YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Lectures on Revivgils
of Religion

By
CHARLES G. FINNEY
Author of " Lectures to Professing Christians,"
"Sermons on Gospel Themes," etc.

New York Chicago Toronto
Fleming H. Revell Company
London and Edinburgh

I aocoidlng to Act of Congnn In the }«Br im^ fey
B. J. GOODBICH,
SB tke Clerk'i uffloe of Un DUtrict Conrt of the United Stetn for tarn Nortfe
DIetriet of Ohio.

YALi-

fill

0

THE LEOTUBER'S PKEPACJB.
/j«* «* B« remembered, that these Lectures were delivered to my ovm
oongregaUon. They were entered upon, without my having previously
marked out any plan or outline of theth, and have been pursued, from
week to week, bA one subject naturally introduced another, and as, from
one lecture to another, I saw the state of our people seemed to require.
I consented to have the Editor of the Eva/ngtMst report them, upon
his own responsibility, because he thought that it might excite a deeper
Interest in, and extend/the usefulness of, his paper. And as I am now
a Pastor, and have not sufBdent health to labor as an Evangelist, and
as It has pleased the Head of the Church to give me some experience
in revivals of religion, I thought it possible that, while I was doing the
work of a Pastor in my own church, I might, in this way, be of some
little service to the churches abroad.
I found a particular inducement to this course, in the fact that on my
return from the Mediterranean, I learned, with pain, that the spirit of
revival had greatly declined in the United States, and that a Spirit of
jangling and controversy alarmingly prevailed.
The peculiar dicnmstances of the church, and the state of revivals,
was such, as unawidcibly to lead me to the discussion of some points
that i would gladly have avoided, had the omission been consistent
with my main design, to reach and arouse the church, when she was
fast settling down upon her lees.
I am &r from setting up the claim of infaUibiMy upon this or any
other subject. I have given my own views, so far as I have gone, with
out pretending to have exhausted the subject, or to have spoken in the
best possible manner upon the points I have discussed.
1 am too well acquainted with the state of the church, and especially
with the state of some of its ministers, to expect to escape without
censure. I have felt obliged to say some things that I fear will not, in
all instances, be received as kindly as they were intended. But what
ever may be the result of saying the truth as it respects some, I have
reason to believe, that the great body of 'praying people wiH receive
and be benefited by what I have said.
What I have said upon the subject of prayer, will not, I am web
aware, be understood and received by a certain portion of the church
and aJl I can say is, " He that haiTi nm ear to hear, let him hear."
(iU)

IT THB LECTUBXB's FBBFACS.
I had not the most distant idea untU recently, that these LeetoieB, In
this, or any other form, would ever grow into a book ; but the argent
call for their publication, in a volume, and the fact that I have had re
peated assurances that the reading of them in the Skangelist, has been
owned and blessed, to the quickening of individuals and churches, and
tuts resulted in the conversion of many sinners, have led me to consent
to their publication in this imperfect form.
The Reporter has succeeded, in general, in giving an ovMne of the
Lectures, as they were delivered. His rejrart, however, would, in gen
eral, make no more than a full akeUton of what was said on the subject
at the time. In justice to the Reporter, I would say, that on reading
bis reports, in his paper, although there were some mistakes and mis-
•pprehensions, yet I have been sarprised that, without stenography, he
could so nearly report my meaning.
As for literary merit, they have none ; nor do they lay claim to any.
It was no part of my design to deliver elega/ni Lectures. They were
my most familiar Friday evening discourses ; and my great, and I may
add my only object, was to have them understood and felt.
In correcting the Lectures for a volume, I have not had time, nor was
it thought advisable to remodel them, and change the style in which
they had been reported. I have, in some few instances, changed the
phraseology, when a thought had been very awkwardly expressed, or
when the true idea had not been given. But I have, in nearly every
instance, left the sentences as they were reported when the thought
was per»pioiiiomily expressed, although the style might have been un
proved by emendation. They were the editor's reports, and as such
they must go before the public, with such little additions and altera
tions, as I have had time to make. Could I have written them out in
fall, I doubt not but they might have been more acceptable to many
readers. But this was impossible, and the only alternative was, to let
the public have them as they are, or refuse to let them go out Iq the
form of a volume at all. I am sorry they are not better Lectures, and in
a more attracting form ; but I have done what I could under the circum
stances ; and, as it is the wish of many whom I love, and delight to pleaee
and honor, to have them, although in this imperfect form, they must
have them.
C. Q. FINNET.
By perusing the above PrefiMse, the reader will get a due to the Um»
and evreumttaneet that led to the deUvery and pubUcation of these Lec
tures. In revising them for a new edition, I have done little more than
correct the phraseology in a few instances, add a few foot-notes, and
replace the last two Lectures by newly-written ones on the same texts.

THE LXCTITBEb's FBB7ACB. T
and prepared especially for this edition. These Lectures are diotinet
frx>m the course I deliver to my theological class upon the same subject.
Thai course I may publish before my death. These Lectures have been
translated in the Welsh and French languages, and have been very
extensively circulated wherever the English or either of those lan
guages is understood. Oae house in London published 80,000 copies
in English. They are stiU in type and in market in Europe, and I
have the great satisfaction of knowing that they have been made a
great blessing to thousands of souls. Consequently, I have not thought
it wise to recast them for the sake of giving them a more attractive
form. God has owned and blessed the reading of them as they have
been, and with the exceptions above noticed, I have given them to the
present and coming generations. If the reader will peruse and remem
ber the foregoing preface, he will understand what I said of the church
and some of the ministers, and why I said it. I beseech my brethren
not to tabe amiss what I have said, but rather to be assured tliat every
sentence has been spoken in love, and often with a sorrowful heart.
Hay God continue to add His blessing to the reading of these Lectniw.
THE AUTHOB.
OBEBLnr Oou^BM, (kt. 88, 1808.

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE REPORTER
i'HB work of reporting these Lectures was undertaken for the par
pose of increasing the Interest and usefulness of the New York Evan
gelist. The Reporter is wholly unacquainted with short-hand, and has.
therefore, only aimed to give a sketch of the leading thoughts of the
discourse. It is hardly necessary to mention that Mr. Finney never
writes his sermons, but guides his course of argument by a skeleton,
or brief, carefully prepared, and so compact, that it can be written on
one side of a card, about half as large as one of these printed pages.
His manner is direct, and his language colloquial and Saxon, and hii
illustrations are drawn from the commonest incidents and 'maxims of
life. The Reporter has aimed to preserve, as much as he could, the
style of the speaker, and is thought to have been in some degree suc
cessful. If, in any cases, by letting his language run in a colloqaial
strain, he has made the copy more simple and homely than the original,
he hopes to be pardoned easily for a fault by no means prevalent.
If any one should attempt to criticise the style of these Reports, he
wUl assuredly lose his labor ; for the only ambition of the Reporter haa
been, to make such a use of language as should fully convey the mean
ing, and fairly exhibit the manner, of the Lecturer. When words have
done this, they have done their great work. The notes were taken
with a pendl, and transcribed in great haste, and sent to the printer
without revision. In preparing them for republication, in this form,
Mr. Finney has reviewed them with reference only to this point — the
correct expression of the sentiment. The style of an off-hand sketch
has been preserved, partly of choice, and partly from necessity. There
was no time to remodel the work, and the public voice seemed to be,
that it was more attractive and more useful in its present condensed
form. Mr. Finney has, therefore, done little more than to amend when
the Reporter misapprehended the meaning, or did not express it with
sufficient distinctness. He has enlarged in a few places where the
LUustrationB, as given by the Reporter, seemed to be incomplete.
My labor with these sketches is now done ; and its results are sent
forth in this permanent form, with the prayer, that God would employ
the book, as he has already done the newspaper edition, to rouse, and
teach, and strengthen his people, and to guide, unite, and enconiag*
cealous Christians of all classes, in the great duty of saving sinnen.
J. L.
Nbw York, AprU, 1835.
(vi)

CONTENTS. LECTURE L MSI
What A RHviTAii OF Religion IS  B
LECTURE n.
When A Revival IB TO BE Exi'bctbd..  23 .-
LECTURE m.
How TO Pbouotb a Reyiyal.  89 ^'<"
LECTURE IV.
PBXVAILINa Pbateb  48
LECTURE V.
Thb Pbateb of Faith.  67
LECTURE VL
Sfibit of Pbateb  88
LECTURE Vn.
Be Filled WITH THE Sfibit  101
LECTURE Vin.
MEETINaB FOB PBAYEB  118
LECTURE IX.
Means to be Used with Sinners  184 hf
LECTURE X
To WIN Souls beqitires Wisdom  140
LECTURE XL
A Wibb Minibtbb will be Successfttl.  160
(vii)

Vm OONTENTB.
LECTURE Xn.
How to Pbeach the Gospel  188
LECTURE Xm.
How Chubcheb can Help Menibtebs  218
LECTURE XIV.
- Measubes to Pbohotk Reytvalb  989
LECTURE XV. ,
'^•Hindbbances to Beyitam  268
LECTURE XYL
Mecbbbitt and Effect of Union  894
LECTURE XVn.
False Coufobts fob Sinnebb  817
LECTURE XVHL
DiBECTIONB to Sinnebb  84ft
LECTURE XIX.
InBTBUCTIOHS TO COITYEBTS  864
LECTURE '^nr.
iNBTBUCTIOir OF TOUNO CONYEBTS  808
LECTURE XXL
Baobbudbbb IN Heabt  418
LECTURE XXII,
Qbowth IN Obacb  438

LECTURES.

LECTURE I.

WHAT A BEYIYAL OF BELIOION 18.
Tn>.— O Lord, lerlTe tby work In the midst of tbe jeare. In the mldit at tke
fmn made known ; In wrath remember merpy.— Hab. 111. 3.
It is snpposed that the prophet Eabakkok was contempo
rary with Jeremiah, and that this prophecy was uttered in an
ticipation of the Babylonish captivity. Looking at the judg
ments which were speedily to come upon his nation, the soul
of the prophet was wrought up to an agony, and he cries out
in his distress, " O Loird, revive thy worL" As if he had
said, " O Lord, grant that thy judgments may not make Israel
desolate. In the midst of these awful years, let the judg
ments of Crod be made the means of reviving religion among
us. In wrath remember mert^."
Bdigion is the vxn-k cf man. It is something for man to do.
It consists in obeying God with and from the heart It is
man's duty. It is true, God induces him to do it He influ
ence him by his Spirit, because of his great wickedness and
reluctance to obey. If it were not necessary for God to in
fluence men — ^if men were disposed to obey God, there would
be no occasion to pray, " O Lord, revive thy work." The
ground of necessity for such a prayer is, that men are wholly
indisposed to obey ; and unless Giod interpose the influence
of bis Spirit, not a man on earth will ever obey the commands
of God.
A "Revival of Religion" presupposes a declension. Al
most aO the religion in the world has been produced by revi
vals. God has found it necessary to take advantage of the
1* (9)

10 WHAT A BBYIYAL OF BELIGION IS.
excitability there is in mankind, to produce powerful excite
ments among them, before he can lead them to obey. Men
are so spiritually sluggish, there are so many things to lead
their minds off from religion, and to oppose the influence of
the Gospel, that it is necessary to raise an excitement among
them, till the tide rises so high as to sweep away the opposing
obstacles. They must be so excited that they will break over
these counteracting influences, before they will obey God. Not
that excited feeling is reUgion, for it is not ; but it is excited
desire, appetite and feeling that prevents religion. The will
is, in a sense, enslaved by the carnal and worldly desires.
Hence it is necessary to awaken men to a sense of guilt and
danger, and thus produce an excitement of counter feehng
and desire which will break the power of carnal and worldly
desire and leave the will free to obey God.
Look back at the history of the Jews, and you will see that
God used to maintain religion among them by special occa
sions, when there would be a great excitement, and people
would turn to the Lord. And after they had been thus re
vived, it would be but a short time before there would be so
many counteracting influences brought to bear upon them,
that religion would decline, and keep on dedining, till God
oould have time — so to speak — ^to convict them of sin by his
Spirit and rebuke them by his providence, and thus so gain
the attention of lihe masses to tihe great subject of salvation,
as to produce a widespread awakening of rehgious interest, and
consequently a revival of religion. Then the counteracting
causes would again operate, and religion would decline, and
the nation would be swept away in the vortex of luxury, idol
atry, and piide.
There is so Utile prinoiple in the church, so little firmness
and stabiUty of purpose, that unless the religious feelings are
awakened and kept excited, counter worldly feeling and excite
ment will prevail, and men will not obey God. 'Hiey have so
little knowledge, and their prindples are so weak, that unless
they are excited, they wUl go back from the path of duty, and
do nothing to promote the glory of God. The state of the
world is still such, and probably will be till the nullennium is
fully come, that religion must be mainly promoted by means
of revivals. How long and how often has the experiment
been tried, to bring the church to act steadily for God, with
out these periodical excitements. Many good men have sup
posed, and still suppose, that the best way to promote reli
gion, is to go along uniformly, and gather in the ungodly grad
oaUy, and without excitement But however sound such rea

WHAT A EEVIYAI, OF BELIGION 18. 11
aoning may appear in the abstract, ySzcte demonstrate its futili
ty, n the church were far enough advanced in knowledge^
and had stability of prindple enough to ke^ awake, sndi a
course would do ; but the diurch is so httie enlightened, and
there are so many counteracting causes, that she will not go
steadily to work without a special interest being awakened. As
the millennium advances, it is probable that these periodical
excitements will be unknown. Then the church will be en
lightened, and the coimteracting causes removed, and the en
tire church wiU be in a state of habitual and steady obedi
ence to GU)d. The entire church will stand and take the in
fant mind, and cultivate it for God. Children will be trained
up in the way they should go, and there will be no such tor
rents of worldliness, and ^hion, and covetousness, to bear
away the piety of the church, as soon as the excitement of a
revival is withdrawn.
It is very desirable it should be so. It is very desirable that
the church should go on steadily in a course of obedience
without these excitements. Sudi excitements are liable to in
jure the health. Our nervous system is so strung that any
powerful excitement, if long continued, injures our health and
unfits us for duty. If religion is ever to have a pervading in
fluence in the world, it cannot be so ; this spasmodic rtJigion
must be done away. Then it will be uncalled for. Chris
tians wUl not sleep the greater part of the time, and once in
a while wake up, and rub their eyes, and bluster about, and
vociferate a littie while, and then go to sleep again. Then
there will be no need that ministers should wear tihemselYes
out, and kill themselves, by their efforts to roll back the flood
of worldly influence that sets in upon the church. But as
yet the st»te of the Christian world is such, that to e^ect to
promote religion vnthout exdtements is unphilosophictJ and
absurd. The great political, and other worldly exdtements
that agitate Christendom, are all unfriendly to religion, and
divert the mind from the interests of the souL Now these
exdtemente can only be counteracted by retAgioux exdtementa
And untU there is religious prindple in the world to put down
irreligious exdtemente, it is vain to try to promote religion,
except by counteracting exdtements. This is true in pmlos-
ophy, and it is a historical fact.
It is altogether improbable that religion will ever make pro
giess among heathen nations except through the influence of
revivals. l3ie attempt is now making to do it by education,
and other cautious and gradual improvements. But so long
¦8 the laws of mind remain what they are, it cannot be done

18 WHAT A BEYIYAL OF BELIGION 18.
in this way. There must be exdtement sufB.dent to wake np
the dormant moral powers, and roU back the tide of degradar
tion and sin. And precisely so far as our own land approxi
mates to heathenism, it is impossible for God or man to pro
mote religion in such a state of things but by powerful ex
dtements. This is evident from the fact that this has always
been the way ia whidi God has done it. God does not cre
ate these exdtements, and dioose this method to promote re
ligion for nothing or without reason. Where mankind are so
rductant to obey God, they will not act until they are exdted.
For instance, how many there are who know that they ought
to be religious, but they are afraid if they become pious they
shall be laughed at by their companions. Many are wedded
to idols, others are procrastinating repentance, until they are
settled in life, or until they have secured some favorite world
ly interest Such persons will never give up their false shame,
or relinquish their ambitious schemes, till they are so exdted
by a sense of guilt and danger that they cannot contain them
selves any longer.
These remarks are designed only as an introduction to the
discourse. I shall now proceed with the main design, to show,
L What a revival of religion is not ;
n. What it is ; and,
TTT. The agendes employed in promoting it
L A BEVIVAL OF BEUOION IS NOT A MntAOLIL
1. A mirade has been generally defined to be, a XMvine in
terference, setting aside or suspending the laws of nature. It
is not a mirade in this sense. All me laws of matter and
mind remain in force. They are neither suspended nor set
aside in a revival
2. It is not a mirade according to another definition of the
term miracle — smneMng above (he poviers of nature. There is
nothing in religion beyond the ordinary powers of natura It
consists entirely in the righi exercise of the powers of nature.
It is just that, and nothmg else. When manldnd become re
ligious, they are not enabled to put forth exertions which they
were unable before to put forth. They only exert the powers
they had before in a different way, and use them for the gloiy
of Ck>d.
3. It is not a mirade, or dependent on a mirade, in any
sense. It is a purely philosophical result of the right use of
the constituted means — as much so as any other effect produced
by the application of means. Thwe may be a mirade among

what a BEYIYAL OF BELIGION IB. 13
ite antecedent causes, or there may not The apostles em
ployed mirades, simply as means by which they arrested at
tention to their message, and established its divine authority.
But the mirade was not the revival The mirade was one
thing ; the revival that followed it was quite another thing.
The revivals in the aposties' days were connected with mira
des, but they were not mirades.
I said that a revival is the result of the right use of the ap
propriate means. The means whidi God has enjoined for
the production of a revival, doubtiess have a natural tendency
to produce a revival Otherwise God would not have enjoin
ed them. But means will not produce a revival, we aU know,
without the blessing of God. No more will grain, when it is
sowed, produce a crop without the blessing of God. It is im
possible for us to say that there is not as direct an influence
or agency from God, to produce a crop of grain, as there is
to produce a revivaL What are the laws of nature according
to which it is supposed that grain yidds a crop ? They are
nothing but the constituted manner of the operations of God.
In the Bible, the word of God is compared to grain, and
preadiing is compared to sowing seed, and the results to the
springing up and growth of the crop. And the result is just
as philosophical in the one case, as in the other, and is as nat
urally connected with the cause ; or, more correctly, a revival is
as naturally a result of the use of the appropriate means as a
crop is of the use of its appropriate means. It is true that
religion does not properly belong to the category of cause and
effect ; but although it is not caused by means, yet it has its
occasion, and may as naturally and certainly result from ite
occasion as a crop does from its cause.
I wish this idea to be impressed on all your minds, for there
has long been an idea prevalent that promoting rdigion has
something very peculiar in it, not to be judged of by the or
dinary rules of cause and effect ; in short, that there is no
connection of the means with the result, and no tendency in
the means to produce the effect No doctrine is more dan
gerous than this to the prosperity of the church, and nothing
more absurd.
Suppose a man were to go and preach this doctrine among
farmers, about thdr sowing grain. Let him tell them that
God is a sovereign, and will give them a <scap only when it
pleases bim^ and that for them to plow and plant and labor
as if they expected to raise a crop is very wrong, and taking
the work out of the hands of God, that it interferes with his
sovereignty, and is going on '31 their own strength : and that

1 4 WHAT A BEYIYAL OF BELIGION W.
there is no connection between the means and the result on
which they can depend. And now, suppose the farmers
should believe such doctrine. Why, they would starve the
world to death.
Just such results wiU follow from the diurch's being per
suaded that promoting religion is somehow so mysteriously a
subject of Divine sovereignty, that there is no natural con
nection between the means and the end. What are the re-
sulte ? Why, generation after generation has gone down to
hell. No doubt more than five thousand millions have gone
down to hell, while the church has been dreaming, and wait
ing for God to save them without the use of means. It has
been the devil's most successful means of destroying soula
The connection is as clear in religion as it is when the farmer
BOWS his grain.
There is one fact under the government of God, worthy of
universal notice, and of everlasting remembrance ; which is,
that the most useful and important things are most easily and
certainly obtained by the use of the appropriate means. This
is evidently a prindple in the Divine administration. Hence,
all the necessaries of life are obtained with great certainty hv
the use of the simplest means. The luxuries are more difS-
cult to obtain ; the means to procure them are more intricate
and less certain in their results ; while things absolutely hurt
ful and poisonous, sudi as alcohol and the hke, are often ob
tained only by torturing nature, and maldng use of a kind of
infernal sorcery to procure the death-dealing abomination.
This principle holds true in moral government, and as spirit
ual blessings are of surpassing importance, we should expect
their attainment to be connected with great certainty with the
use of the appropriate means ; and such we find to be the fact;
and I fully believe that could facts be known, it would be found
that when the appointed means have been righSy used, spirit
ual blessings have been obtained with greater uniformity than
temporal ones. n. I AM TO SHOW WHAT A BEVIVAL IB.
It is the renewal of the first love of Christians, resulting in
the awakening and conversion of sinners to God. In the pop
ular sense, a revival of religion in a community is the arous
ing, quickening, and reclaiming of the more or less backslid
den diurch and the more or less general awakening of aS
dasses, and insuring attention to the daims of God.
It presupposes that the church is sunk down in a backslid-

WHAT A BEYIYAL OP BELIGION IB. Ifi
den state^ and a revival consiste in the return of a church from
her backslidings, and in the conversion of sinners.
1. A revival always indudes conviction of sin on the part
of the churdi. Backslidden professors cannot wake up and
begin right away in the service of God, without deep seardi-
ings of heart The fountains of sin need to be broken up.
In a true revival. Christians are always brought under such
convictions ; they see their sins in sudi a light, that often they
find it impossible to maintain a hope of their acceptance with
God. It does not always go to that extent ; but tixerc are al
ways, in a genmne revival, deep convictions of sin, and often
cases of abandoning all hope.
2. Backslidden Christians vnll be brought to repentance.
A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience
to God. Just as in the case of a convearted sinner, the first
step is a deep repentance, a breaking down of heart, a getting
down into tine dust before God, with deep humility, and fo»"
sakir^ of sin.
3. Christians wUl have their faith renewed. While tihey
are in their backslidden state they are blind to the state of sin
ners. Their hearts are as hard as marble. The truths of the
Bible only appear hke a dream. They admit it to be all true;
their conscience and their judgment assent to it ; but their
faith does not see it standing out in bold relief in all the
burning realities of eternity. But when they enter into a re
vival, tiiey no longer see men as trees walMng, but they see
things in that strong light which wUl renew the love of God
in t£eir hearte. IMs will lead them to labor zealously tc
bring others to him. They wUl feel grieved that others do
not love God, when they love him so much. And they will
set themselves fedingly to persuade their neighbors to give
him their hearte So their love to men will be renewed. They
vnU be filled with a tender and burning love for souls. They
wUl have a longing desire for the salvation of the whole world.
They wUl be in an agony for individuals whom they want to have
saved — ^their friends, relations, enemies. They wUl not only
be urging them to give their hearte to God, but they will carry
them to God in the arms of faith, and with strong crying and
tears beseech God to have mercy on them, and save their souls
from endless burnings.
4. A revival breal^ the power of the world and of sin ovei
Christians. It brings them to such vantage ground that thej
get a fresh impulse towards heaven. They have a new fore
taste of heaven, and new desires after union with God ; and
tlie charm of the w arid is broken, and t'' power of sin overcoina

1* WHAT A BEYIYAL OF BELIGION 18.
to. When the churches are thus awakened and reformed,
the reformation and salvation of sinners vrill follow, going
through the same stages of conviction, repentance, and refor
mation. Their hearts will be broken down and changed.
Very often the most abandoned profligates are among the
subjects. Harlots, and drunkards, and infidels, and all sorts
of abandoned characters, are awakened and converted. The
worst among human beings are softened, and redaimed, and
made to appear as lovely specimens of the beauty of hohnesa
UL I AM TO 00N8IDEB THE AGENCIES EMFLOTED IN OABBUNG
FOBWABD A BEVIVAL OP BELIGION.
Ordinarily, there are three agents employed in the work of
conversion, and one instrument. The agente are God, — some
person who brings the truth to bear on the mind, — and the
sinner himself, The instrument is the truth. There are dt-
ways two agente, God and the sinner, employed and active in
every case of genuine conversion.
1. The agency of God is two-fold ; by his Providence and
by his Spirit ^
(1. ) By his providential government, he so arranges events
as to bring the sinner's mind and the truth in contact. He
brings the sinner where the truth readies his ears or his eyea
It is often interesting to trace the manner in whidi God ar
ranges events so as to bring this about, and how he some
times makes every thing seem to favor a revivaL The state
of the weather, and of the pubhc health, and other circum
stances concur to make every thing just right to favor the ap-
pUcation of truth with the greatest possible efficacy. How
he sometimes sends a minister along, just at the tune he is
wanted ! How he brings out a particular truth, just at the
particular time when the individual it is fitted to reach is in
the way to hear I
(2.) God's spedal agency by his Holy Spirit Having di
rect access to the mind, and knowing infinitely well the whole
history and state of each individual sinner, he employs that
truth which is best adapted to his particular case, and then
sets it home with Divine power. He gives it such vividness,
strength, and power, that the sinner quails, and throws down
his weapons of rebellion, and turns to the Lord. Under his
influence, the truth btims and cuts its way like fire. He makes
the truth stand out in such aspects, that it crushes the proud
est man down with the weight of a moimtain. If men were
disposed to obey God, the b-uth is given with sufficient clear

WHAT A BEYIYAL OF BELIGION IS. 17
iiess in the Bible ; and from preadiing they could learn all
that is necessary for them to know. But because ihey are
wholly disinclined to obey it, God clears it up before their
minds, and pours in a bkze of convincing light upon their
souls, which they cannot withstand, and they yield to it, and
obey God, and are saved.
2. The agency of men is commonly employed. Men are
not mere instruments in the hands of God. Truth is the in
strument The preacher is a moral agent in the work ; he
acts ; he is not a mere passive instrument ; he is voluntary in
promoting the conversion of sinners.
3. The agency of the sinner himself The conversion of a
sinner consiste in his obeying the truth. It is therefore im
possible it should take place without his agency, for it consiste
in his acting right He is influenced to tms by the agency of
Crod, and by the agency of men. Men act on iiieir fdlow-men,
not only by language, but by their looks, their tears, their daily
deportment See tiiat impenitent man there, who has a pious
vrife. Her veiy looks, her tenderness, her solemn, compassion
ate dignity, softened and moulded into the image of Christ are
sermon to him all the time. He has to turn his mind avray,
cause it is such a reproach to him. He feels a sermon ring-
.g in his ears all day long.
Mankind are accustomed to read the countenances of their
neighbors. Sinners often read the state of a Christian's mind
in his eyes. K his eyes are fuU of levity, or worldly anxiety
«nd contrivance, sinners read it If they are fall of the Spirit
of God, sinners read it ; and they are often led to conviction
by barely seeing the countenance of Christians.
An individual once went iato a manufactory to see the ma
chinery. His mind was solemn, as he had been where there
was a revival. The people who labored there all knew him
bj sight, and knew who he was. A young lady who was at
work saw him, and whispered some foolish remark to her com
panion, and laughed. The person stopped and looked at her
vrith a feeling of grief. She stopped, her thread broke, and
she was so much agiteted she could not join it She looked
out at the vrindow to compose herself and then tried again ;
again and again she strove to recover her self-command. At
length she sat down, overcome with her feelings. The person
then approached and spoke vrith her ; she soon manifested a
deep sense of sin. The feeling spread through the establish
ment like fire, and in a few hours almost every person em
ployed there was under conviction, so much so, that the
owner, though ts worldly man, was astounded, and requested

18 WHAT A BEYIYAL OP BELIGION IS.
to have the works stop and have a prayer meeting ; for he
said it was a great deal more important to have these people
converted than to have the works go on. And in a few days,
the owner and nearly every person employed in the establish
ment were hopefully converted. The eye of this individual,
his solemn coimtenance, his compassionate feeling, rebuked
the levity of the young woman, and brought her under con-
riction of sin : and tMs whole revival followed, probably in a
great measure, from so small an inddent
If Christians have deep feeUng on the subject of religion
themselves, they wUl produce deep feeling wherever they go.
And if they are cold, or light and trifling, they inevitably de
stroy all deep feeling, even in awakened sinners.
I knew a case, once, of an individual who was very anxious,
but one day I was grieved to find that her convictions seemed
to be all gone. I asked her what she had been doing. She
told me ^e had been spending the afternoon at such a place,
among some professors of rel^on, not thinking that it would
dissipate her convictions to spend an afternoon with profess
ors of religion. But they were trifling and vain, and thus
her convictions were lost. And no doubt those professors of
religion, by their folly, destroyed a soul, for her convictions
did not return.
^ The church is required to use the means for the conversion
of sinners. Sinners cannot properly be said to use the means
for their own conversioiL ^e church uses the means. What
sinners do is to submit to the truth, or to resist it. It is a
mistake of sinners, to tbinlr they are using means for their
own conversion. Th© whole drift of a revival, and every thing
about it, is designed to present the truth to your mind, for
your obedience or resistance. BKWABKfl.
1. Revivals were formerly regarded as mirades. hrxH it
has been so by some even in our day. And others have ideas
on the subject so loose and unsatisfactory, that if they would
only think, they would see their absurdity. For a long time,
it was supposed by the church, that a revival was a mirade,
an interposition of Divine power which they had nothing to
do with, and which they had no more agency in producing,
than they had in producing thunder, or a storm of hail, or
an earthquake. It is only within a few years that ministers
generally have supposed revivals were to be promoted, by the
use of means designed and adapted specially to that object

WHAT A BEYIYAL OP BELIGION IS. 18
Bven in New England, it has been supposed that revivals came
just as showers do, sometimes in one town, and sometimes in
another, and that ministers and churches could do nothing
more to produce them than they could to make showers of
rain come on their own town, when they were falling on a neigh
boring town.
It used to be supposed that a revival would come about
once in fifteen years, and all would be converted that God in
tended to save, and then they must wait until another crop
came forward on the stage of life. Finally, the time got short
ened down to five years, and they supposed there might be a
revival about as often as that
I have heard a fact in relation to one of these pastors, who
supposed revivals might come about once in five years. There
had been a revival in his congregation. The next year, there
was a revival in a neighboring town, and he went there to
preach, and staid several days, till he got his soul all engaged
in the work. He returned home on Saturday, and went into
his study to prepare for the SabbatL And his soul was in an
agony. He thought how many adult persons there were in
his congregation at enmity with God — so many still unconver
ted — so many persons die yearly — such a portion of them un
converted — if a revival does not come under five years, so
many adult heads of families will be in heE He put down
his calculations on paper, and embodied them in his sermon
for the next day, vrith his heart bleeding at the dreadful pic
ture. As I understood it, he did not do this vrith any expeo-
tetion of a revival, but he felt deeply, and poured out his heart
to his people. And that sermon awakenedybr^y heads cffwrn-
Hies, and a powerful revival followed ; and so his theory about
a revival once in five years was aU exploded.
Thus God has overthrown, generally, the theory that revi
vals are mirades.
2. Mistaken notions concerning the sovereignty of God have
greatly hindered revivals.
Many people have supposed God's sovereignly to be some
thing very different from what it is. They have supposed it to
be sudi an arbitrary disposal of events, and particularly of
the gift of his Spirit, as precluded a rational employment of
means for promoting a revival of religion. But there is no
evidence from the Bible that God exercises any such sover
eignty as that There are no facts to prove it But every
thing goes to show that God has connected means vrith the
end through all the departments of his government — ^in nature
and in grace. There is no natural event in whidi his ovm

20 WHAT A BBYIYAL OP BELIOwON IS.
agency is not concerned. He lias not buUt the creation lik«
a vast machine that wiU go on alone vrithout his further care.
He has not retired from the universe, to let it work for itself
This is mere atheism. He exercises a universal superintend
ence and control. And yet every event in nature has been
brought about by means. He neither administers providence
nor grace with that sort of sovereignty that dispenses vrith
the use of means. There is no more sovereignty in one than
in the other.
And yet some people are terribly alarmed at all direct efforte
to promote a revival, and they cry out, "Tou are trying to
get up a revival in your own strength. Take care, you are in
terfering with the sovereignty of God. Bettor keep along in
the usual course, and let God give a revival when he thinks it
is best God is a sovereign, and it is very wrong for you to
attempt to get up a revival, just because yofu think a revival is
needed." This is just such preaching as the devil wants. And
men cannot do the devU's work more effectually than by
preaching up the sovereignty of God, as a reason why we
should not put forth efforts to produce a revival.
3. Tou see the error of those who are beginning to think
, hat religion can be better promoted in the world without re-
¦» ivals, and who are disposed to give up all efforts to produce
religious awakenings. Because there are evils arising in some
instances out of great exdtements on the subject of rehgion,
they are of opinion that it is best to dispense with them alto-
getier. This cannot, and must not be. True, there is dan
ger of abuses. In cases of great rdigious as weU as all other
exdtements, more or less inddental evUs may be expected of
course. But this is no reason why they should be given up.
The best things are always hable to abuses. Great and man
ifold evils have originated in the providential and moral gov
ernments of God. But these foreseen perversions and evilr
were not considered a sufficient reason for giving them up.
For the establishment of these govemmente was on the whole
the best that could be done for the production of the greatest
amount of happiness. So m revivals of religion, it is found
by experience, fliat in the present state of the world, religion
cannot be promoted to any considerable extent without them.
The evils which are sometimes complained of, when they are
real, are inddental, and of small importance when compared
with the amount of good produced by revivals. The senti
ment should not be admitted by the church for a moment,
that revivals may be given up. It is fraught with all that is
dangerous to the interests of Zion, is death to the cause of

WHAT A BEYIYAL OP BELIGION IS. 81
missions, and brings in ite train the damnation of the
world- Fesally.— I have a proposal to make to you who are here
present I have not commenced this course of Lectures on
Revivals to get up a ciu:ious theory of my own on the s\ib-
ject I would not spend my time and strength merely to
give you instructions, to graMy your curiosity, and furnish
70U something to talk about I have no idea of preadiing
dboui revivals. It is not my design to preach so as to have
you able to say at the dose, "We understand all about revi
vals now," while you do noGiing. But I wish to ask you a
question. What do you hear lectures on revivals for ? Do
you mean that whenever you are convinced what your duty
is in promoting a revival, you wUl go to work and practise it ?
Will you follow the instaictions I shall give you from the
Word of God, and put them in practise in your own lives ?
WUl you bring them to bear upon your families, your acquain
tance, neighbors, and through the dty ? Or wiU you spend
the winter in learning dmui revivals, and do noHtangfor them ?
I want you, as fast as you learn any thing on the subject of
revivals, to put it in practice, and go to work and see if you
cannot promote a revival among sinners here. If you vriU
not do this, I wish you to let me know at the beginning, so
that I need not waste my strength. Tou ought to dedde noto
whether you wUl do this or not Tou know that we call sin
ners to dedde on the spot whether they vrill obey the Gospel
And we have no more authority to let you take time to deUb-
erate whether you vrill obey God, than we have to let sinners
do so. We call on you to unite now in a solemn pledge to
God, that you will do your duty as fast as you learn what it
ifi^ and to pray that He vriU pour out his Spirit upon this diurch
and upon all the city this winter.

LECTURE II.
WHEN A BEVIVAL IS TO BE EXPECTED.
Tixr.— wot thon not reTiTe as agata; that tby people may r^olce n that -
FlALH IszxT. 6.
This Psalm seems to have been written soon after the re
turn of the people of Israel from the Babylonish captivity ;
as you will eamly see from tie language at the commence
ment of it. The Psalmist felt that God had been very fa
vorable to the people, and while contemplating the goodness
of the Lord in bringing them back from the land where they
had been carried away captive, and whUe looking at the pros
pects before them, he breaks out into a prayer for a Revival
of Religion. "Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy peo
ple may rejoice in thee ? " Since God in his providence had
re-estabUshed the ordinances of his house among them, he
prays that there may be also a revival of religion, to crown
the work
Last Friday evening I attempted to show what a Revival of
Religion is not ; what a Revival is ; and the agendes to be
employed in promoting it. The topics to which I wish to call
your attention to-nigh^ are,
L When a Revival of Religion is needed.
n. The importance of a Revival when it is needed.
TTT- When a Revival of Rehgion may be expected.
L WHEN IS A BEVIVAL OF BELIGION NEEDED?
1. When there is a want of brotherly love and Christian
confidence among professors of rdigion, then a revival is need
ed. Then there is a loud call for God to revive his work.
When Christians have sunk down into a low and badishdden
state, they neither have, nor ought to have, nor is there rear
son to have, the same love and confidence toward each ether,
as when they are all alive, and active, and hving holy Hves.
The love of benevolence may be the same, but not the love ol
complacency. God loves all men with the love of btsnevo-
lence, but he does not feel the love of complacency toward
any but those who hve holy. Christians do not and cannot
love each other with the love of complacency, only in pro'^or-
(22)

WHEN A BEYIYAL IS TO BE EXPECTED. 28
tion to their holiness. If Christian love is the love of the im
age of Christ in his people, then it never can be exercised only
where that image really or apparently exists. A person must
reflect the image of Christ, and show the spirit of Christ, be
fore other Christians can love liiTn vrith the love of complacen
cy. It is in vain to call on Christians to love one another with
the love of complacency, as Christians, when they are sunk
down in stupidity. They see nothing in each other to produw
Vhis love. It is next to impossible that they should feel other
vrise toward each other, than they do toward sinners. Merely
knowing that they beiong to the church, or seeing them occa-
raonally at the communion table, vriU not produce Christian
love, unless they see the image of Christ
1. When there are dissensions, and jealousies, and evil
speakings among professors of religion, then there is great
need of a revival These things show that Christians have
^ot far from God, and it is time to think eamestiy of a rerival
iFtehgion cannot prosper with such things in the churdi, and
«}thing can put an end to them hke a revivaL
3. When Uiere is a worldly spirit in the churdL It is man
ifest that the church is sunk down into a low and backslidden
state, when you see Christians conform to the world in dress,
equipage, parties, seeking worldly amusements, reading nov-
ds, and otiier books such as the world read. It shows that
Jiey are far from God, and that there is great need of a Revi
val of Rehgion.
4. When the church finds its members falling into gross and
scandalous sins, then it is time for the diurch to awake and
ijij *« God for a Revival of Rehgion. When such things arc
taking place, as give the enemies of rehgion an occasion for
reproach, it is time for the church to ask of God, "What vrill
become of thy great name ? "
5. When there is a spirit of controversy in the church or in
the land, a revival is needful. The spirit of religion is not thf
spirit of controversy. There can be no prosperity in religion
where the spirit of controversy prevails.
6. When the wicked triumph over the church, and reTUe
them, it is time to seek for a Revival of Religion.
7. When sinners are careless and stupid, and sinking into
hell unconcerned, it is time the church should bestir themsdvea
It is as much the duty of the church to awake, as it is of the
firemen to awake when a fire breaks out in the night in a great
dty. The church ought to put out the fires of hell whic£ are
laying hold of the vricked. Sleep 1 Should the firemen sleep,
and let the whole city bum down ; what would be thought of

24 WHEN A REVIVAL IS TO SK EXPECTED.
such firemen ? And yet their guUt would not compare witi,
the gmlt of Christians who sleep whUe sinners around them
are sinking stupid into the fires of hell.
n. I AM TO SHOW THE IMPOKTANOE OF A BEVIVAL OF EELIGIOII
IN SUCH CIECUMSTANCES.
1. A Revival of Religion is the only possible thing that can
wipe away the reproach which covers tiie church, and restore
rehgion to the place it ought to have in the estimation of the
public. Without a revival, this reproadi will cover the church
more and more, until it is overwhelmed with universal con
tempt. Tou may do any thing else you please, and you can
change the aspects of society in some respecte, but you wiU
do no real good ; you only make it worse without a Rerival
of Rdigion. Tou may go and build a splendid new house of
worship, and line your seats with damask, put up a costly pul
pit, and get a ma^^iificent organ, and every thing of that Hnd,
to make a show and dash, and in that way you may procure
a sort of respect for religion among the vricked, but it does
no good in reality. It rather does hurt. It misleads them as
to the real nature of religion ; and so far from converting
them, it carries them farther away from salvation. Look
wherever they have surrounded the altar of Christianity
with splendor, and you wUl find that the impression produc
ed is contrary to tie true nature of religion. There must
be a waking np of energy, on the part of Christians, and an
outpouring of God's Spirit, or the world wUl laugh at tie
diurch. 2. Nothing else will restore Christian love and confidence
among diurdi members. Nothiilg but a Rerival of Religion
can restore it, and nothing else oughi to restore it There is
no other way to wake up that love of Christians for one an
other, which is sometimes felt, when they have such love as
they cannot express. Tou cannot have such love vrithout con
fidence ; and you cannot restore confidence vrithout sndi evi
dence of piety as is seen in a rerival If a mmisfer finds he
has lost in any degree the confidence of his people, he ought
to labor for a rerival as the only means of regaining their
confidence. I do not mean that this should be his motive in
laboring for a rerival, to regain the confidence of his people,
but that a rerival through his instrumentality, and ordinar-
Uy nothing else, will restore to bim the confidence of the
praying part of his people. So if an elder or private mem
ber of the church finds his brethren cold towards him, thew

WBEN A REVIVAL 18 TO BE EXPECTED. 'iO
id but one way to remedy it It is by being rerived himself
and pouring out from his eyes and from his hfe the splendor
of the image of Christ. This spirit wUl catdi and spread in
the church, and confidence will be renewed, and brotherly love
prevail again.
8. At such a time a Rerival of Rdigion is indispensable to
avert the judgments of God from the churdi. This would
be strange preaching, if revivals are only mirades, and if the
church has no more agency in producing them, than it has in
making a thunder storm. To say to the church, that unless
there is a rerival you may expect judgments, would then be
as ridiculous as to say. If you do not have a thunder storm,
you may expect judgmente. The fact is, that Christians, are
more to blame for not being rerived, than sinners are for not
bdng converted. And if tiey are not awakened, they may
know assuredly that God wiU visit them vrith his judgmente.
How often God visited the Jevrish church vrith judgmente
because they would not repent and be rerived at the call of
his prophets ! How often have we seen churdies, and even
whole denominations, cursed with a curse, because they would
not wake up and seek the Lord, and pray, "WUt thou not
rerive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee ? "
4. Nothing but a Rerival of Religion can preserve sudi a
church from annihilation. A churdi dedinmg in this way
cannot continue to exist vrithout a rerival. If it receives new
members, they wiU, for the most part, be made up of ungodly
persons. Without rerivals there will not ordinarily J5e as
many persons converted as will die off in a year. There
have been churches in this country where the members have
died of^ and there were no rerivals to convert others in their
place, tUl the chiu'ch has run out^ and the organization has
been dissolved.
A minister told me that he once labored as a missionary in
Virginia, on the ground where such a man as Samuel Darie&
once flashed and shone hke a flaming torch; and that Daries's
ehurch was so reduced as to have but one male member, and
He, if I remember right, was a colored man. The chiu'ch had
^ot proud, and was all run out I have heard of a church in
Pennsylvania, that was formerly flourishing, but neglected re
rivals, and it became so reduced that the pastor haid to send
to a neighboring church for a ruling dder when he adminis
tered the communion.*

* Wby not. In aach a case, let any member of the chnrch, male or ftmale, dltti*
bate the elements ? Is it indispensable to have an elder f
2

^6 WHEN A BEYIYAL IS TO BE EXPECTED.
ft. iSothiog but a Rerival of Religion can prevent the meoiw
of grace from doing a great injury to the ungodly. Without
a rerival, they wiU grow harder and harder under preaching,
and will experience a more horrible damnation than they
would if they had never heard the Gospel Tour chUdren and
your friends wUl go down to a much more horrible fate in hell,
in consequence of the means of grace, if there are no rerivals
to convert them to God- Better were it for them if there
were no means of grace, no sanctuary, no Bible, no preaching,
and if they had never heard the Gospel, than to hve and die
where there is no rerival. The Gospel is the savor of death
unto death, if it is not made a savor of hfe unto hfe.
6. There is no other way in whidi a church can be sancti
fied, grow in grace, and be fitted for heaven. .What is grow
ing in grace ? Is it hearing sermons and getting some new
notions about religion ? No — ^no such thing. The Christian
who does this, and nothing more, is getting worse and worse,
more and more hardened, and every week it is more difficult
to rouse him up to duty.
m. I AM TO SHOW WHEN A BEVIVAL OF BELIGION MAY BE EX
PECTED.
1. When the proridence of God indicates that a rerival is
at hand. The indications of God's proridence are sometimes
so plain as to amount to a revelation of his wUL There is a
conspiring of events to open the way, a preparation of dr-
cumstances to favor a rerival, so that those who are looking
out can see that a rerival is at hand, just as plainly as if it had
been revealed from Heaven. Cases have occurred iu this
country, where the proridential manifestations were so plain,
that those who are careful observers, felt no hesitation in say
ing that God was coming to pour out his Spirit, and grant a
rerival of rehgion. There are various ways for God to indi
cate his will to a people — sometimes by giving them peculiar
means, sometimes by pecuUar and alarming events, sometimes
by remarkably favoring the employment of means, by the
weather, health, etc.„
2. When the wickedness of the vricked grieves and hum
bles and distresses Christians. Sometimes Christians do not
r«em to mind any thing about the wickedness around them.
Jr if they talk about it, it is in a cold, and callous, and unfeel
ing way, as if they despaired of a reformation : tliey are dis
posed to scold at sinners— not to feel the compassion of the
Bon of God for them. But sometimes the conduct of the

WHSN A BEYIYAL IS TO BE EXPECTED. 27
wicked drives Christians to prayer, and breaks them down,
and makes them sorrowful and tender-hearted, so that they
can weep day and night, and instead of scolding and reproach
ing them, they pray eamestiy for them. Then you may ex
pect a rerival Indeed this is a rerival begun already. Some
times the wicked wUl get up an opposition to rehgion. And
when this drives Christians to their knees in prayer to God,
with, strong crying and tears, you may be certain there is
going to be a rerival The prevalence of wickedness is no
eridence at all that there is not going to be a rerival That
is often God's time to work. When the enemy cometh in
like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord lifte up a standard against
him. Often the first indication of a rerival, is the devil's get
ting up something new in opposition. In wiU invariably have
one of two effects. It wiQ either drive Christians to Gfod, or
it wUl drive them farther away from God, to some carnal pol
icy or other that will only make things worse. Frequently
the most outrageous vrickedness of the ungodly is followed
by a rerival H Christians are made to fed that they have
no hope but in God, and if they have suffident feeling left to
care for the honor of God and the salvation of the souls of
the impenitent, there wUl certainly be a rerival Let hell
boU over if it will, and spew out as many devils as there are
stones in the pavements, if it only drives Christians to God
in prayer — they cannot hinder a rerival. Let Satan get up a
row, and sound his horn as loud as he pleases ; if Christians
will only be humbled and pray, they shall soon see God's
naked arm in a rerival of rehgion. I have known instances
where a rerival has broken in upon the ranks of the enemy,
almost as suddenly as a dap of thunder, and scattered them —
taken tiie very ringleaders as trophies, and broken up their
party in an instant
3. A rerival may be expected when Christians have a spirit
of prayer for a reri^l. That is, when they pray as if thdr
hearte were set upon a rerival. Sometimes Christians are
not engaged in prayer for a revived, not even when they are
warm in prayer. Their minds are upon something dse ; they
are praying for something else — ^the salvation of tihe heathen
and the like — and not for a rerival among themselves. But
when tJiey feel the want of a rerival, they pray for it ; they
fed for their own fanulies and neighborhoods, and pray for
them as if they could not be denied. What constitutes a
spirit of prayer? Is it many prayers and warm words? No.
Prayer is the stete of the heart The spirit of prayer is a
state of continual desire and anxiety of mind for the salvation

28 WHEN A BEYIYAL IS TO BE EXPECTED.
of sinners. It is something that weighs them down. It u
the same, so far as the philosophy of the mind is concerned,
as when a man is anxious for some worldly interest. A Chris
tian who has this spirit of prayer feels anxious for souls. It
is the subject of his thoughts all the time, and makes him
look and act as if he had a load on his mind. He thinks of
it by day, and dreams of it by night This is properly pray
ing without ceasing. The man's prayers seem to flow from
his heart hquid as water — " O Lord, rerive thy work." Some
times this feeling is very deep ; persons have been bowed
down, so that they could neither stand nor sit. I can name
men in this Stete, of firm nerves, who stand high in charac
ter, who have been absolutely crushed with grief for the state
of sinners. They have had an actual travail of soul for sin
ners, tUl they were as helpless as children. The feeling is
not always so great as this, but sudi things are much more
common than is supposed. In the great rerivals in 1826, they
were common. This is by no means enthusiasm. It is just
what Paul fdt, when he says, "My litUe children, of whom I
travail in birth." I heard of a person in this State, who prayed
for sinners, and finally got into such a state of mind, that she
could not live without prayer. She could not rest day nor
night, unless there was somebody praying. Then she would
be at ease ; but if they ceased, she would shriek in agony till
there was prayer again. And this continued for two days,
until she prevailed in prayer, and her soul was reheved. This
travail of soul, is that deep agony, which persons feel when
they lay hold on God for such a blessing, and vrill not let him
go till they receive it I do not mean to be understood that
it is essential to a spirit of prayer, that the distress should be
so great as this. But this deep, continual, earnest desire for
the salvation of sinners, is what constitutes the spirit of pray
er for a rerival. It is a rerival begun so far as this spirit of
prayer extends.
When this feeling exists in a churdi, unless the Spirit is
grieved away by sin, there vrill infallibly be a rerival of
Christians generally, and it wiU involve the conversion of sin^
ners to God. This anxiety and distress increases till the
rerival commences. A dei^yman in W  n told me of a
rerival among his people, which commenced with a zealous
and devoted woman in the diurch. She became anxioufl
about sinners, and went to praying for them ; she prayed
and her distress increased ; and she finally came to her
minister, and talked vrith him, and asked him to appoint an
anxious meeting, for she felt that one was needed. The min

WHEN A REVIVAL IS TO BE EXPLCTED. 2ft
ister put her of^ for he fdt nothing of it. The next week she
came again, and besought him to appoint an anxious meet
ing ; she knew there would be somebody to come, for she felt
as if God was going to pour out his Spirit He put her off
again. And finally she said to him, " If you do not appoint
an anxious meeting I shall die, for there is certainly going to
be a rerival." The next Sabbath he appointed a meeting.
and said that if there were any who vrished to converse witii
him about the salvation of their souls, he would meet them
on such an evening. He did not know of one, but when he
went to the place, to his astonishment he found a large num
ber of anxious inquirers. Now do not you think that Woman
knew there was going to be a rerival? CaU it what you
please, a new revelation, or an old revelation, or any tmng
else. I say it was the Spirit of God that taught that praying
woman there was going to be a rerival " The secret of the
Lord" was with Ker, and she knew it. She knew God had
been in her heart, and filled it so fuU that she could contain
no longer.
Sometimes ministers have had this distress about their con
gregations, so that they felt as if they could not live unless
they could see a rerival Sometimes elders and deacons, or
private members of the church, men or women, have the spirit
of prayer for a rerival of religion, so that they wUl hold on
and prevail with God, till he pours out his Spirit The first
ray of light that broke in upon the midnight which rested on
the churches in Oneida county, in the fall of 1825, was from
a woman in feeble health, who, I believe, had never been in a
powerful rerival Her soul was exercised about sinners.
She was in an agony for the land. She did not know what
aUnd her, but she kept praying more and more, till it seemed
as if her agony would destroy her body. At length she
became fuU of joy, and exclaimed, " God has come ! God
has come ! There is no mistake about it, the work is begun,
and is going over all the region." And sure enough, the
work began, and her fanuly were almost all converted, and
the work spread all over that part of the country. Now, do
you think that woman was deceived ? I teU you, no. She
knew she had prevailed with God in prayer. She had trav
ailed in birth for souls, and she knew it. This was not the
only instance, by many, that I knew in that region.
Generally, there, are but few professors of religion that
know any thing about this spirit of prayer which prevails
with God. I have been amazed to see such accounte as are
often published about rerivals, as if the rerival had coma

80 WHEN A BEYIYAL IS TO BE EXPECTED.
without any cause — nobody knew why or wherefore. I have
sometimes inquired into such cases ; when it had been given
out that nobody knew any thing about it until one Sabbath
they saw in the face of the congregation that God was there,
or they saw it in their conference room, or prayer meeting,
and were astonished at the mysterious sovereignty of God, in
bringing in a rerival without any apparent connection with
means. Now mark me. Go and inquire among the obscure
members of the church, and you wUl always find that some
body had been praying for a rerival, and was expecting it-
some man or woman had been agonizing in prayer, for thd
salvation of sinners, until they gained the blessing. It may
have foimd the minister and the body of the churdi fast
"^leep, and they would wake up aU of a sudden, like a man
just rubbing ms eyes open, and running round the room
j)ushing things over, and wondering where aU this excitement
came from. But though few knew it, you may be sure there
has been somebody on the wateh-tower ; constant in prayer
tUl the blessing came. Generally, a rerival is more or less
extensive, as tiiere are more or less persons who have the
spirit of prayer. But I wiU not dwell on this subject any fur
ther at present, as the subject of prayer wiU come up again in
this course of lectures.
4. Another sign that a rerival may be expected, is w^..«sn
the attention of ministers is espedally directed to this partAo-
ular dbject, and when their preaching and other efforte are
aimed particularly at the conversion of sinners. Most of the
time the labors of ministers are, it would seem, directed to
other objects. They seem to preach and labor vrith no par
ticular design to effect the immediate conversion of sinners
And then it need not be expected that there wiU be a rerival
under their preaching. There never will be a rerival till
somebody makes particular efforts for this end. But when the
attention of a minister is directed to the state of the famihes
in his congregation, and his heart is fuU of feeling of the ne
cessity of a rerival, and when he puts forth the proper efforte
for tlus end, then you may be prepared to expect a rerival
As I explained last week, the connection between the right
use of means for a rerival, and a rerival, is as philosophically
sure as between the right use of means to raise grain, and a
crop of wheat I beheve, in fact, it is more certain, and that
there are fewer instances of faUure. The effect is more cer
tain to foUow. The paramount importance of spiritual
things makes it reason^le that it should be so. Take the
Pible, the nature of the case, and the history of the church.

WHEN A BEYIYAL IS TO BE EXPECTED. 31
a.i together, and you wiU find fewer failures in the use of
means for a rerival, than in fanning, or any other worldly
business. In worldly business there are sometimes cases
where counteracting causes annihilate aU a man can do. In
raising grain, for instance, there are cases which are beyond
^e conteol of man, sudi as drought, hard winter, worms, and
so on. So in laboring to promote a rerival, there may
things occur to counteract it, something or other turning ujf
to divert the pubhc attention from religion, which may baffie
every effort But I beUeve there are fewer such cases in the
moral than in the natural world. I have sddom seen an in-
diviciual fail, when he used the means for promoting a rerival
in earnest, in the manner pointed out in the word of God. I
beheve a man may enter on the work of promoting a rerival,
with as reasonable an expectetion of success, as he can enter
on any other work vrith an expectation of success ; vrith the
same expectation as the farmer has of a crop when he sows
his grain. I have sometimes seen this tried and succeed un
der circumstances the most forbidding that can be conceived.
The great rerival in Rochester began under the most dis
advantageous circumstances that could weU be imagined
It seemed as though Satan had interposed every possible ob
stacle to a rerival. The three churches were at variance; one
had no minister, one was dirided and about to dismiss their
minister. An dder of the third Presbyterian church had
brought a diarge of unchristian conduct against the pastor
of the first diurch, and they were just going to have a trial
before the presbytery. After the work began, one of the first
things was, the great stone church gave way, and created a
panic. Then one of the churches went on and dismissed
their minister right in the midst of it Another church
nearly broke down. Many other things occurred, so that
it seemed as if the devU was determined to divert the pubhc
attention from the subject of religion. But there were a few
remarkable cases of the spirit of prayer, which assured us
that God was there, and we went on : and the more Satan
opposed, the Spirit of the Lord lifted up the standard higher
and higher, till finaUy a wave of salvation roUed over the
place. 5. A rerival of religion may be expected when Christians
begin to confess their sins to one another. At other times,
they confess in a general manner, as if they were only half in
feamest They may do it in eloquent language, but it does
not mean any thing. But when tiiere is an ingenuous break
ing down, and a pouring out of the heart in making a con-

32 WHEN A BEYIYAL IS TO BE EXPEOI'Sia
fession of their sins, the flood-gates wiU soon burst open, and
salvation wiU flow over the place.
6. A revival may be expected whenever Christians are
found willing to make the sacrifice necessary to carry it on.
They must be vrilling to sacrifice their feelings, their business,
their time, to help forward the wort Ministers must be
willing to lay out their strength, and to jeopard their
health and hfe. They must be vrilling to oSenl the im
penitent by plain and faithful dealii^, and perhaps offend
many members of the church who wiU not come up to the
work. They must take a dedded stand vrith the rerival,
be the consequences what they may. They must be pre
pared to go on with the work, even though they should lose
the affections of all the impenitent, and of all the cold part
of the church. The minister must be prepared, if it is the
wiU of God, to be driven away from the place. He must be
determined to go straight forward, and leave the entire event
with God.
I knew a minister who had a young man laboring vrith him
in a rerival The young man preached pretty plain, and the
wicked did not like him. They said. We like our minister,
and we wish to have biTn preach. They finally said so much
that the minister told the young man, "Mr. Sucb-a-one, that
gives so much towards my support, says so and so. 1^. A.
says so, and Mr. B. says so. They think it wiU break up the
sodety if you continue to preach, and I think you had better
not preach any more." The young man went away, but the
Spirit of God immediately withdrew from the place, and the
rerival stopped short. The minister, by yielding to the vricked
desires of the wicked, drove him away. He was afraid the
deril would drive him away from his people, and by undertak
ing to satisfy the deril, he offended God. And God so ordered
events, that in a short time he had to leave his people after
all. He undertook to go between the devil and God^ and God
dismissed him.
The people, also, must be willing to have a rerival, let the
sacrifice be what it may. It wiU not do for them to say, " We
are wilhng to attend so many meetings, but we cannot attend
any more." Or, "We are wiUing to have a rerival if it wiU
not disturb our arrangements about our business, or prevent
our making money." I teU you, such people -mR never have
a revival, tUl they are wiUing to do any thmg, and sacrifice
any thing, that God uidicates to be their duty. Christian
merdiants must feel willing to lod£ up their stores for six
months, if it is necessary to carry on a rerival. I do not

WHIDT A BEYIYAL 18 TO BE EXPECTED. 33
diean to say any such thing is called for, or that it is their
duty to do so. But if there should be such a state of feeling
as to call for it, then it would be their duty, and they ought
to be willing to do it They ought to be vrilling to do it if
God calls, and he can easUy bum down their stores if they
do not. In fact; I should not be sorry to see sudi a rerival
in New Tork; as would make every merchant in the city lock
up his store tiU spring, and say he had sold goods enough, and
now he would give up his whole time to lead sinners to Christ.
7. A rerival may be expected when ministers and profes
sors are vrilling to have God promote it by what instrumente
he pleases. Sometimes ministers are not vrilling to have a
rerival unless fhey can have the mangement of it, or unless
(heir agency can be conspicuous in promoting it. They wish
to prescribe to Crod what he shall direct and bless, and what
men he shaU put forward. They vriU have no new measures.
They cannot have any of this new-light preaching, or of these
eaxngdids that go about the counta^ preaching. They have
a great deal to say about God's being a sovereign, and that
he wUl have revivals come in his own way and time. But
then he must choose to have it just in their way, or they vrill
have nothing to do vrith it. Such men wiU sleep on till they
are awakened by the judgment trumpet, without a rerival,
unless they are vrilling that God should come in his own way
— ^unless tjhey are vrilling to hr.ve any thing or any body em
ployed, that vrill do the most good. ,
8. Strictiy I should say that when the foregoing things oc
cur, a rerival, to the same extent, already exista In truth a
rerival should be expected whenever it is needed. If we need
to be revived it is our duty to be rerived. If it is duty it is
possible, and we should set about being rerived oursdves,
and, relying on the promise of Christ to be with us in making
disdples always and everywhere, we ought to labor to rerive
Christians and convert sinners, vrith confident expectation of
success. Therefore, whenever the church needs reriving they
ought and may expect to be revived, and to see sinners con
vened to Christ When those things are seen whidi are
named under the foregoing heads, let Christians and minis
ters be encouraged and know that a good work is already be
gun. Follow it up. BEWABKB.
L Brethren, you can tdl from our subject, whether yon
need a revival here or not, in this church, and in tihis city
2*

34 WHEN A BEYIYAL IS TO BE EXFECTTED.
and whether you are going to have one or not. Elders a
the church, men, women, any of you, and all of you — ^what di
you say ?
Do you need a revival here ?
Do you expect to have one ?
Have you any reason to expect one ?
IJou need not make any mist about it ; for you know, oi
can know if you wUl, whether you have any reason to look
for a rerival here.
. 2. Tou see why you have not a rerival. It is only because
you do not want one. Because you are not praying for it ;
nor anxious for it, nor putting forth efforte for it I appeal
to your ovm consciences. Are you maldng these efforts now,
to promote a rerival ? Tou know, brethren, what the tmth
is about it WUl you stand up and say that you have made
the efforts for a rerival and been disappointed — ^that you have
cried to God, "WUt thou not rerive us ?" and God would not
do it?
3. Do you wish for a rerival ? WiU you have one ? If God
should ask you this moment, by an audible voice from heaven,
" Do you want a rerival ?" would you dare to say, Tes ? " Are
you willing to make the sacrifices ?" would you answer, Tes ?
" When shaU it begin ?" would you answer. Let it begin to
night — ^let it begin here — ^let it begin in my heart NOW?
Would you dare to say so to God, if you should hear his voice
to-night?

