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 i c C t I C*<' "// / 
 
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 /V / ^ /i^/^ t^^ ^c-^ 
 
 Seumoivs 
 
 INTEXDED FOR THE 
 
 PROPAGATIO]!ir 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GOSPEL. 
 
 A 
 
 BY EDWIN JACOB, D. D. 
 
 VICE PRtSIDENT OF KINO'g COLLEGE, FREDERICTON ; FORMBRLT 
 FELLOW OF CORPUS CHRTSTI COLLEGE, OXFORD. 
 
 FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK : 
 JoAti Simpson, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty: 
 
 1 8 3 S. 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 The /ollowing Sermons are selected out of manv wJn^r, .1 
 Author has found occasion in a M.Vs,;nn-. ^' "^" ^-^^^ 
 
 several CongregationsSded b/vart^^^^^^^^^^ *° ''^'7" *° 
 in the Province of New BrunsS 'A^- °""''^^ ^°'^^^^ 
 Press, to serve for rnemoria iof certaln^^o^rdl^i:;:"'^^^^^ 
 regards of prnnar, importance, a. we^li'toTo trmL^'tv: 
 heard them preached, as to others to whom they couTdnoTbeoraT 
 
 congruous seriL, for ...^^^a^Z tVlTrj^V 
 
 propriate places m a regular system. ^ ^' 
 
 That system the Author docs not undertake to denominate be- 
 
 iieZo^l^ "'iTrl'Vi'"''' -r °'^^«'"^'^ ••'« prop" na^'L 
 Norwidf .nnH ^''^y-'^'^^^'S Dr. Jefiery, once Archdeacon of 
 Norwich, concludes us or.gmal Discourse, on " the different 
 Schemes of Chnsiianity" which havo prevailed in differen aTes 
 wuh the hope, that ;; the next period" would witness "the res 0^ 
 ration of the s.mpl.c.ty of Christianity- that "that which was 
 taken away might bo restored ; that which was added, removed ; 
 and that which was changed, renewed : and so Christianity be 
 made s andard agam that is. truly and entirely divine and evan- 
 gehcal » The Author rejoices in the number of enlightened and 
 benevoler d.v.nes. whose sermons and writing, have contributed 
 
 ^,llinl^'. ?""?'k'°"- f"'"^ ^"^^'^ "■°"''^ h« ^^'^' himself in in^ 
 dulgmg the humble hope, that any exertions on his own part might 
 
 bMh.'r'^'V """^'.°^'''^'''"^"^'^ P°^^'^" of his countrymen 
 or the .e,gn of pure truth and goodness, which will assuredly " in- 
 the fulness of times" prevail. 
 
 ^ 6 ^D {= 
 
The Province, in which these Sermons have been preached, 
 contains at present hut a scanty and scattercil population. This 
 population eonsitjis however of active and cntcrpriainj? settlers, 
 whose number is fast increasing ; and the peculiar capabMitics and 
 advantages of thecountry justify the expectation, that New Druns- 
 wirk will eventually occupy no unimportant station among the 
 British Colonies in North America. Wiih high satisfaction there- 
 fore the Author refers to the endeavourn of His Majesty's Govern- 
 ment, and the Provincial Legislature and Authorities, to extend 
 to all ranks and collections of the inhabitants the benefits of a liberal 
 education; provision having been made for a sulHcient number of 
 Schools in every Parish, a superior Academy in each County, and 
 an University on the English model at the Provincial Capital. 
 That these wise and beneficial measures may be followed by an 
 adequate religious establishment, properly adapted to the condition 
 and circumstances of the people, and securing due pastoral care 
 for this part of the flock of Christ; is the most patriotic prayer 
 which the Author's observations and reflection have taught him to 
 offer for those among whom his lot is cast. Unfoignedly es- 
 tpemmg every upright Christian, and regarding with honor the 
 voluntary efiorts of individuals and societies to difiuse what they 
 conceive to be divine truth, he must yet avow his decided convic- 
 tion, that a well-constituted national religion is essential to national 
 happiness. Without this-without the Standard of thf, Cross 
 erected and maintained, the incomparable blessings of the British 
 Constitution can be but imperfectly enjoyed or appreciated ; edu- 
 cation, with a Iree press, will be productive of interminable discord 
 and contention ; and, although the powerful arm of public justice 
 raay for a time repress external violence, the spiritual and moral 
 state of the neglected district will too sadly illustrate the misery oC 
 that error, which, in leaving the ungnided mind to invent or choose 
 as own religion, disregards theadnionitionsof all history, and con- 
 tradicts the principles of every divine institution. 
 
 KiKG's College, Fredericton, 
 JsNVJkB.y 1, J835. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Sermom 
 
 I. The Happiness of Religion 
 II. Christian Conversion 
 
 Page 
 1 
 IS 
 
 Expiation 
 Justification . 
 
 ^*W ^^^•^'m rf^^#» »»»>«V»*'»i** ^*^W« <»■ ^»^WW» W»#^»»*»i^ » » »<« #W^Wi »#»l^»giPWWI 
 
 Holy Comfort 
 Election 
 
 »»^WM < *^>M«'^»>W»»<W<W> *»»W*»»/l»^ M '^***OW»*'>»^WW»»T*<i<^*<»W>^*I^W»«IWWW» 
 
 III. 
 
 IV. 
 
 V. 
 
 VI. 
 VII. ProviJence 
 VIII. The Kingdom of Christ — 
 
 IX. The Assurance of Prophecy 
 X. The End of all Things ^ 
 
 XI. The Still Small Voice 
 XII. The History of England 
 
 ■«Wtfm>MkMMi«i««WM>n#tflMNMMoV>M* 
 
 ^MMi^^^MWMaiMMIMMtHWWWMMMW 
 
 29 
 
 4S 
 
 59 
 
 71 
 83 
 
 97 
 .111 
 123 
 .133 
 .147 
 
THE 
 HAPPINESS OF RELIGION. 
 
 PSALM XXXVI. 7, 8, 9. 
 
 HotB excellent i$ thy loving kindne$i, O Ood ! therefore thf if^H- 
 dren of men put their tnut under the thadoto of thy ^iiw». 
 They ahatt be abundantly iati$fied with thefatnets of thy houae ; 
 and thou ahalt make them drink of the river of thy pleaaurea. 
 For with thee ia the fountain of life : in thy Urht ihatl iib« 
 aee light. 
 
 There is one thing which all men in the world 
 are constantly desiring and endeavouring to ob- 
 tain; I mean happiness, pure and undisturbed 
 enjoyment, the peace and satisfaction of the soul. 
 But human life is full of disappointment and 
 misery, because most men mistake their way ; 
 they know not where the inestimable treasure 
 may be found. For the pleasures of sense, in- 
 crease of substance, " the pride of life"— the 
 common objects of pursuit all over the earth, al- 
 though they may in some measure gratify for a 
 time, can never fill and permanently satisfy the 
 soul of man. The experience of all nations ac- 
 knowledges that something higher and greater is 
 necessary— something rising above the earth, 
 and extending beyond the present life. And 
 therefore all— the enquiring and considerate in' 
 aU nations— have sought the favor of a superior 
 power, and the prospect of a futurp state. Re- 
 hgion, the knowledge of God and the assured 
 hope of his eternal blessings, is the «* One thing 
 needful p^ this, and this alone can make us truly 
 and lastingly happy. 
 
The Royal Psalmist lia.l il,o brisl.icsi coneon 
 
 01 iteligion. I will attempt to point out lo vm, 
 how .t deserves the glorious cIorv wWeh hebe 
 .tows upon U in the passage l,ef„"r{. ..s "' '"'■ 
 I. Religion therefore, true Ueliolnn ih»t 
 which we learn from our holy book t ilid 
 parably excellent, beca-jso it reveals to us M^ 
 
 The goodness of God is in some sense known 
 to all men, because it is a matter of univers,^ 
 experience. The world abounds with .hTbountv 
 of Its maker. Ho - preserveth man and beas"" 
 affording ,„ general to all his livin,. creaturis 
 nounshment and support, and making the! liies 
 for the most part easy and pleasant For al! 
 
 ing, and none are entirely exempt from then. 
 
 thaUhVhV'''"'' " ""'^' "'"^^ l.o'^cknow! r,i 
 that the balance is greatly i„ favor of enioym^n 
 
 .h„ L-",'" ''"' "> "'•« '•"'countablo c cat^res' 
 
 disDltl"ed""'V""'' "'"'""^ f «°<' o^" "'•'""■" 'b^ 
 displayed. Very many of the bounties of Pro 
 
 vidence are mdhcriminatc, and con c„„en "y" 
 
 ser^CXf 'Sr-''''-''^'^ ^vho are fa,- ,i^m" ^ 
 serving them He " causes his sun to rise on 
 the evil and the good, and sendelh rain on the i2 
 «»d OH the nnjmt." I„ innumernb e "nince, 
 also he criminal feol his forboarn, re 1|^ 
 • giveth to all men liberally and unhrniM not" 
 ahhough .nultitudes show little /ratituX for hi, 
 gooSness, little regard to his will 
 
 G^!!! „"°!r"'''"""":'^5 ^" "«=^'^ evidences of 
 wf„r»^ ft ?'' '""^'' S'cater in amount than 
 we are often disposed to esteem them, there cer- ' 
 
3 
 
 fainly is fi vast and f^lran^'c amount of evil in the 
 world ; much of whicli does not appear like tho 
 
 punishment otimmcdiato guilt, and therefore can- 
 not ho at onco ussi«rn<;d to tho just judgment of 
 its ruler. Pain and doath in every variety of 
 lorm hcfal •' man and hoast;" and, as far as we 
 can discern, the infliction is very rarely propor- 
 tioned to the particular desert of the sufferer. 
 And here tho light of nature fails; our reason 
 knows not how to reconcile such things with tho 
 goodness of God. Reflecting men in every age 
 have sta<;gercd at the difficulty, and were never 
 ahle fairly to solve it. Some have conceived that 
 the world was in a great measure left to chance; 
 others have imagined the eternal existence of an 
 evil power, constantly counteracting the benevo- 
 lent designs of the good; others have concluded 
 that this part of the world must have been the 
 work of powers infcrio.- to the Almighty. 
 
 Our Xleligion reveals « God of perfect good^ 
 oie^s; and, if it does not dispel all " the clouds 
 and darkness" that surround him, gives us suffi- 
 cient assurance that "righteousness and judg- 
 ment are the foundation of his throne." It tells 
 us that God in the beginning made all things 
 good and happy; that when mankind had fallen 
 into sm, he subjected them to labour, sorrow and 
 death; nevertheless, that '^ he left not himself 
 mthout witness," doing good to all men, and 
 keepmg up a constant remembrance of his name 
 in the world ; that » in every nation the man that 
 leareth him and worketh righteousness is accept- 
 ed with him;" that "he will make all things 
 v/ork together for good to them that love him;" 
 that he is " merciful and gracious, forgiving in- 
 

 in 
 
 iqqily and transgression and sin; "—that he Jiath 
 so loved the world as to give it a Saviour— in 
 whom whosoever believes shall have eternal life- 
 that "he hath appointed a day in which he wiji 
 judge the world in righteousness;" and that. 
 " the creature (or creation) shall be delivered 
 from the bondage of corruption into the glorious 
 liberty ot tho children of God." 
 
 These great truths give comfort and confidence 
 to the soul. Amidst all the trials of our mortal 
 siate they encourage us to sav, '* How excellent 
 is thy loving kindness, O God! therefore the 
 children of men"— all the inhabitants of the 
 world who have become acquainted with thy 
 character—" put their trust under the shadow of 
 thy wings." 
 
 For, if we cannot yet account for the evil that 
 has beep suffered to enter fmd overspread the 
 world, we. are at least assured that it has bu* a 
 partial and a temporary permission; that provi- 
 sipn is made for its mitigation now, audits entire 
 extinction hereafter ; that at present, under God's 
 gracious providence, it actually tends to th^ 
 Wfilfar© of the pious sufferer, and at the last will 
 be altogether absorbed in thf glorious deliver- 
 ance which is the final purpose of the Almighty. 
 
 2. Such is the confidence inspired by the ge- 
 neral truths which our Religion reveals. But 
 It has peculiar and more iniimate delights for its 
 disciples. "The-," says the Psalmist, "shall 
 be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy 
 house, and thou shalt make them drink of the 
 river of tby pleasures." He speaks, I conceive, 
 of the blQ^sedness ^vhich they partake who give 
 themselves up to Goq', trusiing in his goodness. 
 
5 
 
 and placing themselves unreservedly under hi9 
 protection. These are no longer merely '* th^ 
 children of men,-** they become God's own chij, 
 dren, and are admitted to the blessings of his 
 household and family. 
 
 The Psalmist may be understood to allude, if 
 he does not directly refer, to the Tabernacle or 
 Temple which was God's house in Israel, and tq 
 the stream of Siloam, an unfailing spring of pure 
 and sweet water, which flowed by Mount Zion. 
 But his language is figurative, and is intended 
 to describe those spiritual enjoyments which 
 God provides for his servants and worshippers. 
 We, who belong to the Christian Church, may 
 fitly apply it to the benefits which we derive from 
 the establishment of that Church in the world. 
 For here— wherever the Church of Christ is es- 
 tablished— we have God dwelling amongst us,, 
 like a bountiful and affectionate father of a fa- 
 mily. This is the peculiar view which, as mem- 
 bers of the Christian Church, we are taught and 
 encouraged to take. *' Our Heavenly Father" 
 is the title by which we especially address the 
 most High. We are assured that he regards us 
 as a father does his children; that he watches 
 over us with paternal love and care; protects us 
 from evil, or turns it into good; is above all things 
 desirous of our improvement and welfare; and 
 omits nothing which would be properly condu- 
 cive to our happiness. 
 
 Being authorized to call God by the endear- 
 ing name of Father, wc feel ourselves brought 
 into a state of near relation and intercourse with, 
 him. We do not look upon him as a stranger 
 and afar off; but we feel ki^ presence, address 
 
6 
 
 ft.^„; r . ^k"""^ abundantly satisfied with the 
 latness of l,,s house." This, savs a piou? com 
 mentator.is •'the benefit of holy i^dinanr; 
 sweet to a sanctified soul, a„d strength^, to 
 the spiritual and divine lite :- ihev desire „S„ 
 more in this world, than to live a^litof commu^ 
 
 lemple Sacrifices were there continuallv ^f 
 fered, of which the offerers themscCpa Lit 
 and surely they must have received <hat food wi h 
 especjal satisfaction, which was itseif the apnoZ 
 
 God Tr;' '•='^°"'="'="-" -d frienSshi'p'wUh 
 Ood. fFo commemorate the sacrifice of Chr st 
 -we present ourselves a living sacrifice_we 
 offer up the spiritual sacrifices Sf thanks^h^L 
 and praise; and we receive abundant ret°uZ^ 
 wo/eed upon the Eucharist-^.^ enjoy the core, ' 
 ousness of peace with God through the aCf 
 
 re7rhi~th"e';;:, ■ 't" ^'^^'-^^ 
 
 .peakah,fde.iS:o7^!;^r;av:r„z;v^^^^^^^^ 
 
 livel, andTe' iviT "^Th^^^ f.^tf ^h^: ^ 
 of divms pleasures." Surely fh» pJ i • f 
 speaks of th'e influences of thetoj Sp>U ^ 
 subject of so many promises, and fhe peel,! iar 
 blessmg and glory of the Church. TheKep 
 
lie soul al.vo; diese give us an appeiitemid (aste 
 lor fioiy e.,jo,,nen.s: these c,„n „u„ cate a f«^ 
 «n<l a peace which (as it has been wel remarkcS^ 
 
 '.-e.ng purely spiritual, are of the sar^eTatre 
 
 with the pleasures of the glorious inl arianis of 
 
 he upper «or ,1. a„,| bear\ome a,Xy even to 
 
 lite delights of the eternal mind." ^'""^ ^"^^ '<» 
 
 , l,^"i '*" "^ ""'■ '"PP"^" "'at the Gospel is 
 a dead letter, or "the Church of the Living 
 
 With him as the Psalmist confirms his a« 
 God, the fountain and source of all I,7« . 
 
 K«L/':rS,S;' its 
 
 mating communications arenot dLinCly dUcern" 
 
 ble; just as the warmth which wederive from 2 
 
 sun IS not to be distinguished from TJ vwJ^l! 
 
 i, /l^f "'^•'" ^'^^%h,l shall we see h^rht " T ,>hf 
 vimte, and is atU^l1/™J"-Vrit;m::^ « 
 
seems therefore to mean that, when God reveal* 
 himself to men. they become wise and good and 
 happy. Such is the express design of divine re- 
 velation ; and when this light is accompanied by 
 /^c— when the truths of God's word are carried 
 home to the heart by the influence of his Holy 
 Sjiirit. then the design is effectually accomplish- 
 ed. Contemplatmg the excellence of God's na- 
 ture we become, as the Apostle says, transformed 
 into his likeness; we endeavour to imitate his 
 holmess, justice and love; and in so doing we 
 enjoy that happiness and satisfaction whi?h i» 
 the proper attendant on goodness. The more 
 we know of God, the more we resemble his glo- 
 nous self; and thus proceed from "glory ta 
 glory, until at length we shall be found fit for 
 his presence in a higher and more perfect state 
 of being. There the remains of darkness and of 
 suftering will have passed away; then shall we 
 know many things which must continue strange 
 and mysterious as long as we are in this world: 
 and then shall we understand the reasons rfor 
 good and sufficient reasons there must be,) why 
 these things were not revealed during our mortal 
 pilgrimage. ° 
 
 We have thus considered the happiness which 
 belongs to true fteligion. We hdve seen it, 
 hrst of all revealing to us the goodness of God 
 —inasmuch as he is bountiful, forbearing and 
 forgiving, and has formed a plan for the world's 
 salvation. We have seen it, in the second place, 
 bringing us into a near relation to God ; placing 
 us under his protection, and assuring us of his 
 parental love and care. Lastly, we have seen 
 It imparting to us life and light, holiness and 
 
wisdom, wilh joy and hope. These are the ge- 
 iiuineand certain effects of true Religion, as far 
 as it really exists and operates in the soul. They 
 have been experienced and enjoyed by all those 
 good and pious men whom the Holy Scriptures 
 hold forth to our admiration, and by the Chris- 
 tians of every subsequent age virho have followed 
 their steps. 
 
 Since then Religion is so excellent a thing, 
 how desirable is it that we realize its benefits ! 
 We all wish to be happy, but some probably 
 know by bitter experience that they have not yet 
 discovered the way. Let such persons examine 
 themselves, and see if the cause of their unhap- 
 pmess is not this—that they are hitherto desti- 
 tute of true Religion. They live in the world 
 tvithout enquiring after God; or, if God does 
 engage some of their thoughts, they keep their 
 hearts estranged from him— they do not devote 
 themselves to his service— do not study his will, 
 or sincerely endeavour to regulate their conduct 
 by It. The consequence is unavoidable— they 
 find nothing else to satisfy the soul. Busi- 
 ness vexes and disappoints them; pleasure be- 
 comes nauseous; time is a burden; remembrance 
 affords them no delight, hope no relief :— nay 
 Jmr, the apprehension of God's anger on a mis- 
 pent life, and of the misery that is yet to come, 
 torments them in their most serious and reflect- 
 ing hours. Would they escape from their un- 
 happiness, and enjoy their being ? The only 
 way is to cultivate true Religion. Let them 
 acquamt themselves with God, seek reconcilia- 
 Uori and peace with him, and learn to live as his 
 faithful servants and Ja :iful children; and then 
 
10 
 
 tiontothesoul nf,h , u ?"'' «ol'd satisfac 
 
 pointments 6nife_of thattS ^"^ '''^'P- 
 and sustain it under .h! ":''"=''«?" strengthen 
 
 .e-.orsoftrZlrtotre'""'''^''''' ^''''''' 
 
 whaa'amT.^ "' •'*!."''"^^^ '"'"'^ 'he truth of 
 
 defects which must IxL ii^th ' "'\«''-<"-« <"• 
 have either ,„X some ft a, "fri"'-- \^'^ 
 
11 
 
 ifthey indulge any sinful thought, affection «r 
 practice; they must not be surorLd «t finS- 
 
 failed anrl thuth- • promises have not 
 
 in e'rachni "„' '"""""'•''■ """ ""«'« *« « growth 
 
 nppiiiesjs. 1 ne more we know nf c^a*^ * ^l 
 
 he more intimate our comruZn whh h « „t' 
 
 sure! 7f ReTig on °Be ?:rT "'■""' P'"- 
 «nd constant e^Xvour^ To trnTwrse'r t'^ 
 hoher, and better- so shall «,« / i f ' """ 
 
 er which folllw onrTex^ '.^T r"« '"u""* P'oy 
 kindness to the^ "hat k^ow hTm Td t '"t« 
 eoosness to the upright in hear"' • , hi .h/'^""- 
 
If 
 
 , ili- 
 
 III 
 
 I 
 
 ji'!^ 
 

 ciiursirAN cowERsio.v. 
 
 JAMES V. o() 
 
 silence and o Ci ' %"„>od .I!;:'"' ^'"^ "/ '" 
 opposi.ion, and finally ^^^^^^JSlT" h"'" 
 
 po.;tion of hun,an ki' 1 i^ .r"" i'lr^""'''"'' 
 well as inarms Rv I !, ', """ '''•"•"mg as 
 11.0 European" if W '"''"."."-y "nd zeal of 
 
 .hemostSs:ntsiJ:trii:tW''^"'^ 
 
 l>y the means of their colonilc . ^'"'''' ' ""'^ 
 established, from CaLad" "" Ch r ' '™ ''™'^ 
 unknown to the ancienls " "'' '" •'' "■°""''' 
 
 Hi^tShartho'^rfitt'? ""■!■ ='"''''-'-' 
 and extensive ' opS^fo,, of ri^" .'^'' "'" "P''' 
 
 C. * 
 
u 
 
 justly occuj»i(>s ;i distinndisjied plnrr " T\w 
 most suhliiiio (.(lorts of pliilosojihy, (;,<, Mr 
 Gibbon felt Inmseir compelled to acknoulod^^e ) 
 can extend no faiHior than feebly to point ''oiit 
 the desire, the hope, or at most the probability 
 of a hiture state. Wo are suHicicntly acquainted 
 with the eminent persons who flourished in the 
 age ol Cicero and of the first Ccesnrs ; with 
 their actions, tlieir characters, and their motives • 
 to bo assured that their conduct in this life was 
 never regulated by any serious conviction of the 
 rewards and punishments of a future. Noihin<r 
 except a divine revelation can ascertain the exist" 
 ence, and describe the condition, of the invisible 
 country which is destined to receive the souls of 
 men. When (therefore) the promise of eternal 
 Happiness was proposed to mankind, on condition 
 
 ofadoptmgthefaith.andofobservingtheprccepts. 
 of the Gospel, it is no wonder that so advanta<ro- 
 ous an offer should have been accepted by "loat 
 numbers of every religion, of every ranis%nd 
 of every province of the Roman Empire '' 
 
 It was indeed " no wonder r and T know not 
 il this reason alone, supposing only (what the 
 Historian professes to admit) the revelation itself 
 satisfactorily attested, were not adequate to the 
 mighty effect. Theonly wonder is that a reli^rion 
 capable of such a progress, should ever cease to 
 proceed; that any of those, whom it had once 
 reached, should cease for a dav to be powerfully 
 aflected by it ; that an individual, professing him- 
 self a believer in Christianity, should be contented 
 to remain at rest, while there remains " a soul" 
 which may be •* saved from death." 
 
 It is not my intention however to account for 
 
Dsars ; with 
 
 15 
 
 the apj.il.v or inactiviiy somcliiueslobcoh.sorved- 
 hnl incTfly to present you with a few plain con- 
 si(Jeral.orKs, calculated, 1 trust, by the help of 
 ^od to impress your minds with the attbctin- 
 truth, that such a deliverance is actually to be 
 cifecled by the -conversion of the sinner ivom 
 the error of Ins way." 
 
 Need J then remind you, that, according to 
 the plamcst statemems of Jesus Christ and 
 hts Apostles every man who lives in this world 
 IS desimed also to live in another and an eternal 
 
 M.H . n } A •''''' \'''^ ^^'^''^ ^'^^ ^«^'^« "^^ a Pluto 
 cmdaRhadamanthus; we have not the inire- 
 
 ri.ous conjectures of a Pythagoras or a Plato; 
 
 vvc have not the dubious anticipations of a 
 
 Cato a Cicero, or a Tacitus ; but we have 
 
 the solemn declaration of one who raised others, 
 
 I ho. ^.'"^^'^^""•"Phanily arose, from the dead; 
 
 Imt the hour is coming in which all that are 
 
 n ho graves wil hear his voice and shall come 
 
 IZl ' i: '''^ ''^'''^ ^^^ ^'^^'•«^«t testimonies of 
 hose who wore witnesses ot his resurrection, 
 
 thn ;„ '% ''^- Y''^ '' ^'^^*"«^ of God to be 
 the judge of quick and dead." 
 
 tha"^'' Ihi'' "'^"'^/^[.can there be to remind you, 
 that the sinner," l.ving and persevering in sin 
 has no hope of the happiness of the life to come! 
 The same voice, which declared the final revi 
 vication of all men, proclaimed the purpose lb; 
 vvhich they wdl «' come forth :»-the same wt 
 nesses, who attested the resurrection of the r 
 Lord, announced that when ho shall -come to 
 be glorified in his saints," the wicked shall 'b 
 punished with everlasting destruction." 
 i^or can Uicre.be mucli occasion to dwell on 
 
(I 
 
 I Hiil 
 
 10 
 
 hat remendons doom, and admiu.d i„to )'an . 
 
 '"111 all soc!«a.ul panics oC Clirislians •., 
 
 .now edge and bcliev'o it; and tl.o d^ „' '• no w 
 
 would soom to l,c. not so ,„ucl. lost "tv like 
 
 "e" °nd nor"'- ''''"^"""»' ^''-''' I'--""-- 
 very- Z\ ""'""'"";. "''"»""•-■* incapable o/ .ecu- 
 
 loriii iiK too sliglit i:olions of llio rc|,enlanf< 
 «luch .s ro,p,isi.e, and i„d«|.i„.. too vi '" ■ m,d 
 general a persuasion of. he pfacabilitv ofthe , 
 v.ne nature, should " cry peace, where there ^ 
 o peace, and strenRthen "tl/ehands of the w eked 
 t>y proinisnig him lilb." "ici.tu 
 
 The questions therefore uhich appear lobe 
 
 moil .,Tr'-""'='-" .? "'^'•^'''^•-' »■•'■ "-- =- 
 
 r/ioi, the mnncr.-m^cdmi^ to he "convened 
 irom the error of his way?"la»d iclZlthJl 
 
 ZZv'"" "•''"'' •' '^'"""' --" '- " -"1 'Von. 
 
 comersion, it is quite unnecessary to --o anion.' 
 m n who have ..ever yet heard the GospeUrn, 
 Mhoni It may have been defectively or cori'ui t v 
 impai-ted. Both these classes of'mani" d'a i 
 
 '^d of '^r''"' °^^'''' ""■ ^'''"^'i="' con.Mas.:ior.! 
 and of Missionary exe,tion;_not as '• -so 
 
 than''" Ih '"""' ""'K '°"''' " ''»" "'hervvi e 
 tnan right ;" not as if at t!io great day of •,<• 
 
 count the maxim of Christ could he dis Jga de. l' 
 
 '^i every man it .hsU be required accordtno' 
 
17 
 
 U> tlinl whith ho hath" icccivud r—hut for tlijs 
 K-asoii, ihat Ihc I1U1.JUIH..WS of a rniioiinl htiiMr 
 requires cerijuii moral quahhts, and ihat thf>^ 
 who have not harm to live uccordii.-r to (lod's 
 holy will, caimot im prepared lor tlu/eiijoyij.riit 
 of his presence. On (hiy groi-nd perlec-lly j'l'^- 
 nhable has been the zeal of a Wchwanz oV a 
 MarJ}n juone Hemisphere, and of an Kllioii 
 01 .! Orainerd in another, who have njade I'-e 
 coj|vorsionor the Heathen the prime ohject of 
 then- labours; nor are those pious Missionaries 
 or bocielies, worthy of any thin- but cummcn! 
 dalion andenooura-ement, whoso labours are 
 dnected to (he same object whidi the divine 
 will proposes to ilseli— that -all men" may - be 
 saved and^ may come to the knowlcd-re of the 
 truth." Ikjt sin and sinners, alas, are nearer 
 Jjome. J hey are lound under the clearest licrht 
 the most abundant means of Christian hnowled-re' 
 J.et any man take up liie ten commandmeiuslJ 
 et him take the two j,M-eat precepts of supreme 
 iove to Ood and equal love to our nei'dibour 
 which contain the substance of these com' 
 niandments; or let him take our Blessed Lord's 
 spiritual exposition olhis Father's Law, as it is 
 contained in the Sermon on the Mount :-^lel juiy 
 one, I say, take these for his rule, and he will 
 lind transgressors, almost without number 
 among the professors of the purest form of our 
 rehgion. Instead of - loving God with all the 
 heart, and mind, and soul," he will iind many 
 Avho appear almost utterly regardless of the Di' 
 vine being; carelessly profaning his name or 
 JMS day, seldom li ever studying his word, and 
 living iis ,1 they had well nigh '^ said in (heir 
 
I? 
 
 i r 
 
 J8 
 
 herirts-thcre is no God." Insi,-,,! nC .. i ■ 
 t .e.r neighbour as ll.emseiv": " he Jr^'^ 
 
 sitively induiffinr[„envv^!!fT= P""-""?^ P"" 
 
 tar's part,a„c! alS,,'"^'^: i'^Ta'tlle T'? ''''' 'T'" 
 "heir gocJ. Instei. ' rf /' " ^'''^'""R 
 
 >urit,ofL'!^rVh;irSktf:;r:;g,;i':;- 
 t;::.^rdSrtti,;t^^t 
 
 ■on strongly set towards that >^ 'cf : Ivi "Tn" 
 
 youth, the passions headstrong and mneluo,,? 
 
 hreatemng to overleap aU boCds. and carrv 
 
 indeed mature, while reinrd ft.- J .. ^ 
 hardtv v». .„ 1, . "^"sa™ lor another seems 
 
 whenhf /'^''^'l'''^" '"''"'■- "'■■din oldaao 
 
 but a iZe ?^ " ^^' '?'"'• '""^ "'"' 'hey have 
 
 their God I r^inT'."'"? '" P'-^P^^ '^ »-«' 
 (hrnl . II- i " ^"'' 'hem caring for every 
 th ng, talkmg of every thing, busy abou eve^ 
 •hing, rather than that their near-approacS 
 and most awful account. It is impoKe of 
 mo to enter at length into partic2?r I a 
 
