vl35Mcl 
 
 i 
 
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 ON 
 
 SCRIPTURAL CONVERSION ; 
 
 THE 
 
 MODERN STYLE OF PREACJHING, 
 
 AND THH 
 
 STATE OF THK CnV RCllKS. 
 
 BT 
 
 JOHN (i. MAHSliALL, 
 
 I'RiNTKD nr 
 
 HALIFAX. N. 8. . » 
 
 WIMJAM MACNAH, Jl PHINCE ST. ^ ^y' 
 
 I«7I. 
 
ON 
 
 SCRIPTURAL CONVERSION 
 
 THE 
 
 MODERN STYLE OF PREACHING, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 STATE OF THE CHURCHES. 
 
 BT 
 
 JOHN G. MARSHALL. 
 
 i ' • • '. • • 
 
 • * I * « t « 
 
 • » » ' 
 
 > • • • . 1 1 1 
 
 
 halifax, n. s. 
 Printed by William m acnab, u prince street. 
 
 1871. 
 

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 * * 
 
 • 4 » 
 
 ■ « « 
 
 « • « 
 
ON SCRIPTURiL CONVERSION, &c. 
 
 *• Let the wicked forsake liis way and the unriKhteous man his thouiyhts, «nd 
 let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to our 
 God for He will abundantly pardon." Isaiah, Iv. 7. "Repent ye, therefore, and 
 be converted, that your sins may he blotted out when the times of refreshln;r 
 shall come from the i)rescnce of the Lord." — Acts, iii. li). " Ye are the salt of 
 the earth ; but if the salt have lost his savour, vrherewith shall it be salted ?"— 
 Matt. 5. 13. 
 
 Tho first and second of tho above texts, one contained in 
 the old, and tho otlier in tho new covenant Scriptures, 
 though differently worded, will be seen, as to meaning, to 
 be in perfect agroeuieut. The same is true of all tho Scrip- 
 tures under each dispensation, relating to tho doctrines and 
 precepts as to the faith and practice essential to tho attain- 
 ment of present and eternal salvation. This harmony is also 
 clearly apparent in the following passages: " lie that covorcth 
 his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsakcth 
 them shall have mercy. " Prov., xxviii. 13. — «' If we confess our 
 sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." John, i. 9. — 
 ** Ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with 
 all your heart.'' Jer., xxix. 13. — " Draw nigh to God and He will 
 draw nigh to you." James, iv. 8.—*" Ceaso to do evil ; learn to 
 do well." Isaiah, i. 16-17. — " Beloved, follow not that wiiicii is 
 evil, but that which is good." 3 John, xi. There cannot but bo 
 this pcfect agreement between tho two revelations, as both were 
 given by the same infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable God. 
 Let none, therefore, be deceived by the thought, or belief that 
 they are not bound equally by the old as by tho new Testanient 
 Scriptures, in regard to the doctrines relating to vital saving 
 faith, and the precepts regarding pious and moral duty. 
 
It will bescrn from the first and second texts, and tlio other Scvip- 
 tmv s riU'd, that not only a re])cntance tor all past transgressions, 
 bnt tnrninj:^ from all sinful works and ways, must take place at the 
 same time, Avith a seeking and hoping for divine forgiveness, through 
 the atoning sacrihce rendered by tiie Lord Jesus Christ. Accord- 
 ing to the plan of salvation, as declared in tiiosc texts, and 
 ])assages, there can be no well grounded hope of prayer being 
 favorably lieard and pardon obtained withont the resolve and 
 the effort to cease to do evil, and follow that which is good. 
 Scripture declares : " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord 
 will not hear me. "* Mucli worse will it be if it is carried out iu 
 the practice. 
 
 In the present day nearly all who address the unconverted, 
 merely exhort them to come to the Saviour, saying — " Come to 
 Jesus just as you are," A^ithout mentioning a word as to for- 
 saking sinful ways and habits. There is no Scriptural authority 
 to sanction such a style of limited or single exhortation to the 
 worldly and unconverted. It is unscriptural, and consequently 
 unsafe and improper. It does indeed frequently have the effect of 
 making additions to church membership ; but very often they are 
 either sfi//'-(/eceu-er6' or worse. All the exhortations by the pro- 
 phets and other true teachers under the previous dispensation as 
 shown in the Scriptures, include not only a turning to God, but 
 an immediate forsaking of all evil courses and practices. These 
 two must be concurrent acts. Either of them singly observed 
 will not suffice to obtain the promised blessings leading to, and 
 connected with, a Scriptural and sound conversion. The Baptist, 
 foretold in Scripture, as the forerunner to prepare the way for the 
 Saviour, proclaimed the new dispensation by exhorting and com- 
 manding : " Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand ;" 
 and bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance." The Lord 
 and Saviour himself proclaimed the same words: "Repent for 
 the kingdom of heaven is at hand ;" and again : " Repent ye and 
 l)elieve the Gospel."* The same was the substance and tone of 
 the primary exhortations and teachings of all the apostles. The 
 highly gifted and zealous Paul declared, as seen in Acts 20, that 
 s.uch teachings by him consisted in testifying both to the Jews, 
 
 ' ' ' Fsm., Ixvi, 18. 
 
arifl also to the Greeks — " Repentance towards God, and faith to- 
 wards our Lord Jesus Christ." Through all ages, since the same 
 has been the plan and method of all Christian ministers, truly en- 
 lightened and skilled in the Gospel plan of salvation, and faithful 
 to the most solemn responsibility with which they were charged, 
 to "rightly divide the word of truth ;" and without fear or favour 
 to " declare the whole counsel of God." The Scriptural invita- 
 tions and promises for obtaining spiritual rest and peace, are ad- 
 dressed to the " weary and heavy laden " with their sins; — to 
 those who are " thirsty" to " come to the waters;" and those 
 who hunger and thirst after righteousness."* "They are not fot 
 those who neither form or express any intention of forsaking every 
 evil course and practising the self denial, and observing the right- 
 eous conduct scripturally enjoined. That eminent Christian minis- 
 ter, so deeply skilled in the things of the heavenly kingdom, the 
 Rev, John V 'esley, in remarking on the conduct of those who hold 
 forth to all, ivdiscvitninaleh/, the promises of the Gospel, emplo3'ed ' 
 the following language : " They know and use but one medicine 
 whatever be the cause of the distemper. They preach the Gospel, 
 as they call it. To give comfort is the f^inyle point at which they 
 aim ; in order to which, they say many soft and tender things con- 
 cerning the love of God to poor helpless sinners, and the efiicacy 
 of the blood of Christ. Now this is quackery, indeed, and that of 
 the worst sort. It is hard to speak of these ' daubers with un- 
 tempered mortar,' these promise-mongers, as the}' deserve. They 
 do, in effect, make the ' blood of the covenant an utdioly 
 thing.'" * * ♦ The ordinary method of God is to convict sin- 
 ners by the law, and thai only. The Gospel is not the means which 
 God hath ordained, or which our Lord himself used for this end. 
 We have no authority in Scripture for using it thus, nor any 
 ground to think it will prove effectual. " They that are whole," as 
 our Lord himself observes, " need not a physician but they that are 
 sick." It is absurd to ofler Christ to them whose heart is whole, 
 having never yet been broken." In addressing such persons, the 
 first effort should be to show them that they are really diseased 
 and in need of a cure, before proposing or applying the healing 
 Gospel remedy. Our Lord's sermon on the mount was almost eu- 
 
 ♦ Matt,, iii. 2 8— iv. 17 ; Mark, i. 15. t Matt. xi. 23; Is., Iv. 1 ; Matt., v. 6. 
 
6 
 
 tircly of a legal dcccription. As a proof of that general indiscri- 
 minate nictliod as to public preaching*, and of failure to enforce re- 
 ponlance and expoHc, plainly, prevailing evils, and exhort to their 
 ubandoumcnt as primary Scriptural injunctions, the writer of this 
 discourse can truly say, that he has not for ten or a dozen 
 years, or more, heard a sermon on repentance, although regu- 
 larly attending on public religious services in diflerent coun- 
 tries and various denominations. Yet repentance, both as a 
 doctrine and a duty has, by inspired truth, ever been mcst 
 fitrictly enjoined and placed at the very foundation and com- 
 nicnccment of a religious life. It will readily be admitted 
 by all that in every congregation there arc very many, in- 
 deed the vast majority, who need repentance and conversion ; 
 and therefore it is the more essential that both, more especially re, 
 pcntance, should be frequently taken as subjects for pulpit and 
 other religious addresses, and be fully explained and urgently en- 
 forced. On every such occasion, indeed, repentance should mako 
 a part of the earnest and pointed exhortations. 
 
