilections  for  some  topics,  or  preju- 
 dices against  others,  as  would  lead  us  to  be  displeased 
 if  our  favourite  topics  were  not  always  brought  forward, 
 or  those  we  dislike,  notwithstanding  they  are  true  and 
 important,  were  not  always  omitted.  Some  can  bear 
 only  doctrine;  others  nothing  but  experience;  others- 
 again  nothing  but  practice.  "VVe  should  be  pleased  with 
 all  in  turn,  and  in  proportion. 
 
 Self-application  is  an  important  exercise.  We  should 
 hear  for  ourselves,  not  for  others;  the  sermon  is  in- 
 tended for  us  as  well  as  for  them,  and  there  is  scarcely 
 
ATTENDING    PUBLIC    WORSHIP.  llX) 
 
 ever  a  sermon  preached  which  does  not  contain  in  it 
 something  that  snits  us. 
 
 Candour  is  necessary  to  profitable  hearing.  Critical 
 hearers  are  rarely  profitable  ones  :  those  who  reject  a 
 whole  sermon,  generally  good  and  excellent,  because 
 of  some  word,  or  sentence,  or  paragraph,  they  think 
 inelegant,  or  some  sentiment  they  do  not  quite  under- 
 stand, or  cannot  altogether  approve,  act  neither  wisely 
 for  themselves,  nor  fairly  towards  the  preacher.  The 
 man  who  spends  all  his  time  in  analysing  his  food,  in- 
 stead of  eating  it,  is  not  likely  to  have  good  health. 
 "  Give  me,"  says  Fenelon,  "the  preacher  who  imbues 
 me  with  such  a  love  of  the  word  of  God,  as  makes  me 
 desirous  of  learning  it  from  any  mouth." 
 
 We  should  hear  the  word  of  God  with  a  sincere 
 resolution  of  obeying  it.  A  sermon  is  not  a  something 
 to  be  heard  and  admired  like  a  fine  strain  of  music,  but 
 a  something  to  be  heard  and  practised,  like  the  instruc- 
 tions of  a  physician,  or  the  commands  of  a  master. 
 When  the  preacher's  duty  ends,  that  of  the  hearer  is 
 but  beginning. 
 
 "We  should  be  careful,  after  we  have  heard  the  word, 
 to  retain  and  perpetuate  its  impressions.  We  should  go 
 silently  away,  avoid  as  much  as  possible  all  conversation 
 on  the  way  home,  retire  to  our  closets,  digest  the  subject 
 in  our  thoughts,  and  turn  the  whole  into  prayer. 
 
496  THE    DUTY    OF    SUPPORTING 
 
 CHAPTER   XI. 
 
 INSTITUTIONS    SUPPORTED    BY    THE    CHURCH    AND 
 CONGREGATION. 
 
 *  *  *  * 
 
 Besides  these  Institutions,  there  are  others  which 
 we  help  by  occasional  collections.  *  *  *  For 
 this  purpose  we  must  be  more  clearly  informed  of  the 
 design  and  uses  of  property,  and  more  deeply  impressed 
 with  the  duty  and  privilege  of  employing  it  for  the  glory 
 of  God,  and  the  good  of  our  fellow-creatures.  The 
 responsibility  connected  with  property,  and  the  duty 
 of  liberality  are  yet  but  imperfectly  understood.  Let 
 us  look  at  the  following  statement  of  our  professions  : 
 
 That  we  are  redeemed  by  the  love  of  God,  the  blood 
 of  Christ,  and  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  from  the  con- 
 demnation, love,  and  spirit  of  the  world. 
 
 That  we  have  received  all  we  possess  from  God,  and 
 in  a  way  of  free  favour. 
 
 That  we  have  dedicated  ourselves,  all  we  are  and 
 have,  to  the  glory  of  God,  through  Christ. 
 
 That  we  are  dead  to  the  world  through  faith,  and 
 have  set  our  affections  on  things  above. 
 
 That  we  are  bound  to  imitate  Christ,  who  lived  and 
 died,  not  for  himself,  but  for  the  temporal  comfort  and 
 eternal  salvation  of  others. 
 
RELIGIOUS    (  HARITIE8.  Ii)7 
 
 That  the  cause  of  religion  ought  to  be  supported  by 
 the  voluntary  offerings  of  its  friends. 
 
 PRINCIPLES. 
 
 Faith  without  works  is  dead,  and  love  without  bene- 
 ficence only  a  name. 
 
 One  soul  is  of  more  value  than  the  whole  world;  its 
 salvation  a  greater  blessing  than  the  temporal  deliver- 
 ance of  an  empire,  and  its  damnation  a  greater  calamity 
 than  the  misery  of  a  kingdom  for  a  thousand  ages. 
 
 The  salvation  of  sinners  is  dependent,  so  far  as  in- 
 strumentality goes,  upon  the  liberality  of  Christians. 
 