19 
 
 llie great raasior of ancior.t reason lias observed 
 
 .m and error arc infimU-, but if vou look at 
 
 .be characters wbo surround jou i'l, life-por 
 
 haps r shoubl rather say if ^u reflect upon 
 
 ourselves-) ou wijl be at „J loss to disco'^er 
 
 'the s.nner ' who needs to be " converte,!(vIm 
 
 the error o( his way." Every one re.n.ires sue™ 
 
 n conversion, who does not live as if I e believed 
 
 he word of (;od:-who does not lead that 
 
 woul.l silow mat he entertains a serious and 
 c^onstant expectation of a judgment to coL;- 
 
 nught to-n,orrow " appear before the iud<rtnent 
 soat of Christ. j^^^'cjUii-iil 
 
 What then, it is evidently worthy of our en 
 qun-y, is the nature of the conversion which all 
 these persons need-that winch '' shall save a 
 
 iiiy iopiy,_it IS, manifesi y and necp«i«-in)v 
 such a change in the character of the n«^so„ ^^ 
 ^hall make Inm trui,. good; fdl his hTart ^i'h 
 the love ol goodness; produce a life agreeable 
 lo God's heiy will; and really and satisfactorilv 
 IH-eparo the soul for that kingdom in which he 
 Redeemer reigns. In other words, it is exactly 
 that change m the human character which the 
 r.ospel was designed and is calculated to effect 
 I'or the proper object of our relision and ,h!; 
 sure result of it as far as it is faithS received 
 Tl:^f"f' 'f "?, °'^'' 'han that which The 
 sho^ill [ n'""'"'','''^ ^"'hor expresses :-_" He 
 should be called Jesus, because he should swp 
 his people from their sins." The method «dnml^ 
 n.ay, or may not, be that which o^ieasoSt 
 
20 
 
 .^misi.l,.r 1k-u a.l:,|,l..,| |1„- (i„, ..,„,,. i,„. j, ■ ., ; 
 
 «.onliin.«l. Ulioic (ho (;os|.,.l i;.il.. „,■ |.n.. 
 
 ml ,ss„ll .succcssCil. ^h.nalfonJuoncol 
 ,f '""••'•'"•' "'"«' ''.-'vo l„.,.„ nl-an,!,,,,,.,!. ' 1, , 
 . ny ..no roa.l ,,, ,|,r „,i(i„,.s oCi,,, A.,„s i,-/ , 
 
 <-n,..,onol .ho .l..|„-av,.,| ,„„,,,|s oC . <•', V .;„ 
 <.ar.s a,,i,.am| a.n«„,r ,| , . „„, i ,, ■, 
 
 ^'■''"' ">' Ai...s,h. w,-„t., tho.0 «or,l. - ' A, i 
 "-'cl. nvn- s„a,.. „i- _v,,„ :_h,a ,.,- o u .,. » 
 
 Y"'i". .mil lio willrocjairo no oil,,.,. a!-.'i.!ii(.iit of 
 
 l^>.|r.^n.oor,hi..ol,.,io^uo,l,o«.,„^^^^^^ 
 
 .1101,— Ml,s,a„|,a||y hnwovoi- it is m„ch rho 
 «."..., an,l uilla|.,vaysho(o„„.|,„ oml o 1 I v 
 
 . .y in wh.oh ho »ill,j„,!.,, ,1,0 uorl.l t-i '■ I, ,v 
 (ho.efore assuredly tl,a, Go.l hnlh mo.lc hnl 
 ..aino Josus who wa. cruciild Lord and a'ri " 
 
' i^'Iniii. ;irhi 
 •-■ .'ihtllKi.lSI.'Jv 
 
 il'^, we have 
 t (ftijjUM'mifi 
 •' succocdoJ, 
 'cr hope ot 
 l()iu>(). Lot 
 \{)<>sli(\<;, or 
 "^^ 1!h>iI<\s-' 
 
 '" ln\ him 
 
 ■ G ecu !•!•<'< I, 
 
 is,— •' And 
 ro wasiicd, 
 
 pirit ofdiir 
 I'^niiiUMit of 
 ion. Tho 
 '»* varies of 
 
 Ul{\ of hi.:; 
 
 "Hicli tho 
 )0(]y a few 
 n— *♦ You 
 e of your 
 ind pure: 
 on earth : 
 3ly state, 
 ) tho dis- 
 1 ado you : 
 5 of your 
 pointed ;i 
 — '* know 
 3(Jc that 
 Cljrist;" 
 
 and unless you obey his commands, unless you 
 upprovo yoMiself his faithful suhjoct. your doom 
 is lixed ior ever:— but if von,do truly repent— 
 if you are heariily sorry iur jail that you, hrtvo 
 jthought and said and done amiss, and desire 
 Jienctiforth to live in obedience to his wilf, ho fs 
 "exaltc^J to bo a Prince and a,Saviour;" Ii6di6d 
 for your sins— v JJchoId" in hint •• iho Lamb of 
 God tliat lakelh away tho sin.of the world;*' 
 he is "'able to save to the uttermost those who 
 .comoto li'od throu«,r|, ^jj,,,^ «i,i^.,. |ie ever livp^ 
 to intercede" in <iieir.|)ehair:— through thatini 
 tcreossionyou njay,sur^«l3j olHain llie pardon of 
 your sins, and the gin(i^)}js lielpof the S[urii of 
 holnicsK to purify your he^ut ap.| enable yo,i to 
 overcome toniii(ali(*n: o:d^' Ijve to h I'm who dieil 
 (or you— only *''\jii (aiihful unto death, and ho 
 ^hall give you the crown of life." fiuch is the 
 language of tlu^ Oospel to every sinn.-r; such 
 the truths' which'by the blessini,' of t'f>e A^mi'dity 
 have efrectually' convert(;(i umliitudes of every 
 tongue and nation from the various errors of their 
 ways, aiid inade them a holy people :— nor could 
 these great, apd encouraging truths ii any case 
 tail oi a like eliect, were they only firmly believed 
 and earnestly regarded. 
 
 , VYould any desire a full representation of the 
 great(;haugew|iich these truths are calculated to 
 .producivjunorc complete picture perhtips cannot 
 jbe loufid liian n\ the confei>iimis of A ugusilne, of 
 which Milner the IJistorian of thp (^hurchhas cr). 
 ven an «ixcellcnt epitome, wbilo Owen Inhisgrcat 
 work on tiie Holy Spirit has desc^mted On it in his 
 tJSual manner as the most signal illustration ofdi- 
 vuittgiacc. p/thu,peciiliar theoloj^y of the AfJ-i- 
 
I' 
 
 u 
 
 1 11^ ^ 
 
 1 ■ i^ 
 
 can Bishop, or that of his disciples in modern 
 tiwe»,I wouW not be understood to speak- but 
 tlieae parts of their writings may doubtless be pe- 
 rused wjMi general advaniagr. The sum of the ve. 
 JierabJd Falher's ejiperienco mavbebrieHy sia!e<l 
 J« bjs o»vn conchidin;; words—" How hast ihuti 
 Joved UK, Faiher ! Many and great are my dis- 
 eases, thy medicine larger still ! Territied vvitli 
 my sms and the weight of my misery. I was 
 despondin-; but thou encouragedsl mo. sayinjr, 
 Christ died for all.^that they who live shoi.lcl 
 not live to themselves, but to him who dinl /or 
 them. Lo. I cast all my care on t her. Lord 
 that I may live. Thou knowesi my wcakn«»s3 
 and Ignorance; teach and heal me. He hatfi 
 redeemed mo wiih his blood, in whom are hid 
 all the treasures of wisdom and kno\vled.re. Let 
 not the proud calumniate me, if with tbS poor I 
 LorT"^*^^'^' «««J ^e satisfied, and jiraiso tho 
 
 ii/^«\*'''*™P^?.?^ ^^. «^«''«o''<Jinarv a man as 
 the Bishop oi Hippo IS not indeed to be taken, 
 nor shoulil any particular instance be taken as 
 a standardand model tor all. Tho faculties and 
 tempers, as well as the circumstances of men. 
 are infinitely diversified, and produce a corres! 
 ponding variety of character. But as far as any 
 are mvohed m sin, so far they require a ^'onver. 
 sion from the error of their way, and by the 
 same moans which Augustine found fioefiectual 
 mny evory soul be saved. Divines of quite other 
 suhools, provided they discover a cordial regard 
 i.>r .1.0 principles of Chi^anity itself, will be 
 iumul to expresssimilar sentiments. For "Faith" 
 Bishop Horsley omphaiicalJy observes, •• is not 
 
merely a speculalive, but a practical acknow- 
 ledgment of Jesus as the Christ ; an effort and 
 motion of lh« mind towards God, when the sinner, 
 convinced of sin, accepts ivith thankfulness tho 
 proflfered terms of pardon ; and in humble con- 
 fidence, applying indiyiduallylo self the benefit 
 of the general ate nerpcnt, in the elevated lan- 
 guage of a venerable Father of the Church, 
 drinks of the sfream which flows from the Re- 
 deemer's wounded side. Thr effect is, that in a 
 little (time,) he is filled with that perfect love of 
 God which casleth out fear ; — he cleaves to God 
 with the entire affection of the soul. And from 
 this active, lively faith, overcoming the world, 
 subduing carnal self, all good works do necessa- 
 rily spring." 
 
 Whenever therefore a sinner appears before 
 us, let this thought present itself to the mind : 
 
 There is a soul that tnay be saved from death 
 
 that most certainly will be saved, if it can but 
 be made to consider and feel the great truths of 
 the Gospel-— and that as certainly must, should 
 it continue in sin without repentance, die and 
 perish forever! Considerations these which 
 ought unquestionably to awaken us all to tho 
 most lively concern and a<iive exertions for the 
 eternal welfare of our felh»w men. The Apos- 
 tle's remark in pur text i.*^ designedly of universal 
 extension; and the Christian will feel it his duty, 
 on all suiiahle and proper occasions, to warn his 
 erring brothor, and if possil le persuade him to 
 change his course. But there are specific classps 
 of men on whom this duty is more especially 
 incumbent, inasmuch as their station gives 'hem 
 peculiar authority and influence. 
 
i »■• 
 
 m i 
 
 Let' these senoiK^Iv r.«r, • i , " ^^pencJents. 
 
 'hem watch ovur the ol.in^.., r .1 ■ P *' '-'^'■' 
 fay .od«y, .-.clniorlLh H , 'eft ;;"',r'"" """"' 
 to lead them „ SJ"^?:/''.'''^^ ^-"'eavour 
 
 " inheritors oHI.e Ki.'/„ ,?,•»"■''''"" '" "'« 
 
 Cicty. sny ,l,oso to wl.om I ref f ;,i,,^r '"] 
 for proscin peacp nn,l .„.• , , '" '<>rmed 
 
 qui 's ins P-- ^cX or.;:";,: r,r"'"'"'! 
 
 il have l».,n rrjocto, l,v ,,'''' "'"'l^'=<>'n "„„|,| 
 of Roi.ie ' Wlo In. • / "'"/"•T^'-s of Athens or 
 «'nte is ro,Is. it, ,1 r ■''' ',''"" "'^" ""'civil 
 
 Those uh„"ha t r.;,-:';u' :''''t "'"""■' 
 
 things ,vouhf toll th,m°i' . T' "'''T" «'" 
 un.ler the parental I- of. ., ,''" """' '"'S"" 
 the wider t^ a iot^s '.f i I ' " ''l'™'^'""' «"' *" 
 friendships, ac'L^l^ttL' !°d v^lf ^r'r, ""'' 
 interchanges of services a'ndVfe: c^otii^:; 
 
 ? I 
 
 
hwK, governtnents,. e^vil constitutions, ftlL fpK 
 lowed ma natural order; that modiiication* aflU' 
 rovolutioi.& in states (on which alone, as Icon- 
 ceive,i!jese philosopli^rs hare founded theu* opi. 
 n:ons,) areinerel> accidental circumstancesi.aii4 
 that the essential bond of society survives »ti 
 such occorrences, and can be reiolred into na 
 other principle than that will of our Creator by 
 which man was made a social being. And was 
 It not, mul IS it not, his wijl, that men should; 
 regard each other as made for eternal existence''^ 
 that, as parents, fis relations, as friends, aa 
 ne.ghbours-.so also rulers and legislators.should' 
 aim at the ultimate good of the respective ob- 
 jects ol their concern? Thus I make no doubt 
 that not onlyCcero. but tiio severer reason of 
 Aristotle would have argued, ^lad ihey receiyod 
 the revelation of a future slate. Thus, umil 
 modern infidelity had poisoned the sprinirs of 
 public sentiment, Christian states and sTates- 
 men have always believed and acted. And thus, 
 when the delusive imaginations of ihe day shall 
 have .passed, will " Kings and all that are iri 
 authority remain convinced of their highest du-! 
 ty to " be the nursing lathers of the Cliurch " 
 Occasional and temporary circumstances may 
 inde«d he unfavourable to a public provision 
 for the propagation of Christian truth and tho 
 promoiion of Christian virtue; but every, 
 sincere Christian, who may occupy a nuhlia 
 station, will feel and lament^he de£t ^Jle^viU 
 apply his best consideration to discover by uliat 
 means it may be soonest repaired; nor will his 
 
 t'isfiedlhnM"'*"^ ^'T^ ^"^ ^^'^ ^°^' tinltes^. 
 tished tnat he employs his best endeavours, as 
 
rm 
 
 S9 
 
 fw as those endeaTours can properly extend, tq 
 "Ciibnvert the sinner" and " save the soul.*' 
 
 But, whatever may he said or thought of 
 Others, one order of men at least there is, of 
 %vfH»te duty in ihis respect none will dotiht. 
 The Clergy— the Ministers of Christ's Church, 
 whether countcnnnced and supported hy the 
 state, (as throughout every Christian nation 
 they oujfht to be) or dependent on other means 
 of siihsistonce, must feel themselves interested 
 above nil men in the duty and the hope which 
 have boon the subjects of our consideration. 
 For they are bound — (I refer pnrticularly to tho 
 declared sense of the Church of England, hut 
 in this point all c!)urch(>s are of tho same 
 opinion) to devote themselves especially to this 
 one thing — the care and salvation of souls. 
 For sucli is the plain doctrine of the inspired 
 founders of the Church : — " They," says tho 
 author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, speaking 
 of all those who sustain the Pastoral office, 
 ** watch for your souls as those that must give 
 account." A consideration so impressive, that 
 Chrysostom tells us when he read thnt text, '* it 
 produced a violent agitation in his soul, and tilled 
 him with a holy fear and trembling." And in 
 commentary on the passage he exclaims — 
 ** Lord, liow difficult, how hazardous an under- 
 taking is this ! Of all the souls that are commit- 
 ted to thy conduct, men, women, and children, 
 Ihoa art to give an account !'* Jusfly might tho 
 excellent and sober-nJnded Bishop Bull subjoin, 
 after quoting this and other testimonies in his 
 most impressive discourse on the difficulty and 
 danger of the Priest's office : — ♦* We minister 
 
 ■l:*lai 
 
21 
 
 tosouFs! Souls! Methinfts in that ono word 
 there is a Sermon. Immortnl aoula! Precious 
 souls! One whereof is more worth, than all 
 Ih© world besi(les,~tho price of the Blood of 
 the Son of God." ^ J «* V 
 
 But it is time that I conclude,' and I do it 
 with one short observation, addressed to each irt. 
 diy dual hy and Ibr himself. The Scripture says 
 •' II any of you do err from the truth, and ono 
 convert him.lel him know that ho which convert- 
 c(h the sinner from the error of his way shall 
 save a soul from deaHi." It may be that no 
 man appears \o be aware of ijour error and 
 danger; it may be that none has the courage or 
 theopportanity to attempt your deliverance :— 
 but remember.every one who does not find him- 
 self mi he plain path of Christian duty, remember 
 that there is one who witnesses every thought 
 of your heart; and that by the help of that Al- 
 mighty one ^ou, even you.may convert a sinner, 
 and may ♦' save a soul from death." 
 
 't 
 
■ 
 
 hid 
 
 1 i"l ! 
 
EXPIATION. 
 
 HEBREWS, IX. 13, 14. 
 
 // the blnnd of bulls and of ffnnh, and the ashe$ of an heifer 
 sprinkling tU unclean, sancti.fieth to the purifying of the flesh 
 how much more .thnll the blood of Christ, who I'hrouA thl 
 eternal S/nrit off,n-cd himself without spot to God, purge vour 
 conscience from dead works to serve the living God I 
 
 The peculiar design ofthe Epistle to the He- 
 brews was to show the superiority ofthe Chris- 
 tian disponsaiion over that ofthe Old Testament ; 
 and one important point ofthe superiority assertl 
 ed is this— that the expiation provided in the 
 death of Christ is far more availing for the relief 
 of the conscience, than all the sacrifices of the 
 Law of Moses. 
 
 It may be useful to enquire how other sacri- 
 fices were conceived to possess a purifying effi- 
 cacy, before we apply the idea to the sacrifice 
 of Ciirist. 
 
 The devotion of (he ancient world consisted 
 m great part of sacrifices off*ered on altars. Some 
 nations, such as the Syrians, the Phoenicians 
 and their numerous colonies, and the Celts who 
 were the original inhabitants of western Europe, 
 off'ered human victims— prisoners, slares, or 
 even their own children ; but the custom of 
 sacrificing other animals was almost universal. 
 Great obscurity indeed is spread over this prac 
 tjce, because it became involved in systems of 
 blind superstition. When sacrifice was blended 
 with the confused mass of ancient mythology, 
 
 B 
 
 f 
 
no 
 
 it was to bo oxpectrd fhat ollerini^^s ofall sorts, 
 oil all occay^ions, and Ibr all [)ur|)oscs, would l.o 
 mado by tho bcwildored votaries of idolatry 
 Wo may however. I think, still perceive that the 
 idea of expiation, or atonement, for sin, lay at tho 
 foundation of the practice. Certainly wo ncet 
 with numerous traces of this sentiment in anci- 
 ont Greek and Roman writers; they not on! v 
 speak of sacrifices oflbred to pacify the powers of 
 the invisible world, and cleanse from 'Miilt and 
 pollution; but they relate several illust'rious in- 
 stances of individuals devoting ihemselvrs to 
 destruction for the deliverance or benefit of their 
 country. But wherever human sacrifices were 
 offered, they must surely have been believed to 
 be accepted by divine justice in the place of 
 other men. And with respect to tho animal sa- 
 crifices of the Egyptians at least, whom rJero- 
 dotus, the father of profane history, describes as 
 the most attentive of all men to religious obser- 
 vances, he delivers the following remarkable ar- 
 count from his own observation and knowledge • 
 " Their established mode of Sacrifice is this ' 
 bringing the animal to the altar, they kindlo a 
 fire, and having poured wine upon the victim, 
 and slam it, they cut oflTits head; then, havin^r 
 pronounced many imprecations upon this head! 
 they either dispose of it to Greeks frequenting 
 their market, or cast it into the river. The im! 
 precations which they pronounce are to the ef- 
 lect, that if any evil be about to happen, either to 
 the sacrjficers themselves, or to all Egypt it 
 niay be turned upon this head. Such is the un- 
 iversal custom (says Herodotus) of the Ef^yp- 
 tians at all their sacrifices; and in consequence 
 
31 
 
 oi this custom, no I*4^y|)lian \vill taste the hca'J 
 oi nuv oilier livin«» crcalure." 
 
 INow hero, (even lind we not a very similar 
 account in the Law of Moses) we iiiu\, 1 con- 
 ceive, the <5(!neral, if not tlic original, notion 
 concerning; tlie ellicacy of animal sacrifices. 
 They were olFercd in expiation. IJy some pro- 
 cess in the justice of heaven the ^uilt of tho 
 worshipper, together with the judgments which 
 it entailed, was supposed to he transferred (o 
 the slaughtered victim. Tlic pure and innocent 
 creature sufiered : tlie criminal, acknowledging 
 his guilt and supplicating forgiveness, expected 
 to escape. 
 
 The origin of this practice, with the considcr- 
 c4tions which led men to adopt it, is not to bo 
 found in profane authors, if we find it any 
 where, it must he in th(3 sacred writings of Mo- 
 ses, who lived many centuries before the most 
 ancient historians of other nations, whose works 
 h.as been preserved to our limes. But neither 
 does Moses give ns any decisive information on 
 the subject. He leaves it altogether undeter- 
 mined, whether sacrifice was originally ap- 
 pointed by the Lord, or originated in the thought 
 and feeling of men. This, however, the venera- 
 ble historian docs determine — that from the ear- 
 liest ages of the world, even from the time of 
 Cain and Abel, «' tiie firstlings of the flock and 
 the fat thereof" were especially acceptable of- 
 ferings. By the time of Noah the sacrifice of 
 animals would seem to have been regularly esta- 
 blished; for immediately after he came forth 
 from the Ark, wo arc told, " Noah builded an 
 ?tltar unto the Lord, and took of everv clean 
 
32 
 
 beast and of every clean fowl, and offered burn*^ 
 offerings on the altar : and the I.ordsmell d . 
 sweet savour" (or was pleased wiih ihe acr 
 
 f^^lT r'""^'''' "' i''""l"««l by iis pro|,i. 
 tiating influence to relieve il,e ennl. from 1 .0 
 
 "bless Noah and Ins Sons," taking ti.em under 
 h.s protection; and to " establish a cove , ant 
 ofhfe and peace, with them and every hv.nl 
 creature, lor perpetual generations." Thus' 
 from Noah, the second lather of the human 
 race, the practice of ai.imal sacrifice, w, h he 
 persuasion of ,ts peculiar efficacy in propit^ 
 ling offended heaven, naturally descended to the 
 several nations of the earth 
 
 In the Law of Moses it pleased the Lord to 
 give a comp ete sanction to this practice, and bv 
 express declarations to explaif, its mt" ning! 
 
 fices which the children of Israel were com- 
 manded toofier; andof.histhedesi.n wisn ade 
 sufficiently clear. ■• The blood" "wis t" be 
 sprinkled on the door" of every house on that 
 awful njght, which was to be forever memorable 
 for the destruction of the firsl-born chihiren of 
 the Egyptians, and the deliverance of the Israel 
 iZl''" ■'J'^' ^Sypt-an bondage: ..for the 
 Lord 'said Moses, .'will p„ss through to smite 
 the Egyptians; and when he seeth the bbod 
 upon the lintel and the twoside.pot", the Lord 
 
 d"e' rrertr;""' '"'''•'"'' -'''-« sir ^ 
 destroyer to come m unto your houses to smite 
 
 ed^oTr"" "^!="fi«''V^ere afterwards enjoin- 
 ed or approved by the divine Legislator of 
 
33 
 
 Israel ; some of them certainly for the immediate 
 purpose of expressing the gratitude and piety of 
 the worshippers; but others were directly ap 
 pointed as expiations of sin and purification from 
 defilement; and as such were necessary to the 
 religious life of an Israelite, necessary to restore 
 him from time to time to the favor of the Lord 
 and to his place in the congregation. These 
 sacrifices formed an essential part of the Mo 
 saic covenant ; they were the means, the only 
 authorised means under that covenant of ob 
 training pardon of sin and peace of conscience. 
 And indeed,wherever the blood of an animal was 
 shed, even m those sacrifices which were called 
 -freewill-ofrerings," or offerings of -peace" or 
 thanksgiving, there appears to have been an in- 
 tentron to remmd the worshipper that, although- 
 the Lord in his mercy accepted such oflerin^/^ 
 they could be accepted only as from a pardon-' 
 ed sinner. What else would an isradite be 
 likely to infer, when he found this statement in 
 
 ^'« Vr '-'• ^^^^ ^'^' '^^''^'^ ^^^^'^^ '« -' theTdoocS 
 and I have given it to you upon the altar to make 
 an atonement for your souls : for it is tlio blood 
 that maketh an atonement for the souP" 
 
 But could the blood of animals procure such 
 a blessing? To a certain extent it unnuestion 
 ably could. God had appointed it to be shed 
 lor that express purpose, and annexed the bless- 
 ing to it by his own sacred declaration and nro- 
 
 Zl'^ «• If"? ^^^ "•''^'^"^' sacrifices should 
 be duly offered (the rest of the Law beinff like- 
 wise observed by the nation at large) solonl 
 he children of Israel would conthiue God"! 
 people: and every individual of that people, if he 
 
34 
 
 ■ m 
 
 duly attenJed on the piil>lic eervices, and also 
 offered such sacrifices as were prescribed for 
 sins and defilements of ignorance and infirmity, 
 might believe himself so^^r justified and sanc- 
 tified — so that neither the guilt of such sins, nor 
 the shame of suck defilements, could exclude 
 him from ; he covenant. 
 
 Farjijoi however than this the mercies of the 
 Lavi^ wvnt not. For the man who sinned "with 
 a high liani" — t!in wiHul and obstinate trans- 
 gressor, whether he were an idolater, a sab- 
 bath-breaker, a jnurderer or an adulterer, — the 
 Law provided no ex[)ialion; of such persons it 
 pronounced, that they s!;ou!d "die in their ini- 
 quity," and "their blood" should "be upon 
 them." 
 
 And in truth, as tiie author of this Epistle ob- 
 serves, and as many passages in the Old Testa- 
 ment Would lead us to reflect, it must have been 
 in ail cases "impossible for the blood of goats 
 and of calves (considered with regard to its in- 
 trinsic value or eilicacy) to take away sins." It 
 was "a figure for thetimethen present;" it "sanc- 
 tified to the purifying of the flesh;" by virtue 
 of God's appointment it availed for that exter- 
 nal purification which made men fit to continue 
 in his service; but it " could not make him who 
 did the service perfect as pertaining to the con- 
 science." So says the author of this Epistle 
 to the Hcbreics; and every reflecting and consi- 
 derate Hebrew must, we might suppose, have 
 always fdt, that there was a vast disproportion 
 between the shedding of an animal's blood, and 
 the cleansing of the soul of man from sin in the 
 sight of God. And, although such a person 
 
35 
 
 would scrupulously conform himself to God's 
 directions and trust his promises ; allhouah he 
 would "walk in all the commandments and or- 
 dmances of the Lord blameless," and ''look for 
 redemption according to the mercies promised to 
 the fathers and witnessed by the Law and the 
 Prophets;'* still he would feel that "iheredemn 
 tron of the soul" was too ♦« precious'^ to be ob- 
 tamed ♦♦ by burnt-ollerings or sacrifices for 
 ever." Thus undoubtedly did the author of the 
 51st Psalm fee], when ho said, - Wash me 
 thorougfdy from mine iniquity, and cleanse me 
 fi;ommysm. Against thee, thee onlv, have I 
 sinned, and done this evil in thy svHn For 
 thou desirest not sacrifice, else would 1 one h • 
 thou deh^rhtest not in burnt^offerin<r "^ The 
 sacrifices of God are a broken spirit : a broken 
 and a contrite heart, O God, ihou wilt not de- 
 spise!" 
 
 Thus the Law, with all its sacrifices, was un- 
 avaihng to the satisfaction of the conscience. 
 Jt afforded only this relieving hope, that (he 
 God who had declared' himself "merciful and 
 gracious and forgiving" after the children cf 
 Israel had broken his covenant at Sinai 
 and on many subsequent occasions; and had 
 appomted express sacrifices for the expiation 
 of minor offences; would, by some analogous 
 method as yet unrevealed, admit the sacrifice 
 ot a broken heart, or pardon and accept the 
 true penitent, although his sins might be such as 
 had no atonement provided by the Law 
 
 " ThTh/'^^^ T^t'-^ ^^'', ^""'^'^ ^'^' revealed. 
 
 ^Iwu^r ?[P^"'f.' ^^'^ ^*"'^"g^» ^^*« eternal 
 Spirit offered himself without spot to God is 
 
fijfi 
 
 36 
 
 calculated to cleanse " the conscience from 
 dead works to serve the living God." 
 
 It is the doctrine of the Gospel that Christ is 
 ••the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins 
 of the world;"— ihat " God hath set forth him 
 to be a propitiation in his (own) blood, to declare 
 his righteousness tor the renussion of sins— that 
 he might be just, and tho justifier of him which 
 be leveth;" that Jesus, the Christ, the holy and 
 beloved son of God, being pure from every stain 
 of sin, and of infinite worth and dignity by the 
 union of the divine nature with his human person 
 by the impulse of that eternal Spirit which 
 formed and conducted the plan of redemption 
 offered himself a sacrifice to eternal justice*; 
 that he laid down his lile as a satisaiction and 
 vicarious fitonement for the sins of men; an 
 that through him all who believe in his name are 
 justified— his blood being really accepted as a 
 sufficient expiation for - iniquity, transgression, 
 and sin." ° j, 
 
 ; The consequence, stated by the sacred writer, 
 is this; that, as persons livinir under the Old 
 restament, after they had contracted guilt or 
 defilement in tho cases specified by the Law 
 might consider themselves sanctified or cleansed 
 by the legal sacrifices and purifications, so that 
 they needed not to fear the presence of the God 
 of Israel; in like manner, but far more satis- 
 factorily, IS the conscience of believers in Christ 
 purified from the sense of guilt and defilement 
 by their failh in his atonement, so that they feel 
 themselves enabled with assured and joyful hooe 
 to *• serve the living God." 
 That the atonement of Christ is thus efficacious, 
 
37 
 
 inaj be shown, as well from the reason of the 
 thing, as from actual experience. 
 
 By the reason of the thing I mean, that tfco 
 bacnficoof Christ is that expiation on whiph 
 the soul of man may securely rely. ;' ' 
 
 In the first place we are distinctly and fuily 
 assured, that it in a sufficient apd satisfactory 
 expiation. No doubt obscures the promises'of 
 the Gospel. To every one who truly repents 
 of his sins, and seeks forgiveness with humble 
 Jaith m Christ, complete and eternal deliverance 
 IS unequivocally promised through the Redeem- 
 er's blood. On this promise we might---\Vft 
 unquestionably should— rely, even if we knew 
 nothmg whatever of the way in which that blood 
 avails for expiation. The word of God. duly 
 attested as it is in the Gospel, must surely be a 
 sufficient warrant for our faith. ' 
 
 But we are enabled to discern somethiifi^^ of 
 the propriety ot the sacrifice. We can in some 
 measure perceive hoiv the death of Christ is ca- 
 pable of satisfying divine justice. For whether 
 we regard the punishment of sin as requisite to 
 maintain the honor of God's law. or to deter 
 from future transgression, the death of Christ 
 on our behalf must appear abundantly effectual 
 lor either purpose. No man— no being in the 
 umverse-can think of God's beloved Son bear- 
 ing the gui.t ot our iniquity and dying for our 
 lorgiyeness, without the deepest and most awful 
 conviction of the justice of God, and the most 
 I ,^ I, apprehension of the consequences, 
 , Should that atonement in any case be unavailinff 
 And et It not be forgotten that salvation is pro- 
 ^Wsed, -even through that atonement, to those 
 
S8 
 
 alono who so repent as to renounce and abandon 
 sin : for the impenitent and wi/fully disobedient, 
 neither will the Redeemer's blood avail, nor 
 can there "remain" any other "sacrifice foe 
 sins." 
 
 The feeling of the believer therefore is, 
 
 whether he looks at the absolute promi.'ies of 
 God through Christ, or a* *hs satisfactory atone- 
 raent which Christ has i v^ . • — " I am pardoned ; 
 ' I am justified from all thi * j; God has accepted 
 the propitiatory sacrifice which himself provided, 
 and which must have been of infinite value." 
 Hence his conscience is cleansed ; he no longer 
 looks upon himself as polluted and dead in sin, 
 but as sanctified and alive to God in Christ; he 
 rejoices in the salvation of his soul; and pro- 
 ceeds to live as one who is "ahvefrom the 
 dead." 
 
