d 1100 Wteym AMntM. 8uM 1100 SMmt Sprtng, Mwytwid 20010 301/M7-8202 Centimeter 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 mm liiiiliiiiliiiiliiiiliiiiliinliiiiliMilHiiliiiiluiiliiiiliiiiliiiiliiilliiiiliiiiliiiiliiiiliinliiiiliiiiliiiiliiiiih | | | ii ^ 4T l "i 't''i f i' ^ ' i ' h 'l i 'i''i' it^ 'i'^ ^ 'i'^'i " > t' ''t''i' H '^'i'^ ' ^^^ - ■ } ■ ■ ■ 2-. 3 ' ■ ■■■■' 4 ■ -J .: Inches ^ . 1.0 1.1 1 |L25 m Itt IM u 25 2.2 2.0 1.4 ■1.6 m MflNUFflCTUREO TO AIIM STRNDflRDS BY QPPLIED IMRGE. INC. ^" CIHM ICI«H Microfiche Collection de ':■' Series microfiches (Monograplis) (monographies) ■ -•' ■ . ■■ •■ ■ " " ■ . ' ^\, '*'• f • n '' ■■■* "* ■-">■■ > --^ . ■ . ■ ■ ■ ■ • ■" ° ■ ■ ' ■ ■ '■■'■. CsnMlteli Institute fo» Htotertoai MIerorepredMCtlone / liwtltttt cemdiwi de mlererepreductleee MtteHquee ■X ;i • •« TiM ImtituM hM antmpMd to oMain tht bMt «opv availaMt for f Hminfl. FMtHrM of rtiia ootv til (tt$ ImafM in ilit rapfoducikNi. of wfitBi aMy •ifnifiaMllV diMifli tlM UMMl NMtiMrf of f Mmhif. I L'imtitiita MaM Mpraaurar. Lot dMaNt da aat paiit4tra ynljMM dii point da vua niprodiiita. on ^id panvant avifar una tnonHiaation la HMtliona QCokMiad eo«ari/ CMMwrtura da aoulaur I ^ CoMvartiMa Colourod Q Covin rattorad and/or laminaiad/ Coovamira rattaufte at/ou pal Ug Mlt^ □ Co«ar tifla miHine/ #. La titra da eomartufa iMimiya □ Cotowadmapi/ -^ Cartas 9torip(i)mMi tn aoulOMr □ Cototirad ink ft.a. othar than MiM M Mack)/ Enara da eouiayr (i.a. autra ^MitMMia ou noira) □ Colourad plaW and/or iliuttrations/ nanelMi at/oM illiMtratiom an eoulaur D Bound with othar malarial/ Rati* avac d'aiitrM domwanti r^ Ti#it Mndini may caMia ihadom or distortion I I alofif iniarior margin/ La raUura tarrte paUt eautar da I'ombra ou da la dittonion la loni da la marta I D Blanh laavat addad durinf rattoration may t within tha taxt. Whanavar poMiMa, thata hasa baan omitiad from filming/ lltapautquaeartsinatpafitManahas aioutiat km d'una rastauration a ppar a i na nt dam la taxta. mail, kKtqua cala Mait potsiMa, oa« pagat n'ont paiMfikntet. D D □. PiigBt raitorad andAH laminaiad/ Ngat raatayriai ft/ou paNi e u H a i n hit: PagBt di s eolourad. ttainad or fonad/ Tramp a ranaa QQualitv of print variat/ QuaUti in«g«la da I'Jmpratsion □ Continuous paginatkin/ F»gina!tion c^ntinua D Inckidas indaxlas)/ Comprand un (das) indax Titia on haadar takan from:/ La titra da ran.-ttta proviant: TitIa paga of issua/ Paga da titra da la livraison Caption of issua/ Titra da depart da la livraison I — 1 Masthaad/ Qiniriqua (pirkidiquas) da la livraison D Addi||ional commants!/ Commantairas sppplimantairas: This itam is f iknad at tlia raduetioh ratio chackad bakiw/ Ca doeumant ast f ikni au taux da rMuetion indiq u < ci-dassous. JOX- }4X JM- ^22X- -2ex- ^0*- T U «x 1«X aoxP Hx m 32 X -J tiM copy lUfiMd hH9 Nm bMii mptodund thankt to tlw g«ntro«lty ofv TIM Ualwl CtatHitf C«iMb AraklvM i'tx«mplalf* fNm« firt raprMuH Th* \tfm9m appMrine h«r« art tH« boft quality poMlbIa oontidartng tha condition and laglblllty of tho original oopy and In kaaping with tho filming oontraot apoelfloatlona. Original eoplaa In printod papar eovara aro fllmad baglnnHig with tha front oovar and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or niuatratad Imprat- aibn. or tha baek oovar whart^appropriata. All othar original ooploa aro fllmad baglnning on thd f irat paga with t printad or illuatratad Improa- •ion. and andIng on tha laat paga with a printad or Hluttratad Impraatlon. Tha laat raoordad framo on aaeh mieroftcho ■hall eontain tho aymbol *^- (moaning "CON- TINUBD1. or tho aymbol y (moaning "END"), whiehavar appliot. Maps, platat. eharta. ate.