 Every  man  is  bound  to  bless  in  proportion  as  he  is 
 blessed. 
 
 The  greatest  honour  and  felicity  of  property  is  to  do 
 good  with  it. 
 
 MOTIVES. 
 
 How  delightful  is  it  to  do  good  ! 
 
 Any  moment  we  may  be  suddenly  called  away  by 
 death  from  all  we  possess,  and  those  who  come  after  us 
 may  do  no  good  with  what  we  leave  them. 
 
 We  must  give  account  to  God  for  every  farthing  we 
 possess;  and  not  only  for  all  we  do,  but  for  all  we 
 neglect  to  do. 
 
 Our  reward  of  grace  will  be  in  proportion  to  our 
 work  of  faith,  and  labour  of  love. 
 
 The  fruits  of  sanctified  liberality  will  be  seen  in 
 heaven,  in  the  salvation  of  glorified  spirits. 
 
498  QUERIES    FOR 
 
 CHAPTER   XII. 
 
 QUERIES    FOR    SELF-EXAMINATION. 
 
 Do  you  regularly  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day,  ab- 
 staining not  only  from  your  worldly  business  and  plea- 
 sure, but  from  travelling  on  any  part  of  the  day,  from 
 visiting,  and  unnecessary  feasting,  and  do  you  devote 
 the  day  to  public,  private  and  family  devotion  ? 
 
 Do  you  regularly  attend  the  public  ordinances  of 
 religion  on  the  Sabbath,  and  feel  the  inward  power 
 of  godliness  while  observing  its  outward  forms  ? 
 
 Do  you  attend  the  week-day  services,  and  if  not,  is 
 it  from  the  want  of  opportunity  or  inclination  ? 
 
 Are  you  more  indifferent  to  the  ordinances  of  reli- 
 gion now  than  you  were  formerly  ? 
 
 Do  you  keep  up  family  devotion  daily  and  seriously  ? 
 And  in  addition  to  this,  are  you  in  the  habit  of  solemnly 
 and  anxiously  instructing  your  children  and  servants  in 
 the  principles  of  true  religion  ? 
 
 Do  you  set  apart  a  portion  of  each  day  for  retirement 
 to  read  your  Bible,  examine  your  heart,  and  pray  to 
 God? 
 
 Do  you  keep  your  heart  with  all  diligence,  striving  to 
 mortify  its  corrupt  affections,  and  watching  against  the 
 indulgence  of  sinful  thoughts  and  dispositions  ? 
 
BELF-EXAMINATION.  499 
 
 Do  you  carry  the  raoralily  as  well  as  tlic  memory 
 of  religion  into  your  worldly  calling  and  daily  practice, 
 remembering  your  obligations  to  universal  righteous- 
 ness, and  that  Christ  has,  in  fact,  committed  his  glory 
 and  the  credit  of  religion  to  the  keeping  of  his  people  ? 
 
 AVhat  influence  has  religion,  habitual,  or  occasional, 
 upon  your  temper ;  are  you  meek,  patient,  forgiving, 
 moderate,  temperate  ? 
 
 Eave  you  a  lively  hope  of  salvation,  by  the  witness 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  are  you  habitually  walking  in 
 the  love  of  Christ,  and  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ? 
 
 Do  you  feel  any  interest  in  the  spread  of  religion, 
 the  conversion  of  souls,  and  the  glory  *of  God  in  the 
 world  ? 
 
 Are  you  in  the  habit  of  praying  for  these  objects  in 
 your  closet  ? 
 
 Are  you  making  any  personal  exertions  for  the  sal- 
 vation of  others  ? 
 
 Is  it  your  custom  and  delight  to  set  apart  a  portion 
 of  your  property,  and  such  a  portion  as  may  be  expected 
 from  your  means  and  personal  expenses,  for  the  spread 
 of  the  gospel ;  so  that  you  can  conscientiously  say  you 
 are  doing  what  you  can  for  this  object  ? 
 
 Are  you  cultivating  a  spirit  of  charity  towards  those 
 from  whom  you  differ  in  religious  matters,  and  endea- 
 vouring to  promote  the  harmony  of  the  whole  family  of 
 God? 
 
 Are  you  truly  at  peace  with  all  men,  and  especially 
 with  your  fellow  members  ? 
 
 Are  you  as  tender  of  the  reputation  of  a  brother  as 
 of  your  own  ? 
 
 Will  you  cultivate  a  spirit  of  Christian  tenderness 
 towards  the  failings  and  imperfections  of  your  brethren? 
 
500  QUERIES    FOR    SELF-EXAMINATION. 
 
 Will  you  keep  your  tongue  from  speaking  ill  of  a 
 brother,  and  if  in  any  thing  you  are  displeased  with 
 him,  will  you  follow  the  gospel  rule,  and  tell  him  of  his 
 failings  between  him  and  you  alone  ? 
 