 Such is the reasonable and probable effect of 
 a belief in Christ's atonement. And does not 
 experience confirm the argument? What sort 
 of persons have they been who have believed? 
 I do not say— who have been called Christians, 
 but who have sincerely trusted in Christ cruci- 
 fied? Those whom the new Testament exhibits 
 to our view— what did they become? Did they 
 not all — the Apostles, and all whom they ac- 
 knowledged as faithful disciples of their Master 
 —purify themselves from all sin and serve God 
 in holiness of life? Those who in every age have 
 known the Gospel and felt its power— have they 
 not all, as far as we have reason to believe thai 
 
 they understood and applied Christian truth 
 
 been distinguished by the same marks? And 
 now — wherever men believe in Christ— truly 
 
39 
 
 believe in his atoning blood, is not the same eflcct 
 
 produced? *• Who is he that overcoineth the 
 
 world? — but he who confesseth that Jesus is 
 
 the Son of God?" Who endeavours to " purify 
 
 himself even as God is pure?" but he who bc> 
 
 lieves that Christ died to "redeem him from 
 
 iniquity ?" Who discover the deepest penitence 
 
 for sins committed, and the greatest vigilance (o 
 
 avoid future transgressions? Arc they not those 
 
 who pay the devoutest resard to the Redeemer's 
 
 Cross? Who are most distinguished for all the 
 
 graces and virtues of Christianity — for humility, 
 
 hcavenly-mindedness, patience, meekness, cha- 
 
 tity? Are they not such as could most justly 
 
 say, We are "crucified with Christ?" 
 
 Let us then humbly and gratefully adore the 
 mercy of Almighty God, who has given us our 
 life under the light and grace of the Gospel. 
 .Great indeed is the privilege to ** behold the 
 Lamb of God ;" to be enabled to look to that sa- 
 crifice which is a full expiation for sin ; to know 
 him in whose blood we have complete redemp- 
 tion. Wei](iighthave been born among Heathens, 
 desftitute of any sacrifice in which confidence 
 could be reasonably placed ; or among Jews, 
 where the sacrifices, although of divine appoint- 
 ment, were of such a nature as to give but 
 very imperfect relief to the conscience ; or 
 among Christians (for such in name there are) 
 ignorant of the true value of the Redeem- 
 er's blood. Blessed then — blessed fi'om i\\ 
 our hearts be that mercy which has cast our 
 lot in a Christian and enlightened land — where 
 the pure word of God at least is read and 
 heard — and where (if we have but ** ears to 
 
40 
 
 hear,*') the true and perfect salvation of Christ 
 is known ! 
 
 Let us settle it in our minds as a certain 
 truth that the death of Christ was a real and ef- 
 fectual atonement. Many have been tempt«d 
 to pass over or explain away the doctrine of the 
 Gospel on this grand subject. The Cross, " to 
 the Jews" of old «*a stumbling block, and to 
 the Greeks foolishness," is to these persons any 
 thing rather than " the power of God." Should 
 any doubt arise in our minds, let us remember 
 how very plainly the Apostles speak of the ato- 
 ning efficacy of the Redeemer's blood ; how de- 
 cidedly Jesus himself spoke of the necessity of 
 bis death; how the types and prophecies of the 
 Old Testament pointed to such a propitiation ; 
 and finally how " the desire of all nations," as 
 discovered by their numberless sacrifices, re- 
 quired a sacrifice in which the soul could confide. 
 An atoning Saviour is evidently the end of the 
 Law, the fulfilment of the Prophets, the hope 
 and the want of man. O ! now that such a one 
 has been revealed, let us not shut our eyes to 
 his glory, but " look unto him and be saved !" 
 Lastly, let us call ourselves to a solemn en- 
 quiry, whether we are " redeemed to God" by 
 the " blood" of Christ. That blood was shed 
 " for the life of the world ;" but unless it has been 
 " sprinkled on our hearts by faith," and we 
 ** have washed our robes and made them white 
 in the blood of the Lamb," it cannot yet have 
 availed for ourselves. But how shall we know 
 the fact? Surely every man's own conscience 
 should be able to inform him of it. Have we, or 
 have we not, as a plain matter of fact, placed 
 
 
41 
 
 )n of ChriBl 
 
 our tf St in Christ crucified for the pardon of 
 our sins? But if the answer should not at once 
 be piven, there is still a decisive criterion. Faith 
 in Christ is an active principle; it must shew 
 itself hy the feelings which it excites, and the 
 lifo which it produces. Does then our faith 
 " sanctify to the purifyinj?" of the soul? Has it 
 *' purged our conscience from dead works," and 
 constrained as well as enabled us to '• serve the 
 living God?" If any would pass for believers 
 in whom such effects are not observable, O let 
 them remember who it was that said «* Ifltvash 
 thee not, thou hast no part in me /" 
 
JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 ROMANS, V. 1. 
 
 Being iuat\fied by faith, we have peace tvilh God through our 
 Lord JeiUM Christ. i 
 
 *^ Peace with God*' is the first and highest 
 desire of an awakened and reflecting character. 
 Until he enjoys this blessing he canfind no rest; 
 because as long as the conscience regards the 
 Almighty for an enemy, it must be agitated by 
 dreadful apprehensions. But if only satisfied 
 that God is his friend, he experiences a delightful 
 serenity and happiness; being assured that, 
 whatever may befal him, the Most High can 
 make «« all things work together for (his) good.'^ 
 
 This inestimable blessing is communicated by 
 the Gospel, and enjoyed by all those who truly 
 receive it. It is the high privilege of the Minis- 
 ters of Christ to inform their fellow servants how 
 to obtain so great a benefit. And wherever 
 men are prepared for the Gospel which they 
 preach, it becomes (if rightly preached) " the 
 ministry of Reconciliation,'' — the means of es- 
 tablishing union and friendship between God in 
 heaven and mortals here on earth. 
 
 On the present occasion I suppose myself to 
 address persons who earnestly desire "peace 
 with Go/I." I suppose that, in reflecting on his 
 awful holiness and your own sinfulness of heart 
 and life, you have felt a miserable fear of death 
 and eternal judgment, and are anxiously enqtiir- 
 H»g " What must I de to bo savedr And I 
 
44 
 
 will endeavour to sIjow you, as plainly us I am 
 enabled to understand it, the sure way of salva- 
 tion and peace. 
 
 In the language of the Apostle therefore T 
 proclaim to you this Clospel : — " Hein*; justified 
 by faith," you shall ** have peace with (iod, 
 through our Tiord Jesus Christ." Peace is the 
 consequence of justificntiorr, justification is to 
 bo obtained through Christ; and faith is the 
 means by which you may obtain it. If you 
 rightly believe in Christ, you are justified through 
 liim ; and if HO justified you are at peace with Cod. 
 Let me explain distinctly cacii of these things. 
 
 1. A man is justified when he is accounted or 
 ^ro?iou?ice</ just or rigijtcous. Tho expression 
 ist^us used in the Old Testament. In tho 25th 
 chapter of Deuteronomy, verse tho 1st, vve find 
 this precept of the Law of Moses : " If there ho 
 a controversy between men, and they come unto 
 judgment, that the judges may judge them; then 
 they shall jusii/if the righteous and condemn 
 the wicked." In the I7th chapter of Pi'overbs 
 wo have tho admonition : ♦* lie that juslifieth 
 tho wicked, and he that condemneth the just, 
 even they both are an abomination to the Lord." 
 Here, and in many other places, tho word relates 
 to the judgment wiiich man forms or declares 
 concerning man; but elsewhere it is used of 
 Clod's judgment of the soul. Thus Solomon 
 prays at the dedication of the Temple, (1st Kings, 
 yiil. 32.) •* Hear thou in Ileuven, and do; and 
 judge thy servants, condemning the wicked to 
 bring his way upon his head, and justifying tho 
 righteous, to give him according to his righteous- 
 ness." Our blessed Lord speaks in a > like 
 
45 
 
 ilnly US I nm 
 way of sulva- 
 
 3 tliercforc 1 
 feinjjT juHtifi^fl 
 
 with <iiO(l, 
 !*once is fho 
 
 leal ion \a to 
 faith is the 
 
 1 it. If you 
 iifiodlhrotig'h 
 ace with Cod. 
 hoBo things. 
 
 a ceo unied or 
 \Q cxproBsion 
 
 Intho 25th 
 1st, we find 
 
 •• If there ho 
 ey come unto 
 ^eihein; then 
 tnd condemn 
 • of Pi'ovorbs 
 hat jusliHcth 
 leth the JM^t, 
 to the Lord." 
 3 word relates 
 3 or declares 
 t is used of 
 'hus Solomon 
 ie, (1st Kings, 
 , and do; and 
 he wicked to 
 justifying the 
 his r'lghteous- 
 ks in a< lik€ 
 
 inanfior of the jtidgnicnt of the last day ; (Mattli. 
 All. M, J7.) where, shewing that every thing 
 whicii indicates the disposition of" the heart,^^ 
 were it even ''idle ivords^" will he taken into 
 account, ho declares — " For by thy words thou 
 slialt bojusiijiedt and by thy words thou shalt 
 be condemned." 
 
 Thus far justification exactly corresponds with 
 the extent of actual and personal righteousness. 
 It is the law of Cod as well as the laiu of man, 
 that the just should alone he justihed, pronounc- 
 ed and treated as just or good. And hence our 
 Apostle, after takuig a view of the state of man- 
 kind, and appealing to the conscionco both of 
 Jews and C entiles, infers that on the ground of 
 their own merits they could not be jiistijitd; 
 that *' all the world had become guilty before 
 Cod," and therefore '• by tiie deeds of the law 
 shall no flesh be justified in his sight." 
 
 Such is the state, and such the alarming pros- 
 pect, of man m himself. But '* through our 
 Lord Jesus Christ" another justification is pro- 
 vided for us. **JV../y" says the Apostle, "the 
 righteousness of God tvilhout the Law is ma- 
 nifested, being witnessed by the Law and the 
 Prophets." For '• the liaw (of Moses) had a 
 shadow of good things" that were " to come" r/- 
 ter it. It appointed mediators between God and 
 man ; it enjoined offerings and sacrifices for sin ; 
 for sins of ignorance and infirmity it extended 
 forgiveness; and in some of its provisions, such 
 as the paschal lamb and the scape-goat, it held 
 forth a shadowy hope of general and compIet% 
 atonement. The Prophets spoke a plainer lan- 
 guage. To pass over innumerable predictions 
 
 o 
 
i 
 
 46 
 
 of the hlessini^s of (he Gofspel, lidiah very iVis- 
 tinctly (If'scribes in his ,53d cha|)terthe provision 
 •vhich God had resolved to make for the jnsiifi- 
 cation of a sinful world. Speaking of a most 
 extraordinary character whom he calls •' th« 
 Servant" and " the Arm of the Lord" he says, 
 " Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried 
 otir sorrows — yet we did esteem him stricken, 
 smitten of God and afflicted : But he was 
 wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised 
 for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace 
 was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed : 
 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have 
 turned every one to his own way; and the Lord 
 hath laid on him I he iniquity of us all. lie shad 
 see of the travail of his soul (its consequences 
 and effects) and shall be satisfied :-^-by his know- 
 ledge shall my righteous servant justify many, 
 for he shall bear their iniquities." 
 
 The mediation of Christ is evidently hej'e in- 
 tnnded, and the application of it was thus made 
 by St. Paul in his discourse to the Jews of An- 
 tioch, (Acts, XIII.) : " lie it known unfo you, 
 therefore, men and brethren, that through this 
 man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, 
 and by him all that believe are justified from 
 all things; — from which ye could not be justi- 
 fied by the Law of Moses." This indeed is his 
 language, the language of all the Apostles, 
 throughout their ministry. Wherever they went, 
 they preached ** peace by Jesus Christ ;" accord- 
 ing to his commission and injunction that *• Re- 
 pentance and remission of sins should be preach- 
 ed in his name among all nations, beginning at 
 Jerusalem." 
 
47 
 
 Biit in the Episslc to the Romany, our Apoy- 
 tlo iriost lullv qnd explicit Iv declarrs the doctrine 
 oi" lii« Gospel. •* j^Vte righteousness of God^^^ 
 lie ti'lis »s, is that which " is by r?jith of Jestis 
 Cijrist, unto all and upon ail tl»rm that believe.'* 
 For when " the whole world was guilty beforo 
 G(%d;** when "all had sinned, and conje short 
 ofhis^lory," so as to have no hope on the 
 jLjround of their own righteousness; — when m 
 this respect there was •• no difference" (no es- 
 sential difference, whatever there rniglit be in 
 \\\e measure or degree ot^ gu'ih) b(tween Jew 
 and (jrentile, or rnan and man; — then "God, 
 sendinn; his own son in the likeness" of our sinful 
 nature, delivered him up to death as a sacrifice 
 ibr our sins, '• that v»'e might 5e made the right- 
 eousness of God in him," or justified, pardoned 
 and accepted, *' freely by his grace tlirongh tho 
 redemption that is in Christ Jesus." 
 
 Justification, therefore, in the sense of the 
 Gospel, is the imputation or reckoning of right- 
 eousness to sinful men. On God's part this is 
 an act of mercy or grace; Christ and his re- 
 demption are a free gift; and therefore it is called 
 "the Righteousness of God." On the part of 
 Christ it is a purchase; by laying down his pre- 
 cious life, by making his own soul an offering 
 for sin, he has obtamed ouk pardon and accept- 
 ance; and therefore he is called " our Right- 
 eousness." On our part it is nothing; nothing 
 but a blessing received and enjoyed — ibr we are 
 '' justijied freely by the grace of God" — not by 
 any *' work" of which man might ** boast." 
 
 But is there really such a thing as this? Can 
 God, who sees and jtidges all things as thev 
 
48 
 
 li ',.. 
 
 arc, account or pronounce a sinner rigliloous? 
 Through the redemption that is in Christ, and 
 with reference to his righteousness and atone- 
 ment, he can; ho has given us (he fullest assur- 
 ance of it; it is the great doctrine of the Gospel, 
 the peculiar blessnig of the new covenant. 
 AVhen Jesus was himself the preacher, h^' in- 
 vited all — all in their actual state of sin — to 
 *• come" to him, and declared that they should 
 *• find rest for their souls;" that whosoever came 
 he would ''not cast out;" that " whosoever be- 
 lieved" should "not be condemned," but should 
 *' have everlasting life." The Apostles were 
 sent to ** preach the Gospel to every creature;" 
 and they preached (he blessed truth, that every 
 one who believed their message and avovvedhis 
 faith by receiving Baptism in the name of Christ 
 should certainly be saved ; that in that Baptism 
 his sins were washed away; (hat as soon as he 
 believed God accepted him; that in considera- 
 tion of what Christ had done and suffered, he 
 was actually justified, and become a child of 
 grace and of God. 
 
 Nor was the freeness of this Justification con- 
 fined to the men of that first age of the Gospel : 
 it belongs to all who shall ever have believed in 
 Christ. Hence, when St. John in the Revela- 
 tions, (chapter 7th,) '• beheld (the) great mul- 
 titude of all nations and kindreds and tongues 
 standing before the throne clothed in white 
 robes," he is informed that " they" had ** washed 
 their robes and made them white in the blood of 
 the Lamb." For, as the same Apostle states 
 in his General I'.pislle '* Jestis Christ the right- 
 cons is the propitiation for our sins; and not for 
 
49 
 
 r righlcoiis? 
 Christ, Hiid 
 ? Jincl at 0110- 
 fullest assur- 
 fllie Gospel, 
 w covenant, 
 cher, li^' in- 
 3 of sin — to 
 they should 
 (Soever came 
 hosoevcr be- 
 " but should 
 )ostles were 
 y creature;" 
 I, that evQiy 
 i avovvedhis 
 mo of Christ 
 hat Baptism 
 5 soon as he 
 n considera- 
 su tiered, he 
 5 a child of 
 
 fication con- 
 the Gospel : 
 ) believed in 
 the Revela- 
 I great mul- 
 md tongues 
 3d in white 
 ad ** washed 
 the blood of 
 ostlc states 
 .9^ the right- 
 and not for 
 
 ours only, but also for the sins of iho whole 
 world." 
 
 Tiiere is, it must be acknowledged, something 
 very astonishing in this method ol" justification. 
 The mmd is amazed at the contemplation of it, 
 and hardly knows how to admit the gracious 
 truth. One thing however is found bearing a 
 resemblance to it, and to that St. Paul com- 
 pares it; — the foil of all mankind in Adam. 
 IJut these two appointments correspond; they 
 belong to the same syjstem of divinegovernment ; 
 and the recovery is happily as extensive as the 
 loss. *' As by the offence of one (Adam, our 
 common fat htM',) judgment came upon all men 
 to condemnation (and death) ; even so, by the 
 righteousness of one (Jesus Christ, our common 
 Redeemer,) hath the free gift come upon all 
 men unto justification of life." Nay, the bles- 
 sing far exceeds the curse ; foi " the blood of 
 Christ cleanses from all sin" — not merely from 
 that guilt of our first parent which polluted our 
 nature and subjected us all to d<?ath ; but from 
 the accumulated transgressions which we have 
 ourselves committed, and by which wc have de- 
 served a heavier weight of punishment ; •♦ for 
 the judgment was by one to condemnation, bqt 
 thefreegiftis of many ofiences unto justification." 
 Thus we obtain a full view of justification. 
 Let us proceed to consider the nature of that 
 faith by means of which we are justified. 
 
 This might seem indeed to want little expla- 
 nation. To believe in Christ is to believe the 
 Gospel, or give credit to what he and his Apos- 
 tles taught. But there is a vast difference be- 
 tween a general assent, and the deep conviction 
 

 ! ( 
 
 50 
 
 nflrulh wliich rcsiiifs fvom cuvv.lvA nttcniioM nnH 
 rnquiry. lirou;j;lit up in ( 'Iiiisfinu count lies, 
 wo learn the '• Ardclcs oj'onr !5('li<l'" l)y voiv, 
 m\(\ often perhaps ima;rine ourselves hi^lievers 
 hocaus<; wc have n(;vcr eoiisi(ler<Ml (he ipiesfioli 
 '• Arc these things so?" To thi:-? idle, lienrtless 
 :\iu\ unmoaninp; sortof faiih the justification of 
 the soul and peace with (Jod cannot ho attached. 
 Those who hare proceeded no firthor in religion 
 have no notion of stjc!i a jastification as produces 
 peace; they look lorsvard with a mixture of 
 fear and hope to the jadgmont of the last day: 
 and uncertain as to their actual state, enter- 
 tain a vague idea tlu\t thcnihd merits of (Jhriat 
 may he found of some avail. This is that "dead" 
 rdth against whicli 8t. James saw cause to 
 protest even in his own time; a faith which is 
 inelVective, atid. as ho plainly warns his readers, 
 •' caimot save" the soul. 
 
 To believe in Christ, in the only Benae in 
 which faith is worthy of regard, is to be fully 
 persuaded on due consideration that the (liospel 
 is divinely true, to embrace its doctrines, and to 
 look to Christ as the only Saviour. It is to 
 receive all the truths which the Gospel teaches, 
 but especially that peculiar and distinguishing 
 truth, that " Christ died for our sins;" that he is 
 ••the Lamb of God," the sacrifice and atonement 
 for the sins of the world. It is to trust in Christ, 
 being satisfied that he is able to save; and to 
 present ourselves before God, pleading in hum- 
 ble confidence the merit of his precious blood. 
 They who //j MS believe are justified; they seek 
 for pardon and acceptance through the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, and tb«y find it. 
 
 Jl . il 
 
51 
 
 nttcnJioM mid 
 in founlrics, 
 < 1" l)y rot(\ 
 
 VC^ ixilJOVOl'S 
 
 (lio question 
 illo, lio.';rtless 
 ?liticati()ti of 
 
 hi) alUichod. 
 or in rolijrioii 
 \ as produces 
 I mixture ol" 
 the last day: 
 state, ontor- 
 M'its ofCJIiriat 
 ;lliat. "dead" 
 !iw cause to 
 "ailli which is 
 s his readers, 
 
 miy Bcnao iri 
 s to be fuUv 
 It tlie Cilospol 
 trines, and to 
 ir. It is to 
 Kspel teaches, 
 istin^i^uishin^ 
 s;" that hois 
 ad atonement 
 ust in Christ, 
 ;ave; and to 
 iding in hum- 
 cious hlood. 
 J ; they seek 
 :h the Lord 
 
 Many persons are oilended at the doctrine of 
 "justification by Caith," ima^^fining it calculated 
 to encoinage a vain confidence, and to open the 
 door to a careless life, ilut in truth no doctrint» 
 could bo more worthy of (hvine wisdom, or bet- 
 ter adapted to the condition of maidiind. It 
 cannot, when properly tauji,dit and received, be 
 productive of any bad elfect, on two accounts : 
 first, because faith in Christ, such as I have des- 
 cribed, must always be accompanied by true 
 repentance; and secondly, because it implies 
 obedience, the submission of tiie heart to God's 
 will in Christ, and the sincere discharge ol every 
 duty. 
 
 Faith, I say, must always be accompanied by 
 
 trtie repentance. For in i)elieving Christ to be 
 
 the Saviour of the world, we believe the whole 
 
 world to have been involved in sin, and needing 
 
 deliverance; and in looking to him for our own 
 
 salvation, we see and acknowledge the sins wbicb 
 
 have made that salvation necessary to ws,— which 
 
 have exposed us to the conoemnation of God. 
 
 Wo consequently feel sorrow for sin, hatred of 
 
 its malignity, and an earnest desire to bo rescued 
 
 from its evil power. With such feelings the 
 
 sinner comes to Christ, but becomes to "sin 
 
 no more." ' 
 
 True faith also implies obedience, or the 
 practice of Christian virtue. If indeed Christ 
 were merely a deliverer from punishment—if 
 the Gospel simply offered pardon and eternal 
 life to believers, there might be room for ap- 
 prehension; although even in that case faith 
 would tend to produce a good life; it would be 
 likely to " work by love," or gratitude to so 
 
52 
 
 gracibns fi benefactor; and l>y hope* tho lidpo 
 of a heavenly inheritance for which the pure and 
 lioly alone couhl expect to bo lit. But tbis»is a 
 partial view. Christ appears in tho Gospei 09 a 
 complete Redeemer. He not only came I0 
 •• jrive his life a ransom;" but ho is the tenchen 
 of perfect virtue, and the on joiner olUhewholo 
 duty of man : he holds lorth every motive to the 
 practice of universal goodneay, and moiJt «c>» 
 lemnly declares that they only who keep hi » 
 commandments shall be fmally admitted into liis 
 heavenly kingdom. Now every person who Hift- 
 cerely believes in Christ will and must attend 
 to these instructions and declarations; and, 
 while he embraces with humble confidence the 
 salvation, the free and immediate salvation, 
 which the Gospel otfers him ;— -while ho actually 
 enters into a *• state of salvation," and is at 
 peace with God through the atonin<^ death of 
 the Redeemer; he feels himself bound by the 
 strongest obligations— the authority of his 
 Master, the will and command of his Lord, the 
 ]f)romises and threatenings of his Judge--io lead 
 '* a godly and a Christian life." • » if n-^ 
 ' The doctrine of justification by faith, even by 
 faith only, is therefore safe; as it is unquestiona- 
 bly the doctrine of the Gospel itself. But this 
 dcictrine is also *• Worthy of all acceptation," 
 because it contains a singular excellence;— it 
 produces an effect much to be desired, which 
 would hardly attend any other view of the di- 
 vine government, any other kind of covenant or 
 scheme df salvation. It is "justification by 
 fnith" al6ne which communicates ** peace" to 
 the soul. 
 
63 
 
 The nature and value of this blessing re- 
 main now to bo considered. 
 
 Foace, where there has been previous war^ 
 requires a reconciliation. " Christ," as the 
 Apostle elsewhere says, "is our peace;" having 
 become the mediator between God and man, re- 
 conciled divine justice to sinners by the atone- 
 ment of his own blood, and thus opened the 
 way for our restoration to favor and friendship 
 with God. When we believe in that reconciliar 
 tion, we enjoy "peace with God ;" we regard the 
 Most High as our friend; we love him, feel a 
 happy confidence in him, and delight in the 
 thought of pleasing him; we rejoice in his love, 
 and in the hope of admission to his heavenly 
 mansions, his eternal bliss and glory. 
 
 Such a "peace wiih God" is of the highest 
 value. It is at the same time ths sweetest hap- 
 piness which the soul can enjoy, and the best 
 encouragement to afaithful perseverance in duty. 
 It gives us that repose without which we are in- 
 capable of any regular endeavours after holiness, 
 and assures us that our labour shall not be in 
 vain. It imparts moral strength and vigour 
 to the soul; for "if God be for us, who shall 
 be agamst us?" If he be our friend and ally, 
 what other power can prevail to our disadvan- 
 tage? What is there which, in reliance on his 
 Almighty support, we may not fearlessly un- 
 dertake and accomplish? 
 
 We are not left however to the merp natural 
 effect of a belief in our justification. To those 
 who are justified God himself communicates 
 peace. The Spirit of truth and holiness is their 
 "comforter." and in this capacity it is lus especial 
 
 H 
 
!l 
 
 ! I ' 
 
 ''^m. 
 
 54 
 
 office to impart that " peace which surpasseth 
 all understanding.*' To this high privilege the 
 AftiBile refers when he says, ** the love of 
 God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy 
 Ghost;" and ** much more, being justified by the 
 blood of Christ, we shall be saved by his life.*\ 
 By the help of this Spirit the believer continues 
 in ]a state of Justification and peace. He is sup- 
 ported in his conflicts with sin, the world and 
 the great adversary. Ho is enabled to ** hold 
 fast the profession of his faith," and to ** hope 
 to the end." He struggles to overcome the in- 
 firmities of his nature, daily seeks and obtams 
 forgiveness for unavoidable failings, and endea- 
 vours to "purify himself even as Christ is pure." 
 !» short, ** being made free from sin (as a ruling 
 power,) and become a servant to God he has 
 (as the Apostle expresses it) his fruit unto holi- 
 ttess, and the end everlasting life.'* 
 
 Such is the state, such are the inestimable 
 blessings, to which we are called by the Gospel. 
 But have we obeyed the call? Have v/eactu- 
 ally entered into this state? Are these blessings 
 in personal consciousness and enjoyment ours? 
 
 They were known and enjoyed by those who 
 first believed in Christ, as the pages of the New 
 Testament and the voice of history abundantly 
 testify. They were clearly understood by our 
 Venerable Reformers, and are fully attested by 
 the Liturgy and Doctrines of our Church. 
 Through the "mercy of the Lord" extending 
 *• from generation to generation,'' and ** his 
 righteousness unto children's children/' they 
 have come down as an inheritance to ourselves. 
 
 But an inhentanqe may not be asserted. 
 
 « 
 
96 
 
 Ignorant of its value, or engrossed by other pur« 
 suits, the heir may suffer it to remain unclaimed 
 and unoccupied. In our infancy we, being ihe^ 
 children of those who professed the faith, were 
 acknowledged as *' children of tho (New) Cove-. 
 nant,"and received by the Church as " membei;8 
 of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the 
 kingdom of heaven." But we may have disre-. 
 garded our title, and left it to lie dormant. We 
 may never have presented ourselves before God 
 as believers in Christ, and so may never have 
 obtained, the blessings of justification and peace. 
 Many, alas, who are born in Christian lands, 
 thus pass their days; year after year elapses 
 without their discovering any vital regard for 
 the Saviour; and when the time of their depar- 
 ture comes, they have still to seek — if it may be 
 allowed them then to obtain — " peace with God 
 through the redemption of Christ." 
 
 Their state is fearful. But " noiv is the accept- 
 ed time, now is the day of salvation." Although 
 we ought from our childhood to have grown up 
 in the faith of the Gospel and the enjoyment of 
 its privileges, it is not yet too late to be saved. 
 These blessings are offered, freely offered, to us 
 all. We have only to believe with that true 
 faith which leads us to forsake sin and devote 
 ourselves to the service of Christ, and we shall 
 surely be "justified" and "have peace with God." 
 . Some are probably anxious to learn what 
 precise steps they should take, what specific acts 
 perform, to enter into possession of their Chris- 
 tian privileges. 
 
 A determinate act was appointed by Christ, 
 and in the primitive Church was performed 
 
I !!l:il 
 
 -j Mi 
 
 
 amidst such circumstances ns in most instances 
 actually rendered it, an evidence of justifying 
 faith. This was Baptism, a public and solemn 
 washing with water " in the name of the Father, 
 Son and Holy Ghost;" by which the convert 
 declared to the world that he renounced all the 
 defilements of his former state, and cntored into 
 the new and holy society of the Christian Church. 
 The circumstances, which almost always prcved 
 the sincerity of the first converts, were the diffi- 
 culties, sufferings and dangers to which they 
 exposed themselves by their profession. No 
 sooner had a person been baptized in those days, 
 than he found himself an object of general hatred 
 and persecution; and lew were likely to encoun- 
 ter the trial, unless inwardly persuaded that *' in 
 Christ they should have peace." 
 
 In the present day the case is different. Nei- 
 ther Baptism, nor any other mode of acknow- 
 ledging a belief in the Gospel, exposes men to 
 very painful consequences. Such an acknow- 
 ledgment is rather necessary, in Christian coun- 
 tries at least, to our worldly comfort. Although 
 therefore it is undoubtedly right and obligatory 
 to maintain and observe the ordinances of Christ, 
 we cannot justly pJace confidence in these as 
 evidences of the vitality of ourfaith and the safety 
 of our £;piritiial condition. 
 
 What we have now to do, if we would enjoy 
 pardon and peace, is rather private than public. 
 It is akin to that worship which Christ enjoined : 
 ** Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, 
 and shut the door." The soul must draw nigh 
 to God, pleading the precious name and blood 
 of the Redeemer, earnestly imploring forgiveness 
 
57 
 
 nnd accepiance, and giving itself up to God in 
 Christ. Such an "entrance within the veil** 
 will bo manifested by a new disposition and cha- 
 racter, a holy /iml religious life; every sin will 
 be forsaken, every duly zealously discharged. 
 If not previously baptized, Jhe believer will 
 submit to that Christian rite, as the appointed 
 entrance into the outward and visible Church; 
 if already a professed and acknowledged member, 
 ho will diligontly attend the assemblies of the 
 Church, avail himself ofthe several offices of the 
 minis /v, and become a partaker of the Lord'a 
 supper, the sign and seal of rommunion with 
 Christ. 
 
 Let this course be taken in sincerity and ear- 
 nestness, and the Messings ofthe Covenant will 
 assuredly be our own. For Christ is the same 
 as in the days of old; and the Gospel is the 
 dispensation ofthe grace of God, to continue un- 
 changed until Christ shall come again. 
 
 K' «:iV 
 
•Hi 
 
 'MW 
 
 >»«'r 
 
 n^^y 
 
 IP 
 
HOLY COMPORT. 
 
 ACTS IX. ai. 
 
 IVulking in the fear of the Lord, and in the eom/ert of the Holu 
 
 Ghoit. * 
 
 This description belongs to the Christions of 
 the land of Israel a few years after the resurrec- 
 tion of Christ and descent of the Holy Spirit. 
 At the conclusion of the first persecution, when 
 Saul the leading persecutor had been converted 
 into a zealous propagator of the Gospel, and the 
 Jews were otherwise occupied, — " then had the 
 Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee 
 and Samaria" — the three principal divisions of 
 
 the land at that period, " and were edified" 
 
 confirmed and established in Christian truth; 
 *'and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the 
 
 comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied" 
 
 new converts being continually added to their 
 members, and new congregations formed. 
 