^ may ba fllmad at diffarant radi»etlon ratios. Thota too larga to ba antlraly ineludad In ona axpoauro aro fllmad baglnning In tha uppar laft hand eomar. laft to right and top to bottom, aa many.lramat «• raqulrad. I^a following diagrams tlluttrata tha mathodjM^ . , 1 • 2 Laa bnagaa aulvantaa ont At* roproduKoa avoa lo plus grand aoln« oompto tanu do la aondhlon ot do la nattoti do I'oKompial^ fllm4<'0t an oonformM ovoo loa aondMona du aontrat do fHmago. Laa ONfmploiraa origlnauK dont la aouvorturo on papl*^ aat ImprimAo com fllm4a an aommanpant par la' pramlar plat ot on tormlnant aoH par la damMro pago qui oompono uno ampralnta dimproaalon ou dlHuatratlon. aoH par la aaeond plat* aalon lo 00a. Touaiaq outraa aaamplalraa originauK aont fllm4a an oommon^ant par Iq pramMro paga qui oompono uno amprolnto dimproaalon ou dlHuatratlon at an tarmlnant par la damMro pago qui qomporto uno toNa Omprolnto* ^ Un doa aymboloa auhmnta apparattra our la damMro Imaga da ehaqua mierofieha. talon lo oaa: la aymbolo -*- aignlfia "A tUIVRI". lo •ymbolo ▼ olgnMla "WN". — ^ Laa eartao. planehaa. taMaaux. ate., pauvani Atro filmte A daa laux do rAduction dIffAronta. Loraquo la doeumont oat trop grand pour Atro raprodult on un aaul ollehA. II aat fUmA A partir da I'angla aupArlaur gaueha. da gauaha A drolto. at da haut on baa. on pranant la nombro d'imagaa nAoaaaaira. Laa diagrammaa auhranta llluatrant la mAthodo. 32X U- ,.f!l\ ':nf- tH& 1t|^^ WM. CQCMRANEi ■..,-**»..V'~'-"^''^' '■ **" V ".'■>:- ' ;''.^,. «^■'^ ;-J'''-iy ; M *H. ''^^ •.-.■^v\*'^?:.;;.^* '^ UNITtD -..-- — foty\ TH Negative TheologyPc.^ — AND^ ? * The Larger Hope. ."^, i^crt u By the rev. WM. COCHRANE, D.D.. ZioN Presbyterian Church, BRANTFORD. BRANTFORD: J. R,. SALMOND. ^4 :tj::!txl':MS'.^'«',h2ai&i^^;^ 11' NOTE. ■ ; ■ - . ■ •■■■■■■ ■■•-.. . ■ ':%■ ' ■ ^: . ,,-..■ ^ . . . , ' - ^ The following ptgM conUin the notet of a sermon pietched by Rev. Dr. Cochrane upon the occasion of entering upon the 31st year of his ministry, in Zion Church- In iu delivery, many of the points alluded to were discussed at length, witB special reference to the attacks made on the evangelical faith at the present day. Brantford, June, 189a. JAN 19 1962 «V-. *■* V !:#■ :. ^ ;:;':; ' \ i ■ / ^ ^-1. '. . ^'T-C' V \' • [ -p f^i-S"-^ '^^ :tV''.'''' UNtrrD ch i. ARCHIVES :'■*■ «v-. *■* |-%- 1 -f^^if^m^^ THE NEGATIVE THEOLOGY, AND THE LARGER HOPE. :0 •* Which My to the teers. See not : and to the propbeU, Piopheiy not unto u* right thingt. speak unto ut imooth things, prophety cle- ^li.**_ItAiAH, ehftp. 30, vene la " According m it is written, I believed, therefort have I tooken : we alw believe! and therefore ipeak."-!!. Coeiktmiani, chap^ 4, vene 13. ' We have in these DMitget, two thought! presented fw our coniideration on thii anniversary occasion : ist, The ouilty clamour that prevails in many places at the present day. for » ille of preaching that endeavors to miiet and stifle conJiice; and and, The attitude that the pulpit should take,*^ln reiusing to conceal, or modify, or explain away the words spoken by almighty God. :_^^^ Israel of old, conscious of wrong-doing and expecting just retribution, says to the Prophet : " Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smootMhings, prophesy de- ceits,"— that is, flatter us : tell us thai after iM we are not 10 bad as we seem and feel : sUnd between us and an angry God. and sUy his righteous indignation. Speak to us things, in accordance with our prejudices and feelings, al- though they should be deceitful and false. Like the con- sumptive patient, who feels that his days are numbered, but findsmomenury relief, if the Doq|or will onlr»y that still there is a little hope, and that the end may yet be far off ; •o badLsliding Israel begs the Prophet for one word of comfort— one ray of sunshine amid the encirding gloom. The Apostle Paul, when writing to the Connthian Church, many of whom were leadinj^ grossly immoral and inconsistent lives, and whose plain language was calculated to give offence, equally with that of the Prophete of old, t' ■ '^ 'W !"»,%'H"i5>" --^i^ --— -^f^^^J *^5Efr- ^t^rm'^ "^ I^""^!!