 It will hero be well to explain the nature of genuine re- 
 pentance, what it includes, and produces as its fruits. Scrip- 
 ture declares that it includes a "godly sorrow." It has a 
 reference to the Divine Being, and gives a view of sin aa 
 liuving been wickedly and ungratefully con^iyitted against hia 
 righteous authority and laws and gracious foVii^ea'rance. It pro- 
 duces contrition of spirit and more or less humiliation of feeling 
 before God, for having oUended against his mercy and goodness, 
 and is ever accompanied with a sincere desire and resolution to 
 abandon all ways of transgression : and in accordance with the 
 divine injunctions, "Cease to do evil, and learn to do well." 
 'IHirough grace and strength imparted in answer to prayer, and in 
 the use of the other means scripturally enjoined, especially search- 
 ing and obeying the inspired records, the penitent even at the out- 
 set of his religious course is enabled in some degree to carry into 
 eflect that good resolution, by refraining from his former external 
 transgressions, and by bringing forth " fruits meet for repent- 
 ance." As true repentance is through the operation of the Holy 
 Spirit, let every individual beware of continuing in sin, lest tho 
 grace or power to repent bo withheld or withdrawn, and hardaesa 
 
of licart and final impenitence ensue. If any desire for such true 
 repentance is felt, let it be cherished as of itself a gracious incli- 
 nation, and prayer be offered that it may early result in the truly 
 penitential feelings scripturally described. Let all, however, bo- 
 ware of resting merely in a reformation of esternal conduct, suppo- 
 sing that this is all that is comprehended in the repentance re- 
 quired. Like every other part of religious experience, it must have 
 its operation and effects on the spirit and the heart. There must 
 however, as already intimated, be an immediate abandonment of 
 every sinful course, and every form of iniquity and evil. It ia 
 only to him, who both " confesseth and forsakcth his sins,"* that 
 the promise of mercy and pardon is made. Throughout the gos- 
 pel invitations to the unconverted, repentance is mentioned as pre- 
 ceding that faith in the Saviour through which forgiveness is ob- 
 tained. They are given in the following and similar terms : " Re- 
 pent ye and believe the Gospel ;" — " Repentance towards God, 
 and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ." f The word repent- 
 ance as used in the Scriptures, implies of itself, and includes a 
 turning from the ways of sin, as well as sorrow towards God for 
 all previous transgressions. The latter without the former would 
 liot only be inconsistent and hypocritical, but would greatly in- 
 crease the previous guilt. ' 
 
 The thorough ^inversion of the contrite and repenting sin- 
 ner is also ^i^Snii. The word conversion as applied to re- 
 ligion is of very largo and comprehensive meaning. In several 
 passages of Scripture it is described as a new creation, that is of 
 the spiritual and moral nature of the human being ; and bo 
 thorough and complete that it is said, — " Olf' things are passed 
 away, and behold all things are become new." § Whatever were 
 the previous selfish, scnsui^ or other sinful desires and pursuits 
 of the individual, whether for thoacquisitionof worldly honors, or 
 wealth, or pleasure, in seeking and fulfilling "the lust of the 
 flesh, the lust of the eye or the pride of life," or all combined, they 
 must and will, in the true convert, be subdued and pass away 
 through the powerful influence of the new affections and pursuits 
 .produced by the divine spirit's operations and the convert's faith 
 and obedience. The change may be more or less rapid, or gra- 
 
 * Prov., xxvili. 13. t Mark, 1. 15; Acts, xx. 21. $ Cor., v. 17. 
 
8 
 
 dual, according to the degree of faith imparted and exercised, the 
 inward qualities of the person, his ordinary conduct, and difllercjit 
 external occurrences. Instead of the previous imde and ambition, 
 there will be humility and desires andeflbrts for obtaining sf)iritual 
 graces and enjoyments, especially the divine spirit's witness of 
 pardon and acceptance. Instead of the love and pursuit of worldly 
 gain, there will be the desire and zealous endeavour to secure 
 '' durable riches and righteousness," for the faith which produces 
 love to God and the Lord Jesus, — to all of the household of 
 faith, — as well as of all mankind, — and for the wisdom which is 
 profitable to direct on all occasions. There will be constant prayer 
 for grace and strength to resist and endure, under every form of 
 temptation and trial ; to be ever faithful and fruitful in the service 
 of his God and Saviour ; and finally, the employment of all means 
 to attain that " holiness, without which none shall see the Lord,'' 
 and thus be qualified for admission to those scenes and mansions 
 " whore there are pleasures for evermore." If the convert had 
 been a sensualist or votary of pleasure, seeking happiness in 
 fleshly indulgences, or in vain frivolous and dissipating courses, 
 in amusements of the theatre, the ball room, the card table, dice 
 board and billiard room ; the book of romance, tales of imagina" 
 tion and fictions narratives ; the vain and frivolous conversations, 
 and various other employments of sensual and fashionable life, he 
 will, by the inward change he has experienced, feel a disgust and 
 contempt for all those sins and follies. lie will immeJiately enter 
 upon a new career for obtaining enjoyment. lie will seek it at its 
 true fountain, — the sacred oracles of truth, wisdom avid righteous- 
 ness. These he will find and esteem as wells of salvation, for sa- 
 tisfying his spiritual desires and affections. They will constantly 
 stimulate and enlarge every gracious emotion ; inspiring and main- 
 taining faith, hope, and confidence, and increasing love to his God 
 and Saviour, while meditating on the numerous promises of divine 
 loving kindness, guidance and protection. Prayer and attend- 
 ance on other religious observances instead of being, as with 
 many, burdensome exercises, will be highly esteemed and found 
 to convey spiritual refreshment and solid enjoyment through com- 
 munion with his reconciled God and Saviour. In meditation, also, 
 he will be able to adopt the language of the Psalmist, -'' My me- 
 
9 
 
 ditation of Ilim is sweet, 1 will bo glad in the Lord ; I will delij^lit 
 myself in thy statutes ; I will not forget this word ; it is a lamp 
 unto my feet, and a light unto my path," 
 
 At the commencement of his new creation and spiritual course, 
 he will not, indeed, experience all those clianges and deliverances 
 from the evils of the ohl nature, and all the blessings and enjoy- 
 ments ot the new. But even the desire and hope of such freedom and 
 happiness will yield a measure of gratification, and of courage for 
 persevering efforts to obtain further blessings, especially the divine 
 spirit's witness of pardon, through faith in the at<)ning sacrifice of 
 the Lord Jesus. AVhen thus justified and accepted, the convert 
 will joyfully go forward in all the exercises and duties of his spi- 
 ritinil life. His new desires and affections will produce a similar 
 and corresponding change throughout his external conduct. If 
 he was previously neglectful in the family relations, as to morp' 
 instruction, or kindly intercourse, or severe and unreasonable, 
 he will by the inward change become earnestly concerned for the 
 spiritual and moral welfare of all under his domestic charge, and 
 will bo constantly employing means and efforts for promoting that 
 welfare ; and by various tokens and instances show his sincere and 
 affectionate desire for their real and permanent good. In all his 
 intercourse and dealings with others he will, in acccordarice with 
 scriptural injunctions, not by constraint, but freely and sincerely, 
 act w'.th the strictest fairness and' honesty ; abstaining from all 
 selfish desires and attempts to promote his own temporal interests 
 to the injury or unfair diminution of the interests of others. If 
 previously he had followed any noxious employment, such as the 
 sale of intoxicating drinks, or any other which is injurious as to 
 religion, morals, or other good objects and interests, ho will imme- 
 diatcd}' abandon it. lie will according to his mciins be liberal in 
 contributions to the poor ; will feelingly sympathise with the 1)0- 
 reaved and afllicted ; will abstain from all slanderous or reproach- 
 ful speaking, and without strictly justifiable cause will avoid ex- 
 posing their errors or faults ; will make duo and charitable allow- 
 ance for their ignorance and imperfections, and will, as to all, 
 with wdiom he holds public or private intercourse, maintain a 
 kindly spirit and behaviour. He will not yield to any resentful 
 feeling, or commit any act in retaliation for any oflencc given or 
 