 The same description ought to have belonged 
 to all the Churches in the world since the days 
 of persecution have passed. Enjoying " rest" 
 from outward enemies, we ought to be ** built 
 up in our most holy faith," and exhibit such an 
 union of virtue and happiness as might attract 
 continual accessions to our communion. In 
 many instances it has been far otherwise; our 
 religion has declined, rather than flourished, in 
 the sunshine of worldly prosperity. The exam- 
 ple however of the primitive Churches remains 
 for our imitation. Let us set that example 
 
H 
 
 60 
 
 continually before us, and endeavour to attain a 
 just resemblance to it. 
 
 The sacred historian describes in a very few 
 words the course of life which those Christians 
 pursued, and the blessedness with >vhich they 
 were favoured. They "walked" or lived ''in 
 the fear of God, and in the comfort of the Holy 
 Ghost." If we consider the two parts of this 
 descriptioh, we shall perceive a close connexion 
 between them; and inferences will follow, both 
 of practical importance, and of the most consola- 
 tory nature. 
 
 *• The fear of the Lord" is a scriptural phrase 
 for true religion. It expresses that solemn re- 
 verence for tho Almighty which pervades the 
 pious mind. Such a feeling must be produced 
 in every person who seriously thinks of God, and 
 must remam as long'as the Most High is actu- 
 ally present to his thoughts. For how can any 
 one reflect on the nature of the Supreme Being 
 without the deepest awe? He made us and all 
 the world, and on him we entirely depend for 
 life and breath and all things. Should he for a 
 moment withdraw his supporting hand, we fall 
 into the dust from which he raised us; should 
 our provocations call forth his anger, the ground 
 might cleave asunder under our feet, or the 
 lightning's flash instantaneously burn us up. 
 Jf life be preserved, how easily can he make it 
 Worse than death itself; — afflicting our bodies 
 with excruciating pains, or our minds with yet 
 more intolerable agonies f Nor is there hope of 
 escape; for he is eternal, and can (if he think 
 fit) expose us to everlasting punishment : he ia 
 *' able to destroy both body and soul in hell." 
 
61 
 
 ' to attain a 
 
 And this Aliniglity and Eternal God is one 
 whom we have reason to fear. For full of bounty 
 and goodness as he certainly is, he is neither 
 indifferent to our conduct, nor incapable of in- 
 flicting even the severest punishments on his 
 creatures. A holy and just ruler of the world, 
 he maintains his government by punishing the 
 guilty as well as rewarding the good. We are 
 all suffering more or less in the present state, 
 because we are all involved in sin; — our nature 
 being so corrupted that *' there is not a just man 
 upon earth that docth good and sinneth riot." 
 But we have more, much more, to apprehend in 
 a future state; because here the sins which we 
 cpmmit as individuals do not seem .n general 
 (certainly not in very many instances) to be 
 brought to account; and we are assured that 
 '" God will bring every work into judgment, with 
 every secret thing, whether it be good or whe- 
 ther , it be evil." 
 
 i] 'liut God has given us a law. The substance 
 of it is written in the hearts of all men; and 
 therefore every man on earth, being condemned 
 "by his OY^n conscience, must tremble, if he ever 
 imperiously thinks, at the thought of God's dis- 
 !pleasin-e. In our Holy Scriptures this law is 
 plainly written and fully unfolded : we are ex- 
 pressly told what is God's will, and " what sort 
 of persons we ought to be in all holy conversa- 
 tion and godliness." And when we judge our- 
 selves by God's commandments, we discover 
 alarming defects and transgressions; we find 
 that in very many instances we have done amiss 
 and dealt wickedly; and when the ouiward ac- 
 tion may not have been grossly offensive, we feel 
 
 I 
 
62 
 
 an oppressive weight wilhin — " anotlier Ijiw in 
 our members, \varrin«^ cj<];ainst tl»o law of our 
 mind (and conscience,) and bringing us into 
 captivity to the |avv of sin." Tho inevitable el- 
 fect is fear — fear of future and ct<5rnal wrath. 
 We know tliat God cannot approve and justilV 
 such characters as we feel ourselves to be, and 
 we consequently look forward vviih dreadful ap- 
 prehension to our appearance before his judgment 
 seat. 
 
 Relief indeed is found in the mercies cf God. 
 All men are supported by some hope of forgive- 
 ness, but the Gospel of Christ aflbrds ground 
 for sure and steatly confide, ice. ** There is now 
 no condemnation to them that are in Christ Je- 
 sus." Through the ever-blessed Redeemer it 
 has pleased God to assure us of salvation, if wc 
 believe in him and keep his commandments. 
 And those " commandments are not grievous;" 
 although they contain the whole duty of man, 
 although they are the same with the law of our 
 nature and the eternal law of God, still they do 
 
 not oppress the believing soul, because help 
 
 divine help — is provided. •' The law of the Spirit 
 of life makes him free from the law of sin and of 
 death." Thus, if wc arc Christians indeed, wo 
 are delivered from tormenting fears ; but there is 
 a «* fear of the Lord" which still remains. It is 
 that to which the Apostle refers in the exhorta- 
 tion — " Work out your ow.n salvation with fear 
 and trembling— /or it is God ivhich worketh in 
 yon." The very consideration of God's un- 
 bounded goodness fills the sou! with the most 
 awful reverence. The Christian reflects upon 
 himself as *' God's workmanship, created in 
 
63 
 
 Clirist nnlo p;oou works." He (iTml)lns niicn 
 ho thinks in trhosc harifls ho is, — for what pur- 
 pose (lod hns takon him in hand, — and wliat is 
 iho work (0 ho dono. llis ioar is, not so much 
 lest he shouM ho condeinnod for his trangres- 
 sions — for the (Jospol assures him that he hns 
 passed from death to life, and is actually ad- 
 mitted toastatcoffavotirand acceptance; — hut, 
 lest he should " receive the grace of (Jod in 
 vain," — lest he should withstand and counteract 
 the purpose of divine mercy, — lest he should 
 (after all) " come short of the glory of God." 
 
 Such a fear is highly salutary. It tends to 
 the host effects; it makes us watchful, active, 
 humhle and devout. It is a fdial and a lioly 
 fear; exciting us to act as it hecomes the chil- 
 dren of God, and to follow that *' holiness — 
 without which no man can see the Lord." It 
 *♦ keeps us in the love of God," and maintains 
 and invigorates our fiiith and hope. In con- 
 jimction with those motives it produces a Chris- 
 tian life — leading us to "bestedfast,immoveahIc, 
 always abounding in the work of the Lord." It 
 is the principle which immediately directs our 
 attention to practical godliness, and therefore 
 rightly stands, in the New Testament as well as 
 the Old, for vital religion in general. 
 
 In this "fear of the Lord" the primitive Church- 
 es •* walked ;" and, as a fit and natural accompa- 
 niment, they enjoyed ** the comfort of the Holy 
 Ghost." 
 
 "The comfort of the Holy Ghost" comprises 
 all the happiness which Christianity communi- 
 cates to the human soul. The Gospel is very ge- 
 nerally foretold by the Prophets as a consolatory 
 
Gi 
 
 dispensation, nntl tiio most pnciiliar nanir by 
 which the Jews rroni of oM have distiiiguisliod 
 the Messiah, is " the Comforter." Tiie «' just 
 and devout" at the time of our Saviour's hiVth 
 were •« waiting f6r the consolation of Israel."' 
 And great was tiic consohuion which Jesus 
 brought, by his wonderful works of mercy and 
 benevolence, by the meekness and gentleness of 
 his deportment, and by the blessed assurances 
 encouragements and promises of hh doctrine* 
 put to his disciples, afHicted at ihe prospect of 
 losing their guardian and guide, he promises a 
 yet greater blessing to result from his departure 
 to Heaven;—- Ajvotmer Comforter," who 
 should " abide with them for ever," and more 
 than compensate for his bodilv absent e— " even 
 the Spirit of Truth." 
 
 ** The comfort of the Holy Chost" is best -in- 
 derstood—at least may be best explained— bv 
 considering that which the disciples enjoyed 
 while Christ was present with them. For it is 
 of the same nature, with this single exception— 
 that what Jesus did outwardly, that the Spirit 
 does inwardly ; or (more strictly speaking) what 
 Jesus communicated to the soul through the bo- 
 dily senses, that the Spirit leads the soul lo ob- 
 tain by all the means of grace and divine truth, 
 for here we must distinguish between the mi- 
 raculous gifts of the Spirit and his office of 
 comforter. Those gifts wcvd partial— the Apos- 
 ties and some only of the first disciples were 
 endowed with them; but 'Mho comfort of the 
 Holy Ghost" is vnivar sal—it is the privilege oi^ 
 all C'lurches and of cvcrv member. Those ^ifrs 
 wcrt icmporary—they scarcely continued after 
 
05 
 
 the last ofthr! Apostles; but this is perpetual 
 
 it was to •' abide always even to the end of the 
 world." Thooe gifts were imparted for a par- 
 iicular purpose—to complete the external reve- 
 lation of the new Covenant, and establish the 
 Christian Church; but this is the great promise 
 of that Covenant, to bo enjoyed by the Church, 
 and constitute its characteristic blessing, and 
 distinction from the unbelieving world. 
 
 What then was the comfort which the disci- 
 ples enjoyed in the immediate presence of Christ? 
 It was this, that they had God present with 
 them— present in his power, his wisdom, his ho- 
 liness, and his mercy ; and so abundant was the 
 mercy, that i' they were not consumed," but 
 found themselves safe and happy in that awful 
 presence. Christ was their Ahnighiy protector, 
 their \yise instructor, their holy monitor, their 
 merciful shepherd, guardian and guide—in one 
 word their Lord and Saviour. Such then is 
 the Holy Spirit to the souls that enjoy his 
 *♦ comfort." He is God present in their minds r 
 — the power, wisdom, holiness and grace of God 
 abiding with them, to preserve them from evil, 
 instruct them in righteousness, admonish them* 
 of danger, and conduct them to salvation. Ho 
 does not now make any new revelation, because 
 that were unnecessary. Sufficient was long 
 since revealed by Christ and his Apostles; but 
 he " opens the heart to attend" to the *'word" 
 once "spoken by the Lord and confirmed by 
 those who heard him;" he " enlightens the eyes 
 of the understanding, to know the hope" which 
 is set before ;is, the rich and glorious inherit- 
 ance of the saints, the great love wherewith God 
 
()(j 
 
 hns lovfd tlirm, nnd {\w nndiioof llio snlvnfloii 
 wliicii his ^rnrc lias provided; In? inspires Ijiilli, 
 prodiicin;^ H linn bolit^liri tlio precious tnitiiM of 
 tlio Gospel, and ii sledrast trust in (lod's pro- 
 mises tlii'ou(i;Ii Cinist; lio melts the soul in pe- 
 nitence, worms, it with h>ve, jinimates it with 
 hope, nnd prepares it h)r heaven. J5y h)a(Iin{» 
 it to rellect upon itself, to ohserv(? the chanj^o 
 widci) has taken plac<! in its (hsposition and elia- 
 racior, nnd to compare itseil with tlio eonimands 
 nnd promises ortheCiosj)el, he;j[ivesit the hn|)py 
 persuasion that it has really passed IVom d<'ath 
 to lifo : — ho •♦ hears witness witli our spirit, that 
 we arc thu children of («<>d" and the heirs of 
 immortal hiiss. Thus he eomlorts us und( r 
 every trial an f nflliction, ••keeps us from fall- 
 ing," nnd safely conducts us to our (inni honu» 
 — the «' mansions of our l«'alher\s house." 
 
 Some persons doubt whether the inliuence of 
 tlio Holy Spirit is actually experienced ni the 
 present day; they are inclined to think his pecu- 
 liar presence and comfort to have been confined 
 to the first ago of the Cospel. Cut if they would 
 carefully peruse and consider the promises of 
 Christ, and the ianj^uajre of the Apostles on the 
 subject, they would surely fnul themselves com- 
 pelled to adopt a different view. 
 
 Others arc not satisfied without sensible ma- 
 nifestations of the Spirit's presence. They ei- 
 ther persuade themselves that they receive these 
 ill secret voices, or strong impressions, or per- 
 haps in dreams and visions ; or they are distressed 
 with anxious expectations of things of that des- 
 cription. The iloly Spirit may sometimes act 
 upon the soul by such means: for he certjjinlv 
 
rrsljiilli, 
 rut Iks of 
 (l\s pro- 
 I in \)v- 
 it. Willi 
 
 ) c'liimjTci 
 :n<l clia- 
 itiittands! 
 r* Iinppy 
 in (IrjJtIi 
 iri(, ll),-it 
 Ikmis of 
 8 undrr 
 >in lall- 
 i\\ lioni(» 
 
 irnco of 
 
 111 tliO 
 
 is pre II- 
 lonfinrd 
 )' would 
 lisos of 
 « on tho 
 cs coni- 
 
 Ido ma- 
 'hcy c»i- 
 c these 
 or pcr- 
 jfressed 
 lat <los- 
 nes act 
 3rt?5iulv 
 
 07 
 
 van employ any moans wliicli are not ovil in 
 theinselves, or unsuitable to our nature. (jJe- 
 n«>rally however I believe bii^ siiggostions aro 
 not perceptible; that is, are not to bo imrncdi- 
 alely distinguished from tho operations ot our 
 own minds. IJut they are not the leas real; and 
 ahhou^^h j^rcntle, jrnidual, and silently commu- 
 nicated, may still bo <'<;rtainly known by thoir 
 nature, tendency and elleet. The soul is ''sanc- 
 tilied by the truth" or<;od, and in that sanctifi- 
 cation enjoys "the comlbrt of tho Holy fJhosi" 
 — th(5 blessed assurnnceof an union witli Christ, 
 a deliverajice rrom all evil, and a final admissioii 
 to the j,Hory ot'Vod. 
 
 And now \vv see the clos(; and inseparable 
 connexion between 'Mho /ear of (^d and the 
 comiort of the Uoly <>ihost/' They are connect- 
 ed now as they were in the primitive Churches. 
 No man can enjoy the comfort of t fie Holy Ghost 
 unless he lives in the filial fear of* iUul, and every 
 man who so lives is entitled to look for that in- 
 valuable blessing. Tliey are connected, by tho 
 promise and goodness of Cod, if not strictly as 
 cause and ellect, yet certainly in the way of 
 service and reward. " If yo love me," "said 
 Christ. " keep my commandments— and f will 
 pray the Father, and iic shall give you another 
 comforter." •' Repent and be baptized," was 
 Peter's exhortation, **in the name of Jesus 
 Christ for the remission of sins"— in other words, 
 sincerely and avowedly embrace the religion of 
 Christ— "and ye shall receive the f?ift of tho 
 Holy Ghost." " And we," he declared on ano- 
 ther occasion, "are his witnesses"~wifnesses 
 to the exaltation and saving power of Christ 
 
68 
 
 " and so also is the Holy Ghost wliom God hath 
 given to ihem that obey him.*' K('|)entance and 
 iailh indeed, and every act and feehn^ ofrehgion, 
 proceed in some sense Irom a divine inllnence; 
 but " the comfort of the Holy Ghost" — the pe- 
 cuhar blessing and privilege of the faithful — is 
 given to those only who have already believed, 
 and are ** walking in the fear of God." 
 
 Would ive tlien enjoy this inestimable privi- 
 lege? The way to its attainment is plainly set 
 before us. It is to lead a truly religious life. 
 It is to live as if we were always in God's pre- 
 sence. It is to remember him in all things, and 
 id devote ourselves to his service. It is to me- 
 ditate upon his truth, to study his will, to call 
 upon him in earnest prayer, to hold communion 
 with Christ and his Church, to renounce and 
 forsake every sinful and dangerous practice, and 
 to regulate our thoughts and words and actions 
 by the rule of God*s commandments. Let us 
 DO THIS — and "the comfort of the Holy Ghost" 
 will surely be imparted to us. We shall find 
 ourselves supported, strengthened and cheered 
 in our course. We shall enjoy a peace which 
 the world cannot give. We shall '* find rest for 
 our souls." 
 
 But some there are who look for this rest and 
 do not find it. They appear to be " walking in 
 the fear of God" — probably think that they really 
 do so — and yet they know not " the comfort of 
 the Holy Ghost;'' they are depressed and af- 
 flicted, and " go mourning all the day," as if 
 their Lord had " left them comfortless." If 
 they do not deceive others or themselves, if they 
 really are God's faithful and devoted servants, 
 
69 
 
 i\\Q destitution is not real. Tliey liavo the Holy 
 Spirit for their guardian and guide; althougli, 
 ior some reason, which man perhaps cannot dis- 
 cover, they are not at present enabled to rejoice 
 m his comfort. They are - kept by the power 
 01 God through faith unto salvation— though 
 now for a season they may be in heaviness." 
 Let them persevere and •' hope to the end :"— 
 the clouds may be dispelled, and the light of the 
 Lord shme upon them; and should it not be so. 
 It js impossible that they should finally «« lose 
 their reward." 
 
 It behoves us however carefully to examine 
 ourselves. Are we rei^lly '* walking m the fear 
 of the Lord?" Are we his true and faithful 
 servants? Do we set him continually before us, 
 and live as if he were present with our souls? Do 
 we worship him in spirit and in truth? Do we 
 pay serious attention to his holy word, endea- 
 vouring to become v.ell acquainted with his will 
 and the way of salvation? Do we frequent the 
 assemblies of his people? Do we partake of 
 the ordmances of his Church— especially of that 
 blessed sacrament which is the appointed sign and 
 seal of spiritual communion with Christ? Do 
 we resist every temptation and inclination to evil, 
 and bring all we do to the test of Christian duty ?* 
 If we fail in any of these respects, we ought not 
 to wonder at our want of comfort. We deprive 
 ourselves of it— we grieve the Holy Spirit, and 
 must expect to find grief and distress in our- 
 selves. And this, I believe, is the principal, if 
 not the only, reason why so little of spiritual 
 comfort appears to be enjoyed in the present 
 state of our Churches. Our religion is partial 
 
70 
 
 ' and defective. We liave occasionally a fear of 
 Cfod, but we are not constantly " walking in tliat 
 fear." " He" then " that hath an ear, let him 
 hear what the S : . since "said unto tho 
 
 churches— T« 'n.u * overcoincth will I givo 
 to eat of thn tiidden manna : — \s man as 1 
 lovo, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous there- 
 fore and repent. Behold I stand at the door 
 and knock : if any man hear r^jy 7(Mce and open 
 the door, I will come in to him and will sup 
 with him, and ho with me." 
 
ELECTION. 
 
 1 'i'iii:ss. I. 4. 
 
 Knowing, brethren beloved, ytur election of GtM. 
 
 The doctrine of Divine Electioo has been' 
 llie subject of so much contention among Chris- 
 tians, that a considerate person feels himself 
 bound to speak of it with the greatest caution. 
 Since how ver Christ and his Apostles saw 
 reason to teach this doctrine, and since all who 
 read or hear the Holy Scriptures will of course 
 form some opinion concerning it, it evidently be- 
 comes the duty of a Christian Minister to en- 
 deavour to lead his congregation to a right opi- 
 nion : to guard them at least against error* 
 which may appear of dangerous consequence ; 
 and establish them securely in the great prin- 
 ciples of the *' faith oncedelivered to the saints." 
 Actuated by such considerations, I now un- 
 dertake to explain to you, as far as I am enabled 
 to discern the truth, what the Gospel really 
 teaches respecting our ♦'election of God.'* And 
 this I shall attempt to do, not by authoritatively 
 pronouncing that this or that is to be believed ; 
 still less by general reasoning independent of 
 express testimony; but by simply and candidly 
 " searching he Scriptures," and appealing to 
 your own judgment in the interpretation of them. 
 You are probably all aware that the doc- 
 trine of our " election in Christ" is generally 
 deduced from certain passngos in the Apostoli- 
 cal Epistles. Poll),. Peter, Barnes and John all 
 
12 
 
 5:pcak ol hi'licvrr.s in Christ as tlinsr wlmm (uxl 
 had elected or eliostn out of (ho world. And 
 niany pcrKons seem to lake such e.\[»ressions, as 
 if their sonsc was to bo <ioteiinJned hy the par^ 
 ticular passages in whieli they occur. It strikoM- 
 mo however at once, on referring to those pas. 
 sages, that they contain a language with wiiich 
 the persons addressed were previously (*amiliar. 
 The Apostles do not bfirin to teach (heir Chris- 
 tian brethren thatthry were the " elect of God," 
 but they address them as those who already 
 know themselves by that peculiar designation. 
 In the 1st Epistle to the Thessaloniansr which 
 IS probably the fust of all which St. Paul wrote 
 to Christian Churches, he docs not under- 
 take to instruct them in the nature of Election, 
 but (as if the word readily and naturally occur- 
 red) remarks that ho **knew their election of 
 <jtod." Jn the same maimer St. Peter address- 
 es his first Epistle to the " elect strangers" 
 throughout various countries. And St.'' John 
 writes to a pious individual as an "elect lady," 
 and communicates the greeting of her " elect 
 sister." 
 
 It might be suggested indeed that the Apostles 
 had previously taught the doctrine of Election 
 in their discourses to the persons whom they 
 thus addressed. And this might certainly have 
 been the fact (in some cases most probably was) 
 although such instruction has not been recorded 
 by St. Luke in the Acts ol the Apostles. 
 
 It happens however that the idea is mudi 
 more ancient. - The elect" are mentioned in 
 the Gospels; and that in such a manner, as to 
 shew that the term was in previous use. Our 
 
73 
 
 nm <u)(I 
 !. And 
 ions, ;\H 
 1 10 par- 
 striko5r 
 sc pns. 
 
 I wliicli 
 uniliar. 
 
 Cliris- 
 r«od," 
 
 I I ready 
 nation. 
 
 winch 
 1 wrote 
 undcr- 
 oction, 
 occur- 
 tion of 
 Idrcss- 
 gers" 
 
 • John 
 lady," 
 
 * elect 
 
 jostles 
 ection 
 they 
 ' have 
 ' was) 
 orded 
 
 much 
 
 ed in 
 
 as to 
 
 Our 
 
 nicKscd Saviour faniiliarly employed it on se- 
 veral occasionK. •« Shall not O'od," he asks 
 (liuke Wllf. 7,) " avenge his own elect, which 
 cry tUiy and night unto him?" He /bretcls the 
 coming of impostors, who should "seduce, if it 
 were possible, even the elect." (Mark X Hi. 22.) 
 Speaking of the afllictions which were ahoutTo 
 hefal the Jews, ho say.s, "Except those days 
 shouM he shortened, there should no flesh bo 
 saved; hut for the elect's sake (St. Mark adds 
 '• whom he hath chosen,") he hath shortened the 
 days." And describing the consequences of 
 that tribulation, he says, " the Son of man shall 
 Kcnd his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, 
 and they shall gather together his elect from tho 
 four winds." Now, although I will not say that 
 the meaning of the word might not he inferred 
 from other discourses of our Saviour, it appears 
 to mc perfectly plain that he adopted it when 
 already in use. J f therefore we find tho Jewish 
 sense of the term '« elect"— that I mean in which 
 the Jews of our Saviour's time would have been 
 likely to use it;— then I conceive we have its 
 true meaning, as used by Christ in his discourse 
 to Jewish disciples. 
 
 Now the Jews were very likely to have this 
 term in use, because it is frequently used in the 
 sacred writings of the Old Testament. r' 
 
 We find it there applied to the whole nation 
 of Israel. Moses, (Deut. VII. 6.) David 
 (Psalms CV. &, CVI.) and the Prophets in 
 many places speak of the nation as •* chosen" 
 (or elect,) "chosen of the Lord," "chosen to 
 be a special and a holy people to himself." 
 We find it applied also to particuUr persons 
 
74 
 or families in Israel whom ,t pleased (JoH (o 
 Aaron are spoken of as " chosen"-tho one to 
 
 fhr ^hi •^'' "ih^"' "■■" described as "chosen" 
 in .h» fi r'"^ "^^^^ sanctuary. Thus ■' Saul." 
 in the first instance, was "the man whom the 
 
 haul had been rejected for disobedience. " he 
 refused" says the Psalmist (LXXVIII C 7 Art 
 
 tribe ot tphraim, (for the ruling portion of the 
 nation ;) but chose the tribe of Judah, the mount 
 Z,on which he loved : he chose Dav d aho C 
 servant-to feed Jacob his people and Israel h s 
 inheritance." Of this choice the Lord is repre- 
 sented as speakingin another Psalm (LXXXIX. 
 ti^ ' T u ''^"^ "^•'^ ^ covenant with my 
 chosen, I have sworn unto David mv servant 
 
 the Prnnhi" *" S«"«'-'"'ons." In the same sens'e 
 mfse 7o^=r'r' V*"* '^""^'•"«"' "f'his pro- 
 
 XLII 1 &. ^Tn\^?i'*'" "^ ^°'^ ■■ ^Isaiah 
 
 L . ; • . "-^ Behold my servant whom r 
 
 nphold, mine elect in whom iJiy souldeirghte^h ^ 
 
 I have put my Spirit „po„ him; he shafi br L 
 
 forth judgment unto the Gentiles." ^ 
 
 There is yet a third sense in which we find 
 
 the term employed in the Old Testament it 
 
 occurs in the prophetic description given by 
 
 Isaiah m his two last Chapters, of the rejection 
 
 adoption by God of another people, composnd 
 of a. chosen part of the Jews, toge her w h n 
 multitude collected from among^he Gen.lL 
 
God lo 
 
 >ses and 
 
 one to 
 
 priest. 
 
 jhosen" 
 
 *Saul." 
 
 om the 
 
 id after 
 
 e, «*he 
 
 7,ifec.) 
 
 lot the 
 
 of the 
 
 mount 
 
 Jso his 
 
 ael his 
 
 repre- 
 
 :xix. 
 
 tb my 
 Jrvant, 
 lild up 
 5 sense 
 is pro- 
 Isaiah 
 lom I 
 iteth ! 
 bring 
 
 ! find 
 L It 
 n by 
 JCtion 
 id the 
 ^osed 
 ith a 
 tiles. 
 
 75 
 
 " Thus saith the Lord, As thenew wine is found 
 in the cluster, and one saith, ' l/estroy it not 
 for a blessing is in it,' so will I do for my serl 
 vant's sake, that J may not destroy them all • 
 and I will bring' forth a seed out of Jacob, and 
 out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains; and 
 mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants sh^W 
 dwell there; and Sharon shall be a fold of flocks 
 and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to 
 he down in, /or my people that have sought me, 
 15ut ye (the rest of Israel) are they that forsake 
 the Lord— therefore will 1 number you to the 
 sword, and ye shall all bow down to theslau<yh- 
 ter; because when I called ye did not an- 
 swer, ^c— and ye shall leave your name for a 
 curse unto mi/ c/toscn; for the Lord God shall 
 slay thee, and shall call his servants by another 
 name :— for behold I create new heavens and a 
 new earth, &c.,~-.and mine elect shall lone en- 
 joy the work of their hands :— they are the seed 
 of the blessed of the Lord and their offsprinir 
 with them :— It shall come that I ivill gather all 
 nations and tongues, and they shall come and 
 see my glory ; And I will set a sign among 
 them; and I will send those that escape of them 
 unto the nations—to Tarshish, Pul and Lud 
 that draw the bow—to Tubal and Javan— to 
 the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame 
 neither have seen my glory, and they shall del 
 Clare my glory among the Gentiles; and they 
 shall bring all your brethren fm^ an offering 
 unto the Lord out of all nations -.-^and I ivill 
 also take of them for Priests and for Levites, 
 saith the Lord." 
 
 It is, I conceive, to this last usage of "Elect' 
 
 ii» 
 
76 
 
 ai.d its kindred terms,that Christ in thefirst place, 
 and after him the Apostles, allude when thoy 
 apply those terms to the members of the Chris- 
 tian Ch-irch. The Jews found their fathers, 
 and from them their whole nation, represented 
 as the chosen of God—hm peculiar people on the 
 earth;— they found individuals and ftimilies se- 
 lected from among themselves to fill especial 
 offices, and one individual foretold, to arise from 
 the family of their chosen Kings, who shoald be 
 in a preeminent degree that chosen one in ivhom 
 Jehovah would delight ;-^nnd they found an elect 
 people equally foretold. ' Those who should fear 
 the word of the Lord, and obey the voice of this 
 his chosen servant, selected out of Israel in the 
 first place, and then associating to themselves a 
 vast number of congenial characters out of all 
 nations, to whom the peculiar privileges of Israel 
 witli all the blessings promised by the Prophets 
 should eventually be transferred. When there- 
 fore they heard Jesus soeak of the elect whom 
 God would regard, who would not be deceived 
 by the false Christs and Prophets, nor perish in 
 the destruction of Jerusalem, would they not at 
 once undv-^rstand him to mean his faithful disci- 
 ples among the Jewish people? When they 
 heard him speak oHiis elect to be gathered from 
 the four winds, would they not— at least ought 
 they not— to have understood him to signify those 
 who w ould hear God*s word and receive the 
 Gospel among the various nations of the world? 
 And when the Apostles, after Jews and Gentiles 
 were united in one Church, addressed them al- 
 together as *' the elect of God," would they not 
 be naturally understood to refer to the prophecies 
 
11 
 
 wliicli predicted such an union, and the forma- 
 tion of such a "chosen generation, a rcwal 
 priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people?" 
 
 It may however be observed, and the obser- 
 vation is just, that Christ and the Apostles ex- 
 tend the idea of election much farther than this. 
 Theycertainly in some passages refer to the choice 
 which God had made " from before the founda- 
 tion of the world ;" and they speak of those who 
 are its objects as ** chosen to salva'ion," and 
 " predestinated to eternal life and glory.'* They 
 lead us in fact to contemplate the grand scheme 
 of Divine Proviuonce, which originating in the 
 eternal love and vvitdom of God, will have its 
 consummation in the sternal world. Such a plan 
 there unquestionably must be, and the almighty 
 power and perfect knowledge of God will even- 
 tually conduct it to completion. 
 
 But how is the reference made to this divine 
 and eternal system? Does our Blessed Lord, 
 or does any of his inspired Apostles, speak of it 
 as an absolute election of certain individuals, 
 involving what has sometimes been called irre- 
 sistible grace, and excluding all fear of their 
 "falling away?" They give sufficient assurance, 
 undo^blediy, to those who belong to the actual 
 elect of God. " My sheep," says Christ, " hear 
 my Voice; and I know them, and they follow 
 me; and I give unto them eternal life, and they 
 shall n6ver perish." '/ Whom he called," says 
 St. Paul, " them ho also justified; and whom 
 he justified, them he also glorified." Thus are 
 Christians encouraged, when likely to be dis- 
 heartened by the afflictions of the world, or to 
 feel thertiselves lost amidst surrounding impiety : 
 
 h 
 
78 
 
 from nil such causes of fenr and distress they ara 
 led to take refuge in God, who '• knoweth them 
 that are his;" they arc assured that '♦ all things" 
 will be made to " work together for their good." 
 But who are thus encouraged and assured? 
 Whom does the New Testament recognise as 
 Go(Vs elect ? Our Blessed Lord most plainly 
 and satisfactorily extends this recognition to all 
 who should " believe in his name" and •' keep 
 bis word ;" and the Apostles therefore add. essed 
 all Christians, all those who professed the fuuh 
 of Christ and were found within his Church, by 
 the same appellation. Nor do they employ the 
 name as a mere title : they speak, with manifest 
 sincerity and earnestness, of the real election of 
 every member of the Church. Thus in one 
 place St. Paul tells the Thessalonian converts 
 that he "knew their election?" And how did 
 he know it? Because, when he had himself 
 preached the Gospel among them, they had 
 "received it as the word of God." But do they 
 therefore encourage all those whom they ad- 
 dress to cast away fear? Do they intimate 
 no apprehension lest they should lose their high 
 nnd blessed privilege? On the contrary their 
 Epistles are full ol admonition, warning and 
 careful direction. With respect to these very 
 Thessalonians, our Apostle says he had been 
 fearful 'Mest the Tempter might have tempted 
 them, and his labour been in vain." And indeed 
 the practical bearing of all their addresses to 
 their fellow Christians corresponds with St. 
 Peter's express exhortation, " Wherefore the 
 rathei-, Brethren, give diligence to make your 
 calling and election sure; for if ye do these 
 things ye shall never fall." 
 
