5. 2.6. ro. ^ PRINCETON, N. J. ^ Presented by c3v-^c>\\va\d\d £/\\ BV 4! 501 .P68 1856 ] Porter, Stephen, . 1781- -1868. A daily walk with God in hi own ordinances DAILY WALK WITH GOD IN HIS OWN ORDINANCES, OR THE BIBLE STANDAED OF DUTY, As Exemplified in the Primitive Cliristians. AN ESSAY, By rev. STEPHEN P0RTEIk;rr|5^ ^ ^"^''^ri^ GEWA,N.T. (^ MAR 26 1910 > " Even from the days of your fathers ye have gone away from mina ordinances, and have not kept tbem. Rrtturu unto me, und I will return unto you, suith the Lord of hosls " — Malacki. " Now I praise you brethren that you keep the ordiaances as I delivered tiiem toyou." — Paul. ROCHESTER: E. DARROVV & BROTHER. PUBLISHERS, C5 MAi:« STHEKT. 1856. Entered according to Act of Congress, in Iho year 1856, By EEV. STEPHEN PORTER, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Northern District of New York. PIU>TED BY LEE, MANX i CO., ROCHESTER. STEREOTYPED BY J. W. BROWW, KOCHESTER, K. Y. DEDICATED TO CHRISTIAN MINISTERS, aud "their fellow laborers in the gospel of CHRIST ;" 60LICITIXG THEIR EARNEST AND PRAYERFUL CO-OPEEATIOX TO RESTORE THE BIBLE STANDARD OF DUTY, AS EXEMPLIFIED IX THE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS, AyO THUS SECURE THE PROMISED BLESSING OF A CONTINUED REVIVAL IN THE CHURCH, AND THE SPEEDY TRIUMPH OF THE redeemer's KINGDOM. INTRODUCTION, The scheme of man's redemption originated in the infinite wisdom and love of God. Its execution involved the amazing sacrifice of Calvary. That sacrifice, in due time, was freely offered — all the needful means provided ; and the Holy Ghost, the mightiest agent in the universe, sent down to render those me-ans efficient in the great work of human salvation. And while this work is going on, God has revealed it as his fixed purpose, that whoso- ever would share in it, and thus be saved from the degradation and ruin of sin, restored to favor and communion with God, transformed into his holy image and fitted for heaven, must consent to " he led hy the spirit ; and have his mind turned from the ohjects of sense and the vanities of earth, to the soul stirring ohjects VI INTRODUCTION. of the Christian faith. And that these objects may exert their appropriate influence on the heart, and thus control the Hfe, they must he kept before the mind. This is done under the Spirit's influence, by an earnest waiting upon God in the ordinances of his own appointment — thus co-operating with the Spirit in the work of our own salvation and that of others.* " If ye live after the flesh, (says an Apostle,) ye shall die. But if ye through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God, and have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby w^e cry, Abba Father." • Thus brought into communion with God the Father, through faith in his dear Son,and the indwelling of his Holy Spirit, we are to take up the cross daily, and follow Christ in his self-denying efforts for the salvation of perish- ing men ; and " whatever we do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, even the Father, by him." Thus our religion, like the Bible, is full of Christ. We associate him with every duty, INTRODUCTION. VII every blessing, and every hope. In Christ crucified for our sins, we gain the most rm- pressive views of the infinite evil and demerit of sin, combined with his amazing love to us sinners. It is this which melts the heart in penitence, and inspires love to Christ, and zeal for his glory. And it is only by keeping the eye of our faith habitually fixed on a cru- cified Saviour, that our penitence, love and zeal can be perpetuated. Hence, if we neglect to walk with God in the ordinances of his appointment, and suffer the cares, or business or pleasures of earth to engross the mind and interrupt our commu- nion with Christ, our zeal soon languishes — love grows cold — the Spirit is grieved — dark- ness shrouds the soul, and hope is ready to expire. No child of God can rest at ease in such a state. He will cry to the Lord for help, aftd find the promise fulfilled : " Ye shall seek me and^n^ me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jer. 29 : 13.) This implies a penitent return to the path of duty : co-operating with the Spirit in the work for which his presence is sought. VllI INTRODUCTION. Thus the solemn truth is practically demon- strated, that to raise fallen men into commu- nion with the blessed God, and transform them into the image of his dear Son, requires, on their part an earnest and persevering effort in the use of the metins of divine appointment. This truth, w^hich men have been slow to learn and prone to forget, was proclaimed and urged by the Saviour when he said : ''The kingdom of heaven svjfereth violence, and the violent take it by force." "Agonize to enter in at the straight gate." And having entered, by yield- ing to the Spirit's influence, "Run the chris- tian race." " Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. Press toward the mark." " Contend earnestly for the faiih once delivered to the saints" — the faith that works by love, and purifies the heart and overcomes the world. " For we wrestle, not against flesh and blood : but against principalities — against pow- ers — against the rulers of the darkness of this world — against spiritual wickedness in high places." This struggle can never prove successful, with six days devoted to the sensual and earthly, and but one to the spiritual and INTRODUCTION. IX heavenly. To hope for it is presumption. All the lessons of Scripture and reason, and the experience of ages combine to teach that worldly -mindedness and spiritual slumber are always prominent characteristics of the Church when her members are so great a portion of the time drawn away from communion with Christ and each other, to mingle with the world in its strife of business or politics, or its hot pursuit of wealth or pleasure. By engrossing so much of the time and thoughts and feelings and activities of christians, the world enstamps its own image upon them, and thus paralizes their influence for saving good to souls. Hence the Sabbath exercises alone — powerful as they are for good when rightly improved — have never kept the Church awake and active, grow- ing in grace and gathering the spiritual harvest. And alone, they were never designed to do it. But from its appointment, many seem to infer that, since the fall, God has doomed man to toil six parts out of seven of his whole time, for his daily bread ; or for those things which " perish with the using." But is it so ? Even under the administration of him who died for X INTRODUCTION. our redemption, are we required to put forth six times as much effort for the frail dying body, as for the immortal soul and its vast in- terests for eternity ? What are the teachings of Scripture on this subject ? And what was the practice of the Primitive Christians ? CHAPTER I. OLD TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. THE early converts to Christianity were Jews ; educated under the Mosaic dispensa- tion, which was preparatory to the Christian. And in opening the Old Testament, we find that God, by express enactments, had released the Jewish Church from toil for the body about one-half of the time ; that they might wait on him without distraction, in the ordinances of his own appointment for the salvation of the soul. This will appear, if we consider that, in addition to the weekly Sabbath, given tD man in Paradise, God ordained, 1. The daily service, styled the morning and evening sacrifice. — Ex. 29 : 38-46. " Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar ; two lambs, day by day, continually ; the one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning, 12 OLD TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even ; with his meat offering and liis drink offering. This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord, where I will meet you to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God." This sacrifice typified the Lamb of God, slain to take away sin. While burning on the altar, it was the hour of prayer ; not only at the temple, where a multitude daily assembled, but all over the land, and wherever the chil- dren of Israel were scattered abroad. They worshiped with their faces toward the altar and the manifested glory of God in the Temple. But how could the whole nation be aided in their daily devotions by this sacrifice at the temple, when only a small part of them could be present to witness it ? It was indeed an impressive type of the death of Christ to those OLD TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. 