* (( ^ if.*r~ if^r f-: ^ ayt : Wc having the nme faith, according ai it is written, I behevcd, and therefore have I liwken : we also believe, and therefore ipealt." He evidently quotes David't wordi in the 1 1 6th Pialm— "I believed, therefore have I ipoken/^ I he circumatancef ot these two men were very different but they had the same faith. Paul was not ashamed to proclaim a full, unabridged, unmutiUted gospel. He had unbounded confidence in the truth ot the message com- mitted to his charge, and delivered it with a frankness and f«^""<>?«c Mgcd of you or of man's judgment. He that judgeth me is the Lord." And writing to the Thessa^ S'ZJif.K'^^ "^"-f* "^''^ tHoFed of God to be put m^Sriti "^ f??*?'.*?'* 80 we apeak : not at pleating Jnen, but God, which tneth our hcartt. For neither at any i* ■■f%: r J'-. I* Hme used ire fUtterinff words, nor of men sought glory- God 11 witnetf." Such quoutioiit, which might be indefl- A^A ™"'^'P"«<*» »*^ «• *c •«"«* of hit tubliroe audacitx and daring. He ipoke not simply as an ambassador, com- missioned to declare ceruin truths, but from a profound belief in their reality. He could not be silent, nor forbear, charged as he wai with the message of life or death to im- mort*l souls. He illustrated in his practice what Archbishop Whatley said in one of his pastorals : *' It is not enough to be ieve what you mainUin : you must mainUin what you beliete, and maintain it because you believe it" And is it not historically true, that the great leaden of opinion in sutesmanship and theology, have been men of decided views, whose minds WERE NOT IN SOLUTION OR DOUBT, as to the ground they occupied, but who were thoroughly assured of their conclusions. Their belieft were based upon truths, and supported by conscience. As Luther once said—" If I am to listen to the thought of another, let him speak out what is clear and positive : of the problematical I have enough in myself already." So say intelKgent con- gregations who come from week to week to listen to God's word. Denials, objections, negatives, and ob8curities» are stumbling blocks to earnest souls. What is positive and affirmative, alone has power. It follows then, that tX)NVICTION is the first essential of successful prei^ing. By suc- cessful preaching, I do not mean t^at wfitch ^muses and pleases |nd gratifies the curious and the lig^t-iriioded, but that which leads men to a higher conception of the great ends of existence, and helps them wisely to pre^re for a never-ending life beyond, the solemn tsuths of the gospel cannot be profitably discussed, where there is not honesty and genuine belief on the part of the preacher. The training of the schools may present arguments to the reason, why Christianity shoMld be accepted as true, to the rtjection jf^^T ^A ^W* ^^ "'^■^s^i^'^ \ \i of other •yttemt, but cannot impart luch conviction m Paul had. Ai John layt, *Mt ii the unction of the Holy one," that enables men to know the deep things of God. The iniUncet are comparatively rare, where men of piety and expef ience, became skeptical of divine truth. Deep con- victions increase with age and fellowship with the unseen. The early preachers were called witnesses. A witness tells, not what another man saw, but what he himself has seen and known. That is the truest eloquence which speaks of realities, which does not deal with ibstractions, but with concrete tacts and living experiences— which can say, " We have seen it and bear witness, and shew unto you that eter- nal life, which was manifested in us.'