.« 
 
 79 
 
 And here I think we mny discern the root of 
 their error, who have blended either ancient fa* 
 talism or modern necessity with the Christian 
 doctrine of Predestinate Election. Is it not to 
 be found in the unconscious substitution of hu- 
 man weakness for divine omnipotence? We 
 feel ourselves incapable of foreseeing events, 
 unless they are absolutely fore-determined ; and 
 this imperfection of our limited nature we tacitly 
 attribute to the infinite and almighty God. Hot 
 the perfection which the Holy Scriptures claim 
 for the Divine Being is supreme and incompa- 
 rable, as well in knowledge as in power. While 
 HE could create free or independent agents, he 
 could also foresee the course which those agents 
 would pursue. He has predetermined to do 
 whatever he does; but this predestination in- 
 volves no violation of the free agency which ho 
 may have thought fit to communicate to any of 
 his creatures. With them he has determined 
 from all eternity to act on the invariable prin- 
 ciples of goodness, justice and truth. And this 
 determination of the Eternal Mind, embracing 
 all created intelligenccs,with every circumstance 
 and event which can befal them, constitutes that 
 Divine Predestination on which Election is 
 properly and necessarily founded. It ensures, 
 unquestionably, the final and complete accom- 
 plishment of " the eternal purpose," which om- 
 niscient wisdom distinctly perceives and antici- 
 pates through all the contingencies of time; but 
 it destroys not the liberty of any rational crea- 
 ture. It is ar< « laraantine rock on which " the 
 faith of God'i! elnt" should assuredly repose; 
 but it affects uol their actual election, their 
 present state, or individual prospects. Tivey, and 
 
80 
 
 they alone, have just cause to consider themsehcs 
 elect, who discover those moral qualities of piety 
 dnd virtue, of which the Most High has declared 
 his certain and unalterable approbation. 
 
 Are therefore all who caH themselves Chris- 
 tians entitled to the glorious name of Cod's 
 elect? Precisely as far as they are entitled to 
 the name of Christians. But, as the Apostle 
 remarks with sorrow, that all ♦* were not Israel 
 who were of Israel,'' so I fear we must acknow- 
 ledge that all are not Christians who outwardly 
 belong to the Church. The Apostles in fact 
 have unequivocally iruimated that the time would 
 be, when the visible Church could not be gene- 
 rally idcfihfied with the election of God. Even 
 in their own day a *' mystery of iniquity" was 
 working, and son-e persons they were themselves 
 rofistrained to pronounce unworthy of " the holy 
 name whereby they were called." But far more 
 "perilous days" were "coming;"— days in which 
 there should be an awful " falling away" from 
 the truth and holiness of Christianity, and a 
 "man of sin"— a "son of perdition"— exalted to 
 the highest seat in " the temple of God ;" days 
 in which " men"— evidently men bearing Chris- 
 tian names— should be plunged in all kinds of 
 immorality, "having a form of godliness, but 
 denymg the power thereof." From such St. 
 Paul directed Timothy to "turn away;" absurd 
 and preposterous it were to apply to such cha- 
 racters the title of God's elect. In the Reve- 
 lations therefore, which delineate the progressive 
 state of the Church until the consummation 
 of all things, a distinction, a broad and awful 
 distinction, is made between them and the " call- 
 ed, chosen and faithful" followers of "the 
 
81 
 
 Lamb." These alone, vvc are soienmly Ibrq- 
 warned, shall tind their ♦' names written in the 
 book of life." And indeed the proverbial remarl^ 
 which our Saviour made respecting the Jewisli 
 people has since become but too justly applica- 
 cable to nations professing Christianity—that 
 *' many are called, but few chosen." 
 
 The practical inferences from the subject arc 
 obvious and highly imjjortant. 
 
 We are all— all whose minds are awakened to 
 a due sense of religion — anxious to ascertain 
 our own state — to know whether we belong to 
 the number of God's elect. There is no great, 
 difficuhy in deciding the question, if we will but 
 judge ourselves by the plain rules which the 
 Gospel supplies. The Apostle knew the election 
 of the Thessalonians, because they had " become 
 followers of him and of the Lord." So— if wc 
 bear the same character, if we have srncerely 
 embraced that Gospel which Christ and his 
 Apostles preached, and if our faith, under the 
 sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, has actu^ 
 ally produced the fruit of a holy life— we may 
 certainly know our own election. " Thus then let 
 us examine ourselves— Mw^ form our judgment 
 of our actual state and future prospects. 
 
 Many are afflicted with distressing fears that 
 they may not at last be found among the elect. 
 But the Gospel is highly encouraging. If we 
 havenoit' the marks of God's election, we arc 
 certainly the objects of his love and care; we 
 are taken under his protection; and his almigluy 
 power is engaged to assist our endeavours, " hel|i 
 our infirmities," and "keep us from falJing,,'f 
 On this power we may safely rely^ assured tlmt if 
 we numbly confide in it, and sincerely end^cavowi^ 
 
82 
 
 
 i 
 
 to "walk with God," no other power shall 
 prevail to our ruin, or pluck us out of our Hea- 
 venly Father's hand. There is not. if I have 
 read the Scriptures aright, any absolute and ir- 
 reversible decree ; but God is unchangeable, 
 and It is his purpose and intention to brinij his 
 children to glory. 
 
 But for those who have not the marks of divine 
 election—for the unbelieving and disobedient— 
 for those who reject or disregard the word of 
 Ixod—for the profane and irreligious, the im- 
 moral and licentious— for those who are destitute 
 of the love of God or man— how dreadful is the 
 inference which forces itself upon us ! Repro- 
 bated by any eternal predestination indeed they 
 have not been— for God "is not willing that any 
 should perish, but that all should come to re- 
 pentance;" but actually reprobate, rejected, and 
 unworthy of everlasting life they undoubtedly 
 are m their present condition; and should they 
 continue m their state of alienation from God 
 they will n )t, cannot be admitted into his <rlori- 
 ous kingdom. Oh ! let all who feel themselves 
 to belong to this unhappy class of men, be roused 
 by a due sense of their danger; let them " flee 
 Irom the wrath to come;" let them take refuge in 
 Christ, who still "comes'' by his Gospel as 
 truly and effectually as he once came in the 
 flesh, "to seek and to save that which was lost." 
 t'rom the throne of his heavenly glory has he 
 proclaimed to those who have a name to live 
 and are dead :— " Remember how thou hast 
 received and heard, and hold fast and repent :- 
 he that overcometh, the same shall be clothodin 
 white raiment ; and / loill not blot his name out 
 of the hook of life*' 
 
» 
 
 PROVIDENCE. 
 
 ROMANS Vlir. 28. 
 
 >Ve hnou, that all thing, work together for good to them that 
 
 love uod. 
 
 One fact appears too evident as soon as this 
 sentiment is heard; namely, that the number of 
 those who beheve it—or at least who beheve it 
 lor themselves—beiieve that they ♦' love God » 
 and therefore that - all things" are " working 
 together" for thctr - good"— is very small. Go 
 where you will—listen to the common conver- 
 sation of almost any company— draw forth the 
 observations of almost any one you meet ; and 
 how seldom do you find the person who seems 
 to enjoy the happy persuasion ! Some are given 
 up to murmuring and discontent; nothing seems 
 right to them : the course of the seasons, the 
 circumstances which occur in their business or 
 occupation, the behaviour of their families and 
 neighbours— every thing is wro^g; every thing 
 Irels and vexes them; they meet with continual 
 crosses; their life is a tormint to them. Others 
 have mere self-command and show a better tern- 
 per; they have learned to disregard the pettv 
 annoyances which are of daily occurrencje- and 
 if it pleases God to grant them a tolerably fair 
 and prosperous course in the world, tbey may 
 perhaps be ready to make a decent acknowledff- 
 ment of his goodness : but should he see fit to 
 put forth his baud and afflict them, tbey repine 
 under the dispensation, and appear to have no 
 
S4 
 
 in 
 
 i«lea thai it can have proceeded Iron) a kind and 
 benevolent intention. And others again there 
 are who have learned to speak the language of 
 piety on such subjects, and on common occasi- 
 ons appear to feel as they ought; hut yet arc 
 seen to sink under great adversities, as if it 
 were impossible to reconcile these with the 
 goodness of God. And yet what says the Apos- 
 tle? '* JVeknotv/' he says, ''that all things 
 work together for good to ihem that love God." 
 He speaks of himself in common with all his 
 faithful and well instructed fellow Christians; 
 
 and he states that they were perfectly assured 
 
 so that they could never doubt, of the tendency 
 of every circumstance and every event to pro- 
 mote their welfare and happiness. 
 
 Now, in order to obtain, if possible, right 
 views on this great subject, let us consider— 
 
 1st. The Persons who may entertain this con- 
 fident persuasion; and 
 2dly. The Grounds for their confidence. 
 1st. As to the Persons who may he confidently 
 persuaded that all things are working together 
 for theii' gfJod, they are those " who love God." 
 TIterifi'rfre many marks by which good mert 
 are described in the Holy Scriptures. Some- 
 times they are termed such as serve God, and 
 hearken to his word, and keep his command- 
 raehts; sometimes such as walk with, or before, 
 God jr—most commonly perhaps they are repre- 
 sented a« fearing Gorf, and comparatively in a 
 few places only is mention made of their love to 
 ^od. It is however especially fit to be remem- 
 bered, that the precept in the Law, which speaks 
 most fiilly of the love we owe to God, is chosen 
 
85 
 
 out oi" ail the rest l)v our nicsserl Saviour and 
 declared to be " tho first and great command- 
 ment;"— .nay to be tlie commandment on vvi»ich, 
 together with its kindred and siil)ordinate one of 
 love to our neighbour, all the Law and tho 
 'Prophets depend. 
 
 In truth the lovo of God is tho hii,d)est at- 
 tamment of the religious character, the^best and 
 noblest of ( 3 fruits of faith. They who lovo 
 God, will fear and serve and obey him; but 
 they will do more than all which can be 'dono 
 from the influence of other mo(ives—lhey will 
 heartily and cheerfully devote themselves to his 
 service, and desire only to make his will and 
 pleasure their own. 
 
 Would we undersfand the nature and the ef- 
 ficacy of this principle of love?_-Lct us consi- 
 der it as it is felt and exercised towards men. 
 Pure and genuine love, whether it exists in fa- 
 mily connexions or in cordial friendships, causes 
 us to exert ourselves for the service of one ano- 
 ther, very far beyond any other motive. The 
 best resemblance however which we can find of 
 the love of God, consists m that nfiection with 
 which a child— a good and dutiful child— regards 
 a kind and tender parent. In sucii a child wo 
 see this incomparable principle of action almost 
 superseding every other, and rendering it need- 
 less. The child loves its parent above all other 
 persons, and esteems the parent's judgment 
 much more than its own .—consequently it has, 
 as it were, but one law— the parent's mind and 
 will; and by this it habitually and delightedly 
 regulates its proceedings. Such cases, indeed, 
 through sad errors and failings in the conduct 
 
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 of parents towards their children, are not the 
 most common ; and in tliis condition of our 
 nature we must expect even the purest feehngs 
 of childhood to be mixed up'with a portion of 
 baser alloy : still however we do observe, and all 
 of us doubtless have had occasion to observe, ■* 
 instances of the purity and power of filial love. 
 Look then from earth to heaven ! See tho 
 same heart, which has loved as it ought a hu- 
 man parent, raised to the love of a heavenly 
 Father ! Consider the creature of God esteem- 
 ing *' /it,* judgment in all things to be right," 
 and desiring only that his «' will should be 
 done :" — and you have the best and most eflec- 
 tual of all the principles of religion in exercise 
 before you. 
 
 Now there seems to be in this affection some- 
 thing so natural, so beautiful, so congenial to 
 the soul, that we might be ready to look for it 
 on every side, and wonder if we did not find it 
 in almost every man we meet. But it is indeed 
 by no means easily or liastily to be acquired. 
 Many lessons must be learned before it, which 
 are not to be mastered in a day, and which man 
 alone can never teach. Before we can love 
 God, we must have acquainted ourselves with 
 him ; we must have learned to consider him as 
 full of goodness, and so the fit object of love; 
 nor shall we be able to regard him with that 
 affection, unless we are satisfied of bis own 
 kindness and goodwill for ourselves. 
 
 But the generality of men are lamentably 
 wanting in all these requisites for the love of 
 God. Notwithstanding the vast advantages 
 which we enjoy who are living under the Gospel, 
 
not the 
 of our 
 eelings 
 Lion of 
 and all 
 bserve, ■* 
 il love. 
 3ee tho 
 t a bu- 
 tt i?cw/i/ 
 steem- 
 rigbt/' 
 lid be 
 
 ^ercise 
 
 some- 
 lial to 
 for it 
 iind rt 
 rideed 
 uired. 
 which 
 h man 
 k love 
 
 with 
 lim as 
 love; 
 
 that 
 
 own 
 
 itably 
 ►ve of 
 
 lages 
 »spel» 
 
 87 
 
 ^-notwithstanding the clear discovery there 
 made of " the loving kindness of God our Sa, 
 viour,"— notwithstanding he there appears full 
 of perfect goodness towards all those who only 
 desire and endeavour to please him;— still such 
 IS the want of faith, or (I should perhaps rather 
 call It) the want of thought and care, which 
 prevails on such subjects, that few, very few 
 seem truly to know " the Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ." Otherwise, how could they but 
 love that God, of whom such statements as 
 these are made;—" God hath so loved the world 
 that he gave his only-begotten son, that whoso- 
 ever believeth in him should not perish, but have 
 everlasting life;"—- Who will have all men to 
 be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the 
 truth :— for there is one God, and one media- 
 tor between God and men, the man Christ Je- 
 sus,— who gave himself a ransom for all;"— 
 " There is joy in heaven over one sinner ihat 
 repenteth?"— We do not, I say, care to think 
 or enquire sufficiently on these subjects; (for 
 absolute unbelief is by no means, I conceive, 
 the common cause,) or it is utterly impossible 
 but that our hearts should be filled with love 
 for our God. The fault is this;— we are either 
 involved m some sinful course, and so dare not 
 think of him, who, with all his goodness and 
 mercy, must still remain a righteous judge, and 
 as Huch an object of fear to the impenitent sin- 
 ner; or our thoughts are taken up with the 
 cares and gratifications of this life; and we find 
 no sacred retirement in our minds, in which we 
 may acquaint ourselves with God, and learn to 
 regard him with due affections. 
 
S8 
 
 And now we not only perceive 'vl,o t},o pg^.. 
 sons are, to whom ♦« all things work together 
 for good;" but we may also understand what 
 course we ourselves should take, if we would 
 enjoy that inestimable blessing. 
 
 We must— whatever be the effort required for 
 that purpose—we must set ourselves in earnest 
 to enquire after God. AVe must consider the 
 revelation which he has been pleased to make 
 of himself and his adorable perfections, until we 
 have acquired a proper knowledge of the good- 
 ness and loveliness of his nature. And we must 
 also ** be reconciled to God ;" renouncing 
 whatever is sinful — whatever is at variance with 
 his holy will, and would thus keep us in a state 
 of enmity with him, and humbly resolving to 
 obey him as dutiful children for the time to 
 come. Then should we become capable of 
 loving God; and not capable only, but we 
 should find ourselves habitually inclined and 
 disposed to regard him with filial affection. 
 And then, strong in faith— full of confidence in 
 his goodness, and assured beyond the possibility 
 of doubt that he, the allwise and almighty one, 
 intf 's our happiness — we should be "unaltera- 
 bly persuaded that " all things are working to- 
 gether for our good." 
 
 For, — to consider, as we proposed, 
 
 2dly. The Grounds for this persuasion 
 
 Does not the nature of God, as it is now revealed 
 to us in the Gospel, lead us of necessity tosuch 
 a conclusion? For although mysteries— great 
 and painful mysteries— remain in the dispen- 
 sations of Providence; although many strange 
 nnd unaccountable things occur in the histories 
 
89 
 
 of peoples and nations, and in the Jives of indi- 
 viduals; still the Gospel of Christ does reveal 
 and display the character of God after such a 
 manner, that no true believer can entertain a 
 doubt of his goodness. 
 
 We could not indeed, by the just use of our 
 own reason, have formed any other idea of the 
 Divine Being. We could not bin have suppo- 
 sed that He, who made all things by his wisdom 
 and power, must have made all things for good; 
 and that, however he might punish incorrigible 
 transgressors of his laws, and however he might 
 correct his erring children, or suffer their obe- 
 dience to be tried by affliction, he could not 
 leave these to perish under adversities, but 
 would surely at length bring them forth to hap- 
 pir^ ss and honor. 
 
 Such just reasoning is amply confirmed by 
 the revelation of God's beloved Son, Jesus 
 Christ. He, in his own person, disposition and 
 temper, and his manner of acting towards men, 
 as well as in what he taught concerning his hea- 
 venly Father, exhibited a character of perfect 
 goodness and unimpeachable benevolence. 
 *' Fear not, little flock!" is the language of the 
 whole Gospel to those who receive and obey it ; 
 " it is your Father's good pleasure to give yoii 
 the kingdom; — Peace f leave with you; let 
 not your heart be troubled, neither let it be 
 afraid: — Yc now (indeed) have sorrow; but! 
 will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, 
 
 and your joy no man taketh from you : In 
 
 the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of 
 good cheer — I have overcome the world :"— for 
 "this is LIFE ETERNAL— that they should know 
 
90 
 
 a« end*^ feP'r,? "'^'^^ ""« -orW '«>« come "? 
 
 te Tr^f """ '■« ^'«"' live for everliLhf« 
 
 time arHot «"h|,v fn ?"^'''"=' "'^ the present 
 glory whid°shalbe'reveare/»""C ""' f"^ 
 
 cWto happens »4reX- theTr 
 
 therXe the trae rhr."'"™''' ^^'P^^' »"* 
 soul th« no!w„g%?t';^ 'l^„7y -«" r "- "i. 
 
 Ss"-al7Z ''"" "* '='»'<l"«™r; for that "a 
 wings —all the circumstances in which he m^v 
 be p aoed. and the events which may befai S 
 
 woFK together for his ctetmal " good." 
 
91 
 
 believe? Are you persuaded in your hearts bl 
 fore God tliat Jesus has brouaht a .r,« r i 
 .ion fro™ heaven? And doS IcC; ^J 
 yourselves as ihose who are to live for eve?^„ 
 that better world whither he has gone J Take 
 by all means, and enjoy the comfort which vo„; 
 principles ought to obtain. Look no to ?h! 
 throne o the Most High, and there beho'ld a k nd 
 and tender l-ather. who designs by the whole 
 courseofh>s Providence to forward and secure 
 your everlasting welfare. Look at every cir! 
 cumstance and every event (however painfifl anv 
 may be-however interruptive of yo'^TpresTril 
 ease and pleasure,) as an instrument in '^God"s 
 hand for working some good (whether you dis! 
 cern its operation and trace its effecIsC not 
 for your souls. And make, if it be nossihfe 
 such reflections habitual. Be constantf, ac! 
 customed to cherish, and repeat over to your 
 minds, those happy truths which cast a heavenly 
 light on the darkness of the world. Prepare 
 yourselves beforehand, so that you may U?Zy 
 to say, whenever a trial shall come.-" It TZ 
 Lord; let him do what seemeth him good "1 
 good for me in the end, if I am but enabled to 
 boar It aright, it cannot but be '""•"'ea to 
 
 Every human being has his suflerings; ever* 
 one who IS a child of God and an inheritor of 
 We,, must have them, for the co?rec o„ of 
 
 •^.I ','!'=''5?"?n«. and the subjection of his 
 
 w I f} "■" ' ""^y '" addressing tfiose who 
 versities, Some, whom I remember in affluence, 
 
02 
 
 have beon reduced to poverty; and many, who 
 were once enabled to support tboir lamilies in 
 competence and comfort, can now hardly procure 
 a scanty supply of the necessaries of life. 
 
 I would not, my afflicted Brethren, undervalue 
 such adversities. Trying they are — not merely 
 to flesh and blood — but to the heart and spirit 
 of man. It is no easy thing, in such a change of 
 circumstances, to maintain a tranquil temper, 
 and repose an unshaken confidence in the good- 
 ness of Providence. This however may be done 
 by a lively exercise of Christian faith. For if 
 you have learned to believe that "oZ/ things work 
 together for good," you ought of course to regard 
 even these things in that light; to see your Fa- 
 ther's hand in every distressing circumstance; 
 and to be persuaded that, in withholding the form- 
 er portion of your •• daily bread," he will grant 
 you a larger measure of the bread of life—the 
 knowledge and experience of that grace which 
 nourishes the soul for eternity. 
 
 Some, alas ! there are with whom one might 
 reason in another manner — reason of the " right- 
 eous judgments of the Lord" in the adversities 
 which have befallen them. For did they not 
 abuse their former prosperity? Did they not 
 employ their better fortune in the gratification 
 of their sensual appetites and passions, to the 
 dishonour of the name of Christians, to the 
 injury of their own souls, and of those around 
 them? Surely it is but just in God— even if it 
 were not also merciful — to take from them the 
 intoxicating cup, and to bring them to sober re- 
 flection. And much it is to be desired that they 
 would make a proper use of their ** time of 
 
83 
 
 viMtMion ;•■ and I«y up in their mmds resolutionj 
 ot Irugahty, prudcnco and good behaviour 
 wh,ch might, by God's blessinf, have a laS 
 effect on their AUure lives. And well does i* 
 behove them to remember that, where adversity 
 as well as prosperity, afflictions as well as bles- 
 smgs have failed to bring a man to amendment 
 ?[! V ?°'^'?? ^f"^^'"' '^ '» *>^ expected, |,ut 
 thll h '"."aVT .'"'"^nation should leave 
 them to be " filled with their own doings and 
 eat the fruit oftheir own devices" ^ 
 
 Others however there are who did not run to 
 not in their prosperous days; and yet the cloud 
 has overtaken them in common with their neigh, 
 hours, for these the blessed truth before us 
 IS especially adapted ; and earneslly would I 
 hope and pray that they may be enabled to ap- 
 
 f«Ln"° "1*.'"««'''««. and " '•'•joice in the tribu- 
 lation which 18 now their lot " in the world." 
 It they are Christians indeed-if by faith in 
 t/bristthey are enabled to "love God" ihev 
 ptUhl: 'j:'"l 8""«e'; conUdenoe than even the 
 Prophet of old, " Altho' the fig tree shall not 
 blossom, neither shall fruit be in" the vines ; the 
 labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall 
 yield no meat; the flock shall bo cut off from 
 
 v«t»n'T •'•*'■'? "''2" S^noherd in the stalls-, 
 yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the 
 
 God of my salvation." Nay, if we could but 
 draw aside the veil which hides the truth from 
 ?"."^'!''/?"»«fr-if we could but see things 
 »l.„\ L^M '"^hich they appear before h^o 
 
 traces the end from the beginning; we should 
 m very many instances learn to call them by 
 
 N 
 
94 
 
 totally different names from those wnich ihey 
 now bear : — we should learn that a life of tem- 
 poral caso and enjoyment isoficn in its tendency 
 most calamitous to our spiritual interests; while 
 a dispensation of trouble and afHiction is the 
 very thing which we most need — the greatest 
 benefit which could be bestowed on our souls. 
 But, whatever th(3 appointments of God may 
 bo, whether comfort or distress bo our lot, this 
 his children ** know — that all " shall certainly 
 ** work together for their good." 
 
 Finally, let me prevail on you all to take that 
 view of things which the Apostle takes in this 
 passage ; — to look above and beyond the tranr- 
 sient pleasures and sorrows of this mortal life, 
 and to keep your 6ye and your heart steadily 
 fixed on the only object which is of real impor- 
 tance — the life of eternal felicity prepared in 
 heaven for those who faithfully follow their 
 Redeemer. If you can but be satisfied of that 
 inheritance at the last, you may contemplate 
 with a cheerful countenance the most distressing 
 scenes through which you can have to pass in 
 your Journey towards it. The loss of fortune, 
 of friends and relations, of any of the comforts 
 of this world; the occurrence of painful di. or- 
 ders, ofafilicting incidents, of any of those things 
 which we would naturally avoid ; all such events 
 may be met with fortitude and endured with 
 contentment; because the trial which they oc- 
 casion is only temporal, while the good which 
 they tend to produce is eternal. To God there- 
 fore, and to his disposal and governance, let us 
 entirely resign ourselves; considering nothing 
 as unalterably evil but sin ; and determining, in 
 
95 
 
 reliance on his gracious aid, to keep the path of 
 our duty, and place a constant trust on our Al- 
 mighty protector. And may indeed *'ail things 
 work together for o«r good;" may we be "sanc- 
 tified wholly;" and may our ''whole spirit, soul 
 and body, be preserved blameless until the com- 
 ing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ !" 
 
B 
 
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THE KINGDOM OP CHRIST. 
 
 JEREMIAH XXIII. 8—8. 
 
 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that Iwillraiaeunto David 
 a rtghteoua branch; and a King shall reign and protofr, and 
 "hall exe'Mte judgment and juttiee in the earth. In hit <foi/« 
 Judah shall be saved, and hrael shall dwell safely ; and thUia 
 his name whereby he shall be tailed, The Lord our Bighteoua- 
 ness. Therefore behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that 
 ^ they shall no more say, The Lord liveth which brought ub the 
 - ^.l^ilfrcny hrael out of the land of Egypt ; butrh'he lord 
 Itveth which brought up, and which led, the seed of the house 6f 
 Israel out oj the north country, and from all countries whithirll 
 had driven them ; and they shall dwell in their own land. 
 
 Glorious prophecy, and calculated to Oxcltb 
 the most joyous feelings !~-And yet I ktiow ncrt 
 how to refer to it without a pang of melancholy, 
 and can hardly dwell upon it without tears. 
 
 I look back to the time of Jeremiah, perhaps 
 four and twenty centuries since; I review th6 
 events of successive ages; I survey the scehfe 
 now around me I—I see but little like the fulfil- 
 ment of the prophecy, and even yet it might ap- 
 pear at almost a hopeless distance. 
 
 The Jews, it is true, were restored from Ba^ 
 bylon and the more northerly countries whidh 
 formed the Medo- Persian empire. Under Cyras 
 and his successors they enjoyed the liberty df 
 returning from most of the places to which th^V 
 had been carried captive; and the remnant who 
 availed themselves of that indulgence dwelt fot 
 a time in the land which had been their own. 
 Zorobabel, also, a son of David and the princ^ 
 of Judah, governed the remnant from Babylon 
 in righteousness ; and under his government they 
 
98 
 
 were relieved from many calamities and on- 
 pressions. But how far did lie, and every ether 
 deliverer and ruler of the Jews, faij short of the 
 Iting whom the Prophet describes ! How in- 
 secure and full of f roubles was their temporary 
 settlement in their land ! And how smali a part 
 of the nation returned— how insignificant was 
 the deliverance, comoared with the triumphant 
 redemption from Egypt !— Alas ! I find not the 
 promised blessing her:). 
 
 Jesus arosefrom David---''arighteous branch" 
 indeed. But "Judah and Israel"— how were 
 they " saved?" Where have they " dwelt safe- 
 y / Did they not refuse to acknowledge their 
 king? And instead of "dwelling in their owr. 
 land, have they not sinue been involved in a cap- 
 tivity, far worse, and of vastly longer duration 
 than all which had gone before? 
 
 Some would persuade themselves that, where 
 the literal sense of juch prophecies has failed to 
 b< verified by events, their spiritual accomplish- 
 ment may supply the deficiency. After a partial 
 Idlfilment of this prophecy in Zorobpbel and the 
 restoration from Babylon, Christ (they say) ap^ 
 peared among the Jews • and those who believed 
 in h-m, together with ali the spiritual "seed of 
 iUe house of Israel," have enjoved the blessings 
 Ipretold. But, were this a satisfactory mode of 
 jnterpretation. many a cloud still obscures the 
 light in which I would exult. Does the "kinff 
 reign and prosper?" Alas, how imperfect are 
 the glories of his kingdom! Does he -execute 
 judgment and justice in the earth?" Ah! how 
 much injustice is practised in his kingdom-^ 
 conjmitted even in hie name ! 
 
99 
 
 What then shall we inter? Has this prophecy 
 not been fulfilled? Are we yet, with the un- 
 converted Jews, to expect these blessings and 
 glories at some future period?— Let us examine 
 It more attentively; refer to facts, for the pur- 
 pose of ascertaining how far it has really been 
 verified; and then consider what may still re- 
 main as the object of our hopes. 
 
 The Prophet therefore foretels the appearance 
 of an extraordinary person, who should be a 
 "branch of David," a -king," and denominat- 
 ed ♦* the Lord our righteousness." 
 ^ The descendants of a family are by a common 
 figure represented as the branches of a tree. 
 And the Messiah being to descend from David* 
 whose family had fallen very low in the time of 
 Jeremiah, and might afterwards have seemed 
 almost extinct, the Prophet foretels, as an in- 
 stance of remarkable mercy and power, that God 
 would still «• raise," or cause to grow, "unto 
 David a righteous branch." Isaiah had em- 
 ployed ihesame metaphor yef mere einphaticaliy 
 when he said. - There shall come forth a rod 
 out ol the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall 
 grow out of his roots." The word translated 
 -stem" appears stricUy to signify the stump 
 "elt in the earth, after the body of the tree may 
 have been cut off. It is the same word which is 
 translated "stock" in that memorable passage 
 of Job : " There is hope of a tree, if it be cut 
 down, that it will sprout again, and that the 
 tender branch thereof will not cease; though 
 the root thereof wax old in the eiirih. and the 
 stock thereof die in the ground." The appear- 
 ance of the predicted king is represented as 
 
100 
 
 fquaU> surprising with the germination, from 
 such a perished stock, of a tree more verdant and 
 ^uitful than ever. 
 