13 who were present ; but not so to the absent, if they had never seen it. To obviate this diffi- culty, as far as practicable, God ordained, 2, The three annual festivals, — Ex. 23: 14-17. Nehemiah, chapt. 1, " Three times a year thou shalt keep a feast unto me — all thy males shall appear before the Lord thy God." There, for eight days in succession, they were called to unite in exercises of religious wor- ship and instruction. Thus all were kept familiar with the temple service, so that when absent they could fix the eye of their mind on God's altar, and thus be aided in their daily devotions. 3. The Sabbatical year; or one year in seven, as a rest from servile labor. — Lev. 25 : 3-5. " Six years thou shalt sow thy field and prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof. But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land. Thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. That which groweth of its own accord thou shalt not reap, nor gather the fruit of thy vine undressed ; for it is a year of rest unto the land." 14 OLD TESTAMENT PEACfllNGS. 4. The Jubilee, or fiftieth year, which brought them two years of rest in succession. — Lev. 25 : 8-13. " Thou shalt number seven Sab- baths of years unto thee — forty-nine years : then ■ thou shalt cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound ; and ye shall hallow the fif- tieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all the inhabitants thereof; a jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you. Ye shall not sow, nor reap that which groweth of itself ; nor gather the grapes of it of thy vine undressed. It shall be holy unto you." Add these several items together — the daily sacrifice, morning and evening — the weekly Sabbath — the three annual festivals — the sab- batical year and the jubilee — and they amount 10 about one-half of their whole time. Thus released from care and toil for the body, they had abundant time to cultivate the spirit of devotion, by waiting on God in the ordinances of his own appointment for the salvation of the soul. And even while toiling for the body, one-half of the avails of their labor was devoted to purposes of devotion and charity ; and thus made to subserve the OLD TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. 15 best interests of the soul. For God required them to give of their annual income, one-tenth to the Levites, who ministered at the altar — Numb. 18: 20, 21 ; and another tenth for the three annual festivals at the temple — Deut. 14 : 22-26 ; and " at the end of every third year," another tenth, to be laid up in store "for the Levite, the stranger, the fartherless and the widow, that they might come and eat and be satisfied."— Dwe^. 14 : 28-29. In addition to these three tithes, various offerings were required, some fixed by law and others voluntary, amounting in all, to about one-half of their income. And lest they should be anxious for the body, while thus concerned for the soul, God promised them his special care and protection. Lev. 2^: 18-22. — "Ye shall keep my judgments and do them, and ye shall dwell in the land in safety. And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill. If ye shall say : " What shall we eat the seventh year ? Behold, we shall not sow nor gather in our increase !" then will I command my blessing upon you the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years ; and ye 16 OLD TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of the old store until the ninth year ; until the fruit be come in ye shall eat of the old store." In the next chapter God renews and amplifies his promise, on condition of their obedience. " If ye shall walk in my statutes and keep my judgments and do them,then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her in- crease, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time ; and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely, and none shall make you afraid ; and I will w^alk among you, and will be your God and ye shall be my people." Thus God promised them his constant pre- sence and blessing. Released, as they were, one-half of the time from care and toil for the body, to attend to the more important concerns of the soul ; and one-half of their income de- voted to the same object ; still he assured them of an abundant supply of their temporal wants ; provided they would walk with him In his or- dinances and be obedient. But should they OLD TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. 17 refuse, he threatened them with terrible judg- ments, (Lev. 26: 14-46.) In reviewing their history, we find these promises and threaten- ings literally fulfilled. Obedient — they were blessed ; rebellious — they were cursed. This is true of their whole history, even to the pre- sent day. CHAPTER II. NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. nERE the scen-e opens with the mission of John the Baptist, as the herald of the Son of God. His ministry was short; but his preaching was powerful, and the nation was moved ! No man could have instructed and baptized such vast multitudes as he did without laboring daily.— 3ia^ 3 : 5, 6. But a greater than John the Baptist is here ! His example is worthy of imitation. Mark his footsteps, as he went about doing good ; and you often find him preaching daily, and to vast congregations, as well as to families and individuals. It is said, " There followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan." On one occasion, {Mat. 15,) you hear him say, " I have compassion on the multitude, because they NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. 19 continue with me now three days and they have nothing to eat. And I will not send them Qway fasting lest they faint in the way," Here four thousand men, besides women and children, w^ere fed by miracle. Thus he en- couraged dying sinners to wait upon him in his daily ministrations. Other like instances are on record. Luke 19 : 47, 48, it is said, '' He taught daily in the temple — for all the people were very attentive to hear him." Three times a year we find him uniformly at the temple, working miracles of mercy, and teaching the congregated thousands there. Hence his rebuke to those who went to appre- hend him in the garden. — " Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves to take me ? I sat daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye laid no hold on me." That daily convocations for religious wor- ship and instruction are sanctioned by the example of Christ, there can be no question. But was his example followed by the apostles and primitive christians ? It was ; and the proof is abundant. But since the papal apos- tacy, it has lamentably failed to arrest the at- tention, and control the practice of the church. 