LECTURE III.

HOW TO PEOMOTE A EEVIYAI.

TizT.— Break np yonr finllow ground ; for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come
a jd rain righteousness npon yon.— Hobea x. 12.
The Jews were a nation of farmers, and it is therefore a
common thing in the Scriptures to r^er for Ulustrations to
their occupation, and to the scenes with which farmers and
shepherds are familiar. The prophet Hosea addresses them
as a nation of bad^Uders, and reproves them for their idola-
tiy, and threatens them vrith the judgmente of God. I have
showed you in my first lecture what a rerival is not — what it
is — and the agencies to be employed in promoting it ; and in
my second, when it is needed — ^its importance — and when it
may be expected. My design in this lecture is to show,
HOW A BEVIVAL IS TO BE PBOMOTED.
A rerival consiste of two parte ; as it respecte the diurch,
and as it respecte the ungodly. I shall speak to-night of a
rerival in the churcL Fallow ground is ground whidi has
once been tiUed, but which now hes waste, and needs to be
hvoken up and meUowed, before it is suited to receive grain.
I shaU show, as it respects a rerival in the diurdi,
1. What it is to break up the fallow ground, in the sense
of the text
2. How it is to be performed.
L WHAT IS rr TO BBEAE UP THE FALLOW GBOUND ?
To break up the fallow ground, is to break up your hearts—
to prepare your minds to bring forth fruit unto Grod. The
mind of man is often compared in the Bible to ground, and
the word of God to seed sown in it, and the fruit represente
the actions and affections of those who receive it To break
up the fallow ground, therefore, is to bring the mind into
such a stete, that it is fitted to rece-ve tie word of God.
Sometimes your hearts get matted down hard and dry, and
all run to waste, tUl there is no such thing as getting fruit
from them tiU they are all broken up, and mdlowed down, and
fitted to receive the word of God. It is this softening of the
(35)

30 HOW TO PEOMOTE A BEYIYAL.
heart, so as to make it feel the truth, whidi the prophet oalla
breaking up your fallow ground.
n. HOW IS THE FALLOW GBOUND TO BE BBOEEN DP?
1. It is not by any direct efforts to feeit. People run into a
mistake on this subject, from not making the laws of mind
the object of thought. There are great errors on the subject
of the laws which govern the mind. People talk about religi
ous feeling, as if they thought they could, by direct effort, c^
forth rehgious affectaon. But this is not the way the mind
acts. No man can make himself feel in this way, merely by
trying to feel The feelings of the mind are not directly under
our control We cannot by willing, or by direct volition, call
forth religious feehngs. We might as weU think to call
spirits up from the deep. They are purdy involuntary stetes
of mind. They naturally and necessarily exist in the mind
under certain circumstances calculated to exdte them. But
they can be controUed indirecUy. Otherwise there would be
no moral character in our feelings, if there were not a way to
control them. We cannot say, "Now I will feel so and so to
wards sudi an object." But we can command our attention, to
it, and look at it intentiy, tiU the involuntaiy affections arise.
Let a man who is away from his family, bring them up before
his mind, and wUl he not fed ? But it is not by saying to
himself, " Now I vrill feel deeply for my family." A man can
direct his attention to any object, about whidi he ought to
feel and wishes to feel, and in that way he will caU into ex
istence the proper emotions. Let a man call up his enemy
before his mind, and his feelings of enmity vriU rise. So if a
man thinks of God, and fastens his mind on any parts of
God's character, he vriU feel — emotions vriU come up, by the
very laws of mind. If he is a friend of God, let him contem
plate God as a gradous and holy being, and he vrill have emo
tions of friendship kindled up in his mind. If he is an enemy
of God, only let him get the trae character of God before his
mind, and look at it, and fasten his attention on it, and his
enmity wiU rise against God, or he wUl break down and give
his heart to God.
If you wish to break up the fallow ground of your hearts,
and make your minds feel on the subject of religion, you must
go to work just as you would to feel on any other subject Instead
of keeping your thoughts on every thing else, and then ima
gine that by going to a few meetings you vriSi get your fediugs
enlisted, go the common sense way to work, as you would on

HOW TO PEOMOTE A EEVTYAi. 37
any other subject It is just as easy to make your minds fed
on the subject of religion as it is on any other subject Gk>d
has put tiiese stetes of mind under your control If people
were as unphilosophical about moving their Umbs, as they are
about regulating their emotions, you would never have got
here to meeting to-ni^ht
If you mean to break the fallow ground of your hearts,
you must begin by looking at your hearts — examine and note
the state of your minds, and see where you are. Many never
seem to think about this. They pay no attention to their own
hearte, and never know whether they are doing well in reh
gion or not — whether they are gaining ground or going bade
— ^whether they are fruitful, or lying waste hke the faUow
ground. Now you must draw on your attention from other
things, and look into this. Make a business of it Do not
be in a hurry. Examine thoroughly the state of your hearte,
and see where you are — ^whether you are walking vrith God
every day, or walking with the devil — ^whether you are serv-
iag God or serving the deril most — ^whether you are under
the dominion of the prince of darkness, or of the Lord Jesus
Christ To do all this, you must set yourselves at work to consider
your sins. Tou must examine yourselves. And by this I do
not mean, that you must stop and look directly vrithin to
see what is the present state of your feelings. That is the
very way to put a stop to all feeling. This is just as
absurd as it would be for a man to shut his eyes on the lamp,
and try to turn his eyes inward to find out whether there was
any image painted on the retina. The man complains that he
does not see anything ! And why ? Because he has turned his
eyes away from the objects of sight The truth is, our moral
feehngs are as much an object of consdousness as our sensa
tions. And the way to excite them is to go on acting, and
employing our minds. Then we can teU our moral feelings
by consciousness, just as I could tell my natural feelings by
consciousness, if I should put my hand in the fire.
Self-examination consists in looking at your hves, in consi
dering your actions, in calling up the past, and learning ite
true character. Look back over your past history. Take up
your indiridual sins one by one, and look at them. I do not
mean that you should just cast a glance at your past life, and
see that it has been fuU of sins, and then go to God and make
a sort of general confession, and ask for pardon. That is not
lihe way. Tou muat take them up one by one. It vriU be a
oood tbing to take a pen and paper, as you go over them, and

38 HOW TO PEOMOTE A BEYIYAL.
write them down as they occur to you. Go over them aa
carefuUy as a merchant goes over his books ; and as often as
a sin comes before your memory, add it to the hst General
confessions of sin mH never do. Tour sins were committed
one by one ; and as far as you can come at them, they oU^ht
to be reviewed and repented of one by one. Now begm ;
and take up first what are commonly, but improperly, called
your SINS OF OMISSION.
1. Ingratitude. Take this sin, for instance, and write down
under it all the instances you can remember, wherein you
have received favors from God, for which you have never ex
ercised gratitade. How many cases can you remember?
Some remarkable proridence, some wonderful tiim of events,
that saved you from ruin. Set down the instances of God's
goodness to you when you were in sin, before your conver-
son. Then the mercy of God in the circumstances of your
conversion, for which you have never been half thankful
enough. The numerous mercies you have received sinca
How long the catalogue of instances, where your ingratitude
is so black that you are forced to hide your face in confusion I
Now go on your knees, and confess them one by one to God,
and ask forgiveness. The very act of confession, by the laws
of suggestion, wUl bring up others to your memory. Put
down tiiese. Go over these three or four times in this way,
and you wUl find an astonishing amount of merdes, for which
you have never thanked God. Then take another sin. Let
it be, 2. Want of love to God. Write that down, and go over all
the instances you can remember, when you did not give to
the blessed God that hearty love which you ought.
Think how grieved and alarmed you would be, if you dis
covered any flagging of affection for you in your wife, hus
band, or children ; if you saw somebody else engrossing theii
hearts, and thoughts, and time. Perhaps, in such a case, you
would weU nigh die with a just and virtuous jealousy. Now,
God styles himself a jealous God ; and have you not given
your heart to other loves : played the harlot, and infinitely
offended him ?
3. Neglect (fthe Bible. Put down the cases, when for days,
and perhaps for weeks — ^yea, it may be, even for months to
gether, you had no pleasure in God's word. Perhaps you did
not read a chapter, or if you read it, it was in a way that was

HOW TO PBOMOTE A BEYIYAL. 39
stiU more displeasing to God. Many people read over a whole
chapter in such a way, that if they were put under oath when
they have done, they coidd not teU what they have been read
ing. With so hi,^le attention do they read, that they cannot
remember where iney Lave read from morning till evening,
unless they put in a string or turn down a leaf. This demon
strates that they did not lay to heart what they read, that
they did not make it a subject of reflection. If you were
reading a novel, or any other piece of intelligence that greatiy
interested you, would you not remember what you read last ?
And the fact that you fold a leaf or put in a string, demon
strates that you read rather as a task, than from love or rev
erence for the word of God. The word of God is the rule of
your duty. And do you pay so httie regard to it as not to
remember what you read? If so, no wonder that you hve
so at random, and that your rehgion is such a miserable
faflure. 4. TJnhdi^. Instances in which you have virtually charged
'\b God of tmth with lying, by your unbehef of his express
promises and declarations. God has promised to give the
Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Now, have you beheved
this ? Have you expected him to answer ? Have you not
virtuaUy said in your hearts, when you prayed for the Holy
Spirit, " I do not beheve that I shall receive it ? " If you have
not believed nor expected you shoiUd receive the blessing,
which God has expresdy promised, you have charged him
with lying.
6. Neglect (^prayer. Times when you omitted secret prayer,
family prayer, and prayer meetings, or have prayed in such a
way as more grievously to offend God, than to have neglected
it altogether. 6. Neglect of the means of grace. When you have suffered
trifling excuses to prevent your attending meetings, have neg
lected and poured contempt upon the means of salvation,
merely from disrelish of spiritual duties.
7. The manner in which you have performed those duties —
want of feeling — want of faith — worldly frame of mind — sp
that your words were nothing but the mere chattering of a
wretch, that did not deserve that God should feel the least
care for him. When you have fallen down upon your knees,
and said your prayers, in such an unfeehng and careless man-
uer, that if you had been put under oath five n "'nutes after
you left your doset, you could not have told what you had
been praying for.
8. Tour want <f love for the soids of your fdlouymen. Look

?0 HOW TO PEOMOTE A BEYIYAL.
round upon your friends and relations, and remember how
httie compassion you have felt for them. Tou have stood by
and seen them going right to heU, and it seems as though
you did not care if they did. How many days have there
been, in which you did not make their condition the subject
of a single fervent prayer, or even an ardent desire for their
salvation ?
9. Your want cf care for fhe heathen. Perhaps you have not
cared enough for them to attempt to learn their condition ;
perhaps not even to take a Missionary paper. Look at this,
and see how mudi you do really care for the heathen, and set
down honestiy the real amoxmt of your feelings for them,
and your desire for their salvation. Measure your desire for
their salvation by the self-denial you practise, in giving of
your substance to send them the Gospel Do you deny your
self even the hurtful superfluities of life, such as tea, coffee,
and tobacco ? Do you retrencjh your style of living, and really
subject yourself to any inconvenience to save them? Do you
daUy pray for them in your doset? Do you statedly attiend
the monthly concert? Are you from month to mont^ laying
by something to put into the treasury of the Lord, when you
go up to pray? If you are not doing these things, and if
your soul is not agonized for the poor benighted heathen,
why are you such a hypocrite as to pretend to be a Christian ?
Why, your profession is an insult to Jesus Christ !
10. Your neglect of family duties. How you have lived be
fore them, how you nave prayed, what an example you have
set before them. What direct efforts do you habituaJly make
for their spiritual good ? What duty have you not neglected ?
11. Neglect of social duties.
12. Neglect of watcffulness over your ovm life. Instances in
which you have hurried over your private duties, and not
taken yourself to task, nor honestiy made up your accounte
vrith God. Where you have entirely neglected to wateh your
conduct, and have been off your guard, and have sinned be
fore the world, and before the church, and before God.
13. Neglect to watch over your breffiren. How often have you
broken your covenant, that you would watdi over them in
the Lord ! How httie do you know or care about the stete
of their souls ! And yet you are under a solemn oath to watch
over them. What have you done to make yourself acquainted
with them ? How many of them have you interested yourself
for, to know their spiritual state ? Go over the list, and whei^
ever you find there has been a neglect, write it down. How
many times have you seen your brethren growing cold in reh

HOW TO PBOMOTE A BEYIYAL. 41
gion, and have not spoken to them about it ? Tou have seen
them beginning to neglect one duty after another, and you did
not reprove them in a brotherly way. Tou have seen them
falling into sin, and you let them go on. And yet you pretend
to love them. What a hypocrite 1 Would you see your wife
or chUd going into disgrace, or into the fire, and hold your
peace? No, you would not. What do you think of yourself
then, to pretend to love Christians, and to love Christ, whUe
you can see them going into disgrace, and say nothing to
them? 14. Neglect of self-denial. There are many professors who
are willing to do almost any thing in religion, that does not
require self-denial. But when they are called to do any thing
that requires them to deny themsdves. Oh ! that is too much.
They think they are doing a great deal for God, and doing
about as much as he ought to ask in reason, if they are only
doing what they can do about as weU as not ; but they are
not vrilling to deny themselves any comfort or convenience
whatever, for the sake of serving the Lord. They wiU not
vrilhngly suffer reproach for the name of Christ Nor -mSl
they deny themselves the luxuries of life, to save a world
from heU. So far are they from remembering that self-
denial is a condition (fdisdpileship, that they do not know what
sdf-denial is. They never have really denied themselves a
riband or a pin for Christ, and for the Gospel Oh, how soon
such professors wUl be in hell! Some are giving of their
abundance, and are giving much, and are ready to complain
that others don't give more ; when, in truth, they do not give
any thing that they need, any thing that they could enjoy, if
they kept it They only give of their surplus wealth ; and
perhaps that poor woman, who puts in twelve and arhalf
cente at the monthly concert, has exercised more self-denial,
than they have in giving thousands.
From these we turn to
sms OF COMMISSION.
1. Worldly mindedness. What has been the stete of your
heart in regard to your worldly possessions? Have you
looked at them as really yours — as if you' had a right to dis
pose of them as your own, according to your own will ? If
you have, write that down. If you have loved property, and
sot^ht after it for its own sake, or to gratify lust or ambition,
or a worldly spirit, or to lay it up for your famihes, you have
sinned, and must repent

42 low TO PEOMOTE; . ^YIYAL.
2. Pride. Recollect all the instances you can, in whidi
you have detected yourself in the exercise of pride. Vanity
is a particular form of pride. How many times have you de
tected yourself in consulting vanity, about your dress and ap
pearance? How many times have you thought more, and
taken more pains, and spent more time, about decorating
your body to go to diurch, than you have about preparing
your mind for the worship of God ? Tou have gone to the
house of God caring more how you appear outwardly in the
sight of mortal men, than how your soul appears in the sight
of the heart-searching God. Ton have in fact set up your
self to be worshipped by them, rather than prepared to wor
ship God yourself Tou came to diride the worship of God's
house, to draw off the attention of God's people to look at
your pretty appearance. It is in vain to pretend now, that
you don't care any thing about having people look at you.
Be honest about it Would you take all this pains about
your looks if every body was blind?
3. Envy. Look at the cases in which you were enrious at
those who you thought were above you in any respect. Or
perhaps you have enried those who have been more talented
or more useful than yourself Have you not so enried some,
that you have been pained to hear them praised? It has
been more agreeable to you to dweU upon their faults, than
upon their virtues, upon their failures, than upon their suc
cess. Be honest vrith yourself and if you have harbored this
spirit of hell, repent deeply before God, or he will never for
give you.
4 Censoriousness. Instances in which you have had a
bitter spirit, and spoken of Christians in a manner entirely
devoid of charity and love— charity, which requires you al
ways to hope the best the case wiQ admit, and to put tiie best
construction upon any ambiguous conduct.
5. Slander. The tunes you have spoken behind people's
backs of their faidts, real or supposed, of members of the
church or others, unnecessarily or without good reason. This
is slander. Tou need not he to be guilty of slander; — ^to teU
the tmth with the design to injure, is slander.
6. Levity. How often have you trifled before God, as you
would not have dared to trifle in the presence of an earthly
sovereign ? Tou have either been an Atheist, and forgotten
that there was a Qiod, or have had less respect for him, and
his presence, than you would have had for an earthly judga
7. Lying, Un(? rstand now what lying is. Any species of
designed deceptio for a selfish reason is lying. If the de-

HOW TO PEOMOT* A BBYIYAL. 4S
ception is not a design it is not lying. But if you design to
make an impression contrary to th.e naked truth, you Ue
Put down aU those cases you can recoUect Don't call them
by any soft name. God caUs them LIES, and charges you
with LTING, and you had better charge yourself correctiy.
How innumerable are the falsehoods perpetrated every day
in busiaess, and in sodal intercourse, by words, and looks^
and actions — designed to make an impression on others con
trary to the truth for selfish reasons.
8. Cheating. Set down all the cases in which you have
dealt with an indiridual, and done to him that whidi you
would not like to have done to yoiL That is cheating. God
has laid down a rule in the case ; " AU things whatsover ye
would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."
That is the rule ; and now if .you have not done so you are
a cheat. Mind, th^ rule is not that you should do what you
might reasonably expect them to do to you. That is a rule
wmch would admit of every degree of wickedness. But it is
"As ye WOULD they should do to you."
9. Hypocrisy. For instance, in your prayers and confessions
to God. Set down the instances in which you have prayed
for things you did not really want. And the eridence is,
that when you have done praying, you could not teU what you
" had prayed for. How many times have you confessed sins
that you did not mean to break off, and when you had no
solemn purpose not to repeat them ? Tes, have confessed
sins when you knew you as much expected to go and repeat
them as you expected to hve.
10. Bobbing God. Instances in whidi you have misspent
your time, and squandered hours which God gave you to serve
him and save souls, in vain amusemente or foohdi conversa
tion, reading novels, or doing nothing ; cases where you have
misapphed your talents and powers of mind ; where you have
squandered money on your lusts, or spent it for things you did
not need, and which neither contributed to your health, com
fort or usefulness. Perhaps some of you who are here to
night have laid out God's money for TOBACCO. I vriU not
speak of rum, for I presume there is no professor of rehgion
here to-night that would drink ram. I hope there is no one
that uses the filthy poison, tobacco. Think of a professor of
rdigion, using God's money to poison himself vrith tobacco !
11. Bad temper. Perhaps you have abused yourvrife, or
your chUdren, or your family, or servants, or neighbon
Write it all down.
12. Hindering others frcm being usefviL Perhaps you have

«« HOW TO PEOMOTE A BEYIYAL.
weakened their influence by insinuations against them. Ton
have not only robbed God of your own talents, but ti'ed the
hands of somebody else. What a vricked servant is he that
loiters himself and hinders the rest ! This is done sometimes
by taking their time needlessly ; sometimes by destroying
Christian confidence in them. Thus you have played into the
hands of Satan, and not only showed yourself an idle vagar
bond, but prevented others from working.
If you find you have committed a fault against an indiridual,
and that indiridual is within your reach, go and confess it im
mediately, and get that out of the way. If the indiridual you
have injured is too far off for you to go and see him, sit down
and write him a letter, and confess the injury, pay the postage,
and put it into the maU immediately. I say, pay the postage,
or otiierwise you wiU only make the matter worse. Tou vnll
add to the former injury, by making him a biU of expense.
The man that writes a letter on his own business, and sends it
to another vrithout paying the postage, is dishonest, and has
cheated him out of so much. And if he would cheat a man
out of a sixpence or shilling, when the temptation is so small,
what would he not do were the temptetion greater, if he
had the prospect of impunity ? If you have defrauded any
body, send the money, the fidl amount and the interest.
Go thoroughly to work in all this. Go now. Don't put it
off ; that wUl only make the matter worse. Confess to God
those sins that have been committed against God, and to man
those sins that have been committed against man. Don't
think of getting off by going round the stumbling blocks.
Take them up out of the way. In breaking up your fallow
ground, you must remove every obstruction. Things may be
left that you may think httie things, and you may wonder
why you do not feel as you wish to in religion, when the rea
son is that your proud and carnal mind has covered up some
thing which God required you to confess and remove. Break
up all the ground and turn it over. Do not balk it, as the
ftmners say; do not turn aside for httie difficulties ; drive the
plow right through them, beam deep, and turn the ground
all up, so that it may all be meUow and soft, and fit to re
ceive tie seed and bear fruit a hundred fold.
When you have gone over your whole history in this way,
thoroughly, if you wiU then go over the ground the second
time, and give your solemn and fixed attention to it, you wiU
find that the things you have put down wiU suggest other
things of which you have been guilty, connected vrith them,
or near them. Then go over it a third time, and you vrUI

BOir TO PBOMOTE A BEYIYAL. 46
recoUect other things connected vrith these. And you will
find in the end that you can remember an amoimt of your
history, and particular actions, even in this hfe, which you
did not think you should remember in eternity. Unless you
do take up your sins in this way, and consider them in detail,
one by one, you can form no idea of the amount of your sins.
Tou should go over it as thoroughly and as carefully, and as
solemnly, as you would if you were just preparing yourself
for the judgment
As you go over the catalogue of your sins, be sure to resolve
upon present and entire reformation. Wherever you find any
thing wroi^, resolve at once, in the strength of God, to sin no
more in that way. It wUl be of no benefit to examine your
self unless you determine to amend in every particular that
you find wrong in heart, temper, or conduct
If you find, as you go on vrith this duty, that your mind is
still aU dark, cast about you, and you vriU find there is some
reason for the Spirit of God to depart from you. Tou have
not been faithful and thorough. In the progress of such a
work you have got to do riolence to yourself, and bring your
self as a rational being up to this work, vrith the Bible before
you, and try your heart tiU you do feel Tou need not expect
that God vnU work a mirade for you to break up your fallow
ground. It is to be done by means. Fasten your attention
to the subject of your sins. Tou cannot look at your sins long
and thoroughly, and see how bad they are, vrithout feding,
and feeling deeply. Experience abundantiy proves the benefit
of going over our history in this way. Set yoursdf to the
work now ; resolve that you never vriU stop till you find you
can pray. Tou never will have the spirit of prayer, tUl you
examine yoursdf and confess your sins, and break up your
fallow ground. Tou never wUl have the Spirit of God dweU-
ing in you, tUl you have unraveled this whole mystery of in
iquity, and spread out your sms before God. Let there be this
deep work of repentance, and full confession, this breaking
down before Gk>d, and yon wUl have as much of the spirit of
prayer as your body can bear up under. The reason why so
few Christians know any thing about the spirit of prayer, is
because they never would take the pains to examine themsdves
properly, and so never knew what it was to have their hearte
all broken up in this way.
Tou see I have only begun to lay open this subject to-night
I want to lay it out before you, in the course of these lectures,
BO that if you wiU begin and go on to do as I say, the resulte
wUl be just as certain as they are when the farmer breaks uc

46 HOW TO PROMOTE A BBV1Y4
a fallow field, and meUows it, and sows his grain. It will be
so, if you wUi only begin in this way, and hold on till aU your
hardened and callous hearts break up.

1. It wUl do no good to preach to you whUe your hearts are
in this hardened, and waste, and faUow state. The farmel
might just as well sow his grain on the rock. It will bring
forth no fruit This is the reason why there are so many
fruitless professors in the church, and why there is so much
outside machinery, and so httie deep-toned feehng in the
church. Look at the Sabbath-school for instance, and see how
much machinery there is, and how little of the power of godh-
ness. If you go on in this way, the word of God wiU continue
to harden you, and you wUl grow worse and worse, just as the
rain and snow on an old fallow field makes the turf thicker,
and the clods stronger.
2. See why so much preaching is wasted, and worse than
wasted. It is because the church vriU not break up their fal
low ground. A preacher may wear out his life, and do very
little good, while there are so many stony-ground hearers, who
have never had their faUow ground broken up. They are only
half converted, and their rehgion is rather a change of opinion
than a change of the feeling of their hearts. There is mechani
cal religion enough, but very littie that looks hke deep heart-
work. 3. Professors of religion should never satisfy themselves, or
expect a rerival, just by starting out of their slumbers, and
blustering about, and making a noise, and taUdng to sinners.
They must get their fallow ground broken up. It is utterlj
unphUosophical to think of getting engaged in rehgion in this
way. If your faUow ground is broken up, then the way to get
more feelmg, is to go out and see sinners on the road to hell,
and talk to them, and guide inquiring souls, and you vrill get
more feehng. Tou may get into an excitement without this
breaking up ; you may show a kind of zeal, but it wUl not
last long, and it wiU not take hold of sinners, unless your
hearts are broken up. The reason is, that you go about it
mechanically, and have not broken up your faUow ground.
4: And now, finally, wiU you break up your fallow ground ?
WUl you enter upon the course now pointed out, and perse
vere tUl you are thoroughly awake ? If you fail here, if you
do not do this, and get prepared, you can go no further vrith
me in this course of lectures. I have gone with you as fer as

HOW TO PBOMOTE A BEYIYAL. 47'
ft is of any use to go, untU your fallow ground is broken up.
Now, you must make thorough work upon this point, or all 1
have further to say wUl do you httie good. Nay, it vriU only
harden and make you worsa I^ when next Friday night ar
rives, it finds you vrith unbroken hearts, you need not expect
to be benefited by what I shaU say. If you do not set about
this work immediately, I shaU take it for granted that you do
not mean to be rerived, that you have forsaken your minister,
and mean to let him go up to battie alone. If you do not do
this, I charge you vrith haring forsaken Christ, with refusmg
to repent and do your first work. But if you vviU be prepared
to enter upon the work, I propose, God vrilling, next I^daj
evening, to lead you into the work of saving sinners.

LECTURE IV.

PBEYAILING PBAYXB.
TiZT.— The effectual, ferrent prayer of a rlghteons man availeth
lUOB V. IS.
The last lecture referred prindpaUy to the confession of sin.
To-night my remarks wUl be chiefly confined to the subject of
intercession, or prayer. There are two kinds of means requi
site to promote a revival ; one to influence men, the other to
influence God. The tmtii is employed to influence men, and
prayer to move God. When I speak of moving God, I do not
mean that God's mind is changed by prayer, or that his di»
position or character is changed. But prayer produces sudi
a diange in us and fulfils sacAs. conditions as renders it consis
tent for God to do as it would not be consistent for bim to do
otherwise. When a sinner repente, that state of mind makes
it proper for God to forgive bim. God has always been ready
to forgive him on that condition, so that when the sinner
dianges his mind towards God, it requires no change of fed
ing in God to pardon him. It is the sinner's repentance that
renders his forgiveness proper, and is the occasion of God's
acting as he does. So when Christians offer effectual prayer,
their state of mind renders it proper for God to answer them.
He was always ready to bestow the blessing, on the condition
that they felt right, and offered the right kind of prayer.
Whenever this change takes place in them, and they offer the
right kind of prayer, then God, vrithout any change in him
self can answer them. When we offer effectual fervent prayer
for others, the fact that we offer sudi prayer renders it con
sistent for him to do what we pray for, when otherwise it
would not have been consistent
Prayer is an essential link in the fha.m of causes that lead
to a rerival ; as much so as truth is. Some have zealously
used tmth to convert men, and laid very httie stress on prayer.
They have preached, and talked, and distaibuted tracte vrith
great zeal, and then wondered that they had so little success.
And the reason was, that they forgot to use the other branch
of the means, effectiial prayer. They overlooked the fact, that
traih by itsdf wUl never produce the effect^ without the Spirit
(48)

PBEYAILING PBATEB. 4*
of Gkid, and that the Spirit is given in answer to earnest
prayer. Sometimes it happens that those who are the most engaged
in employing truth, are not the most engaged in prayer. Tiaa
is always unhappy. — -For unless they, or somebody else have
the spirit of prayer, the truth by iteelf vriU do nothing but
tiarden men in impenitence. Probably in the day of judg
ment it vriU be found that nothing is ever done by the truth,
ased ever so zealously, unless there is a spirit of prayer some
where in connection vrith the presentetion of truth.
Others err on the other side. Not that they lay too mudi
stress, on prayer. But they overlook the fact that prayer
might be offered for ever, by itself and nothing would be
done. Because sinners are not converted by direct contact
of the Holy Ghost, but by the truth, employed as a means.
To expect the conversion of sinners by prayer alone, vrithout
the employment of truth, is to tempt God.
The subject of discourse this evening, is
PBEYAILING PBATEB.
L I propose to show what is effectual or prevailing prayer.
n. State some of the most essential attributes of prevail
ing prayer.
in. Give some reasons why God requires this kind of
prayer. TV. Show that such prayer vrill avail mudL
L I proceed to show what is prevailing prayer.
1. Effectual, prevailing prayer, does not consist in bencYO-
lent desires merely. Benevolent desires are doubtiess pleas
ing to God. Such desires pervade heaven, and are foimd in
all holy beings. But they are not prayer. Men may have
these desires as the angels and glorified spirits have them.
But this is not the effectual, prevailing prayer, spoken of in
the text. Prevailing prayer is something more than this.
2. Prevailing, or effectnial prayer, is that prayer which ob
tains the blessing that it seeks. It is that prayer which ef-
fectuaUy moves God. The very idea of ^ectud prayer is, that
it effects its object.
TT. I vriU state some of the most essential attributes of pre
vailing prayer. I cannot detail in full aU the things that go
to make up prevailing prayer. But I wUl mention some
things that are essential to it ; some things whidi a person
"^nst do in order to prevail in prayer.
1. He must pray for a definite ots'ecL He need not expeot
8

50 PBEYAILING PBATEB.
to offer such prayer, if he prays at random, without any di»
tinct or definite object. He must have an object distinctly be
fore his mind. I speak now of secret prayer. Many people
go away into their closets, because they must say their prayers.
The time has come that they are in the habit of going by
themselves for prayer, in the morning, or at noon, or at what
ever time of day it may be. And instead of haring any thing
to say, any definite object before their mind, they faU down
on their knees, and pray for just what comes into tiieir minds,
for everything that floats in their imagination at the time.
and wien they have done, they can not teU hardly a word
of what they have been praying for. This is not effectu^al
prayer. What should we think of any body who should try
to move a legislature so, and should say, " Now it is winter,
and the legislature is in session, and it is time to send up
petitions," and should go up to the legislature and petition
at random, vrithout an^ definite object ? Do you think such
petitions would move the legislature ?
A man must have some definite object before his mind.
He cannot pray effectuaUy for a variety of objects at onca
The mind of man is so constituted that it cannot fasten its
desires intensely upon many things at the same time. All
the instances of effectual prayer recorded in the Bible were
of this Mud. Wherever you see that the blessing sought for
in prayer was attained, you wUl find that the prayer which
was offered was prayer for that definite object.
2. Prayer, to be effectual, must be in accordance with the
revealed vrill of God. To pray for things contrary to the
revealed wiU of God, is to tempt God. There are three ways
in which God's vriU is revealed to men for their guidance in
prayer. (1.) By express promises or predictions in the Bible, that
he vrill give or do certain things. Either by express prom
ises in regard to particular things, or promises in general
terms, so that we may apply them to particrdar tlungs. For
instance, there is this promise : " Whatsoever things ye de
sire, when ye pray, beheve that ye receive them, and ye shall
haYC them."
(2.) Sometimes God reveals his wiU by his proridence.
When he makes it clear that such and such events are about
to take place, it is as much a revelation as if he had vmtten it
in his word. It woiUd be impossible to reveal every tiling in
the Bible. But God often makes it dear to those who have
spiritual discernment, that it is his will to grant such and
each blessings.

PBEYAILING PBATEB. 61
(3.) By his Spirit When God's people are at a loss what
to pray for, agreeable to his wUl, Ms Spirit often instructe
them. Where there is no particular revelation, and prori
dence leaves it dark, and we know not what to pray for as we
ought, we are expressly told, that " the Spirit also hdpeth
our infirmities," and "the Spirit itself maketh intercession for
us vrith groanings that cannot be uttered." A great deal haa
been said on the subject of praying in faith for things not re
vealed. It is objected, that this doctrine implies a new reve
lation. I answer, that, new or old, it is the very revelation
that Jehovah says he makes. It is just as plain here, as if it
were now revealed by a voice from heaven, that the Spirit of
God helps the people of God to pray according to the wiU of
God, when they themselves know not what thmgs they ought
to pray for. " And he that searcheth the heart knoweth the
mind of the Spirit," because he maketh intercession for the
sainte according to the vriU of God, and he leads Chris
tians to pray for just those things, with groanings that
cannot be uttered. When neither the word nor proridence
enables them to dedde, then let them be fiUed vrith the Spirit,
as God commands them to be. He says, " Be ye fiUed with
the Spirit" And He vriU lead their minds to such things aa
God is vrilling to grant
3. To pray effectuaUy, you must pray vrith submission to
the vriU of God. Do not confound submission with indiffer
ence. No two things are more unlike. I once knew an indi
ridual come where there was a rerival. He himself was
cold, and did not enter into the spirit of it and had no
spirit of prayer ; and when he heard the brethren pray as if
they could not be denied, he was shocked at their bold
ness, and kept all the time insisting on the importance of
praying vrith submission ; when it was as plain as any thing
could be, that he confounded submission with indifference.
So again, do not confound submission in prayer vrith a
eenernl confidence that God wiU do what is right It is
.ioper to have this confidence that God vriU do what is right
in ^ tlungs. But this is a different thing from submission.
What I mean by submission in prayer, is, acquiescence in the
revealed vriU of God. To submit to any command of God is
to obey it Submission to some supposable or possible, but
secret decree of God, is not submission. To submit to any
dispensation of Proridence is impossible tUl it comes. For
we never can know what the event is to be, tiU it takes
place. Take a case : Darid, when his chUd was sick, wa«
distressed, and agonized in prayer, and refused to be com

B3 PBEYAILING PBATEB.
forted. He took it so much to heart, that when the child
died, his servants were afraid to teU him the chUd was dead,
for fear he would vex himself stUl worse. But as soon as he
heard that the chUd was dead, he laid aside his grieJ^ and
arose, and asked for food, and ate and drank as usual. WhUe
the chUd was yet alive, he did not know what was the vriU of
God, and so he fasted and prayed, and said, " Who can tell
whether God vriU be gracious to me, that my chUd may hve ?"
He did not know but that his prayer and agony was tJhe very
thing on which it turned, whether the child was to hve or
not He thought that if he humbled himself and entreated
God, perhaps God would spare him this blow. But as soon
as God's vdll appeared, and the chUd was dead, he bowed like
a saint He seemed not only to acquiesce, but actually to
teke a satisfaction in it "I shall go to him, but he shaU not
return to me." This was true submission. He reasoned
correctly in the case. WhUe he had no revdation of the wiU
of God, he did not know but what the child's recovery de
pended on his prayer. But when he had a revelation of the
wiU of God, he submitted. WhUe the wUl of God is not
known, to submit, vrithout prayer, is tempting God Per
haps, and for aught you know, the fact of your offering the
right kind of prayer, may be the thing on which the event
turns. In the case of an impenitent friend, the very condi
tion on which he is to be saved from hell, may be the ferven
cy and importunity of your prayer for that individual
4. Effectual prayer for an object imphes a desire for that
object commensurate vrith its importance. If a person truly
desires any blessing, his desires -vwU bear some proportion to
the greatness of the blessing. The desires of the Lord Jesus
Christ for the blessing he prayed for, were amazingly strong,
and amounted even to agony. If the desire for an object is
strong, and is a benevolent desire, and the thing not con
trary to the vriU and proridence of God, the presumption is,
that it -rnU. be granted. There are two reasons for this pre
sumption. (1.) From the general benevolence of God. If it is a de
sirable object ; if, so far as we can see, it would be an act of
benevolence in God to grant it, his general benevolence is
presumptive eridence that he wUl grant it
. (2-) if you find yourself exercised vrith benevolent de-
sfres for any object, there is a strong presumption that the
Spirit of God is exciting these very desires, and stirring you
up to pray for that object, so that it may be granted in an
swer to prayer. In such a case no degree of desire or

FBEYAILtNG PBATEB. S8
importunity in prayer is improper. A Christian may eome
up, as it were, and take hold of the hand of God. See the
case of Jacob, when he exdaimed, in an agony of desire, " I
wiU not let thee go, except thou bless me." Was God dis-
E leased vrith his boldness and importunity? Not at all ; but
e granted him the very thing he prayed for. So in the case
of Moses. God said to Moses, "Let me alone, that I may
destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven,
and I wiU make of thee a nation mightier and greater than
tney." What did Moses do? Did he stand aside and let
God do as he said ? No, his mind runs back to the Egyp
tians, and he thinks how they mil triumph. " Wherefore
should the Egyptians say. For mischi^ ^d he bring them
out" It seemed as if he took hold of the upUftod Imnd of
God, to avert the blow. Did God rebuke him for Ws inter
ference, and tell him he had no business to interfere ? No ;
it seemed as if he was unable to deny any thing to sudi im
portunity, and so Moses stood in the gap, and prevaUed with
God. It is said of Xarier, the missionary, that he was once eoUed
to pray for a man who was sick, and he prayed so fervently
that he seemed as it were to do riolence to heaven — so the
writer expresses it And he prevailed, and the man recov
ered. Sudi prayer is often offered in the present day, when
Christians have been wrought up to sudi a pitch of impor
tunity and such a holy boldness, that afterwards, when tiiey
looked back upon it, they were frightened and amazed at
themsdves, to think they diould dare to exerdse such impor
tunity vrith Grod. And yet these prayers have prevailed, and
obtained the blessing. And many of these persons, that I
am acquainted vrith, are among the hohest persons I know in
the world.
5. Prayer, to be effectual, must be offered from right mo
tives. I^rayer should not be selfish, but dictated by a su
preme regard for the glory of God. A great deal of prayer is
offered from pure selfidmesa Women sometimes pray
for their husbands, that they may be converted, because they
say, " It would be so mudi more pleasant to have my hus
band go to meeting vrith me," and aU that. And they seem
never to lift up their thoughte above self at all They do
not seem to think how their husbands are dishonoring GU>d
by their sins, and how God would be glorified in their con
version. So it is vrith parente very often. They can not
bear to think that tiwir children should be lost They pray

54 PBEYAILING PBAYEB.
for them very eamestiy indeed. But if you go to talk with
thbiu, they are very tender, and teU you now good their chU
dren are, how they respect rehgion, and they think they are
almost Christians now ; and so they talk as if they were
afraid you would hurt their children if you should teU them the
truth. They do not think how such amiable and lovely chU
dren are dishonoring God by their sins '; they are only think
mg what a dreadful thing it wUl be for them to go to hell
Ah I unless their thoughts rise higher than this, their prayers
will never prevail vritli a holy God. The temptation to sdfish
motives is so strong, that there is reason to fear a great many
parental prayers never rise above the yearnings of parental
tenderness. And that is the reason why so many prayers
are not heard, and why so many pious, praying parents have
ungodly chUdren. Much of the prayer for the heathen world
seems to be based on no higher principle than sympathy.
Missionary agente, and others, are dweUing almost exdu-
sively upon the six hundred milhons of heathens going to
iaeU, while httie is said of their dishonoring God. This is a
great eril ; and until the church have higher motives for
d prayer and missionary effort than sympathy for the heathen,
itheir prayers and efforts wiU never amount to much.
^ 6. Prayer, to be effectual, must be by the intercession of the
Spirit Tou never can expect to offer prayer according to the
wiU of God without the Spirit. In tJhe first two cases, it is
not because Christians are unable to offer such prayer, where
the wiU of God is revealed ui his word, or indicated by his
groridence. They are able to do it, just as they are able to be
oly. But the fact is, that they are so wicked, that they never
do offer such prayer, unless they are influenced by the Spirit
spf God. There must be a faith, such as is produced by the
\iffectual operation of the Holy Ghost.
7. It must be persevering prayer. As a general thing,
Christians who have backshdden and lost the spirit of prayer,
wiU not get at once into the habit of persevering prayer. Their
minds are not hi a right state, and tiiey cannot fix their minds,
and hold on tiU the blessing comes. If their minds were in that
state, that they would persevere tUl the answer comes, effectual
prayer might be offered at once, as weU as after praying ever
so many times for an object But they have to pray again and
again, because their thoughte are so apt to wander away, and
ore so easfly diverted from the object to something else. Until
their minds get imbued vrith the spirit of prayer, they wiU not
keep fixed to one point, and push their petition to an issue on
the spot Po not think you are prepared to offer prevailing

PBEYAILING PBATEB. M
prayer, if your feelings wUl let you pray once for an object,
and then leave it. Most Christians come up to prevailing
prayer by a protracted process. Their minds gradually be
come fiUed vrith anxiety about an object, so that they wiU even
go about their business, sighing out their desires to God.
Just as the mother whose child is sick, goes round her house,
sighing as if her heart would break. And if she is a praying
mother, her sighs are breathed out to God aU the day long.
If she goes out of the room where her chUd is, her mind is
atUl on it ; and if she is asleep, stiU her thoughts are on it,
and she starts in her dreams, thinking it is dying. Her whole
mind is absorbed in that sick chUd. G^iis is tiie state of mind
in which Christians offer prevailing prayer.
What was the reason that Jacob vrrestied aU night in prayer
with God ? He knew that he had done his brother Esau a great
injury, in getting away the birthright a long time ago. And now
he was informed that his injured brother was coming to meet
him, with an armed force altogether too powerful for him to con
tend against. And there was great reason to suppose he was
coming vrith a purpose of revenge. There were two reasons
then why he should be distressed. The first was, that he had
done this great injury, and had never made any reparation. The
other was, that Esau was coming with a force suffident to
crush him. Now, what does he do ? Why, he first arranges
everything in the best manner he can to meet his brother, send
ing his present first, then his property, then his famUy, putting
those he loved most farthest behind. And by this time his mind
was so exerdsed that he could not contain himseU, He goes
away alone over the brook, and pours out his very soul in an
agony of prayer all night And just as the day was breaking,
the angel of the covenant said, " Let me go ; " and his whole,!;
being was, as it were, agonized at the thought of giving up,
and he cried out, " I vriU not let thee go except thou bless me."
His soul was wrought up into an agony, and he obtained the
blessing, but he always bore the marks of it, and showed tha^.
his body had been greatly affected by this mental struggia
This is prevaUing prayer.
Now, do not deceive yourselves vrith thinking thajt you offei
effectual prayer, unless you have this intense desire for the
blessing. I do not believe in it Prayer is not effectual unless
it is offered up with an agony of desire. The apostie Paul
speaks of it as a travail of the soul. Jesus Christ, when he
was praying in the garden, was in such an agony, that he
sweat as it were great drops of blood falling dovm to the
grotmd. I have never known a person sweat blood ; but I

60 PBEYAILING PBATEB.
have known a person pray tiU the blood started from the nosa
And I have known persons pray tUl they were aU wet with
perspiration, m the coldest weather m winter. I have known
persons pray for hours, tiU their strength was all exhausted
with the agony of their minds. Such prayers prevaUed with
J This agony in prayer was prevalent in President Edwards'
I day, in the rerivals that then took place. It was one of the
i great stumbling blocks in those days, to persons who were op-
I posed to the rerival, that people used to pray tUl their bodies
I were overpowered with their feelings. I vrill read a paragraph
I of what President Edwards says on the subject, to let you see
I that this is not a new thing in the Church, but has always
I prevaUed wherever rerivals prevailed with power. It is from
|.,his Thoughte on Rerivals.
" We cannot determine that God never shaU give any per
son so much of a discovery of himself not only as to weaken
their bodies, but to take away their hves. It is supposed by
very learned and judicious divines, that Moses' hfe was taken
away after this manner ; and this has also been supposed to
be tiie case vrith some other saints. Tea, I do not see any
Bohd, sure grounds any have to determine, that God shaU
never make such strong impressions on the mind by his Spirit^
that shall be on occasion of so impairing the frame of the
body, and particularly that part of the body, the brain, that
persons shall be deprived of the use of reason. As I said be
fore, it is too much for us to determine, that God vriU not
bring an outward calamity in bestovring spiritual and eternal
blessings : so it is too much for us to determine, how great
on outward calamity he vriU bring. If God give a great in
crease of discoveries of himself, and of love to him, the be
nefit is infinitely greater than the calamity, though the hfe
should presently after be taken away ; yea, though the soul
should not immediatdy be taken to heaven, but should he
some years in a deep sleep, and then be taken to heaven ; or,
which is mudi the same thing, if it be deprived of the use of
ite faculties, and be inactive and unserriceable, as if it lay iu
a deep sleep for some years, and then should pass into glory.
We cannot determine how great a calamity distraction is,
when considered vrith aU its consequences, and all that might
have been consequent, if the distraction had not happened ;
nor indeed whether (thus considered) it be any calamity at
aU, or whether it be not a mercy, by preventing some great
sin, or some more dreadful thing, if it had not been. It
were a great fault in us to limit a sovereign, aU-vrise God,

PBEYAILING PBATEB. 51
whose judgments ore a great deep, and his ways past finding
out, where he has not hmited himself, and in things concern
ing which he has not told us what his way shall be. It is
remarkable, considering in what multitodes of instances, and
to how great a degree, the frame of the body has been
overpowered of late, that persons' hves have, notwithstand
ing, been preserved, and that the instances of those that have
been deprived of reason, have been so very few, and those,
perhaps aU of them, persons imder the pecidiar disadvantage
of a weak, vapory habit of body. A merciful and careful
Divine hand is very manifest in it, that in so many instances
where the ship has begun to sink, yet it has been upheld, and
has not totally sunk. The instances of such as have been
deprived of reason are so few, that certain^ they are not
enough to cause us to be in any fright, as though this work
that has been carried on in the country was like to be of
baneful influence ; unless we are disposed to gather up all
that we can to darken it, and set it forth in frightful colors.
" There is one particular kind of exerdse and concern of
mind, that many have been overpowered by, that has been
especiaUy stumbling to some ; and that is, the deep concern
and distress that they have been in for the souls of others.
I am sorry that any put us to the trouble of doing that which
seems so needless, as defending such a thing as this. It
seems like mere trifling, in so plain a case, to enter into a for
mal and particular debate, in order to determine whether
there be anything in the greatness and importance of the
case that vriU answer and bear a proportion to the greatness
of the concern that some have manifested Men may be al
lowed, from no higher a prindple than common ingenuity and
humanity, to be very deeply concerned and greatly exercised
in mind at seeing others in great danger of no greater a ca
lamity than drowning, or being burnt up in a house on fire.
And if so, then doubtiess it vriU be allowed to be equally
reasonable, if they saw them in danger of a calamity Um
times greater, to be stiU much more concerned ; and so much
more still, if the calamity was stiU vastiy greater. And why,
then, should it be thought unreasonable, and looked upon
vrith a very suspidous eye, as if it must come from some bad
cause, when persons are extremdy concerned at seeing others
in very great danger of suffering the fierceness and wrath of
Almighty God to all eternity ? And, besides, it vriU doubt
less be allowed that those that have very great degrees of the
Spirit of God, that is, a spirit of love, may weU be snpposed
to have vastiy more of love and compassion to their feUow
3*

58 PBEY AILING FEAT
ereatures, than those that are influenced only by common
humanity. Why should it be thought strange that those
that are fuU of the Spirit of Christ should be proportionably,
in their love to souls, like to Christ ? who had so strong a love
to them and concern for them as to be vriUing to drink the
dregs of the cup of God's fury for them ; and at the same
time that he offered up his blood for souls, offered up also,
as their high priest, strong crying and tears, vrith an extreme
agony, when the soul of Christ was, as it were, in travaU for
tiie souls of tie elect ; and, therefore, in saring them, he is
said to see of the travaU of his soul As such a spirit of love
to and concern for souls was the spirit of Christ, so it is the
spirit of the church ; and, therefore, the church, in desiring
and seeking that Christ might be brought forth in the world
and in the souls of men, is represented. Rev. xu., as ' a
woman crying, tr availing in birth, and pained to be dehvered.'
The spirit of those that have been in distress for the souls of
others, so far as I can discern, seems not to be different from
ithat of the apostle, who travaUed for souls, and was ready to
wish hunsdf accursed from Christ for others. And that of '
the Psalmist, Psalm cxix. 53, ' Horror hath taken hold upon
jme, because of the vricked that forsake thy law.' And v. 136,
I' Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not
ithy law.' And that of the prophet Jeremiah, Jer. iv. 19,
I' My bowels! my bowels! I am pained at my very heart;
fMy heart maketh a noise in me : I cannot hold my peace,
because thou has heard, O my soul, the sound of the trum
pet, the alarm of war 1 ' And so, chap. ix. 1, and xiiL 17, and
Isa. -yTrii. 4. We read of Mordecai, when he saw his people
in danger of being destroyed vrith a temporal destruction,
Esther iv. 1, that he ' rent his dothes, and put on sackcloth
and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried
vrith a loud and bitter cry. And why, then, should persons
be thought to be distracted, when they cannot forbear crying
out at the consideration of the misery of those that are going
to eternal destruction ? " "^
!' I have read this to show that this thing was common in
I the great rerivals of those days. It has always been so in
->' aU great rerivals, and has been more or less common in pro-
I portion to the greatness, and extent, and depth of the work.
;¦ It was so in the great rerivals in Scotland, and multitudes
¦ used to be overpowered, and some almost died, by the depth
of their agony
* Edwards' Works, vol. iv. p. 85, New York edition.

PBEYAILING PBATEB. 99
9. If you mean to pray effectuaUy, you must pray a great
deal It was said of the apostle James, that after he was
dead it was found his knees were caUous like a camel's knees,
by praying so much. Ah ! here was the secret of the success
of those primitive ministers. They had caUous knees. ^^
10. If you intend prayer to be effectual, it must be offered
in the name of Christ. Ton cannot come to God in your own
name. Tou cannot plead your ovm merite. But you can
come in a name that is always acceptable. Tou all know
what it is to icse the name of a man. If you should go to the
bank vrith a draft or note, endorsed by John Jacob Astor,
that would be giving you Ids name, and you know you could
get the money from the bank just as weU as he could himseU.
Now, Jesus Christ gives you the use of his name. And when -
you pray in the name of Christ, the meaning of it is, that
you can prevail just as weU as he could himself and receive
just as much as God's weU-beloved Son would if he were to
pray himself for the same things. But you must pray in
faith. His name has aU the virtue in your lips that it has in
his ovm, and God is just as free to bestow blessings upon you,
when you ask in the name of Christ, and in faith, as he would
be to bestow them upon Christ, if he should ask.
11. Tou cannot prevail in prayer, vrithout renouncing all
your sins. Tou must not only recaU them to mind, but you
. must actuaUy renounce them, and leave them off, and in the
purpose of your heart renounce them all /or ever.
12. Tou must pray in faith. Tou must expect to obtain
the things you ask for. Tou need not look for an answer to
prayer, if you pray without any expectation of obteining it
Tou are not to form such expectations vrithout any reason for
them. In the cases I have supposed, there is a reason for the
expectation. In case the thing is revealed in God's word, if
you pray vrithout an expectetian of receiving the blessings,
you just make God a liar. If the will of God is indicated by
his proridence, you ought to depend on it, according to the
clearness of the indication, so far as to expect the blessing ii
you pray for it. And if you are led by his Spirit to pray foi
certain things, you have just as much reason to expect the
thing to be done as if God had revealed it in his word.
But some say, " WiU not this riew of the leadings of the
Spirit of God lead people into fanaticism ? " I answer, that
I mow not but many may deceive themselves in respect to
this matter. Multitudes have deceived themselves in regard
to all the other points of rehgion. And if some people should
think they are led by the Spirit of God, when it is nothing

60 PBEYAILING PBATEB.
but their ovm imagination, is that any reason why those whp
know that they are led by the Spirit should not foUow ? Manj
people suppose themselves to be converted when they are not
Is that any reason why we should not deave to the Lord Je
sus Christ ? Suppose some people are decdved in thinking
they love God, is that any reason why the pious saint who
knows he has the love of God shed abroad in his heart, should
not give vent to his feehngs in songs of praise? So I sup
pose some may decdve themselves in thinking they are led by
the Spuit of God But there is no need of being deceived.
If people foUow impulses, it is their own fault I do not
want you to foUow impulses. I want you to be sober mind
ed, and foUow the sober, rational lea(Ungs of the Spirit of
God. There are those who understand what I mean, and who
know very weU what it is to give themsdves up to the Spirit
of God in prayer.
nX I vrUl state some of the reasons why these things are
essential to effectual prayer. Why does God require such
prayer, such strong desires, such agonizing suppUcations ?
1. These sti'ong desires strongly illustrate tlie strength of
God's feehngs. They are like the real feelings of God for im
penitent sinners. When I have seen, as I sometimes have,
the amazing strength of love for souls that has been felt by
Christians, I have been wonderfuUy impressed vrith the amaz
ing love of God, and his desires for their salvation. The case
of a certain woman, of whom I read, in a rerival, mode the
greatest impression on my mind. She had such an unutter
able compassion and love for souls, that she actually panted
for breath almost to suffocation. What must be the strength
of the desire which God feels, when his Spirit produces in
Christians such amazing agony, such throes of soul, such tror
veal — God has chosen the best word to express it — ^it is travaU
— ^travail of the souL
,: I have seen a man of as much strength of inteUect and
j musde as any man in the community, fall dovni prostrate,
I absolutely overpowered by his unutterable desires for sinners.
{ I know this is a stumbling block to many ; and it always will
\ be as long as there remain in the church so many bhnd and
t stupid professors of religion. But I cannot doubt that these
f things are the work of the Spirit of God. Oh that the whole
j church could be so fiUed with the Spirit as to travail in pray-
.er, tiU a nation should be bom in a day I
It is said in the word of God, that as soon " as Ziion travaaJf
td, she brought forth." What does that mean? I asked a
professor of religion this question once. He was making ex-

PBEYAILING PBATEB. 01
Cations about our ideas of effectual prayer, and I asked him
what he supposed was meant by Zion's travailing. " Oh," said
he, " it means that as soon as the church walk together in the
feUowship of the Gospel, then it vriU be said that Zion bravda I
This walking together is caUed traveling." Not the same term,
you see. So much he knew.
2. These strong desires that I have described, are the nat
ural results of great benevolence and dear riews of the dan
ger of sinners. It is perfectiy reasonable that it should be so.
If the women who are in this house should look np there, and
see a famUy burning to death in the fire, and hear their shrieks,
and behold their agony, they would feel distressed, and it ia
very likely that many of them would faint away vrith agony.
And nobody would wonder at it, or say they were fools or
crazy to feel so much distressed at such an awful sight They
would think it strange if there were not some expressions of
powerful feeling. Why is it any wonder, then, if Christians
should feel as I have described, when they have dear vievra
of the state of sinners, and the avrful danger they are kt ?
The feict is, that those indiriduals who never have felt so, have
never had much real benevolence, and their piety must be of
a very superfidal character. I do not mean to judge harshly,
or to speak unkindly. But I stete it as a simple matter of
fact ; and people may talk about it as they please, but I know
that such piety is superficial This is not censoriousness, but
plain truth.
People sometimes wonder at Christians having such feel
ings. Wonder at what ? Why, at the natural, and phUosopb-
ical, and necessary results of deep piety towards God, and
deep benevolence towards man, in riew of the great danger
they see sinners to be iu.
3. The soul of a Christian, when it is thus burdened, must
have rehef God rolls this wdght upon the soul of a Chris
tian, for the purpose of bringing bim near to himsel£ Chris
tians are often so unbelieving, that they wiU not exerdse prop
er faith in Grod, tUl he roUs tins burden upon them, so heavj
that they cannot live under it, and then they must go to God
for rehef It is hke the case of many a conricted sinner. God
is vrilling to receive him at once, if he vriU come right to him,
with faith in Jesus Christ But the sinner wiU not come. He
hangs back, and struggles, and groans under the burden of
his sins, and vrill not t£row himself upon God, tUl his burden
of conriction becomes so great that he can live no longer ;
and when he is driven to desperation, as it were, and feds as
if he was ready to sink into hell, he makes a wiohtv nlnnoe.

