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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atra reproduit en un seul cliche, 11 est fllmi A partir de Tangle supirieur gauche, de gauche A droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. rrata :o selure. D 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 6 6 I nm OBLldATlONS OF CHRISTIAN *o SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. I THE OBLIGATIOIS OF CHEISTIMS TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS ; a^x^iamli an^ ^nforcelr m A SERIES OE DISCOURSES, DELIVEKED IN THE TOWN HALL, LONDON, C.W. BY HENRY ONLY CROFTS, Methodist Now Connexion Minister. " Ho that winnoth souls is wise."— Solomon. 5ror n t o: BREWER. McPHAIL. & CO. MAT BE HAD OF AJ.L THK MINISTE115. IN THE CANADIAN WBSLETAN METHODIST NSW fONNEXtON CHDRCH. MDCCCL. THIS VOLUME IS MOST RESPECTPITLLY DEDICATED TO THE MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OP THE CANADIAN WESLEYAJf METHODIST MJW COKNSXIOlf CHUllCH, BY THE AUTHOR. •SOObO PREFACE. These discourses owe their appearance in print to an in- tense desire on the part of the author to be useful to his fellow-men. He regards the salvation of souls as the great business of all who have obtained redemption through the blood of Christ, as well as of all who are dedicated to the work of the ministry. In his extensive travels through the Province of Canada, he has often seen cause to lament the indisposition of many w*o are called Christians, belonging to the different sections of the Church of Christ, to put forth personal effort to save their fellow-men from eternal death ; and, therefore, he has occasionally directed the attention of his hearers to some of the topics discussed in this volume. This matter having oc cupied the author's attention for the last ten years, and not having met with any work on the subject, save an excellent little tract, of thirty-six pages, by the Rev. John Thornton, of IJarlington, England, entitled " Christian-Responsibility ; or, 1 he Duty of Individual Effort for the Conversion of Sinners," (which was brought to this country by an immigrant,) it has often been impressed upon his mind that he ought to render some service to the cause of Christ, by preparing such a work fo. publication. But, though he long since sketched the outline of such a work, he has been prevented, by the nature of the duties of his office, from filling it up, and pre- senting it to the Church of Christ. Determined, however, to direct the attention of his own people, m London, to the subject, he resolved, in October lost, I., deliver a aeries of discourses, on " Tho Obligations of «d„,ad« a Uess,ng to the people of his charge, durin.. l>;-in, .0 hi. o.n seLn ofVctrlh iTLThr: "I Chnst generally, i„ ,his land. ..>™,'r :";;':;\'""'"'«7"- ^unes, and incessant engage- »<.s, ,vl„el, frequently call him from home for «eeks <->g«her, prove,,, hin, from making these discourses more -ceptab e „. a literary point of view : and had he more ut hoy would be ,„ore useful than in their p.-esen, .arb . J"h::en"" "■T"'""' "^"'■"'-- "• "- ^'"""e of '» Spn , by pohslnng i, too highly ; and no ambition to ;- nownetthcrasa florid speaker or as a fine wri Tf «u upaiyofhis fellow.Chr,stians to besin to labour nr if Loyhave egun, to labour n.ore abundamly; , , , e 'sa^vt t- of souls, the object of his ardeut wislfjs will^^';:! The autho,- ,-oga,-ds the Word of God as the only autl,n,-i,v p.... rel,g,ous subjects, and the.efore he has ,nal a I Ud use ol Its statemenls in these discouise., rik "* " '"'^'^'" r-d 1, or, „„,! oil !■ ™ "'stouises. lie has endeavour. .1 t^ gound all his arguments upon revealed tiu-h • and "t ""' '"■"^™ f™' "'»' "- -'ti".c.nts advanced Jr^iit .-ccordance with the oracles of God. So„,e ,„av po ib Iv oujec to,,e ,.„,„e,ous citations from Scripture which a e '•"""I ;.. '1-- discou,.ses ; but ho cnno,, „, any ac Im ■onseiit ,o Lave them out. He would as soon thini tl", J l^ycr, ,n one of our courts, did his dulv to l,is clio , » I u«.ead of ,„o.ng the standard authorUie: ' ; ' tw to support and enforce his rea.>iiings, had recourse to tl e sut^ ...00,1, and .:ars, for proofs that his statements wer , ' CO danoo withthe law. by which we are governed, as men bet ofthe body eol-uc. as he Would think a proachor did his duty to vii his hearera by delivering omlions to them on religious subjects the Bible. "The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a fauhfully: What ts t;.e ehatr to the wheat? saith the Lord. Is not my word like as a fire ? sd.h the Lord; and like a hammer that brcaketh the rock in pieces !"-Jereraiah .«,ii. n^J^t.""'^"' ''^'"'^" "" P'''""'^'""^ ^^ Shooting beside the n a.k that does not con.e up to the example of Ezra and the puests, in the days of Nehemiah, of whom it is said, '' So .ey read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused the people to understand the readin. •» and that does not ever resemble the apostolic method^ of preaching, stated by Paul, in these words, '' Which things al.o we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teach- e . but which the Holy Ghost teacheth ; comparing spiritual hmgs wuh spiritual."-! Cor. ii. 13. How far the author has kept these models in view, he leaves his readei-s to judj He may state, howeve,-, that he has endeavoured, to the blsl of Ins ability, to g.vo the sense of every passage he has taken for a text, and to suppo.-t his reasonings Lreon by du-eet proof, f.om the Word of God. He has aimed^ n these discoui-ses, to show what God requires his people to I'c, to enjoy, and to do : and, therefore, he has bestowed more pains than some may imagine needful, in showin- what believers must be, and must e.ijoy, before they can be abundantly useful in the salvation of souls. As the author's aim is to do good to Chi'istians of all aaes and stations, he has introduced many appropriate anecdot'es, which he hopes will both illustrate more clearly, and enforce more powerA.lly the views advocated, thai) anything he might have advanced. ^ ^ He now presents this work to the Church of Christ m the hope that God will make it a blessing to his fel low-Chrislians, of all denominations, who may peruse it and that he will own it, to the advancement of His glory J vm the e«ie„sio„ of .ho Redee,„er's ki„gdo.„_and the preseu, and B>e„,al salvation ofimmortal soul.. It these objects are protnoted, , e author will be satisfied ; and will render, as ! justly uo, the glory to God alone : .< Unto him beglory ! he Ind IL . '^' '""^ "'""^'"■" "" "S- -' - '""•-' London, Canada West, IS/// iH«rc/i, 1850. CONTENTS. DiscoTTRSE I. Page The Sinner's Danger, and the Cliristian's Duty I Discourse II. Christians designed to be the Salt of the earth 27 Discourse III. The Spirit of Grace and Supplications 39 Discourse IV. A Revival needed in the Church. . , 57 Discourse V. Precious Seed must be sown with tears 75 Discourse VI. The Cliristian's Intercourse with the Ungodly 97 Discourse VII. Consistency of Conduct required 113 Discourse VIII. The Christian'^ Hope ; and hia Duty to give a'Rcason of that Hope, 139 Discourse IX. The net'd of judicious Reproof. 1(53 DlSCOURSL X. The Restoration of Backsliders 185 Dlscourse XI, Spiritual Enlargement 207 Discourse XII. Intercessory Prayef 229 Discourse Xlll. Ctreat Faith essential to great Success 353 Discourse XIV. Christian Zeal .».•.•».,,,» . 375 Discourse XV. Tiio Claims of Jehovah upon our Servicea 299 JJISCUURSK XV^I. Christ the Christian's E.\cinplur 333 Discourse XVII. The Joy of the Lord the Chriutinri'ii ntriih qj.-* THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIAN8 TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. DISCOURSE I. THE sinner's danger AND THE CHRISTIAN'S DUTY. "Lot him know, that he which convcrtcth the sinner from th? error Sns'^-JALtv 9r° "^ '""' ^'''"'" ''"''"'' "nd shall hide a multitude of Every human being needs cncourngement to stimulate and sustain luni m the poiformanec of duty. The Bihle is full of encoumjxrni.nt to those \vho arc resolutely bent on the dischariTo of their duty to God. The highest inducements arc lield out to Chnstuuis to lead them onward in their nttempis to sav-r. souls. Daniel, f„r our encouragement, to seek the salvul.on of ^ouls, places before us the future alorU ous reward of those who turn many to righteousness in these w.)rds : '. And they that bo wise shall shine as the brightness of the f^^rn.ament ; and they that turn many to righteousness Ds the star« for ever and ever." James, in this passage, for the same purpose, reminds us of (ho incalctdable benefits we confer up..n the sinner wo convert from the error of his ways. \Ve are to know, here, that wo "Save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sms." ' This passage forms part of an address designed to lead thnstians to serlc the restoration of their fallen brethren. James says, '• ll,.thren, if any of you do err from the truth and one convert hnn, let bin, Know that ho which convertcth the sumerfron, the error of his way shall save a soul from donth and shall hale a nudtitu.le of sins." It is the duty of all Christians to seek the restoration of their fallrn brethVen, in u't*;!;!.? '1 "l"''"'^-''^' ^ouskhnuy: them.s,.lve,s lest they also >'|>t<'d. Iho greatest eneouragement to do so is given m he text. Hut w Me it is the dnly-of Christians to seek the restoration o their fal,.,, bivthren, it is equally their duty o seek he salvation of all other sinners. We shall vierUe ♦nv» tiierefon% as an eneniirnfr, tl lem to seek the salvation of the souls of uro backsliders or sinners, who, to tho nt fn hpiicvers to ind men, whether they present hour, Imvo r«. If I '\l * THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS Ste w^r^'.'' "' ^^"''' '"'""^ "° ^°P^' ^"^ ^^^^hout God truThrtnThTt P""''"'''' ^^ '^"^ '"'"^ ^'^° ^°"o^vi"S important truths, to which wo invito special attention : I. Tho ways of the sinner are erroneous. II. The duty of the Christian, as an ao-cnt for Christ tn turn the sinner from the error of liis ways. ' h;ml:.l'^i''" ^'T^ f couragomont the Christian has, to induce oHiis ways"' ''"'""^°" °^ ^^^ ^'""^^ ^^°^ ^^^^ ^^^or I. The ways of the sinner arc erroneous. The sinner is any one, and every one that, does not love God supremely, and Ids neighbour as himself. To . h^ is to mh. the mark Tiie ..ark which God has L up I; us to ai n " rhou Shalt love the Lord thy God with all thv hoar uH with a„ J, ,oul, and with aillhy strength, and^W^ IH y mmd and thy neighbour as thyself." This nmrk was'ct up from the beginning of tiie world ; but all men havo mi.^'od i? widely. "All wo like sheep havo gone astray, a 1 Co turned every one to his own ^. ay." Many thi.d/t'hcy rcnot sinners because thoy are not drunkards, li.rs, LonV'rl thieves, covetous, or gu.ity of some other sc.ndulo ,s andgro'33 cnrnes ; but wc need not be guilty of any abominable ciCs to bo omners The rnost amiable, i.ast n.oral, most bene! Solent on earth, who do not love God with all the heart ire ZT ! "TV'S" ''•' "^'^^'-^''-Jsive, tho M,ost immoral," and the most selfish. Sm consists in Ibrsakin--' God, " ihe Ibuat in of hvmg waters, and in he^.ing us out cisterns bi';:cn c Se ns Ihu can hold no water." Whether, therefore, a man be S infidel, a pronig,ae, a moralist, a f.n.alist, or a bae shd '1 makes no d,(h-rence to his being a simier. The ma that' loves not God supremely, and his neighbour as hi.nsf a nmncr, no matter what particular course of trunsTressioirim Choosestohd^ all , Cursed is every one that continunih not in all thm-^s written in tho book of tho law. to ,lo them ;" •< The c ml mind IS at emi.iiy against (lod : it is not subject to the law of del"' fL'"'"' "'" ^^ ''" ''" ^■'"•■'-"y •^"•»'''>J i3 Ueath. hvery uneonverte.l hum-i being Ii„s a heart at ciiinity With God. nnd is ulinnntril ihr. lic. -'•<'« 'p- man only deceives liimsoU who says ho is not a sinner, if he TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOtTLS. t has not received the washing of regeneration and the renew, ing of the Holy Ghost. The ways of (he sinner are erroneous. He walks in the ways of his heart, and after the sight of his eyes, instead of regulating his steps by the law of God, which is holy, just, and good. The sinner, by his wickedness, perverts that which is right ; for, instead of loving God with all his heart, and his neighbour as himself, which is the bounden and im- perative duty of every Jiuman being, he loves himself supremely. Ho withholds from God liis thoughts, his affec- tions, his homage, and his service ; and thus robs God of the glory due unto his excellent name. The sinner " walks ac- cording to the course of this world ; according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now workcth in the children of disobedience ; fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and is by nature a child of wrath." The conduct of sinners is most justly and forciljly described ia these words : " We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disMbcdient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and onvy, hateful, and hating one another." i he ways of the sinner, then, are erroneous ; because thry are directly opposed to truth, to justice, to purity, and to lovo • and, by pursuing such a course, sinners rob God of his glory • rob theiusolvos of love, and peace, and joy; and destroy the hojipmess of their fMlow men. The ways of the sinner are wilfully erroneous. " Wis don; crieth without ; she uttercth her voice in the streets • she crieth in the chirf place of concourse, in the oponinrrg of the gates : in tlio city she ultereth her words, saving, How long, yo simple ones, will yo love simplicity? and the scorn- ci-s delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? lurn you nt my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, 1 will make known my words unto you."— Prov i 20— 'J3 But sinners hate instruction, and cast God's worcii behind them 1 hoy bvc to hear the instruction which causci hem to err from the words of knowledge. The Bible may be_ had by any person who desires it; the gospel is preached 1... h(u ly in almost every city, town, village, and settlement in tiio land ; tra('t,s, containing truth in its simplest form, are ircc y distnlnitrd ni most places, so that erring sinners do not err because light is not come— because it is not diffused All sinners n, gosnol landH may be p„-)imedly midfcssed in Um woids of Paul to the Corinthians : '« Awake to righteousness, ttuu sin not ; for some of you have not the knowledge of God. THE OBUGATIOKS OF CHHISTHH* afiospel land is unform^^aL bu t is a I'mvirr','" w.irullysh.,s his eyes, thaU,"™; „':. L'^^^liS ^l" a simme for „„y „,„„, woman, or ehil.I not to fnow God ^.on^.l,e means for obtaining ,|.o knowledge o. Uod are so .viuT tilHj^ •'■;■ ','"'°""'''. '"'^■'"""^oss : " But they that wMnh \ I •? "" '"''^ of inonoy i,s the root of all evil • -one ii, the w.! nf P • ^""^ ""^° ^''"'^ • ^'''' ''^^y J'avo ,^010 1,1 tiic way of C;iin, and ra.i greedily ;,;tfr the error of ^ud" /r ' M>;:'' "'' '"?^''^'' '^^^''^ ^i-ayin, :;m::;^' than In. nn* 1 ,'"' '""^^ ^'^^ ^° '^'^'^^ ^''-'o"^^"' covefousnesc, an Enough any other single sin; and therelbro it becomes he rnperatu-o duly of the nnnisler. and pconio f God o Charge them that are rich in this world tl la thev he nit ng Mnmded, nor trust in tn^ccrtain riches 1 , S Ih- ^ God who g.velh us richly all things to en ov • th' thev do good, that they he rich in good ^^^orks, re dN- t d s TlLc ^lljngtoconnnunic^te; laying up in ^^ro fli tt le' a pod lonndat.on agam.t the time to come, that thov mav hv hold on eternal life."-] Timothy vi. 18, 19. ^ ^ ^^ Sonie wilfully err through indoci ,ion of character • '« Their heart ,s d.vuled ; now .shall they he found i-auhy ''-lI ^ Lg;o t :trJ;;; '^f;',-;' -vcr ahlo to eon,o I the l.n,..w! K;n^-...n...;fourlir •n hem o these things ; in which arc some t n-n.-s ha d to bo understood, winch tl.oy that are unlearned and .^ al I wres^^ 1 1 ctei u. 11, 1.,. 1 hese characters havo some desire to bo sav cd, but waru to unite in the san.e he.rt tho lnvo.rr.%| 'L ,r .^ ruun ; thoy want tu recoucilc Christ and Belial ; ' and to anmlgt TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOTJLS. ft mate light and darkness. Therefore it is no wonder that they are, « Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." They are fickle and inconstant in their pur- suit of truth ; and, therefore, when they meet with a difficult passage in the Word of God, instead of patiently investi- gating it, and waiting for clearer light, they jump to a con. elusion, and wrest it to their own destruction. Unless a man decidedly gives up the world, and gives his heart to God, he can never know the truth, and never, therefore, be free : "For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."—! Cor. ii. 14. Some wilfully err through the pride of intellect : " O Tim- othy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called : which some professinnr, have erred concerning the faith."— 1 Tim. vi. 20, 21. "But shun profane and vain babblings : for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their words will oat as doth u canker: of whom is Hy- menius and Philetus ; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already ; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God stand, eth sure, liaving this seal, Tiic Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that namcth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."— 2 Tim. ii. IG— 19. Such is the pride of intellect in some, that they try, by their feeble powers, to overturn the rock of truth ; to destroy the foundation which God has laid for us to place our hopes upon, for salvation and eternal life. They will bring their imperfect knowledge of astronomy, chemistry, geology, and other sci- ences, to show that the Bible is a fable, and the Christian rchgion an invention of wily priests, who make it an engma of power over tho minds of the weak, and a meaPi of extorting money from the pockets of the wealthy: but, after nil their puny cn'orls, the foundation of God standeth sure. Modern science, which is continually becoming more perfect, is robbing eho infidel of his weapons, and showinff clearly tlio harmony which exists between tho revealed will or God and the material works of God. Men of tho highest ntlaimnonts, of the most patient research, are now showinff that geology (whose discoveries, some pious, but weak-minded UiriHuans have dreaded) confirms tho (ieciarations of the Uiblc, and more abundantly reveals to man tho wisdom, power, fll • THB OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS and goodness of the great Creator. Pride of intellect ofTer* the highest insult to the God of Heaven ; inasmuch as it is constantly questioning the truth, the justice, the holiness, and goodness of God; and therefore, it has ever been, and' ever will be, signally punished, even in this life. Lot all thoso who proudly .set their reason above thetiuth of God carefully rbe^tookte -^'"^ striking passage, and take warning bcfora thJ' w°'n^ invisible things of him ,'-od) from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the thincr, that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead • Be- cause that, when they knew God, thoy glorified him not as God, neither were tha.i.Jul ; but became vain in their imam, nations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professins themselves to he wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man, and to birds, and to four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to un. cleanness through the hists of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the crea ♦ure more (or ratlicr) than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." — Rom. i. 20 — 25. All the ignorance, superstition, impui.cv, and cruelty of heathenism originally sprung from tiio pride'of intellect ' To all who indulge the pride of intellect the Bible is a riddle an enigma which thoy cannot understand: "Because they seeing, see not ; and hearing, they hear not ; neiiiier do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophrcy of Esaias which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not under! stand ; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive • For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed ; lest at any tima they should s^o v/ith their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted and I should heal them."— Matth. xiii. IJ], 1 1, 1.5. 'fhoso who win set their reason above the Word of God, and who wdl cavd at its statements, disbelieve its doctrines, and disobey Its requirements, need not wonder if, " h'or this cause God ■hould send them strong delusion, that they should believe a he: Tiiat they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrigiitcousnc^s." 3 Thcss. ii. 1 •» 1 n TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. t All sinners err from the truth through unbelief, and the love and practice of sin. " But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost : In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the imago of God, should shine in unto them."— 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. This passage plainly teaches that Satan himself cannot blind the minds, nor prevent the light of the glorious gospel of Christ from shining into the hearts of any human beings, excepting those who believe not. If men will not believe the Word of God, th'-n Satan can blind them to his heart's content, and lead them captive at his will ; — '•' And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one thtxt doetii evil hateth the light, neither comclh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But ho tiiat doeth truth comcth to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God." — John iii. 19 — 21. Here wo discover that the causa of a man's condemnation is the rejection of the truth, and ha rejects the trutli because he loves sin in his heart, and practi- ces it in his life. lie loves darkness rather than light, because his deeds arc evil. The sinner, therefore, is in error willing- ly. He lives in error in defiance of God, and, consequently, is guilty of the grossest injustice and the blackest ingratitude, as well as the most egregious folly. The lonys of the sinner are fatally erroneous. " There is n way that scemoth right unto a man ; but the end thereof are the ways of death." — Prov. xvi. 20. " Destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have thev not known." — II 5m. iii. 16, 17. Our blessed Saviour declares that the broad road, in which all sinners are found Walking,^ leadcth to destruction. Solomon declares, that "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness." — Prov. iv. 32 ; the Psalmist declares, that " Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horriljlo tempest: this Khali be the portion of their cup." — Psalm xi. 6; and Jesus declares of all tiie wicked, " These shall go away into (xoXatfiv Viwviov)^ punishment eternal." — Matth'. xxv. 46. These are fearful declarations, and prove, beyond all doubt, that the ways ot sinnors lead to eternal damnation ; and that God does justly in cursing the sinner whh eternal death for his error, is clearly evident from the following reasons which God assigns for punishing sinners with so great a punijhmont : " iiecauso I havo called, and ye refused ; I have stretchfd 6 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS out my Jmnd, and no man regarded : But ve have <,m «t ca of l?fTo?,h"" °f "y^-P™--^ TI,orefo,.o Si they but .00 rnany, aiJr;4;o7,f/;a^: i^^ t"™," rS lor.' t.TH:;'t''^^T}"^ '■"p™"''^- "° ^-'-^ long, out at last he sends fear upon them n^ floc-.in<;.., i destrucio,,, like a whirlwind ; tiL thoro'all upon God the;^ ruinous, unless ..o'forsakoTjvictd ^ "s r;ju^,SS thoughts, and return unto tho Lord- God w I hl„ V D>ercy upon hi,,,, „„d abundantly pardo'n him. '""'° II. Tho duty of iho Chiistian, as an a-cut for Christ to convert the stnncr from ll,o error of his wa^s. ' T.nitrpifcj signifies to turn, turn .o or toward l„ ., many of the cMld.on of Israof sh ! 'h'Tu'r: (^o,": O^o^K ♦° " . T ' ''"'' ^^"^ disobedient to the wisdom of tho iust- to ma CO ready a people prepared for the Lord " QrlSd Bays,, this passago uieans to turn in ti.. t i i '^^""'eia and cnbruco th? CI.'SLr^ .-d ."on ' H '? I • f '°""'^''°1' ;^;l"^^Ze?^3:^£S::|?'?^^-3^ ....n ^,-«j,, „„,j ^i^jejij ^ „,uititu^je of sins." The in- To SESi THE SALVATION OP SOVLS, 9' strument in the signer's conversion is the word of truth. " The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." — Psalm xix. The great author, and efficient cause of the conversion of the sinner, is the Holy Spirit. " Verily, verily, I say unto you. Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kinmlomof God," — John iii. 6, " For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." — Rom. viii. 2. "Not by works of righteousness wiiich we have done ; but accord- ing to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of roffoneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost." — Titus iih 5. The Christian is the agent in the sinner's conversion, when, by his arguments, his entreaties, his prayers, and his pious ex- ample, he induces the sinner to turn from his erroneous wa --s, and to cleave unto the Lord with full purpose of heart. This is evident from the statements of Solomon, Daniel, ...id James. Solomon says — "He that winnelh souis is wise j" Daniel says—" They that be wise shall shine as the bright- ncss of the firmament ; and they that turn many lo righteous- ness as the stars for ever and ever." James says, " Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him ; Let him know that he wiiieh convertelh the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." These citations prove that the Christian is an agent in the conversion of the sinner. An agent is a substitute, a drputy, an intelligent being that can use proper means to gain a desired end. Hence, they that win souls are wise,^ are to be rewarded in a future state, and are to know in this world that they save souls from deatli. The Christian is an agei. ; for he acts for Christ, and, in the stead of Christ, beseeches men to be reconciled to Goil. Some deny the agency of Christians in the work of saving souls. They allow that ministers of the gospel are required to turn men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God ; that they may receive Ibrgiveness of sins and an inheritance among tiiem who are sanctified tlu'ough faith in Christ Jesus; but they declare that this is not the'duty of private Cluistians. This objection will bo fully ans- wered in the discourse on "Sowing the precious seed ;" but we would here observe, that the following striking pa.ssaffe, which evidently applies to all the disciples of Christ, com. pletely explodes the objection : " Ye are the salt of the earth : but if the salt have lost itsi savour, wherewith shall it be salted ? it is thenceforth good 10 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underFoot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put It under a bushel, but on a candlestick ; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shih before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your I-ather which is in heaven."— Matth v. 13, 16. These words are addressed to all the disciples of Jesus : not merely to the twelve. All acknowledge that the city f. ^11^.^'!^ .'' ^^"^ '^'^'^'^ Church of Christ. The argument that all Christians are not agents fo.v Christ, in the conversion ot sinners, goes to prove that all Christians, excepting minis- ters, have no salt lu them, and can never benelit the world •— have no light in them, v.ad therefore can never let it so shine as to profit men and glorify God. Or it, at least, goes to prove that if Christians have the salt of grace, they must never scatter it, if they are not ministers; and, if they are light m the Lord, they must never let their light shine, but always keep it under a bushel. Can any man of sane mind bohevp, that this is what the Saviour meant when he uttered the above-cited words ? He cannot : for the thincr is preposterous. The days of clerical assumption and intoTer- ance, and of lay ignoranc(3 and inditrcreiice, are so far passed away, that arguments like those have no weight, either in up- [loklingofhcial prido or sanctioning unoiTicial indilference. The scriptures are so well understood, that all Christians, whether ministers or private memljors, know that tlioy must do all they can to convert sinners from the error of their ways or be pimished with the bitter curse of Meroz, because they come not up to the ludp of the Lord against the mirrhty. The reason many deny the agency of the'Clui.tian in converting- sinners from the error of their way, is to be traced, we fear! to an unwillingness to act as agents in this work, or to a con- sciousness of neglect in the performance of this duty ; but let the reason be what it may, agents we are, and if we do rat strive to convert the sinner from the error of his way, better had It been for us had we never been born. Every Chri^-'inr IS as much warranted, and as firmly bound, to act as an agem tor Christ in the conversion of sinners, as the government emigrant agent in this province is warranted, and bound by his office, to look after emigrants on their arrival on our shores, and to give them that advice and assistance which their cir- cumstances require. Tbn pmirrmnt arrant i^ oj^i^Ip"--' — fl paid by the government for the express purpose of looking TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 11 en underfoot of y that is set on candle, and put it giveth light so shiii. before id glorify your ■ 'pies of Jesus : that the city The argument the conversion :cepting minis- t the world ;— i' let it so shine least, goes to ce, they must id, if they are ight shine, but man of sane leant when he or the thing is )n and intoler- ! so far passed , either in up- iderence. The tians, whether y must do all heir ways, or because they niglity. The in converting iced, we fear, ^ or to a con- duty ; but let if we do rvit s way, better cry ChriF'ior;. 3t as an agent ! government ukI bound by )n our shores, lich their cir- »»vir»!r*T»'^»'l « •-* J se of looking ■> after the welfare of emigrants ; and Ch istiuns are continued in the world, after their conversion, and blessed and supported by the grace of God, expressly to benefit sinners ; or, to use the language of Christ, " To be the salt of the earth, and the light of the M'orld." Christ prayed to his Father "not to take his people out of the world, but to keep them from the evil." And why did Christ utter that prayer? Simply because he had constituted his people his substitutes, hisdepu- ties, to preserve the world from complete spiritual corr-iption and complete spiritual darkness. ' ' No Christian performs his duty, cither to Christ or to sin- ners, that is not found labouring, according to his ability and opportunities, to convert sinners from the error of their ways. Christ has died for the ungodly ; he desires, above all things] their salvation; he has provided a rich gospel fer st for all the perishing children of men ; he has blessed his peoplo with his grace, and with the knowledge of his will ; and has commanded us, his servants, to preach his gospel to every creature : to say to them that are bidden, "Come, for all th'ugs are now ready." He requires us all to, " Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and brina in the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind;" to, "Go out into the higlnvays and hedges, and compel tiicm to como m, that my house may be fdled." And he has told us that he will cast tho wicked, slothful, unprofitable servan*, ^hat neglects to improve his talents, into outer darkness, where there shall be v/ccping and gnashing of teeth : so that if we are not domg our duty, in striving to convert sinners, we may indeed say, with the lepers spoiicn of in 2 Kings vii. 9—" We do not well : this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace ; if wo tarry to the morning light, some mischief will coine upon us : now therefore come, tliat we may jjo and tell the king's household." J' t= ♦^ '^ It \VQ are not labouring to convert sinners, we are not per. forming our duty to Christ, who has purchased us by hia blood, redeemed us by his spirit, and bestowed upon us his grace, that wc might be his peculiar people, zealous of good works. _ Our duty to Christ is clearly stated in tho followinrr expressive passages : "Ye arc not your own: For year? bought with a price ; tlicrcfijro glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which arc God's."— 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. "For no man liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether wo livn. Wn llvo nnf^ fl... T ^..,1 . „.,,! ...1 _.! J. _-,.._-... li!.... I,.. Jjviu , uiitt uiiciiicr we die, we die unto the Lord ; whether we live therefore, or die, we are tha H IS tHE OBLIGATIONS OF CHHISTIAlfS l'^^A^:^ f'u *°. ^'''' ^"^' <^'""^«t botl. died, and rose and r^ fro, ■! ?'. ^ ^ V"''"^^' '" thoir conversion, may see of thn WW b„, of („„ , ,„„| counts tho blood of il,o oovniaiil «'l oi^ unto ,i:. u ,;,":; ',r;;; "",■; •:• » ™-'i. ."«! to c.o„,o 0,0 .i,.ch;™i„;„ ,;',;,„: ;l"^, '.v':;', '.""n::;; rr"'"«, "■'," not l„l«iur hourlil.. lbi-thocor,v"r..l ,',f ■' ' "'"' ''" ilHo 11,0 lun,,lon, of k,,vrn ' "'"""" "'"""" <'">" o.,J dmvYo",;:;:;,,'"'";.;::? "• """'■?■ "'"r"- -" "••- "->! r whom Christ om the error of iiiiy see of the :ainly does not. Ijc vilest sinner iplos underfoot venaiit, whore, docs despite to our, iiccordinrr uls, (hut Christ OS for himself, and woulil do •' " Not every 1' the liino-dom It I KM- which is hat is tho will he conversion '- ^i'^Ut of Uod 1. and to como DMe Cod, nnd Christ Jesus'"; ill due time." .'ftiirflinnr as jg those who do ciumot enter are not doing iieiv of know, mysteries of I "n k I ^ n» '''?-^ "' ''' "'"' ^^'''°'» tiod must do it nt r V T V "* '^"' '" '''^'" «'""''il"fod, God II n r,..ri '"'""''' '" ^♦^'^""' l.uni8lunont from bl ss . !;';'■'• "^ ':"PP'"'^«-^ »'"' this bo con. from eternal >ict the value Y not. What s it extinction nnot thus die. xtingui«h(^; B earth, dhd o nioro j)Iace lit .Sp/rit can i.xcd, spiritual it, nnd which r nniiihilatcd, U it .siiuJI livo ling tu (Jod's punishnirnt ; cminot lio ; i Jli'n, k tho iyhiiK'nt from II. tiio scat of ubin /irn ? in vcr dies; iu TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. Ifl everlasting companionship with the devil and his angels • and With all the fearful and abominable men that ever lived on the earth, and died m their sins ; and, above all, in enduring the eternal curse of God and the everlasting wrath of the Lamb which is poured out upon the lost, without mixture of merer' and without hope of escape. Pollock justly describes the death oi the soul as — " Burning continually, yet unconsumed ; For ever wasting, yet enduring still ; laying perpetually, yet never dead." Such is the detith of tho soul. Well might the eloquent Robert Hal exclaim-" Where shall we find"(if it be lawfu indulge the thought) an adequateexpression of grief for the loss of a soul? Where shall we find tears sutlicient to be vept on such an occasion ? Would it suffice if the sun were wpro' \'f' '"^^ '^'" '"°'" ^'' brightness; if the heavens were o be hung in mourning, and the ocean covered with sackcloth ; or, if the whole fabric of nature were to become animated and vocal, could she utter a groan too deeper a c^! crta'slro^^V'" "^''" the magnitude and extent 'of such J By converting a sinner from the error of his way you save a soul from this tremendous and eternal punishment, vvhich In the text IS called death ; for. in being the agents in h s conver sion, you bring him back to God, who pardons all h sh^ and hi nro" ' r/'"^;'"';"''*^"' y^^ '"-'"^^ '-^"^ to Christ, whiby his procous blood, cleansPs him from all his guilty stains • fma.e 7r'"," '' ^'" "oly Spirit, who rene!^^s hL S the imago of God; secures lum liberty of access to the throne of God ; who upholds him in a course oi holy obedience and RU.des hnn saf.-ly to heaven. Viewing, then, the conversion of a sinner in its proper scriptural light, what emnloymen can be con.pared with that of turning iL 'from theSr o his ways / Lvery othor dwindles into insignificance And vnn nius confess, my Christian brethren, tha"^ no w T s so ut hv o t^t' ''"^^'rr'^r^'"'^ •^'"''•^' ""d theunremittin^S ot your lives as that (,f saving a soul from death. 1 canno words Tu"'?'^''^*'""; '!''-^ ^^''"^^^"P'^ than by quo ing tTe mmnH^ tho Icarne,! and pious Dr. Adam Clarke " As one of Co oT " °^'""r 'T^' ^'^"" "" tho material cn-ation !!'i'?;i'_r,/''^-''.'^'^"tion of others. To be tho means nf.ln. tuJJ^ u\ ?^ ""/ expectation, ond adding even one soul to tho church triumphant, is a matter of inflate moment ,01^ 10 THE OBLICATIONS OF CHRISTUNS ¥*'■ i; ■ he who IS such an instrument has much reason to thank God that ever he was born. He who lays out his accounts to do good to the souls of men will ever have the blessing of God on his own. Besides, God will not suffer him to labour in vain, or spend his strength for nought. At fi-st he may see Jittle truit; but the bread cast upon the waters shall be found after many days ; and if he should never see it in this life, he may take it for granted that whatsoever he has done for God, in simplicity and godly sincerity, has been less or more effectual. ' The great miscliief you prevent by turning a sinner from the error of his way is another encouragement to Labour for his conversion. You not only save p. soul from death by converting a sinner, but you hide a multitude of sins. The word here'tninslated hide, the learned and lamented Gririfield informs us, signifies to cover, to hide, to conceal ; and is metaphorically used to hide, i.e. prevent, or cause not to exist; others view it as signifying to cause to bo pardoned. Both those senses are true ; for, by turning a sinner from the error of liis ways, and inducing hnn to turn to God witii a humble, contrite heart, God hides, or blots out, all the sins wiiich he had committed previous to h.s conversion, according to that woni, *' 1 will bo merciful to their unrighteousness; and thuir sin- and their iniquities will I remember no more." And not o. 'v so, but you prevent the iaultitud(3 of sins, which tlic simr whom youturn from the error of his way, would iuivo committed in his future lil'e if he had not been converted. Tiiat his future sins would have been groat, atrj^M-avatod, numerous, and dostruct. lyp, you nmy readily believe, "For evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Sin is a small matter in its commencement ; but by indulg- ence it giows groat, and mllltipli(^s itself beyond calculation. It is impossibhi for any iinito mind to toll the number of sins the mail w.nild have committed, whom you convert from the error of his ways, had he been allowed to goon in his wicked course. Besides, you not only stop the sinn(>r you convert from .Sliming himsolf, but you prevent the mischief ho would havo done to others. " One sinner dostroyeth much good." Had ho not been converted, he would have prompted and enticed oihors to sin. if such men as Volf.iiro, Paine, Byron, and a host like them, had boon turned from din orrur of thoir ways, und converted to God, they would never have cursc'j n to thank God 5 accounts to do lessing of God lim to labour in "St he may see shall be found e it in this life, ) has done for :n less or more a sinner from • labour for his jrting a sinner, lere translated ns us, signifies rically used to hers view it as se senses are his ways, and contrite heart, lad coniniitted nl, " 1 will bo sin-^ and their )t Oi V so, but sinut whom connmtted in liis future sins and destruct- and seducers ig deceived." Ill by indulg. I calculation, nilior of sins vert from the in his wicked !• you convert lif'f ho Would nnich good." )romj)ted and \iini', Byron, ?rrur oi their ' have cursc'j TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOULS. 17 I % •A i 3- the world with their abominable books, which have poisoned the principles, corrupted the morals, and ruined the souls of numbers of our fellow men. And though the shmer you may convert from the error of his way may not possess more than an ordinary intellect, yet he possesses the power to do evil ; and if he is not converted, he will, by his principles, his con- versation, and his example, injure tne souls of others, and do his part towards leading them down to hell. This mischief, too, hentay produce among some of those who are far deare? to you than life itself, and for whose salvation you would wii. lingly shed your heart's b'ood : your relatives, yea, even your own children, may be corrupted and ruined by that sinner of your acquaintance, for whose conversion we urge you to labour. Use every means to convert him from the error of his way ; and if you are successful, you will have no cause to dread his principles, his conversation, and his practices j for they will then bo as it becometh the gospel, and out of his heart shall flow ;ivers of living water, which will benefit your famdy and your kind. On this ground, then, you have great encouragement to labour for the conversion of the sinner from the error of his way. The satisfaction and joy which the knowledge of having been successful in converting a sinner wi/l afford to your minds, is another great encouragement to induce you tolahour for hi* salvation. You are to know, for your encouragement, that you have saved a soul from death, and hid, or prevented, a multitude of sins. Some professors of religion, who are wise above what IS written, would not have a man know, on any ac account, that ho has been successful in converting a sinner Irom the error of his way, and saved a soul from death, for fear the knowledge of the fact should make him proud : but the Holy Ghost says, " Let him know." To labour in this work without success, or to labour without the knowlcdgo of success, IS enough to break a man's heart, and will, in all probability, cause him to bccomo weary in wrll-iloing Oh» It IS cruel to withhold from tho man who Iils laboured, and vvept, and prayed lor tho conversion of tho sinner the know- edge of the fact that his labours have been blessed of God to ho salvafion o( that «innor's soul ; to withhol.l tho know- edge of t us fact from tho pious, zealous Christian, is ono of Ijie great devices of satan to hinder tho salvation of men : for • iiv 13 6o weu ucs { Do not say tliat you cannot save souls : for you can If you have the disposition to save liu-m. Are you making ^'' i^'^r^'^'"'' °^' y^"^' ^^^"'-^ believing constLm prayers? Do you converse with sinners about'heirouTs and show them that they are undone, and that Chris Ilone can redeem them from sin. frnni«n.nn „p-| r,^.., i' ,, . °"® [f vof^^'J'T- '" ^;rT''''"« *''''^'" toborecmiciiedloGoy? If you are doing all these things, it is certain you will savt 90 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS 8ome souls from death ; but if you are not attending to thes« things It IS just as certam you will save none. U you will not labour to save souls from death, the curse of trod will descend upon you, and you will never be happy, either in time or la eternity. If you will not strive to convert sinners from the error of their ways, the light, the purity, the peace, the joy, the hope you now possess, God will tal^e from, you; and when you stand before him in judgment, he will call you wicked and slothful servants, and will say to his ser- vants, " Take the talent from him, and give it to him that hath ten talents; for unto every one that hath (improved) shall be given, and he shall have abundp-.c6 ; but from him that hath aot (improved) shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." If you wish to save your own souls from eternal death, you must labour, accordmg to your abilities and opportunities, for th« jsalration of others. i^ i i-4 II h, the curse of !ver be happy, rive to convert he purity, the ivill talife from, jment, he will say to his ser- him that hath oved) shall be him that hath 'hich he hath, ter darkness : th." If you th, you must lities, for the DISCOURSE IL CHRISTIANS THE SALT OF THE EARTH, " Ye are the salt of ti.e earth : but if the salt hath lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted ? it is tberrceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." — Matthew v. 13. The purifying and preserving qualities of salt are univer- sally known. Salt was used, under the Old Testament dis- pensation, in all the sacrifices otTered to God, to signify the purity and fidelity which should be extended through every part of divine worship, and through the hearts and lives of God's worshippers. (See Leviticus ii. 13.) In Mark i.\. 50, our Saviour compares religion in the heart to salt. In that place he says, " Salt is good. Have salt in youi-selves, and have peace one with another." As salt dries up the bad humours which are found in all animal bodies ; as it seasons our food, and makes it palatable ; and as it preserves fleshy substances from putrefaction : so true religion, in like man- ner, destroys tiie bad humours of the sold ; renders us accept- able to God ; his worship and service acceptablo to us ; pre- serves us from the corruption which is in the world through lust, and keeps us blameless to the coi'.iiiig of the day of Christ. In the words now chosen for a text, suit is used to exhibit the value ofpersonal religion to the world at largo, and to express what Christ intends his people to do for the ungodly. Ciirist, addressing all his followers, says, "Ye are the 'salt of the earth ;" but knowing they could only bcMiofit the world while they retained religion, he adds: " but if the suit hath lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted ? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men." CJirist here plainly teaches, I. That he designs his people to be of the utmost benefit to the world. II. That his people may lose their piety, and then they am do no good to mankind. III. That when Christians have lost thoir i)iety, and are of no Uenefit to men, then they are cast out as worthless reluae* 22 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS thJwoHd"'^ '^'''^"' ^'' P'°^^° '° ^' °^'^^ "'«»°«t benefit to The people of Christ are those who have been onh^hf^n^A by the word of Christ, regenerated by the SpirU of cSt Tn corporated with the Church of Christ, and wC conve ation 1 as It becometh the gospel of Christ. Christ designs all Buch to be of the utmost benefit to the world. ° /x/Zf "T^i '' in a perishing condition, and greatly needs the utmost efforts of Christ^s people to save UfromdeTtruc tion. ' We know that we are of God, and the wh^rworW Lt h m wickedness." Literally, «« lioth in the wicked one'?lis em braced m the arms of the devil, where it lies asleep, and caT nallysecum deriving its heat and power from ir^^nferna osterer. What a truly awful state ! And do not the actions tempers, propens tics, opinions, and maxims of ad^oZy men prove and illustrate this ? - In this short exnrrssion " «ays Mr. Wesley, '« the horrible state of the Zrld L pa nted n the most lively colours; a comment on which we haTe in of rZ X ^ ''' ^''"' ^''^^^'^^^ ^^« opposed to the law of God ; their conversations shallow, sinulous, and false • their CONTRACTS f3rcod, interested, and deceitful; 'their W EELS pud-ile, ridiculous, and ferocious ; and their' FRiENDsmp; hollow, insincere, capricious, and fickle ;--all, all the effbct of their lying ^„, the arms of the wicked one ;foitrus they become instinct with his own spirit; and because thevaJe of their father the devil, therefore his lusts they will do.'' ^The tlult ?. ''"'^^ ''' '°"'"P^ '" ^''< *" '^oart, hi life Their tinualh ' ' tI' .'^^T '"='' ""^^ '^''' ^'^«^^^« ^'^ only evil coi^ tmuallj Their volitions arc corrup.- for they choose evil and refuse good. Their afTcetions 'are earthly, seLuI devi ish ; for they love and serve the creature nather han the r Creator, who is blessed for evermore ; and they live in TlTT"^ -T'y ' ^'^^'^^"^' ^"^J hating one another ^ '"The fool hath said in his heart. There is no God. T ey are cor rupt; they have done abominable works; there is^none tha't doeth good no not one. The Lord looked down from heaven uon „1 the healhen worid in Ihe fi«t andlhird chap;e«''of hS rs itmost benefit to een enlightened rit of Christ, in- »se conversation rist designs all i greatly needs t from destruc. hole world lieth d one" — is em- sleep, and car- ■om ifs infernal not the actions, of ail worldly rt expression," 'orld is painted ich we have in ind friendships «ed to the law us, and false ; I ; their quar- ir FRIENDSHIPS ill the eflect of for thus they iause they are 'ill do." The a life. Their only evil con- y choose evil hly, sensual, ! rather than d they live in •ther. «< The ^hey are cor- e is none that I from heaven '■ any that did result of the side, they are )eth good, no, idful picture taptersofhia TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOULS. 23 epistle to the Romans ; a fac simile of which is found in tha heathen world at this very day ! Verv little better is the stMft ofthenommal Christian world than the state of the heathen vorld. Nominal Christians " Profess that they know God • but m works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedi! ent, and unto every good work reprobate."~Titus i. 16. " Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof* from such turn away." — 2 Tim. iii. 5. The infinitehj holy God looks down upon this Uvms mass of corruption with abhorrence. He is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look upon sin without detestation • for It IS the abominable thing which he hates. Tliis livin^ mass of corruption sends up to heaven the most horrid stench : a stench so odious, that infinite patience could not bear i* if it were not for the sweet incense of Christ's sacrifice. " Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an ofierin** and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling savour."— Ephes*' V. 2. The sweet odour of Christ's sacrifice exceeds the bad* odour of man's sin, and causes God to bear lon.o- with it, and induces him to seek the removal of this corrumion without destroying^ its subjects. Ungodly men, wjio are tbe servants ot corruption, are- exposed to eternal death ; for it is written : iiut tornieation, and all uncleanness, or covetousnc^s let it not be once named among you, as beco.ncth saints: Neither falthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, whicii are not con. venient; but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who IS an idohitor hath any inherhance in the kini^dom of Christ and of God. J,et no man deceive you with vain words ; lor because of these things comolli the wrath of God upon the ciuldren of disobedience."— Ephc^: v 3-0 And again, -But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderors and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idola- teis, and a 1 liars, shall have their part in the lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone : which is the second death." c„m ^' ^^!' ®' .^"^ P^'^'» aid positive declarations are eulhcient to convince any man, whose mind i. open to the and K ?, ''"'''' '^'V^'' ^^■°'''^' '^ '■" M^enshing condition, and needs the utmost eflbrts of the people of Christ to preserve It trom destruction. ^ dJn. ^f^;«'7^"'7;A«'« ^/'f corruption of sin, and from eternal deajh w/uch >s the pumshmcnt of sin, Christ has established 11.^ n pV,''' "'"?'^' """^ ^'"^ constituted the members thereof the salt oj the earth. - Yo are the salt of the earth." The lairrr- ill' n THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS ' death of Christ is the fountain for sin and uncleanness ; thd Spirit of Christ is sent to reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment ; the word of truth is given to convert the souls of the unregenerate ; the ministry of re- conciliation is given, by which God beseeches men to turn from their evil ways, and by which Christ prays the ungodly to be reconciled to God; the Church of Christ is set on the hill, and organized, according to the directions of Christ, for the express purpose of saving this perishing world from cor- ruptiun and eternal death. What more, then, is needed to convert the world ? Nothing but the zealous and persever- ing efforts of the people of Christ. Christ aims at the sal- vation of the world tlirough his people. " Ye are the salt of the earth." " Go ye, therefore, and make disciples," or Chris- tians, " of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of tne Holy Ghost ; Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you ; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."--Matth. xxviii. 19, 20. Here we discover that Christ designs his people to be of the utmost benefit to the world. They are the salt of it ; and he requires them to make Christians of all nations. If this great design of Christ is to be fulfilled, then, as the salt of the earth, you Must hencfit the tcorld hj your prayers. All men must be the subjects of your earnest prayers. You are commanded to make " Supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for nil men ; For this is good and acceptable in^the sight of God our Saviour ; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." — 1 Tim. ii. 1, 3, 4. " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."— James v. 16. The prayers of the righte- ous, like salt, have a preserving and purifying influence. I* Prayer, ardent, opens heaven." Christians, who are Israelites indeed, are intercessors with God for a lost world. Like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jol), and Daniel, they plead with God to spare the ungodly, who are daily exposed to the righteous indignation of Jeiiovah ; and, in answer to their prayers, many temporal calamities, many heavy judgments, are turned aside, which would otherwise fall, with crushing force, on the head of the defenceless sinner, or dcsecnfl, likelin avalanche, upon the ungodly nation in which he dwells. By inwrought and fervent prayer, the people of Christ must bring down upon the world, in copiou'q sliowers, tliat spiriiiial influencf^ v/ltich will efTectually cliango tho hearts and lives of ungodly men. TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOUtS. 96 cleanness ; thd of sin, and of truth is given ministry of re- 3s men to turn ys the ungodly ist is set on the s of Christ, for 3rld from cor- m, is needed to i and persever- ms at the sal- are the salt of p]es,"orChris- le name of the )st ; Teaching nmanded you ; d of the world, discover that ; benefit to the [uires them to esign of Ciirist men must be e commanded and giving of coptable in the on to be saved, ';— 1 Tim. ii. righteous man of the righte- ng influence. ) are Israelites world. Like lie ad with God the righteous heir prayers, Us, arc turned f force, on the an avalanche, By inwrought ng down upon hiencf^ v/hich ingodly men. The fervent intercessions of righteous men have, before now, caused God to pour out his Spirit, so copiously, that hundreds and thousands have received the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. If the people of God were only resolved to bring down upon the world all that spiritual influence which sincere, united, believing, persevering prayer would cause God to bestow, this corrupt world would soon be purified ; and instead of almost universal corrupticn, the glori- ous prediction would soon be fulfilled : " For, from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering : for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts."— Mai. i. 11. As the salt of tlie earth, The world must he henejiltcd ^y your conversation. To this end you must obey the apostolic injunctions: "Let your speech be alway witii grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how to answer every man."— Col. iv. 6. " Let no cor- rupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers."— Ephos. iv. 29. Solomon declares Ihe mouth of a righteous man is a well of life. The tongue of the just is as choice silver. The lips of the riahte- ous feed many."_Prov. x. 11, 20, 21. " The words V a man s mouth are as deep waters, and the well.sprin souls of men would commence in such earnest, and extend with sueli rapidity, that all doubts about Christians being the salt of the earth would spccdilv vanish. As the salt of the earth, The world must he henefutcd hy your example. The humi. ity, the ju8tie(<, llio purity, the benevoleiK (>, the joy, and thezeal, which Inn* ChriHiians ever exiiilit in ihe whole of their conduct, arrest the attention of tlio un-^odiy, win their iifrections, and often stimulate them to seek tii(. saving 'rroee of God, which will enable them to live as Chrisiiaiis livc^ ^ Ex- ample has a powerful effect upon tliehimiiui mind ; therefore, Christ says in the context, «• Let your light so shine l)efore men, that they inay see your good works, and glorify your tallicr Vrhii !: ].-; in hravcn." The Chri^tiiui may suy'littlo • m stians, coupled iinner to Christr t boldly and de- has the Holy ice in his heart savour of the onverb'es, when so judiciously, s involuntarily the need of re- often laid the 10 relations of the conversion ith good men. cd their first re- piritual nature 5 they served, men and holy 10 conversation thus produce the most frivo- about God and on their guard lavo often im- il or incidental cr. ion. And, vould humbly, in this way, a ioty ; and the cnco in such 1 doubts about ccdily vanish. . The humi- , thn joy, and 11 the whole of dly, win their ! savinjr grace iiiM live. Ex. Ill ; lliercforo, shine beforo 1 glorify your lay Huy HttJo j TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 27 vet, if he lives as he ought, his unbending integrity, his spot- less purity, his genuine benevolence, his constant cheerful- "f^% !^ ""^"'^"g =^eal in promoting those objects wh.'ch glonfy God and benefit man, have a thousand voices, which speak m trumpet tones to the hearts of ungodly men, and make them tremble at the thought of their own vileness The eloquence of a truly pious life falls upon the sinner's heart hke dew upon the tender herb, or like showers upon the mown grass, and often produces the most blessed results Ihe moral beauty of a truly pious life often captivates the most profligate, fills him with disgust at the wicked defer- mities which blemish his character, and causes him to re- solve, through the grace of God, to lead a new life. Upon the young the benefit of a pious example is incalculable. Iheir heai-ts are not yet hardened through the deceitfulnesa ot sm. Thoy are not yet corrupted through tfie lust of the iiesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Thev are unitative beings j and by placing before them a tr ulv loly life, they may be led to imitate your example : and thus be preserved from the corruption and misery that are in the world, by being led early to Christ, and by being early satisfied wall his mercy. As (he salt of the earth, ^ The world must he hcnrfittcd hj your direct personal lahour a for the conversion of the ungodly. You may pray for the conversion of the world, your conversation may bo accord inu to the gospel, your example may be every thing that can bo required; ye(, you cannot fully answer the end of Christ in your ca hng and election to gospel privileges, unless you'ne r- soimlly labour (o convert sinners from the error of tlK"^r wa v s Chris addresses everyone whom he saves in thes,. words'* Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great thinirs tho Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on tlieel'' Son, go work tor with such sacrifices Jod Is well p ea eT'' Personal efFort. therefore, is still required with the inner in addition to your prayers, your conversation, and vou? exam" plo. Another cannot tell your friends what God has dono for you Q8 you can yeursolves. You must co yonr..uZVZ wiuvmeyara m6 work: proxy will not do hero. You^m'uit per.oually gather wiihChriit; personally rep rove sinrri J I M THE OBLI«ATIONS OF CHRISTIANS personally labour to strengthen your brethren, and to do good to all men. Many shrink from this personal effort ; but unless it is attended to, the world will never be converted. All GKrtetians must use efforts to convince men of sin, and per- suade them to give up sin. We firmly believe that answer* to the important queries contained in the lines, " Lord over all, if thou hast made, Haat ransom'd every soul of man, Why ia thy gr«ce so long delayed ] Why urifulfiill'd the saving plan ? The bliss for Adam's race desi/i;,i'd, When will it reach to all mankind V' may be found in the want of universal personal effort on the part of the people of Christ. Thus the people of Christ are the salt of the earth; and when tiiey act in exact accordance with their high designa- tion, they will bo of the utmost benefit to the world. I need not now dwell upon the point that ho that saves one soul from corruption andniovo all )w groan. Yo nner as to bfe ^ou are distin- hrist calls you you to bo the Act as good you will save iQtbii. Chriflit 11. That, when Christians lose their religion, they can do no good to mankind. " Out if the salt have lost his savour." Salt may lose its mvour. Some have doubted this -, but there is indisputable proof, that, under certain circumstances, salt will lose its savour. Mr. Maundrell, describing the valley of salt, says, "On the^side toward Gibul there is a small precipice, about two men's length, occasioned by the continual taking away of the salt ; and in this you may see how the veins of it lie. 1 broke a piece of it, of which that part that was exposed to the sun, ram, and air, though it hud the sparks and par- tides of salt, yet it had perfectly lost its savour: the inner part, winch was connected with the rock, retained its savour, as I found by proof." This is a valuable fact; and forcibly illustrates every passage in which the Saviour employs salt to represent grace in the heart, or the benefit which Chris- tians arc designed to bo to the world ; but, especially does It 1 lustratc the possibility of a Christian losing his religion : and that, then, he can be of no saving benefit to mankind. As salt may lose its savour, and be of no use in season- ing; so may a Christian lose his piety, and cease to be useful (0 the souls of his fcllow.men. lie may retain the form of godliness ; but, if ho is separated from the Hock Christ Jesus, ho will bo destitute of its power, and then can be of no m..ro service to the souls of men, until he is restored to ho living rodf. Union >, ith Christ is absolutely essential to fx»th piety an.l usefulness. Christ teachos these Iruth., in the plainest mannei', m the fdlowing paragraph: «' 1 im the rue vHio, and my Inuher i. the husbandman. Every branch ,n me that beareth not fruit ho tukeih away; and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that^t'may g f . Ih more fruit. Now ye are dean through the word tl 10 Mne , no moro can ye, except ye abide in mo. I nm the v me, >o arc the brandies : he that abidelh in me, and I in can do not im. ? a ,„„„ „i,i.lo not in me, ho is oast fo«U as a branch, and is witbered ; and n.en oafher them and cast them into the fire, and they' are burned:^ y / , "ido"n !!";l,^r''!''' H" ''^'"^ 7^9 y«"- ii^^rvin is my Father do. -ijoi;.;' XV ^i^ T' "y;*?'* •'"'' ' '"^ '^'^'" y^' ''^ '-y .ii.eipio8." junnxv. 1—8. ihis important parograj.h clearly evin- 30 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS ■ ce«, that union with Christ is the source of both our piety and usefulness ; and not only so, but it forcibly points out the fact, that, if we lose our religion, wc .shall be separated from Jesus, and then we can bo of no real benefit to mankind. It IS union with Christ that gives us power, both with Gc^ and man. While united to Christ, there is a holy savour connected with us, which renders us acceptable to God ; and our prayers, conversations, examples, and efforts profitable to men ; but when we forsake Christ, this savour departs. Dr. Adani Clarke, in his note on our text, after quoting Maund roll's statement, speaks thus, " A preacher, or private Christian, who has lost the life of Christ, and the witness of the Spirit, out of his soul, may bo likened to this salt. " He may have the .sparks and glillcring particles of true wisdom, but without its unction or comfort. Only that which is con- neclcd with the rock, the soul that is in union with Christ Jesus by llio Holy Spirit, can preserve its savour, and be In- strumontal of good to others." Whitby has the fallowing note on this passage : '' Salt is given to make things savoury, according I. that question of Job's, (vi. 6,) Can that which IS unsavoury be eaten witiiout salt ? and also to sivvo them from putrefaction ; so that the import of this metaphor is this: Ye are appointed, by that pure and holy doctrine, which you are to preach, and by the savour of your good conversa- tion, to purge the world from that corruption in which it lies, and present tiiem as a sacrifice of swect-smcirmg savour, holy 0714 acceptable to God ; but, if you, yourselves, should lose the savour of your good conversation, and becomo putrificd mombors in my body, you would bo wholly useless to these good ends ; and, theref )re, can expect nothing but to bo rejoctod by me, and cast off, as unsavoury salt is cast to the dungiiill." Tl is i/n possible for you, my Christian friends, to save souls from death if you lose your religion. f)avi(l knew this ; lionce, ill- says, in the fifty-first Psalm, '* Restore unto mo the joy of thy salvation ; and uphold mo with thy froe spirit. Tiien will 1 teach transgressors tiiy ways; and sinners shall bo converted unto thee.'* The Psalmist evidently fdt that it was iniposisiblc for him to teach transgressors (Jod's ways, and see sinners converted by hi<^ cirorts, while he, himself,' was in n backsliding state. Should your nidrality continue, after you have fallen from grace, yet you will have lost tho power of godliness; therefore, you will not be able to teach sinnors, wiiii a iueiing heart, wiih a loving mindj with a I' I '/ TO SEEK TAE SALrATION OF SOULS. both our piety ibly points out II be separated fit to mankind, both with Gc § a holy savour 3 to God ; and Torts profitable avour departs. after quoting her, or private the witness of this salt. " He !" true wisdom, which is con- on with Christ )ur, and be in- the f()llowin2 luigs savoury, !an tliat which to save them itaphor is this: )ctrine, which ;ood con versa- I which it lies, clling savour, selves, should and becomo vholly useless ;l nothing but iry salt is oust end',', to save id knew this ; 'Store unto mo liy f'roo spirit. I sinners shall itly felt that it CJod's ways, n he, himself, lify continue, I have lost the able to teach mind, with a 31 reabus spirit, which are all requisite in the conversion of a sou . Besides, should you continue your efforts to sava souls, there will be no holy urction in your prayers, no godly savour in your conversations, no constraining force in vour exaniple, and no blessing of God upon your efforts. When you have lost your religion, sinners will soon perceive it ; and. -nstead of listening with fear to your prayer, and with interest to your conversation : instead of feeling deeply the powei ot your example and efforts, they will remain perfectly un- concerned ; or if they have any sense and spirit, they will S th'U^f- '°^" and unanswerable rebuff, " Physician The conduct of those, who have lost their religion, instead nrbenefuinigmanbnd, is the greatest barrier that lies in the way aj purgnig the world from its corruption. Peter de. Clares, that backsliders " Are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest ; to whom the mist of .larknoss IS reserved fi.r over.' -2 Peter ii. 17 : read to the end of the chapter Judo declares, backsliders - Are spots in your feasts of ehanty when they feast with you, fl'edincr tlVem. selves without fear : clouds they are without water,%a rTd about of winds ; trees whose fruit withoreth, without fruit twico .lead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foam.ng out flieir own shame ; wandering st^Ts, to wiiom IS reserved the l.laeknoss of darkness forever "'-J uieloiT Language could n.;t more forcil>ly describe the u.iprofit^ble* ness and destruetiveness which clmracterizo the cour^ of^ baekshders. whether they have been public teachersTf Chnst.anuy, or public professors of the religion of 5esua ri.ey are as useless to mankind as the en.pty well, or as tl^ hght and transient cloud. They are as unsnemlv in the Ch.ireh as spots are in a white garment. They a.^ is un and ni ;;T: 1 ""^' " ';"*"" ^•■^^' y^^' - trees^wice dead', and pluclvPd up by the roots. They are as uneasy and restless as the ragh.g sea, which ever Ll. up m e'md dirt They arc as mischievous to mankind as wn, derin.r Trs or Jgnes fatu, wiUs-o'-the wisp, which dance bdoeo hWIu el, lost traveller, and lead him further and further ast^ray from the course ho wishes to pursue. Thny are Lruin.. h oaY long to that outer darkness, wLre there is vee.i.^fui^^^ and gnas ung „f toeth and d men and women will not seek the salvation of others, God will certainly withhold the supplies of liis grace; and then the salt they now have will soon lose its savour, and they will bo good for nothing but to prevent others from slipping, who witness their folly, de^ajradation, and misery. ^If you Jose your piety, and are of no real benefit to the vmrlA, Uirul will cast you out of his favour and protection. Christ will not bless you with his presence, and favour, 84 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS •M; and protection, if you lose your purity, your faith, your love, your zeal, and are of no service to the souls of your fellow-men. He made this known to the Churches of Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodecea. Ihere was much good in the church at Hphesus ; yet Jesus said, «« Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love;" and he declares that he would remove all the privileges of that church, unless it repented. The churches at Pergamos and Thyatira had kept the faith ot Christ, and had not denied his name ; but they tolerated eating things sacrificed to idols, and fornication. He commands the first of these churches to " Repent ; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against tJiem with the sword of my mouth ;" and of the ringleader m sin, and her wicked associates, in the latter church, he says, "Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death ; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts ; and I will give unto every one of you, ac- cording to your works." In the church at Sardis there were a few who had not defiled their garments : these he promises to bless, and own in the last day ; but the rest, who had only a name to live and were dead, ho sharply reproves, and says, " If thou wilt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief; aiid thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." To the church at Laodecea, which appears not to have had one redeeming quality, but was completely careless about Uie glory of God and the salvation of precious souls, he says, " I know thy works, that thou art neitiicr cold nor hot : I would thou wert cold or hot. So, then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." Hear this, ye lukewarm professors, who are at ease in ;5ion, settled on your lees, doing nothing for Christ and the souls of men : there was some redeeming quality in all the other churches, though there was much to grieve him in all the seven churches of Asia, excapting Smyrna and Philadelphia ; but in Laodecea there is nothing to reprove but self-complacency and lukewarmncss ; yet, these are so odious to Ciirist, that lie declares he will cast the Laodeceans out of his mouth. «' Woe to tiiem that are at ease in Zion ;" for Jesus says, « I will search Jerusalem with lighted candles, and punish the men that are settled on tiieir iees ; that say in their heart, The Lord will not do rs )ur faith, your ) the souls of > the Churches and Laodecea. Hphesus ; yet it against thee, e declares that lurch, unless it Thyatira had his name ; but and fornication. " Repent ; or ill fight against the ringleader hurch, ho says, im that commit opt they repent ith death ; and h searcheth the »ne of you, ac- rdis there were ise he promises , who had only reproves, and hee as a thief ; le upon thee." lot to have had careless about souls, he says, !oid nor hot : I ;ause thou art pue thee out of ssors, who are g nothing for ne redeeming e was much to sia, cxcapting liero is nothing rmncss ; yet, ) will cast the )m that are at ch Jerusalem are settled on I will not do TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOTTLS. S5 good, neither will he do evil." « Because thou art luke- warmi, and neUher cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. We affectionately, earnestly, solemnly warn all who are noJ labouring to save souls of the imminent danger of utter rejection by Christ. If your criminal indiffer- ence to the salvation of the souls of men continues, Christ Will cast you out of his favour and protection ; and then your adversary the devil, who, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, will be sure to lav hold 01 you and destroy you. If you lose your religion, and neglect the salvation of the souls of your fellow.men, Christ will cast you out of Jds ^tamily, and disown you at the last day. " Tiie just shall live by his faith ; but if he draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure m him." - He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment ; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my father, and before his angels."— Rev. iii. 5. But, " Whom- soever therefore, shall be ashamed of me and my words, in ihxs adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the bon of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Bather with the holy angels."— Mark viii. 38 How great are the evils presented to our view in the preceding verses? Lor God to have no pleasure in us, to have ouf names blotted out of the book of life by the hand of Z and to have the Saviour ashamed of us at the last day, are' min w '^ f'^^y °^ P'^^^' ^"^' ^o "° g°«d to the souls of men. What but fear, and shame, and backsliding, prevent us from attempting tlie salvation of the souls of men Chris lans are c.ther afraid of worldly loss, or bodily injury; or they are af^^-aid to speak, on Christ's behalf, to their ungodly fellow croaures- or, they have begun to 'draw backSn nnMnh r/'"^ T ^}'^- ^'"'"^ °^ ««"»«' ^'^«" they strive Z\JT'r''^''^'''' ^''''^'''^ conversations, example! Wlivfi f" r ^" "'''"^' ^"'^'' '^ '^ ^^''-^^e alone that prevents af sn^^r 1 r/"''"P''"« '' glorify Christ and save immo ! al souls ; but it matters not what the reason is, the Saviour IS displeased w.th all who manifest not the s'avour of Tis bZ iH' f ^k'7'^ 1^'""" \ "'"' ^^"' '^ »^^y r^P«"t not, and uTh^ t of r 1 ^'T%'T^'^: repentance, blot 'the names of BULh out of the book of life : be ashamed of tbnm in t^o dn- or judg.ru-nf and deny them a place in heavenr Ponder this solemn fact, all ye who have entirely lost the savour of r.i 39 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS li: piety, or who are losing it, as fast as you can, by your luk«- warmness. Unless we retain the savour of piety, and employ all our energies for the glory of Christ, and the spiritual benefit of men, Christ will certainly cast us into the lake of fire. This is the second death. On this awful subject we shall say but little. Paul evidently laboured, with all his might, to prevent so horrible a catastrophe ; hence, he says, when alluding to the earnest efforts of the Grecian racers and combatants, " I therefore so run, not as uncertainly ; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air : but I keep my body under, and bring it into subjection ; lest, that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away." A cast away was one disapproved by the judge of the games, as not having fairly deserved the prize. Paul dreaded being rejected by Christ, the Judge of nil, at the last ; and, hence, he performed every duty, and used every means, so that this might not be the case. Arm if Paul, wi.se, holy, useful as ho was, in a pieeminent degree, dreaded being a cast away at last, how much reason have we to dread this consunmiation of woe. Tiiore is not the least doubt but we shall be cast into hell, if we lose our piety, and die in a backsliding state. Hear what the Holy Giiost says, by E/.ekicI, "But, when the righteous turucth away from his rigliteousness, and commlttcth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live ? All tlio righteousness he hath done shall not be mentioned : in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in the sin wliich ho hath sinned, in them shall he die.''-xviii.24. Nor is there the least doubt, if we are careless about the salvation of souls, but we shall lose our piety and perish ; for it is written, *' Then he which had rrc(Mvcd the ono talent came ana said. Lord, I knew thee thattiiou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering whore thou hast not slrawed : And I was afraid, and went'and hid thy talent in tlie earth : lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord anvvswered and said unto him, thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where 1 sowed not, and gathered wliere I have not slrawed ; Thou oughtcst therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should Iiavo received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, nnd give it unto him which l-.ath ten talf-ntfs. For unto every o!ie that hulh r;liall bo gi'/en, and ho shall have abundance; but I'rom him that TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOULS. 81 rum him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he huth. And cast ye the umrofitabie servant into outer darkness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." — Matth. xxv. 24 — 30. Why was the man cast into outer darkness ? Had he received any grace ? He had. Why, then, was he cast into outer darkness ? Because he had not improved his talent. He was not cast into hell for his immoralities ; but because he had done no good with the gift, the means, and the opportunities which God had placed in his care and at his disposal. Let those who are doing no good look at the parable until they feel that they must live for the glory of God, and the salvation of souls, or be cast into outer dark- ness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. What a curse ! " Cast out and trodden underfoot !" Avoid it, my brethren, by labouring with all your might to glorify God, and benefit your fellow-men. Instead of vainly supposing that you cannot lose grace, and the power and disposition to do good, dread this awful catastrophe, and use every means to prevent it. What arc you doing for the salvation of men ? Are you seeking their salvation ? If not, your religion is vain. You are deluded in supposing that you are in God's favour, if the religion you profess docs not constrain you to seek the salva- tion of the "dead in trespasses and sins." When there is grace in the heart, it will be manifested in fervent prayer, and zealous efforts for the conversion of :ho ungodly. Christ declares, that his people " Arc the salt of the earth ;" -and he made this declaration because he knew that his love would induce its possessors to seek the conversion of immor- tal souls ; therefore, if ycu are doing nothing for the conver- sion of your fellow-men, you have' every'reason to suspect that your hearts are not right with God : that you have no genuine religion. We may not bo equally fitted/or, and equally useful in, every department of Christian labour ; but we can all pray for the conversion of the ungodly ; we can all set before them a good example, and we may all do something in the way of conversation and personal cflbrt. If you do what you can, cheerfully and constantly, Christ accepts the service ; but if you are doing nothing, you had better seek, at once, the conversion of your own souls. To you, w!io are doing what you can to save souls, we would say, m the language of the inspired apostle, "Be • J « I 3S THB OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." 1(1 ■ II 111 DISCOURSE III. THE SPIRIT OF GRACE AND SUPPLICATIONS NEEDED TO SAVB SOULS. "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they ehaU look upon h.m whom they have pierced, and they shall ^ourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterneS fo hiu , ^00" that IS 111 bitterness for his first-born."— Zeciiariah xii. 10. Christians should search diligently the Iloly Scriptures, in order to ascertani correctly the work which 'the Holy Spirit has to perform, in connexion with the preaching of the gospel before e^'or any souls can be saved. Had we greater know' letlge ot what the Scriptures teach, on this highly important pouit wo should know where our great strength lies, and ehould be stirred up to unceasing prayer, incessant vigilance, and repeated acts of faith, to secure the necessary aid of the Holy Spirit; so that we might never suffer defeat in our efforts to increase the triumphs of Christ. Many, we doubt not, have had to cry, - Who hath believed our report ? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" because thev liave depended too much on the means used for the conversion of sinners, and too little on the Spirit's aid ; and, hence, a ^tiuie, a miserable failure, has succeeded the vigorous ef- On .1 If' \'^«y ''ave put forth for the salvation of souls. Un 1)0 other hand, some have looked so much to the Spirit's ^\ork, as to depend entirely on him to accomplish the salva- ton of souls, without their agency ; therefore, they have not laboured zealously in disseminating the knowledge of Christ crucified, in warning men of sin, in exhorting them to forsake their evil courses, and beseeching them, in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God ; hence, they have seen no saving good accomplished, and have been found givincr way to Idle complainings about the lowliness of religion In the Church, and the abounding of iniquity iii the work?. Let us guard against these highly injurious and dangerous ^o bZ" ^;;^'"'^''} "I^ '-^ «"r« 'o labour; it is God's !l uM . , ^''. r°''' *°-:^*y >" ""y vineyard," remember, ii "'r 'Te'Tr "''^'m'' """'^ ^y l'^'^^"'"' ^"t ^y my Spirit, saith nt that the Holy Spirit is tho Author of that grace, inflnence, or power, that upljolds the believer under liis infirmities, and carries him on to tho performance of all the will of (Jod ; and it io f.lso tibimdunily certain, that Ho is tho Author of thot graco which changes tho sinner's heart and tho sinner'a TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. il State. The sinner is blinded by the god of this world ; he is a slave to sin, a child of the devil, an heir of hell, and is all his life-time subject to bondage through fear of death. The Spirit, however, can enlighten his mind, deliver him from the trammels of the world, the flesh, and the devil : give him power to conquer his foes, and power to love God with all his heart, and his neighbour as himself. " God hath not given unto us the Spirit of fear ; but of love, of power, and of a sound mind." The Holy Spirit can give the sinner a sound mind, that is, a mind freo from spiritual mad- ness and spiritual disease, and irmke him an heir of God, and a joint heir with our Lord Jesus Christ. You all must acknowledge, that tlie Spirit of Grace is much needed in our congregations, in our cities, towtjs, and villages, yea, in our world, in order to turn our fellow-creatures from their wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts, that they may return unto the Lord, who will have mercy upon them, and to our God, who will abundantly pardon. The Spirit promised in the text is the Author and liostowcr of Grace of every kind, and in every degree. He is the Spirit of Supplications. The word supp/ications signifies prayer earnestly and re- pciiti.lly oflTM-od. The Holy Spirit produces a mighty in- Ihiencoon the hearts of sinners; hence, when God spoke by J.;rcmiah of restoring the Jews from Ha!)ylonish captivity, Hy are to be successful, in the work of saving souls, they must have an abundant incnsurc of the Spirit of grace and supplications. IJi'fore God blesses a church with a great revival of his work, it is generally the caso, that he pours onl his Spirit of gr.iee and siipplicnlionVirst on tho house of David, un th-; leading men in the church, and it is a good sign that the church is about to prosper, and sinners are about to bo converted, win n the oaierrs in the church begin to Del deeply on behalf of the utiirodlv, and to labour wisely, zealously, faithfully for their conversion. O that nil tho loading men, in all tho churches of ('hrisf, were fdlod with th(> Spirit of grace and supplications! liien there would bo no unholy eotitests for power ; no lording it over God'g heritage; no striving to blond the spiritual Un-i.lom of our blessed Iledeemor with the kingdoms of this world ; but their aim would be t!in puritv and' prrspcrilv (-f the eliureh, and tho conversion of the world to Christ. "We earnoK.lly exhort tho leading men in the churches of Christ tc» seek u larger measure of the Spirit of grace and r.npplicatiorjs, to that thoy may properly lead on tho people of God in tli(irenbrt» to save saids. You huvo tho promise of the Spirit. Do vo filled with tho Spirit. ^ ^ lie is prnmised nho to the inhabitants of Jt rusnicm, or to the membership of the Church. Matthew Henry justly — *,.,} jj].. iui!uuti:iui3 u! Jcrusaiem, uic common pcoplo ; for tho operations of tho Spirit aro tho samo upon iiii u THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHTIISTIANS ihe mean and weak Christians, that they are upon the strong and more grown. The inhabitants of Jerusalem cannot influence puhh'c afllliirs by their powers and policies, so as the great men of the house of David may, yet may do good service by their prayers ; and, therefore, upon them shall the Spirit be poured out. The Church is Jerusalem : the heavenly Jerusalem. All true believers, that have their conversation in heaven, are inhabitants of tiiis Jerusalem ; and to them this promise belongs, God will pour his Spirit upon them. This is that earnest ^vhich all that believe in Christ shall receive: thus they are sanctified: thus they are sealed. 2. What these blessir)gs are. I will pour upon them my spirit. That includes all good things, as it (jualifics us for th(! favour of (iod and all his othi-r gills, lie will pour out the Spirit. (L) As a Spirit of ^race, to sanctify, and to inake us gracious. (2.) As a Spirit of supplications, inclin- ing us U\ insfrueliiig and assisling us i;l, the duty of prayer. Wherever th/i Spirit is given, as a Spirit of grace, he is given ns a Spirit of su|)|)lication. Wherever ho is a Spirit of adop- lion, ho teaeheth to cry, Abba Father. As soon as ever Paul was converted, Behold lie prays. — Acts i.\. II. You may as .soon iind a living man without breath, as a saint without prayer. There is a more plentiful tlilision of the Spirit of pjayor now, under the gospel, than there was under the law ; ami thr' fiirlh(>r the work of satitificiUion is carried in us, the belter is the work of suj)plication carried on by us." Tho member;; of churches cannot be successful, to that extent they ought to be, in saving souls, unless they are fdled with the Spirit (d' grace and supplications; and, therefjre, it is iho imperativf! duty of every private nuMnber to seek, with nil his might, a greater measure of the Spirit : yea, to bo fdlcd with th" Spirit. (Jet blessed, greatly blessed, with the Spirit of grace! and supplications, and you will be a blessing, n great blessing, to your fellow-men; but if you ari; strait- ened in your own bowels, and in your own efibVts, remember tho Spirit of the fiord is not straitened. And if you do not rcccdvo iiim iii^ his fulness, the blunie rests upon your own heads. " For if yo being evil know how to give good gifts unto your eliildn-n, how naich more will vour heavenly Father triy<; his j loly Spirit to them that ask lum." (Jet more of the S])irit, and do not cease praying for the Spirit of graco and supplications, until your soul enters no fully into the .work of Having your fellow-men, that you will be "frequently found, ''Uiilriiiir uu nravers and suijpiicatioiis, with etrona {J up prayers and suppUci To SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 45 are upon the of Jerusalem s and policies, Y, yet may do •e, upon them is Jerusalem : hat have their is Jerusalem ; pour his Spirit that heliove in thus they are II pour upon as it qualifies IIo will pour metity, and to Milions, inclin- ty oi" prayer. 3c, he is given Spirit oi' adop. soon as over ix. II. You th, as a saint liusidu of the ere was under tion is carried L'd on hy us." , to that extent are filhal with ier('ll)io, it is to sii k, witii it : yea, to be sseil, with the be a blessing, r'ou an; strait- its, remember if you do not \nni your own ;ive good gift.s our heavenly " (Jet more piril (if grace ully iiUo the bo IVequently I, with strong crying and tears, unto him that is able to save them from death." Then your prayers will be heard, your labours will be successful ; and precious souls will be delivered from going down into the pit, from which a great ransom cannot deliver them. 11. The effects produced upon the minds of the ungodly, by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. By THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT, THE ATTENTION OF SINNERS IS ARRESTED. Their thoughts are at once turned to religion, and fixed upon those tilings which belong to their peace. Those, who before were the most frivolous, full of levity, whose atten. tion you could not keep to the subject of religion for the the shortest possible space of time, now become serious and thoughtful ; and the thrilling subject of religion occupies their most anxious and constant thoughts. Those, also, who were careless about their souls ; who could listen to the most interesting themes without interest; to the most important and solemn sermons without either anxiety or fear, are awakened from their guilty slumbers, and their thoughts are fixed upon their guilt, wretchedness, and danger. When the Spirit is jwured out, as the Spirit of grace and supplica- tions, there is a commotion among the churches: the people of God, having their hearts opened and their tongues loosened, begin to pray to God, and exhort sinners in earnest. The news flies through the city, the town, the village, or the set- tlement, and careless negleeters of salvation, miserable backsliders, self-righteous moralists, and abandoned profli- gates, flock to tlu! house of prayer, either to look on or to Bcoli; and upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication, descends, and they begin to cry for mercy. So it has ever been ; so it ever will be. It was so in the day^ of the apos. ties. When the Spirit was first poured out, th'ire was a com- motion in the church; the followers of Christ began to speak with new tongues, and to declare to every man in his own tongue the wonderful works of God ; then the nmltilude came together and were eonfou.ided ; tor the sac.-ed narrative in- forms us, " Now, when this was noiso.j al«roa(l, the multitude came together, and were cotjfounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were aU amazed, and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all ihfso whiuh speak Galileans i And how hoar wo every mon in our own tongue, wherein wo were boru i Par- 46 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS h * ft ' » thians, and Medcs, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopo- tamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontua, and Asia, Phyrgia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya and Cyrene ; and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What nicaneth this ? Others, mocking, said, These men are full of new wuie." — Acts ii. 6 — 13. Thus, by the outpouring of the Spirit upon the followers of Christ, the nttontion of siimers was arrested, and there was a commotion among the ungodly. It was so in the days of the Wesloys and of VVhitefield, and has been so in every grer>t revival of religion that has taken place at any period of time, or in any quarter of the globe. We may, therefore, reasonably conclude, that in any and every church, where the members, hy earnest prayer and simple faith, secure the abundant etFusious of the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of grace anrl supplications, the members of the church will begin to speak, if not with new tongues, yet with new life, and with such increased energy, that the attention of fiinners will be arre:^ted ; there will bo a commotion among them, and they will crowd to the house of God, either to onqtiire •' Wiiat is fhi» meaning of tliis ?" or else to mock. And it is a matter of incalculable importance to get the at- tcntion of sinners fully arnused on the sulij(>ct of religion ; for, if they never think of religion, they will never be convinced of ifs truth, its value, and necessity, mid, consee lently, will never b'- led to seek its possession. 'J'here is hope, great hope, o!' the souls of men biiig saved, when their attention is nroused and directed to ri ligious truth ; but there is none whal(»ver so long ns they remain in a state of criinimil in- ditKrence. Jlv THR OUTPntTIUNG OF TIIK SflRIT OF GrACE AND StTP- I'MCA rinvs, Till' TIIOirciHTS OF THE t'NCOWrUlTF.n AlIE FIXED I rON IHi: JfKillT OIUF.l'T, VIZ., THE DEATH OF CjIUIST. •* Anrl Ihojiahnfl lool- on mc whom tlirif have pierced.'^ " Vlial this relates to the crucifixion of Jesus of J\a/areth, imd to liis be ing pierced by the soldier's spear, wc have the authority of t!i(> inspired nposlln .lohn in allirming ; and the applica- lion agnes with tlie opinion of Komo of tia^ ancient Jews, Vriio Hitr-rpret it ol McKsialt, tlio .son of Ihivid, as Moses Hudarson, on Cienexis xxviii., though Jarciji ntul Abarbunel TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 47 ers in Mesopo- itus, and Asia, parts of Libya ind proselytes, in our tonj^ues re all amazed, What mcaneth fd full of new 1 the followers ed, and there so in the days on so in every pliico at any jrlobe. We any and every ,'er and simple y Spirit, as the of the clmrch yet with new ho attrntiou of ininfit)n among lod, eitiicr to • elsn to mock. 3 to pet tlio at- f relitrion ; for, • ho convinced ictj lontly, will is hope, great !'ir attention in ihore is none )f criinimil in- ACE AND Sirr- rr.n auf. fixed Cjuust. mv/." "Vliat zarolh, nm\ to L? the authority 1 the npplica- aneiont Jews, id, ns Mosps md Abarhunol refer it to the death of Messiah, the son of Joseph, whom, they say was to be tiie sufFerin^ Messiah, while the forme/ 'bible^ .triumphant Messiah."-. 9«^,/c'r'* Comprxhcnsiv' ungodly are found look! ng at Christ c ucified. Thoy, having their attention directed toU.nst by the ministry ot reconciliation, as the "Author and finisher of faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame," the Holy Spiri so impresses their .ninds with the cruel death of Christ, that theyai-e fouiid lookiiig and starmg at the Saviour : ponder- liig the oxti-e.u.ty of his sutlorings, the igno.niny of hii death, and the di-eadful causes of those sufH..-i„gH m.d that death Beholding, m thought, the Lamb of Cio.l which take uwiiy the s.ns of the world, they dwell, with agonising a« ton «hniont, on the ...angled body of the in.,ooo,.t'«aviour, until the droiulh.l truth flashes on their minds, " Ho was woundc or our ti-«asg,-es8ioi.s, bruised for our ini.juiii.-s: the chas. dercTi ;; nl'l'T^r ''"' "?"»'"■•";" und, Uke «« a mur. son,,,! h,. hears, so do si„„e,-s now see. where over they go, M i.n who... they have pierced," a d , a hb voice sayn.g, '' 1 sullLrcd this from you." Again rJ,? andyot again, do they n.ontally gnze\u that l&G wilie I w":;""-' '''"; "T"'' '*'"' ""•^" ^^"•••"' l'"nds"«nd feet! VNhith Nvero pierced with nails, and ihul bleeding «idc, inlc; 48 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS which the soldier's spear was thrust, and they feel that they have pierced him, inasmuch as their sins were the cause of his death, and are the grief of his soul : they feel, that, by their sins, they have crucified him afresh, and put him to an open shame. They are by this sight fully convinced that they are sinners, and that it is an evil and bitter thing to sin against God. And now, instead of laying the blame of the death of Christ altogether upon the wicked Jews, saying, " If we had lived in their day, and been in tlieir place, we would not have crucified the Lord Jesus Christ," they all feel that they are equally blamcablc with the Jews. And in answer to the question, " Who, who my Saviour, this hath done ? Who could thy sacred body wound I No guilt thy spotless heart hath known. No guile hath in thy lips been found !" They individually reply, •' I — I, nla3! iiavp done the deed, 'Tia I, thy sacred (lesli have torn ; My sins have caused thee, Lord, to bleed, Pointed the nail and fix'd the thorn." The sight of a crucified Christ, which the Spirit gives them, convinces them of the fact of sin, the enormous guilt of sin, and the extreme danger of eternal punishment to which it has exposed every sinner. And nothing whatever can convince a man of the evil and danger of sin but the right apprehension of tlie greatness of the Saviour's sulfer- ings, and the full convictiofrUiat sin was the cause of all the agony he endured ; and to proHuce this conviction, the Holy Spirit fixes the thoughts of sinners '• on him whom they have pierced." By THE ouTPouniNO of the Spirit, the hearts of sin- ners ARE PROPERLY AFFECTED. " And they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son ; and they shall be in billcrncss lor hiin, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born." This part of our text ex- presses two ideas, first, the cause of penitent sinners' grief, and, secondly, the greatness of that grief. As to the cause of their grief, it is the pierced Saviour : "They mourn for him." They are truly sorry at the sight of the Saviour on the cross. The genuine sorrow of peni- tent souls flows from the believing sight of n pierc« ■' Saviour. The declaration in this text was specially hjiiiiltil uUer Peter's sermon on the day of pentecost. At the close of his To SEEK THE SALVASION OF SOULS. 49 r feel that they ERE the cause 1 : they feel, ifresh, and put ully convinced bitter thing to g the blame of 1 Jews, saying, heir place, we rist," they all ews. And in 3 Spirit gives enormous guilt punishment to ling whatever of sin but the viour's sulTer. use of all the !tion, the Holy 1 wliom they EABTS OF SIN- ourncth for his im, as one that 3f our text ex- sinners* grief, >rccd Saviour : rry at the sight uTow of pcni. crci ■' Saviour, hjiirilfil after 10 close of his sermon, he said, « Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." The result of his sermon is thus stated : " Now, when they heard this, they were prici" 'T'T^- '^''""" ---l^ored ,; , . , ''J f^*5'^ tfiat hu saU , John indeed hnn. fzed with water J but ye shall be baptizWl with tl.c Holy b2 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANiS Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I, that I could withstand God ? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto» life."— Acts xi. 15—18. The first of these passages refers to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, on the day of pentecost, upon the Jews in Jer- usalem, when three thousand souls were coiiverted to God and added to the church. The second passage refers to a company of Gentiles, who were gathered to hear the gospef in the house of Cornelius, a devout Gentile, who lived at Cesarea. And as soon as Peter preached to them the gospel, the Holy Spirit was poured upon them in all his fulness. The Spirit, according to the promise of God, enlightened, regener- ated, and saved all those who received the gospel of Christ, whether Jews or Gentiles. Christ has proimised that this Spirit shall remain WITH THE Church until the end of time, to succeeo HER efforts for THE CONVERSION OF SOULS. When Isaiah predicted the coming of Christ, and the covenant which he should enter into with the church, he did it in these words : " And the Redeemer shall come unto Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever." — Isaiah lix. 20, 21. Ezekiel also predicts: "Neither will I hide my face any more from them : for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God." — Ezekiel xxxix. 29. In accordance with these ancient predictions, Christ made the following gracious promises to his church, before his re- moval from earth to heaven : — " If ye love me, kerp my commandments : And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may ahide with you for ever ; Even the Spirit of truth ; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him : but ye know him ; for he dwelleth » with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfort- less ; I wiii come unto you." — John xiv. 15 — 18. " But the like gift fesus Christ, I they heard God, saying, Bntance unto uring of the Jews in Jer- erted to God e refers to a \T the gospef who lived at le gospel, the dness. The led, rcgcner- el of Christ, [ALL REMAIN TO SUCGBED 'ist, and the lurch, he did id unto them i Lord. My [ have put in 3r out of the r seed's seed, ' — Isaiah lix. will I hide ired out my )rd God."— , Christ made before his re- And I will er Comforter, the Spirit of 3 it seeth him )r he dwelleth you comfort- D. " XJUi TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOULS. 58 now I go my way to him that sent me ; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou ? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Never, theless I tell you the truth ; it is expedient for you that I go away : for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unlo you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he IS come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteous, ness, and of judgment : Of sin, because they believe not on me : Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ve see me no more : Of judgment, because the prince of this world IS judged "-John xvi. 5-11. «' And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and m earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them m the name of the Father, and of the Son and ^of the Holy Ghost ; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and, lo, / am with you always even unto the end of the world. Amen."— Matth XXVU. 18 — 20. ^uauu. In these precious promises, which ought to be engraven on the hearts of God's people, the Spirit is promised as'the SpirU of truth, as the Comforter of God's people, as the Convincer of he word that lieth in the wicked one ; and he isTSe wold VVr'""' ofGod for ever; yea,' to the end o? the wo Id. Wherever the J eople of God send ministers of the gospel of Jesus, Christ promises always to be with them. flere^'Sn IS our great encouragement, to expect tbe Spirit's all-sutliS aid, prosper our work ot saving souls. The above ^ fori rrrs'?"'^^, ^" "^ '"^' '^'^' ^' this mome r Wo have the Spirit, and rest assurred Christ cannot lie : therefore when we pray for the Spirit to descend, in all his filness T^ the Spirit of grace and supplications, we are only prnvin ' for that which Christ has pVomised, and which he assSlf will impart, in answer to faith and pmyer, ^^suiedly m Tr'^L ''^'''^^^^ «F RELIGION WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE OP S';;Tr Lr'/"'^^"^^""^'' °^^'- OPTIIKPEopLE Tvr^T.?' '^'' ^^^ ™^ OUTPOURING OP THE SpiRIT "Sfll 54 THE OEI^ieATlONS OP CHRISTIANS Let any man read of the revivals in America, or in Europe, and he will find that they have taken place, *' Not by miffht, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.' Is God less anxious to pour out his Spirit now, than he was ouly a few years ago ? certainty not. The men whom God has honoured with revivals, within the last hun- dred years, had no miraculous gifts : they were undoubtedly good men, full of fliith and the Holy Ghost ; but they had no miraculous endowments. What they were, we may be, if we will only dilgcntly seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit, as they wore. The indications of God's willingness to pour out iiis Spirit, in rich abundance, we see in the in- iucreasod desire wliich exists among us, as u people, for an increased conformity to the mind of Clirist, for increasing pros- perity in tlie church, and in the drop[)ings of a shower, al- ready experienced, by which the saints have brnn quickened, and soino sinners liuve been converted. And if we are only be faithful to God and Christ, and tlie souls of men, God will sprinkle clean water upon us, as his people, and cleanse us from all our idols and filthiness, and he will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground ; for, " Lo ! tlip jiromiae of n shower, Drops nlri.nly tVoiii nhove ; But ilw liord will sliortly pour Ail the Wpirit of his love." All that is wanted, on the part of the church, to secure the Spirit, in all his saving operations, is deep humiliation for past uniailhfulncss ; the removal of every thing opposod to the will of (Jod ; and carnost, bcJit'viMtj j)rayer, for thi; fulness of the blessings of the gospel of Christ.' Let the following pointed jjassagcs, from God's Word, be serioiislv considered, and they will at once point out what wo Imve lodo, to get tho Spirit, and secure the conversion of m(>n : " Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, t' it it cannot hear : Hut your iniquities liav(> separated ix'tween yon and your (Jod, and your sins have jiid his face from you, tliat he will not hear." — Isaiah lix. 1,2. "O thou that' art named Tho house of Tacob, is tlie Spirit of the Lord straitened ? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walk(th up. rightly?'' — Miealui. 7. "Thus saith the Lord Goil, I will yet for this be en(|uired of by tho house of Israel, to do it for tliem : 1 will increase fheiii with men like a fjoek." — Ezck, xxxvii. ;j7. " Vo uro cursed with a curse: for ve have rob. To SEBK THE SALVATION OF SOVLSi 55 srica, or m place, *' Not 1 the Lord of Spirit now, . The men the last hun- undoubtedly but they had we may be, th the Holy 3 willingness see in the in- ople, for an roasing pros- shower, al- ri quickened, wo are only pn, God will d cleanse us • water upon id ; for, ii, to secure niiliation for ppDsed to tho I" thii fulness ho following r considered, lo, to get tho hat it cannot r : Hut your nr (lod, and ill not hear.'* 'ho house of iro these his wallu th up. 1 (jod, I will I, to do it for dc,"— Ezck, ve have rob. bed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, and see if I will not open you the wmdows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." — Mai. iii. 9, 10 "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your chddrcn ; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him ?"— Luke ii. 13 "Ye lust, and have not; ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtam ; ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. le ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."— James iv. 2, 3. These passages abundantly show, that want of niety.'want of libera ity, want of prayer, and want of bro«' tIv love, among the people of God, are the great cause. , a want of prosperity in churches, and the very reason, why the fepint IS not poured out to enlighten, convert, and save the ungodly. Christian brethren, of all denominations, let us put away from us our vvorldliness, our niirgardliness, our prayerlessness and our bigotry: then God will pour out his fepirit, and the ends of the earth shall see his salvation. Let us seek orgivcness for the past, and obtain a fresh bap. tism of the Spirit ourselves, and then God, even our own Uod, will bless us, and make us a blessing. We would earnestly exhort all (iod's people to read, with deep reflection and earnest prayer, the sixty-fburtii chaper of Isaiah. Let us also, beloved brethren, think more and converse more about tho Spirit's work, and the glorious results which follow His outpouring; und then shall wo encourage each other to pray more frequently, mon^ earnestly, and nioro behevingly m our closets, in our families, and in our church, cs, for th(. Lord to pour out his Spirit, as the Spirit of grace an.l snpp leati.ms. Let us, above all, bo careful to make sinners (eel that U.ey have no excuse for living in dn! hat Christ was pierced to save them, and that the Spiril has been g.veii to convince them of sin, an.l of righteousness, and of judgn.nnt ; an.) that he would beeo.ne to ihe.n the Spirit o grace und supplications, if they did nr.t wickedly and sful)burnly resi.st his strivings with them. Wo must guard against the fatal error which some fall into, whc-n thev produce iho impression upon the minds of sinn.-rs that thev are poor unfortunate creatures, that cannot help renmining in Wn n n » '^^"r^^^'"". ^''^^^1 ^-•'- This is a false impr, ssL. Wo must counteract it, and make sinners fuel, in all our con- TJB THE OBLIGATIONS OF CnRISTUNS versations with them, that tliey are resisting the good Spirit of God, and will not come unto Christ that they might have life. May God pour out liig Spirit in rich abundance upon us all. fe ■n.B, »ood Spirit light have tinee upon DISCOURSE IV. A REVIVAL OF GOd's WORK NEEDED IN THE CHURCH, BEFORB MANY SOULS WILL BE SAVED. " Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy (jlory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God he ujjon us: and establish thou ibe worii of our handa upon us; yea, the work of our hands estahhsh thou it." — Psalm xc. 16, 17. This is a very interesting and solemn Psnlin, and when- over read, makes a deep impression u[)on the thouirhtful and pious mind. It is generally supposed to have been "composed by Moses, when all the generation of the Israelites, who had ofren(h>d God, were sentenced to fall in the wilderiipss, at tlie txge of severity or eighty years, excejH Moses, Caleb, and Joshua. (See IMth and 14th chapters of the Hook of Num. hers.) Mosrs, filled with deepest soleumity and sorrow, at the tliought of all those dying in the wilderness, who catne out of Hgypl with him, and were twenty years of ago when they loft the house of bondage, composcsthis I'sidm, in which ho forcibly points out the eternity of (lod ; fcelinirly expiates on the frailty of man, and the brevity of huma!i life ; candid- ly confesses that the sins of the peophj hiuj justly incurred the heavy displeasure of God ; earnestly pravs to God to teach the people so to ninnber their days, as "to apply their their hearts unto wisdom; impurtunatelv beseedies (.odto retUMi unto Israel, and satisfy then' early with his mercy, that they may rejoice and be glad while tiny did live ; nnd concludes till) whole with the nervous and br'anliful prayer, fir a revival of (Jod's work, which we are to have for a "text this morning: "Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and lla^y glory unto their children. And let t'e beauty of tho Lord our (iod be u|>on us: and establish thou llui work of our iMUids upon us J yea, tho work of our hands establish thou it." Many an aged servant of God, wljo, like piotis Moses, has laboured for years to bet -fit Goil's people and extend God'g glory, but who has seen but little real piety ui tho <'hurch, and whose heart has often l)een deeply pained by the froniiont httckslidings and murmurings of G(m1'h Israel, has been iieard to say, in prospect oi speedy dissolution, "I could ditt 58 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS in peace and triumph if I could only see a genuine and ex- tensive revival of God's work. I have prayed to God often to bless his chi'.rch with a revival : I know he will do it ; and if it would but take place before I die, I should rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." We doubt not but this was the earnest desire of Moses, the man of God, when he uttfrod this prayer. Some, before now, have had the impression prochjced upon thoir minda, tliat they would not see death until th(^y have seen the church of God revived and extended ; and when they have seen it, they have said, with good old Simoon, " Lord, now lottost thouthy servant depart in peaoe, according to tliy word: f)r mine eyos have seen thv salvation." The prayer of all who love" God Is, " Let thy work ajipear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children," &c. The subject of the text is,' prayer for a revival in the church of God. The Israolites, for vylioui IMoses here prnys, were the Church (.f God at tliat Umo. Thny were in a sinful, wretched, deail, state. Tlie curse of ( ;od was upon Israel ; and he liatl sworn, in his wruth, liiat all of mature years among tliom, excepting Jaleb and Josliua, should not enter into his rest. True piety was at a \cvy low el)b among them, tlicrcloro Alosos felt the necessity of uttorin;jr this ijra^-.n-. Wo niU5;t copy the examplo of Mosos, or the v.ork of God will not bo greatly revived among us. Consitlvr, I. 'J'h(> blessinirs speeifird in this text, which are greatly needed, in the church of G.hI, to enalile us to save souls. II. The HI i-ans to be cnii)loyed to gain them. HI. The necessity of an immediate use of the moans required. I. The blessings Rpccifiod in tlie text, wjiich aro greatly needed, in the church of God, to enable us to save soufs. Moses prays for a revival of God's work in the church, "Let thy work appear," means just what Habakkuk meant, when he said, " O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: I) Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the >oars, in the midst of the years malvo known : in wruth re. nmmber mercy." When Habakkuk heard from God's nxjuth, how long the p(>oplo of (iod wen^ to bo opjiress(«d for thoir sins by tho Ghaldeuns, he was afraid les» ,(ie rhnroh should l»o warted and destrf)yed, ond therefhro prays to (iod to pregerv w it alivr, utKi rovivtj it in tho midtrt of tho years. Ho SBliK TEtfi SALVAlflON O^ SOI^LS. 60 « Revive thy work," t e. the church of God, which has beon formed by him, and formed for him ; let not that sinkVgo back, and come to nothing. And when Moses heanl that all that came out of Egypt, over twenty years of aae, were to fall m the wilderness, he might well cry, as Habakkuk did alter Jimi, " Let thy work appear unto thy servants." The Jews iiud sinned gneviously sinned, and Moses wanted the quickening, pardoning, cleansing work of God ac^ain to appear unto his servants, that though they did fall in the wdderness they might not be eternally lost ; and that thougli they wandered m the wilderness for forty year,, thev might not be w.rhout visible proofs of his being in the midst of P T* r ^t" I y""" "^""^"'^ ^'"^ fourteenth chapter of the Book of Numbers you will find, that in ansuer to the prayer of Moses, God did let his work appear unto his scn-vants He tCeof ' ^'"'' ''"'^ ^^'"^ ^*''''" ^° nwurn greatly on account r^ntfJVl^ """* "T'' '" "-^'^ '''"r"''' '" °"^ ^'^y' t^o appear, ance of God s (,iiickening, pardoning, sanctifying grace, to make us fit to labour rightly fbr God, and the salvaTion of he souis of men ? We cannot successfully work for God unless he fust works upon us, and gives ..s both the power and the disposition to perform his good pleasure. Before ever we can fully answer the designs of our blessed Redeemer, in m.u!i'tVV' 1^1 ' ^'Tc '-^"^^ P'"f'"'>R "« into the church, we must be far holier, and fur more laborious than what we now are. Can the world be converted with our imperfect piety and def.eient /en ? Oh, no ! We nu.st sballe ourselveJ trom the dust, and put on our beautif.d garn.e„ts, and put on s rengtb and no more receive among us tl.r nneircmcised nn.1 unlcean, b,.fore we can ever bring the world to the feet ot Jesus. A revival is needed in the eliurdi. Look into the churches now e.xistifig, niid there vou will see but too nmeh need for the quickening, pardoning, cleans n.g grace of God. The re.nains of pride.^ unbeli.f cenTr ousness worldjy.n.n.dedness, spirilnal-idl,.,,, ss, bi-itry and u host of oll.er evils n.ay be lo.m.l in so,ne proli.s.::ing godli- ess; and the humility, the b.ith. the heave dvinimlcHrnes" AndTr"';"";; "■"' ""' ""'■'•'" ••''• "•'•"• ^'•-''■^ '--"^g Ana now a.e the ivmamnig impprCeetions of ( Jod's children to bo renuwed, and th.ir gra.-'s to b.. pert; et, d. I.ut by the AInughty pow.r of God ? lb- n.us, sprinkl,. d-an ^a^J Ui)()n us, (uid eiransr ii« A-, li ,.,... ,m. 'i . „. j , u, . j give us u new heart and a right spirit; and put 1.1^8 pi?U 00 t»E OBLIGAtlONS Of CHRISTIANS |i within us, and write his laws upon our hearts and minds, before ever we can, as the church of God, "Look forth as the morning, clear as the sun, fair as the moon, and terriblo as an army with banners." Look into the world around you, and you will find among those who are called Christians, by way of distinguishing them from Jews, Mahomodans, ai;d heathen, about as much religion as you will find in a fallen-angel. They are not only earthly and srnsual, but they are devilish ; for pride, malignity, revongo, and injustice, which arc the leading char- acteristics of fallnn-ar)gcls, arc found reigning predominant among the unconverted. Surely the quickening, pardoning, cleansing power of CJod is needed to remove these abomina- tions, and must be exerted before ever the nominal Christian world cnn be holy and happy. To remove every thing unholy from the church and the world, we need the out- stretched arm of (lod ; and all Christians ouglit to cry, with all the earnestness of their souls " Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord ! awake, as in the ancient days, in the gen(>rations of old." "Let thy work appear to thy servants." liuieken, pardon, and sanctify thy people, that thy way may be known upon earth, and thy saving healtii among all nations. 3I0SCS prays for the manifest at'ion of GoiVs glory, to pro- duce the revival needed. "And thy glory unto their childre!i." The glory of God was maiuCcsted unto Israel by a cloud, llcnci', we are m- formed, " And IMoses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered tlie n)ount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount .Sinai, and the cloud covcu'ed it six days: and the seventh day ho calh-d unto Ah)ses out of the midst of thu cloud. And ihn sight of the glory of the Lord was like de- vouring (ire on the top of the mount in tin; eyes of the chil- dren of Israel." — Exodus xxiv. 15, l(i, 17. That was such an awl'ul disphiy of the glory of God, that tho Israelites desired they might see it no more lest they should di(? ; yen, so terrible was that si'!;ht, that Moses said, " I exceedingly fear (Uid qufdce." The Divine glory was ever exhil»iled to l.srael by iho luminous cloud, wiiich gave a visible proof to the Israelites of tho special fircsenco of tho Godhead ; Itut it did not usually njipear iu so t( rrifio a man- ner as it did (>ii Mount Siuai. Win never tlie glory of God oppcarcd iu tho days of tiju children of Isruc), it lillcd them •ts and minds, Look forth as a, and terriblo ill find among distinguishing ihoiit as much They are not sli ; for pride, ' leading char- rf predominant tig, pardoning, Ii'^s{^ abomina- linal Cliristian ^ every thing need the out- lit tn cry, with i\\ ake, put on • ancient days, appear to thy y people, that saving healtli glory, to prO' glory of God ce, \vc are ni- t, and a cloud rd abode upon lnys: and the midst of tho d was like de- •s of tho chil- r of God, that loro lest they at Moses said, MO i^lory was d, wiiich gave ircseiico of tho [( rrifio a man- glory of (iif.»d , it lillcd then) TO SEEK TAR tALYATION OP SOtTtS. at 7l^^ '.1T^°®' '^^ """^ ^*^« «x«»t«* th«ir gratitude, love. r^fjYir^ T' f PP'-^'r"^' '^°^^^«''' that Mose S refers to the moral glory of the Godhead, especially to hi« holiness and mercy ; and this he desired the youth of Israe ^^ehold that they might set their hope in God, and n^ be as their fathers, a stubborn and pervei4 generation whose ^eart was no, right, and whose Spirit was not stea2srS Under the gospel dispensation, the Lord does not display his glory in such a terrific manner as he did under the faw We have no sigtit of the glory of the Lord, like unto devour arf to'behold^' " "'^'^ ^T'' '^''^ ^'^'^y ^^ ^-'^' -hi^hZ are to behold is purely of a spiritual oharacer. The light of the knowledge of the glory of God is conveyed to fur minds through the Lord Jesus Christ, " VVho is tire^brightnes* of h.s Father's glory, and the express ^mage of his ST" The apostles beheld this glory in\he v. ry'personorjos^ . mTdTflerh'^^'l apostle John says, ^^ IZ the WoiJwa^ made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses but' grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No mL hath see^ God at any time ; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of^the Father, ho hath declared him.'Wohn " U. The apostles, and immediate disciples of Christ saw tha glory of the Lord in the wisdom, pWer, j.S 'ho'Lss condescension, and mercy, displayed' in the life of theTa of God ; but we cannot see the glory of God even thus dL played m the person of Jesus cfrist ; for he has amended t^ heaven, and wo cannot know him 'after the fleT ^StilT however, we can behold the glory of the Lord in a way suf! f cient to produce a revival of religion in our own beam a. the people of Gm , and to secure the aclvanconirt of Tol 'ion among the ungodly ; for ve may, '^ All, with open face be holding as magkssthegloryof tho L^rd, iAd anged into Authf ully refleetl U^' ^li.^'^^r Ch is ' ^ th^ s^^ ""Jt who behevingly gaze upon tho lledeen ."r And when thl ^l!:^'^^':^^ C'-'^.t V- -uls of bcliovors as he i^ ,,, ,, ,|.jyg _f.jjj^^ y^y thovohanrred Hito tho same imago, and receive a continual inSo of th!^ 6 41 «« THE OBLIGATIONS OF CBSISTIANS ?Ioribus image of Christ, into which »hey are changed. >nly let Christians read careful!)'^ the word of truth, pray earnestly for the Spirit to reveal the glory of Christ to their minds, and they will have such views of the wisdom, power, justice, holiness, condescension, and mercy of Christ, that their backslidings will be healed, " And they will grow as the lily, and cast forth their roots as Lebanon. Their branches shall spread, and their beauty shall be as the olive tree, and their smell as Lebanon. They shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine ; the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon." It is astonishing what a reviving influence a sight of the glory of the Lord has upon the minds of believers : by it sterility, deformity, and ofTensiveness are comi)letely removed ; and fruitfulness, beauty, and fragrance are produced. Nothing is wanted in the church of God, to revive pure and undefiled religion, but a powerful manifesta- tion of the glory of the Lord to the minds of believers. And {he. manifestation of the glory of the Lord is all that is needed to convince and convert the ungodly. When the glory of Christ is revealed to the hearts of sinners, by the Word and Spirit of God, they loathe themselves, they confess their guilt, they mourn over their pollutions, they bewail their wretchedness, they dread the punishment to which they are exposed, they cast themselves upon the atonement of Christ, and with slrong crying and tears, secure the quickening, par- doning, and sanctifying grace of God. Nothing else but the manifestation of the glory of the Lord will ever produce these blessed effects upon sinners; and, therefore, if we wish to see souls saved, our fervent and constant prayer to God, in the name of Jesus, must be, " Send the glory :" " Let thy glory appear," so conspicuously, that sinners may see it in that manrx^r, and feel it to that degree, that they may never rest until they arc changed into the image of Christ. Now, do we not need a more striking manifestation of the glory of the Lord, in our day, to revive the piety of the saints, and to secure the conversion of sinners ? How few Christians are as fully alive to God, as truly devoted to Christ, as truly in earnest to save souls as they ought to be ; how few are as fruitful, as beautiful, as fragrant, as they nuist be, before ever th-y ciui fjring great glory to God, great numbers to Christ, and grout tuid lasting good to their fellow-men. O wo need, gn\Uly need, the manifestation of God's glory, to ]\iiti<1iiT>>1 1/ iimronon flin ninfv nf tnft * tr Tire th '■nic '.] ,h!> pioiV oi int Kaints. And do we not need such a munifoslation of God's ) changed, truth, pray rist to their lOm, power, Christ, that i^ill grow as 3n. Their as the olive livive as the ' shall be as a reviving n the minds siveness are d fragrance i of God, to . manifesta- vers. rd is all that When the ners, by the ;hey confess bewail their ich they are t of Christ, kening, par- ig else but ver produce if we wish r to God, in ' " Let thy lay see it in may never St. ition of the ncty of the How few 3d to Christ, to be ; how ey must be, Jilt numbers w-men. O 's glory, to pioty of the on of God's to SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOITLS. 63 glory to convince and convert sinners ? How very few do we see fully convinced of sin, and soundly converted from Bin I How very seldom are we called to mingle our tears and prayers with the tears and prayers of converted, fpen- itent sinners; and how very seldom have we to rejoice with the rejoicing sinner, who has found peace and joy through believing. Millions of sinners, unpardoned, uncleansed, un- saved, live on this earth. Hundreds live in this town. Numbers hear the word of God within these walls : yet how few are converted. Do we not then need, greatly need, the manifestation of God's glory, so that these sinners may be aroused, convicted, and savingly converted ? We do. Let thy work then, O God, appear to thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. O thou who at first caused the light to shme out of darkness, shine into the hearts of thy people, and shine into tho hearts of the ungodly, and give them the hght of the knowledge of thy glory, in the face of Jesus Christ, that believers may become more like Christ, and that Binners may be converted unto thee. Moses prays for the beauty of the Lord our God to he put upon us, that we may he prepared to sustain the revival needed. The beauty of the Lord our God is moral beauty. " Thou art glorious in holiness." •« How great is his goodness and liow great is his beauty ?" The beauty of the Lord our God consists in knowledge, righteousness, (or benevolence,) and true holiness. Adam had this beauty when created : for he was wise and holy, benevolent and happy ; but he lost the image ot God by his fall, and became ignorant, impure, sel. tish, and miserable. And he has pro-created a race of beinw »n the likeness of his fallen nature ; for, "When Adam tinned, through all his race The dire contagion spread ; Sickness and death, and deep disgrace, Sprang from our fallen head : Corruption flows through all our veins, Our moral beauty's gone ; The gold is fled, the dross irmains ; O sin ! what hast thou done." ^ The sacred word of truth informs us, « Adam begafason I.nrr.'''""./; K^"''l' ''""'" ^''^ *"™^^^-" A f'^Hen, ignorant, corrupt, selfish, unhappy creature like himself; for, « That which IS born of the flesh is flesh ; and that ihich is born oi the spirit is Hnirit."— r-Jnhn Hi g a'n..^ ' „ ^' _ after the flesh do liiind the things of the flesH ; 'but they that 64 rtta OB1IGATION« Ot CHRISTIAJTS are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Foe to be caf- nally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God : for it is not subject to the law r*" C'r;,'. p. fther indeed can bes. So then they that are in the tie^ih caauot please God."— Rom. viii. 5 — 8. " In Adiu.-i all tl;e," -1 Cor, xv. 22. " By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condem- nation." — Rom. v. 18. Is there any beauty in corruption, carnality, enmity, condemnation, death ? if tljere is, then there is moral beauty in man, in his fallen state. We won- thatany intelligent being can, with the Biblf '.ii (li^ hand, with the history of man before his eyes, and with the consciousness of his own acts, be so void of common sense, as to deny the innate depravity, and complete moral deformity of the whole of the human race. For our own part, we shudder with horror when we hear any man denying the scriptural account of man's depravity, attempting to overturn the proofs of that depravity, derived from the universal wickedness of our race, and excusing his own flagrant violations of the law of God, which is holy, just, and good. "Ifwesay we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us : for all have sinned and come short of the clory of God." ^ To recover us from our fall, and restc 'e us to the image of God, is the grand design of redemption. For this Christ became incarnate — lived, suffered, died, rose again, and ever liveth to make intercession : for this the Holy Spirit was sent into the world, and is continued among us : for this the Bible was written, and has been preserved through the lapse of ages : for this the church bus been formed, and the min- istry of reconciliation given and perpetuated. All who are Christ's have, in some degree, the beauty of the Lord God upon them. Tiicy are created anew in Christ Jesus, " And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." — Col. iii. 10. " And be renewed in tlie spirit of your mind ; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteous- ness and true holiness." — Ephes. iv. 23, 24. Christ's people are said to be " Willing in the day of his power, in the beauties of holiness." To behold the beauty of the Lord was the earnest desire of the Psalmist ; and every true child of God desires to behold the beauty of the Lord, because it nna n f runofiiniiinrr in/lnoiir>n iinnn tlm minrl o i Knowledge, holiness, and benevolence, which are tho TO SEPV THB SALVATION OP SOTTLS. 65 to be caf- ed is life jnst God : ^d can be. God."— 12. " By ) condem- orruption, i is, then We won- and, with iciousness i to deny ity of the :> shudder scriptural the proofs ickedness ■ns of the e say we uth is not 3 glory of he image his Christ and ever was sent the Bible ) lapse of the niin- 1 who are jord God !s, " And nowledgo . iii. 10. d that ye ighteous- 's people !r, in the the Lord rue child ecause it are the beauty of God, must be upon us, and appear in all we say and do, or we are not prepared to sustain a revival, and sinners will not be converted. Unless we are fully renewed in the hpint of our minds, we are not prepared to sustain the labour, the self-denial, and the reproach which a revival ot religion requires. Jf we have not the mind that was in Uirist Jesus— if we are not made conformable to his death we shall soon cry out what a weariness it is : shall soon give up mcn:'^'''^^''' ^^^"^ '^^"^ "the woik of the Lord "_1 Cor. xv. 58. When we instruct the ignoiant, warn the profligate, persuade the waveriuLMo be- ^omo decided Christians, reclaim the wanderer, or whatever Ave ,lo lu Grods cause, for Christ's sake, is < ailed the work of our hands, and the work of the Lord ; because the Lord is our >naster, and we are his servants. Without the labour, tile zoalniis and ortn^'P""?' i~u-, c r*i • ■• • - of Hnrl "«7ni . ^-•n-r.-u l«uuUr ui Chnsuans, lim church 01 Uod will not, cannot be revived, and sinners will not be" 66 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIAIfS converted ; and we may labour till we die, but if God doe» not own and bless our endeavours, there will be no genuine, permanent revival of religion. Unless God establish our work, all our goodness will be as transient as the morning cloud and early dew, which speedily vanish. If he does not establish the work of our hands, all that we make sinners feel, and desire, and resolve, will be like a bubble on the water, which bursts at the slightest touch. •' Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it ; except the Lord keep the city, the watchmen waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows," unless God establish the work of your hands. David prays, " Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us ;" and if he does not strengthen it, it will be sure to come to nought. Paul says, " We arc labourers together with God. I have planted, Apollos watered ; but God gave the increase. So neither is he that planted any thing, neither he that watoreth ; but God that giveth the increase." We may, by additional means of grace and pro- tracted labours, produce an excitement among the people of God, cause sinners to cry for mercy, and hope they are converted ; but if God does not establish the work in the hearts of his people, and in the hearts of sinners, there will be no genuine, permanent revival of religion. Moses felt this to be a matter of vast importance ; he had seen so much of fickleness and inconstancy among the Israelites, that he is more earnest about the good work being permanentl than about any thing else. He repeats his prayer for the per- manancy of the work, " Establish thou the work of our hands upon us ; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.'* Let us do likewise. Let us pray for a revival of God's work : let us pray for a manifestation of God's glory to produce that revival : let us pray for the beauty of the Lord our God to be upon us, to enable us to sustain a revival ; but let us double our prayers for its permanancy, and then souls will be converted Nothing can prevent their conversion. II. The means to be employed to gain a genuine revival, a permanent revival of religion. T Jiere tnust be faith on the part of the church, or a r». vival cannot be obtained. " Without faith it is impossible to please God." Moses firmly believed that God was able and willing to revive his work. The language of this text can never be regarded a^ the ianguago oi uubclicf and despair. If Moses hud not To SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. et God does genuine, >lish our morning does not ners feel, le water, ord build the Lord [t is vain bread of r hands, hou hast t will be abourers red ; but nted any veth the and pro- 3 people •pe they rk in the liere will [oses felt so much hat he is jnt") than the per- : of our thou it." of God's glory to the Lord /al ; but len souls 3 ion. revival, >r a re- Moses Jvive his arded a9 hud not believed that God both could and would revive his work, manifest his glory, put his beauty upon tlie people, and estab- lish the work of their hands upon them, he never would have prayed for these blessings, Mcses '.as tc wise, too holy, too sensitive of God's honour, to pi ay Ibv any thing which ho knew God could not or wouiu j^ot imourt. There is not the slightest unbelief in this pra' r. ' lierc is none of that ignorance and unbelief which oomt - iod, saying, "If it be thy will, give us a revival of rel"^ion." Those who thus pray for a revival of religion Pit -v^ii^er steeped in ignorance or unbelief, or both. There k no truth more clearly revealed in the Bible than the anxiety of God for the preeminent holiness of his people and the universal conver- sion of the ungodly. Surely, then, nothing but ignorance and unbelief will ever cause a saint to pray to God for a revival of religion, in a suppositional way, when God has assured his church that he will revive his work if wc seek it aright. The language of Moses, in the text, is the language of an intelligent, believing man, wiio staggers not at the promise through unbelief. Moses conies with humble bold- ness to the throne of grace, and cries, *' Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God bo upon us : and establish the work of our hands upon us ; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." And certainly we have, in the present day, all the evidence that is required to induce us to believe that God is both able and willing to give us a genuine and permanent revival ol re- ligion. He can do what pleaseth him among the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of earth ; and none can stay his hand, nor say, what doest thou ? His language to his church is calculated to inspire her with confidence, and to induce her to labour, with all her might, for a revival of religion, for the salvation of souls. " Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee ; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jerusalem, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground : I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:" And thoy shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses. One shall say, I am the Lord's ; and another shall call him- self by the name of Jacob ; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the nanu© 68 TIIF. OnLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS of Israol."— Isii. xliv. 2—5. <* Drop down, ye heavens, from ohovo, and let tlio skies pour down rijriitcousness ; let the earth open, ;iinl ht them bnn eiirtains of tliine hahhations : spare not, lengthen ihy conis and strongtht-n thy stakes : For thou shalt break (orth on tlie riLrht hand and onthe left ; and thy seed shall inherit 1]u^ (Jctitih's, and make the desolate cities to ho inhabited."— Isa. liv. v>, ;?. - liist(^\d of the thorn shall come up the fir ti'e(>, and instead of the brier shall come up (he myrtle tree : and it shall Ix; to the Lord lor ji name, f )r an everlast- ing sign which shall not bo cut oM'."— Isa. Iv. V.i. " Lift up thine eyes round about, an.l see ; all they gather themselves together, th<>y ei^nie to tiiee : tliy s..ns s'hall come from far, and tiiy daunlitcrs sliall be nurs.'d at thy side. 'J'hen thou shnlt see, and fl .w togeilicr, and thine lieart shall fear, and be eidarged ; b( cnusf' the aliundanee of the sea shall be con- verted unto thee, the ibrces (or wealth) of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. Who arc tbese that fly as a cloud, and as doves to tlieir windows ? A little one shall become a thou- sand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will liasten it in his tinn'." — fsa. Ix.'4, 5. S, 22. These predictions ch^irly fjn lei an abundant revival, and enlargement of the cliurcli of (.'o.I ; and are sutlicient, of themselvi's. to ])roiluee and sustain faith in (Jod for a blessed revival of his work. I'onder them serioii.sly, understand them fully, believe them lirmly, and tlien,wili»" niigiity liiith, you will come to tln^ throne of grace, and cry, with Moses. "Let thy work app(\ir unto thy servants," &c. Ilad^ we none of the abov(^ cited jirediotions, yet tlie prom- ises of Christ contained in Maltiiew xviii 11), 20, and in Mark \i. 20— -2 I, aro sufllcient to warrant us lo believe in ("Jod fen* a revival of religion. Tiaue his words arc, "Again I say luito you. That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing they shall iisk, it shall be done for them of my I'alher which is in heaven. For where two or three aro gathered to'rcilnu' in my name, there .on I in the midst." "And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up Innu the roots. And Peter, calling lo remem'^ brnncp, saith unto him, Master, behold, the ih^ tree which thou cursedst is witlaMvd away. And .Tesns answering, saith unto them. Have faith in God. I'or verily I say untu you, That whosoever shall .say unto this mountuin, lio thou re- 10 inulfst. TO SEEK THE SALVATION Of SOtTLS. moved, and be thou cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass ; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when yo pray, believe that ye receive thcni, and ye shuU have them." On tlieso gracious promises we take our stand ; and may boldly doclaro, that unwavering faith in God, associated with united prayer, Aviil secure, infallibly secure, a goiiuine, ex- tensive, and^ permanent revival of religion. All those moun- tains of difliculty which wn see op|)osing tho revival and spread of pure and undcfilcd religion, vvill Faith in God removf. Christ cannot do many mighty work.s amoug us, bocauso of our unholiof. Too many professors of r.-lPgion think a genuine, extcnsivr perm.uicnt revival of religion altogcthor out of tho question; and, tlicn'f.ro, ii.vcr hclTeve and pray for it. Otlicis, who desiro and pray for a revival O yo of little only believe. of religion, havo too litlln faith to secure it faith, whoreforo do yo douht ?" "Fear not All tlungs are possible to him that believeth." " Fnitli, iiiiirlity faitli, tlic proniiae see», And looks i<> ilint aliiiui ; LlinjrllH Ml illipOSSilllilicH, And criew, It n\m\\ he done." Unless wo have great fiith in God, a great revival of rcli- gion in the churcili, mid numerous con versions among the ungodly, will be impossible, llavo fiiith in God, and the faith of (Jod, and religion will bo revived, and numbctrs will bo converted. To secure a revival of religion, there must he prayer as wcii as faith, Moses not oidy believ(ul, but ho pray(>d fervently and impor- tnnately for the things he desired. " [,et," says he. " thy work appear imto thy servants, and thy glory unto their chif. dren. And let tho beauty of the Lf)rd our God be upon us : and esiiddish thoii tiie work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." In this prayer there is sincerity, frrvour, importunity. Moses \v,vs not a man that used umneaning words; nor was ho th(! man to leave off praymg btdore he obtained the blessings for which ho prayed. If you read and .study the prayers of Moses, you will find them clmractcrised by great suicerity, gnuit fervour, and great importunity. IIo felt the need of tho blessings for which ho prayed, therefore lils whole soul was engaged, and 1 TO he held THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS r praying for Israel till he gained what he asked. What a striking view does the following passage give us of the importunity of Moses in prayer : — " Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek : to-morrow 1 will stand on the top of the hill, with tho rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek ; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur, went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, tiiat Israel prevailed ; and when he let down his hand Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy ; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon ; and Aaron and Hur stayed up hia hands, the one on tho one side, and the otiier on the other side ; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword." — Exodua. xvii. 8—13. Nothing, you see, but sheer exhaustion, caused Moses to cease praying for Israel, on the memorable day when Joshua discoinllted Amalek. And if we would have a genuine and permanent revival of religion, we must copy the example of Moses. If we would see tho enemies of the Lord discomfited, and imm rtal souls rescued from the hand of the enemy, there nnist ho sinciM-c, ffreetual, unceasing prayer, offered by us, to the Gud of Ivaven, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. " Prnyrr m.ikrs the ilarkfncil cloud withdrnw ; Prnyer cliniltM the Indrler .Inccib bow ; (.tived exercise to fnith mid love, Briiif,'H every hlesainji; fVoin ubove. ReHtraiiiinu prnycr, we eensf to t\frht ; Prnyer iiinUes the ChriBtiaa'a nniiour bright ; And Hntnti trembles when he hccm The wenkcHt snint vipon hia knees. While Moses Htood with amis spread v ", Pnreewi wan found on Ibrnel'H wide ; But when, throufjh wenrinesH, they fail'd, That inuincnt Amalek prevail'd." There is now nmch sincere prayer oflerod, by the people of (Jod, fur the revival of tho church, and for the conver. •ion of tho world ; but there is great reason to fear, that their prayers are not characterized by that holy fervour of •oul, and that unceasing imjwrtunity, which secure tho blessings prayttd for. We see but liltl« of the agony of prayer which Christ manifested in tho garden of Gethia. To SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 71 i mane; but little of that importunity which Jacob manifested at the brook Jabbok ; when, after wrestling all night, he was desired to let his celestial visitant depart, he vehemently exclaimed, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." One reason why our prayers are destitute of this holy fer- vour, and unceasing importunity, is, because we do not see clearly, and feel powerfully, the absolute need of the rcvi- val of God's work, in order to secure the salvation of the souls of men. We probably see and feci {h(\ desirableness of a revival, but not its absolute necessity, and, therefore, our prayers are languid and soon end : consequently, no great spiritual influence is imparled to the church, and but few of the ungodly are convinced and converted. We must not only pray sincerely and fervently, " Lot thy work appear unto thy servants," &c. ; but we must keep praying and wrestling until God's work does appear, until his glory is seen, until his beauty is put upo)i us, and the work of our hands is established. VVhcnevcr and wherever God has abun- dantly revived his work, the people of God have peiceived so clearly, and felt so powerfully, the absf>liife iirod of a revival of religion, that they could not rest until ho " that dwelleth between the cherubims shono forth, and stirred up his strength, and came and saved them." And, depend upon it, we shall never have a genuine, extensive, permanent revival of God's Work until we get into the same spirit of agonizing and per- severing pruyor. When wo thus depend entirely upon God for a revival of his work, and get into the spirit of prayer, we shall have a revival, (uul souls will ho converted. Just as certain as the firayer of Moses succeo church, that which saves soub, from hell however old, howev.r common, is ust as good as that which is new and striking. I'or our pi t wf are m favour of anything, not sinful, ^vhich will evivo the church, stop sinners in their ma.l cnreer, an.l pluck 'hem as brands from the burning. Put fur God's sake, for ChrS^ sake, for the Holy Spirit's sake, for the church' a e and for precious souls' sake, do not neglect the means w ich vou have withinyour reach, and which, if faitiifully a H^an and will save men, because there is no protracted- meeting employ" '"'° ^^'^ ^''" "°^''"'^^ "•''^'' '^"^ striking t? Christian brethren, let us drop all our petty dilTerences tTe Church 7^7"""?' '"' ""''" '''^'' -•'' l^-fnd to ovW„ in ' "'' "m' "'"''^ immortal souls from death It IS no tune to be .pmrrelling among ourselves when onr Lth MrVoo "^ "^ our u„rkH h,u„ „„, I,™. f„„„,, p,V„« 74 THE OBLIOATIONS OF CHRISTIANS il Lord, to turn their feet from the broad way that leads to death, into the narrow way that leads to life. Let us strive to increasn each others faith in God ; let us unite together in prayer to God for a revival of his work ; let the prayers, not of a few, but of all the saints, be, " Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us : and establish thou the Avork of our hands upon us ; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it;" and the church will revive, and sinners will be converted. *' Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion ; puL on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city." On our conduct, as Christians, depends the salvation of the souls of men ; and if thy are lost through our neglect, the blood of their souls will be found upon us at the last day. I, •: let us DISCOURSE V. PRECIOUS SEED MUST BE SOWN WITH TEARS, OR MANY SOULS WILL NOT BE SAVED " They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that froeth '"orth nn,I wcepeth bearing precious seed, shall cloub^tless come £ w t re joicing, bringing his sheaves with hiin."-PsAL.M cxxvi 4. 5 While the Spirit of grace and supplication is absolutely necessary to save the souls of men-while praver and fahh m Go,l are essentially requisite, on the part of Chri ns to secure the Spirit m his convincing, converting, and s oa'fy! ng operauons rest assured that u faithful presentation ftfc truth of Cod, to the mind of the sinner, is equally needed! K.foro he can he saved. Truth, the truth as it is in Jesu. IS he instrument of the sinner's conversion. " Th^ aw of tl... Lord IS perfect, converting the soul." <« Born a-ain not o corruptihlo seed, but ineorrutible, by tiie word of C^J wh ch liveth and abideth for ever." Unless the truth S understoo,!, believed, and obeyed, the operations o the S ri^ and the prayer and faith of (Jo.l's children, neither w I nor can, «< convert the sinner from the error of is ways " We would urge you, therefore. Christian brethren, to Xy the injunet.on of the wise man, Mn the morning 'sow thT ■ecd, undm the evening withhold not thine hand- for thou knovvest not whether shall prosper: either th^ or' at or whether they shall both be alike good." ' °' In the two preceding discourses we have shown that the SjH.it of grace an.l supplieations is neede.I to arres « « nner's attention, to fix his thoughts on the Sav our' deJth ami cause him to mourn with that godly sorrow for s n of ih ;";•?."• ^■?"'"""" """^ -lvation^.ottol"re;enrd of la fa.th and prayer, on behalf of Christians, are n>- qu. ed to secure a revival an.l extension of the work of uemod ««h tl.0 l..xt d.ul ,„iglu U, uoliocd, bil, TZyZ^ It ,. 111! "f 76 THB OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS I if not of paramount importance, we shall waive them, and endeavour to fix your attention on the following important points : I. The seed to be sown. II. Sowing the seed is the duty of all Christians. III. The emotions of mind necessary to sow it aright. IV. The glorious harvest that will assuredly follow the right sowing of this seed. I. The seed to he sown. The seed to Ic sown is the Word of God. Tlie truth contained in the Bible is the precious seed which brings forth fruit unto eternal life. We are not at liljerty to sow what seed we please in the hearts of sinners ; but we must sow in their hearts the unadulterated truths of God's word. In the eighth chapter of Luke's gospel, wo have an interesting par- able respecting the sower, the seed, the places where ?l was sown, the failure of the crop in some places, with the causes of that failure ; and the rich harvest which it yielded in other places, and the causes thereof That parabiosis worthy the attentive perusal and deep cousidoration of every Chris- tian. In that interesting parable Jesus declares, " The seed is the word of God." 'The seed to be sown is such seed as this: "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." " There is none that doeth good, no, not one." '' By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowlodge of "sin." "The soul that sinnelh, it shall die." " Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law, to do thein." " Tii(> Lord Jesus siiall bo revealed frcni heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fnv, taking ven- geance on them tlial luiow not God, and obey n(jt the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall bo punished^ with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." This is the kind of seed that must be first sown in tho sinner's heart. Farmers always raise first a wasting crop from ground that is very foul, in order to clean it, and prepare it for the more precious grains ; and so must tho sinner's heart be cleared of the rubbish of his fancied good- ness, si'lf-righteousness, pride, and in)penitence, before the blessed fruits of love, joy, peace, long-suflering, gentle- neas, goodness, meekness, faith, and temperance can ever bo raised in his heart, and abound in his life. When this glori- TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 77 ous work of preparation is effected, then the seed to be sown is such as, «' This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all ac ceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sin- ners." " Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, ^that he might bring us to God." " Behold the Lamb of God that taketli away the sin of the world." '* The blood of Jesus Christ his Sou, cleanseth from all sin." " For God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through hi»n might be saved." " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall bo saved." " He that believcth on the Son hath everlasthig life." This is a fair specimen of the seed to be sown in a broken, contrite heart, and if rightly sown, will bring fjrth fruit to the glory of God, in some thirty, in some sixty, and in some an hundred-fold ; and this kind of seed we are only warrant- ed in sowing in the sinner's heart when he is truly humble and contrite. Mark the qualily of this seed. It is styled in the text " Precious seed." Christ terms it " Good seed." Peter calls It « Incorruptible seed." The quiUitv of this seed is proved to be good by tho excellect fruit which it boars. " Men do not gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles." " A bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit," noither can vile seed produce precious fruit. The word of God produces genuine contrition for sin, and hatred of even/ thimr evil. Paul's letter to tho Corinthians produced in" them the most blessed consequences: "For behold this self sanio thinfijlness it wrou-rht in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what iudi-rnation yea, what fear, yea, what vehenieiit desire, yea, wlmt zeal' yea, what revenge !" And whi«nover tho propor seed is «own m the hearts of sinners, it will lead to confession, con- intion, and conversion. This seed produces faith in Christ Jesus, love to God love to all the saints, and an intense desire for the salvation oj all men. "Wo give thanks to Go Holy (Jhost, and in nnich a.ssin-anc.- ; as y<' I followers o us, and Pl the Lord, havinir rrcciv,.,! tho word in much nlhciion, wilhjny„rth.. Ilolydhost: S,.thatyow.-r..ensa.n- plo.s to all that hrli-vo in IMac.Mlornu and Achaia For d to (Jod from iUoIs, to serve the livinjr an.l trii(< (lod." — i 'n„..sH. i 3 9 " I'nrlhis cause also thank w,. (lod without ccasin.r, because! wl„>n ye r.veivrd the wor.lnf ( iod which yo hoard of us, vo roc,.>ived ,1 not as the w,.,d of n.en. hut as it is in truth, tho word ol (.0.1. whu-h eli;.ctually work.th in IIhmu that believe." — 1 lh.>ss u. I'.L -l{„i (j„.l h,. tlianke.1, that vo wore the sorvants .,| sm, l.ul yo have oh(ui?x horn ao-ai.. not of corruptible seed, hut of incor- ruptiMe, by the w.u'dof (Jod, which liveth and ubideth lor over. — I lVt(>r i. i>"J, 12:{. 'rhose citations abundantly' prove (hat tho word of God understood, b-lieved. an.l ob,.yc.i, pro.lueos faith, l.,vo, purity! and /.(>al It nuist be pr..ciou.s seed, indeed, which brings torth sueii excellt>nt fruit. ** r/i/,v srrd will yield ctcnuil irloni. Th.^so who rcceiyo tins s.M-.l nito (h.ur beans, in (h.« l,>vo of it. and who pro- porly watch ov.m- it. will r.^ip fr.iin it everlastiuir life. On this point the tMlowing passages nre explicit und sutisfac- tory : — •• Wheref.iro, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of nau-htniess, and v..ct«ivo with meekness the iuirraflcd word, winch IS able to save your souls. "—James i.' 21. "But ■ to SEEK T«E SALVATION OP SOfJLS. n * Rcmem- ir of love, tho sight unto yoii • host, and ' inon wo followers in much IV cnsain- ia. For in Mace, h to God- ponk any fUllKM* of ioi] from I. 3—9. hociiuse, >f us, yo nith, tho believe." were the hut form tree from ruit unto . 17, 22. he truth ron ; see rvcntly : f incor- ideth lor of God, , purity, i brings rccciYo 'ho pro- fo. On sutisfac- luity of d word, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast /earned, and hast been assured of, knowiufr of whom thou bust learned them ♦ And that fron. a child thou hast known the holy scriptures' winch an; ah/e to make thee wise unto mlvation throuch Jailk which is in Christ Jesus."~^2 Timothy iii. 14. 15 " V(«rdy, verdy, f say unto you, If a man keep my savins. ho shall never so(; death. "—John viii. .-3.1. " Aiid this 13 the wdl of him that sent mo, that ev(!ry one which seeth the Son, and belicveth on him., may have evcrlastin/' life • and I wdl raise him up at the last dav."-^Jolm vi. 40*. Verily, vrrily, I siiy unto you. He that hearclh my word, and beheveth on hint that sent me, hath everlastinrr life, and 8hall not eornn mto condemnation ; but is passed from death unto life." — John v. 24. ^ How clearly do these citations point out what is requi- site to secure the ^rreat gift of God, which is eternal life. inc word of God must bo received with me(duiess, the baviour whom it reveals must be believed in, his sayings must be kept, his doctrines must be continued in, and then he soul will be saved. Tho man who thus r.^ceives : tims cherishes and preserves this precious seed, has already pass.d from death to life. He has eternal life in the promise ; ho will, at the death of the body, have it in the possession and the enjoyment; and at the resurrection, on the last day, Christ will raise his sleeping dust, and his corruptible bo.ly shall put on incorruption, and his morta frame whall put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass, in his experience, the saying which is written, " Death is swallowed up in victory." Well may the word of Go>. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 If «^ m I.I 1.25 lU Ui u 2.2 ■ 40 12.0 1.8 LA. Ill 1.6 p^ /} >, > .^ Photographic Sciences Corporation M ■ <> .-6'^ ^ i.<^ i ^0 tHE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS I into all the world and preach the gospel to every crea- ture." These commands are addressed to no particular class in tlio church, but are addressed to all the people of Christ indiscriminately. It is the duly of the minister of the gospel to soiu this seed. I'reach the word ; bo instant in season, out of season • reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-sufTering and doc trine. . . . VVutch thou in all thln<,'s, endure adlictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." — 2 Tim. iv. 2, 5. J 3 It is the duty of every officer in the church *o sow this seed '« Let the elders that rule well bo counted worthy of double honour, especially they that labour in the word and doctrme."— I Tim. v 17. "Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double tongued, iiot given to much wine, not greedy of nitliy lucre ; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. . . . For thoy that have used the office of a a deacon w.ll purcliaso to thomsrlves a good dcrroe, and great boldness in the faith wliich is in Christ Jesus."— 1 Tim. ni. 8, 9, i:}. Elders and ed in tho hearts of sinners ; but the labours of the pulpit will not bo sufficient if tho children of Ciod do not carry on tho same blessed work in tho common walks of life; for num. bers of sinners will not oomo to hear the gospel preached ; others, who do sit under the word, are coreless hearers; and besides, a minirter cannot know, by any possibility, I i 62 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS the precise state of mind of each of his hearers, and there- tore cannot sow the very seed that is required. Private Christians, who have their hearts full of love, and their eyes >tnd ears open, may cast into tiie hearts of sinners the seed that is required ; and thoy may smv it at those particuhir sea.sons when it is most likely to vegetate and bear fruit. Just think of a few passages which require all Llinstlans to be attentive to theis duty : " They that understand anMng the people shall instruct many. —Dan. xi. « 'J^hus saith the Lord of hosts, It shall yet come to pass, that there sliall come people, and the inliahitants of nany cities: And the inhabitants of one citv shall go to anotlier, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts ; I will tro also. — Zech. viii. i>(), 21. " O house of .lacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord."— Isa. ii. 5. " The woman then left her waler-pot, and went her wav into the city, and saith to the :^en. Come, see a man whiJh told me all thnigs winch ever I did: is not this the Christ .^ Tlion they went out of the city, and came unto him. . . . And many of the Si.mantans of that city believed on iiim for the say- ing of the woman, which testiri«d, He told n)e all tliat ever I dm. . . . And many more believed because of his own word ; And said unto the woman, Now wo believe, not because ot tiiy saying : lor we have heard him ourselves, and know that liiis is in.Ieed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. — .foim iv. 28, 2!), 30, 39, 41, 42. And cannot any man, or any woman, act as did this temah\ iN[iunhers of the Samaritans, voii see, were saved through her agency. Paul intimates clearly, when writing to the churclH>sof Phillippi and Corinth, that it is the duty of all Cliristians to sow the precious .seed, both in privnte'lifo and m the less pul)lic means, in iho church. Addressing the Philhppians, he says: — "Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That yo maybe blameless and iiarmlesM, tho sons of (Joif without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ve shin(> as lights in the world ; holding forth tiio word oflifo."— Chap. ii. 14, 15, 16. And to the Corinthians : — " Follow nfttir charity, nnd protoal* supports, and comf.rts us under the repr.achos and t lo feriU ingH ot m.n; ani if, ,hrou,h s.wing ,he seed, the oa^i* exile hastonrth t!.„t he may be loosed, „nd that he Hhoi^ld,^ die in th. pit, ,n dd. moo of all tho reproaches and ^yilinm ot scod.rs, we miy pprsrvcro and f.ithfuilyHow i4,o mS Without l.anng p.rs.cuiion. C'.ris.ia.H. sow your ^ without f.,.rjn;r ,„ „, ,vhT cm only kill th^ bodr. f Jk> Mdr I m THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIAN^ I > I I ? We must vol stop soxoing this seed through hodPy fatigite, hunger, or thirst, when we have an opportunity of doing good. "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodeinus, a ruler of the Jews : The same came to Jesus by nij^ht, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou an a teacher come from God : for no man can do these miracles which thou doest, except God be with him." — John iii. 1, 2. Mark, though it was night, the time of rrpose, — though, in all probability, the Saviour had been incessantly engaged in teaching the people, and in working miracles, throughout the day, — though his body needed rest ; yet he does not send Nicodemus away, but he spends a considerable portion of that night in explaining to him the nature and n( ccssity of the new birth : the mysterious operations of the Spirit: the necessity of his being lifted up as the the serpent wa3 lifted up l)y Moses ; and the love and the dt sign of God in •ending his Son into our world. Here is an example worthy the imitation of every follower of Christ. *' Then eomctli hetoacilyofSimMria, which is called Sychar, near to the parc-l of ground which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus, therefor", being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well ; and it was about the sixth hour. 'I hen eonieth a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith unto h(>r, (jrive me to drink. (Tor his disciples were gone away info the city to buy meat.)' — John iv. 5, 8. In the absence of his disciples he taught this woman the value and necessity of the Spirit's influrnces : n veaird to her his intimate knowledge of her character and condition : ex- plained to her the nature of God, and the nature of that wor- phip which is nccrptablo to J it, who lov* tli not the Lonl Jesjus Christ, i.s Anaihema Miranaiha V 'Vhv solemnity of this ad llrosH ad", cted ilu audierc'; and orx? genth-mau, ii |H'rson ©f rank, was so overcome by hisi fi-elings, thai he ft II sense. lesa on tho (lior. In the eong rrg .lion was a lad named Luke H!iort, th(>n about (iflern \eais old, and a native of Durtmouth. feVron after ho went to Aujerici, where he passed the rest of Ida life, first nt Mirbh hi ail, juid aHcrwHrd at Mkldieborough, Rfassuehusctts. Mr. Si^Qrl'^ iiCj WU9 length* To SMS THE SALrxnon OF SOULS. Mk eiwd nraoh beyond the usual tinie. When an hundred feart dd, he had sufficient strength to work on his fafrm, and biv mental fucultiea were very little impaired. Hitherto he ha4 lived in carelessness and sin ; he was now ' a sinner an h«ndrecl years old,' and apparently ready to ' die accursed.' But one day, as he sat in the field, he buiscd himself reflect- ing on his past life. Recurring to the events of hia youth, his memory fixed upon Mr. Fiavel's discourse above alluded to, a considerable part of which he was able to recollect. The affectionate earnestness of the preacher's manner, th« important truths he delivered, and the effects produced oa the congregation, were brought frcsK to his mind. The blessing of God accompanied his meditations ; he felt that h» had not loved the Lord Jesus Christ ; he feared the dreadful •Anathema;' conviction was followed by repentance, and, ot length, this aged sinner obtained peace through the blood of atonement, and was ' found in the way of righteousness.