20 NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. Let US then briefly survey the proof, as drawn first from the inspired records, and then from well authenticated history of the primi- tive Church. Their commission to preach the gospel to every creature was given with the promise, " Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." With this commission and promise, (it is said,) " They returned to Jerusalem and went up into an upper room — the number of the names was about a hundred and twenty. These all continued with one ac- cord in prayer and supplication." For ten days they sought the promised blessing. It was then conferred. " They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utter- ance." Their word was with power. " And the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." The next day, it is said, " Many who heard the word believed, and the number of the men was about five thousand." "And all that believed were to- gether and had all things common." Loving Christ supremely, and each other as NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. 21 themselves, they were thus incorporated un- der the law ot Christ — the great law of love — into one household, with him as their Head. Those who had this world's goods in possession devoted their property, as well as themselves, to the Lord ; and thus became stewards in the household of faith. As such, they imparted their income, and even their capital when needed, to supply the daily wants of the house- hold, and advance the cause of their Lord and Master. This was simply carrying out in prac- tice the doctrine of Stewardship, which Christ taught his disciples, when he said, " Who then is that faithful and wise servant whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season ? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, he shall make him ruler over all his goods" — a joint heir with himself to all the treasures of the universe. With such a reward in view, and with the daily experience that, " it is more blessed to give than receive," what loving disciple of Jesus, having this world's goods in posession, 22 NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. could refuse to consecrate them all to the cause of such a Master ; and thus become a steward in his household ? Could he see a brother or sister naked and destitute of daily food, and re- fuse them the needful supplies ? Could he claim or use the goods entrusted to him as his own — squandering them in useless expenditure upon his lusts — or hoarding both capital and income, to gratify, and thus increase a sordid love of gain ? No whole-hearted disciple of Christ could ever do this. It would sink his character in deep disgrace, and his soul in utter ruin. " For the Lord of that servant will come, (says Christ,) in a day when he looketh not for him, and will cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with hypocrites ; there shall be weep- ing and gnashing of teeth." And were there any such who gained a standing in the Primitive Church ? We read of one man and his wife who attempted it ; claiming to have devoted themselves and their all to the service of Christ, while they " kept back part of the price, and lied to the Holy Ghost.'* But when convicted of their guilt, they were so overwhelmed with its enormity, NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. 23 that they sank in the agonies of death, and "gave up the Ghost." And great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things. And they were all, with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them ; (i. e. without devoting himself and his all to Christ.) But the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord ; multitudes, both men and women." Thus the principle of stewardship, in regard to earthly possessions, was cordially believed and firmly established in the Church of Christ. And hence it is said, " The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul, neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own ; but they had all thivgs common. Neither was there any among them that lacked ; for as many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold them," (when the income was insufficient and funds were needed ;) and distribution was made unto every man, according as he had need." Thus Christ, as predicted by the prophet, 24 NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. (Malachi 3 : 2,) was "like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap," purifying his Church from the dross of selfishness, and presenting it to the world as one family, united in loving him su- premely and each other as themselves ; and having their temporal wants daily supplied from a common fund, committed inlrust to his stewards. Of this fund Christ was acknow- ledged as the owner, and his stewards the dis- pensers to " every man as he had need." This ordinance of the Christian Church con- stituted her richest ornament, and the chief element of her moral power, to draw her own members together, and cement them in one common brotherhood ; and to attract and win sinners to Christ, and multiply the trophies of his grace. We cease to wonder, therefore, as we pro- ceed with the inspired record, " That they who gladly received the word and were bap- tized, continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers: and daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. 25 singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people" — (the multitude ex- claiming, " Behold how they love one another!") "And the Lord added to the church, daily, such as should be saved. And daily in the tem- ple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." " And the word of God increased, and the number of the disci- ples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great nmnber of the priests were obedient to the faith." This so enraged the rulers who had crucified Jesus as a malefactor, that they unsheathed the sword of persecution, makmg such havoc of the church, that " they were all scattered abroad except the apostles." But it is said, " They went everywhere preaching the word." Thus the gospel was more widely and rapidly diffused, and prevailed with increasing power, confounding its enemies, or converting them to friends ; until, in view of the vast multitudes 'of Jewish converts, the elders assembled at Jerusalem were led to ex- claim : " How many thousands, (or as in the original, tens of thousands.) of Jews there are which believe !" 26 NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. Saul, of Tarsus, when converted, drank into the same spirit, and spread it far and wide over the Gentile world. When at Athens, it is said (Acts 17 : 17,) " His spirit was stirred within him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore, disputed he in the syna- gogue and in the market daily with them that met with him." Thus, he had at Athens two places of preaching Christ daily. When at Ephesus, it is said, " He went into the synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three months ; disputing and persuading the t-bmgs concerning the kingdom of God." And when opposition arose, he left the synagogue, meeting daily in the school-roo^p of one Ty- rannus. And this continuea tor the space ot two years ; " so that all they which dwelled in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And many that believed came and confessed and shewed their deeds. Many also of them that used curious arts, brought their books together and burned them before all men ; and they counted the price oi them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. 