 Now here it will be at once perceived that 
 Jesus Christ corresponds with the terms of the 
 prophecy. He was a descendant of David, and 
 arose from David's stock exactly accordin<r to 
 the figurative description. The glory of the fa- 
 mily had declined from the death of Solomon 
 The revolt of the Ten Tribes from Rehoboam 
 robbed thetree of thegreaterpart of its majesty; 
 the frequent provocations of his successors drew 
 down many judgments and public calamities, 
 which deprived it of more; the Babylonian cap- 
 tivity extinguished the royal style and dignity. 
 Neither the name, nor the least portion of the 
 power, remained at the time of our Saviour's 
 birth: The sceptre was then in the hands of 
 Herod, an Idumean or Philistine, of descent fo- 
 reign to the whole nation; and this sceptre He- 
 rod swayed by the mere permission of the Roman 
 Emperor. The family of David was out of sight 
 and forgotten : so little was it noticed, that 
 Herod knew not where to find it. The poverty 
 of Mary and Joseph is very observable. And 
 the sacred history is in this respect remarkably 
 confirmed by a very ancient writer. In the reign 
 of Domitian, we are told, the Jews discovered 
 each symptoms of a restless spirit, that appre- 
 hensions were entertained of their attempting to 
 assert their independence. The jealous Em- 
 peror commanded search to be made after the 
 descendants of David who might remain in the 
 land. In consequence two persons, grandsons 
 of Jude, who is called the brother of our Lord, 
 
101 
 
 were hrought before him. They prohahiy ex. 
 pected to be put to death ; but. when Doinitian 
 saw the mean and Immble appearance of the 
 men, observed their hands worn with labour, 
 and found in answer to his enquiries that they 
 supported themselves by the cuhivation of a 
 very small farm, containinor scarcely more than 
 twenty-four of our acres, they were dismissed 
 With compassion and contempt. Thus had Da- 
 vid's family been cut down to the very root • 
 there remained in it neither mark nor hope of 
 royalty. And under these circumstances Jesus 
 cyose from that stock, the "righteous branch" of 
 the Prophet. 
 
 Of the righteousness of Jesus there can be no 
 question; but it is here foretold that this "ritrht- 
 eous branch" should "reign" and be a "kiiK' » 
 In this character indeed the Messiah is most Ge- 
 nerally described by the Prophets; and in ?hc 
 same character was he universally expected by 
 the Jews: hence their common and familiar ex- 
 pre«sion, "Messiah the king." 
 
 Now, however destitute Jesus might be of 
 external state and pomp, still it is the Truth that 
 he appeared among the Jews as a kin^r. The 
 Angel applied the prophecies to him in^the an- 
 nunciation. " lie sliall be great, and shall be 
 called the Son of the Highest; and tho Lord 
 God shall give unto him the throne of his father 
 David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob 
 for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no' 
 end." The approved confession of Nathaniel 
 was, " Rabbi, ihon art the Son of God ; thou art 
 the king of Israel !" The multitude, who attend- 
 ed his entrance into Jerusalem, cried, " Blessed 
 
 o 
 
102 
 
 be the king tijat conteth in tl»e name orthc Lord!" 
 Jesus himself said to his disciples, "I appoint 
 unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appoint- 
 ed unto me." Before Pilate he acknowledged 
 that he "was — was born — a king," although nis 
 ** kingdom was not of this world. "^ But most 
 gloriously did he proclaim his royalty, when im- 
 mediately before his ascension he declared, ** All 
 power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." 
 Accordingly the Apostles speak of him as being 
 ** exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour," the 
 •* King of Kings and Lord of Lords;" and as- 
 sign him a dominion infinite and everlasting : 
 " He must rei^n until he hath put all enemies 
 under his feet." 
 
 The last thing observable in the person foretold 
 is the *'name by which he should be called, The 
 Lord our Righteousness." By this designation, 
 if the passage stood alone, I might not have un- 
 derstood more to be signified than that in the 
 days of this king, and by means of his govern- 
 ment, the Lord would be the righteousness of 
 his people Israel ; that is, would deliver them 
 from oppression and sin, and cause all around 
 to acknowledge them as his just and favoured 
 people. But when I take this prophecy in con- 
 nexion With others which relate to the same 
 person, the Messiah ; for instance, that in the 
 110th Psalm, "The Lord said unto my Lord, 
 sit thou on my right hand until I make thine 
 enemies thy footstool ;" or that in the 9th chapter 
 of Jsaiah, *' Unto us a child is born, unto us a son 
 is given; and the government shall be upon his 
 shoulder ; and his name shall be called, Wonder- 
 ful, Counsellor, the Mighly God, the Everlasting 
 
10.3 
 
 Father, the Prince of peace;" or that in the 5th 
 chapter of Micab, " But thou, Bethlehem Kphra- 
 tah, though thou be little among the thousands of 
 Judah, yet out of* thee shall he come forth unto 
 me, that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings 
 forth have been from of old, from everlasting : 
 and he shall stand and feed in the strength of the 
 Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord 
 his God; and they shall abide; for now shall he 
 be great unto the ends of the earth:"— I find 
 abundant reason to take the words of the Pro- 
 phet in a more literal sense, and understand the 
 Messiah's name as really descriptive of his per- 
 sonal character. In him I expect to see Jeiio- 
 vAH—the very power and goodness of God, 
 exerted for the redemption of his people. 
 
 And here also I find the prophecy accomplish- 
 ed m Jesus Christ. Not only did the Lord ma- 
 nifest his power and goodness at the time when 
 Jesus appeared, and in behalf of his spiritual 
 government; but "the Father that dwelt in 
 him—he did the works,— for in him dwelt all 
 the fulness of the Godhead." And in the strict- 
 est sense he became **the righteousness" of all 
 who '* believed in his name ;" '* making an end of 
 sin, bringing in everlasting righteounesss," and 
 assuring them of a final deliverance from all evil, 
 and a safe and permanent abode in his heavenly 
 kingdom. 
 
 Thus far then the prophecy has been verified. 
 To this extent we may read it as a record of the 
 past. And our hearts may rejoice, that we have 
 seen him whom «* Prophets and righteous men 
 of old desired." But let us proceed to consider 
 the beneficial effects which were to result from 
 
 
101. 
 
 the nppcnrnnco of tliis r,acvo(] mu] ^lorUntff 
 porson. Kor the Prophet rorotcis (liat "th(^ I;in<r 
 should roi.<Tn ami prosper;" that he "slioulil exc^ 
 cifte jiulnrmonr. and Justice in iho oarlli;" that 
 "in his flays Judah should bo saved and Israel 
 dwell safely ;" and that these hiessiufrs should 
 far snrpKss those Nvhich attended the deliverance 
 front) J^'iJrypr. ISavo lliesc predictions been ac- 
 complished in the kinsjdoin of .lesus Christ? 
 
 •Tiie unconverted Jews, we well know, cannot 
 lie persuaded that they have. And indeed it 
 must heconfosse<l that, if this kiu:^ was to l)e like 
 other kinj,'s — to sit on a throne of state, and rule 
 by human lorce— nothing of the kind has yet 
 been seen. 
 
 ]>ut why must We thus understand llio Pro- 
 phot? Docs not all tliat he says on the subject 
 Jead us to look for thinj^s frreater and hi<:r|ipr'and 
 diviner? And shall not tliat kin'x whose " name 
 is the Lord our righteousness," rathor reign in 
 a ^ilodlike and incomparable manner? 
 
 Thus tlicn Jesus has "reigned and prospered.?? 
 It must he romembered that, in order to accomi 
 plish various propliecies, he had different cha- 
 racters to sustain. He was not only to bo a 
 King, but also a Prophet and a Priest. As a 
 Prophet, lie was not merely to teach divine truth ; 
 but it was most clearly and explicitly predicted 
 of him, that he should undergo the too general 
 fate of the Prophets— be " despised and rejected 
 of men, n man of sorrows and acquainted with 
 grief;" and should bear testimony to the truth 
 of his doctrine by sealing it with his suflerings 
 and blood. As a Priest, his oflice was interces. 
 sion for J]is people; which, it was also predicted, 
 
105 
 
 Im would ofTcr in a peculiar njnniioi;-^" tliff 
 Lord would lay o.i him the inirjuily of us all " 
 and " make his soul an oncriniT for sin." And 
 nhcn this character sfiould have hoen Kustained. 
 and this ollbrinff made, ilien was he to enter ori 
 Ins jrlorious reign; then " should he see his seed 
 jM-olonj,' his days, and the pleasure of the Lord 
 l)rosper in his hand." So was it foretold, and 
 so It has come to pass. Christ was exalted to 
 Ins kingdom after ho rose (rom the dead. His 
 resurrection proved him to he the "Son of God 
 M'ith power," and his ascension to ♦« the throno of 
 the TrL-jJesty on Iji^h" was his actual installation 
 lu h!s reo-al djj^nity. Since that time he has 
 - rn-ncd and prospered." By the en'usion of 
 Ins vSpirit theApostles were "endued with power 
 from on hiofh;" and thus propagated his Gospel, 
 and caended Ins dominion over a great part of 
 the vv'orld. The most powerful nations in all 
 the quarters of (lie globe unile in saying, " Thou 
 art the King of Glory, O Christ [ Thou sittest 
 at the right hand of God in the ulorv of iho 
 Father!" "^ -^ 
 
 Jesus has also "executed judgment and jus- 
 tice in the earth." In his doctrine the principles 
 of perfect virtue are estahlislied; and these prin- 
 ciples have not only been adopted hv individuals, 
 but have been in a great measure transfused into 
 the codes of national laws. Hencca xcry ex- 
 tensive improvement has already been effected 
 in the moral state of mankind. And if the laws 
 of the Gospel were but universally observed, 
 they would produce such exact justice, such be! 
 nevolence and charity, as would secure universal 
 order and peace. 
 
106 
 
 But has "Judah been saved?" Docs "Israel 
 dwell safely?" As already intimated, there is a 
 sense in which the affirmative might be main- 
 tained. All who were "Israelites indeed" re- 
 ceived Christ for their king, and uniting with 
 the Gentiles who became the " children of Abra- 
 ham by faith," formed "one fold under one 
 shepherd." These have been saved, if not from 
 
 earthly enemies, from the worst of all enemies 
 
 sin and Satan. They " dwell safely" now; for 
 whatever may have befallen them, nothing can 
 avail to their final harm. And they will at length 
 be all established under the Messiah's sceptre 
 in his heavenly kingdom, enjoying perfect and 
 eternal tranquillity. 
 
 Thus also the concluding part of the prophecy 
 might be considered as accomplished. In the 
 kingdom of Christ the deliverance from Egypt 
 is almost forgotten, to remember the far greater 
 and more valuable redemption which his faithful 
 people have received. They " say no more. The 
 Lord liveth which brought up the children of 
 Israel out of the land of Egypt ; but, The Lord 
 liveth which out of all countries" has gathered 
 his elect, and will not forsake them until they 
 " dwellln their own land"— in the inheritance 
 designed for them from before the foundation of 
 the world. 
 
 Do I then say that these predictions have 
 beon accomplished? that their intention is ex- 
 hausted? that they need not carry on our 
 thoughts to any thing farther on the earth? I 
 cannot—dare not say it. I say that the " Lord 
 has raised up the branch to David ;" that the 
 " King reigns and (in some measure) prospers;' 
 
 •>» 
 
107 
 
 that he "executes judgment and justice" as far 
 as men submit to his government; that his sub- 
 jects, whether of Jewish or Gentile origin 
 are "saved," and in the most important sense 
 -dwell safely;" and that in his kingdom the 
 deliverance from Egypt is comparatively for- 
 gotten. But I cannot say that he has " pros- 
 pered,"or " executes judgment and justice," to 
 the extent which the terms of the prophecy lead 
 me to expect; still less can I say that *' Judah" 
 arc saved and "Israel dwcu safely/' contem- 
 platmg as I must the actual state of the great 
 body of the nation; or that *« the seed of the 
 house of Jacob" are - brought up and led out of 
 all countries," and "dwelling in their own land." 
 These and such like expressions, I can hardly 
 doubt, are to be literally understood, and will 
 yet receive a strict accomplishment. Thus the 
 Jews themselves appear to have invariably un. 
 derstood them; thus the disciples of Christ both 
 before and after his resurrection; thus St. Paul 
 in his Epistle to the Romans, as far at least as 
 the *' salvation of all Israel"--including that 
 part which has hitherto been involved in «♦ blind- 
 ness," may be said to have incontrovertibly de- 
 termined their sense. 
 
 ,, The days of the Messiah, be it remembered, 
 are not yet ended. " Of his kingdom" it was ex- 
 pressly declared that "there should be no end." 
 It is of course progressive, and has its eras and 
 periods, and its extensions and events adapted 
 to them. Unknown and undiscoverable as is 
 the final day, enough of time and space may yet 
 remain for the exact fulfilment of all which is 
 predicted, before the arrival of that consummation 
 
 
108 
 
 when Christ " slmll havo dolivoretl up tlio 
 kingjlorn to (Hod, even the Father," havincr'" put 
 down all (other) rule and autliorily and power." 
 From the investigation which we have pursued 
 the prophecy is tbund to be very comprehensive. 
 It presents a grand picture to our view. It cx^ 
 hibits the rise of the kingdom or Church of 
 Christ many ages since, reminds us of our ex- 
 isting state under Iiis sceptre, and leads forward 
 our anticipations to the blessed and glorious 
 issue of his government. Let us endeavour to 
 make just and edifying reflections on each of 
 these points. 
 
 We iiave found the prophecy partly verified 
 to the letter. Let this fact satisfy us of its di- 
 vine truth, and impress our minds with a deep 
 and settled conviction that the whole shall bo 
 satisfactorily, if not literally, accomplished. 3]ut 
 not this prophecy only : lot tiiO fact remind us 
 that the Moly Scriptures do really contain •♦ the 
 word of Cod." None but the Omniscient could 
 have foreseen the rise of this " branch" from 
 the root of David — the birlh of a man who 
 should bo regarded as '« the Lord our righte- 
 ousness." JiCt us then seriously attend to tliosc 
 sacred records; listen to them with awful rever- 
 ence, as if wc actually *« heard the voice of the 
 Lord God;" and enquire what he says to our- 
 selves—to such persons as wo feel ourselves to 
 be. 
 
 The prophecy may especially remind us of our 
 state under Christ. •' Him has God exalted to 
 be a Prince and a Saviour," and it is the proper 
 effect and end of his government to *« execute 
 judgment and justice." Let us therefore enquire 
 
109 
 
 whether wo are his faitliful and duliful subjecta 
 -—•whelher we enjoy his salvation, and are doing 
 his will. Has he saved us from the captivity of 
 Satan — the power and dominion of sin? Does 
 he reign over our souls hy his holy Spirit and 
 word? Is it our constant employment to obey 
 his commands? Are wo •* dwelling safely," as 
 to our spiritual condition, under his protection; 
 and can wc reasonably expect an eternal habi- 
 tation in his heavenly kingdom? 
 
 The government of Christ will assuredly bo 
 •maintained, until its great objects shall have 
 been effected. He will ** reign and prosper" 
 until he shall have c'stablished universal *• judg- 
 ment and justice;" most probably, until the re- 
 mains of his ancient people the Jews shall have 
 been restored to "their own land;" but, most 
 certainly, until " all kings shall bow down be- 
 fore him, all nations do him service." Oh ! let 
 us call upon our souls to anticipate the glorious 
 events, to desire those blessed days. Let us 
 make their advent our daily prayer, and exert 
 whatever faculties may be granted us to prepare 
 the way. Let us act, each in his place and 
 province, as the ministers and servants of our 
 king — "executing judgment and justice" towards 
 every man. Let us follow our Redeemer — to 
 " seek and save that which was lost," to "preach 
 deliverance to the captives," and to *' give our- 
 selves" — whatever we have, whatever we are 
 enabled to do~" for the life of the worId"~the 
 salvation of Jew and Gentile, 
 
THE ASSURANCE OF PROPHECY. 
 
 LUKE XXI 88. 
 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my viordt shall not pats away. 
 
 Eighteen hundred years have nearly passed 
 away since these words were spoken; that ge- 
 neration has long since returned to dust, and the 
 dust of many other generations buries it from 
 our sight ; the glory of Israel and the armies of 
 Rome are gone from the earth : — yet hero are 
 we, with the words of Christ sounding as freshly 
 in our ears, and thrilling as powerfully in our 
 hearts, as if they had now for the first time been 
 uttered. In this sense at least the prophecy ap- 
 pears sure of accomplishment : a ** monument 
 more durable than brass" and " more firmly 
 based than the pyramids of Egypt," Christianity 
 remains; and will remain, though heaven and 
 earth should literally pass away, as long as the 
 soul of man continues in existence. 
 
 The solemn declaration however signifies more 
 than this. It refers, not merely to the words 
 themselves, but to the divine truth of their im- 
 port; it avers, not only that the prophetical dis- 
 course shall be kept in memory by the providence 
 of God, but that it shall be confirmed, whatever 
 else may fail or change, by the exact corres- 
 pondence of the events foretold. Let us then 
 consider these momentous forewarnings, and 
 endeavour to apply them to the purposes foe 
 which they were given. 
 
112 
 
 The Prophecy, (o which tliis declaration re- 
 lates, consists of two parts. One part of it be- 
 longs to the Jewish people, and the destruction 
 of the temple and city of Jerusalem ; with regard 
 to which Jesus said, " Verily, verily, this gene- 
 ration shall not pass away'tillall these things be 
 fulhlled." Another part belongs to a different 
 display of the justice and majesty of God; for 
 '* of that day and that hour," said Jesus, "know- 
 eth no man ; no, not the angels tliat arein heaven ; 
 but my Father only." 
 
 Some difficulty has been found in determining 
 precisely what portions of this prophetical diZ 
 course should be assigned to the first of iheso 
 periods, and what to the secondo And many 
 commentators have been of opinion that the 
 respective portions were designedly intermixed,, 
 because the destruction of unbelieving and im- 
 penitent Jerusalem was to be a type or sign of 
 the destruction of a wicked world at the last 
 day. Without directly entering, however, on 
 this question, we may easily satisfy ourselves, 
 that a most important part o'f the prophecy was 
 fulfilled within the period to which it was ex- 
 pressly limited; and that another part, of far 
 greater importance, yet remains to be fulfilled 
 at a period still unknown. My object will con- 
 sequently be to point out the exact accomplish- 
 ment of the former part of the prophecy, and so 
 endeavour to impress you with the necessity of 
 preparing for the awful certainty of the latter. 
 
 1. The portions of the prophecy which un- 
 doubtedly belong to the first period are those 
 which speak of the ruin of the temple and city of 
 Jerusalem, and the desolation of the land of the 
 
113 
 
 Jews. "As some spake of the temple, how it 
 was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he 
 said : 
 
 As for these things which ye behold, the days 
 will come, in the which there shall not bo left 
 one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown 
 down. 
 
 And when, he afterwards added, ye shall see 
 Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know 
 that the desolation thereof is nigh : — Then let 
 them which are in Judea flee to the mountains, 
 &c. For these be the days of vengeance, that 
 all things which are written (by the Prophets on 
 that subject,) may be fulfilled.— For there shall 
 be great distress in the land, and wrath upon thia 
 people. And they shall fall by the edge of the 
 sword, and shall be led away captive into all 
 nations : and Jerusalem shall be trodden down 
 of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles 
 be fulfilled." 
 
 Now all these things came to pass exactly as 
 they were foretold. Within forty years, and so 
 before the generation of men to whom Jesus 
 spoke had departed from the earth, the Roman 
 armies encompassed and besieged Jerusalem. 
 After a terribledestruction of the miserable Jews 
 by sword and lamine and pestilence, the city was 
 taken by Titus the Roman General; the temple 
 was burnt and completely demolished; and the 
 people were either carried, or sold, into captivity 
 among the various nations which composed the 
 Roman Empire. And in that captivity—at least 
 as a race despised and trampled on— they still 
 continue, dispersed over the face of the earth. 
 Of these facts there is no doubt ; all the world 
 
114. 
 
 know and acknowledge them. But how do we 
 know, some persons would probably ask, that the 
 words were actually spoken by Jesus? May not 
 the prophecy have been invented after the events 
 had taken place? The answer is :— we find it 
 recorded by three original historians, Matthew, 
 Mark and Luke; each of whom gives a plain 
 and artless account of the life of Jesus, and that 
 (as I could easily show you) without concert 
 between themselves, and without one borrowing 
 from another. Moreover, all the traditions whicti 
 we have concerning these historians (the earliest 
 running up to the time of St. John,) lead us to 
 believe that they severally wrote before the des- 
 truction of Jerusalem .--Matthew, probably, 
 about eight years after our Saviour's ascension, 
 Mark a few years later, and Luke within (at 
 most) thirty or thirty five years. Besides, there 
 IS a particular occurrence mentioned by ancient 
 writers, which shews that the Christians had 
 received a warning to escape from Jerusalem. 
 Josephus, the Jewish historian, who relates at 
 length all the details of that dreadful war, states 
 the fact, that at the time when the Roman ar- 
 mies were completing their investment of the 
 devoted city, *' many" of the inhabitants "fled." 
 And Eusebius, with other Christian historians, 
 informs us that at that time all the believers in 
 Christ "iledtoPella" and other places of se- 
 curity beyond Jordan— so that not one Christian 
 perished in the destruction of Jerusalem. 
 
 We have thus the best evidence that the pro- 
 phecy was really delivered by Christ. But is 
 It, some would still demand, a real and divine 
 prediction ? Might not a sagacious person clearly 
 
115 
 
 enough foresee that the turbulent and obstinate 
 Jews would never rest until they had provoked 
 the Komans to destroy their temple and capital 
 and put an end to their national character'? I 
 reply— certainly not; because the Romans vvere 
 not accustomed thus to treat the people whom 
 they subdued. Their great statesman and phi- 
 losopher, Cicero, who lived just before the age 
 m which these things happened, remarks it as a 
 creditable distmction of his countrymen, that it 
 was their practice to preserve and incorporate 
 conquered places, and notices with regret a sin- 
 gle exception (among those who had not waged 
 war with savage barbarity) in the instance of the 
 city of Corinth. So different were they, from 
 whom alone Jerusalem had now to fear, from 
 the Babylonians whose vengeance it had for- 
 merly experienced. The probability was, con- 
 firmed by the experience of many nations and 
 cities, that should the Jews, who had already 
 been easily reduced to subjection and tribute, 
 rebel against their conquerors, a few legions 
 would quickly crush their frantic efforts; and 
 an edict from the Emperor, making some chang- 
 es in the government of the province, and secur- 
 ing It against further disturbance, would treat 
 the people with such forbearance and kindness 
 as might be likely to win their gratitude, and in- 
 duce them to rest satisfied under Roman pro- 
 tection. This, I say, was the fair probability 
 at that time. But, had it been less than it really 
 was, and supposing it even likely that the pecu- 
 liar temper and conduct of the Jews would pro- 
 voke the Romans to unusual severity, (such as 
 they had exercised on Carthage and Numantia,) 
 
116 
 
 how, I pray, could mere human wisdom foresee, 
 so as confidently and distinctly to foretel, that 
 during the time of that very ** generation" Je- 
 rusalem would be "compassed with armies" — 
 that its destruction would be complete and final 
 — and that the whole people would bo led away 
 into captivity among a variety of nations for a 
 _ Jong and almost endless period? How could Je- 
 sus discern that this was the precise time when 
 all the threatenings contained in the books of 
 the ancient Prophets would receive their accoju- 
 plishment? We do not learn that any other per- 
 son of that generation, whether Jew or Gentile, 
 ventured to utter such a prediction; nor indeed 
 that such a one was ever uttered concerning any 
 other city or people. So clear and satisfactory 
 h the proof, that he who spoke these words, 
 was inspired by the wisdom of God. 
 
 2. Bearing therefore this great truth in mind, 
 remembering that these are really the words Of 
 one who could look forward into futurity, let us 
 proceed to take a view of the other part of the 
 Prophecy ; the part which has not yet been ful- 
 filled. For Jesus was especially careful to im- 
 press his disciples with the assurance, that events 
 far more awful and momentous were to be ex- 
 pected aflt/ — long after — all those things had 
 come to pass. 
 
 , ■ <* And he said, Take heed that ye be not de- 
 tseived; for many shall come in my name, say- 
 ing. 1 am Christ, and the time draweth near ( — 
 and so history informs us that many false Mes- 
 siahs, or professed deliverers of Israel, have 
 appeared — some fVom before the dcsti-uction of 
 Jerusalem ;) go ye not therefore after them. But; 
 
117 
 
 when >'c shall hear of wars and commotions, be 
 not terrihed; for these things must first come 
 to pass; but the End is not by and by. 
 
 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise 
 agamst nation, and kingdom against kingdom- 
 and great earthquakes shall be in divers places' 
 and famines and pestilences; and fearful sights 
 and great signs shall there bo from heaven. 
 Jiut before all these they shall lay their hands 
 on you, and persecute you; delivering you up 
 to the synagogues, and prisons, being brought 
 before kings and rulers for my name's sake. 
 (1 hese are things which happened as much after 
 the destruction of Jerusalem as before it. Then 
 giving directions how his disciples should act 
 under all the circumstances which would befal 
 them, including the troubles and miseries which 
 were nearat hand, ho thus foretels theEndofall) 
 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in 
 the moon and m the stars; and upon the earth 
 distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and 
 the waves roaring ; mens' hearts failing them for 
 lear, and for looking after those things which are 
 coming on the earth ; for the powers of heaven 
 shall be shaken. And then shall they see the 
 sign of THE Son of man coming in a cloud with 
 power and great glory." 
 
 Some have understood even this part of the 
 Frophecy as if it figuratively described the judg- 
 ments which were coming on the Jews for their 
 rejection of Christ and the Gospel; and others 
 with somewhat more of probability, have applied 
 It to the triumph ot Christianity in the days of 
 Constantine, the first Christian Emperor. But 
 n IS, I conceive, perfectly plain from the Epistles, 
 
118 
 
 aiid especially from the two Epistles of St. 
 Paul to the Thcssalonians, that the ApostU's, 
 and the whole Christian Church under their in- 
 struction, looked for a very different fulfilment ; 
 — for nothing less than the real and personal 
 coming of Christ to the last judgment of the 
 world. The coming of the Lord is held out by 
 them, either as a motive to patience and perse- 
 verance under all temporal afflictions, or to 
 awaken the careless and indifferent to a sense of 
 their terrible danger; objects scarcely to be 
 answered by an expectation of the destruction 
 of Jerusalem, or of the triumph of Constantine. 
 Moreover, the coming oT Christ, and the day of 
 the Lord, are viewed in immediate connexion 
 with the resurrection — as events in which the 
 dead would be as much concerned as those who 
 should be found alive; a consideration which 
 undeniably proves how the Apostles looked, 
 and would have taught us all to look, for the 
 fulfilment of the latter part of our Saviour's 
 prophecy. 
 
 Be it then our faith, that as surely as the Ro- 
 mans came to execute the vengeance of offended 
 heaven on the Jews, .so surely shall Christ come 
 ** from heaven, to take vengeance on them that 
 obey not his Gospel, and to be glorified in his 
 saints and admired in all that believe." "Hea- 
 ven and earth shall pass away, but his words 
 shall not pass away." They were entirely veri- 
 fied in that generation ; and they will be on this, 
 and on all the generations of men. These eyes 
 — whether before or after the sleep of the grave, 
 it matters not — shall see him descending in the 
 clouds of heaven ; and we~cven these bodies 
 
110 
 
 antl souls of ours — shall partake, cither ol* the 
 redemption, or the everlasting destruction, of 
 that day. And oh ! may we learn to live like 
 ♦hoic who really believe that these things shall 
 be! 
 
 What effect the belief should produce — yes, 
 and must inevitably produce, on those who en- 
 tertain it, Christ himself has taught us in the 
 plainest words : " And — 
 
 Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your 
 hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunk- 
 enness, and cares of this life, and so that day 
 come upon you unawares ; for as a snare shall it 
 come upon all them that dwell on the face of the 
 whole earth. Watch ye, therefore, and pray 
 always, that ye may be accounted worthy to es- 
 cape all these thmgs that shall come to pass, and 
 to stand before the Son of man." 
 
 Is it possible to say any thing by which this 
 solemn and affectionate admonition can be made 
 more impressive? It is addressed, not to the 
 daring unbeliever, but to us who pass for believ- 
 ers ifl Christ, but endanger our eternal hopes by 
 yielding to the weakness and corruption of our 
 nature. And alas, does it not strike us with the 
 conviction, that too, too often — if not continual- 
 ly — we have been regardless? At the convivial 
 board, at our private table, in our common bu- 
 siness, and amidst the amusements of life, have 
 we not forgotten ourselves? Have we not lost 
 sight of Christ and the judgment dty, and ate 
 and drank, and talked and acted, and partaken 
 of diversions and pleasures, in a manner most 
 clearly proving that eternity was far from our 
 thoughts? Am] yet there has never b^en a day, 
 
120 
 
 ,M 
 
 oi'''artlioup, when tliis prcdlclion m/;'7// not Imvc 
 been fulfilled. Tho time is IHl in comphilo 
 iiiiccrtaitily, in order thnt, ns all have nn interpfJt 
 in the event, all should continually liold (hem- 
 selves in readihesR. 
 
 Think (hen, let me say to each individual, vvhaf 
 would have become of'you, ifour Lord had come 
 at this, or that, or any one of numberless seasons 
 which conscience recals to your mind?— If he 
 had come when you were indulf^ing in the plea- 
 sures of mere sense, utterly forgetful of your 
 spiritual nature and all its claims? If he had 
 come when you were enp:rosscd in worldly bu- 
 siness—omployed altofrcther about.the things of 
 this life, even if you did not allow yourself to 
 violate truth or honesty, charity or peace, for 
 the sake of them? If he had come when vou 
 were joining in idle and frivolous, if not directly 
 improper conversation; or in foolish recreations, 
 which '* make a mock of sin," and play about 
 Its verge, if they do not absolutely plunge in its 
 pollutions? If he had come when you were in- 
 dulging the thoughts of your own heart— unholy 
 or unkind, if they wero not positively impure or 
 malignant? 
 
 Ah ! docs not every one of us feel, that if he 
 had come at those times we could not have en- 
 dured the day of his coming ; we could not have 
 stood when the Judge appeared? In shame and 
 confusion must we not have fallen on our faces 
 to the earth, to await the sentence which must 
 have banished us from the presence of his 
 holiness? 
 
 It is then a mercy that he has not yet appear- 
 ed; it is a great mercy that the prophetic words 
 
121 
 
 of tlin Soil of man .still vibrnlc in our cars. Oh ! 
 let llnnn now at loast settle in our hearts; and 
 muse UN (o vigilance, and a lilo consifltont with 
 the hope oC salvation, lor the timo to come. It 
 may he, (hat ncvnr more will iho warning be 
 addressed (o us — 
 
 '* Take yv heed ; uafck and pray: fdr yr. 
 know not when, the lime is," 
 
 i)> 
 
 
 V ■ 
 

 
 ii 
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 II 
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 V 
 
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THE END OF ALL THINGS. 
 
 1 PETER IV. 7. 
 
 'Ihe end of all things is at hand : be ye therefore sober, andwateh 
 
 unto prayer. 
 
 The remark has occurred to many persons, 
 on reading this passage, and others of similar 
 import in the writings of the Apostles, that they 
 appear to have conceived "the end of all things" 
 much nearer ihan experience proves it to have 
 hecn. Hence some have looked about for ano- 
 ther sense which might be fairly given to their 
 words. One class of critics seem almost to 
 have persuaded themselves that such expressions 
 referred, not to that consummation which we call 
 *«the end of the world," but to the destruction 
 of Jerusalem and conclusion of the age of the 
 Old Testament. Another class have been rather 
 inclined to consider these expressions as little 
 more than figurative representations of the ap- 
 proach of death— *• the end of all things" in this 
 world to each individual. 
 
 It can scarcely be necessary to enter into a 
 discussion of either of these interpretations, be- 
 cause I believe all would admit tlie first and 
 most obvious sense of tho words to be the most 
 satisfactory— provided it should not imply a false 
 prediction on the part of the Apostles, the au- 
 thorised and inspired interpreters of truth. 
 