* Ho joined the Congregational church in Middleborough, and to the day of his death, which took place in his one hundred and sixteenth year, gave pleasing evidences of piety. «« On reading the foregoing, the author wa? forcibly rt>, aiindod of the words of the divine Walts : " ' Though Feed lie buried long in dust, It can't dfocive our liope ; Thfi precious gmln can ne'er be lost, For grace ensures the crop.* " •^Sahhnth-day Miscellany, page 24S. This was a remarkable case, but many years have elapsed, In other cases, before the sord sown in ttars has produced fruit. We should sow in faith, and not bo discouraged. •' UchoM the husbandman waitcth fur tlin procious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until ho receive the early and latter rain. lie ye also patient." — James v. 7, 8. And if tlio husbandman has a faihiro in his crops one year, ho does not sit down in despair, but he sows again the next, yea, Homotinics in the samo year, and patietitly w ails the result. Go y« and do likewise. " In the morning sow thy seed, and in tlio evening withhold not thy hand: for thyu know«?8t mil whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether thejr shall be both alike gocxl." Your duty is to sow the seed in toars, and Got! tells you that you sha'l reap m joy. You may not, in ail cases, see the blessed result of your lahoiH* %Uii4 Wjorldk ^r it '^y iiot '^^^^ 9^Kiiig. up while you live. .'■ I; I |4 •• THE OBLIGCTIONS OF. CHRlSTIAIfS An excellent friend of mine, of Dudley, England, Mr,. W. Male, had a pious mother, who sowed the seed with tears in his youthful mind, but he was not converted till after hia mother's death. While following her to the grave, the re- membrance of her instructions, and prayers, and tears, fasten, ed conviction on his mind, and led him to give his heart to God ; and with- deep feeling ho spoke of it in one of his ser- mons, (for he was a local preacher,) and exhorted pious parents to ko( p sowing the seed in their childrens' minds, and to bo instant in prayer for their conversion ; and God would, In all probability, if not while they lived, yet when they were dead and gono, answer their prayers, and bless their efforts b the conversion of their children. " And herein is that saying true, One sowcth, and another reapoth. I sent you to reap that whereon you bestowed no labour: mher men laloured, and ye are entered into their labours." The seed you .sow may not bo lostj though you have not the pIo;»supe of seeing its "fruit, otiiers may reap the ttdvantngps of yAur sowing, and lead to God, and to the church, atid to houven, those in whose minds you have sown the truth of God; but know this, for your encouragement to sow, «' That both he that sowcth, and he that reapeth, may reJDice togi thcr." The gathrrinir of those prcc/ous sou/s to Christ, for whose $onver,sion wr have prayed, and wept, and laboured, will afford us unspeakable joy. Wo sow in tears, but wo reap in joy. Whon souls have been sot at lib( rty from sin, through our Igoncy, what |)ure and ( cstatie jny wV have ftlt in singing, " Praise (Jod from wliom all blrs«in;Ts How, PriHi- liiiii, ;lII (M•t•alllr(■^l, iicrf l.cUiw, Piawe liiiii nbovc yo luwivtuly host, Praise Futher, Son, and Holy Uliotit." Wo bring our sheaves into the church with joy and singing. Novtr did any husbandman r.jnice half as much in bringing his sheaves home in harvest liiii.-, as wc have seen Christians rejoice in the convcr =on of thoso for whose conversion they have lalKJuroil, wrpt, and prayed. Their joy has been far groattr than the joy of harvest, and they have n joiced more than rarihly .conc|uorors do when they divide the spoil. Whon thn Lord, through the agency of hia servants, redeems dnnners from the hand of the enenjv who is stronger thua Ihey, then b(;li(^v<>rs experience what Joromiuh sogruphically oAgoribes in iho fuMciwii'i? •^nss:*:?'* ■ " For the Lord hath rtidcotncd Jucob, and ransomsd biai T5 seek TttE SALVATION OP SOTTLS. •§ from the hand of him that was stronnjcr than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall fJoW logether for the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for win®, and for oil, and fur the young of the flock, and of the Irerd ; and their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort ll)em, and make them njoice from 1 heir sorrow. And I will <;atiato the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall bo satisfied with my goodness, s.iiih the Lord." — Jer. xxxi. 11 — 14. This beautiful passage forcibly portrays the joyous feeling of the people of CJod when the seed sown in tears brings forth fruit. On one occasion, when we had witnessed, in the city of Montreal, the transition of a soul from darkness to light, from satan to (j!od, from ceath to life, u (Jhriyiian said to us, " I would not have missed this scene for a Ijag full of sover- eigns." And in our joy, in our pure a«)d lofly songs of praise, on the return of a prodignl to his fiiher's house, the inhabitants of heaven rejoice. We cannot hear \\w\r bursts of praise, and we cannjl f)rm iin ad< (|uale conception of the greatness of tin ir joy; but the SiVKjur assures us, •'that there is joy in hi avcn over one sinner that npenieth." It is time for me to close this discourse, and, in doing so, wo obs'-rve that this subject teaches us, that one great reason why so few are converted, is because Christians do not labour for their conversicjn in the right way. [low lew everattempl to sow the precious seed in the sinner'.s heart ; fewer still sow it with tears ; and yet these pirii. saro often the first to corn- plain Ix'causo so little pood is done — because so i'< w soult are corneried. Were such complainers fiiibful in sowing the see(|, and compassionate enough to sow ii with letirs, their complaints would soon be silenced ; for CJod would then own tnd bless their ctrorts in the conversion uf souls. This subject teaches, that one reason why sn many Chris, tians am siratj'i'ers to pure and elevated joy, is bi cause they do not lal)<)ur in the way poiutid out in the text fb.* the salva. tinn of w)uls. They do not travail in birth for sinners until Christ is firmed in them ; thi-y do not w(<( p at the throne of grace ov( r the lonilil on of the sinner; tin y do not go forth Weeping to scatter the whmI in hi» heart ; therefin', tliev arc, • nd must he, strangers to thiU exidled j ly which is fit by the weepiriiif sower, when prt'ions soulm nr,' galhurtd lo ChrUit, tnd UepodiuU in the granary uf ihu church. iii! lUi W TK^ (rniiQAnoirs of eHRisTum This subject plainly points out the necessity of all Chrifk Hans making their memories seed-baskets for the word of God: their tongues the scatterers ot this seeiJ, and their hearts and eyes fountains to water it while sowing it and when sown. In other words, success will not accompany our efforts to •are souls, unless we obtain a greater knowledge of the scrip. tares4 are more diligent in bringing scriptural truth to bear upon the minds of the ungodly ; are more tender and com. passionate in applying that truthj and more anxious about success. Sin'^er, take hood how you hear, and how you receive the Word of God. If you reject the word of truth you cannot bo «aved. All the influences of the Spirit; all the faith, the prayer, the Inbour, and the tears of God's children will be unavailing, if you njoct the word of God. If you will not •ot as the ^vord of God requires, then you must perislj ; for Christ will take vongonnce, in flaming fire, upon them who Itnow not Goil, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jeraa Christ. ' H - tfll discourse: VI. THE DTTTY OF CHRISTIANS TO ACT WISEl^Y, AND TO I]|FEOTI EVEftY OPPORTUNITY FOR DOINxi GOOD, tF lU^X ' "'" WOULD SAVE SOULS. " Walk ia visdom toward thero that are without, redeemins the timay —Col. iv. 5. -^ ' "^^ The apostle in this and the prccding chapters of his episll^ to the Colossians gives particular directions and exhortatioM to Christians in all their various relationships. Wives ai^ husbands, children and parents, servants and masters, are severally addressed and directed, and exhorted to act aa itjbe- comcth the gospel. He then beseeches them all to continue instant in prayer, to pray always for their ministers, and^^ act wisely and faithfully in all their intercourse with the un- godly. The success ot the gospel, its extension among men, depends greatly upon the consistent conduct and zealous ef- forts of professors of religion. " Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time." This is a verjf important direction, and were it properly attended to, by 9^ who profess the religion of Jesus Christ, sinners could nc^i have any excuse for living in sin, arising from the improper conduct, and the indifference of professing Christians. Wew this direction properly attended to, many who are now " with- out" would soon 1)0 " No more strangers and foreigners, bu^ fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of QqA," Let us consider, I. The duty of Christians to act wisely in all thoir inter- course wiiji unconverted men. ' ' II. The duty of Christians to redeem every opportqnltj they have for benciiting the souls of the unsaved. I. The duty of Christians to conduct ihemselvos wisoly in all their intorcoursn with uneonvortod men. " Walk m wisdom toward thnni that ar.i without." The phrase *^ T hrm that, are v)ilhou/V vnilnhtfdlt/ means those who are desti'uu; oflhf religion of the Lord Jesua Christ. The phraso occurs in 1 Cor. v. 12, " For what have I to do to jud<;o them that aro without." Iloro k evidently means •i THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS those who were destitute of piety and were not within the pale of the church. In Thessnlonians i. 12, it means the same, " That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without." It lias the same meaning in i Tim. iii. 7., " More- over he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." Some persons assort that this phrase means only to be without the pale of the church ; but we assert that it means much more ; for a man may be within the pale of uny church of Christ, and yet be without godliness. Such persons are to be found of all religious pe.^uasions, and in all sorts of Christian soci- eties. Those who wish to see a judicious article on being within the pale of the Church, may find such a one in Dr. Adam Clarke's notes on this text. The phrase in the text means to be destitute of vital piety, — of saving religion. The best elucidation of this phrase is found in Ephesians ii. 12, "At that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealtli of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Gofl n the world." How dreadful is the state of such persons ! They have no saving interest in Christ ; for their sins arc not covered with his blood, their souls are not under his protection and defence, Ihercforo they arc under tiio curse of the law, the dominion of sin, and the tyranny of Satan, who leads thorn captive at his will. They are strangers to all the privileges of the children of God, and aliens to all the blessings of the new covenant. They are destitute of the rational, scriptural, blessed hope of heaven, which believers enjoy. They are without God in the world : wretched, and miserable, and pqor, and blind, and naked. They are fitigued with griev- oua labours, but they have no God to support them ; most miserable, but they have no God to comfort them j very poor, but they have no God to enrich them ; blind, but they have no God to open the eyes of thoir understandings, an;i guide their feet into the way of peace ; naked, but they have no God to clothe them with the garments of salvation and the robes of righteousness. Without God in this world, and eter- nal damnation before them in the next, their state is the most deplorable that can bo imagined. Can their state he altered for the better ? Yes, Christiruis, it may ; for thin was once your condition: — " IJut now in ('hrist Jesus ye w!io were Bometimrs fur off are brou;i;ht n'gh by the blood of Christ," and it is your imperative drty, your upspeak-ible privilege to Jot Mf^en«=i iti altering their c nidilion, !>v s.-S"--'- ♦»■-*- *" *^" *o^ 'S'Hg me -T- TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOtJLS. n most blood of sprinkling, that "Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace , may bestow upon them the same invaluable blessings. With *• the7n fhal are without^' Christians must hold inter- course. You must come out from among the ungodly so far as it regards making companions of them, forming matrimo- nial alliances with them, having fellowship with their un- fruitful works ; and conforming to their spirit, maxims, and customs which are sinful. For the word of God declares that " A companion of fools shall be destroyed," requires that Christians " Be not unequally yoked together with unbe* lievers," enjoins them to " llave no fellowship with the un- fruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them", and commands them to " Be not conformed to this world ; but to be transformed, by tho renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." But. though we must separate ourselves from the world in the manner above dcpciibcd, yet wo must have to do with «' them that are without." Chri.sliany must hold some intercourse with the ungodly, or go out of the world. But it is not the design of Christ that we should go out of the world ; for in his prayer to his Falher, recorded in the 17th of John wo read, " I pray not that tliou sliouldest take them out of tho world, but ilmt thou .snouldcst keep them from the evil." Wo must transact business, and act as citizens, with the un- godly ; and, moreover, we must como in contact with them, and hold conversation with them, in order to do our duty to their itnmortal souls. Tho great thing we have to do is, to conduct ourselves as it becometh tho gospel, in all our inters course with "them that are without." // is your duty In walk in v/s-dom towards iheni that arc without^ in order to save their sniiJs. Wisdom is tlie power of judging rightly. Walking in wisdom, is reducing it to practice. The word wisdom, in this text, is supposed by some of tho learned to como from a flobrew root, which signifies to look round about on all hands, to watch. Robinson, in his Greek lexicon, informs us that tho word wisdom signifies "skill in tho affairs of life, practical wi.sdoin, wise miuing(!ment, as shown in forming the best plans, and selecting the best means, inclu- ding the idea of judgment and sound good sense. . . In respect to divine things, wisdom" signifies "knowledge, insight, deep undor!?tandini?i renrrs«''!>te!! f'Vf'!'v\vhf>rp as n flivjr^s trl^t ani* iqoluding the idea of practical application," pago 761. In II I" ■ u too TBS dBLiaATIOWS OF CSRISTIAWS ftifereftee to the word used in the text, he saya that ft trteaiW discreel, judicious, practically wise. Christians, you hava received wistlom from God. The prayer of Paul for ihe Ephesians has been answered in your experience, <* That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may five unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the nowledgo of him : The eyes of your understanding being enlightened : that yo may know what is ihe hope of his call, ing, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe." Enhes. i. 17, 18, 19.: You are exper- imentally acquainted with the greatness of the beloiver's hope, with the unsearchable riches of Christ, with the exceeding creatncss of Jehovah's power to save, it is therefore your bounden duty to look round upon your unconverted fellow men, and beholding their spiritual ignorance, poverty, misery, »"hd danger, to walk among them so sensibly and so prudently, as either to induce them to become religious, or to leave them without any excuse whatever for continuing irreligious. To accomplish this end, you must act canliously and pnt* dently in their sight. The caution and command of Christ to his first disciples should be engraven on the hearts of all his people, and should regulate the lives of , .1 who name tho name of Jesus, " Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harm- less as doves" ; Matt. x. 10. Tho wisdom of the serpent and the harmlesr.ness of the dove are required in all your inter- oourse with the ungodly, for you know that sinners would be heartily glad to see you perform anything that has tho ap- pearance of evil. They hate that which is good, and dislike even the appearance of it among men. When Aristidcs, tho most upright of the Greeks, was about to be bat)ished from Athens, a peasant, who could not write, and did not know him, came to him, and desired him to put tho name ot Aristi- dos on his shell. " lias ho done you any wrong," said Aristi. des, " that you are for condemning him in this manner." " No," said the peasant, " I do not so much us know him ; but I am quite tired and angry with hearing every body call him //*e just." And, in like manner, your holy lives, my Christian brethren, excite the anger of ungodly men ; they long to see you do some iniprudent, or sinful thing, that would furnish them with matter to justify their own wickcd- fie«e; it therefore especially behofca you to be cautious and ptuderiiia all your Uettiings with ihcra, so ttiat they may TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOTTLS. 101 have no ground, from your conduct, to speak evil of the way of the Lord. You n)ust especially exhibit before them the «rtues of meekness, industry, and honesty. " Study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you ; that ye mav walk hon- estly toward (hem thai are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing" ; 1 Thess. iv. 1 1, 12. " Owe no man any thing but to love one another" ; Rom. xiii. 8. Turbulence, idle- ness, and dishonesty, manifested by any professing christian, give them that are without a fine opportunity to" blaspheme the name of God, and to denounce the religio'.i of Jesus Christ as a fable. The interests of the cause of Christ, and of the immortal souls of men, have suffered more from the in- cautious sayings and imprudent acts of professors, than from any other cause. Walk, then, in wisdom toward them that are without. To save the souls of litem that are without, you must con- verse with them inleUigenl'y and judiciously upon the subject of religion. You must be cureful to avoid those topics of spirit- ual conversation which they, in their present state, cannot understand. To talk to them, until they are convinced of Bin, of^ the deep things of God, would be to talk to them in an unknown tongue. The Anostlc Paul, in his firM epistle to the Conntluans, shows the absolute necessity of Christians speaking even in the Church in an intelligent and judicious manner. lie would rather that all prophesied, than speak with tongues, even among the believers. " For he that pro- phcsieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." When speaking of the inHuenco of the inju- dicious use of the miraculous gifts which the Corinthians en- joyed, and of the blesaed eflect of speaking to men to cdifica- tion, and exhortation, and comfort, ho says :—" If therefore the whole church be come together in one place, and speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unheliovers, will they not say ye are mad ? But if all pro- phesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one un- earned, ho is convinced of all, lie is judged of all : And thus arc the secrets of his heart made manifest : and so fa hng down on his face ho will worship God, and report that God IS in you of a truth."— 1 Cor. xiv. 23, 24, 2o If you, as Christians, talk to the unconverted about knowing your sins fl>rgiven, enjoying purity of heart, holding comma, nion with God, enjoying the indwelling nrPH-nr-.t .-.r jK^ K!r--= •cd Comforter, will they not aayyo are madf BuVif you I1Q2 TBM OSLIOATIOffS OF CHREWtANS oonveree with them about the shortness of human life, the «*aoertainty of death, and tell them that dying in their ores- ent smful state they must go " Into hell fire : Whore their Worm dieth not and the fire is never quenched," they will un- derstand you, and become concerned alwut ihcir souls, if Jfou talk to them alwut the goodtiess of God manifested in Wpplymg thru- temporal woras, in giving his Son to die for tftem, m Scndmg his Spirit to convince them, and in giving them the Biblo to guide them to heaven : nnd ask them what return they have made to God for such goothioss, they will understand you, nnd will, in all probability, be filled with hor- ror at the thought of their greut injustice,' their black ingrati. eodc, their daring impiety in forgetting God, in withlioldin* from him their love, and in violating the laws of so good a ■being and -o great a benefactor. Moreover, if you converse with them about the great privileges which they enjoy, such as llvin.r in a gospel land, enjoying a gospel nmiisiry, being favoured with a religious cducaiioii, with the word of God, and the means tof grace ; and show to ihem (hat it will bo moro tolerable for the heathen in the day of judgment than for them, if they aro n)und without repentance toward God, faith :n our Lord Jesus Christ, and holiness of heart and life, they wdl see their guilt and be forced to confess that if they perish they will perish justly. Or, if you show them the mstice, purity, and goodness of God's law, and convince them that their views, dispositions, volitions, feelings, words, and -actions aro not in accordance either with its letter or ^irit, and that unless they repent and acci^jU of salvation by Clirist, they are sure to be punished throughout eternity, they will understand you, feel the force of what you say, and your conversation mny lead them to fly Ibr refuge to the liope set before thcin. There aro other topics which might bo no- tiocd as proper to introduce into your conversations with the ungodly, especially those connected with the birth, life, suf- fcrings, and death of our blessed Lord, which are calculated to arrest the sinner in his downward course, and turn him to » p;i'.doning God, that he may bo saved; hut what we hava already stated is sufficient to convince any christian, that if ho wouid save tho?o that are without from sin and eternal dpntb, he must cniploy stutahJe truth and advance it in an in- UiUigibh judicious wa.y. If you converse with sinners aright, J^u w;ll save their souls, and thus give to all an indisputable S roof that you have walked in wisdom toward them ; for " He lat wimxelh aauls is wise," I life, thff aeir pr«j. lore their ' will un- iouls. if ifested in to (lie for a giving em what they will with hor- f ingrat)- liJiolding good a converse ~>y, such y, being of God, t will be ont than xrd God, und life, ; if they icm the Jonvinco words, letter or ition by ty, they ^y, and he hope t bo no- nth the To, suf. culatcd 1 him to I'c hava I at if ho eternal 1 an in. aright, putablo jr " Ho TO SERK THE SALVATION OF SOUXS. To save the souls of " them that are vfiihout," you must be meek under all. their reproaches, and kind to limn notwithstand- ing all the injurious treatment you may receive from them. Sin- ners oiten reproach and persecute those who kindly and eari>- ostly strive to save tliem from going down to the pit. The highest act of wisdom which we can niiuiifest toward such, 18 to receive their reproaches witli meekness, and bear their porsocutions with fortitude. Such a course will tend, most assuredly, to convince them of the truth and benevolcnco of the religion wliieh you profes.s, and will, in all probability, lead them at last to yield to your argutjients, poivsuasions, on^ «r-?roaties, and cause them to embnice the religion of Christ as their portion. Vo i are expressly required by the dl 'ine word thus to walk toward them that are without. " But 1 «ay unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you do gooil unto them that luUe you, and pray for them that despite, iully use you and persecute you"— Matt. vi. 41. James, when addressing Christians, says: " VT'ho is a wise man and endued with kno\"ledge among you ? let him show out of a good conversation his works, with meekness of wisdom. . . . But the wisdom whieh is from above is first pure, then peace- ftblo, gentle, and easy to be enireat.>d, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them tliat make peace ;"— James iii. 13, 17, 18. Andl'aul says, " Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." — Rom. xii. 21. These passages cU'arly show that it^ is the imperative duty of the Christian to bear the reproaches of sinners with meekness and to bn kind to them, notwiihstanding their inju- rious treatment of him. Were all proftssors of religion thus to act, sinners would be struck with admiration at their patience, be melted into tendernosa by their kindness, and be led to glorify our Father who is in heaven. The follow, ing anecdote of the Rev. John [Smith shows that a course like this will be highly bonefieial to the ungodly. It is recorded in his life, that " On one occasion ho was seated at table di- rectly opposite to a lady of family and respectability, who though in theory aef|uainte(l with the truth of the gospel, waa destitute of its saving power. According to his custom, he embraced the opportunity of addressing her on the subject. She was greatly olfended, and expressed her resentment in a manner scarcely suitable cither to her sex or rank. When she was silent, Mr. Smith, with a look of Inexpressible kfndi- fi<.=:o, iepucu, iV«auaui| you may epii m my lace ii yoti 11 104 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIAN* please, but you cannot prevent me from loving your soul." The lady was deeply affected. A {ew years afterwards, she was taken ill, was attended by the Methodist preachers, and died a true penitent." Love to the souls of them thu are without, will raise you superior to all the ill treatment you may receive from them, and cause you to persevere in your efforts to save them, however they may resent your benevo- lent concern for the welfare of their immortal souls. Thus walk in wisdom toward them that are without, and you will have the unspeakable joy of savinnr souls from death. No Christian performs his duty to his God, to the Church, or to the world, who docs not act in the way now pointed out. Ood will not be glorified, the church will not be enlarged, sinners will not be saved, by that professing christian who docs not act canfiously and prudently in the sii,'ht of sinners: who docs not converse intelligently and judiciously with them on the subject of religion : who does not bear meekly their reproaches, and return good for their evil. Consider, II. The duty* of Christians to redeem every opportunity they have to benefit the souls of " them that are' without." ^ " Redeeming the time." Many look upon this charge as an independent proposition, and consider it as relating to the re- demption of time in general ; as having no connexion whate- ver with walking in wisdom toward them tliat are without. We cannot regard it in this light. If it were an independent proposition, it would stand as those do in the fifih chapter of the first of Thessalonians : Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying. These are independent propositions. But our text does not stand in such an isolated position ; neither does the parallel text in Ephesians. In both places the words refer to our re- deeming the time for the benefit of the ungodly. Time, here, signifies tiine, season, opportunity, occasion, Redeerning, signlH^s to purchase out, to buy up, to redeem for one's use. Both this passage and the one in the fifth oi Ephesians, signifies: rescuing and improving every opportu- nity to do good. * The expression means just what Paui meant when ho said to Timothy " Preach the word ; be in- slant in season, out of season" ; i. e., Wherever you are rescue and improve the opportunity you have for benefitting others by preaching tlie gospel. Redeerr.ing the time for the benefit of those that are without, undoubtedly means to re». To 8EB1C TUB SALTATTOTT 0» SOTTLS. 106 cue and improve every opportunity we have of doing ttetr souls good. Indeed, it is ao act of great wisdom to take adb vantage of our intercourse with the ungodly, and speak a Word for Christ, and for the good of their souls, and it is our imperative duty to do so ; for the Holy Ghost commands us to attend to this very thing, and the souls of men greatly need our attention to this duty. We have opportunities for doing good to the souls of therh that are without. •' As we have therefore opportunity let us do good to all men." — GhI. vi. 10. *' Ye arc the salt of the earth ; ... Ye are the light of the world." — Matt. v. 13, 14. These passages clearly show that we are bound to seek the v/olfare of sinners, and do them good as we have oppor- tunity, and you must allow that in our intercour 3 with the ungodly, opportunities for doing them good, spiritual, saving good, do present themselves, which, if improved, may lead to their conversion. In the transaction of business, we meetj at times, with such opportunicies. When on a journey, we ore thrown into company with sinnei's, and have to pass hours, sometimes days, in their society, when we have little else to do but seek the spiritual welfare of those with whom we are, and must be, associated for a season. In the socia! circle, numerous opportunities present themselves, which might be improved to the spiritual and eternal good o* (hose with whom wo meet there. Were we to watch fci- opportu* nities to do good to the sojls of men, scarcely a week would pass away without our doing something for God and the souls of men. Whenever such o,?portunities do occur, we should remember ihut the Lord requires us to embrace them, and that he will not hold us guiltless if we let them slip. These opportunities should he redeemed. Neitlior fear nor shame should prevent us from doing our duty : for in its per- formance, on sucli occasions, the glory of God, the satisfac- tion of Christ, the honour of the Spirit, the salvation of souls, the welfare of religion, and our own peace of miud, are deeply concerned. Neither carelessness nord=.'pres.sion should prevent us from redeeminjr these opportunities. Many, when questioned how they improved their time with such a person or in such a company — Did you strive to do good ? answer, " No, I dia not find a favourable opportunity ; besides, T did not feel like talking about religion." A poor excuse for the neglect of so great a duty. Those who thus neglect duty can talk most fluently, on such occasions, about the weather, tho vivps, the markets, tiie politics of the day : or, what Is toe THK OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS I* -f ii worse, can indulge in foolish talking and jesting, yea evert indulge, at times, in backbiting, slandering, and evil speak, ing, to the injury of others and the scandal of religion ; but they cannot say a word for Christ, nor one word to save theii- friends from a burning hell. It is impossible to tell what good may be done by resolutely improving such opportunities. or the evil that may result from neglecting them. " A min. ister of one of the New Jersey Presbyteries, riding slowly along the road, overtook a young woman travellinfr in the eame direction on foot. She looked timidly into his wacrrron. and asked if she could be permitted to ride to a certain dis- tance on her journey. The minister assented, and she as- cended the vehicle. When all was adjusted, and they had begun to move on again, he said to her, " What would you tbink, If at the end of our ride, you should find I was a cler. gyman, and had not spoken a word about reli>rion to vou all the way ? '. Why, sir, I should be obliged to think that you had not (lone your duty." " Well, then," he rejoined, 'You must lot mo do my duty now."-ne began, and occu! pied the whole distance, in explaining and enforcinij »« repent- ance toward Cod, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ ;" and liad the satisfaction of putting her down, at porting, to all ap- pearance droply in.prcseed, if not powerfully awakened. U ttiat all clergy mcM. were like this one ! but all are not so. A young la.Iy in Massachusetts, who had taken ollbnce at un.nher mdivMloal of the .same character, for a similar pro- ceeding expiv.sscd hw disapprobation of his conduct, by say. ing, " they are not all like him ; there is Mr a pi ous, excellent man ; I was with him six weeks, and he'never uilroduced the .subjccl of ndigion at all." It is related in the memoir of the excellent CJrimshaw, that " lie embraced ev. ery favourable op|H,rt.inity of speaking to strangers whom ho m<-t or overi(K)k on the road ; and if they were disposed to hear hmi, h.^ wuuld alight, when on horseback, u.ld less them will, a serious and pathetic exhortation, commend them to the t.les,s,n^r of the Lord by prayer, and then resume his journey. II will not be ascertained till the great day how many persons received their first nligous impressions from these uneipected interviews But some were known to himself and his people. in whom the good 5i.ed of the word, thus sown upon the hii/h. Way, took de.-p root, and brought forth fruit unto life." Solno professors of religion on reading these quotations, will become eloquent in denouncing Ministers for neirleetinir tn in^nro^>i, liieir opportunuics: but stop your eloquent strauii until you •?^ TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOttS. 107 you have answered satisfactorily the following queries: TTave you done your duty in this respect ? If not, it ill becomes yon to rail at ministers, for it is as much voiir duty to do good, as you have opportunity, as it is theirs. ' " Thou that preach, est a rnan should not steal, dost thou steal ?" Then, ngain, if a minister neglects his duty will his nnglrct justify thee at the bar of God for not performing thine ? ' Surely not. If ministers do neglect their duty, " What is th^t to thee, follow thou me." Do you perform your duty to Christ and to the souls of men, Jet ministers do as they "will ; fbr you "must give an account of yourself to God." " VVIio art thou that judgest another man's servant, to his own master he standcth or falleth ?"-^Rom. xiv. 4. If all ministers and private mem- bers would improve rvery opportunity of doing good to the souls of men, hundreds and thousands would he saved, who otherwise will live in sin and peris!), thouj'li Christ has died for them. Let this consideration humble us all on aecoimt of past unfaithfulness, and cause us, in future, to rudocm the op- portunities we may he favoured with. We should redeem our opporfunilk-s of doing good to the. souls of mm, for they may he few, and, if yieg/cclcd, may not occur again. We may, in fact, only l)uv(^ one opportunity of domg good to some individuals. The f.llowin?,' touching an- ecdote of the late Dr. Chalmers, speaks volumcs^on this point : — •' Dr. Clinhners, on his return from Eijgland, a few years ago, lodged in the house of a nobleman, not fur distant from Peebles. The doetor is known to excel in conversation, at well as in the -pulpit. He was the life and soul of the con- versation in the circle of friends at the nobleman's fire-sido. The subject was pauperism — its causes and cure. Among the gentlemen present was a venerable old hivdilund diieAain, who kept his eyes faf;tenpd on Dr. C, and'listened with in. tense interest lo his eommunic! lions. Tlie convorsation was continued to a late hoiir. When the company broke up, they were shown to thf-ir snveral apartments. There was a lobby of considernhlo length, and tlm doors of thr bed-ehambers opened right and h{\. Th' apartm old ouls, or whoso vouls you criminally neglect, will be witnesses against you, and who, whrri the eternal Judge says unto you " Depart iVom me yo accursed into everlasting lire, prepared for the devil and his angels," will say Amen, to your damna- tion ? Your misery will be great, for while sinners who have never been converted will receive the « few stripes," you must receivo the " many stripes." " And that servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, siiall be beaten with ninny stripes. But h" that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few strip<\s. For unto wiiomso- ever inueh is given, of him shall much be required ; and to whom nien liavo coimnitled much, of him they will rsk the more."— Luke xii. 47, 48. " Tho antithesis in this passage," observes IJishop Jebb, " has prodigious moral d. jith : ho who sins ngaiuHt knowledge, though iiis sins were only sins of omission, .shall bo I>pnten with ninny stripes ; but ho who sum Wjtnoui knowicdgi;, though his sins were sina of conimis- to SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. Ill er many nd while to ever. ving will and joy, r judge, your op. ow men, punish- )ver that mts that jglecting J, repro- s against le bar of ou. Oh! h dread; 3n, these i\ thy i'a- cr warn- :ed us to b of God aro here ost, lost, I se sin. ii souls, 'ituesscs into you in^parcd ( hill in a- lio have s," you it which tiier ilid stripes, •rthy of tiiomso- ; and to psk the issagc," ho who sins of 10 who :onimJB> sion, shall be beaten only with few stripes. Mere negligence, against the light of conscience, shall be severely punished, while an offence, in itself comparatively heinous, if committed ignorantly, and without light, shall be mildly dealt with."— Sac. Lit., page 201. Neglecting opportunities to do good to the souls of men is a ruinous sin ; it will destroy our piety here, and rob us of heaven hereafter. Walk, then, in wisdom toward them that are without, re- deeming the time. Humble yourselves before God on ac. count of your past unfaitlifulness. You, with the preacher, can call to mind many opportunities which have been allowed to pass unimproved. Let us go to the throne of grace, and confess that guilt, and seek forgiveness through the blood of the covenant. Our sins of omission can bo cancelled ; for " The blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin." And having obtained forgiveness, let us " Go and sin no more." In the strength of grace let us, in future, '* As we have opportunity, do g^ood unto all men." ** Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeem- ing the time." To this end, apply your hearts unto wisdom. Study how to gain the affections of sinners, how you may best awaken them to a sense of their danger, and how you may eflTectually draw them to the cross of Christ, that they may be saved Read the bible much, and let it dwell in you richly in all wisdom. One passage from that b' ssed word will, when fitly spoken, and rightly applied, do more to save the soul, than all you can advance. " It is quick and pow- erful, sharper than any two-edged sword." Seek, also, by fervent prayer, the divine skill you need to enable you to win souls to Christ. " If any of you lack wisdom, l(>t him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbruideth not ; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For ho that wavercth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord. A double mintlod man is unstable in all his ways." — .Fames i. 5 — 8. Have a single eye to the glory of God, exercise un- wavering faith in God, ask for the wisdom you need, and im. mortal souls will be aaved through your efforts, and you will ■eoure for yourselves a great and an imperishable reward. 43 DISCOURSE VII. CONSISTENCY OF CONDUCT REQUISITE TO SAVE SOULS* ijf» Ye are the light of the world. be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel A city that is set on an hill canfiot i/^> iiiu. v,v,.v..v,. -^ .-C-- - .„ndle, and put it under a bushel; Wfltf on a'candlestick ; and" it giveth light unto nil that are in the house. Let your light bo shine before men, that they may see your good works, pud glorify your Father which is in heaven."— Matthbw v. 14, 15, 16. s^j^jj^jij. How very erroneous is the world's estimate of the woTtfi of true Ciiristians ! The apostle John might well say, " The world knoweth us not." Christians are too often regarded, by wordlings, as the filth and offscouring of all things ; but Christ declares that they are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. And, notwithstanding there may be hypocrites and formalists in the church— tares among the wheat, yet, the little of real piety there is in the Church of Christ preserves the world from total corruption and univer. sal darkness. Bad as the church is, all the moral purity and spiritual light found on earth reside in her: the world is indebted to the church for every thing that is lofty in senti- ment, noble in principle, and excellent in morals. " What- soever things are true, whatsoever things arc honest, what., soever things are just, whatsoever things are lovely, whatso- ever things are of good report : if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise," in the world, tho church may justly claim the glory. Christians are tho men who think on thesd things, who lead tho way in their adoption, who labour zeaU ojisly and constantly for their establishment. Whenever, since tho world began, was it known that ungodly men took the first step in promotin,^ works which liavo for their object the glory of God and the host interests of men ? When the men of tho world can show, that either they or their prcde-, cp8.sors have begun, continued, and perfected any work that has glorified God and bonejiitol man, and that Christiana stood aloof and would not lend tiioir aid, then may tho world call believers seum, filth, thr> ..ilscou ring of all things ; but until they can do this, they had bettor moderate their preten- sions, and withhold the reproach they now so freely heap .. » Kr> aw-a on ntiii-li unttr^rini* id tlll-in ns lli'llt is SU* uinm iisvnu •msKr t»«^- t»-- -; -- r^ ^ porior to darkness. Look abroad in this dosort world m, lU THl OBLIGATIONS OF CHEISTlAKS which we live, and you will find nothing but evil, save where the church of Christ has a habitation and a name. Where the religion of Jesus is found, there love, peace, righteous. iles*^ and joy exist. The temporal condition even of th« ungodly IS immeasurably superior, where the Church of Christ w established, to what their condition is who dwell where wtan's seat is, and where the religion of Christ is not known. But we cannot stop to discuss this subject; nor should we have • k u"^°" it ^or a moment, but for its obvious connexion with the text. Either Jesus Christ was egregiously mistaken, IB reference to the worth of real Ch.istians, or the men of the world are sadly in the dark upon this subject. Christ cannot err. He is the true and faithful witness : we must, therefore, oonolude with John, that « The world knoweth us not ;" and ttothmg but ignorance, presumption, and malice can cause tke world to malign the followers of Christ. " Ye are the light of the world," &c. The text directs our own attentioa to the following important points : I. The Christian's exalted position. II. The consistency required. III. The motive by which it is urged. I. Let us consider the Christian's exalted position. The position which Christians occupy in this world, is the most important and responsible that can be conceived. The position of a captain of a ship is both an important and a responsible one ; for the lives of those on board are dependent upon the knowledge, skill, prudence, and presence of mind which he possesses. A captain of a ship once said, in answer to a remark on his carefulness in avoiding danger, *' It is necessary that I should be very careful, because I have souls on board. I tliink of my responsibility; and should any thing happen, through carelessness, 1 should have a great deal to answer for. I wish never to forget, sir, that wuls are very valuable." The station of a guide, in an eastern desert, is a most important and responsible one. He 13 instead of eyes to those who are under his care and protection, and the lives of the whole caravan depend on his faithfulness ; but the station of Chriatiaiis is far more impor- tant, far more responsible, than cither tliat of a captain or a guide ; forasmuch as the present happiness and the future nllMi. nr tlm nrnsif>nt mianrv nnrl iKo fnini'/^ /1<...,..»*:.,.^ -,r -„:i , -- J J _ vttf.iittmi- u ui SH5J- ln far and near. Maimdnll, in his travels, says, " A few points toward the tKjrlh (of Tul>or) appears that which they cull ilie mount of Bcaliludes, a small rising from which our Saviour delivered Ida sermon in the fifth, sixth, and Boventh chnptrrs of Mntihr-vv. Nut far fivtin liiis iiuiu hlli is the oily Suphot, supposed to bo tho ancient Delhulia. It to SEEK THE SALVATION Of SOULS. 121 stands upon a very eminent and conspicuous mountain, and is SEEN FAR AND NEAR. May we not suppose that Carist alludes to this city in these words of his, " A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." Quesnell remarks here, " The Christian life is something very high and sublime, to which we cannot arrive witliout pains : whilst it withdraws us from the earth, and carries us nearer heaven, it places us in view, and as a mark for the malice of carnal men." True ; but it sets us as a mark also for their study, aj\d as a model for their imitation. In all that our Lord says in our text, he shows distinctly and forcibly that it is the imperative duty of all Christians to use their utmost exertions to benefit the souls of their unconverted fellow-men. Christ never intended any of his people " To be little and unknown, Loved and prized by God alone." These lines, which have been used to loathing by unthinking Christians, and by idlers in the vineyard of the Lord, are false in sentiment, and pernicious in tendency. Those Christians who are " little and unknown," who put their light under a bushel, who are neither eminent for piety, nor conspicuous for zeal, can never be loved and prized by Jehovah. They are just as little loved and prized by (Jod as they generally are by their ft^llow-mon ; for those whom God loves and prizes, are those who live near to him, and who *' Let their light so shine before men, that they seeing their good works, may glorify their Father which is in heaven." Christ has net us on the hill : has givm us light ; and our duty both to God and man requires us to bo eminent for piety and oonspic uous for zeal. " Shall we, whose souls are lighted, With wifidoin from on high— Shall we to men l).'niry ordinance of man for the Lord's sake : whether it Iw to the king, as supreme ; or unto governors, as unto ihrm that are sent by hini for the punishment of evil doeri, Mid for the praise of theui that du well, for so i« th* to SEEK THB SALVATION OF SOULS. 125 will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men."— 1 Peter ii. 12—15. Those walk most inconsistently who, while professing godliness, take every advantage of their fellow-men in the way of business, who refuse to pay their just debts in due season, and who cheat the revenue of the country by their smuggling practi- ces. Sinners observe these things, and they are another stumbling-block in the way of their salvation. * To act consistently with our profession, we must exhibit genuine benevolence to Die unfortunate, the poor, and the afflict- ed. Read the tenth chapter of Luke, from the 25th to the 37th verse, and in the parable of that good Samaritan you will discover how a Christian ought to act to all his fellow- creatures who are overtaken by calamities. " Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which, by interpretation, is Dorcas : this woman was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did." — Acts ix. 36. She died ; but she was so beloved, that the disciples sent for Peter to raise her again ; and when he came, " All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them." Blessed woman ! Con- sistent saint 1 Tliy light was not put under a bushel, nor were thy labours ineffectual. Witness the anxiety of the disciples to have her restored, and the flowing tears of the weepuig widows. " But whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" 1 John iii. 17. It may dwell in his creed, but it dwelleth not in his heart. "Pure religion, and undefiled before God and the Father istliis, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." — James vii. 27. That professor of religion who has means at his command, and helps not the unfortunate, relieys not the pressing wants of the poor, and visits not the afllicted, acts most inconsistently whh his profession. Sinners see this gross neglect of duty, and this is another stumbling-block in the way of their salvation. To act consistently with our profession, we must attend faithfully to the discharge of all domestic and relative duties, ••But if any widow have children or nephews, lot them learn first to show piety at home, and to requite their parents : for that is good and acceptable before GocI But if any Provide not ior his own, and specially for those of his owa . . . , .. /. ..1 1 • ^l „ Irifi^nl "_«. housei ho haih dcjiicd ihu fuUi";, aud 13 won 186 THl OBLIGATIOKS OT CHRISTIAKS 1 Tim. T. 4, 8. It would be well for every Christian to read thw chapter to the end of the 16ih verse. The relative dutiea of Christians, as husbands and wives, parenti and children, servants and masters, and subjects, are clearly ex- p ained and powerfully enforced in Ephesians v. 22, 33 -and 1 \r? V '" ^^^ ^^""^^ °^^^® 2«^ chapter of Titus, and also the 3rd chapter, 1, 2 verses. These are the good works that Christians must perform to be consistent with their profession. We ought to provoke one another to love and good works. Some professors of reli. gwn are ever decrying good works : but we must not heed their clamour; for Paul says, "This is a faithful saying, and these thmgs I will also that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men And let ours also lenrn to maintain good works for necessary uses,, that they be not unfruitful."— Titus iii. 8, 14. And in our text the Saviour says, «' Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works.'' And if wo do not walk m purity, in peace, in uprightness, in benevolence, and fahhfully discharge all our domestic and relative duties, de- pend upon it we shall become accessories to the ruin of im- mortal souls, and shall be lost ourselves at last. To ACT CONSISTENTLY WITH OUR PROFESSION, OUR LIGHT MOST SHINE IN THAT MANNER THAT WILL ATTRACT THE AT- TBNTiON OF OUR FELLOW-MEN. «' Lct your light SO shins before men, that they way sec your good works." That which the eye sees not, the heart feels not. That which we know not, can have no influence upon us. And here the queslion arises, how must our light shine so that men may see our good works ? The Saviour says, '• Let your light so shine." The word so is very expressive. It signifies in «uoh ft manner, and to such a degree This adverb is used to express the infinite love of God in the gift of his Son. " God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.'^ The love of God is indiscril)able : there is an eternity of meaning in the particle so in this passage. God so loved the world, in such a manner, and to such a degree, that ho gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believcth in him might not perish but have everlasting life. The word so in ouf text expresses the thought, that we must let our light shine In that manner, and to that decree, that men may bo convert- UU Vj u. |n TO SEEK TBB SALrxflOH 09 SOtTLS. 12t Tb secure this end, our light, must shine hrilliantly, A dull light is not of much use. It cnly makes darkness the mow gloomy. Our path must he like the shining light, increasing in brilliancy to the perfect day. There must be on our part entire consecration of ourselves to God's service. We must not leave mon in doubt whether we are the Lord's or not. Wo must unite with God's church, and ever be found zeal- ously labouring in some of the departments of Christian labour which the churcii has for the talents of every lover of Christ. We must so act in the church, and in the world, that no one for a moment can hesitate whether wo are pious or not. We must never perform any doubtful actions ; but we must act so conscicn'i )U^ly, humbly, and benevolently, that all who have any knowl.d<;e of us may be forced to confi'ss, if thry spnak the truth, that we are Christians indeed, in wham is no jjruile. Wo must so live, that all men nf)ay see that God's glory and man's spiritual and eternal welfare are the ends wo seek ; and not our own personal ease, personal interest, and personal agjjrandiz "ment. Our conduct must be brilliant : for we must (exhibit holiness in its beauty and in its power, in all we do, before men will glorify our Father who is in heaven. And when the mon of the world are fully con- vinced, by our good W(»rks, that we are Christians indeed, then they will feel lh(! force of every prayer, pay attention to every statement, and weigh well every reproof which passes our lips. The tenor of our lives will fill them with admira- tion, and powerfully constrain them to seek the religion of Jesus. To secure the salvation of souls, our light must shine steadu ly. Our conduct must not bo as inconstant as a revolving light if we would benefit the .souls of men. We must not at one time l)o warm and active in religion, and at another cold and sluggish ; but we must every day, every week, every tnonth, and every year of our lives, till God calls us to heav- en, 8tea(]i!y seek those things which are above, and steadily aim at the salvation of men. If there is any staggering in our deportment, sinners see it immediately, and lay hold of our inconsistency as an argument why they should not beoom« pious. Unsteady professors of rciligion ciiuso the ungodly to reason thus : " These unsteady professors puzzle us. Snmo. times they are so affect ionato, and persuasive, and zealous, that they almost persuade us to bo Christians ; at others, they are so cold, and shy, and distant, that we are puzzled to think 18.'^ Thus the little unswadi. sty what ol a thing rcligi 138 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIAIfS iless which many Christians manifest in the manner of their intercouse with the ungodly, at different times, has a very bad influence on their minds. But, when that unsteadiness ex- tends to principle and actions, its influence is tenfold more in- jurious. When professors of religion are found at times guilty of a violation of principle to gain their ends, or when they commit really sinful acts, through un watch fulness, or any other cause, the men of the world mark those deviations from rectitude and purity, and are often heard to express themselves thus: " These profcssoi-s of religion are an awful people. They are sometimes so devotional in spirit, so regu- lar in speech, so pious in action, that they win our afFec tions, and almost compel us to be pious; but at others, they manifest such a worldly spirit, give way to such improp- er discourse, and perform such wicked acts, that we are ashamed of thoni and the religion they profess." Let any professor of religion manifest, at any time, a bitter, revenge- ful spirit ; let him indulge only at times in impure or mali- cious conversation ; let him now and then get drunk, or tell lies, or cheat his fellow-men, or do any thing else that is evil, and he does a greater injury to religion, puts a greater barrier in the way ot tlie salvation of the souls of men, than all the infidels in the town in which he resides could do ia twelve months. The men of the world charge our inconsis- tencies on the religion we profess ; and hence, it is of the utmost importance that Christians have their hearts establish- ed with grace, and that they see to it that their spirit, and conversation, and actions, are ever as it becometh the gospel. Let, then, your light shine steadily, if you would give no sinner ground for profaning the name of the Lord, and for excusing himself from becoming a Christian. T\) secure the salvation of souls, our light must shine con. ttantly. We must be Christians indeed, under all circum- stances, at all tiuies, and in all places, if we would save our fellow-men from sin and death. We must be Christians in- deed, in prosperity and adversity, in health and in sickness, in safety and in danger, in evil report and good report. Wo must be Christians indeed, through the week as well as on the Sabbath, on high-days and holidays, as well on the ordi- nary days of our mortal existence. We must be Christians every where, at homo and abroad, in the market, in the store, Ml the family circle, as well as in the sanctuary ; we must exhibit the mind of the Saviour, and show to all that we have ^„ ,n.. Lioro jcaUa v^nxist. \jur iraaesmen, our Wofk- to SEEIC tTR SALVATION Ot SOTTtS. l«tf men, our servants, our wives, our children, our relations, oUr neighbours, our casual acquaintance, and all with whom we come in contact, must both see and feel that we afe in reality what we profess to be— sincere followers of the blessed Re- deemer, who knew no sin, and in whose mouth was found no guile, and then sinners will b6 benefitted by our light. If we are Christians in everything; if in all our dealings with mankind, under all circumstances, at all times, and in all places, we exhibit the knowledge, the integrity, the purity, the benevolence of the sincere Christian, men will see our good works, and will, most assuredly, glorify our Father in heaven. This consistency of conduct, on the part of chris- tians, IS absolutely needed to save souls. It is needed because the men of the world form their esti- mate of religion by the conduct of its jrrqfessors. Men, ir* their unconverted state, do not form their views of religion from the doctrines and precepts of the Bible. They seldom read the Bible ; and its truths they neither understand nor believe. They look to the lives of professors for proofs of the truth and value of religion. They think that if the religion of Jesus be good, it will produce good fruits in the lives of its professors. The men of the world are eminently practical men, and they want to see practical proofs of the •ellency of religion before they embrace it. And, therefore, when a profess'or of religion walks inconsistently, disorderly, the mon of the world do not merely blame the inconsistent professor, but they charge his inconsistencies on the religion he profess- es. Christians are the epistles of Christ, read and known of all men ; and when any of these epistles are soiled by irregu- larities, blotted by inconsistencies, those who read them re. gard the Saviour in a very unfavourable light. Commercial men have repeatedly told us, that they would sooner do busi- ness with the men of the world than with professors of re- ligion ; for there is such shuffling and dishonesty with many professors, that they are afraid of dealing with any. What a foul blot is this upon the Christian name ! What an injury to the cause of Christ ! What an impediment to the sal va- tlon of souls ! To wipe away this blot, to repair this injury, to remove this impediment, Christians must let their light shine so brilliantly, so steadily, so constantly, that they may fhr ever put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. W» gay, put to silence the ignorance of foolish men ; for the coiv. Ir^ 130 THIS OBLISATIOKS 01 CHEISTIANS >'^ duct of professors is no argument against religion it^lf, any more than the existence of counterfeit money is a reason why we should refuse to receive and use the sterling gold. If all the professors of religion in the world were hypocrites, the religion of Chnst would be still the same; would have the same paramount claims on the intellect, affections, and practice of man, as it would if every professor of religion in the world were an Israelite indeed. ' If there were no sterling metal, there could be no base coin ; and if there were no genuine religion, there could be no hypocrisy. But, still, we must deal with men as we find them ; and as the uncon- verted do form their estimate of the worth of religion from the conduct of its professors, there must be consistency in the deportment of Christians, if the ungodly are to be saved. This consistency of conduct is needed, because it will do more to convince and convert Vie ungodJy than any thing else we can imagine. Had we the twjgues of men aod of aneels • could we address sinners on the subject of religion iu' the highest strains of human eloqence, or in the sweetesi notes ot angelic oratory, still, without consistency of conduct, wc could produce no lasting impression on their minds, anu effect no saving good in their hearts and lives. Had wo the gifl of prophecy, and undRrstood all mysteries, and all knowledge ; had we faith so that we could remove mountains; had we the highest degree of human benevolence, and oven a mar- tyr s zeal ; yet, without consistency of conduct, we should profit sinners nothing : sinnners would regard all we said and did as a .splendid cheat— a gilded lie ; and though they might weep under our eloquence, and stand amazed at our gifts, yet their hearts would remain as hard as a stone. No peni- tence for sin, no faith in Christ, no love to the Redeemer, no serious determination to forsake sin and to turn to God, would be produced in their hearts. After all our efforts, they would contmue in the valley of sin and death, and urge onw(,rd in the way that leads ;o destruction. But when there is con- sistency of conduct on our part, then a yery diflferent result follows. Sinners then believe we are in earnest; they feel that wc mean what we say ; they believe that it is the deep conviction of the truth of what we utter, that causes us to interest ouraeJwcs on their belialf. Oil r holy lives carry conviction to their minds ; deiiaonatrate to them tw truth and value of ireUgion ; and l»enoe they are troubled on account of their sins, aiod iattenscly desire to be delivered to Sfiglf tH« SALVATIOH OfF SOttL^. 181 dnostentatious piety of a real Ghristian, he is ashamed of his own wickec.icss, and wi^es to be like that truly good man. "G?" says he, "if I were only like that gooid man, how happy should I be, and how happy would my family be! And why cannot I be like him ? He was once as great a sinner as I am now ; it is religion that has made the differ- ence ; by the help of God 1 will seek it, and see if it will not effect as great a change in me, as it has done in him." In- fluenced by your zealous efforts, and won by the consistency of your conduct, sinners begin to seek the Lord with their whole hearts, and soon begin to live " All the life of heaven above, All the life of glorious love." Hundreds and thousands have, by the example of consistent believers, been induced thus to think, and feel, and act. This you know is truth. If, then, you wish to save souls, it is absolutely necessary for you to manifest Christian consisten- cy in all your deportment. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven. Consistency of conduct is needed to secure the blessing of God upon our efforts to save souls. If we do not act consist- ently with our profession, Jehovah will not smile upon our endeavours, and succeed our labours. " But unto the wicked God saith. What hast thou to do to declare my statutes) or that thou shouldest take my words into thy mouth ? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentest with him, and hast been partakers with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, and slanderest thine own mother's son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence ; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself j but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes." — Psalm 1. 16 — 21. Read this passage, ye inconsistent pro- fessors of religion, and you will discover that God, instead of blessing your efforts, to the convertion of souls, will reprove you for your inconsistencies, and set them in order before your eyes. You may abhor the detestable vices of theft and uncleanness ; but if you give your mouths to evil, and your tongues frame deceit ; yea, more, if you only sit and speak against your brother, and indulge in slander, these glaring inconsistencies will shut God's mtM-cifnl ears to your prayers, and cause him to withhold his blessing trom your 132 Tftfi OBLIGATIONS OP C&RISTIANS labours. He will often reprove you for these inconsistencies, and set ihem in order before your eyes, by the very sinners you wish to benefit. They will not fail to remind you of your inconsistencies, when you reprove them of sin, and exhort them to forsake it. Your duty to God and the souls of men require you to rectify every thing that is wrong in yourselves. Christ has raised you up to reflect the honour oi God upon the woild, and guide the erring sons of men to truth, to holiness, to heaven ; therefore, you should remove every inconsistency from your hearts and lives, so that by them you may not obscure the glory of God, and obstruct tlw salvation of men. " Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord," that God may bless your labours; and that sinners, instead of beinc repelled, by your inconsistencies, may be drawn to Christ by your beauty and your strength. "Awake, awake: riut on thy strength, O Zion ; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jer- usalem, the holy city :" that God may be with you in his saving power, and that sinners, attracted by your beauty and conquered by your strength, may " Ask the way to Zion,' with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a perpetual covenant, which shall not be forgotten."— Jer. li. 5. Consider in. The motive by which it is urged. ^ The motive which urges us to this consistency is, that sinners may be brought to glorify our Father who is in hea- ven. God s glory is always the same in itself; but he is said to be glorified by whatever makes his glory manifest to the minds of his intelligent creatures. The conversion of sin- ners most strikingly displays the Glory of God. In this event we behold the glory of his infinite wisdom, his inflexi. ble justice, Ins alinijhty power, and his boundless love. Sinners, who arc injluenccd hy your holy example to seek religion, will glorify God in their conversion. When seek- mg the forgiveness of sin and the regeneration of their hearts, they will glorify God by a candid confession of their own guilt, pollution, misery and danger ; by a free and full acknowledgement of their desert of eternal punishment • by grateful thanksgivings to God ior not having dealt with them according to their sins, nor rewarding them according to their miquitities. They will glorify God by accepting salva. tion freely through Clirist Jesus : owniui? that thnv oannM h- )nsistencies, very sinners tnind you of of sin. and id the souls is wrong in the honour s of men to >uld remove , so that by obstruct tlM " that God ad of being o Christ by ke ; pfut oD !nts, O Jer- you in his ur beauty, ay to Zion, let us join vhich shall y is, that ) is in hea« t he is said Test to the lion of sin- In this his inflexi. love. ole to seek ^hen seek- 1 of their in of their e and full ment^ by with them jording to ing salva> nnnnnt ha t» SEEI TftE SALTATION OP SOULS. 139 forgiven, and cannot be renewed only through the blood and Spirit of the Lord Jesus. Thus they will magnify his grace. They will glorify God at the time of their conversion by of- fering sincere and supreme praise to God, for his goodness, saying, " O Lord, I will praise thee : though thou wast an- gry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfort- est me. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless and praise his holy name." " Now in a song of grateful praise, To my dear Lord my voice I'll raise ; With all his saints I'll j6in to tell. My Jesus has done all things well. How sovereign, wonderful and free. Has been his love to sinful me : This pluck'd me from the jaws of hell : My Jesus has done all things well. I ppurn'd his grace, I broke his laws. And yet he undlfishness to love, from defilement to liolincss, from hell to heaven. The sinners whom you bring by letting your light shine brilliantly, steadily, and constant' ly, to glorify your Father who is in heaven, will be eternally found loving, adoring, and serving the great I Am. They will glorify (Jod in the sweetest aiid loftiest songs of praise • for they will ever be found ascribing their "salvation to God and the lianib." Is not this a sutlieient motive to induce a profi'ssing chris- tian to let his light shine as it ought ? Do you wish your Father in het'vt-n thus to b(> gh. rilled in the conversion of sinners, in their sMbsKjU'iit holy lives, and in their final salvation^ If you do, you tmisi act consistently with the l!!|^h HtuliiHi ynu fill .-IS tho light of liio worlij. 'You may think you want sinners saved, and God glorified; but you to SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOtJLS. 135 ids what IS opened lalvation, py in hia > come to y may be and that id anoint will they lat salva- ible than labours, id in the irist will •ed in all then will n glorify 1 glory.'* vorld, to nd ascri- It catise, s. God m have (rnco of rnal life, ^raco of , dnpra- it, IVom L'tncnt to n bring, onstant- tornally Tliey priiiso J 1 to God g chris> sh your ■rsion of ir final nth the m may but you are certainly deceived, you do not really desire these things, if you do not ** Lot your light 3o shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in lieaven." On the consistency ot your conduct, as you have seen in this discourse, in a groat measure depends the salva- tion of men and the glory of God. Arc you acting, then, consistently with your profession ? Examine yourselves. We can all, readily enough, discover the inconsistencies of others ; but are we ourselves free from all inconsistencies in spirit, in speech, and in action ? Have we always manifest- ed that patience, that readiness to forgive, that carefulness in conversation to avoid all injurious words, and that resolute determination to do no wrong act, which Wf* ought to have manifested ? Ah, brethren, none of us can lay our hands UjX)n our hearts and say that we have always acted as the lights of the world ought to have acted ! We con all, per- haps, call to mind many inconsistencies, and at this time we stand guilty before God. Behold, there is " A fountain open- ed to the house of David, and to the inhabii.mts of .Terusa- lem, for sin and uncleanness." — Zech. xiii. 1. Let us all, both leading men and members, in Christ's church, go to that fountain ; for we all need its cleansing waters ; and let us wash away the guilt und defilement of our past inconsis- tencies, and obtain grace to enable us, in future, to *' Let our light so shine before men, that they muy see oui good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven :" then Christ our master will say to our accusers, " lie that is without sin, let him first cast a stone," and none having the hardihood to do this, through being convicted of their own guilt, Jesus will say to each of us, " Neither do I condemn thee : go, and sin no more." In future let us ever bear in mind our deep responsibility, and watch against every being that would tempt, and every thing that would leod us to .'orget our dut to Christ and the sou" say unto all, Watch." to Christ and the souls of men. •• What I say unto you u.^ Ye hy|X)crites and formalists, wo beseech you by the ten- der mercies of God, by the death of Christ, by the love of the Spirit, by the worth of souls, to seek and obtain true re- ligion. You can never act, as true Christians act, until you obtain the saving grace of (JikI. What pleasure can you possibly find in dishonouring God, in woundinc Christ, in prinvinii' thn IIolv Rnirif your numerous "•ssion II till in riiinirirr llm id glaring inconsistencies '/ Vou need not give up your profession, but give up your hypocrisy and for. •Il" 136 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS mality. If you think the semblance of piety so good, the form of godliness so excellent, as to cause you to make a profession of religion, depend upon it the substance of reli- gion and the power of Godliness are much better. Yoft Srofess to be light in the Lord ; but, depend upon it, ye are in arkness ; and can be of no benefit to man until you are enlightened and saved. " The light of the body is the eye ; therefore when tliino eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light ; but when thine eye is evil, thy body is full of darkness." Your eye is evil ; you do not singly aim at the glory of God and the salvation of men. You profess reli- gion, but only to gain your own pleasure, your own profit, your own honour. If you persist in this course, you will be ruined, and have the mortification, in eternity, to find tha^ you have ruined others. To you the following passage of God's word justly applies: — "Behold all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks ; walk in the light of your fire; and in the sparks that ye have kindled, This shall ye (have of mine hand ; Ye shall lie down in sor- row." — Isaiah 1. 11. Away with your hypocrisy and form- alitv ; and seek, by genuine repentance toward God, true faith in the Redeemer's blood, and earnest prayer, the con- version of your souls, oi- you will bo destroyed witliout rein- ed} Unsteady professor of religion, when wilt thou become steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord ? When wilt thou all()rd the world a brilliant, steady, constant light t Ti»o wavering of thy light gives men false views of religion, leads them astray from God, causes them to wander from the paths of peace, and will send them down to hell. Let your constant prayer to the blessed Saviour be, until your heart is established with grace,— «' Jeaus, thy nil victorious love, 8iic(l in my heart ubroud ; Tht'ii Bhtill my feet no Icnufr rove. Rooted nnd lixcd in God." Unless you do become establis!>ed in grace, you will eror bo miserable yourselves, ever a source of uneasiness to the church of Christ, and ever a stumbling block in the way of •inneni. •• And let every one that nameth the name of Christ de- part from iniquity." — 2 Tim. ii. 19. Remember, the oyo» of the world are ever upon you, and ihoy are watching for your halting ; but never forget that the eyes of the Lord art TSfi OBLIGATIONS OP CHSISTIANS 137 upon you, and he will render unto you according to your works. Ye men of the world, who make the inconsistencies of the professors of religion a reason for not being pious, remem- ber, that their inconsistencies do not justify your wickedness. You are not warranted in rejecting the gospel, in refusing to love God, in crucifying Christ, and in doing despite to the Spirit of grace, because some professors act inconsistently with the religion which they profess. You know what a Christian should be, or you would not know when profes- sors act inconsistently : and what a Christian should &c, your duty, your interest, your honour, your eternal safety require you to be. You cannot think of escaping the dam- nation of hell, if you reject the gospel of Christ, and refuse to live according to its requirements : or, if you do think so, you are only deceiving yourselves. " Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." " Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.'' hlflfi if t 1 1) DISCOURSE vm. THE DUTY OP CHRISTIANS TO GIVE A REASON OF THE HOPH THAT IS IN THEM, THAT SOULS MAY BE SAVED. •♦ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts ; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that ie in you, with meekness and fear." — 1 Peter iii. 15. The first Christians had to suffer grievous persecutions. The Jews, aa a nation, regarded Christ as an imposter, and his followers as deceivers, who wanted to subvert the religion of their forefathers. On this account they hitterly persecu- ted the adherents of Christianity in every form that religious bigotry coiild invent and implacable iiatrcd could accomplish. The heathen regarded Christianity as an absurdity, and its adherents as fanatics"; hence they reproached the followers of Christ, held them up to ridicule and contempt, and perse- cuted them even unto death. To fortify the minds of Christians, and enable them to bear calmly and heroically the bitter persecutions of their inhu- man tormentors, Peter quotes the purport of the saying of Isaiah, in the eighth chapter of his prophecy, which reads thus: " Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let hiia bo your dread." *' But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, says the Apostle in the text. Whoever has tho fear of God before his eyes, the dr^jad of his displeasure in his heart, will never slavicldy fear man, whose breath is in his nostrils, who can only kill tho body, and after that can do no more. The fear oi" God in tho heart, will destroy tho fear of corporeal suffering, and will cause a man to go through any bodily allliciions with patience and fortitude ; because ihi man who possesses this fear knows that if he displeases Jehovah, by sinking under his trit.ls, or by disowning his name, to escape the temporal woes to which he is exposed, Ciod has the jxiwer to cast him, body and soul, into hell fire ; Where their worm dieth not, and where tht fire is never quenched. in order to &t<>p the mouth of guinsayera, and to convinos them of the truth, the value, and the roasQubluness of th« i 'I mi r lit- li: :\- hf 140 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS Christian religion, Peter charges Christians to '« Be ready al. ways to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. Having a good conscience ; thai, whereas thcjy speak evil of you, as of evil doers, they may he ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ." We are not now subjected to such bitter persecutions as were the first Christians ^; but still It behoves us to have the fear of God before our eyes, and in our hearts, and to be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in us with meekness and fear. * The cause of Christ has often suffered through the igno- ranee of some of its professors, who could not, when asked, give a clear, scriptural, satisfactory reason of their hope ; and fVom the pride, presumption, and insolence of others, who would not give a civil answer to those who have asked ^ reason of the hope which is in them. It is of the utmost im. portance to the welHiro of religion and the salvation of souls that Christians should be able to give a satisfactory reason of their hope of heaven, to every man that asks for one • norig It of less importance that they should do this in the spirit of Christianity, i. e., with meekness and fear. These being matters of paramount importance, you, as Christians, are commanded by the Holy Spirit to " Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts : and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." In discussing this subject, we shall consider, I. The hope which the Cliristian possesses. II. The duty of the Christian to be always r^ady to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of that hope? HI. Tlie manner in which the Christian should airtwef ^he quest; ons proiKwed respecting his hope. I. The hope which the Christian possesses. Hope is the desire and expectation of future gfwv!. A good writer justly observes :— " Man would l)o a very miserable befng were ho not endowed with hoi)e ; hope quickens all \1a i!_: r ^i?'.^'"! ^^^V* ^''*^ '"'"f^ awake in her most r"lf Tl """^^" ^'" '^'"'^ "' ^'^*' '^ ^ *'"PPy *• »hat which is lull ot hope; especiQlly when the hope is w«ll grounded, and To SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOtTLS. 141 ready al- I a reason Having a rou, as of use your jjected to but still D, and in nswer to is in us, the igno. in asked, rr hope ; f others, asked ^ moiSt im- of eouls eoson of i ; nor is spirit of ie being ins, are I God in to every ou, Vfitk ' to give lope. weir the A good iserable (ens all 5r most I'hich is ed, and trhen the object of it is in its nature fitted to make the person happy who entertains it." The hope of the believer is glorious in its objects. " Rejoice in hope of the glory of God." — Rom. v. 2. "And hope to the end for the grace which shall be brought unlo you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."