27 and prevailed," that within less than thirty- years, Paul could say to the Collosians, " It brinsreth forth fruit in all the world ;" and to the Romans, " Your faith is spoken of through- out the whole world." For the first eight years, until Peter was sent to the house of Cornelius, all the converts to Christianity were Jews. As such they had been bro-ught up under a dispensation which released them from toil for the body, to attend to the more important concerns of the soul, one-half of the time ; and one-half of their in- come devoted to the same object, with the promise of an abundant supply of their tem- poral wants. When they enlisted into the service of Christ, they expected the same pri- vileges : Acts 21: 20. And in the light of New Testament history, we see them actually emploved in his service, using their property in common, as his stewards for the relief of the poor, daily waiting upon him in his ordinances, both publicly and from house to house : and the Lord working with them and adding to the church daily such as should be saved." In thus following the example of Christ, did 28 NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. the Primitive Christians ohey his instruction also ? What is the teaching of Christ on this subject ? Does it sanction the general practice of christians now, who toil six days in the week almost exclusively for the body and a treasure on earth ; and leave but little more than one for the soul and a treasure in heaven ? We hear him say, " Labor not foi the meat whicli perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." {John 6 : 27) This surely requires that we make the soul the chief concern, and its preparation for heaven the great business of life. And thus he explains it in his sermon on the mount. " Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, but treasures in heaven. If thine eye be single, (fixed on one object — the heavenly treasure,) thy whole body shall be full of light, (shining in the Sa- viour's image, to illumine the path of dying men to heaven.) But if thine eye be evil, (cra- ving earthly treasure, while professing to seek the heavenly,) thy whole body shall be full of darkness. And how great is that darkness ! (the cheerless vale of earthliness, doubt and fear ; endincr in the blackness of darkness for- NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. 29 ever.) Hence he adds, with solemn emphasis — No man can serve two masters — Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Therefore, I say unto you, take no thought for your hie, what ye shall eat, nor yet for your body what ye shall put on. Behold the fowls — your heaven- ly father feedeth them. Consider the lilies — even Solomon, in all his glor}^ was not arrayed like one of these. And shall not your heaven- ly Father much more feed and cloth you ? O, ye of little faith ! Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat, or wherewithal shall we be clothed ? (For after these things do the Gentiles seek ;) for your heavenly father know- eth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righ- teousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." In view of these plam instructions of the Saviour, who can believe that the people of God now, are less favored in regard to the amount of toil for the body, than under the Jewish dispensation ? Is not the promise of temporal support made to God's ancient peo- ple, expressly renewed by Christ to the gospel chm'ch ? The Jews, while released from toil 30 NEW TESTAMENT TEACHINGS. for the body one-half of the time, and required to consecrate one-half of the avails of their labor to purposes of devotion and charity ; were yet assured of an abundant supply of their temporal wants ; provided they would walk with God in his own ordinances for their eter- nal salvation. And bhnst assures us that our heavenly Father, who feeds the ravens and clothes the lilies, will much more feed and clothe his own children, while they toil in obe- dience to him ; not so much for earthly as for heavenly treasure. Hence, he closes this part of his subject with a command and a promise ; " Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be ad- ded unto you." Thus, it appears from the New Testament, with the clearest evidence, that the daily use of the means of divine appointment for the salvation of souls, both publicly and from house to house, was sanctioned by the example and teaching of Christ, and introduced by his apos- tles, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, into the christian dispensation. " Daily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." CHAPTER III. HISTORICAL EVIDENCE. FROM well authenticated history we are furnished with abundant proof, That the daily service, introduced by the apostles was continued in the Christian Church. That it was generally attended by pro- fessing christians, for more than three hun- dred years. That while thus attended, it was blessed as the means of perpetuating the revival, which commenced on the day of Pentecost. That the neglect of this daily service marks \\\ei decline of piety in the church, and the commencement of that ''falling away," pre- dicted by Paul, which introduced the Papal apostacy. 32 HISTORICAL EVIDENCE. SECTION I. The daily service, introduced hy the inspired apos- tles was continued in the Christian Churchy Dr. Lardner, in his ecclesiastical history- says: " At first, the churches assembled emry day; and traces of this are found in later times, in the daily assembling of the churches to hear the scriptures read and for celebrating the communion." Joseph Bingham, in his " Antiquities of the Christian Church, says : " The most noted and usual times of meeting, besides the Lord's day, were the morning and evening of every day ; which, in times of peace, were constantly and regularly observed.* Again, he says, " The evening and morning are the most celebrated times of the ancient daily service ; and are to be found in almost every ecclesiastical writer.f From the writings of the Fathers, we find these statements abundantly confirmed. In the Constitutions of the Primitive Church, • Abridgement by Honrj, p. 665. t Bingham's Works, vol. 4, p. 373. HISTORICAL EVIDENCE. 33 Book 8, chap. 35,. the order of exercises in their daily service is ^escribed ; consisting of " alternate singing and prayer — reading and expounding the Scriptures — preaching and communion at the Lord's table." Eurebius, Bishop of Cessarea, who died in 338, wrote the history of the Church, for the first 300 years. In his Evangelical Demon- stration, he says expressly, " They celebrated the memorials of Christ's body and blood every day."— Book 1, ch. 10.* Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, who suffered martyrdom in 258 says, " We do, every day, receive the Eucharistical elements as the nou- rishment of our souls unto eternal life."t Again he says, " We celebrate the daily sacrifice" — meaning the Lord's Supper, which is often called by the ancients, the daily sacrifice, be- cause daily celebrated at the altar.J Thus in the Christian Church, the Lord's Supper took the place of the daily sacrifice in the Jewish. It was a continuance of that service with only * Quoted bj Bingham, vol. 5. p. 367, London, Ed, 1045. t Bingham p. 852. X Cyprian's "Works, part 1, p. 145 ; London Ed. 1717. 3 34 HISTORICAL EVIDENCE. a change in its form — the daily memorial of Christ's death, instead of the bleeding lamb, which had been the daily type of his death. Jerome, a celebrated Father in the church, who died in 420 assures us, " It was the custom at Rome for the faithful to receive the body of Christ every day." Again he says, "It was the custom, not only at Rome, but of the Spanish Church Xocomm\m\c2iiQ every day."