62 PBEYAILING PRArEE,
and throws himself upon God's mercy as his only hope. It
was his duty to come before. God had no delight in his dis
tress, for its ovm sake. It was only the sinner's obstinacy
that created the necessity for aU this distress. He would not
jome vrithout it. So when professors of religion get loaded
down with the weight of souls, they often pray again and
again, and yet the burden is not gone, nor their distress abat
ed, because they have never throvm it aU upon God in faith.
But they cannot get rid of the burden. So long as their bencY
olence continues it vrill remain and increase, and unless thej
resist and quench the Holy Ghost they can get no rehet untU
at length, when they are driven to extremity, they make a des
perate effort, roU the burden off upon the Lord Jesus Christ,
and exercise a cluld-like confidence in him. Then they fed
reheved ; then they fed as if the soul they were praying for
would be saved. The burden is gone, and God seems in
kindness to sooth down the mind to feel a sweet assurance
that the blessing vriU be granted. Often, after a Christian
has had this struggle, this agony in prayer, and has obtained
relief in this way, you wUl find the sweetest and most heav
enly affections flow out — the soul rests sweetly and glori-
oudy in God, and rejoices, " vrith joy unspeakable and full of
glory." Do any of you think now, that there are no such things in
the experience of behevers ? I teU you, if I had time, I could
show you from President Edwards, and other approved
writers, cases and descriptions just hke this. Do you ask why
we never have such things here in New Tork ? I teU you, it
is not at all because you are so much wiser than Ghnstians
are in the country, or because you have so much more inteUi-
gence or more enlarged riews of the nature of rdigion, or a
more stable and weU regulated piety. I teU you, no ; instead
of priding yourselves in being free from sudi extravagances,
you ought to hide your heads, because Christians in New Tork
are so worldly, and have so much starch, and pride, and fash
ion, that they cannot coTne down to such spirituality as this.
I wish it coiild be so. Oh that there might be such a spirit
in this city, and in this church 1 I know it- would make a
noise, if we had such things done here. But I would not care
for that. Let them say, if they please, that the folks in Chat
ham Chapel are getting deranged. We need not bo afraid of
that, if we could hve near enough to God te enjoy his Spirit
in the manner I have described.
4 These effects of the spirit of prayer upon the body are
themselves no part of rdigion. It is only that the body is

PBBYAIUNG PBATEB. OS
often SO weak that the feelings of the soul overpower it
These bodily effecte are not at aU essential to prevailing
prayer, but only a natural or physical result of highly exdted
emotions of the mind. It is not at aU -imusual for the body
to be weakened and even overcome by any powerful emotion
of the mind, on other subjecte beside religion. The door-keeper
of Congress in the time of the revolution, feU down dead on
the reception of some highly cheering intelhgenc& I knew a
woman in Rochester, who was in a great agony of prayer for
the conversion of her son-in-law. One morning he was at an
anxious meeting, and die remained at home praying for him.
At the dose of tie meetii^, he came home a convert, and she
was so rejoiced that she fell down and died on the spot It
is no more strange that these effecte should be produced by
rehgion than by strong feeling on any other subject It is
not essential to prayer, but the natural result of great effort
of the mind.
5. Doubtiess one great reason why Gk>d requires the exer
dse of this agonizing prayer is, that it forms such a bond of
union between Christ and the Church. It creates such a sym
pathy between them. It is as if Christ ceune and poured the
overflowings of his own benevolent heart into his diurch, and
led them to sympathize, and to co-operate vrith him, as they
never do in any other way. They fed just as Christ feds — so
fuU of compassion for sinners that they cannot contain them
sdves. Thus it is often frith those ministers who are distin
guished for their success in preaching to sinners ; they often
have such compassion, such overflovring desires for their sal
vation, that it shows itself in their speaking, and their preach
ing, just as though Jesus Christ spoke through them. The
words come from their hps fresh and warm, as if from the
very heart of Christ I do not mean that he dictetes their
words ; but he exdtes the feelings that give utterance to them.
Then you see a movement in the hearers, as if Christ himself
spoke through hps of day.
6. This travaiUng in birth for souls creates also a remarka
ble bond of union between warm-hearted Christians and the
young converts. Those who are converted appear very dear
to the hearte that have had this spirit of prayer for them.
The feeling is like that of a mother for her first-bom. Paul
expresses it beautdfuUy, when he says, "My httie duldren I "
TTiH heart was warm and tender to them. " My littie chil
dren, of whom I travaU in birth again." They had backshdden,
and he has all the agonies of a parent over a wandering duld.
" I travail in birth again, tUl Christ be formed in you, the hope

04 PBEYAILING PBATEB.
of glory." In a rerival, I have often noticed how those who
have had the spuit of prayer, love the young converts. I
know tide is all algebra to those who have never felt it Bui
to thost' who have experienced the agony of wrestiing, pre
vailing prayer, for the conversion of a soul, you may depend
npon it, that soul, after it is converted, appears as dear as a
child is to the mother who has brought it forth vrith pam. He
has agonized for it, and received it in answer to prayer, and
can present it before the Lord Jesus Christ, saying, " Here,
Lord, am J, and the diUdren thou hast given me."
7. Another reason why God requires this sort of prayer is,
that it is the only way in which the diurch can be properly
prepared to receive great blessings vrithout being injured by
them. When the churdi is thus prostrated in the dust before
God, and is in the depth of agony in prayer, the blessing does
them good. While at the same time, if they had received the
blessing without this deep prostration of soul, it would have
puffed them up vrith pride. But as it is, it increases their
holiness, their love, their humihty.
IV. I am to show that such prayer as I have described
wiU avail much. But time fails me to go iato a particular de
tail at the eridence which I intended to bring forward under
this head.
Elijah the prophet mourned over the dedensions of the
house of Israel, and when he saw that no other means were
likely to be effectual, to prevent a perpetual going away into
idolatay, he prayed that the judgmente of God might come
upon the goilty nation. He prayed that it might not rain,
and God diut up the heavens for three years and six months,
tiU the people were driven to the last extremity. And when
he saw that it was time to relent, what does he do ? See him
go up to the mountain and bow dovm in prayer. He wished
to be alone ; and he told his servant to go seven times, while
he was agonizing in prayer. The la^ tmie, the servant told
him tiiere was a httie cloud appeared, like a man's hand, and
he instantiy arose from his knees — ^the blessing was obtained.
The time had come for the calamity to be turned back. "Ah,
but," YOU say, " Elijah was a prophet" Now do not make
this objection. They made it in the apostie's days, and what
does the apostie say? Why he brought forward this very
instance, and the £a,ct that Ehjah was a man of like passioiu
with ourselves, as a case of prevaUing prayer, and insisted
that they should pray so too.
John Knox was a man famous for his power iu prayer, so
that bloody Queen Mary used to say she feard his prayen

PBEYAILING PBATEB. M
more than all the armies of Europe. And evente showed that
she had reason to do it He used to be in such an agony for
the ddiverence of his coimtry that he could not deep. He
had a place in his garden where he used to go to pray. One
night he and several friends were praying together, and as
they prayed, Knox spoke and said that deliverance had come.
He could not teU what had happened, but he fdt that some
thing had taken place, for God had heard their prayers.
What was it? Why the next news they had was, that Maiy
was dead I -
Take a fact which was related, in my hearing, by a ministei^
He said, that in a certain tovm there had been no rerival fc4!'|
many years ; the church was nearly run out, the youth were;^
aU unconverted, and desolation reigned unbroken. Ther^
lived in a retdred part of the tovm, an aged man, a blacksmitl|
by trade, and of so stammering a tongue, that it was paJnfu}
to hear him speak. On one Friday, as he was at work iu hid
shop, alone, Ms mind became greatly exercised about the stete
of tJie churdi, and of the impenitent His agony became sO:
great, that he was induced to lay by his work, lock the shopl
door, and spend the afternoon in prayer. I
He prevaUed, and on the Sabbath called on the minister,
and desired him to appoint a conference meeting. After some
hesitation, the minister consented, observing, however, that
he feared but few vrould attend. He appointed it the same
evening, at a large private house. When evening came, more
assembled than could be accommodated in the housa All
was sUent for a time, until one sinner broke out in teeus, and
said, if any one could pray, he begged him to pray for him.
Another foUowed, and another, and stUl another, until it was
found that persons from every quarter of the tovna were
under deep conriction. And what was remarkable was, that
they all dated their conriction at the hour when the old man
was praying in his shop. A powerful rerival foUowed. Thus
this old stammering man prevaUed, and, as a prince, had
power vrith God. I could name multitudes of sinular cases,
but, for want of time, must condude with a few.
1. A great deal of prayer is lost, and many people never
prevail in prayer, because, when they have desires for particu
lar blessings, they do not follow them up. They may have
had desires, benevolent and pure, which were excited by the
Spirit of God ; and when they have them, they should per

40 PBEYAILING PBAYEB.
seTtere in prayer, for if they turn off their attention to other
objecte, they vriU quench the Spirit We teU sinners not to
turn off their minds from the one object, but to keep their
attention fixed there, tUl they are saved. When you ftn<i
these holy desires in your minds, take care of two things :
(1.) Do not quench the Spirit.
12.) Do not be diverted to other objects.
FoUow the leadings of the Spirit, tUl you have offered that
effectual fervent prayer that^ availeth much.
2. Without the spirit of prayer, ministers will do but httie
good. A minister need not expect much success, unless he
prays for it Sometimes others may have the spirit of prayer,
and obtain a blessing on his labors. Generally, however,
those preachers are the most successful who have the most of
a spirit of prayer themselves.
&. Not only must ministers have the spirit of prayer, but
it is necessary that the church should unite in offering that
effectual fervent prayer which can prevail with God. Tou
need not expect a blessing, unless you ask for it. " For aU
these things vriU I be inquired of by the house of Israel to
do it"
Now, my brethren, I have only to ask you, in regard to
what I have preached to-night, "WiU you do it?" Have you
done what I preached to you last Friday evening ? Have you
gone over vrith your sins, and confessed tiiem, and got them
aU out of the way ? Can you pray now ? And will you join
and offer prevaUing prayer, that the Spirit of God may corns
iiotm. here f

LECTURE V.

THE PBATEB OF FAITH.

TazT. — " Therefore I say onto yon, What things soeTer ye desire when y« pny,
wUeve that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."— Mabk zi. 34.
These words have been by some supposed to refer exdu-
dvely to the faith of mirades. But there is not the least evi
dence of this. That the text was not designed by our Sa
riour to refer exclusively to the faith of mirades, is proved
by the connection in which it stands. If you read the chap
ter, you wiU see that Christ and his aposties were at this time
very much engaged in their work, and very prayerful ; and
as they returned from their places of retirement in the morn
ing, faint and hungry, they saw a fig-tree at a littie distanca
It looked very beautiful, and doubtless gave signs of haring
fruit on it ; but when they came nigh, they found nothing
on it but leaves. And Jesus said, " No man eat fruit of thee
hereafter for ever.
" And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig-
tree dried up from' the roots.
" And Peter, calling to remembrance, saith unto him. Mas
ter, behold the fig-tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
" And Jesus answering, saith unto them, have faith in God.
"For verily I sayimto you, that whosoever shaU say unto
this mountain. Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the
sea ; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall beheve thai,
those things which he saith shall come to pass ; he shall have
whatsoever he saith."
Then foUow the words of the text :
" Therefore I say unto you. What things soever ye desire
when ye pray, beheve that ye receive them, and ye shall have
them." Our Sariour was desirous of giving his disdples instructions
respecting the nature and power of prayer, and the necessity
of strong faith in God. He therefore stated a very strong
case, a mirade — one so great as the removal of a mountain
into the sea. And he teUs t^em, that if they exerdse a proper
faith in God, they might do sudi things. But his remarks
are not to be hmited to faith merely in regard to working mir
ftcles, for he goes on to say, (67)

•B THE PBATEB OF FAITH.
"And when ye stand praying, forgive^ if ye have aught
against any, that your Father luso which is in heaven may
forgive you your trespasses.
"But if ye do not forgive, neither wiU your Father which
ia in heaven forgive you your trespasses."
Does that rdate to mirades ? When you pray, you must
forgive. Is that required only when a man wishes to work a
mirade ? There ore many other promises in the Bible nearly
related to thlEi, and speaJong nearly the same language, which
have been all disposed of in this short-handed way, as refo
ring to the faith employed in mirades. Just as if tlie &ith of
miracles was something different from faith in God I
In my last lecture, I dwdt upon the subject of "prevailing
prayer ;" and you vrill recollect that I passed over the subje^
otfadth in prayer very briefly, because I vrished to reserve it
lor a separate discussion. The subject to-night is^
THB PBATEB 07 FAXCEL
I propose^
L To show that i^th is an indispensable condition of pr»
vailing prayer.
n. ^ow what it is that we are to beUeve when we pray.
HX Show when we are bound to exercise this faith, or to
beheve that we shaU recdve the thing that we ask for.
IV. That this kind of faith in prayer always does obtain the
blessing sought
V. ^plain how we are to come into a stete of mind, m
whidi we can exercise such &ith.
VL Answer several objections, whidi are sometimes alleged
against these riews of prayer.
L That faith is an indispensable condition of prevailing
prayer, vrill not be seriously doubted. There is sudi a tbing
as offering benevolent desires, which are accepteble to God as
sadi, that do not indude the exerdse of faith in regard to
the actual reception of those blessings. But sudi desires are
not prevaUing prayer, the prayer of faith. God may see fit
to grant the things desired, as an act of kindness and love,
but it would not be properly in answer to prayer. I am speak
ing now of the kind of faith that insures the blessing. Do
not understand me as saying that there is nothing in prayer
that is acceptable to God, or that even obtains the blessing
sometimes, vrithout (his kind of faith. But I am speakingm
the faith which secures the very blessing it seeks. To prove
that faith is indispensable to prevailing prayer, it is only ne-

THE PBATEB OF FAITH. 09
isessaiy to repeat what the apostie James expresdy teUs ns :
" If any of you lack vrisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to
aU men hberally, and upbraidethnot ; and it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that vraver-
eth is hke a wave of the sea, driven vrith the wind and tossed."
n. We are to inquire what we are to believe when uxpray.
1. We are to believe in the existence of God — "He that
cometh to God must believe that he is " — and in his willing
ness to answer prayer — " that he is, and that he is the reward
er of them that diligentiy seek him." There ore many who
bdieve in the existence of God, and do not bdieve in the eft
cacy of prayer. They profess to beheve in God, but deny the
necessity or influence of prayer.
2. We art to bdieve (hat we shdR receive — something — what?
Not something, or anything, as it happens, but some particu
lar thing we ask for. We are not to think that God is such
a being, that if we ask a fish, he vriU give us a serpent, or if
we ask bread, he vrill give us a stone. But he says, " What
Odngs soever ye desire, when ye pray, beheve that ye recdve
Bum, and ye diaU have them." Witii respect to the £uth of
mirades, it is plain that they were bound to bdieve they
should receive just what they asked for — ^that the very thing
itself should come to pass. That is what they were to be
heve. Now what ought men to beheve in regard to other
blessings? Is it a mere loose idea, that if a man prays for a
specific blessing, God vriU by some mysterious sovereignty give
something or other to him, or something to someboi^ dse,
somewhere ? When a man prays for his (Mdren's conversion,
is he to beHeve that dther his chUdren wUl be converted, or
somebody's dse duldren, and it is altogether uncertain which?
AU this is utter nonsense, and highly dishonorable to God.
No, we are to bdieve that we shall receive the very things that
we ask for.
nX When are we boimd to make this prayer? When
are we bound to bdieve that we shall have the very thin^ we
pray for ? I answer, When we have eridence of it Faith
must always have eridence. A man cannot beheve a thing,
unless he sees something whidi he supposes to be eridence.
He is under no obligation to beheve, and has no right to be
heve, a thing vriU be done, unless he has eridenca It is the
height of fanaticism to bdieve vrithout eridence. The kinds
of eridence a man may have are the foUowing :
1. Suppose that God has espepicdly promised the thing. As
for instance, God says he is more ready to give his Holy
Spirit to them that osfc him, than parents are to give bread

70 the pbateb of paitel
to their duldren. Here we are boimd to beheve that we shall
receive it when we pray for it Tou have no right to put in
an if, and say, "Lord, if it be (hy uM, give us thy Holy
Spirit" This is to insult God. To put an if into God's
promise, where God has put none, is tantamount to charging
God with being insincere. It is like saying, " O God, if thou
art in earnest in making these promises, grant us the blessing
we pray for."
I heard of a case where a young convert was the means of
teaching a minister a solemn truth on the subject of prayer.
She was from a very vricked famUy, and went to hve with a
minister. WhUe there, she was hopefuUy converted, and ap
E eared wdl One day she came to the minister's study, whUe
e was in it — a thing she was not in the habit of doing ; and
he thought there must be something the matter. So he asked
her to dt dovm, and kindly inquired into the state of her
rehgious feehngs ; she said, she was distressed at the man
ner in which the old diurch members prayed for the Spirit
They would pray for the Holy Spirit to come, and would
seem to be very much in earnest, and plead the promises of
God, and then say, " O Lord, if it be thy unU, grant us these
blessings for Christ's sake." She thought that saying, " if it
be thy vrill," when God has expressly promised it, was ques
tioning whether God was sincere in his promises. The min
ister txied to reason her out of it, and of course he succeeded
in confounding her. But she was distressed and fiUed vrith
grie^ and said, " I cannot argue the point vrith you, sir, but
it is impressed on my mind that it is wrong, and dishonoring
God." And she went away weeping witii anguish. The
minister saw she was not satisfied, and it led bim to look at
the matter again, and finaUy he saw that it was putting in
an ^ where God had put none, and where he had revealed his
wiU expressly, and that it was an insult to God. And he went
and told his church they were bound to beheve that God was
in earnest when he made them a promise. And the spirit of
prayer came down upon that church, and a most powerful
revival followed.
2. Where there is a general promise in the Scriptures which
you may reasonably apply to the particular case before you.
If its real meaning iD.cludes the particular thing for which you
pray, or if you can reasonably apply the prindple of the
promise to the case, there you have eridence. For instance,
suppose it is a time when vrickedness prevails greatiy, and
vou are led to pray for God's interference? "V^at promise
have you ? Why, this one : " When the enemy shaU come

thb pbateb of faith. Tl
in hke a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall hft up a standard
¦gainst him." Here you see is a general promise laying dovm
a principle of God's administration, which you may apply to
the case before you, as a warrant for exerdsing faith in prayer.
And if the case come up, to inquire as to the time in which God
wUl grant blessings in answer to prayer, you have this prom
ise : " While they are yet speaking, I vriU hear."
There is a vast amount of general promises and principles
!flid down in the Bible, which Christians might make use o^
if they would only think. Whenever you are in circumstances
to which the promises or principles apply, there you are to
use them. A parent finds this promise : " The mercy of the
Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear
him, and his righteousness unto children's duldren, to such as
keep his covenant, and to those that remember his com
mandments to do them." Now, here is a promise made to
those that possess a certain character. If any parent is con
scious that this is his character, he has a rightful ground to
apply it to himself and his famUy. If you have this character,
you are boimd to make use of this promise in prayer, and be
heve it, even to your chUdren's chUdren.
If I had time to-night, I could go from one end of the Bible
to the other, and produce an astonishing variety of texte that
are apphcable as promises ; enough to prove, that in what
ever circumstances a chUd of God may be placed, God haa
prorided in the Bible some promise, either general or partio
ular, which he can apply, that is precisely suited to his case.
Many of God's promises are very broad on purpose to cover
much ground. What Can be broader than the promise in
the text : " Whateoever things ye desire when ye pray ?"
What praying Christian is there who has not been surpriBed
at the length, and breadth, and fuUness, of the promises of
God, when the Spirit has applied them to his heart ? Who
that hves a life of prayer, has not wondered at his own blindr
ness, in not having before seen and felt the extent of meaning
and richness of those promises, when riewed under the hght
of the Spirit of God ? At such times he has been astonished
at his own ignorance, and found the Spirit applying the
promises and declarations of the Bible in a sense in which he
had never dreamed of their being apphcable before. The
manner in which the aposties applied the promises, and
prophedes, and declarations of the Old Testament, places in
a strong light the breadth of meaning, and fuUness, and rich
ness of the word of God. He that walks in the light of God's
countenance, and is fiUed vrith the Spirit of God as he ought

72 the pbateb of faith.
to be, vriU often make an appropriation of promises to him
seli and an application of tiem to his own circumstances, and
the circumstances of those for whom he prays, that a blind
pBofessor of religion would never dream of
3. Where there is uny prophetic declaration, that the thing
prayed for is agreeable to the vriU of God. When it is plain
from prophecy that the event is certainly to come, you are
hound to beheve it, and to make it the ground for your spe-
aial faith in prayer. If the time is not specified in tihe Bible^
and there is no eridence from other sources, you are not
bound to believe that it shall take place now, or immediately.
But if the time is specified, or if the time may be learned
from the study of the prophedes, and it appears to have ar
rived, then Clmstians are imder obligations to understand and
apply it, by offering the prayer of faith. For instance, take
the case of Daniel, Ji regard to the return of the Jews from
oaptirity. What iocs he say? "I Daniel understood by
books tlie number of the years whereof the word of the Lord
oame to Jeremi ih. the prophet, that he would accomplish
aeventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem." Here he
learned from books, that is, he studied his Bible, and in that
way understood that the length of the captirity was to be
seventy years. What does he do then ? Does he sit down
upon tne promise, and say, " God has pledged himself to put
an end to the captivity in seventy years, and the time has ex
pired, and there is no need of doing any thing ?" Oh no ; he
Bays, " And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by
prayer and supphcations, with fasting, and sackcloth, and
ashea" He set himself at once to pra; that tbe thing might
be accomphshed. He prayed in faith. But what was he to
beheve ? What he had learned from prophecy. There are
many prophecies yet unfulfilled, in the Bible, which Chris
tians are bound to understand, as far as they are capable of
understanding them, and then make them the basis of be-
heving prayer. Do not think, as some seem to, that be
cause a thing is foretold in prophecy it is not necessary to
pray for it, or that it vriU come whether Christians pray for it
or not There is no truth in this. God says, in regard to
this very class of events, which ore revealed in propheciy,
" Neverthdess, for all these things will I be inquired of by
the house of Israd to do it for them."
4. When the signs of the times, or the proridence of God,
indicate that a particular blessing is about to be bestowed,
we are bound to beheve it The Lord Jesus Christ blamed
the Jews, and caUed them hypocrites, because they did not

THB PBAITEB OF FAITH. ft
onderstand the indications of Proridence. They could un
derstand the signs of the weather, and see when it was about
to rain, and when it would be fair weather ; but they could
not see, from the signs of the times, that the time ha[d come
for the Messiah to appear, and buUd up the house of God.
There are many professors of rdigion who are always stnm-
bhng and hanging back, whenever any thing is proposed to
be done. They always say. The time has not come — the
time has not come ; when there are others who pay atten
tion to the signs of tiie times, and who have spiritual discern
ment to understand them. These pray in faith for the
blessing, and it comes.
5. When the Spirit cf God is upon you, and exdtes strong
desires for any blessing, you are bound to pray for it in faith.
Ton ore bound to infer, from the fact that you find yourself
dravm to desire sudi a thing while in the exercise of such
holy affections as the Spirit of God produces, that these de
sires ore the work of the Spirit People are not apt to desire
with the right kind of desires, unless they are exdted by the
Spirit of God. The apostie refers to these desires, exdted by
fhe Spirit^ in his epistie to the Romans, where he says —
" Idkewise the Spirit also hdpeth our infirmities, for we Imow
not what we should pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit it
self maketh intercession for us vrith groanings which cannot
be uttered. And he tliat searcheth tiie heart knoweth what
is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for
the saints, according to the vriU of God." Here, then, if you
find yourself strongly dravm to dedre a blessing, you are to
understand it as an intimation that God is vrilling to bestow
that particular blessing, and so you are bound to believe
it God does not trifie vrith his children. He does not go
and exdte iu them a desire for one blessing, to turn them
off with something else. But he exdtes the very desires he is
wiUing to gratify. And when they feel such desires, they are
bound to foUow them out tiU they get the blessing.
IV. I vrill proceed to diow that this kind of faith always ob
laina the object. The text is plain here, to show that you shaU
reodve the very thing prayed for. It does not say, "Believe
that ye shaU receive, and ye shaU either have that or some
thing else equivalent to it" To prove that this faith obtains
the very blessing asked, I obserre,
1. That otherwise we could never know whether our pray
ers were answered. And we might continue praying and
praying, long after the prayer was answered by some other
blessing equivalent to the one we ask for.

74 THE PBATBB OF FAITH.
2. If we are not bound to expect the very thing we ask for,
it must be that tixe Spirit of God deceives us. Why should
he exdte us to desire a certain blessing, when he means to
grant something else ?
3. What is Sie meaning of this passage, "If a man ask
bread, wUl he give bim a stone ? " Does not our Sariour re
buke the idea that prayer may be answered by giving som»
thing else ? What encouragement have we to pray for any
thing ia particular, if we are to ask for one thing and recdve
anotiier ? Suppose a Christian should pray for a rerival here
— ^he would be answered by a revival in China. Or he might
pray for a rerival, and God would send the cholera, or an
earthquake. All the history of the church shows that when
God answers prayer, he gives his people the very thing for
which their prayers are offered. God confers other blessings,
on both saints and sinners, which they do not pray for at aU.
He sends his rain both upon the just and the unjust But
when he answers prayer, it is by doing what they ask him to
do. To be sure, he often more than answers prayer. He
grants them not only what they ask, but often connects other
blessings vrith it.
4. Perhaps you may feel a difficulty here about the prayera
of Jesus Christ People may often ask, "Did not he pray in,
the garden for the cup to be removed, and was his prayer
answered? " I answer that this is no difficulty at aU, for the
Erayer was answered. The cup he prayed to be dehvered
•om was removed. This is what the apostle refers to, when
he says — " Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered
up prayers and supplications vrith strong crying and tears
unto him that was able to save him from death, was heard in
that he feared." Now I ask. On what occasion was he saved
from death, if not on this ? Was it the death of the cross
he prayed to be dehvered from ? Not at all But the case
was this. A short time before he was betrayed, we hear him
saying to his disdples, " My soul is exceedingly sorrovyful,
even unto death." Anguish of mind came rolling ia upon
him, tiU he was just ready to die, and he went out into a gar
den to pray, and told his disdples to watch, and then ho went
by himself and prayed ; " O my Father," said he, " if it be
possible, let this cup pass from mf ; nevertheless not as I vrill,
but as thou wUt" ix his agony te rose from his knees, and
walked the garden, tUl he came where his disciples were, and
there he saw them fast asleep. He awaked them and said,
"What, could ye not watch with me one hour? " And then
he went again, for he was in such distress that he could not

THB PBATEB OF FAITH. 76
stand stiU, and again he poured out his soul And the third
time he goes away and prays, "Father, if thou be wiUing,
remove this cup from me ; nevertheless, not my wUl, but thine
be done." And now the third time of praying, there appear
ed an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And
his mind became composed, and calm, and the cup was gone.
TiU then, he had been in such an agony that his sweat was as
"¦, were great drops of blood, but now it was aU over.
Some have supposed that he was praying against the cross, ,
ad begging to be delivered from dying on ttie cross ! Did^
I Christ ever shrink from the cross? Never. He came into -^
the world on purpose to die on the cross, and he never shrunk j?
! from it But he was afraid he should die in the garden be- 5
I fore he came to the cross. The burden on his soul was so
I great, and produced such an agony, that he felt as if he was'
! on ih.6 point of dying. His soul was sorrovyfnl even unto;
¦ death. But after the angd appeared unto him, we hear no
more of his agony of souL He had prayed for relief from ;
(hat cup, and his prayer was answered. He became calm, i
and had no more mental suffering tUl just as he expired. '¦
This case, therefore, is no exception. He reodved the very
J thing for which he asked, as he says, "I knew tiiou always ^'
¦^earest me." ''
But there is another case often brought up, where the apos
tie Paul prayed against the thorn in the flesh. He says, "I
besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me."
And God answered him, " My grace is sufficient for thee.''
It is the opinion of Dr. Clarke and others, that Paul's prayer
was answered in the very thing for which he prayed- That
" the thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan," of which
he speaks, was a false apostie who had distracted and per
verted the church at Corinth. That Paul prayed against his
influence, and the Lord answered him by assuring him, " My
grace is sufficient for thee." Who does not know that it was,
and that Paul's influence ultimately triumphed ?
But admitting that Paul's prayer was not answered by
granting the particular thing for which he prayed, in order
to make out this case as an exception to the prayer of faith,
they are obliged to assume the very thing to be proved ; and
that is, that the apostie prayed in faith. There is no reason to
suppose that Paul would always pray in faith, any more than
that any other Christian does. The very manner in which
God answered bim shows that it was not in faith. He virtu
aUy tells him, " That thorn is necessary for your sanotificac
tion, and to keep you from being exalted above measure. I

7« THK PBATEB OP FAITH.
sent it npon you in love, and in faithfulness, and you have
no business to pray that I should take it away. — ^LET TE
ALONE."
There is not only no eridence that he prayed in faith, but
a strong presumption that he did not £Vom the history it
is erident that he had nothing on which to repose faitL
There was no express promise, no general promise, that could
be apphcable, no proridence of God, no prophecy, no teach
ing of the Spfrit that God would remove this thorn ; but the
presumption was that God would not remove it. He had
giYcn it to him for a particular purpose. His prayer appears
to have been selfish, or at least praying against a mere per
sonal influence. This was not any personal suffering that re
tarded his usefulness, but on the contrary it was given bim
to increase his osefulness by keeping him humble ; and be
cause on some account he found it inconYenient and mortify
ing, he set himself to pray out of his ovm heart, eridentiy
vrithout being led to U by the Spirit of God. But did Paul
pray in faith vrithout the Spirit of God, any more than any
other man? And vriU any one undertake to say that the
Spirit of God led him to pray that this might be removed,
when God himself had given it for a particular purpose, whidi
purpose could not be answered only as the thorn continned
with him?
Why then is this made an exception to the general rule
laid down in the text, that a man shaU receive whateoever he
asks in faith ? I was once amazed and grieved at a public
examination at a Theological Seminary, to hear them darken
counsel by words without knowledge on this subject This
case of Paul, and that of Christ just adverted to, were both
of them dted as instances -to prove to their students that the
prayer of faith would not be answered in the particular thing
for which they prayed. Now to teach such sentimente as these
in or out of a Theological Seminary, is to trifle vrith the word
of God, and to break the power of the Christian ministry.
Has it come to this, that our grave doctors in our seminaries,
are employed to instruct Zion's watehmen, to beheve and
teach that it is not to be expected that the prayer of faith is
to be answered in granting the object for whidi we pray ? Oh,
teU it not in Gath, nor let the sound reach Askelon ! What is
to become of the church whUe such are the riews of ite grav
est and most influential ministers ? I would not be unkind
nor censorious, but as one of the ministers of Jesus Christ, )
fed bound to bear testimony against such a perversion of thtf
word of Gk>d.

1HB PBATBB OF FAITB. 77
&, It is erident that the prayer of faith vriU obtain tha
blessing, from the &ct that our faith rests on eridence that to
grant mat thing is the will of God. Not eridence that some
thing else will be granted, but that this particular thhig wUl
be. But how, then, can we have eridence that Ovis thing wiQ
be granted, if anoOier thing is to be granted ? People often
recdve more than they pray for. Solomon prayed for wisdom,
and God granted him riches and honor in addition. So a
vrife sometunes prays for the converdon of her husband, and
if she offers the prayer, of faith, Gk)d may not only grant that
blessing, but convert her duld, and her whole famUy. Bless
ings sometimes seem to hang together, so that if a ChiistiaB
grains one he gete them aU.
V. I am to show how we are to come into this stete of
mind, in which we can offer sudi prayer. People sometimes
ask, " How shaU I offer such prayer ? ShaU I say, Now I
vriU pray in faith for such and such a blessing ? " No, the
human mind is not moved in this way. Tou might just aa
weU say, " Now I vriU caU up a spirit from the bottomless pit"
I answer, -^
1. Toil must first obtain evidence that Gk>d vriU bestow the
blessing. How did Daniel make out to offer the prayer of •
faith ? He searched the Scriptures. Now, you need not let '
your Bible he on a shelf, and expect God to reveal his prom
ises to you. Search the Scriptures, and see where you can get ,' a
dther a general or special promise, or a prophecy, on which ; -J *
you can plant your feet when you pray. Go through the
Bible, and you wUl find it full of such things — precious prom
ises, whidi you may plead in faitL Tou never need to want
for objects of prayer, if you vriU do as Danid did. Persona ^
are staggered on this subject, because they never make a prop
er use of the Bibla '
A curious case occurred in one of the tovms in the western
part of this Stete. There was a rerival there. A certein der-
gyman came to vidt the place, and heard a great deal said
about the Prayer of Faith. He was staggered at vvhat they
said, for he had never regarded the subject in the light they
did. He inquired about it of the minister that was laboring
thera The minister requested him, in a kind spirit, to go
home, and teke his Testament, look out the passages that re
fer to prayer, and go round to his most praying people, and
ask them how they understood these passages. He said he
would do it, for though these views were new to him, he was
willing to learn. He did it, and went to his praying men and
women, and read the passages vrithout note or comment^ and

78 THB PBATEB OF FAITH.
asked what they thought He found their plain common
sense had led them to understand these passages, and to be
Ueve that they mean just as they say. This affected him, and
then the fact of his going round and presenting the promisea
before their minds awakened the spirit of prayer in them, and
a rerival foUowed.
I could name many indiriduals who have set themselves to
examine the Bible on this subject, and before they got half
through with it have been fiUed with the spirit of prayer
They found that God meant by his promises just what a plain,
common sense man would understand them to mean. I ad
vise you to try it Tou have Bibles ; look them over, and
whenever you find a promise that you can use, fasten it in
your mind before you go on ; and I venture to predict yon
wiU not get through the book without finding out that God's
promises mean just what they say.
2. Cherish the good desires you have. Christians very often
lose their good desires by not attending to this ; and then
their prayers are mere words, vrithout any desire or earnest
ness at aU. The least longing of desire must be cherished.
If your body was likely to freeze, and you had even the least
spark of fire, how you would cherish it I So if you have the
least desire for a blessing, let it be ever so small, don't trifle
it away. Do not grieve the Spirit Do not be diverted. Do
not lose good desires by lerity, by censoriousness, by worldly-
mindedness. Watch and pray, and foUow it up, or you vriU
never pray the prayer of faith.
Jj. Entire consecration to God is indispensable to the prayer of
faith. Tou must live a holy hfe, and consecrate aU to God—
your time, talents, influence — aU you have, and aU you are, to
be his entirely. Read the lives of pious men, and you wiU be
stmck with this fact : that they used to set apart times to re
new their covenant, and dedicate themselves anew to God ;
and whenever they have done so, a blessing has always fol
lowed unmediatdy. If I had Edwards here to-night, I could
read passages showing how it was in his days.
4. You mua persevere. Tou are not to pray for a thing
once, and then cease, and caU that the prayer of faith. Loot
at Daniel He prayed twenty-one days, and did not cease till
he had obtained the blessmg. He set his heart and his face
unto the Lord, to seek by prayer and supphcations, vrith fast
ing, and sackdoth, and ashes : and he held on three weefci
and then the answer came. And why did not it come before ?
God sent an Archangel to bear the message, but the devU
hindered him all this tune. See what Christ says in the par

THB PBAYEB OF FAITH. 79
able of the unjust judge, and the parable of the loaves. What
does he teach us by them ? . Why, that God vrill grant an
swers to prayer when it is importunate. "ShaU not God
avenge his ovm elect, who cry day and night unto him?"
5. If you would pray in faith, be sure to walk every day with
God. If you do, he wUl teU you what to pray for. Be fiUed
with his Spirit, and he wUl give you objecte enough to pray
for. He wiU give you as much of the spirit of prayer as you
have strength of body to bear.
Said a good man to me, " Oh, I am dying for the want of
strength to pray. My body is crushed, the world is on me,
and how can I forbear praying !" I have known that man go
to bed absolutely sick, for weakness and faintness, under the
pressure. And I have known him pray as if he would do rio
lence to heaven, and then seen the blessing come as plainly
in answer to his prayer as if it was revealed, so that no person
would doubt it any more than if God had spoken from heaven.
Shall I teU you how he died ? He prayed more and more,
and he used to teke the map of the world before him and
pray, and look over the different countries and pray for them,
tUl he absolutely expired in his room praying. Blessed man !
He was the reproach of the ungodly and of carnal, unbehev-
ing professors, but he was the favorite of heaven, and a pre
vailing prince in prayer.
VL I vrill refer to some objections which are brought for
ward against this doctrine.
1. "It leads to fanatidsm and amounte to a new revela
tion." Why should this be a stumbhng block? They must
have eridence to beheve before they can offer the prayer of
faith. And if God gives other eridence besides the senses,
where is the objection ? Tme, there is a sense in which this
is a new revelation ; it is making known a thing by his Spirit
But it is the very revdation which God has promised to give.
It is just the one we are to expect, if the Bible is true ; that
when we know not what we ought to pray for, according to
the vriU of God, his Spirit helps our infirmities, and teadies
us the very thing to pray for. Shall we deny the teadung of
the Spirit ?
2. It is often asked, "Is it our duty to pray the prayer of
faith for the salvation of aU men ?" I answer. No ; for tiiat
is not a thing according to the vriU of God. It is direcUy
contrary to his revealed will We have no eridence that all
wiU be saved. We should feel benevolentiy to all, and, in
itself considered, desire their salvation. But God has revealed
it to us that many of the human race shaU be damned. And

80 THB PBATEB OF FAITB.
it cannot be a duty to bdieve that they shaU aU be saved, in
the face of a revelation to the contrary. In Christ's prayer;
Lq the seventeenth chapter of John, he expressly said, " I pray
not for the world but for those thou hast given me."
3. But say some, " If we were to offer this prayer for all
men, would not all men be saved ?" I answer, Tes, and so
they would be saved, if they would all repent But tJiey wiU
not Neither vriU Christians offer the prayer of faith for all,
because there is no eridence on which to ground a beUef that
God intends to save aU men.
4 But you ask, "For whom are we to offer this prayer?
We want to know in what cases, for what persons, and places,
and at what times, ete., we are to make tlie prayer of faith."
I answer, as I have already answered. When you have evi
dence, from promises, or prophedes, or proridences, or the
leadings of the Spirit, that God wiU do tlie things you pray
for. 5. " How is it that so many prayers of pious parente for
their chUdren are not answered ? Did you not say there was
a promise which pious parents may apply to their chUdren ?
Wliy is it, then, that so many pious praying parents have had
impenitent chUdren, that died in their sins ?" Granted that
it is so, what does it prove ? Let God be true, but every man
a liar. Whidi shall we beheve, that God's promise has failed,
or that these parents did not do their duty? Perhaps they
did not beheve the promise, or did not beheve there was any
such thing as the prayer of faith. Wherever you find a pro
fessor that does not believe in any such prayer, you find, as a
general thing, that he has chUdren and domestics yet in their
sins. And no wonder, unless they are converted in answer
to the prayers of somebody else.
6. "WiU not these riews lead to fanaticism? WiU not
many people think they are offering the prayer of faith
when they are not ?" That is the same objection that the
Unitarians make against the doctrine of regeneration — ^that
many people think they have been bom again when they have
not It is an argument against all spiritoal religion whatoYer.
Some think they have it when they have not, and are fanatica
But there are those who know what the prayer of faith is, just
as there are those who know what spiritual experience is,
though it may stumble cold-hearted professors who know it
not. Even ministers often lay themselves open to the rebuke
whidi Christ gave to Nicodemus ¦ " Art thou a master in I»
roel, and knowest not these things ^'

TBI PBATXB OF FAITH. SI

BHMABIffl.

L Persons who have not known by experience what this ia,
have great reason to doubt their piety. This is by no meana
undiaritable. Let them examine themselves. It i^ to be
feared that they understand prayer as Nicodemus did the
new birth. They have not walked vrith God, and you cannot
describe it to them, any more than you can describe a beauti
ful painting to a blind man who cannot see colors. Many
professors can understand about the prayer of faith just aa
much as a bhnd man does of colors.
2. There is reason to beheve millions are in heU because
professors have not offered the prayer of faith. When they
had promises under their eye, they have not had faith enougn
to use them. Thus parents let their duldren, and even bap
tized duldren, go dovm to hell because they would not beheve
the promises of God. Doubtiess many women's husbands
have gone to heU, when they might have prevaUed vrith God
in prayer and saved them. The signs of the times and the
in^cations of Proridence were faivorable, perhaps, and the
Spirit of God prompted desires for their salvation, and they
had eridence enough to believe that God was ready to grant
a blessing, and if tney had only prayed in faith, God would
have granted it ; but God turned it away because they would
not discern the signs of the times.
3. Tou say, " lliis leaves the church under a great load of
guUt" True, it does so ; and no doubt multitudes vriU stand
up before God covered all over vrith the blood of souls that
have been lost through their want of faith. The promises of
God, accumulated in their Bibles, vriU stare them in the face
and weigh them dovm to heU.
4 Many professors of religion hve so far from God that to
talk to them about the prayer of faith is all unintdligibla
Very often the greatest offence posdble to them is to preadi
about this kind of prayer.
5. I want to ask the professors who are here a few quea-
tions. Do you know what it is to pray in faitii? Did yon
ever pray in this way ? Have you ever prayed tUl your mind
was assured the blessing would come — ^tiU you fdt that rest
in God, that confidence, as perfect as if you saw God come
dovm from heaven to give it to you ? If notj you ought to
examine your foundation. How can you live vrithout praying
in faith at all? How do you live in riew of your duldren,
whUe you have no assurance whatever that they wiU be con-
4*

M THB PBATEB OF FAITB.
verted ? One would think you would go deranged. I knew
a father at the West ; he was a good man, but he had erro
neous riews respecting the prayer of faith ; and his whole
famUy of duldren were grown up and not one of them con
verted. At length his son dckened and seemed about to dia
The father prayed, but the son grew worse and seemed sink
ing into the grave without hope. The father prayed till his
anguish was unutterable. He went at last and prayed — (there
seemed no prospect of his son's life) — ^but he poured out his
soul as if he would not be denied, till at length he got an a»
surance that his son would not only live, but be converted ;
and not only this one, but his whole fanuly, would be converted
to God. He came into the house and told his famUy his son
would not die. They were astonished at him. "IteUyou,"
says he, " he won't die. And no duld of mine wUl ever die
in his sins." That man's duldren were aU converted years
ago. What do you think of that ? Was that fanaticism ? If yon
believe so, it is because you know nothing about the matiter.
Do you pray so ? Do you hve in such a manner that you can
offer such prayer for your chUdren ? I know that tlie chU
dren of professors may sometimes be converted in answer to
the prayers of somebody else. But ought you to hve so ?
Dare you trust to the prayers of others when God calls you
to sustain this most important rdation to your chUdren?
Finally — See what combined effort is made to dispose of
the Bible. The vricked are for throvring away the threaten
ings of the Bible, and the churdi the promises. And what is
there left ? Between them, they leave the Bible a blank. I
say it in love : What are our Bibles good for if we do not lay
hold on their precious promises, and use them as the ground
of our faith when we pray for the blessing of God? Tou had
better send your Bibles to the heathen, where they vriU do
some good, if you are not going to beheve and use them. I
have no eridence that there is much of this prayer now in this
diurch or in this dty. And what wiU become of it? What
will become of your chUdren ? your neighbors ? the vricked ?

LECTURE VI.

SPIBIT OF PBATEB.
TiZT.— Likewise the Spirit also helpeth onr infirmities : totm know not nhat w*
mould pray for as we onght ; bat the Spirit Itself maketh Intercession for as with
groanings which cannot be uttered. And he tliat searcheth the hearts knoweth what
b the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh Intercession for the saints, according to
the will of God.— BoMANs Till. 36, SI.
My last lecture but one was on the subject of Effectual
Prayer ; in which I observed that one of the most important
attributes of effectual or prevailing prayer is Faith. This was
so extensive a subject that I reserved it for a separate discus-
don. And accor(hngly, I lectured last Friday evening on the
subject of Faith ia Prayer, or, as it is termed, the Prayer of
Faith. It was my intention to discuss the subject in a single
lecture. But as I was under the necesdty of condensing so
much on some points, it occurred to me, and was mentioned
by others, that tiiere might be some questions which people
woiUd ask, that ought to be answered more fully, especisUly
as the subject is one on which there is so much darkness.
One grand design in preaching is to exhibit the tmth in such
a way as to answer the questions which would naturaUy arise
in the minds of those who. read the Bible vrith attention, and
who want to know what it means, so that they can put it in
practice. In explaining the text, I propose to show,
L What Spirit is here spoken o^ " The Spirit also hdpeth
our infirmities."
n. What that Spirit does for us.
UL Why he does what the text dedares him to do.
IV. How he accomplishes it
V. The degree ui which he influences the minds of those
who are under his influence.
VL How his influences are to be distinguished from the
influences of evU spirits, or from the suggestions of our own
minds. vn. How we are to obtain this agency of the Holy Spirit
Vin. Who have a right to expect to enjoy his influences in
tliis matter — or for whom the Spirit does the things spoken
of in the text
L What Spirit is it that is spoken of in the text ?
(83^

Si aPiBiT OF pbateb.
Some have supposed that the Spirit spoken of m the taxt
means our ovm spirit — our own mind. But a httie attention
to the text wiU show plainly that this is not the meaning.
"The Spfrit hdpeth our infirmities" would then read, "Our
ovm spirit hdpeth the infirmities of our own spirit," — and
"Our ovm spirit likevrise maketh intercession for our ovm
spirit " Tou see you can make no sense of it on that suppo
sition. It is erident from the manner in whidi the text ia
introduced, that the Spfrit referred to is the Holy Ghost
"Por if ye hve after the flesh, ye shaU die : but if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shaU hve. For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again
to fear ; but ye have received the epirit of adoption, whereby
we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit iteelf bearetli vritiness -mm
our spirit, that we are the chUdren of God." And the text ia
plainly speaking of the same Spirit
n. What the Spirit does.
Answer — He intercedes for the saints. " He maketh inteiv
cession for us," and "helpeth our infirmities," when "we
know not what to pray for as we ought" He hdps Chris
tians to pray according to the vriU of God, or for the thinga
that God desires them to pray for.
UL Why is the Holy Spirit thus employed ?
Because of our ignorance. Because we know not what we
should pray for as we ought. We are so ignorant both of
the vriU of God, revealed in the Bible, and of his unrevealed
vrill, as we ought to learn it from his proridence. Mankind
are vastiy ignorant both of the promises and prophedes of
the Bible, and blind to the proridence of God. And they
are stUl more in the dark about those pointe of which God
has said nothing but by the leadings of his Spirit Tou re
coUect that I named these four sources of eridence on which
to ground faith in prayer — ^promises, prophedes, proridences,
and the Holy Spirit When all other means fail of leading
us to the knowledge of what we ought to pray for, the Spirit
does it.
IV. How does he make intercesdon for the sainte? In
what mode does he operate, so as to help our infirmities? 'v'''
J.Not by superseding the use of our faculties. It is not by
praying for us, whUe we do nothing. He prays for us, by ex-
dting our own faculties. Not that he immediately suggeste to
us words, or guides our language. But he eiUightens our
minds, and m^es the truth take hold of our soula He leads
OS to consider the state of the church, and the condition of

SPIBrr OF PBATEB. M
sinners aroimd us. Ihe manner in which he brings the tmth
before the mind, and keeps it there tiU it produces ite effect,
we cannot teU. But we can know as mudi as this — that he
leads us to a deep consideration of the state of things ; and
the result of this, the natural and phUosophical result, is,
deep feeling. When the Spirit brings the txuth up before a
man's mind, there is only one way in which he can keep from
deep feehng. That is, by turning away his thoughte, and
leading his mind to think of other things. Sinners, when
the Spirit of God brings the truth before them, must feel
Ihey fed vyrong, as long as they remain impenitent So, if
a man is a Christian, and the Holy Spirit brings a subject
into warm contact with his heart, it is just as impossible he
should not feel, as it is that your hand should not feel if you
put it into the fire. If the Spirit of God leads him to dweU
on things calculated to exdte warm and overpowering fed-
ings, and he is not excited by them, it proves that he has no
love for souls, nothing of the Spirit of Christ, and knows
nothing about Christian experience.
2. The Spirit makes the Christian feel the value of souls, ''
and the gfuUt and danger of sinners in their present condition.
It is amazing how dark and stupid Christians often are about
this. Even Christian parents let their chUdren go right
down to heU before their eyes, and scarcely seem to exerdse
a single feeling, or put forth an effort to save them. And
why ? Because they are so blind to what heU is, so unbehev-
ing about the Bible, so ignorant of the predous promises
which God has made to faithful parente They grieve the
Spirit of God away, and it is in vain to try to make them
pray for their chUdren, whUe the Spirit of God is away from
them. 3. He leads Christians to understand and apply the prom
ises of Scripture. It is wonderful that in no age have Chris
tians been able fuUy to apply the promises of Scripture to
the evente of life, as they go along. This is not because the
promises themsdves are obscure. The promises themselves
are plain enough. But there has always been a wonderful
disposition to overlook the Scriptures, as a source of light
respecting the passing evente of life. How astonished tlie
aposties were at Christ's apphcation of so many prophecies
to himself 1 They seemed to be continuaUy ready to exdaim,
" Astonishing 1 Can it be so ? We never understood it be-
fora" Who, that has witnessed the manner in which the
apostles, influenced and inspired by the Holy Ghost, applied
passages of tihe Old Testament to gospel times, has not been

8o SPIEIT OF PBATEB.
amazed at the richness of meaning which they foimd in the
Scriptures ? So it has been with many a Christian ; whUe
deeply engaged in prayer, he has seen that passages of
Scripture are appropriate which he never thought of before,
as having any such apphcation.
I once knew an indiridual who was in great spiritual dark
ness. He had retired for prayer, resolved that he would not
desist tiU he had found the Lord. He kneeled down and
tried to pray. All was dark, and he could not pray. . He
rose from his knees, and stood a whUe, but he could not give
it up, for he had promised that he would not let the sun go
down before he had given himself to God. He knelt again,
but it was aU dark, and his heart was hard as before. He
was nearly ia despair, and said in agony, " I have grieved
the Spirit of God away, and there is no promise for me. I
am shut out from the presence of God." But his resolution
was formed not to give over, and again he knelt dovm. He
had said but a few words, when this passage came into his
mind as fresh as if he had just read it ; it seemed as if he
had just been reading the words, " Te shaU seek me, and flnd
me, when ye shall search for me vrith aU your heart." Jer.
xxis. 13. Though this promise was in the Old Testament^
and was addressed to the Jews, it was stiU as apphcable to
him as to them. And it broke his heart, hke the hammer of
the Lord, in a moment. He prayed, and rose up, happy in
God. Thus it often happens when professors of religion are
praying for their children. Sometimes they pray, and are in
darkness and doubt, feehng as if there was no foundation for
faith, and no spedal promises for the duldren of behevers.
But whUe they axe pleading, God has shovra. them the fnU
meaning of some promise, and their soul has rested on it as
on the mighty arm of God. I once heard of a widow who
was greatiy exercised about her chUdren, till this passage
was brought powerfully to her mind : " Leave thy fatherless
duldren with me, I vnU preserve them alive." She saw it
had an extended meaning, and she was enabled to lay hold
on it, as it were, vrith her hands ; and then she prevaUed in
prayer, and her chUdren were converted. The Holy Spirit
was sent into the world by the Sariour, to guide his people and
instruct them, and bring things to their remembrance, as weU
as to convince the world of sin.
4 The Spirit leads Christians to desire and pray for things
of which nothing is specificaUy said in the word of God.
Take the case of an indiridual That God is wUling to save
is a general truth. So it is a general truth that he is wUling;

aPIBTT OF PBATEB. 87
to answer prayer. But how shaU I know the wUl of God
respecting that indiridual, whether I can pray in faith accord
ing to the wiU of God for the conversion and salvation of
that indiridual, or not ? Here the agency of the Spirit comes
in, to lead the minds of God's people to pray for those in
diriduals, and at those times, when God is prepared to bless
them. When we know not what to pray for, the Holy Spirit
leads the mind to dweU on some object, to condder its dtua-
tion, to realize its value, and to feel for it, and pray, and
travaU in birth, tUl the object is attained. This sort of expe
rience I know is less common in dties than it is in some parte
of the country, because of the infinite number of things to
divert the attention and grieve the Spirit in dties. I have
had much opportunity to know how it has been in some
sections. I was acquainted vrith an indiridual who used to
keep a list of persons that he was spedally concerned for ;
and I have had the opportunity to know a multitude of per
sons for whom he became thus interested, who were imme
diatdy converted. I have seen him pray for persons on hia
list, when he was hterally in an agony for them ; and have
sometimes known him call on some other person to help bini
pray for such a one. I have known his mind to fasten on an
indiridual of hardened, abandoned character, and who could
not be reached in any ordinary way. In a town in the north
part of this State, where tiiere was a rerival, there was a cei^
tain indiridual who was a most riolent and outrageous op
poser. He kept a tevem, and used to delight in swearing at
a desperate rate, whenever there were Christians vrithin hear
ing, on purpose to hurt their feehngs. He was so bad, that
one man said he beheved he should have to seU his place, or
give it away, and move out of town, for he could not hve near
a man that swore so. This good man, that I was speaking
of, was passing through the town, and heard of the case,
and was very much grieved and distressed for the indiridual
He took him on his praying list The case weighed on his
mind, when he was asleep and when he was awake. He
kept tbinking about him, and praying for him for days.
And the first we knew of it, this ungodly man came into a
meeting, and got up and confessed his sins, and poured out
his soul. His bar-room immediately became the place where
they held prayer meetings. In this manner the Spirit of God
leads indiridual Christians to pray for things whidi they would
not pray for, unless they were led by the Spirit And thus
they pray for things according to the vriU of God.
By some, this may be said to be a revelation from Gro6L I

88 SPIBIT OF PBATEB.
do not doubt that great eril has been done by saying that
this kind of influence amounts to a new revdation. And
many people vriU be afraid of it if they hear it called a new
revdation, so that they vriU not stop to inquire what it means,
or whether the Scriptures teach it or not They suppose it
to be a complete answer to the idea. But the plain truth of
the matter is, that the Spirit leads a man to pray. And if
God leads a man to pray for an indiridual, the inference from
the Bible is, that God designs to save that indiridual If wa
find by comparing our stete of mind vrith the Bible, that we
are led by the Spirit to pray for an indiridual, we have good
eridence to beheve that God is prepared to bless him.
6. By giving to Christians a spiritual discernment respect
ing the movemente and developmente of Proridence. De
voted, praying Christians often see these things so dearly,
and look so far ahead, as greatiy to stumble others. They
aometimes almost seem to prophesy. No doubt persons may
be dduded, and sometimes are so, by leaning to their owu
understanding when they think they are led by the Spirit
But there is no doubt that a Christian may be made to see
and to discern clearly the signs of the times, so as to under
stand, by proridence, what to expect, and thus to pray for it
in faith. Thus they are often led to expect a rerival, and to
pray for it in faith, when nobody else can see the least signs of it
There was a woman in New Jersey, in a place where there
had been a rerival She was very podtive tiiere was going to
be another. She indsted upon it that they had had the for
mer rain, and were now going to have the latter rain. She
wanted to have conference meetings appointed. But the
minister and elders saw nothing to encourage it, and would
do nothing. She saw they were blind, and so she went for
ward and got a carpenter to make seats for her, for she said
she would have meetings in her ovm house. There was cer^
tainly going to be a rerival She had scarcely opened her
doors for meetings, before the Spirit of God came down in
great power. And these deepy church members found them
selves surrounded all at once vrith conricted sinners. And
they could only say, " Surely the Lord was in this place, and
we knew it noti." The reason why such persons imderstand
the indication of God's vriU is not because of the superior
wisdom that is in them, but because the Spirit of God
leada them to see the signs of the times. And thisj, not
by revdation; but they are led to see that converging of pro
ridences to a single point, which produces in them a confident
expectetion of a certain result

SPIBIT OF BBATEB. 80
V. In what degree are we to expect the Spirit of God to
affect the minds of behevers ? The text says, " The Spirit
maketh intercession with groanings that cannot be uttered."
The meaning of this I understand to be, that the Spirit ex
dtes desires too great to be uttered except by groans. Some
thing that language cannot utter — making the soul too fuU to
utter its feelings by words, where the person can only groan
them out to God, who understands the language of the heart
VL How are we to know whether it is the Spirit of God
that influences our minds or not ?
1. Not by feeling that some external influence or agency is
applied to ua We are not to expect to feel our minds in di
rect physical contact with God. If such a thing can be, we
know of no way in which it can be made senmble. We know
that we exerdse our minds fredy, and that our thoughte are
exerdsed on something that exdtes our feehngs. But we
are not to expect a mirade to be vwought, as if we were led
by the hand, sendbly, or hke something whispered in the ear,
or any miraculous manifestetion of the wUl of God. People
often grieve the Spirit away, because they do not harbor bim
and dierish his influences Sinners often do this ignorantiy.
They suppose that if they were under conriction by the Spirit,
they should have such and such mysterious feelings, a diock
would come upon them, which they could not mistake. Many
Christians are so ignorant of the Spirit's influences, and have
thought so httie about having his assistance in prayer, that
when they have them they do not know it, and so do not
cherish, and yield to them, and preserve them. We are con-
sdous of nothing in the case, only the movement of our own
minda There is nothing else that can be felt We are mere
ly aware that our thoughte are intensdy employed on a cer
tein subject Christians are often unnecessarily mided and
distressed on this point, for fear they have not the Spirit of
God. They feel intensely, but they know not what makes
them feel They are d^tressed about sinners ; but why
should they not be distressed, when they think of their condi
tion ? They keep thinking about them all the time, and why
shouldn't they be distressed? Now, the tmth is, that the
very fact that you are thinking upon them is eridence that the
Spirit of God is leading yon. Do you not know that the
greater part of the time these things do not affect you so 7
The greater part of the time you do not think mudi about
the case of sinnera Ton know that their salvation is always
equaUy important But at other times, even when you are
quite at leisure, your mind is entirdy dark, and vacant of any

90 BPIBIT OF FBATXB.
feeling for them. But now, although you may be busy about
other things, you think, you pray, and feel intensely for
them, even whUe you are about business that at other times
would occupy aU your thoughts. Now, almost every thought
you have is, " God have mercy on them." Why is tins ? Why,
their case is placed in a strong light before your mind. Do
you ask what it is that leads your mind to exercise benevo
lence for sinners, and to agonize in prayer for them ? What
can it be but the Spuit of God? There are no devUs that
would lead you so. If your feelings are truly benevolent, you
are to condder it as the Holy Spuit leading you to pray for
things according to the vrill of Ckid.
2. Try the spirite by the Bible. People are sometimes
led away by steange fantades and crazy impulsea If you
compare them faithfuUy with the Bible, you never need be
led astray. Tou can always know whetlier your feelings are
produced by the Spirit's influences, by comparing your de
sires with tlie spirit and temper of religion as described in
the Bible. The Bible commands you to try the spirita
" Beloved, beheve not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether
they be of God." Observe not only your feelings in regard to
your feUow-men, but also, and more especiaUy, the teachings
of the Spirit within you respecting our Lord Jesus Christ
" Hereby know ye the Spirit of God. Every spirit that con
fesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And
every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in
the fles^ is not of God ; and this is that spirit of Antichrist
whereof ye have heard that it shaU come ; and even now
already it ia ia the world."
Vii. How shall we get this influence of the Spirit of God ?
1. It must be sought by fervent, beheving prayer. Christ
says, " If ye then, being evU, know how to give good gifts to
your chUdren, how much more shall your heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him I" Does any one
say, I have prayed for him, and he does not come ? It is be
cause you do not pray aright " Te ask and receive not, be
cause ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusta"
Tou do not pray from right motivea A professor of re
hgion, and a prindpal member in a church, once asked a min
ister what he thought of his case ; he had been praying week
after week for the Spirit, and had not received him. The
minister asked him what his motive was in praying. He said
he wanted to be happy. He knew those who had the Spirit
were happy, and he wanted to enjoy his mind as they did.
Why, the deril himself might pray sa That is mere selfish

¦PIBTT OF PBATEB. 91
ness. The man turned away in anger. He saw that he had
never known what it was to pray. He was convinced he was
a hypocrite, and that his prayers were aU selfish, dictated only
by a desire for his ovyn happiness. Darid prayed that God
would uphold him by his free Spirit, that he might teach
transgressors and turn sinners to God. A Christian should
pray for the Spirit that he may be the more useful and
rforify God more ; not that he hunsdf may be more happy.
This man saw clearly where he had been in error, and he
was converted. Perhaps many here have been just so.
Tou ought to examine and see if aU your prayers are not
selfish. 2. Use the means adapted to stir up your minds on the
subject, and to keep your attention fixed there. If a man
prays for the Spirit, and then diverts his mind to other ob
jects ; uses no other means, but goes right away to worldly
objects ; he tempts God, he swings loose from his object, and
it would be a mirade ii he should get what he prays for.
How is a sinner to get conriction ? Why, by thinking of his
sina That is the way for a Christian to obtain deep feehngs
by tliinlring on the object God is not going to pour these
things on you vrithout any effort of your own. Tou must
chensh the slightest impresdons. Take the Bible, and go
over the passages that show the condition and prospects of
the world. Look at the world, look at your chUdren, and
your neighbors, and see their condition whUe they remain in
sin, and persevere in prayer and effort tUl you obtain the
blessing of the Spirit of God to dweU in you. Thia was the
way, doubtiess, that Dr. Watts came to have the feelings which
he has described in the second Hymn of the second Book,
vhich you would do well to read after you go homa

My thoughts on awful Bubjecta roll.
Damnation and the dead :
What horrors seize the guilty Boul
Upon a dying bed.
Lingering about these mortal shores.
She makes a long delay,
Till, like a flood, with rapid force
Death sweeps the wretch away.
Then, swift and dreadful, she descenda
Down to the fiery coast,
Amongst abominable fiends,
Herself a frighted ghost.