10 
 
 wrong done to him, but will sincerely forgive, and endeavour as 
 opportunities serve, to " overcome evil with good." He will strive 
 to live peaceably with all men, and as occasions offer, try to 
 promote their welfare, especially their religious interests, by ad. 
 vice, exhortation and other means. In short, throughout the 
 whole of his conduct, he will endeavour to act in conformity with 
 the divine injunctions, to — " Love his neighbor as himself;" and 
 " Do unto all men, as he would they should do unto him." In all 
 his conversations and conduct, he will bo carefully truthful, and 
 avoid all jesting, and language bordering on indecency, or rude 
 and indecorous. He will be diligent in all his occupations, re- 
 deeming time for good and useful purposes ; refraining from all 
 reading, public performances, exhibitions, and exercises, merely 
 amusing and gratifying to the sensual passions and desires. If 
 laying aside suitable portions of money for assistance to children, 
 at commencing to earn their own subsistence, or a comfortable 
 provision for the probable widowhood of her to whom he is united, 
 he will avoid investing such monies in shares or securities on 
 opera or theatrical buildiugs, or halls, or other places in which 
 vain fictitious and dissipating scenes and performances take place. 
 This offence against christian principle and duty, especially as to 
 example is committed by some members of evangelical churches 
 who complacently pocket their portion of the gains sinfully ob- 
 tained l.om the rents or use of ^5mb» places. The true spiritual 
 convert will ever strive to restrain all his lawful natural passions, 
 desires, and appetites, under the control and rule of religion and 
 reason ; avoiding all excess in eating and drinking, extravagance 
 in apparel and displays in ornamental personal appendages of any 
 description, and in luxurious furniture and decorations, and other 
 things not re(iuired for reasonable use and comfortable subsist- 
 ence. 
 
 Although the christian graces and duties hero described have 
 been mentioned as forming the character of the male converts ; 
 nearly all of them are equally requisite and obligatory as io female 
 professors. They need the like repentance, regenerating and con- 
 verting grace ; and in conformity with the new spiritual creation, 
 and gracious dispositions and atfections thereby implanted, they 
 are scripturally required to be " grave and sober in their deport- 
 
11 
 
 ment ;" " not slanderers," or " wanderers from house to house ;' 
 or "■ tattlers or busy bodies, speaking things which they ought 
 not." If married, they are to " love their husbands and their 
 children ; tc be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient 
 to their husbands ; guide the house, and give none occasion to the 
 adversary to speak reproachfully." Both married and single must 
 adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and so- 
 briety ; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly ar- 
 ray ; but which becometh women professing godliness with good 
 works." Their adorning is to be that " of the heart, in that which 
 is not corruptible, of a meek and quiet spirit which is, in the 
 sight of God of great price." Now let none, either woman or 
 man, say that these directions as to apparel and ornaments are of 
 no importance as to vital christian principle and religious con- 
 duct. They are all literal and plain divine commands, recorded 
 in the inspired epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus, and the first 
 by Peter. Indeed, all the injunctions, commands and directions 
 herein beforementioned as to christian principles, aflections and 
 conduct, are literally set forth in the Scriptures as required by di- 
 vine authority^ to conaiitute the character of the genuine Christian, 
 producing in him and her that holiness, " without which none 
 shall see the Lord," and become partakeis of the glories and joya 
 of his eternal kmdom. No partial conversion or change will suf- 
 fice to fulfil the claims of scriptural and spiritual chistianity. It 
 must be thorough and complete, both as to inward principles and 
 graces and practical conduct ; so complete, that as Scripture de- 
 scribes it, "• Old things are passed away, and behold all things are 
 become new." The Church of the faithful and fiiudly saved, — the 
 bride of the Lamb, — the Saviour King, — will be brought unto him 
 " in raiment of needle-work ;" * every grace and holy dispositiou 
 and affection, patiently and persevoringly wrought and fashioned 
 according to the divine pattern ; and her whole person and adorn- 
 ments, " without spot or wrinkle or any such thing ;" the immor- 
 tal spirit having, tiirough heavenly inlluence, been thoroughly 
 created anew in that holy and happy imago in which it was first 
 formed and united forever to a glorified body. There must, of ne- 
 coasity, be such a thorough and perfect renovation for the whole 
 
 ♦fa., XV. 15. 
 
12 
 
 of tho roiloemed, with the innumorahlc company of the hii'ly orders 
 who never sinned, will forever dwell in the presence, and under 
 the giiidanee and favour of the infinitely wise and Holy One, who 
 sitteth on the throne, and of the Redeemer and King- of Saints. 
 
 But uidiappily it is too apparent, that even in tho present day, 
 with such increased and abouuvling means for obtaining- tho re- 
 quired meetnesa for that holy and happy eternity, vast numbers, 
 not only of mere congrej^ational attendants, but members of the 
 churciios are restinj^ on a foundation, and satisfied with a standard 
 framed, it would seem, each one for himself, or by common con- 
 sent, or with slight class or personal dilforencca, but all deevpfivey 
 and very far below the scriptural and only safe standard. Like 
 the Laodicean church, " they are neither cold nor hot," not know- 
 in*^ that they are " poor and Idind and naked," but thinking that 
 tliey are sufficiently "rich, and have need of nothing." * All this 
 aifords melancholy evidence of the truth of the scripture testimony, 
 that the natund " heart is deceitful above all things." f They 
 have not earnestly sought and acquired by prayer and searcliing 
 the Scriptures, a spiritual conception and knowledge of the strict 
 and holy requisitions and standard of true chrit^tianity, which tho 
 unchangeable God will neither reduce nor relax in accommoda- 
 tion to their desires and purposes. Their continuance in some or 
 many of the various modes of sin and folly, of sensual indulgences 
 and merely vain and forbidden " worldly conformities," have 
 chiefly contributed to deceive and blind them as to the perception 
 of that sublime and holy standard. They " come and go to tho 
 place of the holy," and may, — and some of them do, — abound in 
 attendance on public religions ministrations and services, but yet, 
 from that native blindness still remaining through continuance in 
 forbidden ways, the ibllowing scripture applies to their state : 
 "The labour of the ibolish wearieth every one of them, because he 
 knoweth not how to go to the city." \ Their outward religious 
 services are not acceptable to the High and Holy One, who has 
 declared that ho requires "sincerity and truth in the inward 
 parts;" and that if any " regard inicpilty in the heart," He " will 
 not hear them ;" by which is meant that Ho will not bestow tho 
 solicited blessings. His word to Israel of old, by His prophet 
 
 * Rev., ill. XV, f Jer., xvll. 9. J Eccles., x. 13, 
 
13 
 
 Isaiah (chap i.), applies to all such persons in every apfe r " Hriii!? 
 no more vain uoiatiohts ;" * ^ + '• when ye iiuiko many prayers ; 
 I will not hear ;'' * * * " put away the evil of your doiujjfa from 
 before mine eyes ; cease to do evil, learji to do well." Such in- 
 consistent and disobedient professors belong to «!ome of the classes 
 predicted in scripture to appear in the last '• perilous times," and 
 described by Paul to Timothy as being " lovers of their ovvn selves, 
 covetous, truce breakers, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure 
 more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying 
 the power thereof," and from such he was commanded to " turn 
 away." Nearly all the male portion of such formalists are in 
 various modes votaries of Mammon in ardent pursuit of gain. 
 They " will be rich " if at all possible, and with most of them plea- 
 sure or amusement also is added, except of the gross or more gen* 
 erally cDudemned descripions. These two objects, either singly 
 or cond)ined, engross the thoughts and form the desires, and di- 
 rect the pursuits of all those carnal formalists, and may be said 
 really to constitute what is called the " spirit of the age." The 
 public musical performance, as well as that of the private luxurious 
 entertainment, they readily attend, though some or all of the mu- 
 sical pieces celebrate merely earthly loves or feats of heroism, bat- 
 tles and coiujuests ; or are only fanciful or weak sentimental etlu- 
 sions gratifying to the ear, but enfeebling and otherwise injurious 
 to the responsible and immortal spirit, instead of conveying to it 
 edifying and chcei*ing truth. They know not or disregard the 
 6crii)ture directions for recreation iu this form : "Is any merry, 
 let him sing psalms ;" " singing and making melody in j'our hearts 
 to the Lord."* But further, most of these formali.ils think it 
 quite allowable, to indulge in various other forms of gatitication 
 to the sensual desires ; the boat race, the circus, the card table, 
 chess, l)ackgammon and draft board ; also intoxicating litjuors and 
 tobacco excitements ; thereby incurring the guilt of unfaithful 
 stewards in wasting the means employed in procuring those need- 
 less and pernicious indulgences, and exhibiting fifi/ instead of good 
 example; also by some, books of liction and romance contrary to 
 useful edilication, and otherwise injurious. Gossiping, evil speak* 
 iug', and foolish talking and jesting, are also common with many 
 