* Very frequent allusions to this service are found in the writings of the fathers, both as a season of daily communion at the Lord's table, and also of daily preachivg. In perusing their numerous volumes of sermons that have come down to us, we find frequent mention of what they had preached the day before ; and of their being preached successively, one day after an- other. " This (it is said) was their constant and ordinary practice." As instances in proof of this, we refer to the sermons of prigjn of third century — of Crysotom, Jerome, Gauden- tius, St. Ambrose and St. Austin, of the fourth century ; and of Theodoret and Caesarius cf * Jerome's Epistles, 28 and 50, quoted by Bingham, p. 852 ; and in vol 5, p. 364. HISTORICAL EVIDENCE. 35 the fifth century ; of whom it is said, " they preached almost every day, and frequently at both morning and evening prayer. Ana Can- non 19th of the Council of Trullo was msti- tuted to promote this practice."* SECTION II. The daily service was generally attended by prof €8- sing christians, for more than three hundred years. Justin Martyr, who wrote about the mid- dle of the second century, describes the sev- eral parts of this service, at the close of whicn he says, " Then the consecrated elements are distributed to and partaken of, by all that are present, and sent to the absent, by the hands of the deacons." Again, he says, " The dea- cons distribute to every one present, to partake of the Eucharistical bread and wine ; and then convey it to the absent :" thus literally obeying the apostolical injunction, "Exhort BiDgham's Abridgement, p. 713-14. 36 HISTORICAL EVIDENCE. one another daily, lest any of you be hardened throucijh the deceitfulness of sin." To neglect this high privilege through vi^orldliness, or care- less indifference was a disciplinable offence. And in the council of Antioch, held in 341, it v^as adopted as a rule for the whole church, that " all such as neglect the holy communion, after the first and second administration shall be suspended from the church, till they mend their ways by confession and repentance."* The first council of Toledo, held in 400, adopted a rule, (see chap. 5,) " That if any presbyter or deacon should be in any city or country where there was a church, and did not come to the daily sacrifice or service, he should no longer be reputed as one of the sacred function."! The council of Agde, held in 506, orders such to be reduced to the communion of stran- * Reeves' Apol. p. 119-126 ; London Ed. 1709. Bing- ham, p. 854 and 887. + " Presbyter Diaconas, ercy and rejoicing in Christ. Regarding this daily service as of divine ap- pointment, and pledging themselves and the converts to maintain it, the good work of con- version, growth in grace, and preparation for heaven, would doubtless be perpetuated until time shall end, and the scenes of the judgment open on the world. OBJECTION III It may be said. If the millenium is to be in- troduced and perpetuated by restoring the daily service and communion of the primitive Church, how is it possible for ministers to sus- tain the amount of labor that will devolve up- OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 101 on them, especially in this age of literature and refinement? With all the other labors and cares of the pastoral office, can they fur- nish beaten oil for the sanctuary, and preach and administer the Lord's Supper every day ? In meeting this objection, two things may be said. In the first place : Let a minister, in addition to the appropriate moral and mental culture, be a man " full of faith and of the Holy Ghost," and sustained by the united prayers and co-operation of the Church, "full of faith and of the Holy Ghost," and he will easily perform an amount of labor utterly impossible, and which would crush him to the earth if left to his own unaided energies. This is proved by numerous facts in the history of the Church, and accords, more or less, with the experience of all ministers and christians accustomed to labor in revivals. Besides this, if the Spirit were poured out, and a revival commenced and perpetuated like that of Pentecost, with our facilities for education, ministers in abund- ance would soon be raised up, filled with the Spirit, and richly furnished for their work. Thus a band of associate pastors, like that of 102 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. Ephesus, would be found as co-laborers in every church; and being sustained by the united prayers and co-operation of the whole membership, it would doubtless be found much easier to keep up the interest of a daili/ service than even that of a weekly service, where the minister is left to strus^orle alone in the midst of a slumbering Church and a stupid commu- nity. And, until such aid is furnished, minis- ters will stand approved of their Master, &o far as they hold up the true gospel standard, and urge its claims upon the Church and the world as God shall give them strength. OBJECTION IV. The Christian may " seek first the kingdom of God," and thus secure the promise, "all things needful shall be added," without devot- ing one-half of his time to duties strictly reli- gious, in dictinction from those that are secular. For he may and ought to serve God in every- thing. " Whether ye eat, or drink, or what- soever ye do, do all to the glory of God." He OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 103 may therefore regard supremely the glory of God and a treasure in heaven, while he is laboring for his daily bread. Very true ; but if he thus labors on the Sab- bath, or at any other time which ought to be devoted exclusively to prayer, reading the Scriptures, or the religious instruction of his children, or any other direct effort to save souls, he is not in the way of his duty. To do one thing, when Christ requires us to be doing another, is not the way to please him or se- cure his promised blessing. And the question at issue is not whether we may serve God in our secular business — for this is admitted by all — but what proportion of time should be ordinarily devoted to it ? Do we hear the re- ply : " Six days shalt thou labor, but the sev- enth thou shalt rest," and devote to the means of religious culture ? * Well, be it so, that the Sabbath is thus diligently observed by Christ- * The writer once had an Elder in the Church iinder his charge, who, for a time, maintained this view* of the fourth commandment — a circumstance which has event- aially led him to prepare this Rssay and oflfer it to tho public. 104 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. ians. But suppose that, during the week, they have no closet, no family altar, no searching of the scriptures, no assembling for social wor- ship and edification, (which, alas! is sadly characteristic of too many professors,) while they spend their whole time and strength in worldly business. How, I ask, could such professors oe distinguished from the mere ser- vants of mammon? Surely, this is not the way to please Christ and promote bis kingdom on earth. None will pretend it. The ques- tion returns, then, with interest. How should our time be divided between those duties which are secular and those which are strictly reli- gious, as distinguished in the fourth command- ment ? Were an equal amount of time devoted to each, as required by the Jewish Church, and thus expressed by the poet : " Eight hours for labor. Eight for devotion given. Eight for refreshment ; But all for God and heaven " — would not God abundantlv bless the lal:o s of OFJECTIONS ANSWERED. 