M BPIBIT OF PBATEB.
There endless crowds of sinners lie.
And darkness makes their chaini ;
Tortured with keen despair they cry.
Yet wait for fiercer pains.
Not all their anguish and their blood
For their past guilt atones,
Nor the compassion of a God
Shall hearken to their groans.
Amazing grace, that kept my breath,
Nor bid my soul remove,
Till I had learned my Saviour's death,
And well insured his love.
Look, as it were, through a telescope that wUl bring it up
near to you ; look into hell, and hear them groan ; then turn
the glass upwards and look at heaven, and see the saints
there, in their white robes, with their harps in their hands,
and hear them sing the song of redeeming love ; and ask
yourself — ^Is it posdble, that I should prevaU vrith God to
devate the sinner there ? Do this, and if you are not a vricked
man, and a stranger to God, you wUl soon have as much of
the spirit of prayer as your body can sustain.
3. Tou must wateh unto prayer. Tou must keep a look
out, and see if God grants the blessing when you ask bim.
People sometimes pray, and never look to see if the prayer ia
granted- Be careful also, not to grieve the Spirit of God.
Confess and forsake your sins. God wUl never lead you as
one of his hidden ones, and let you into his secrets, unless
you confess and forsake your sina Not be always confessing
and never forsake, but confess and forsake too. Make re
dress wherever you have committed an injury. Tou cannot
expect to get the spirit of prayer first, and then repent Tou
cannot fight it through so. Professors of rehgion, who are
proud and unyielding, and justify themselves, never wUl force
God to dweU vrith them.
4 Aim to obey perfectiy the written law. In other words,
have no fdlowship vrith sin. Aim at being entirely above the
world ; " Be ye perfect even as your Father in heaven is per
feet" If you sin at all, let it be your daUy griel The man
who does not aim at this, means to live in sin. Such a man
need not expect God's blessuig, for he is not sincere in deal
ing to keep aU his commandmenta
Vin. For whom does the Spirit iatercede?
Answer — He maketh intercesdon for the saints, for oO

BPIBTT OF PBATBB. 98
aaiata, for any who are sainta "Likewise the Spirit also
helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray
for as we ought ; but the Spirit itself maketh mtercession for
us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that
seardieth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit
because he maketh iatercession for the sainte according to
the will oi God."— -Eom. viii 26, 27.
BEMABKa
1. Why do you suppose it is, that so httie stress is laid on
the influences of the Spirit in prayer, when so much is said
about his influences in conversion ? Many people are amaz
ingly afraid the Spirit's influences vriU be left out They lay
^eat stress on the Spirit's influences in converting sinners.
But how little is said, how httie is printed, about his influence
in prayer ! How httie complaining that people do not make
enough of the Spirit's influences in leading Christians to pray
according to the vriU of God ! Let it never be forgotten, that
no Christian ever prays aright, unless led by the Spirit He
has natural power to pray, and so far as the wUl of God is
revealed, is able to do it ; but he never does, unless the Spirit
of God influences him. Just as sinners are able to repent^
but never do, unless influenced by the Spirit
2. This subject lays open the foundation of the difficulty felt
by many persons on the subject of the Prayer of Faith. They
object to the idea that faith in prayer is a behef that we shaU
recdve the very things for whidi we ask; and indst that there
can be no foundation or eridence upon which to rest such a
bdiel In a sermon published a few years dnce, upon this
subject, the writer brings forward this difficulty, and presente
it in ite fuU strength. I have, says he, no eridence that the
thing prayed for vriU be granted, un^ I have prayed in faith ;
because, praying in faith is the condition upon which it is pro
mised. And of course I cannot claim the promise, until I
have fulfilled the condition. Now, if the condition is, that I
am to beheve I shall recdve the very blessing for which I ask,
it is erident that the promise is given upon the performance
of an impossible condition, and is of course a mere nuUity.
The promise would amount to just this: Tou shaU have what
soever you ask, upon the condition that you first believe that
you shall receive it Now, I must fulfil the conditio^ before
I can claim the promise. But I can have no eridence that I
shall receive it until I have beheved that I shall receive it
This reduces me to the necessity of believing that I shall re-

94 apinrr of pbatbb.
oeive it before I have any eridence that I shaU recdve it—
which is impossible.
The whole force of this objection arises out of the fact, that
the Spirits influences are entirely overlooked, which he exerte
in leading an indiridual to the exercise of faith. It has been
supposed tliat the passage in Mark xL 22 and 24, with othei
kindred promises on the subject of the Prayer of Faith, relate
exdusivdy to miradea But suppose this were true. I would
ask. What were the apostles to beheve, when they prayed for
a mirade? Were they to beheve that the precise miracle
would be performed for which they prayed? It is erident that
they were. In the verses just alluded to, Christ says, " For
venly I say unto you, that whosoever shaU say unto this
mountain. Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea,
and shaU not doubt in his heart, but SHALL BELIEVE
THAT THESE THINGS WHICH HE SAITH SHALL
COME TO PASS, he shall have whatsoever he saith. There
fore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye
raay, believb that te receive them, and ye shaU have them."
Here it is erident, that the thing to be believed, and which
they were not to doubt in their heart, was, that they should
have the very blessing for which they prayed. Now the ol>
jection above stated, lies in all its force against this kind of
mith, when praying for the performance of a mirade. If it
be impossible to beheve this in praying for any other blessing,
it was equaUy so in praying for a mirade. I might ask. Could
an apostle beheve that the mirade would be wrought, before
he had fulfilled the condition ? inasmuch as the condition was,
that he should beheve that he should receive that for which
he prayed. Either the promise is a nuUity and a deception,
or tiiere is a possibUity of performing the condition.
Now, as I have said, the whole difficulty hes in the fact that
the Spirit's influences are entirely overlooked, and that faith
which is of the operation of God, is left out of the question. If
the objection is good against praying for any object, it is as
good against praying in faith for the performance of a mirade.
The fact is, that the Spirit of God could give eridence, on
which to believe that any particular miracle would be granted;
could lead the mind to a lirm reliance upon God, and trust
that the blessing sought would be obtained. And so at the
present day he can give the same assurance, in praying for
any blessing that we need. Neither ia the one case nor the
other, are the influences of the S^rit miraculoua Praying is
the same thing, whether you pray for the converdon of a soul
or for a mtrada Faith is thfl niMx^ tkin^ in i,jie one case ae

aPUUT OF PBATXB M
m the other ; it only terminates on a different object ; in the
one case on the conversion of a soul, and in the other on the
performance of a miracle. Nor is faith exercised in the one
more than in the other, without reference to a promise ; and
a general promise may vrith the same propriety be apphed to
the converdon of a soul as to the performance of a mirada
And it is equaUy tme in the one case as the other, that no
man ever prays in faith vrithout being influenced by the Spirit
of God. And if the Spirit could lead the mind of an apostie
to exerdse faith in regard to a miracle, he can lead the mind
of another Christian to exercise &ith in regard to receiving
any other blessing, by a reference to the same general
promise. Should any one ask, "When are we under an obligation U.
believe that we shaU recdve Oie l^essing for which we ask ? '
I answer: (1.) When there is a particular promise, specifying the par
tioiilar blessing : as where we pray for the Holy Spirit This
blessing is particularly named in the promise, and here we
have eridence, and are bound to beUeve, whether we have any
Divine influence or not ; just as sinners are bound to repent
whether the Spirit strives with them or not Their obligation
reste, not upon the Spirit's influences, but upon the powers
of moral agency which they possess ; upon their abihty to do
their duty. And whUe it is tme that not one of them ever
will repent vrithout the influences of the Spirit, stiU they have
power to do so, and are under obligation to do so, whether
the Spirit strives witli them or not So vrith the Christian.
He is bound to believe where he has eridence. And although
he never does beheve, even where he has an express promise,
without the Spirit of God, yet his obligation to do so reste
upon his abUity, and not upon the Divine influence.
(2.) Where God makes a revelation by his proridence, we
are bound to beheve in proportion to the deamess of the pro
ridential indication.
(3.) So where there is a prophecy, we are bound also to
beheva But in ndther of these cases douse, in foot, beheve,
without the Spirit of God.
But where there is neither promise, proridence, nor pro
phecy, on which to repose our faith, we are under no obligar
tion to believe, unless, as I have shovrai in this discourse, the
Spirit gives us eridence, by creating desires, and by leading ua
to pray for a particular object In the case of those promises
of a general nature, where we are honestly at a loss to know
in what pwrticular cases to apply them, it inay be conddered

98 aPIBTt OF PBATXB.
rather as our privUege than as our duty, in many instances,
to apply them to particular cases ; but whenever the Spirit
of GFod leads us to apply them to a particular object, then it
becomes our duty so to apply them. In this case, God ex
plains his ovm promise, and shows how he designed it should
be apphed. And then our obligation to make thM application,
and to beUeve in reference to this particular object, remains
in fuU force.
3. Some have supposed that Paul prayed in faith for the
removal of the thorn in the flesh, and that it was not granted.
But they cannot prove that Paul prayed in faith, fiie pre
sumption is aU on the other side, as I have shown in a former
lectmra He had ndther promise, nor prophecy, nor prori
dence, nor the Spirit of God, to lead mm to believe. The
whole objection goes on the ground that the apostle might
pray in faith without being led by the Spirit This is truly a
shorthand method of disposing of the Spirit's influences in
prayer. Certainly, to assume that he prayed in faith, is to
assume dther that he prayed in faith without being led by
the Spirit, or that the Spirit of God led him to pray for that
which was not according to the vriU of God.
I have dwelt the more on this object, because I want to
have it made so plain, that you wUl all be careful not to grieve
the Spirit I want you to have high ideas of the Holy Ghost^
and to feel that nothing good vriU be done vrithout his influ-
encea No praying or preaching wiU be of any aYaU vrithout
him. If Jesus Christ were to come down here and preach
to sinners, not one would be converted without the Spirit
Bo careful then not to grieve him away, by slighting or
neglecting his heavenly influences when he inrites you to
pray. 4 In praying for an object, it is necessary to persevere tiU
you obtain it. Oh, with what eagerness Chnstians sometimes
pursue a sinner in their prayers, when the Spirit of God has
fixed their desires on him ! No miser pursues his gold with
so fixed a determination.
5. The fear of being led by impulses has done great injury,
by not being duly conddered. A person's mind may be \e\
by an ignis fatuus. But we do wrong if we let the fear of
impulses lead us to resist the good impulses of the Holy
Ghost No wonder Christians do not have the spirit of
prayer, if they are imwilling to take the trouble to distinguidi ;
and so reject or redst all impulses and aU leadings of
inrisible agente. A great deal has been said about fanati
cism, that is very unguarded, and that causes many minds

BPIBIT OF PB rSB. Vt
to reject the leadings of the Spirit of God. " As many aa
ore the sons of God ore led by tiie Spirit of God." And it ia
our dufy to try the Spirite whether they be of God. We
diould insist on a dose scrutiny and an accurate discrimina
tion. There must be such a thing as being led by the Spirit
And when we are convinced it is of God, we should be sure to
follow — ^foUow on, vrith fuU confidence tiiat he wiUnot lead us
wrong. 6. We see from this subject the absurdity of using forms
of prayer. The very idea of using a form rejects, (^ course,
the leadings of the Spirit Nothing is more calculated to
destroy the spirit of prayer, and entirdy to darken and con
fuse tlie mind, as to what constitutes prayer, than to use
forma Forms of prayer are not only absurd in themsdves,
but they are the very derice of the deril to destroy the spirit
and break the power of prayer. It is of no use to say the
form is a good ona Prayer does not consist in worda And
it matters not what the words are, if the heart is not led by
the Spirit of Gtod. If the desire is not enkindled, the
thoughte directed, and the whole current of feeling produced
and led by the Spirit of God, it is not prayer. And set forma
ore, of aU things, best calculated to keep an indiridual from
praying as he ought
7. The subject fumidies a tost of character. The Spirit
maketh intercesdon — ^for whom? For the sainta Those
who are sainte ore thus exercised. If you ore saints^ you
know by experience what it is to be thus exercised, or it ia
because you have grieved the Spirit of God, so that he wiH
not lead you. Tou live in such a manner that this Holy
Comforter vriU not dweU vrith you, nor give you the spirit of
prayer. If this is so, you must repent Whether you are a
Chnstian or not, do not stop to settie that, but repent, as if
you never had repented. Do your first worka Don't take
it for granted that you are a Christian, «t go hke a humble
sinner, and pour out your heart imto the Lord. Tou never
can have the spirit of prayer in any other way.
8. The importance of understanding this subject
^L) In order to be useful Without this spuit there can
be no such sympathy between you and God that you can
dther walk vrith God or work vrith God. Tou need to have
a strong beating of your heart vrith his, or you need not ex
pect to be greatiy useful
(2.) As important to your sanctification. Without such
a spirit youvriU not be sanctified, you wUl not understand the
Bibla yon wiu not know how to apply it to yonr oasa I
6

98 RPIBIT OF PBAYEB.
want you to feel the importance of having God vrith yon all
the time. If you hve as you ought, he says he vriU come unto
you, and make his abode vrith you, and sup with you, and
you with him.
9. If people know not the spirit of prayer, they are very
apt to be unbelieving in regard to tiie resulte of prayer.
They do not see what takes place, or do not see the connection,
or do not see the eridence. They are not expecting spiritual
blessLnga When sinners are conricted, they think they are
only fnghtened by sudi terrible preaching. And when people
are converted, they feel no confidence, and only say, " We'U
see how they turn out"
10. Those who have the spirit of prayer know when the
blessing cOmes. It was just so when Jesus Christ appeared
These ungodly doctors did not know him. Why ? Because
they were not praying for the redemption of Israel But
Simeon and Anna knew him. How was that ? Mark what they
said, how they prayed and how they hved. They were pray
ing in &dth, and so they were not surprised when he cama
So it is vrith such Christians. If dnners are conricted or
converted, they are not surprised at it They were expecting
just such thinga They know God when he comes, becaiue
mey were looUng out for his vidts.
11. There are three classes of persons in the church who
ore liable to error, or have left the truth out of riew, on tliiis
subject (1.) Those who place great rehance on prayer, and use no
other means. They axe alarmed at any specaal means, and
talk about your "getting up a rerival "
(2.) Over against these are those who use means, and pray,
but never think about the iofluences of the Spirit in prayer,
They talk about prayer for the Spirit, and feel the import
ance of the Spirit in the conversion of sinners, but do not
realize the importance of the Spirit in prayer. And their
prayers are aU cold talk, nothing that any body can feel, or
that can teke hold of God.
(3.) Those who have certain strange notions about the
sovereignty of God, and are waiting for God to convert the
world without prayer or means.
There must be in the jhurch a deeper sense of the need of
the spfrit of prayer. T le fact is that, generally,, those who
use means most asdduously, and make the most strenuous
efforte for the salvation of men, and who have the most cor
rect notions of the manner in which means should be used
for converting sinners, also pray most for the Spirit of God.

BPIBrr OF PBATBB. 90
and wrestie most with God for his blessing. And what is the
result ? Let facts speak, and say whether these persons do
or do not pray, and whetiier the Spirit of Grod doea not tes
tify to their prayers, and follow their labors vrith his power.
12. A spirit very different from the spirit of prayer appears
to prevaU in certain portions of the Presbyterian church at
the present time. Nothing vriU produce an exdtement and
opposition so quick as the spirit of prayer. If any person
should feel burdened with the case of sinners, in prayer, so
OS to groan in his prayer, why, the women are nervous, and
he is vidtod at once with rebuke and oppodtion. From my
soul I abhor aU affectation of feeling where there is none,
and aU attempts to work one's self up into feeling by groana
But I feel bound to defend the podtion that there is such a
thing as b^ing in a stete of mind in which there is but one
way to keep from groaning ; and that is, by resisting the
Holy Ghost I was once present where this subject was dis
cussed. It was said that groaning ought to be discounte
nanced. The question was asked, whether God could not
produce such a state of feeling that to abstain from groaning
was imposdble? and the answer was, "Tes, but he never
doea" Then the apostie Paul was egregioudy decdved when
he vrrote about groanings that cannot be uttered. Edwards
was deceived when he wrote his book upon rerivals. Ee-
rivals are aU in the dark. Now, no man who reriews the
history of the church vrill adopt such a sentiment I do not
Uke this attempt to shut out, or stifle, or keep down, or limit
the spirit of prayer. I would sooner cut off my right hand
than rebuke the spirit of prayer, as I have heard of ite beuig
done by saying, " Don't let me hear any more groaning."
But then, I hardly know where to condude this subject I
should like to discuss it a month, and tUl the whole church
could understand it, so as to pray the prayer of faith. Be
loved, I want to ask you if you beheve all this? Or do you
wonder that I should talk so ? Perhaps some of you have
had some glimpses of these thinga Now, vriU you give your
selves up to prayer, and hve so as to have the spirit of
prayer, and have the spirit with you aU the time? Oh, for a
praying diurdi ! I once knew a minister who had a rerival four
teen vrinters in succession. I did not know how to account for it
tUl I saw one of his members get up in a prayer meeting and
make a confesdon. " Brethren," said he, " I have been long
in the habit of praying every Saturday night tiU after mid
night, for the descent of the Holy Ghost among ua And
now, brethren," and he began to weep, "I confess that T

100 BPIBTT OF PBATEB.
have neglected it for two or three weeks." The secret was
out That minister had a praying church. Brethren, in mj
present stete of health, I find it imposdble to pray as much
as I have been in the habit of doing, and continue to preach.
It overcomes my strength. Now, ShaU I give myself up to
prayer, and stop preaching? That wiU not do. Now, vriU
not you, who are in health, throw yourselves into this work,
and bear this burden, and lay yoursdves out in prayer, till
God wiU pour out his blessing upon na?

LECTUEE vn.

BB FELLED WITH THB SFIBIT,
Tbxt.— Be lllled with the Spirit.— Bin. v. 18.
Sbtebai. of my last lectures have been on the subject of
prayer, and the importance of having the spirit of prayer, of
the intercesdon of the Holy Ghost Whenever the necessiiy
and importance of the Spirit's influences are hdd forth, there
can be no doubt that persons are in danger of abusing tiie
doctrine, and pervertii^ it to their own injury. For instenee,
when you teU sinners t£at vrithout the Holy Spirit they neYer
wiU repent, they are very hable to pervert the truth, and im
derstand by it that they cannot repent, and therefore are under
no obligation to do it until they feel the Spirit It is often
difficult to make them see that aU the " cannot" consiste in
their unvriUingness, and not in their inability. So again,
when we teU C&istians that they need the Spirit's aid in pray
er, they are very apt to think tjhey are under no obligation to
pray the prayer of faith, untU they feel the influences of
the Spirit They overlook their obligation to be fiUed with
the Spirit and wait for the spirit of prayer to come upon th«m
without asking, and thus tempt God.
Before we come to condder the other department of means
for promoting a rerival, that is, Ove means to be used unth Sttt-
ners, I wish to show you, that if you hve without the Spirit^
you are vrithout excuse. Obligation to perform duty never
reste on the condition, that we shaU first have the influence
of the Spirit, but on the powers of moral agency. We, as
moral agente, have the power to obey God, and are perfectiy
bound to obey, and the reason we do not is, that we are un-
vrilling. The iofluences of the Spirit are whoUy a matter of
grace. If they were indispensable to enable us to perform
duty, the bestovraient of them would not be a gradous act,
but a mere matter of common justice. Sinners are not bound
to repent because they have the Spirit's influence, or because
they can obtain it, but because they are moral agentei, and
have the powers which God requires them to exercisa So in
the case of Christians. They are not bound to pray in feith
because they have the Spirit, (except in those cases where his
(lOU

102 BE FILLED WITH THB SPIBIT.
influences in begetting desire constitute the eridence that it
is God's vriU to grant the object of desire,) but because they
have eridenca They are not bound to pray in faith at all,
except when they have eridence as the foundation of theii
faith. They must have eridence from promises, or prindple,
or prophecy, or proridence. And where they have eridenca
independent of his influences, they are bound to exercise faith,
whether they have the Spirit's influence or not They are
bound to see the eridence, and to beheve. The Spirit is given
not to enable them to see or beheve, but because vrithout it
they uM not look, nor feel, nor act, as they ought I purpose
this evening to show from the text,
L That Christians may be fiUed vrith the Spirit of Qod.
n. That it is their duty to be fiUed vrith the Spirit
nX Why they are not filled vrith the Spirit
IV. The gnUt of those who have not the Spirit of God, to
lead their minds in duty and prayer.
V. The consequences that wUl foUow if they are fiUed with
the Spirit
VL The consequences if they are not
L I am to show you that you may have the Spirit Not
because it is a matter of justice for God to give you his SpL^
i^ but because he has promised to give it to those that ask.
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifte to your
duldren, how much more shaU your Father which is in heaven
give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? " If you adc the
Holy Spirit, God has promised to give it
But again, God has commanded you to have it He saya
in the text, "Be filled vrith the Spfrit" When God com
mands us to do a thing, it is the highest possible evidence
that we can do it For God to command, is equivalent to
an oath that we can do it He has no right to command,
unless we have power to obey. There is no stopping short
of the condusion that God is an infinite tyrant, if he com
mands that whidi is impracticable.
n. I am to show, secondly, that it is your duty.
1. Because you have a promise of it
2. Because God has commanded it.
3. It is essential to your own growth in grace that yon
should be fiUed vrith the Spirit
4 It is as important as it is that you should be sanctified.
6. It is as necessary as it is that you should be useful and
do good in the world
6. If you do not have the Spirit of God in you, you wiU
didionor God, disgrace the church, and die and go to heD.

BB FILLED WITH THE BPIBIT. 103
UL Why many do not have the Spirit There are some,
even professors of religion, who wUl say, " I do not know any
thing about this ; I never had any such experience ; dther
it is not true or I am aU vrrong." No doubt you are all wrong,
if you know noOiing about the influence of tiie Spirit I want
to present you vrith a few of the reasons that may prevent
you from being fiUed vrith the Spirit
1. It may be that you hve a hypocritical life. Tour pray
ers are not earnest and sincera Not only is your religion a
mere outdde show, vrithout any heart, but you are insincere
in your interconrse vrith othera Thus you do many things
to grieve the Spirit, so that he cannot dweU with yoiL
A minister was once boarding in a certain fanuly, and the
lady of the house was constantiy complaining that she did
not enjoy her mind, and nothing seemed to help her. One
day some ladies caUed to see her, and she protested that she
was very much offended because they had not caUed before,
and pressed them to stay and spend the day, and declared
she oould not consent to let them go. They excused them
sdves, however, and left the house, and as soon as they were
gone, she said to her servant, she wondered these people had
so littie sense as to be always troubling her, and taUng up
her time. The minister heard it, and immediatdy rebuked
her, and told her she could now see why she did not enjoy
religion. It was because she was in the daily habit of insin
cerity that amounted to dovmright lying. And the Spirit of
tmth could not dweU in such a heart
2. Others have so much lerity that the Spirit wiU not dweU
with them. The Spirit of God is solemn, and serious, and
wiU not dweU with those who give way to thoughtiess lerity.
3. Others are so proud that they cannot have the Spirit
They are so fond of dress, high hfe, equipage, fashion, etc.,
that it is no wonder they are not fiUed witii the Spirit And
yet such persons vriU pretend to be at a loss to Imow why it
is that they do not enjoy religion I
4 Some are so worldly-minded, love property so well, and
are trying so hard to get rich, that they cannot have the Spir
it How can he dweU with them, when their thoughts are aU
on things of the world, and all their powers absorbed in pro
curing wealth ? And they hold on to it when they get it, and
they are pained if pressed by consdence to do something for
the conversion of the world. They show how much they
love the world, in aU their intercourse vrith othera Littie
things show it They wUl screw down a poor man, who is
doing a httie piece of work for them, to the lowest penny. If

10-1 BB FILLED VYITH TBE SFIBIT
they are dealing on a large scale, very likely they vriU be hb
eral and fair, because it is for their advantage. But if it is a
person they care not about, a laborer, or a mechanic, or a
servant, they vrill grind bim down to the last fraction, no
matter what it is really worth ; and they actuaUy pretend to
make consdence of 'it, that they cannot posdbly give any
more. Now they would be ashamed to deal so vrith people
of their ovm rank, because it would be known and injure
their reputation. But God knows it, and has it aU written
dovm, that they are covetous and unfair in their dealings,
and vriU not do right, only when it is for their interest Now
how can sudi professors have the Spirit of God ? It is im
posdble. There are a multitude of such things, by which the Spirit
of God is grieved. People call them Uttle sins, but God vriU
not caU them httie. I was struck vrith this thought, when I
saw a httie notice in the Evangelist. The pubhfehers stated
that they had many thousand dollars in the hands of subscrib
ers, which was jnstiy due, and that it would cost them as
much as it was wortli to send an agent to coUect it I sup
pose it is so vrith aU the other religious papers, that subscrib
ers either put the publisher to t£e trouble and expense of
sending an agent to coUect his due, or dse they cheat him out
of it There are doubtless, I do not know how many, thous
ands of dollars held back in this way by professors of religion,
just because it is in sudi smaU sums, or they are so far off
that they cannot be sued. And yet these people vrill pray,
and appear very pious, and wonder why they cannot enjoy
religion, and have the Spirit of God I It is this looseness of
moral prindple, this want of conscience about little matters,
prevailing in the church, that grieves away the Holy Ghost.
Why, it would be disgraceful to God to dweU and have com
munion with such persons, who vrill take an advantage and
dieat their neighbor out of his dues, because they can do it
and not be disgraced.
5. Others do noi fully confess and forsake their sins, and so
cannot enjoy the Spirit's presence. They vriU confess their
sins in general terms, perhaps, and are ready always to ao-
knowle^e that they are sinnera Or they wiU coirfess pai>
tially some particular sins. But they do it reservedly, proud
ly, guardedly, as if they were afraid they should say a httie
more than is necessary ; that is, when they confess to men
the injuries done to them. They do it in a way which shows
that, instead of bursting forth from an ingenuous heart, the
confesdon is wrung from them, by the hand of conscience

BE PILLED WITH THE SPIBIT. 104
gripping them. If they have injured any one, they wUl make
a partial recantation, which is hard-hearted, cruel, and hypo*
critical, and then they wUl ask, "Now, brother, are you satis
fied ? " And you know it would be very difficiilt for a person
to say that he was not satisfied, even if the confession is cold
and heartiess. But I tell you God is not satisfied He knows
whether you have gone the foU length of honest confesdon,
and taken aU the blame that belongs to you. If your con-
fesdons have been constrained and v?rung from you, do you
suppose you can cheat God? "He that covereth his sins
shaU not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh shaU
find mercy." " He that humbleth himself shall be exalted"
Unless you come quite dovm, and confess your sins honestiy,
and remunerate where you have done injury, you have no
right to expect the spirit of prayer.
6. Others are neglecting some knovm duty, and that is the
reason why they have not the Spirit One does not pray in
his fanuly, though he knows he ought to do it, and yet he is
trying to get the spirit of prayer 1 iSiere is many a young man
who feels in his heart that he ought to prepare for the ministry,
and he has not the spirit of prayer because he has some
worldly object in riew, which prevents his devoting himself to
the work. He has knovm his duty, and refuses to do it, and
now he is praying for direction from the Spirit of God He
cannot have it. One has neglected to make a profesdon of
rdigion. He knows his duty, but he refuses to join the diurch.
He once had the spirit of prayer, but neglecting his duty, he
grieved the Spirit away. And now he thinks, if he could once
more enjoy the light of God's countenance, and have his eyir
deuces renewed he would do his duty, and join the church.
And so he is praying for it again, and trying to bring God
over to his terms, to grant him his presence. Tou need not
expect it Tou vriU hve and die in darkness, unless you are
willing first to do your duty, before God manifests himself as
reconcUed to you. It is in vain to say, you vrill come forward
if God wiU first show you the light of his countenance. He
never wiU do it as long as you live ; he vriU let you die with
out it, if you refuse to do your duty.
I have known women who felt tiiat they ought to talk to
their unconverted husbands, and pray vrith them, but they
have neglected it, and so they get into the dark. They kaew
their duty and refused to do it; they went round it, and there
they lost the spirit of prayer.
If you have neglected any knovm duty, and thus lost the
apirit of prayer, you must rield first God has a controvert
5*

106 BE PILLED WITH THE SPIBIT.
with you ; you have refused obedience to God and you muat
retract it Tou may have forgotten it, but God has not, and
you must set yourself to recall it to mind, and repent God
never vriU yield nor grant you his Spirit, tUl you repent Had
I an omnisdent eye now, I could caU the names of the indir
riduals in this congregation, who had neglected some known
duty, or committed some sin, that they have not repented o^
and now they are praying for the spirit of prayer, but they
cannot succeed in obtaining it
To iUustrate this I vriU relate a case. A good man in the
western part of this State, had been a long time an engaged
GhriBtian, and he used to talk to the deepy church vrith wMdi
he was connected By-and-by the church was offended and
got out of patience, and many told him they vrished he would
kt them alone, they did not think he could do them any good
He took them at their word, and they aU went to deep to
gether, and remained so two or three years. By-and-by a
minister came among them and a rerival commenced, but tlus
dder seemed to have lost his spirituality. He used to be foi>
ward in a good work, but now he held back. Everybody
thought it unaccountabla FinaUy, as he was going home one
nigh^ the truth of his dtuation flashed upon Ins mind &-ii<l lie
went into absolute despair for a few minutes. At length his
thoughte were directed back to that dnful resolution to let the
church alone in their sins. He felt that no language could
describe the blackness of that sin. He realized that moment
what it was to be lost, and to find that God had a controversy
vrith him. He saw that it was a bad spirit which caused the
resolution: the same that caused Moses to say, " Tou rebda"
He humbled himself on the spot, and God poured out his
Spirit on him. Perhaps some of you that hear me ore in just
this situation. Tou have said something provoking or un
kind to some person. Perhaps it was peerishness to a servant
that was a Christian. Or perhaps it was speaking censorious
ly of a minister or some other person. Perhaps you have
been angry because your opinions have not been taken, or
yonr dignity has been encroached upon. Search thoroughly,
and see if you cannot find out the sin. Perhaps you have
forgotten it But God has not forgotten it, and never wUl
forgive your unchristian conduct until you repent God can
not overlook it It would do no good if he should What
good would it do to forgive, whUe the sin i^ rankling in your
heart? 7. Perhaps you have resisted the Spirit of God Perhaps
you are in the habit, of redsting the Spirit. Tou resist conrio

BE FILLED WITH THE SPIBIT. 101
tion. In preaching, when something has been said taat
reached your case, your heart has risen up against it and re
sisted Many are vrilling to hear plain and searching preach
ing so long as they can apply it aU to others; a misanthropic
spirit makes them take a satisfaction in hearing others searched
and rebuked ; but if the tmth touch them, they directiy cry
out that it is personal and abusive. Is this your case ? \
8. The fact is that you do not on the whole desire the Spirit!
This is tme in every case in which you do not have the Spirit \
Let me not be mistaken here. I want you should car^uUy \
discriminate. Nothing is more common than for people to I
dedre a thing on some accounte, which they do not choose on j
(he whole. A person may see an artide in a store which he l
desires to purchase, and he goes in and asks the price, and l
thinks of it a httie, and on the whole concludes not to pur- 1
diase it He desires the article, but does not like the price, i
or does not hke to be at the expense, so that, upon the whole, |
he prefers not to purchase it That is the reason why he doea i
not purchase it So persons may desire the Spirit of God on 'i,
some accounte ; from a regard to the comfort and joy of heart ".
which it brings. If you know what it is by former experience &
to commune vrith God aJid ^ow sweet it is to dissolve in peni- i
tence and to be filled vrith the Spirit, you cannot but desire a f
return of those joya And you may set yoursdf to pray |
eamestiy for it, and to pray for a revival of rehgion. But on |
the whole you are unvrilling it should come. Tou have so |
much to do that you cannot attend to it Or it vrill require §
so many sacrifices, "that you cannot bear to have it There |
are some things you are not vrilling to give up. Tou find that f,
if you vrish to have the Spirit of God dweU vrith you, you must '|
lead a different life, you must give up the world you musk ?¦
make sacrifices, you must break off from your worldly assod- 1
ates, and make confession of your sina And so on the whole |
you do not choose to have him come, unless he vriU consent |
to dweU vrith you and let you hve as you please. But that he %
never vriU do. s
9. Perhaps you do not pray for the Spirit ; or you pray and
use no other means, or pray and do not act consistentiy vrith
your prayers. Or you use means calculated to redst them.
Or you ask, and as soon as he comes and begins to affect
your mind you grieve him right away, and vriU not walk
with him.
IV. I am to show the great guUt of not having the Spirit
of God
1. Your guUt is just as great as the anthority of Gk>d is

108 BB FHXEO WITH THB SPIBIZ.
great, which commands you to be flUed vrith the Spirit God
command} it, and it is just as much a disobedience of God's
commands, as it is to swear profanely, or steal, or commit
adultery, or break the Sabbath. Think of that And yet there
are many people who do not blame themselves at all for not
having the Spirit. They even think themselves quite pious
Christians, because they go to prayer meetings, and partake
of the sacrament, and aU that, though they live year after year
without the Spirit of God Now, you see that the same God
who says, " Do not get drunk," says also, " Be fiUed vrith the
Spirit" Tou aU say, if a man is an habitual murderer, or a
thie^ he is no Christian. Why ? Because he hves in habitual
disobedience of God So if he swears, you have no charity
for him. Tou wUl not aUow bim to plead that his heart is
right, and words are nothing. God does not care anything
about worda Tou would t^iink it outrageous to have such a
man in church, or to have a company of snch people pretend
to call themselves a church of Christ. And yet they are not
a whit more absolutely hving in disobedience to God than you
are, who live without the spirit of prayer, and without the pre
sence of God
2. Tour guUt is equal to aU the good you might do if you
had the Spirit of God in as great a measure as it is your datj
to have it, and as you might have it Tou, elders of this
churdi 1 how much good you might do, if you had the Spirit
And you, Sunday-school teachers, how much good you might
do ; and you, church-members, too, if you were fiUed with the
Spirit, you might do vast good infinite good Well, your
gmlt is just as great. Here is a blessing promised, and
you can have it by doing your duty. . Tou are entirdy re
sponsible to the church and to God for aU this good that
you might do. A man is responsible for all the good he
can do.
3. Tour guUt is further measured by aU the evU which you
do ia consequence of not having the Spirit. Tou are a dis
honor to rehgion. Tou are a stumbhng block to the diurch,
and to the world And your guUt is enhanced by aU the va
rious influences you exert. And it wUl prove so in the day of
judgment V. The consequences of having the Spirit
1. Tou wUl be caUed eccentric ; and probably you wiU de'
serve it Probably you wUl reaUy be eccentric. I never knew
a person who was filled with the Spirit, that was not caUed eo-
oentria And the reason is, that they are unlike other peopla
This is always a term of comparison. There is therefore tbe

BE FILLED WITH THE SPIEIT. 108
best of reasons why such persons should appear eccentria
They act under different influences, take different riews, are
moved by different motives, led by a different spirit Tou are
to expect such remarks. How often I have heard the remark
respecting such and such persons, " He is a very good man —
but he is rather eccentria" I have sometimes asked for the
particulars ; in what does his eccentricity consist ? I hear
the catalogue, and the amount is, that he is spiritual Make
up your mind for this, to be eccentric. There is such a thing
as affected eccentridty. Horrible I But there is such a thing
as being so deeply imbued vrith the Spirit of God that you
must and wUl act so as to appear strange and eccentric, to
those who cannot understand the reasons of your con
duct. 2. If you have much of the spirit of God i* is not unlikely
you vrill be thought deranged hy many. We judge men to
be deranged when they act differentiy from what we think to
be prudent and accordmg to common sense, and when they
come to concludons for which we can see no good reasons
Paid was accused of being deranged by those who did not
understend the riews of tibings under which he acted No
doubt Festus thought the man was crazy, and that much
learning had made him mad But Paul said, " I am not mad
most noble Festus." His conduct was so strange, so novel,
that Festus thought it must be insanity. But the truth was,
he only saw the subject so dearly that he threw his whole
soul into it They were entirely in the dark in respect to the
motive by which he was actuated This is by no means un
common. Multitudes have appeared to those who had no
spirituality as if they were deranged Tet (hey saw good
reasons for doing as they did Grod was leading their minds
to act in such a way that those who were not spiritual could
not see the reasons. Tou must make up your mind to this,
and so much the more, as you hve more above the world and
walk vrith God
3. If you have the Spirit of God you must expect to feel
great distress in riew of the dmrch and the world Some
spiritual epicures ask for the Spirit because they think it wUl
make them so perfectiy happy. Some people think that
spiritual Christians are always very happy and free from
sorrow. There never was a greater mistaka Bead your Bibles, and
see how the prophete and aposties were always groaning and
distressed in riew of the state of the church and the world
The apostie Paul says he was always bearing about in his

110 BE FILLED WITH THE SPIEIT.
body the dying of the Lord Jesua I protest, says he, that 1
die daUy. Tou vrill know what it is to sympathize with the
Lord Jesus Christ, and be baptized with the baptism that he
was baptized witL Oh how he agonized in riew of the state
of sinners ! how he travaUed in soul for their salvation I The
more you have of his Spirit, the more dearly you wiU see the
state of sinners, and the more deeply you vrill be distressed
about them. Many times you wiU feel as if you coiUd not
hve in riew of their dtuation ; your distress vstU be unutter
able. Paul says, Rom. ix : 1--3 : " I say the tmth in Christ,
I he not, my consdence also bearing me vritness in the Holy
Ghost, tiiat I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in
my heart. For I could vrish that myself were accursed
from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the
flesh." 4 Tou vriU be often grieved vrith the stete of the ministry.
Some years since I met a woman belonging to one of the
churches in this dty. I inquired of her the stete of religion
here. She seemed unwUling to say much about it, made some
general remarks, and then choked and her eyes filled ^''^^
die said " Oh, our minister's mind seems to be very dark.'
Spiritual Christians often feel like this, and often weep over
it I have seen much of it, and often found Christians who
wept and groaned in secret, to see the darkness on the minds
of ministers in regard to rehgion, their earthUness and fear
of man ; but they dared not speak of it, lest they should be
denounced and threatened ^nd perhaps turned out of the
church. I do not say these things censorioudy, to reproach
my brethren, but because they are trua And ministers
ought to know that nothing is more common than for spirit
ual Christians to feel burdened and distressed at the state of
the ministry. I would not wake up any wrong feelings
towards ministers, but it is time it should be known that
Christians do often get spiritual views of things, and their
souls are kindled up, and then they find that t£eir minister
does not enter into their feehngs, that he is far bdow the
standard of what he ought to be, and in spirituahty far be
low some of the members of his church. This is one of the
most prominent and deeply to be deplored erils of the
present day. The pidy of the ministry, though real, is so
superfidal, in many instances, that the spiritual port of the
church feel that ministers cannot, do not, sympathize with
them. Their preaching does not meet their wants, it does
not feed them, it does not meet their experience. The min
ister has not depth enough of religious experience to know

BB FILLED YFITH THE SPIEIT. Ill
how to search and wake up the church ; to help those under
temptetion, to support the weak, to direct the strong, and
lead them through aU the labyrinths and mazes with which
their path may be beset. When a minister has gone with a
churdi as far as his experience in spiritual exercise goes, there
he stops ; and until he has a renewed experience, untU he is
reconverted his heart broken up afredi, and he set forward
in the divine hfe and Christian experience, he wiU hdp them
uo more. He may preach sound doctrine, and so may an un
converted minister ; but, after all, his preaching wOl want
that searching pungency, that practical bearing, that unction
which alone wUl reach the case of a spiritually-minded
Christian. It is a fact over which the church is groaning,
that the piety of young men suffers so much in the course of
their education, that when they enter the ministry, however
much inteUectual furniture they may possess, they are in a
state of ^ritual babyhood. They want nursing, and need
rather to be fed, than to undertake to feed the Church cd
God 5. If you have much of the Spirit of God yon must make
up your mind to have much oppodtion, both in the church
and the world Very likely the leading men in the diurch
wUl oppose you. There has always been oppodtion ia the
church. So it was when Christ was on earth. If you are far
above their state of feehng, church members wUl oppose you.
If any man vriU hve godly in Christ Jesus, he must expect
persecution. Often the elders, and even the minister, wUl
oppose you, if you are fiUed with the Spirit of God
6. Tou must expect very frequent and agonizing conflicte
with Satan. Satan has very httie trouble vrith those Chris
tians who are not spiritual, but lukewarm, and dothful, and
worldly-minded And such do not understend what is said
about spiritual conflicta Perhaps they wUl smUe when such
things are mentioned And so the deril lete them alona
They don't disturb him, nor he them. But spiritual Chrif*-
tians, he understands very well, are doing him a vast injury,
and therefore, he sets himself against them. Such Christians
often have terrible conflicte They have temptations that
they never thought of before, blasphemous thoughts, atheism,
suggestions to do deeds of wickedness, to desteoy their own
hves, and the hke. And if you are spiritual, you may expeot
these terrible conflicte.
7. Tou wiU have greater conflicte with yourself than you
ever thought of. Tou vriU sometimes find your own corrup
tions making strange headway against the Spirit. " The fled)

112 BE FILIBD vnTH THE SPIBIT.
lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the fledi."
Such a Christian is often throvm into consternation at the
power of his own corruptions. One of the Commodores in the
United States was, as I have been told a spiritual man ; and
his pastor told me he had known that man he on the floor and
groan a great part of the night, in conflict with his own
corruptions, and to cry to God in agony that he would
break the power of the temptetion. It seemed as if the devU
was determined to ruin bim ; and his own feelings, for the
time being, were almost in league with the deril
8. But you wUl have peace vrith God If the church, and
sinners, and the deril oppose you, there vriU be one with
whom you wUl have peace. Let those who are caUed to these
trials, and conflicts, and temptations, and who groan, and
pray, and weep, and break your hearts, remember this con
sideration : your peace, so far as your feelings towards God
are concerned, will flow hke a river.
9. Tou vriU likewise have peace of consdence, if you are
led by the Spirit Tou wiU not be constentiy goaded and
kept on the rack hy a guUty conscience. Tour consdence
wiU be calm and quiet, unruffled as the summer's lake.
10. If fiUed vrith the Spirit, you vriU be useful Tou cannot
help being useful. Even if you were sick and unable to go
out of your room, or to converse, and saw nobody, you would
be ten times more useful than a hundred of those common
sort of Christians who have no spirituality. To give you an
idea of this, I wUl relate an anecdote. A pious man in the
Western part of this State was dck with a consumption. He
was a poor man, and sick for years. An unconverted mer
chant in the place had a kind heart, and used to send bim
now and then something for his comfort, or for his famUy.
He felt grateful for the kindness, but could make no return,
as he wanted to do. At length he determined that the best
return he could make would be to pray for his salvation ; he
began to pray, and his soul kindled, and he got hold of God
There was no rerival there, but by and by, to the astonish
ment of every body, this merchant came right out on the
Lord's dde. The fire kindled aU over the place, and a pow
erful rerival foUowed, and multitudes were converted
This poor man lingered in this way for several years, and
died After his death, I visited the place, and his widow
put into my hands his diary. Among other things, he says
in his diary : " I am acquainted with about thirty ministers
and churchea'' He then goes on to set apart certain hours
in the day and week to pray for each of these ministerH

BE FILLED VYTTH THE SPIBIT. IIS
and diurches, and also certain seasons for praying for
the different missionary stationa Then foUowed, under
different dates, such facts as these : " To-day," naming the
date, "I have been enabled to offer what I caU the prayer of
faith for the outpouring of the Spirit on  church, and
I trust in God tiiere wUl soon be a rerival there. " Under
another date,' "I have to-day been able to offer what I caU
the prayer of faith for such a church, and tmst there vriU
soon be a rerival there." Thus he had gone over a great num
ber of diurches, recording the feet that he had prayed for
them in faith that a rerival might soon prevail among them.
Of the misdonary stations, if I recoUect right, he mentions
in particular the misdon at Ceylon. I beheve the last place
mentioned in his diary, for which he offered the prayer of
faith, was the place in which he lived Not long after noting
these fects in Ms diary, the rerival commenced and went over
the region of country, nearly, I beheve, if not quite, in the
order in which they had been mentioned in his diary ; and in
due time news came from Ceylon that there was a rerival of
rehgion there. The rerival in his own town did not com
mence tUl after his death. Ite commencement was at the
time when his vridow put into my hands the document to
whidi I have referred She told me that he was so exerdsed
in prayer during his sickness that she often feared he would
pray himself to death. The rerival was exceedingly great
and powerful in all the region ; and the fact that it was about
to prevaU had not been hidden from this servant of the Lord
According to his word, the secret of the Lord is vrith them
that fear him. Thus this man, too feeble in his body to go
out of his house, was yet more useful to the world and the
church of God tlian aU the heartiess professors of the coim
try. Standing between God and the desolations of Zion,
and pouring out his heart in beheving prayer, as a prince he
had power with Qod, and prevaUed
11. If you are fiiUed vrith the Spirit, you vriU not find your
sdves distressed and galled, and worried when people speak
against you. When I find people irriteted and fretting at any
httie thing that touches tiiem, I am sure they have not the
Spuit of Christ. Jesus Christ .-ould have everythmg said
against bim that mahce could invent, and yet not be in the
least disturbed by it If you mean to be meek under perse
cution, and exemplify the temper of the Sariour, and honor
rdigion hi this way, you need to be fiUed vrith the Spirit
12. Tou vriU be vrise in using means for the converdon of
ainnera If the Spirit of God is in you, he vriU lead you te

ii4 BE FILLED WITH THB SPIBIT.
use means vrisdy, in a way adapted to the end, and to avoid
doing hurt No man who is not fiUed vrith the Spirit of God,
is fit to be employed in directing the measures adopted in a
rerival Their hands vriU be all thumbs, unable to take hold,
and they wiU act as if they had not common sense. But a
man who is led by the Spirit of God 'wUl know to time his
measures right, and how to apportion Divine truth, so as to
make it teU to tiie best advantage.
13. Tou vriU be calm under affliction ; not thrown into con
fusion or consternation when you see tlie storm coming over
you. People around vriU be astonished at your calmness and
cheerfulness under heavy trials, not knowing the inward sup
ports of tiiose who are fiUed vrith the Spirit
14 Tou vriU be resigned in death ; you vriU always fed
prepared to die, and not afraid to die, and after death you vriU
be proportionably more happy for ever in heaven.
VL Consequences of not being filled with the Spirit
1. Tou vriU often doubt, and reasonably doubt, whether yon
are Christiana Tou vrill have doubts, and you ought to have
them. The sons of God are led by tiie Spirit of God And
if you are not led by the Spirit what reason have you to think
you are sons? Tou vrill try to make ^ httie eridence go a
great way to bolster up your hopes, but you cannot do it, un-
kss your conscience is seared as with a hot iron. Tou cannot
hdp being plunged often into painful doubt and uncertainty
about your stete. Bom. viiL 9. — " But ye are not in the flesli,
but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dweU in you.
Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
hia" 2. Cor. xiii 5. — " Examine yourselves whether ye be in
the feith ; prove your ovm selves : know ye not your ovm
sdves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be repro
bates?" 2. Tou vriU always be unsettied in your riews about the
prayer of feith. The prayer of faith is something so spiritual,
so mudi a matter of experience and not of speculation, that
unless you are spiritual yourselves, you vriU not imderstand it
fuUy. Tou may talk a great deal about the prayer of feith,
and for the time get thoroughly convinced of it But you
vrill never feel so settled on it as to retain the same position
of mind concerning it, and in a httie whUe you vrill be all un
certainty. I knew a curious instance in a brother minister.
He told me, " When I have the Spirit of God and enjoy his
presence, I believe firmly in the prayer of feith ; but when I
have it not, I find myself doubting whether there is any such
thing, and my mind offering objections," I know, from my

BB FILLED VTITH THE SPIBIT. Ill
ovm experience, what this is, and when I hear persons raising
objections to that riew of prayer which I have presented in
these lectures, I understand very weU what their difficulty is,
and have often found it imposdble to satisfy their minds,
whUe so far from God ; when at the same time they would
understand it themselves, vrithout argument, whenever they
had experienced it
3. If you have not the Spirit, you vriU be very apt to stum
ble at those who have. Tou vnU doubt the propriety of their
conduct. If they seem to feel a good deal more than your
self you wUl be likdy to caU it animal feeling. Tou vriU
perhaps doubt their sincerity when they say they have
such feehnga Tou vriU say, "I do not know what to make
of brother such-a-one ; he seems to be very pious, but I do
not understand him, I think he has a great deal of animal
feehng." Thus you vriU be trying to censure them, for the
purpose of justifying yourself.
4 Tou wiU be had in reputetion vrith the impenitent, and
with carnal professora They will praise you, as a rational,
orthodox, condstent Christian. Tou vriU be just in the frame
of mind to walk vrith them, because you are agreed
5. Tou vriU be much troubled vritli fears about fenatidsm.
Whenever there are rerivals, you vriU see in them a strong
tendency to fanaticism, and vnll be fuU of fears and anxiety,
or rather of oppodtion to them.
6. Tou vriU be much disturbed by the measures that are
used in rerivals. If any measures are adopted that are de
dded and direct, you vyUl think they are aU " new," and vriU
be stumbled at them just in proportion to your want of spir
ituality. Tou do not see their appropriateness. Tou vriU
stand and cavU at the measures, because you are so blind that
you cannot see their adaptedness, whUe all heaven is rejoic
ing in them as the means of saving souls.
7. Tou will be a reproach to rehgion. The impenitent
wUl sometimes praise you because you are so mudi hke them
selves, and sometimes laugh about you because you are such
a hypocrita 8. Tou wiU know but littie about the Bible.
9. If you die vrithout the Spirit, you wiU fall into hell
There can be no doubt of this. Without the Spfrit you vrill
never be prepared for heaven. BEUABXa
1. Christians are as guUty for not having the Spirit, as sin
ners are for not repenting.

116 BE FILLED WITH THB SPIBIT.
2. They are even more so. As they have more light, thej
are so much the more guUty.
3. AU beings have a right to complain of Christians who
are not fiUed with the Spirit. Tou are not doing work for
God, and he has a right to complain. He has placed his
Spirit at your disposal, and if you have it not, he has a right
to look to you and to hold you responsible for all the good
you might do, did you possess it Tou are sinning against aU
heaven, for you ought to be adding to their happy ranka
Sinners, the church, ministers, have a right to complain.
4 Tou are right in the way of the work of the Lord It
is in vain for a minister to try to work over your head Min
isters often groan and struggle, and wear themselYcs out in
vain, trying to do good where there is a church who live so
that they do not have the Spirit of God If the Spirit is
poured out at any time, the church vriU grieve him right
away. Thus you may tie the hands and break the heart of
your minister, and break him dovm, and perhaps kiU him,
because you wiU not be fiUed vrith the Spirit
5. Tou see the reason why Christians need the Spirit, and
the degree of their dependence. This cannot be too strongly
exhibited 6. Do not tempt God by waiting for his Spirit, whUe using
no means to procure his presence.
7. If you mean to have the Spirit, you must be chUdlike,
and yield to his influences — just as yielding as air. If he is
dravring you to prayer, you must quit everything to yield to
his gentie strivings. No doubt you have sometimes felt a
desire to pray for some object, and you have put it off and
redsted, and God left you. If you vrish him to remain, you
must yield to his softest and gentiest motions, and wateh to learn
what he would have you do, and yield yourself up to his guidance.
8. Christians ought to be wUling to make any sacrifice to
enjoy the presence of the Spirit Said a woman in high Hfe,
a professor of religion, " I must either give up hearing sudi a
minister (naming him) preach, or I must give up my gay com
pany." She gave up the preaching and staid away. How
different from another case I
A woman in the same rank of hfe heard the same minister
preach, and went home resolved to abandon her gay and
worldly manner of life — dismissed most of her attendants —
changed her whole mode of dress, of equipage, of living, and
of conversation ; so that her gay and worldly friends were
soon vrilling to leave her to the enjoyment of communion vrith
God and free to spend her time in doing good

BE FILLED WITH THB SPIBIT. 11?
9. Ton see from this, that it must be very difficult for those
in fashionable hfe to go to heaven. What a calamity to be
in such cirdes! Who can enjoy the presence of God in
them? 10. See how crazy those are who are scrambling to get up
to these circles, enlarging their houses, changing their style of
Uring, furniture, ete. It is like climbing up mast-head to be
throvm off into the ocean. To enjoy God you must come
dovm, not go up there. God is not there, among all the starch
and flattery of high hfe.
11. Many professors of religion are as ignorant of spiritual
ity as Nicodemus was of the new birth. They are ignorant,
and I fear unconverted If any body talks to them about the
spirit of prayer, it is ah algebra to them. The case of sach
professors is avrful How different vras the character of the
aposties ! Bead the history of their lives, read their letters,
and you wUl see that they were always spiritual, and walked
daUy with God But now how httie is there of such rdigion !
"When the Son of Man cometh, vriU he find faith on the
earth ? " Set some of these professors to work in a rerival,
and they do not know what to do, have no energy, no skill, and
make no impression. When wiU professors of rehgion set
themselves to work, filled vrith the Spirit ? If I could see this
church fiUed vrith the Spirit, I wotdd ask nothing more to
move this whole mighty mass of minds. Not two weeks would
pass before the rerival would spread all over this dty.