 Are  you  abstaining  from  all  places  of  worldly  amuse- 
 ments; such  as  theatres,  balls,  card  parties,  oratorios, 
 concerts,  and  avoiding  all  unnecessary  resort  to  the 
 parties  of  worldly  people  ? 
 
 Are  you  careful  of  your  general  demeanour,  especi- 
 ally before  unbelievers,  to  do  nothing  to  disgust  them 
 with  religion  ;  to  say  nothing  needlessly  to  wound  their 
 feelings,  or  selfishly  to  gratify  your  own;  to  avoid  all 
 artificial  appearances,  all  affectation,  cant,  forwardness, 
 bigotry,  bitterness,  sectarianism,  useless  disputation, 
 moroseness,  rudeness,  superciliousness,  levity,  extrava- 
 gance ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  you  evince  an  unbend- 
 ing regard  to  the  truth ;  an  unblushing  profession  of 
 attachment  to  it ;  a  willingness  to  bear  any  ridicule  for 
 the  sake  of  it ;  a  desire  to  communicate  the  knowledge 
 of  it,  and  a  readiness  to  assist  others  as  a  co-worker 
 with  God,  in  its  acquisition  and  obedience? 
 
 Will  you  read  these  questions  at  least  once  a  mouth, 
 and  pray  to  God  to  search  your  heart  in  reference  to  the 
 several  points  of  christian  practice  suggested  by  them  ? 
 
QUERIES    BEFORE    JOINING    THE    CHURCH.  501 
 
 CHAPTER    XIII. 
 
 QUERIES  FOR  PERSONS  INTENDING  TO  JOIN  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 You  wish  to  profess  religion,  why  ? 
 
 Is  it  your  duty,  what  makes  it  such  ? 
 
 Are  you  a  Christian,  a  disciple  of  Christ,  what  evi- 
 dence satisfies  you  of  it  ? 
 
 When  you  take  your  seat  at  the  communion-table, 
 (should  this  be  the  case,)  shall  you  feel  that  your  religion 
 is  ended,  or,  only  just  begun,  and  that  you  need  more 
 knowledge,  more  experience,  more  usefulness  ? 
 
 For  what,  think  you,  is  the  visible  church  divinely 
 organised  and  maintained  in  the  world  ? 
 
 Are  you  cordially  willing  to  be  subject  in  the  Lord, 
 to  the  oversight  and  discipline  of  his  church  ? 
 
 Do  you  now  desire  to  be  useful  in  the  cause  of  that 
 blessed  Redeemer,  in  whom  you  have  hope  ? 
 
 What  is  the  basis,  what  the  warrant,  what  the  evi- 
 dence, of  your  hope. 
 
 Do  you  realise  that  the  act  of  profession  is  your  own, 
 the  responsibility  of  it  yours ;  that  a  professor  is  one 
 thing,  and  a  possessor  another ;  always  in  idea,  often  in 
 fact? 
 
 What  is  assurance?  Is  it  yours?  Ought  it  to  be 
 so  ? 
 
502  QUERIES    BEFORE    JOINING    THE    CHURCH. 
 
 Have  you  any  hearty  and  prayerful  and  practical 
 desire  for  the  salvation  of  souls  ? 
 
 Are  you  willing  in  any  known  respect,  to  deny  your- 
 self for  Christ's  sake  ? 
 
 Are  you  free  to  confess  Christ  wherever  and  when- 
 ever you  ought,  01%  are  you  ever  ashamed  of  him  ? 
 
 Do  you  intend  to  renounce  the  world  as  your 
 portion ,  when  you  avouch  the  Lord  in  public? 
 
 Is  it  your  highest  desire  to  be  holy  and  walk  with 
 G  od  for  ever  ? 
 
 Do  you  love  Christians,  all  Christians,  as  Christians  ; 
 and  that  because  they  love  God  and  God  loves  them  ? 
 
 Did  you  ever  solemnly  ponder  the  question,  (suppos- 
 in  g  you  are  a  true  disciple  of  the  Son  of  God,)  why  did 
 I  ever  become  such,  when  others  live  and  die  not  such  ? 
 "  Who  maketh  me  to  differ  from  another,  and  what  have 
 I  that  I  did  not  receive  ?" 
 
 How  much  do  you  at  heart  care  for  the  love  of  Christ, 
 the  glory  of  God,  and  the  progress  of  religion  in  the 
 world  ?  Are  you  willing  to  catechise  your  life,  habitu- 
 ally to  its  close,  for  an  answer  ?* 
 
 *  American  Manual. 
 
 END    OF   THE    ELEVENTH    VOLUME. 
 
 PRINTED   BY   HUDSON  AND    SON,    BIRMINGHAM. 
 
llliIiWI|l|IB»™g5 
 
 1    1012  01195 
 
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