 • Eph; V. 10— Matt., lii, 3(J--Jame», I. 26. 
 
u 
 
 of these formalists, these "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of 
 God," and his word and ways though they profess bis worship 
 and service. They either do not know, or forgot the Scripturea 
 which gay that "ever}' idle word that men shall speak, they shall 
 give an account thereof in the day of judgment ;" and that "if 
 any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his ton- 
 gue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." 
 More than a few of such formalists are not alway truthful in their 
 speeches, upright in their dealings, and as benevolent as they ought 
 to be to the poor and afilicted. To all such disobedient pro- 
 fessors, the word of the Lord directly applies — " In vain do 
 they worship" while following " the traditions of men " and 
 worldly conformilies, instead of His holy and rigliteous commands. 
 Many of these last described vain and injurious amusements and 
 worldly conformities, are equally, or indeed more generally follow- 
 ed by iho female formalist, especially the musical performances, 
 reading books of fiction and romance, attending the circus, the 
 theatre, public scenes and exhibitions of legerdemain and juglery, 
 and indulging in various other modes of vanity and dissipation, gra- 
 tifying to the desire of the flesh the merely sensual propensities. 
 The scripture direclions regarding female christians, especially as 
 to apparel and ornaments, have been given in a previous part of 
 this discourse. There are man}', and some of them even in the 
 ministerial order, who rashly aud irreverently speak of these direc- 
 tions Ub to apparel and ornaments, as of being of no importance ; 
 that it is quite needless to say anything about them in religious 
 ministrations, or at all in relation to christian principle and prac- 
 tice. They say, " preach the Gospel, that is what is re(iuired." 
 Do such persons know the meaning of the word gospel. It has a 
 meaning as comprehensive as the whole system of Christianity. It 
 is derived from the old Saxon word, God'aspel, meaning Qod's word^ 
 spel signifying \oord ; and, therefore, gospel means and includes the 
 whole of divine revelation. But these obiectors, generally from 
 defect of knowledge, limit the word gospel merely to the sublime 
 and gracious truths, that " God so loved the world that he gave up 
 His only begotten son ;" and the Lord Jesus, the Son, so loved us, 
 that he gave himself to the death of the cross to atone for our sins 
 and procure our everlasting salvation and happiness. The true 
 
16 
 
 meaning of the word being as above explained, the directions and 
 commands in the Scriptures as to unsuitable and improper apparel 
 and ornaments b}' professors of Christianity, are just as much a part 
 of the Gospel, and to be obeyed, as that which says : " Believe on 
 the Lord Jesus Christ" *' who died for our sins and rose again for 
 our justification," If those re/;ea/e^ prohibitions and commands, 
 regarding female apparel and ornaments, are so unimportant as 
 those apologists say, why did the Lord, b}' his evangelical prophet 
 Isaiah in chap, iii., so minutely specify and condemn those vanities 
 and sins by the women of Israel ; and why did He do the same by 
 his servants Paul and Peter, in their inspired epistles. The truth 
 is, that all those displays and ornaments, clearly manifest that na- 
 tive pride and vanity of the mind and heart which are directly op- 
 posite to the required love to God and the Saviour, and entire con, 
 secration to their service ; and also to the self denial and humility 
 indispensably enjoined ou the christian. But it is said, " preach 
 the Gospel and get them converted, and then they will of course 
 abandon those vanities." But is it so with those said or supposed 
 to be converted. Not at all, but they remain on the point just as 
 before. Those vain and extravagant displays are so palpably evi- 
 dent at all times, and are so contrary to the scripture directions on 
 the subject, that any minute or detailed description of them need 
 not here be given. They are so numerous and various, that it 
 would occupy quite too large a space. For a somewhat similar ex- 
 hibition of female vanity and folly, the reader is referred to Isaiah, 
 chap, iii., before alluded to, where some of the modern particulars 
 In those vain exhibitions will be literally found. One of these mo- 
 dern displays of worse than folly may here be mentioned ; — the pre- 
 posterous and disfiguring appendage of false hair or other material 
 in addition, or in place of the fine and beautiful hair given by the 
 Creator, as one of the chief ornaments of the female, espe- 
 cially the youthful maiden. Not a few elderly matrons 
 display the same disfiguring or even disgusting appendage. Doubt, 
 less all do it because it is fashionable. Those in the various trading 
 employments who make, and those who supply those forbidden va- 
 nities in female apparel, and most of them are members of churches, 
 incur on christian principles equal culpability and censure with those 
 who display tbem. As to those already mentioned, who seem to 
 
16 
 
 think so lightly of those female vanities, and apeak of them as of 
 liLiic <.»r Ui) itii[)()rLaiic;i', una say •' preach the (iospel to gain an 
 reform tiie unconverted," it may be answered ; by all means, let 
 this be frequently and fait, .fully done, but oiili/ according to the fol- 
 lowing and othrr directions of our Lord himself and his apostles: 
 " Repent ye, and believe the Gospel ;" — " Repent, and believe on 
 the Lord Jesus Christ;" repentance being always placed first, and 
 including as previously shown, the commands to " cease to do evil, 
 and Ijarn to do well." But further do not those persons know, in- 
 deed they cannot but know, that nearly the whole number of those 
 suppoifed to be converted, and who are in church membership, are 
 just as deeply involved in the constant display of those vanities of 
 apparel and ornaments, as merely wordly persons, making no spe- 
 cial profession of religion, by being members of any church. The 
 former show that such is their state, even at Sabbath worship, and 
 when partaking of the sacramental ordinance. It has indeed been 
 said that some of these persons who have superiar means for making 
 such vain displays, exhibit them more profusely than many gf the 
 merely worldly class. It being then, manifestly true, that those 
 •vanities in dress and ornaments are almost universal within chiu'ch 
 membership, surely it is a needful and proper subject for public ad- 
 monition, instruction and discipline according to the divine com- 
 mands : " Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet and 
 show ray people their transgressions," giving to all a portion of 
 meat in due season," and declaring " all the counsel of God"* as 
 faithful stewards and dispensers of His word ; and as solemnly re- 
 sponsible to give an account to Ilim as to their fulfilment of every 
 part of that counsel and duty. , 
 
 Now each and all of those scenes and modes of sensual and world- 
 ly indulgence and pleasure, and of vanity and folly which have been 
 described, are directly contrary to the scriptural divine commands 
 to practice " self denial," to " mortify the deeds of the body," to 
 " redeem time," to be "watchful," and " walk circum.spectly," to 
 " work out salvation with fear and trembling," " giving all dili- 
 gence to make our calling and election sure," to be " faithful stew- 
 ards of the manifold grace of God," and to be " always abounding 
 in the work of the Lord." In truth those sins and vanities are in 
 
 ♦ la., Ivlii. 1— ii. Tim., iv. 2—1 Tim., v. 19— Lulce, xii, 62— Acts, xx.27. 
 
17 
 
 direct opposition to the whole spirit and precepts of ©ur pure and 
 perfect Christianity, as revealed in the inspired Scriptures, which 
 alone fom the sure and safe standard for religious faith and prac- 
 tice. Large numbers of such formalists, especially the female por- 
 tion of them, readily attend special or stated gatherings for reli- 
 gious services, and some of them through excitable circumstances 
 and exercises generate a fervor in themselres as to conversion, or 
 receive it from others, but to all such it may well be recommended 
 to ponder most solemnly the following scripture : '* Behold all ye 
 that kindle a lire, that compass youi selves about with sparks, walk 
 in the light of your tire, and in the sparks ye have kindled. This 
 shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow." • If all, 
 both male and female, old and young, in the several churches to 
 whom some, or many of the before-described sins and vanities and 
 evil ways apply, were accurately numbered, they would be found to 
 compose the vast majority ; and of others, the mere congregational 
 attendants, nearly the whole. Here, then, arise the solemn consi- 
 deration and inquiry ; what means are the best, and should be di- 
 ligently employed to draw those lovers of gain and pleasure, and 
 vain and heedless formalists out of their state of self-deception and 
 impending ruin ? It is true that the chief, and indeed only perfectly 
 available means for deliverance, are the operations of the divine 
 spirit applying llis word as a " two-edged sword," piercing the 
 conscience and convincing of sin ; arousing fears of impending eter- 
 nal wrath and punishment ; enlightening the mind in revealed truth, 
 and leading the person to seek for pardon and peace. The public 
 ministration, however, of that truth, if appropriately and faithfully 
 applied is, as scripture declares, like to a hammer breaking the 
 stony heart ; and also, " quick and powerful " for ejecting those 
 gracious purposes. 
 