LECTURE VIII.
MEEXmOS FOB PBATEB.
Tbxt.— "Again I eay onto yon. That If two of yon shall agree on earth as tonchJig
any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which ii In
taearen." — Matthbv ztUI. 10.
HiTHEBTO, in treating of the subject of Pbateb, I have con
fined my remarks to secret prayer. I am now to speak of
sodal prayer, or prayer offered in company, where two or
more are united in praying. Such meetings have been com
mon from the time of Christ, and even hundreds of years
before. And it is probable that God's people have always
been in the habit of making united supphcation, whenever
they had the pririlege. The propriety of the practice vriU not
be questioned here. I need not dweU now on the duty of
social prayer. Nor is it my design to discuss the question,
whether any two Christians agreeing to ask any blessing, vriU
be sure to obtain it My object is to make some remarks on
MEETINOS FOB PBATEB.
L The design of Prayer Meetings.
n. The manner of conducting them.
nL Mention several things that vriU defeat the design of
holding them. L THE DESIGN OF PBAYEB MEETmoa
1. One design of assembling several persons together for
united prayer, is to promote union among Christians. Noth
ing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than pray
ing together. Never do they love one another so well as when
they vritness the outpouring of each other's hearts in prayer.
Tlieir spirituality begets a feding of union and confidence,
highly important to the prosperity of the churdi. It is
doubtful whether Christians can ever be otherwise than
united if they are in the habit of really praying together
And where they have had hard feelings and differences
•uuong themselves, they are aU done away, by uniting in
(118)

MEETTN^GS FOB PBATEB. 119
prayer. The great object is gained if you can bring them
really to unite in prayer. If this can be done, the difficulties
vanish. 2. To extend the spirit of prayer. God has so constitated-i^
OS, and such is the economy of his grace, that we are sympa
thetic beings, and communicate our feehngs to each other.
A minister, for instance, vriU often as it were breathe his ovm
feelings into his congregation. The Spirit of God that in
spires his soul, makes use of \uBfedings to influence his hear
ers, just as much as he makes use of the words he preaches.
So he makes use of the feelings of Christians. Nothing is
more calculated to beget a spirit of prayer, than to unite in
sodal prayer, vrith one who has the spirit himself ; unless
this one should be so far ahead that his prayer vrill repd the
rest His prayer wUl awaken them, if they are not so far be
hind as to revolt at it and resist it If they are anywhere
near the standard of his feelings, his spirit vriU kindle, and
bum, and spread all around One indiridual in a church, that
obtains a spirit of prayer, vriU often arouse a whole church,
and extend the same spirit through the whole, and a general
rerival foUows. ,
3. Another grand design of social prayer, is to move Chd^
Not that it changes the mind and feehngs of God When
we speak of moving God as I have said in a former lecture,
we do not mean that it alters the wUl of God But when
the right kind of prayer is offered by Christians, they are in
such a state of mind tbat it becomes proper for God to
bestow a blessing, lliey are then prepared to receive it,
and he gives because he is always the same, and alwaya
ready and happy to show mercy. When Christians are
united and praying as they ought, God opens the vrindowa
of heaven, and pours out his blessings tUl there is not room
to receive them.
4 Another important design of prayer meetings is the ooti-
viction and conversion of sinners. When properly conducted
they are eminentiy calculated to produce this effect Sinnera
are apt to be solemn when they hear Christians pray. Where
there is a spirit of prayer, sinners must feel An ungodly
man, a Universalist, once said respecting a certain minister, '
" I can bear his preaching very well, but when he prays, I fed
awfuUy ; I feel as if God was coming dovm upon me." Sin
ners are often conricted by hearing prayer. A young man
of distinguidied talents, known to many of you, said concern
ing a certain minister to whom before his converdon he had
been very much opposed, " As soon as he began to pray, I

120 MEETINGS FOB PBAYEB.
began to be conricted, and if he had continued to pray much
longer, I should not have been able to contain myself." Just
as soon as Christians begin to pray as they ought, sinners
then know that they pray, and they feel avyfuUy. They do
not understand what spirituality is, because they have no ex
perience of it But when such prayer is offered ^^Y know
there is something in it ; they know God is in it, and it
brings them near to God ; it makes them feel avrfully sol
emn, and they cannot bear it And not only is it calculated
to impress the minds of sinners, but when Christians pray in
faith, the Spirit of God is poured out, and dnners are mdted
down and converted on the spot.
n. THE MANNEB OF OONnnaTING PBATEB UEEnTNOa
1. It is often weU to open a prayer meeting by reading a
short portion of the word of God ; espedally if the person
who takes the lead of the meeting, can caU to mind any por
tion that vriU be apphcable to the object or occasion, and that
is impresdve, and to the point. If he has no passage that is
apphcable, he had better not read any at aU. Do not drag in
the word of God to make up part of the meeting as a mere
matter of form. This is an insult to God It is not weU to
read any more than is applicable to the subject before the
meeting, or the occasion. Some people think it always nec
essary to read a whole chapter, though it may be ever so
long, and have a variety of subjecta It is just as impressive
and judicious to read a whole chapter, as it would be for a
minister to take a whole chapter for his text, when his object
was to make some particular tmth bear on the minds of
his audience. The design of a prayer meeting should be
to bring Christians to the point to pray for a definite object
Wandering over a large fidd hinders and destroys this
design. 2. It is proper that the person who leads shotUd make
some short and appropriate remarks, calculated to explain
the nature of prayer, and the encouragemente we have to
pray, and to bring (he objed to be prayed for directiy before the
minds of the people.
A man can no more pray without having his thoughts con
centrated tihan he can do anything else. The person lead-
uig, should therefore see to this, by bringing up before their
minds the object they came to pray for. If they came to
Eray for any object he can do this. And if they did not, they
ad bettor go home. It is of no use to stay there and mode

MEETINGS TOE PRATBB. 121
God by pretending to pray, when they have nothing on earth
to pray for.
After steting the object, he should bring up some promise
or some principle, as the ground of encouragement to expect
an answer to their prayers. If tiiere is any indication of
Proridence, or any promise, or any principle in the Divine
government that affords a ground of faith, let him call it to
mind and not let them be talking out of iiieir own hearts at
random, vrithout knowing any sohd reason to expect an an
swer. One reason why prayer meetings mostiy accomplish
so littie, is because there is so httie common sense exercised
about them. Instead of looking round for some sohd footing
on which to repose their faith, they just come together and
pour forth their ux)rds, and neither know nor care whether
they have any reason to expect an answer. If they are going
to pray about anything concerning which there can be any
doubt or any mistake, in regard to the ground of faith,
they should be shovm the reason there is for beheving that
their prayers wiU be heard and answered It is easy to see,
that unless something hke this is done, three-fourths of
them vriU have no idea of what they are doing, or of the
groimd on which they should expect to recdve what they
pray for.
3. In calling on persons to pray, it is always desirable to let
things take thdr own course wherever it is safa If it can he
left so vrith safety, let those pray who are most indined to
pray. It sometimes happens that even tiiose who are ordina
rily the most spiritual, and most proper to be called on, are
not at the time in a suitable frame ; they may be cold and
worldly, and only freeze the meeting. But if you let those
pray who desire to pray, you avoid thia But often this can
not be done vrith safety, especially in large dties, where a
prayer meeting might be Hable to be interrupted by those who
have no business to pray ; some fanatic or crazy person, some
hypocrite or enemy, who would only make a noise. In most
places, however, this course may be teken with perfect safety.
Give up the meeting to the Spirit of God. Those who desire
to pray, let them pray. If the leader sees any thing that
needs to be set right let him remark, freely and kindly, and
put it right, and then go on again. Only, he should be careful
to time his remarks, so as not to interrupt the flow of feeling, or
to chiU the meeting, or turn off the minds from the proper subject
4 If it is necessary to name the indiriduals who are to pray,
it is best to call on those who are most spiritual first And
if you do not know who they are, then those whom you vrould
6

123 UEETINGS FOB PBATBB.
natnraUy suppose to be most alive. If they pray at the cm
act, they wiU be likely to spread the spirit of prayer through
the meeting, and elevate the tone of the whole. Otherwise, if
you caU on those who are cold and lifeless at the beginning;
they vriU be hkely to diffuse a chUl throughout the meeting.
The only hope of having an efficient prayer meeting is when
at least a part of the church is spiritual, and they infuse their
spirit into the rest This is the very reason why it is often
best to let things take their course, for then those who have
the most feeling are apt to pray first, and give character to
the meeting.
5. The prayers should always be very short When indirid
uals suffer themselves to pray long, they forget where they
are, that they are only the mouth of tiie congregation, and that
'the congregation cannot be expected to sympathise vrith them,
so as to go along and feel united in prayer, if they are long
and tedious, and go aU around the world and pray for every
thing they can think ol Commonly, those who pray long in
meeting, do it not because they have the spirit of prayer, but
because they have not. And they go round and round not
because they are fuU of prayer. Some men wUl spin out a
long prayer in telling God who and what he is, or they exhort
God to do so and so. Some pray out a whole system of di-
rinity. Some preach, some e^ort the people, tiU every body
wishes they would stop, and God wishes so too, undoubtedly.
They should keep to tiie point, and pray for what they came
to pray for, and not follow the imagination of their ovm foolish
hearte aU over the universe.
6. Each one should pray for some one dfg'ecL It is weU for
every indiridual to have one object for prayer : two or more
may pray for the same thing, or eadi a separate object If
the meeting is convened to pray for some specific thing, let
them aU pray for that If its object is more general, let them
sdect their subjects^ according as they feel interested in them.
If one feels particularly disposed to pray for the church, let
him do it. If the next feels disposed to pray for the diurch,
he may do so too. Perhaps the next vriU feel inclined to pray
for sinners ; for the youth ; to confess sin ; let bim do it, and
08 soon as he has got through Id him dop. Whenever a man
has deep feehng, he always feels on some particular point,
and if he prays for that he vrill speak out of the abundance of
his heart, and then he vriU naturaUy stop when he is dona
Those who fed most, vriU be most ready to confine their
prayers to that point, and stop when they have done and not
pray aU over the world

MEETINGS FOB PBATEB. 12;»
7. If in the progress of the meeting it becomes necessary to
change the object of prayer, let the man who leads stete the
fact, and explain it in a few words. If the object is to pray
for the church, or for backsliders, or sinners, or the heatiien,
let him state it plainly, and then turn it over and hold it up
before them tUl he brings them to think and feel deeply be
fore they pray. Then state to them the grounds on which
they may repose their faith in regard to obtaining the bless
ings they pray for, if any such statement is needed and so
lead them right up to the throne, and let them take hold of
the hand of God This is according to the phUosophy of the
mind People always do it for themselves when they pray in
secret, if they reaUy mean to pray to any purposa And so it
should be in prayer meetinga
8. It is important that tiie time should befuUy occupied, so
as not to leave long seasons of sUence. This always makes a
bad impresdon and chUls the meeting. I know that some
times churches have seasons of sUent prayer. But in those
cases they should be spedally requested to pray in sUence, so
that all may know why they are sUent This often has a
most powerful effect, where a few moments are spent by a
whole congregation in sUence, whUe aU hft up their thoughts
to God This is very different from haring long intervals of
sUence because tiiere is nobody to pray. Every one feels that
such a sUence is like the cold damp of death over the meeting.
9. It is exceedingly important that he who leads the meet
ing should press sinners who may be present to immediato
repentance. He should crowd this bard and urge the Chris
tians present to pray in such a way as to make sinners fed
that they are expected to repent immediatdy. This tends to
inspire Christians vrith compasdon and love for souls. The
remarks made to sinners are often like pouring fire upon the
hearte of Christians, to awaken them to prayer and effort for
their conversion. Let them see and feel the guUt and danger
of sinners right among them, and then they wUl pray.
TTT. I am to mention several things which may defed (he
design of a prayer meeting.
1. When there is an unhappy want of confidence in the
leader, there is no hope of any good Whatever the cause
may be, whether he is to blame or not, the very fact that he
leads tlie meeting wUl cast a damp over it and prevent all
good I have witnessed it in churches, where there was some
offendve dder or deacon, perhaps justly offendve, and per
haps not, set to lead the prayer meetii^, and the meeting
would aU die under his influenca If there is a want of oonfi-

124 UEETINGS FOB PBAYEB.
dence in regard to his piety, or iu his ability, or in his judg
ment, or in anything connected with the meeting, everything
he says or does vriU faU to the ground The same thing often
takes pkce where the churdi have lost confidence in the min
ister. 2. Where th6 leader lacks spirituaMty, there -mH be a dryness
and coldness in his remarks and prayers, and every thing
wUl indicate his want of unction, and his whole influence vrill
be the very reverse of what it ought to be. I have known
diurches where a prayer meeting could not be sustained and
tiie reason was not obvious, but those who understood the
state of things knew that the leader was so notorious for hit.
want of spirituahty, that he would inevitably freeze a prayer
meeting to death. In many Presbyterian churches the elders
are so far from being spiritual men that they always freeze a
prayer meeting. And then they are often amazingly jealous
tor their dignity, and cannot bear to have any body else lead
the meeting. And if any member that is spiritual takes the
lead of a prayer meeting, they wUl take him to task for it :
" Why, you are not an elder, and ought not to lead a prayer
meeting in presence of an elder." And thus they stand in the
way, whUe tiie whole church is suffering under their blighting
influence. A man who knows he is not in a spiritual frame of mind
has no business to conduct a prayer meeting ; he vrill kUl it
There are two reasons : First, he wiU have no spiritual discern-
ment, and vriU not know what to do, or when to do it A per
son who is spiritual can see the movements of Proridence,
and can feel the Spirit of God and understand what he is
leading them to pray for, so as to time his subjects, and teke
advantage of the state of feeling among Christiana He wiU
not overthrow aU the feeling in a meeting by introducing other
things that are incongruous or Ul-timed He has spiritual
discernment to understand the leadings of the Spirit, and his
workings ui those who pray, and to foUow on as the Spirit
leada Suppose an indiridual leads who is not spiritual, and
there are two or three prayers, and the spirit of prayer rises,
but the leader has no spiritual discernment to see it, and he
makes some remarks on another point, or reads a piece out
of some book, that is as fer from the feeling of the meeting as
the north pole. It may be just as erident to others what tiiey
are caUed to pray for, as if the Son of God himself had come
into the meeting and named the subject ; but the leader wUl
overthrow it aU, because he is so stupid that he does not know
the indications of the meeting.

MEETINGS FOB PBATEB. 126
And then, if the leader is not spiritual, he vriU very hkdy
be duU and dry ia his remarks and in all his exercises. He
wUl read a long hymn in a dreamy manner, and. then read a
long passage of Scripture, in a tone so cold and wintry that
he wUl spread a vrinby paU over the meeting, and it wUl be
dull as long as his cold heart is placed up in front of the
whole thing.
3. A want of suitable talents in the loader. If he is wanting
in that kind of talents which are fitted to make a meeting use
ful, he wUl injure the meeting. If he can say nothing, or if
his remarks are so out of the way as to produce levity or con
tempt or if they have nothing in them that wiU impress the
mind, or are not guided by good sense, or not appropriate, he
wUl injure the meeting. A man may be pious, but so weak
that his prayers do not edify, but rather disgust, the people
present When this is so, he had better keep sUence.
4 Sometimes the benefit of a prayer-meeting is defeated
by a bad spirit in the leader. For instance when there is a
rerival, and a great oppodtion, if a leader gets up in a prayer
meeting and speaks of instances of opposition, and comments
upon them, and thus diverts the meeting away from the ob
ject they come to pray for, he knows not what spirit he is of
Its effect is always ruinous to a prayer meeting. Let a min
ister ia a rerival come out and preach against the opposition,
and he wUl infaUibly destroy the rerival, and turn the hearte
of Christians away from their proper object. Let the man
who is set to lead the church be careful to guard his own
spirit, lest he should mislead the church, and difiiise a wrong
temper. The same wUl be tme, if any one who is caUed upon
to speak or pray, introduces in his remarks or prayers any
thing controversial, impertinent, unreasonable, unscriptur^
ridiculous or irrelevant. Any of these things wUl quench tiie ten
der breathings of the spirit of prayer, and destroy the meeting.
5. Persons coming loie to the meeting. This is a very great
hindrance to a prayer meeting. When people have begun to
pray, and their attention is fixed, and they have shut their eyea
and closed their ears, to keep out everything from their minds,
in the midst of a prayer somebody wiU come bolting in and
walk up through tie room. Some vriU look up, and all have
their minds ititermpted for the moment Then they aU get
fixed again, and another comes in, and so on. Why, I sup
pose the devU wott' 1 not care how many Christians went to a
Mayer-meeting, ii they vriU only go after the meeting is begun.
He would be glad to have ever so many go scattering along
BO, and dodging in very piondy after the meeting is begun.

120 MEETINGS FOB PEAYER.
6. When persons make cold prayers, and cold confessions
ol sin, they are sure to quench the spirit of prayer. When
the influences of the Spirit are enjoyed in the midst of the
warm expresdons that are flowing forth, let an indiridual
come in who is cold, and pour his cold breath out, hke the
damp of death, and it wiU make every Christian that has any
feehng want to get out of the meeting.
7. Ll some places it ie common to begin a prayer meeting
by reading a long portion of Scripture. Then the deacon or
elder gives out a long hymn. Next, they sing it Then he
prays a long prayer, praying for the Jews and the fuUness of
the GentUes, and many other objects that have nothing to do
with the occasion of the meeting. After that perhaps he reads
a long extract from some book or magazine. Then they have
another long hymn and another long prayer, and then they
go homa I once heard ai. dder say, they had kept up a
prayer meeting so many years, and yet there had been no re
vival in the place. The truth was, that the officers of the
church had been accustomed to carry on the meetings in just
such a dignified way, and their dignity would not allow any
thing to be altered No wonder there was no rerival Such
prayer meetings are enough to hinder a rerival. And if ever so
many rerivals should commence, the prayer meeting would
destroy them. There was a prayer meeting once in this city,
as I have been told, where there appeared to be some feeling,
and some one proposed that they should have two or three
prayers in succession, vrithout rising from their knees. One
dignified man present opposed it, and said that they never
had done so, and he hoped there would be no innovations.
He did not approve of innovations. And that was the last
of the rerival Such persons have their prayer meetings
stereotyped and they are determined not to turn out of their
track, whether they have the blessing or not To aUow any
such thing would be a new measure, and they never like new
measures. 8. A great deal of singing often injures a prayer meeting.
The agonising spirit of prayer does not lead people to dng.
There is a time for everything ; a time to sing, and a time to
pray. But if I know what it is to travail in birth for souls,
Christians never feel less hke singing, than when they have the
spfrit of prayer for smnera Singing is the natural expresdon
of feelings that are joyful and cheerful The spirit of prayer
is not a spirit of joy. It is a spirit of travaU, and agony of
aonl, supplicating and pleacling with God with strong cryings,
and groanings that cannot be uttered This is more like any

MEETINGS FOB PBAYEB. 12?
thing else than it is like singing. I have known stetes of
feding, where you could not distress the people of God mora
than to begin to sing. It would be so entirely different from
their feehnga Why, if you knew your house was on fire,
would you first stop and sing a hymn before you put it out ?
How would it look here in New Tork, when a buUding was
on fire, and the firemen are all coUected for the foreman to
stop and sing a hymn ? It is just about as natural for the
people to dng when exercised vrith a spirit of prayer. When
people fed hke pulling men out of the fire, they do not feel
hke singing. I never knew a singing rerival amount to much.
Ite tendency is to do away all deep feding. It is true
that singing a hymn has sometimes produced a powerful
affect upon sinners who are conricted but in general it is the
perfect contrast there is between their feelings and those of
the happy souls who sing, that produces the effect If the
hymn be of a joyful character it is not directly calculated to
benefit sinners, and is highly fitted to relieve tiie mental an
guish of the Christian, so as to destroy that travail of soul
which is indispensable to his prevailing in prayer.
When singing is introduced ia a prayer-meeting, the hymns
should be short and so selected as to bring out something
solemn ; some striking words, such as the Judgment Hymn,
and others calculated to produce an effect on sinners ; or
something that vriU produce a deep impression on the minda
of Christmns ; but not that joyful kind of singing, that makes
every body feel comfortable, and turns off the mind from the
object of the prayer meeting.
I once heard a cdebrated organist produce a remarkable
effect in a protracted meeting. The organ was a powerful
one, and the double bass pipes were like tiiunder. The hymn
was given out that has these lines :
See the storm of vengeance gathering
O'er the path you dare to tread ;
" Hear the awful thunder rolling:,
Loud and louder o'er your head."
When he came to these words, we first heard the distant roar
of thunder, then it grew nearer and louder, tiU at the word
"louder," tiiere was a crash that seemed almost to overpower
the whole congregation.
Such things in their proper place do good But common
ninging dissipates feeling. It diould always be such as not to
take away feeling, but to deepen it
Often a prayer meeting is injured by calling on the young

128 MEETINGS FOB PBATEB.
oanverte to dng joyful hynms. This is highly improper in a
prayer meeting. It is no time for them to let feeling flow
away in joyful dnging, whUe so many sinners around them,
and their ovm former companions, are going down to heU.
A rerival is often put dovm by the church and minister all
giving themselves up to singing with young converts. Thus
by stopping to rejoice, when they ought to feel more and more
deeply for sinners, they grieve away the Spirit of God, and
they soon find that their agony and tiavaU of soul are aU gona
9. Introducing subjects cf controversy into prayer vriU defeat
a prayer meeting. Nothing of a controversial nature should
be introduced into prayer, unless it is the object of the meet
ing to setde (hat ffiing. Otherwise, let Christians come together
in their prayer-meetings, on the broad ground of offering
united prayer for a common object And let controverdes be
settied somewhere else.
10. Great pains should be taken, both by the leader and
others, to watch narrowly the motions cf the Spirit cf God. Let
them not pray vrithout the Spirit, but foUow his leadings. Be
sure not to quench the Spirit for the sake of praying accord
ing to the regular custom. Avoid everything calculatod to
divert attention away from the object idl affectation of feel
ing that is not real, shoiUd be particularly guarded against
If there is an affectation of feehng, most commonly others see
and feel that it is affectation, not reality. At any rate, the
Spirit of God knows it, and vrill be grieved, and leave the
place. On the other hand aU redstance to the Spirit vriU
equaUy destroy the meeting. Not unfrequentiy it happens,
that there are some so cold that if any one should break out
in the spirit of prayer, they would call it fanaticism, and per
haps break out in oppodtion.
11. If indiriduals r^use to pray when (hey are called on it
injures a prayer-meeting. There are some people, who al
ways pretend they have no gifta Women sometimes refuse
to take their turn in prayer, and pretend they have not ability
to pray. But if any one else should say so, they would be offend-
3d Suppose they should know that any other person had made
auch a remark as this, " Do not ask her to pray ; she cannot
pray ; she has not tai.ente enough ;" would they hke it? So
vrith a man who pretends he has no gifte, let any one else re
port that he has not talents enough to make a decent prayer,
and see if he vriU like it The pretence is not sincere ; it is all
a aham. Some say they cannot pray in their fanulies, they have no
gift But a person could not offend them more than to say

MBBTINGS FOB FBAYBX. 129
they cannot pray a decent prayer before their own famiUea.
They would say, " Why, the man talks as if he thought no
body else had any gifte but himseE" People are not apt te
have such a low opinion of themselves. I have often seen the
curse of God foUow sudi professors. They have no excuse.
God vriU take none. The man has got a tongue to talk to his
neighbors, and he can talk to God if he has any heart for it.
You wiU see their chUdren unconverted their son a curse,
their daughter — ^tongue cannot teU. God says he vriU pour
out his fury on the famihes that caU not on his name. If I
had time, I could mention a host of facts to show that God
MABKS those indiriduals vrith his disapprobation and curse
who refuse to pray when they ought Until professors of
religion wiU repent of this sin and take up the cross (if they
dioose to call praying aavssl) and do their duty, they need
not expect a blessing.
12. Prayer meetings are often too long. They should al
ways be dismissed whUe Christians have feding, and not be
spun out untU all feding is exhausted and the Spirit is gone.
13. Heartiess confesdona People confess their sins and
do not forsake them. Every week they wiU make the same
confesdon over again. A long, cold duU, stupid confesdon
this week, and then the next week another just like it, vrithout
forsaking any sina Why, they have uo intention to forsake
their sins I It shows plainly that they do not mean to reform.
AU their religion consists in these confesdona Instead of
getting a blessing from God by such confesdons they wiU get
only a curse.
14 When Christians spend aU the time in praying for them
sdves. They should have done this in their dosete When
they come to a prayer meeting, they diould be prepared to
offer effectual intercesdons for othera If Christians pray in
their dosete as they ought, they vriU fed like praying for sin
nera If they pray exdudvely in their closets for themsdves,
they vriU not get the spirit of prayer. I have known men
shut themsdves up for diys to pray for themselves, and never
get any hfe, because thefr prayers are aU selfish. But if they
wiU just forget themsdves, and throw their hearte abroad and
pray for others, it vriU wake up such a feeling, that they can
pour forth thdr hearta And then they can go to work for
soula I knew an indiridual in a rerival, who shut himself
np seventoen days, and prayed as if he would have God come
to his terms, but it would not do, and then he went out to
work, and immediatdy he had ihe Spirit of God in his souL
It is weU for Christians to pray for themsdves, and oonieaa
6*

130 MEETINQS FOB PBAYEB.
their sins, and then throw their hearts abroad ^ they fed
as they ought
15. Prayer meetings are often defeated by the want cf op
propriate remarks. The things are not said which are calcu
lated to lead them to pray. Perhaps the leader has not pre
pared himself ; or perhaps he has not the requisite talents,
to lead the church out in prayer, or he does not lead their
minds to dweU on the appropriate topics of prayer.
16. When indiriduals who are justiy obnoxious for any
cause, are forward in speaking and praying. Such p rsons
are sometimes Yery much set upon taking a paat They say
it is their duty to get up and testify for God on aU occadona
They wiU say, they know they are not able to edify the church,
but nobody else can do their duty, and they vrish to testify.
Perhaps the only place they ever did testify far God was in a
prayer meeting ; aU thdr hves, out of the meeting, testify
against God They had better keep still
17. Where persons take a part who are so illiterate that it
is impossible persons of taste should not be disgusted Per
sons of intdhgence cannot foUow them, and their minds are
unavoidably diverted. I do not mean that it is necessary a
person should have a hberal education in order to lead in
prayer. AU persons of common education, espedally if they
are in the habit of praying, can lead in prayer, if they have
the spirit of prayer. But there are some persons who use such
absurd and iUiterate expressions, as cannot but disgust every
inteUigent mind They cannot help being disgusted The
feeling of disgust is an involuntary thing, and when a dis
gusting object is before the mind the feeling is irresistible.
Piety vriU not keep a person from feeling it The only way
is to take away the object If such persons mean to do good
they had better remain sUent. Some of them may fed griev
ed at not being caUed to take a part. But it is better that
they should be kindly told the reason than to have the prayer
meeting regularly injured and rendered ridiculous by their
performances. 18. A want of union in prayer. When one leads the others
do not foUow, but are thinking of something elsa Their
hearte do not unite, do not say. Amen. It is as bad as if one
should make a petition and another remonstrate against it
One asks God to do a thing, and the others ask bim not to do
it, or to do something dse.
19. Neglect of secret prayer. Christians who do not pray
in secret, cannot unite vrith power in a prayer meeting, and
cannot have the spirit of prayer.

KEETINGB FOB PRATBB. 181

BEMABKa
1. An Uly conducted prayer meeting often does more hur
than good In many churches, the general manner of con
ducting prayer meetings is such that Christians have not the
least idea of the design or the power of such meetings. It
is such as tends to keep down rather than to promote pioua
feeling and the spirit of prayer.
2. A prayer meeting is an index to the state of religion in
a churdL Ji the church neglect the prayer meetings, or come
and have not the spirit of prayer, you know of course that
religion is low. Let me go into the prayer meeting, and I
can always see the state of rehgion there.
3. Every minister ought to know that if the prayer meet
ings are neglected, all his labors are in vain. Unless he can
get Christians to attend the prayer meetings, all he can do
will not bring up the state of rehgion.
4 A great respondbUity rests on bim who leads a prayer
meeting. If the prayer meeting be not what it ought to be,
if it does not elevate the state of rehgion, he should go se
riously to work and see what is the matter, and get the spirit
of prayer, and prepare himself to make such remarks as are
calculated to do good and set things right A leader has no
business to lead prayer meetiogs, 2 he is not prepared both
ui head and heart, to do this. I wish you, who lead the dis
trict prayer meetings of this church, to notice this point
5. Prayer meetings are the most difficult meetings to sus
tain as they ought to be. They are so spiritual, that unless
the leader be pecuharly prepared both in heart and mind
they wUl dvrindle. It is in vain for the leader to complain
that members of the diurch do not attend In nine cases
out of ten, it is the leader's fault, that they do not attend If
he felt as he ought, they would find the meetings so interest
ing, that they would attend of course. If he is so cold and
duU, and vrithout spirituality, as to freeze every thing, no
wonder people do not come to the meeting. Church officers
often complain and scold because people do not come to the
prayer meeting, when the tmth is, tliey themselves are so
cold that they freeze every body to death that comea
6. Prayer meetings are most important meetings for the
churcL It is highly important for Christians to sustain the
prayer meetings : —
To promote union.
To increase brotherly love

8;i

183 MEETTNaa FOB PBAYXB.
Cd.) To cultivate Christian confidenca
(41 To promote their own growth in gracOb
(8.^ To cherish and advance spirituahty.
7. Prayer meetings shotdd be so numerous in the church,
and be so arranged as to exercise the gifte of every indirid
ual member of the church — ^male and femala Every one
should have the opportunity to pray, and to express the
fedings of his heart, if he has any. The sectional prayer
meetings of this churdi are designed to do this. And if
they are too large for this, let them be dirided so as to
bring the entire mass into the work, to exercise all gifte,
and diffuse union, confidence, and brotherly love through the
whole. 8. It is important that impenitent dnners should always at
tend prayer meetinga If none come of their own accord go
out and inrite them. Christians ought to take great pains to
induce their impenitent friends and neighbors to come to
prayer meetinga They can pray better for impenitent sin
ners when they have tiiem right before their eyes. I have
knovm female prayer meetings exclude sinners from the meet
ing. And the reason was, they were so proud they were
ashamed to pray before sinnera What a spirit 1 Sudi pray
ers vriU do no good They insult God Tou have not done
enough, by any means, when you have gone to the prayer
meelang yourseli Tou cannot pray, if you have inrited no
sinner to go. If aU the diurdi have neglected thefr duty so,
and have gone to the prayer meeting, and taken no sinners
along vrith them, no subjecte of prayer — ^what have they come
for? 9. The great object of oU the means of grace is to aim di
rectiy at the conversion of sinnera Tou shoiUd pray that
they may be converted there. Not pray that they may be
awakened and conricted but pray that they may be conver
ted on the spot No one should either pray or make any re
marks, as if he expected a single sinner would go away vrith
out giving his heart to God Tou should aU make tiie im
presdon on his mind that NOW he must submit And if you
do this, whUe yon are yet speaking God vrill hear. Ti
Christians make it manifest that they have reaUy set their
hearte on the converdon of sinners, and are bent upon it, and
Eray as they ought, there would rarely be a prayer meeting
dd without souls being converted and sometimes every sin
ner in the room. That is the very time, if ever, that sumera
should be converted in answer to those prayers. I do not
doubt but that you may have sinners uuuviirtoa lu ovary seo

MBBITNGS FOB PSATBB. 188
tional prayer meeting, if you do your duty. Take them there,
take your famihea, your friends, or your neighbors there vrith
that design, give tliem the proper instruction, if they need
instruction, and pray for tliem as you ought, and you wiU
aave their souls. Eely upon it, if you do your duty, in a
right manner, God vriU not keep back his blessing, and tha
work wiU be dona.

LECTUEE DL
MBUHS TO BE USED WITH SimiEB&
Tut.— Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom 1 kaT*
ahosen.— Isaiah zlili : 10.
In the text it is affirmed of the chUdren of God, that they
are his vritnesses. In several preceding lectures I have been
dwelling on the subject of Prayer, or that department of
means for the promotion of a rerival, which is intended to
move God to pour out his Spirit I am now to commence
the other department :
MEANS TO BE USED FOB THE OONVIOTION AND OOKVEBSION OF
SINNEBS.
It is true, in general, that persons are affected by the sub
ject of religion, in proportion to their conriction of its trutk
Inattention to religion is the great reason why so httie is felt
concerning it No being can look at the great truths of rehg
ion, as truths, and not feel deeply concerning them. The devil
cannot He behoves and trembles. Angels in heaven feel in
riew of these things. God feels. An inteUectual convidion
of tmth is always accompanied vrith feehng of some kind
One grand design of God in leaving Christians in the world
after their converdon, is that they may be witnesses for God.
It is that they may caU the attention of the thoughtiess mul
titude to the subject, and make them see the difference in the
character and destiny of those who beheve and those who re
ject the Gospel This inattention is the grand difficulty in the
way of promoting rehgion. And what the Spirit of God does
is to awaken the attention of men to the subject of their sin
and the plan of salvation. Miracles have sometimes been
employed to arrest the attention of sinners. And in this way,
mirades may become instrumental in conversion, although
converdon is not itself a nurade, nor do miracles themsdves
ever convert any body. They may be the means of awaken
ing. Mirades are not always effectual even in that. And if
continued or made common, they would soon lose their power.
What is wanted in the world is something that can be a sort
(184)

MEANS TO BE USED WITH SINNBB8. 135
of omnipresent mfracle, able not only to arrest attention but
to fix it, and keep the mind in warm contact vrith the tmth,
tiU it yields.
Hence we see why God has scattered his chUdren every
where, in fanulies and among the nations. He never would
suffer them to be aUtogether in one place, however agreeable
it might be to thefr feelings. He wishes them scattered
When the church at Jerusalem herded together, negleotmg to
go forth as Chiist had commanded, to spread the Gospel aU
over the world, God let loose a persecution upon them and
scattered them abroad, and then "they went everywhere
preaching the Gospel" In examining the text, I propose to
inquire. I. To what particular points Christians are to testify for
God. II. The manner m which they ai-e to testify.
I. To what points are the children of God reqrured to tes
tify? Generally, they are to testify to the tmth of the Bible. They
are competent witnesses to this, for they have experience of
ite truth. The experimental Christian has no more need of
external eridence to prove the tmth of the Bible to his mind
than he has to prove his own existence. The whole plan
of salvation is so fuUy spread out and settied in his conric
tion, that to undertake to reason him out of his behef in the
Bible would be a thing as impracticable as to reason him out
of the belief in his own existence. Men have tried to awaken
a doubt of the existence of the material world But they can
not succeed No man can doubt the existence of a material
world To doubt it, is against his ovm consdousness. Tou
may use arguments that he cannot answer, and may puzzle
and perplex him, and shut up his mouth ; he may be no logi-
dan or phUosopher, and unable to detect your faUades. But
what he knows he knows.
So it is in religion. The Christian is consdous that the
Bible is ti'ua lie veriest chUd in religion knows by his ex
perience the truth of the Bible. He may hear objections from
infidels, that he never thought of, and that he cannot answer,
and he may be confounded, but he cannot be driven from his
ground. He wUl say, " I cannot answer you, but I know the
Bible is true."
As if a man diould look in a mirror, and say, "That's my
faca" How do you know it is your face ? " Why, by its
looka" So when a Christian sees himself dravm and pictm-ed
forth in the Bible, he sees the hkeness to be so exact that he

136 MEANS TO BE USED WITH SINNEBS.
knows it is true. But more particularly. Christians are to
testify —
1. To the immortality of the soul. This is clearly revealed
bi the Bible.
2. The vanity and unsatisfydng nature of all earthly good
3. The satisfying nature and glorious sufficiency of region.
4 The guUt and danger of sinners. On this point they can
speak from experience as weU as the word of God. They have
seen thefr ovm sins, and they understand more of the nature
of sin, and the guUt and danger of sinnera
5. The reality of hell, as a place of eternal punishment for
the vricked
6. The love of Christ for sinners.
7. The necessity of a holy hfe, if we think of ever getting
to heaven.
8. The necesdty of self-denial, and Uring above the world
9. The necessity of meekness, Heavenly-mindedness, humil
ity, and integrity.
10. The necessity of an entfre renovation of character and
hfe, for aU who would enter heaven. These are the subjecte
on which they are to be witjiesses for God And they are
bound to testify in such a way as to constrain men to bdieve
the truth.
n. How are they to testify ?
By precept and example, on every proper occasion, by thefr
hps, but mainly by thefr lives. Christians have no right to be
aUent vrith thefr hps ; they should rebuke, exhort, and entreat
with all long-suffering and doctrine. But thefr main influence
as vritnesses is by then* example.
They are required to be vritnesses in this way, because ex
ample teaches vrith so much greater force than precept This
is universally known. Actions speak louder than words. But
where both precept and example are brought to bear, it brings
the greatest amount of influence to bear upon the mind As
to the manner in whidi they are to testify ; the way in which
they should bear witness to the truth of the points spedfied ;
m general — ^they should hve ia thefr daUy walk and conversa
tion, as if they beheved the Bible.
~ 1. As if they believed the soul to be immortal, and as if they
beheved that death was not the termination of thefr existence,
but the entrance into an undianging state. They ought to hve
so as to make this impresdon fuU upon all aroimd them. It-is
easy to see that precept without example on this point vriU do
no good AU the arguments in the world wUl not convince
mankind that you really believe this, unless you live as if yoa

MEAHS TO BE USED WITH SINNEBS. 137
bdieved it Tour reasoning may be unanswerable, but if yon
do not Uve accordingly, your practice vrill defeat your argu
mente They vriU say you are an ingenious sophist, or an
acute reasoner, and perhaps admit t£at they cannot answer
you ; but then they vnU say, it is erident that your reasoning
is aU false, and that you know it is false, because your life con
tradicts your theory. Or that, if it is true, you do not beheve
it, at any rate. And so all the influence of your testimony
goes to tiie other side.
2. The vanity and unsatisfying nature of the things of this
world. Tou are to testify tliis by your life. The faUure in
this is the great stumbling block in the way of mankind
Here the testimony of God's chUdren is needed more than any
where else. Men are so stmck vrith the objects of sense, and
so constantiy occupied vrith them, that they are very apt to shut
out eternity from thefr minds. A smaU object, that is held
dose to the eye, may shut out the distant ocean. So the things
of the world, that are near, magnify so in thefr minds, that
they overlook every thing else. One important design in keep
ing Christians in the world is to teach people on this point,
practically, not to labor for the meat that perisheth. But sup
pose professors of rehgion teach the vanity of earthly things
by precept, and contradict it in practice. Suppose the women
are just as fond of dress, and just as particular in obserring
oU the fashions, and the men as eager to have fine houses and
equipage, as the people of the world Who does not see that
it would be quite ri(£culous for them to testify vrith thefr hps,
that this world is all vanity, and its joys unsatisfying and
empty ? People feel this absurdity, and it is this tliat shute
up the hps of Christians. They are ashamed to speak to thefr
neighbors, whUe they cumber themselves vrith these gewgaws,
because thefr daily conduct testifies to every body the very
reverse. How it would look for some of the church members
in this dty, male or female, to go about among the common
people, and talk to them about the vanity of the world I Who
would believe what they say ?
3. The satisfying nature of rdigion. Christians are bound
to show by thefr conduct, that they are actually satisfied vrith
the enjoymente of rehgion, vrithout the pomps and vanities of
the world ; that the joys of religion and communion vrith God
keep them above the world They are to manifest that this
world is not thefr home. Thefr profesdon is, that heaven is a
reality, and that they expect to dweU there for ever. But sup
pose they contradict this by thefr conduct, and Uve in such a
way M to prove that they cannot be happy unless they have a

ISS M:EANS TO BE USED WITH SINNEBS.
fuU share of the fashion and show of the world, and that as
for going to heaven, they had much rather remain on earth,
than to die and go there ! What do the world think, when
they see a professor of rehgion just as much afraid to die aa
an infidd ? Such Christians perjure themselves — ^they swear
to a he, for they testify that there is nothing in rehgion for
which a person can afford to hve above the world
4 The guUt and danger of sinners. Christians are bound
to warn sinners of thefr avrful condition, and exhort them to
flee from the wrath to come, and lay hold on everlasting hfa
But who does not know that the manner of doing this is every
thing ? Sinners are often struck under conriction by the
very manner of doing a thing. There was a man once very
much opposed to a certain preacher. On being asked to
specify some reason, he rephed " I can't bear to hear him,
for he says the word HELL in such a way that it rings in
my ears a long time afterwards." He was displeased vrith
the very thing that constituted the power of speaking that
one word The manner may be sudi as to convey an idea
dfrectiy oppodte to the meaning of the words. A man may
teU you that your house is on fire in such a way as to make
dfrectiy the oppodte impresdon, and you vriU take for granted
that it is not your house that is on fire. The watehman might
sing out imE, fire, in such a way that every body would thmk
he was either adeep or drunk. A certain maimer is so usu-
aUy connected vrith the announcement of certain things that
they cannot be expressed without that manner. The words
themselves never alone convey the meaning, because the idea
can only be fuUy expressed by a particular manner of speak
ing. Go to a sioner, and taifc with him about his guUt and
danger ; and if in your manner you make an impression that
does not correspond, you in effect bear testimony the other
way, and tell him he is in no danger of heU. If the sinner
behoves at aU that he is in danger of heU, it is whoUy on
other grounds than your saying so. If you hve in such a
way as to show that you do not feel compasdon for sinners
around you ; if you show no tenderness, by your eyes, your
features, your voice ; if your manner is not solemn and earn
est, how can they believe you are sincere ?
Woman, suppose you teU your unconverted husband in an
easy, laughing way, " My dear, I beheve you are going to
heU ; " vnU he beheve you ? If your life is gay and triffing,
you show that dther you do not believe there is a hell, or that
you vrish to have him go there, and are trying to keep off
every serious impresdon from his mind Have you chUdren

MEANS TO BB USED WITH SINNEBB. 139
{hat are unconverted ? Suppose you never say any thing to
them about religion, or when you do talk to them it is in such
a cold hard, dry way as shows you have no feeling ; do you
suppose they believe you ? They don't see the same coldness
in you in regard to other things. They are in the habit of
seeing all the mother in your eye, and in the tones of your
voice, your emphasis, and the hke, and feeling the warmth ol
a mother's heart as it flows out from your lips on all that
concerns them. If, then, when you talk to them on the sub
ject of religion, you are cold and trifling, can they suppose
you believe it? If your deportment holds up before your
chUd this careless, heartiess, prayerless spirit, and then you
talk to him about the importance of religion, the duld vriU go
away and laugh, to think you should try to persuade hrm
there is a heU.
5. The love of Christ Tou are to bear vritness to the re ,
ality of the love of Christ, by the regard you show for his •
brecepts, his honor, his kingdom.. Tou should act as it you
beheved that he died for the the sins of the whole world and
as if you blamed sinners for rejecting his great salvation.
This is the only legitimate way in which you can impress sin
ners vrith the love of Christ Christians, instead of this,
often hve so as to make the impression on sinners thatl
Christ is so compasdonate that they have very httie to fear
from him. I have been amazed to see how a certain class of
professors want ministers to be always preaching about the
love of Christ If a minister preaches up duty, and urges
Christians to be holy, and to labor for Christ, they caU it aU •
legal preaching. They say they want to hear the GospeLJ
Well, suppose you present the love of Christ How vriU tlieyt
bear testimony in tiefr hves ? How wiU they show that theyi;
bdieve it ? Why, by conformity to the world, they vrill testify];
point blank, that they do not bdieve a word of it, and that they li
care nothing at aU for the love of Christ, only to have it for |
a cloak, that they can talk about it, and so cover up thefr;
sins. They have no sympathy with his compasdon, and noi;
behef in it as a reality, and no concern for the feelings of|.
of Christ, which fiU his mind when he sees the condition of i,
sinners. 6. The necesdty of holiness in order to enter heaven. It
wiU not do to depend on talking about this. They must hve
holy, and thus testify that men need not expect to be saved,
unless they are holy. The idea has so long prevaUed that wo
cannot beperfed here, that many professors do not so much as
serioudy R.im at a sinless hfe. Tfiiey cannot honestiy say that

140 MEANS TO BB USED WITH SINNEBa
they ever so much as reaUy meant to hve vrithout sin. Thtq
drift along before the tide, in a loose, sinful, unhappy and
abominable manner, at which, doubtiess, the devU laughs,
because it is, of aU others, the surest way to hell
7. The necesdty of self-denial, humihty, and heaYenly-mind-
edness. Christians ought to show by thefr own example what
the religion is which is expected of men. That is tiie most
^powerful preaching, after all, and the most likdy to have in-
puence on the impenitent, by shovring them the great differ-
I ence between them and Christians. Many people are trying
to make men Christians by a different course, by copying as
near as posdble thefr present manner of hfe, and conforming
to them as much as wiU possibly do. They seem to think they
can make men faU in with religion best by bringing religion
down to thefr standard As if the nearer you bring religion
I to the world, the more likely the world would be to embrace
I it. Now aU this is as wide as the poles from the true phU-
I osophy of maldng Christians. But it is always the pohcy of
i carnal professors. And they think they are displaying won-
I derful sagacity and prudence by taking so mudi pains not to
;!;' scare people at the mighty strictness and holiness of the Gos-
I pel They argue that if you exhibit religion to manldnd as
f requiring such a great change ia thefr manner of hfe, such
I innovations upon thefr habits, such a separation from thefr
1 old associates, why, you vriU <frive them all away. This seems
f plaudble at flrst dght But it is not tme. Let professors
I live in this lax and easy way, and sinners say, "Why, I do
I not see but I am about right, or at least so near right, that it
!;is impossible God should send me to heU for the difference
I between me and these professors. It is tme, they do a httie
; more than I do, they go the communion table, and pray in
i; thefr famiUes, and a few such like littie things, but they can*
^'not make any such great difference as heaven and heU."
' : No, the true way is, to exhibit rehgion and the world in strong
:l contrast, or you never can make sinners feel the necessity oi
a change. UntU the necessity of this fundamental change is
, embodied and held forth in a strong light by example, how
; can you make men beUeve they are going to be sent toheU
• if they are not whoUy transformed in heart and life ?
This is not only true in phUosophy, but it has been proved
by the history of the world Look at the misdons of the
Jesuite in Japan, by Francis Xarier and his assodates. How
they hved, what a contrast they showed between thefr reh
gion and the heathen, and what results foUowed ! Now I
was reading a letter from one of our missionaries in the East

MEANS TO BB USED V^TH SINNEBS. 141
who writes, I beheve, to this effect, that a misdonary must be
able to rank vrith the English nobihty, and so recommend his
religion to the resped of tiie nativea He must get away up
above them, so as to show a superiority, and thus impress
them with respect ! Is this phUosophy ? Is this the way to
convert the world Tou can no more convert the world in
this way than by blovring a ram's horn. It has no tendency
that way. What did tJhe Jesuite do? They went about
among tiie people in the daUy practice of self-denial before
thefr eyes, teadiing, and preaching, and praying, and laboi^
ing, imwearied and unawed mingling vrith every caste and
grade, bringing down thefr instructions to the capadly of
every indiridud. And in that way the mission carried idola
try before it hke a wave of the sea, and aU at once thefr re
ligion spread over the vast empfre of Japan. And if they
had not meddled vrith politics and brought themsdves in
needless collision vrith the government, no doubt they would
have held thefr ground tUl this day. I am not saying any
thing in regard to the religion they taught, for I am not sure
how much truth they preached with it I speak only of thefr
foUovring the tme pohcy of misdons, by shovring, by thefr
hves, the rdigion they taught in vride contrast vrith a worldly
spirit and the fooleries of idolatry. This one feature of thefr
policy so commended itself to the consciences of the people |
that it was irresistible. If Christians contradict this one \
poiat, and attempt to accommodate thefr rehgion to the world- 1
hness of men, they render the salvation of the world impos- '.',
dbla How can you make people beheve that self-denial and!
separation from tiie world are necessary, unless you practisef
them? "
8. Meekness, humility, and heavenly-mindedness. The
people of God should always show a temper like the Son of
God, who when he was reviled revUed not again. If a pro
fessor of religion is irritable, and ready to resent an injury,
and fly in a pasdon, and take the same measures as the world
do to get redress, by going to law and the hke, how is he to
make people beheve there is any reality ia a change of heart ?
They cannot recommend rehgion whUe they have such a
spirit If you are in the habit of resenting injurious conduct ;
if you do not bear it meekly, and put the best construction
that can be on it, you contradict the Gospel Some people
always diow a bad spirit^ ever ready to put the worst construc
tion on what is done, and take fire at any httie thing. This
shows a great want of that charity which " hopeth all things,
beheveth all things, endureth aU thinga" But if a man al

142 MEANS TO BE USED vmH SINNEBa.
vmys shows meekness under injuries, it vrill confound gaiii-
saying. Nothing makes so solemn an impression upon sin
ners, and bears down vrith snch a tremendous weight on theii
consciences, as to see a Christian, Christ-hke bearing affronts
and injuries with the meekness of a lamb. It cuts hke a
two-edged sword.
I wUl mention a case to show this. A young man abused
a minister to his face, and revUed him in an unprecedented
manner. The minister possessed his soul in patience, and
spoke irdldly in reply, teUing him the truth pointedly, but
yet in a very kind manner. This only made him the more
angry, and at length he went away in a rage, dedaring that
he was not going to stay and bear this rituperation. As if it
was the minister, instead of himself, that had been scolding.
The sinner went away, but vrith the arrows of the Almighty
in his heart, and in less than half an hour he foUowed the
minister to his lodgings in intolerable agony, wept, and
begged forgiveness, and broke dovm before God, and yielded
up his heart to Christ. This cahn and mild manner was
more overwhelming to him than a thousand argumenta
Now if that minister had been thrown off his guard, and an
swered harshly, no doubt he would have ruiaed the soul of
that young man. How many of you have defeated every
future effort you may make vrith your impenitent friends or
neighbors, in some such way as this. On some occasion you
have showed yourself so frascible, that you have sealed up
your ovm lips, and laid a stumbling blodc over which that
sinner wUl stumble into heU.. If you have done it in any in
stance, do not sleep tUl you have done all you can to retrieve
the mischief ; tUl you have confessed the sin and done every
thing to counteract it as far as possible.
9. The necessity of entire honesty in a Christian. Oh what
a field opens here for remark ! But I cannot go over it fuUy
now. It extends to aU the departmente of hfe. Christiana
need to show the strictest regard to integfrity in every depart
ment of business, and in aU thefr intercourse vrith thefr fel
low-men. If every Christian would pay a scrupulous regard
to honesty, and always be conscientious to do exactly right, it
would make a powerful impression on the minds of people of
the reality of rehgious principle.
'¦' A lady was once buying some eggs in a store, and the derk
made a miscount and gave her one more than the number.
She saw it at the time, but said nothing, and after she got
; home it troubled her. She felt that she had acted vrrong,
soon hurried back to the .young man and confessed it and

MEANS TO BB USED WITH SINNEBB. 147
paid the differenca The impression of her consdentious in
tegrity went to his heart like a sword It was a great sin in
her to conceal the miscount, because the temptation was
so small ; for if she would cheat him out of an egg, it showed
that she would cheat him out of his whole store, tf she could
do it and not be foimd out But her prompt and humble con
fesdon showed an honest consdence.
I am happy to say, there are some men who deal on this
prindple of integri^. And the wicked hate them for it/
They rail against them, and vociferate in bar-rooms, that theyf
never vriU buy goods of such and such indiriduals, that such
a hypocrite shaU never touch a doUar of thefr money, and ah
that, and then they wiU go right away and buy of them, be
cause they know they shall be honestly dealt with. This is a
testimony to the tmtii of religion, that is heard from Georgia ,'
to Maine. Suppose aU Christians did so, what would be the'
consequence ? Christians would run away with the business
of the dty. The Christians would soon do the busiaess of -
the world. The great argument which some Christians urge|
that if they do not do business upon the common prindple,
of stating one price and taking another, they cannot com^j
pete vrith men of the world, is aU false — ^false in phUosophy
and false in history. Only make it your invariable rule to
do right, and do business upon principle, and you control the
market The ungodly wUl be obliged to conform to your
standard It is perfectiy in the power of the churdi to regu
late the commerce of the world if they only themselves main
tain perfect integrity.
And if Christians vriU do the same in politics, they vriU
sway the destinies of nations, without involving themselves at
all in the base and corrupting strife of parties. Only let
Christians generaUy determine to vote for no man for any
office, that is not an honest man and a man of pure morals,
and let it be known that Christians are united in this, what
ever may be thefr difference in poHtical sentiments, and no
man would be put up who is not such a character. In three
years it would be talked about in taverns and published ir
newspapers, when any man is set up as a candidate for office,
" What a good man he is, how moral, how pious !" and the
hke. And any pohtical party would no more set up a known
Sabbath-breaker, or a gambler, or a profane swearer, or a
whoremonger, or a rum-sdler, as thefr candidate for office,
than they would set up the deril himself for preddent The
carnal policy of many professors, who undertake to correct
pohtics by such means as vricked men employ, and who are

144 MEANS TO BE USED WITH SINNEBa.
determined to vote vrith a party, let the candidate be erer ao
profligate, is aU wrong — wrong in principle, contrary to phi
losophy and common sense, and ruinous to the best intereste
of mankind The dishonesty of the church is ciu'sing the
world I am not going to preach a pohtical sermon, I assure
you. But I want to show you, that if you mean to impress
men favorably to your religion by your hves, you must be
honest, strictiy honest, in business, politics, and every
thing you do. What do you suppose those ungodly pohti-
dans, who know themsdves to be playing a dishonest game in
carrying an dection, think of your reUgion when they see you
uniting vrith them ? They know you are a hypocrite 1
1. It is unreasonable for professors of religion to wonder
at the thoughtiessness of sinners. — ^Every thing conddered
the carelessness of sinners is not wonderful We are affected
by testimony, and only by that testimony which is received
by our minds. Sinners are so taken up vrith busiaess, plea
sure, and the things of the world that they vriU not examine
the Bible to find out what rehgion is. Thefr feehngs are esr
dted only on worldly subjects, because these only are brought
into warm contact vrith thefr minda The things of the
world make therefore a strong impresdon. But there is so
little to make an impression on thefr minds in respect to
eternity, and to bring religion home to them, that they do
not feel on the subject, fi they examined the subject they
would feel But they do not examine it, nor think upon it,
nor care for it. And they never vrill, unless God's vritnesses
rise up and testify. But inasmuch as the great body erf
Christaans in fact live so as to testify on the other side by thefr
conduct, how can we exped, that sinners vriU feel right on the
subject ? Nearly all the testimony and aU the influence that
comes to thefr minds tends to make them feel the other way.
God has left his cause here before the human race, and left
his vritnesses to testify in his behalf, and behold tiiey turn
round and testify the other way ! Is it any wonder that sin
ners are careless ?
2. We see why it is that preadiing does so httie good;
and how it is that so many sinners get gospel-hardened
Sinners that live under the Gospel are often supposed to ba
gospel-hardened; but only let the church wake up, and
act consistently, and they vrill feel If the diurch were to
live only one week as if they beUeved the Bible^ dnnera

MEANS TO BE USED WITH SINNEBS. 148
would melt down before them. Suppose I were a lav?yer, \
and should go iato court and spread out my chent's case, the
issue is joined, and I make my statements, and teU what I J
expect to prove, and then call in my vritnesses. The first
witness takes his oath, and then rises up and contradicte me
to my face. What good vriU aU my pleading do ? I might }
address the jury a month, and be as eloquent as Cicero, but {
so long as my vritnesses contradicted me, aU my pleading ;
would do no good Just so it is vrith a minister who is \
preaching in the midst of a cold stupid and God-dishonoring \
church. In vain does he hold up to riew the great truths of f
religion, when every member of the church is ready to swear
he hes. Why, in such a diurch, thefr very manner of goingj'
out of the aides contradicte the sermon. They press out as
cheerful and as easy, bowing to one and another, and wliis4
pering together, as if nothing was the matter. Let the min-j
ister warn every man daUy with tears, it vriU produce no
effect If the devU should come in and see the stete of
things, he would think he could not better the business for
his interest
Tet there are ministers who vriU go on in this way for
years, preaching over the heads of such a people, that by
thefr hves contradict every word they say, and tliey think it
thefr duty to do so. Duty 1 To preach to a churdi that are
undoing aU his work, and contradicting aU his testimony,
and that vriU not alter I No. Let him shake off the dust
from his feet for a testimony, and go to the heathen, or to
the new settiemente The man is wasting his energies, and
wearing out his life, and just rocking the cradle for a sieepy
church, all testifying to sinners, there is no danger. Thefr
whole hves are a practical testimony that the Bible is not
tme. ShaU ministers continue to wear themsdves out so ?
Probably not less than ninety-nine-himdredths of the
preaching in this country is lost, because it is contradicted
by the church. Not one tmth in a hundred that is preached
takes effect, because the hves of professors testify that it ia
not so.
3. It is erident that the standard of Christian Uring must
be raised or the world vriU never be converted If we had aa
many diurch members now as there are famUies, and scat
tered aU over the world and a minister to every five hundred
souls, and every chUd in a Sabbath-school, and evray young
person in a Bible-dass, you would have aU the madiinery you
want, but if the church contradict the truth by thefr hves, it
never would produce a rerival
7

146 MEANS TO BE USED WITH SINNEEa
I They never vriU have a rerival in any place whUe the
Iwhole church in effect testify agains' the minister. Often it
Is the case that where there is the most preaching, there is
lihe least religion, because the church contradict the preach
ing. I never knew means faU of a rerival where Christians
Bived consistentiy. One of the first things is to raise the
standard of rehgion, so as to embody and hang out in the
dght of all men, the tmth of the Gospel Unless ministOTS
can get the church to wake up and act as if rehgion was true,
and back thefr testimony by thefr hves, in vain vriU they at
tempt to promote a rerival
Many churches are depending on thefr minister to do
everything. When he preaches, they vriU say, "What a
great sermon that was. He's an exceUent minister. Sudi
preaching must do good We shaU have a revival soon, I
do not doubt" And aU the whUe they are contradicting
the preaching by thefr hves. I tell you, if they are depend
ing on preaching alone to carry on the work, tJhey must falL
If Jesus Christ were to come and preach, and the diurdi con
tradict it, he would fail. It has been tried once. Let an
apostie rise from the dead or an angel come dovm from
heaven and preach, vrithout the church to vritness for God
and it would have no effect The novelty might produce a
certain kind of effect for a time, but as soon as the novelty
was gone, the preaching would have no saving effect, whUe
contradicted by the witnesses.
4 Every Christian makes an impresdon by his conduct,
and witnesses either for one side or the other. His looks,
dress, whole demeanor, make a constant impresdon on one
side or the other. He cannot help testifying for or against
rdigion. He is either gathering vrith Christ, or scattering
abroad Every step you take, you tread on chords that wiU
ribrate to aU eternity. Every time you move, you touch keys
whose sound wiU re-echo over aU the hiUs and dales in heav
en, and through aU the dark caverns and vaults of hell Eveiy
moment of your hves, you are exerting a tremendous in
fluence, that vriU teU on the immortal interests of souls all
around you. Are you asleep, whUe aU your conduct is exert
ing such an influence ?
Are you going to walk in the street ? Take oare how you
dress. What is that on your head? What does that gaudy
ribbon, and those ornaments upon your dress, say to every
one that meete you? It makes the impression that you vridi
to be thought pretty. Take care ! Tou might just as weU
write on your clothes, "NO TRUTH IN BELIGION." It