* After a sermon of great power preached in a New England pulpit, the auestion was asked, *' How long did it take to prepare that dis- course ?" and the reply was, forty years And sbs^aul, after long experience and proof of what the gospel was and had done for him, spoke with an assurance that could not be gainsaid or refuted. His hearers felt when he was declaring the whoie counsel of God, and . revealing the more severe aspects of truth, as was remarked of one in late years — '*That man would never say what he does, unless he really believed it." What then, let us ask, are som^ of the things that re- ligious teachers should believe before they speak? A. The reality of a God, U against If ateffialisin. B. The creation of the world byMlmighty power, as against Athe- istic e^rolutioiw _ C. The fact of the fall, as against the mystical or poetical theory. Z>. The anhrersal depravity of the human race, as against the theory that men are bom pure. B. The DiTinity of Christ, as against Unitarianism and Socintanism. F, The necessity and resplu of Christ's death, as against the ethical ▼iews of the at^afent. ^ . (#* The immortality of the soul, as against AnnihUationism and ooor ditkNMl immoctality. j*-^. -•i 'm i nt ^ i S ^Mif^ ^^ ^ ; '*»,r» \ f ^•-• I I J7. lit f«Mii«dfcm of the body, M acalotl an JmmofUUty of r^ •pirit akNM. /. TIm final ittdgmtfnt, that awaits tftry human being, and Mala their doom for waal or wot, at against a future probation, ot the aalvatlon of good and bad alilMi • In a word, the jMretcher should believe in God's word from Oenesii to RMlttton :— **tliat all tcripture it given bf inspiration of God, and is |>rofltable for doctrine, for reimxN; for correction, for instruction in righteousnea." '#■': The fundamentals of the christian religion are the atone- ment of Christ, the availibility of his death as a real expia- tion for sin, and the necessity of faith and repenunce, in order to peace in the present, and happiness in the ftitur^ Any toning down of such doctrines, which arc common to all the churches of Christendom, is dishonorable IN A CHRISTIAN TIACHIR, and deserving of severest condemnation. If a profesled Minister of Christ, does not believe such truths, his way is clear. An honevt politician, when he changes his views, goes over to the party th&t he is most in accord with. Even the Treasury benches and the gains of office will not pre- vent him taking this manly course, ^uch more surely, a minister of the gospel, when he findk himself at varianoe. with the articles or Creed of his Chuf# will ^o longer re- main within her pale. If he speaks beyond what he be- lieves, he is guilty; if he speaks in opposition to his ordina*. tion vows, he is equally guilty ; and if he hat not ma^ up his mind, in regard to vital questions in theology, he snbuld exch&nge the place of teacher for that of student, and re- main tHere until he has arrived at somewhat definite con- clusions, regarding the verities of religion. It serves no good purpose to throw out doubt,' conceniing truths gene- rally accepted, unless there is som^hing better to piit in their place ; " Casting fire-brands^ arrows and death, and saying, am not I in s^": and it is eaually wrong to make pretence of keeping technically ?nthin the limits of it Cieed, whUe attacking the individual doctrines, that make ',%' i -^ '^ »-■%• \''#fr5" 