 In view therefore of the sins, vanities, and other evils before de- 
 scribed, and the many others which abound throughout the churches, 
 what an awful responsibility rests upon the ministers of the sanc- 
 tuary to declare the inspired word as divinely commanded, with 
 earnest and fearless aeal and fldelity, dividing and adapting it to 
 the various conditions and the sins and vanities of the people ; 
 neither fearing their frowns or displeasure, nor seeking their favor 
 
 Zaai., 1. 11. 
 
18 
 
 or applause ; but declaring the whole counselor God, giving to each 
 and all an appropriate portion. Under the former dispensation 
 those who were divinely called and appointed to declare the word 
 of the Lord to the people, were commanded, under the most awful 
 warnings and penalties, to do it fully, and with the utmost plainness 
 and fidelity. The following are especially pointed and explicit : 
 "• He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully." " And 
 thou shalt speak my word unto them. * * * Be not thou rebelli- 
 ous like that rebellious house." ' ' The priest's lips should keep know- 
 ledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth." Of those who 
 have failed to perform faithfully those solemn duties as messengers 
 of the Lord to the people, it is said : " Their shepherds have caused 
 them to go astray." And under our more spiritual christian sys- 
 tem the injunctions on the subject are equally imperative. Hear 
 our Lord himself: — " Teaching them to observe all things whatso. 
 ever I have commanded you." Again, by his apostles : " Warning 
 every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may 
 present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." * " Reprove, rebuke, 
 and exhort." * * * " Study to show thyself approved unto God — 
 a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the 
 word of truth," * All in this most solemn and responsible of all 
 official relations, should ever remember and strive to follow the ex" 
 ample of the greatest of the apostles who, realising hit, deep re" 
 sponsibility and final account of his ministeral charge, declared to 
 the assembled ministers of the Ephesian churches, as recorded in 
 Acts, XX. : " I kept back nothing that was profitable." * * * «' j 
 am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to de- 
 clare unto you all the counsel of God." 
 
 Even in these degenerate times, as to the like faithful preaching 
 adapted to the general contrariety between the spirit and lives of 
 professors of Christianity, and its Scriptural character, — there 
 are some, however, though comparatively few, who are indeed 
 bold and faithful in appropriately dividing and declaring that 
 whole divine course. These are zealous and pointed in publicly 
 rebuking and reproving prevalent sins and vanities, and exhort- 
 ing to genuine heartfelt repentance, and the exhibition of its cor- 
 responding fruits, of forsaking all evil ways, and yielding obedi- 
 
 * Jer., xxiii. 28-Ezek. , ii. 7— Mai,, U. 7-Matt., xxvili. 20— Col., I. 28. f 2 Tim., 2, 15-4, 2. 
 
19 
 
 encG to all the divine roqnisitioua, both as to the spirit aiiJ letter 
 of the Scriptures. iT all, or even a very large proportion of the 
 ministerial order, were equally fearless and faithful ; where now 
 there are so very rarely, any improvement in the spirit and con- 
 duct of members of churches ; and so very seldom one real spi- 
 ritual conversion, through the public ministry of the word, there 
 is plain Scriptural warrant fur believing that there woidd soon 
 be a vast increase in real piety, and practical christian conduct, 
 in the membership, and dozens or scores of such conversions. It 
 would seem as if it was one of the chief designs in that public 
 ministration, to afford an extensive and gratifying variety in the 
 subjects presented and discussed. 
 
 Every minister, if spiritually and truly converted, cannot but 
 know, that not only among the great body of mere congrega- 
 tional attendants, but among those in church membership, there 
 are large numbers who need repentance, and real conversion. 
 Yet how very rarely is there a discourse expressly on the first 
 subject, expounding and explaining it, though, according to 
 Scripture, it is the primary and essential requisite to true con- 
 version ; and to suceeding christian principle and conduct. With 
 reference to the females who generally compose the larger num- 
 ber of every religious assembly, the eyes, alone, of the minister 
 will tell him of the extravagant and varied displays of pride, and 
 vanity, in merely ornamental apparel, and appendages, botii 
 among the members of his church, and the rest of the assembly ; 
 for, indeed, in this matter, except in extremely few instances, is 
 there any difference between the two classes, both being involved 
 in the like disobedience to Scriptural principle and precept. 
 Most especially will he have a full and saddening knowledge of 
 those prohibited, and if persisted in, ruinous evils, when they 
 appear at the solemn Sacramental ordinances, thereby expressing 
 <xn entire dedication to the disposal and service of God. Those 
 displays, showing the inward vanity, are only consistent with tiie 
 theatre, the opera house, or ball room, but certainly not with the 
 humility of spirit and demeanor, which are becoming in sinful 
 creatures, in the sanctuary of a heart-searching and holy God, 
 Yet, the prohibited evils are permitted to continue, without re- 
 proof, exhortation., or notice in any of the public religious minis- 
 
20 
 
 li-ations or Ecrvices; nor probably by church officials, in any 
 ])iivate communications. 
 
 In the oriiinary and special prayer meetings, earnest invitations 
 are being very generally given, for persons to ofler* themselves as 
 Biibjpcts for united prayer for their conversion, and in most in- 
 stances some do so present themselves ; and either then, or siiort- 
 ]y after, profess to be converted ; or in a good hope of early ob- 
 taining the blessing of a conscious sense of pardoning mercy. Thus 
 additions are from time to time made to the churches. But un- 
 Iiappily it often occurs that in no long time intimations or alia* 
 sions are heard as to hackulUhng and unfaithfulness, and a return 
 to tiie ways of sin and folly. But in nearly all such instances 
 there is good reason to conclude that the persons were not in- 
 fluenced or impressed by the Div:ne Spirit, but were brought into 
 a state of excitement or impulsive feelings through those public 
 urgent solicitations, or perhaps, the equally ardent entreaties of 
 relatives or friends, to enter into the church fellowship as a ready 
 or available means of securing salvation. Now, let it not be sup- 
 posed, that by what is here said, there is meant or intended, any 
 disapproval of special religious meetings. They are not only ex- 
 pedient but extremely needful and proper. But it may well bo 
 suggested, whether it would not, as to enduring good effects, bo 
 much better in conducting the exercises in those meetings, to ap- 
 ply suitable and awakening passages of the inspired word, with 
 faithful exhortations as to the abandonment of all sinful ways and 
 works ; all contaminating associations and other injurious and evil 
 courses ; with entreaties to a resort to frequent private prayer, 
 searching the Scriptures, and other religious means'. All thesef 
 are in full accordance with the texts — " Let the wicked forsakd 
 his way," &c. ; •' Repent and be con^-erted ;" and the following 
 and other similar Scriptures : " Repent ye and believe the Gos- 
 pel ;" " cease to do evil, learn to do well." * In all these and 
 the like passages, repentance and turning from evil precede, or 
 form essential parts in a real spiritual conversion. It was by such 
 Scriptural instructions and exhortations, fervently employed, es- 
 pecially by the pointed application of awakening and alarming' 
 passages, given forth under the personal unction of the Holy 
 
 Mark i. \bt Uti. i. 10. 
 