MEANS TO BB USED WTl'H SINNEBS. 14)
Hays, -GIVE ME DEESS, GIVE ME FASHION, GIVE
ME FLATTEET, AND I AM HAPPT." The world under
stend this testimony as you walk the streeta Tou are " hv
ing episties, known and read of aU men." If you show pride,
lerity, bad temper, and the like, it is hke tearing open the
wounds of the Sariour. How Christ might weep to see pro
fessors of religion going about hanging up his cause to con
tempt at the comers of streete. Only " let the women adorn
themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobri
ety, not with broidered hafr, or gold or pearls, or costiy ar
ray, but. (which becometh women professing godliness) vrith
good works ; " only let them act consistentiy, and thefr con
duct vriU teU on the world heaven vriU rejoice and heU groan
at thefr influence. But oh, let them display vanity, try to be
pretty, bow down to the goddess of fashion, fiU thefr ears
with omamente, and thefr fingers vrith rings. Let them put
feathers in thefr hats, and clasps upon thefr arms, lace them
selves up tiU they can hardly breathe. Let them put on thefr
" round tires and walk minting as they go," and thefr influ
ence is reversed Heaven puts on the robes of mourning, and
heU may hold a jubUee.
5. It is easy to see why rerivals do not prevaU in a great
city. How can they ? Just look at God's vritnesses, and see
what they are testifying to. They seem to be agreed togeth
er to tempt the Spirit of the Lord, and he to the Holy Ghost
They make thefr vows to God to consecrate themsdves
whoUy to him, and then go bowing dovm at the shrine of
feshion, and then wonder tJhere are no rerivala It would be
more than a mfrade to have a rerival under such drcumstan-
cea How can a rerival prevail in this church ? Do you sup
pose I have such a vain imagination of my ovm abiUty, as to
think I can promote a rerival by preadiing over your heads,
whUe you hve on as some of you do ? Do you not know
that so far as your influence goes, many of you are right in
the way of a rerival? Tour spirit and deportment produce
an influence on the world against religion. How shall the
world believe rehgioii, when the vritnesses are not agreed
among themselves? Tou contradict yourselves, you con
tradict one another, and you contradict your minister, and
the sum of the whole testimony is, there is no need of being
pioua Do you beheve the things I have been preaching are true,
or are they the ravings of a disturbed mind ? If they are
true, do you recognize the fact that they have reference to
youf Tou say, perhaps, "I wish some of the rich diurches

148 MEANS TO BE USED WITH SINNEBB.
could hear it I " Why, I am not preaclung to them, I am
preadiing to you. My responsibUity is to you, and my fruita
must come from you. Now are you contradicting it ? What
is the testimony on the leaf of tlie record that is now sealed
for the judgment concerning (his day? Have you manifested
a sympathy vrith the Son of God, when his heart is bleeding
in riew of the desolations of Zion? Have your duldren,
derks, servants, seen it to be so? Have they seen a solem
nity on your countenance, and tears in your eyes, in riew of
perishing souls ?
FiNAiiijY. — I must close by remarkiug, that God and all
moral beings have great reason to complain of this false testi
mony. There is ground to complain that God's vritnesses
turn and testify point-blank against him. They declare by
thefr conduct that there is no tmth in the Gospel Heaven
might weep and heU rejoice to see thia Oh, how guUty I Here
you are, going to the judgment, red all over vritli blood
Sinners are to meet you there, those who have seen how you
hve, many of them afready dead and many others you vriU
never see again. What an influence you have exerted ! Per
haps hundreds of souls vriU meet you in the judgment, and
curse you (if they are allowed to speak) for leading them to
heU, by practicaUy denying the truth of the Gospel What
vriU become of this dty, and of the world when the church
is united m practicaUy testifying that God is a liar ? They
testify by thefr hves, that if tliey make a profession and Uve
a moral life, that is religion enough. Oh, what a doctrine ol
daTila is that 1 Enough to ruin t^e whole :

LECTUEE X
TO WIN SOULS BEQUIRES WISDOM.
TazT -He that wtameth souls is wise.— Fbotbbbs. xl. 10;
The most common definition of vrisdom is, that it is Ui<
choice of the best end and the selection of the most appropriate
means for the accomplishment of that end — ^the best adapta
tion of means to secure a desfred end " He that vrinneth
souls," God says, "is wise." The object of this CYening's
lecture is to dfrect Christians in the use of means for accom-
phshing thefr infinitely desfrable end the salvation of souls.
To-night I shah confine my attention to the private efforte of
indiriduals for tae converdon and salvation of men. On an
other occadon, perhaps I shall use the same text in speaking
of what is vrise in the pubhc preaching of the Gospel, and
the labors of ministera In giving some dfrections to aid pri
vate Christians in this work, I propose,
L To show Christians how they should deal vrith cardesa
sinnera IL How they should deal vrith awakened sinners.
TTT. How they should deal vrith convicted dimera
L The manner of deahng vrith careless sinnera
1. In regard to the time. It is important that you diould
sdect a proper time to try to make a serious impresdon on the
mind of a careless sinner. Much depends on timing your
efforte right "For if you faU of sdecting the most proper
time, very probably you vriU be defeated Tme, you may say,
it is your duty at aU times to warn sinners, and try to awaken
them to think of thefr souls. And so it is ; yet if you do not
pay due regard to the time and opportunity, your hope of
success may be very doubtful.
(1.) It is desfrable, if posdble, to address a person that is
cardess, when he is disengaged from other employments. In pro
portion as his attention is taken up vrith something else, it
wiU be difficult to awaken him to rehgion. People who are
careless and indifferent to religion are often offended rather
than benefited by being called off from important and lawful
budnesa For instance, a minister perhaps goes to vidt the
fanuly of a merchant, or mechanic, or farmer, and finds the
(149)

160 TO WIN BOULS EEQUIEES WISDOM.
man aosorbed in his budness ; perhaps he calls him off froD"
nis work when it is urgent, and the man is uneasy and irri
table, and feels as if it was an intrusion. In such a case,
there is littie room to expect any good Notwithstanding it
is true that religion is infinitely more important than aU his
worldly business, and he ought to postpone everything to the
salvation of his soul, yet he does not feel it, for if he did he
would no longer be a careless sinner, and therefore he regards
it as unjustifiable, and gets offended Tou must take him as
you find him, a careless, impenitent sinner, and deal vrith
him accordingly. He is absorbed in other things, and very
apt to be offended if you take sUch a time to interfere and
caU his attention to rehjgion.
(2.) It is important to take a person, if posdble, at a time
when he is not strongly, excited with any other suify'ed. Ji that
is the case, he is in an unfit frame to be addressed on the sub
ject of religion. In proportion to the strong^ of that exdto
ment, would be the probabUity that you would do no good
Tou may possibly reach him ; persons have had thefr minds
arrested and turned to religion in the midst of a powerful ex
citement on other subjects. But it is not hkdy.
(3.) Be sure that the person mperfedly sober. It used to
be more common than it is now for people to drink spirite
every day, and become more or less intoxicated Precisely in
proportion as they are so, they are rendered unfit to be ap
preached on the subject of religion. If they have been drink-
mg beer, or dder, or vrine, so that you can smeU thefr breath,
you may know there is but httie chance of producing any lasi>
Lag effect on them. I have had professors of religion bring
persons to me, pretending they were under conriction ; for
you know that people in hquor are often very fond of talking
upon religion ; but as soon as I came near them, so as to
smeU thefr breath, I have asked Why do you bring this
drunken man to me ? Why, they say, he is not drunk, he has
only drank a httie. WeU, that littie has made him a httie
drunk. He is drunk if you can smeU his breath. The cases
are exceedingly rare where a person has been truly conricted
who had any intoxicating hquor in bim.
(4 ) If posdble, where you vrish to converse vrith a man on
the subject of salvation, take him wlien he is in a good temper.
If you find him out of humor, very probably he will get angry
and abuse you. Better let him alone for that time, or you vrill
be likdy to quench the Spirit. It is possible you may be able
to talk in such a way as to cool his temper, but it is not hkdy.
The tmth is, men hiate God, and though thefr hatred may b#

TO WTN SOULS BEQUIBES WISDOM. 161
dormant, it is easUy exdted and if you bring God fuUy befor*
thefr minds when they are afready exdted vrith anger, it vriU
be so much the easier to arouse thefr enmity to open riolenca
(5.) If possible, always take an opportunity to converse
witih careless sinners when they are alme. Most men are too
proud to be conversed vrith freely respecting themselves in the
presence of others, even thefr owm famUy. A man in such
drcumstances wiU brace up all his powers to defend himself
while if he was alone he would melt dovm. under the tmth.
He wUl resist the truth, or try to laugh it of^ for fear that if
he should manifest any feeling somebody vrill go and report
that he is serious.
In visiting famiUes, instead of calling the femUy together
at the same time to be talked to, the better way is to see them
all, one at a time. There was a case of this kind. Several
young ladies, of a proud gay, and fashionable character, lived
together in a fashionable femUy. Two men were strongly de-
sfrous to get the subject of religion before them, but were at a
loss how to accomplish it, for fear they would aU combine,
and counteract or resist every serious impresdon. At length
they took this course. They called and sent up thefr card to
one of the young ladies by name. She came down and they
conversed vrith her on the subject of her salvation, and as she
was alone, she not only treated them politely, but seemed to
receive the truth vrith seriousness. A day or two after, they
caUed in Uke manner on another, and then another, and so
on, tiU they had conversed vrith every one separately. In a
httie time they were aU, I beheve, every one, hopeftdly con
verted This was as it should be, for then they coiild not
keep each other iu countenance. And then the impresdon
made on one was foUowed up with the others, so that one was
not left to exert a bad influence over the rest
There was a pious woman who kept a boarding house for
young gentiemen ; she had twenty-one or two of them in her
famUy, and at length she became very anxious for thefr salva
tion ; she made it a subject of prayer, but saw no seriousness
among them. At length die saw that there must be some
thing done besides praying, and yet she did not know what
to do. One morning after breakfast, as they were retiring,
she asked one of them to stop a few minutea She took him
to her room, and conversed vrith him tenderly on the subject
of religion, and prayed vrith him. She foUowed up the im
pression made, and pretty soon he was hopefuUy converted
lien there were two, and they addressed another, and prayed
with him, and soon he was prepared to join them. Then an

162 TO WIN SOULS BEQUIBES WISDOM.
other, and so on, taking one at a time, and letting none of the
rest know what was going on, so as not to alarm them, til
every one of these young men was converted to God Now
if she had brought the subject before the whole of them to
gether, very hkely they would have turned it aU into ridicule ;
or perhaps they would have been offended and left the house,
and then die could have had no further influence over them.
But taldng one alone, and treating him respectfuUy and kindly,
he had no such motive for redstance as arises out of the pres
ence of others.
(6.) Try to seize an opportunity to converse vrith a careless
sinner, when the events <f Providence seem to favor your design.
If any particular event diould occur, calculated to make a se
rious impresdon, be sure to improve the occasion faithfuUy.
(7.) Seize the earlied opportunity to converse vrith those
around you who are careless. Do not put it off from day to
day, thinking a better opportunity vriU come. Tou must seek
ah opportunity, and if none offers make one. Appoint a time
and place, and get an interriew vrith your friend and neighbor,
where you can speak to him freely. Send him a note, go to
bim on purpose, make it look like a matter of business, as if
you were in earnest in endeavoring to promote his soul's sal
vation. Then he wiU feel that it is a matter of importance, at
least in your eyes. FoUow it up tUl you succeed, or become
convinced nothing can now be done.
(8.) If you have any feeling for a particular indiridual, take
an opportunity to converse with that indiridual while this fed
ing continues. If it is truly a benevolent feeling, you have rea
son to beheve the Spirit of God is moving you to desfre the sal
vation of his soul, and that God is ready to bless your efforts
for his conversion. In such a case, make it the subject of
spedal and importunate prayer, and seek an early opportu
nity to pour out all your heart to him and bring him to
Christ 2. In regard to the manner of doing aU this.
(1.) When you approach a careless indiridual to endeavor
to awaken him to his soul's concerns, be sure to treat bim
kindly. Ld him see that you address him, not because you
seek a quarrel vrith him, but because you love his soul, and
desfre his best good in time and eternity. If you are harsh
and overbearing in your manner, you wUl probably offend
him and drive him farther off from tiie way of life.
(2.) Be solemn. Avoid all lightness of manner or language
Lerity wUl produce any thing but a right impresdon. Ton
ought to fed that you are engaged in a very solemn work,

TO WIN SOULS BEQUIBES WISDOM. 168
which is going to affect the character of your friend or neigh
bor, and probably determine his destiny for eternity. Who
could trifle and use lerity in such drcumstances if his heart
was sincere ?
(3.) Be respectful Some seem to suppose it necessary to
be abrupt, and rude, and coarse in thefr intercourse vrith the
careless and impenitent Nothing can be a greater mistaka
The Apostie Paul has given us a better rule on the subject,
where he says, " Be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering evU
for evil, or railing for raUing, but contrarivrise blessing." A
rude and coarse address is only calculated to give an unfavor
able opinion both of you and your religion.
(4) Be sure to be very plain. Do not suffer yourself to
cover up any drcumstance of the person's character, and his
rdations to God Lay it all open, not for the purpose of
offending or wounding him, but because it is necessary. Be
fore you can cure a wound you must probe it to the bottom.
Keep back none of the trutii, but let it come out plainly before
him. (5.) Be sure to address his conscience. In pubhc addresses,
ministers often get hold of the feelings only, and thus awaken
the mind But in private conversation you cannot do so.
Tou cannot pour out the tmth in an impasdoned and rousing
manner. And unless you address the consdence pointedly,
you get no hold of the mind at aU.
(6.) Bring the great and fundamental truths to bear upon the
person's mind Sinners are very apt to run off upon some
pretext or some subordinate point, especially some point of
sectarianism. For instance, if the man is a Presbyterian, he
wiU try to turn the conversation on the pointe of difference
between Presbyterians and Methodiste Or he wUl faU foul
of old school divinity. Do not yield to him, or talk vrith him
on any such point ; it vrill do more hurt than good TeU him
the present business is to save his soul, and not to settie con
troverted questions in theology. Hold him to the great fun
damental pointe, by which he must be saved or lost
(7.) Be very patient Ji he has a real difficulty in his mind,
be very patient tUl you find out what it is, and then dear it
up. If what he aUeges is a mere cavil, make him see that it
is a cavU. Do not try to answer it by argument, but show
him that he is not sincere in advancing it It is not worth
whfle to spend your time in arguing against a cavil, but make
him feel that he is committing sin to plead it and thus enlist
his conscience on your dda
(8.) Be careful to guard your own spirit There ore man]
7*

164 TO WIN SOULS EEQUIEES WISDOM.
people who have not good temper enough to converse vritb
those who are much opposed to religion. And such a person
wants no better triumph than to see you angry. He vriU go
away exulting because he has made one of these saints mad
(9.) If the sinner is inclined to intrench himself against
God be careful not to take his pari in anything. Ji he says he
cannot do his duty, do not take sides with him, or say any
thing to countenance his falsehood Do not tell him he can
not, or help him maintain himself in the controversy against
his Maker. Sometimes a careless sinner vriU go to finding
fault vrith Christians. Do not take his part or dde with him
against Christians. Just teU him he has not got thefr sins to
answer for, and he had better see to his own concerns. If
you faU in with him, he feels that he has you on his sida
Show him that it is a censorious and wicked spirit that
prompts him to make these remarks, and not a regard for
the, honor of religion or the laws of Jesus Christ.
(10.) Bring up the iadindnsl'B particular sins. Talking in
general terms against sin wUl produce no resiUta Tou must
make a man feel that you mean him. A minister who cannot
make his hearers feel that he means them, cannot expect to
accomphsh much. Some people are very careful to avoid
mentioning the particular sins of which they know the indi
ridual to be guUty, for fear of hurting his feelings. This is
wrong. If you know his history, bring up his particular sins,
kindly but plainly, not to give offence, but to awaken con
science, and give full force to the tmth.
(11.) It is generaUy best to be short, and not spin out what
we have to say. Get the attention as soon as you can to the
very point, say a few things and press them home, and bring
the matter to an issue, fl possible, get them to repent ana
give themselves to Christ at the time. This is the proper
issue. CarefuUy avoid making an impresdon that you do not
expect them to repent NOW.
(12.) If possible, when you converse vrith sinners, be sure
to pray with them. If you converse with them, and leave
them vrithout praying, you leave your work undone.
n. The manner of dealing vrith awakened sinners.
1. Tou should be careful to distinguish between an
awakened sinner, and one who is under conriction. When
you find a person who feels a httie on the subject of religion,
do not take it for granted that he is convicted of sin, and thus
omit to use means to show bim his sin. Persons are often
awakened by some proridential drcumstance, as sickness, a
thunderstorm, pestUence, death in the fanuly, disappoint

TO WIN SOULS BEQUIBES VTISDOM. 16J
ment or the like, or by the Spirit of God so that thefr ean
are open, and they are ready to hear on the subject of re
hgion vrith attention and seriousness, and some feehng. If
you find a person awakened no matter by what means, lose
no time in pouring light upon his mind Do not be afraid, but
diow him the breadth of the Divine law, and the exceeding
staictness of its precepte. Make bim see how it condemns
his thoughts and hfe. Seardi out his heart, find what is
there, and bring it up before his mind as far as you can. If
possible, melt him down on the spot. When once you have
got a sinner's attention, very often his conriction and con
verdon is the work of a few momente. Tou can sometimes
do more in five minutes, than in years or a whole hfe whUe
he is careless or indifferent.
I have been amazed at the conduct of those cruel parents,
and other heads of famiUes, who vriU let an awakened sinner
be in thefr famihes for days and weeks, and not say a word
to him on the subject Why, they say, if the Spirit of God
has begun a work in him, he wUl certainly carry it on 1 Per
haps the person is anxious to converse, and pute himself in
the way of Christians, as often as posdble, expecting they
wUl converse with him, and they do not say a word Amaz
ing 1 Such a person ought to be looked out immediately, as
soon as he is awakened and let a blaze of light be poured into
his mind vrithout delay. Whenever you have reason to beUeve
that a person vrithin your reach is awakened do not sleep
tiU you have poured in the light upon his mind and tried to
bring him to immediate repentance. Then is the time to
press the subject with effect. If that fevorable moment ia
lost, it can never be recovered
I have often seen Christians in rerivals, who were con
stantiy on the look-out to see if any persons appeared to be
awakened And as soon as they saw any one begin to mani
fest feehng under preaching, they would mark him, and as
soon as the meeting was out, inrite him to a room and con
verse and pray vrith him, and if possible not leave him tiU he
was converted A remarkable case of this kind occurred in
a town at the West A merchant came to the place from a
distance to buy goods. It was a time of powerful rerival,
but he was determined to keep out of ite influence, and so he
would not go to any meeting at aU. At length he found
everybody so much engaged in rehgion that it met him at
every turn, and he got vexed and swore he would go homa
There was so much religion there, he said he could not do
any business, and he would not stay. Accordingly he took

160 TO WIN SOULS EBQUIKE8 WISDOM.
his seat for the stage, which was to leave at four o'do<^ tht
next morning. As he spoke of going away, a gentieman be
longing to the house, who was one of the young conveite,
asked bim- if he would not go to a meeting once before he
left town. He finaUy consented and went to the meeting.
The sermon took hold of his mind but not with sufficient
power to bring bim into the kingdom. He returned to his
lodgings, and called the landlord to pay his biU. The land
lord, who had himself recently experienced religion, saw that
he was agitated He accordingly spoke to him on tiie subject
of rehgion, and the man burst iuto tears. The landlord im
mediately called in three or four young converts, and they
prayed and exhorted him, and at four o'clock in the momiag,
when the stage caUed, he went on his way rejoicing in God I
When he got home, he called his famUy together, confessed
to them 'ink past sins, and avowed his determination to live
differentiy, and prayed with them for the first time. It was
so unexpected tliat it was soon noised abroad people began
to inqufre, and a rerival broke out in the place. Now, sup
pose these Christians had done as some do, been careless,
and let the man go oE, shghtly impressed ? It is not prob
able he ever could have been saved Such opportunities are
often lost for ever, when once the favorable moment is passed
TTT. The manner of dealing with convicted sinners.
By a convicted sinner I mean one who feels himself con
demned by the law of God, as a guUty sinner. He has so
much instruction as to understand something of the extent
of God's law, and he sees and feels his gmlty state, and
knows what his remedy is. To deal vrith these often requfres
great wisdom. There are some most trying cases occur,
when it is extremely difficult to know what to do with them.
1. When a person is convicted and not converted, but re
mains in an anxious state, there is generally some specific
reason for it. In such cases, it does no good to exhort him
to repent, or to explain the law to bim. He knows aU that,
he understands all these general pointa But stUl he does
not repent. Now there must be some particular difficulty to
overcome. Tou may preach and pray, and exhort tiU dooms
day, and not gain anything.
Tou must then set yourself to inqufre what is that parti-
ciUar difficulty. A phydcian, when he is caUed to a patient
and finds him sick vrith a particular disease, first administere
the general remedies that are apphcable to that disease. If
they produce no effect, and the disease stUl continues, ht
must examine the case, and learn the constitution of the in-

rO WIN SOULS BEQUIBES WISDOM. 16".
diriduol, and his habits, diet, manner of hving, ete., and see
what the matter is that the medicine does not take effect.
So it is vrith the case of a sinner conricted but not converted
If your ordinary instructions and exhortations fail, there
must be a difficulty. The particular difficulty is often knovm
to the indiridual himself, though he keeps it concealed
Sometimes it is something that has escaped even his own
observation. (1.) Sometimes the indiridual has some idol, something
whidi he loves more than God which prevents bim from giv
ing himself up. Tou must search out and see what it is t^t
he vriU not give up. Perhaps it is wealth, perhaps some
earthly friend, perhaps gay dress, or gay company, or some
favorite amusement At any rate there is something on
whidi his heart is so set that he vriU not yidd to God
(2.) Perhaps he has done an injury to some indiridual,
that calls fo±" redress, and he is unvrillmg to confess it or to
make a just recompense. Now, untU he wUl confess and for
sake tliis sin, he can find no mercy. If he has injured the
person in property, or character, or has abused him, he, must
make it up. If you can find it out, teU bim plainly and
frankly, that there is no hope for bim tiU he is vrilling to
confess it, and to do what is right
(3.) Sometimes there is some particular sin, which he vriU
not forsake. He pretends it is only a smaU one, or tries to
persuade himself it is no sin. No matter how small it is, he
can never get into the kingdom of God tiU he gives it up.
Sometimes an indiridual has seen it to be a sin to use tobacco,
and he never can find true peace tiU he gives it up. Perhaps
he is looking upon it as a small dn.
But God knows nothing about small sins in such a case.
What is the dn ? Why it is injuring your health, setting a
bad example, and taldng God's money, which you are bound
to employ in his serrice, and spendiag it for tobacco. What
would a merdiant say, if he found one of his derks in the
habit of going to the money drawer, and taldng money
enough to keep bim in dgars ? Would he caU it a small
offence ? No, he would say he deserved to be sent to the
Stete prison. I mention this particular dn, because I have
found it to be one of the things to which men who ore con
ricted mil hold on when they know it is vyrong, and then
wonder why they do not find peace.
(4) See if there is not some work of remuneration, which
he is bound to do. Perhaps he has defrauded somebody ir
trade, or taken some unfair advantage, contrary to tKa acidesc

168 TO WIN SOULS BEQUIBES WISDOM.
rule of doing as ; ou would be done by, and is unwilling te
make satisfaction. This is a very common sin among mer
diants and men of businesa I have known many melanchofy
instances, where men have grieved away the Spirit of God,
or else have been driven well nigh to absolute despafr because
they were unwilling to give satisfection where they had done
such things. Now it is plain that such persons never can
have forgiveness until they do it.
(5.) They may have intrenched themselves somewhere, and
fortified thefr minds in regard to some particular point, which
they are determined not to yield For instenee, they may
have taken strong ground that they vriU not do a particular
thing. I knew a man who was determined not to go into a
certain grove to pray. Several other persons during the re
rival had gone into the grove, and there, by prayer and medi-
tetion, given themselves to God His own clerk ihad been
converted there. The lawyer himself was awakened but he
was determiaed that he woiUd not go into the grove. He had
powerful conrictions, and went on for weeks in this way, with
no relief He tried to make God beheve that it was not pride
that kept him from Christ ; and so, when he was going home
from meeting, he would kneel dovm. in the street and pray.
And not only that, but he would look round for a mud-puddle
in the street, in which he might kneel, to show that he was
not proud He once prayed aU night in his parlor, but he
would not go into the grove. His distress was so great, and
he was so angry with God, that he was strongly tempted to
make way vrith himself, and actuaUy threw away his Imife for
fear he should cut his throat At length he conduded he
would go into the grove and pray, and as soon as he got there
he was converted and went and poured out his fuU heart te
God So indiriduals are sometimes intrenched in a determination
that they vriU not go to a particular meeting, perhaps the in
quiry meeting, or some prayer meeting, or they vriU not have
a certain person pray vrith them, or they vrill not take a par
ticular seat, such as the anxious seat They say that they can
be converted just as weU without yielding this point, for rehg
ion does not consist in this, going to a particular meeting, or
taldng a particular attitude in prayer, or a particular seat.
This is true, but by taldng this ground they make it the mate
rial point And so long as they are intrenched there, and
determined to bring God to thefr terms, they nevor can be
converted Sinners vriU often yidd any thing else, and do
any thing in the world but yield the point upon whidi the}

TO WIN SOULS BEQUIBES WISDOM. 15(
haYe committed themselves, and taken a stand against Gkid
They cannot be humbled until they yield this point, whatever
it is. And if vrithout yielding it they get a hope, it vriU be a
false hope.
(6.) Perhaps he has a prejudice against some one, a mem
ber of the church perhaps, on account of some faithful dealing
with his soul, or something in his business that he did not
like, and he hangs on this and wUl never be converted tiU he
gives it up. Whatever it be, you should search it out and teU
him the txuth plainly and faithfuUy.
(7.) He may feel UI vriU towards some one, or be angry,
and cherish strong feelings of resentment, whidi prevent bim
from obtaining mercy from God " And when ye stand pray
ing, forgive, if ye have aught against any : that your Father
also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespassea
But, if ye do not forgive, ndtlier vnU your Father which is in
heaven forgive your frespassea"
(8.) Perhaps he entertains some errors in doctrine, or some
wrong notions respecting the thing to be done, or the way of
doing it, which may be keeping him out of the kingdom. Per
haps he is waiting for God He is convinced that he deserves
to go to heU, and that unless he is converted he must go there,
but he is waiting for God to do something to him before he
submite. He is in fact waiting for God to do for him what he
has required the sinner to do.
He may be waiting for more conviction. People often do
not know what conviction is, and think they are not under
conriction, when in feet they are under powerful conriction.
They often think nothing is conriction unless they have great
fears of hdl But the fact is, indiriduals often have steong
conrictions, who have very httie fear of heU. Show them
what is the truth, and let them see they have no need to wait
Perhaps he maybe waiting for certein feehngs, whidi some
body else has had before he obtained mercy. This is very
common in rerivals, where some one of the first converte has
told of remarkable experiences. Others who are awakened
are very apt to think they must wait for just such fedinga I
knew a young man thus awakened ; his companion had been
converted in a remarkable way, and this one was waiting for
just such feehnga He said he was using the means, and
praying for them, but finaUy found that he was a Christian,
although he had not been through the course of feeling he
expected Sinners often lay out a plan of the way they expect to feel,
and how they expect to be converted and in fact lay out the

100 TO WIN SOULS BEQUIBES WISDOM.
work for God, determined that they vriU go in that poth at
not at all. TeU them this is aU vnrong, they must not lay out
any sudi path beforehand, but let God lead them as he sees
to be best God always leads the bhnd by a way they know
not. There never was a sinner brought into me Mngdom
through such a course of feding as he expected Very often
they are amazed to find that they are in, and have had no
such exorcises as they expected
It is very common for persons to be waiting to be made
subjects of prayer, or for some particular means to be used
or to see if they cannot make themselves better. They are
BO vricked they say, that they can not come to Christ They
want to try, by humiliation, and suffering, and prayer, to fit
themsdves to come. Tou vriU have to hunt them out of aU
these refuges. It is astonishing into how many comers they
vriU often run before they vrill go to Christ I have known
persons almost deranged for the want of a httie correct in
struction. Sometimes such people tbink thefr sins are too great to be
forgiven, or that they have grieved the Spirit of God away,
when that Spirit is all the wMle conricting them. They pre
tend thefr sins are greater than Christ's merdes, thus actually
insulting the Lord Jesus Christ
Sometimes sinners get the idea that they are given up of
God and that now they cannot be saved It is often very
difficult to beat persons off from this ground Many of the
most distressing cases I have ever met with have been of this
character, where persons would insist upon it they were given
up and nothing would change them.
In a place where I was laboring in a revival I went one
day into the meeting, and before the exerdses commenced I
heard a low moaning distressing, unearthly noise. I looked
and saw several women gathered round the person who made
it They said it was a woman in despafr. She had been a
long time in that state. Her husband was a drunkard He
had brought her to meeting and gone himself to the tevem.
I conversed vrith her and saw her state, and that it was very
difficult to reach her case. As I was going away to commence
the exercises she said she must go out, for she could not hear
{>raying or dnging. I told her she must not go, and told the
adies to detain her, if necessary, by force. I fdt that if the
deril had hold of her, God was stronger than the devil, and
oould dehver her. The exercises began, and she made some
noise at first But by and by she looked up. The subject
was chosen with specnal reference to her case, and as it pre

TO WIN SOULS BEQUIBES WISDOM. 101
ceeded her attention was gained her eyes were fixed— I never
diaU forget how she looked — ^her eyes and mouth open, her
head up, and she almost rose from her seat as the tmth poured
in upon her mind Finally, as the truth knocked away every
fotmdation on which her despafr had rested she shrieked out,
put her head down, and sat perfectiy still till the meeting was
out I went to her, and found her perfectiy calm and happy
in God I saw her long afterwards, and die remained so.
Thus Proridence threw her where she never expected to be,
and compeUed her to hear instruction adapted to her case.
Tou may often do incalculable good by finding out precisely
where the difficulty hes, and then bring the trut£ to bear right
on that point
Sometimes persons vrill strenuously maintain that they have
committed the unpardonable sin. When they get that idea
into thefr minds, tliey vriU turn every thing you say against
themsdvea In some such cases, it is a good way to take
them on thefr own ground and reason vrith them in this way;
" Suppose you have committed the unpardonable sin, what
then ? It is reasonable that you should submit to God and
be sorry for your sins, and break off from them, and do aU
the good you can, even if God vriU not forgive you. Even if
you go to heU, you ought to do thia" Press this thought and
turn it over until you find they understand and consent to it
It is common for persons in such cases to keep thefr eyes
on themsdves ; they vriU shut themselves up and keep look
ing at thefr own darkness, instead of looking away to Christ
Now if you can take thdr minds off from themselves, and get
them to think of Christ, you may draw them away from brood
ing over thefr own present feelings, and get them to lay hold
on the hope set before them in the Gospel
2. Be careful, in conversing with conricted dnners, not to
make any compromise vrith them on any point where they
have a difficulty. If you do, they wiU be sure to take advan
tage of it, and thus get a false hope. Conricted sinners often
get into a difficulty, in regard to giving up some darling sm,
or yielding some point where consdence and the Holy Ghost
are at war vrith them. And if they come across an indiridual
who wiU yield the point, they feel better and are happy, and
tbinlr they are converted The young man who came to
Christ was of this character. He had one difficulty, and Jesus
Christ knew just what it was. He knew he loved his money,
and instead of compromising the matter and thus trying to
comfort him, he just put his finger on the very place and told
him, " Go sdl all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and

162 TO WIN SOULS EEQUIEES WISDOM.
and come foUow me." What was the effect? Why the young
man went away sorrowful. Very likely, if Christ had told
him to do any thing else, he would have felt reUeved, and
would have got a hope ; would have professed himself a dis-
dple, joined the church, and gone to heU.
People are often amazingly anxious to make a compromisa
They vriU ask such questions as this. Whether you do not
think a person may be a Christian and yet do such and such
things ; or if he may not be a Christian and not do such and
such things ? Now, do not yield an inch to any such ques
tions. These questions themselves) may often show you the
very point that is laboring in thefr minds. They vraU show
you that it is pride, or love of the world or something of the
kind which prevents thefr becoming Christians.
Be careful to make thorough work on this point, the love
of the world. I beheve there have been more false hopes
buUt on vsTong instructions here, than in any other way. I
once heard a Doctor of Divinity trying to persuade his hearers
to give up the world ; and he told them " if they would only
give it up, God would give it right back to them again. He
is wUling you should enjoy the world" Miserable! God
never gives back the world to the Christian, in the sam6
sense that he requfres a conricted sinner to give it up. He
requfres us to give up the ownership of everytiung to him, so
that we shall never again for a moment consider it as our own.
A man must not think he has a right to judge for himself
how much of his property he shall lay out for God One
man thinks he may spend twenty thousand dollars a year to
support his famUy ; he has a right to do it, because he has
the means of his ovm.. Another thinks he may lay up five
hundred thousand doUars. One man said the other day, that
he had promised he never would give any of his property to
educate young men for the ministry. When he is apphed to,
he just answers, " I have said I never vriU give to any such
object, and I never vrill" Man ! did Jesus Christ ever teU
you to do so with his money ? Has he laid down any such
rule ? Eemember it is his money you are talking about, and
if he wante it to educate ministers, you withhold it at your
peril That man has yet to learn the first prindple of re
ligion, that he is not his own, and that the money which he
possesses is Jesus Christ's.
Here is the great reason why the church is so fuU of falsa
hopes. Men have been left to suppose they could be Chris
tians whUe holding on to thefr money. And this has served
OS a clog to every enterprisa It is on undoubted fact that

TO WIN 8C ULS BEQUIBES WISDOM. 103
the church has funds enough to supply the world vrith Bibles,
and tracts, and misdonaries, imme(£ately. But the tmth is,
that professors of rehgion do not believe that the " earth is
the Lord's, and the fuUness thereof." Every man supposes
he has a right to decide what appropriation he shall make of
his own money. And they have no idea that Jesus Christ
shaU dictate to them on the subject
Be sure to deal thoroughly on this point. The church is
now fiUed up with hypocrites, because tiiey were never made
to give up tlie world They never were made to see that un
less they made an entfre consecration of aU to Christ, aU
thefr time, all thefr talente, aU thefr influence, all thefr pos
sessions, they would never get to heaven. Many tbinlr tiiey
can be Christians, and yet dream along through hfe, and use
aU thefr time and property for themselves, only giving a httie
now and then, to save appearances, when they can do it
with perfect convenience. But it is a sad mistake, and they
wUl find it so, if they do not employ thefr energies for Gk>d
And when they die, instead of finding heaven at the end of
the path they are pursuing, they vriU find heU there.
In deahng vrith a conricted sinner, be sure to drive bim
away from every refuge, and not leave him an inch of ground
to stand on, so long as he resiste God This need not take
a long time to do. When the Spirit of God is at work striv
ing vrith a sinner, it is easy to drive him from his refugea
Tou vriU find the truth vriU be hke a hammer, crushing where-
ever it strikea Make dean work vrith it, so that he shaU
give up aU for God
Make the sinner see dearly the nature and extent of the
Divine law, and press the 771am question of entfre submisdon
to God. Bear down on that point as soon as you have made
him clearly understand what you aim at, and do not turn off
upon anything else.
Be careful in Ulustrating the subject, not to midead the
mind so as to leave the impresdon that a selfish submisdon
wUl answer, or a selfish acceptance of the atonement, or a
sdfish giving up to Christ and receiving him, as if a man
was making a good bargain, giving up bis sins and receiving
salvation in excharige. This is mere barter, and not submis
don to God. Leave no ground in your explanations or Ulus-
trations, for such a riew of the matter. Man's selfish heart
vriU eagerly seize such a riew of religion, if it be presented
and very lUsely dose in with it, and t£us get a felse hope.
Another time I shaU call your attention to certain things
that are to be avoided in dealing with sinnera

164 ro WIN SOULS bequibbs wisdom.

EEMAEKS.
1. Make it an object of constant dudy and of daHy reflection
and prayer, to learn how to deal vrith sinners, so as to pro
mote thefr conversion. It is the great budness on earth of
every Christian, to save souls. People often complain that
they do not know how to take hold of this matter. Why, the
reason is plain enough ; they have never studied it. They
never took the proper pains to qualify themselves for the
work of saving souls. H people made it no more a matter
of attention and thought to quahfy themselves for thefr
worldly business, than they do to save souls, how do you
t.binlr tiiey would succeed ? Now, if you are thus neglecting
the main business of life, what are you living for ? If you
do not make it a matter of study, how you may most success-
fuUy act in buUding up the kingdom of Christ, you are act
ing a very vricked and absurd part as a Christian.
2. Many professors of religion do wiore hurt than good, when
they attempt to talk to impenitent sinnera They have so
httie knowledge and skill, that thefr remarks rattier divert
attention than increase it.
8. Be careful to find the point where the Spirit cf God is
pressing a sinner, and press the same point in all your re
marks. If you divert his attention from that point, you vriU
be in great danger of destroying his conrictions. Take pains
to learn the state of his mind, what he is thinking of, how he
feels, and what he feels most deeply upon, and then press
that thoroughly, and do not divert his mind by talking about
anything else. Do not fear to press that point, for fear of
driving him to distraction. Some people fear to press a point
to which the mind is tremblingly alive, lest they diould injure
the mind, notwithstanding the Spirit of God is eridentiy de
bating that point vrith the sinner. This is an attempt to be
wiser than God Tou should clear up the point, throw the
light of trutii all around it, and bring the soul to yield and
then the mind is at rest
4 Great erils have arisen, and many false hopes have been
created by not discriminating between an awakened and a com-
vided sinner. For the want of this, persons who are only
awakened are immediately pressed to submit ; "you must re
pent," " submit to God" when they are not in fact convinced
of thefr guUt, nor insteucted so fer as even to know what
submission means. This is one way in which rerivals have
been greatly injured by iadiscriminate exhortetions to repent^
nnaccompanied vrith proper instruction.

TO WIN S0Ui.a A^QUIBES WISDOM. 165
5. Anxious sinners are to be regarded as being in a very
solemn and critical slate. They have in feet come to a turning
point It is a time when thefr destiny is hkdy to be settied
for ever. The Spirit of God vriU not strive always. Chris
tians ought to feel deeply for them. In many respects thefr
drcumstances are more solemn than the judgment day. Here
thefr destiay is settled. The judgment day reveals it. And
the particular time when it is done is when Ove Spirit is striv
ing with them. Christians should remember thefr avrful re
spondbUity at such timea The physician, if he knows any
thing of his duty, sometimes feels himself under a very solemn
respondbUity. His patient is in a critical state, where a httie
error will destroy life, and he hangs quivering between life
and death. If such respondbUity is felt in relation to the
body, what avrful responsibihty should be felt in relation to the
soul, when it is seen to hang trembling on a point, and ite
destiny is now to be decided One false impression, one in
discreet remark, one sentence misunderstood a slight diver-
don of mind may uxar him the vyrong way, and his soul is
lost Never was an angd employed in a more solemn work
than that of dealing vrith sinners who are under conriction.
How solemnly and carefully then should Christians walk;
how wisdy and skUlfuUy work, if they do not mean to be the
means of damning a soul 1
Finally. — If there is a sinner in this house, let me say to
him, Abandon all your excusea Tou have been told to
night that they are all vain. To-night it wUl be told in hell,
and told in heaven, and echoed from the ends of the uni
verse, what you dedde to do. This very hour may seal your
eternal destmy. WiU you submit to God to-night— -sow ?

LECTUEE XL

A WISE MDUSTES WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
Text.— He that winneth eonls is wise. — Pbotekbb xl. SO.
I FEEACHBD last Friday evening from the same text, on tha
method of dealing vrith sinners by private Christians. My
object at this time is to take up the mcH'e pubUc means of
grace, vrith particular reference to the
DUTIES OF MINISTEBS.
As I observed in my last lecture, vrisdom is the dioice and
pursuit of the best end by the most appropriate meana The
great end for which the Christian Mnustry was appointed is
to glorify God in the salvation of souls. In speaking on this
subject I propose to show,
L That a right discharge of the duties of a minister requires
great vrisdom.
n. That the amount of success in the discharge of his du
ties {oOier Odngs being equal) decides the amount of vrisdom
employed by him in the exercise of his office.
L I am to show that a right discharge of the duties of a
minister requfres great vrisdom.
1. On account of the opposition it encounters. The very end
for which the ministry is appointed is one against which is
arrayed the most powerful opposition of sinners themsdvea
If men were willing to receive the Gospel, and there were
nothing needed to be done but to teU the story of redemption,
a chUd might convey the news. But men are opposed to the
Gospel They are opposed to thefr own salvation, in this way.
Thefr opposition is often riolent and determined I once saw
a maniac who had formed designs against his own life, and
he would exercise the utmost sagadty and cunning to effect
his purpose. He would be as artful and make his keepers
beheve he had no such dedgn, that he had given it aU up,
and would appear as mUd and sober, and at the instant the
keeper was off his guard he would lay hands on himself. So
sinners often exercise great cunning in evading aU the efforte
(166)

A WISE MINISTER WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. 167
that are made to save them. And to meet this dreadful cun
ning, and overcome it so as to save men, ministers need a
great amount of vrisdom.
2. The particular means appointed to be employed in the
work diow the necessity of great wisdom in ministers. If
men were converted by an act of physical omnipotence, cre
ating some new taste, or something like that, and if sanctifi
cation were nothing but the same physical omnipotence root
ing out the remaining roots of sin from the soul, it would not
require so much sagacity and skUI to win souls. Nor would
there then be any meaning in the text. But the tmth is that
regeneration and sanctification are to be effected by moral
means — by argument and not by force. There never was and
never wUl be any one saved by any thing biit truth as the
meana Truth is the outward means, tiie outward motive,
presented first by man and then by the Holy Spirit Take
into riew the opposition of tlie sinner himself, and you see
that nothing, after all, short of the vrisdom of God and the
moral power of the Holy Spirit, can break down this oppod
tion, and bring him to submit to God StUl the means are to
be used by men, and means adapted to the end skUlfuUy used
God has prorided that the work of conversion and sanctifica
tion shaU in aU cases be done by means of that kind of truth,
applied in that connection and relation, which is fitted to pro
duce such a result
3. He has the powers of earth and heU to overcome, and
that calls for vrisdom. The devU is constantiy at work, trying
to prevent the success of ministers, laboring to divert the at
tention from the subject of rehgion, and to get the siimer
away from God and lead him down to heU. The whole frame
work of society, almost, is hostUe to rehgion. Nearly aU the
influences which surround a man from his cradle to his grave,
in the present state of society, are calculated to defeat the de
sign of the ministry. Does not a minister then need great
vrisdom to conffict vrith the powers of darkness, and the whole
influence of the world ^ addition to the sinner's own oppo
dtion? 4 The same is seen from the infinite importance of the end
iteelf The end of the ministry is the salvation of the soul
When we consider the importance of the end and the difficul
ties of the work, who vrill not say with the apostie, " Who is
sufficient for these things ?"
5. He must understand how to wake up the church, and
get them out of the way of the converdon of sinners. This is
often the most difficult part of a minister's work, and requirea

168 A WISE MINISTEB WILL BE SUCOBSSFOl.
more wisdom and patience than any thing else. Indeed to
do this successfuUy, is a most rare qualification in the Chris
tian ministry. It is a point where almost all ministers faU,
They know not how to wake up the church, and raise the tone
of piety to a high standard and thus dear the way for the
work of conversion. Many ministers can preach to sinners
very well, but gain httie success, whUe the counteracting in
fluence of the church redsts it all, and they have not skUl
enough to remove the difficulty. There is only here and there
a minister in the country who knows how to probe the church
when they are in a cold backslidden state, so as effectuaUy to
wake them up and ke^ them awake. The members of the
churdi sin against such hght, that when they become cold it
is very difficult to rouse them up. They have a form of piety
which wards off the truth, whUe at the same time it is just
that kind of piety which has no power nor efficiency. Such
professors are the most difficult indiriduals to arouse from
thefr dumbers. I do not mean that they are always more
wicked thdn the impenitent. They are often employed about
the machinery of religion, and pass for very good Christians,
but are of no use in a revival.
I know ministers are sometimes amazed to hear it said that
churches are not awake. No wonder such ministera do not
know how to wake a deeping church. There was a young
licentiate heard brother Poote the other day, in this dty, poin>
ing out truth, and trying to wake up the churches, and ho
knew so httie about it that he thought it was abusing the
churdies. So perfectiy blind was he that he reaUy thought
the churches in New Tork were all awake on the subject of
rdigion. So some years ago there was a great controversy
and oppodtion raised because so much was said about the
chur(ies being adeep. It was all truth, yet many ministers
knew nothing about it, and were astonidied to hear such things
said about the churches. When it has come to this, that min
isters do not know when the chiu'ch is asleep, no wonder that
we have no rerivals. I was inrited once to preach at a certain
place. I asked the minister what was the state of the church.
"Oh," says he, "toa man they are awake." I was delighted
at the idea of laboring in such a church, for it was a sight I
tiad never yet seen, to see every single member awake in a
rerival. But when I got there I found the church deepy and
cold and I doubt whether one of them was awake.
, Here is the great difficulty in keeping up rerivals, to keep
the church thoroughly awake and engaged It is one thing
tor a churdi to get up in thefr deep and bluster about and

A WISE MINISTEB WILL BB SUCCESSFUL. 169
run over each other, and a widely different thing for them to
have thefr eyes open, and thefr senses about them, and be
wide awake, so as to know how to find God and how to work
for Christ.
5. He must know how to set the church to work when Oiey are
awake. If a minister attempts to go to work alone, calculating
to do it aU himself it is hke attempting to roU a great stone
up a hUl alone. The churdi can do much to help forward a
rerival Churches have sometimes had powerful rerivals
without any minister. But when a minister has a churdi who
are awake, and knows how to set them to work, and how to
dt at the hehn and guide them, he may fed strong, and often
times may find that they do more than he does himself, in the
converdon of dnners.
6. In order to be successful, a minister needs great wisdom
to know how to keep the church to the work. Often the church
seem just like children. Tou set chUdren to work, and they
appear to be aU engaged but as soon as your back is turned
they vrill stop and go to play. The great difficulty in continu
ing a rerival hes here. And to meet it requfres great wisdom.
To know how to break them dovm. again, when thefr heart
gete lifted up because they have had such a great rerival ; to
wake them up afredi when thefr zeal begins to flag ; to keep
Biefr hearts fiiU of zeal for the work ; these are some of the
most difficult things in the world Tet if a minister would
be successful in winning souls, he must know when they first
begui to grow proud or to lose the spirit of prayer, and when
to probe them and how to search them over again, how to
keep the churdi in the field gathering the harvest of the Lord
7. He must understand the Gospel. But you wiU ask. Do not
aU ministers understand the Gospel? I answer, that they
certainly do not all understand it alike, for they do not all
preach alike.
8. He must know how to divide it, so as to bring forward
the particular truths, ia that order, and to make tiiem bear
npon those points and at such times as are calculated to pro
duce a given result A minister should understand the phi
losophy of the human mind so as to know how to plan and
arrange his labors wisely. Tmth, when brought to bear upon
the mind is in itself calculated to produce corresponding fed
inga The minister must know what feelings he vridies to
produce, and how to bring such tmth to bear as is calculated
to produce these feehngs. He must know how to present
truth calculated to humble Christians, or to make them feel
for dnners, or to awaken sinners, or to convert t^iem-
8

170 A WISE MINISTEB WILL BE SUCCESSFCX..
Often, when sinners are awakened the grotmd is lost foi
the want of wisdom in foUovring up the blow. Perhaps a
rousing sermon is preadied Chnstians are moved, and sin
ners begin to feel, and the next Sabbath something vriU be
brought forward that has no connection vrith the state of feel
ing in the congregation, and that is not calculated to lead the
mind on to the exercise of repentance, faith or love. It shows
how important it is that a minister should understand how to
E reduce a given impression, at what time it may and jhould
e done, and by what truth, and how to foUow it up, tUl the
dnner is broken down and brought in.
A great many good sermons preached are all lost for the
want of a Uttie wisdom here. They are good sermons, and
calculated if weU timed to do great good ; but they have so
Uttie connection vrith the actual state of feeling in the con
gregation, that it would be more than a mfracle if they should
produce a rerival A minister may preach in this random
way tiU he has preached himself to death, and never produce
any great results. He may convert here and there a scatter
ing soul ; but he vrill not move the mass of the congregation
unless he knows how to foUow up his impresdons, to carry
out a plan of operatiohs and execute it, so as to carry on the
work when it is begun. He must not only be able to blow
the trumpet so loud as to start the sinner from his lethargy,
but when he is waked he must lead him by the shortest way
to Jesus Christ. And not as soon as sinners are roused by
a sermon, immediately begin to preach about some remote
subject that has no tendency to carry on the work.
10. To reach different classes of sinners successfuUy requires
great wisdom on the part of a minister. For instance, a sei>
mon on a particular subject may start a particular class of
persons among his hearers. Perhaps they wUl begin to look
serious, or perhaps talk about it, or perhaps they vriU begin
to cavU about it. Now, if the minister is vrise, he vriU know
how to observe those indications, and to follow right on vrith
sermons adapted to this class, untU he leads them into the
kingdom of God Then let bim go back and take anothei
dass, find out where they are hid break dovm thefr refuges,
and foUow them up, till he leads them into the kingdom of
God He should thus beat about every bush where sinners
hide themselves, as the voice of God foUowed Adam in the
garden — " Adam, where aet thou ?" tUl one class of hearers
after another are brought in, and so the whole community
converted Now a minister must be very vrise to do this. It
never vriU be done so tiU a minister sete himself to hunt out

A WISE MINISTEB WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. 171
and bring in every dass of sinners in his congregation, the
old and young, male and female, rich and poor.
11. A minister needs great wisdom to get sinners away
from thefr present refuges of Ues, without forming new hiding
places for them. I once sat under the ministry of a man who
had contracted a great alarm about heresies, and was con
stentiy employed in confuting them. And he used to bring
np many such heredes as his people never heard of He got
his ideas chiefly from books, and mingled very httie among
the people to know what they thought And the result of
his labors often was, that the people would be taken vrith the
heresy, more than vrith the argument against it The novdty
of the error attracted thefr attention so much that they
forgot the answer. And in that way he gave many of his
people new objections against religion, such as they never
thought of before. If a man does not mingle enough vrith
mankind to know how people think now-adays he cannot ex
pect to be vrise to meet thefr objections and difficultiea
I have heard a great deal of preaching against Universal-
ists, that did more hurt than good because the preachers
did not understand how Universalists of the present day
reason. They have never mingled with Universalists, and
know not what they beUeve and how they argue, now, but
have got aU they know of Universalism from books that were
written long ago, and are now out of date among Universal-
iste themsdvea And the consequence is that when they at
tempt to preadi against Universalism they oppose a man of
straw, and not Universalist sentimente as they are now found
in the community. And people either laugh at them, or say
it is all hes, for they know Universalists do not hold such
sentimente as are ascribed to them by the preacher.
When ministers imdertake to oppose a present heresy, they
ought to know what it is at present For instance, almost
all those who vmte and preach against Universahsm think
they are caUed upon to oppose the idea that God is aU mercy.
They suppose Universalists hold the doctrine that God is oH
mercy, and that when they have refuted this doctrine, they have
"ot Universalists dovm. But this is not tma They do not
hold such doctrine. They deny it altogether. They reject
the idea of mercy in the salvation of men, for they hold tiiat
every man is punished in fuU accordiag to his just deserte
Of what use is it, then, to ai^e against Universalists, that
God is a God of justice and not a God aU mercy, when they
hold to the justice of God alone as the ground of salvation,
and do not admit the idea of mercy at oU 1 In like manner,

172 A VnSE MINISTER WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
I have heard men preach against the idea that men are saved
in thefr sins, and they supposed they were preaching down
Universahst doctrine. Universalists believe no such thing.
They beheve that all men wUl be made holy and saved in that
way. This shows the importance of knowing what people
actuaUy hold before you try to reason them out of thefr
errors. It is of no use to misrepresent a man's doctrines to
his face, and then try to reason him out of them. Jou must
state his doctrine jud as he holds it, and state his arguments
fafrly. Otherwise, if you state them wrong, you either make
bim angry, or he laughs in his deeve at tlie advantage you
give him. He vriU say. That man cannot argue vrith me on
fafr grounds ; he has to misrepresent our doctrines in order
to confute me. Gireat hurt is done in this way. Ministers
do not intend to misrepresent thefr opponente ; but the effect
of it is, that the poor miserable creatures who hold these
errors go to hell because ministers do not take care to inform
themselves what are thefr real errors. Errors are never torn
away by sudi a procesa I mention these cases to show how
much vrisdom a minister must have to meet the cases that
occur. He must be acquainted vrith the real riews of men
in order to meet them, and do away thefr errors and mis-

12. Ministers ought to know what measures are best calcu
lated to aid in accomplishing the great end of thefr office,
the salvation of souls. Some measures are plainly necessary.
By measures, I mean what things should be done to get the
attention of the people and bring them to listen to the trutL
BuUding houses for worship, and visiting from house to
house, ete., are all " measures," the object of which is to get
the attention of people to the Gospel. Much wisdom ia
requidte to devise and carry forward aU the various measures
that are adapted to favor the success of the Gospel.
What do tiie pohtidans do ? They get up meetings ; cfrcu-
late handbUls and pamphlete ; blaze away in the newspapers ;
send thefr ships about the streets on wheels with flags and
saUors ; send coaches aU over town, with handbills, to bring
people up to the poUs — all to gain attention to thefr cause
and elect thefr candidate. AU these are thefr " measures,"
and for thefr end they are wisely calculated The object is to
get up an excitement, and bring the people out. They know
thai unless there can be an excitement it is in vain to push
thefr end I do not mean to say that thefr measures are
pious, or right, but only that they are vrise, in the sense that
they are the appropriate application of means to the end

A WISE MINISTEB WILL BB SUCGESaFXrii. 178
The object of the ministry i& to get aU the people to feel
that the deril has no right to rule this world but that they
ought aU to give themselves to God and vote in the Lord
Jesus Christ as the governor of the universe. Now what
shall be done ? What measures shall we take ? Says one,
" Be sure and have nothing that is new." Strange ! The
object of our measures is to gain attention, and you must have
something new. As sure as the effect of a measure becomes
stereotyped it ceases to gain attention, and then you must
try something new. Tou need not make innovations in
everything. But whenever the state of tilings is such that
anytiiing rnore is needed it must be something new, other
wise it vriU faU. A minister should never introduce innova
tions that are not caUed for. If he does they wUl embarrass
him. He cannot alter the Gospel ; that remains the same.
But new measures are necessary, from time to time, to
awaken attention and bring the Gospel to bear upon the pub
hc mind And then a minister ought to know how to intro
duce new tilings, so as to create the least posdble redstance
or reaction. Mankind are fond of form in religion. They
love to have thefr religious duties stereotyped so as to leave
them at ease ; and they are therefore inclined to resist any
new movement designed to rouse them up to action and
feehng. Hence it is aU-important to introduce new things
wisely, so as not to give needless occadon or apology for
redstance. 13. Not a httie vrisdom is sometimes needed by a minister
to know when to put a dap to new measures. When a measure
has novelty enough to secure attention to the truth, ordinarily
no other new measure should be introduced. Tou have se
cured the great object of novdty. Anything more wiU be in
danger of diverting the pubhc mind away from the great
object, and flxing it on the measures themselves. And then,
if you introduce novelties when they are not caUed for, you
wUl go over so large a field that by and by when you reaUy
want something new, you vnU have nothing else to introduce,
without doing sometiung that vrill give too great a shock to
the pubhc mind The Bible has laid down no specific course
of measures to promote rerivals of religion, but has left it
to ministers to adopt such as are vrisdy calculated to secure
the end And tiie more sparing we are of our new things,
the longer we can use them, to keep pubhc attention awake
to the great subject of reUgion. By a vrise course this may
undoubtedly be done, for a long series of years, untU our pre
sent measures vriU by and by have sufficient novdty in them

174 A WISE MINISTEB WILL BB SUCCESSFUL.
again to attract and fix pubhc attention. And so we ahaO
never want for something new.
13. A minister, to vrin souls, must know how to deal vrith
careless, vrith awakened, and vrith anxious sinners, so as to
lead them right to Christ in the shortest and most dfrect
way. It is amazing to see how many ministers there are who
do not know how to deal vrith sinners, or what to say to them
in thefr various states of mind A good woman in Albany
told me, that when she was under concern she went to her
minister and asked bim to teU her what she must do to get
rehet And he said God had not given him much experience
on the subject, and advised her to go to such a deacon, who
perhaps could teU her what to do. The truth was, he did not
know what to say to a sinner under conriction, although
there was nothing pecuhar in her case. Now if you thmk
this minister a rare case, you are quite deceived There are
many ministers who do not know what to say to sinnera
A minister once appointed an anxious meeting, and went
to attend it, and instead of going round to the indiriduals,
he began to ask them the catechism, " Wherein doth Christ
execute the office of a priest ?" About as much in point to
a great many of thefr minds as anything else.
I know a minister who held an anxious meeting, and went
to attend it vrith a written discourse which he had prepared
for the occasion. Just as vrise as it would be if a physidan,
going out to vidt his patients, should dt down at leisure and
write aU the prescriptions before he had seen them. A min
ister needs to know the state of mind of the indiriduals,
before he can know what tmth vriU be proper and useful to
administer. I say these things, not because I love to do it,
but because truth, and the object before me, requfres them
to be said And such instances as I have mentioned are by
no means rare.
A minister should know how to apply truth to aU the dtua-
tions in which he may find dying sinners going down to hell
He should know how to preach, how to pray, how to con
duct prayer-meetings, and how to use aU the means for bring
ing the truth of God to bear upon the .kingdom of darknesa
Does not this requfre vrisdom ? And who is suffident for
these things ?
IL The amount of a minister's success in winning souls
(dher things being equal) invariably decides the amount of vris
dom he has exercised in the discharge of his office.
1. This is plainly asserted in the text " He that vrinneth
aouls is wisa" That is, if a man wins souls, he does skill-

A WISE MINISTEB WILL BE SUOCESSFUI. 178
fuUy adapt means to the end which is, to exercise vrisdom.
He is the more vrise, by how much the greater is the number
of smners that he saves. A blockhead may, indeed now
and then stumble on sudi truth or such a manner of exhibit
ing it, as to save a soul. It would be a wonder indeed if
any minister did not sometimes have something in his ser
mons that would meet the case of some indiridual. But the
amount of wisdom is to be dedded "other tilings being
equal," by the number of cases in which he is successful in
converting sinners.
Take the case of a physician. The greatest quack in New
Tork may now and then stumble upon a remarkable cure^
and so get his name up with the ignorant But sober and
judicious people judge of the skUl of a phydcian by the
uniformity of his success in overcoming disease, the variety of
diseases he can manage, and the number of cases in which he
is successful in saring his patienta The most sldUful saves
the most This is common sense. It is truth. And it ia
just as tme in regard to success in saring souls, and tme in
just the same sense.
2. This principle is not only asserted in the text, but it is
a matter of fad, a historical tmth, that " He that vrinneth soula
is vrise." He has actuaUy employed means adapted to the
end, in such a way as to secure the end
3. Success in saving souls is eridence that a man under
stands the Gospel, and understands human nature, that he
knows how to adapt means to his end that he has common
sense, and that he has that kind of tact, that practical discern
ment, to know how to get at people. And if his success is
extensive, it shows that he knows how to deal vrith a great
variety of characters, in a great variety of drcumstances,
who are yet all the enemies of God and to bring them to
Christ To do this requfres great wisdom. And the minister
who does it shows that he is vrise.
4 Success in winning souls shows that a minister not onlj
knows how to labor wisely for that end but also that he knmos,
where his dependence is. Tou know that fears are often ex
pressed respecting those ministers who are aiming most
dfrectiy and eamestiy at the conversion of sinnera People
say, " Why, this man is going to work in his own strengtii
one would imagine he thinks he can convert souls himself "
How often has the event showed that the man knows what
he is about, very well, and knows where his strength is too.
He went to work to convert sinners so eamestiy, just as if he
could do it aU b-jmyilf ; but that was the very way he should

176 A WISE MINISTEB VYILL BE SUCCESSFUli.
do. He ought to reason with sinners, and plead with them,
as faithfuUy and fuUy as if he did not expect any interpod-
tion of the Spirit of God, or as if he knew there was no Holy
Ghost. But whenever a man does this successfuUy, it shows
that, after aU, he knows he must depend on the Spirit of God
alone for success.
Objexjtion. — There are many who feel an objection against
this subject, arising out of the riew they have taken of the
ministry of Jesus Christ. They ask us, " VThat wiU you say
about the ministry of Jesus Christ, was not he vrise ?" T
answer, Tes, infinitely vrise. But in regard to his aUeged
want of success in the conversion of sinners, you wUl ob
serve the foUowing things :
(1.) That his ministiy was vastiy more successful than is
generaUy supposed We read in one of the sacred writers,
that after his resurrection and before his ascendon "he was
seen by about five hundred brethren at once." If so manj
as five hundred brethem were found assembled together at
one place, we see there must have been a vast number of
them scattered over the country.
(2.) Another cfrcumstance to be observed is, that his pub
Uc ministry was very short, less than three years.
(3.) Consider the pecuUar design of his ministry. His
main object was to make atonement for the sins of the world
It was not aimed so much at promoting rerivals. The " dis
pensation of the Spirit" was not yet given. He did not
preach the Gospel so fuUy as his aposties did afterwarda The
prejudices of the people were so fixed and violent that they
would not bear it. That he did not, is plain from the fact
that even his aposties, who were constantiy vrith him, did not
understand the atonement. They did not get the idea that
he was going to die, and consequentiy, when they heard he
was actuaUy dead ttiey were driven to despafr, and thought
the thing was all gone by, and thefr hopes blown to the vrinda
The fact was, that he had another object in riew, to which
every thing else was made to yield, and the perverted state
of the pubhc mind and the obstinate prejudices prevailing,
showed why results were not seen any more in the conver
don of sinners. The state of pubhc opinion was such, that
they finaUy murdered him for what be did preach.
Many ministers who have httie or no success, are hiding
themselves behind the ministry of Jesus Christ, as if he was
an unsuccessful preacher. Whereas, in fact, he was eminent
ly successful, considering the drcumstances in which he labor
ed This is the last place in aU the world where a minister
who has no success should think of hiding himselE

A WISE MINISTEB WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. 17?