5^*' aft. up that Craed. Troth not only in speech, hut in the inward pam, if expected of hiro, who tunding in Christ't stead, heieeches men to be reoondSed to God When an ambassador is sei^t from St. James or Wash- ington, to represent his country at a foreign court, he re- oeifes his commission and instructions. He goes there, not in his individual but in his representative capacity. He is advised before leaving, as to the course he is to pursue and that in every case of diplomaqr, he must loyally carry out the mandates of his superiors. If on any occasion, he fin43 himself at variance with the sovereign or the cabinet that baa aodcdited him, it is not his part ta substitute his own views for theirs, or carry on an intrigue that nuiy injure or disgrace his country. He will, as an honest man, re- sign his trust, and gracefully retire to private life^ where he can speak and act, untramelled by the responsibilities and obligations of office. It is so with the Judge upon the bench ialao. He is appointed not to make, but to expbdn and ad- minister Uw while sitting there : not to change, but to ex- pliun and apply, what has been lal4 down for his guidance. If there are certain laiT^ rekting td criminal procedure, or the punishment of crini^ which he cannot approve or en- fbfce with a good comdence, he will retire frcm the judi- ciary, at whaieyer sacrifice. Surely we have a right to ex- pect iimihur manliness^ on tfce part of ministers of religion, who hold their commission direct from heaven; and who deal with matters, affecting the eternal happiness or misery of their fellow men ! Miserable poltioons like Aaron Burr, Hiiobasdy confer with the enony, while pretending to serve their country, are regvded as . ^ ^ DB8BRVIN0 or LASTING OPPROBlUmC. They go down to Ui^ graven '* unwept unhonoured and uur miau^** and their names are allowed to rot And so It should be. if I havt openly ai|d voluntarily subscribed to a creed, and in the presence of Almighty God sa^ I will tea<^ it, how dait I, in any way antagoiiae its spirit 1 Persecution ! lay certaiD aeotimeQta) relisMiiiist^ wbeqi a ^ttri:hdemaiidji I I ;-^' y- K«-«*^- -1 ■;■ J-^V". . ■ fc» *, I I tommon honesty on |h« pwrf of its profenon and clergy- men. Not so, bttt regard for the man himself, that he roav be saved from acting a double part, and that the denomi* nation may be delifered from discord and faction. When a teacher of religion, remains in his church, not because he agrees with her standards, or loves his work, but simply for . ^ ••the Priests office, and the piece of river snd moisel of ^ biead," it is time that the partnership was disv)lved. A • church without a creed, can eaert no influence upon Uie worid, and a minister who is the slave of other men's opin- ' ions, with a bias to undermine the foundations of laith, and lower the standard of righteousness, is a bane rather than a blessing. Mourned over by all good men, he is Uughed at by theliftd, for his unfaithfpilness and cowardice. Speaking with uncertain sound, temporising with the truth, wasting time in touching the shd^lows of momentous questions whose depths neither man nOr angel have yet fully fathomed, he ac- complishes nothing, bqroiid disintegration and the unsettl- ing of souls. The triminiQity of such conduct, can only be described in God's own language : ** Son of man, I have . made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: there- fore hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die ; nor speakest to warn them the wicked frOm his wicked way, to save his life ; the same wicked mam shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require a»^ thine hand. Such is the judgement pronounced, u^n him irho keeps back or dilutes^e the truth, because it is opposed to popu- lar belie&»and excites hostility, instead of acting in the ipint of Micaiah when he refused to speak flatterintr^vKHdito the King of Israel.