— 1 Peter i. 13. By the Glory of God, in the first of these passages, is meant, that exalted state of blissful perfection, which is the portion of those who dwell with God in heaven. The passage might justly be rendered : " Rejoicing in hope of the Glory which God will bestow." Heaven may be justly termed the Glory of God, because there he sits enthroned in celestial splendour : there he dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto ; and there he imparts glory, honour, and eternal life to all who dwell with lum in that exalted state of glory and blessedness. By the grace which shall be brought unto believers at the revelation of Jesus Christ, we understand the resurrection of the body, and the complete glorification of the body and soul of the believer, when Christ shall comt to' judge the world. These two passages embrace the great objects of the believer's hope. His hope respects a future state of being; and is fixed on the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, the glory of God, and an eternal life of glory and bliss in the presence of God and the Lamb. All men have hope ; but the hope of the believer differs from the hope of the rest of mankind in its objects. The hope of men is fixed on the things which are seen ; but the believer's hope is fixed on the things which are not seen. The hope of mm is bounded by the narrow limits of earth, and the time that measures it ; but the hope of the believer extends far beyond the confines of earth, and reaches though eternity. The rich of this world, who have no iiope of heaven, trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches ; their inward thought is, yea, their highest hope is, that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations ; they call their lands after their own names. The poor, who are destitute of Christian hope, expect to rise above their present wretched state, r.nd gain a sufllei(M)cy of temporal good, to free them from the privations of poverty and the sorrows of indigency. In all the various walks of human life, unrenewed men have no higher hope than that which relates to the present world. But iT in this life only Christians have hope in Christ, liiey are of all men the moaX miserable. For the »ake pf Christ tbey have givofl uj> th« fLi k*# 143 l-HE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS Ji world, they abstain from fleshly lusts, they enjoy not the pleasures of sin, which are for a season : therefore, if their hope extends no further than this world, they are indeed of all men the most miserable. The hope of believers, how- ever, does extend beyond the present life. It embraces eternal thmgs, and rejoices in prospect of the glory of God and of the grace which shall be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Jhe J^ope of thehelicver is placed on a good foundation. Ihe -Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, . . . hath given us everlasting consola' tion and good hope through grace— I Thess. ii. 16? Every believer has a well grounded hope of eternal glory, with all Its unspeakaljle and inconceivable blessings. The hope of the be lever is placed on the perfect sacrifice of Christ -—on His all prevalent intercession :— on the promises of a coven- ant kcopmg God :— on the witness of the Holy Spirit to the tact of his adoption into the family of God. These four things are necessary to constitute a sure foundation to rest our hope upon for eternal glory. While a man believes in the sacrifice of Christ, he is pardoned and accepted of God • trusting in the intercession of his risen Lord, he receives grace to help hnn in every time of need : relying upon the promises ot a covenant Icpcping God, he is not only made a partaken;! the divino nature, but he is constantly filled with joy and peace in bolioving, and made to abound in hope by the power of the IToly Ghost : and honouring the Holy Spirit daily by avoiding tliose thing which grieve him, by living in he Spirit and walking in the Spirit, the blessed Comforter ^f -V'f TlTT ^T'^, n^ox^^oxM with his spirit, that he is a chid of Go.! and an heir of heaven. On this foundation the believer places ins hope, and no other foundation can support his hope ; hut who(>ver has his hope placed on this founda- lion, may sing with Wesley : — " Fix'd on this frround will I remnin, Though my hfnrtfdil nnd flesh decay ; 'I'his niichor simll my soul Bustnin, Wlu-n earth's foundations melt awny ; Meroy'H full power I then ehall prove, Loved with an everlasting love." Some may object to our placing the witness of the Holy Hpirit to the fact of our adoption into the fomiiy of God, as one ol the foundation-stones of the believer's hope of glory. They mayobjeci as long as they please, we dai-e not blot out the sentence j for we cannot conceive how any man can have a ¥6 SttlL TSB SALVATION OF SOT^LS. 149 y not the e, if their indeed of 'erg, how- embraces y of God, i^elation of oundation. ir Father, g consola- . Every , with all e hope of irist :— on ' a coven- lirit to the liese four on to rest elieves in I of God : receives upon the y made a illed with I hope by 3iy Spirit living in Comforter he is a ation the 1 support 3 founda- he Holy 1, as one . They t out the 1 have a i^easonable, scriptural hope of heaven who does not enjoy the witness of the Holy Spirit to the fact of his adoption into the family of God. We reason thus : before any man can have a scriptural hope of heaven, he must be certain that his sins are pardoned through the blood of Christ ; he must be sure that the saviour intercedes for him ; he must be sure that the promises of God are his : They are all yea and amen to them that are in Christ ; but if a man does not know that he is in Christ Jesus, he cannot claim them as his. Now, how can any man on earth be sure that God has blotted out his sins, that Christ ever pleads for him, that the promises of God's word are[,his, unless the Spirit of God, who searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God, reveals these things to his soul ? Some say by inductive reasoning. It will not do. " He that leaneth to his own understanding is a fool." Our reason may be bewildered. Our reason cannot find out what is done in heaven. The Spirit of God can only reveal to us what is done there. Our reason, when guided by the Spirit of God, after we have received his witness to the fact of our adoption, may, by comparing our thoughts, motives, words, and actions with the word of God, find collateral proofs of our adoption, to save us from delusion ; but it never can find these proofs without the Spirit's aid, who himself beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God. For ten thousand worlds we would not rest our hope of heaven on anything short of the direct testimony of the Holy Spirit to the fact that we are accepted of God through the be- loved. Home's work on the Spirit did us much harm in our youthful days, and through his rea^sonings we wore led to re- ject the doctrine of the direct testimony of the Spirit to the believer's sonship : and for nearly two years we went on, mak. ing our moan, as Newton describes it : — " 'Tis a point I long to know, Oft it muses nnxioua thought ; Do I love the Lord or no, Am I his, or nm I not." The misery we endured during that period, cannot bo de- scribed better than in these lines : — " From fear to hope, from hope to fear, My shipwrcck'd soul is tossed ; Till I nm tempted to despair, — And give up all for lost." After this mental anguish had continued for so long a period, wo examined the word ot~ God : and by diligently etudying Romans, and the fourth of that especially the eighth I 144 mi OBtlftXTldKS 6t CftRISTiANS Galatians, we were shut up to the faith, « That none are th« sons of God who have not the Holy Spirit in their hearts, cry. ing, Abba Father." Our own experience, and the conver. sations we have had with numbers, during the lasi twenty years, who deny or doubt the witness of the°Spirit, leads us to state as our solemn convictioft, that no man has, or can have, a rational, scriptural, certain hope of heaven, who does not enjoy the witness of the Spirit to ihe fact th t he is a child of God. He may be a penitent ; he may be a sincere seeker of salvation ; he may desire above all things to go to heaven ; he may, as Mr. Wesley has it, be a servant of God ; and, as Clarke has it, sit at times some moments with Christ on a throne of love ; and may possibly, but how we cannot tell, get to heaven at last ; but he never can, unless he enjoys the witness of the Spirit, say with Paul, " We knoiv that if this, the earthly house of our tabernacle, were dissolved, we liave a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal hi the heavens." The hope of the believer has a quickening, saving influence. " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath begotten us again unto a Hrcly hope, by the re- surrection of Christ from the dead. To an inheritance in- corruptible, and undefiled, and that fudeth not away, reserv- ed in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time."— 1 Peter i. 3—5. " We are saved by hope."— Rom. viii. 24. The hope of this inestimable inheritance is justly termed a lively hope, inasmuch as it imparts that energy of mind, which qualifies the believer to meet all the trials of life, all the persecutions of men, all the temptations of devils, and all the agonies of death with composure and joy. It is a lively hope, for it enables him, in the storm, as well as in the calm ;— in the dark and cloudy day, as well as when the sun shineth in his strength ;— through evil report, as well as good report, vigorously to pursue his course towards his in- comparable inheritance. The hope of the believer saves him from all fear, all agitation, all despondency, all despair, and enables him to rejoice in the midst of those distresses which would overwhelm and wreck a man of the world. While cast upon the dark, tempestuous sea of human life, the hope of eternal glory is an anchor to the soul ;— a sure and stead- fast anchor. However rudely the winds may blow ; how- ever horriblv the temnost mnv mnn . ^r>,v^..-- f.^~: i- *i.- waves may roar, the Christian's little bark safely outrides the >ne are the 3arts, cry- he conver. asi twenty , leads us as, or can van, who th t he is ! a sincere ^s to go to servant of lents with It how we in, unless il, " We 3le, were not made influence. us Christ, jy the re- itance in- r, reserv- r of God, n the last "—Rom. is justly energy of 5 trials of 3f devils, >y. It is k'ell as in when the 3 well as Is his in- avcs him )air, and OS which While the hope id stead- ; — how- 1.. ii._ rides the TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOTTLS. 145 slorm, and gains the haven of eternal repose. The well grounded hope of heaven prepares the soul for every emer< gency. Should cares come upon us like a deluge — should sorrows fall upon us like a storm — should men despise and persecute us : should devils hurl at us their fiery darts, the " God of hope" is our defence ; and in the midst of all, he will <' fill us with peace and joy through believing, and cause us to abound in hope by the power of the Holy Ghost." Should pestilence sweep through a country, and, with the rapidity of a whirlwind, carry thousands to a premature grave ; still, the hope of heaven ensures our safety. " A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand : but it shall not come nigh thee. . . . Because thou hast made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the most high, xhy habitation ; There t^hall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up." — Psalm xci. 7, 9 — 11 ; And even allowing the be- liever does fall by the pestilence, for there are exceptionu to every rule, yet, the angels carry him at once to " Abraham's bosom," and, though '* absent from the body," he is " present with the Lord." Should God arise to make inquisition for blood, and terribly shake the nations of the earth with wars and rumours of wars ; yet the God of hope will not forget those who trust in him ; for his language to his people, in all such cases, is : — " Come my people, enter thou into thy chamber, and shut thy doors about thee, hide thyself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast." — Isaiah xxvi. 20. Should Jehovah curse the earth with sterility — should famine, with her hollow eyes, shrivelled cheeks, and ghastly looks, stalk through the world, devouring every living thing, and eating up every living thing ; yet the believer's hope would save him from despair, and would quicken his heart with joy and praise, amid the universal gloom. " Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruii be in the vines ; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat ; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls : Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my sal- vation." — Ilabakkuk iii. 17, 18. The hope of the glory of God changes completely the face of death, and dispels efTect- ually the gloom of the grave. ** Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no e"il : for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." — 13 m T^, OliHG^XIfM^S, O^ C^]^Sti^kf($ I 'i I ^«^fn, xxiii. 4, "O defttb, where ia thy atingJ QgR^^ w4>^rje ia thy victory ? The sting of d^ath is sip ; ^pd' th|9^^ s/^ength of sin is the law, But thanks be to Qf4 who giv^! ik the yictpry t|imMgh our ];.9xd Jesus Christ."—! Cof. xy. 5^*- — 57. TAe hope of the believer is 'purifying in its effects. "Be- loved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet ap. pear what we shall be ; but wo know that, when he shall ap- pear, we shall be like him ; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure." — 1 John iii. 2, 3. Those who are now the sons of God, are not yet fully acquainted with that ex- alted slate of blissful perfection, v/Lich they hope to possess ; but the earnest of it they do enjoy, and the hope of enjoying its full blessedness, after this mortal life shall terminate, causes them to use all proper means to retain that purity of heart, without which it cannot be enjoyed. Those who pos- sess the hope of heaven, believe firmly that «< Without holi- ness no man , shall see the Lord ;" that " There shall, in no wise, enter into it any thing that defileth, neithe whatsoever worketh ubomination, or maketh alio; but they which are written in llio Lamb's book of life."— Revelations xxi. 37. Hence, having been cleansed from their idols and filthiness, by faith in the blood of the Lamb ; their intellectual and moral powcn-s having been renewed by the Holy Spirit, they strive to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The hope of heaven causes them to watch over their hearts, lest any evil thoughts should arise, lest any improper motives should be cherished, lest any impure feelings should be engendered; whereby i.Miilt would be contracted, and pollutions caught' Whicli vv(Hi!d cause the Holy Spirit to depart, the Saviour to he wounded, an/1 the Father to blot their names out of the book of life. This hope causes its possessors to keep at the utmost distiincc from every thing in tlin world that would have a te>idency to produce tho'lnsi (if the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. «' Having escaped the corrup. tion that is in the world through lust," they dread it : and with the utmost vigilance Avalch against its alluring blandish- ments, K St th(\y should a second lime be " entangled theiein, and overcome;" for then "the latter end would be worse with them than tho beginning." This liope causes its pes- sessors to obey the injunction, "Besobor, bo vigilant ; be- cause your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seekiiiiT whom he mav devour."— luy r'eter v. 8. Be- \m TO 'i*i:% tSe Jji'LTk'rioN op sotftfe. iki HeV6rs are fabquainted with Sdtan's accu^atibhs, temfptatiohs, and deceptions ; and they know th&t, if they are not inces- santly watchful, he will soon throw them again into *■< the horrible pit," and sihk them deeper than ever in " the rniry clay." Not only does this hope cause them to use all meahs to retain, but also to increase their purity. Their eyes ai'e ever fixed upon Jesus Christ, the perfect model of holiness : the hope of seeing him as he is, and being like him in glory, causes them intensely to desire his benuy to be put upon them, that they may be like him in purity, while in this world. They are conscious, perhaps, of many spots, wrinkles, blemishes, which they do not behold in their glori- ous pattern, and they want thrse removed, lest they should, after all, not " Awake up in his likeness :" therefore, they study his word, believe his promises, daily approach him in prayer, that they may become increasingly like their blessed master. John says, " And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he (Christ) is pure." This phraseology certainly intimates, if it docs not plainly de- clare, that evern man is destitute of the true hope of heaven, who is not using all the means placed at his command, for becoming pure, even as Christ is pure. Hope of worldly good will cause a man to respect his character and conform to the rules of society. Take tfie hope of the smile of the world from a man, and he cares not how dcirraded he be- comes. And it is so in religioi ; let a man have a sincere and well grounded hope of eterial glory, and he will vigor- ously use all means to purily and fit himself for that exalted state ; but take this hope away, and he will make no effort to resist the flesh, the world, and tie devil, and feel no de- sire to become like Christ, in whom there is no sin. The hope of the believer zcill never he disappointed. " And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience ; and patience, experience ; and experience, hope : And hope maketh not ashamed ; because the love of God is slied abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." — Rom. v. 3 — 5. Earthly objects of hope may fail ; but the objects of the Christian's hope can never fail. The hope of the covetous, the sensual, and the ambitious, will be sure to end in despair, and cause them to make haste, to be confounded and eternally ashamed j for the illgotten ana badly used wealth of the covetous, must th6 «etl^ua!ist cah bnly last fbr k Jsehson : the honoui's bf the us THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS n nl'l ambitious are corruptible, and defiled, and will assuredly fade away : but the objects of the Christian's hope are not affected by the changes of time, neither can they be destroyed by the death of the body : they are immutable in their na- ture, eternal in their duration. The expectation of the righteous shall not be cut off; therefore they shall never make haste, never be confounded, never be ashamed. The hope of the hypocrite shall perish ; because, with all his pro- fession and show, he has not the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost. How graphically does Bildad, the Shuhite, depict the utter destruction of the hypocrite's hope, in the eighth chapter of the book of Job : " Can the rush grow up without mire ? Can the flag grow without water ? Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. So are the paths of all that forget God ; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish : Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spi- der's V, eb. He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand : he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure." Let the hypocrite in heart ponder seriously this solemn passage, and cry to God : — '• Create my soul anew, Else all my worship's vnin ; This wretched heart can ne'er be true. Unless 'tis formed again." Of all the characters on i^arth, the religious hypocrite is most abhorred of God, and most despised by men. The doom of the hypocrite is eternal death. The hypocrite will bo horribly confounded, and eternally ashamed, " When the Lord brings to light the hidden things' of darkness, and makes manifest the counsels of the heart." His hope will end in the blackness of unutterable and endless despair. But the hope of the believer will never be disappointed ; consequently, he will never bo ashamed. He has the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost; and, continuing to believe in Christ, the blessed Cotnfortcr will never leave nor forsake him, but will abide with him for ever, and guide him safely to the city whicli hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. The truly righteous, who remain so till death, are sure of heaven ; for God, who cannot lie, positively de. Clares, in his sacred word, that the wicked *' shall go away into everlasting punishment : but the righteous into life oter. nal." The hope of the believer is a blessed hope. " Looking fur TO SEEK THB SALVATION OF SOULS. 149 assuredly )e are not destroyed their na< •n of the all never ed. The II his pro* abroad in s Bildad, y^pocrite's ' Can the ' without ut down, ths of all perish : be a spi- shall not 9." Let passage. )ocrite is 1. The ;rite will ii^hen the d makes 11 end in Hut the quently, lod shed nuing to pave nor lidu him Idor and 11 death, vcly de. ?o away life oter« king fur that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." — Titus ii. 13. Nothing earthly affords such pleasure to the human mind, as the hope of heaven. This hope cheers the soul in the seasons of earthly sorrow, which cannot bo escaped — imparts joy when every worldly pleasure is fled and gone, as wpU as wlicn we are in the full tide of worldly prosperity. If tho Christian has other joys, this is the chief of tiiem all ; and if he has no other, the pleasures of iiopo abundantly supply their lack. The sweetest exercise of the soul is tiie antici- pation of future glory. The man that has a well jL^rounded hope of heaven, has feasts of joy of which no unrenewed mind ever partakes. Indul^'ing tho hope of heaven, the Christian's soul is filled with indescribable p 'sure. He has an antepast of his expected f.'iood, luxuriatt pou heaven- ly food, and enjoys the earnest of his future M solid, hcriptural proofs that heaven is worthy of tlair most earnest endeavours, and thot' by thus teeking it, they shall be put in possi^ssiou of iti inconeeivabh^ glories and its unfading joys. lleneo the unspeakiible importanee of all (Christians being ever ready to give a satisfactory answer to every num that askelh a reason of the hope that is i.i tiiem. Our duly to he always' ready with our reason (f the hajm that is inns, is evident from ilie fact, that every man has a dec^t interest in this mniti-rt and has a rinht to an answer from U9 ^on this subject. Wo profess to have a scriptural hope of 15S THE 0BL16AT10NS OP CHRISTIANS N;; p 1 1] I heaven ; our unconverted fellow-men have it not ; but still, heaven has ueen purchased by tlie Saviour's blood, for them as well as for us : they have a nature similar to ours, which the joys of heaven can only reiuler comjiletoly happy : they are bound to us, and we to them, by the strongest ties : Christ has blessed us with th'- hope of h«aven, that we may be made a blessing to the unconverted, by inducing them to come to Christ, to bo made heirs according to tiie hope of eternal life: wo have no right, therefore, to withhold from them any information which would have a tendency to lead them to the Saviour, to be made wise, holy, happy, and fit for heaven. It is a crime of no small magnitude to withhold bread from a famishing people ; but how much greater the crime to witliliold from our fellow-mcn that information which would save them from perishing eternally : and if wo cannot, or will not, give them a reason of the hope that is in us, we are kee()ing them in a perishing conflition. The cter- nal God requires us to he liglits in the world, guides of the blind, instructors of the foolish, teachers of "babes; how then can wo do his will unless wo are ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in us ? To be unable, or unv.illing, to give that rea- 8on on this momentous subject, which overy man has a right to ask, wo not otily sin against man, but against God. who has given us the hope of heaven not merely for our own benefit, but also for the benefit of others. This di'fi/ rccrfccs additionaJ imparfanrr from fhc consider- ation thfU many unconvcrlcd men chcrhih delusive hopes of heaven. There arc few unconverted men that do not indulge the hope of heaven ; but they have no rational, scriptural, solid foundiition i'w the hope they cherish. 'I'liis w;.s the case with the .Tiws in our Saviour's day. They thought they were sure of heaven because they were the rhUdrcn of Abraham and n!)served the ritual of Moses. They built their hope of h< aveti upon their ancestry and ceremonial pu- rifications ; they refused to place their hopes upon the rock Christ .Jesus ; therefore, Jesus said unto them, "There shall be weeping and gmishing of teeth, when yn shall nee Abra- ham, nnd Isaac, and .laeob, and all the prophets in the king. dorn of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they Bhall come from iho east, and from the wcsi, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And licllolil (hni'n n r-n luuf tulu"!. .l.Iw.H I.„ r. .„» „.,,] there aro first which shuU be last. -Luke xiii. aS— 30. Th» TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 199 gentiles who knew not God, placed their hope of heaven upon the ceremonies connected with their various systems of idolatry; which ceremonies only rendered them more and more unfit for heaven ; more and more worthy of hell. In our day, in nominal Christian lands, where the Bible is found, hundreds, thousands, millions cherish a delusive hope of heaven. Some hope to get to heaven through baptism ; some through attending to the forms of Christian worship ; some on account of their fancied innocency ; some because of their amiable instincts ; some by reason of their great liber, alityj some on the ground of their reformation ; and others because they think that all men must be saved either with or without holiness. This heart rending fact makes it tenfold more needful for the true Christian to be ready always to give a reason for the blessed, the sure and certain hope which he possesses. It is our duty to undeceive those of our fellow-meu who place their hope of heaven on such sandy foundations, and show to them by evident and convincmg reasons, drawn from the Bible, that, while their hope of heaven is unscriptural and unreasonable, our hope is in per. feet accordance with both scripture and reason. We should ever stand ready to prove to them, from the scriptures, from the past history and present conduct of our race, the utter sinfulness of man, his complete unfitness for so holy a place as heaven, until pardoned and renewed, and the utter impotency of all human observances to cancel past guilt ; of all human means to cleanse the soul from defilement ; and of all human might and power to rescue the enslaved spirit from the powers of darluu^ss. We should show them distinctly that Christ is our hope ; and point them to him as the only foundation upon which any man can with safety place his hope of eternal life. We should nuike them feel that we do not rest our hope of heaven upon any thing except the aton. ing sacrifice of Cfirist, and upon our certain knowledge of a personal, saving interest in thot sacrifice. Because men ore 80 blind on this point, we should use the utmost exor- tions to oprn their eyes, and with gladness of heart proceed to give them an answer, when they ask a reason of the hope that is in us; for by so doing, wo shall not only put to si. ience their ignorance, but we may induce them to build on the right foundation. It is our duty to give a reason of the hope that is in us, when s-^ --- fixkfd t/i do. sQ. !n the discourse on *' The intercourse of Chrisliaui with the ungodly," we have shown the folly of '«..» ."**, Lf W ^ 1ji\ f54 THE OBUfiATtOifS '<* effilllSfSAJNS jonvetsmg with unconverted sirtft^ about the de# mm df !l„ ' r 'k^u ' ^.'^^"^^ are pointedly asked ^y them for ^ Reason of the hope that is rn us. then It becomes US i tm thert Tv^blrnHin '^"^^f^^^^''^ ^"«^^«''- ^^^^e ptofe^sors are-cdrttinual-. S^l thP h^;- r'' rr' "P""^^""^!^. and bysodoing.e^crt^ thnsp wh ^ ^ of the.r natures, artd catt.e t7,e^ to despise rpm n 1 .1 ' ^^,.7''" ^f^*^'^ of the evil and dhriger of ain ; t6 thZl h'"" ^ ^'^^'i' J"''^"^^'"*' ""^' ^^^''"'^y ; to beseech hern to bo rocono.led to God ^ and to entreat them by the ender mere.os of God to present their bodies arid Spirits a 'Zo^n h'"'"' •'" '''''^ '"'y^^"'^ acceptable, which hdr Reasonable serv.ce is our duty at all times ; for those thinc^ hoy can understand ; but to give them a reason of the hop^ are ma fit state of mmd to receive a reason, and to profit by nn.t not /'""^l^''^ "' ^^'^ ''"P^ that is in us, are pearls which vl iph .. ";^^^";««ly '>'^,^ast before swine :_are sacred things v^hlch must not uniluMkmgly be given to dogs, who will turn agam and rehd us. When men serionsly^'sk for a reason Anvil. T '" " '", "'' '* '' "" ^^'''^""t proof that they are anxious about the salvation of tbeir souls, and this being the case, It then becomes our bounden and imperative duty to lay open to them our own hearts ; to show them \Vhat our ^'pe IS, where it is placed, and how We came into the pos. session o( ,t : and .1 we do this wisely, feelingly, believing, ly, and prayerfniy, we have every reason to expect that we B .a be successful in bringing ihem to rejoice in hope of the gioiy ot God. ' To be rcufhj alwnris lo frhc a proprr reason of ihe )iopc that fK n^l' 7, "'"•'' ^''''' '" '^"'^y communion rnlk God. He is n?.l r° > T ,' """' ''■^""^''' "•'^ t" abound in hope by Iho power oftbe J[oly(Jhost, when we live in close \uul con! fe ant comnmn.on with him. Our earnest prayers should n of tlie hope of heaven which we cherish. Did this matter only conctM-n ourselves, we ought, for our own comfort, to know precisely on what foundation our hope is placed; but as others are concerned in the muttcir, as well as ourselvr-^^, we ought to bo doubly anxious to have clear and consistem views of tiio grounds of our hope of heaven. In examining the groinuls of our hope, wc should ever seek divine illumination, and ever be guided by the Holy Scriptures. It is not safe to depend on leelinf'. Our feehngs may deceive us. We should bring our senti- ments, our feelings, and our practices to the unerring stand- ard of (Jod's blessed word, and try tlioni by this rule, pray- ing the Holy S|)irit to direct us, so that wo may be preserved from error in this all important matter. Search the scrip- turcs daily, witli earnest i)rayer to Ciod to open your eyes that you may see wonch'ous things in Ilis law, und this will have a mighty influence upon your hope, and increase your ability to convey the reason of it to others with additional clearness and accumulated force. Men may call your feel- ings, if you sj)eak of them, enthusiasm, fanaticism ; but they cannot so well do this when you arc able to show them that your views, feelings, principles, and practices are in f)crfcct harmony with the word of Cind. Tlu y will then lavo their ignorance silenced, and will bo forced to confess that you have good reason for cherishing the hoj-o of heaven. It is our duty to he ready a/ways to give a reason of the hope that is in. us, to every man that a.-ilcvil', that God may he glorified, and, that the person that asks a reason way he lejlt loithout excuse. The diviuf! glory is mnnifested by us when wo are able to give n pro|)er reason for the hopi' that is in us j inasmuch as wo exhibit Jehovah's inlinito justice, truth, nower am] ko idncss, wIkmi wtj couviiu:!^ unv \i\[v.\ that (Ind hue given us " (iuod hope through grace." Moreover, some 160 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS will be induced to glorify God by giving him their hearts, when they plainly discover what great things he has done for us. And whether those who ask a reason, glorify God or not, we shall be clear of their blood, and leave them without excuse, when we have, intelligently, feelingly, and faithful- ly, given them a reason of the hope that is in us. They cannot then say " No man careth for our souls :" they cannot charge us with not having done our duty ; and this, to us, will be no small consolation both in time and in eternity. In giving an answer to the questions asked respecting our hope of heaven, our object should be not merely nor mainly to vindicate ourselves from charges of fanaticism ; but to glorify God and benefit our fellow-men. We should ever remember that a solid, scriptural reason of the hope that is in us, will have a tendency to clear the minds of men of those mists of ignorance which hide religion from their view, and which cause them to live contented without Christ and without hope : which cause them to live continually at enmity with the blessed Qod. Could the unconverted only see the bless- edness of that hoi)o which God has given to you, and which he is both able and willing to impart to them, they would be ashamed of their enmity to GofI, they would be moved by fear of his just and fearful displeasure, to fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before thom in the gospel. They Would give glory to God by confessing their sins, supplicat- ing his mercy, and embracing his Son as their Saviour, — their hope. These considerations are suficicnt, if rightly weighed, to induce all Christians to bo ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in them. In giving a reason of the hope that is in us, it cannot ha expected (hat every Christian will be able to silence all the cav- ils of unreasonable and wicked men. An illitcrtUe Christian may not bo skilled in argumentation ; may not bo able to expose the fallacies of those cliildrcn of .ue devil, who hav- ing learning and wit, take an infernal pleasure in raising douhts, and fears, and perplexities in the minds of honest and pious, but unlett(>red saints ; and who strive to extinguish their hope and plunge them in the vortex ot despair. Listen not, ye humble fullowors of Jesus, to lhe-so])liistries of these men. You aro not required to answer their objections ; all that you are required to do is to give a sensible and scriptu- ral reason of the hope you possess. And if you live near to Uod, diligently ttudy the scriptures, frequently examine the T^ SEEK THE SALTJCTION OP SOCtS. '-^et giPOftirt^ bf your hope, and aim at God's glory and man's bendit, you will be able to speak of your hope in that ski- cere;' livB'ly, sensible, earnest manner that you tieed not be ashamed of before kings ; and which will probably convince th« gainsayer that your hope is no fiction, but a glorious re- ality, and induce him in his sober thoughts and in his houTS of retirement to acknowledge that there is a divine reality in religion, and to wish that he had such a hope as you possess. The remai-k of an illiterate Christian on religion, has often :conf6unded the might}'-, when the volumes of learned Chris- tians have failed in convincing the sceptic of its value and reasonableness. "Collins, the freethinker, or deist, met a plain counti-yman going to church. He asked him where he was going. * To church. Sir.' * What to do there V * To worship God,' * Pray, whether is your God a grpat or a little God V * He is both, Sir.' ' How can he be both V ' He is so great, Sir, that the heaven of heavens cannot con- tain him ; and so little that he can dwell in my heart.' Col- lins declared, that this simple answer from the countryman had more effect on his mind, than all the volumes which learned doctors had written against him." Let the Chris- tian, whether learned or illiterate, do his duty, and give his own reason in his own way, for the hope he possesses, and never Fear but ^ood will result therefrom. Consider, . .; III. The manner in which the Christian should answer the questions respecting his hope. " With meekness and fear." The manner in which a thing is done, or an answer given, is of the utmost importance. And in nothing ought we to be so careful, as in our manner, when conversing with the un- converted on the subject of our hope of heaven. tf we are to he successful in our attcmpls to save ^ouls, we must give an answer to every man that a sketh a reason of the hope that is in us "with meekness." lIpavTTjg-, occurs three times in the New Testament, and is translated by Robinson, nicoknoss, mildness, forbearance. In .lamos i. 21. it is writtnn, '* Rocoivo with meeknrsfl the engrafted word." The word of God cannot du m any good, if wo receive it with a morose, turbulent, hardened heart. Nor will our answers to tho questions asked respecting nur hope, do any irrtn,] to thoae who usk tlinm, if uivoti in a surly, boisterous, unfocliu'' maimer. JJocuuso wo aro fully convinced that wo 14 169 THE OBI.r^fATKJNS OP CHRlS-riAirf ?l have reason and scripture on our side, for indulging the hope ©f heaven, we are not, therefore, to answer the enquiries of men on this subject with pro-i-^ -disdain and lofty contempt : but m the spirit of meel uesi, 3oiae think themselves war- ranted to speak peril v :xnd ?nr:-ciiiously to those who may question the reasonableness of their hope ; but such conduct is utterly repugnant both to the letter and spirit of Christian, ity, and every intelligent Christian must repudiate such a course. On this important subject, the apostle James says, « Who 18 a wise man, and endued with knowlodge, among you ? let him show out of a good conversation, his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying' and strife in your hearts, glory not,' and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earth- ly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiali- ty, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness 13 sown in peace of them that make peace." — James iii. 13 18. In other parts of God's word, we are told that, "The' servant of the Lord must not strive ; but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness ir-tructing those who op^ pose themselves." Of our blessed Redeemer it was predict- ed, " He shall not strive, nor cry ; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the gen- tiles trust." It is utterly inconsistent, therefore, for us who profess to be wise men — the servants of the Lord the fol- lowers of the meek and lowly Jesus, to give haughty, turbu- lent, insulting answers to those who question us concerning our hope of heaven. Besides, to say nothing of the glaring mconsistency of such a course, whtit effect will such conduct produce upon the minds of the unconverted ? Will it lead them to admire religion, to desire it, to seek it, when they see that you, who profess it, have such an unamiable spirit ? Certainly not ; hut instead of this, it will frighten them from religion, and cause them to regard it with feelings of disgust. Many who propose questions concerning our hope, may bo exceedingly insulting and irritating, still we must with all mildness, gentleness, and forbearance answer them. Meek- ness in our answers will have a on those who flatter tho wicked, })y calling them righteous; and tho bliss which those shall enjoy who rebuke tho wicked for tlicir wickedness. The former the people will curse, because ho is their enemy; for, by his conduct, he encourages the wicked in their sinful cour.sc, and thus augments human misery. Nations .shall abhor him, because lie robs the nations of true greatness, and brings a reproach upon them. •' Righteousness exalteth a nation ; b\it sin is a n^proach to any people." Hut to them that rebuke him kIkiU be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them, because they are doing what they can to stop tho progress of iniquity, and to increase the prorperity and happiness of man. Ther(> is, probably, no duty that Christians perform so carelessly, in fact, wjiich they so entirely neglect, as that of reproving sinners ; yot there is no duty more important, nor one that requires more attention, skill, and faithfulness in its performance. To this duty, and the blessedness connected with its right discharire, we shall now direct your attention ; hoping, under God's blessing, to bo successful in stirring you up to pay that attention to it which its importance denmuils, in order llmt you may obtain the delight and blessing spoken of in thia i; III 164 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS passage. " But to them that rebuke him shall be deliglit, rnd a good blessing shall come upon them." Let us consider, I. The duty of Christians to rebuke sinners. II. The delight experienced, and the blessing received by those who attend to it aright. I. The duty of Christians to rebuke sinners. That this is the duty of Christians, is evident from THE scriptures OF TRUTH. The scHptures speak of those, who perform this duty aright, in strains of the highest com- mendation. Solomon says, " Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend ; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold ; so is a wise reprover upon an obedient car." David says, "Lot the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness, and let him reprove me, it shall bo an excelknt oil, wliich shall not break my head." There- fore, if wo regard only the moral excellency of judicious reproof, we are wurraiiled in stating, that the scriptures re- ouire all Christians to perform this duty ; for Christians pro- less to seek " Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, and whatsoever things are of good report ;" and certainly the above cited passages prove that judicious re- proof is excellent and of good report. In the scriptures, however, wo have plain and positive commands for the performance of this duty. In the nine- teenth chapter of Leviticus, God says, " Thou shall in any wise rebuke thy neighltour, and not suffer sin upon him.^' Such is the positive law of God, which is binding upon us all. In the seventeenth chanter of Luke. Jesus Christ says to his disciples, «' Take heed to yourse* js if thy brother tresspass against thee, rebuke him ; and if he repent, forgive him. ' In the fifth chapter of Piphesians, we are command- •d to " Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of dark- nes8, but rather reprove them." And in the fifth chapter of the first of Timothy, that young minister is commanded to attend to this duty, in these words, «• Them that sin, rebuke before all, that others also may fear." These com- mands still possess all their force, and are binding upon all Christian niinislerH, and all Christian people, in the present TO SBBi: THE SALVATION OP SOTTLS. 169 There is a passage in the proverbs of Solomon, which, at first sight, appeara at variance with those already cited. It. is this : " He that reproveth a scorner, getteth to lumsielf shame ; and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee ; rebuke a wise man and he will love thee." This passage is not, in reality, at variance with those already quoted. Those point out the duty; this confines us in the discharge of the duty to thoso characters who are not so far hardened, by the deceitfulness of sin, as to scorn reproof. It must be confess- ed, that some men have gone so fur in crime, their conscien- ces are so seared, and they are so foolhardy, we might as well beat the air, or plough on a rock, as to thiidc of doing, them good by reproving them. For " fouls muck at sin," and pour ridicule and contempt upon those that reprove them. " A reproof putereth more into a wise man, than a iiundred stripes into a fool." It is our duty to reprove sin in all cases, unless we are fully convinced that reproof would do moro harm than good. The peufohmance of this duty is necessauv to save SOULS. When David had committed the grossest sins uliich it is possible for mortal to commit, ho remained utt dust, and led him, with weeping and supplication, bn^' tw (Jod, at whose feet, on this occasion, he poured forth " afty-first l»salm, which will over \w regarthjd, wh|l*» the world stands, as the penitent's manual of InNlructinn and devotion. This reproof was the means of th« salvation of David's soul. pp 166 THK OBLICATIOMS OF CHRISTIANS f When your preacher was stationed in Montreal, seme years ago, there was a pious hussar, who beloncred to our society, who was often annoyed by the horrid oaths of one of his comrades, W J . This man was the most no. torious swearer in the regiment ; even the wicked soldiers turned pale at his blasphemies. One day, as he was making the barrack-room ring with with his curses, the pious soldier exclaimed, «' Go on, J n, your judgement lingereth not, and ^our damnation slumbereth not : they will soon overtake you. 1 his wise and faithful reproof had the desired effect. It pierced the dark soul of J n, and filled him with indis. cribable horror. Wherever he went, he told us afterwards, he heard the voice of his reprover crjing, " Your judgment iingercth not, and your damnation slumbereth not : they will soon overtake you." The man was brought to our house in the greatest agony of soul ; and through being directed to 1 Mo Lamb of God, that tuketli away the sin of the world," he found poace ; and as long as he ronmined in the country, he was a humble and consistent Christian, feariug an oath, and walking in the ordinances and commandments of God blamrb-ss. It tins rrproof had not been given, in all proba- Dimy, V\ J- — would be in darkness and deaUi, even at this hour. Under God that reproof saved his soul. " VV hen the Rov. Henry Martyn was at college, he was called to visit a family in groat distress, on account of the expected doath of tho husband nnd father. Some of the fam- 1 y, lost tb(. agony of thoir griof should add to the distress of liio dying man, imd roinovcd to another house, where Martyn uund a gownsman reading a play to them, with a view to their consolui ion. He very properly rebuked him, with some seventy, for this great impropriety, and was lead to fear, from the marmer in which his reproof was received, that some un- pleasant results might fbllow. But mark the goodness of God ni Dlessing the inr.uns employed for the advancement of his glory. VVhon this gownsman again saw Martyn, it was to inank him (ur his faithful admonition, which proved the means of a saving change of heart ; and these two holy men labour- ed together in India in extending the knowleduo of the Lord Jesus. ° " The Rev. W. Romaine was one evening invited to a friend s house to tea ; and, af\er tho tea.tliings were removed, the Ittdy of the house asked him to play at cards, to which ha mad. no objection. The cards were produced -^nd when all were ready to commeuce play, the venerable imuiflter paid, TO SfiKX THE SALVATION Of SOVLS. 167 *Let its ask ihe blessing of God.' 'Ask the blessing of God !* said the lady, in great surprise ; ' I never heard of such a thing to a game of cards.' Mr. Romaine then in. quired, * Ought we to engage in any thing oa which we can- not ask his blessing?' This gentle reprciof put an end to the card-playing. This good man was once addressed by a lady, who expressed the great pleasure she had enjoyed under his preaching, and added, that she could comply with his require- ments, with the exception of one thing. ' And what is that, madam V asked Mr. R. * Cards, sir,' * Then, madam, they are your god, and they must save you.' This pointed admo- nition led to serious reflection, and liauliy to the ubandonment of such unworthy pleasures." The above facts are suflicient to prove that the peformance of this duty is necessary to save souls. Most of those who are saved, are saved Uy a Kind reproof tlioy have received from some one, who folt dei ply for their souls, rel)Mked them for tlieir sins, and urged tiiem to repentance. You may be agents in saving your fellow-m'.ii if you reprove them and pray for them aright. Numberless instances there are, where single reproofs have been the arrows which have stuck fast in the hearts of the king's enemies, uiid would not let them rest until they came, weary and heavy laden, to Christ, and received, through faith in his blood, rest for their souls. In the cases cited above, for your instruction and admonition, a single reproof saved the transgressors. Will you, then, refuse to reprove sinners, when a single reproof, with God's blessing, may save their souls from death, and hide a multi- tude of sins ? The motives wnrcn urge Christians to rebuke sin- kers ARE PARAMOUNT AND UNIVERSAL. Patriotism requires our aftcnfJon to this duftj. The benefi- cial eftects of judicious reproof upon a country i\iny be easily seen. F.vcry man possesses some influence among his fellow-countrymen ; and observation, as well as scripture, proves, that "One sinner destroyeth much good;" that, " By reason of sin and swearing, the land mourneth ;" that " Sin is a reproach," and a grievous curse «' to any people." Therefore, when a sinner, by judicious reproof, is brought to "Cease to do evil, and learn to do well:" is induced to give up swearing and all manner of sin ; and to bind a peaceable atid quiet life, in all godliness and honesty, the country in which ho dwells must be benefitted. Society at largo will 166 1HE OBLIOATIONS OF CHRISTIANS •i have the benefit of his godly oonversdlion, his effectual prayers, his holy example ; and as betore his conversion he destroyed much good: so after his conversion he will destroy much evil. He will be a blessing to his family, his neigh- hours, and his country. To talk of patriotism, while you will not reprove sin, wliich has a mighty tend#;ncy to corrupt the morals of a communitv, to disturb tlie peace of your country, and to introduce disorder and ruin into the common- wealth, is v.iin/ You may talk as much as you please : it is nothincr hut talk. The words you utter are vam, empty words,'' whicli mean nothing. No man is a lover of his coun- try who will not resist and reprove sin, which has ruined the mitrhlicst empires of auti({uity, and which is threatening many nmlorn nations witli destruction. The people have a right to curse; and the nations but too much cause to abhor the man who "S;iit!i unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, or who refuses to rebuke the sinner for his wickedness. rhil.(mlhro\)ij requires our immediate attention to this duty. Sin is tlie prolific source of all the miseries endured by our race. If idolatry, profane and vain swearing, sabbath break- inrr, disobedience to parents, murder, lewdness, theft, false wrtnessing, and covetousness were destroyed ; and all men loved the1:.ord th(«ir Mod, with all theii-hearts, souls, mind, and strengtli, and their neighbours as themselves, this would be a happ'y world. The spiritual woes endured by our race would be entirely removed; and the physical evils, which flesh is heir to, would bo lessened in their number, and miti- gated in their severity. When men sin, thoy injure both themselves and their fellow-creatures ; and, therefore, if we love them, w(* shall reprove them for their sins. It sin goes inireproved, it will overthrow the order, and destroy the hap- piness of the world. It has already done these to an alarm- ing extent ; and if some did not resist and reprove sin, the world would soon bo completely ruined. Silence gives con- sent to the crimes perpetrated among men : virtually sanctions all that the wicked do, whicli causi's misery to come in upon our race likt! a flood ; therefore, genuine philanthropy will induco its possessor to reprove sin, wherever and whenever he finds it. No man loves his order and his kind, as he ought, who suil'ers sin to go nnreproved. A good writer observes : "Suppose wo see our neighbour exposed to a temporal ca- lamity, say his house on fire, 'i'rno love will induco us to warn'hiin, and not to leave him to jierish in the flames: cspo- cially if \\o saw him inclined to persist in his course, and TO 8ES< THE SALVATION OP SOULS. 169 jffectual rsion he de^roy 3. neigh, lile you corrupt of your om mou- se : it is , empty lis coun- lined the ng many 2 a right bhor the DUS, or his duty. d by our :h break- eft, false all men Is, mind, is would our race s, which tmd miti- uro both ro, if we sin goes the hap- n alarm- 9 sin, the ;ivc8 con- sanctions i in upon ropy will puever he he ought, )bscrvea : iporal ca- uco us to ics : ospo- urso, and stay in his burning house, we should expostulate earnestly with him, and not suffer him to destroy himself, if we could possibly prevent it. Much more should we warn him of the consequences of sin, and reprove him, and strive to turn him, before he destroys himself." How little genuine philanthropy is there in the world ! How few understand its nature and object ! We hear much of the love of mankind from many j hut few love their race in deed and of a truth. They say, indeed, " Be ye warmed, and clothed, and filled ;" but, alas ? they do not steadily oppose, nor constantly reprove the sins of men, which are the cause of all tlie miseries our fellows endure. We may call ourselves philanthropists as long as we choose ; and we may warm, and clothe, and feed the bodies of men, to the utmost of our ability ; but if we do not oppose their sins, reprove their sins, and strive to induce them to give up their sins, we love them not ; and arc gu Ity of the inconsistency, the folly, and the wickedness of the old Jewish scribes and pharisees, of whom .Tesus said, *' Ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith : these ought ye to have done, and not leave the other undone." — Matth. xxiii. 24. The preservation of ourselves and faynilies require special attenfion to this duty. Sin is infectious. Both we and our families are in danger of being led away, by the error of the wicked, from our steadfastness. We know the evil of sin by l)itter experience. We have not forgotten the fearful ap- prehensions which we experienced when our eyes were opened by the Spirit, and we had a clear and full view ot the ma- lignant nature of sin, and its destroying efTf^cts. Then we perceived, that by sin, we had grioviously odendod the h/ess- ed God, wantonly crucified the Sort of God, wilfully grieved tho Spirit of God, and exposed ourselves to the vevgeance of A/mighty and eternal wrath. We, therefore, have just reason both to dread and reprove sin. If wo cease to dreud and reprove sin, we shall again be brought under its power and dominion: for we have a nature inclined to evil. In- iquity prevails on every hand ; satanic influence is ever prompting and enticing us to work wickedness : coiise(iuenlly, if wo do not cherish a dread of sin, and bear a solemn pro- test against sin, by reproving it, wo slmll fall into condemna- tion, and be carried away by the wicktMl influences which surround us. It is only by cherishing a dread of sin. and bearing a continual protest against it, that wo can escape this 15 §1 •■, 170 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHEISTIANi dire evil. All experience and all history prove that the heart of man is apt to lose its keen sensibilities of wrong by frequcDlly witnessing atrocious deeds. The inhabitants of Paris were so accustomed to horrid deeds of blood, during the reign of terror, that they could even rejoice, and sing, and dance, while their fellow-citizens were being gullotined by scorivs ami hundreds. The soldier, who has often been in the battle-field, loses all sense of horror at the sight of the torn limbs, mangled bodies, and lifeless corpses of his comrades whicii strew tlie earth on every side of him. We have read accounts of Europeans who went to the West Indies, during tJic reign of slavery in the British Colonies, who were so hor- rificd, that they actually fainted away, when they saw slaves stripped and flogged, till the bloody and flesh flew at every Stroke of the lash ; but, by seeing these horrid exhibitiong frequently, they lost all sense of their barbarity, and were, afterwar.Js, found performing the same deeds, and taking their station among the foremost advocates for the continuance of the cursed system called Slavery. What wonder, therefors, will it ho, ifWe lose the dread of sin and cease to reprove it, bIiouM wc again be brouglit under its influence, and be (buud running with the mullhude to do evil. Our families are in great danger of being ruined for ever througii the prevalence of ungodliness. Our wives, our chil- dren, our parents, our brothers and sisters, for whose spiritual and eternal welfare we are deeply solicitous, are in danger of being corrupted and eternally ruined by the sins of others. Iniquity abounds. Be not deceived. Evil communications corru])! good manners. Tliis ought to alarm us, and ccune us to reprove; sin, wherever we find it, lest those who are dearer to us than life should, through hearing us, say nothing against it, think sin a trille, and be led to live in its practice, and be ruined for ever. If our neighbour's house be on fire, we have justenuso for alarm in reference to our own dwelling; and rqu;;lly as groat reason have we for alarm le.st the wick- edness of the wieked should corrupt and destroy our nearest and dearest relatives. If the plague, or the cholera, or any other contagious disease be among our neighbours and aeqaint- anecs, we should have just reason to fuar, tiiat without the greatest prccatition, it would be communicated to our fami- lies ; and equally as great reason have we to fear that our families will bo infected by tlu> still more dreadful contagion of sin. Vvoin tiio fire we may flee : from the plague we may hasten ; but wliere, O ! where can we fleo from the presencw try; TO SEEK THE SALVATIOI^ OP SOULS. 171 of sin? In town and in village, in the city and in the wilder- ness ; wherever human beings are congregated, iniquity is found, sin rages. What is to be done ? what can be done ? but to dread it ourselves ; to infuse the horror of it into the minds of our relatives; i^ pray to God for preservation ; and seriously, earnestly, and constantly rebuke the wicked for their wickedness. Let Christians neglect this duty, and the ruin, the eternal ruin, of themselves and house, of their rela- tives, will, in all probability, be the penalty of their folly and their wickedness. Religion imperiously demands our alleniion to this duty. As Christians, we profess to love God ; to desire the cxten- sion of Christ's kingdom, and the rescue of immortal souls from eternal ruin. Our holy religion peremptorily requires us to seek the glory of God, the satisfaction of Christ, tlio sal- vation of men. Can these bo gained unless we reprove sin? Impossible! absolutely impossible! If we love God with all our hearts, and really desire the whole eiirth to be filled with his glory, we must reprove sin, which is the ahominahle tiling which God hates ; and the cursed thing which prevents the world from being filled with his glory. If a child love his parents, he will reprove those wlio speak against them. The I)reacher this morning, when but a cliild, on once liearing a man speaking disrespectfully of his parents, with heaving breast, tearful eye, and agonized heart, resented the af- front, and put a stop to the calumniator. Where, then, is our love to our heavenly Father, and our concern for his glory, if we will not do for him, what any 1 ving child would risk his life to do for an eartlily parent ? If a man love his coun- try, (its institutions, its laws, its government,) he will boldly reprove those who abuse and revile it. We once, at an inn M'hcre we stayed for the night when travelling, heard a tre- mendous crash in the adjoining room : we rushed into the apartment, and found two aged, respectable men fighting; and when we had assisted in separating the combatants, we enquired of one of them, whom wo had induced to enter the parlour, why a man of his age and respectable appearance was found guilty of so wicked a thing as fighting with a fellow creature ? He replied, " Sir, lie reviled my coun- try ; and I would fight till I died before I would stand and liear my country vilified." Did we love God as that man loved his country, we should most certainly bo ever found re- proving those wlio have the audacity to sin against him. It is treason against God not to reprove sin. The man wlip 172 THE OBLIGATION'S OP Cfi&ISTIANS knows of a treasonable plot against the commonwealth of the country in which he dwells, and does not disclose it, is re- garded as an accessary, and is punished accordingly. So, when wo refuse to reprove sin, which is direct rebellion against God, we become a partaker of the sin committed, and are justly considered by Jehovah as rebels ourselves. How, we also ask, can Christ see of the travail of his soul and bo satisfied, if we will not reprove sin, which was the cause of his humiliation, sufferings, and death ? Men who commit Sin, do not see, do not feel that the sins which they commit, caused his hands, and feet, and side to be cruelly pierced ; and that they now pierce his heart, and give him greater pain than ever the nails or the spear did. By reprov- iiig them of sin, and showing them what a shame it is for them to practice sin, wliicli caused the blessed Saviour to sweat great drops of blood in Gethsemane, and to die on Calvary ; and which cause him, now he has gone to heaven, grief which no mortal can conceive, will be sure to have an impression upon their mhids ; and will lead many, whom we reprove, to " look on liim whom they have pierced, and rnourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son; and be in bitterness for iiim, even as one tliat is in bitterness for his first-born." Never will Christ's triumphs extend as they ought, until tl)e followers of Jesus, from a principle of love to '^the Saviour, and from an intense desire to bring men to love, adore, and serve him — kindly, firmly, boldly reprove sin wherever found. Religion too, requires us to love the ungodly, and seek their good. But do we love the sinner and seek his welfare when we suffer sin upon him. Tlie religion of the Bible, which we profess, says, " Thoushalt in amjioise rehiike thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon liim." — Levit. xix. 17. Are the following sentiments of the Rev. G. C. Fin- ney, in his sermon on the passage just cited, too strong ? We conceive not. Ponder them seriously : — "It is cruel to omit it" (reproof). " If you see your neighbour sin, and you j/ass by and neglect to reprove him, it is just as cruel as if you should see iiis house on fire, and pass by and not warn him of it. Why not ? If he is in the house, and the house burns, he will lose his life. If he sins, and remains in sin, he will go to hell. Is it not cruel to let him go unwarned to hell ? Some seem to consider it not cruel to let a neighbour go on in sin, till the wrath of God comes upon him to the uttermost. Their feelings are so ten-, dor that they cannot wound him, by telling him of hia sin To SSSK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 178 and danger. No doubt the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. Instead of warning their neighbour of the consequen- ces of sin, they actually encourage him in it. " If you do not reprove your neighbours for their sin, you are chargeable with their death. God holds us chargeable wirfi the death of those whom we suffer to go on in sin with- out reproof; and it is right he should. If we see them sin, and make no opposition, and give no reproof, we consent to it, and countenance them in it. If you see a man preparing to kill his neighbour, and stand still, and do nothing to prevent it, you consent, and are justly chargeable as accessary ; in the eye of God, and in the eye of law, you are justly charge- able with the same sin. So, if you see a man committing any iniquity, and do nothing to resist it, you are guilty with him. His blood will be upon his own head ; but at whose hand will God require it ? What says God respecting a watchman ? ' Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel ; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die ; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand.' This is true of all men. If you sufler a neighbour, who is within reach of your influence, to pass on in sin un- warned, he will die in h is iniquity, but his blood shall be re- quired at your hand." The manner in which reproof is given, is of the greatest moment. Some, by the manner in which they reprove others, do more harm than good. If reproof is to he successful, it must he admistered judi ciously. Regard must be liad to the temper and conduct of an individual. A bold, profligate, presumptions sinner may need rebuking sharply. " One of Themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wiierefore rebuke them sharply." — Titus i. 12, 13. A young or a timid sinner may be easily affrighted and made to give glory to God ; therefore should be, especially at first, rebuked gently. " And of some have compassion, making a difference : and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire ; hating even the gar- ment spotted by the flesh." — Jude xxii. 23. Regard also mmm ^ .n%, ?u \%^^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 2,5 2.2 2.0 1.8 14 III 1.6 '/ 'h 07 >m *y *>K "w °^i Photographic Sciences Corporation # :0^ ^ 6^ # I 174 THE CBLlGATIOIfS OP CHRISTIAIfS must be had in administering reproof to times, places, and circumstances. When any one is inflamed with wine, or with passion, it is then a bad time to give reproof. We should wait till the fumes of wine have passed away, or till reason has rgain resumed dominion over passion, before we can ex- pect reproof to produce compunction. When the person do- serving reproof is in company, it is generally a wrong time End place to give it. He will be more likely to benefit by reproof when alone ; for no man likes to be reproved before his fellow-men. following instance is a striking illustration of this The fact : — '* The late Rev. John Brown, of Haddioi^ton, once passing the Frith of Forth, between Leith and Kinghorn, had for a felloA' passenger a Highland nobleman. Mr. Brown observed, with grief, that he frequently took the name of God in vain ; but suspecting, that to reprove him in the presence of the other passengers, might tend only to irritate him, he forebore saying any thing till he reached the opposite shore. After landing, Mr. B., observing the nobleman walking alone, stepped up to him, and said, "Sir, I was sorry to hear you swear, while on our passage. You know it is written, * Thou shalt not take the name ot the Lord thy God in vain.' ** The nobleman, taking off his hat, and bowing to Mr. B., made the following reply : ♦' Sir, I return you thanks for the reproof you have now given me, and shall endeavour to attend to it in future ; but," added he, *' had you have said this to me while in the boat, I believe I should have run you through witii my sword." However, when the sinner is audacious and hardened, or where he is, especially, doing much mischief to others, it is then our duty to rebake him sharply before all, that others also may fear. Take an example, " The late Rev. Mr. B. was once entertaining himself with seeing some of his pnrishoners catching salmon, when Colonel , with several gentlemen, came near them. As the former, who was at that time a justice of the peace, was swearing in a very profane manner, Mr. B. thus addressed him : ♦' Sir, you are a justice of the peace, and a gentleman of family and fortune, therefore your example to all should b(!come the state in which kind Providence has placed you." He answered, " Sir, I will not come and swear in your church !" This was spoken with great bitterness. Mr. B. then lef\ him ; but the fishermen afterwards said, that the gentleman was very angry, and declared if the minister hud not gone away ho would have thrashed him. But his future conduct ir> SEEi: THE SALTATION OF SOULS. 175 towords Mr. B. became the gentleman ; for, some time afterwards, Mr. B. having some business to transact with the justice, the latter at first sight thanked him for his reproof, but add>.d, that he should not have given it in so public a manner. Mr. B. replied, "Sir, my reason for doing so was, because the fishermen who were present are my pashioners ; and as swearing is a prevailing vice with them, I am fr(?quently under the necessity of reproving them. Therefore, sir, reflect but a moment, and you will see the propriety of what I did, and of the public manner in which I did it. Would not the fishermen have said, that the minister could reprove them, but that he was afraid to reprimand the justice, if they had not witnessed the contrary .'" The gentleman was well pleased with Mr. B's. remark, and ever afterwards treated iiim with kindness and respect." We are perfectly aware that it is very diUlcult to lay down rules, in this respect, to meet all ctisfs ; but wc? discover that much caution is necessary, and much judgment is required in reproving sinners. It behoves us, therefore, to seek from above large measures of tlitit wisdom, which is profitable to direct ; and depend upon God, at all time?, for that courage which is needed to enable us to perform this duty aright : then we shall not greatly err. Reproof, to he successful, must he administered faiihfvlJxf, It the Scriptures are to be our guide, faithfulness must char- acterize all our reproofs. The best of men, we there discov- er, reproved sinners in a very faithful manner. Isaiah re- proved the Jews in the following faithful manner : — " Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it catmot save ; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear : But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not isear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity ; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered per- verseness." — Chap. 1. 1 — 3. Jeremiah, for his faithful re- proofs, was cast into a loathsome dimgeon. Peter reproved Simon Magus in these words : — " Thy money perish with thee, because thou liast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter : (or thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent, therefore, of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if erhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. ''or I perceive that thou art in tlie gall of bittertK*»s, and in the boud of iniquity." — Acta viii. 20 — 23. Paul, filled with E em 176 TUB OBLISATIOKS OP CHBISTUMS ill the Holy Ghost, reproved Elymas the sorcerer, in the follow- ing terrific manner : — " O full of all subtiltv and all mis- chief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteous- ness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord. And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness ; and he wont about seeking some to lead him by the hand." — Acts xiii. 10, 11. Our blessed Lord and Master reproved sinners in the most taithful manner : hear his languar;e : — " Woe unto you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye shut up ti\o kingdom of heaven against men : for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering, to go in. Woo unto you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence, make long prayer : therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, yc m»ike hiin twofold more the child of hell than your- selves." — M;itt. xxiii. 13 — 15. Those examples clearly show that lUitlifulness characterized all the reproofs given by prophets, apostles, and our blessed Redeemer. They have left us an oxiunple tliiU we should follow their steps. How- ever judicious our roproofs are, they must be faithful, or we shall bo coudeinued by the Lord our judge, who rogardeth not persons, nor accepteth a reward. Reproof, to be successful, must be administered affectionate* Jy, Want of affection will defeat our object. Men will not listen to our reproofs, if they are given in a wrong spirit ; for this will convince them that we do not love them. Let us convince men that we love them ; that our reproofs spring from deep concern for their present and eternal good, and our object is gained. They cannot resist the force of reproof, when accompanied with the sweet incense of love. To con- vince them that wo love them, we must do so in reality. No polite phrases, no earnest protestations are needed to con- vince meji that we love them : these are generally resorted to by the insincere. The eye must beam with love, the tones of the voice must express love, and the whole of our conduct must give unmistakeable proof that we love them not in word only, but in deed and of a truth. If wo wish our reproofs to be oHoctual, the lovo of God must be shed abroad in our hearts : the oonsirainitig love of Christ, who wept while de- nouncing Israel's doom, and who, while reproving his disci- TO SEEK TEE SALTATION 07 SOVUh 111 £les for sleeping while he was sweating as it were drops of lood, uttered an excuse for their neglect, must impel us and guide us in reproving sinners. The more we have of the love of God, the better shall we be prepared to adminis- ter reproof in a becoming and an effeotive manner ; for when divine love constrains us, we shall be sure to discharge this duty with affection. i3y reproving sinners, our object is not to pain them ; but to save them from everlasting pains. This object can only be gained by love : — •' Love only can the conquest win. The strength of sin subdue." When unrenewed sinners plainly discover that we reprove them because wo really love them, and are horrifi(>d at the thought of the eternal ruin which thoy are securing for tliem- selves by their sins, our reproofs will ci:ter tiieir hearts, and cause them to forsake sin, which not only grieves us, but, if not forsaken, will pierce them through with many r-orro.va, and at last drown them in perdition. To induce us to per- form this duty airectionutcly, surely tlie right remeiubranco, that we " were sometimes darkness," that " v',- ourselves, also, wore sometimes foolish, disobedient, dectived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, Imteful and hating one another," is sufficient. But, alas ! we are all too apt to forget " the rock from whence wo were hewn, and the hole of the pit from which we were digged ;" and hence being filled with spiritual pride, we are too ready to reprove sinners with a hard heart and cutthig language, in- stead of reproving thorn in love. Let us never forget, in re- proving sinners, what we once were, and this consideration will induce us to adnunister reproof in the best manner pos- sible. In the discharge of this duty, jierscverance is required. We must not give up sinners as incorrigible, because they do not listen to our reproofs the first, second, or even twentieth time. We must not suppose a man is bad beyond correction, or de- praved beyond amendment, by any means, so long as he troadj this earth. While there is life, we may cherish hope of the sinner's amendment, yea, of his regeneration ; there- fore wo shf)uld persevere in reproving sinners, unless wo are insolently tlirbiddcn, treated scornfully, and persecuted shame- fully for our benevolent reproofs. In such cases wo may cease to reprove by our tongues, but not by our lives, nor by our pens, nor yet by our looks. If we are in circumstances that we must not speak reproof, we may live it, write it, or iSi 1^ tm 0BL1GATI0«TS OF CftRISTllirS look it. A reproving look has, before now, saved Soula. "And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. "-^Luke xxii. 61, 62. Persevere in the discnarge of this duty, remembering that the sinner's soul is of more value than the world. Consider, I J. The delight felt, and the blessing received, by those who disciiarge this duty aright. " But to them that rebuke him, shall be delight, and a good blessing ohall come upon them." From the right (Uncharge of this duty, every good man wiU derive internal, satisfaction and joy. It is stated in tlie Scrip, tures that " A good man shall be satisfied from himself," and In reference to those who give judicious reproof, this remark is strikingly icorrect. When good men conscientiously re- prove sinnfrs, the conviction of having performed their duty banishes all those unpleasant feelings which are connected with its performance, and imparts to their minds tlie highest satisfaction and joy. This satisfaction and joy they possess indepenciently of the g.)()d that may result from the reproofs given. The delight spoken of in tlio text, is independent of the praise and censure of men. Whether others applaud or condemn, the men who properly reprove sin, have the satis- faction arising from the considerations that their motives were pure, their object good, and that their duty to God and their fellow-creatures required this much from them. Therefore, let others say what they please, they have consciences < " ar and void of ollence toward God and inan. Our text deck-rcs that with such shall be delight. They have springs of joy in themselves, while those who neglect this duty, have within tliem a constant source of uneasiness and sorrow. Those who neglect this duty have a wounded spirit which none can bear, while those who do reprove sin have a spirit of peace, and joy, and love. The men who reprove sin have nothing to regret, whatever they may have to sulfer, for performing this duty. They can go to tiieir God with con.'idence, for tlicy have done what his word requires. They are prepared to meet the siimois at the judgment seat, whom they have reproved, without fearing either the condemnation of their judge, or the reproaches and curses of simiers. They re. TO mt mn SAtviTidif (xf sovia. I^ proved them, they warned them, they besought them th Christ's stead to be reconciled to God ; therefore if they an* found on the left hand of the judgo, they cannot blame their faithful reprovers. These consiilerations afford unspeakable delight to all those who judiciou>jly, faithfully, afilctionalely, peraeveringly reprove sinners for their wickedness. But those who neglect this duty have not a con.scifnco void of offence ; they cannot go to the throne of grace with boldness, they are not prepared to meet sinners in the jiidgmeni, therefore are often filled with pain on thf\se grounds. Ami let us remind all such that the delivjiit i^pikfu of in che text, they never will have, they never can have, until they co». scientiously perform their duty in reproving sin. Our text goes still further, it po.iitirf^y dec/ores that a f^nofl hlessivg shall come upon the*-i who rcifuke .vnnrr.i. 'i'h 'y shall not only receive a bless n-:, htv a goo I hli .ssin^^'. Tfvi meaning of which is that a complete, -full blossi:ig shall they receive who rebuke sinners. Those who reprove sinners, will receive a good blessing from the parties reproved, when they see their sins, and avB turned from them. A converted sinnor always regards those as his best friends who reproved him for his wickfdnrss, and turned his thoughts to God, and Christ, and heaven ; not those who fluttered and persuaded him to go on in sin ; nor yet does he regard those as h's friends who connived at hia sins, and held their peace when they ought to have reproved and warned him. When a sinner sees the evil nature and the ruinous eflects of sin : when he obtiiins the forgiveness of sin through the blood of the J^amb, and hns peace with God, and can rejoice in hope of the glory of God, then his heart- iest blessings will come upon those who reproved him vif sin, faithfully 'pointed out the end of his wicked course, and wlu> urged him to fly for refugfj to lay hold upon the hope set b». fore him. His prayers will ever ascend to the God of all grace for the present and eternal welfare of his reprover. The reasonings of the saved sinner's mind are, " I was liv- ing in sin and going down to the pit ; but that good man stop- ped me in my wicked course, by reproving me of my sinsy and warning too of the danger to which they exposed mo ; through his kindness I have been led to Jesus, and hav» found redemption in his blood ; it is my Ixinndcn duty, ther». fore, to do that man all the good that lies in my power, and doily pray for his peace and prosperity." Thoso who rebuk* M 180 tHB OBLIGATIONS OP CRniSTIAlirS the wicked, will undoubtedly receive a good blessing from those sinners who are savingly benefitted by their reproofs. Those who reprove sinners will receive a good blessing from all the intelligent and pious. While the people curse the men that flatter the wicked, and while nations abhor them ; all the intelligent and pious will love, honour, and bless the men who faithfully reprove sinners. They will regard all such as true patriots, genuine philanthroplvsts, and real Christians. The intelligent and pious know that sin has a demoralizing influence \x\)o\\ a country, deprives the human race of that happiness tliey might enjoy, and robs the blessed God of his glory, and therefore they do consider those men the lovers of their country, the benefactors of their race, and the servants of the most high God, who, by well-timed and faithful reproof, stop sinners in their career of madness and mischief, and turn them to holiness and God. And viewing them in this honorable light, their choicest blessings will come upon the reprovers of sin. Thorn 7cho reprove sinners will receive a good blessing Jrom the righteous Judge, of all. God will impart to them his bless- ing, which nuiketh rich and addeth no sorrow. " God is not unrighteous to forget your work of faith and your labour of love.'' lie will reward, both in time and in eternity the faithful reprovers of sin. He will reward such in the pres- ent world, by filling their hearts with peace and joy. Even in this world, they will enjoy the favour and protection, the the presome and love of the blessed God. Tiicy will be permitted to have " fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ." The Holy Spirit will witness with their spir- its that they are the children of God, and they shall have the testimony that they please God. Those who honour God, by reproviiig sin, God will honour. He will be their guide in perplexity, their light in darkness, their joy in sorrow, their present help in every time of trouble. In short, he will bless them with all the good they need on earth : for to the pious reprovers of sin may specially be addressed the consolatory language of Paul to the Phillippians : — *' My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." God will also bestow upon the faithful reprovers of sin a good blessing in eternity, for he will raise them to dwell with him in glory for ever. The blessing he will then bestow upon the reprovers of sin is so good that human language cannot describe its value, and human hearts cjiuiot conceive its greatness. It is afar more TO SEEK TBI SALVATION OP SOULS. 181 txceeding and eternal weight of glory. When the consistent reprovers of sin have finished bear-ng their solemn and earnest protest against the sins of their fellow-men, then God will address them in the following heart-cheering pas- sage : — " Well done, good and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful over a few things, 1 will make thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." What a blessing to entf r into the joy of the Lord ! Is not this a good blessing? Fulness of joy,' pleasures for evermore! Eternity alone can fully reveal the goodness of the blessing which God will bestow upon the faithful reprovers of sin. Oh ! if you love God, rep.