1. A minister may be ver?/ learned and not wise. There are
many ministers possessed of great learning ; they understand
aU tiie sdences, phydcal, moral, and theological ; they may
know the dead languages, and possess aU learning, and yet
not be tcise, in relation to the great end about which they axe
chiefly employed Facte dearly demonstrate this. " He that
unnndh souls is wise."
2. An unsucces^ul minister may be pious as weU as learned
and yet not vrise. It is unfefr to infer because a minister is
unsuccessful, that therefore he is a hypocrite. There may be
something defective in his education, or in his mode of riew-
ing a subject, or of exhibiting it, or such a want of common
sense, as vnU defeat his labors, and prevent his success in vrin-
ning souls, while he himself may be saved — " yet so as by
fire." 3. A minister may be very wise, though he is not learned.
He may not imderstand the dead languages, or theology in
its common acceptation ; and yet he may know just what a
minister of the Gospd wants most to know, without knowing
many other things. A learned minister and a wise minister
are different things. Facts in the history of the diurch in
aU ages prove tins. It is very common for churdies, when
looking out for a minister, to aim at getting a very learned
man. Do not understand me to disparage learning. The
more learning the better, if he is also vrise in the great mat
ter he is employed about If a minister knows how to vrin
souls, the more learning he has the better. But if he has
any other kind of learning, and not this, he vriU infalhbly fail
of the end of his ministry.
4 Want of success in a minister {oOier Odngs being equal)
proves, (1.) dther that he was never called to preach, and
has taken it up out of his ovm. head ; or (2. ) tiiat he was
badly educated and was never taught the very things he
wants most to know ; or (3.) if he was caUed to preach, and
knows how to do his duty, he is too indolent and too vricked
to do it
; . 5, Those are the bed educated ministers, who vrin the most
souls. ' Ministers are sometimes looked down lipbn, and
caUed very ignorant, because they do not know sdenceS and
languages ; altiiough they are very far froifi being ignorant
of tiie grrea^ (!Am5r for which the ministry is appointed. This
is vyrong. Learning is important, and always useful Biit
after all, a minister may know how to win souls to Christy

178 A WISE MINISTEB WILL BB SUCCESSFUL.
without great learning, and he has the best education for a
minister, who can win the most souls to Christ.
6. There is eridentiy a great defect in the present mode of
educating ministera This is a SOLEMN FACT, to which
the attention of the whole church should be distinctiy caUed ;
that the great mass of young ministers who are educated ao
compUsh very littie.
T^en young men come out from the seminaries, are they
fit to go into a rerival? Look at a place where there hai
been a rerival in progress, and a minister is wanted Let
them send to a theological seminary for a minister. Will he
enter into the work, and sustain it, and carry it on? Seldom.
Like Darid vrith Saul's armor, he comes in vrith such a load
oi theological trumpery, that he knows nothing what to do.
Leave bim there for two weeks, and the rerival is at an end
The churches know and fed, that the greater part of these
young men do not know how to do anything that needs to
be done for a rerival, and they are complaining that the
young ministers are so far behind the diurdi. Tou may send
aU over the United States, to theological seminaries, and find
but few young ministers fitted to carry forward the work.
VThat a stete of things !
There is a grand defect in educating ministera Education
ought to be such, as to prepare young men for the peculiar
work to which (hey are dedined. But instead of this, tiiey are
educated for any thing dse. The grand mistake is thia
They dfrect the mind too much to irrelevant meters, which are
not necessaiy to be attended to. In thefr courses of study,
they carry the mind over too vride a fidd, whidi diverts thefr
attention from the main thing, and so they get cold in reUgion,
and when they get through, instead of being fitted for thefr
work, they are unfitted for it Under pretence of disdplining
the mind, they in fact scatter the attention, so that when they
come to thefr work, they axe awkward and know nothing
how to take hold or how to act, to vrin souls. This is not
universally the case, but too often it is so.
It is common for people to talk loudly and largdy about
an educated ministry. God forbid that I should say a word
against an educated ministry. But what do we mean by an
education for the ministry? Do we mean that they diould
be so educated as to be fitted for the work? If they axe so
educated the more education the better. Let education be
of the right kind teaching a young man the things he needs
to know, and not the very things he does not need to know.
Let them be educated/or the work. Do not let education be

A WISE MINISTEB WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. 179
luch, that when young men come out, after spending six,
eight, or ten years in study, they are not worth half as much
as they were before they went I have known young men
come out after what they caU " a thorough course," who were
not fit to take charge of a prayer meeting, and who could not
manage a prayer meeting, so as to make it profitable or in-
teresting. An elder of a church in a neighboring dty, in
formed me recently of a case in point A young man, before
he went to the seminary, had labored as a layman vrith them,
conducted thefr prayer meetings, and had been exceedingly
useful among them. After he had been to the seminary, thej
sent for him and desfred his hdp ; but oh, how changed I he
was so completely transformed that he made no impresdon ;
the church soon began to complain that they should die un
der his influences, and he left, because he was not prepared
for the work.
It is common for those ministers who have been to the
semintuies, and axe now useful, to affirm that thefr course of
stodies there did them httie or no good and that they had
to urd&im what they had there learned before they could effect
much. I do not say this censoriously, but it is a solemn fact,
and I must say it in love.
Suppose you were going to make a man a surgeon in the
oavy. Instead of sending him to the medical school to learn
surgery, would you send him to the nautical school to learn
navigation ? In this way, you might qualify him to navigate
a ship, but he is no surgeon. Ministers should be educated
to know what the Bible is, and what the human mind is, and
know how to bring one to bear on the other. They should
be brought into contact with mind, and made famUiar with
all the aspects of society. They should have the Bible in one
hand and the map of the human mind in the other, and
know how to use the tmth for the salvation of men.
7. A want of common sense often defeats, the ends of the
Christian min&try. There are many good men in the minis
try, who have learning, and telente of a certain sort, but
they have no common sense to vrin souls.
8. We see one great defect in our theological schools. —
Toung men are shut up in thefr sdiools, confined to books
and shut out from intercourse vrith the common people, or
oontect with the common mind Hence they axe not famUiar
with the mode in which common people think. This accounte
for the fact that some plain men, that have been brought up
to business, and acquainted with human nature, are ten
times better qualified to vrin souls than those who are edu-

180 A VnSE MINISTEB WILL BE SUCCBSBFUI.
cated on the present principle, and are in fact ten times aa
well acquainted vrith the proper business of the ministry.
These are called " uneducated men." This is a grand mis
take. They are not learned in science, but they are learned
in the very things which they need to know as ministers.
They are not ignorant ministers, for they know exactiy how
to reach the mind with tmth. They understand the minda
of men, and how to adapt the gospel to thefr case. They
are better furnished for their work, than if they had aU the
madiinery of the schoola
I wish to be understood I do not say that I would not
have a young man go to school. Nor would I discourage
him from going over the field of science. The more the bet
ter, if together vrith it he learns also the things that the min
ister needs to know, in order to vrin souls — ^if he understands
his Bible, and understands human nature, and knows how to
bring the tmth to bear, and how to guide and manage minds,
and to lead them away from sin and lead them to God
9. The success of any measure dedgned to promote a re
rival of religion, demonstrates its vrisdom witli the foUow
ing exceptions :
(1.) A measure may be introduced ybr effed to produce
excitement, and be such that when it is looked back upon
afterwards, it vriU look nonsensical, and appear to have been
a mere trick. In that case, it vriU react, and its introduction
wUl do more hurt than good.
(2.) Measures may be introduced and the rerival be very
powerful, and the success be attributed to the measures, when
in fact other things made the rerival powerful, and these very
measures may have been a hinderance. The prayers of
Christians, and the preaching, and other things may have
been so weU calciUated to carry on the work, that it has suo-
ceded in spite of these measures.
But when the blessing eridentiy foUows the introduction of
the measure itsdf, the proof is unanswerable, that the measure
is wise. It is profane to say that such a measure vriU do
more hurt than good God faiows about that. TTig object
is, to do the greatest amount of good possible. And of course
he wUl not add his blessing to a measure that vriU do more
hurt than good He may sometimes withhold his blessing
from a measure that is calculated to do some good because
it vriU be at the expense of a greater good But he
never will bless a pemidous proceeding. There is no such
thing as deceiving God in the matter. He knows whether a
given measure is, on the whole, wise, or not He may bless

A WISE MINISTEB WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. 181
a course of labours notvrithstanding some unwise or injurioua
measures. But if he blesses the measure itself, it is rebuking
God to pronounce it unwise. He who undertakes to do this,
let him look to the matter.
10. It is erident that much feult has been found vrith meas
ures, which have been pre-eminently and continually blessed
of God for the promotion of rerivals. We know it is said
that the horrid oaths of a profane swearer have been the
means of awakening another less hardened sinner. But this
is a rare case. God does not usuaUy make such a use of pro
fanity. But if a measure is continually or usually blessed let
the man who thinks he is vriser than God caU it in question.
TAKE CAEE how you find fault vrith God !
11. Christians should pray for ministers. Brethren, if you
felt how much ministers need vrisdom to perform the duties
of thefr great office with success, and how ignorant they all
are, and how insuffident they are of themselves, to think any
thing as of themsdves, you would pray for them a great deal
more than you do ; that is, if you cared anything for the suc
cess of thefr labors. People often find feult vrith ministers,
when they do not pray for them. Brethren, this is tempting
God for you ought not to expect any better ministers, tmless
you pray for them. And you ought not to expect a blessing
on the labors of your minister, or to have your families con
verted by his preadiing, where you do not pray for him. And
so for others, the waste places, and the heathen, instead of
praying all the time, only that God would send out more
laborers, you have need to pray that God would make min
isters wise to win souls, and tliat those he sends out may be
properly educated so that they shaU be scribes weU instructed
in the kingdom of God
12. Those laymen in the church who know how to vrin
souls are to be counted vrise. They should not be called
" ignorant laymen." And those diurch members who do not
know how to convert sinners, and who cannot vrin souls,
should not be caUed vrise — as Christians. They axe not vrise
Christians ; only " he that vrinneth souls is vrise." They may
be learned in pohtics, in aU sdences, or they may be skiUed
in the management of business, or other things, and they may
look down on those who vrin souls, as nothing but plain,
simple-hearted and ignorant men. If any of you are indined
to do this, and to undervalue those brethren who vrin souls,
as being not so vrise and cunning as you axe, you deceive
yonrsdvea They may not know some things which yon
know. But they know those things whidi a Christian is
most concerned to know, and you do not

182 A WISE MINISTEB WILL BE BUCGESBFUI.
It may be iUustrated by the case of a minister that goes to
sea. He may be learned in science, but he knows nothing
how to sail a ship. And he begins to ask the saUors abou^
this thing and that, and what is this rope for, and the hke.
"Why," say the saUors, " these are not ropes, we have only
one rope in a ship, these are the rigging, the man talks hke a
fool" And so this learned man becomes a laughing-stock,
perhaps, to the saUors, because he does not know how to sail
a ship. But if he were to teU them one half of what he
knows about science, perhaps they would think him a con
juror, to know so much. So tliat learned students may
understand thefr hie, haec, hoc, very well, and may laugh at
the humble Christian, and caU him ignorant, although he
may know how to vrin more souls than five hundred of tiiem.
I was once distressed and grieved at hearing a minister
bearing down upon a young preacher, who had been conr
verted imder remarkable cfrcumstances, and who was licensed
to preach wdthout pursuing a regular course of study. This
minister, who was never, or at least very rarely, knovm to
convert a soul, bore down upon the young man in a very
lordly, censorious manner, depreciating him because he had
not had the advantage of a Uberal education, when in feet he
was instrumental in converting more souls than any five hun
dred ministers hke himself
I would say nothing to undervalue, or lead you to under
value a thorough education for ministers. But I do not caU
that a thorough education, which they get in our coUeges and
seminaries. It does not fit them for their work. I appeal to
all experience, whether our young men in seminaries axe
thoroughly educated for the purpose of vrinning souls. Do
THET DO rr ? Everybody knows they do not Look at the
reports of the Home Missionary Society. If I recoUect right,
in 1830, the number of conversions in connection vrith the
labors of the missionaries of that society did not exceed five
to each missionary. I beheve the number has increased
since, but is stiU exceedingly small to what it would have
been had they been fitted by a right course of training for
thefr work. I do not say this to reproach them, for from my
heart I pity them, and I pity the church for being under the
necesdty of supporting ministers so trained, or none at aU.
They are the best men the Missionary Sodety can obtain.
I suppose, of course, that I shall be reproached for saying
thia But it is too true and too painful to be concealed.
Those fathers who have the training of our young ministora
are good men, but they are ancient men, men of another age

A WISE MINISTEB WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. 18S
and stamp, from what is needed in these days of exdtement,
when the church and world are rising to new thought and
action. Those dear fathers wUl not J suppose, see this ; and
wUl perhaps think hard of me for saying it ; but it is the
cause of Christ Some of them axe getting back toward
second chUdhood and ought to resign, and give place to
younger men, who are not rendered phydcally incapable, by
age, of keeping pace vrith the onward movemente of the
church. And here I would say, that to my ovm mind it ap
pears erident, that unless our theological professors preadi a
good deal, mingle much vrith the diurch, and sympathize
vrith her in aU her movemente, it is moraUy, if not naturally,
impossible, that they should succeed in training young men to
the spfrit of the age. It is a shame and a sin, that theolog
ical professors, who preach but seldom, who axe vrithdravm
from the active duties of the ministry, should dt in thefr
studies and vmte thefr letters, advisory, or dictatorial, to
ministers and churches who are in the fidd and who axe in
cfrcumstances to judge what needs to be done. The men
who spend all or at least a portion of thefr time in the active
duties of the ministry, are the only men who are able to
judge of what is expedient or inexpedient, prudent or im
prudent, as to measures from time to time. It is as danger
ous and ridiculous for our theological professors, who are
withdravm from the field of conffict, to be aUowed to dictete,
in regard to the measures and movemente of the churdi, as
it would be for a general to sit in his bed-chamber and atr
tempt to order a battle.* -^
Two ministers were one day conversing about another min i
ister whose labors were greatiy blessed in the conversion of f
some thousands of soula One of them said "That man ^
ought not to preach any more ; he should stop and go to " k
a particular theological seminary which he named " and go s
through a regular course of study." He said the man had|
" a good mind and if he was thoroughly educated he might ]~
be very useful" The other rephed " Do you think he would|?
be more useful for going to that seminary ? I chaUenge you j,
to show by facte that any axe more useful who have been 'j
there. No, sfr, the fact is, that since this man has been in «
the ministry, he has been instrumental in converting more\|
souls than aU the young men who have come from that semin-:|
ary in the tima" This is logic ! Stop, and go to a seminary,!

• This was said in 1833.

184 A WISE MINISTEB WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
to prepare himself for converting souls, when he is now con
verting more than aU who come from the seminary 1
Finally. — I wish to ask you, before I sit down, who among
you can lay any claim to the possession of this Divine vris
dom ? Who among you, laymen ? Who among you, minis
ters ? Can any oi you ? Can I ? Are we at work, wisely,
to win souls ? Or are we trying to make< ourselves believe
that success is no criterion of vrisdom ? It is a criterion. It
is a safe criterion for every minister to try himself by. The
amount of his success, other things being equal, measures the
amount of vrisdom he has exercised in the discharge of hia
offica How few of you have ever had wisdom enough to convert
so much as a single sinner I
Do not say now, " I cannot convert sianers ; how can I con
vert sinners ? God alone can convert sinners." Look at the
text, " He that vrinneth souls is vrise," and do not think you
can escape the sentence. It is true that God converts sinnera
But there is a sense, too, in which ministers convert them.
And you have something to do ; something that requfres vris
dom ; something which, if you do it vrisdy, vriU insure the
converdon of sinners in proportion to the vrisdom employed
If you never have done this, it is high time to think about
yourselves, and see whether you have vrisdom enough to save
even your own souls.
Men — ^women — ^you are bound to be vrise in winning souls.
Perhaps afready souls have perished ; perhaps a friend or a
duld is in hel^ because you have not put forth the vrisdom
which you might, in saving them. The city is going to hell
Tes, the world is going to heU, and must go on, tall the church
finds out what to do, to win souls. Pohtidans are vrise. The
duldren of this world are wise, they know what to do to ao
comphsh thefr ends, whUe we are prosing about, not know
ing what to do, or where to take hold of the work, and ain
nera are going to hdl

LECTUEE XII.
how to fbeacii the gosfel.
Tbxt.— Ha that winneth bodIb m wiae.— Fbotbbbi xl. n.
One of the last remarks in my last lecture, was this, that
the text ascribes converdon to men. Winning souls is con
verting men. This evening I dedgn to show,
L That several passages of Scripture ascribe converdon to
men. n. That this is consistent vrith other passages which ascribe
converdon to God
HL I propose to discuss several further particulars which
axe deemed important, in regard to the preaching of the
Gospel, and which show that great practical wisdom is neces
sary to vrin souls to Christ
I. I am to show that the Bible ascribes converdon to men.
There are many passages which represent the conversion
of sinners as the work of men. In Danid, xiL 3, it is said
"And they that be vrise, shall shine as the brightiiess of the
firmanent ; and they that turn many to righteousness as stars
for ever and ever." Here the work is ascribed to men. So
also in 1 Cor. iv. 15. " For though ye have ten thousand in
structors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers : for in
Christ Jesus I have begotten you through tlie Gospel" Here
the apostie exphdtiy tells the Corinthians that he made them
Christians, vrith the Gospd or truth which he preached
Agamj in James, v. 19, 20, we are taught the same thing.
" Brethren, if any of you do err from the tmth, and one con
vert bim ; let him know that he which converteth the sumer
from the error of his way shaU save a soul from death, and
shaU hide a multitude of sins." I might quote many other
passages, equaUy expUdt But these are sufficient abundant
ly to establish the feet, that the Bible does actuaUy ascribe
conversion to men.
n. I proceed to show that this is not inconsistent with
those passages in which converdon is ascribed to God
And here let me remark, that to my mind it often appears
very strange that men should ever suppose there was an in
consistency here, or that they should ever have overlooked
(186)

186 HOW TO PBEACH THE GOSFEL.
the plain common sense of the matter. How easy it is to seej
that there is a sense in which God converts them, and another
sense in which men convert them.
The Scriptures ascribe the conversion of a sinner to four dif
ferent agendes — ^to men, to God, to the truth, and to the sinner
himself. The passages which ascribe it to the tmth are the
largest dass. That men should ever have overlooked this dis
tinction, and should have regarded conversion aa a work per
formed excludvdy by God, is surprising. So it is that any diffi
culty should ever have been felt on the subject, or that peo
ple should ever have professed themselves unable to recondle
these several dasses of passages.
/ Why, the Bible speaks on this subject, precisely as we^
/' speak on common subjects. There is a man who has been
I very sick. How natural it is for him to say of his phydcian,
\ " That man saved my Ufa" Does he mean to say that the
I phyddan saved his hfe vrithout reference to God ? Certainly
not, unless he is an infidel. God made the physidan, and ho
made the medicine too. And it never can be shovra. but that
the agency of God is just as tnUy concerned in maldng the
medicine take effect to save hfe, as it is in maldng the truth
take effect to save a soul To affirm the contrary is dovm- \
right atheism. It is tme then, that the physician saved him, |
and it is also tme that God saved him. It is equaUy true ;j
that the medicine saved his hfe, and that he saved his ovm 1
life by taking the medicine ; for the medicine would have done |
no good if he had not voluntarily taken it, or yielded his body |
to ite power. ^^.f
In the conversion of a sinner, it is true that God gives the
truth efficiency to turn the sinner to God He is an active,
voluntary, powerful agent in changing the mind But he is
not the oidy agent The one that brings the tmth to his no
tice is also an agent. We axe apt to speak of ministers and
other men as oiUy instruments in converting sinners. This is
not exactiy correct. Man is something more than an instru
ment Truth is the mere unconscious instrument. But man
is more, be is a voluntary, responsible agent in the business.
In my printed sermon. No. 1., which some of you may have
Been, I have iUustrated this idea by the case of an indiridual
standing on the banks of Niagara.
" Suppose yourself to be standing on the banks of the Falla
of Niagara. As you stand upon the verge of the precipice,
you behold a man lost in deep reverie, approaching ite verge
unconsdous of his danger. He approaches nearer and nearer,
untU he actuaUy lifts his foot to take the final step that shall

HOW TO PBEACH THE OOSPBI^ 187
plunge him in destruction. At this moment you lift your
warning voice above tiie roar of the foaming waters, and cry
out, Stop. The voice pierces his ear, and breaks the charm
that binds him ; he turns instantiy upon his heel ; all pale and
aghast he retires, quivering, from the verge of deatL He
reds and almost swoons with horror ; turns and walks dowly
to the pubhc house ; you foUow him ; the manifest agitation
in his countenance calls numbers around bim ; and on your
approach, he points to you, and says. That man saved my
hfe. Here he ascribes the work to you ; and certainly there
is a sense in which you had saved him. But, on being further
questioned he says, ;Si!qp.' how that word rings in my eara
Oh, that was to me the word of life ! Here he ascribes it to
the uxrd that aroused bim, and caused him to turn. But, on
couYersing stUl further, he says. Had I not turned at that in
stant, I should have been a dead man. Here he speaks of it^
and truly, as his own act ; but dfrectiy you hear him say. Oh
the mercy of God ! if God had not interposed I should have
been lost. Now the only defect in this iUustxation is this :
In the case supposed tlie only interference on the part of
God was a, providential one ; and the only sense in whidi the
saving of the man's hfe is ascribed to him, is in a proridential
sense. But in the converdon of a dnner, there is something
more than the proridence of God employed ; for here not
only does the proridence of God so order it^ that the preacher
cries. Stop, but the Spfrit of God urges the tmth home upon
bim vritli such tremendous power as to induce him to
turn." Not only does the preacher cry. Slap, but through the Uv-
ing voice of the preacher, the Spirit cries, Sfop. The preacher
cries, " Turn ye, why vrill ye die." The Spirit pours the ex
postulation home vrith such power, that the sinner tuma
Now in speaking of this change, it is perfectiy proper to say,
that the Spirit turned him, just as you would say of a man,
who had persuaded another to change his mind on the sul>
ject of politics, that he had converted him, and brought him
over. It is also proper to say that tiie truth converted him ;
as in a case when the political sentiments of a man were
dianged by a certain argument we should say that argument
brought bim over. So also vrith perfect propriety may we
ascribe the change to the Uving preacher, or to him who
had presented the motives ; just as we should say of a law
yer who had prevaUed ia his argument vrith a jury ; he haa
got his case, he has converted tie jury. It is also vrith the
same propriety ascribed to the indiridual himself whose heart

188 HOW TO PBBAOH THB OOSPBL.
is changed ; we should say he had changed his mind, h» haa
come over, he has repented Now it is strictiy tme, and true
in the most absolute and highest sense ; the act is his own
act, the turning is his ovm turning, whUe God by the tmth
Has induced bim to turn ; stiU it is strictiy tme that ho has
turned and has done it himselL Thus you see the sense in
which it is the work of God and also the sense in which
it is the sinner's own work. The Spirit of God, by the
truth, influences the sinner to change, and in this sense is the
effident cause ef the change. But the sinner actually changes,
and is therefore himself, in the most proper sense, the autJbor
of the change. There axe some who, on reading thefr Bibles,
festen thefr eyes upon those passages that ascribe the work
to the Spirit of God and seem to overlook those that ascribe
it to man, and speak of it as the sinner's ovm act. When
they have quoted Scripture to prove it is the work of Gk)d
ihey seem to think they have proved that it is that in whidi
man is pasdve, and that it can in no sense be the work of
man. Some months since a tract was vmtten, the titie of
whicli was, " Eegeneration, the effect of Divine Power." The
vmter goes on to prove that the work is vyrought by the
Spirit of God, and there stops. Now it had been just as
true, just as phUosophical, and just as scriptural, if he had said
that conversion was the work of man. It was easy to prove
that it was the work of God in the sense in whidi I have ex
plained it. The writer, therefore, tells the tmth, so far as he
goes ; but he has told only half the truth. For whUe there
is a sense in which it is tlie work of God as he has shovm,
there is also a sense in which it is the work of man, as we
have just seen. The very titie to this tract is a stumbling
blodc It teUs the tmth, but it does not teU the whole truth.
And a tract might be vmtten upon this propodtion, that
" Conversion or regeneration is (he work cf man;" which would
be just as tme, just as scriptural, and just as phUosophical,
as the one to which I have alluded Thus the vmter, in his
zeal to recognise and honor God as concerned in this work,
by leaving out the fact that a change of heart is the sinner's
own ad, has left the sinner strongly intrendied, with his
weapons in his rebeUious hands, stoutiy resisting the daima
of Ins Milker, and waiting pasdvdy for God to make him a
new heart Thus you see the condstency between the re-
qufrement of the text, and the declared fact that God is the
author of the new heart. God commands you to make you
a new heart, expecte you to do it, and if it ever is done, yon
must do it"
And let me tell you, sinner, if you do not do it you will go

HOW TO PBEACH THE eOSPEI. 189
to heD, and to aU eternity you vriU feel that you deserved to
be sent there for not having done it.
m. As proposed I shall now advert to several important
paxticidars grovring out of this subject, as connected with
preaching the Gospel, and which show that great practical
wisdom is indispensable to vrin souls to Christ
And FIRST, in regard to the matteb of peeachinq.
1. AU preaching should be ^rocJicoZ.
The proper end of all doctrine is practice. Anything
brought forward as doctrine, which cannot be made use
of as practical, is not preaching the Gospel There is none
of that sort of preaching in the Bibla That is aU practical
" AU Scripture is given by inspfration of God and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for in
struction in righteousness : that the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto aU good works." A
vast deal of preaching in the present day, as weU as fri
past ages, is caUed doctrinal, as opposed to practiccH preach
ing. The very idea of making this distinction is a device
of the deril. And a more abominable derice Satan him
self never derised Tou sometimes hear certain men teU
a wonderful deal about the necessity of " indoctrinating
the people." By which they mean something different
from practical preaching ; teaching them certain doctrines,
as abstract truths, without any particular reference to prac
tice. And I have, knovm a minister in the midst of a rerival,
whUe surrounded with anxious sinners, leave off laboring
to convert souls, for the purpose of "indoctrinating" the
young converts, for fear somebody else should indoctrinate
them before him. And there the revival stops I Either
his doctrine was not tme, or it was not preached in the
right way. To preach doctrines in an abstract way, and
not in reference to practice, is absurd God always brings
hi doctrine to regiUate practice. To bring forward doc
trinal riews for any other object is not only nonsense, but it
is wickedSome people are opposed to doctrinal preaching, if they
have been used to near doctrines preached in a cold ab
stract way, no wonder they are opposed to it They ought
to be opposed to such preaching. But what can a man
preach, who preaches no doctrine ? If he preaches no doo
trine, he preaches no gospel And if he does not preach it
in a practical way, he does not preach the Gospel. AU
preaching should be doctrinal, and aU preaching shoiUd
be practical. The very design of doctrine i*" *<» i«.ai»laia

190 ROW TO PBEACH THE GOSPEL.
practice. Any preaching that has not this tendency is not
the Gospel A loose, exhortetory style of preaching may af
fect the pasdons, and may produce excitement, but wUl
never sufficientiy instruct the people to secure sound conver-
dons. On the other hand preaching doctrine in an abstract
manner, may fiU the head with notions, but vrill never sanctify
the heart or life.
2. Preaching should be dired. The Gospd should be
preached to men, and not about them. The minister must
address his hearers. He must preadi to them about themsdves,
and not leave the impression that he is preaching to them
about othera He vriU never do them any good farther than
he succeeds in convincing each indiridual that he means him.
Many preachers seem very much afraid of making the im
pression that they mean anybody in particular. They axe
preadiing against certain sins, not that have anything to do
with the sinner. It is the sin, and not the sinner, that tiiey
are rebuking ; and they would by no means speak as if they
supposed any of their hearers were guUty of these abominable
practices. Now this is anything but preaching the Gospel
Thus did not the prophets, nor Christ, nor the apostiea Nor
do those ministers do this, who are successful in vrinning
souls to Christ
3. Another very important thing to be regarded in preach
ing is, that the minister should hunt after sinners and
Christians, wherever they may have intrenched themselves
in inaction. It is not the design of preaching, to make men
easy and quiet, but to make them ACT. It is not the design
of calling in a physidan to have him give opiates, and so
cover up the disease and let it run on tUl it works death; but
to search out the disease wherever it may be hidden, and to
remove it So if a professor of rehgion has backsUdden, and
is fuU of doubts and fears, it is not the minist-er's duty to
quiet him in his suis, and comfort bim, but to hunt him
out of his errors and backshdiags, and show him just where
he stands, and what it is that makes him fuU of doubts and
fears. A minister ought to know the religious opinions of every
tinner in his congregation. Indeed, a minister in the country is
generally inexcusable if he does not. He has no excuse for not
knovring the religious riews of all his congregation, and of
aU that may come under his influence if he has had oppor
tunity to know them. How otherwise can he preach to
them? How can he know how to bring forth things new
and old and adapt truth to thefr case ? How can he hunt

HOW TO PBEACH THE 60SPBL. 191
them out unless he knows where they hide themselves ? He
may ring changes on a few fundamental doctrines, Eepent:
ance and Faith, and Faith and Eepentance, tiU the day of,
judgment, and never make any impresdon on many minds.
Every sinner has some hiding-place, some intrenchment
where he lingers. He is in possession of some darling LTEt-
with which he is quieting Mmself Let the minister find it
out and get it away, either ia the pulpit or in private, or thi::
man wUl go to heU in his sins, and his blood vriU be found in,
the minister's skirts. 4
4 Another important thing to observe is, that a ministejr
diould dweU most on those particular points which are mora
needed I wUl explain what I mean.
Sometimes he may find a people who have been led te
place great rehance on thefr own resolutions. They think
they can consult thefr ovm convenience, and by and by they
wiU repent, when they get ready, vrithout any concern about
the Spfrit of God Let him take up tiiese notions, and
show that they axe entirely contrary to the Scriptures. Let
him show that if the Spirit of God is grieved away, however
able he may be, it is certain he never will repent, and that
by and by, when it shaU be convenient for bim to do it, he
wlU have no inclination. The minister who finds these errors
prevaUing, should expose them. He should hunt them out,
and understand just how they are held and then preach the
class of truths which wiU show the fallacy, the foUy, and the
danger of these notions.
So on the other hand He may find a people who have
got such riews of Election and Sovereignty, as to think they
have nothing to do but to wait for the moving of the watera
Let him go right over against them, and crowd upon them
thefr abihty to obey God, and show thefr obligation and
duty, and press them with that until he brings them to sub
mit and be saved They have got behind a perverted riew
of these doctrines, and there is no way to drive them out
of the hiding-place but to set them right on these ¦ points.
Wherever a sinner is intrenched unless you pour hght upon
him there, you vriU never move bim. It is of no use to press
him vrith those truths which he admits, however plainly
they may in fact contradict his wrong notiona He supposes
them to be perfectiy condstent, and does not see the incon
sistency, and therefore it vriU not move him, or bring him to
repentance. I have been informed of a minister in New England who
was settied in a congregation whidi had long enjoyed httia

109 HOW TO PBEACH THE OOSPBI..
else than Arminian preaching, and the congregation them
selves were chiefly Arminiana WeU, this minister, in hia
preaching, strongly insisted on the opposite points, the
doctrine of election. Divine sovereignty, predestination, ete
The consequence was, as might have been expected where
this was done vrith abiUty, there was a powerful rerival
Some time afterwards this same minister was called to labor
in another fidd in this State, where the people were all on
the other side, and strongly tinctured vritli Antinomianism.
They had got such perverted riews of election, and Divine
sovereignty, tliat they were continually saying they had no
power to do anything, but must wait God's time. Now,
what does this minister do but immediatdy go to preadiing
the doctrine of election. And when he was "asked, how he
could think of preadiing the doctrine of election so much to
that people, when it was the very thing that luUed them to a
deeper dumber, he rephed "Why, that's the very class of
troths by which I had such a great rerival in  ;" not
conddering the difference in the riews of the people. And
if I am correctiy informed there he is to this day, preaching
away at the doctrine of election, and wondering that it doea
not produce as powerful a rcYival as it did in the other placa
Probably those sinners never vriU be converted Tou must
take things as they are, find out where sinners he, and pour
m truth upon them there, and STAET THEM OUT from
thefr refuges of liea It is of vast importance that a minister
should find out where the congregation are, and preach ac
cordingly. I have been in many places in times of rerival, and I have
never been able to employ precisely the same course of preadi
ing in one as in another. Some are intrenched behind one
refuge, and some behind another. In one place, the chiuch
wUl need to be instructed in another, sinnera In one place,
one set of truths, in another, another set A minister must
iind out where they are, and preach accordingly. I beheve
this is the experience of aU preachers who axe called to labor
from field to field
6. If a minister means to promote a rerival, he shoidd be
very careful not to introduce controversy. He vriU grieve
away the Spfrit of God In this way probably more rerivals
are put Jown, than in any other. Look back upon the history
of the church from the beginning, and you vriU see that minis-
ters are generaUy responsible for grieving away the Spirit and
causing declensions by controversy. It is the ministers whp
bring forward controversial subjecte for discussion, and bj

HOW TO PBEACH THB GOSPEL. 193
and by they get very zealous on the subject^ and then get the
ehurch into a controversial spirit, and so the Spirit of God is
grieved away.
If I had time to go over the history of the church from the
lays of the Aposties, I could show tiiat aU the controveisies
that have taken place, and all the great declensions in religion,
tod, were chargeable upon ministers. I beUeve the ministers
jf tihe present day are responsible for the present stete of the
diurch, and it vtUI be seen to be trae at the judgment Who
iocs not know that ministers have been crying out "Heresy,"
and "New Measures," and talking about the "Evils of Eeri-
vals," until they have got the churdi aU in confudon? Look
Eit the poor Presbyterian church, and see ministers getting up
thefr Act and Testimony, and keeping up a continual war 1
0 God have mercy on ministers. They tcdk about thefr days
of fasting and prayer, but axe these the men to call on oOiers
to fest and pray ? They ought to fast and pray themsdvea
It is time that ministers should assemble together, and fest
and pray over the eril of controversy, for they have caused
it The church iteelf never would get into a controversial
spirit unless led into it by ministera The body of the diurch
axe always averse to controversy, and wUl keep out of it, only
as they are dragged into it by ministera When Christians
axe rerived they axe not indined to meddle vrith controversy,
either to read or hear it But they may be told of such and
such " damnable heresies," that axe afloat, tUl they get thefr
feelings enlisted in controversy, and then faxeweU to the reri
val If a minister, in preaching, flnds it necessaiy to discuss
particulax points, about which Christians differ in opinion, let
him BT ALL MEANS avoid a controversial spirit and manner
of doir^ it*
6. The Gospd should be preadied in (hose pyroportions, that
the whole Gospel may be brought before the minds of the peo
ple, and produce its proper influence. If too njudi stress ia
laid on one class of tmtiis, the Christian character vriU not
have ite due proportions. Its symmetry vriU not be perfect If
that dass of truths be almost exdusivdy dwelt upon, that re
qufres great exertion of inteUect, vrithout being brought home
to the heart and consdence, it vriU be found that the churdi
wUl be indoctrinated in those views, vriU have thefr heads fiiUed
with notions, but vnH not be awake, and active, and effident
in the promotion of rehgion. if, on the other hand the
preaching be loose, indefinite, exhortatory, and highly impas-
• TMs was said with pain in 183S-4
9

194 HOW TO PBEACH THE GOSPEL.
doned the church vriU be Uke a ship, vrith too much sail for
her baUast It wUl be in danger of being swept away by a
tempest of feeling, where there is not suffident knowledge to
prevent thefr being carried away vrith every vrind of doctrine.
If election and sovereignty are too much preached there wiU
be Antinomianism in the church, and sinners vriU hide them
selves behind the delusion that they can do nothing. If tha
other doctrines of abUity and obligation are too prominent,
they vriU produce Arminianism in the church, and sinners wiU
be blustering and self-confident
When I entered the ministry, there had been so mudi said
about the doctrine of election and sovereignty, that I found
it was the universal hiding place, both of sinners and of the
church, that they could not do anything, or could not obey tha
Gospel And wherever I went, I found it indispensable to de-
moUsh these refuges of Ues. And a rerival would in no way
be produced or carried on, but by dwelling on that dass of
truths, which holds up man's abUity, and obUgation, and re-
spondbiUty. This was the only class of truths that would
bring dnners to submission.
It was not so in the days when President Edwards and
Whitefidd labored. Then the churches in New England had
enjoyed Uttie else than Arminian preaching, and were aU rest
ing in themselves and thefr ovm strengtL These bold and
devoted servants of God came out and declared those particu
lar doctrines of grace. Divine sovereignty, and election, and
they were greatiy blessed They did not dweU on these doc
trines exdusivdy, but they preached them very fuUy. The
consequence was, that because in those circumstances rerivals
foUowed from such preaching, the ministers who foUowed
continued to preach these doctrines almost exclusively. And they
dwelt on them so long, that the church and the world got in
trenched behind them, waiting for God to come and do what
he requfred them to do, and so revivals ceased for many yeara
Now, and for years past, ministers have been engaged in
hunting them out from these refugea And here it is all im-
portent for the ministers of this day to bear in mind that if
they dweU exclusively on abiUty and obligation, they wUl get
their hearers back on the old Arminian ground and then
they wUl cease to promote rerivala Here axe a body of min
isters who have preached a great deal of truth, and have had
great rerivals, under God. Now let it be known and remarked
that the reason is, they have hunted sinners out from thefr
hiding places. But if they continue to dwell on the same
dass of truths tUl sinners hide themselves behind thefr preach-

HOW TO PBEACH THE GOSFEL. 106
mg, another dass of truths must be preached And then if
they do not change thefr mode, another pall vriU hang over
the church, untU another class of ministers shall arise and
hunt sinners out of those new retreats.
A right riew of both dasses of truths, election and free-
agency, wiU do no hurt They are eminentiy calculated to
convCTt dnners and strengthen sainte It is a perverted riew
which duUs the heart of the church, and doses the eyes of
sinners in deep, tiU they dnk down to hell If I had time I
would remark on the manner in which I have sometimes
heard the doctrines of Divine sovereignty, election, and abUity
preadied They have been exhibited in irreconcUable con
tradiction, the one against the other. Sudi exhibitions are
anjrthing but the Gospd, and are calculated to make a
sinner fed anything else rather than his respondbUity to
God By preaching tmth in proper proportions, I do not mean
mingling all titdngs together in the same sermon, in such a
way that sinners vriU not see thefr connection or consistency.
A minister once asked another. Why do you not preach the
doctrine of dection ? Because, said the other, I ffiid dnners
here axe intrenched behind inability. The first then said he
once knew a minister who used to preach election in the fore
noon, and repentance in the afternoon. MarveUous grace it
must be, that would produce a rerival under such preaching
What connection is there in this ? Instead of exhibiting to t£e
sinner his sins in the morning, and then and in the afternoon
calUng on him to repent, he is first turned to the doctrine of
election, and then commanded to repent What is he to re
pent of ? The doctrine of dection ? This is not what I mean
by preaching tmth in ite proportion. Bringing things to
gether, that only confound the sinner's mind and overwhelm
him vrith a fog of metephydcs, is not vrise preaching. When
talking of election, the preacher is not talking of the sinner's
duty. It has no relation to the sinner's daty. Election be
longs to the government of God. It is a part of the exceed
ing richness of the grace of God It shows the love of God
not the duty of the sinner. And to bring election and repents
ance together in this way is diverting the sinner's mind away
from his duty. It has been customary, in many places, for a
long time, to bring the doctrine of election into every sermon.
Sinners have been commanded to repent, and told that they
could not repent, in the same sermon. A great deal of inge
nuity has been exercised in endeavoring to reconcUe a sinner's
" inabUity" vrith his obligation to obey God Election, pre-

196 HOW TO PBEACH THE G08PEU
|3estination, free-agency, inabUity, and duty, have all been
I throvm logether in one promiscuous jumble. And vrith regard
I to many sermons, it has been too true, as has been objected ,
I that ministers have preadied "Tou can and you can't^
.^you shall and you sha'n't, you vriU and you won't, and
f you'U be damned if you don't." Such a mixture of trutii
jand error, of light and darkness, has confounded the congre-
ligation, and been the fruitful source of Universalism and every
';|BpedeB of iufideUty and error.
7. It is of great importance that the sinner diould be made
to feel his guilt, and not left to the impresdon that he is un
fortunate. I think this is a very prevailing feult, particularly
vrith printed books on the subject They are calculated to
make the sinner think more of his sorrows than of his sins,
and feel that his stato is rather unfortunate than criminal.
Perhaps most of you have seen a very lovely littie book re-
centiy pubhshed entitied "Todd's Lectures to Children." It
is very fine, exquidtely fine, and happy in some of its iUustra-
tions of trutL But it has one very serious fault. Many of
its iUustrations, I may say most of them, are not calculated
to make a correct impresdon respecting the guilt of sinners,
or to make them feel how much they have been to blame.
This is very unfortunate. If the writer had guarded his Ulus-
trations on this point, so as to make them impress sinners
vrith a sense of thefr guilt, I do not see how a chUd could
read through that book and not be converted
Multitudes of the books vmtten for duldren, and for adulte
too, vrithin the last twenty years, have run into this mistake
to an alarming degree. Mjca. Sherwood's writings have this
feult standing out upon almost every page. They axe not cal
culated to make the dnner blame and condemn himseli Un
til you can do this, the Gktspel vriU never take effect
8. A prime object vrith the preacher must be to m.ak.e pres
ent obligation felt I have talked I suppose, vrith many tiiou-
sands of anxious sinners. And I have found that they had
never b^ore fdt the pressure of present obhgation. The im
presdon. is not commonly made by ministers in thefr preach
ing that sinners are expected to repent NOW. And if minis
ters si^pose they make this impresdon, they deceive them
selves. . .Most commonlyi any other impresdon is made upon
the minds of sinners b^^the preadier, than that they are ex
pected now to submit Bat ,,what sort of a gospd is this ?
Does God authorize such an impression ? Is this according
to the preaching of Jesus Christ? Does the Holy Spiri^
when skiving with the sinner, make the impression upon hia

HOW TO PBEACH THB GOSPEL. ItW
mind that he is not expected to obey now ? — ^Was any such
impresdon produced by the preaching of the aposties ? How
does it happen that so many ministers now preach, so as in
feet to make an impresdon on thefr hearers, that they are not
expected to repent now? UntU the sinner's conscience is
reached on this subject, you preach to him ia vain. And until
ministers learn how to preach so as to make the right impre»
don, the world never can be converted Oh, to what an alarm
ing extent does the impression now prevaU among the impeni
tent, that they axe not expected to repent now, but must wait
Gpd's time !
^9. Sinners ought to be made to feel that they have j
wdng to do, and that is to repent ; that it is something whidil
^ other being can do for them, neither God nor man, and|
'Something which they can do, and do now. Eehgion is some- 1
J to do, not something to wait for. And they must do it |
pw, or they are in danger of eternal deatL jwl
10. Ministers should never rest satisfied until they have
ANNIHILATED every excuse of sinners. The plea of " in- /
ability" is the worst of aU excusea It slanders God so, chaxg- I
ing bim vrith infinite tyranny, in commanding men to do that |' !
whidi they have no power to do. Make the sumer see and
feel that this is the very nature of his excuse. Make the sin
ner see that oK pleas in excuse for not submitting to God are
an act of rebellion against him. Tear away tiie last LEE
which he grasps in his hand and make him fed that he is
absolutely condemned before God
11. Sinners should be made to fed that if they now grieve
away the Spirit of God it is very probable that they yaU be
hd for ever. There is infinite danger of this. They should*;
be made to understand why they are dependent on the Spirit,!
and that it is not because tliey cannd do what God commands, s
but because they are unuMing ; but that they are so unvriUing|
that it is just as certain they vnU not repent vrithout the Holy \
Ghost, as if they were now in hdl, or as if they were actually ^i;
unabla They are so opposed and so unvrilling, that they y
never vriU repent in the world unless God sends his Holy J.
Spirit upon them.
Show them, too, that a dnner under the Gospd, who hears
the tmth preadied, if converted at all, is generally converted
young. And if not converted whUe young, he is commonly
given up of God Where the tmth is preached sinners are
either gospel-hardened or converted I know some old dn
ners axe converted but they are rather exception^ and by no
means common.

198 HOW TO PBEACH THB GOBPSL.
I vridi now, SBOONDLT, to make a few remarks on the manneb
OF pbeaching.
1. It should be^^?'«f«a<tp|tja|.,, Preadiing, to be under
stood, should be ccffi^fBffi'^in its st^le. A minister must
preach just as he would talk, if he vrishes to be fuUy unde]>
stood Nothing is more calculated to make a sinner feel that
rehgion is some mysterious thing that he cannot understand,
than this mouthing, formal, lofty stjrle of speaking, so gener
aUy employed in the pulpit. The minister ought to do as tiie
lawyer does when he wants to make a jury understand him
perfectiy. He uses a style perfectiy coUoquial This lofty,
swelling style wiU do no good The Gospel wiU never pro
duce any great effects, untU ministers talk to thefr hearers, in
the pulpit, as they talk in private conversation.
2. It must be in the language of common life. Not only
should it be coUoquial in ite style, but the words should be
such as are in common use. Otherwise they vriU not be
understood In the New Testament you vriU observe that
Jesus Christ invariably uses words of the most common kind
Tou scarcely find a word of his instructions, that any chUd
cannot understand The language of the gospels is the plain
est, simplest, and most easUy understood of any language in
the world
For a minister to neglect this principle, is wicked. Some
ministers use language that is purely technical in preadiing.
They think to avoid tiie mischief by explaining the meaning
fuQy at the outset ; but this vriU not answer. It vriU not effect
the object in making the people understand what he meana
If he uses a word that is not in common use, and that people
do not understand, his explanation may be very fuU, but the
difficcdty is that people vrill forget his explanations and then
his words are aU Gtreek to them. Or if he uses a word in
common use, but employs it in an unoonamon sense, giving his
spedal explanations, it is no better ; for the people vriU soon
*orget his spedal explanations, and then the impresdon acta-
aUy conveyed to thefr minds vnU be according to thefr common
understanding of the word. And thus he vriU never convey
the right idea to his congregation. It is amazing how many
men of thinking minds there are in congregations, who do
not understand the most common technical expressions em
ployed by ministers, such as regeneration, sanctification, ete.
Use words that can be perfectiy understood. Do not, for
I fear of appearing unlearned, use language half Latin and half
S Greek, which the people do not understand The apostie
\ aaya the man is a barbarian, who uses language that thie peo

how to peeach the gospel. 1U9
pie do not understand And "if the trumpet give an uncer
tain sound who shaU prepare himself for the battie ? " In
the aposties' days there were some preachers, who were mar
veUously proud of displaying thefr command of language, i;
and shovring off the variety of tongues they could speak, '^'
which the common people could not understand The apostie p-'
rebukes this spirit sharply, and says, " I had rather speak five f
words with my understanding, that by my voice I might!
teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknovm >'
tongue." I have sometimes heard ministers preacL even when there
was a rerival, when I have wondered what that part of the
congregation would do, who had no dictionary. So many
phrases were brought in, manifestiy to adorn the discourse,
rather than to instruct the people, that I have felt as if I
wanted to teU the man, " Sit down, and not confound the peo
ple's minds with your barbarian preaching, that they cannot
understand" 3. Preaching should be parabolical. That is^ iUustrations
shoidd be constantly used, drawn from incidente, real or sup
posed. Jesus Christ constantiy iUustrated his instructions in
this way. He would either advance a principle and then Ulus-
trate it by a parable, that is, a short story of some event reall
or imaginary, or else he would bring out the principle in the |.
parable. There are miUions of facts that can be used to ad- Ii
vantage, and yet very few ministers dare to use them, for fear f
somebody vriU reproach them. "Oh," says somebody, " he f
teUs stories." TeUs stories ! Why, that is the way Jesus %
Christ preached And it is the only way to preacL Facts, g
real or supposed, should be used to show the tmth. Truths f
not Ulustrated, are generaUy just as weU calculated to convert 1
sinners as a mathematical demonstration. Is it always to be ,f
so ? ShaU it always be matter of reproach, that ministera *^
foUow the example of Jesus Christ, in illustrating truths by
facts? Let them do it, and let fools reproach them as story
telling ministers. They have Jesus Chnst and common sense
on thefr side.
4 The iUustrations should be drawn from common life, and
the common business of society. I once heard a minister
Ulustrate his ideas by the manner in which merchante trans
act business in thefr stores. Another minister who was pres
ent made some remarks to him afterwards. He objected to
this UI ostration particularly, because, he said it was too fami-
har, and was letting down the dignity of tiie pulpit He said
aU iUustration in preaching should be dravm from ancient

SOO HOW TO PBEACH THK GOSPEL.
history, or from some elevated source, that would keep up the
dignity of the pulpit Dignity indeed ! Just the language of
the devil He rejoices in it. Why, the object of an Ulustro-
tion is, to make people see the truth, not to bolster up pulpit
dignity. A minister whose heart is in the work, does not use
an Ulustration to make people stare, but to make them see the
truth. If he brought forward his Ulustrations from ancient
history, it could not make the people see, it would not iUus
trate anything. The novelty of the thing might awaken thefr
attention, but then they would lose the truth iteelf For if
the iUustration itself be a novelty, the attention vriU be dfrect-
ed to this fact as a matter of history, and the truth itself,
which it was designed to Ulustrate, wiU be lost sight of. The
Ulustration should, if posdble, be a matter of common occur
rence, and the more common the occurrence the more sure it
wfll be, not to fix attention upon itself, but it serves as a
medium through which the trutii is conveyed I have been
pained at the very heart, at hearing Ulustrations dravm from
ancient history, of which not one in a hundred of the congre
gation had ever heard The very manner in which they were
adverted to, was strongly tinctured, to say the least, vrith the
appearance of vanity, and an attempt to surprise tlie people
vrith an exhibition of learning.
The Sariour always iUustrated his instructions by things
that were taldng place among the people to whom he preadied
and vrith which thefr minds were famUiar. He descended
often very far below what is now supposed to be essential to
support tiie dignity of the pulpit He talked about the hens
and chickens, and duldren in market-places, and dieep and
lambs, shepherds and farmers, and husbandmen and mei>
chante. And when he talked about kings, as in the marriage
of the king's son, and the nobleman that went into a fer
country to receive a kingdom, he had reference to historical
facte, tliat were weU known among the people at the tima
The iUustration should always be drawn from things so com
mon that the iUustration itself vrill not attract attention away
from the subject, but that people may see through it the truth
iUustrated 5. Preaching should be repetitious. Ji a minister wishes
to preach vrith effect, he must not be afraid of repeating
whatever he sees is not perfectiy understood by his hearera
Here is the eril of using notes. The preacher preadies
right along just as he has it vmtten dovm, and cannot ob
serve whetlier he is understood or not. If he interrupte his
reading, and attempte to catdi the countenances of his audi-

HOW TO PBBAOH THE GOSPEL. Ml
ence, and to explain where he sees they do not understand
he gete lost and confused and gives it up. If a minister haa
his eyes on on the people he is preaching to, he can com
monly tell by thefr looks whether they understand bim. And
if he sees tliey do not understand any particulax point, let
him stop and iUustrate it If they do not understand one
illustration, let him give another, and make it all dear to
thefr minds, before he goes on. But those who vmte thefr
sermons go right on, in a regular consecutive train, just as
in an essay or a book, and do not repeat thefr thoughte tuU
the audience fuUy comprehend them.
I was conversing vrith one of the first advocates in this
country. He said the difficulty which preachers find in mak- i
ing themselves understood is, fliat they do not repeat enougL .
Says he, " In addressing a jury, I always expect that what-g
ever I vrish to impress upon thefr minds, I shall have to re-^
peat at least twice, and often I repeat it three or four times,|
and even as many times as there axe jurymen before maf
Otherwise, I do not carry thefr minds along with me, so thai*
they can feel the force of what comes afterwarda" If &i
jury under oath, called to dedde on the common affairs of,};
this world cannot apprehend an argument unless there is sol:^
much repetition, how is it to be expected that men vrill un-'
derstand the preaching of the Gospd vrithout it
In like maimer the minister ought to turn an important
thought over and over before his audience, tUl even tiie dul
dren understand it perfectiy. Do not say that- so much repe
tition vriU create ^gfust in cultivated minds. It vriU not
disgust This is not what disguste thinking men. They axe
not weary of the efforte a minister makes to be understood
The fact is, the more simple a preacher's Ulustrations are,
and the more plain he makes everything, the more men of
mind axe interested I ko'^w that men of the first minds
often get ideas they never had before, from Ulustrations which
were designed to bring the Gospd down to the comprehendon
of a duld Such, men axe commonly so occupied with the
a&irs of this world that they do not think mum on the sub
ject of rehgion, and they therefore need the plainest preach
ing, and they wUl like it
' 6. A minister should always feel deeply his subject, and
then he vriU suit the action t» the word and the word to the
action, so as to make the foU impresdon which the truth is
calculated to maka He diould be in solemn earnest in what
he saya I heard latdv a most judidous criticism on thia
gutgect " How important it is that a miidster should fed
9*