105 his people, both for their bodily and spiritual good, and for the more rapid progress of his cause on earth ? Who can doubt this ? OBJECTION V. All are not gifted with equal energy and skill in business, or engaged in occupations equally productive ; and if the poor brother, with a limited income, were to spend one-half of his time in religious exercises, how could he provide for himself and a dependent family ? We answer: If the Church were thus to improve the means of grace, with humble and prayerful dependence on the blessing of God, it would expand her bosom with enlarged be- nevolence, and result as with the Israelites in the wilderness, when they went out to gather manna. " He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered httle had no lack." This was the result in the Christian Church, while she maintained her daily walk with God in his own ordinances. "There was none among them that lacked, for distribution was 106 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. made unto every man as he had need." But should such a distribution of the avails of labor meet the temporal wants of the Church, still another obstacle may be urged, even by those who are deeply interested in the great work of the world's conversion to God. It may be stated as in OBJECTION VI. The Christian Church is in circumstances very different from the Jewish. They were required to provide only for their own wants as a distinct people, and sustain the institutions of religion among themselves. But Christ opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, and required his Church to preach the gospel to every creature, and plant its institutions in every land. A great part of this work remains to be done. Six hundred millions are still per- ishing without the gospel. If this work were all accomplished — if the Church of Christ filled the earth, adorned with the beauties of holiness, and rejoicing in the constant smile of divine favor — from four to six or eight hours OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 107 in a day of labor for the body, might be all- sufficient. But in the present state of the world, surely more than this is required ; and without it, how can the great work of evangel- izins^ the nations be carried forward ? Answer : Easily — with the blessing of God. And for the proof, I appeal to facts in the his- tory of the past. We have seen that God re- leased his ancient people from toil for the body one-half of the time ; and yet he required of them one-half of their annual income to sus- tain religious ordinances, and for the relief of the poor. By these enactments God designed to bring his people into habitual communion with himself, and cultivate in them the spirit of enlarged benevolence, that they might par- ticipate with himself in the luxury of doing good, and thereby be enabled, from their own experience, to bear testimony to a selfish world that " it is more blessed to give than to receive.'' And his providential arrangements with his people were directed to the same end. Hence he told them, " The poor shall never cease out of the land. And thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand against thy poor 108 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. brother. But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou giv- est unto him, because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto." This promise secured to them the blessing of God in all they did, both for the soul and body, for time and eternity. Thus, while God required of his people the spirit of enlarged benevolence, he guaranteed to them in the way of obedience both the means and the opportunity for its daily cultivation. And his design was to educate them into his own blessed image, and thus raise them to partici- pate in his own infinite feUcity — the felicity of doing good. Hence in obedience they were richly blessed. Now look at another fact, recorded in New Testament history. The spirit of enlarged be- nevolence required of the ancient Church was actually exemplified in the primitive Christians, and the promised blessing was realized in their daily experience. While " daily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 109 and preach Jesus Christ," and to commemo- rate his dying love, multitudes were ''daily added to the Church of such as should be saved." They were also blessed with abundant provision for their temporal wants. It is said, "Great grace was upon them all. And all that believed were together, and had all things common, and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and in breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people." And so long as " all that believed were together, continuing daily to unite in the worship of God in Christ, and commemorate his dying love, their earthly possessions and all the avails of their daily labor were cheerfully consecrated to him, and held in trust as a common fund to be dealt out " to every man as he had need." Faithful to their trust as the stewards of Christ, there was no call for miracles to supply the daily wants of his household. His treasury was kept full and overflowing, even to his ene- 110 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. mies as well as h\s friends. For this we have their united testimony in chapt. III., pp. 41-44. Thus, in the figurative language of Paul to the Hebrews, (13 : 10-16.) Jesus Christ was set forth as an altar in the primitive Church, on which two sorts of sacrifices were daily offered, viz., " the sacrifice of praise," includ- ing all the acts of devotion, and the sacrifice of charitable actions. Neither can be accept- ed alone ; but when both are united, " with such sacrifices God is well pleased." With such sacrifices his people were richly blessed for more than three centuries, and their influ- ence was powerful ; rapidly diffusing the savor of the gospel over the whole earth. With such sacrifices, the cause of Christ is destined again to rise, and gain that compete, universal, and permanent triumph predicted in the 72d Psalm, " when prayer shall be made for him continually, and daily shall he h^ praised. And to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba. The kings of the islands shall bring presents, and offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him ; all nations shall serve him. His name shall be continued as long as the sun, OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. Ill and men shall be blessed in him. All nations shall call him blessed." Let the Church now adopt the Bible stand- ard of duty as exemplified in the primitive Christians, and resume her daily walk with God in his own ordinances, consecrating time, and property, and personal effort to the cause of Christ, and who can doubt that not only the poor would be provided for and gospel institu- tions sustained at home, but missionary effort would be increased a thousand fold for the world's conversion to God. The danger of accumulated wealth, "kept for the owners thereof to their hurt,"* would be regarded, as it really is, an almost insur- mountable obstacle in the way of salvation. " How hardly (says Christ) shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God ! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God " — an obstacle so great that to remove it (he declares) is impossible with men, and only possible even with God.f Eccl. 5 : 13. t Luke 18 : 24-27. 