-ove sin, and never fear but the Lord God will be to you '« A sun and shield ; the Lord will give grace and glory : no good thing will he withold from them that walk uprightly." Before closing this important subject, allow us to remind you of the loss already sustained through neglecting to reprove sin- ners. Through not attending to this duty, we have lost the satisfaction and pleasure connected with its right perform- ance. Ah, how often has conscience smitten us, when we have seen sinners doing evil, and have not reproved them ? How often have we retired from the houses of sinners to our Xn, followed by remorse and terror, when we have suffered m to go on in their wicked courses, without sounding an alarm in their ears ? Ey neglecting this duty, we have lost the delight spoken of in our text ; for our 'peace has been destroyed, and our souls filled with poignant grief. In addi- tion to this, we have lost the good blessing of the intelligent and pious. When they have witnessed our backwar aess in the performance of this duty, they have been forced to re- prove us, and charge us with a want of that Christian cour- age which wo ought ever to manifest in the cause of Christ. Wo have also lost the good blessing, and brought upon our- selves the sad reproaches of many sinners, who now see the error of their ways. It is true they are now enlightened and saved, but no thanks to us for their present happiness : they might have perished for what we have done for them. And wo have incurred the displeasure of God by our cowardice and dereliction of duty. Many cry. My leanness, my lean- ness, through neglecting to reprove sin ; they have lost many spiritual blessings through their indolence and cowardice, which God was waiting to impart. But there is, we fear, a loss sustained, far greater than any of these, through our neglecting this duty, even an irre- 16 n IBS* THS OBLIGATIONS OF C^tSTIAKS I I treivabh h»s- The loss we have sustained may be r^triffvei! by penitence, faiih, and prayer. But how can those souls be now saved, who may have been lost through our neglecting to reprove them, warn them, and turn them to Christ ? Dread- ful thought I Agonizing reflection ! Is it possible that im- mortal souls, for whom Christ died, are no^w damned for ever because we did not reprove them ? It is possible. We have neglected tc reprove sinners, many of them have died in their sins, and are now in hell : they might have been saved if we had done our duty. That soul, formerly of our ac- quaintance, that is now wrapped in flames of fire, might have been clothed in white robes : and that poor wretch thkt is calling for a drop of water to cool his parched tongue, might now have been drinking the living streams of bliss, in paradise : and that miserable being who is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing his teeth in unutterable anguish, might this moment have been ascribing " Salvation to God and the Lamb," ha^ we faithfully performed our duty, and rebuked them, and not have suffered sin upon them. And who is to pay for this loss ? Souls, it is possible, have been lost by our neglect. The end of Christ's cursed death has been frustrated by our means ; and what shall happen to us, by whom our fellovv-men perish eternally ? How great is the guilt we, have incurred hy neglecting to reprove sin/ We have been guilty of slighting, disobeying a plain, positive command of God's law : and thereby we have sinned against our neighbour, sinned against our coun- try, sinned against our kind, sinned against our own souls, and, above all, sinned against tiie ever blessed God ! It is true the sin we have committed is one of omission : but we have yet to learn that the guilt of sins of omission is less than the guilt of sins ^f commission ; nor -are we aware that the punishment due to sins of omission, is less than that which is due to sins of commission. The following passage shows that sins of omission are sometimes greater in their enormity, and will receive a greater punishment, than sins of commission : — " And tliat servant, which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. I'or unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required : and to whom men have committed much, of them tlioy will ask the more." — Luke xii. 47, 48. ^Vo liavo known for years that it is our duty, "0 SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 4<68 as Christians, to reprove sinners. We have all of us, prob- ably, neglected this duty ; by this neglect, we may have ruined souls, have incurred guilt, and deserve punishment. And now what shall we do ? We cannot undo the past. We cannot rescue the souls that may have already perished through our neglect. What can we do ? The loss others have sustained through our neglect cannot be repaired, but our guilt may he forgiven, and our punish- ment may be averted. For all our offences there is a sacri- fice, and to plead our caufse there b an advocate. " If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins : and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." — 1 John ii. 1, 2. Let us go at once to the throne of grace, and put our cause into the hands of this all powerful advo- cate. Let us cast our guilty souls upon his propitiatory sac- rifice. Let us penitently, freely, fully confess this heinous sin, which we have so frequently committed ; let us deplore tfas Sfld COllseq'Jences of it, and lot us weep and make sup- plication, till our guilt is forgiven, and we are restored to the joy of God's salvation. And then God will, for Christ's sake, pardon our iniquity, though it is great. Let us be careful in future not to come into the same con- demnation. Let us " Add to our faith courage." Courage, Christian courage is what we need, to enable us to reprove sinners. Want of courage has been the cause of our fail- ure in past days ; we have had the desire to reprove sinners in days that are gone, but we have often lacked the courage ; and hence sinners have gone unreproved. Why ! O why should we be afraid ? Sinners have far more reason to be afraid of our reproofs, than we have to be afraid of giving them. Guilt makes all men cowards ; and, depend upon it, however boisterous sinners may be, they actually dread our reproofs, more than the greatest coward among Christians dreads giving reproof. Take courage, ye men and women of God, and fear not the revilings of men, neither be ye afi'aid of their reproaches ; but judiciously, faithfully, af- fectionately, and perseveringly reprove all who have the te- merity to sin in your presence, and you shail have delight and a good blessing shall come upon you. Why should we be afraid ? Has not God promised to give us a mouth and wisdom which our adversaries shall not be able to grinsay nor resist ? Has he not said, " My grace is sufficient for thee ; for my strength shall be made perfect in ihy weak* 184 THE OBLIOATIONS OP CHSISTIANS ness ? Is not his Spirit within us as the Spirit of knowledge, and counsel, and might ? Does not God command us to re- prove sinners? Do not sinners expect to be reproved by saints ? Why then should we be afraid of giving reproof, or of performing this duty aright ? Begone unbelief. Thou art the cause of our failure in this as well as in every other duty. Have faith in God, O my soul, and thou shalt tread down strength, and be able, with true Christian courage, to reprove all who dare to dishonour God, crucify Christ, and grieve the Holy Spirit, by the commission of sin. Have faith in God, Christian brethren, and the reproving of sin- ners shall become a pleasii g and profitable duty to you, and the enemies of the cross shall submit themselves to your re- proofs, and ye shall lead them with weeping and supplica- tions to " The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." " Have faith in God" and faithfully reprove in his name, and you shall deprive Satan of his prey, and hell of her expectation, by plucking many a brand out of the fire, and quenching it in t}>e v/aters of life. •• Fear not ye saints, quit you like men : be strong and of a good cour- age." And " one of you shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight." May the Eternal Spirit, for Christ's sake, give unto all his people the harmlessness of the dove, the wisdom of the serpent, the courage of the lion, that they may, with gentleness, wisdom, and courage, so reprove sinners, that they may give up their sins, and give themselves to Christ, that they may be eternally saved. Amen. I DISCOURSE X .■ THE niTTT OP CHRISTIANS TO SEE* THE RESTORATION OT] ' ■ ; fiAciKSLiijisRS. ;t/ ;;;;.. use " Brethhek, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are epiritURl, restore such. an one in the spi'It of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." — Galhtians vi. 1. > Christianity is a lovely system. When its duties are rightly understood, and faithfully performed, it must excite the admi- ration of every intelligent mind, and the love of every susceptible heart. The love of God shed abroad in the heart produces kindness, goodwill to all men. Christi- anity imperatively requires its professors to seek the present and eternal good of all ; but especially to seek the welfare of those who are " the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus." In this chapter we are addressed in these words, " And let us not be weary in well doing : for in diie season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good to nil men, specially unto them who are of the household of faith." We are, as Christians, then, to do good to all men as we have opportunity. We are never to grow weary nor faint in well doing ; and then, in due season, we shall reap a rich and an enduring reward. Christianity requires "tlie followers of Jesus to pay the ut- most attention to those unhappy beings usually termed back- sliders. We are not to treat them as the world treats apos- tales, with reproach, and scorn, and hatred : with sovereign conter-pt and cruel neglect. Ah, no! This is worldly wis- dom ; but it is not the wisdom which cometh from above. This is the religion of the world ; but it is not the religion ol the Bible. The world never forgives those who have betrayed Its interests ; who have apostatised from the views, the prin- ciples, and the practices which the world holds dear. They are doomed, poor wretches, to endure, as long as they breathe, the hatred of their ungodly fellow-tncn. What a contrast does Christianity present ! Though a brother in Christ has fallen ; though he has rebelled against God, betrayed Christ, grieved the Holy Spirh, damaged the cause of religion, made angels weep, caused wicked men and devils to rejoice atid triumph, and filled our hearts with unspeakable anguish, yet 186 THI OBLIGATIONS OF CHHISTIINS we must indulge no hatred toward that man ; we must heap upon his head no reproaches ; we must neithe. feel nor mani- fest any scorn, any contempt, any neglect ; but, with hearts full of pity and compassion, we must bend all our energies, and employ all our resources, to restore that fallen brother. How admirable is the religion of Jesus! How infinitely su- perior to the world's spirit, and maxims,. and customs, under similar circumstances, is the course prescribed in the words we have read for a text : " Brethren, if a man be overtaken ia a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness ; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Tiiis is Christianity. Let us consider, tl. The case supposed. 'H. The diiiy enjoined. •HI. The reason by which it is enforced. I. The J. beyond the reagh of templatioa — beyond the possibility pf % 190 THB OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS falling. Are Christians in ihe ,pi;esent x^ay v*neefcer than Moses was, holier than David was, wj^er, than Soloo^on was, more devoied tp Christ than Peter was ? We .th^nk not. Then, " Let him that thinKeth lie standeth, take heed lest he fall." It is possible, then, for a.ChrisU^n to be oy^rtajien in a fault. It is very probable that some will be surprised into ain. Sur- rounded as we are by temptations to sin, having a nature in- clined to evil, and exposed as we are to tfie acc«sations, the deceptions, and the enticements of the g'-eat adversary of God und man, wlio, " as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour," we netd not doubt the pTObability of some being overtaken in a fault, of some being surprised into sin. Christians live in a world that is full of evil ; where every thing has a tendency to draw them froin Christ to the world, to sin, and to death. The allurements, the busi- ness, the smiles, the frowns of the world, are all inimical to godliness. Our condition in liie has its peculiar trials and temptations. Rich men arc tempted to pride, to frivolity, to sensual indulgence, to forgetfulness pf God. Poor men are tempted to murmurinpf, to torgeuuiwCoa, lu impatience ; to speak hastily against God, and injuriously of their fellow- men. Those who move in the niidula walks of human life, are in danger of being overcharjjod with the cares of this life. Amid the hui'i'3f aiiu miigue of b 'sine:?, tliey are in danger of neglecting their Bibles, llieir closet duties, their family de- votions. Business concerns also have a tendency to harrass the mind, and deaden religious sensibilities ; and when the spirit is jaded, then little anxiety is felt about the performance of spiritual duties. They arc in danger, at times, of either performing them carelessly, or omitting them entirely ; and thus, while attending to things seen, th«>y ore tempted to over- look things not seen. When you add to tlieae the dangers arising from vain curiosity, and (Votn the cHects of satan and his angels, who are using, and will continue to use, every moans likely to effect the ruin of believers, it is probable that some will be surprised into sin. It is quite certain that many, in the times in vtkich we live, have besn mertaken in faiiUs, Since we started in the Chris- Uan course, many have ful' n on the right hand and on the MItti We Oiiin call to mind many wlto onoe ran well, but something has hindered ; many who were once found in the ■&...«» ^^m *»lr»\\t fk^^**tam\^m£* H.i* 1ft n «y^% #l.li.»ft^#1 ^na^^ft ffi.^-\»ftr« AlftA n/\l If pommandnoent delivered unto theni; and are now iound wai« to sest Tfii sAtVAtioN oT sotia. rti loWingAii tJfe mfre of sin. Wherever we go, we meet with*^ backslidfers. In our own times we have seen some of the brightest ornaments of the church brolcen to fragments — some of the burning and shining lights quenched in darkness : their beauty has vanished, their light has gone out, their glory has 'I3part6d ! Since we commenced our voyage to heaven, we have seen many make shipwreck of faith pnd a good con- science. They had nobly commitied their bark to the deep ; gallantly spread their sails to the breeze, which they thought would waft them to the port of glory ; they bade fair for a successful voyage. But a gale arose; their hearts failed them; through despondency and terror, they neglected to cry unto the Lord in their distresses ; and the result is easily told : they became a complete wreck. We have, since we com- menced our ascent to heaven, beheld, with pleasure, many ascending the glorious ladder, which reaches from eurth to heaven, rising higher and higher, while they kept their eyes fixed upon Jesus, who stands upon the top; but intense anxi- ety for their safety filled our hearts when we saw them look- ing down again to the earth. That look made them giddy ; they took a false step ; down they fell to the earth, and great was their fall ; for, if not dead, they are so stunned, bruised, man^jled, have so many bones broken, that their lives are de- spaired of. Perhaps some who hear us this day have to deplore, with the preacher, some sad fall from the favour of God in past days ; but with him can rejoice in the restoration of God's salvation. Let us then remember, that what has happened, may happen again ; therefore, let us not be high- minded, but fear : lest a promise being left us of entering into rest, any of us should come short of it. The case supposed in the text is most lamentable. For a Christian to be surprised into sin, is one of the greatest evils that can come upon him, or upon the church, or uix)n the world. When a Christian is overtaken in a fault, he wounds his conscience, grieves the Holy Spirit, and loses the joy and peace he had <)l»tainod through believing. When a be- liever is surprised into sin, he loses his purity, again becomes filthy and abominable, and tiiereby forfeits his title to the pur- chased possession. By being overtaken in a fault, the child of God loses his .stronglh ; and, like Sampson, with his head shaved, ho is taken by his spiritual foes, his eyes put out, hia limbs bound with filters of brass, and he is made to grind in tho nrison-h.ousc of the dovih When a Christian 1" nvertjiken in a fault, he is oxjjoscd to the *• many stripes," «' the sorer B 102 TAt OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS Sunishment," " the greater damnation I" The deepest, the arkest, the hottest place in the bottomless pit is reserved for baclisliders : because they are *he greatest of all sinners. They " were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heaven-^ ly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good vc ord of God, and the powers of the world to come ;" yet, they have ** trodden underfoot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith they were sanctified, an unholy thing, and have done despite to the Spirit of grace.'' The heaviest punishment in eternity will be the portion oi the apostate. When a man is overtaken in a fault, the church is deeply injured. Christ, the head of the church, is wounded by one of his friends. The Holy Spirit, the source of light, and pu- rity, and life in the church, is highly insulted and deeply grieved. The ministers and officers of the church are sent to weep between the porch and the altar ; and have to mourn in secret over the unhappy conduct, ard miserable state of their fellow-brethren. The members of the church are sorely pained, greatly discouraged, and much reproached, on account of the sad fall of him who once went with them to the house of God, and with whom they once took sweet coun- sel. When a child of God is surprised into sin, the world is injured. The god of this world may rejoice, fallen-angels may hold their infernal feasts, the men of the world may triumph over the falls of saints ; but the world is injured, deeply injured, by every backslider. Satan's kingdom is not injured, the cause of devils is not weakened, but strengthened, by this sad event ; yet, the human race is deeply injured. Every fall of saints tends to keep unconverted men in dark- ness ; to rivet the chains of bondage more firmly upon their souls; to keep thorn in guilt, impurity, and misery ; to hurry them on faster down to the chambers of hell ; and to render ineffectual all tiie means employed for their enlightenment, emancipation, happiness, and eternal salvation. The falls of believers arc among the greatest barriers to the conversion of men, and are the greatest impediment to the free course and glorification of God's word. And, wliile backslidings are Se- quent, we cannot expect knowledge, righteousness, peace, and joy to fill the world. The case supposed in the text is not unavoidahle : there. is no need for any man to be overtaken in a fault. Some iay it Is impossible for them to stand ; that thoy must lali ^O iskSK TBB SALVATION or BOVhS. m / he restored. To restore a fallen bro- ther IS to bring him ag.iin to penitence for his sins, to trust n^^ixm in the Inood of Christ for fDruivcnrss, to make him •gain the possessor of the joy of God's salvation, and of the 17 tM ^vtnt xmvia'Afnottn or oHstsriAMs Ik. I I i t H M iKjpe ©r the glory of God, and to bring him agatn to the«n. joyment of church privileges, so soon as there is evi^eaqe of his being again a child of God. A backslider may •bethus f ©stored. Moses fell into «in, forfeited the favour of God, «nd, in consequence, was prevented from entering the earth- ly Canaan; but he was restored to God's favour, was per- mitted a sight of the promised lund from Pisgah's lop, actu- ttHy entered into heaven, and is now before the throne of God. We have scriptural proof that Moses is in heaven, though he was once overtaken in a fault ; for on the mount of transfiguration " Behold there appeared unto them, Moses and Elias talking with him." — Matt. xvii. 3. If Moses is *iot an inhabitant of heaven, he would not have appeared with Christ in his glory, and talked with him, on the mount of transfiguration. And we have every reason to believe that David was restored to the joy of God's salvatbn ; was upheld by God's free Spirit; that he afterwards taught transgressors God's way ; that sinners were converted through his agency ; and that he is now tuning his harp and singing liis psalms in loftier strains than those in which he sung when on earth, which afford us, even now, most precious consola- tion. And surely no man who read-^ the Bible can doubt of Peter's restoration. No sooner had he fallen, than he re- membered the words of the Lord, and went out and wept bitterly. It appears, from Mark's expression, that Peter was grieved, ever afterwards, on account of his fall, as long as he lived; for he says, "And when he thought thereon, he wept." All doubts upon Peter's restoration must vanish, when we read the conversation which Christ had with him after dinner, on one occasion, before Christ ascended to hea- von. One portion of the narrative of that conversation reads thus: — •• He saith unto him the third time, Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me 1 Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things ; tliou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him. Feed my sheep." — John xxi. 17. And Peter did feed both the lumbs and sheep of Christ's flock ; for ho became a most intrepid and successful preacher of righteousness, and wrote two epistles, which are feeding the lambs and sheep of Christ's flock to this very day. Many living witnesses can prove the truth of the assertion : the backslider may be restored. Your preacher would not now be encnccd in the work of the niiiiistry, if God had not recov ,red hiin by his grace, from a spiritual full he had I TO S£BK TS£ SALVAIION OE SOJJSiS. 19ft some tw«nty years ago, and if a kind friend had not reached out his hand to assist him in rising. The cases cited abova show that those who have fallen from God, and committed the most heinous sins, may be restored. We cannot imagine greater crimes than those committed by Moses, David, and Peter. Mases robbed God of liis glory, David committed adultery and murder ; Peter, with oaths and curses, denied his master. Surely none that have named the name of Christ have been overtaken in greater faults than these. Then the vilest backslider may be restored. All Christians, perhaps, acknowledge that backsliders may be restored, but few really believe it ; for if they did, they would seek their restoration. It is the duty of all Christians to seek the restoraiion of backsliders. *' Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one, in the spirit of meekness." We are too apt to leave this duty upon any one else, rather than perform it ourselves. It is the duty of every Christian to seek the restoration of a fallen saint, and the false sentiment, so generally acted upon, contained in the celebrated proverb " What is every one's business, is no one's business," will not justify us at the bar of God, for neglecting to restore the brother, or sister, that has been overtaken in a fault. The term Brethren includes all that are born again of the Spirit. It literally signifies those who are sons of the same parents ; so that, spiritually, it must sig- nify those who are born again of the same Spirit. It espe- dally means those who are members of the same church; ior Brethren is generally applied to the members of the same society or church, and Brothers, to the sons of the same pa- rents. The term Spiritual signifies one that is spiritually minded, one endued with the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. "Ye which are spiritual," who still retain the grace of the gospel, and have wisdom and experience in divine . things, are here positively commanded by the Holy Ghost to restore the man that is overtaken in a fuult. Wo should feel it to be our duty to lift up a brother after the flesh, if he had fallen into difficulties and sorrows. The love of a bro- ther is very great. He is born for adversity. Many would part with their all of worldly gwd, to extricate a brother from temporal ualamitif^s. And are not those who are breti)- ren to us, after the Spirit, as dear to us as are our brothers after the flesh ? If they are not, we are destitute of the re- iigioB of Jecu9, which saiih :— ^' Beloved let m love 009 909. 196 TH£ OBLIQATIONS OF CHRISTIANS ther : for love is of (rod : and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not. knoweth not God.: for God is love. We know that ve have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that lov- eth not his brother, abideth in death. Whosoever haleth his brother, is a murderer : und ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abldinor in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us : and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."-—! John iv. 7, 8, and iii. 14 — 16. If, then, it is our duty to love our brethren for Christ's sake, to tl>e extent of laying down our lives for them, surely it is our duty to restore a brother that is overtaken in a fault. Were we to neglect to help, to the utmost of our abilii " our own relatives when in distress, we should be exe- crated by the voice of the community at large. And Paul assures us that children and nephews, who profess Christian- ity, and will not provide for their mothers and aunts, who are widows and in distress, have " denied the faith, and are worse than infidels." What, then, are we to think of those Christians who will not endeavour to restore a fallen brother, who has lost more than life, and breath, and all temporal things, by losing " The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost ?" Think of them ! We must think, if we think soberly, that they are lovers of their ownselves, strangely forgetful of their duty, and are hurrying themselves to ruin as fast as they can. No Christian, who so wilfully neglects his duty to a fallen brother, can long stand in the divine favour. He has already lost his first love, 's in a backsliding state, wili soon become lukewarm : and, then, Christ will spew him out of his mouth as a nauseous thing, that excites the most unpleasant and loathsome sensations. This is a duty fron* which none of us must shrink, if we are to retain tlie favour of God, and save our own souls. If the restoration of a fallen brother affected our temporal, interests ; if it were a matter of pounds, shillings, and pence, by which we could gain a little more paltry gold, we should soon see our duty, and soon oerform it : for, " What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after v'hat which is lost, until he find it ? And when he hath found it, he layetli it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he co»xi6th hoaie, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, •ayiog unto tbem, Rejoice with me; for 1 have found that to SBSX TB£ SALVATION OF SOULS. which was losi. .... Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it ? And when she hath found It, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me ; for I have found that wMch I had lost." — Luke xv. 4 — 6, and 8, 9. Now, do we blame a man for seeking his lost sheep, or a woman for searching diligently for her lost piece jf silver ? We do not. We should blame them for neglecting their duty to themselves and their families if they did not seek till they find their lost property, or until all hope of finding it is des- troyed. Listen, then, ye followers of Jesus. When a mf\n is over- taJcen in a fault, one of your blessed Lord's sheep, for whom he suflTered, bled, and died, has gone astray, and i; in danger of being devoured by the roaring lion of hell. Is it the duty of none of you to seek that sheep, and restore it to the fold of Christ ? Christ thinks more of that poor wanderer than he does of the cattle upon a thousand hills : and deeply as he has fallen, and far as he may have wandered, there would be more joy in heaven over his restoration than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance : Christ, in this text, commands every one of you to go and seek, and restore that wandering brother to the fold. And will you, can you, dare you say with Cain, "Am I my brother's keeper?" If you do, he will brand you with Cain's mark, end you shall be known in heaven, on earth, in hell, as the men and the women who saw a brother fall, but would not lend a hand to assist him to rise : — a brother perishing, but would not stretch out your arm. to pluck the brand from the fire ! Brethren, when a man is overtaken in a fault, one of your Lord's jewels is stolen, by the great enemy of souls, who has already defaced its beauty, who is proceeding with infernal malice to break, crush, and destrov it ; andif not speedily recovered from the hnnd of the hellish spoiler, it will be lost to Christ for ever. That jewel Christ prizes more, and it is intrinsically worth more, than all the gold and silver, pearls and rubies, diamonds and precious stones of every hue, of every degree of hardness and value, found in the material universe. That jewel he commands you, his servants, his follower, his friends, to go and rescue from the hand of the enemy, and bring it back to his cabi. net, that he may find it in that day when ho makes up hia 198 ¥HB OBLIOATIOIVS 07 eRRISTIAIVS jeWels. And have none of you devotion, loyalty, and loVe enough to Jesus your master, nor courage and zeal enough in his cause, to attempt the recovery of that jewel ? Then, be assured you forfeit his favour, and will be left ^ prey to the spoiler, who has already nearly ruined your once brilliant and precious companion, whose restorat'ton you will not at- tempt. Were we as anxious to restore a poor wanderer to the fold of Christ, as men are to recover their lost property, we should not see many backsliders ^oing entirely to the world, and becoming lost to themselves, to the church, and to Christ ; but we should see most of them returning to the fold. If we had a proper sense of the deep interest that Christ, who died for them, feels in their restoration ; if we had a deep sense of the infinite value of their souls ; if we had a proper conception of our duty, both to Christ and to them, we should never rest till the brethren who have been surprised into sin are restored to the joy of God's salvation, brought back to the ways of righteousness, and . once more mad© fellow citizens with the saints. Perhaps no class of sinner> in the world have more reason to cry, *' No man careth for my soul," than backsliders ; yet, none more needs our help, and none are we commanded more posmvely to seek and to save. What can we say to our judge, if we neglect to re- store our fallen brethren, when he shall call us to give an account, and when he shall ask us, as he did Cain, Where is thy brother? Ponder this question, ye that are spiritual, and go at once, and restore your fallen brother. To restore the man who has been ouertaken in a fault, proper means must be employed. They must not be overlooked and neglected, as though, by the employment of proper means, they cannot be restored. There are not many backsliders but what may be restored, if the right method is taken to re- store them. To restore the backslider, we must go after him, and endeavour, by our convers ition, to bring him [-onk to the Saviour. In conversing with him, we must ascertihi, vf possible, the state of his mind, and then address him ny-uT-cJ- ingly. If we find him humbled, penitent, brokenhearted, it would bo cruelty to apply even the terrors of the Lord to his aoul. *' A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench." A humbUd backslider id truly a bruised reed, bordering on dissolution, and may be justly compared to the dim wick of a lamp just ready to expire for the want of oil : apply the^'^terrors of the law in thu oa»e» TO SEEK THE S ALVATTON O? SOtLS. idd and you will, in all probability, destroy the reed, and quench the lamp : but encourage suoh to return, by the declarations of mercy made to the ponitent backslider, and you will prop the bruised reed and rekindle the smoking lamp, and Christ will send forth judgment unto victory. He will bless what you say, and that backslider will again flourisii in the house of God, again shine as a light in the world. If, however, we find him obstinate, hardened, and indiffevrent we ought to arouse, if possible, his fears, by reminding him of the ter- rors of the Lord, and showing him that he will become a pillar of reproach and wrath, if he continues his wanderings : and we must endeavour to p?r.suade hitn to turn to God, from whom he has so deeply revolted. Jude suggests both these xnethods of dealing with backsliders, in his short but valuable epistle. Hence he says : — " And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." Those who have sinned through ignorance and sur- prise, we shall generally find penitent, and can only be resto- red by gentle persuasion. Those who have sinned through corruption of heart, or througli pride of intellect, will want tho fear of God's wraih produced in their hearts ; and with them we must use prompt, vigorous, decided measures. Jude justly describes the means to be used, when he says: — ''others save with fear, pulling them out of tho tire " Yes, brethren, we say it with reverence, that some backsliders, if they are to be saved, will require a long pull, and a strong pull, and a pull all together, before we can extricate them from the fire. And why should we not unite our efforts, to pull them out of the flames of sin ? And in pulling them out of the fire we should take care, in our conversations, io say nothing that would give them the least reason to think that their sin is not very offensive both to God and us. Jude declares that we must hate, while we are saving the sinner, i. e. pulling him cut of the fire, even the garment spotted by the flesh. We must shun all familiar intercourse with them, while in a backsliding state, and in no way sanction their sin. As we would shun touching a garment spotted by the flesh of one who hath a plague sore, so must we hate the sin of which they are guilty. Nathan used a very ingenious me- thqd to restore David. And some good men in modern times have been veiy successful in restoring their brethren who have fallen. In most cases the plan which a humble follower of Jesus, of tho name of John Westwood, took to restore a soo YB£ OfiU6i.TIONS OP CHRlfinANfi fallen brother, will prove sucoessful. In one of oiu* societiee, in our native circuit, a very excellent brother was surprijaed into sin> and lapsed into infidelity. Muny intelligent Chris- tians tried to restore him, by reasoning with him ; but they all failed. At length John West wood tliought he would try to restore him. When he call^id and made known his errand, the poor infidel laughed at him for his pains in calling, and said : — " Why, John, it is no use your coming to reason with we : I can overcome in argument all your parsons." John replied, " I am not come to reason with tliee ; but to ask thee, Art thou as happy now as tJiou wert when thou wert a Metho;]i(liever that prays in the Holy Ghost cannot ask for his restoration to life and health. Still, ho can, and must pray to the Lord to forgive him his '■ins: and James espriially refers to the spiritual restoration ^f H ImH^i; brulber, by what hu teiins, " TJie prayef uf THK OBLIGATIONS OF CBaiSTIANS 201 faith" and " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man," which " availeth much," for he saya, " And if he have com- mitted sins, they shall be forgiven him." For remarks on the principles which sliould guide believers in praying for others, we refer to the discourse on intercessory prayer. We have quoted the above passages here to show that it is our duty to seek the restoration of the backslider by prayer, and that we must offer in his behalf the prayer of faith, the inwrought and fervent prayer of the heart, if we are to pre- vail, and see our efforts crowned with success. If you wish to restore a fallen brother, go and plead his case vviih God, in your closet first, then go to the man in humble dependance upon God's promised aid; while conversing with hiui, lift up your soul to G)'i fjr direction, assistance, and success ; pray with the backslider before you leave him, and repeat your visits in this prayerful manner a few times, and there arw not many backsli(lers whom you will not restore. We should persevere in tlje use of these means till the backslider is restored, and we have the happiness of seeing him rejoicing in God his Saviour. God requires us to d(» this. " Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of tiie way ; but let it rather be healed Looking diligently hst any man fail of the grace of God : lest any root of bitternosj* springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." — Heb. xii. 12, l.*3, 15 : Chri.st came to seek and to save that which was lost, and it is our duty to copy his exam- ple. God will have mercy and not sacrifice : and, there- fore, if wo have no mercy upon a fallen brother, and will not sock his restoration, we certainly shall incur his dia- pleasure. We must seek his T\isforulion in the spirit of meekness. Backsliders must not be dealt with in a harsh and an unfeel- ing manner. It is not our duty to reproach and persecute them, as though it became us to do so. They may have sin- ned grievously ; nia> have brought sad reproach on the cause of Chri3t, and deeper into sin. We are not to oount him as an enemy, but admon* ish him as a brother. " Tlie servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient. In meekness instructing these that oppose themselves ; if God perudventure will give them repentance to the acknowledge* meat of the truth ; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the dovi) who are taken captive by him at his will." — 2 Tim. ii. 24 — "26. However earnest and faithful we are with the backslider, we must exhibit the spir- it of meoktioss. In order to this we must have the mind of Christ, and then, like Paul, we shall beseech the fallen bro- ther with the meekness and gentleness of Christ. It is un- necessary to add more tipon this point, as we discussed the manner in which we should converse with sinners in a pre- vious discourse. III. The reason by which this duty is eaforced. '' Consiilering thysnlf lest ihou also be tempted." This is a powerful roiisun, and if rightly considered would lead us to restore a fallen brother. " There is great beauty in thus suddenly changing from tlic Galatian spiritual men to the in- dividual reader himself It rouses his attention, and carries ilu' exhortation homo to him with peculiar force." — McNight. Ft. is fossibh for us In fa//, for we may he tempted effectu. (tfiy. Wo should over remombpr timt we are in the body, e.tpni^ed to temptation ; and though wo may now be spiritual, yet we may, at some future period, bo overtaken in a fault, as our fallen brother has been already. Some, probably, niay think that it is impossible for them to be tcmpteti effectu- ally. They have such a sense of the goodness of God, such k>ve to Christ, such deep eoreciM-n for the welfare of religion, and such horror of apostacy and apostates, that they are ready to say, with Hazarl, " Is thy servant a dog, that he sliould do this great thing ?" Yet Ilazael, who was ro filled with borror at the thought of the crimes which Klisha told him, with fears, ho would commit, went immediately from the presence of the prophet, mwrdnri'd his master, ascended his throne, and onprn<^.?r>d tho children o{ Israel all the days of J*4ioah»7.. S'e 2 Kings, tlvn Hih an horrki uritno of buck^Udins ? V@ do iv«il. Dut do not uay yo will never ux»mit it^ Im ye may to eBfm THE SALVATlOnt OF 90VtS. tm be templed : neither be ye harsh and oruol oensurers of your, fallen l^rWhej, leat ye should be tempted eflectually. " Beware ot Peter's word ; Nor confidently say, I never will deny my Lord, But grant I never may." Considering thyself, or looking to thyself. Thou mayst be tempted effbctimlly. As thy brother " fell through a moment of unwcUchfulness, look about that lliou be not surprised. As he fell, so mayst thou : thou art now warned at his expense ; therefore Iceep a good look out." — Clarke. If thou shouldest be surprised into sin, which is quite a possible case, wouldest thou like to be overlooked, neglected, and have to say, " No man careth for my soul." " None of my former spiritual companions care for me :" thou wouldest not ; then go and restore thy fallen brother. Shouldest thou fall, thou wouldest not like thy former companions to add to thy grief, and har- row up thy Houl with keen reproaches, cutting rebukes, and unfeeling censures. " Therefore, as ye would that men should do to you, do ye even vso to them." Go and restore thy brother in the spirit of meekneso, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. " Blesfied Redeemer, how divine, How righteous is this will of thine ; To do to nil men juat the snme As we expect or wiah from them. This golden lesson, short nnd plain, Gives not the mind nor memory pain ; And every con«'cience must approve This universal law of love." If tfiis universal law of love were kept by all spiritual men, then they would attend to their duty to backsliders, and would bo sure to perform it in a right spirit. The fol- lowing note, from Dr. Clarke, alleeted us deeply when we first read it. "Lest thou also be tempted. And, having luid this warning, thou wilt have less to plead in extenuation of thy offence. It is no wonder if a luirsh and cruel cenmrer of a wettk, hacksliding brother, sliotild bo taught moderation and mercy, by an awful proof of his own frailty. Such on one may jufitly dread the most violent attacks from the arch enemy ; ho will disgrace him if hn can, and if he can ovet' take him, he will have no small triumph. Consider the po»- «iKi1itir i\f i:!ii/i|k n r* ri at\ jitfxttj- i \\t «*«««*^i«j n W\a\ f\%SiMia%f which thou wouldst wish to rcocivo from another. From the 304 THE OBLtGATlONS 6V t^niSTl ktti (jdnsideration of Ti^hat '^e dru, what we hate beert, w Irhftt V74 may he, We should learn to be compassionate. The poei Mantuames has set this in a fine light in his Eclogue, Do honesto A more : — " This is a comraon evil : at one time or other we Have pU done wrung. Eithei v\rE are, or have Been, or may be, as bad as he whom we condemn." The great reason why many of us are careless about re- storing a fallen brother, why we treat him with harshness, is because wc forget our own frailty, and the possibility of our being overtaken in the same way. " Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standelh, take heed lest he full." " Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded ; but fear." While the caution and hu- mility recommended, in these passngrs, will be our best safe- guards agiiinst all sudden temptations, they will cause us to nave compassion on those who have been overtaken in a fault, and cause us to restore ihem in the spirit of meekness. Have we done our duty as brethren to those who have fal- len ? Have wo gone after tiicm, conversed with them, wept over tham, prayed for them, and endeavoured, in the spirit of meekness, to restore thorn ? Or is the word f God appli- cable to us, which he addressed to the shepherds '' Israel, by Ezckiel. '* Tiic diseased have ye not strengih(iied, neither have ye healed that which was' sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, noitlier have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost ; but with force and cruelty have ye ruled them." — Ezck. iv. 4. If this passage be applicable td us, in referf-nce to our fallen brethrf-n — if we are guilty of such conduct, thru Imar what (jfixl says in I he 21st and 2*2nd verses of the samr» chapter, " Behold, I, even I, will judge between ihe fat catilo and the lonn cattle : Because ye have thrust whh the 8id(? and thf> shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad ; Thcreforo will I save my flock, and they shall be no nwro a prey : and I will judge betwpcn cattle and cattle." And when God judges of our conduct to our diseasrd, sick, broken, driven away, lost brethren ; if it bo evident that wo have not UFed means for their restoration ; or, if he find that we have t'.irust theiTi With side nnd fsiiotiidrr, and priNhiii tlirm wiili the hofri^ harshly and cruelly, ho will deal frowardly with us, aiid justly punish fested Let go aft€ dange] for th( prove and te Bishop to pres exceed and nr Amen. TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOULS. SOS punish us for the neglect and harshness which we have mani- fested to our fellow-brethren. Let us then attend to this study in a right spirit. Let us go after the poor backsliders, They are in a miserable and dangerous condition. Let our eyes pity them, our hearts feel for them, and our tongues spare them. Let us meekly re- prove them for their sin, gently soothe their agitated souls, and tenderly beseech them to return to the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls. '« Now, unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceedmg joy ; to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever Amen." — Jude xxiv. 25. If, i 18 DISCOURSE XI. I " Be ye also enlarged."— 2 Corinthuhs vi. 13. In this chapter, the apostle beseeches the Corinthians not to to receive the grace of God in vain. States to them that the apostles, in all things, strove to approve themselves as minis- ters of God, that the ministry might not be blamed. Informs them of the strange paradoxes which often meet in a minis- ter's life ; and, then, calling to remembrance how unjustly the Corinthians had withdrawn from him a portion of their confidence and love, he cries out, in the impassioned language of genuine and vehement love, " O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straiten- ed in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. Now, for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my own chil. dren,) be ye also enlarged." The word enlarged signifies, to be dilated and expanded, as the heart in tender love and benevolence ; and comes from a root which signifies broad, capacious. <' I cannot help ob- serving," says the learned Parkhurst, "that the expression, KapSia. itsifXaTvyrcu," i. e. an enlarged heart, ^* is strictly and philosophically just: the heart of man is really dilated by love and zealous alFection ; and, in consequence, while he is under those joyful passions, his pulse becomes strong and full." As the apostle's love to the Corinthians was increased, he calls upon them fj a similar increase of love toward himself, Though wo might dwell upon the words, be ye also enlarged, in exactly the same sense ; yet, we think, \hey are capable of being, justly and properly, used in a more extended sense; therefore, we^ shall give them a wider scope, and a freer ap- plication. To all Christians, therefore, who desire a greatly enlarged number of sound conversions to God, wo would say, in the language of the apostle, •« Be ye also enlarged." Let us consider, I. The enlargement needed. Tho motives wliiuh should induce us to seek it. The means by which it can be secured. The enlargement needed. We would by no means urge you to seek an enlargement of tk» number of your tooridty acquaintances. We would, in thu II. III. I. 208 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS respoct, insist upon contraction, rather than expansion. You, as Christians, have too many mere worldly acquaintances already. They do you no good, but much harm. " Wliere- fore, come out from amontf them, and bo ye separate." "Know ve not that the friendship of the world is enmitv with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God." — James iv. 4. l^or would we urge you to enlarge your business. Some of you have too much already for your peace, your joy, and your usefulness. Th 're arc many who cannot discharge rightly their duties to God, to their neighbours, to their fami- lies, and to tiicir own souls, because they are overcharged with the business of this world. If your business is large enough to give you and your ftxmilics proper food, proper clothing, proper shelter, your children a proper education, and something to bestow to Christ's cause and God's people, be content: you have all that is needed. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love tlie world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof : but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." — 1 .Tohn ii. 15, 16, 17. In ninety-nine cases, probably, out of every hundred, it is the pride of life which causes Christian men to enlarge their business. It is not necessary for their families ; they have now every thing that they really need to make them comfortable and respectable ; neither is it, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, thiit men enlarge their business be- cause they wish to glorify God and save inunortal souls. The pride of life is the only reason, with too many, who cull them- selves by the name of Christian, when thi-y take upon them more than a suflicient amount of this world's cares. They must have a splendid shop, or a splendid establishment, or a splendid farm; and then they will be able to vi(^ with their neighbours, and be thought something of by their f How earth- wonns. Thus, to gratify their pride, they must enlarge their business. Nor wouhl we ur^e you to he over anxious about increas- ing your wealth. For, "They that will be rich fall into temptation and n snare, and into m my f)olish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the iove of monoy is the rout of til! evil : >vhiu!i, vvriiio some oovetod after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced I to SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOITtS. 20« themselves through with mnny sorrows." — 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. The positive command of the Saviour is, *♦ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, whore moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and stfnl : But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal : Foo whore your treasure is, there will your heart be also." — Mutth. vi. !9 — 21. We dare nof, therefore, urge you to amass riches ; but v*c would " Charge ttiem that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, whogiveth us richly all things to enjoy ; that they do good, that they he rich in good works, ready to distribute, vvillijig to communicate. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to com-*, that they m ly lay hold on eternal life." — 1 Tim. vi. 17 — 19. Soekest thou great things for thyself ; •eek them not. The enlargement that we would urge you to seek, is such that will enable y )u to discharge more officionily your duties to the souls of your fellow-mi n. We would urge yon to seek on enlarged heart. " 'J'he scripture nttribufts to the heart thoughts, reasonings, urulfr.standing, will, judgment, dosigns, affections, love, hatred, fear, joy, sorrow, an^cr ; because, when these things are in a man, a motion is p; rc^ ived about the heart." — H'b. Lexicon. ♦' And in this r« sppct the style of the New Testam nt is conformable to that of the Old." That Paul refers in the text to an enlargem;M>t of the heart, is evi- dent from the context. H(^nGe. ho savs, " Otir heart is en- larged. . . . Ba ye also colarjged." We urge you, then, to seek spiritual enlargeinont. We beseech you to increase in knowledge. Tho powers of the human niiiid art^ c;ip \blo of indefinite enlarge- ment. There catj be no boutids p! used to its aequisiiions of knowledge. "To the soul of man ilu re s onis to l)elong tho principle of interminable proprnssioti. Who shall say what ore its high capabi!iti<>s of knowled^ff and eujoynii nt V* Thq high intellectual aitainmonts of somn m n, tho nu'ghty re-i (warchca and di.scoverios of others, plainly prove, th.a, by in- dustry, the mind of m;in may be ( iilargrd to a wonihrful ^l(. lent. While W(>, th ref .iv, m-ohM not for a momiMji dissuade Vou from enlarging yourmiuHs, by the acq-iisiiion of useful knowledge, we espcially ur^o you to ( niari/o vonr minds by the acquisition of that kno\vlei|,:;e whieh will enable you ■> win aouls to (yhriht, and savc ihemTiom diuth. TBM OBLTSOTtOirg Off CBIISTIAVS e»»ek to abt»in an increated acquaintance with God. What f9om thero ia here for eolargcment. How little do the wisest «H We see through a glasa darkly.*' Still, however, it 14 posBible for us to know much ntiore of God than what we at pfeaont know ; and the more we know of God, the better qualified shall we l>ecome to savfs souls from death, a.jd bring them to the knowledge, the love, and the enjoyment of God. We ahould strive to gain more knowledge of Jehovah, as " A just God and a Saviour." We may gain muoh knowledge of the at- tributes and perfections of God, and yet be no better ourselves^ aad do noraiore good to the souls of men than devils. « Thou believest that there is one God ; thou doest well : the devil* also believe, and tremble." — James ii. 19. The profligate Dr. Lardner, who seduced Mrs. Heavysides, and while living with her in defiance of the law of God, delivered lectures in the United States on the beincr, attributes, and perfections of God. And, from the well known ability of the doctor, we doubt not but they would be of the highest intellectual order. But his own mind must have been a hell while he delivered thenrv ; and no saving good to the souls of men is it likely they will ever produce. That your knowledge of God may be tHtving to yourselves and to your fellow-men, we want you to know God experimentally and savingly, as well as in. tellcctuully. Tl>e apostle Paul i.i exceedingly anxious that believers should increase their experimental knowledge of God's love to our race, and of his ability and willingness to save us to the uttermost. Hnar his prayers : " For this cause I bow. my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole fimily in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strenjjthened with might by his Spirit in the fnuer man ; That Christ may dwrll in your hearts by faith ; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love. May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height ; And to know tlio love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with the fujinesa of God." — Ephes. iii. 14 — 19. Again ho prays: ""That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory „ may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the juiCrH'iCugo of him I Tho eyes of your unuerstunding beings 1 TO SBSK THE SALVATION OF 80UL9. Sit i> enlightened : that ye may know what is the hope of his oal- ling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. And what the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe."— Ephes. i. 17—19. This is the eo* largement of mind we wish you to seek. We want you to feel within the Spirit's might : to comprehend with all saints the greatness of divine love, manifested through Christ, that ye may be filled with the fulness of God : to comprehend in the clearest and fullest manner possible the greatness and worth of those spiritual and eternal things which he has caused you to hope for: to obtain correct, scriptural views of the magnificence, riches, and blessedness of that inheritance to which you are heirs ; and to know, by heartfelt experience, the exceeduig greatness of his power 'in them *'iat believe. You know something of all these things ; but there wants enlargement. You know but little yet, to what you may kno\r, if you will only follow on to know the Lord. Your abundant usefulness depends upon your knowledge of God. If you are to be more successful in saving souls, you must get an increased acquaintance with God. Be ye also en- larged. We beseech you to increase in love. " And this T pray, that your love may abound more and more, in knowledge and in dir judgment ; That ye may approve thinjrs that are excelleirt : thnt ye may be sincere and withont oflence till the day of Christ : Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the praise and glory of God."— 1 I*hil. i. 9 — 1 1 . The heart is the seat of love. It is of very little use increasing knowledge unless we increase love. He that increases knowledge, without increasing love, only aug- ments sorrow. A capacious understanding, toith a narrow, teljish, malignant heart, is the best description that we can give of the devil; and we do not wish you to resemble the arch ene- my. _ Many think that great intellectual attainments, and genuine, f-rvent love cannot be lound, in a high degree, in the same individual. What folly ! Look at Jesus : " In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge ;" and yet, he has manifested infinite love, by laying down his life for us. God is infinite in wisdom and knowledge ; yet God is love ; and we are commanded to be like Christ, to be like God. Love is superior to knowledge ; but we are not to neglect the increase of our knowledge under the foolish notion that we simll increase in love by so doina. In > ' ho inen>,iu mailed be children, iu bvo be saints. 1 a rotik n iljn A ? lis THB OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS Be ye enlarged in love to God. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost : the blessed triune God is worthy of your su- preme and constant love. There is not the bare possibility of your loving God too much. You never can pay the mighty debt you owe the Father, forgiving his Son to redeem vou ; you never can repay what you owe to Christ for having loved you, given himself for you as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour ; you never can discharge that obligation under which you are to the Holy Spirit, for having enlightened and regenerated your minds, and for hav- jng put yon in possession of the hope of the glory God. Still, it is your bounden and imperative duty to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, at ail times, and under all circumstances. It is quite possible to have your power to love God vastly increased. The heart is capable of expan- sion. "I will run in the way of thy commandments, when thou shah enlarge my heart.'* There are no more bounds to confine the aflTectiona, than there are to confine the intellect ; and, therefore, if the intellectual powers of a man are capable of constant progression in sensibility, tenderness, and ardour of afTection, let then your hearts, dilute in intense, tender, reverential love to the blessed triune God, " whose ye are, and whom ye serve." Be ye enlarged ; your hearts are too con. traded to hold the fulness of love, the fulness of God. You are, many of you, as yet, too selfish to love GixJ as you ought and as you might. You often complain of the littleness of your love to God. You sometimes sing — " Dear Lord ! anJ shall we ever live At this poor dying rate T Our love so faint, so cold to ihee. And thine to us eo great ?" Make, then, a desperate effort, and ir> the strength of Christ, break the chains which restrain you from loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Cry to the Eternal Spirit, with firm resolution, with strong desire, with unwaver. iag confidence : — ■ " Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove, With all thy quittk'ning powers ; Coitie, shed abroad a Saviour's love. And that shall quick<>n ours." Be ye enlarged in love to all the saints. Throw off your cold, icy formality; and love each other as brethren, as chil- not hold the same principles of church government that you do. And vvhat of all these things ? Are they all put together a sufficient reason why you should not love them with a pure heart fervently ? Do they worship God in Spirit and in truth? Do they love Christ and serve him in the gospel ? Have they the Spirit of Chriy% and do they live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit? Then they are your brethren ; for they are God's children. And if you hate them, you are murdere-rs, and have not eternal life abiding in you. Be ye enlarged, and embrace in the ams of your expanded love all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, that the world may see that you are Christians, and that they may believe that God has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. Be ye enlarged in love to uncnnverled, perishing sinners. O for that enlargement of heart which would cause you to feel more deeply and constantly for the miserable and con- demned : who are without Christ, having no hope, and with- out God in the world. The heart of God mourns over them, with melting tenderness, on account of their misery and danger. Christ's heart overflows with compassion on account of the wretchedess of those lost ones he came to seek and save. The Holy Spirit daily grieves, on account of their ignorance, impurity, and condemnation. Shall we, then, Christian brethren, shut up our bowels of compassion from luciii i II vixi uu so, liuw Uwciium me icve oi ^uu m ^5 f 214 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS Let US seek enlargement. Lot us open our hearts to sinners, and make ample room for them in our atFections. Let us ob- tain that love to them ihut we shall not be able to restrain tears, reproofs, prayers, lubours, on their luhnlf. Be ye en. larged. Shut your hearts aguiust the crimes ot sinnors ; but O! love, greatly love, their precious sonls, and j[, luck ihem from destruction. Blessed Redeemer — " Rnlarcre, inflnme, nnH fill my heart With boundlips rluirity divine ; So !-li;tll I nil my sfrength exert, And love ihein with n zeul like thine ; And ieno sphere of your benevolent opera, tions. There are other ways of doing good. The sabbath school, (ho prayer nieeting, the diHtribution of tnicfM : co!!- ctini? ior hiifle, tract, und missionary socictiea ; visiting, rouiding,''and \ TO SEEK THE SALVATIOP OP SOULS. 216 ) praying with the sick; nnd suppDrtinn;, in n pecuniary way, all tlie jrreai societies which christianitv has rst.iblished for the conversion of the world to Christ, tiir)rd firje opportunities for you to oxtend your oparntions for doing jrood to the souls of niRn. Ask yourself, " Am I d )injc all I can ? Is there no depirtmnu of Chridtian labour in which I can labour to do nnre jjfxjd to the souls of men, than what I am doin'ral present?" And if these qucsiions arc fiiihfully put, you will soon find ft way to oxtenri vour br>nevolent operations. We woul.l siy to every child of G )d, try, in cverv possible way, to do <(ood ; nnd trust in Gid to hi. ss your cfF.rts, and you will be agents in saving immortal souls. The martyr of Erromanga says, «' There' are two little words in the En- glish lan.rnage, which I very much aflmire ; thev are try and TiiusT." These words were Williams's motto ; and whoever reads his " Missionary Enterprises," will see what a vast amount of good that man ncconipli.-hf d, by trying and trusting. Try and trust: let thise words bo your motto. You cannot tell how much good vou may do the souls of your follow-mon till you tnj, and' how much God will bless your endeavours till you tmut him, by essaying to do giod, in humldfi d.-pendiinco upon him, to succeed your cfiorts. Looking to G) I, then, for direction and assistance, cndoav. our to eidarge the sphere of your o[)eralions, and you will soon fi.id. that, with your humble talents, and limited oppor. tunities, you will be able to accomplish an amount of good that will astonish you, and be of the utmost benefit to the church and the world. Be ye also enlarged. H. The nntivos which should induoj you to seek such enlargement. O.VK IHOTIVE WiriCII SnOUT.D INDtrCR YOU TO SREK THIS ENLAKCiEMKNT, IS AN INCREASE OF POWER. Knowledge is power, and love is mighty to compel. The rn'arftement of which we have spoken, wiJ/ ffive you in- creased power with Go I. All Christians havo power with God ; but Christians with limited views, contracted alFections, and small operations, have little powor with (iod. They obtain only small blessings from God, cilhrr for themsolvca or others ; bu' those who have an enlarged acquaintance with God, who are full of love, and whose bonevoh^nt operations . ... ,,„,^^,j D-^-uiu gicai uiussiugs. mo rfiUSOiJiS Oi iOii are obviuus. m 216 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS This onlargpmrnt will increase our faith in God. Know- ledge and love, are the sources of faith. " Tlipy that know thy name will put tlirir trust in thee;" and they that love God will surely confide in him. Just in proportion to our knowledge of, and love to (Jod, will be the degree of our faith in G kI. Whoever is acquainted with the Hcly Scrip, tures, must be aware, that the l)lfssitigs whieh God bestows, are given to those; who repose faith in him ; and are given in degree, proportionate to the degree of f.iith exercised. Abraham was iiccounted righteous, b cause he believed in God. To him was given exceetling great and precious prom- ises ; because, " FTi; staggered not at the promises of God through uiibi lief ; but w ,is strong in fiiih, giving glory to God ; and l»eiug fully p-rsuaded, that what he had promised, he was nblo also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnc ss. ' The noble army of worthies, that did sucii mighty deeds and wondf>rs, whose conduct is held up, in the f I venth chnpfcr of [lebrews, to ou' ndmira- tion and imilation, accomplished all they did through faith in God. The bh^ssed Uedeemer fn quently upbraids and re- proaches his disciples fijr the littleness of their fidth. He tells them plaiidy that they cannot ca.st out devils beeanso of their unbeli( f; iitid solemnly assures them, tint, according to their faith it shall be done unto them. Without faith it is impossible to please God. If we do not please him, we can- not have powi r w ith him. " And whatsoever we nsk, we receive of hini, hccause we, kerp /t/.s cmnmnndmrvts, and do tJiose Ihivga lofiich are p.'easJiig in /ds sifr/it.^' — I John ii. 22. Little fiith is constantly troubled with doubts, i ours, and per. ple.xilics; but great faith is not thus troubled. " r.iiili, tiiiuliiy fiiili, the proaiisc sees. And looliH to liirit nlonc — Lnii!;h'< nt iaipoHcihiJiti*'*, Aiul cries. It vhall be done." Grent fiith lays hold of the promises with a giant's grasp, and pulls down iho greatest blessings which a gnicious God has promised. This fiifh earmot exist in a narrow mind and a contrncted heart. It must have room enough in the under. Btandini^ and iifleetinns for its mighty operation. Many have had such (tdiir^ed scriptural views of (Jod's ability and wil. lingness to save to the uttermost, and such erd;trg(>d love to God and man. that they eould Ik lieve and rreeivo whatever ble-sing they d<'Hired ■>!..! prayed for, which God had promis- ed. Ue yo also enlarged. 'TO SBKt THB SALVATION OP SOTTLS. 217 This enlargement will increase the spirit and power of prayer. Prayer has power with God. " The effectual fer- vent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." We cannot «^ rr^S-Ki^ ^"'™ ^ Z^^}""^^ P^'^y^'' > °f this, you, who study the Bible, must be fully convinced. Knowledge and love ire the foundation of prayer, as well as of faith. The man who has an enlarged acquaintance with God ; whose heart expands with love to God and man ; and whose sphere ot labour is extensive, is sure to be much in prayer, and mighty in prayer. He goes to the throne of grace with his petitions m one hand, and his pleas in the other; and he cannot, he wil not be denied. Such is his knowledge of God his love to God, his sense of the need and suitableness of tha for which he prays, that he asks boldly and importunately for the good he desires. And if any want to know how he daro pray in such a manner, here is his answer: " This is the confidence that we have in God, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us ; and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the nc titions that we desired of him."-,l John v. 14, 15. An %„. arged mind and heart, enables him to draw nigh to God in which ,r''"?"'^°^ ?^'''' '? "^^ ^°^ those greater blessings which his enlarged sphere of operation demands. And not only so, but such is the spirit of prayer, which this enlarged rnmmri ^T"""''^ ^^u- ^^ ^'^l^^^'S^^Y ' According to gS's command, he opens his mouth wide, when he comes to the hLZ ] 51 1, " m'"^. *" ^"^*'«"^ "^'"'^' «»^ a capacious heart, he thinks no blessing too great for him to ask L, and to receive, which God has promised. He knows too much of God, and loves h.m too well, to doubt, for one momen ised. Such a Christian, also, comes very often to the throne of grace and every time asks for larger blessings : and the ^rnnTl ^J^,1 ^ •"^''; .^""5'^^^^ "''^ *"'"' f"r put'li.^ such imp u confidence m lum. Tor so greatly hononrh.g |^,„ by Mkiiig largehr and freouentl;yr, that he gives hi... alf that he thTs pS!- ^'" ^°"°^*"« "^""^^"^^ ^-^'^'y '»««"^tes "It is said that a man onoe asked Alexander the Groat (o give h.m some money to portion off a daughter. The k , g ^*:'!i" I^. *«.»»*• ^?«"»'«r and demanlwhat he plo^^ waa s(artl«r\^r»!r^. J*" enormous sum. The treasurer waa startled, iaid he could not part with so muoh without an 19 218 THE OBLIOATIOi^S OF CITRISTIANS express order; aad went to the king, and told him that he thought a small part of the money the man had named might servo for the oooaaion.. 'No,' replied Alexander, ' let him have it ail. I like tht t maa : he does me honour ; he treatift mo liko a king ; and proves, by what he asks, that he believei me to be both rich and generous.' " "Let us," says Mr* Newton, in quoting this anecdote, " go to the throne of grace, aad put up such petitions as may show that we have honour- able views of the riches and bounty of of our King." The fervour of the enlarged Chrisiibn's prayers is also great. He prays in the Holy Ghost. '« Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; for we know not what to pray* for as wo ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." — Rom. viii. 2«. His fervour at times will overcome hig speech, and he will be abde only to groan his wishes to the throne ; but those groans will have more power with God than the best compositions, called pra^^ers, which the wisest and best of men have writ- ten. Faith nud prayer are the hands of the soul, which take hold of God's strength, and secure every blessing we need ; and his all-sufficient grace to render successful the Christian enterprises in which we are engaged. If we are to save many souls, we must obtain more power with God ; and we cannot secure this but by Spiritual enlargement. This enlargement ivill give increased jmoer with men As Christians, we ought to bo ambitious to get as much power over men as we possibly can : for our power with men is not for their injury and destruction ; but for their edification and salvation. All Christians have some influence with their kind ; but all do not posse^^s that influence over their friends and neighbours which Christ commnndeds them to have and to exert. In fact, all have to mourn the little influence which saints possess with the ungodly. We urge upon your atten- tion enlargement of mind and heart, that you may acquire greater power over your fellow-men. Light and love, ex. hibited in their behalf, will have an influence upon their minds; and the brighter that light shines, and the more in. tensely that love burns, the greater will ho your power over the minds of sinners. An onlurgod acfpiaintance with Jeho- vah, and augmented love toward Ciod and man, will give increased clearness to your instructions ; increased solemnity to your warnings ; incrensod energy to your reproofs ; in. creased tenderness to your expostulations and entreaties; in. Cfeuscd fervour to your prayois, uiiU iut;i-cascd ibrcc to your TO SEEK THE UALVATIOH OF SOTTLS. 010 1/ ■/ example. Augmented light will make you shine so brilliant- ly, and increased love will make you bum so intensely, that you will be able, by God's assistance, to enlighten the dark- est mind, and melt into: tenderness, penitence, and love the hardest heart. Dark indeed must be that mind, and hardened past all feeling must be. that heart, that does not see and feel the beauty, the power, the value of religion, ivhen placed before them with that clearness and force with which you will present religion to their minds — with light so brilliant, and with love so vehement. And not only so, but the great power of God will accompany all you say and do, so that sinners must both see and feel the necessity of religion, and numbers of them will be indu«ed to give glory to the Lord your God. Your power over the minds of the ungodly must, in the very nature of things, be increased by this enlargement. And is not this a suflicicnt motive to induce any and every child of God to seek ami obtain this enlargement. It is, if rightly weighed ; for this increased power with GofeB8oi's, is bt oause they have so little know- letlge of (rod, ami so little love to him, that they have no in- teuiie desire to boeorno like him : no restless nnxietv to bo made partakers of Im fitdiuees. When spiritual enlargement 220 THE eBLIGATIONS Of CBKiynilTff h J r* ' A*"^" u^^ """^ P*'^^ ^'^^^ God, as the thirsty W.V ^nf r 5?"" ^* ^^l*^' ^'"^^ '^ »^» the feet run in the 1 shall be saUsfied when I awake up in thy likeness.'* This enlargement must increase our purity; for it will make us so to abhor the thing unclean, that we cannot rest until we are freed from every spot, btemish, and wrinkle, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Lrhost. Look at Job, when he received enlargement. What a blessed effect had a clear manifestation of the God>»ead upon his understanding, affections, and deportment. Hear his own language. When God is in the mi/st of the sublime description of his works and ways, Job is so penetrated with grief, on account of his impurity, that he interrupts the Lord, and says, "Behold, I am vilej what shall I answer thee ? 1 win lay my hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken : thiv ' '" T w "?' \ ^T' '^^^ ' ^"t ^ ^^"1 proceed no fur. 1 — •'of^-^'- 4' 5. And when Jehovah had finished his ad- dress to thevenerable patriarch of Uz, « Then Job answered tlie Lord, and said, I know that thou canst do everything and no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge I therefore have I uttered things that I understood not ; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak .• I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hoarir»g of the ear ; but now mine eye seeth heo Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.; -Job xlu. l-f*. And those among S, who hide counsel without knowledge, who utter things they understand not : things too wonderful for them, which they know not. respecting purity of heart ; would be just as much confound, ed, and humbled, and penitent as Job Avas, if they were to obtain the enlargement which he did, when he said, '« I have iieurd of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth tliee. Ihe very san»e purifying effects were produc ed HI Isaiah, when his heart was enlarged by the glorious vision which he saw in the temple. Hear his statement of Umt blessed manifestation, and of the effects it produced upon his heart. " In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his tram filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims : each one had six wings ; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feel, and with twain he did fly. And orw Mmi. unio another, auu »oid, Holy, holy, holy, is tho TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOULS 221 I Lord of hosts : the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that oried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woo is me f for I am undone ; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips : for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from oil the altar ; And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched they lips ; and thy inimilty is taken away, and tliy sinj)urged."— Isa. vi. 1 — 7. This enlarged acquaintance with God, revealed to Isaiah his impurity, caused him, in bitter anguish of heart, to deplore it ; and tlien, with the swiftness of a seraphim's movements, it was purged away. Let the objectors to instan- taneous sanctification study this passage ; and no more utter things that are understood not, and meddle no more witfi the holy verities of God's word, which are too wonderful for them. Increased knowledge of the great Jehovah will lead to the instantaneous destruction of sin. That blessed man, John Fletcher, of Madely, once prayed to God to reveal to him the utmo'rt depravity of his own heart ; and such was the effect produced by the sight, that he nearly died from the discovery; and he would have died, we doubt not, if God had not taken away his iniquity and purged his sin. And, in like manner, greater discoveries of God and greater love to him, will re- veal our latent impurities, fill us with grief on account of them, and cause us to wrestle with God until he sanctifies us wholly, and makes us fit to bear hia vessels. Thus, then, an increase of purity is obtained by the en- largement we urge you to seek : and this increase of purity will not only make you more glorious in the eyes of the Lord and in the sight of men ; but it will give you a greater disposition to do the will of God in saving souls. When yot are entirely cleansed from sin, you will feel no reluctance to go after the lost : no unwillingness to reprove, rebuke, and exhort your feUow-sinners. There will be a springing fort^ of the soul to meet the will of God in this matter. \Vhe» Isaiah was purged from his iniquity, ho heard the voice of the Lord, saying, " Whom shall I send, and who will go for us." And though it was a message of terror, yet, Isaiah's will is now 80 completely absorbed in the will of God, that he spon- tantously answers, " Here am I ; send me." Just so will it be with the children of God in the present day, when they are ciaenaed from their latent inipurities, whicli make them 222 TIIE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS unwilling to do all they might to save souls. Surely, then, we may cry on this ground, « Be ye also enlarged." Another motive which dught to induce you to seek thii en- largemeat, is an incrsase of joy. Every fresh addition to our stock of divine knowledge — the augmentation of our love to God and man — and the increase of our usefulness, must add to our joy. The more enlarged our conceptions of God are, the more we feel of love to God and man, and the more good we accomplish, the more do we increase our spiritual enjoy, ments : for in the knowledge and love of God, and in the pro- moting of the best interests of our race, alone is found the real happiness of man. Real joy, substantial bliss, cannot be found in any worldly things. There is as much gospel truth as poetry in the following lines : — " Joy is a fruit that will not grow In nature's barren soil ; All we can boast, till Christ we know. Is vanity and toil. But where the Lord has planted grace. And made his glories known, There fruits of heavenly joy and peace Are found, and there alone. A bleeding Saviour seen by faith, A sense of pard'ning love, A hope that triumphs over death. Give joys like those above. To take a glimpse within the veil. To know that God is mine. Are springs of joy, which never fail. Unspeakably divine. If then pure and essential joy is derived from God's grace, the manifestation of God's glory, and the possession of the hope of that glory, which you Christians do not question, then it follows, as a necessary consequence, that the increase of grace, the increase of the knowledge of God's glory, and the increase of hope, must greatly augment our joy. Still further, this enlargement, as we have already seen, gives us greater power with God and man ; thereby increasing our success, in our attempts to do good to the souls of men ;— therefore, there must, of necessity, be an increase of our joy : for success in saving souls ever produces unspeakable joy. We reap in joy, after sowing with tears. We come again with rejoicing, bringing our sheaves with us, after going forth — - - ixuu. III auuiilui — WScpiji^, i,^aii!s^ piv scvu. Jii W liii*^, mI* TO SEEK THB SALVATION OF SOULS. 223 increase of purity must augment our joy. The joy which springs from holiness is of the purest kind, and of the highest order. God is infinitely happy, because he is iiifinitely holy. The nearer we approach his likeness, the greater becomes our joy. Here, then, is another motive why we should seek this enlargement. And are not these motives sufficient to induce any sincere Christian to seek the enlargement pro- posed ? To increase your power with God and man, to aug- ment your purity, and to enhance your joy, we urge upon your attention the words, " Be ye also enlarged." Consider, III. The means by which this enlargement can be secured, " Be ye also enlarged," may be regarded as a solemn com- mand, urging us to use the means which will secure this en- largement in knowledge, in love, and in usefulness. Our limited knowledge, our contracted love, our little usefulness, are not in accordance with the will of God, with the privileges we enjoy, and with the duties we have to perform. " O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord straitened ? are these his doings ? do not my words do good to them that walk uprightly ?" — Micah ii. 7. *' Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save ; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." — Isa. xlix. 1. It is the will of God that we should have light and I e enough to save souls ; we are favoured with every means requisite to enable us to save souls ; our duty to God and man requires us to be ever zealous in the great enterprise of saving souls. How is it then that so few are saved by us ? We are not straitened in God ; but we are straitened in ourselves. We know too little of God, we have too little love both to God and man, and we confine ourselves to so limited a sphere, that it is impossible for us to save many souls. Be ye also enlarged; use tlie means, vigorously and diligently use the means, which are requisite to secure the enlargement needed to save souls. We shall proceed to notice some of the means which must be employed to secure this enlargement. Meditation is absolutely needed to obtain this enlargement. You read your Bibles much, you converse frequently on spiritual things, you hear many sermons ; but you are as contracted in your views, as cold in your allections, and as limited in your labours, as you were, perhaps, years ago. The reason of this is want of meditation. How few profess- Qia \n iciin'v. isiiitjo. as, ait , auQ lyrrci SliU UiiiiA lu ^-ui^A^Se, o'^ 204 THB OBIIGATIOKS OV CHRISTIAJIS upon those things which are requisite to enlarge the mind, expand the heart, and break the bonds which bind them to earth, and hinder them from saving souls. Employ your thoughts, in your hours of retirement, yea, at every conveni- ent season, on the nature, character, and perfections of the blessed God : dwell especially on the love 6f God, in ou^' redemption by Christ Jesus : think much upon the miserable condition of your fellow-men, who know not Grod : revolve in your minds the means by which God proposes to save them : forget not the relation in which you stand to God and your fellow-men ; and the high and important duties that your position, as the salt of the earth, and as the light of the world, imposes upon you ; and, then, you cannot rest without this enlargement. " Meditate on these things," and as far as your other duties will allow, « give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all." But unless you will meditate on these things, you will remain the partially enlightened, phlegmatic, barren professors, which some of you have been for years. You may as well expect a sinner to be saved without repentance, or a man to go to heaven without holiness, as to expect enlargement without meditation. Hope for this enlargement. We are saved bv hope. De- sire and expect an enlargement in your understanding, in your affections, and in your sphere of usefulness, and en- largement will assuredly follow. Fear produces hesitancy ; despair cuts the sinews of effort — puts a stop to all improve- ment. Before you can gain the enlargement we have de- scribed, you must cherish enlarged desires, and indulge high expectations. Dr. Reed, in his remarks on ths advancement of religion in the church, says : « Hope is the genius of reli- gion. Hope becomes the church. In the midst of darken- ing skies, and clashing opinions, and partial disaster, let the ^hurch clothe herself with hope as with an invulnerable gar- ment. Indulge great hope. Expect for yourself a measure of light, and holiness, and joy which you have not known. Expect for your family, that they shall be all bom of God, and be enrolled among the living in Jerusalem. Expect that the church shall become one in faith, in heart, and in action ; a purified and spiritual body, filled with all the fulness of God. Expect that the dark forms of evil, which abound in the world, shall cower away before the risen glories of the Son of righteousness : — that a second time the Creator and Redeemer shall say, ' Let there be light, and there shall be ixr_ .