 But from such a suspicion it seems perfectly 
 easy to exonerate their name. For in none of 
 
I2i 
 
 these places do they lorctel any thing as oftl.cui- 
 sehes but merely refer to a well know»,,,..e4u:tiou 
 of Christ; adding perhaps some explanatory or 
 
 had their Divine Master predicted the consum, 
 maiion of all things? Had he told ihcm it nv^'! 
 near at hand? Had he told theai it was far <C 
 lant? Neither the one. nor the other. But lio^ 
 had very carefully apprised lliem that ihqperiod 
 was not to be disclosed. He delivered a v^ify 
 solemn prophecy concerning a ^eriys oiVcveuu, 
 which were to begin with the destruction of thu 
 Jewish State and Church, and to end at theind 
 o! all things in the present world. Of tjic ium 
 great event, the destruction of Jerusalem; he 
 precisely declared that it was very near ; so near 
 that that generation should not pass away., tiil 
 all belongmg ta it was tumilcd .—and so jUian, 
 pened even to the letter. - But of;/m/ (conpjqk 
 ing) day and hour," he said, "knoweth jio mao," 
 iio not the angels that are in heaven, neither the 
 feon ; but the Father." In the mean time.it w^ . 
 his and his heavenly Father's wilJ.that iheApQfc, , 
 ties and all their followers should^egard it^; 
 possibly, or even probably near. - tl^^tch," 
 therefore ho says. - and pray that ye may be ^^ 
 accounted worthy to escape all these things that ' 
 shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son 
 
 n'^^r'~d!^^ ^^""^ ^ ^""y ""^« yo"' I say unto 
 all. Watch. For the same reason the prophe- 
 cies relating to the end. of the world, contained 
 m St Jonn's Apocalypse, and other writinas of . , 
 the Apostles, are all carefully expresseain Ian-*" 
 guage which might be fulfilled, either at an ca^" 
 Jier, gr at a much later period. ^sThat. diiy," 
 
li?5 
 
 ■ays Se. Paul, "siha!! not come rxccpt" coriain 
 remarkable ovenfs shall have preceded if—but 
 fhoM events (a great departure from ihi true 
 laith of the Gospel, and a sad display of prevail- 
 ing wickedness and impiety) were of such a na- 
 twe. that they might either have taken place 
 vvithm a few years, or have been protracted du- 
 nng several centuries. For the duration of these 
 events St. John mdteed assigns certain terms of 
 time:— but then he denominates ihem periods of 
 days; and few, (I believe) if any, persons ever 
 thought ot takmg a day as the prophetical sym- 
 bol for a year, until so many years had elapsed, 
 that they might likewise apprehend the periods 
 assigned to have nearly reached their conclu- 
 sion. And with such admirable caution are 
 these prophecies framed, that even now the same 
 saJutary uncertainly remains. For, supposinir 
 It to be at length absolutely certain that a pro- 
 phetic day signifies a year;— still, from the pe- 
 cuhar manner m which the prophetic periods are 
 dated, from the room left for doubt whether se- 
 veral periods were to succeed each other, or to 
 bemoreorlesssynchronical, and from other cir- 
 cunistances of an ambiguous complexion, no man 
 can undertake to determine when the end will 
 be. It may still be comparatively remote :— it 
 mhy be also; (for every word of prophecv might 
 thus be accomplifihed) before " this generation 
 shall have passed away." 
 
 " ThiB end of all things," said St. Peter there- 
 lore— "the end of all things," may the minister 
 ot the same Lord no^say— *«is at hand;"— not 
 that It must come to day, or to morrow, or with- 
 in any precisely determinable time; but that it 
 
 R 
 
12G 
 
 m«i/, 'May 'prohahly, soon arrive, " E-e y^ there- 
 fore sober," tf!md9rate with respect to all the 
 enjoyments of life, •' and watch" with minds 
 awako a.od collected " r.nto prayer" — (he em- 
 ployment best fitted for the anticipation of a 
 holier state and the more in^mediatiB presence of 
 
 The certain prowspoct of death indeed at no very 
 remote period ought, unquestionably, to affect 
 Us deeply, and exercise a powerful influence over 
 the whole course of our life. Were "the days 
 of our age" invariably three or four score or a 
 hundred years, reason would still direct us to 
 make good use of all our appointed time; to 
 *' consider the eqd," and do all things with a de- 
 liberate view to their final events. Nor could 
 there be any just doubt concerning tho kind of 
 life which oven in that case it would behovo bs 
 to pursue. For, setting aside all other conside- 
 rations, what but a virtuous and holy life could 
 we conceive calculated to produce a desirable 
 futurity? Did we not even look forwards for 
 ourselves — did we not extend our view to our 
 personal existence in a world to come- — stilJ the 
 good man is the only one who leaves atiy thing 
 good behind him here. " Justice artd benevo- 
 lence," as the Roman statesman and mdreiliBt 
 well reminds his readers, alone obtain tWe es- 
 teem and love of those with whom we live; alone 
 constitute the name and character which can be 
 honored by posterity. By such quaHties also, 
 alone, carefully communicated to our children, 
 and others under our influence, our worth sur- 
 vives our dissolution; and thus, according to 
 the natural course of things, the consoling 
 
i£; 
 
 prqcoii^cs of the Royal Poet receive their ccccra- 
 plisi^ment,--" Tho generation of the upright 
 8ha.(i be blessed ; and his righteousness endureth 
 jp9f ever." But reason and revelation coincido 
 in lea^itig us to anticipate another .»- M; for 
 whiwli therefore the present life oug >• dvidently 
 to be regarded as a state of preparation. And 
 UiV i^ happy futurity surely it is inconceivable 
 that any kind of life, but that in which sanctity 
 and virtue have become habitual, should prepare 
 sugLtji capacitate the soul. Were we then sure of 
 reaching the furthest bound of human life, wis- 
 doiD would still admonish us — " The end of all 
 things is at hand : be ye therefore sober, and 
 ^atch unto prayer !" 
 
 ,',Jput how little probability is there that we — 
 that any particularised individual among us — 
 should attain to such an age ! ** Few," wo 
 4y.eU.kn0w, " are they who find it." In youth, 
 in fliaturer years, in all parts of the successive 
 Pf^iod^ of life, men are seen to die. They dis- 
 £ippj^9.r from the earth : their name and charac- 
 jt^, ^such as they may have become, irrevocably 
 iixeq in t)iis world; and (as far as we can see) 
 their state and destiny in the world of spirits as 
 irreparably decided. Who then, that justly con- 
 siders these things, does not feel himself deeply 
 afflicted by them? Who does not often hear a 
 warning voice — as if a messenger had come to 
 hiixi from the other world — that " the end of all 
 tilings is at hand ;" that there is no time to be 
 Jpst; that he has none (not a day,) to waste on 
 frivolous vanities, still less to abuse in low and 
 ^pojilutiDg pleasures; that neither tho enjoyments 
 i:^p^^ythe cares of this life should be suflereu to 
 
engross his mind; but that he should make a 
 sober and temperate use of the various objeotB 
 of sense, and by the habitual practice of ddvo- 
 tion keep himself prepared f&vhia removal tntij© 
 eternfti state, whenever the time may come/J; * 
 Such are the tefleotions iiatin«a% sogg^tod 
 by the ordinary uncertainties ofidurmortaMrfe ■ 
 reflections which the unexpected 5 departure of 
 our friends or nerghboufrs is daltu fared, and 
 doubtless mtended, to excite; reflections which 
 their disappearance for ever from the throng and 
 business of life ought to invest with awful so- 
 lemnity. Here (should we reflect)*~as we miss 
 them in the public way, from amongst the as- 
 sembhes of rtien, above all as we look upon their 
 vacant place within the house of prayer ;-^here 
 they were the other day, and now they are gone- 
 y^u^^^^u®*'^^'^' unchangeably, everlastingly gone' 
 Oh ! how great does the importance now appear 
 of the life they led on earth ! f f they were cha- 
 racterised by any moral obliquitv, how painful 
 how distressing, the remembrance. No griod or 
 happy efFect, we all see and feel, c^ 4»ive'?boen 
 produced by such causes; nay we kntownothow 
 to dwell upon the thought, and can only tiwn for 
 relief, with vague arid indefinable hopes, ^io/tlie 
 mfinite mercy of Almighty God, and "theblbod^' 
 which was -shed for the sins of the wolld." 
 But, on the other hand, what cotnfort and en- 
 couragement do we derive from the contGmpla- 
 tion of departed goodness ! The upright aiid 
 just, the kind and benevolent, the charitable and 
 merciful, leave in our hearts a clieerful and lovely 
 Jmage^ And if their social virtues have been 
 sanctified by a spirit of purf and ferverttipietv 
 
129 
 
 if woitave8C5«i them " doing justly, loving mwoy, 
 uDdf^alkifig humbly with their God;!' we^ihrn 
 behbld them irsfuredly delivered ^om aU «vil, 
 Hfirrayed in white robep and |>alm8 ini their 
 hands^fi admitted «♦ before tha throno af God^" 
 and>«8erviwg, bim day and nigbt in his" heavenly 
 *^*empteuV Mr^he inference foR ourselves is ob- 
 vioira audi impr«8s»v)e. We are mortal, as Ihey 
 were? wei hoW our lives; b>y as fraid a tidnuite; 
 another weeki or another day, » may mmibar ui 
 among tlwse who kave been ; aad fix. our -charac. 
 ter among men, and our fate in the eternal world, 
 just a« irrevocably as theirs have been iixed. 
 Now then let us consider whether the prospect 
 is such as to satisfy our minds. If nowncaUed 
 away, would we leave a memctfy whicbf survivors 
 ought to cherish; and would oi»r spirits antici- 
 pate an eternal peace and serenity It^And if such 
 considerations are unsatisfactoryr-t-»if they briftg 
 ungrateful convictions on otir conscieneei lot 
 them by^ail means produce their proper effect on 
 ?oair>liKes^: let them arouse us to a thorough ex- 
 aminalrifkn «f our disposition and conduct, K:ith a 
 detierinination to reform whatever shall be wrong: 
 let lis *vrodeem the time," and by the meroieaof 
 Christ .fiCfl^Uife the; everlasting redemption of nMtr 
 'Soulai^r!?'* hnn ',n ' ■. ;>,,, 
 
 mi < ti I ! 
 
 MiThere are periods when it pleases God to visit 
 mankind with peculiar judgments ; and through 
 one of these we are evidently passing. A dire 
 disease has been seen to fall, like a Wast from 
 heaven, on various regions of the earth, sweepicff 
 >as it were over its appointed space, andcies^ 
 iroyingwifh.. almost inconceivable rapidity uthe 
 jiowers-of life. . Many a spot around ua, some 
 
130 
 
 for the second time, have been marked by its 
 dreadful ravages; and, although the apparent 
 physical causes of its introduction and extension 
 may be less observable among us, it would still 
 bd wrong and presumptuous to imagine ourselves 
 exempt from danger. The moral causes— ifle- 
 vity and thoughtlessness, if intemperance and 
 profligacy, if impiety and profaneness, if a life 
 notoriously regardless of its final account— if 
 these are admitted as sufficient reasons for an 
 extraordinary intervention of Providence, the 
 mbrall' causes, it cannot be denied, exist among 
 us in formidable force. Well then may this 
 diseaso be regarded as a special messenger from 
 h©flvon-^«n " angel of destruction," alas, to 
 some, but' charger with a message of peculiar 
 mewiy td the rest; calling us all to serious re- 
 fleidti6ii, repentance and amendment of life. OkA 
 let the call penetrate our hearts; and, iinowi«g 
 not how near *' the end of all things" mayb^f^ 
 lot us "be sober and watch unto prayer^^' -^^ 
 
 The true force, however, of the admonition 
 before us certainly lies in this ;— that God hath 
 appointed another world to supersede the pre- 
 sent state of things, and has left us in utter un- 
 certainty when he will effect the mighty change; 
 that it may come any day, and the dav in which 
 it does come will be a " day of judgment '—a 
 day of discrimination between the good and the 
 bad— when •* these shall go away into everlast- 
 ing punishment, but the righteous into life eter- 
 nal." For this day the dead are represented as 
 waitmg, either in trembling fear, or in joyful 
 hope ; for this the living are required to'stand 
 prepared by spending every day as if it might 
 
i3i 
 
 be the last. May \\e "have grace" to act 
 agreeably to these most momentous truths! May 
 
 we, one and all, become sober and serious; 
 
 laying a due restraint on our appetites and pas- 
 sions; regulating our whole conduct by the 
 rules of reason and religion; withdrawing, as 
 far as the duties of our station will permit, from 
 scenes of dissipation and profligacy; and firmly 
 resisting the temptations which it may not be 
 possible entirely to avoid. And may we " watch 
 unto prayer"-- -devoutly uniting in the supplica- 
 tions of the Church, and maintaining a constant 
 and holy communion with heaven in private. 
 Thus should we be prepared for all events, be- 
 cause prepared for " the end of all;" and might 
 hope to meet the severest trials with humble 
 fortitude— shewing to others, and enjoying in 
 ourselves, the incomparable excellence of Chris- 
 tian faith and hope; the moral dignity and hap- 
 piness of that man, whose "heart standeihfasf, 
 trusting in the Lord.'* . . 
 
 (imd i)oii ji; . 
 
 Of() bnfi I. 
 
 Uji7<^\ m fo ^iBy 5 
 
 ifhu ... 
 
Be 
 
 th 
 
 nil 
 
 its 
 
 is 
 
 his 
 
 do 
 
 pn 
 
 sta 
 
 kni 
 
 as 
 
 oc< 
 
 in 
 
 an( 
 
 ver 
 
 ref* 
 
 has 
 
 stri 
 
 der 
 
 to < 
 
 see 
 
 the 
 
 moj 
 
THE STILL SMALL VOICE. 
 
 1 KINGS XIX. 11, 12. 
 
 Behold the Lord passed by ; and a ^reat and strong wind rent the 
 mountains and brnke in pieces the rocka before the Lord, but the 
 Lord was not m the aind ; and after the wind an earthquake, 
 but the Lord teas not m the earthquake; and after the earth- 
 quake afire, but the Lord was not in the fire : and after the fire 
 a still small voice. 
 
 The Scriptures contain no explanation of 
 this most remarkable and ever memorable ma- 
 nifestation oi the Lord. It was intended to make 
 its own impression on the mind ot Elijah, and 
 is left to work its own clfect on those who read 
 his history. Probably therefore we should not 
 do right, if we were to affix to it any one 
 pret5ise signification; to confine it to the circum- 
 stances and events by which the Lord was made 
 known in the Prophet's time; or to consider it 
 as directly prophetic of any which have since 
 occurred. It is rather significative of the way 
 in which God generally reveals himself to men, 
 and in which they should look for such disco- 
 veries. Doubtless however it had an especial 
 reference to the state of tlie Proph*et*s mind, and 
 has been recorded for our admonition and in- 
 struction. We are therefore at liberty to consi- 
 der the general ideas which it may seem naturally 
 to convey; and apply them to Elijah and the 
 scenes through which he was passing, as also to 
 the dispensations of divine government which 
 more particularly concern ourselves. 
 
 s 
 
134 
 
 The genera] ideas which the passage naturally 
 conveys are, I conceive, such as these : — that 
 God does not so fully reveal himstif by the 
 more violent displays of his power, us by the 
 calmer and more silent intimations of his will. 
 The devastating wind, the destructive earth- 
 quake, and the consuming fire, go *♦ before the 
 Lord," and awaken a thoughtless world to his 
 majesty and wrath ; but his good and gracious 
 counsels, the plan which he has formed, and the 
 object which he pursues when all opposition is 
 overthrown, the works of human pride levelled 
 in the dust, and sin and " sinners consumed out 
 of the earth :" — these are understood bv that man 
 only who listens to the '• still small voice," by 
 which the Lord speaks to his waiting and obe- 
 dient servants. In a certain sense indeed the 
 Lord is in the wind, the earthquake and the fire; 
 for all such things are the effects of his will, and 
 consequently manifestations, in a measure, of 
 his nature; but if we regarded these alone, we 
 should form but a very imperfect, and in fact a 
 very wrong, notion of God. Wisdom and good- 
 ness are his most essential attributes, his darling 
 perfections, his delight and glory : when these 
 are revealed to the soul, it learns to view mercy 
 as prevailing against judgment; learns that the 
 Almighty afflicts in order to correct, lays low 
 to raise and establish, and (in a sense it may be 
 said,) destroys to revive and save for ever. 
 
 \. Let us now apply these ideas to the case 
 and circumstances of Elijah. This great Pro- 
 phet was raised up to restore the knowledge and 
 worship of God in Israel at a time of almost 
 universal ignorance and apostacy. For this 
 
135 
 
 purpose he was ordained, not only lo publish the 
 Lord's word, but to be the minister of his justice 
 and his mercy. He was first commissioned to 
 make this declaration to Ahab, the idolatrous 
 king, " As the Lord God of Israel liveih, before 
 whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain 
 these years, but according lo my word;" and a 
 long drought and most distressing famine con- 
 firmed the truth of his pretensions. At length, 
 •' in the third year," when the people might have 
 been supposed to be thoroughly humbled, and 
 prepared to make a proper account of the mercy, 
 •*the word of the Lord came to Elijah, (who had 
 fled to the neighbouring country of Zidon for a 
 scanty sustenance) saying, Go, shew thyself to 
 Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth." But 
 that the impression might be the stronger, and 
 the people at once (if possible) weaned from their 
 chief and leading sin, the Lord determined at the 
 same time to make a signal manifestation of his 
 infinite superiority over all the false gods whom 
 they ignorantly worshipped, and enable his Pro- 
 phet to execute due judgment on the prophets or 
 priests of the predominant idolatry* When the 
 fire had fallen from heaven and consumed Eli- 
 jah's sacrifice, so that the people fell on their 
 faces and said, " The Lord — he is the God," 
 and when all the incorrigible prophets of Baal 
 had been put to death at his command ; — then 
 "the Lord sent a gracious rain and refreshed 
 his inheritance." 
 
 Elijah might now reasonably expect a great 
 change in his circumstances, as well as in, the 
 principles and character of his countrymen,, He 
 might suppose idolatry entirely destroyed, and 
 
136 
 
 look for duo rnspoct nnd honor ns the distin- 
 guislicd Prophet ntid minister of the Lord of 
 Hosts. But Ikjvv diflerrnt was his experience ! 
 Jezehel, tlie heathen wife of A hah, tlie chief 
 author and supporter of the idolatrous worship 
 in Israel, still retained her influence, and was 
 still unreclaimed. Immediately after the asto- 
 nishing miracle which God had wrought in con- 
 firmation of the Prophet's word,andthe execution 
 of justice accordint^ to the divine law on the 
 prophets of Bna!, the hauf*ht y and infatuated 
 queen sent this message to Elijah, " So let the 
 Gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy 
 life as the life of one of them hy to morrow at 
 this time." We mi^'^ht have thought that Elijah 
 would securely defy the menace : that he would 
 have placed his trust in that God, who had so 
 recently and so victoriously maintained the 
 cause of his servant, ;«nd made him apparently 
 the converter of the whole people. But it was 
 not so. Whether he sought in vain lor some 
 expr<'ss promise of protection ; wliether the Lord 
 was pleased to inform him that on this occasion 
 he must not expect miraculous assistance; or 
 whether he was merely left to his own natural 
 weakness : — these things we know not; — but wo 
 are distinctly told that he had the same appre- 
 hension, and pursued the same course, which 
 any ordinary man would have done. He "fled 
 forhishfe;" he took refuge in "the wilder- 
 ness;" and was there so oppressed with des- 
 pondency and sorrow, as to utter this prayer, 
 '*It is enough now, O Lord, fake away my life; 
 for I am not belter than my fathers." At that 
 season of depression, beseems to have imagined 
 
137 
 
 that nil his labours and sufftrings, all the cliviAt 
 truths which ho had tauglit, and tht3 grand mi- 
 ruchis which liad accompanied thcai, were in 
 vain; — Jezebel remained in power, and wouH 
 very soon, as the distempered mind of EUjah 
 f<>rebodc(l, pervert tlio people again, and renew 
 the aboininatiijns whicli he liad suppressed. 
 
 But tlio Pi-oplict was not deserted. An angel 
 fiuppiicd him with food ; the same heaveiiJy ipes- 
 aenj^^er h4d him in safety through a journey q£ 
 forty days; and the power of God defended ancj 
 supported him until he arrived atHoreb, or Sin^j, 
 "the mount of God"— where he had originally 
 revealed himself to the children of Israel. Tfaero 
 ihf) word of tlie Lord came to him, and demanded, 
 ** What doest thou here, Elijah?" His answet- 
 fully disclosed the state of his mind. Overlook- 
 ing the late most memorable transactions, as if 
 they had never been, ho says, ♦* I have been vary 
 jealous for the Lord God of Hosts, forthechiJr 
 dren of Lsrael have forsaken thy coven^n^^ 
 thrown dov»'n thine altars, and slain thy prophets 
 with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; 
 and they seek my life to take it away." Then th^ 
 remarkable scene followed which the text des^ 
 cribes. But what are the words uttered by th^ 
 "stillsmall voice" whi^h bespoke the immediat^ 
 presence of Jehovah? They were of a character 
 widely different from the Prophet's apprehepT 
 sions. Thoy fully upheld him in his high unci 
 awful ofiice. " Go," said the Lord, " return q^ 
 thy way to the wilderness of Damascus; ^n^ 
 when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be kji^g 
 over Syria; and Jehu, the son of Nimshi, sUjt 
 thou anoint lo be king over Israel; and Elisha, 
 
138 
 
 the son of Shaphat, shalt thou anoint to he Pro- 
 phet in thy room. And it shall como to pnas, 
 that him thatescapeth the sword oniazael shall 
 Jehu slay; and him that escapcth tho sword of 
 Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left mo se- 
 ven thousand in Israel, all the knees which havo 
 not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which 
 hath not kissed him." 
 
 Now here I think we may, without much dif- 
 ficulty, perceive the impressions, which this pe- 
 culiar manifestation of Jehovah was calculated 
 to make on Elijah's mind. 
 
 It would therefore naturally tend to compose 
 his feelings. Was there any thing \n him cor- 
 responding with the wind, the earthquake, or 
 the fire? Was there any thing violent, agitating, 
 or indicative of undue warmth of temper? Was 
 the Prophet exasperated and indignant at tho 
 treatment he received? Did he tremble with rage 
 at the failure, as he then appeared to consider it, 
 of his attempts to *' turn the heart" of the people 
 "back again" to the Lord? Was he ready to 
 call for vengeance on his enemies, and consume 
 them in his wrath? •' God was not" in such pas- 
 sions. They were the workings of human nature, 
 not of the holy Spirit in the heart. It was the 
 Prophet's duty not to give himself up to such 
 impetuous feelings, but to wait for the ** still 
 small voice" of reason, deliberation and patience. 
 But the scene might be yet more instructive 
 to Elijah. He was a " man of God," and really 
 anxious that the name of the Lord should be 
 glorified, and his will obeyed. Doubtless he 
 could say with the strictest sincerity, " I have 
 been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts,** 
 
IJ9 
 
 ulthougli even in him human infirmity wouW 
 mingle with what was iioly and divine, lie had 
 therefore, we may suppose, ardently hoped and 
 fondly trusted that the late displays of divine 
 power and justice would have effected an uni- 
 versal and lasting reformation in Israel; and 
 now thai he so soon found the contrary, he might 
 have thought it worthy of the Lord,— ho might 
 have been disposed to make it the object of his 
 prayer—that the storm of God's anger, the earth- 
 quake of his indignation, or (he fire of his wrath, 
 should terrify or destroy the incorrigible nation. 
 Such thoughts were not altogether wrong; hut 
 they were fiasty and indiscriminate. Too many 
 of the people were indeed abandoned to iniquity, 
 and, notwilhijianding such partial and temporary 
 repentances as Elijah had lately witnessed, 
 would become in time ripe for destruction; hut 
 the "still small voice" of divine wisdom and 
 goodness pronounced otherwise concerning a 
 select number. That same voice therefore de- 
 creed the destruction of the former when the 
 time should arrive, chose the fittest instruments, 
 and appointed Elijah himself to designate thc:»i 
 to their ofllce. But, with respect to the "seven 
 thousand who I.ad not bowed the knee to Baal," 
 these, aaid the voice, " I have reserved to my- 
 self ;"~in the midst of terror and destruction they 
 should be safe. The invasions of Hazael migh£ 
 alarm them; the subversion of the kingdom by 
 Jehu might fill them with consternation ; the wars 
 and famines, and other calamities which would 
 happen according to the word of Elisha, might 
 threaten to destroy them :— but whatever they 
 might apprehend, whatever they might suffer. 
 
140 
 
 th«y wero the ''reserved" of iIjo Loni, and 
 he would be their sure and etornal (lelivcrcr. 
 
 Thus this peculiar m.-inilestatio]! oC iho Dsity 
 h^d a direct and powerful tendency to tranquil. 
 lize and settle the Prophet's mini]. It taugh; 
 nini to wait with patience for the Lord's time, 
 to judge as he judges, and to place a full confi- 
 dence in the equity of his procccdingf?. We 
 find hiin therefore immedialely afier wards dis- 
 missing his fears, leaving the unprolitablo soli.- 
 (ude to which he had lied, mu] In the fate of all 
 his enemies steadily and undauntcdiy pursuing- 
 the path assigned hi a). " ' ^ 
 
 2. Let us now attempt an application of the 
 same principles to the dispensations of divine go- 
 vernment whiph more particularly concern our- 
 selves. The methods, by which God makes him- 
 «elf known to us, are his ordinary providence and 
 Extraordinary revelation;— and with respect to 
 each of these the scene before us is instructive. 
 ^ For, with respect to the ordinary course of 
 flivine providence, as it is carried on by the ope- 
 rations of nature, very imperfect and erroneous 
 indeed would be our ideas of God, if we regard- 
 ed only the stormy "wind, the earthquake%nd 
 the fire." Such things, wo know, are set at 
 work by him; they are the instruments of his 
 vengeance on a sinful world; sometimes they 
 appear especially appointed to execute his judg- 
 ments on particular nations or individuals; they 
 Spread alarm and dismay through the hearts of 
 men, and awaken them to the power and justice 
 of the Lord. But *'thc Lord is not in them.;'' 
 they perform his "5^r«9i§-e work"-— the work 
 which sin, alas ! renders necessary, but which 
 
Ul 
 
 would be otherwise altogether foreign to the 
 nature or will of God. - His delight is inbles- 
 sihg not in cursing;" in preserving the world 
 which he has made, not in afflicting or destroy^ 
 ingit; in making his creatures happy, not ia 
 terrifying or consuming them. The - still small, 
 voice, which breathes in the healthy and re. 
 freshmg breeze; the testimony borne by the^ 
 beneficial order bf nature; the comfortable as. 
 surance which the attentive observer perpetu- 
 ally receives from the creation around him •—, 
 the Lord saying in his heart, ♦« While the earth 
 remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and 
 heat, and summer and winter, and day and 
 night shall not cease :"--this tells us mtich more 
 of God—this gives us a far better notion of him 
 wlio is '* good to all, and his tender mercies over 
 all his works." Just so in human governments; 
 —It is not the terrors of war or of justice ;^it 
 IS not the alarms which may be spread through 
 the world, or the punishments inflicted on pub-, 
 lie enemies or transgressors at home; which 
 constitute good government: but the things 
 in which every wise governor far more delights 
 are those measures which promote virtue and 
 peace ; viz. industry, order, and the quiet 
 employment of the several powers and talents of 
 the people. '** 
 
 'Th^ same observations hold with respect to 
 the extraordinary revelations which God has 
 made of himself. Every dispensation of God 
 indeed must have its judgments, as well 9s its 
 mercies, until sin and sinners be no more; but 
 there is this difference between the two great 
 dispensations with which we are acquainted, the 
 
U2 
 
 Law of Moses and tho Gospel of Christ,— that 
 in the Law judgment is more apparent, and 
 mercy in the Gospel ; and consequently wo learn- 
 
 more much more — of God from the '♦ still small 
 
 voice" of Christ, than from the storm, the earth- 
 quake and the fire, which literally attended tho 
 promulgation of the Law on Mount Sinai, and 
 in the spiritual sense prevail thronghout the 
 whole system of Moses. In fact the severities 
 of the Law answered the same purpose with the 
 wind, the earthquake, and the fire of Elijah; 
 they went before tho Lord; they prepared the 
 way for Emmanuel; they drew the attention of 
 mankind to the divine wisdom and goodness 
 about to be manifested in the Gospel. For when 
 he appeared, who was ♦* God manifest in the 
 flesh/' how remarkably diflerent was his appear- 
 ance from the circumstances which accompanied 
 the promulgation of the Law. A man, unat- 
 tended with pomp or ceremony, working mira- 
 cles indeed, but those of a merciful and bountiful 
 kind, in gentle and encouraging accents, is heard 
 
 to say '• Come un^o me, all ye that labour and 
 
 are heavy-laden, and t will give you rest : Take 
 my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am 
 meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest 
 unto your souls; for my yoke is easy and my 
 burden is light." This is the voice of Christ; 
 yet this *' still small voice" pronounces great and 
 awful things, as did that which was heard by the 
 Prophet. 1 1 foretold a succession of calamitous 
 inflictions upon the Jewish nation, and upon the 
 world, until both should be destroyed for their 
 anbelief and disobedience. But like that it 
 speaks with confidence of a remnant who should 
 
143 
 
 be left : — "ho thnt rndureth to the end thall 
 be saved : my sheep hear my voice, and I 
 know theni, and they follow mc; and I give 
 unto them eternal life; and they shall never pe- 
 rish : be thou faithful unto death, and I will give 
 thee the crown of life." 
 
 We are now living under the dispensation of 
 the Spirit. Since the ascension of Christ, the 
 Holy Ghost has been the immediate governor 
 of the Church. And in his operations also a 
 distinction may be observed, not unlike that 
 which presented itself to the mind of the Pro- 
 phet. At his first descent, there came "a 
 rushing mighty wind," "cloven tongues asof fire" 
 rested on the Apostles, and they were enabled 
 to awaken the attention of the world by the ex- 
 ercise of miraculous powers. But these were to 
 be of transient duration ; they were the works of 
 the Lord, but "the Lord was not" in them; 
 they preceded " the still small voice" with which 
 the Apostles, as inspired and directed by the 
 Spirit, communicated divine truth to their atten- 
 tive hearers. And is there not somewhat of the 
 same kind to be observed in the internal opera- 
 tions of the same Spirit? Are there not often 
 excited within us violent convictions ^ "rending 
 (as it were) the mountains, and breaking in pie- 
 ces the rocks before the Lord?" Arc there not 
 agitations and convulsions, overthrowing our 
 proud plans, changing the current of our pur- 
 poses, and producing great alterations in the 
 whole face of our characters? Are there not 
 fires of holy indignation, and zeal, and revenge 
 against our sinful passions? All these are works 
 of the Spirit of God, and prepare us to receive 
 
144 
 
 his jrracious influence; but yet "the Lord is 
 not" in them, as he is in " the still small voice" 
 which whispers to our understandings and our 
 consciences when we are brought to listen with 
 undisturbed attention, and are disposed, without 
 resistance or hesitation, to obey and follow his 
 holy admonitions. 
 