112 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. If this teaching of Christ were really behev- ed, who could raake it the great business of his life to heap up riches for himself and his children ? like expending his time and energy in " building up a great wall to keep his whole family out of heaven." How can this wall be broken down — this mighty obstacle removed — that the way to heaven may be as easy to the rich as the poor ? Though impossible with men, one way in which it is possible with God is to take away their wealth, that they may no longer be tempted " to trust in uncertain riches," and be led to "trust in the hving God." Many who were once rich have been thus saved, "yet so as by fire." Another method is to press their conscience with the claims of the gospel, and give them no rest until they yield to the divine will, and cheerfully consecrate their wealth to Christ, consenting to be only stewards in his household, (like Jo- seph in the house of Potiphar,) using the goods entrusted to them for the honor of his name and the advancement of his cause in the world. Had the young man who came to Christ seek- ing direction in the way to eternal life consent- OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 113 / ed to do this, he would not have gone away sorrowful, but rather rejoicing in the prospect of abundant usefulness opened to him in this world, and of inexhaustible treasures and a crown of glory unfading in heaven. Were this doctrine of stewardship now to control the practice of the Church, as it did the primitive Christians, instead of depending mostly, as we now do, on the contributions of the poor and those of limited means, the abund- ance of the rich would flow into the treasury of the Lord, and soon furnish means sufficient to publish the gospel to all the perishing mill- ions of our fallen race. From such a door of escape from their peril, and of abundant usefulness, open to the rich, we fear indeed that many now in the Church, like that young man, will turn away sorrowful, preferring earthly to heavenly treasure. But with the Bible standard of duty maintained in the Church, they would no longer delude them- selves with the vain hope of heaven, nor dis- honor Christ, as his professed friends, by be- stowing upon his cause a mere pittance of their income, while they withhold their abund- 8 114 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. ance for their own selfish purposes. Nor would any of the children of the covenant be led, by the example of their parents and other church- members, to make gain their god, or squander the goods entrusted to their stewardship in useless expenditure upon their lusts. But, un- der the influence of a daily walk with God in his own ordinances, they would be early led to Jesus, and filled with his Spirit, and trained up in the good work of the Lord ; like the primi- tive Christians, testifying to all around them, " The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead ; and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them and rose again." Thus constrained by the love of Christ, they would go or send out into all the world, teaching and exemplifying his blessed gospel, and " daily w^alking in all his command- ments and ordinances blameless." With a standard of piety thus active, pure, and elevated, the Church of Christ would " look forth as the morning," breathing the fragrance of light and love over all the nations, and they OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 115 would soon be seen flowing^ to him, " brinmnfr their silver and their gold with them to beau- tify the place of his sanctuary," and make his name glorious in all the earth. Not in vain did the Lord of glory come down and "redeem us to God by his blood." Not in vain did he reascend to occupy the mediatorial throne as " Head over all things to his Church." The object of his mission will assuredly be accomplished ; for he is " able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." Already, under the guidance of his infinite wisdom, the improvements in agri- culture and the mechanic arts, and the progress of labor-saving inventions, have lightened our toil for the body by performing the work of many days in one. And in a vastly greater ratio have they lightened our toil for the bread of life. What if all our Bibles, and tracts, and religious papers, and books now flooding the world, were to be written out with a pen, as in the days of the Apostles and primitive Christians ? How vast the labor of furnishing the bread of life to the perishing millions of ll6 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. our race ! But with the power of the press, and the improvements connected with it, once the lahor o^ years is now performed in a day ! And when the Church shall awake and exert all her energies for Christ, he will soon triumph over opposition, and introduce the millenial glory of his reign. The earth will again bloom in the beauty of Eden, and bring forth in abundance, like the garden of the Lord. Yes, " Sure as his tnitli shall last. To Zion shall be given The brighest glories earth can yield. And brighter bliss of heaven." Away, then, with our unbelief. Be it the great business of the Church here to prepare herself and others for a better and brighter world ! Let her example correspond with her creed, and thus bear convincing testimony that the soul is man's chief concern. Then, under the government of the Prince of Peace, no miracle will be needed to deliver our whole race from all that oppressive care and toil for the body which interferes with the intellectual • OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 11*7 and moral culture of the immortal spirit, its eminent preparation for heaven, and for its onward progress in knowledge and happiness through interminable ages ! CHAPTER IX. INFERENCES. WHY REVIVALS DECLINE IN reviewing this subject we learn, I. Why it is that revivals are of so short continuance, and often succeeded by a long night of spiritual slumber. It is not because the means of God's appoint- ment are insufficient to keep the Church awake and active, growing in grace, and con- stantly gathering the spiritual harvest ; nor is it because God ever fails to bless those means, when faithfully used. " His arm is not short- ened or his ear heavy," that he cannot hear and constantly bless the labors of his people. And hence he assures them, " They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run, and not he weary ; they shall INFERENCES. 119 walk and not faint." A cloud of witnesses have testified, from their own experience, to the truth of this. Job says : " He that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." Paul says : " We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory o-f the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. For this cause we faint not; even though our outward man perish, yet our inward man is renewed day by day." This is the natural effect of a daily walk with God in his own ordinances. No one can thus abide in communion with Christ, beholding his glory and having fellowship with him in his self- denial for the good of others, without finding his soul invigorated and transformed more and more into his holy image. Hence the exhorta- tion to be " always abounding in the work of the Lord ; forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord." All who have tried it know this. And, for the encourage- ment of all. Inspiration declares, " He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." A state of 120 INFERENCES. revival is therefore the natural state of the Church. She is necessarily in that state, while walking with God, steadfast in his covenant. Why, then, is not the Church always found in this state, pjrowing in grace and gathering the spiritual harvest ? It is because she has fallen away from the Bible standard of Christian duty. In devoting themselves to Christ, her members did not even intend, like the primi- tive Christians, so to renounce the world and take up the cross as to become daihj laborers for Christ in gathering his spiritual harvest ; or, if they did, they failed to carry out this in- tention, and, being led by those in the Church before them, they entered upon the fruitless effort to serve God and mammon ; and soon found they had left their " first love " and been drawn away by the cares of this world and its perishing vanities. If truly converted, they deplore their backslidden state and unfitness to pray and labor for the good of souls. And they sometimes struggle to regain the freshness of their first love. But they struggle almost in vain, not being aware of the true cause of the difficulty. And why ? They have grown INFERENCES. 