21 
 
 Spirit, that the wise and faithful Wesley and others as watchmen 
 and leaders on the walls of Zion, were blessed and honored in 
 being made instruments of great and true revivals of spiritual ami 
 Scriptural Christianity. Similar genuine revivals, and a perma- 
 nent increase of members and piety in the church, by tlie employ- 
 ment of the like means by a zealous and ftiithful ministry, would 
 undoulitedly often, if not always follow. One of the suljjects in 
 the last meeting of the Evangelical Alliance, was " intercession 
 for the visitations of tho Holy Spirit on the churches and the 
 world." That gracious Being, in accordance with the character 
 of His promises, is always ready and willing to bestow Uis graces 
 and blessings on all who sincerely aiid earnestly desire and seek 
 them. If they are not imparted in answer to supplications for 
 their bestowment, the withholding cause is with ourselves, with 
 the churches, ministo- s and people, especially the latter. Each 
 and every one who fails to receive the desired gracious answer, 
 will do well to examine whether the Scripture in Ps. xvi. is not ap- 
 plicable, which says : " If I regard iniquity in my heart, tho Lord 
 will not hear me." Still worse will it be if this is carried out in 
 the conduct. Of many, both within and outside the churches, 
 the formalists, worldlings, sensual and vain persons previously de- 
 scribed, it may also bo said as of revolted and disobedient Israel : 
 " Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and 
 your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear." 
 " Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone ;" or like those of Lao- 
 dicea they are " poor, and blind, and naked," as to spiritual 
 graces and riches ; and yet, " not knowing" it. * All such car- 
 nal and disobedient persons have need first to adopt the penitent 
 Psalmist's cry : " Make me to know my transgressions ;" and 
 also to entreat, preserve me from being " hardened through the 
 deceitfulness of sin ;" and like the Psalmist again: " Be not si" 
 lent to me, lest if thou be silent to me I become like unto them 
 that go down into the pit." They must also according to the di- 
 vine commands, put away all their idols, and no longer follow 
 ''that which is evil, but that which is good." Then and only then, 
 will they be scripturally warranted and encouraged, to expect the 
 gracious answors of that Holy Spirit, whom they have resisted 
 
 ♦ t.j. lix. 2. II08. iv. 17. Rev. iii. 17. 
 
22 
 
 and insulted by their iniquities and Vanities, and general worldli- 
 ness of spirit and conduct. 
 
 Here, with all due deference and respect, it may be suggested 
 that to all the vain formalists and the other disobedient before 
 described ; and all the other unconverted, both within and out 
 side of church membership, that style of public preaching is es- 
 pecially needed and most appropriate, which is in accordance with 
 the texts of this discourse and with such further scriptural exhor- 
 tations and commands as the following : "Awake thou that slcep- 
 est, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." 
 " Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord." 
 " Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns."* 
 " Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where 
 is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest unto your 
 souls." But they said, "we will not walk therein." "Return 
 unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts." 
 " Repent and turn yourselves from all j'our transgressions, so in- 
 iquity shall not be your ruin." Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and 
 do not the things which I say." " He that hath my command- 
 ments and keepeth them, he it is that lovetli mo." " Ye cannot 
 serve God and ^lammon." " Let every one that nameth the 
 name of Christ, depart from iniquity." " But be ye doers of the 
 word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." " Unto 
 them that are ccnitentious, and who do not obey the truth, but 
 obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and 
 anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil." f 
 
 Such a style of preaching as here intimated, will, of course, bo 
 objected to by many, as being of what is called a legal character, 
 and not suited to gospel limes and purposes. But let such ob- 
 jectors look at our Lord's first and most extended discourse, call- 
 ed the Sermon on the Mount, and they will see it to be, almost 
 entirely of this legal description. It is an exhibition and en- 
 forcement of the old covenant law, and duties, personal and rela- 
 tive ; with higher and more spiritual motives and demands ; and 
 more severe penalties and punishments for disobedience and vio- 
 lations. He then declared ; — " Think not that I am come to dis- 
 
 •Epli.v. 14, Pnm. iii.40. Jit. iv. 3. fjcr. vi.16. Mnl. ill. 7. Eiek. xvlll. 30. Luko vl. 
 40. Jobii xiv. 21. MaUi. xvi. 24. Luku xvi. 13. 2 Tliu. ii. li\ Jutuea i. 22. Kuiu.ii. 8-U. 
 
23 
 
 obey the law or the prophets, I am not corao to destroy but to 
 fulfil, for verily I say uuto you, till heaven and earth pass, one 
 jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be ful. 
 filled." Surely those objectors, as the Lord's professed disciples 
 ought to be satisfied with his divine and authoritative pattern, or 
 method, for producing the inception and regulation of the chris- 
 tian life. 
 
 Such awakening and appropriate passages of Scriptures, as 
 those before cited, are not, however, in harmony with the almost 
 universal style of pulpit discourses in the present day ; and com- 
 paratively, but seldom form the subjects of such discourses. The 
 subjects, now almost universally introduced and dwelt upon, are 
 the abounding love and mercy of God, and the Lord Jesus, for 
 sinners; and the divine willingness and readiness to forgive their 
 sins ; — the sufferings and death of Christ, to atone for their ini- 
 quities, and procure their pardon ; — the divine, earnest desires 
 for their salvation and happiness ; with other kindred subjects, 
 all of a gracious and encouraging nature. Now all these are 
 sublime and blessed truths, but as previously shown, they are 
 chielly adapted, and suitable, to be held forth for the encourage- 
 ment and hope of true penitents ; though doubtless they are in- 
 tended for the benefit of all others, as being deeply interested in 
 them. With passages of Scripture on such gracious subjects, a« 
 the above, and discourses on them, none can be offended ; but all 
 the unconverted, both within and outside of church membership, 
 will sit and hear them ; some with unmoved complacency, and 
 others with cold or dozing indiflerence, because of their frequent 
 repetition. But let earnest and faithful discourses on any sue! 
 awakening and alarming texts, as those given above, be deliver- 
 ed and suitably applied, and some, or probably many of the un- 
 converted formalists will be highly displeased, and think thom- 
 selves to be pointed at, and considered as requiring conversion ; 
 and in danger of being eternally lost ; wliereas they feel satisfied 
 that they are very fair christians ; quite as good, or even better 
 than their neighbours, either in the church, or outside of it. 
 They may for a time, bo displeased with the minister, and think 
 of attending some other place of worship, or joining some other 
 church ; but on further consideration, they will think it as well, 
 
24 
 
 or best, to remain where they are. Under a continuance of ap- 
 propriate and faithful preaching, they may be led to conclude that 
 all, with them, is not as it ought to be, and may be shaken out of 
 their false security ; and be brought earnestly to seek, and ere 
 long obtain, true spiritual conversion. Now, such self-deceived 
 formalists are the very persons for whom such awakening preach- 
 ing is most desirable ; and it is best adapted to produce such 
 happy results, not only with them, but with every other class of 
 the unconverted. Those within the church, and those outside, 
 •who are less reliant than were the others, as to a safe condition, 
 and are naturally rather humble and tractable, will be sure to re- 
 ceive benefit by such appropriate and faithful preaching; and 
 some or many of them, will, most probably, according to the di- 
 vine promises, sooner or later, also become true converts ; and 
 thus increase of members and of piety in the churches will be the 
 permanent results. The preachers will also be blessed, with the 
 testimony of a good conscience, for having faithfully "declared 
 the whole counsel of God ;" and given to all " a suitable portion 
 in due season ;" and in being prepared, when called away, to 
 give up their final account, " with joy and not with grief" 
 
 In addition to all the other good results of such an appropriate 
 and awakening style of preaching, as before described, it would, 
 through the increased number of true converts, and of advanced 
 piety in the churches, have also the effects of a general increase of 
 spontaneous liberality, for the support of all christian institutions 
 and purposes. For some time past, there has been on the part of 
 the " lovers of pleasure," and other formalists, in the churches, 
 such a defect of free and liberal contributions for religious objects, 
 that there has been a constantly increasing resort, to tho very ex- 
 ceptionable means of bazaars, soirees, musical concerts, and similar 
 modes of festivity and amusement, to induce members of churches 
 and others, to contribute to those institutions and objects. In- 
 stead of giving, *■' not grudgingl}', or of necessity," but freely and 
 heartil}', for needed christian purposes, they must be allured and 
 enticed to do it, by some of those modes, gratifying to their bodily 
 senses, and desires of pleasureable excitement. If a chapel, or 
 school house is to be built, repaired, or furnished ; a minister's 
 house to bo improved or supplied with furniture ; an orgaii to bo 
 