 There arc probably many interposi^tions of 
 divine justice and mercy yet to be expected in 
 the affairs of the Church aiid of the world; but 
 certainly one groat proceeding remains, which 
 concludes the dispensations of the government 
 of God, as far as they have yet been revealed : 
 •—the judgment day. Then Christ will be seen 
 in all the glory of his power, and will certainly 
 come to "take vengeance on those who know 
 not God nor obey his Gospel." Then will be 
 the wind—the earthquake— and the fire. All 
 rocks and mountains will be rent and broken to 
 dust; the earth will reel to and fro; the world 
 Itself and all things therein will be the prey of 
 an universal conflagration. All nations will be 
 assembled before the Son of man; and his own 
 voice will pronounce judgment — even *' everlast- 
 ing punishment"— upon the incorrigibly wicked. 
 Yet these are not the things in which he delights ; 
 they are necessary, and, with reference to iheir 
 execution by divine power, " God" is called ♦* a 
 consuming fire;" but still, if I may so speak, 
 '* the Lord is not in them." Hence we find that 
 the Apostles, after the example of their divine 
 master, dwell not so much on these terrific scenes, 
 but hasten forwards to the final glories of the 
 world to come. "Nevertheless," they say. al- 
 though God be just, and vengeance must fall on 
 
*lie Ijead b( llfo wicked, **we, according to hii^ 
 promise, look for new heavens a«d a new eartli 
 wherein dwcllelh righteousness":— where "isGod 
 himself shall he with men, and there shall be no 
 more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; fclr the for- 
 mer things (will have) passed away*" 
 
 In conclusion, let :ne request yoa to observe 
 who are the persons that may expect to hear 
 *Uhe still »mall voice.'* They are not the vain 
 and thoughtless children of the worlds who fall 
 in with the prevailing cusiotns and fashions of 
 their time, consult their piiesent interests or 
 pleasures, and serve mammon inst-ead of God. 
 They are not the people who, when arrested by 
 any striking event, become serious, abandon their 
 idols, and adopt good principles for a day : but 
 on the morrow return to their former course. 
 They are not even those, who outwardly indeed 
 adhere to the Lord their God, s^jeuking and acti. 
 ing in his name; hut indulge ungod«ly temper^, 
 anger, or; envy, or revenge, or discontent. They 
 are not those who sfill need, to he alarmed or 
 subdued by the displays of divine power and 
 vengeance. But they arc those, servants of the 
 Lord, who calmly - 'atch and patiently wait for 
 the manifestation of his will ; who attend to him 
 as he speaks by his providence, by his word and 
 ministers, and by the whispers of his Spirit; and 
 who are ready to go and to do. as he shall he plea- 
 sed to direct them. These shall understand tho 
 way of the Lord, and find tho knowledge of God ; 
 these shall know and enjoy his goodness; to 
 them he shall reveal himself more and more, 
 until, having walked and held happy converse 
 with God here below, they shall be admitted to 
 
146 
 
 his unclouded presence abovG, " bco him ns he 
 16, and know as they are known." 
 
 Let us then, my Brethren, if we would be 
 partakers of such blessed privileges, cultivate 
 continually such a disposition. Let us, in the 
 first place, resolutely forsake the sins and follies 
 of the world, and say in our hearts, " The Lord 
 —he is the God ; the Lord he is the God f " Let 
 us, in the next place, restrain and suppress every 
 turbulent and unruly passion, that we may pay 
 a due attention to " the still small voice" of the 
 Lord. Let us, like Elijah, have our solemn 
 seasons for "wrapping the face in the mantle, 
 and going out and standing in the entering of 
 the cave"~-excluding from our view all earthly 
 objects, leavmg our secular cares, and commun- 
 ing singly with our own h jarts and with our 
 God. And, after the Prophet's example, let us 
 directly and fully perform the commandments 
 ot the Lord; placing a firm and entire trust in 
 his faithfulness, love and power; and unchange. 
 ably assured that, in going the way and doing 
 the will of God, he will " deliver us from every 
 evil work, and preserve us to his heavenlv 
 kmgdom," - 
 
THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND. 
 
 PSALM XLIY. 1. 
 
 )Ve have heard with 
 
 our ears, O Ood, our fathers have told u$ 
 what work thou didtt in their days, in the timet of old, 
 
 . It is the great characteristic of a religious 
 man, according lo the oldest and most venerable 
 of historians, that he "walks with God." 
 Wherever such a man goes, he feels himself in 
 the presence of the Being who created, sustains 
 and governs the world : that awful Being h^ 
 considers it his duty to bear continually in mind, 
 ajid regard all things with reference to him. 
 Nor merely in the system and course of nature 
 does the religious character perceive and adore 
 the Deity : he recognises also the intervention 
 pi the Most High in the allairs ol inen; of pri- 
 vate individuals, and of collective bodies. In 
 no respect are the sacred writers of Israel more 
 remarkably distinguished, than for their con- 
 felaiU acknowledgments of the Supreme Being 
 us the God of their nation : the history of that 
 nation, as narrated bv them, is a histoid of Di- 
 vine Providence. Jehovah is represented as 
 ihoir creator and father; their guid<j, protector 
 and deliverer; their lawgiver and king; their 
 prophet, priest and judge. Him they celebrate 
 in all their national poetry ; his perfections thoy 
 glorify ; in his presence they rejoice as the source 
 of all their enjoyments; his absence they mourn 
 as the cause of all their sufferings. And was 
 this adorable Being the God of Israel alone? 
 
148 
 
 In a peculiar sense he was ; but their own in- 
 spired Prophets have taught us, even every na- 
 tion under heaven, to regard him also as our 
 God. *» Have we not," we n>ay enqmre in the 
 words of a member of that holy company, " ono 
 father, and hath not^ne God created us?'* And 
 in the words of another we may reply^ nay in those 
 of the Almighty himself to that peculiar people, 
 " Thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the 
 God of the whole earth shall he be called." 
 
 Of all the nations among which the globe has 
 been divided in modern times, none surely has 
 greater reason to look up to God with reverence 
 and gratitude, than that which constitutes the 
 head of the British empire. And in addressing 
 a congregation of the established Church oC 
 England, I shall scarcely be thought to act an 
 invidious and unbecoming part, if I take a view 
 ofthe history of our country as illustrative of 
 the wisdom and goodness of Providence; and 
 remind my fellow countrymen, as the pious and 
 patriotic Psalmist reminded the people of Israel, 
 that •' We have heard with our ears, and our 
 fathers have told us, what thou, O God, didst in 
 their days, in the times of old." >f .^ -d^rf* 
 
 The origin of ancient nations, except those of 
 which sacred history treats, is lost in obscurity ; 
 nor have we any authentic account of the people 
 who inhabited Albion before the invasion of 
 Julius Ca)sar. Certain however it is, that in 
 days of very remote antiquity arace of men ca- 
 pable of forming great designs, and of carryin|r 
 those designs into effect, must have been planted 
 in the island by Him, who " separated the 
 sons of Adam, and divided to the nations their 
 
149 
 
 inhsritance." Of those men, and of their miffhtv 
 undertakings, Stoneiienge remains the monu- 
 nient and emblem. In the midst of an immense 
 plain, where to this day the ploughshare hnth 
 rarely broken the glebe, the traveller surveys 
 with astonishment and admiration stones of al- 
 most incredible magnitude, some /alien on the 
 ground, oihers still standing in their places, 
 which could never have been moved without 
 mighty force, directed by a mechanical know- 
 ledge hardly to be imagined of a barbarous age. 
 These are the relics of vast circles and ovals 
 which m all probability once formed the metro' 
 pohtan temple. By means of which no certain 
 Idea can now be formed, these huge blocks ot 
 stone were raised out of distant quarries, con- 
 veycd to their present site, hewn with the instru- 
 ments of the mason, and some fixed upright as 
 pillars on the ground, on whoso heads others, 
 lilio prodigious architraves, were accurately 
 mortised. Examining these gigantic remains of 
 the ancient inhabitants of our countrv, with a 
 collection in my hand of all that historians and 
 antiquaries have snid concerning them, I cannot 
 describe my feelings when I found the earliest of 
 all these writers totally uninformed on the sub- 
 ject of their origin :-the very age of the world 
 when Stonehenge was built, and the name of the 
 people who built it, were unknown alike to 
 iMorman, Saxon and Roman records. 
 
 It appears however from the observations and 
 experience of Caesar and other Roman com- 
 manders, who, with all the advantages of supe- 
 rior discipline, and the long tried valour and 
 conduct of legions which conquered the world, 
 
 v 
 
150 
 
 hordly succeeded in effecting the subjugaliuii 
 ol* Britain, that our aboriginal ancosiors wero 
 mou ot no ordinary cast. '• At Caesar's coming 
 hither,"say8 our Milton, great in Britisii liisfory, 
 as well as in heroic poetry, "such, likeliest, 
 were the Britons, as the writers of those timts 
 and their own actions represent them; in cou- 
 rage, and warlike readiness to take advantage 
 by ambush or sudden onset, not interior to 
 THE Romans, nor Cassibelan to C/esar; 
 in weapons, arms, and the skill of encamping, 
 embattling and fortifying (alone) overnmlched." 
 ♦' Their dealing," says Diodorus, the Greek wri- 
 ter of ancient Sicily, **was plain and simple 
 without fraud." And so striking was the mag- 
 nanimity of their prince Caractacus, when mis- 
 fortune bad betrayeil him into the hands of the 
 Romans, that the Emperor Claudius felt it im- 
 possible to keep so generous a spirit in chains. 
 
 But it is especially to be observed that even 
 in those times the island was celebrated for its 
 religion ; a religion which, whatever might be its 
 faults, was certainly of a iiiublime and ennobling 
 character. Amidst their groves of enduring oak 
 the Britons were taught by their Druids to as- 
 j)ire after immor/a/ honors; and such was tho 
 reputation of these priests, that Britain, as we 
 are assured by Csesar, became the fountain and 
 school of Druidical learning. 
 
 The causes from which our forefathers, in their 
 state of comparative barbarism, attained to such 
 honorable distinction, it is not easy to discover. 
 Something might probably be due to a temperate 
 climate; something to a soil worthy of cultivation, 
 Jbut at the same time requiring it ; somethmg to 
 
151 
 
 an insular situation, which throw the inhabitants 
 on their own resources, while it excited them to 
 exploration and enterprise; and something to 
 the bold and hardy spirits of the tirst settlers 
 from the neighbouring coasts. After all howe- 
 ver it is evident, that there must have arisen among 
 those CHILDREN OF (joMEii (for that is their 
 true and original name, preserved to this day in 
 Cumberland and Cambria, and by which their 
 descendants iti Wales have nhvays distinguished 
 themselves and their language) men of uncom- 
 mon talents, by whom the minds of the rest wore 
 formed to achievements surpassing those of their 
 continental brethren. And to what shall wo at- 
 tribute the rise of these men,— these spirits of 
 SDtherial temper, the Merlins, the Arthurs, and 
 Ambroses of ancient fable and legend,— but to 
 the favouring Providence, which even then des- 
 tined our country to be pre-eminent among the 
 nations of the earth? 
 
 But the mere fact of the gradual subjugation 
 of Britain by the Romans may be allowed to 
 prove that there were faults in the aboriginal 
 inhabitants, which required the correcting aids 
 of civilization. For this purpose therefore, we 
 may presume, it pleased God to permit that sub- 
 jugation; and Britain continued under the do- 
 minion of the Roman Emperors, until she had 
 derived all the benefit which such a connexion 
 was capable of conferring. During that period 
 the Britons learned the arts of internal commu- 
 nication, fortification and civil architecture; to 
 the present day the great roads may be traced 
 by which the Romans traversed the country in 
 all directions, the principal cities bear names 
 
152 
 
 derived n-oni legions once encamped uitisinil.eir 
 wall», and the remains of proconsular villas in. 
 dicatchow well tho conquerors instructed their 
 subjects in the comforts and elegancies of do- 
 iiiesiic life Numerous, without doubt, must 
 have been the advantages attendant on the resi- 
 dence ol governors such asAcRicoLA; who 
 wo are miormcd by his son-in-law and biogra- 
 pher, facitus alter having reduced the southern 
 part ol the island to tranquil submission, em- 
 ployed the happy season of peace - in the most 
 salutary designs ;» teaching and promoting, l.ke 
 a common father, the institutions and customs 
 ot cml hie. -The inhabitants, rude and scat- 
 tered, and so prone to war, he privately persuad- 
 ed and publicly assisted to build houses, temples 
 and places of public assembly; and by praising 
 the active and reproving the sluggish, he sub^ 
 stituted lor necessity an honourable emulation. 
 Moreover he caused the young nobility to be 
 educated m liberal arts; and by preferring the 
 native genius of Britain before the studied ac 
 quirementsofGaul, induced them to cultivate 
 Homan eloquence, whereas they had previously 
 Held the language in abhorrence." 
 
 One benefit however there was, far surpassing 
 all other advantages, for the communication of 
 which to Britain the arms, the arts and science 
 ot Rome vvere God's providential preparation : 
 1 mean, the introduction of the Christiaiv 
 Religion. Jior while Britain continued sub- 
 ject to Rome, Christianity prevailed even in the 
 Roman camp. And. whatever authority might 
 belong to the British Lies or Lucius, by his 
 countrymen called Lievfor Mawr, or the Great 
 
 W 
 
153 
 
 Li^'hl, whom ancient chronicles represent to 
 have first given a national ostabhshmcnt to ihtki 
 divine rehgion, which his ancestor, Bran, the 
 lather oi Caractacus had brought with him from 
 Home;— certain it is that Constant ine, the first 
 Christian Emperor, was in Britain invested with 
 the imperial purple. Under him the Uritish 
 Church naturally enjoyed peculiar protection 
 and favor, and Christianity appears to have been 
 propagated throughout all the Roman Provinces 
 in Britain. Hence we find three British Pre- 
 lates, Ivor of York, Rcstitutus of London, and 
 Adelphius of Caerleon, attending the Synod of 
 Aries, which Constantino convened in the year 
 of our Lord 314. The great Council of Nice, 
 111 the year 325, was also attended by Bishops 
 from Britain; as again was the Council of Ri- 
 mini in the year 359. 
 
 Nor were the Christians of Britain undistin- 
 guished amidst the newly converted world. They 
 discovered on several occasions a commendablo 
 regard for the truth and purity of their faith, and 
 much of the genuine spirit of the Gospel. In a 
 letter to Athanasius and the Alexandrian Bi- 
 shops they declared their approbation of the 
 Nicene creed, and afterwards made vigilant ex- 
 ertions to preserve their Church from the novel 
 doctrine of Pelagius. We may justly admire 
 their superiority to worldly lucre, when they re- 
 fused a maintenance which Constantius had of- 
 fered their Bishops, desiring to support their in- 
 dependence of any foreign power. The ancient 
 Triads pronounce " Dewi, Padarn and Teilo, 
 the Ulesscd Guests of Britain, because they 
 visited the houses of rich and poor, native and 
 
154 
 
 foreign, accepting neither money, meal, nor 
 cJ/mk. but teaching the Christian faith without 
 fee or reward ;--on the contrary, distributing 
 money, food and clothing to the poor." The 
 same venerable memorials reckon Cadwalader 
 the last of "^ic Three Blessed Kings, because 
 he granted the privilege of his land, and ail his 
 property, to the faithful, who fled from the un- 
 behevmg Saxons, and from theimbrotherly ones, 
 who sought to slay them." '^ i 
 
 Civilization however does pot maintain the 
 standard of morals ; and the religion of the Holy 
 Jesus, although generally embraced by the Bri- 
 tons under the auspices of the Roman eagles, 
 was not sufficiently established to preserve them 
 from the vices which ruined Rome itself. De- 
 bilitated by luxury and sloth, and lacerated by 
 civil discord, Britain, when abandoned by the 
 Roman legions, felt itself incapable of defence 
 against barbarous invaders. However bitterly 
 therefore we may deplore the miseries and deso- 
 lation spread over the land at the first introduc- 
 tion of the Saxons; we cannot but acknowledge 
 that the lively, active, resolute and undaunted 
 spirit of such a people was required to raise to 
 high pre-eminence the future character of Eng- 
 land. The testimony of Gildas, the authentic 
 British historian, who lived at Bath in the mid- 
 dle of the sixth century, and describes the scenes 
 which had immediately surrounded him, leaves 
 no doubt of the too general corruption of the 
 Britons. The memorable remark of the Great 
 Gregory, that the youthful Mgli, whom he saw 
 at Rome, would be most fit to join the hallelu- 
 jahs of the Jlngclic choir, affords a good idea of 
 
155 
 
 the personal superiority of the Anglo-Saxons; 
 and the form of Christianity, which in conse- 
 quence of that ohservaiion they received fron^ 
 I he ancient capital of Christendom, must be ac- 
 knowledged to have possessed advantages over 
 the pure, but comparatively unsystematic prin- 
 ciples previously disseminated in the land. The 
 mode of their conversion, as represented by the 
 venerable Bede and other most ancient writers, 
 is truly worthy of recital ; showing, as it does, 
 the candid and honest disposition of our English 
 forefathers even hi their heathen days, and illus- 
 trating the wisdom and goodness of God in es- 
 tab: shing the Church of England on solid 
 and durable foundations. 
 
 In the fourth year ol his succession to the 
 Papal seat (says the learned and pious Nor- 
 ihumbrian Monk; that is, in the year of our 
 Lord 596,) Gregory, admonished by divine in- 
 stinct, sent Augustine, whom he had designed 
 for Bishop of the English nation, accompanied 
 by other zealous Monks, to preach to them the 
 Gospel. The Abbot (for such was Augustine 
 appointed over the rest,) and his associates arriv- 
 ed safely at the isle of Thanet, in number about 
 forty, besides some of the French nation whom 
 they brought with them as interpreters. Ethel- 
 bcrt, the Saxon king of Kent, to whom Augus- 
 tine sent a new ^nd wondrous message, stating 
 that he had come from Rome to proffer heaven 
 and eternal happiness by the knowledge of ano- 
 ther God than the Saxons knew, directed them 
 to reinain where they had landed, and to be fur- 
 nished with necessaries, while he should consult 
 on what was fit to be donp. After some days 
 
156 
 
 coming himself into the island,.Ethelbert selected 
 a place of conference under the open sky. They 
 on the other side, when invited to his presence 
 advaricmg for their standard asilver cross and a 
 graphic representation of our Saviour, came 
 slowly forward, singing solemn litanies; 'lill 
 sittmg down at the king's desire, they preached 
 to him, and all in that assembly, the tidings of 
 salvation. Whom having heard attentively, the 
 Kmg thus replied : " Fair indeed and ample are 
 the promises you bring, and such things as pre- 
 sent the appearance of much good ; vet, since 
 they are new and uncertain, 1 cannot hastily 
 give my assent, quitting the religion which 
 from my ancestors, with all the English, I have 
 lor so many years retained. Nevertheless, be- 
 cause you are strangers, and have undertaken 
 so long a journey, to impart to us the knowledge 
 of thmgs, which I am persuaded vou believe to 
 be the truest and the best, you m'ay be assured 
 we will not repay you with any molestation, but 
 rather provide you the most friendly entertain- 
 ment m our power: nor do we forbid you 
 whomsoever you can by preaching, to gain to 
 your belief." He accordingly assigned them a 
 residence in Canterbury, his chief city; and 
 made provision for their maintenance, with free 
 permission to preach their xloctrine wherever 
 they thought proper. By which, and by the 
 example of their holy life, a life spent in pfayer 
 lasting, and continual labour in the conversion 
 of souls, they gained many ; on whose bounty 
 ann that of the king, receiving what was neces- 
 sary only, they subsisted. There stood without 
 the city an ancient Church, built in honor of St. 
 
151 
 
 Martin while the Romans remained in the coun- 
 try; in which Bertha the queen (for she, we ate 
 informed, heing the French king's daughter, had 
 been a Christian before her marriage,) usually 
 went out to pray. Here aJso the lloman mis- 
 sionaries began to preach, baptize and openly 
 perform divine worship. But when the king 
 himself, convinced by their good life and raira*^ 
 cles (says the ancient historian) became a Chris- 
 tian and was baptized, which happened within 
 a year of their arrival, then multitudes daily, 
 conforming to the example of their prince, thought 
 it an honor to be reckoned among those of bis 
 faith ;— ten thousand, we are told, were baptized 
 in the single year 599. To whom Ethelbert 
 indeed principally showed his favor, but com- 
 pelled none; for so, the Saxon divine assures 
 us, had he been taught by them who viere both 
 the instructors and authors of his faith, that the 
 Christian religion must be voluntarily embraced, 
 not professed by compulsion. At length Au- 
 gustine, being advanced to the dignity of Arch- 
 bishop of the English, recovered from its ruins 
 and profane uses a Christian church in Can- 
 terbury, built of old by the Romans, which he 
 dedicated by the name of Christ's Church; and 
 adjoining it he founded a seat for himself and 
 his successors : a monastery also on the east 
 side of the city, where Ethelbert at his instiga- 
 tion built St. Peter's, and enriched it with great 
 endowrftents, to be a place of burial as well for 
 the archbishops as the kings of Kent. The 
 number of Christians began now to increase so 
 fast, that Augustine, ordaining two of his as- 
 sistants, Mellitus and Justus, as subordinate 
 
158 
 
 bishops, sent them out to the work of their mi- 
 nistry. And Meliitus by preaching converted 
 the east Saxons, over whom Sebert, the nephew 
 of Ethelbert, by that powerful monarch's per- 
 mission then reigned ; whose conversion to con- 
 gratulate, Ethelbert founded the great church 
 cf St. Paul in London to bo their bishop's ca- 
 thedra! ; the same Meliitus having the satisfac- 
 . tioii but a few years after of consecrating St. 
 Peter's church and abbey at Westminster, 
 founded by the piety and zeal of his more im- 
 mediate sovereign Sebert. Justus also had his 
 pathedral founded at Rochester; and this, as 
 well as St. Paul's, was endowed by Ethelbert 
 with fair possessions. 
 
 Thus, according to the most authentic testi- 
 mony, was i^d Church of England happily es- 
 tablished on the mouldering ruins of its British 
 predecessor. So honorable to all the parties 
 concerned, so perfectly agreeable to reason and 
 nature, was the origin of that religious esta- 
 blisbinent ; which, patronized by successive dy- 
 nasties, cordially embraced by Saxons, Danes 
 and Normans, justly receiving temporal support 
 in grateful return for the spiritual good which 
 it was found to communicate, and improving in 
 knowledge, purity and utility, with the progress 
 •of the national mind, survives the changes of 
 «nore than twelve hundred years, and has now 
 its bishops and cathedrals on the banks of the 
 St. Lawrence and the Ganges. 
 
 But t^ the Saxons our country is indebted for 
 other great and lasting benefits. The free in- 
 stitutions^to which they had been accustomed in 
 their native wilds, their Synoths and Wittena- 
 
159 
 
 gemotes, or conferences of wise men, were the 
 original source of our English Parliaments, 
 The same Ethelbert, who first established Chris- 
 tianity among them, is recorded to have given 
 laws and statutes, after the example of Roman: 
 Emperorg, written with the advice of his sagest 
 councillors, and in the English tongue. These 
 ^aws, improved by Ina, enlarged by Alfred, and 
 collected into a systematic code by Edward the 
 Confessor, form in their substance the Common 
 Law of England, on which all our subsequent 
 legislation i& founded. Literature also found its. 
 best patrons among the Anglo-Saxon kings. 
 To them England owes her first schools for li- 
 beral education ; Sigebert, king of the East An- 
 gles, having laid the foundation of the Univer- 
 sity of Cambridge; while Oxford justly glories, 
 in her founder — the truly learned, wise, pious, 
 brave and good — the incomparable and almost 
 perfect Alfred. 
 
 The Danish invasions and the Norman con- 
 quest, were little more than the predominance of 
 active and valiant divisioils of the same people, 
 over those who had become comparatively dis- 
 solute and enfeebled. The former had at least 
 the good effect of producing a national union* 
 and reformation, with all the benefits which. 
 England derived from the government of Alfred.- 
 The latter, miserable as was the oppression un- 
 der which our Saxon forefathers groaned for ta 
 time, added what was wanting of solidity, dig. 
 nity and grace to the English Constitution. To 
 the noble Barons, wher/i the Norman princes 
 called and treated as their Peers, we are ij^debt- 
 ed for the Great Charter, by which the rights^ 
 
 « 
 
 
160 
 
 nnd liberties of Englishmen were ccnsccrateJ 
 for all succeeding ages. To I he wise policy of 
 those princes themselves we must attribute the 
 privileges of our shires, cities and horougiis, 
 from which resulted in course of time the House 
 oftke Commons of England. To them, and the 
 spirit of princely magnificence which they dif- 
 fused, are due the castles, towers and palaces, 
 the cathedrals and parochial churches; where 
 strength and beauty, majesty and elegcnce, are 
 still seen combined in admirable harmony. From 
 them originated that extraordinary union of va- 
 lour with humanity, which mitigated the horrors 
 of war, while it raised the English hero to an 
 unexampled height of glory. 
 
 Ol the great and happy effects produced by 
 these and such like means, it is not necessary 
 to speak at length. Not only have " we heard 
 with our ears, and our fathers* have told us," but 
 the wholo world is well^avvare, what Englisli- 
 men have been in fields of battle and in courts 
 of justice; in public council and under the do- 
 mestic roof; in the various pursuits of industry, 
 art and science; in the noble speculations of a 
 sublime philosophy, and the nobler aspirations of 
 a holy faith; and in all the virtues which bless 
 and adorn a people. 
 
 In these latter days the effects are most ex- 
 tensively seen and felt. Defects and errors 
 there are and will be in all which belongs to 
 man. But, under the continued blessing of 
 that benign Providence which we are bound 
 most devoiitly to acknowledge, our nation has 
 advanced eml improved on the deeds and tho 
 character of its days of old. The Kefor- 
 
IGI 
 
 MATio.x of tlic national religion by the ijjjppy 
 a;,'recinent of the civil and ecclesiastical nutho 
 rities, :ui(] ils fjnal sottlenicnt on a basis of faith 
 and order, vvilh an unresfraincd liberty of con- 
 Hcicnce and of worship; the consolidation of the 
 Constitution by the Bill of liighls, and othei 
 measures for tho security of personal freedon. 
 and the equal protection of the laws; the peace- 
 ful union of tlie sister kingdoms of Scotland 
 and Ireland, productive as it is (notwithstanding 
 peculiar diilicultics in the condition of the lat- 
 ter, which time and patience alone can disem- 
 barrass,) of mutual strength and prosperity; tho 
 display of British spirit and energy at home and 
 abroad, by land and by sea ; the diligent culti- 
 vation of all the resources of the nation, and the 
 undaunted defence of its independence against 
 the most fearful and deadly hostilities; the won- 
 derful extension of the British name and infiu- 
 ence by colonies and commerce, portending 1 
 know not what kmd of empire over the remotest 
 regions of the globe; and the anxious desireand 
 persevering endeavours of our countrymen to 
 communicate to "all the families of the earth" 
 their own blessings — equal liberties and rights, 
 impartial laws, the comforts and enjoyments 
 which are the fruits of knowledge and virtue in 
 this life, and the animating and consoling hopes 
 of a better through our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
 Christ : — these are, all and every one, so many 
 consequences of God's ancient providence over 
 the distinguished nation to which it is our high 
 privilege to belong — so many evidences and ma- 
 nifestations of "what He hath done in the days 
 of our fathers, in the times of old." 
 
162 
 
 Wt^t then remains, but that the inheritors of 
 such recollections should adore with grateful 
 devotion the God of their lathers, and call upon 
 their souls to fulfil the duties of the station in 
 which his providence has been pleased to place 
 them'? Reflecting on those who have been be- 
 fore us— the Briton, the Roman, the Saxon, 
 Dane and Norman, the wise and great and good 
 of those successive races blended into one nation, 
 — " what manner of persons ought we to be 1"^ 
 Our care it should unquestionably be, to derive 
 all the benefit which the example of our prede- 
 cessors is calcic lated to afford ; to shun the vices, 
 which we may find occasion to deplore, and imi-^ 
 tate the virtues for which posterity holds them; 
 in honor. And here we cannot hesitate; be- 
 cause our reason, when it looks at characters 
 from a distance, adopts the same general standr 
 ard of morals. Cdn we doubt that the men, who 
 have in any age most contributed to the welfare' 
 of our country, were the most devout, the most 
 faithful, the most just and benevolent ; and that, 
 as far as any have failed iii Such qualities, they" 
 have failed to contribute to their coutitry's goodr 
 But a review of the history of England con-' 
 t^jrs more peculiar Instruction. Not without a 
 divine providence "have we heard (it) with our 
 f^ars, and our fathers have told us." In other 
 words, the distinguishing and proper character 
 of a people is derived from hereditary associa- 
 tions. It is natural therefore, it is rfght, it is 
 agreeable to the mind and will of God, that an 
 Englishman should feel an especial interest in 
 things for which his country has been remark- 
 able. And, among many other things, which are 
 
163 
 
 thus associated with our nature, t c'ohcteive it 
 impossible not to feel, that a King ''the Vicar of 
 €hnst,'*---a8 our princes of every race were de- 
 signated from the establishment of Christianity 
 to the Norman conquest, for which " Defendei' 
 ^f the Faiih" and - Supreme Head of the 
 Church of England" have not unaptly been 
 substituted since the Reformation; a national 
 Church underEpiscopal government— whichhM 
 existed m the island for upwards of fifteen cen- 
 turies, even as long as Christianity itself; and 
 a ParZiamcn/— comprising, to use the language 
 ol Ina in the first enactment of his reign " the 
 ^viceand consent of all the Bishops and Chiefs 
 and the Wise men and People of the whdle 
 Mngdom; '—are our peculiar heritage. Other 
 institutions may have been better adapted to 
 ■other nations; we may even admit, as the iudi- 
 tJious and candid Hooker did with respect to the 
 reconstruction of the Church of Geneva that 
 social arrangemems on a very different plan may 
 have been the " wisest devices, if we duly con- 
 sider what the present state" of another country 
 tnight -require." Bm owr duty and our hap- 
 piness It surely is, to adhere, with all the vene- 
 ration and attachment which long prescription 
 inspires and justifies, to the ancient Constitution 
 of England; the great objects and obligations 
 of which cannot perhaps be more justly express- 
 ed, than in the language of our Danish sovereign 
 Canute:^- First, above all things to 
 LOVE ONE God, and maintain one Chris- 
 tian FAITH unanimously; to love and ho. 
 NOR THE King; and to study always by 
 
 EVERY MEANS, HOW TO ADVANCE THE NATIO 
 
 / 
 
161. 
 
 NAL WELFARE, AND HOW TO fiXATT Tliti TRUE 
 
 CiiRiJ'TiAN Faith." 
 
 Great cause in leed, the grcatcsl cause, we 
 have for humble gratitu.'le to the Cod of our 
 Father^ that " the true Christian faith" has 
 been so firmly established in our cotmtry. But 
 proporlionably great is our responsibility to that 
 d "ine providence, which has fjiven us so ex- 
 alted a rule of life. And well does it deserve 
 our serious consideration, what account we shall 
 be prepared to give, not merely in the rials 
 which nations and individuals undergo in this 
 world, but at (lint bar of "the Judge of ail the 
 earth," where Britons, Saxons, Danes, who 
 perhaps once perished for their sins, shall " rise 
 up and condemn" the unfaithful and unprofitable 
 of a far more enlightened and highly favoured 
 ricncralion. , 
 
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