121 up under the impression that man's chief busi- ness in this Hfe is to take care of the body and labor for those things which perish with the using. This impression has been strongly fix- ed in their minds by witnessing, from their earliest recollection, the example of their pa- rents and of church-members generally. Fol- lowing this example, they find a constant tend- ency to backslide and become worldly-minded. And they witness and deplore the same in others as well as in themselves. But still they continue their business arrangements, not after the model of the apostolic Church, nor even of a Church now in a revival state, but rather in accordance with a state of spiritual slumber, devoting but mere fragments of their tim« and strength to the momentous concerns of the soul. Hence, when aroused by an influence sent down from above, and brought into a revival state, they are led by the Spirit to engage more frequently, as well as more fervently, in the private and public exercises of religious wor- ship and edification. This increased effort for the honor of Christ in the salvation of souls 122 INFERENCES. breaks in upon their business arrangements, and they soon find their wordly cares so press- ing that many are led to think it their duty to *' forsake the assembUng of themselves togeth- er," that they may meet the calls of business and take care of their property. They wish the revival to continue ; hope it will — but MUST he excused, for they have neither time nor strength to attend the meetings or put forth the efforts which God is blessing for the progress of his work. Their example counter- acts the influence of others, and weakens their faith. And thus, by degrees, they return to their former routine of christian duty, and set- tle down at ease, with that amount of time and effort devoted to the means of grace for the salvation of souls, which the experience of ages, and their own experience, has proved insufficient either to keep the Church awake or to secure the blessing of God in sjathering the spiritual harvest. No wonder the Spirit is grieved, and so few are converted, and converts lose their first love, and such long, dark nights of spiritual slumber brood over the Churches ; while the millions, even in Christendom, are perishing I INFERENCES. 123 MEANS OF A CONTINUED REVIVAL. We learn, 2. When to expect a continued revival in the Church — a revival which shall result in subduing the whole world to the sceptre of Christ, and perpetuate his triumphant reign on earth. This happy period, foretold by the prophets, will assuredly come ; but not until Christians come out from the world and re- model all their arrangjements of business and pleasure, on the principle of their professed be- lief that the soul, and its preparation for eter- nity, is man's chief concern and the great bus- iness of his present life. Then they will have time and strength daily to wait upon the Lord in his ordinances, as the primitive Christians did ; and lay themselves out on the altar of God as living sacrifices, devoted to prayer and effort for the world's conversion to Christ. Then the spirit of primitive Christianity will reanimate the Church. She will put oflf her sack cloth, in which she has mourned for 1260 years, and again put on the armor of light and 124 INFERENCES. the garments of salvation. " The glory of the Lord will be seen upon her." She will " look forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with ban- ners." The scene of Pentecost will revisit the earth, and overspread the world. And, under the Spirit's influence, " poured upon all flesh," the triumphant reign of Christ will be intro- duced and perpetuated, and earth become the vestibule of heaven. CHAPTER X. THE APPEAL. WE close with an appeal to Christians of every denomination. Dearly beloved in the Lord, when and where shall this work begin ? Will you arrange your worldly business in accordance with it, as soon as practicable, and let nothing interfere with your entire consecration to him who bought you with his blood ? Will you seek the Lord earnestly in the closet, and set your houses in order, and thus, like the primitive Christians in that upper room, come together daily and " continue with one accord in prayer and sup- plication " for such a baptism of the Spirit that you may henceforth enjoy his constant presence with you, not as a "wayfaring man" who comes to tarry for a night or a little sea- 126 THE APPEAL. son, but to take up a permanent abode in your hearts, and mould your whole souls into the ima^e of Jesus, and employ you in the blessed work of a constant revival of religion among you — a revival like that of Pentecost, when *' aaily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ, the Lord working with them, and adding to the Church daily such as should be saved." O, how soon would such a revival bring all your unconverted children and youth, and the perishing multitude around you, into the fold of Christ ! How rapidly, like that at Jerusa- lem, would it spread over all the region, and encourage other churches, and still others, to arise and work for Christ and gather the spir- itual harvest ? How greatly would such a revival enlarge and beautify our beloved Zion ? How would " the glory of the Lord be seen upon her ! " and thus her light would go forth as brightness, and shine with increasing splen- dor, until it mingles with the flood of glory which shall introduce and perpetuate Messiah's triumphant reign on earth. THE APPEAL. 127 Dearly beloved, shall this blessed work be- gin with us? Shall it begin now? The Lord is " waiting to be gracious." Truly, " He is long-suffering to usward — not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Now, after so long a time, he still repeats the call to his people, and, with moving compassion to a dying world, he sounds it long and loud in their ears : " Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, and prove me now herewith if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Shall such a blessing be your's ? It is infi- nitely rich. It cost the amazing sacrifice of Calvary ! It is proffered freely, and urged up- on your acceptance. Will you consent to re- ceive it on the terms proposed ? Or, do you dislike the terms, and choose rather to slumber on, and still longer try the patience of God, and grieve his Holy Spirit, and hold back the blessing from a dying world ! and thus let other generations, and even your own children, go down to darkness and swell the wailings of the lost ! ! 128 THE APPEAL. These solemn questions we must soon meet in judgment. Oh ! that the present generation of Christians might prepare to meet them with joy, and thus unite with all heaven in the song of triumph over a renovated world ! THE END y i