- •^- r-r C UVWillV IZiQ TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOtTLS. im things we hope to be. To abound in hope, is to abound in service?, in suffering, and in joy. It not only sustains US where we are— it inspires us with additional and celestial joy. It bears the martyr to the stake ; the hero to victory ; the Christian to heaven. Have hope, great hope. « Sanctify yourselves ; for to-morrbw the Lord will do wonders among you.' " How strikingly just and appropriate are these re- marks of the learned, venerable, and pious Dr. Reed. What can you do without hope ? If you would enlarge the horizon of your knowledge ; if you would have your hearts expand- ed with generous, ardent love ; if you would extend the sphere of your operations, and do more good to the souls of your fellow-men, you must hope, greatly hope, for this en- largement. Pray for this enlargement. The things you desire, you must pray for. " Ask and ye shall have," is the law of the kingdom of grace. Do you hope for this enlargement ? then pray for it with all the fervour of your souls. When God promised, by Ezekiel, to the house of Israel, that he would cleanse them from all their idols and filthiness, and give them a new heart and a new spirit : to take away the heart of stone^ and give them a heart of flesh ; and to put his spirit within them : to make them intelligent, holy, com- passionate, and obedient, he said, " I will yet for this be en- quired of by the house of Israel, to do it tor them." And if we are to be enlarged, and have our wishes fulfilled, we must cry : — " Give me the enlarged deeire. And open, Lord, my soul. Thy own fulness to require, And comprehend the whole. Stretch my faith's capacity Wider and yet wider still ; Then, with all that is in thee, My soul for ever fill." If your hearts are enlarged, God must do it. The Psalm- ist acknowledged this, when he said, « I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart." In answer to prayer, "God gave Solomon wisdom and under- standing exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore." — 1 Kings iv. 26. Why then should we not pray ? " Enlarge my heart, to make thee room ; Enter, and in me ever stay : The crooked then shall straight become ; The aaruncss aavm uv ivs uajr. «26 THE OBLIGATIONS Of CKKI3TUNS Jabez of old " Called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldeet bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that tli^ne hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me frcn evil, that it may not grieve me ! And God granted him that which he requested." — 1 Chron. iv. 10. And is not Grod as willing to do these thing$ for us, as he was for Jabez ? He is ; and abundantly more willing to give us spiritual enlargement, than he was to enlarge the coast of Jabez. Let us copy the example of that good man, and cry, " Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and ♦hat thine hand may be with me, and keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me," and then God's bless- ing will rest upon us j our hearts will be enlarged ; Jehovah's hand will be with us, and give success to our endeavours to save souls ; and he will keep us from evil and sorrow. Pray, then; earnestly and importunately, for enlargement. Believe for this enlargmimt. '* Whatsoever things ye desire, whe^ ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have. them." — Mark ii. 24. " If any of you lack wis- dom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not ; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering : for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." — James i. 5 — 8. These passages show that we must believe in God for enlargement : that our faith must be unwavering ; and that we must be as firm as a rock in our purpose, to obtain enlargement. Make the effort. You desire and pray for enlargement — believe for it, and Christ says you shall receive it. Let neither men nor devils cause you to flinch from your purpose to obtain enlargement ; nor any thing on earth induce you :o waver in your faith. " Believe in the Lord, so shall ye prosper." You have a little faith, and have not, we trust, cfenied God's name. Put forth, then, the little faith you have, and you will find that it will bring en- largement: "God cannot deny himself: he is faithful that promised." Doubt not the ability of God to enlarge your hearts ; doubt not the willingness of Christ to intercede for you, when you pray for enlargement ; doubt not the love of the Spirit, whose office it is to enlighten, quicken, and make fruitful. Fear not, only believe, and enlargement shall come from the giver of every good and perfect gift. God waits to Believe, fO SA^t im SAtYAttOI* 0!? SOtfLS. 227 to i artd thme heart shall fear and be enlarged. He has i^iven' you life; he is supremely anxious to give it to you mor" abundantly. " He is able to do exceeding abundantly a W 0^1 that we ask or think, aceo.^ing to the ?ower that Irk Jh 1 u ?■? ^''^" y^"' *''""* ^" ^°^- Dishonour him not by doubts and fears Be not faithless, but believing : and aC* cording to your faith it shall be done unto you. ■ i/W% ^•5 espeeiaUy required to secure this enlargement. "But the iberal deviseth liberal things: and by libera things shall he stand.-^Isa. xxxii. 8. ^' There isThat scat! r^n!l\r ^^* ^"creaseth ; and there is that witthholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat ; and he that watereth, shall be vai' 1« ?h ^^'"^^l^- '-Pr,?v. xi. 24, 25. - It is' more blessed ,<. give than to receive' ^Acts xx. 25. These scriptures db' not speak mvam If we would be enlarged in knowledge, m love, m usefulness, we must be liberal with the mammon of unrighteousness. God is unbounded in benevolence. Ye know the liberality of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he wag rich, yet for our sakes he became poor. The Holy Spirit 13 God s free or liberal Spirit. Unless we are liberal, God Will not enlarge us. He abhorreth the covetuous. He de- clai;es that the covetuous man is an idolater. God cursed ancient Israel for covetuousness. Their niggardliness in his worship caused him to withhold from them even the blessings of providence and induced him to reprove them in thefe words : Ye have sown much, and brought in little ; ye eat but ye have not enough ; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink ; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. .... Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came too little ; and when ye brought It home, I did blow upon it. Why ? saith the l^ord ot hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man to his own house."— Haggai i. 6, 9. And after reproving them for their niggardliness in his worship, by Malachi, he says, « Bring all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if 1 will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, thatthore shall not be room enough to receive it."— Mai. iii. 10. And Faul says, " He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly ; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountituily. Every man accordingly as he nnmnsnth in hJg heart, so let him give ; not grudgingly, or of necessity : for 238 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS Go<1 loveth a cheerful giver."— 2 Cor. ix. 6, 7. Would you, then, reap a bountiful harvest of spiritual blessings, you must scatter your temporal good with a bountiful hand. The money which is given to God's cause and God's poor, from love to God, secures the highest interest, and produces the greatest good of any money we either hoard or spend. It brings enlargement here, and an increase of glory hereafter. One great reason why we have so few bright and shining lights in our churches, is because we have so many who are too covetous to let God bless them, and make them a blessing. And what shall we say more, to induce you to use these means to your enlargement. For the sake of God's glory, be ye also enlarged ; for then you will be able to bring more glory to his blessed name. For Christ's sake, be ye also en- larged ; for then you will be able to do much more than what you are now doing, to extend the triumphs of his cross. For the love of the Spirit, be ye also enlarged ; for then you will bring: him more honour, by a better manifestation of his graces. For the sake of your own welfare, be ye also en. larged ; for your ignorance of God, your littleness of love, your want of usefulness, often make you very unhappy. Be ye enlarged, and there will be no more cau' for sighs, and tears, and groans, on these grouuds. Fot iie sake of the souls of your unconverted fellow-men, be yt Iso enlarged— they are perishing ; and you have not sufHcient wisdom and love to deliver tlu rn from going down to the pit. O pray : — " Come, grnciouR Lord, descend, nnd dwell By faith and love in every heart ; Then shall we know, and taste, and feel The joye that cannot be expresa'd. Come, fill our hearts with inward strength, M nkc our enlarged souls possess ; And learn the height, and breadth, and length, Of thy immeasurable grace. Now to the God, whose power can do, More than our thoughts or wishes know. Be everlasting honours done, By all the Church, through Christ his Son." DISCOURSE XII. INTfiRCfiSSORY PRATEa NlfiDED TO SAVE SOULS. " The efTectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."— James v. 16. The subject for consideration, at this time, is intercessory prayer. To intercede is to act between two parties ; to soli- cit favours from cne, with whom we have influence, for a third party, who lias no influance with him from whom the favours needed must proceed. That it is our duty, as Christians, to pray to God on behalf of our fellow-Mcn, is clearly evident from the Holy Scriptures. In the epistle to the Ephesians, it is written, " Praying always with all prayer and suppli- cation in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseve- rance, and supplicotion for all saints." — Eph. v. 18. In tho first epistle to Timothy we read, *' I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intert ossions, and giving of thanks bo made for all men ; For kings, and for all that are in autiiority : that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and ac- ,ceptable in the sight of God our Saviour ; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." — 1 Tim. ii. 1 — 4. In the context, the apostle James says, " Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that yc may be healed. The '^ilcctual fervent pray- er of a righteous man availeth much." Before entering upon this subject, there are a few things which are necessary for us ever to remember, in our ap- proaches to tho throne of grace, which we shall briefly place beforo you. In the first place, a righteous man is not war- ranted in asking, either for himself or for others, any thing which is contrary to tho revealed will of God. *• If wo ask any thing according to his will, he hoarotli us ;" but if we ask any thing contrary to his will, ho heareth not us : there- fore, Avhen intcrceKsion is made, tlio person interoedinff muBt take care to ask for those things which tho scriptures author- ize liim to ask (or, 90 280 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRlSTlANf Secondly : A righteous man, when interceding for the tern poral welfare of others, must regulate his intfrcessfon by' Uie pnncples upon which Jehovah governs this lower world God has, in past ages, worked miracles for the benefit of men m answer to prayer, and he is still able to do so if ho pleaseth ; but we have no right to expect that he wfl? invei? U^e order of his providential dealings with men, to suit the whimsica notions and conceited fancies of any man or of any number of men, however high he, or they, niay sLd hi tlie estimation of God, on account^f piety. The eLe ?f w" pray for the recovery of a person flim sickness, or7or any thing else, which appears to bo an impossibility, accordinffto the usual course of things, we must present all our peSfon^ for such matters in the spirit and laiguage of Christ who when praying to be saved from death, tn the garden of Geth'- semane, said, " Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me : nevertheless not my will, but thine be done." ^ Thirdly : A righteous man, when pleading for the salva- tion of others, must bear in mind man's free agency and mora accountabihty A righteous man's intercessions have pTer fully with the sinner for whom ho pravs • mav r-xLc^ tlm long suffering God to protract the sinn'e^Jlife, Hllow h Ji a greater space for repentance. Yet, after all, the sinner may refuse to comply with God's terms of salvation, and perish through unbelief and impenitency. The following par.b e forcibly Illustrates our meaning : " A certain man had a nl. tree planted in Ins vineyard ; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found „o„o. Then said he unto tlio dresser ..f hi^ vmeyard, Behold, those three years T come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none : cut it down ; why cumtercth ;^ fi'-ouncl { An, he, answering, said unto him, Lord, let U alone tins year also till I shall dig about it and dung it : And. ft boar fruit well : and if not, then after that thou Shalt cut It down."-Luke .xiii. (l-i). Tho Vine-dreJer's intercession availed much with the Owner of the vinevard when the tree was allowed to stand another year, and when permission was given to use more means to render it fruitful • but It was to bo cut down at the end of the year, if it di,| no! bear fruit. And in like manner, our prayers, li.r the spiritu- al good of oiir fellow-men, may be ansuered ; yet, the sinner may perish through his own stubbornness and ff.JIy. . :,"" ' " ^ "r;"''-""3 inaii snnuin niso ivmoiiiber, that. m the present world, he sees but in part and knows but in TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 881 Tp&tt ; consequently, may not see, in all cases, the efficacy of his intercessions* His fervent intercessions may be succesful without his knowledge. In all probability, the day of judg- ment will show, that many of the intercessions of righteous men, which were supposed to fail, were fully answered. Having ma .""-'^'"'le chnnfrr- " An', tho lem a golden calf, which they wor?hipped as the God that brought them up out of the land of Egypt. Jehovah's wrath was kindled at this daring impiety ; and he said to Moses, '* Now, therefore, let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them : and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said. Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand ? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth ? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel thy servants, to whom ihou swar- est by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people." — verses 10—14. Here a whole na- tion is saved from instant destruction by the intercession of one rigliteous man. There are found other intercessory prayers of Moses, the man of God, in the 14th, 16th, and 31st cliapters of the book of Numbers, which you would do well to consult. In the verse following the text, the apostle refers to a re- markable instance of the power of intercessory prayer. He says, " Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain : and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave ri.in, and the earth brought fortli her fruit." The prayers of Elijah, on these occasions, are not recorded in the Old Testament; but the circumstances to which the u|)ostle alludes are recorded at large in the 17th and 18th chapters of the first book of Kings. In reference to tho huoccss of itjtercessory prayer for indi- viduals, y^u may consult the 12th chapter of Num'bors, whore Miriam is recovered from leprosy, at the intercession of Moses : tho 17th ciiapter of first of Kings, where is given the narrative of the restoration of tho widow's son to life, at the intercession ot Elijah : tlio 4th of the second of Kings, where you will find an interesting account of tho restoration of the Shunamite's son, through the prayers of Elisha: tho 42d i^najncr ui liic; uooK ui joD, Wiit'Tt! iLiiipiiit/, tmii his two friends are directed to ofler up for themselves a burnt-offering, and get 234 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRI3TTAWS Job to pray for them, so that they may escape the wrath of God which they had incurred, by not%peaking of h m the thmg that was right, as his serrant Job had. These Tre a tl?^'u- J'^'"" ^'■°'" '^' '"^"y ^««°rded in the Oid Testa ayerl of rK'' '" ' ^^"^^".^^^ation, that the intercessory S Witt Sfd '"' •"'"' P'^'^^"' '^ ^^^ ^^^P^^ '''' -^-il«^ That the intercessions of righteous men, under the ctosnol ^ ispensation, avail as much with God as the prayer of ^pafri ovioent from the extensive grant which Christ has shen to nJJ Dm{e tr' • ?^ t ^'''''''' «^"^^^^ "^ '^'Srant 'wl^ p.ove the point under consideration, from examples recorded in the New Testament, of the power of intercessory prayer nplT *^^'^!l?^!"^tion of the ^ran^ ^nd promise of Christ to his cl S'r "of John "P^^ '"f"'"i ''^ ^"' P"^P-- I" thV imh " r/lo kV • ^ ^°'P/^' ""^ *^^ '^t^ v'^rse, we read thus • wrat'ye wm "nd^;'?'l!T T^' ^'^'^ ^" >'^"' >- ^^^^ "'^ ;vnat >e a^i 1, and it shall be done unto you." Thi'; nassarrn piessea, a grant made, and a promise given. Christ herp tCr^''^";.'".-^" rP^^' alLwingtLmtoadrfor S hey please with h.s solemn assurance that they shall recei^^ it. Some think that there is danger, great danger of Christ's g ant being abused : that some will take advantage of i to mk for improper things ; but there is little danger of this To whom IS the grant made, but to the r^us B^nS intelligent people of Christ. « If," says Jesus, - yu abide n me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask Uat ye will :" the' per sons therefore, to whom this grant is made must be pious for they must abide in Christ. If a man abides in Chi^rhe must be a partaker of the Spirit of Christ. Union witl Jesus Ks not only essential to piety, but it is piety itself • for 'if .uiyman be in Christ, he is a now creWe: oMI ^n^ are passed away; behold, all things are become new. "-2"Cor L in/^ii' . P^'^'";f ^° ^''''"' *^'*'' S«'«nt is mad-^ i-.ust also m hem ^^'? ; '' "^''^^ P'°"! ' for Christ's words nusi abide n them . H,s words must bo known, understood, believed \Zl: rr"^' ,^ '' "^^ *"^°'^"' for us to be united with • esas, to have all our prayers answered. His word mtist ^^^vell in us richly in all wisdom, or we have no riXt toTx hiVl!r:;)!i^^iL"^"f ^.V"»«l''r"t. in the highest and " "^'^- ■"" "'^ '^""' for tney wiii know God and his Soa TO SEEK THB SALVATION OF SOULS. 235 Jesus Christ : and therefore it follows, as a necessary result, that such a man will never ask any thing contrary to the ill of God, to the mind of Christ. A pious, intelligent man can never ask God, in the name of Christ, for any thing that it would be wrong for God to give. The word of Christ teaches him what to pray for, and what to expect. When such a man, therefore, offers intercessions for others, they will, they must be in accordance with God's will ; and consequently he has a full warrant in the above-mentioned grant to expeol that they will avail much with God. " Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done." While the nature, character, and word of God remain unchangeable, the intercessions of righteous men will avail much with him. Though some half informed, half sceptical professors may decry intercessory prayer ; yet, every intelligent, pious, decided Christian will believe in its efficacy, and heartily engage in its exercise. And '* If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful : he cannot deny himself." — 2 Tim. ii. 13. While Jehovah abideth faithful to his promises, and faithful to his Son, the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man will avail much. That the intercessions of righteous men avail much with God, is abundantly evident yrom the answers to prayer which have hem frequently given to the saints in modern times. Without exposing ourselves to the charge of fanaticism, we may affirm, that there are few, very few Christians, we might say there are none, who have attended rightly to the duty of intercessory prayer, but have received indubitable evidences of its efficacy — of its mighty power v/ith God. That which we have seen, and heard, and read, declare we unto you. We have of\en witnessed the power of the inter- cessions of righteous men ; we have often seen the dark, the impure, the stiffnccked, and hard-hearted sinner fall beneath their power; and heard him cry, " God be merciful to me a sinner! Lord Jesus, save me: I perish!" and through the intercessions of righteous nen, we heard the same sinners afterwards cry, " O Lord, I will praise thee : though thou wjxst angry witli me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me:" Insti.ncos of this kind were not un- common in the days of the apostles ; nor have th^y been un- frequent in Great Britian and America, since the days of the Wosleys, and of George Whitfield. If you search the annals Oi" Methodism, or of anvChristiaa church where Christ has l)oen preached, and where both ministers and people iiavo discharged aright the duty of iiitercessory prayer, you will (I 236 THE OBLIGATIOKS OP CHRISTUM3 find almost innumerable proofs of thp truth r.f iU^ • • stated in tho tf^xt ■ o»^ T ^V? *^"*" of the proposition moch with God. How frZonSv k U » *""'"f f"™'' these blessed effects; and he evideX nroHn '^)?[ ^'^^""^^^ remenih^r iUn* tu^ ■ ^ "* "«gi^aier, yet, we must ever God has answered and whil "' """"""^ ''>' "'" '""g"*. heard. "The eyes' oTio^t/"" ""^ ,»PeaWng, he haa his ears are o;e/to their pray^ra."" °'" "'" "^l-eoua, and Consider, beT4td' WeSt'treffi,!;".^ '^"^""^ "-'«'' ™«'« •0 those for whom w°* i"""'- t.'."'^'"''"^ P^y' "nites u, " " ' "' ' " •^'^"'scs us 10 syiiipaihize with TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOITLS. 4m proposition complaints stentorian i to con- US prevail the case, ners with prays for there is a ids of the fill them brethren, ssed even produces sm in an. jre, their ilthough, interces- lust ever man will ous man Some of the suc- delight- families, your in- — when tongue, , he has >us, and vhy t\\e I might rai/ers, ?hovah ourag. be an ites us e with them, to love them, to do them all the good that lies in our power. It is impossible not to feel for those whom we bear upon our hearts at the throne of grace. It is impossible for us to hato and injure those who are tlie subjects of our constant inter- cessions. Christ's command to all his people is : " Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you :" this will be hard work without prayer ; and therefore he adds, "and pray for them wliich despitefuUy use you, and persecute you." We may feed our enemy when hun- gry, give him drink when thirsty, clothe him when naked, and help him in every way, should he need our help, and yot not love him ; but we cannot long pray for him without lov- ing him. If malice exists in the heart, when we begin to pray for him, prayer soon changes that malice into love. In- tecessory prayer prevents broils in families, and dissensions in churches ; inasmuch as it causes us both to bear and for- bear with those for whom we intercede. If strife has been pro'iuced, either in families or churches, nothing will stop it sooner than intercessory prayer. We have read of a good man wiio, when parties came to him with malice in their hearts, and anger in their looks, for the purpose of differing with him, would, at the first, propose to pray about the matter ; and when this was done, he would then ask them what they had against him ; and the answer often has been, •' Oh, noth- ing particular ; I will say no more about it." The best way to kill an enemy, is to pray him to death. This weapon never fails. We are commanded to •' Let brotherly love continue ;" and, certain we are, that frequent intercession for the saints, is the best conservator of brotherly love in the wide world. We are commanded, as we have opportunity, to do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of fiiith ; and what greater good can we do them than frequently and fervently praying for them ? As one of the old divines justly observes, " By other acts, of charity wo give them a little out of our own substance ; but by effec- tual fervent intercession we open for them God's treasury.'* A poor saint may do more for his fellow-man, by intercessory prayer, than a rich man could do for him with thousands of gold and silver. As intercessory prayer, therefore, fosters the spirit of peace, of Imrmony, of lovs ; as it unites us to those for whom wo pray in indisoluble bonds ; as it does so much good to our follows, God, who takes the highest plea- sure in beholding these things, hoars and answers our inter, cessions, to encourage us in the discharge of Uiis bieased duty. &38 rHE OfiLlOATlON* OF CHEISTunS I i! II because he suffeL gre™/ ca LIT ^ "■"^hypocrisy, vindicated the character of hLn^L. ^°'"' """^ '"»'' God ifested ,„ those v7ry friends hU ?"^^^ ^"T ''<'''■ »"'' ™"- venerable patriarch of it *"', W"''"'''" °f the piety of the Lord had sMenThese words ,^, . 'k T ?^ ' """■ "'''^''''e Pha^ the l^raanite Vwrl h" °I^,?,''J ,1^; ^°^^ ^^^ '» El. against thy two friends • for,,, i '"•""<'« agamst thee, and ■hing that^s righ.,'Ts*n,/lrra„ S ^1,^^ °'f ™ '^ unto you now spvpn KmIi i '^""'; •"^^ "at"' -inerefore take servant Jo^ and otfer un fL' ?^ ?'"" ?"^' ^"^ g° ^^ "^7 my servant' Job shall p^ Tr^ot^" "l"'"';"^^^^ ^"^ lest I deal with you afte, vonVfJ ' \' ^"^ ^ ^"^ ^^^ept: «n of me the thCwtchCih^ '^^' ^"^""^ "°^«p'j^- Eliphaz the TemLTtP nn ? r^^ ' ''^^ 'S^^ "^'"^^"^ Job. "^So the Naanmthite Ten^nS dfd ^"^ r®^"^^'"' '"^ ^^P^" inanded' them : he JLord also a^'T^rr^. ^' '^'' ^"""^ «°"»* turned the captivity oTjoh Ih^^T'^ •^°^; . ^"^ ^he Lord also the Lord gave Job twi^p he prayed for his friends ; Job xlii. 7-10 H.Voi I ^' T""^ "« he had before."— -d .integlit/of Job "and ofTh: "V"f °' '''' ^— - placed upon his piety ffis thrl^'f^"^^', "^•"" ^^ich Jehovah question'the gen'u£ess^:/h r pfr'^f^MhT"^' ^ Testation of God's apnrobatfnn H •^' . ^'^n&l mani. his prayers alone can nrev.^t f^^ ^^ ^^f «Pt?d of God ; and from falling upon them/ '^" '"'^'^^ ^^ *'>^ ^ost High The>t";Lreiv\"4reT:^^^ ^"^^^"^ *° ^^-^^ «o^- through evil renorf «7 , n ^ ^t^"" '''°''' '^"^ follow Jesus count^ll th ngsTu loss ZrV' '^'T^ ^^^^ ^^P^^^ '-^hey of Christ Jesus thei T'ord ' V '^n^^ '^'^ knowledge need be, the loss of aM 1 1' k^/!*' ""'"'"^ ^^ «"ffer> ^f they confess hat thev Ire ^m- '^''^ T^ ^^^" Christ - earth .-they del aTeUercort?^ ^'^'"^ ^" ^^« wherefore God io n^f n k ^"""t'^y. that is an heaven y ;— hath prepareS^fo^Siera^,^^^ ''rrf'^' \''' ««^ •• ^- he listen to their imercessiol J^h n ' '^''"«, ^^^ ^'*«^' ^^^^ ^^i" for others, in orTr to e^ n ' ?f T\^''^- '^''"^ ^^hat they ask " The sacriJe of the SJ' t ^^\''''"'"''°"°^'h^ but the prayer of the u^r At i^M ^"^"'1:'""'^ ^° '^^ Lord ; wicked is an abominttr fo !• f L ^ ?^*; - The way of the n „iv i.uiu i um ne ioveth him that TO SfiEK TltB SALtAttdlf Of SOtTLS. S39 iteaus merii a striking friends of hypocrisy, how God and man- iety of the , after the lid to Eh thee, and »f me the jfore take go to my ring, and I accept: not spok- Job. So i Zophar ord com* the Lord friends ; fore."-^ mocence Jehovah longer al mani. »d; and 'St High y God. iV Jesus ;— they >wledge ffer, if rist ; — on the Illy ;— . for he od will ey ask • piety. Lord; of the mthat foUoweth after righteousness." — Prov. xv. 8 — '9. When God defuses the sacrifice of the wicked, and answers the in- tercessions of the saints, he gives manifest proof of his detes- tation of sin, and his approval of holiness. He shows to all that his favours are bestowed upon the pious ; and, that, if men would have his blessing, which maketh rich and addeth no sorrow, they must renounce sin, and follow peace, truth, and holiness. Jehovah answers the intercessions of righteous men, to put honour upon their faith in him. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Prayer without faith will never be answered. Grod has commanded righteous men to make intercessions for all men ; and he has promised to grant them what they pray for : therefore, tney believe that their intercessions will pre- vail with God, for* the benefit of those for whom they inter- cede. Instead of doubting God's word, they exercise firm faith in his promises, and attend to intercessory prayer, with the full assurance that they will avail much. If we tumour attention to the biographies of modern saints, we at once dis- cover, that the intercessions of those men who have been most like Abraham — strong in faith, giving glory to God — have been most successful. We might instance Bramwell, John Smith, Carvosso, and Ralph Waller. These were all men of strong faith ; their intercessions were mighty ; and by them the convincing, converting, sanctifying grace of God was brought upon hundreds of immortal souls. These men did not excel their fellows, of the same class, in intellectual power; but they excelled in strength of faith, and in mighty intercession ; and, therefore, God honoured them with more abundant success in saving souls, than he has done those who, with greater grasp of thought, have lacked the strength of faith, and the mighty intercession which they possessed. The reasons of this are obvious. God is a jealous God ; he is jealous of his honour. When the veracity of his word is doubted, or questioned, his honour is impeached. Unbelief casts an injurious reflection upon the perfectiors of Jehovah's nature. It denies his wisdom, his power, hi^ truth, his jus- tice, his holiness, his goodness, his faithfuiness. Unbelief charges God with folly, with weakness, with falsehood, with injustice, with impurity, with cruelty, and with infidelity. Unbelief is the master sin : there is none equal to it in the whole catalogue of sins. It is the root of all the sins which ^Kf^^wAMA Vki*vy«nr\itvr inaiilf fliA drxAVxehaA onrl rlrnwn ITlPn 1Q perdition. God, therefore, cannot answer the prayer of un* 240 tafi OBLIGATIONS OP CHSlStlANS I E! IS belief; were he to do so, he would deny himself. But by- faith all the perfections of God's nature are honoured. Faith> strong faith recognizes the infinite wisdom, the almighty power, the inviolable truth, the inflexible justice, the immac- ulate holiness, the boundless goodness, and the immutable faithfulness of the blessed God. And when (xod is honoured by our implicit confidence, then he will honour us, by answer, ing our intercessions, and bestowing upon others the good things we have asked for them. " Them that honour me, I will honour." This is the principle of Jehovah's govern, ment, and the rule of his procedure with the saints. The more we know God by faith, the more he will honour us, by the greater blessings he will bestow, in answer to our inter, cessions. Had we a stronger faith in God, we should be far more successful in our intercessions ; far more sinners would be convicted, converted, and sanctified, through our intercessions, than what now are. We do not avail much with God, by our intercessions for the salvation of sinners, because of our unbelief.' If we would be honoured, greatly honoured by having many souls saved, through our agency, we must learn to "ask in faith, ''^♦hing wavering;" for such is the interces- sion which avo^^.^ much with God, and such is the faith that he will honour. Those who exercise strong faith in God, when interceding for the salvation of men, will not be con- founded by having their expectations cut off. The Lord answers the intercessions of righteous men to mag- nify the office thev Jill. Righteous men fill, in this world, a very important office. They are a Royal Priesthood. We entirely and firmly believe that there is now no priesthood, either in heaven or in earth, in the strict and proper sense of the term, but that of our Lord Jesus Christ; yet, in a figura- live and accommodated sense, the children of God are fre- quently called priests in the New Testament. As the priests, under the Old Testament dispensation, were washed with \yater and anointed with oil ; as they had blood applied to the right ear, to the thumb of the right hand, and to the toe of the right foot, when they were put into the priest's office ; even so, we are not priests unto God until our iniquity is purged away._ All who are priests unto God, under the gospel dig. pensation, have been washed by the washing of regeneration ; have been renewed with the renewing of the Holy Ghost ; have received the unction of the Holy One : that unction which makes a man walk erect in the atmosphere of piety, carrying along with him, wherever he goes, the fragrance of . But by 1. Faith, almighty le immac* mrnutable honoured J answer* the good our me, I 5 govern. Its. The ur us, by Dur inter, ild be far would be [•cessions, God, by se of our mred by ust learn interces- faith that I in God, t be con- % to mag- world, a )d. We iesthood, sense of a figura- are fre- 3 priests, ed with 5d to the oe of the e ; even 1 purged spel dis- eration ; Ghost ; unction if piety, ranee of To SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 241 the fruits, of the Divine Spirit. All who are priests unto God have been sprinkled with the blood of the covenant, which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel ; and which is far more efficacious in removing guilt, than all the blood of beasts which was poured on the Jewish altar. *' For, if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh : Ijow much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to servo the living God ?" — Heb. ix^ 13, 14. " And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." This precious blood has been sprinkled upon the hearts of all who are now priests unto God ; for, by tiiis blood we are made both kings and priests unto God : hence, it is written, " Unto him that hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." — Rev. i. 5, 6. When Aaron was purified, and the priestly robes were put upon him, it was his duty to offer sacrifices and make in- tercession for the people ; and, in like manner, it is the duty of the people of God, under the gospel dispensation, to dis- charge the functions of priests, by presenting in their prayers, before the throne of grace, the perfect and perpetual sacrifice of Christ ; and pleading with God for the present and eternal salvation of their fellow-creatures, on the ground of the sac- rifice of Jesus. Oh ! the blessedness of being priests unto God. This honour have all the saints under the New Testa- ment dispensation. This was not the case under the Leviti- cal economy. Alluding to the Aaronio priesthood, Paul says, " And no man taketh this honour unto himself, bnt he that is called of God as was Aaron." — Heb. v. 4. But in the priesthood under the New Testament dispensation, there is neither male nor female, bond nor free, high nor low — we have all one office ; for, of the whole community of Chris- tians, it is said, "Ye are a royal priesthood." This fact Peter places beyond all doubt, all controversy, in the second chapter of his first epistle. Hear his words: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to oifer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal, priest - hood, an holy nation, a peculiar people ; that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you otitof dark- ness into his m i frkl !>-» 'J iix«i T^Ji\/u i:«K* . \iri,;_u o "gssv . VT niuii in iiiuv payi «efo not 21 I m «12 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRlgTIAJfSf II'! i> a people, but are now the people of God : which Imd not oh- tamed mercy, but now have obtained mercv."-— verses 5 and 9. If, then, all Christians are priests unto God, it is their duty to offer up intercessions, supplications, prayers, and thanksgivmgs for all men. And as God magnified the Aaron- ic priesthood, by giving answers to the priest, who wore the trim and Thummim ; even so does God magnify the office ot righteous men, by answering their effectual fervent inter- cessions. The Ahmghly God answers the intercessions of rishteous men, to make them happy. Righteous men are often very mis- erable, because God is dishonoured in his own world, by his own creatures ; because Christ is rejected by those whom ho has purchased with his own blood; because the Spirit is in- suited and grieved by those whom he strives to save from endless WOP. "' because men find i)opr, lost Ihey mourn bitterly when they see men doin^r despite to the Spirit of grace. And well tiioy may ; for to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are ri^rJucous men indebted for all thev are and for all they hope to be. JJut this is not all. Righteous men see their fellow-creatures sunk in oujlt, depravity, degra- dation, and misery ; they behold thein going down to the pit with rnp3liovah feels lor tlvenj • and, therefore, wlien they come to his throne, and make known to him tlieir feelin^'rs, he relieves their misery, by answering their intercessions. Besides, the effectual fervent prayer of a rig' tjueous man is often accompanied with much paiiK The (hms ?■ youfxfvr], of the righteous man, seems to (.enote the inspired prayer, or th.- prayer wrought in liim by the operation .a- energy of the Holy Spirit. Paul al?o aludes to this, when ho says, " Likewise tho Spirit also hel|)etli our infirmities : for we know not what to pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit himself maketh intereesHion for us with groaningg^ which cannot be uttered. "—Rom. viii. 2(1. The Spirit of God often gives righteous men such views of the wickedness unrld, by his 3 whom lio Spirit is in. .save from their eyes, when they of Christ, spite to the uher, Son, II they are Righteous ity, flegra. 1 to the pit vhile, they -sutToring ence, they I for tlvenj ; and make misery, bv iftl fervent vith much *n, seems rought in rit. Puui Spirit also ray for rr ion for us viii. 20. ?ws of the )ocnmo so TU.1-JI titc i: Lev. John nod down his cheeks, " I am a broken-hearted man : I shall die if souls are not saved." Now, it would be positive cruelty in God not to answer the groanlngs which hid own Spirit inspires, and not to relieve the burdened heart upon which his own Spirit has placed the burden of souls. Those who pray thus, in the Holy Ghost, may have weeping for a night ; but God will send tiiem joy in the morning. He hears their groan, ings ; he knows what is the mind of the Spirit who has pro- ad, may he inado alive. ICvcry man may receive the quickening power of the Holy Ghost, and bo raised to the favour, image, and fruition of God. This is true of oil men, without any exception whatever ; for " God willeth that all men slK)uld l)e saved, and come to the knowlcdgoof the truth," Looking upon rn-Mi in this light, we must see that tho hu- man race a"o bound together by th^ strongest bonds, which ought not to bo broken by any thing or ciromnsfance. It is the bounden and imperativt' duty of every man to do good to all men, us he has opportunity ; and that man who manifests hatred, contempt, or indillerenco toward any of our ruce, is u base wrt-lfii — vvlio ilcHlroys iui? ordrr nialco intercessions f.r all men. When w^ go into ou ll CIS, and shut to our door, we must not shut oul- hearts a Jinst' neTPhlourn.'""^''f-^''"^ ^^^'^- '''' '^^ -ustemLc'eou neighbou s, our countrymen, our race, in our expanded afTec Hons and pour fl.r.h our most fervent prayers fo?" eir pres.' en and etornal good. When the Israelites, on on. occasbn exhorted Samuel the prophet to pray for them, he gave te^' Hs memorable answer, '' Go a> for Israel Christians, you have influence in the court nu rwhi/V''.''^ ^'"%r' '-;^^-y--"tercessi!!;^Z mud NMth (,od ; know, tiion, that th.- common ties of hu- .namty demand that your power with God shall be exerted brhalfof your perishing neighbours, your perishing coun. tr> men, your perishing world. * T/tr tics or/ami/!/ have sfmnarr cJahns upon our cfrctml hrvvnfmtrrcrsswn,, than thr ^nds of 'unnmntv. U ihe chil drcn of men generally have such stVong claims upon our fer." ::;!l"!!'r:"^"^'"' ?':^'>'»''^ .mM"'>^'-« o^ our own famines lu^m >^T/ir'''''^ cminis. " i.ion has set the solitary in fam- ilm, for the wisest and best of purposes. Husbands and ll. TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOCLS. 247 ristianity is nity, and to *nd univer- stianity re. things, but i. 4. And ik his own, Christian- sn, without iportunity, whatever, hours, and lis himself ns for the pellation ; lier to act Christian, all men ; 'ell as our jainst our [loctii^ to our cTos- ts against brace our ied affec. leir pres» occasion, ivo them n against x'n. 23. lying for i'oased to he court )ns avail of hu- exerted ig coun. ff'rctuaf, he chil. ourfer. families in fam. ids and wives are bound together by a bond so solemn, so sacred, so indissoluble, that they are one flesh ; and nothing but death, or a crime worse than death, must put them asunder. Pa- rents are united to their children by bonds peculiarly strong. They have been the agents in bringing them into this wicked world, and it is especially their duty to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Children are bound to their parents by ties equally binding. To their parents they are indebted, under God, for their natural life, their preservation and support in childhood and in youth, and the means of gain- ing their livelihood while they remain in this vale of tears ; therefore, it is their duty to honour their parents, and do them all the good that lies in their power. Brothers and sisters, being children of the same parents, are bound by the ties of bloori.relationship to help, protect, and support each other, in every possible way, while in this trying, harrassing, perplex- ing, suffering world. The tics of family are not to be trifled with — are not to be broken. Those who do trifle with them, and break them, trifle with and break the law of God ; and will meet with condign punishment, cither in this world or the next, and, without repentance, probably in both, but cer- tainly in eternity. In a temporal sense, the man who does not "" provide for hi.-j own, and specially for those of his own house, ho hath denied the faith, and is worse tiian an infidel." What, then, must bo said of that man who, pro- fessing the religion of Jesus, uses not the power he thinks he has with God for the saving benefit of his own farnily ? Language is not suflicicnt to describe his character. If it be u sin'^not \a pray for the world at large, it must be a much greater sin not to pray for those who are, in the highest sense, bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh, and spirit of our spirit. Tlie Aposllo Paul had continued heaviness and sorrow of heart lor iiis brethren and kinsmen after the flesh. He would have dieil for them on a cross, if by that means he could have saved them from the wrath of God. " Brethren," says he to the Romans, " my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is. tiint they might be saved." It is the boiuiden and imperative dutv of every righter>us man to pray for all the members of his farnily, with all th(> frrvour of his soul ; and he must not fail," nor be discouraged in interctMliiig for them, until they arc converted, or until they die, ond arc placed beyond the reach of the converting j^raco of (tod. rilinliV uwiitn u;;iunnu iii:~ iiiui-tl iivii; • '• -j » 'g. ~ »-■ Wo fear that many righteous men too much overlook their 24S ■1^ 1 f THE OBLIGATIOKS OF CHBISTIA.'iS families, in their intercessions. Thev do nnt wm^.u i Ae very re,.o„ why .h,,y „re no" c™ve'„S' H.Xt iier importunity ho s3 ' ttn ' '^ ^^"^^0"^ of patience by for thoir conversion^ A P ^1 i ■ „ '^"^ ^'^ >''^" ^'^'"^ sa,Kls of nX^S'u so til '"'^ ^' '^""^'"'^' ^^^'^ ^hou- ^•el>fe with hon I. T ' ^^ ^^^ '"'"""^ personally don- Orfv , n. ' f >''^" "^f^y J-each tli^m tJ rou-rh heave Ufki up prayers and suppHcations, with stronir orlZ\ S:ty"\f-''">^^''^ '^- ^^'^^^ them frotZth^^^'^n^' yom dut>; this ,s your privilege ; and maybe th(«ir s Iva till t..oy are eith:;^t:;:Xror^m:;:?te^^^^ tons contamed m f ho Hrd chanter of Mark .«V'r ^"'^'^'^^- and tJipy said unto him, Ijehold, thy rnuiiifuao mother H* nbout him, and thy brethren k:i« TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 249 irestle and lies as they i sorrow of men; and, n for them, his may be Hear what I yet walk, ill deeper, est prayer. p to reason ckward to ' But your id carried e^ard any !th in per- questions. I for him : •or.' All tears she tience by it is im- '" Per- converted istors, or lavinjT no 'on doinfr y'nh God, 'ea thon- illy don- heaven, ing and This is r sulva- God, on est rela» no rest, Y- von our ieclura- re came 'Ut, sent It him, rethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren ? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother imd my brethren ! For whosoever shall do t'»o will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." — verses 81 — 35. The saints are united by bonds far stronger than those which bind together the children of earthly parents. They are the sons of God; all brethren by spiritual extrao» tion — sons of God, therefore, united by the love of Jesus, their elder brother — sons of God, filled, actuated, sanctified, strengthened, and comforted by the same Spirit — sons of God,, travelling in the same roa , to tli ' same glorious home — sons of God, lieirs together of the grace of life, and must eternally dwell together in the same heaven : there.bre, as our nearest and dearest relatives, thev have the first and the strongest claims upon our fervent iitercessions. The command to make intercessions for all saints abounds in the Word of God. This must be d.^ne in the present life. After Christians die, prayer for them is needless, for they are safe. Prayer im. plies want and danger ; but the spirits of the just made per* feet are free from both. They are above the reach of prayer. All their wants are ncfw supplied, and all their danger is forever past. " They shall hunger no rnorc^ neither thirst any more ; neither shall the sun liglit on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living foun- tains of waters : and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." — Rov. vii. IG, 17. It is no use j)raying for them ; but it is of the utmost importance to make intcrccs- sion for all saints living on the earth. Wo are conunundcd to love all tho saints with a pure heart, fervently ; but with- out intercession love will soon wax cold. And not only so, but our fcllow-Chrislians on earth have tho same duties to ncrr^nn, the same atllictions to sufTor, tho same trials to hoar, tlio same enemies to contend with that we have ; there- fore there ought to exist tho utmost sympathy between us and them, and mutual prayer ought to bo ollercd to Grt)d for each others welfare. They, too, are engaged in the same glorious work ; they are labouring with us, to pull down the strong liolds of the devil, to extend the kingdom of Jesus, and to fill tho earth witli the glory of God : nonce wo ought to feel the doopost interest in their success, and pray earnestly to (Tuii tluit tjit'-y may oc victorious. UIC i!I equally with ourselves of being d iscouraged, growing weary 250 TH2 OBLIGATIONS OP CttRlSfUNS i '< of the work, fuiniin!. under their burdens, fallinrr from r^racr und connng slmrt of heaven ; consequently, we'^ou 'ht To feel tei cede with God, to give them a sufficiency of grace to e^iable them to stnnd firm unto the end. Chris^ our^lri'ous High 1 nest, carries all their names, with ou ow /oT^d. breastplate and intercedes continually before he tron- fnr all on earth who believe on his name /and tthir re^ct t gives us an example, that we should tVead in his steps ^ smnts of God also pray for us, and solicit an inte es "in our prayers ; and, therefore, it wouKi be both unjust and -Jc^n in us not to make intercession for them t clnn t"be " pocted, bocaus. u is not possible, that we can pray for all" c Inter of Sf f* ''' '^'' ^^ ^1''^''' °^ ^'^'^^^ i" ^he nil f X sa nts ft" :^^^''P''' '' '^t '"°^^^ ^"^«^r intercession d wl. .t^ . ^^'^''? ^I'^y^ ^°'' tl»e saints in all ab ngbteousnpss ? "Be instant in prayer" Do vo. ;'^M-o the conversion and eternal salvation of^j'Jur reludons ? LH^i'; "'"'do^'"''""' ri ''"''''' •" "^« --'' with ; is wn. len, i, Chnst has mnde them free ? With all nersev.-r s^^'tS mi;^:f7 /^n;all saints If you t^ll 1^:^^^ Gr p, I. . Kretl.re.,, pray for us, that the word of the Lord An tlnTw ■" '"'r r^ '" ?'"^'«^''' -«" -'^ 't i« " . v^H mo ^r nllT ^'i ^'^'•^^'•'"'/••^'"^ unrc-asonable and wicked' men tor nil men have not faith."— 2 Thoss iii l •> if yon,les,retho conversion of men, in every part of "the world hen you n.nst intercede with Go,i, to increase l"e Ibe r ,f ni!' l\ , •'^''^^'"'^''^ '^«-f^ few : Pray ye, therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will sc-vl f^rr'r ^- ""^*^'^/^' V harvest." ' lubuurcrs uito hm tmm TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 251 from grace, uglit to feel *e us to in- f grace, to ur glorious wn, on his * throne for respect he teps. Tiie rest in our md unkind mot be ex- ray for all lividuallv, n the 17th tercessions all ages ; m the evil Jnion, that their eter. : a better aints, that all will bo ofier up 'cin with 1 deluged Do you elauoiis ? » thanks- le liberty porsover- :iie world rs of the tlio Lord 'ith you : <.! "icked 1, 2. If in world, Muber of is plon- 'bre, tfio into liiij Christians ! God has made you kings and priests, that you may be the rulers and the intercessors of the world in which you dwell. Remember that you must strive to make the inhabitants of this earth obedient to the faith : and to this end vour intercessions must be inwrought by the Holy Spirit; fervent, effectual, constant. The world is up in arms against the Lord and against his anointed. Wrath is gone out from the Lord ; the plague is begun. Millions of immortal souls have perished. Millions more are perishing. What is to be done ? What did Moses the prophet and Aaron the priest do, when the children of Israel charged them with having killed the people of the Lord, and when God, for their wick- edness, sent the plague among them ? •' Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the ciltar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement : for there is wrath gone out from the Lord ; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into, the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people : and he put on incense, "and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the living and the dead, and the plague was staved." — Numbers xvi. 46-48. Go ye and do likewise. The atonement is made ; the incense is ready. Go quickly, and plead tiie atonement of Christ. Run to the throne of grace, and cry to God, in the name of .Tosiis, to spare the people: yea, to convince, convert, sanctify, and save them, that they may be delivered from going down to the pit ; for God has found out a ransom. Sinners ! you do not pray for yourselves ; therefore we do^ not expect you to pray for others, it would be of no use, if you did ; for David says, " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." We warn you of the end of a godless, prayerless life. You may think that you can cast olffear, and'restrain prayer before God, with impunity ; but it is impossible. If you will not humble yourselves before God, and by prayer^ in Christ's name, seek the forgiveness of your sins, and the renewal of your natures, you must perish. If you ,do not begin to pray, and if you do not live a life of prayer, you must lie down in everlasting darkness and sorrow : you must go into hell, where their worm dieth not, and where the fire is never quenched. You need not perish. If you will begin to pray, you shall bo delivered from sin and hell ; " For whosoever shall call Upon the name of the Lord shall bo saved." Think of the value of your precious f. '.E «! ^ 'ii'iii l! Mr 252 ■ THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS judgrr^ent : be damned t^t'ZX^^ O i'''"^f '^ ^^^ of your sins : believe in Chris nllv to Pn fTu' ' '^^-Tl unto you, or you will L w ; ^^ *° ^^"^ ^° ^ merciful saints to pray for y^ • for ho fit ?'f ""^ ''^4;- ^^'^ ^^^ f" "J' 'ui yuu , 101 inc text declarp«! « Th^ ofl^^^* i iZT '"iT'-, of > "gh'cous manavalS much" Mav the eternal God open your ovps cnftnr. ,r '""^n. May L ZiMnKi worth of a Spirit : the iss of death : S and then God's good- Spirit ; and, torments of lame at the ers! repent be merciful • Ask the he effectual ch." May 'ts, subdue amily, and ons, for his DISCOURSE XIII. GREAT FAITH ESSENTIAL TO GREAT SUCCESS IN SAVING SOULS. " Have faith in God," — Mark xi. 22. In the 12th, 13th, and 14th verses of this chapter, the Evangelist relates one of the solemn and interesting uvents which abound in the life of Christ. The narrative reads thus : <' And on the morrow, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry : And seeing a fig tree afar off, having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon : and when he came to it he found nothing but leaves ; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it. No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard iV." ^^atthew informs us that this fig tree stood by the way-side; tliereforcit was public property, and any traveller had a right to its fruit. This fig tree had a flourishing ap- pearance ; but on it there was no fruit. The time of figs was not yet. <* As it was not, as yet, the time for gathering in the fruits, and yet about the time when they were ready to be gathered, our Lord with propriety expected to find some. But as this happened nhowi five days before that passover on whicii Christ suffered, and the passover that year fell on the beginning oi April, it has been asked, ' How could our Lord expect to find rij)e figs in the end of March V Answer, Be- cause figs were ripe in Judea as early as the passover. Besides, the fig-tree puts forth its fruif//-5/, and afterwards its leaves. Indeed, this tree, in the climate which is proper for it, has fruit on it all the year round, as I have olteu seen. AH the difficulty in the text may bo easily removed, by con- sidering that the climate of Judea is widely different from that of Great Britain. The s//.'/tmer begins thcio in March, and the harvest at the passover, as all travellers into those countries testify ; therefore, as our Lord met with this treo five days before tlie passover, it is evident, 1st. That it imi the time of ripe figs; and, 2nUly. That it was not the time of 254 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS gathering them, becouse this did not begin till the passover, and the transaction here mentioned took place five days be- fore." — Dr. Adam Clarke. Our blessed Lord cursed this fig-tree, on account of its barrenness : and if we are unfruitful professors, bearing leaves without fruit, Jesus Christ will as certainly curse us as he did this fig-tree. " And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots." How quickly does any thing, or being, fade, wither, and die, that the Saviour curses ! " And Peter, calling to remembrance, saith unto him, Master, behold the fig-tree which thou cursedst is withered." Upon this occasion, Christ preached to his dis- ciples the following short, but highly important and deeply interesting sermon : '•' And Jesus answering, saith unto them. Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whoso- ever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and bo thou cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass : he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you. What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, be- lieve that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. ' And when ye stand praying forgive, if ye have ought against any : that your flxther also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your tresspasses." " The case of the barren fig-tree, which our Lord cursed, has been pitifully misunderstood and misapplied. The whole account of this transaction, as stated above, I believe to be correct : it is so much in our Lord's usual manner, that the propriety of it will scarcely be doubted. He was ever acting the part of the philosopher, moralist, and divine, as well as that of the Saviour of sinners. In his hand, every providen- tial occurrence, and every object of nature, became a means of instruction : the stones of the desert, the lilies of the field, the fowls of heaven, the beasts of the forest, fruitful and unfruiful trees, with every ordinary occurrence, were so many grand texts, from which he preached the most illu- minating and impressive sermons, for the instruction and sal- vation of his audience. This wisdom and condescension can- not bo sufficiently admired. But shall tiie example of the fruitless fig-tree be lost on ns, as well as on the Jews ? God forbid ! Let us therefore take heed, lest, having been so long unfruitful, God should say, Let no fruit appear on thee TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 255 J passover, e days be- ount of its ring leaves J us as he passed by, )W quickly I, that the •ance, saith cursedst is to his dis- md deeply unto them, hat whoso- 3d, and be heart, but .11 come to sfore I say I pray, be- em. And ainst any : rgive you r will your )rd cursed, The whole ilieve to be ', that the sver acting as well as ■ providen- le a means ics of the St, fruitful nee, were most illu- m and sal- nsion can- iple of the vs ? God ?en so long r P7i thee hereafter forever ! and, in consequence of this, we wither and die away !" — Dr. Adam Clark o. The great improvement wh ch Chr!'- made of the wither, ing of the fig-tree evidently witt to U ach his disciples, in all ages, that great faith in God i essoiulal to great success in all spiritual things. We no'v wit,'- ' impress this upon your minds, especially in relation to siroess in your work of sav- ing souls. V/e propose to consider, I. That it is the Christian's duty to have great faith in God. II. That great faith is essential to great success in saving souls. III. That the use of proper means will secure great faith in God. I. That it is the Christian's duty to have great faith in God. We are commanded io have faith. And what is faith ? It is the reception of any report, or the assent of the mind to any proposition : it is the cordial reliance of the heart upon any promise : it is an active principle in the soul, which leads us to take what is promised, and to do what is commanded. Having carefully studied the Bible, to obtain correct views of the nature of faith, we are enabled to state, without any hesitancy, and without any mental reservation, that such is the sum of what the Holy Scriptures teach, in reference to the nature of faith. That this view of faith, when it refers to God and spiritual things, is scriptural, is evident from the following passages of God's word. Faith, we say, is the re- ception of any report, and the assent of the mind to any pro- position. In the tenth of Romans we read, " Lord, who hath believed our report ? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearhig by the word of God." In the eleventh of Hebrews we read : " Now faith is tlie substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The first of these passa- ges intimates, that faith is believing the report of the gospel, and is produced by hearing the word of God ; the second shows that faith in God's word gives a present being, or sub- sistence, to spiritual things which are hoped for ; and such an evidence of unseen realities, that the mind is fully con- vinced of their existence, their truth, and iheir iniportaiice j and yields an implicit assent to what is stated concerning 256 I iii THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIAKg '4. *h:;;"ho;:rd of gS^; ''It ■"'" ■"' "" <■""'■ "--fore, of its AuZt not credired""' '""""' "' "'"^'^ "-^ -^''^ p/nf ^"ttro?Llrrur:xt^rs^ loss. And 111 the tenth o Romans wo rrnr? • u nV , r;t;s,r:,»,,'i'. — ,; -4 ih- F^ assent o( llio umlorslnnti ]]« lo tljc trulli ih.i fl„.;„. . .vorcd fo,. our offences, anl mijd " „ fo- „ Tiio!' LounoJ co„f,.«.,i„„ of „,<, ,,„„ ^^ „ n ,;,;?' r". "'"''"; m..l Focious a Saviour as Jesus. F„ |" ,^ , k i *•""'. 1 l^r^ !'','; "■""'',"'"' "l"^l'e.use.,,l,osoufT, "fe J-'loiy lo Ooil, UM.I tlie nniill, („ «,„|ess Jesus ns " Mv I?,! .nv^t.o,j, .„, «„viou.v \v„iio tho Let.:,"::,,,;'; ;;ii:^; " Tlie tonffuo I.rcak.^ out in unknown etraiai, Anu t-aigH Ins wundruuti gmcc." Faith is nn active principlo in the soul, which loads us to ti]^x:n-r'''^r'\ ^'^ •'" ^vimtisVonnna,; '; "a old lady s dchnition ol faith aj.oli,.s to th<- former n.rf r,f /l . .t;;' "■.''T.,,<-:,^'r "?'"•;'■ ,•■ " ""•, ■■?. '-i'''' 4!:';:om v ! I'liii iMknfrC.od at Jns u..rd;" and if ..ho had onlv uddo, , '' and dnu.;, Mhat he connnand.," it won I have h n u far bolter deiinition of fai.h than nnndK.ivs wo h ' ' . i ' works ol so.no hMu-ned men. That faith is nn ac vtM. n i 1 'J"|H' 1...^ the soul of man to take what (iod p on .rnnd to ;lo what ho connnands, is evident from the fu lowi ", i " ^^^^ In the cloventh of Hebrews wo read • «* Uv ini U uT ^ :^::^:tl ;" "•r ""<"' ^'--i^i';. -iri'iuTj ultcrvvard receive lur un mhcntance, obeyed; and l.o went TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 267 », therefore, he veracity t upon any " He stag. '; but was : fully per- Iso to per- rif,'hteous. 1'iie word t : that is, sliult con- ve in thine I shall be :cousnfss j ion. The St was de- justiilca- ft he a re- H pcrsua- 11 Marm- ' so groat ilinnco of ao-gering, ul lo give My Lord, ly trusts adrf us to od. An i"t of this iohly re- lad oidy IVO been f II in the rincij)io, , and to a.ssagos. brahani, 3 bhould Jic wont out, not knwing whither he went." We might quote the whole of this chapter, from the fourth vorse to the end. Paul describes faith more by what it obtained from God, and (J^^djor God, than by anything else. In Galatians he says : " For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision ; but faith which worketh by love."— Chapter v. 6. James reasons thus : " What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works ? Can faith save him ? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto thorn, Depart in peace ; be ye warmed and filled : notu-ith- standing ye give them not those things which are needful to the body ; what doth it profit ? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, riiou hast faith, aad I have works : show mo thy faith with- out thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God ; tiiou doost well : the devils also believe and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vaui man, that faith without works is dead. ^Vas not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had olTercd l.saac Ins son upon the altar ? Seest ihou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfoct. . ° For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works IS dead also."'— James ii. 14—22. John says : " And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. \\ ho is he that overcometh the world, i)ut ho that bollcvcth that Jesus is the son of God ?"— 1st JOpistle v. 4, 5. Those passages show that faith is an active principle in the mind of man, leading him to take what God has promisor!, and to do what he has commandod. Tiie throe things we have enume. rated abo\e, as the elements of genuine' faith, we think are distinctly pointed .ait in the following verse, from the eleventh ut Ileorews : " These all diod in faith, not havin.r received the promises, but having seen them afar of, ami were per. marlefl oj them, and cnhraced them, and confessed that iheii were siraiiijers and inlorims on the earth" Ilrro it is clearly seen that faith causes its possessor to apprehend the t)romisos. convinces lum of their truth, induces him to embrace them to roii-nince the world, to desire and to liv(! for a better country. Christ here commands m to have faith i.x God. To have laith in (rod IS to believe in His existence and bountv. '< Ho that Cometh to tied nuist believe that he is. an'°^^ ^''''^'' '-''^l'' wherefore did >.■ doubt? Of Abraham it is said, •« He stagfforcd not nt tb.'piomiso of God through unbeji.d : but was .tron^in faith Rivmg glory to God ; And being fully persuarled tluu what he IM.I pronnsed, he was able also to perform." <• Know ve ' ";.Woro that they which are of faltii, the same are iL- <;lii dien ol Abraham So then they which bf^ of tuilh are bh^sed with faithful Abraham.'— Gal. iii.O-««. The laith \^hlch Christ ill the text commaiKL^ us to cxercido in God '^- Jll. TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOL'LS. 259 ntained in ord whicli If wc re- sater : for f his Son. titness in m a liar ; ve of liis o us eter- -11. To able and by " His tain unto that haih !ito us ex- ye migiit e corriip , 4. The i must be e, and a^' loUcr, all xi. ' of faUh h "have r. Adnni toxr : — 'h faith for thu< le moun- Imi/ of hcrrff^re here are lie little- hrough. sTud frc- ?fore did ?d not nt in faith, nhathe !now ye aro the bf of S. Tlie in God. is such a faith that Abraham exercised when, at the command of God, he left his father's house and became a pilgrim on earth ; such a faith as he exercised in the promise of a son, when " against hope he believed in hope that he might be the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he con. sidered not his own botly now dead, when he was ab'ait an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb." Such a faith as he exorcised when, at the command of God, "He olTercd up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac thy seed shall be called : Accountin-^f that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead ; ti'om \\ hence also ho received him in a figure." This is the faith which Christ commands us to possess. A faith in God equal to every command, to every promise, to every trial. Such a faith as this is essential to success, groat success in saving precious, immurlal souls. Little faith may save now and then a soul ; but wo shall not see souls converted by scores, by hundreds, and by thousands, until all the followers of Jesus are like Abraham. '■' strong in faith, giving glory to God." Ye professed fijllo'.\ers of Jesus, while you are, like the dis- ciples of old, in the littleness of your faith, you will bo de- feated in your etlbrts to save man} souls. Listen to the fol- lowing siiort iij'.rrative, and learn from it the folly of doing great good \\'\{\\ little faith: "And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him n certain man, kneeling down to him, iind saying, Lord, have mercy on my son : for he is lunatic and sore vexed : for oftimes he fallelh into the fire, and ofi into the water. And I brought him to thy dis. ciples, and they could not euro him. Tlmn Jesus answered, and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall 1 bo with you .* liow long shall I feailler you ? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil ; and he departed out of him ; and the child was cured from that very liour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, W'liy could not >ve cast him out I And ^e^iiis said unto them, Ikcausc of your unbelief: lor verily 1 . «v unto you, If yo have faith as u grain of mustard seed, ve shad say unto this mourt in, Re. move hence to yonder place ; and it shall remove, ami noth- ing shall be impo3 ! V* to you. llowbeit this kind gjcth not out but by prayc; .ud (listing. " — Math. xvii. 14 — '21. Th' disciples' unb( !'-.-f, vjU pf-rceive, hindered thorn f!':>m casting out this devil, and caused the father ot the youth to charge them with weakness, and Christ to reprove them. So will it f 26D THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS 1^ be u 1th us If we have not great faith. We shall fail in the perfonnance of our duty to the souls of our feilow-men • we shall not get satan out of their hearts: and, hence, we shall be cfc ,?/'%'""""' ''r ^---i"g conscience to the id ' ntfrof rfn / T"\? ^'I' "^°''^^"^Ss of devils, and to the re- p.oof. of Chnst. In Matthew we are informed tliat Christ in his own c, untry, - Did not many rni.rhtv works because ot their unbelief." And Christ now, in ids ;.wn c'rurch can not do many m.ghty worics because of the unbelief of his peo- ple lie IS able to save to the uttermost: able to convince and convert hundreds and thousands of sinners ; but he does not do tins because of the unbelief of hi,, followers I a\e i 11 bou^ ',/fr' "" S'-'^'^^'^^i;ib and signs and wonders ou' . " i^ f ""'r^' '''"" '" ^''" conversion of immortal sou ... Ami froni this time it shall be said, What hath Ood wrcai^ht. Christians, Jesus Christ your Lord ai^^^ ^i^ t^ . }oui ulorable an.l precious Uedeomer, commands you "11 to havetl.e stron^rest faith in God; and this command you Must obey, It you would be eminently successful in sav^n" •^OU iS. c souls. '^'^'^'^ "'""^ ''''''' '' '''°"^^^^ ^^ S'-eat success in saving Vv'c take it for granted, that, as Christians, you intensely . esire he salvutiun of souls. This consideration has nduc 'd . to direct your attention to the important subjects which ave already occupied our thoughts, and' which, wj'm t, have been made, and will yet ])rove to be a blessing. W then you leire many souls to be saved, you must have th 1 t , of (.Tod-c.xccedii,.r ,^,,at faith. Great faith is essential to c ca success in saving iouls, »*'-'mai lo great J^^^ausen alone can ,rcnrc great mmsurc, of the Thh, ^Z '!'^V'''''\ . "'^ '' ^''« '^l'''"'t timt (iuickcncti t e N:sh prohu.th no, ,ng.^Jc,hn vL^G.. The^mmo;;i;i ^ou "i rnei aiv saved, -.Not by might, nor by power but bv .ny bi.rit, .aith the Lord of hosil"_Zech-yir6 'it Ls )^ oly hpirit duelling m Christians that makes them sueresUl suvmg souls ih,t makes them a blessing to the world in hich they dwell. MIe that believeth oil me, as the C in ures Imth .aid, cvut of his belly .hall dowri mof Hv £ ) atcr. (But tins he spako of ih J Spirit, which they ii t be bovo r,n him should receive : for theSloly Gho as o yoi ^Z; ^'^^'^'l ^'-^J-^'^ ^^"« »"t y, t ilorilled. W.S ^ JS. ,U. I he Jews frequently compare the gif,.s and graces TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 261 of the Holy Spirit to water in general. He is compared to dew, to rain, to ibuntains, to wells, to rivers. The scriptures abound in this metaphor. Ciirist, in the passage just cited, compares the Spirit in believers to living fountains of water, when he declares, that *' Out of their hearts shall flow rivers of living water." *' As the true spring is ever su]>plicd with water from the ^rea< fZeep, with whicli it has communication, BO shall the soul of the genuine believer be supplied with light, life, love, and liberty, and all the other graces of the indwelling S|)irit, from the indwelling Clirist." 'J'o be suc- cessful in saving souls, we must have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us; for it is from him that wc derive the disposi- tion and the ability to do good. When the Spirit of ( J vl dwells in us, we feel something like what Elihu the Buzite fidt when he said, " I am full of matter; the Spirit within me constraineth me. Behold my heart is as wine which hath 110 vent ; it is ready to burst like now bottles. I will spoak, that 1 may be rLlVcshed : 1 will open my lij)S and answer.'' — Job xxxii. 18 — 20. And like a poor woman in Yorkshiro, who, when at a lovcfecust, wiiich the minister was about to close bofoj'c she had spokci;, s])riuig to h'^* feft, and sai'l, " You must let me speak, o 1 shall burst." ^Vhon we are fdlcd with the Spirit, wo shall find no diiricnlty in exhorting- warning, re[M'o\ ing, beseeching sinners. AV( shall feci as Jeremiah did wIk'U ho said, " I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. lUit his word was in mine heart as a iiurning lire shut uj) in my bones, ami 1 was weary with forbearing, and I could not stity."— Jer. xx. 9. " Out of our hearts will (low livers of living water" to refresh, and cleanse, and make fruitful tli" weary, impure, and unfruitful pinners by whom we are surrouii'lod, wlun we arc filled with the Spirit. Lnrge measures of Spiritud influfnen are recpiisite to our abun:! ait nscfnlness in saving ,>k)u1s. 'J'iiis is not only < vidciit from ihefael that the more we have ('f the Spirit's inlluences, the better jtn pared are we lor us( fulness ; but it is evi- dent from all observation and nil CInistian (xp<^rieiico. A balje in Christ possesses n measure of the Spirit, and does some good ; but he is not so useful to th" church and to the world as a ynung man in Cluist who enjoys a larger measure of the Spirit than a babe in Christ p(jssib!y can ; nor is a vouiig miin in Christ so iNefnl to his fillow-men as a father in Isrud wiio is fdlod with the Spirit. There is an inseparable connection between lurgo measures of Spiritual inllueiice and 262 THE OBLTGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS abundant usefulness in the salvation of souls. All the differ IZlchZki^^Tr? r '"'^ '^^''"-''^^ and a father in the ?nh.w I V V ^^'^ -^^i'?, P"-^^«««e« a small measure of the Sp nt, but the father is filled with the Spirit. The babe as well as the father, has received the "unction of the Holy n^v of thp I f ^ "°' . '" w'?^'. '^' >'"'' «"^'' « Pl«»tilul sup. ply o the holy oil with which the Spirit anoints believers in Y'nibt. If we are to be successful, in saving many souls from death, we must be filled with the Spirit. If these reasonings are correct,-.if they are in cxarf no e'^hfr'' 'r ""■' ^'^ ^-'^'. ^''- j^-'-'i^i^hhiGo^rs es^tnticil to irreat success in saving souls ; for it is by faith that we receive the Holy Ghost ; aifd the degree o the IIoW fei^u-it s mlluencs we enjoy is in exact pmportion to the faith we cxerc.so m Christ. According to our faith the k U lirll^Ui^''''' '';'' ^'^'''Z '^"t Jsmallmeaiul^^d^^^ fe ■ nt s mfluences ; but great faith obtai.is an abundant sup. plv of living water. If this is not the case, we are at a lo^s to account for the fact, that Jesus, in the Context, \mlra?ds f UI hi'i 1 "y ;"';'"'^ r' ^^''-^-thenuolikve^sti^ f, Uh m God JNot oidy so, but the Scriptures and the expe- rience of samts both prove that in propo.tion to our fait! '^ue ve enriched with the graces of the lloly Spirit, and b ssed with success. 'I he faith of the Thess.^nians was an ex- ceclmg great fauh ; therefore, they enjoyed much of the Spirit, and were made abundantly useful.' Of the Church at 1 hessalonica, Paul says, " We are bound to thank God always n .J°tl"' ^"'^'^'y:''"' ''' '\ '^^ »^f"^'t, because that your faith growe h exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you til towards each other aboundeth.''--2 Thess.^i 3! i' W faith grr.weth exceedingly, means to grow luxuriantly as q goo,l tree in a good .soil ; and if a^Vuit tr" raHn^'an n. . Iheresullsofthe great fahh of the Thessalonians n Man •'.''■'^^'■''r,' ' ^'^ "7,'-« onsamples to all that believe vi I ^?. '%""', '^'''""^- ^''' ^'•'^'" >•'>" «oundele con. xl, and That ns waa n ; and that it was their faith which secured such a plentiful eflusion of the Holy Spirit, as to render them so useful, is also beyond controversy ; for the Apostle expressly attributes their use- fulness to their faith. Paul, in all he says about the faith of the Thessalonians, shows that their strong and thriving faith secured for them larger measures of spiritual influence than other Churches possessed, which had not a ftxith in God equal to theirs ; therefore, their usefulness was the more abundant. In addition to this, the phraseology employed in the Acts of the Apostles, to place before us the character of Stephen and Darnabas, seems to us to prove, to a demonstration, the inse- parable connection between great faith, large measures of the Spirit, and great success. It is said of Stephen, that he was " A man fiiU of faith and the Holy Ghost And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles before the people. Then there arose certain of the Synagogue, which is called the Synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia, and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And thoy were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which ho spake." — Acts vi. .^), ^, 10. Stephen, you perceive, was full of faitli : beuig full of faith, he was full of the Holy Ghost: being full of the Holy Ghost, he perfn'med great wonders and miracles among the people, and his adversaries could not resist the wisdoin and Spirit by which he spake. Is there no con. nexion here between great faith, large measures of the Spirit, and groat success ? Consider also the statement respecting Barnabas : '* Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the Church which was in Jerusalem : and they sent forth Ilarnabas, that he sliould go as far as Antioch. Who, when ho came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and ex- horted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto tlie Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faitli: and much people was added unto the Lord." — Acts xi. 22-24. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of Faith, and under his ministry nmch people was ailded unto the Lord. Was all this merely fortuiluu? ? Was not he fdled with the Holy Ghost, think you, because he was a good man, and full of faith ? And was not much people addod to the Lord by his ministry, be- cause great spiritual influnncc attended the word, when |)reached by Barnabas ? Effects cannot exist wltliout a cause. For the conversion of many people at Antioch we must assign an adequate cause : and, surely, if the great measures of the 264 f!!il|l1 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS li!! P Holy Spirit s influences, which attended Baniabas's preach ing, were not the cause of their conversion, then we can find no other: and we are sure if Barnabas had not been a good man, ful of ai.h, the Holy Spirit would not so signally have blessed hH labours. The boldest sceptic can put no other construction than this upon the narrative of Barnabas's char, actor, labours, and success at Antioch. In the present day, also, if you find a man superior to hi.s fcllow-Christiana ni spirituality of mind, in dovotedness to Christ, and in suc- cessful efforts in winning souls, you will discover in him a stionger filth m God than you ever find in ordinary Chris- turns, feo that we may boldly ufTirm that there is an insepa- rabe connection bctu-oen the degree of fiith exorcised in Crod, and the moas^uros of the Holy Spirit's influences re- ceived ; and, therefore, groat faith is essential to -reat sue . cess m saving souls. It is so, BtY-use wc can onhj remove the hindrances which jvrvent the salmbon of souls by great faith. Little faith cannot re- move great d.lhcultios. The disciples of Christ, in the days H rm 7- ',r'r f^ '^^"vineed of this, when he said unto tliem ; If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and If ho repent, torgivo him. And if he trespass n-ains thee seven times in a day, and seven times hi a day turn again to thee, saym-:, [ repent ; thou shalt forgive him. And theApostles said unto the Lord, Increase oui-fiith."— Luke xvii. S-o. 1 ho Apostles evidently fMt that they had not faith enough to remove so great a rlillicultv as that of fbr-rivincr a trespassing brothrr seven time, a dav,' therefore thev^praved for an increase of faith, that they mi-ht be cm.al to'sueh%in emergency. It is a fact that is capable of the stronr^est proof that a weak fanh will not bring us throimh every .lifli! cuty Look at Peter on the water; his faiih is weak, it fails him, ho begms to sink. Look at him airniu in he judgment hall ; he had not faith enough to enable him to con- less 1,18 niasler s nnme before his Master's enemies, and therefore he denies him with oaths and curses. k^l Christian IS at times placed in circumstances of great difli- eulty Ihe temptations of satan, the opposition from un- ungod y men, the stumbling-blocks which are sometimes to tall into through ignorance, and the trials we have to riKt'mulv'?.^T'''''"^''"^' "''•"''''''''' °^" I^o^'yn'-afllietions in the lanuly circle, make, at Innes, our road tiirough life hillv. rough, and thorny ; and great faith is rciuisite, 7o enable u i .K. TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 265 's preach- e can find 3n a good ally have t no other as's char- ! present liristians^ id in suc- ia liim a ry Chris- n inscpa- rcised in Mices re- reat sue- I pirvent annot re- the days aid unto ve liini ; 3 against lay turn n. And ' — Luke not faith giving a ■ prayed ■iuch an trongest ^ry (lifR. veak, it in tlio i to con- .'