25 
 
 bought, or other purpose, rehiting- to the church and its affairs to 
 be accomplished, there must be the bazaar, a tea party, or other 
 public entertainment, to obtain the pecuniary means for eflecting 
 it. At the bazaars, twice or four times the value of a fancy, or 
 other article will occasionally be given which, most probably 
 would reluctantly, if at all be givcu, independent of the visit to 
 the pleasurable scene. As for the tea party and the concert, there 
 are the good feastings and speeches, and the companionable hila- 
 rities at the first, and the enjoyment of the ear and other senses at 
 the latter, which, pleasures in each case arc considered to be 
 well worth the money bestowed. Such alluring and enticing 
 modes of procuring the means of effecting religious objects, can 
 scarcely be reconciled with the scripture exhortation : " He 
 that giveth, let him do it with simplicity," meaning with that 
 spontaneous liberality, which accords with the gracious reminder, 
 " freely ye have received, freely give." It has been said, and 
 with too much trulh, that without the employment of such me- 
 thods, the people would not give as needful, for the required re- 
 ligious purposes. Admitting this, it may fairly be suggested, 
 would it not be every way better, by such awakening discourses 
 as have been intimated, and through the divine spirit applying the 
 Word, to get them truly converted, and tlien they would, inevita- 
 bly, be led to see it their christian duty and privilege, to contri- 
 bute liberally to promote those purposes, and would freely and 
 cheerfully do it. Thus, insteixd oi descending for such contribu- 
 tions to their sensual modes and standards, or rather no standard 
 whatever, they would bo brouglU tip to the true and only divinely 
 acceptable standard oifree heart liberality. 
 
 There is anotiier subject in which those formalists and lovers of 
 pleasure and amusement are combined, and possess much in- 
 fluence in the churches, on which a few words, by way of sugges- 
 tion, may here be offered. It is that of the musical part of tho 
 public worship. Select members of this class under the na"ie oi' 
 choirs, partly through the approbation and aid of the rest seem, iu 
 most, if not all of the churches, to have got th management and 
 direction of the whole of this cheering and delightful part of the 
 divine service. In this, as in every other part of the public wor- 
 ship, all should unite. There should indeed be a few better skill- 
 
26 
 
 eJ than others, in general, to attune and commence the exercise ; 
 but there is no absolute necessity for those regularl}' organized 
 bands or choirs, now existing in all the churches. The chief evil, 
 however, in the matter is, that in general, the female portion of the 
 choirs, is composed of the vain, gaily decorated, and frivolous 
 young persons described in a previous part of this discourse ; in 
 some of the churches just emerging from childhood. It is painful 
 to any truly spiritual mind to sec, as the writer has several times 
 seen them, with all their gaudy decorations, whispering, laughing, 
 and gossiping with each other in their seats, and in a few minutes 
 after starting up and almost shrieking forth the sublime and beau- 
 tiful psalm or hymn, given out for their performance. But what 
 is by far the most exceptionable and improper regarding these 
 choirs, is thoir musical performancee during certain pauses in the 
 pulpit service, when they have it all to themselves ; and pour 
 forth in vociferous strains, some composition unknown to nearly 
 all but themselves. Certainly, this is not according to the scrip- 
 ture direction, " making melody in the heart to the Lord;" but 
 it is a select few at their own will, singing and making artistic 
 music with their mouths for the entertainment of their for- 
 malist sisters and brethren of the congregation who love to have 
 it so. Thus the public worship is, si far, perverted and defaced. 
 Some ministers have occasionally made efforts to remove the evil 
 innovation, but through defect of proper and persevering firmness 
 they did not succeed, and the choristers have still remained mas- 
 ters of the field. Now, it may just be further remarked, that if 
 organized choirs must and will be suffered to remain, they ought, 
 in consistency with due decorum and propriety in the divine wor- 
 ship, to be composed of persons of rather mature years, and of es- 
 tablished piety and truly religious character ; and no musical 
 service should be permitted but such as forms a part of the wor- 
 ship of the whole congregation. 
 
 That eminent and learned divine. Dr. Adam Clarke, in his com- 
 mentary of the Scriptures, remarking on musical choirs, has used 
 the following words ; " Those who are well skilled in music have 
 seldom a devotional spirit, but are generally proud, self-willed, 
 contentious or arrogant. Do not these persons entirely over- 
 rate themselves ? Of all the liberal arts, surely 7nusic is the least 
 
27 
 
 useful, liowGver ornamental it may be. And should an3't]iing bo 
 esteemed in the House of God, but in proportion to its utility ? A 
 good singer among the people of God, who has not the life of God 
 m his !ion\,\s vox et 2?rce(erea nihil, as Ilcliogabalus said of the 
 nightingale's brains, of which he desired to sup — he is nothinrj hut a 
 sound. Some of those persons, I mean they who sing with the 
 understanding without the spirit, suppose themselves of great 
 consequence in the Church of Christ, and they find foolish super- 
 ficial people, whom they persuade to be of their own mind, and 
 soon raise parties and contentions if they have not everything their 
 own way, and that way is generally as absurd as it is unscriptural, 
 and contrary to the spirit and simplicity of the Gospel? 
 
 The same venerable Dr., in his comments on 1st Chron. xvii , 
 remarking also on instrumental music, in connection with the 
 choirs in the public worship, has thus written : — "Query: Did 
 God ever ordain instruments of music to be used in his worship ? 
 Can they be used in Christian Assemblies, according to the spirit 
 of Christianity ? Has Jesus Christ or his Apostles ever command- 
 ed or sanctioned the use of them? "Were they ever used any- 
 where, in the Apostolic Church? Does it ever appear that bands 
 of musicians, either in their collective or individual capacity, are 
 more spiritual, or as spiritual as the other parts of the Church of 
 Christ '{ Is there less pride, self-will, stubbornness, insubordina- 
 tion, lightness, and frivolity, among such persons than among the 
 other professors of Christianity ? Is it ever remarked or known 
 that musicians in the House of God have attained to any depth of 
 piety, or superior soundness of understanding in the things of 
 God ? Is it always found that the ministers which affect and re- 
 commend them to be used in the worship of Almighty God are the 
 most spiritual men, and the most spiritual and useful preachers ? 
 Can mere sounds, no matter how melodious, where no word or 
 sentiment is or can be uttered, be considered as giving praise to 
 God ? Is it possible that pipes or strings of any kind can give 
 God praise ? Can God be pleased with sounds which are emitted 
 by no sentient being, and have in themselves no meaning? If 
 these questions cannot be answered in the affirmative, then, query^ 
 Is not the introduction of such instruments into the worship of 
 God anti-Christian, and calculated to debase and ultimately ruin 
 
28 
 
 the spirit and influence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? And 
 should not all who wish well to the spread and establishment of 
 pure and undefiled rch'gion, lift up their hand, their influence and 
 their voice, against them. The argument from their use in the 
 Jewish service is futile in the extreme when applied to Christian- 
 ity." 
 
 Again in his comments on 2nd Chron. xxix. he has thus writ- 
 ten : " Mosos had not appointed any musical instrument to be 
 used in the divine worship ; there was nothing of the kind under 
 the first tabernacle. The trumpets or horns then used were not 
 for song, nor for praise, but as we use bells, i. e., to give notice 
 to the congregation, of what they were called to perform, &c. But 
 David did certainly introduce many inwtruments of music into 
 God's worship, for which he was solemnly reproved by the prophet 
 Amos, chap. vi. 1-6, But were it even evident, which it is not, 
 either from this(meaning2nd Chron. xxix.) or any other place in the 
 Sacred writings, that instruments of music were prescribed by di- 
 vine authority, under the law, could this be adduced, with any 
 semblance of reason, that they ought to be used in Christian wor- 
 ship ? No ; the whole spirit, soul and genius of the Christian re- 
 ligion are against this; and those who know the Church of God 
 best, and what constitutes its genuine spiritual state, know tiiat 
 these things have been introduced as a substitute for the life and 
 power of religion ; and that where they prevail most, there is least 
 of the power of Christianity. Away with such portentous baubles, 
 from the worship of that iiilinite Spirit, who requires his followers 
 to worship him in spirit and in truth, for to no such worship are 
 those instruments friendly." 
 