— "Aa the Lord Hvedi, even what my God saith, that I wUl speak. " In the estimation of the old reformers, toe men who framed our creeds and fonnularies, it 1N^ deemed prejury, for a man to violate his ordination vows Now it seems as trifling a matter, at the casting aside of an old wotn-ont gar- pent. A weather-beaten Ameritan dtis^ we ar# told, re- cently stood on tlMe platfbrm of a railroad coach, wlule th^ ■?■■ '3: XL. ■t- ■.^; ' ~ — , , , . . , . . «,.„/, : ■ to ■;•■■■■. traki was speeding away at the rate o^ 50 miles an hour. ** You can't sUnd on the platform/' shouted the conductor. **What are platforms for anyhow?'* asked the traveller. *' Platforms are not made to stand on : they are made to get on," was the reply. And so it would appear, some men make use of creeds to help them tpget on in the church, but not to stond on, or defend. The Reformers held that doctrines were indispensable to life ; freethmkers say, that no-matteir what or how little a man believea, if he only does right, all will end well. The inedehty of the past century, sought eaqfiression in the poet's lines :-r «< For modes of faith let foollt and bigoU ik^V His (kn't be wioDg, whose life is in tlie right}'* and skeptics of all classes, still greedily repeat the sentiment* as if it were a truism, that commanded uinversal acceptance- Creeds and confessions they say, are dungeons, for okl an- tiquated pietists, whose intellects are incapable of expansion, and who are afraid to exercise liberty of thought and free- dom of si)eech. Tkey are men of progress, unmoved by legal threatenings, who like Clkverhouse of old, after the shooting of John Brown, are willing * V 'f ,^ 1 i13B««*>VT ■ "flB' ff r*p -WT^5»i«;T|^^'i^" >S' ;.'«?.■;'" •7f V ▼Trulcnt and aggrewive. What it called *' The Higher Criti- cism/' it no longer confined to the Old Tettament, but iiy cludet the New. The PenUteuch, it now declared to have been the work of other handt than Motet : the Prophetical Writingti are not the productiont of the men whote' namet they betr; Ecdesiastes it not Solomon't, and' the book of Daniel it of a far later ag'*, by tome |inknown author. The writert of the New TetUment are .equally unreliable, the miraclet are tpurious, and the Epittlet, but the opiniont of fallible men. In a word, the Bible it not truttworthy, fok when we have eliminated to much, what it there remaining ? We are reminded of the down-eatt bmdlord, who in the dayt before the war uted to keep a hotel at the line where two tutet met. It wat called patriotically, the Union Hotel. One day a tired traveller drove hit tired horte to the door with the requett, ** Landlord, give my hone a good dinner of oatk, and prepareme a porter-houte tteak." "Stranger/* said the hott "that is all right, only we don't happen to keep any oatt, and we are out of freth meat." ^ Wtll," taid the pilgrim, wearily, " at any rat 2 you can give my horte tome hay, aind me tome fresh eggt ?