.'s', and I'iVery ■at dilli. om un- lie times liable lave to ions in hilly, iblo us to hold on our way, without murmuring. The faith that will serve when the road is smooth and good, will not do for swamps, and corduroys, and stony mountains. The faith that will serve in the bright sunshine, will not do for the dark and pitiless storm : or, in other words, the faith that is suffi- cient for prosperity, is not sufHcient for adversity ; the faith that will sustain us in the midst of kind, sympathising, Chris- tian friends, will not suffice when we are surrounded by a host of ungodly sinners. To pass through great difficulties, we need great faith. If, therefore, great faith is absolutely requisite to enable us to overcome the great difilciilties which obstruct our per- sonal salvation, how much more is it needed in our efibrts to save the souls of our fellow-men ! There are hindrances in the way of their salvation, greater than those wo now meet with in our pathway to bliss. In saving the souls of men, we have not only to contend against the powers of iicll, and the hostile influences of the worki ; but we have to grapple with the ignorance, with the inclinations to evil, with the love of sin, with the dogged resolution not to be saved, and with the confirmed sinful habits of all those whom we seek to save. The hinderances we meet with, in striving to cast satan out of the hearts of sinners, and to destroy the armour in which he trusts, are not mole-hills, but gigantic mountains. These hinderances are frequently called mountains in the New Testament. In fact, dilliculties of every kind were called mountains by the .Jews. It was a proverbial form of speech among them to speak of removing mountains, whei they only meant, by what they said, to remove or conque great difficulties, A rooter up of mountains was a com mon epithet applied to any Rabbin wlio was an eminent and a learned nian, capable of removing the difficulties which perplexed the unlearned. In removing the hinderances to the salvation of souls, great faith is absolutely requisite. Little faith makes every mole- hill a mountain ; but great faith sinks every mountain to a plain. Lillln faith sees a lion at every corner of the street ; but great faith sees Jehovah with his hosts ready to crush every foe that opposes, and to remove every diffieully that hiu- dcr3 the salvation of immortal souls. Little f.iitli kreps its eyes riveted upon the hinderances, and sees nothing but them ; but great faith, after glancing at tlie huge mountain of diffi- culties, turns its eyes to the Captain of our Salvation, to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith, and triumphantly 23 «;>■ I i 366 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIINS cries—" Who art thou, O great mountain ? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain," and proceeds to seek the sinner's salvation: singing — " Jesus, the name high over all. In hell, or earth, or sky ! Angels and men before it fall ; And devils fear and fly." And its labours are crowned with success. Are these state- ments deemed fanatical ? then Paul was a great fanatic ; for speaking of the faith of the ancient worthies, he says, " Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtain- ed promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the vio- lence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again ; and others were tortured, not accepting deliver- once; that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, more- over, of bonds and imprisonment : They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword : they wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins ; being destitute, afflicted, tormented : (Of whom the world was not worthy:) They wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." — Heb. xi. 33 — 38. If great faith in God cannot remove hindrances out of the way of the salvation of souls, how was it that it worked such wonders for the ancient worthies ? Has faith changed, or has God changed? One or the other must be changed, if great faith will not remove great hindrances out of the way of the sal- vation of souls. Talk of the mountains of difl^iculty that lie in the way of our doing the will of God in the salvation of souls: they are mere sand-hanks compared with the moun- tains which lay in the way of the ancient worthies doing the will of God, " Alps on alps" rose up before them ; but by faith in God, they removed them, and did his blessed will. Great faitli will remove all difficulties ; and, therefore, we cannot err in praying from the heart with Charles Wesley : " Give me the faith that can remove And wnk the mountnin to a plain ; Give nie the child-hUe, praying love, Which lonRH to build thy house again : Thy love, let it my heart o'erpower, And all my simple soul devour." Jerubbabel le sinner's hese state- natic ; for 's, " Who !ss, obtain- 'd the vio- weakness flight the 1 raised to I deliver- ion ; and /ea, more- ned, they he sword : IS being d was not ns, and in If great ay of the 1 wonders has God ;reat faith »f the sal- ty that lie Ivation of 10 rnoun- doing the ; but by ssod will, efbre, we ^esley : — TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 267 " O for a fervent, strong desire, O for a calmly fervent zeal To save poor souls out of the fire ; To snatch them from the jaws of hell ; And turn them to a pardoning God, And quench the brands in Jesus' blood !'' Great faith is essential to great success in saving souls, he- cause without it we shall not attempt great things for God, nor expect great things from God. Little faith makes cow- ards ; great faith makes heroes. " All things are possible to him that believeth'," i. e., all things which God requires us to perform, can be accomplished by him that believeth. God requires us to attempt the salvation of souls, yea, to turn tnany to righteousness. He promises to succeed our efforts. Little faith doubts on this point, and prevents us from at- tempting to save souls. When we doubt the possibility of our saving souls, there is not much likelihood of our making the attempt. And if we did make the attempt, our unbelief would withhold God's blessing, so that we could do no good. When we discredit what God says, he is displeased with us ; for we dishonour him. We question his ability, or his willingness to save souls by us ; or else we doubt the faithfulness of God to perform for us what he has promised, and therefore He withholds his saving power. The doubting soul cannot ex- pect God to save other souls by its efforts ; for Jesus says, " Let him ask in fliith nothing wavering ; for he that waver- eth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord." Great faith, on the contrary, leads out the believer to atteiTipt great things for God, and to expect that God will do wonders by his eflbrts. The man that possesses a great faith in God may not have great intellectual power, may be conscious of his own ignorance, weaknesss, unworthiness, and may feel his utter insufficiency for saving souls ; but he feels also that his sufficiency is of God. In Christ he has wisdom, and strength, and righteousness; and depending upon the Almighty Saviour, he reproves, rebukes, exhorts, and beseeches the sin- ners around him. Before long he finds one serious, another crying for mercy, and a third asking his way to Zion, with his face thitherward. Though after the flesh he is not wise, nor mighty, nor noble, yet he finds that, by his efforts, God con- founds the wise, the mighty, and the noble, and brings then* torepentance and salvation. If you want to see the efficacy of great faith in saving souls — great faith exercised by an I 'i I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I l^|28 112.5 ■so '"^■^ lllll^S •^ M III 2.2 ti^ 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 = ^ 6" — ► ■ 0^ >^ 0^ •r Photographic Sciences Corporulion ^ 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTIRNY 14JB0 (7)6) •7a-4S03 ^1% 266 TUB 0BLI6ATI0IfS OF CHRISTIANS r 1 n.Kl spooddv would bo l,earcl, "Great voio . in 1 Javen sav' doubtcdior i, v.ouId bocffi-ctcd ' """ '°°" '"^ "° '™S" Knew iJitii duty, and felt their ivsnonsihilitv tliat m. nn average, every Cl,ns,ian n.ight bo the ne.nso f conve linl sinnor every year ? A>,d e^tirnatinc the nun be of Suin^ Sor 1.0W ,^ u '""";' ""'"^^"'-^ Ht one thoirsand url '' Kr '•' :'^'"'^"'^trat. ,1 bv an appeal to %. rconvert UhJ ? l" ,' K """ '" ''' '^'^'"« -l.nini.stn.tL^. by the?r eLrtr Tl.?v 1"''"' "X'' ^''^ '"""^^ "^ ^''"'^^^^ °"« oy ineir riior 8. Ihey have such erroneous views of thoi.- du.es to Chn«t am the souls of n,en. that they Jlul pX ably shudder w,th horror if fol.l that Christ expects t em n«r' sonailv to abour lor the sulvmi. ., rf ' ^*F^'8/"<^'»' per- ui luf uje sttivunoii oi inmiortul souls. AJisc TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOULS. 269 ■ salvatior^ of you will dis- ? amoijg the n the ability ftU the 5?im- fellows about 1* of sinners, ner, that few hilo reading hristians had ■on version of M-ted ; soon, 17 of God ; leaven, say- Idngdonis of or over and at faith, the c no longer Ills tract on )ns seem to with sotne individuals I strengthen egards the opart from presume, 1 members i"t, on nn ■'erting one jf genuine ■staling the 3 tijousand world / •eal to fig. inistnition the lliith Christians •I the con. 'I I vert one s of their uld prob- them per- 9. AJisc. rably are all such deceived, and it will be a miracle if they save their own souls. When will this cursed, soul-destroying unbelief be rooted out of the church of God ! When, oh f when will it be extirpated from the heart ol every professed Ibllower of Christ ! Until it is destroyed, and the church, the whole church, has faith in God and the faith of God, the conversion of the world will be delayed to a remote period. But if all Christians had great faith in God, it would not take even twelve years to bring the whole world in willing bonds to the feet of Jesus. Great faith would never be satisfied with the conversion of only one soul a year. It would pant for more enlarged success. It would neither give God nor man any rest till all the sons of men were saved. On the grounds we have now stated, we affirm that great faith is ESSENTIAL TO GREAT SUCCESS IN SAVING SOULS, AND THAT IT IS THE IMPERATIVE DUTY OF EVERY ONE THAT NAMES THE NAME OF Christ to have, to hold, and to exercise such FAITH IN God. III. Til at the use of proper means will secure great faith in God. It is no use expecting to obtain a laith like tiiis without eflbrt, and to preserve it without care. To obtain and retain great faith in God, wc must use proper means, and give all diligence to secure and preserve this precious faith. Tlie dil- igent hand maketh rich in temporal things; and diligence in ihe use of proper means will make us rich in faith. To hmr ^rcat faiih in God, wc must obtain a letter acquaint- anve with him. Just in proportion as we arc acquainted with any man, shall wo bo disposed to place confidence in him. ff wc find, after a long ami intimate acquantancc with a per- son, that ho is int(>l]ig(>nt, judicious, knid-hearted, and trust- worthy, we shall place unbounded confidence in him. So it is in reference to Jehovah. Those who are best acquaint- ed with God, place the greatest confidence in him. Tho I'salmifit plainly states this ftct in these words : "Tho Lord idso will bo a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in the times of trouble, And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee : for thou, Lord, liast not forsaken those who seek thee." — Psalm ix. 0, 10. Paul utters similar language — "I know in whom 1 have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to his trust ogainst that day." — 2 Tim. 1. 13. Those who are acquainted with the nature, perfections, works, and ways of God, which his 270 THE OBUGiTlONS OF CSEISTIAMS narae imports, and who have found him failhful to the lru,l KHtti: S Z'cT"''' f "" '■'""' ^ ''^ Tho-" ho ^Sn-.s'ps^t^n^dn/rrS with his people, and with our own souls let usnhfnJn « kI^"^ ♦V r .1 o • ■ ^ °^ ^^"^ operation of God. Amonir the ii^its of ho Spmt, enunerated in the fifth of Galathns faith ^pirit ot taith because he gives to the soul both the will nrd xoS'frtT,"'"^ ""'' ''''' '^^- Spirit does n" and Christ ,^. bo ^ ""^ ""'""''' '^"^ '^^ «° ^'^vtals God lation It is in tins way, too, that we should seek an increase CO trove,»y „b„u, ,„...vinR for f„i,l, U.L done muc ham, and If any were siniplelons enough, Ihey miuhl earrv on iu,! »uch another eonlroversy alwut |.ra .in,/|i,.- lo e or jov'' „ I'ooee, or lonR.„ufleri„,,, or senllenoa,,°or pood ne s or m™k nes, or tejnperanee ; f,r faith is ph.ee | alSr vhh "hem a, nollnng less lh„„ prayi„g f„r „,„, ,■ ,, j power whiehw .":'"! d""T:ZvT':'r",",'"'"','!'^ ^°"' '""' '■"" -"«'!"» m uou. 10 piuy /or iailh ui this manner, is just as nronor ".^ooftU.ir''Tr' "^ r'''^ '-• lovirt^in;^ jam, umlUiustdidnot rrprove thnn for so doinff • nor did he show hen. the impropriety of such a pray^^^ih c^ he undoubtedly would have .lone, hu.l theri S n any thin^ wrong in the r praver R.wnLr .„„ i ii ^ ^ 6 I'luytr. riowever, we hold no conlroverBy TO SEEK THE BALTATION OF SOULS. 271 to the trust Those who ict acquaint- by medita- 5nstant com- his dealings tain a better nly increase 7nust obtain )intof fahh. Among the itians, faith termed the ho will and it does not evtals God ^ and ovcr- and faith- rm what in such times, Jbt the ful. cs of rove- n increase B dropped ) prayer ; ind poner, i senseless ich harm ; rry on just 3r joy, or or ineek- them as more and -"hich will ionfidence is proper, any other crease of ; nor did vhich he ny thing itroveruy with any on this point. By earnest prayer become full of the Spirit, and yoii will have great laith in God. To obtain and retain great faith in God, use the faith you already possess^ It is by exercise that the powers of the human body are invigorated. Paul says that is by reason of use that the senses are exercised to discern both good and evil. All will allow thnt our physical organs are strengthened, and our intellectual hiculties are expanded by exercise. Why thei'. should not f)ur faith in God be increased by the same means ? By believing in God for one promised blessing, and receiving it, we are encouraged to try again, and belie's-e for another ; and by a few successful trials of faith, in the prom- ises of God, we shall become so strong in faith that wo shall be able to believe all that the Lord has spoken. In the nine- teenth chapter of Matthew's gosprl, Christ says, " If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible to you." The similitude between faith and the mustard seed does not consist in the smalincss of the mustard seed, and the smallness of the fuUh, but in the increasing, thriving property of the mus.': .1 seed, and the thriving faith which removes mountains. Botanists all speak in the highest terms ot the fertility of the mustard seed ; and if we had a faith that would increase and thrive as the mus- tard seed does, we should have faitli equal to every difficulty and sufficient for every duty. We, however, have introduc- ed this comparison of the Saviour's, not to show the resem- blance between the mustard seed and faith ; but to ask whether a grain of mustard seed would grow, and increase, and be- come a tree in which the birds of the air could lodge, if kept in a bag in the cupboard ? We trow not. It must be put into properly prepared grnim:!, and then it will vegetate and grow. And you may pray for great faith all the days of your lives, but you will never obtain it unless you use the faith you now possess. To obtain and retain great faith in God, you must become Kell acquainted with the promises of the Bible. The reason why many sincere Christians have so little faith, is because they do not know what promises the Bible contains, or they do not pv)nder them sufficiently. In order to get a strong and an increasing faith in God, we must become familia*' with the promises of the Divine Word. We cannot believe in that of which we have no knowledge. There must bo some report, some previous information, some truth to be believed, or we cuu- 27:J THB OBLIGATIONS OP OHlWTIAlfS I not exerc.se faith at all. When pressing sinners to believe we have often been asked, - What must I believe ?" S we have had to g.ve the information required. And so "n the foT 7;t "^'f.'"'^ ^°"^^' ''^ must have a sufficient know, edge of the abil.ty and willingness of God to saTour feT nThrboV r T'""'"'' '' ^"^^'^ - '- exercise greafuUh of manv Chr "tl '^ """"'T 'V/^ ^^^i-^'-iptural are the views ot many Christians upon this all-irnportant subject. We have to onnv ^''' r''° ^^'^^^ '^'' ««S ^« either\bi; or wiuLg to convi.-ice and convert sinners every Sabbath, or every imf that pub ic worship is attended to. On this si^bTect wTslmU quot^ only one passage fron God's word : ' In tl ^7 dat shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not • and to 7inn T I not thine hands be slack. The LorTthy God h/thfmlhl- tl^ee is mighty ; he will save, he will r^ejoife over thTf with oy ; he wi 1 rest in his love, '.c will joy oier thee wUh sh g g. --Zeph. Ill 16, 17. Now, when we come tocrether fn God rbofin'H'"r'P'''' -,^^'>'— ' to bebressdby t^oci . to be fi led with peace, and love, and joy ; but there is t le o^pec ation that ,lie mighty God in the Udst of us wi^^ there and then convince and convert sinners ; and, hence as . bless ng. There is a want of the spirit of prayer Some u Pmvcr mo^; .! •* "' '^'' "'ost humble, yet most earnest prayer, most persevering, most importunate ; and so he o tailed a fidness of the blessing of the gospel of Chr^ IhiH fulness means, for great numbers to be awakii.d and converted as in tlu> pn.niiive times, and at interval W^^^ To have that great faith in God, which is essentia to^reat -success in saving souls, through the public minis ry of tlfe word, w6 must know how GcHK.otod in p imitite f L a d Ml mo \soia o\ God, which assure us that his word sl.nll n^f return void, but shall accomplish the thgwct l£^^^ niul piaycr. Such is now the littleness of faUh in manv nrn lessors, that they expect no conversions at the regular or ordi' nary means of public worship, .o that they are e^er d^Xd >% f^";.l tl.e.r hands are ever sl.ck. Look out 're promises" and behove them, and plead them for the conversLi oTsh" ^^\::^^::^'^l;:::^r ^"'\''"« ^-'^-^ thTdi-ylnes found m God s house, and soon see them clothed with TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 273 I to believe, V and we i so in the sient know. ve our fel. great faith 'e the views We have ) or willing every time ct we shall that day it Zion, Let le midst of r thee with with si:jg. ogether in blessed by ut there is of us will hence, as 1 God for r. Some- it is a mis- )st earnest nd so he 2/' Christ. cened and Is since." 1 to great •ry of the les, and ■jntained shall not ploasoth ; litcd faith lany pro- r or ordi- dospond- promises, I of sin ly boneti bed with flesh; and the Spirit of God entering them, and making them to live to the glory of God. To obtain and retain that great faith in God, which is essen- tial to success in saving snuJs, we must keep clear of all sin. Sin is more destructive to fuith thr.n the vermin of the earth are to the precious seed which is sown in the ground. It will be impossible for us to have a vigorous, thriving fuith, a faith which will grow exceedingly, if we live in the practice of any known sin, or if we cherish any secret faults. If vo onlv regard iniquity in the heart, God will not hear our prayers; and where is the man who can confidently rely upon God for a blessing upon his efforts to save souls, who practices sin in his life, or cherishes sin in his heart ? To exercise confi- dence in God, under such circumstances, is bold presumption — daring impiety. The propor use of thr>so moans will as certainly bring iis into the possession of that grout fuith in God, which is essen- tial to succoss in saving souls, as ever believing in the blood of Christ brought us into a state of acceptanc^' with God. Do you desire a fiith like this, wliiclv.will enable you to save many souls from death ? Use these means, and great faith you shall both obtain and retain. If you do really desire this groat faith, you will most certainly use the means now point- ed out ; h\' no man can truly desire that which he will not seek to obtiiin. The state of the church and the world imperiously demand great faith on the part of liie people of God. The church Wants r(>viving, und the world wun'.s converting ; but we can dotieither fjr th'> want of moro fiith. We arc to) apt to look at th(.' coldness, formality, and worldliness of prof(>ssors, and brcoiue discouraged ; instead of bracing up every nerve, ex- ercising a simpler and sfronjrer fuith in God, and being deter- mined to huvt! a revival in the church. We look at the en- mity of sinners against God ; at their love of pleasure, wealth, Hiid iionour; ut their deceitfulness and desperate wiclicdness, and are ready to despair; instead of being the more resolute- ly bunt on tluir conversion, and exercising the requisite faith hi God to secure their conversion. If the church did not need reviving, and the world did not need converting, there would be no need for great faith in God to revive the church and dave the world. The very reasons which some assign for not exercising great faith in God, are the very reason* why they ought lo exercise fuith of the most vigorous and persevering character. 874 THJt OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS We call upon you, therefore, who profess the religion of Jesus, to get rid of your unbelief,— to have faith in God, and the faith of God, that the church may be revived, and that sinners may be converted. Cease to doubt the truth, and power, and goodness of God. " Believe in the Lord, so shall ye be established ; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper." rhmkof the injury you are doing the world— think of the many souls, for whom Christ died, that you are keeping in a perishing condition by your unbelief. Your are positively damming up the waters of health, and purity, and iov, fnd eternal life by your unbelief. How can you be so cruel to your fe low-men, so unjust to God, so unkind to Christ, so un- grateful to the Holy Spirit, as to do so ? Have faith in God, and thus lift up the flood-gates of mercy upon your fellow. men : and let " Salvation like a river flow, Abundant, free, and clear." ii religion of n God, and I, and that truth, and rd, so shall j> 3 prosper link of the eeping in a ! positively d joy, pnd so cruel to irist, so un- ith in God, our fellow. DISCOURSE XIV. THE EXCELLENCY OF UNWEARIED ZEAL TN THE GREAT WORK OF SAVIxNG SOULS. " But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.'" — Galatians iv. 18. Of all things in the world, false zeal and party zeal are the most injurious. False zeal causes men to regard their best friends as their worst enemies ; and party zeal destroys every kindly feeling towards an opponent,. False zeal caused the Jews to murder Christ ; and party zeal caused the Gala- tians to count Paul their enemy, because he told them the truth. When Paul preached the pure gospel to the Galatians at the first, they were so thankful for the preached word, and so full of love to the apostle, for having brought it unto them, that they received him as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus ; yea, if it had been possible, they would have plucked out their own eyes, and have given them to him. But, alas ! a sad change has come over them : they have been listening to some false teachers, who tell them that tliey must mix Judaism with Christianity, if they would be saved — that the gospel, with all its light and purity, power an'^ love, will not save them unless they are circumcised : they iiuvo embraced the pernicious theory : have become the zealous partisans of these false tenchers; and now they count Paul, their father in Christ, their enemy. Such a change has passed over the Galatians, that now, instead of being ready to pluck out their own eyes and give them to Paul, on account of the love they bear him, they are well nigh ready to pluck out the eyes of the venerable apostle, because ho will not cou..' nuance them in the belief ol a lie.- We have often witnessed similar things in the course of our own ministry. In the context, Paul tenderly expostulates with the Gala- tians on the folly, wickedness, and dimger of such a course, in these words : " I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. Brethren, I beseech you, be as 1 am ; for I am as ye are : ye have not injured me at all. Ye ;' 276 THE OBLIGATIO.VS OF CHRISTIANS It - know how, through infirmity of the flesh, I preached the coa- pel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected ; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, arid have given them to me. Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth ? They zealously affect you, but not we'l ; yea, they would exclude you, that ve might affect them. But it is good lo be zealously affecfed always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.'""' Right zeal is supremely valuable, and ought to be dihVent- ly cultivated and constantly exhibited by every fbllowc'r of Christ. Wc must not be dormant, because some are enthu- siastic ; we must not refuse to labour for the good of the cause of Christ, because many labour only to build up a party or sect, regardless of the interests of religion generally -—for it IS good to be always zealously affected" in good. ' We propose to consider Christian zeal, I. In its characteristics. II. In its objects. III. In its excellency. IV. In its necessity. I. Let us glance at the characteristics of Christian zeal. Zeal denotes in general a vehement fervour, or heat of the mind or alkctions, and so is applicable either in a cood or bad sense. It is that ardent atlection of the mind which causes us to use all the faculties of our souls, all the powers otour bodies, and all the means at our disposal, for the attain, ment of the objeet we desire. The best illustrations of zeal are tound in tbo following passages of the word of God. Of king IJezckiah it is said, '' In every work that he boffan in the service of the house of God, and in the law, andin the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart and prospered."— 2 Chron. xxxi. 21. Solomon says, ' nil 4K!»».«^^ K..1 *<^..n4l. nil *1>i».#vc. 1k#«.\r»tn nil lititti , Lrtuivitl ail lutti^rj, uciiir Ttrlii tin titiTij^c, !fj"H» •Ml things, cndureth all things." Such is Christian kical. It is ut THE OBUGATIOXS OF CHBISTIAWS not that Ignorant and imprudent, proud and impatient, secta- nan and furious thing which many imagine it to be, and which, with some professors, passes current as Christian zeal. Ah, no J Christian zeal is just like the zeal which Christ ex- hibited when on earth. It is intelligent and prudent, humble, patient, and charitable. Unless we have a zeal like Christ's we are destitute of Christian zeal. * Consider, II. The objects of Christian zeal. The text says, « It is good to be zealously affected always m good. ' The objects of Christian zeal are good, pre- eminently good. Christian zeal never can seek anything which IS bad. Among the objects of Christian zeal, the fol! lowing are paramount : — The glory of God. This is the first and the highest object ot Christian zeal. The Christian being very jmlous of the honour of the Lord God of hosts, is very zealous in promot- ing the Divme glory among men. Christian zeal induces its possessor to glorify God in his body and spirit, which are his: to do all that he does to the glory of God. The Chris- Uan lives to induce men to admire and extol the grace of God which is in him. Christian zeal causes a man to labour and pray, and give, to induce the men of the world to believe that ho^ 13 concerned for the Divine glory ; and to induce them, if possible, to keep God's laws, to reverence his name, to attend his worship, to serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind, that ho may h-> glorified. Christian zeal kindly reproves men when they blaspheme God's holy name when they break his Sabbaths, when they violate the laws of truth, justice, honesty, and love, which "he has given for the observance of men, in their intercourse with each other • earnestly exhorts men to attend to the worship of God, to behcvo the Gospel of his Son, to submit to the strivings of his Spirit, and to bo savrd by bis glorious grace, that they may be to the praise o! his glory : tenderly beseeches men to bo reconciled to God, and give unto him the glory that is due unto his name. When unsuccessful. Christian zeal sighs and cries over the abominations which are done in tho land ; in secret places weeps over Jhe pride, unbelief, and hard- heartedness of sinners ; and fi-rvenlly cries, " O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonder- .Ut works to the ehiidfen of men." Tho Chrislian hears the voice of tho Saviour, saying, » Herein is my Father ghrijied, TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. ast lent, secta- o be, and istian zeal. Christ ex- It, humble, e Christ's, ed always ?ood, pre- anything il, the fol. lest object yus of the n promot- nduces its I'hich are 'he Chris. ! grace of to labour, to believe io induce his name, heart and itian zeal )ly name, o laws of )n for the Il other : fGoil, to "ivings of that they jhos men y that is ;cal sighs ho hind ; iiid hard- that men wonder, lears the ghrified, that ye hear much fruit ; so shall ye he my disciples." Be- lieving this, ho zealously labours to render to God the fruit of his lips, the love of his heart, and the obedience of his life ; and seeks, with untiring zeal, to cultivate a portion of the barren wilderness in which he is placed ; that the wilder- ness may be turned into a fruitful field, yielding •' the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the praise and glory of God." Another "preeminent object of Christian zeal is io extend the knowledge of the Saviour, and multiply the triumphs of his cross. Christian zeal is supremely anxious that Christ should «ee of the travail of his soul and be satisfied, in the universal destruction of Satan's kingdom, and in the universal establsh. ment of " The kingdom of God,' which " is not meat and drink ; but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Christians know that the knowledge of the Saviour is abso- lutely needed, to effect this most desirable object : know that the cross must bo uplifted, its banners unfurled in every land, before the nations either will or can flock to Christ as doves to their windows ; and before he " shall assemble the out- casts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." — See Isaiah, chapter 11. Christian zeal ardently desires the period to arrive, when in every country <' They shall sit every man," with a copy of the Holy Scriptures in his hand, " under his vine and under his fig tree ; and none shall make them afraid :" earnestly longs to hear of the Gospel exerting its almighty power in every family ; influencintr each heart, ruling each tongue, regulating each life, so that all the habitations of men may become tlio abodes of peace and joy, harmony and love : yea, it cannot rest until Satan is cast into the bottomless pit, shut up, and a seal sot upon him, that ho may deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years shall bo fulfilled, spoken of by the Rovehitor : Christian zeal cannot give up its labours till all the sons of men, delivered from the guilt, the bondage, the pollution, the curse of sin, and the tyranny of satan, are found believing in Christ, loving Christ, and re- joicing in him with joy unspeakable and full of glory. To gain those blessed ends, Christian zeal devises liberal things, and vigorously supports those noble institutions which have for their object the destruction of Satan's empire, and the sub- jugation of the world to Christ, whose right it is to reign, over all human hearts, trom sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. 'S»4 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS Another paramount object of Christian zeal, inseparably t5onnected with the glory of God and the triumphs of the cross of Christ, is Ike present and eternal welfare of man. Christian zeal seeks the anr:elioration of man's temporal sor- rows. It cannot (because Christianity was never desitrned to) remove those physical evils to which flesh is heir,°and those mental woes which flow therefrom ; but they are softened and lessened by its enterprises. Christian zeal pro. vides and supports, in Christian lands, hospitals for the sick : asylums for the insane, the bliiKl, the deaf and dumb : liouses where the guilty creatures wlio have left the paths of virtue may resort, if they desire to reform ; Sabbath schools, yea, even day schools, for the education of the children of the poor; Dorcas societies, for the clothing of the naked; temperance societies, for the reformation of drunk- ards; and moral reform societies, for the reformation of manners. It supplies, also, refreshment to the huncrry, makes the widow rejoice, and the orphan glad. It sympa- thises wit^i the sufferer, visits the afflicted in their afflic- tions, and administers consolation to tlie dying. Time would fail us if wo were to attempt to describe all the temporal good wnich Christinn zeal does for man. But Christian zeal, while it does not by any means over- look maii^s temjjoral welfare, especially seeks the spiritual and eternal good of maukind. The present and eternal sal- ration of man is peculiarly I'uo object of Christian zeal. It anns at instructing the ignorant in the knowledge of God • delivering them from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life : turning them from sin to holi- ness, from the power of Satan unto (Jod, from the broad road that leads to destruction, into the narrow way which leadeth unto life. Christian zeal, contemplating man as a fallen, ruined creature, endeavours to raise him up, and restore him to the favour nnd image of God : contemplat- ing him as a diseased and dying creature, runs to him with the precious balm of the Gosppl, uiul beseeches him to use :t, that he may bo restored to health, and live forever- contemplating him as a guilty, enslaved creature, doomed to perpetual horrors and eternal thraldom, it blows the trumpet, and sends to him the joyful sound of pardon and liberty, that he mr receive the forgiveness of sins, aiid^ inheritance among them that ai-e sanctilled through' lUiih that is in Christ : contemplating him bh a polluted creature, who cunnol live with God and angels if not pari. TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOtTLS. 285 fied by the blood of the Lamb, it directs his attention to the fountain opened in the housG of David and to the inha- bitants of Jerusalem. In a word, Christian zeal beholds the human race going down to the bottomless pit, and knowing that nothing but the cross of Christ can save them from that horrible pit, it rushes, with the cross up. lifted, into the way of sinners, and cries, " Behold the Lamb of God that takcth away tiic sin of the world." Its object being to save the souls of men from endless woe, and to bring them to the possession of eternal life, it supports a Gospi-l Ministry, Bible Societies, Tract Socie- ties, Missionary Societies, and Sabbath Schools, for the express purpose of placing the cross of Christ in every land, to save men from sin, death, and hell, and to bring them to holiness, life, and heaven. And not only so, but Christian zeal prompts its possessors, old and young, rich and poor, learned and illiterate, male and female, to put forth individual effort, to gain the same blessed object. Christian zeal not only appropriates money, but gives prayers, talents, influence, labour, time, body and soul, to secure the same great object j and thinks itseuf amply re- paid if God is glorified, Christ satisfied, and man saved, by all its efforts. Consider, III. The excellency of unwearied Christian zeal. " But it is good to be zealously affocted always in good." The most burning zeal, if only occasional, is of little worth; but unwearied zeal is of great value. Paul does not say " It is good to be zealously affected in good ;" but ho says, " It is good to be zealously affected always in jTood."' Continued Christian zeal is excellent. Because it is consistent with the Christian profession. As Christians, we profess tiiat we are not our own. Having been purciiased with a price the most astonishing, even with the ])rcciuu8 blcod of Christ, we profess to glorify God in our bodies and spirits, which are his. We profess to live nut unto ourselves ; but unto him who died for our oirenccs, and rose again for our justification. Wo profess to seek not merely our own good, but the welfare of our foUow-men. Therefore, while it is inconsistent in us, and disgraceful to us, to belie our professions, by apathy in the work of God, in the cause oi Christ, and in the salv(». t8B THE OBLIG^roNS OP CHRISTIANS 17J^/? ' A '1^°^^' ''^'y good to be always zealously affected toward those great objects we profess to seek .nLT7i f '' '" ^''^''^ accordance both with the spirit and the letter of our covenant engagements. We, as Chris- tmns have entered into a perpetual covenant with God. which must never be forgotten. We have solemnly, deli, beratcly and of our own free will taken God for our leather, Chn.t for our master, the Holy Spirit for our guide. VVe have promised and covenanted with Almighty God, that, f he will bestow upon us grace and glory, vvl will give him our I dies, our souls our all; and that we will work, and tlunk, and speak for God, as long as we live. When we were converted, and took the Lord to be our God, and united with his people, we said in deed, if not in word,— " Lord, in the strength of grace, Witli a glad heart, and free, Myself, my residue of daya, I consecrate lo tLee. ' Thy ransomed servant, I Restore to thee thy own ; And from this moment live 'or die, 'i'o serve my God alone." If, therefore, we are not unwearied in our efforts to do he will of God, to advance ihe cause of Christ, and save he souls of men, we are covenant breakers. Every man breaks Ins covenant with God who is not almays zealously affected in good, flus is very wicked. But when we ar^ unwearied m our zeal, we are acting up to our covenant engagements, and botli God and man must approve of our conduct. ' ^ Continued Christian zeal manifests that singleness of intcn- Uon, that honesty ol purpose, that rectitude of principle, that invincible courage, and that indomitable perseverance which command not only the admiration of the wise and the good, but calls forth the eulogiums of the ignorant and the wicked. I he bitterest opponents of Wesley and Whitfield were struck with admnution at their heroic and constant zeal ; and the greatest haters of Methodhm have been lavish in their praises of the z.a/ of the Methodists. That eminent and pious dmne, Dr. Chalmers, who had a soul too large, and a love to Christ too fervent, not to admire the efR)rt9 put fo- th by Christians of other persuasions, to save the «mjlg of r^J was so struck with the unwearied zeal of the Methodists, that he gave to Methodism the designation of " Christianity in '■4 t TO' SEEK THE SALVATION Of SOtTLS. 367 zealously to seek. the spirit as Chris- *vuh God, nly, deli- 1 for our •ur guide. jrod, that, give him 'ork, and Vhen we id united rts to do and save ^ery man jealously n we are covenant e of our of inten- iple, that 30 which he good, wicked, e struck and tho in their nd pious I love to r.th by ■ » sts, that nity in earnest." Unwearied zeal in the cause of God is *o good that it will ever command the esteem of the wise and good, and the admiration of the ignorant and vicious. Unwearied zeal shows the resolute determination of the soul to do the will of God, and act up to our profession, what- ever may be the reproaches and persecutions that may await us for so doing ; and this shows that we are zealous not to please men, but to please God, who trieth the heart. Occa- sional zeal, like that of the Galatians, when some of God's zealous servants are with us, animating us both by word and deed, shows a desire to please them ; but z>eal con- tinu^d when they are absent, when difficulties are great, when enemies are numerous, and when temptations are heavy, gives such proof of heartfelt love to God, complete devotedness to Christ, and genuine conoern for the souls of men, that he that is zealous of good under such cir- cumstances is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Sucii zealous efforts are not eye service, but heart service, and stamp the chiirnctcr with consistency. Unwearied Christian zeal is excellent, Because it produces the tnost beneficial and lasting results. It gives men a just conception, and an exalted opinion of the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unwearied zeal gives the world an excellent and impressive example of the power of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. It causes men to see, and to feel, and to acknowledge the beauty, tho force, the value, the desirableness, and the necessity of genuine reli- gion. Hundreds who are wandering in the paths of sin, misery, and death, would soon turn their feet unto God's testimonies, if all who mnke a profession of religion were zealously aflected always in good ; for they would then be forced to feel that there is a reality in religion —that Chris- tians really believe there is a God, a Saviour, a heaven, a hell, a judgment, an eternity : that they firmly believe, that without repentance, faith, and holiness, men must be damned to all eternity : that Christians do really possess the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, tho love of God, the conmiunion of the Holy Spirit, and a good hope through grace of eternal life. Let these impressions be produced upon the minds of sinners, by the unwearied zeal of God's children, and then the most earoless will soon bo awakened, ihf most triflin" will soon become serious, tho most profligate will soon be ashamed, and the most hardened and stubborn sinners will 288 THE OBLIGATIONS OP caRlSTIAITS soon begin to yield, and cry, " Men, brethren, what must we do ?" But when sinners see professors generally cold, and uncon- cerned, and worl(Jly : only occadonally acting and speaking as if they believed all that the Scriptures contain is true, they think that religion is a fable, and that those who profess it do not beJieve it ; therefore, the unconverted remain asleep in their sins, dream that all is well, and mutter in their sleep " Peace and safety : then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not cscano."— 1 Thess. v. 3. Souls are ruined by the want of continued earnestness and zeal on the part of the professed people of God. Let all in the Church of God, or any section of the Church, live as it becometh the Gospel, and continually manifest true Christian zeal for the salvation of souls, and a change will soon take place in the conduct of sinners, who witness this marked change in believers • for continued zeal Avould bring them to their senses, and crowds of them to the cross, to obtain salvation through faith in the blood of its victim. When in the city of Montreal, we were conversing one day with the late Rev. Caleb Strong' who at that time had a gracious revival progressing in his church, we asked him, '« To hat cause do you attribute your revival ?" His remark we can never forget, for he re- plied, " To the increased earnestness and zeal of my mem- bers, who have become more concerned for their own souls and the souls of others." This is just what is wanted, to increase religion in the church and 'in the world. Let all who profess religion bo in earnest to make their own calling and election sure, and continuously labour for the salvation of others, and speedily the salvation of our God shall be known to all men, in all nations. Viewed in this light, con- tinued Christian zeal is unspeakably good. For the want of it, many perish. How many perish through the lukewarm- nesH of the professors of religion the day of judgment alone can reveal ! Unwearied Christian ?eal is j/ood. For it nisurcs a great, reward. It will give us the satis- ' faction arising from well-meant endeavours, and save us from nil the bitter remorse and unavailing regn^ts which are ever occasioned by neglect of duty. Tins is no small rewar- ; for " The spirit of a man may sustain his infirmities ; out ft wounded spirit who can bear." Casper Sehade, when dying, said, '• I must cry and preach repentance while there is y 't a gasp of breath in me. Oh ! if I had but cried TO SBEi *«K> SILt^jC'h^'>^^^Oiim\ ^m hat must id uncon- eaking as rue, they profess lin asleep in their 1 Cometh and they ed by the irt of the ' God, or e Gospel, salvation s conduct clievers ; ises, and ugh faith Montreal, b Strong, ig in his attribute br he re- ny mem- wn souls anted, to Let all n calling salvation shall be ght, con- 3 want of kewarm- 3nt alone he satis- ) us from are ever rewar '. ; ies ; out e, when lilo there tut cried loiitKsi^ when I Was In the pufpit, the»I might hotv"ft)rl)eft»- it;^ Mkriy \VH6 do ndt fill the -pulpit are continuaUy ftUed ifcritH remorse through hot- iealously laboui^ing for ,th.e glory -of God, the satisfaction of Christ, and the' sal-vWkwi of the- sdufeof rifien. You, by your lukewarmnd8$i are not only now destroying your peace; but you ure making sad -^vork for rei* pentarice on a dying bed. Your want of zeal will then stare you in the face, and reprovti you ; and your lufcewarmnesis will Correct you in your last hoUrs. ije xcaloas, and rep^rtt^i that you I* death- bed may feel soft, as downy pilldWsiir6. W«i say, then, unwearied zoal' is good, is truly exoeMent,' ifitohly sftve us from those living regrets mu) dfjin^ regrets which thbso must endure who are not always zealously i«f{bcted in good; '••■•:-■ -^r. • ; • , |,| .,, ,, ' Cbrttinued 7,cai will render yoii, to some e^tt(^'rit,feucc!essful in!doing good. Thtit success will afford yqd sdlid sati'sfdd'-' tion and exquisite joy. " Alexandpr, emperor of Russia, wag once successful in saving a life, and He expressed the day On which tlie event occurred as the happiest;pf his life." The salvation Qf souls from death will' af!JirH you far' more joy, both in life and in death, in time and in eternity, than Alexander felt in saving a fellow-mortal frdm temporal death. It is impossible for you to labour in vain, apd gfiend your strength for nought, if you are always zealriuSly affected in good. Souls will be saved by your 'zealous eflbrts. U all do not turn to God for whoso salvation you labour, soT^e most assuredly will ;' for' " Ye kno\V thatVour labour is not in vain in the Lord." " They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again witli rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." You know, alsoj so much of the value of the soul as to cause ycu individually to say, with the Rev. Joseph Livingstone, ■" If but one soul— but one soul, O my God I be saved by my ofForts, I envy not the monarch's crown." Success in doing good will make your cup to run over : it will fill you with joy in time and in eternity. And allowing that you coulrj b(' invariably tihsucoessful in your attempts toklo good to the souls of men ; yet, " God is not ^unrighteous to forget your work of faith find' tubour of love." Success is not the rule with Gs of God, umerable 3 wished, faithfully, ten them, >lsey, one forth his "Had I to please , in my , and he 'ou shall abundant will ever and your and youf Christian reward. which toe fleeted in • do much fiaterially bis cmis- and man !, seeking irs he has e immor- r as ever, darkness nd man. e in their I, misery, s untried, and the I, of God, <>f Christ, ami of nlattV dedifesllhter^sts. These at^ er& ployed in the d^^Vil'sc'giuse, as'wdll as in God's. Therefore, if we 'wish to' sticceed In our Christian enterprises, We muist be always ziealdusly affected in good. Satan and his era- isSaries ar6 constantly striving to thwart our purpoises, to prevent U3 frdm doinij good, and to' destroy the good already accomplished by Christian zeali '■ If we relax in our exertions, he will gain the advantage over us, and destroy what w6 have wrought. We can only hold fast the good already gained by a continuance of our zeal in doing good. It does not require a Solomon to see that if Christians were to relax their efforts, the world would soon go back to the miserable condition it was in during the dark ages, j^et the church cease to keep up the public worship of God ;- let the mouths of the too few ftiithful ministers of the gospel .3 closed ;— let the Bible, and Tract, and Suhday School institutions cease their' operations ;— let the various missionary societies recall their missionaries, dismiss their collectors, and break up their organizations ; — let no effort be made to convert the world': and whose pen can write — whoso voice can utter— ^whose heart caii imagine the fearful cottdition of our world in tweilty yeai's from this day ! The world is bad enough now, with alL the institutions and efforts of Christian zeal ; but it would be inconceivably worse then. Let the devil and his angels, and his human emissarios, have their own way in this world, without any opposition for twenty ye^fs, and it would becorrift as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah, iand would, in all probility, can down by its sins — there not being ten righteous souls to preserve it— fire and brimstone from the Lord in heaven, to consunfe it. Tlie zeal of Christiatis, even now, prevent* its total darkness and corruption, and i/n pooj, we must not be zealous, very zealous, occasionalfvv hn v/o* must be always zealously affected in good. Unwearied zeal is necessary, because the objacts we seek are not near gained as ye/. The (^od, whose we , are and whom we serve, is dishonoured at this moment by the great majority of the human race. "It is sa^l to think," says the pious Mfttthew Henry, " how empty the earth is of the glory of t ..« The founder of the; order caUed t)M oixler of Jetut or /«4«i<*. 8tian man leart : ff, I iW not be ve given. ely valu- and such d to seek iquer the Francis a Loyola (Under a pergevcr- lis order. id his aA he never if Christ, orld and e for his leone of 'hat the the sim- fficulty. 8 for pa- How ? ^ntinual ood and granite rvater so lere tho r whicij , to saw thrown but tho did the (1! O'OO']. eek are [ whom lajonty pious lory of TO S8EK THE S/'LTATTON OF S6TTLS. 2^ God ; how little service and honour he has fronrj a world to which he is such a bountiful benefactor.'* The kinjjdom of Christ only includes, as yet, a minority of the human race — the nnajor part of mankind belong to satan. Millions know nothing of the Saviour's nanrje — the Saviour's precious love. Misery meets us on every hand. We have relieved a few miserable objects by money, or by considerate and kind acts, which are more valuable than money ; but there are numbers more needing our aid. We may have saved a few souls from death, but there are numbers more, with whom we are ac- quainted, who still are under the curse of God's holy law, and who imperatively need our most zealous efforts to pluck them from the burning. Can we sit down then at ease, and take our rest ? These facts say emphalical./. No. Much has been done ; thousands upon thousands have been saved, through the individiual and united efforts of God's peo- ple ; but still, the-o are hundreds, thousands, millions, yea, hundreds of millions more who need turning from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God. Can we cease our exertions, fold our a^ms, and seek our repose, while the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.? — while paganism exists with all its sickening impurities, and with all its horrid barbarities? — while the i^ 'coran of Maho- met is still extant, and thousands of his foUnwors are expect- ing his return, and a heaven of sensual bliss ? — while the Jews still retain their deep-rooted prejudices, and reject our glorious Messiah " — while niillions in the nations of Christen- dom arc living without Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world ? With these facts before us, does it become us, as a portion of the saeramentul host of God's elect, to furl our banners, throw down our weapons^ and cease to fight, as though the battle were won and the conquest achieved. Ah, no ! R'se yo men and women of God, gird on your armour, concentrate your energies, go forth in the name of your God, and never think of ceasing your zeolous labours till Christ's reign becomes as extensive as the globe ; till every man, woman, and child, in tho wide world, is found sitting at the feet of Jesus, and ascribing salvation to God and the Lamb. Cease our efforts while there are hundreds in this town un- converted, going down to hell ? We must not think of such a thing ; but girding up tho loins of our minds, we must re- double our etJorta, anc} save somo of them from eternal woe. Some relax their efforts because there is so much to be 394 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS ii done, and because so little is accomplished ; but these thoughta ought not to damp our zeal. A converted Jew, pleading the cause of the society through whose instrumentality he had been brought to a knowledge of Christianity, was opposed by a learned gentleman, who spoke very lightly of the objects of the society and its efforts, and said, " He did not suppose they would convert more than a hundred all together," " Bo it so," replied the Jew ; " you are a skilful calculator ; take your pen now, and calculate the worth of one hundred im- mortal souls !" Tliis Jew's heart was right, and he gave the proper answer to one who could oppose and sneer at a society that he thouglit might save one hundred immortal souls. Wo may not see so much good done as wo could desire, but if any souls are saved through our zealous labours, the good accom- plished is both incalculable and interminable. If we are not always zealously airrctrd in good, none may be saved; but if wo are unwearied in our eff)rts, we shall save some. And the yalvation of one soul will more than compensate for all the toiL< the privations, and the anxieties of one short life. This thouglit influenced the n)ind of one of the American missionarii s, I\Ir. Uo\, who, a short time bcCovo he sailed for Africa, visited the university at Middletown. In conversa- tion with one of the students, he said, " If I die in Africa, you must come after me, and write my epitaph." To which the other rrplird, " T will ; but what shall I write ?" "Let a thousand missionaries die l-fore AlViea bn given up," was the reply. In this spirit ho died, and in this spirit all Chris- tians slioidd both live and die. Unwearied 'xal in doiufr good is necessary fo the conlinu- ancc. of our mm persona/ piety, and to mir eternal, safety. There arc pmli'ssors who can comprehend an nrgurnent dravvn from personal niotives better than any drawn from other sources. This last thought, thrreforc, on the necessity of un- wearied zeal in the eaust; of (Jod, and Clirist, and human souls, wo trust will have the desired ell! et, if nothing else v/ill, of causing us all to bo zealously afPected always in good. Our own souls are staked on llu; coiuinunnce of our zeal in the cause of (Jod. Our piety can oidy he secured Ity our unwearied ellorts to Redeemer's kingdom, inditK-rence U^. tho eternal weljhre (^f imniorfal souls, displeases (Jod, wounds Christ, grieves the Jr^pirit ; will cause the Father to forsake us, the Son to deny us, the Holy Spirit ^^•* TO SEEK THE SALTATION OF SOULS. 395 to fight against us. Barren fig-trees are sometimes cursed at once, nncl they wither in a day. Barren fig-trees are some- times spared for a year, at the intercession of the vine-dresser, until more moans are used to maice them fruitful; but the vine-dresser himself declares that they sliall be cut down at the end of the year, if they bring forth no IVuit. But we liavo plain, positive proof that men will lose their religion and be cast off by Christ if they become lukewarm. The Laode- ceans became lukewarm ; they lost their zeal, and were in- different about the glory of God, the triumphs of Christ, the salvation of souls : and Jesus therefore plainly tells them that he will cast them olf. Ilis words are, " I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would tlmt thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukrwarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." But not wishing to punisli them with eternal danuiation, he gives them an oj)portutiity to recover his justly forfeited favour ; hence, he says, " B:' zealous thrrefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock : if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to hini, and sup with him anil ho with me." Me has left the heart for their lukewarnuH^ss : this is a dreadful evil. But he stands at the door : this is a great mercy. Tiie,y may yet be saved ; but only on the condition of their becoming zealous, repenting of their past hike- warmness, Ix^ariiig Christ's voice, atul t)penin<; the door. On these conditions, and on these alone, will Jesus return to their hearts. If they rejecl them, they are for ever undone. Christ is the same now as he Wns when b' revealed his dis- pleasure against the Laodeeeaiis to Jolui the divine in thiMslo of Patmos. He is as nuieli displeased with lukewarmness in us, as he wixa with the lukewarmness in theLaudeceans ; and he will as certainly cast us off, as he did them, if we are guilty of the Mame sin. If Christ east us out, our piety will wither and die us quickly as Joiia's gourd did, wjiieh perished in a night ; yen, as quickly as the barren fig-lreo did, which Jesus cursed : " 'I'he next day it was dried up from the roots." So will it 1)0 wi'h our piety, if \\e cease to be zealous. And when our pii ty is gone, wu caiuiot go to heaven; fjritis writti'U, "Without holiness no man sliall see the Lord." Such arc the reasons by which unwearied Christian zeal iscnforccd upon oiu" attention and praeliee. What shall wc my vnoTo to crxw^c you to Ih- ?.-alou-]y -•? Hoot- ed always in good ? Shall we remind you of past indiller- enco ? it has been great. Do you fuel that you have not (4 ili t . !■ J P 296 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIiiNS done vvhat you could and what you might for the glorv of God, the cause of Christ, the salvafion of fouls ? Hal Chri° left your heart in consequence of your sinful apathy ? Th" be zea bus and repent ; for he has not left the door -he stands knocku,^;; and if you vvillhe zealously afTecd 'always in good miuture he will return to your 'sorrowfu hearraid restore to you the joy of his salvation. ' I>" yo", my hearers, rcallydesire God to be fflorified Christ's cause to tr.umph, and souls to be saved ? the^ you mus to zea ous and always zeu.ous, in seeking these glonousXcts And what objects are so worthy of your zeal vour unS zeal, as those which Christian zeal se^eksto obtain " ^ Men applaud zeal in a patriot, a philanthropist, a states- n an a genenU a tradesman, and why should no zeal be ap- nfiutV" '' ^'"'f "1 • ^^^'^ °^J-''^'- Christian seeks a?e nfin.tely superior to those sought by such men. Yet such is he perverse spirit of the world, and of many professors of r^ hgion 00, that ,f a bold Christian spirit oversteps the bounds of that narrow circle u. which the majority of Christians arc novmg, m order to do more good to his fallows, by arousi. ^ tention\n"-'1 "^''^^^^^ '">Portance of an imnfediatc a^ ustly, unkindly branded as an enthusiast. Rut let such know that they are ignorant of the very meaning of the crm enthusiasm The author of the Natural Histo.y of E thu asm has justly observe,!, « Enthusiasm is a term of q u a ty ^^^^^^ of .neasurement Where there i. no error of im,u. nation^ o misju g,ng of reali.ies-no calculations which r? so " "on- M nns, the le .s no enthusiasm j even tiiough the soul may bo u hre, with the velocity of its movemonn in pursuit of .^ chosen object. ' Now, is there any error in the irnai riat on u nm Mu L , t ' ' "''' "'1^ '" «i"<'«i"g of realities, when u nmu judgos that satan's kmg,|„m is extensive, that it ought to he destroyed, and that (Christ actually d cd npo d vilT'A^e 'r '"''•""' of d<.stroying the w^dcs of Z tlLl ul '\ ""^. ''•"'«' truly d(;voted to privations than that of this iioly man. Well might be be expfctod to say, just before bis death, "Welcome joy !"" On tlie day of iiis (bnith, in his eightieth year, this " apostle of the Indians," was found teach- ing the alphabet to an Indian child at bis bed-side. " Why not rest from your labour now," said a friend. " Oecause," said the venerable man, " 1 have j)rayed to God to render me useful in my sphere ; and he has heard my prayer, for now that I can no lunirer preach, he leaves me strength enough to teach this poor cJiild his alphabet." " O for n zoal liko liis, tli;it we The biitflit extiMiple miy pursue ! Mny frlndly give up nil In llii'c, To wlioni our moif tli;in nil is cIiip." O brethren, where is our zeal for the nrioiy of (Jod ? Where is our strength to pull down the strongholds of the devil, to drive back the hosts of hell, and to advance the interests of Christ ? Whi^re is the sounding of our bow( Is and nur mer- cies to the ruined children of men? Are tliey restrained ? God, and Christ, and hundreds of millions of human souls, who are perishing, cry to us to ni<,'ht — He zealous ! Every Heeling hour, (very returning Sabbath, every funeral seenr, cry — Hez(>aloiis! "Whatsoever thy band (ind( lb to do, do it with thy might : for the night comeih when no man can work." h i I- 1 1 1 r, 1 t' 5* ' J ', !' ,4 -,} ii. 1 :: i./r '1!:; -..y/ix oj hint jRaott) m,!; >m f(iqfrn>ri» ., ■■'i'',vvth^ U\- X :;!! ? ) - - ;; -.vrj ..V/ !' ; 1...., . . : . , , ' '■/ '' ■.'lij tmj;ff» 111 ' ■ ■ YMffi !! I in,* DISCOURSE XV. THE CLAIMS OP JEHOVAH UPON OUR SERVICES, iN THE SALVATION OF SOULS. " Ye are not your own : For ye are bought with a price ; therefbr*: glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." — 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. In the discourses already delivered, on " The Obligations of Christians to save the Souls of their Fellow-men," the ar- guments we have u.scd, to induce you to discharge those obli- gations, have chiefly been drawn from the good you will accomplish l)y your efforts ; and from the satisfaction and joy you will derive from success in your work. In this discourse we shall take higher ground, and endeavour to enforce those oblij^ations on your attention, from a consideration of th« claims which Jehovah has upon the services of his people, in the great work of saving souls. We have already shown that Christians are agents in the conversion of sinners : that God has constituted his people the •* Salt of the earth, and tiio light of the world," for the express purpose of saving men from death : and we have pointed out some of the most promineit means by which you may answer the great designs of the Messed God, in consti- tuting you his agents in this impo-tar/ work. Let us now candidly and patiently consider the claims which Jehovah has upon our services. We must not labour to save souls merely for their benefit and our joy ; but principally to please God, whose we are, and whom wo ought to serve. In the great work of saving souls, God is the master ; we are only the servants. We have no right to attempt this work without his authority, and we cannot succeed in it without his blessing. Receiving our authority from him, wo have a right to attempt the salvation of any human being : for he says, justly, " All souls are mine.'' Attended by his tdcssmg, wo shall succeed in our work. Complete failure is impossible. " Exrrpt llic lioni conduct the plnn, Tli»' 'ic't I'onrcrted hchcnica are vnin, « Ami riivi'r eim Kiiccccd : Wf Bpiii'l our little Ptrciigtli for nought ; But if our ^vorl.^ in God are wrought, They t«hiill bo .lei. M indrcd." 300 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS Havirior the sanction of God, and .asauro-l of his blessirifr, wc may labour for the salvation of souls without any hesitation and with p(>rf(.ct confidonco of success. In discussin-r the important uubjnct presented to tiiq mind ia tlie-tPAt, we shall endeavour to show, I. T|ic claims which Jehovah has upon our services. II. The frround upon which Paul asserts the claims of God to our services. • ^ ; III. The manner in which ^rtlir oblifrations to Jehovah must he dischan^etl. '.:,./, Mii'-'frfi'" I. Tiic claims which Jehovah, has upon our, services' To hitve proper views of th^ nature and extent of Jehovah's claims upon our servicej^,. is of the hicrhest importance • for It we cvr m our views upon these points,, it is impo.ssible for us to render unto Go.l perfrot nnd aeceptahio obedionco. Kig It views must precede rinht practice. Howid-ver we may be disposal t.j do that which is rinht,.we. camint do it if we know not what is ri-ht. David acknowledged lliis, when he said, " leach me to do thy will ; (ur thou art my God • thv fcr>pu-it IS frood ; l,Mid mo into the hmd of upnuhtue^w "-1 salm c.xliii. 10 .Saul of Tarsus most feeliuf.Tv acknow. ledgod tins tr>nh. when '• He iremblinK and aston'ishod said, Lord, what wilt thou have me lo do f'—\c\H \x. {.\. The tliousunds on the day of Pentecost ncknowled-r, d ihis truth who, when " Tl"'y were pricked in iheir heart, said unto 1 ctcr and to the r,>,st of ih<- apo,si],.s, M.-n and brethren, what shall we r/o.A'_Acis ii. \M . And not to multiply cases to evince this trulli, which is nearly self-evident, we will only observe, that the rich, yoimy are making sacrifices for God and for the souls of men : that tlicn^ Is some dogree of merit in what thoy do. We have boton; now stood aghast with horror, and liave near- ly wept with grief, when we liave hoard profossed Christians talk of the sacrificos they have made for God and the salva- tion of itnmortnl souls. We ciiaritably hopo that all who use sucli laiiguago do it In ignoraneo ; and that thoy do not really mean that tlioy j)orfI)rm works of suptu'erogation, when they do anytlung for God and for the welfare of hunian souls. A sacrlfico, in the strict and propor sense of the torm. is n vie. tini oirofod to God, to bi' dostroyod \'n\- tlie sake of something else. Under the Christian disponsntion there is but one such Hacrifice ; and that is the porp(>tual sacrifice of Christ, who oilbred hirusolf on tlie altar of tho frnsH as t!'o a-'c"!'''*?' ';^r the sins of tho world. Jr\ tlio sertso of devoting to God that whicii wo njight justly retain, none of us ever did, or over 20 802 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS can, make a sacrifice, either for God, or for the souls of men. In a figurative and an accommodated sense, tiie bodies of Christians, and their religious services, particularly their praises to Orod and works of benevolence to men, are called sacrifices, because tiiey are well pleasing to God— are as acceptable to Inm as a s\vcct-smelling sacrifice is agreeable to us: but the idea of our losing anything by such saci-ificcs, or of 7nenn}ig anything, never entered the minds of any of the sacred writers; for such an in, when lier upon Nay, we from the stinguisli 3urselves / belong. )ur own : tlie sense preliend. can lose .'ond tlio , can we I'iicn our 's, might ;e argu- r being : istained : )r of the siher in ^. We stewards 'pendant him you fter you you are nothing but unprofitable servants. But we waive all these arguments for the present, for the text alone proves, to a de- demonstration, that Jehovah's claims upon the services of his people, in saving souls, are paramount aNd universal : tlierefore we are in error, grievous and ruinous error, if we suppose that we are making sacrifices for him and ids cause, and performing works of supererogation when we do anything fjr God, in the salvation' of the souls of men. We must present ourselves to God as living sacrifices ; but in so doing, we do not make sacrifices to God, for we are already God's property. That the clahns of Jehovah I'pon the services of his people, in the salvation of the souls of men, are paramount and universal, is ahundanthj evident from the unrestricted declarations of the Apostle, *' Ye are not your own ; your l>ody and spirit are God's." If these propositions bo true, then Jehovah has an exclusive right to our bodies and souls, and justly demands our utmost service ; for we have no right to dispose of ourselves, or of what Jehovah has entrusted to our care, as thougli we wore independent of God. The doctrine of this text is entireh disregarded by all tlie un- godly. They think that thoy are their own, and that they have a right to do as they please. And under tlie influence of this deadly error, they live in (hr"ct opposition to the will of God, saying, by their conduct, wiih the hardened and im- pious Pharaoh, " Who is the Loi'il, that I should obey his voice ?'' If there are any of the ungodly here present, we \vould ask, even at the risk of hehm charircd with a dijires- sion, because you have been accustomed to think tiiat j-ou ure your own, and have a right to do as you please, docs it lijllow that you are your own masters ; tiiat God has no claim upon you and your services ? Wo must Jirst ascertain niiethcr or not >ou have been accustomed to think rightly, betbre we can assent to anything like such a propi.sition. If your thoughts are brought to, and tried by the VVord of God, they will be found erroneous. The Word of God declares, in numberless passages, the truth taught in these lines : — " His Eoveirirrn power, witliout our aid, Made us ol' clay, and t'oruiud us nu'n ; And wIkmi, like wiindcung slitep, wc slruyed, IIo brouglit us to his t'uld again." You liavo been accustomed, therefore, to think most errone- ously, and you are decidedly wrong in supposing that you are your own, instead of God's. TJiough you may not de- 304 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS •J: i Sire the knowledge of God, and though you will not have Jehovah to reign over you ; yet, be assured, you are his pro- perty ; and you are acting most unjustly, most ungratefully, most impiously, in withholding from him the love of your hearts, the homage of your lips, and the services o^ your lives. " Will a man rob God ?" He will. But he cannot do so with impunity ; therefore, we earnestly advise all of you who are unconverted to " Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before' your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and, while ye look'for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness." Jer. xiii. 16. It is strange that wicked men should be so blinded as to think they owe their Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer no homage, no love, no obedience ; but it is still more astonish- ing that any professor of religion should be found entertain- iiig sentiments opposed to the propositions contained in the text. Still, however, this is the case. There are vast num- bers of Christians who have been accustomed to think, that though they are laid under deep and numerous obligations to love and serve God, yet they do not think that they are ex- clusively the property of God, and that his claims upon them are paramount and universal. They think that they have a 'Mst right cither to do, or to leave undone, many things which the providence and the Spirit of God have called Uiem to perform. They think that they may either seek the salva- tion of souls, or leave it undone, just as they think proper. Some think they may cithe- preach the Gospel or not, as they ^please ; never dreaming that having the ability to preach the Gospel lays them under the necessity to do so ; and that a curse will rest ujwn them if they refuse to " Preach the word." " For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothinjr to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me ; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel !" — 1 Cor. ix. 16. Others, who are not called to preach, but who haVe talents for use- fulness in other departments of Christian labour, think they inay either employ those talents, or bury them, as they please'. They evidently do not think that God has a right to' the use of the talents which he has committed to their care, unless they think proper to give them to Him. If such parties have done the things which they have been called to do, by the Providence and Spirit of God, they have considered that' they have performed works of supererogation, and that they have done more than God could reasonably require, or justly ex- TO SEEK THE SALVA'J'ION OF SOtJLS. 305 not have 3 his pro- •atefully, of your of your e caniK>t 56 all of ord your stumble , he turn less." — ed as to Dtner no istonisli- iitertain- d in the ist num- nk, that itions to are ax- on them have a fs wliich them to 3 salva- proper. not, as ) preach nd that ach the nothing is unto Others, for use- Ilk they please, the use unless es have by the lat they !y have 5tly ex« pect from them ; therefore, they have foolishly thought, and unwisely said, that they have made sacrifice-o for God, by what they have done. But do these views harmonize with the doctrine contained in the expressions, " Ye are not your own. . . . Glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are his ?" Most certainly they do not. The doctrine of the text is at eteraal variance witli the views now under consideration. The man who does all he can for God, in every possible way, no more performs works of supererogation than that man does who pays a just debt ; lor ho barely does his duty, and nothing more : while that n: -n who neglects to do anything for God, which he can do, is manifestly unjust ; for he refuses to use the talents which God has entrusted to his care, in the way that God directs. That these statements are correct, we think the text abundantly proves. If, then, the foregoing reasonings ra-e correct, and we urge you to test thorn by the only standard of truth — the Word of God, we are brought to the conclusion, that the claims of God upon us are paramount and universal. His claims to our services stand above and before tlio claims of our fami- lies, of oui friends, of our business, of our pleasure, yea, of our own lives. And while His claims are thus paramount, they are also universal. He has a rigiit to the service of our bodies, our souls, our time, our infiucjice, our property, our wives, our children, our all. He c immands us to serve him to the utmost of our ability, in the great work of saving souls : the ways in which wo are thus to serve him have been already pointed out. Has not Jehovah solid claims to our best and unwearied services in this great work ? Perhaps some demur. Inclination, or habit, or fear, or shame, pre- vents them from candidly acknowledging that Jehovah has a paramount and universal claim to their best and unvvearied efforts in saving souls. We shall, therefore, proceed to consider, II. The ground upon which Paul asserts Jehovah's claims to our services. " Yc are bought with a price." Then wo are not only God's property, but his purchased property. In order that we may rightly understand this reason which Paul gives, why we are not our own, and why we should jrlnrifv (rod in our bodies and spirits, which are his ; — and in order that we may become more deeply impressed in reference to the claims y 4 'h 306 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS \l\ which Jehovah has upon our best and unwearied services iu the great work of saving souls, let us consider, The position in which sin had placed us. Man, you are perfectly aware, is a fallen creature. He is not now what he was when created by Jehovah. He was then wise, holy, be- nevolent, and Imppy. He stood erect in the image of his Maker. His soul, a transcript of the moral loveliness and grandeur of the great I am. His body the most fearful and wonderful of all God's material works. There is nothing wanting in man to complete his dignity and his bliss. He stands forth the latest and bf>st of all the works of the great Creator. Divine wisdom, and power, and goodness have ex- hibited their loftiest attributes in the creation of man. God had before now created spirits— wise, holy, benevolent, and happy ; he had before now created material objects of wonderful beauty, loveliness, and grandeur : for angels ex- isted before man's creation, and the heavens, and the earth, .ind the sea, and all to be found in them, were made before the progenitor^ of our race were created. But now the blessed Three in One confer together. The decree is passed to form a creature like to whom, as yet, none exists in the creation of God. That decree is recorded in these words : <'Letus make man in our own image, after our own likeness : and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." That decree was instantly carried into effect ; for it is imme- diately added, " So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him ; male and female created he them."— Gen. ii. 26, 27. Behold then this wonderful crea- ture as he conies forth from tlie hand of his Maker. He is allied to angels ; possessing a nature like theirs, and intellec- tual and moral powers equal to theirs. He is endowed with reason, will, memory, conscience, and affections. His new born spirit is filled with liglit, love, purity, and joy; and basks in the unclouded light of Jehovah's smiling countenance. But look further and you will see that he is allied to the material world in which he is placed ; for he has a human body, the most wonderful of all tlio animate and inanimate things, and of all the living creatures which God has made, and by w])ich man is surrounded. Look at that body : is it not fearfully and wonderfully made ? " The complicated and curious tex- ture of the human body is indeed wonderful ; and it is so ex- quisitely nice and delicate, that the slightest accident may im- TO SEEK TlvE SALVATION OP SOULS. 807 pair and destroy in a moment some of those parts essentially necesoary to the continuance of life ; and hence we are both fearfully and wonderfully made." Such is the truth in re- ference to the human body marred by sin. But, oh ! look at this wondrous Work of God before sin has touched it. See that body ! — the eyes sparkle witii delight — the countonince is radiant with joy — the elastic frame stands ereet, and the limbs are full of strength and life. In thai body there is nothing to impair its powers, to mar its beauty and grandeur. We have seen some fine specimens of dignity and lovelmess in human frames ; but we conceive, that for dignity of appear- ance, none of the sons of men ever equalled Adam ; and for loveliness, none of the daughters of men have ever rivalled Eve. The soul thus glorious, and the body thus wonderful, are, by the wisdom, and power, and goodness of God, united in the closest bonds ; and man stands forth the great and only connecting link between the spiritual and material works of the great Creator. No sooner did satan gaze upon this wonderful creation than his hatred to God burst out afresh ; and he bent all his en- ergies to ruin for ever the holy and happy pair, who, with love unutterable and joy unspeakable, till the ground, eat the fruits, drink the waters, traverse the walks, or recline in the bowers of loveiy Eden. With his infernal cunning, he commences his attack on the weaker of the two ; and, by his lies, he raises unbelief and pride in the mind of Eve : thus effects her ruin, and through her the ruin of Adam. They both eat the forbidden fruit : their ruin and that of their posterity is effect- ed. What a change we behold ! Adam and Eve flying from the presence of God ; but they are speedily discovered ; they are sentenced to endure the greatest of temporal miseries; the ground is cursed for tiieir sake ; they are driven from Eden ; they are doomed to death — temporal, spiritual, and eternal. What a change has sin caused in that once happy pair ! Their souls how changed ! their light has become darkness ! their purity, pollution I their benevolence, selfish- ness ! their joy, misery ! Their bodies begin to feel disease, debility, and cxliaustion. The eye has lost its brilliancy, the countenance its glow of health, the frame its elasticity, the limbs their strength and life ! Man has become the guilty, the weak, and the miserable creature we now beliold him : is doomed to toil out a wretched existence on the earth, then to become the companion of the devil and his angels in llie ever- lasting fire which was prepared originally for devils alone. • 308 THK OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS If I' In the sad consoquonnos of Adam's fall we all participate. v\ come into t.io world in a state of ignorance, and with a nature poworfidly in,-lined to evil. Soon as wo i)e.rin to ex- orcise our intellectual and morrl powers, wo ^o ast°ruy from earth fighls— our fellow-bo'ings are array- ocl. Death watches over every step we take, and is readv. withoufj, moment s warning, to plunge his shaft into our hearts, and sen.l our bodies to the grave, which -apos to ivceivc Uem. I'or fho reception of our spirits hrl! has opoiiud wide bn- jaws, and devils hover around us to drag tiiem into the place of torment, soon us they escape the body, where they niUMt (mdlessly cxi.st, en.luring tla^ fierceness of the wrath of »;Vlmighty Gud. 8uch is a faint sketch of the posi- liua m wluch sin luul placed us. Is it too highly drawn ? ^^11, no. Ihe human heart cannot inm!,rine, much more do- jenbe, tlio fad poMiioii in which shi had placed our race." U e know not fully the meaning of thuso three declarations of nolv writ ; '• lo be carnally minded is death l^ocause the carnal muid is enmitv atrainst Cod." " The waces o( mx is death." - The,s(, ihail go away into eternal punish- ment. ' Notr, Chrisfiam, mnrh fhfpo.^i/hn in which God has pfacerl l)ou by tus ivarc. Hy his glorious grace he has chan^'ed vour hearts your 5fate, an.i your prospeets. Your dark minds he has enlightened,- your hard liearts he has broken, your stub- born wills he has subdued, your aeared consciences he ha)^ ^ottened, your wnn.leringimnginations ho Ims restrained, your hlthy m'Muories ho has cleansed, your vain ihouidits ho has hanishei . In one word, your ruined h.miIs he lias restored. vour filthy natures he has washed in the laver of refrcnera. tinn. and your broken pr.wers ho hns renewed : so tCat you are new creatures in Clirist Jesus : " Old things have passed awry, find all thing, have becon>o new." \h, has also tniunged your state: f.r by his glorious grace ho has made vou aeeepfed m the beloved. You are, therefore, now free trom condemnation ; you have liberfv of nr.f.o«s to ti-MM-M'c of grace; you have strength to do the will of Oo iv{\ by the Lamb, and lead to living fi)imtams of water; God will wipe all tears frotn your eyes ; and, filled with wisdom, love, pni ity, joy, and glory, you shall eternally sing th(! praises of (Jod untl the Lamb. Has tiod thus of his I'n^e grace changed your jienrfs, your state, and your prospects, and yet has not an exclusive right to your bodies and spirits, — a paran)ount ans who remain unehiuiged ? It c;uniot be that you can think that you are your own, if you rightly consider what God has done for yoo. You nnist own that yo are God's, and that \w has a pariunount and universal claim upon your services in the salvation of your fellow-men. Think asrnhu y saints, that to do these preaf thhi!j;s for ynu cost God much : for '* Venre houirht with a price..