 The same pious and learned divine, in further remarking on the 
 subject in his comments on Amos, chap, vi., has written as follows 
 — " I believe that David was not authorized by the Lord to intro- 
 duce that multitiide of musical instruments into the Divine wor- 
 ship of which we read, and I am satisfied that his conduct in this 
 respect is most solemnly reprehended by this prophet ; and I fur- 
 ther believe that the use of such instruments of music in the Chris- 
 tian Church is without tlie sanction and against the will of God ; 
 that they are subversive of the spirit of true devotion, and that 
 they are sinful. If there was a woe to them who invented instru- 
 
2d 
 
 mcnts of milsic as did David under tlie law, is there no Woo to 
 them who invent them and introduce them into the worship of 
 God in the Christian Church ? I am an old man and an old min- 
 ister, and I here firmly declare that I never knew them to be 
 productive of any good in the worship of God, and have 
 had reason to believe that they were productive of much evil. 
 Music as science I esteem and admire, but instruments of music 
 in the House of God I abominate and abhor. This is the abuse of 
 music ; and here I register my protest against all such corruptions 
 in tlic worship of the Author of Christianity. The late venerable 
 and most eminent divine, the Rev. John Wesley, who was a lover 
 of music and an elegant poet, when asked his opinion of instru- 
 ments of music being introduced into the chapels of the Metho- 
 dists, said, in his terse and powerful manner, ' I have no objec- 
 tions to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are 
 neither heard uor seen.' " 
 
 Now, whatever may be thought or said, as to other religious 
 denominations, on this point of instrumental music in public wor- 
 ship, surely all, both ministers and laymen — even in these dege- 
 nerate days — \Vho bear, and rather gh)ry in the name of original 
 and t7'ue Weslcyans, ought to defer, and submit to the judgment, of 
 two such learned and eminent fathers and authorities as Dr. 
 Clarke, and Mr. Wesley ; most especially the latter, whose name 
 they haVe adopted as their distinctive church appellation. But 
 it is not 80, but, nearly everywhere, just the opposite. The pas- 
 sages in the book of the prophet Amos, to which Dr. Clarke has 
 referred, as conveying a censure on David, for his inveuting in- 
 struments of music, and introducing them into the divine worship, 
 are contained in chap, vi., where the prophet, in describing those 
 ■who were " at ease in Zion," ajid were sensual and disobedient, says 
 of them : " that they lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch them- 
 selves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the Hock, and 
 the calves out of the midst of the stall ; that chant to the sound 
 of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, liko 
 David ; that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the 
 chief ointments ; but they are not grieved for the affliction of 
 of Joseph. Therefore, now shall they go captive, with the first 
 that go captive." Viewing the whole context, it does, indeedj 
 
30 
 
 seem, that the prophet has intended and conveyed, a. ,onsurc of 
 David, regarding those musical instruments. But wiiatcver may be 
 said as to their being permitted and used, in public worship, un- 
 der the Jewish dispensation, it is quite certain that there is not a 
 Word in the New Testament Scriptures, to intimate, or sanction, 
 their use in any Christian worship. 
 
 Both those subjects,— choirs and musical instruments, — are, in 
 all the churches, except those of the state establishment, chiefly, 
 or it may ratlier be said, exciusivebj, under the authority and re- 
 gulating decision of the ministers, in their various organized 
 associations. In the matter of the choirs, it is for very good 
 reasons, essential that they should introduce such a reform, or 
 rather entire change., on the subject, as well render that part of 
 the worship conformable to Scriptural Christianiiy ; and restore 
 to it that solemnity, reverence and decorum with which it should 
 be performed, and prevent those musical performances during the 
 period of public worship which the choirs are now in the habit of 
 giving, at their own will, during the pauses in the services, and 
 which form no part in tiic worship of the whole assembly. 
 
 But although the suggested reformatory changes as to choirs 
 and musical instruments arc most desirable and needful in order to 
 the proper celebration of that part of divine worship, yet they are of 
 minor importance in comparison with the essential preliminary to- 
 wards a general revival of pure Scriptural Christianity, namely a 
 reclaiming and reformation of the vast numbers of inconsistent and 
 disobedient members of Churches from those ruinous evils before 
 described. A reform from their insatiable desires and seeking for 
 secular gain ; from their vanities and the love and practice of for- 
 bidden sensual indulgences and wordly maxims and conformities. 
 These are the great and almost insuperable hindrances to any 
 such revivals of spiritual religion. They have also most injurious 
 effects as regards religious and moral reform in general society. 
 
 We hear it frequently repeated, and with perfect truth, that 
 even in the countries where Evangelical Ciiristianity is most gen* 
 erally professed, the most vitally important subject is, the refor- 
 mation and deliverance of society from the numerous crimes and 
 other evils by which it is now constantly endangered and afllicted. 
 tn all those countries there arc vast proportions of the people 
 
31 
 
 who arc living not only in utter ignorance of the true religion, 
 but in greater or lesser degrees sunk in depravity and vice in all 
 their various forms, injurious to others, as regards example and 
 influence, and hostile and dangerous to the welfare, or even the 
 existence of orderly and peaceable society. Altiioughjin this our 
 favored land of comparative freedom from the dangerous prevalence 
 of those great evils, in reference to social security, there are large 
 numbers in all, especially in this city, who arc living in almost 
 utter ignorance of religious truth, and neglect ot the means and 
 appliances for attaining to its knowledge and practice. Now, not 
 only for these, but for all others, the Christian Church by its min- 
 isters and members, is designed by its Divine Author and Head, 
 to be the enlightening and efficient instrumentality, for removing 
 and preventing all individual and social crimes and evils ; and es- 
 tablishing and maintaining pure scriptural religion, and thereby 
 Recuring truly moral conduct and social security and happiness. 
 All the plans and methods of philosophers, so called and well-dis- 
 posed moral reformers, have ever utterly failed to produce in any- 
 thing like the required degree, those blessed results. Genuine 
 scriptural Christianity, alone, can secure them. Its infinitely wise 
 and gracious author has, in the various symbols of " salt of the 
 earth" — " lights" in a dark world — " a city set on a hill," repre- 
 sented his church, as his intended power for ciTecting true spirit* 
 ual conversion, and pure chrisstian morality throughout the world. 
 But, unhappily, the Christian Church itself, requires in a very 
 large degree, the like conversion, and a scriptural reform as to 
 moral conduct. Even within this sacred institution there is much 
 needed, a very great increase of vital christian principle ; a self 
 denial and fro.edom from vain worldly customs and conformities, 
 and from thQ<a]mJjfft:uniYersat dcsirr) and striving for secular gain 
 and sensual Ihnui^eaccs, and 'also other diyinely forbidden ways 
 and works •;«.an(i (Jii.tiiQ other liAnd, an eniire consecration in heart 
 and practic'e,*t6 t?i(;'pl;|in'r'e4i^ij5itions and vai-ious personal and re- 
 lative duties of scriptural Christianity. ' ' .' 
 
 When a general abandonment of those evils, and an observance 
 of those duties, shall take place in the churches, through the di- 
 vine blessing accompanying the appropriate and faithful preach- 
 ing of the Word, then, and not till then, according to scripture 
 
82 
 
 truth, can there be an}' well founded expectation of any extensive 
 operations of the Holy Spirit, and consequent general revival in 
 the churches, and numerous accessions of truly converted souls. 
 Tlio Lord is now, in cffoct,.8aying' to the churches, as he formerly 
 did, by his prophet to hil^edient people : " Your iniquities have 
 separated between you ind your God, and your sins have hid his 
 face from you, tliat he will not hear." " Return unto mo, and I 
 will return unto you saith the Lord of Hosts."* When they shall re- 
 member, and hearken to those solemn expostulations, and comply 
 with the commands, to " stand in the w*ays and see, and ask for 
 the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein;" " be- 
 come doers of the \Vord, and not hearers only;" "abhor that 
 which Is evil, and cleave to that which is good ;" " cease to do 
 evil, and learn to do wcll,"f then will the gracious Head of the 
 Church, who is ever ready to pardon and bestow his grace, abund* 
 antly fulfil his munificent and enduring promises : " Behold I will 
 pour out my spirit unto you." " Then shall thy light break forth as 
 the morning ; and thine health shall spring forth speedily ; then 
 shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer ; thou shalt be like a 
 Watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose Waters fail not; 
 and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of 
 paths to dwell in ; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."§ 
 
 *l8ai. lis.2— Mat. lii. 7. t Jer. vi. 16— Jaraea i. aS— Rom. xil. O—Isai. i.lO. § Prov.i.S— 
 Ii<ai. Iviii. 8., &e. 
 
 
 
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