*' Truth it, friend, we don't keep hay, and jutt now we haven't any eggt ?" "Now, landlord," taid the occupant of the buggy, looking : tiraight at hio^ "will you be to good at to tell me what y6a dft keep?" Drawing hiintelf up proudly the * kioni&ce leplied, "Yet, sir, I kc^ the Unkm Ho- td." And to we thall probably bd permitted to keep the covert of the Bible, if not the contentt. And yet thete men who are uprooting old belieft, and tapp- iflf aflidtittdermitting Christianity, deiiy tiiat Uiey are infidelt. • Wbtin pretted to tell ut, what they do beltefv&they tay^we are timfify en<;piiring i^er trttth-— the trend 01 tcholarthip it in the diiection of larger hope : modern tcholar^ip it at yet iiiideoided, bur profenort in London, Cambridge and New Yofk, favor this ind that ioterpretatioii. Hat it come to thit St menofmaluve yeaiti set apart to speak for Cod, have ^Man-Guf opinioiis of tMr owi^ but can only give to their the tniettfla^fltt&HMCulationaoloninJ Has- » V •"/^"'* ^ '^ n '. •#■:*' /jod ipokeii in a Uuiguage lo obteiire, thitt it ctniiot be im- dentood ? Granted, that this Bible hat ccNtoe down to ni, through the Greek and Hebtew, is not the vertion that we have, an honest translation of the original \ and is it not a fact that the newly revised vtriton, has not changed one word or sentence that sffecti its solemn declaration ? Older than the pyramids of Egypt : firmer than the everbtfting hills ; it stands immovable and impregnable, in spite of the petty assaulu of feeble man, who would, but cannot explain away the solemn thinf(8 of God. As the poet . BtyB:-- • -Ax- ,. ■ ** There «re in this n0ieveffeiiti«i af#, ^ Who, dued by vain philoeoplqr, lis?e ctMied ^ « The revelations of the aecred peae >v . Ip \ Among the bnrstto bubblet of the pMt. \ Be onrs tne wiidoni still to hold them fast : \ Not as despising anght that sense can teach,^ Or any light that closer search may cast \ On this world's mysteries, or thought can resch . From inmost comers of its right domain i ^ i , But firmly fixed in this : that after each Ifas reaped its ri^pest knowldlge, there remain Truths that trad(|cend» both Imman thought and speech, Ano^natnreV oracle, iliese to despise, ' Whe^Ood unveils them, let us think unwiifc'* It is very tnie, that men who believe as Paul ^id and persuade men bj^ the terrors of the Lord, may expect to meet with oppositibfi and the superdllious contempt of the profane. PauHtreqiiently roused the enmity of both Jew and Gentile^ for the d^orine of the resurrection and a nnal righteous judgment, wcmr quite as distasteful then si they are now. He was buffeted, reviled, defomed, made as the fildi of the world, and accoiinted as the off-scouring of all things, scourged, beaten and iimHrisoned. He bore in his body the marks of the Lord j€m Christ. But none of these things moved him, nor awed i|im intoa guilty sil^nc^e* He harrowed up the filings of sdlfighteoiis hyppcritei, who under the inark of virtue perpetrale!^ the grossest wick*- edness,'an^And !• theie in Goaj* world w dr^ M^* Where the loud bitter cry i» ~i«ed to Ttin? ^ Where tean of penance «>'~.if V^^f7^^T Af on the uprooted flower the genial rain r And this is his answerf "Tb ever to : the ioverelga Lord of souls, _ StoIS to ihe dungeonV h>bc«n^^^^^ Each bolt, that o»ef the ilnner yato^ "[^^^^ * ^ith gathered wrath the reprobate to whelm. Will late remorse, , . Aecall the shaft the murderer's hand has sped, -O^ftSSSeguiltless^b^ : TlS^th^Sbodiedsoulnotft^ ' ^"rt!^ whom here, she wo«M 1^ ThU negative theology has been tned, and ^undw^ inff It is a travesty upon religion. It proceeds upon^Ae a2imption that men need not atoneinent fo'«".i»^i^^ ^vea is the reward of works, and not of grace. The J^ dSS^^nettes and moral essays ^htt are now^d f«>m cSJn pulpits, have nothing in comi^^^^^ Reformition preaching. The great Dr. <5Mm«^^ ^le in the ewlier stages of his mimstry. He cxpatiatwi on S m«^fcS^dfeKiy. the viUi^y ^ ^srii^and^he tep^Sfactsof c^^^i^y-^^^\'^^^T^ SiCter which awaken the natttral *ndignation of the "«*-, '"^a^ ^^T^BB"' ^ > . » It- he lat He >m or his on the of the 1 ■. ^ \. , '■■.-;■■■•■,• •■-■:.,. .