^' God could not remit our punishment and restore us to his favour without a pri ->, The law of God, which is holy, jtist, and gmxl, can- not be broken with iinpuiiitv ; thereforo wn must filher perish eternally, or a sufficient atonement must bo made for our sins. The uature of Got! must bo entirely changed before he ciui f 310 THE OBLIGATIONS OP CHRISTIANS 11 wl oh r'l ^"° ^"P""'i>'^''- Sin is the abominable thing wh ch God hates. It is rebellion against the government of aestructivc to tlio order and happiness of his universe Tho wisdom trut, .jus.ieo, holiness! 'and goodness o God,* tlJre? of sumci'em tl '":" "''"""J" «--> -i^J-^t a ranson. "e conn t n "'/"''r'"'" ^^"^ ^'"^ ^""'•"""ty "^ ^''^ oLce T^Z'nrrTr'"'"' "f"'^'"' i''^^'°«' ^"^1 goodness. . o itiv Jv f h'- ?rV'T '""'/'' ^^■^^'^'•""^^"tof JehSvahboth positive]) fu bid that thr oii:,„|,,,r shall bo forgiven and re dkT-Ilnnl V;V- ^•^^•^""r'^'*"! ^1-t sinneth, it shall "10 , aii.l unless this ptii;,,l;y is .striefly inlliclod, the divine KvThp'intt^ '^r '^' "'^"^>''^' "•"' ^"'^ I'i'nsdf deseed >y all his intelligent creatuirs. Thellov VV rv,r>l-o m.cf Jdm ^m r; -'7' " '''' 'r' ^" '^'^•■•'- "'^ -^>^an^ to^^S bewiir.ri''- ''"'"r"^ un utonemo.t, uoul.l be ineom- pam.le VMth tho chums of justice, and subversive of the di- me gover^uuont; it would annul the authoriu of the law fcguaid.s of moral order m tho uuivM-so ; aad weaken or ;: !:?;'"r^^";r';^'' ^-^'-^^ »- obedience, to J;;;Snc^ nei. .ee and holiness. Therefore a propitiation was ro! 'mnU and it VN-as presented in the saerifu-o of Christ " A jT-'j^^.'^'-o'ir ransom suflieient to enabh, God to be - a iust contrary, kuow not what they s.y, n.r whereof they af- "•m. llK.y are lud aslray by that dcc: ■ful ouide, human i;^^ nro bewildered in the ibyriiuhs o: prid^ alid Z pieteJv lost m fii,> f);r,s of unbelief. ^uib.J L^^. /^ •v'/A.vr./ ranso., Tl,.- living J.hovah \.xclaims, ^. DH iver I'm from going down to ihe pit: I hnve found a ransom " I he price required, and vv hieh Jehovah paid, to satislV the 3lamisnlmfm.lewisd,.m,iu,stien. holiness,' truth, and good. ess; th.yHiee require,! and pnid to vindicate the divine law, and to make the divine govvrnm.ut re.spocte.l, was tho sacri, . 0. u; u.u Lord Je«us Christ. The Father prepaivs a body for the rton like unto ours in all things, sin only oxcoptel TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOULS. 311 Great as is the gift, — though Christ is the Son of God — of the same nature, the same dignity, and the same duration, — though he is his only hegotten Son, and his well heloved Son — yet, he spares him not, but delivers him up for us all. Christ, in obedience to the will of the Father, joyfully goes through the preparatory course of temptations, poverty, ami sulforings, which are requisite to fit him for the groat work of mediation between God and man; and having finished his honourable course, as the great exemplar of what man should he, and should do, he arrives at the cross, and there he pours forth his blood f(,)r tlio remission of sins ; niiikos liissoul un otl'^rinn- for sin; expires (brsakon of God, in order that God may return to man, and deliver him from his fall — savn him from his punishment — restore him to the favour of his Maker, and fit him /or, and bring him to heaven. Was not that price an equivalent, yea, more tiian an equivalent for the sins of our race ? The moral cxpedicnci) men may cry out, " Hero is the marketing principle;" but we cannot, for their sneers, nor yet for their candid arguniints, hiile the truth, tliat iho sacri- fice of Christ is continually heUl forth in the scriptures as the price--tlie equivalent — the all sufiicient ransom, tor the salva- tion of the souls of men. One of the strongest minds that the world has been blessed with of lale years ; a mind which, for intellectual power, metaphysical skill, and critical acumen, has rarely l':>en equalled, has given us the following thought : "It is the grand error of iJeism to make; reason llie ultimate judge, not only of \.\\q facts contained in revelation, but of the nature of those facts and of the manner in which they exist. Soeinianism is nothing more than l-eism refined. It takes shelter under the letter of re>velation, and is tlu^ more danger- ous because the more specious. It strikes me tiiat we susTain towards Crod the joint character of criminals and debtors. Our criminidity re(piires an expiation to be made ; but, if wo be not considered in the light of dsus would be suilicient for them all. Christ is more excellent than all creature"). He IS not only above all in excellency and dignity ; but he is the fountain of the excellency of all creatuivs : "hence, his sacri. fice is certainly sufiiei.ni for all men. His sacrificial death not only appears a suHieieiit i)riee for the ransom of all the human race in the estimation of men and angels; but the in- finitely wise God declares it is suilicient. To describe the greatness of iho price at which wo have been bouirht is hn- possible. Teter most toiiehingly alludes to it in thesi) words: " Ye were not redeciiifd with corruptible thiiiiis, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation recoivecfby tradition from your fathers ; hut with the precious blood of Christ, as oi a lamb without l)lemish and without spot.^ This amaz- ing price God paid Ibr every one of us ; lor " Christ by the graco of God tasted death for every man." Christ is born that we umy not die; Im is nulled to the cross ihul we may go lice; ho endures the wrath of a sin avenghig God that TO S'EEt TBE SALVATION OP SOULS. 313 ing about 'ernment, tted ; but jress that liirent of >f the one pressions, )rruptible Dus blood unto God irist hath e a curse hangeth even the ee." If t's sacri- redemp. ht to be se above upon it, less, the r viewed • the sins )r man's 1 race to , do live, iient for es. He le is the lis sacri. al death all the t the in- ribo the it is iin. words : s silver radition hrist, as s aniaz- I by the ; is born ivo may he love of God toward us, because that God sent his only bp<.:o!ten son into the world, that we might live tJirough him. Herein is love ; not that we loved CJod, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins." — John iv. 9, 10. When we were ungodly: impious, unjust, and selfish, Christ died for us. When we were without strength, to resist evil and do good, Christ died for us. When we were sinners — miserable wan- derers from God and hupi)iness, Christ died for us. When we were enemies to God, hating his character, hating his laws, haling his government, without cause, Christ died for us. Bad as we were, miserable as we were, exposed to eternal death though wo were, yet there was no penitence for sin, no reformation of conduct, no entreaty for mercy, when God so lovttd us as to give his Son to die for us. When hardened in heart, rebellous in practice, and blaspheming and defying (Jod with our lips, ho gave his Son to die for us. Here is love unparalleled. What we needed, God, in the infinitude of his love, gave, without any desire on our part for such a gift, and without any solicitatio!! fiir Hiir.U nuwr.^'. Mortals gaze too often with stoical indiilbrenee on the misery ol their fellows, and some even e.xult with malicious pleasure 87 * fi SM THE 0BLIG4XI0NSi OP CHKISTIANS^ over the wretchedness of their enemies ; but when God saw a: world of enemies up in arms against him, instead of sending his Son Jesus Christ to punish thom, he sends him to die for them. " For God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, bnt that the world through him might be saved." No love is like this: so strong, so disinterested, so exalted, so conspicuous. Who can tell its greatness ? It passeth knowledge ! " Could we with ink the ocean fill. And were the skies of parchment made ; Were every stick on earth a quill. And every man a scribe by trade ; To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry ; Nor would the scroll contain the wliole, Though stretched from sky to sky." His love to us, as individuals, is equally as striking as his lovo to our race ut large. When he called us by his grace, and revealed his Son in us, we were utterly unworthy of his love. The following passages describe our state, and the goodness of our blessed God to us : " And you that were sometime alienated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable, and unreprovable in his sight."— Cul. i. 21, 22. " But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great lovo wherewith he loved us, even when wc were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by gra-e are ye saved ;) And hath raised us up togctlier, and made us sit together in lieavenly places in Christ Jesus ; Tiiut in the ages to come lie might show the exct-eding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us through Jesus Christ." — Ephesians i. 4-7. " But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar poople ; that ye should siiow ibrth the praises of him who bath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God : Which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." — 1 IVter ii. 9, 10. " Giving thanks unto the I'^athor, which hath made us meot to bo partakers of the inbentanco with tlie saints in light : Who hath delivered us from the powers of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son : In whom we have redemption hi ills bloofi, even the forgivencKS of fins." — Col. i. 12-14. *' Behold, what manner of lovo the Fatiier hath bestowed '■■im TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP BOtJLS. 315 God satv tistead of ends him orld, not im might iterested, ies9 ? It ig as his is grace, ly of his and the at were '• wicked )is flesh 3le, and rod, who )ved us, together aised us •laces in how the van! us ^'e are a ition, a aisos of rvoilous re now )ut now ; thanks \kers of [jlivered us into cniption 12-14. jstowed upon us, that we should he called the sons of God." Can we study these pussages, and say that we are our own ? We cannot. When you think, then, my dear heare/s, of the position in which sin had placed us : of the position in which God has placed us, by his grace : of the amazing price which it cost Jehovah to redeem us, that lie might alter our position : of the circumstances under which God paid this amazing price : and the special love he has manifested to us, by bringing us to himself; must you not acknowledge that our bodies and spirits are his ; and that his claims upon our services, in the great work of saving souls, are paramount and universal ? Must you not say, with the poet, " He justly claims us for his own, Who bought us with a price : The Christian lives to Christ alone, To Christ alone he dies." 1 III. The manner in which our obligations to Jehovah must be discharged. This is clearly stated in the text: " Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." The term glorify has two significations. It signifies to pay honour or praise iu worship : it also means to procure honour or praise to any one. If we are to discharge our obligations to God, we must glorify him in both these senses. To dis- charge our duty to God, who has bought us with a price, we must, Honour Him in worship. When the period arrives for the private, domestic, social, or public worship of God, we should repair to the place of worship, and with the deepest reverence, and with becoming humility, we should " worship and bow down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker," adoring his blessed name, and rendering him the homage of both soul and body. The warmest ascriptions of praise should ascent' to his throne, for the mercies received fro.ii his hands : for the deliverances he has wrought out for us : and for the exceeding great and precious i)romises of future good, which he has confirmed unto us by his oath. With the utmost sincerity wo should confess to him our manifold sins : with deep earnestness we should deprecate his wrath : anu with the h!!?ncst cnnfidf-nc^ in his i^rx^dnfifiH w*^ shfiulf! implore his mncy. With the Spirit and with the understand- ing also, if w© have any voice for singing, must w« sing hia 316 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS I • praises, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs ; sinsinff with grace in our hearts to the Lord. We should read his Word, and listen to the preaching of his Gospel, with atten- tion, gratitude, and delight ; and with diligence, cheerful- ness, and vigilence we should be " doers of "the word," and not readers and " hearers only," deceiving our own selves. By such worship as this, accompanied with proper disposi- tions of the mind, and followed by corresponding actions, we glorify God in that manner which is acceptable to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. We are to glorify God in our body and spirit, which are his, by Procuring Him honour from others. Many Christiana think that they have done all that God requires when they have^ personally rendered that honour to God, in worship, which is due unto his name. They do not conceive that they are laid under any obligations to procure God honour from their fellow-nien j but in this they are egregiously mistaken. To glorify God as much means to procure him honour from others, as it does to honour him ourselves, by worshippino- him at all those places, .end at all those times his word directs ; therefore, unless we are labouring for the conver- sion of sinners, that they may be brought to glorify God, we are not performing our duty to him, who hath bought us with a price. To procure God honour from others, we should avoid all those things which would lead men to think un- favourably of religion ; and so live as to induce them to love, serve, and honour God. All our deportment should bo unblameable. We should form no connections that would have a tendency to dishonour religion : we should enter into no engagements that would give ungodly men reason to question the genuineness of our personal piety : and we should avoid the very appearance of evil. In a word, wo shonld be exemplary for truth, honesty, industry, sobriety, humili.y, and charity ; so that the name of our God and his doctrine may not be blasphemed. To glorify God, wo should, moreover, use all our powers of mind to bring men to God. Wo ought to read, to study, and to pray that we may become wise to win souls ; and everything about us that is repulsive, or that would in any way hinder our usefulness to the souls of men, we should labour diligently and earnestly to remove. Wo should appropriate to the cause of God, of the worldly substance which he has committed to our care, all we Dossj- blycan, with a cheerful heart, and without any dread of future want. Our bodies also should be devoted, as much as TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOULS. 317 possibles, to the great work of saving souls, that God may be glorified. We ought not to think any journey too great, that we can accomplish ; nor any difficulty insuperable, that only wants perseverance to remove it ; nor any weariness too painful, that we can possibly sustain, in the great work of bringing ungodly men to glorify God, if it appear plain that God's cause needs our presence : that his glory would be pro- moted, in the salvation of souls, by taking that journey, encountering that difficulty, and sustaining that weariness. In short, if we would glorify God in our bodies, we must pre- sent them a living oblation to God ; and employ them, as we have opportunity, in doing good to others. The following lines justly express the manner in which we should glorify God, in our bodies and spirits, which are his : — " O God, what offering shall I give To thee, the Lord of earth and Bkies 1 My spirit, soul, and flesh receive — A holy, living sacrifice : Small as it is, 'tis all my store ; More shouldst thou have, if I had more. Now then, my God, thou hast my soul ; No longer mine, but thine I am : Guard thou thine own, possess it whole ; Cheer it with hope, with love inflame : Thou hast my spirit ; there display Thy glory, to the perfect day. Thou hast my flesh, thy hallow'd shrine, Devoted solely to thy will ; Here let thy light for ever shine, This house ciill let thy presence fill : O ! Source of Life ; live, dwell, and move In me, till all my life be love." When, from the heart, we can sing these lines, as our expe- rience, then, but not till then, shall we rightly discharge our obligations to him who hath bought us with a price. Thus, to glorify God in our bodies and spirits which are his, is Our reasonable duty. In the twelfth of Romans, Paul writes, " I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Paul, you perceive, does not call the presenting of our bodies a living sacrifice to God, or a sacrifice/or God, but our reason- able service. He evidently regarded the Romans, and all Christians, as God's property, in an exclusive sense ; and, therefore, the reasonable duty of all to devote themselves r i w 318 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS m entirely to God's service, as the burnt offering was devoted under the law. In our text, he says, " Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price ; therefore glorify "'God m your body and in your spirit which are God's." And is not this reasonable ? Is there anything irrational, unjust, or exorbitant in this demand ? We have already shown that God has purchased you at an amazing price ; does it not therefore follow, as a certain consequence, that vou are God's property ? This being the case, does not the Al'mighty make a rational, a righteous, a fair demand, when he claims you as his ; requires you to worship him yourselves ; and to do all that in you lies to bring others to love, serve, and honour him ? Do you not conceive that your demand is reasonable, when you claim from a fellow- being that which you have bought and paid for with money ? You certainly do.' Surely, then, God makes a reasonable demand when he claims your bodies and spirits, which he has purchased with the precious blood of his dear Son. Would you not conceive, if by a large sum of money you had rescued a man from slavery and from death, that he would be in duty bound to love, honour, and serve you, to the best of his ability ? You cer' tainly would. Then is not God reasonable in his demands, when he claims your bodies and spirits, seeing that by the death of his Son he has opened your way from slavery to freedom, from death to life, from" he'd to heaven ? If you were, at the risk of your own life, to sav^e a person from death, would you not think that he ought to love you, honour you^ and serve you, if he had it in his power ? There is no doubt but you would. Is not, then, the claim of Jehovah reason- able, when he requires us to glorify him in our bodies and spirits which arc his, seeing that he has actually given Christ's body to die upon the cross, and his soul to bo there made an ofTering for sin, that we might not perish, but have everlast- ing life ? ^ If it is unreasonable f^r a man to refuse to give us that which we have paid him for : if it is unjust for that man to refuse to love and serve us whom we have, at great expense, delivered from slavery and death : if it is ung^ratc- ful in a man, whose life we have saved, to despise and injure us; then those are the most unreasonable, unjust, and" un- grateful of all creatures who refuse to glorify God in their bodies and spirits, wjiich he has purchased at such a fearful price as the precious blood of his only and well-beloved Son. While there is any distinction between right and wronrr, })n- tween justice and injustice, between gratitude and ingrati- TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 319 s devoted not your Drify God And is mjust, or lown that es it not ire God's ity make IS you as to do all d honour asonable, you. have Surely, ims your precious , if by a I slavery to love, iTou cer- lemands, t by the avery to If you m death, our you, no doubt . reason - dies and Christ's nade an ^verlast- to give for that at great imgrate- d injure and un- in tiieir . fearful 'ed Son. inir, })n. ingrati- tude, it will appear evident to all reasonable beings that God r 'akes a reasonable and just demand, when he requires us to glorify him in our bodies and spirits, which are his. He has a right to our supreme and constant worship : a rigiu 1o our best and unwearied services, in promoting the salvation of others. The sentiments we have advanced in this discourse are not at all agreeable to you who are irreligious : they are hated, and sometimes ridiculed by you. But why do you hate and ridicule these sentiments ? Is it because they are not true ? Ah f no. You ure not, we trust, so ignorant, so abandoned, and so shameless as to deny their truth. Then why do you despise and ridicule them ? Simply because they condemn the selfishness of your hearts and the wickedness of your lives. On the bare admission of this fact, you would stand self-convicted of a train of the most horrid villianies that were ever perpetrated under the sun. Admit the truth of these sentiments, and then, at the bar of your own reason, you are condemned for the greatest injustice and the blackest ingratirude invariably manifested, not to a fellovv-creature, but to your great Creator, who has bought you with a price ! Then every dictate of your judgment, every volition of your will, every feeling of your hearts, would pronounce your condemnation ; and in every wrong action of your lives you would read the sentence of eternal death : for however moral you may have been, you have not even attempted to glorify God in your bodies and spirits, which are his ; but in all things you have sought your own ease, your own profit, your own pleasure, and your own worldly honour. This you have done, too, at the expense of God. The blessings he has given, you have consumed upon your lusts ; and your lives, which he has purchased and prolonged, you have spent in rebelling against him. Though you, on these grounds, des- pise and ridicule the sentiments we have advanced this day, yet remember, they are as true as God is true, and as immu- table as the nature of the great I am ; therefore, your guilt is the same as if you acknowledged their truth, and punish- ment will bo inflicted upon you in proportion to your guilt, unless you repent, and alter your course. Flatter not your- selves that the Lord God is an idle spectator of your unblush- ing crimes. Your robberies, which you have practiced upon God himself, for years, are carefully registered, by his own hand, in the books of judgment. They are there written with a pen of iron, and engraved with the point of a diamond ; d30 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHEISTIiNS and eternity itself cannot wear out the black, the deep, the terrible charactera which record your guilt. No power on earth, no power in heaven, save that of the Almighty Jesus, can erase that dreadful record. When the awful day of judgn.cnt arrives, and the books are opened, then will the eternalJudge read over the number of your robberies, point out their enormity, and call upon you to show cause why you should not be punished with eternal death. Then, what will ye say ? What can ye say ? You must be speechless. Oruilt, tear, shame, astonishment will strike you dumb. The eternal Judge, receiving no answer, will then pass upon you the ternfic sentence, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Such is the certain doom which awaits all who refuse to glorify Crod in their bodies and spirits, which are his. Have you seriously considered, dear fellow-creatures, that the end of your course is eternal death ? Then why do you not glorify God in your bodies and spirits, that you may escape eternal woe ? It you have not considered this matter, it is high time you did ; tor you know not what a day or an hour may bring torth. ' O ! that ye were wise, that ye understood this, that ye would consider your latter end !" Remember, God tekes no pleasure in your death. He has bought you with a price, that you might live to his glory here, and enjoy his glory in the world to come. Go, then, by prayer, to "his throne. Con- less your sins. Implore his mercy. Present your bodies and spirits to him as a living sacrifice, in the name of Jesus Christ, and he will blot out your transgressions, as a cloud : and your iniquities, as a thick cloud, from before his face. The sentiments advanced in this discourse are not cordially received and fully acted upon, by many professing Chris- tians. Many professors do not glorify God in their bodies and spirits ;vhich are his, as they ought. Their laxity of morals, their worldly conformity, their neglect of spiritual duties, and their non-enjoyment of spiritual privileges, prove the truth of this allegation. If we wanted other proof, we would pomt to their laziness in the work of God, their want of liberality in supporting his cause, their want of charity to the poor, and, above all, their want of compassion for the souls ct their unconverted neighbours, their unrenewed countrymen and their perishing race. Professors of religion, how long do you mean to rob God, whom you profess to serve f How loner are von trninn tn «r^,,«^ *u~ o-... • whom you profess to love ? How long will you grieve the TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 321 Holy Spirit, whom you profess to honour ? Are you desti- tute of justice, of gratitude, of honesty ? Then why do you not ascertain your duty to God, and perform it ? Do you mean to creep on, with your imperfect views and your im- perfect obedience, until you are lost forever ? Many of you must be re-converted, or you will be lost. When you were first converted to God, you glorified God in your bodies and spirits ; especially in seeking the salvation of the souls of your fellow- men. But you have lost you first love ; and now you are getting but little good for yourselves, and doing but little good to the souls of your fellow-men. Come, ye pro- fessors of the religion of Jesu55, arise and shake yourselves from your slumbers, or you will sleep the sleep of death. Be resolved, from this hour, to glorify God in your body sr 1 in your spirit, which are God's. Think no more, talk no i-ore about making sacrifices for God and the souls of men. Do your duty to God and human souls, and you will have nothing left to make sacrifices with. Remember, reason demands, justice demands, gratitude demands, your present usefulness and your future glory demand, that from this moment you glorify God in your body and spirit, which are God's. And will you not listen to these loud calls ? Will you not obey them ? Yes, yes you will. Many of you, hitherto, have not been sufficiently aware of your duty ; but from what you have heard to-day, you will go and search luc scriptures with renewed diligence : you will examine your hearts and lives, in order t@ ascertain whether you have done your duty : finding you have not, you will fall upon your knees before God in private : you will seek forgiveness through the blood of the Lamb : you will rise from your knees pardoned, and determined henceforth to live not unto yourselves, but unto him who died for you, and rose again. May the blessed triune God enable you to do so. There are some Christians here who believe the senti- ments we have now advanced, and who are ever striving to be guided by thenf. You are ever seeking to glorify God by your own acts of worship, and by trying to bring your fellow-men to love, adore, and serve him. We con- gratulate you on your distinguished felicity. Your days glide sweetly away, in receiving and in doing good : your nights are unattended with the pangs of remorse : your path brightens as you proceed onward to your heavenly home : and soon wiil the everlasting honours and pleasures of heaven bo yours. Hold fast your sentiments. Walk by the 322 THE OBLIGATIONS OT tHBISTTAIfS same rule the word of God, which has hitherto been your guide. Mmd the same things : remember, your great busi- «aviour follow the leadings of the same Spirit, and in a tl " W n'T ''''^ 'T' '"rJ"''''''' ^^-''' addres.ei to .to the joy of your Lord." Then shall you know the snirf vhf,'''" V'-'^ *'?,■:? -'""'^^''"^ ^""' ''» /""'• '>" away all tears irom thoir eyes: and there shall be no mire dead,, neiZ sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain : for the former things are done awav." DISCOURSE XVI. V-'l CHRIST THE christian's exempi-ah in tub great work of SAVINU SOULS. "Jesus Biiiih unto tlicni, My luciU is to do the will of him that flcnt me, and to fuiish hia work." — John iv. 34. Christ Imth left lis an cxuinplo thiit wo should follow his Htops. Tho npostlc I'liiil, in iho 1 Irhnnvs, \vliil<« hr directs the uttciitioii of his readers to tho uncient worthies, us ilhis. trious oxurnph^H of faitii in (loil, courjif^fe in his ciuise, uid devotion to hia work, ospeciidly re(|iiires them to keep ineir eyes fixed on Jesn.s, who is liio author and fiuiMJier of our faith, and th(^ ^n'eat example of all Christians in tli<4 perloru). unco of every duty (^njoiiicd upon iiiem in the word ofljlod. Wo had some thou,'i;hts of nrescMilin^ yon with exiimples of devotion to the sidvation ol souls, as exhibited in the lives of eminentsaints ; for as the Rev. Sanniel lluhiie justly ohserves : •* Man is aete«l upon hy his fellow-nmn, and it is of immense jm- pnrtance to ke(

sts, weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth, and deiith, arc all employed to shadow forth the evils of the separation of the soul from God. The separation of the soul n1t nU «!>/^ ..^^.-..l ^^r T<...nsl — ^ , , „i,.,,j ,,jj iiix_- .-Tt-f.i •_-i isitlci be jiistified, and shall glory." — Isa. xlv. 28, 25. In the text, Christ ascribes the great work of salvation to his Father: 828 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS hence, he says - My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and hnish h.s work." In the great intercessory prayer >vhich Chnst offered, before he suffered in the gardeVand died upon the cross, these words are found: "Father, the hour IS come ; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify hfw' I '} ^''''^ S'"'^^'''^ ^^^^ °» ^he earth : I have finished he work thou gavest me to do." When he had hung upon he cross for three hours, he said, after receiving the vinegar, It IS finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up Uie f 1 ;» . . '''' ^^''''^'^.'^ ^'^ ^■'^'h^^' ^y «''«^^i"g the human lace tha it was, and is, the will of God that men should be saved ; by showing that it was through God's great love and endcr mercy that he hud been sent lo redeem oSr world ; and by ascribing the glory of the work of salvation to his Father, rather than to himself; and l)ecause he has done this sonie have taken occasion, on this ground, to deny the Godhead 01 Uhrist. Jt was only occasionly that the Lord Jesus assert- edhis equality with the Father, and that the work of redemp- tion was as much his work as it was the Father's. Christ •seems to have wished the Jews to have been convinced of his Oodhead by the works he performed, rather than by the as- sertions he made ; and if the Jews had not been steeped in apostacy, pride, and unbelief, his works would have convinced them that he "is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." r or, if the works of creation evince the eternal power and Godiiead of their Creator, surely the works which Christ per- formed, when on earth, in his own name, and by his om'u au- thonty and power, were sufficient to t .vince every inipartial observer that iie that perfbnned them must be Iinmiuuiel— God in our nature. Christ was meek and lowly in heart, and, therefore, instead of declaring his Godhead on every oc casion, he referred to his works^ for the manifest and un- deniable proofs of his absolute Divinity. Still, liowever, when there was absolute necessity to assert his Godhead, lie did so, in unmistakable terms. On one occasion, he said, " 1 and my I'ather are one ;" for this speech the Jews were for ston- ing hiin, because he made himself God. Again he said, ••Before Abraham was, I am." Hero ho asserts his pre. existence, his self-cxistenco, his all-sufficiency, and his cter- iiity. The Jews und(>rstood him to assert his supreme God- head by this speech ; for they again took up stones to stono hiin as a blaspiiemer. When before the Jewish Sanhedrim, J! „.„. ....^ ii,a£ £je „ jjg ^.j„ j-,(jjj jjj jjj„ livini; Uud J and lor thus making himself equal with God, they condcnmcd him to TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 329 death. They who deny the supreme Godhead of Christ make common cause with the infatuated Jews, who murdered Christ for claiming an equalUy with the Father; and, we dou Jt not, if Jesus was now here, and was to assert his divinity, as he did on all occasions when he was challenged on earth, their boasted liberality and humanity would forsake them ; and with maddened rage ihey would cry, " Away with him ! away with him ! Crucify him ! crucify him ! for he is not fit to live." Those treat Christ most unjustly and most bar- barously who deny his divinity, because he, in his state of hu- miliation, when in the form of a servant, attributed his works to his Father more frequently than he claimed the honour of them himself. The learned John Howe, whose works seem destined to live as long as sun and moon endure. Las the fol- lowing remarks, in his work on " The Redeemer's tears wept over Jerusalem :" " How few, in comparison, have ever seen such a day as Jerusalem at this time did ? made by the immediate beams of the Son of righteousness ! Our Lord himself vouchsafing to be their instructor — so speaking as never man did, and with such authority as far outdid their other teachers, and astonished the hearers. In what transports did he use to leave those who heard him wheresoever he came, " wonder- ing at the gracious words which came out of his mouth." And with what mighty and beneficial works was he wont to recommend his doctrine, shining in the glorious power, and savouring of the abundant mercy of heaven, so that every apprehensive mind might see the deity was incarnate. God was come down to treat with men, and allure them into the knowledge and love of himself. ' The word was made flesh.' What unprejudiced mind might not perceive it to be so ? He was there manifested and veiled at once , lx)th expressions are used concerning the same matter. The divine beams were somewhat obscured, but did yet shine througii that veil, so that his glory was beheld as the glory of the oidy begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. This sun shone with a mild and benign, but still with a powerful and vivifying light. ' In him was life and that life was the light of men.' " > >» Though, in the text, Jesus ascribes the work of salvation to his Father, yet, we cloorly perceive, that this does not mil- itate a»fainst the Godhead of Christ: but, when carefully ex- amined, it gives us an astonishing proof of tho humility of ■ 6| "11 !l9 330 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS Jesus, and of his supreme concern to glorify his Father on tne eartfit The way in which Christ accomplished the work of our re- demption, deserves special consideration. Mankind bein^ Ignorant, guilty, and enslaved, they needed an Instructor, S Redeemer and a Governor. Christ, therefore, appeared in t.io threefold character of Prophet, Priest, and King. To se- cure the objects contemplated by his assumption of these ofhces, he resolutely laboured while on the earth. The first thing he aimed at, was to instruct the people in the will of Ti •n%^^'T,.^''^^^'' ''°'^ by precept and example. Ihe will of God, dimly shadowed forth by the light of reason, and a little more clearly revealed by the law of Moses, Christ Jesus placed in the most auspicious and commanding liffht. in his admirable sermon on the mount, in his matchless par- ables, in his pertinent remarks on the various subjects .vliich came before him, he has given the human race a comprehen- sive summary of the doctrines to be believed, the duties to be performed, and the privileges to be enjoyed by all his follow, ers 1 he manner of his teaching was so simple, so enerffetic, and so original, that the people were astonished at his doc- rine ; or he taught them as one having authority, and not as he scribes. Nicodemus, a Jewish doctor, was 'so attracted, both by the matter and the manner of his teaching, that he sought a private interview with him, and opened the conference by saying to Jesus, " Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God ; for no man can do the miracles which thou doest except God be with him." Officers who were sent to apprehend Jesus, stood for a time listening to "the precious words which proceeded out of his mouth," and then .eturned to those that sent them without him. When asked, *' WhV did ye not bring him ?" the only reply they gave was, ««Never man spak*' like this man." The Saviour's discourse was 80 simple and interesting ; yet so sublime and overwhelming that the officers retired, unable to execute their commission fo enforce bis doctrine on the attention and practice of hi<< hearers, and to prove the divinity of his mission, he wrou^' ^"^^^^° ^°^ the sins of the whole Tf?! . •^°^" "•,^' ^; ^°^' ^^ th^«^ ^'t^tions do not mean suffering the penahy due to our transgressions, that we nnight be pardoned, cleansed, and saved for ever, then, there is no signification in words. We must either admit that Christ has real y made an atonement for sin, or we must reject the menf t'hlThl''' t ^^•?^"'' ^""^ "^^ realty made an atone- tTtruth '' ^ ^"^ ^'''''' '"'^^^'' ^^ ^^^"S the guide To the period when Christ would finish his atoning work, he Saviour, in his conversations with his disciples, frequent y alluded. Referring to his death, on one occasion, he said, 1 have a baptism to be baptized with: and O how am I straitened till it be accomplished." In the seventeenth of John, he says, "tather, the hour is come." The awful period when his work must be completed now arrives. He goes forth to Gethsemane, where he endures that painful a^ony, which caused him - as it were, to sweat great drops of blood, falling down to the ground." Scarcely is his agony ended, before Judas the traitor, with a band of men, seek him and lead him away to judgment. After enduring all manner of humiliating indignities, and cruel persecution!, he is con- demned to death. The Savfour, bearing his cross fo the place of a skull, slowly moves toward Calvary. Jesus sinks hlTi^ r T"'' ''^u ^^'"°"' ^ Cyrenian, is compelled to beai It after him. The women, attached fo Christ, follow him s 111 weeping over his sad destiny. Arriving at the fatal spot, the blessed Saviour is nailed to the cursed tree, and lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. There the cruelty of his enemies cannot let him die unmolested. The barbarous wretches cruelly jest and bitforly mock him in his ast hours; but with love stronger than death, he prays for their forgiveness And after enduring all the horrors of cru- cifixiou and all the weight of God's wrath, he cried, " It is finished." . Yes, blessed Redeemer, thy sufferings are ended and the work of man's redemption is completed ! Thou hast afoned for our «ins ;-thou hast reconciled heaven and earth ;-thou hast -Blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross ; And having spoiled principalities and powers, thou hast made a show of them i /' Tr.umpiuijy uvci ihum m ihyself," — Uoi. ii. 14 15 •_ thou hast now laid a sure foundation for the hope of every TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOULS. 833 penitent sinner, and for the confidenceof every genuine saint ; —thou hast opened a new and living way into the holy of holies, by thy most precious death, so that we, poor, guilty, polluted, enslaved wretches, may come boldly to the throne of grace, and obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need ! " 'Tis finished ! — this thy dying groan Shall sin of every kind atone; Millions shall be redeemed from death By this thy last expiring breath. 'Tis finished ! — Heaven is reconciled, And all the powers of darkness spoiled ; Peace, love, and happiness, again Return, and dwell with sinful men. 'Tis finished ! — let the joyful sound Be heard through all the nations round : 'Tis finished ! — let the echo fiy Thro' heaven and hell, thro' earth and sky." But though Christ had now finished the work which his Father gave him to do on the earth, it is needful that the world should know this, and reap the benefit of his alonement. Therefore, he rises from the dead ; instructs his apostles what to do ; gives his Church the commission to preacli tlie gospel to every creature ; and then he is exalted with God's rigiit hand to the mediatorial throne in heaven, where he sits a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and tlie remission of sins, and to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him. There he still reigns, and there he must reign, till all enemies are put under his feet. As our king, he is waging war with the hosts of hell ; continually delivering men from their dominion, and enabling all wlio trust in him, to conquer the world, the flesh, the devil, and to lay hold on eternal life. For God to save us by t^e suffering work of Christ, Paul assures us is wortliy of the Godiiead : hence, he says, " For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suirorings."-—Heb. ii. 10. Consider we, then, II. The proofs that it was the Father's will that Christ should finish this glorious work of man's redemption. This is evident from the predictions concemipg Christ. God told the serpent that the seed of the woman should bruise his head. Abraham received the promise that in his seed all ifM.'"' 334 THE OBLIGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS the families of the earth should bo blessed. The Psalmist speakmg of Christ, says ''Sacrifice and offering thou d^st not desire ; mine ears hast thou opened : burnt offering and sm offering hast thou not required/ Then said I, Lo, I come : hv will o' of the book it is written of me, l' delight to do Pfalm xl f^ 7« °^P T\'^^ law is within my heart."- P.alm xl. 6 7 8. Paul shows, in the tenth of Hebrews, ad '" • ':'t r''" T ^f'^^'^\ ^" ^^'''''' ' ^"^' ^^'^^ quoting bu.nt-ol,M,ngs, and onen.,g or sin, thou wouldest not, neither h.d.t pleasure therem; (wliich are offered by the law •) IvZ the ;?.t ^l' T '' '^ ''ir''^ ^ ^^^ H- taketi wS n ' '^ '"^ niay establish the second. Hy the ot Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest slandeth daily miiHstering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices wb eh God T ,. h ' 7'\ ^"' ''''' '''' ^''^^^" °» ^'^« ''^Shi hand of l^ff J tn ^^r^^*^'^ oxpoeting till his enemies be made IS foo stool, tor by one olForing he hath perfected for ever tZJ'f '''TV'^''^'", '^'^'^^^'^^ ^P°^tle incontrov'rtibf; proves from he Psahnist's prediction concerninrr Christ hat It was the will of God that Christ should take awliy by tl^' sacrifice ot inmself, and perfect forever those who^e sanct . hed froni s.n through faith in that sacrifice. .lehovah, a 1. fl e73 "a' r-"' ;'", ^"- ^"^^P^^'^'^ ^'-^ ^^-^ I hea.1 vm'nv ?u '^ of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of th^ people ttes Th\!" """^' '' ^^"^^ to inherit the desolate^Si? ages 1 hat thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth • to them tha are m darkness. Show yoursilves."-Isa. xlix 8 9 Similar language is employed by Zochariah : -Rejoice grea ly, O daughter of Zion : slionit, O daughter of Jerusa em • behold, thy king comKl, unto thee: he i^ just anrl inv n^.' salvation ; lowly, and riding upon an ass and "in";^ he foal of an ass. And I will cut off the chariot flom Kph- laim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow si all be cut oil : and he shall speak peace unto the heathen : an his dominion shall bo from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. As for th^e also by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of nrL^nlr TT" '' "" ''''''' '^"•"^ ^^^ ^o the stronghold ye prisoners of hope : even to-dav do T d.^olnr. that I will rin der double unto thee.''_Zech. ix.9-:iT' These pipages :i?' to SEfiK THE SALVATION OF SOULS 335 clearly show that God gave his Son to save us through his blood, which is the blood of the covenant. Before Jesus was born, the angel Gabriel appeared unto Mary, and said, " Hail, thou art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee : blessed art thou among women Fear not, Mary : for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be groat, and shall be called the Son of tiie highest : and the Lord God shall "ive unto him the tlirone of liis father David : and he sliall reio-n over the house of Jacob forever ; and of his kingdom there sliall bo no end." — Luke i. 28 — .38. When the iuigel ap. peared unto Joseph, the reputed fatlier of Christ, lie gave him a reason wjiy Christ sliould bo called Jesus, in these words : " For he shall save his people from their sins." It is clearly evident, also, that Simeon, a just and devout man, to whom it was revealed that lie should not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ, considered that these predictions would be fulfdled in the child Jesus ; for it is written, " And he came by the Spirit into the temple : and when the pai-ents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after tlio custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettestthou thy servant dej)art in peace, according to thy word : For mine eyes have seen tiiy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people ; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at these things which were spoken of iiim. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his motlier. Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel : and for a sign which shall be spoken against ; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that tlie thoughts of many hearts may be re- vealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanucl, of the tribe of Aser: she was of n great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virgin- fty ; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fast- ings and prayers, night and day. And she coming in at that "nstant, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." — Luke ii. 27 — 37. From these, and numerous other predic- tions, it is fully evident that it was the will of God that Christ should seek and save the lost souls of men. i': II IIKH 339 THE OBLIGATIOKS OP CHRISTIAXS The attesLations which God gave from heaven, when Christ commenced his toork, and while engaged in its performance, JuUy prove that he was well pleased. When Christ entered upon Ins public ministry, and received his baptism from John, (tor all priests under the law had to be baptized,) '' It came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and prayinrr, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, n.ou art my beloved .Son ; in thee I am well pleased. -Luke ni. 21, li2. Ayain, when Christ was on the mount witJi Peter, James, and John, when, "As he pray- cd, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was wlrto and glistening. And, behold, there talked with Inm two men, which were Moses and Elias; who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he shoul.l accom- phsh at Jerusalem There came a voice out of the cloud, fril ;in" '"^ '^'^"'"^' ^'''''- '^^'•'^•- J'i'"."-Luke ix! Z^—.ib. When certain Greeks came to Philip, saving, " Sir we would see Jesus;" and Jesus i. informed of U,e wish by Andrew and Philip: we read, "And Jesus answered then,, saying, 1 he hour is come, that the Son of man should bo glorified Yen y, >erily I say unto you, ].:xcept a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone : but if it die. It brmgetb forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose It ; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it nn\o life eternal. If ,u)y man servo me, let hiin follow me • and where am, there shall my servant bo also: if any man servo me, him will my Father honour. Now is my soul ronbled ; and what shall I say ? Father, save me from this hour : but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, do- nfy thy nan.e. Phnn came there a voice from heaven, say. ing, I have both glorified \% and will glorify it n-ain. The people therefore that stood by, and heard it, said t1u,t it thun. ( cred : others said, An angel ..pake to him. Jesus answered undsaid, IhiH voie. ame n..t b<>cause of me, but fbr vour sakes. Now Is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this worl.l be cast out. And I, if 1 be lifted up from the earth will draw all men imfo me. (This he said, signi. fyuig what death he shoul.l die.)"-.Inhn xii. 2;i-~3;i In both these interesting cas.-s, when the voice was heard "from heaven, the subject of di-scourse was the death of Chrisl. Moses and hl.as talk with .lesus of his .f.-cea-se at Jeru.salem. When the voice is luiird on tlm i.in.inf .....i ni.,.:.. : •^.•_J of his death to the Greeks and to liis disciple^; wheiTllIt^ TO S£fiK TftS SALVATIOl^ Of SOTTLS. 837 voice IS heard for the third time. This testimony from heaven abundantly proves that Jesus was doing the will of God by labouring and dying for the salvation of our lost race. ' The greatest proof of this truth was reserved till after the ghnfication of the Son of God. When Christ was glorified, then God sent down the Holy Spirit to render efficient the means which Jesus had appointed for the regeneration of our race. And by the operations of the Holy Spirit, the first preachers of the gospel wrought wonders. Under their preaching thousands were converged ; for they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following ; " And with cr. power gave the apostles witness r'' the resurrection of tl.o Lord Jesus: and great grace wr pen them all;" "And %^ ?u •" '■'^l -^ ^H ''^'''''^ '^^"> -^h as should be saved." (See the a. and iv. chapter., of Acts.) If it ha^l not been the Pni w M ^T ^^"'"' '''•'"^/' '"''"""' "^' ''y '"« mediation. God would not have sanctioned and so abundantly blessed the first preachers of Christ crucified. They might have preach- ed, but no signs of supernatural power would have attended tlieir word ; for God can never sanction and bless, thouirh ho may permit, that which is displeasing to him. fn the epistle to the Hebrews, Paul shows that men have no excuse for re- joctmg the gospel seeing that Go.l has so strikingly borne witness to its truth ; and that those who neglect it^ can no more escape punishment than did the Jews who disobeyed the law: ins words are, "For if the words sprken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience deceived a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be ZtZ ^ %^Th ""'i ^^'^;'^°o''«'-'n«>^i unto us by them that heaidhun; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Uiost, according to his own will."— Heb. ii 2 3 4 In short, we have now a standing proof, in the conversion' of men to God through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus, that it was Jehovah's will that Jesus shouhl live and di<., for our sal- nliTtv'nnlT ""'n'"; ''"'■" ^""'^'^ is preached with Sim. ph.ity ami fi-rvour, God owns that gospel i,, the conversion ofuKi, from the error of their ways. All converted n en have the witness in themselves that iho will of God is their salvuti..n throuirh the death nn.l info......:,... .r .i._ t ^^ mn«rhnT'"r """^/''' "''«''^ be greatly amplifi^ed -"buV wo must hasten to consider, ^ . i > 89 «8 THE OBIiIOATlONfl OF CHRISTIANS J i T, ^'^P^^^e concern and constanl care of Christ to do the will, and finish the work of his Father, afford the best examp e for Chnstmns to follow in the discharge of their duties to the souls of men. ^ "* meir pe supreme concern and constant care of Christ to do the \ ^"l^iii^"''^' ^^'^ "^"'^ °^ ^'« Father, are implied in the words, - My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." Bv this statement, wp art not to und-' stand that Christ did not need any food to support his body, or that he was not m want of food at this time. His body as much needed temporal food, for its sustenance, as ours do • and at this time he was both hungry and thirsty. This is evident, from his sending his disciples into the city to buy meat, and from his asking for water to drink of the woman of feamaria. By this expression we must understand that Jesus was more intent upon doing the will of his Father, than he was about satisfying his own bodily wants. He hungered more, he thirsted more, for the salvation of souls, than he did formeat and drink. The supreme concern and constant care ot Christ to do the will, and finish the work of his Father, was evident through the whole of his eventful life. He evidenced his supreme avxiety to do the will of God when very yotm^- It is not much that wo find in the Bible concern- ing the childhood, youth, and manhood of .h.sus. Until he commences his public ministry, which he did when he was about thirty years of age, little is said of Jesus ; but what is said must convince us that in his youth it was his meat to do he will of his father. In Luke's gospel wo are informed, And the child grow, and waxed strong in Spirit, and filled with wisdom : and the grace of God was upon him." At the agoof twelve years ho accompanie. his parents to Jerusalem, at the feast of the passover. Aftei the feast was over, his paronls returned : but Jesus tarried beliind in Jerusalem. And what (lid ho tarry behind for, think you, young friends « Was it because ho did not wish to be subject to his parents ? or was It because he wanted to see the fine sights in Jerusa. em, the metropolis of Judea ? or was it, think you, because be wished to be doing some mischief, which his parents would not allow, as many boys of his age would have done ? Oh no. none (.f those things caused him to tarry behind. He tarried to do the will of his l-'atlior in heaven. When his parents ruturnod to seek him, " 'I'hey foun.l him in the temple, sitting mlhe umiui of the doctors, boih hearing them and ask. u.g them questions. And all that heard him were astonished to SEEK THS SALVATION Or SOULS. •30 and at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed : and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me ? wist (knew) ye not that I must be about my Father's business ?" — Luke ii. 46 — 49. O that the yong now present would copy the example of Jesus, by serving God in their youthful days ! Nearly all that have been eminent for Biblical knowledge, for holiness, and for use- fulness in the world, began to serve God in their early days. Your preacher would not hold the office he now sustains, and which he has filled since he was twenty years of age, if he had not made religion his choice, and the cause of God his cause, at the age of thirteen years. And while this even- ing he calls to remembrance some of his youthful companions, who would not serve God in their youth, who have blasted their characters, and some of them lost their lives through a course of sin, he would most earnestly and affectionately invite you to begin at onr:^ to live to please God, and to copy the example of Jesus, who at twelve years of age entered on his Father's bu^ness. To those young friends who have embraced religion, we would say, study to be useful, try to be useful, pray to be useful in the salvation of the souls of men, and many souls shall you save from death. Christ evidenced his supreme concern to do the will, andjinish the work of his Father, by the long journeys he took, and the many privations he endured, for the purpose of instructing and bless- ing the sons of men. He did not reside constantly in Naza- reth, waiting for the people to come to him for advice and aid ; but ho went about doing good. He journeyed on foot, beneath the scorching rays of an eastern sun, from place to place, to aof'k and to save those that were lost. In these journeys, \w was often for a long period without food ; for though he wrought miracles to supply the wants of others, yet he depended on the bounty of men for the supply of his own temporal wants. Sometimes he met with the greatest kindness, and had unremitting attention paid to the supply of 1h8 necessities. In Bethany, he was invariably kindly re- ceived, an ! hospitably entertained by Lazarus and his sisters. Martha \\as so anxious about the 8Ui)ply of hi« temporal wants, that he was obliged to give her a gentle reproof, ImriniiaA una laraa ncii.^riii ir\ rtt»/\%t\A^ KL-m amw***. 4X**«ma ...U^m " ^•- j" •-Ts-rrr iiitu mitny trttrs^s, rrjicil only one thing was needed. In many oth«r plaoos, however, he wts houseless, and none oared tor his nocossities. Thit 340 THE OBLlSAXrONS OF CHRISTIANS anH the birds of fh« oi . i "'^^^"^^e'^' The foxes have holes, Wef n, If Z '.^ '"/r^^ "* ^'^-^ ^^«"^'' abject pover^? vveii might the apostle of the Gentilp>j , rather than a necessuiy grace ; as an absoiuie prerequisite in constituting tho ch .r.;ctor of a minister, or u luibsionavy, but TO SEEK THE SALVATION OP SOULS. 343 not of a private Christian ; or, if it has been admitted as an indispensable qualification, it has been considered as a latent principle, to be called into exercise occasionnlly, and under extraordinary circumstances, rather than an ever-active prin- ciple, in constant and uniform operation. Now, we contend, from the example of Jesus Christ, love to souls is as essential in the constitution of every Christian character, as repentance or faith ; that it is one branch of that charity, concerning which Paul declares, * Though 1 speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or as a tinkling cymbal.' Charity, if it exists in the human bosom, is a divine flame kindled from on high, that not only rises to its native heaven, but expands on earth, and diffuses far and wide its holy light and genial warmth ; it is seen the most brilliuntl} and felt tiie most powerfully in the Church ; but it sends its kindly rays forth into a cold and benighted world. This is the only atmosphere in which God and man can meet and live. He that dwelleth in love, dwel- leth in God, and God in him. The love to the brethren, which is insisted on in scripture, is a holy affection, not only exercised from one Christian to anothfir, but from all Christians towards their common brotherhood, tiie whole family of man. We are to love our neighbours as ourselves, and to love even our enemies as ourselves ; to pray for their conversion, and try to lead them to that cross where they will be reconciled to God and to ourselves : this is the widest expanse of Christian charity." We think none can question that it is our duty to copy the example of Christ, in unwearied labours to save the souls of men. We profess to bo actuated by the spirit of Jesus, and to tread in his steps. Suffer us then to ask. Is it our meat to do the will of our Father in heaven, by seeking the salva- tion of souls ? Do wo hunger and thirst as much after an opportunity of doing good to the souls of men, as we do for necessary food ? Are we willing to suiFer the loss of all things, yea, to yield up life itself, if required, to promote the salvation of immortal souls ? If we are not, we do not pos- Bess the mind of Christ, nor are we following the example which ho has loft us. Oh ! that as professing Christians, we were like Christ our Master ; then the salvation of souls would be more desired than life itself. Immortal souls are perishing by hundreds, and thousands, and millions, every year — perishing for the lack of k^wledge — dropping into hell because they know nothing of Christ ; yet, many who ill ^iil 344 THE OBLIGATIONS Ot CHRISTIANS name the name of Christ, aio as indifferent about their salva. hl^'i *^Vu°"^.« i« the street. There are many whocaU themselves Christians who will not spare one hour from bSs Seah"'xvf'"'-f '''"'^"°^'^^°"^«^^^P' t° ««ve a s^ul from 1 brand fZ h^l ^'"' ' ^'""f' "°f, "^ ^^"""S' ^° P»"^k men milpfn . the burnmg; who will not go the length of a mUe to recover an immortal soul from the snare of the devil ^ who will not even utter a word of instruction, nor of repr^f ZnrTf to save men from the vengeance of etS If; n f 7''\ "^"^ ^'^^"^ *° ^^bour in any way for the sal vation of souls, they are full of excuses ! Do you ask them give, to support others while labouring, they will e £ refuse, or give you the lowest possible sum ! O where Is the constraining love of Jesus f iJoes it dwell can it dwpll in JomSn^""'° «^"^ up their t:r:LomS lerott of thpT'^^T' '"^ ^^° ^^"^ "°t P"t themselves the DOSS We Th ^^ '"^ '''^' ^"'•^"^'"^ «°"J« f^°"^ death ? Im. possible. They are not actuated by the Spirit— thev are nnt fi led with the love of Jesus, whose meat itCs to do^he^U of his Father, and finish his work. for^the t!.l''"r "'"'^'' ^ • P*^"'^' ^^^" °f "« d° ^hat we can tor the souls of our perishing fellow-men. There are num bers m our neighbourhoods whom we have never warned Tf tThrUmb oTFY' r 'f r^^'" ''' have Lvir pointed Sh.n ;k ' ^°'^' "^^^ t^^^th away the sin of the world them .^%rrlv'' °"' ,^^^y ^°-«' -^thout an effort to ^ave tnem/ fehaH hey perish without any sympathy, anv com passion, any help from us ? God forbid .' Let us copy Te' example of Jesus. Instead of taking mortals for ourTxem eles' nn^'F''' T^ '^ r'""^ «°"»'' ^^' "« steadil^.^ou; Efl /v.''"'' "*^ author and finisher of our faifh • who Sgt iZm;''"int itr'"^ him endured the crosa;;'- aig me sname. it it be a cross for m to reprove sinners tn instruct sinners, to converse with them on spfriJual hS o give a reason of the hope that is in ■ , let us take up thrcross z'7LTonrLz' 'r"'> ^"'"""^ ^^' -ed had forgiven, andZn^lT' ^«Peraons whom God ings. Their joy Lsr^exMh-^^n'' ^,^°^^^""g ^is bless- musi be a re igious one THp! ? ^ ^'"'^ ' ^'^^ ^^e feast the sweet ; but^hey mu;t do ^hf ""V ^^ -''^^ ^"^' ^"^ ^"«k sending them a poS of^h ''^ "^^^^^ ^° ^^^ P^^r, by glad ; Ind Sey nC Teen t£rf ^T"^ ^^H^' »« "^^ke them for the joy of tL Lord Ts'thei'r ZVl^ ^^f/? ^"^ ^-°^-» 5 says the judicious Henry -a earn.! H' ^^ "°^ ^^" and spiritual, the 70/0? /A. % T' '^"'"^^ J^^' ^"t holy God, Lder 'the Vonlt td'^IotSent 'or\T'''''' 1 God ; joy arising from our intefest i^i ^n L ^ ?'^^^ God, and the tokens of hifw Th '"^,/f °"' °^ strength ; therefore encourage it '' ^^^ ''^" ^^ ^^^^ thiSrS^tctsotw'tr °'^°' '"^ ^'^ ^«^'^^d -t steadfast in the covenZ Tf GoTr^' '°-"^^^^^ ^'^^ P^^P^^ ly imagine. Many IT. Wn ' '°T. ^" °"^ ^^^ foolish, poor penitent, untif'i^h^slorwP^r'''^^"^ ?^ ^°'"^°"^"g ^ wormwood and the JaU but th °' ?'°"'^^' ^''''^"^ °f the penitent to dcsrah- b^for^ ^ '''''^.^""' "P°" ^riv^ a salvation, and Tit n. hL't ^''''T^Jr ^^"'^ '^'^ -"P of of the gospel. tS pTrt os^i;'t' M ''^'- '''!' ^°"«oIatLs manner in which pen tents hnuM ^^S'^^,"^'^/']^^"' ^^ to the a sinner's heart if rulf Lnl r "^"^^^^ ''"^^' Whenever having bro'ccn h^aw of God'u/-?-"rr^^'^" ^^ ^^'^^P^ at then, as soon as possible 1 '.!fV' ^^'•^' J"^*' ^"^ good, that makes the wSedvvhole"^ ^"r^^ '^'' ^^^'^ the /error 0/ the Lord hu \,'^""^?"^^^^;!"g. that it is not strengthens a^man^ a^ndlJlt 1^;:^ rdoltill^^^ its existence The t?xt .ml ^ J? '' '^''^ conservator of ly prove this. Th V'of TeTotl?^ your weakness. ^^ ^"'"^ '^ >'<^U'' strength, not out^'thf ^itio^^^^^^^^ "^ ^^T ^^^^--^' Po-ting we have alf Jbl^lch ro^ '' '^^"'■"" °^^^°"^«^ faithful to the trust tp^dTn usTtt^slJjr ^i^^ fj to huvu ueen ; and because we have not been V^uTef^f ^oX Nf TO SfifiK tHB SALVATION O* SOULS. 349 souls of men as we should hare been, it we had been faithiul stewards of the nnysteries of the kingdom. We doubt not but they have caused great search- igs of heart, and made us mourn and weep, as did tije Jca- ., in Nehemiah's day; but we must not be swalloweu ap with over much sorrow. Our grief should lead us to th rr o. ^-seat, for forgiveness, and then it must be disconliuuett * , if it be excessive, and l(Mig- continued, it will unfit us for the service of God, in the great work of saving souls. F w •. .ve seen our error, in having too much neglected the sauuiion of souls : if we have con. fessed our unfaithfulness, with godly sorrow '. if we have im- plored forgiveness, in the name of Christ, and have obtained it, then let us rejoice, and cheerfully address ourselves to the great work of saving souls from death, and hiding multitudes of sins. Mourning and weeping over the past will now effect nothing in the salvation of souls. We may sit down and weep ourselves to death, on account of our past unfaithful- ness, and not save a single soul from ruin by so doing. Our business is to be more diligent in future ; and if we would perform our duty to the souls of the unconverted, we must be full of joy ; for the joy of the Lord is our strength. The great cause of our failure in duty, in past days, has been the want of the joy of the Lord ; for joy in Grod is the cause of success in the work of saving souls. We must be happy, ia order to be useful. This is the subject of our present dis- course. In discussing this subject, let us consider, L The joy of the Lord. IL Its utility in the great work of saving souls. I. The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord sometimes means the joy of the heavenly state, which we hope that you will possess, when the duties of this life are performed : when you have finish- ed your earthly course. The faithful servant of God, when he rests from his labours, is addressed in these words, " Well done, good and faithful servant : thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." The measure and duration of that joy we cannot form an adequate conception of; for, " In God's presence there is fulness of joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore." This joy believers^ at deuUi, enter Inio ; but the joy that is s|)oken of in the text is that which enters into them, while they live in a world 30 950 THE OBLIOATIONS OP CHRISTlJiKg Which IS full of sorrow. It is not much of the ioy of the Lord that we can now hold, hut as much as we can contain we may have ; for God can fill us with peace and ioy through believing ; and notwithstanding the little of the joy of the Lord our hearts can contain, while encased in 'flesh, we nevertheless can hold sufficient of it to make us both un- speakably happy and abundantly useful. By the joy of the Lord, we are to understand that gladness which the Lord imparts to the soul. Joy has been described as Jhat vivid pleasure which is inspired by the immediate reception of somfthing peculiarly grateful, of somelhincr obviously productive of essential advantage, or of something which promises to contribute to our present and future well- being. The delight may be communicated by our liberation from our fearful apprehensions, or from a state of actual distress : by obtaining some new addition to our stock of en- joyment : or by the full assurance of these, without any mix- ture of doubt." Now do you not see how well and how fully this delineation of joy applies to the circumstances of tlie real Cliristmn, whom, having embraced the gospel of Christ, God has filled with joy ? From what fearful appre- hensions, appalling dangers, and heart-rending distress has God delivered him. He 1ms delivered him from the curse of the law, the burden of sin, the slavery of the devil, the accu- sations of an evil conscience, and the drearl foi-el)odinffs of eternal damnation. God has reconciled him to himself, by the death of his Son: has forgiven him his iniquities, and covered Ins transgressions : has given him not " the spirit of oondago acruin to fear; but the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father:" has given him, through Christ, " access by faith info this grace wherein we stand, and re. .{oice 111 hope of the glory of God." The joy and gladness telt when God delivered us from the powers of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, is what is termed in our text the joy of the Lord. It is the joy of the Lord, inasmuch as he is the author of It. V\ ho, save the almiglny God, can deliver us from our guilt, pollulion, misery, and danger ? Who, save (Jod, can give us the inestimable blessings of pardon, adoption, liberty, and thf! hope of glory, from whicli this joy proceeds ? Who save God, can give us the full assurance^ the clear nnd ee ■ my soul h ' V ?' 't'"^ ""y ^^^ ^^"g^^'^ ^^--^hee, in a dry and tvs ^. Th' ""^'Tf r ''"''' '^-"-P^^^"^ i^iii- 1. Again, he 1? ' 5 '" •'^'" ^ ^"^ ""^° ^^^ ^^t^^ °f "^y God, unto God God mv r^/'^ ..yea, upon the harp will I praise thee. O God my God."_Psalm iv. 3, 4. And again, - I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live : I will sin-? praise to my Sod 7^ii in "'y.^T'p' ^y '"-^J'^^tion V him shall bo savs "Wo l' ^'^'^^ "' 't iorrf."-Psahn civ. 34. Paul St hJL ^"^ '" ^"^' ^''''^"Sh our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.'*'— Romans v. 11 Peter, writing to those who had never seen Uhrist, who is God manifest in the flesh, says, " Whom hav ing not seen, ye love ; in whom, though now ye see him not', yet behoving ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of wo.r ~ , ^^''' V 5- , ^'^^ "^^^'^'■«' ^^^ perfections, the works, and ways of God afford unspeakable delight to the renewed nnnd. The manner in which the God£'ad is re! vealed to us in the Bible affords untold pleasure to the pious mmd : we can contemplate the Godhead in its unity, and in its tnnity in unity, with exceeding joy. While we behold one God, infinitely perfect and glorious, we discover three persons in that one Go^ successful in saving the souls p w r':"' i;'r.4t "'-n "^" ^'^S ^" ^^^ Lord, fnd in the warn asCh irf : Jf omphsh wonders. All that we salvation f-' '"^''^' "•' ^° ^° ^he will of God in the tTvelv del, : 'T''^ ''''l^'^ '^ «°"1- Nehonnah posi- tren^tfr r^'' '" rV"-;, '^'"' '^'' J'^y ^^ ^he Lord is our SoE ■ .t' ;r/"' "''1'^^^^ ^^f '^' ^^irength u^e need. ooomon sa>s, 'A merry heart doeth good as a medicine • ve b\'otn"Z: ■ ''i'^ ''' '^"^"" The truth of this p" ! verb IS often seen m the common walks of life. A person of recovTrf ; on ^''^T '''T'T^ ^'^^^^h heavily afflioL soon recoveistiom sickness, by the use of proper means • whereas a person whose spirit is broken, no meclicT.L Ian hea no bain, can restore. And it is so in grace. A molanc h'oTv a melancholy Christian the mole-hill is a mountain, the ^s. a KLtkn' h"' •"' '''^ ^T *"^^ ^'""^'^ '"- - de^pafrt but tho^e as wh.nh truly happy in God can bear with ease saint A Ho,n T ^2,^P^^^^y overwhelm the desponding foTndmahfn r ? ^'u'f ""' '" '^'' '"'^'«t of trials will be round malvng his melancholy complaint in lan^uacre somethim? ike he following : '' My trials aid afnctions^a";"grere'- tl an I can bear, my duties are more than I can perform mv ene m.es are too many for me. I shall one day fuH ^nd^ am » Ri :. T ^^ ,* h'^PPy Christian will be heard to sav tion "irmv"'' ^"^' \'"''' '"'^"y ^"^'« -'^ heavy aZ: Z'/fr '^T' V '^^PPy '"^-^^ that 1 scarcely feel ^Znl 'rri'V"ft""^'' '^'^°""^' ^»'« consolations^l^ abound. The duties 1 have to perform are not grievous • for it IS my meat to do the will of 6od. My enemfes sometimt. I 11 TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF SOUL^. 359 thrust sore at me, that I may fall ;> but the Lord h^lps me, and having received help of God, I continue to this day. J know my sins are pardoned. I have the presence of the Lord with me. I know that if my eai'thly house of this taber- nacle were dissolved, I have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ; and I reckon, with Paul, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in me. Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless his holy name." This striking difference between the ex- perience of a desponding professor and a joyous saint we have often vyitnessed. Now, we ask, which of the two will be most likely to be successful in saving souls ? The despond, ing saint has too much to do to think of himself, ever to think about the salvation of others. Selfish are his thoughts, his feelings, and his aims. He is too miserable to think of doing any good to the souls of his fcllow-men. " What shall I do ? O how miserable I am ! What will become of me ?" is the burden of his cry from year's end to year's end. To all such we would say, Give up your selfishness, and begin to labour for the salvation of others, and you will both find joy of soul and strength to save others ; but while you think so much of self, and so little about others, you will remain strangers to joy, and you will never perform your duty to the souls of your fellow-men. The joyous Christian, on the other hand, is found saying, " What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me ? What can I do to bring men to adore, and love, and serve my God ? I cannot do too much for Jesus, who has done so much for me. I will try to love him more and serve him better than I have hitherto done." The joy of ihe. Lord makes us strong to lalourfor God, in the salvation of souls. You all know that when a person is happy in his mind, he will do as much work again, of a manual kind, than he ever does when his mind is troubled and cast down. A miserable man feels every kind of labour painful and irksome. So it is in religion. A haj)py Chris- tian has a mind to work for God ; and ho proceeds to do his will with alacrity and delight. The joy of the Lord is like oil to the wheels of his obedience. He labours for God, because ho loves him ; therefore he feels the utmost pleasure in doing his will. He labours for God, because he is grateful to him for what he has done for him. Love and gratitude are the principles which constrain him to labour for God in 360 THE OBLIGAtlONS OF CHRlSTUNS iJie salvation of souls. His labours, therefore, are the willing prompt, spontaneous labours of the grateful and happy child! done to please a kind and tender parent ; and not the reluctant service and tormenting drudgery of the slave, performed through fear of a tyrant. The language of the man who possesses much of the joy of the Lord is : " Where shall my wondering soul begin ? How shall I all to heaven aspire ? A slave redeem'd from death and sin, A brand pluck'd from eternal fire ; How shall I equal triumphs raise, Or sing my great Deliverer's praise ? how shall I the goodness tell, J'ather, which thou to me hast show'd t That I a child of wrath and hell, 1 should be called a child of God : Should know, should feel my sins forgiven. Blest with this antepast of heaven. And shall I slight my Father* love 1 Or basely fear his gifts to own 1 Unmindful of his favours prove ? Shall 1, the hallowed cross to shun. Refuse his righteousness to impart. By hiding it within my heart V His soul indignantly casts out the wicked thought j and in right good earnest he begins to invite sinners to come to Jesus, to believe m Jesus, to love, adore, and serve Jesus, assuring them that he will receive them, pardon them, purify then^ yea, save them to the uttermost. Such a man will do more for God, in the salvation of souls, than hundreds of those who are only servants of God, not children of God, and who serve God from slavish fear, instead of serving him from love : for their service will ever be reluctant, partial, and imperfect. It was the joy of the Lord which sent forth the apostle Paul to preach the gospel of the kingdom, and which sustained him " In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness ;" yea, which sustained him " in all his perils, in labours more abun- dant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oftener," than any of the apostles. When writing to the Philippians, he says, '« Yea, and if I be offered up on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with I!®*'-' . Paj;^h"»'st well remarks, that " the apostle compares the faith of the Philippians to the sacrificial victim, and hi* TO 9tm faa «'ALyAtidN of s(f»ts. 361 trvrn blood shed in mArtyrdbm to thd 7i5rf«oW, that is, the M>^nfe poMr *'^'^••<"^'>'^'^« will s..rprise the righteous over-nuich-plonty of tales al.ou fanatics, enthusi? T^uW TV ^^'". ^^'^'•'«';-''-" i-^ -ore than half'aslcep on the subject o rehg.on, and more than one half of her tceniina millions are hurryui.c: ,iown to the pit with a lie in their righ" to endure '1,T -"^ "* "^'^ ^"""^ f'^^ ^''' ''' "^^''^"S^'' ^^^^i^nt o endure all the reproaches and revilin,<.s of men, an.l cause us to go forward m the discharge of our duty to the souls of men, utterly regardless of all That those in y say w^l avo a name olive, but yet are dea and\ve cannot discharge, our obligations to CJod and our duty to the souls of our fellow, men. VVo urge you, therefore, never to rest until God does and^^n"!.;" V" •'"^ '" '^^' '^''"»- ^^'•^■"^''^ ^'''^ '""^ >" prayer and fa h till you can rejoice in Christ with joy unspeakable. mor, r T'^ '^"^' ■ ^'''' ''''' y^""- P'-''"'« 'j^votions, morning, noon, or night, any day throughout your future nves mud you are full of joy with the li^ght of God's cun! ^na ce. In order daily to rejoice in th^e Lord your God, meditate frequently upon his great goodness to you. Medi tations upon his love, are like bellows to the firof they make us burn with love, and gratitude, and joy ; and then, depend upon It our zeal fi,r the salvation of souls will ev;' Turn with a brilliant, steady, constant flame. To rejoice in God (ally, study the exceeding great and precious promises which are given unto you; become familiar with them; dare to TO SEEK THE SALVATION OF B0UI.9. 809 believe tliem ; realize them a« your own ; live upon them ; au^ they will be your exceeding py. " Thy words wore foujid, and I did eat theru : and thy word was unto me th« joy and rejoicing of my heart." — Jcr. xv. 16. Let the pro- mises of God be your daily food, and you will, you must, be constantly huppy. We urge you to bo happy Christians, not merely for your own sakcs, but in order tlint you may win souls to Christ, save tiiem from death, and hide a inullitudc of sins. Some of you now prcsont have lost the joy of Ood's salva- tion. You did run well, but something has hindered. You were onco useful in saving souls, but now you are doing more mischief tbiin you ever (lid good. Your grievous imckslid- ingssintiers arc stumbling at; and if you lie wallowing in the mire of sin, numbers will tumble over you into the bot- tomless pit. There is mercy for you, if you will repont and do your first works. O for the sake of the immortal souls of your fi'.l]ow-m(!n, return to the shci)herd and bishop of your souls! To night, in sincerity, with earnestness, and faith, c;y, " Hosloro unto me the joy of thy salvation ; and uphold mo with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgres- sors thy ways ; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. We have now finished the series of discourses we propos- ed to deliver, on the obligations of Christians to seek the salvation of the souls of their fellow-men. But though they are finished, they are not done with. There is a day of jndg- ment ra|>i(lly approaebing, when we must every one of us give an account to God. For these discourses we must an wer. Your minister must answer for their preparation and delivery. You must answer for their resuU upon your hearts and lives. Remember an inspired apostle says to you, " Obey th(!ni that h.ive the rule over you, and submit yourselves : for they wiitch for your souls, as they that must give account, that th( y mny do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." — Hcb. xii. 17. Now, my dear hearers, will you obey your pastor, and fill his heart now with joy, and enable him to render his account of you to the judge of all with joy, and not with grief, by pruyiMg, believing, labouring, and living for the salvation of the precious and immortal souls of your fellow-creatures ? This is all we ask. This you all can do. This you all are 370 THE CBLreATIONS OF CHRISTIAWS THE END. e saved. )ur min- the last ERRATA. Line. Etror. Correction. . . 21 . . . , sinulous simulous. . . 27 . . . . fellows follows. . . 32 . . • . lowliness lowness. . . 32 . . . . living green. 9 . . . beauy beauty. . 24 . . . will rule. . 3 . . . . study duly. . 29 . . . . heart breast. . 9 . . . . your you. . 31 . . . . cenquer conquer. . 36 . . . . subject object. Page. 22 33 39 145 147 203 305 398 374 333 351 212 The sentence commencing in the middle of the' 17th line should read thus :— There are no more bounds to confine the affec- tionsthan there are to confine the intellect; and, therefore, if the intellectual powers of a man are capable of constant progression, the feelings of a man may increase in sensibility, tenderness, and ardour. Let, then, your hearts, &,c. There are a few other typographical errors in this work, but as they do not affect the wense, and will be at once discerned by the reader, they need not be particularly noted. The author is ex- tremely sorry that these errors have crept in ; but distance from the press prevented him from detecting them ere the sheets were struck off. ■r*. g^"^ By the same Author, Seady for the press, and will be published as soon as a »ujji. dent number of subscrihers can bt obtained, S A T A I Or, an Enquiry into the Scriptural Account of the Existence and Number ; Nature and Attributes ; Wiles and Works of Devils : the Mekns by which Men are delivered from their Power : the Binding of Satan : the Millennium : the Loosing of Satan ; his Final Overthrow and Everlaeting Punishment ; and the Everlapt- ing Punishment of all who live and die in the Service of Satan. In Eighteen Lectures ; delivered in the Town Hall, London. C.W. pp. 350, 12mo., price Ss. The Ministers of the Canadian Wesleya- Methodist New Coh- nexion Church are respectfully requested to receive Orders for this Work, and transmit them to the Author, as soon as possible. 'm r« a »u£i- tence and f Devils : iver : the itan ; his Everlapt- of Satan. London . Few Con- rders for ssihle. I