^ '5- ..'.,■ ■■■■■■■ -"■ („ httman hetit.— but hii betien remained in full alienitioo from God, for Chrwt through whoic blood the tinner It par- doned, was scarcely ever tpoken of. The ruttict m the parith of Kilmany, were entranced 4r th<^ eloquence of the young^ireacher, but neither changed nor reformed. At length, alter being brought to the confioct of the grave, be came back to life a changed man. feeling how empty all hit past years had been for God. His opinions became thoroughly revolutionized. His former theology and preachmg he de- nounced, as one-sided and worthless : and from the bummg lips and fire-touched tongue of the new evangelist, there^wM heard the cry in every sermon, •* Behold the Umb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world." Did you feel anything particuUrly in church today— said a young man to a companion, after hearing Chalmers preach on the text, "God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten son, that whosoever Wic^et^ in Him should not pensh^ but have everlasting life'? I never felt myself to be a Iwt sinner till to-day, when I was listening to that sermon." " It is very strange, said his companion, —it was lust the same wilbme. Now, instead of polished essays, or the amiabilities and pro- prieties of life, he preached the doctrine of original depravity, ffuilt retribution an* a judgment to come, and instead of the wonderin&sluggish, passive multitudes that formerly hung upoafcis lips, he found awakenings and conversions: reformation in morals, and a turning from death untoJife. It is ever so, the preachmg of smooth things, only leads to continuance in wickedness and never produces change cf From your delicate, refined, effeminate and omamenul preachers, who toy and trifle with the solemn threatenings of scripture, it isrefreshing.to meet with earnest simple-minded menof God, who preach the gospel in its entirety. ^They may not in all casM have had the full advanuges of theo^ logical training, nor give to their discourses the lavish pro- fusion, that charicteriaes scholars, nor have the pomp and pageantry and authority of Ecclesiastical appoirtments, but £^ have what isfarb^er, a firm hold of the simple gospel, w . i f ""■K, 3JSj^» ■*"'i«' -^-^^ •-*■};<-' which is ftble to make men wiie unto lalvation. If thejr have not the regulation military cloak of the soldier, they witld the iword of the ipirit, •* which if quick and powerful ; piercing, even b the dividing asunder of the Joints and marrow, and is a ditcerner of the thoughts and intenti^of the heart." , ,., , U there are any in this assembly, who are crying like Is- rael of old, **ipeak unto us smooth things"— who are saying to themselves, "peace, peace," when there can be no peace, —let me ask them to realise, the end of all this mockery. Cowper gives us a picture of the man, who hopes that na- tural goodness, will find favour with God, and the penitent soul who waiting lor mercy, has no other plea: — "But that thy blood WM shed for me." •< Hark I nniversal nature shook aad groaned^ Twai the last trumpet— see the Judge enthroned : Rouse all your courage at your utmost need* Now summon tvery virtue, stand and plead. What I silent! Is your boasting heard no more? Atlioy to the believer: He can speak— Trembling yet happy, confident yet meek. Since the dear hour that brought me to thy feet And cut up all my follies 1:^ the root, I never trusted in an arm but thine, Not hoped, but in thy righteousness divine t Pride falls unpitied, never more to rise. Humility is crowned, and faith receives the prize." UNITED CHURCH ItflCHlVES a. f •»• T ,S. • • *.-.*■ > ' " . ■ • " "■'■■'■.'' ■ . ■ ' ' ■ ■ ' ■.. * * . ^^_