202 HOW TO PEEACH THE GOSPEL.
what he saya Then his actions vrill of course correspond te
his words. If he undertakes to make gestures, his arms may
go like a vrindmUl, and yet make no impression." It requfres
the utmost stretch of art on the stage for the actors to make
thefr hearers feel The design of elocution is to teach this
skill. But if a man feels his subject fuUy, he wUl naturally
do it He wUl naturaUy do the very thing that elocution
laboriously teaches. See any common man in the streets,
who is earnest in talking. See vrith what force he gesturea
See a woman or a chUd in earnest How natural To ges
ture vrith thefr hands is as natural as it is to move thefr
tongue and hps. It is the perfection of eloquence.
Let a minister, then, only feel what he says, and not be tied
to his notes, to read an essay, or to speak a piece, like a sdiool-
boy, first on one foot and then on the other, put out first one
hand and then the other. Let him speak as he feels, and
act as he feels, and he wUl be eloquent.
No wonder that a great deal of preaching produces so
Uttie effect. Gestures are of more importance than is gener
ally supposed Mere words vriU never express the fuU mean
ing of the Gospel The manner of saying it is almost every
thing. Suppose one of you, that is a mother, goes home to
night, and as soon as you get into the door, the nurse comes
rushing up to you, vrith her vriiole soul in her countenance,
and teUs you tliat your chUd is burnt to death. Tou would
beheve it, and you would fed it too, at once. But suppose
she comes and teUs it in a cold and careless manner. Would
that arouse you ? No. It is the earnestness of her manner,
and the distress of her looks, that tells the story. Tou know
something is the matter before she speaks a word
I once heard a remark made, respecting a young minister's
preadung, which was instructive. He was uneducated hi the
common sense of the term, but weU calculated to vrin souls.
It was said of him, " The manner ui which he comes in, and
dts in the pulpit, and rises to speak, is a sermon of itsdf.
It shows that he has something to say that is important and
solemn." That man's manner of saying some things I have
known to move the feelings of a whole congregation, when
the same things said in a prosing way would have produced
no effect at aU.
A feet which was stated by one of the most distinguished
professors of docution in the United States, ought to impress
ministers on this subject. That man was an infidel He said,
" I have been fourteen years employed in teaching elocution
to ministers, and I know they do not beheve the Christian

HOW TO PBEACH THE GOSPEL. SOI
reUgion. The Bible may be true. I do not pretend to know
as to that, but I know these ministers do not beheve it I
can demonstrate that they do not The perfection of my art
is to teach them to speak naturaUy on this subject. I go
to thefr studies, and converse with tiiem, and they speak elo-
quentiy. I say to them, Gentiemen, if you wUl preach just
as you yourselves naturaUy speak on any other subject, in
which you are interested, you do not need to be taught That
is just what I am trying to teach you. I hear you talk on
other subjects with admfrable force and eloquence. I see
you go into the pulpit, and you speak and act as if you did
not beheve what you are saying. I have told them, again and
again, to talk in the pulpit as they naturaUy talk to ma
And I cannot make them do it, and so I know they do not be
heve the Christian rehgion."
, I have mentioned tins to show how universal it is, that men
iwUl gesture right if they feel right. The only thing in the
pay of ministers being natural speakers is, that they do not
DEEPLY FEEL. How can they be natural in docution,
when they do not feel ?
7. A minister should aim to convert his congregation. But ;
you wUl ask. Does not all preaching aim at this ? No. A |
minister always has some aim in preaching, but most sermons '
were never aimed at converting sinnera And if sinners
were converted under them, the preacher himself would be
amazed I once heard a feet on this point. There were
two young ministers who had entered the ministry at the ;
same time. One of them had great success in converting
sinners, the other none. The latter inquired of the other, one -^
day, what was the reason of this difference. " Why," rephed iJ
the other, " the reason is, that I aim at a different end from ;
you, in preaching. My object is to convert sinners, but you !.^,
aim at no such thing. And then you go and lay it to sov- %
ereignty in God that you do not produce the same effect |
when you never aim at it Here, take one of my sermons, |;
and preach it to your people, and see what the effect wUl be." «
The man did so, and preached the sermon, and it did pro
duce effect. He was frightened when sinners began to weep ;
and when one came to him after meeting to ask what he
should do, the minister apologized to him, and said, " I did
not aim to wound you, I am sorry if I have hurt your fed
mga" OL horrible !
8. A minister must anticipate the objections of sinners, and
answer them. What does the lawyer do when pleading be
fore a iuTY ? Oh, how differently is the cause of Jeans Christ

204 BOW TO PKEACH THB GOSPXU
pleaded from human causes ! It was remarked by a lawyer,
that the cause of Jesus Christ had the fewest able advocates
of any cause in the world And I partly beheve it. Does a
lawyer go along in his argument in a regular train, and not
explain anything obscure, or anticipate the argumente of
his antagonist ? If he did so, he would lose his case to a
certainty. But, no. The lawyer, who is pleading for money,
anticipates every objection, which may be made by his antag
onist, and caxefuUy removes or explains them, so as to leave
the ground aU dear as he goes along, that the jury may be
settied on every point. But ministers often leave one diffi
culty and another untouched Sianers who hear them feel
the difficulty, and it is never got over in thefr minds, and
they never know how to remove it, and perhaps the minister
never takes the trouble to know that such difficulties exist,
and yet he wonders why his congregation is not converted
and why there is no rerival. How can he wonder at it, when
he has never hunted up the difficulties and objections that
sinners fed, and removed them ?
9. If a minister means to preach the Gospd vrith effect he
must be sure not to be monotonous. Ji he preaches in a mo
notonous way, he vriU preach the people to deep. Any mo
notonous sound, great or small, if continued, disposes people
to deep. The feUs of Niagara, the roaring of tiie ocean, oi
any sound ever so great or small, has this effect naturally on
the nervous system. Tou never hear this monotonous man
ner from people in conversation. And a minister cannot be
monotonous in preaching, if he feels what he says.
10. A minister should address the feehngs enough to secure
attention, and then deal unth the conscience, and probe to the
quick. Appeals to the feehngs alone wUl never convert sin
ners. If tiie preacher deals too much in these, he may get up
an excitement, and have wave after wave of feding flow over
the congregation, and people may be carried away as vrith a
flood, and rest in false hopea The only way to secure sound con
versions is to deal faithfuUy with the consdence. If attention
flags at any time, appeal to the feehngs again, and rouse it up ;
but do your work vrith conscienca
11. If he can, it is desfrable that a minister should leam
the effect of one sermon, before he preaches another. Let bim
learn if it is understood if it has produced any impresdon,
if any difficulties are felt in regard to the subject whidi need
clearing up, if any objections are raised and the hka When
he knows it all, tlien he knows what to preach next What
would be thought of the physician who should give medidna

HOW TO PBEACH THE GOSPEL. 201
to his patient, and then give it again and again, vrithout try
ing to leam the effect of the first, or whether it had produced
any effect or not ? A minister never vriU be able to deal with
sinners as he ought, tUl he can find out whether his instruc
tion has been received and understood and whether the dif
ficulties in sinners' minds axe deared away, and thefr path
open to the Sariour, so that they need not stumble and stum
ble tiU thefr souls axe lost
I had designed to notice several other points, but time doea
not admit I wish to close vrith a few
it-inM-A-iiTra.
1. We see why so few of the leading minds in many com
munities are converted
Until the late rerivals, profesdonal men were rarely reached
by preadiing, and they were almost aU infidels at heart Peo
ple almost understood the Bible to warrant the idea, that they
could not be converted The reason is obrious. The Gospel
had not been commended to the consdences of such men.
Ministers had not grappled vrith mind and reasoned so as to
make that class of mind see the truth of the Gospel, and feel
ite power, and consequentiy such persons had come to regard
religion as something unworthy thefr notice.
But of late years the case is altered, and in some places
there have been more of this dass of persons converted, in
proportion to thefr numbers, than of any othera That is
because they were made to understand the claims of the Gos
pd. The preacher grappled vrith thefr minds, and showed
them the reasonableness of religion. And when this is done,
it is found that that class of minds are more easUy converted
than any other. They have so much better capacity to re
ceive an argument, and axe so much more in the habit of
yielding to tiie force of reason, that as soon as the Gospd
gete a fafr hold of thefr minds, it breaks them right down.
and mdts them at the feet of Christ
2. Before the Gospel can take general effect, we must have
a dass of extempore preachers, for the foUovring reasons :
(1.) No set of men can stand the labor of vmting sermons
and doing aU the preadiing which wUl be requisite.
(2.) Written preaching is not calculated to produce the
requidte effect Such preaching does not present tmth in
the right shape.
(3.) It is imposdble for a man who writes his sermons to
arrange his matter, and turn and choose his thouarhte so as

206 BOW TO PBEACB THE GOfiPK.
to produce the same effect as when he addresses the people
dfrectiy, and makes them feel that he means them. Writing
sermons had its origin in times of pohtjcal difficulty. The
practice was unknovm in the apostles' days. No doubt vmt
ten sermons have done a great deal of good but they can
never give to the Gospel its great power. Perhaps many
ministers have been so long trained in the use of notes, that
they had better not throw them away. Perhaps they would
make bad work without them. The difficulty wotUd not be
for the want of mind but from vyrong training. The bad
habit is begun vrith the school boy, who is called to " speak
his piece." Instead of being set to express his own thoughta
md feelings in his ovni language, and with his own natural
manner, such as nature herself prompts, he is made to com
mit another person's vmting' to memory, and then mouths it
out in a stiff and formal way. And so when he goes to col
lege, and to the seminary, instead of being trained to extem
pore speaking, he is set to writing his piece, and commit
it to memory. I would pursue the opposite course from the
beginning. I would give him a subject, and let him first
think, and then speak his thoughts. Perhaps he wUl make
mistakes. Very well, that is to be expected — in a beginner.
But he wUl leam. Suppose he is not eloquent, at first Very
weU, he can improve. And he is in the very way to improve.
This kind of training alone vrill ever raise up a dass of min
isters who can convert the world
But it is objected to extemporaneous preaching, that if
mioisters do not write, they vrill not think. This objection
wUl have weight with those men whose habit has always been
to write dovm thefr thoughts. But to a man of a different
habit, it wUl have no weight at all Writing is not thinking.
And if I shoiUd judge from many of the written sep
mons I have heard preached the makers of them had
been doing anything rather than thinking. The mechanical
labor of writing is reaUy a hinderance to dose and rapid
thought It is true that some extempore preadiers have not
been men of thought. And so it is txue that many men who
write sermons, are not men of thought A man whose habito
have always been such, that he has thought only when he haa
put his mind on the end of his pen, wUl of course, if he lays
adde his pen, at first find it difficult to think ; and if he
attempts to preach vrithout vmtfrig, vrill, until his habits axe
thoroughly changed find it difficult to throw into his sermons
the same amount of thought, as if he conformed to his old
habite of vmting. But it diould be remembered that this ia

HOW TO PBEACH THB GOaPBI. 201
only on account of his having been trained to write, and hav
ing always habituated himself to it. It is the training and
habit that renders it so difficult for bim to think vrithout
writing. WUl any body pretend to say that lawyers are not
men of thought ? That thefr arguments before a court and jury,
are not profound and weU digested ? And yet every one knows
that they do not write thefr speechea It should be imder-
stood too, that in coUege, they have the same training vrith
ministers, and have the same disadvantage of having been
trained to vmte thefr thoughts ; and it is only after tLey en
ter upon thefr profession, that they change thefr habit Were
they educated, as they should be, to extempore habite in the
schools, they would be vastly more eloquent and powerful in
argument than they are.
I have heard much of this objection to extempore preach
ing ever since I entered the ministry. It was often said to
me then, in answer to my riews of extempore preaching, that
ministers who preached extemporaneously, would not instruct
the churches, tiiat there would be a great deal of sameness in
thefr preaching, and they would soon become insipid and
repetitious for want of thought But every year's experience
has ripened the conriction on my mind that the reverse of
this objection is tme. The man who writes least may, if he
pleases, think most, and wUl say what he does think in a man
ner that wUl be better understood than if it were vmtten ;
and that, just in the proportion that he lays adde the labor
of writing, his body will be left free to exerdse, and his mind
to vigorous and consecutive thought.
The great reason why it is supposed that extempore preach
ers more frequentiy repeat the same thoughte in tliefr preach
ing, is because what tiiey say is, in a general way, more per*
fectly remembered by the congregation, than if it had been
read I have often Imown preadiers, who could repeat thefr
written sermons once in a few months, without its being re
cognised by the congregation. But the manner in which ex
tempore sermons are generaUy deUvered is so much more
impressive, that the thoughts cannot in general be soon re
peated without being remembered We shall never have a
set of men in our halls of legislation, in our courte of justice,
and in our pulpits, that axe powerful and overwhelming
speakers, and can carry the world before them, tUl our sys
tem of education teadies them to think, dosely, rapidly, con
secutively, and tUl aU thefr habits of speaking in the schools
are extemporaneous. The very style of communicating
thought, in what is commonly called a good style of writing

208 HOW TO PBEACH THB GOSPEL.
is not calculated to leave a deep impresdon on the mind, a>
to communicate thought in a dear and impressive manner.
It is not laconic, dfrect, pertinent It is not the language of
nature. It is imposdble that gestures should be .luited to the
common style of writing. And consequentiy, when they at
tempt to gesture in reading an essay, or delivering a written
aermon, thdr gestures are a burlesque upon aU public speak-
mg.
In deUvering a sermon in this essay style of writing, it ia
imposdble that nearly all the fire of meaning and power of
gesture, and looks, and attitude, and emphads should not be
lost We can never have the full meaning of the Gospd, till
we throw away our notea
1 3. A minister's course of study and training for his work
Bhould be eml^s^^u^thwlagwul.
;! I mean just asT say. I am not now going to discuss the
|[uestion whether aU education ought not to be theological
put I say education for the ministry should be exdudvely so.
|But you vrill ask. Should not a minister understand sdence?
"T would answer, Tes, the more the better. I would that
¦^ministers might understand aU sdence. But it should all bei
I in connection with theology. Studying science is studying!
I the works of God And studying theology is studying Godi
'i Let a sdiolar be asked for instance, tliis question : "Isj
I there a God?" To answer it, let him ransack the universe,)
I let him go out into every department of science, to find the|
i(l proofe of design, and in this way to leam the existence of ;!
I God. Let bim next inqufre how many gods there axe, and |
|- let him again ransack creation to see whether there is sudi a |
4 unity of design as evinces that there is one God. In like \
I manner, let him inqufre concerning the attributes of God, l
I and his diaracter. He wUl leam science here, but vriU leam |
I it as a part of theology. Let him search every field of ^
I knowledge, to bring forward his proofe What was the d&- |
f sign of this plan? What was the end of that arrangement t |
I See whether everything you find in the universe is not caloo- 1
iiv-Jated to produce happiness, unless perverted i^a»»f
Would the student's heart get hard and cold in study, aa
cold and hard as the coUege walls, if science was pursued in
this way ? Every lesson brings him right up before God and
is in feet communion vrith God, and warms his heart, and
makes him more pious, more solemn, more holy. The very
distinction between dasdcal and theological study is a curse
to the diurch, and a curse to the world. The student spends
four years in ooUege at classical studies, and no God in them.

HOW TO PBEACH THE GOSPBL. 209
and then three years in the seminaiy, at (hec^ogicdl studies ;
and what then ? Poor young man. Set bim to work, and
you vriU find that he is not educated for the ministry at all
The church groans under his preaching, because he does not
preadi vrith unction, nor vrith power. He has been spoUed
in training.
4 We leam what is revival preaching. AU ministers should
be rerival ministers, and aU preaching should be rerival
preaching ; that is, it should be calculated to promote holinesa
People say, " It is very well to have some men in the churcL
who are rerival preachers, and who can go about aud promote
rerivals ; but then you must have others to indoctrinate the
church." Strange I Do they not know that a rerival indoo-
trinates the churdi faster than anything else ? And a minis
ter vriU never produce a rerival, if he does not indoctrinate
his hearers. The preaching I have described is fuU of do<y
trine, but it is doctrine to be practised. And that is rerival
preaching. 5. There axe two directions sometimes brought against the
kind of preaching which I have recommended
(1. ) That it is Idting down the dignity of the pulpit to preach
in this coUoquial, lawyer-like style. They are locked at it
But it is only on account of ite novdty, and not for any im
propriety there is in the thing iteelf I heard a remark made
by a leading layman in the centre of this State, in regard to
the preachi^ ol a certain minister. He said it was the first
preaching he ever heard, that he understood and the first
minister he ever heard that spoke as if he beUeved his own
doctrine, or meant what he said And when he first heard
bim preach as if he was saying something that he meant, ha
thought he was crazy. But eventually, he was made to see
that it was all true, and he submitted to the truth, as the
power of God for the salvation of his soul
What is the dignity of the pulpit ? To see a minister go
into the pulpit to sustain its dignify ! Alas, alas ! During my
foreign tour, I heard an English missionary preach exactiy in
that way. I beUeve he was a good man, and out of the put
pit he would talk like a man that meant what he said Bat
no sooner was he in the pulpit, than he appeared like a per
fect automaton — swelUng, mouthing, and singing, enough to
put aU the people to deep. And the difficulty seemed to bo^
that he wanted to maintain the dignity of Oie pulpit.
(2.) It is objected that this preachmg is theatrical. The
bidiqp of London once asked (Jarridi, me celebrated play
actor, why it was that actors in representing a mere fiction,

210 HOW TO PBEACH THE GOSPEL.
sishould move an assembly, even to tears, whUe ministers, in
:STepresenting the most solemn realities, could scarcely obtain
;|a hearing. The phUosophical Garrick weU replied "It is be-
jllcause we represent fiction as reality, and you represent reahty
$as a fiction." This is teUing the whole story. Now what is
f the design of the actor in a theatrical representation? It is
f so to throw himself into the spirit and meaning of the writer,
;| as to adopt his sentiments, make them his own, feel them,
k embody them, throw them out upon the audience as hving
reahty. And now, what is the objection to all this in preach
ing? The actor suits the action to the word and the word
to the action. His looks, his hands, his attitudes, and every
thing are designed to express the full meaning of the vrntex.
Now this should be the aim of the preacher. And if by
" theatrical" be meant the strongest posdble representetion of
the sentiments expressed then the more theatrical a sermon
is, the better. And if ministers are too stiffi and the people
too fastidious, to leam even from an actor, or from the stage,
the best method of swaying mind oi enforcing sentiment,
and diffusing the warmth of burning thought over a congre
gation, then they must go on vrith thefr prosing, and reading,
and sanctimonious starch. But let them remember, that
whUe they are thus turning away and decrying the art of the
actor, and attempting to support " the dignity of the pulpit,"
the theatres can be thronged every night. The common-sense
people loill be entertained vrith that manner of speaking, and
sinners vriU go down to hell
6. A congregation may leam how to choose a minister.
; When a vacant church are looking out for a minister, there
' are two leading pointe on which they commonly fix thefr atten-
I tion. (1.) That he should be popular. (2.) That he should
i be learned. That is very well But this point should be the
i first in thefr inquiries — " Is he wise to win souls ? " No matter
¦ how eloquent a minister is, or how learned. No matter how
pleasiag and popular in his manners. If it is a matter of feet
that sinners are not converted under his preaching, it shows
tliat he has not this vrisdom, and your chUdren and neighbors
, wiU go down to heU under his preadung.
,;' I am happy to know that many churches vriU ask this ques-
/ tion about ministers. And if they find that a minister is des-
r' titute of this rital quality, they wUl not have him. And if
; ministers can be found who are wise to win souls, the churchea
will have such ministers. It is in vain to contend against it,
or to pretend that they are not well educated or not learned
or the hka It is in vain for the schools to try to force down

HOW TO PEEACH THE GOSPEU 211
the throats of the churches a race of ministers who are learned
in everything but what they most need to know. The churchea
ha,ve pronounced them not made right, and they wiU not sus
tain that which is notorioudy so inadequate as the present
system of theological education.
It is very difficult to say what needs to be said on this sub
ject, without beuig m danger of begetting a vn-ong spfrit in
the church, towards ministers. Many professors of rehgion
are ready to find fault with ministers when they have no rea
son ; insomucL that it becomes very difficult to say of min
isters what is true, and what needs to be said vrithout its
being perverted and abused by this class of professora I
would not for the world say anything to injure the influence
of a minister of Christ, who is really endeavoring to do good
I would that they deserved a hundred times more influenco
than they now deserve or have. But, to teU the truth wUl not
hijure the influence of those ministers, who by thefr hves and
preaching give eridence to the church, that thefr object is to
do good and vrin souls to Christ. This dass of ministers vriU
recognise the tmth of all that I have said or wish to say.
They see it aU, and deplore it But if tiiere be ministers who
are doing no good who axe feeding themselves and not the
flock, such ministers deserve no influence. If they axe doing
no good, it is time for them to betake themselves to some
other profesdon. They are but leeches on the very ritals of
the diurcL sucking out ite heart's blood They are usdess,
and worse than usdess. And the sooner they axe laid aside,
and thefr places filled with those who vriU exert themselves for
Christ the better.
Fdjally — ^It is the duty of the church to pray for us, min
istera Not one of us is such as we ought to be. Like Paul,
we can say, " Who is suffident for these things ? " But who
of us is like Paul ? Where will you find such a minister as
PaiU ? They are not here. We have been vrrongly educated,
aU of ua Pray for the schools, and coUeges, and seminariea
And pray for young men who are preparing for the ministry.
Pray for ministers, that God would give them this vrisdom to
win souls. And pray that God would bestow upon the churdi
the wisdom and the means to educate a generation of minis
ters who wiU go forward and convert the world The church
must travail in prayer, and groan and agonize for this. This
is now the pearl of price to the church, to have a supply of
the right sort of ministera The coming of the miUennium de
pends on having a different sort of ministers, who are more
thoroughly educated for their work. And this we shaU have so

al2 HOW TO PEEACH THE GOSPEL.
Bure as the promise of the Lord holds good Such a mini*
try as is now in the church vriU never convert the world Bu<
the world is to be converted and therefore God intends to
have ministers who wiU do it "Pray ye, therefore, the Lord
of the harvest^ that he would send forth laborers into hia
harvert."

LECTUEE TTTT.

ROW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBa
TazT.— And it came to pass, when Moses held np his hand, that Israel prera^M
and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses's hands were heavy .
and thejr took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon : and Aaron and
Ear stayed up his hands, the one on the one side and the other on the other side ;
and his hands were steady until the going down of tbe sun. And Joshua discom-
Ated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.— Ezoocs xvii. 11-13.
Tou who read your Bibles vriU recoUect the connection in
which these verses stand The people of God in subduing
thefr enemies came to battie against the Amalekites, and
these incidents took place. It is difficult to conceive why im
portance should be attached to the cfrcumstance of Moses
holding up his hands, unless the expresdon is understood
to denote the attitude of prayer. And then his holding up
his hands, and the success attending it, vriU teach us the im
portance of prayer to God for his aid in all our confficte
with the enemies of God The co-operation and support of
Aaron and Hur have been generally understood to represent
the duty of churches to sustain and assist miaisters in thefr
work, and the importance of this co-operation to the success
of the preached Gospel I shaU make this use of it on the
present occadon. As I have spoken of the duty of ministers
to labor for rerivals, I shall now consider,
THB IMPOBTANOE OF THE CO-OFEBATION OF THE OHUBOH IN
FBODUdNO ANB CABBTING ON A BEVIVAL.
There axe a number of things whose importance in promot
ing a rerival has not been duly conddered by churches and
ministers, whidi if not attended to vriU make it imposdble
that rerivals should extend or even continue for any condd-
erable time. In my last two lectures, I have been dwelling
on the duties of ministers, as it was impossible for me to
preach a course of lectures on rerivals vritLout entering more
or less extendvely into that department of meana I have
not done vrith that part of the subject, but have thought it
important here to step adde and discuss some pointe iu
which the church must stand by and aid thefr minister, if
(313)

214 HOW CHURCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBa.
they expect to enjoy a rerival In discussing the subject, I
propose, I. To mention several tlungs which Christians must avoid,
if they would support ministers.
IL Some things to which they must attend.
L I am to mention several things that must be avoided
1. By aU means keep clear of the idea, both in theory and
practice, that a minider is to promote revivals done. Many
people are indined to take a passive attitude on this subject,
and feel as if they had nothing to do. They have employed
a minister and paid him, to feed them vrith instruction and
comfort, and now they have nothing to do but to dt and
swaUow tiie food he givea They are to pay his salary, and
attend on his preaching, and they think that is 'doing a great
deal. And he on his paxt is expected to preach good, sound
comfortable doctrine, to bolster them up, and make them feel
comfortable, and so they expect to go to heaven. I teU you,
THET WILL GO TO HELL, if this is thefr reU^on.
That is not the way to heaven.
Best assured that where this spirit prevaUs in the churcL
however good the minister may be, the church have taken
the course to prevent a rerival. If he is ever so foithful,
ever so much engaged ever so talented and eloquent, he
may wear himself out, and perhaps destroy his life, but he
vriU have httie or no rerival.
Where there is no churcL or very few members in the
diurch, a rerival may be promoted without any organized
effort of the dmrch, because it is not there, and in such a
case, God accommodates his grace to the cfrcumstances, as
he did when the apostles went out, single-handed, to plant
the Gospel in the world I have seen instances of powerful
rerivals where such was the case. But where there are means,
God vriU have them used I had rather have no church in a
place, than attempt to promote a rerival in a place where
there is a church which vriE not work. God vriU be inquired
of by his people to bestow blessinga The counteracting in
fluence of a church that vriU not work is worse than infidehty.
There is no posdbUity of occupying neutral ground in re
gard to a rerival, though some professors imagine tiiey are
neutral. If a professor vriU not lay himself out fri the work,
he opposes it. Let such a one attempt to take middle ground,
and say he is going to wait and see how they come out-
why, tiiat is the very ground the devil wante him to
taka Professors can in this way do his work a great deal
more effectually than by open oppodtion. If they fake

HOW CHUBCHES CAK HELP MINISTBBa 21S
open ground in oppodtion, everybody wiU say they have no
rehgion. But by this middle course they retain thefr influ
ence, and thus do the deril's work more effectuaUy.
In employing a minister, a church must remember that
they have only employed a leader to lead them on to action
ui the cause of Christ. People would think it strange if any
body should propose to support a general and then let him
go and fight alone ! This is no more absurd, or destructive,
than for a minister to attempt to go forward alone. The
church misconcdve the design of the ministry, if they leave
thefr minister to work alone. It is not enough that they
should hear the sermons. That is only the word of com
mand which the church are bound to foUow.
2. Do not complain of your minider because there is no re
rival, if you are not doing your duty. It is of no use to com
plain of there being no rerival, if you are not doing your
duty. That alone is a suffident reason why there should be
no rerival. It is a most cruel and abominable thing for a
church to complain of thefr minister, when they themselves
are fast adeep. It is very common for professors of reh^on
to take great credit to themsdves, and quiet thefr ovm con
sdences by complaining of thefr ministers. And when the
importance of ministers being awake is spoken of, this sort
of people axe ready to say, We never shaU have a rerival
with such a minister, when the fact is that thefr minister is
much more awake than they are themsdvea
Another thing is true in regard to this point, and worthy
of notice. When the church is sunk down in a low state,
professors of rehgion are very apt to complain of the church,
and of the low stete of religion among them. That intan
gible and irresponsible being, the " churcL" is greatiy com
plained of by them, for being adeep. Thefr complainte of
the low stete of reUgion, and of the coldness of the churdi or
of the minister, axe poured out dolefuUy, vrithout thefr seeming
to realize that the church is composed of indiriduals, and that
until each one wUl take his own case ia hand complain of
himself, and humble himsdf before God and repent, and
wake up, the diurch can never have any efficiency, and there
never can be a rerival If instead of complaining of your
nunister, or of the churcL you would wake up as indiriduals,
and not complain of him or them until you can say you are
pure from the blood of aU men, and are doing your duty to
save sinners, he would be apt to feel the justice of your com
plaints, and if he would not, God would, and would either
wake bim up or remove him.

216 HOW CHUBCHEB CAlf HELP MINISTEBS.
3. Do not let your minister kill himself by attempting to
carry on the work alone, wLUe you refuse to help him. It some
times happens that a minister finds the ark of the Lord vriU not
move unless he lays out his utmost strength, and he has been
so desfrous of a revival that he has done this, and has died
And he was vrilling to die for it. I could mention some cases
in this State, where ministers have died, and no doubt in con
sequence of thefr labors to promote a rerival where the church
himg back from the work.
I wUl mention one case. A minister, some years since, was
laboring where there was a rerival ; and was risited by an el
der of a church at some distance who wanted him to go and
preach there. There was no rerival there, and never had
been, and the elder complained about thefr state, said they
had had two exceUent ministers, one had worn himself com
pletely out and died and the other had exhausted himself and
got discouraged and left them, and they were a poor and fee
ble church, and thefr prospects very dark unless they could
have a rerival, and so he begged this minister to go and hdp
them. He seemed to be very sorrowful, and the minister
heard his whining, and at last rephed by asking. Why did
you never have a rerival? I don't know said the dder. Our
minister labored hard hut the church did not seem to wake
up, and somehow there seemed to be no rerival "WeU,
now," said the minister, "I see what you want ; you have MU-
ed one of God's ministers, and broken down another so that
he had to leave you, and now you want to get another there
and kUl him, and the deril has sent you here to get me to go
and rock your cradle for you. Tou had one good minister to
preach to you, but you slept on, and he exerted himself tiU he
absolutely died in tiie work. Then the Lord let you have an
other, and stUl you lay and slept, and would not wake up to
your duty. And now you have come here ia despafr, and want
another minister, do you ? God forbid that you should ever
have another while you do as you have done. God forbid that
you should ever have a minister, tUl the church wUl wake up
to duty." The elder was affected, for he was a good man. The
tears came in his eyes, and he said it was no more than they
deserved "And now," said the minister, " vriU you be faithful,
and go home and teU the church what I say ? fl you vrill, and
they wUl be faithful and wake up to duty, they shaU have a
minister, I wiU warrant them that" The elder said he would
and he was true to his word ; he went home and told the
diurch how cruel it was for them to ask another minister to
some among them, unless they would wake up. They felt it^

BOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP HINISTEBB. ill
and confessed thefr sins, and waked up to duty, and a minister
was sent to them, and a predous and powerful rerival foUowed
Churdies do not realize how often thefr coldness and back
wardness may be absolutely the cause of the death of ministera
The state of the people, and of sinners, rests upon thefr
mind they travaU in soul night and day, and they labor in
season and out of season, beyond the power of the human
constitution to bear, tUl they wear out and dia The church
know not the agony of a minister's heart, when he travails
for souls, and labors to wake up the diurch to hdp, and stiU
sees them in the dumbers of death. Perhaps sometimes they
vriU rouse up to spasmodic effort for a few days, and then all
is cold again. And so many a faithful minister wears himself
out and dies, and then these heartiess professors axe the first
to blame bim for douig so much.
I recoUect a case of a good minister, who went to a place
where there was a rerival, and whUe tiiere heard a pointed
sermon to ministers. He received it like a man of God ;
he did not rebel against God's tmth, but he vowed to God
that he never would rest until he saw a rerival among his
people. He returned home and went to work ; the church
would not wake up, except a few members, and the Lord
blessed them, and poured out his Spirit, but the minister
laid himself down ou his bed and died i^ the midst of the
rerival ^
4 Be careful not to complaia of plain, pointed preadiing,!
even when its reproofs fasten on yourselves. Churdies axe aptl
jto forget that a minister is respondble only to God They I
want to make rules for a minister to preach by, so as not to |
jhave iifil them. Ji he bears down on the churcL and ex-|
Jposes the sins that prevaU among them, they call it personal,^
and rebel against the truth. Or they say, he should notf
preach so plainly to the church before the world; it exposes*
rehgion, they say, and he ought to take them by themselves
and preadi to the diurch alone, and not teU sinners how bad
Christians axe. But there axe cases where a minister can do
no less than to show the house of Jacob thefr sins. If you
oak. Why not do it when we are by ourselves? I answer. Just
as if sinners did not know you did vnong. I vriU preach to
you by yourselves, about your own sins, when you vriU get to
gether by yourselves to dn. But as tie Lord livetL if you
sin before the world you shall be rebuked before the world
Is it not a fact that sinners do know how you hve, and that
they stumble over you into hell? Then do not blame mm
ieters, when they see it thefr duty to rebuke the church
10

218 HOW CHURCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBS.
openly before the world If you axe so proud you cannot
bear this, you need not expect a rerival Do not caU preach
ing too plain because it exposes the faults of the church.
There is no such thing as preaching too plain.
5. Sometimes professors take alarm, lest the minister
should offend the ungodly by plain preaching. And they vriU
begin to caution birn against it, and ask him if he had not
better alter a littie to avoid giving offence, and the hke. This
fear is exdted especiaUy if some of the more wealthy and in
fluential members of the congregation axe offended, lest they
should withdraw thefr support from the churcL and no
longer give thefr money to help to pay the minister's salary,
and so the burden vrUl come the hearier on the churdL
They never can have a rerival in such a church. Why, the
church ought to pray, above aU things, that the tmth may
come on the ungodly like fire. What if they are offended ?
Christ can get along very weU vrithout their money. Do
not blame your minister, nor ask him to change his mode
of preaching to please and conciUate the ungodly. It is of
no use for a minister to preach to the impenitent, unless h«>
can preadi the truth to them. And it vyUl do no good for
them to pay for the support of the Gospel, \ nless ib is
preached in such a way that they may be se-xched and
saved "x
Sometimes church members vriU talk among the^\selvek
about the minister's imprudence, and create a part-f, a>id get!
iato a very wrong spirit, because the wicked are c<isp>-4ased |
There was a place where there was a powerful reriva*. and I
great opposition. The church were alarmed, for fear tiiat if |
tiie minister was not less plain and pointed some of tho im- 1
penitent would go and join some other congregation. And |
one of the leading men in the church was appointed to go to \
the minister and ask him not to preach quite so hard, for if %
he continued to do so, such and such persons would leave the |
congregation. The minister asked Is not the preaching |
true? "Tea" Does not God bless it? "Tea" Did you I
ever see the like of this work before in this place? "No, 1 1
never did" " Get thee behind me, Satan, the devU has f
sent you here on this errand ; you see God is blessing the .|
preaching, the work is going on, and sinners axe conrerted i
every day, and now you come to get me to let down the tone I
of preaching, so as to ease the minds of the ungodly." T'ln 1
man felt the rebuke, and took it Uke a Christian ; he saw tw '|
error and submitted, and never again was heard to find fe.u)t Vi
with the plainness of preaching. o^v <

HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEB& 210
In another town, where there was a rerival, a woman who
had some influence (not pious), complained very much about
plain, pointed personal preaching, as she caUed it. But by
and by she herself became a subject of the work. After this
some of her impenitent friends reminded her of what she
used to say against the preacher for "preaching it out so
hot." She now said her riews were altered, and she did not
care how hot the truth was preached if it was red hot.
6. Do not take part with ihe wicked in any way. If you do
it at all, you vriU strengthen thefr hands. If the vricked ac
cuse the minister of being imprudent, or of being personal,
and if the church members, vrithout admitting that the minis
ter does so, only admit that personal preaching is vrrong,
and talk about the impropriety of personal preaching, the
wicked wUl feel themsdves strengthened by sudi remarks
Do not unite with them at all, for they vriU feel that they
have you on thefr dde against thefr minister. Tou adopt
thefr principles, and use tiiefr language, and axe understood f%
as sympatiuzing vrith them. What is personal preaching? a
No individual is ever benefited by preaching unless he is #
made to feel that it means him. Now such preaching is al-
ways personal It often appears so personal, to vricked men, t
that tiiey feel as if they were just going to be caUed out
by name before the congregation. A minister was once
preaching to a congregation, and when describing certain
characters, he said "Ji J was omnisdent, I could caU out
by name tlie very persons that answer to this picture." A
man cried out " Name me !" and he looked as if he was
going to sink into the eaxtL He afterwards said that he had
no idea of speaking out, but the minister described him so
perfectiy, that he reaUy thought he was going to caU him by
name. The minister did not know there was such a man in
the world It is common for men to think thefr ovm con
duct is described and they complain, " Who has been teUing
bim about me? Somebody has been talking to him about
me, and getting him to preach at me." I suppose I have
heard of five hundred or a thousand just such cases. Now if
the church members vriU just admit that it is wrong for a
minister to mean anybody in his preaching, how can he do
any good If you axe not vrilling your mimster should mean
anybody, or preach to anybody, you had better dismiss him.
Whom must he preach to, if not to the persons, the indirid-
nals before him? And how can he preadi to them, when he
does not mean them ?
7. If you wish to stand by your minister in promoting a

220 HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBS.
rerival, do not by your lives contradict his preaching. If ha
preaches that sinners are going to hell, do not give the Ue to
it, and smUe it aU away, by your lerity and unconcern. I
have heard sianers speak of the effect produced on thefr
minds by levity in Christians, after a solemn and searching
discourse. They feel solemn and tender, and begin to be
alarmed at thefr condition, and they see these professors, in
stead of weeping over them, aU Ught and easy, as much as to
say, " Do not be afraid sinners, it is not so bad, after aU ;
keep cool and you wUl do weU ; do you think we would laugh
and joke if you were going to heU so fast ? We should not
laugh if only your house was on fire, stUl less if we saw you
burning in it" Of what use is it for a minister to preach to
sinners in such a state of things ?
8. Do not needlesdy take up the time of your minister.
Ministers often lose a great deal of time by indiriduals caU-
ing on them to talk, when they have nothing of importance
to talk about, and no particulax errand The minister of
course is glad to see his friends, and often too vrilling to
spend time in conversation vrith his people, as he loves
and esteems them. Professors of rehgion should remember
that a minister's time is worth more than gold foi" it can be
employed in that which gold can never buy. If the minister
is kept from his knees, or from his Bible, or his study, that
they may indulge themselves in his conversation, they do a
great injury. When you have a good reason for it, you should
never be backward to caU on him, and even take up all the
time that is necessary. But if you have nothing in particular
to say that is important, keep away. I knew a man in one
of our dties, who was out of business, and he used to take
up months of the minister's time. He would come to his
study, and sit for three hours at a time, and talk, because he
had nothing else to do, tUl finaUy, the minister had to rebuke
him plainly, and tell him how much sin he was committing.
9. Be sure not to sanction anytiiing that is calculated to
divert pubhc attention from the subject of religion. Often
when it comes the time of year to work, when the evenings
are long, and busmess is light, and the very time to make an
extra effort, at this momen'^ somebody in the church wiU give
a party, and inrite some Christian friends, so as to have it a
religious party. And then some other famUy must do the
same, to return the compliment. Then another and another,
tUl it grows into an organized system of parties, that con
sume tiie whole winter. Abominable! This is the grand
device of the devU, because it appears so innocent, and so

HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINlaTEBa 221
proper, to promote good feeling, and increase the acquaintance
of Christians vrith each other. And so, instead of prayer
meetings they wUl have these parties.
The erils of these parties are very great. They axe often
got up at great expense, and the most abominable gluttony is
Practised in them. It is said that the expense is from one
undred to two thousand doUars. I have been told that in
some instances, professed Christians have given great parties,
and made great entertainments, and excused thefr ungodly
prodigality in the use of Jesus Christ's money, by giving what
was left, after the feast was ended to the poor! Thus maldng
it a virtue to feast and riot, even to surfeiting, on the bounties
of God's proridence, under pretence of benefiting the poor.
This is the same in prindple, with a splendid baU which was
given some years since, in a neighboring dty. The baU was
got up for the benefit of the poor, and each gentieman was
to pay a certain sum, and after the ball was ended whatever
remained of the funds thus raised, was to be given to the
poor. Truly this is strange charity, to eat and drink and
dance, and when they have rioted and feasted untU they can
enjoy it no longer, they deal out to the poor the crumbs that
have faUen from the table. I do not see why such a baU is
not quite as pious as such Christian parties. The eril of
balls does not consist simply in the exerdse of dancing, but
in the disdpation, and surfeiting, and temptations connected
vrith them.
But it is said they axe Christian parties, and that they are
all, or nearly all, professors of religion who attend them.
And furthermore, that they are conduded often, vrith
prayer. Now I regard this as one of the worst features
about them ; that after the waste of time and money, the
excess in eating and drinldng, the vain conversation, and
nameless fooleries, with which such a season is fiUed up, an
attempt should be made to sanctify it, and palm it off upon
God, by concluling it vrith prayer. Say what you vrill, it
would not be more absurd or incongruous, or impious, to
dose a ball, or a theatre, or a card party with prayer.
Has it come to this, that professors of religion, professing
to desfre the salvation of the world when such calls are
made upon them, from the four vrinds of heaven, to send the
Gospel, to furnish Bibles, and tracte, and misdonaries, to
save the world from death, that they should spend hundreds
of doUars in an evening, and then go to the monthly concert
and pray for the heathen !
In some instances, I have been told, they find a salvo for

222 HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBS.
thefr consciences, in the fact that thefr minister attends thea
partiea This, of course, would give weight to such an exam
ple, and if one professor of rehgion made a party and iarited
thefr minister, others must do the same. The next step they
take may be for each to give a baU, and appoint thefr minis
ter a manager ! Why not ? And perhaps, by and by, he
wUl do them the favor to play the fiddle. In my estimation
he might quite as weU do it, as to go and conclude such a
party with prayer.
I nave heard vrith pain, that a cfrcle of parties, I know not
to what extent, has been held in Eoohestee — that place so
highly fevered of the Lord I know not through whose influ
ence they have been got up, or by what particular persons they
have been patronized and attended But I should adrise any
congregation who are calculating to have a cfrcle of parties,
in t£e mean time to dismiss thefr minister, and let him go
and preadi where the people would be ready to receive the
word and profit by it, and not have bim stay and be dis
tressed and grieved and kUled by attempting to promote
religion among them, whUe they are engaged heart and hand
in the serrice of the devU.
Professors of rehgion should never get up anything that
may divert public attention from religion, witliout first having
consulted tiiefr minister, and made it a subject of spedal
prayer. And if they find it wUl have this effect, they ought
never to do it. Subjects vriU often come up before the public
which have this tendency ; some course of lectures, or show,
or the hke. Professors ought to be wise, and understand
what they are about, and not give countenance to any such
thing, imtil they see what influence it vriU have, and whether
itwUi hinder a rerival. If it wiU do that, let them have
nothing to do vrith it. Every such thing should be estimated
by its bearing upon Christ's kingdom.
In relation to parties, say what you please about tiiefr being
an innocent recreation, I appeal to any of you who have ever
attended them, to say whether they fit you for prayer, or in
crease your spirituahty, or whether sinners are ever converted
in them, or Christians made to agonize in prayer for souls ?
n. I am to mention several things which churches must
DO, if they would promote a rerival and aid thefr minister.
1. They must attend to his temporal wants. A minister,
who gives himself whoUy to the work, cannot be engaged in
worlffly employmente, and of course is entirely dependent on
his people for the supply of his temporal wante, including the
sapport of his famUy. I need not argue this point here, fox

HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBS. 223
you aU understand this perfectiy- It is the command of God
that " they which preach the Gospel should Uve of the Gos
pd." But now look around and see how many churches do
in this matter. For instance, when they want a minister,
they vriU cast about and see how cheap they can get ona
They vriU calculate to a farthing how mudi his salt wUl cost,
and how much his meal, and then set his salary so low as to
subject him to extreme inconvenience to get along and keep
his famUy. A minister must have his mind at ease, to study
and labor vrith effect, and he cannot screw down prices, and
banter, and look out for the best diances to buy to advan
tage what he needa If he is obliged to do this, his mind is
embarrassed Unless his temporal wante are so suppUed
that his thoughte may be abstracted from them, how can he
do his duty ?
2. Be honest with your minister.
Do not measure out and calculate vrith how much salt and
how many bushels of grain he can possibly get along. Ee
member, you are dealing vrith Christ And he calls you to
place his ministers in such a dtuation that with ordinary pru
dence temporal embarrassment is out of the question.
3. Be punctual with him.
Sometimes churches, when they axe about settiing a min
ister, have a great deal of pride about giving a salary, and
they ^^ni\ get up a subscription, and make out an amount
whidi they never pay, and very likely never expected to pay.
And so, after one, two, three or four years, the sodety gets
three or four hundred doUars in arrears to thefr minister, and
then they expect he wiU give it to them. And all the whUe
ihey wonder why there is no rerival ! This may be the very
reason, because the churdi have TiTED ; they have faithfuUy
promised to pay so much, and have not done it God cannot
condstentiy pour out his Spirit on such a churcL
4 Pay him his salary without asking.
Nothing is se embarrassing, often, to a minister as to be
obliged to dun his people for his salary. Often he gete ene-
miea and gives offence, by being obliged to call, and call, and
caU for his money, and then not get it as they promised
They would have paid it if thefr credit had been at stake, but
when it is nothing but conscience and the blessing of God
they let it He along. If any one of them had a note at the
bank, you would see bim careful and prompt to be on the
ground before three o'dock. That is because the note vriU
tie protested and they shaU lose thefr character. But the^
know the minister vyill not sue them for his salary, and thej

224 HOW CHXneCHBS can help MINISTESa
axe careless and let it run along, and he must suffer the in
convenience. This is not so common in the dty as it is in
the country. But in t|he country, I have known some heart
rending cases of distress and misery, by the negligence and
crudty of congregations in wrrHHOLnma that whidi is due.
Churdies Uve in habitual lying and cheating, and then
wonder why they have no rerival How can they wonder ? •
5. Pray for your minister.
I mean something by this. And what do you suppose 1
mean ? Even the apostles used to urge the diurches to pray
for them. This is more important than you imagine. Min
isters do not ask people to pray for them simply as men, nor
mat they may be fiUed with an abundance of the Spirit's in
fluences, merely to promote thefr personal enjoyment But
they know that unless the diurch greatiy desfres a blessing
upon the labors of a minister, it is tempting God for him
to expect it How often does a minister go into his pulpit,
feelhig that his heart is ready to break for the blessing of
God whUe he also feels that there is no room to expect it, for
there is no reason to believe the diurdi desfre it ! Perhaps
he has been two hours on his knees in supplication, and yet
because that the churcli do not desfre a blessing, he feds as
if his words would bound back in his face.
I have seen Christians who would be in an agony, when the
minister was going into the pulpit, for fear his mind diould
be in a cloud or his heart cold or he should have no unction,
and so a blessing should not come. I have labored vrith a
man of this sort He would pray untU he got an assurance
in his mind that God would be vrith me in preaching, and
sometimes he would pray himself dck. I have known the
time, when he has been in darkness for a season, whUe the
Eeople were gathering, and his mind was fiUl of anxiety, and
e would go again and again to pray, tUl finaUy he would
come into the room with a placid face, and say, " The Lord
has come, and he vriU be vrith ua" And I do not know that
I ever found him mistaken.
I have known a church bear thefr minister on thefr arms in
prayer from day to day, and watch with anxiety unutterable,
to see that he has the Holy Ghost vrith him in his labors!
When they feel and pray thus, oh, what feehngs and what
looks are manifest in the congregation! They have fdt
anxiety unutterable to have the word come vrith power, and
take effect, and when they see thefr prayer answered, and
ihey hear a word or a sentence come WAEM from the heart,
and taldng effect among the people, you can see thefr whole

HOW CHUBCHEB CAN HELP MINISTEBS. 22S
souls look out of thefr eyea How different is the case, where
the church fed that the minider is praying, and so there is no
need of thefr iiniving! Tliey axe mistaken. The church
must desfre and pray for the blessing. God says he vriU be
inqufred of by the house of Israel. I wish you to fed that
there can be no substitute for this.
I have seen cases in rerivals, where the church was kept in
the back ground in regard to prayer, and persons from abroad
were caUed on to pray in aU the meetinga This is alwaya
unhappy, even if there diould be a rerival, for the rerival
must be less powerful and less salutary in its influences upon
the diurcL I do not know but I have sometimes offended
Christians and ministers from abroad by continuing to call
on members of the church in the place to pray, and not on
those from abroad It was not from any disrespect to them,
but because the object was to get Oud church which waa
chiefly concerned to desfre, and pray, and agonize for a

In a certain place, a protracted meeting was held with no
good resulte, and great evUs produced I was led to make
inquiry for the reason. And it came out, that in aU thefr meet
ings, not one member of thefr ovm church was called on to
pray, but all the prayers were made by persons from abroad
No wonder there was no good dona The diurch was not
intorested The leader of the meeting meant well, but ha
undertook to promote a rerival vrithout getting the churdi
there into the work. He let a lazy church he stUl and do
nothing, and so there could be no good
Churches should pray for ministers as the agente of break
ing dovm sinners vrith the word of trutL Prayer for a min
ister is often done in a set and formal way, and conflned to
the prayer meetinga They vriU say thefr prayers in the old
way, as they have always done : "Lord bless tiiy ministering
servant, whom thou hast stetioned on this part of Zion's walls,"
and so on, and it amounts to nothing, because there is no
heart in it. And the proof often is, that they never thought
of praying for bim in secret, they never have agonized in thefr
dosete for a blessing on his labora They may not omit ii
whoUy in thefr meetinga If they do that, it is erident thai
ihey care very Uttie indeed about the labors of thefr minister.
But that is not the most important place. The way to present
effectual prayer for your minister is to take it to your closet^
and when you axe in secret, wrestie with God for success to
attend his labors.
I knew a case of a minister in UI healtL who became d»>
10*

226 HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBS.
pressed and sunk down in his mind, and was very much in
darkness, so that he did not feel as if he could preach any
longer. An indiridual of the church was waked up to fed
for the minister's situation, and to pray that he might have
the Holy Ghost to attend his preaching. One Sabbath morn
ing, this person's mind was very much exercised and he be
gan to pray as soon as it was light, and prayed again and
again for a blessing that day. And the Lord in some way
directed the minister vrithin hearing of his prayer. The per
son was teUing the Lord just what he thought of the minis
ter's dtuation and state of mind and pleading, as if he would
not be denied for a blessing. The minister went into the
pulpit and preached, and the hght broke in upon him, and
the word was with power, and a rerival commenced that very
day. 6. A minister should be prorided for by the church, and his
support guarranteed, irrespective of the ungodly. Otherwise
he may be obliged either to starve his famUy, or to keep back
a part of the truth so as to not offend sinners. I once expos
tulated vrith a minister who I found was afraid to come out
fuUy vrith the truth. I told him I was surprised he did not
bear down on certain points. He told me he was so dtuated
that he must please certain men, who would be touched thera
It was the ungodly that chiefly supported him, and that made
Him dependent and temporizing. And yet perhaps that very
diurch which left thefr minister dependent on the ungodly
for his bread 'wUl turn round and abuse him for his want oi
faitL and his fear of men. The church ought always to say
to thefr minister, "We vriU support you; go to work; let
the tmth pour down on the people, and we vnU stand by you."
7. See that everything is so arranged, that people can sit
comfortably in meeting. Ji people do not sit easy, it is difficult
to get or to keep thefr attention. And if they are not attentive,
they can not be converted. They have come to hear for thefr
Uves, and they ought to be so situated that they can hear with
aU tiiefr souls, and have nothing in thefr bodUy position to caU
for attention. Churches do not realize how important it is
that the place of meeting should be made comfortable. I do
not mean showy. AU your glare and glory of rich chandehers,
and rich carpets, and splendid pulpite, is the opposite extreme,
and takes off the attention just as badly, and defeats every
object for which a sirmer should come to meeting. Tou need
Hot expect a rerival there.
8. See that the house of God is kept cleanly. The house of
God should be kept as dean as you would want your own

HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBS. 227
house to be kept Churches are often kept excessively dovenly.
I have seen them, where people used so much tobacco, and
took so littie care about neatness, that it was impossible to
preach vrith comfort Once in a protracted meeting, the
thing was charged upon the church, and they had to acknowl
edge it, that they paid more money for tobacco than they did
for the cause of misdona They could not Imeel in thefr pews,
and ladies could not sit vrithout aU the time watehing tiiefr
dothes, and they had to be careful where they stepped be
cause the house was so dirty, and there was so much tobacco
juice running all about the floor. If people cannot go where
they can hear vrithout being annoyed with offendve sights and
smeUs, and where they can kneel in prayer, what good vriU a
protracted meeting do? There is an importance in tiiese
things, which is not realized See that man ! What is he
doing? I am preaching to him about eternal life, and he is
thinking about the dirty pew. And that woman is asking for
a footstool to keep her feet out of the tobacco juice. Shame 1
9. It is important that the house should be just warm enough^
and not too warm. Suppose a minister comes into a house, and
finds it cold ; he sees as soon as he gete in, that he might as weU
have staid at home ; the people are shivering, thefr feet cold
they fed as if they should take cold they are uneasy, and he
wishes he was at home, for he knows he cannot do anything,
but he must preach, or they wiU be disappointed
Or he may find the house too warm, and the people, instead
of listening to the trutL are fanning, and pantang for breatL
and by and by a woman faints, and makes a stir, and the train
of thought and feeling is aU lost, and so a whole sermon is
wasted to no good end These Utile things take off the atten
tion of people from the words of eternal life. And very often
it is so, that if you drop a single link in the chain of argument,
you lose the whole, and the people are damned, just because
Uie careless church do not see to the proper regulation of
these littie matters.
10. The house should be well ventilated. Oi all houses, a
church should be the most perfectiy ventilated If there is no
change of the afr, it passes through so many lungs it becomes
bad and its ritality is exhausted, and the people pant, they
know not why, and feel an almost irresistible desire to sleep,
and the minister preaches in vain. The sermon is lost, and
worse than lost I have often wondered that this matter should
be so httie the subject of thought The dders and trustees
wiU dt and hear a whole sermon, whUe the people axe aU but
ready to die for the want of afr, and the minister is wasting

228 HOW CHUBCHEB CAN HELP MINISTEBa.
his strength in preaching where the room is just like an ex
hausted receiver, and there they sit and never think to do any
thing to help the matter. They should take it upon them
selves to see that this is regulated right, that the house is just
warm enough, and the afr kept pure. How important it is
that the church should be awake to this subject, that the min
ister may labor to the best advantege, and the people give
thefr undmded attention to the tmt£, which is to save thefr
soula It is very common, when things are vrrong, to have it all
laid to the sexton. This is not so. Often the sexton is not
to blame. If the house is cold and uncomfortable, very often
it is because the fuel is not good or the stoves not suitable,
or the house is so open it cannot be warmed If it is too
warm, perhaps somebody has intermeddled when he was out,
and heaped on fuel vrithout discretion. Or, if the sexton is in
fault, perhaps it is because the churdi do not pay him enough
for his serrices, and he cannot afford to give the attention
necessary to keep the diurdi in order. Churches sometimes
screw down the sexton's salary, to the lowest point, so that
he is obhged to slight his work. Or they wUl select one who
is incompetent, for the sake of getting him cheap, and then
the thing is not done. The fault is in the church. Let them
give an adequate compensation for the work, and it can be
done, and done faithfuUy. If one sexton vriU nOt do right,
another wiU, and the church are bound to see it done right,
or dse let them dismiss thefr minister, and not keep him, and
at the same time have other things in a stato so out of order
that he loses aU his work. What economy ! To pay the min-
ister's salary, and then for the want of fifty doUaxs added to
the sexton's wages, everytiung is so out of order that the roin-
ister's labors axe all lost, souls axe lost, and your chUdren and
neighbors go down to heU 1
Sometimes this undeanliness, and neghgence, and confusion
are chargeable to the minister. Perhaps he uses tobacco, and
sete the example of defiling the house of God Perhaps the
pidpit vriU be the ffithiest place in the house. I have some
times been in pulpits that were too loathesome to be occupied
by human bdnga If a minister has no more piety and de
cency than this, no wonder things are at loose ends in the
congregation. And generaUy it is even so.
11. People should leave tiiefr dogs, and very young chUd
ren at home. I have often known contentions arise among
dogs, and chUdren to cry, just at that stege of the serrices,
that would most effectually destroy the eflect of the meeting

HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBS. 22 B
If duldren are present and weep, they should instandy be re
moved I have sometimes known a mother or a nurse dt and
toss her cliUd, whUe its cries were diverting the attention of
the whole congregation. This is cruel And as for dogs, they
had infinitely better be dead than to divert attention from the
word of God See that deacon ; perhaps his dog has in this
way destroyed more souls than the deacon wUl ever be instru
mental in saving.
12. The members of the church should aid the minister by
visiting from house to house, and trying to save souls. Do not
leave aU this to the minister. It is impossible he should do
it, even if he gives aU his time, and neglects his study and his
doset. Churdi members shoiUd take pains and qualify them
selves for this duty, so that they can be useful in it.
13. They diould hold Bible classes. Suitable indiriduals
diould be sdected to hold Bible classes, for the instruction of
the .young people, and where those who are awakened or
affected by the preaching, can be received and be converted
As soon as any one is seen to be touched, let them be in
rited to join the Bible dass, where they wUl be properly
treated and probably they woU be converted The church
should select the best men for this serrice, and should aU be
on the look out to fiU up the Bible dassea It has been done
ui this congregation, and it is a very common thing, when
persons axe impressed, that they are observed by somebody,
and inrited to join the Bible class, and they wUl do it, and
tiiere they are converted. I do not mean that we are doing
aU we ought to do in this way, or aU we might do. We want
more teadiers, able and willing to take charge of sudi dasses.
14 Churches should sustain Sabbath schools, and in this
way aid thefr ministers in saving souls; How can a minister
attend to this and preadi ? Unless the church vriU take off
these responsibiUties, and cares, and labors, he must either
neglect tliem, or be crushed Let the church be WIDE
AWAKE, wateh and bring in chUdren to the school, and
teach them faithfuUy, and lay themsdves out to promote a
rerival in the school
15. They should watch over the members of the church.
They should risit each other, in order to stir each other up,
know each other's spiritual state, and provoke one another to
love and good works. The minister cannot do it he has not
time ; it is impossible he should study and prepare sermons,
and at the same time risit every member of tiie diurch as
often as it needs to be done to keep them advancing. The
church are bound to do it They axe under oath to

230 HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBa
watch over each other's spiritual welfare. But how is this
done ? Many do not know each other. They meet and pass
each other as strangers, and never ask about thefr spiritual
condition. But if they hear anything bad of one, tltey go
and teU it to others. Instead of watching over each other
for thefr good they wateh for thefr halting. How can they
watch for good when ihey are not even acquainted vrith each
other? 16. The church should watch for the effect of preaching. If
they are praying for the success of the preached word, they
wUl wateh for it of course. They should keep a look out,
and when any in the congregation give eridence that the
word of God has taken hold of them, they should foUow it
up. Wherever there are any exhibitions of feeling, those
persons should be attended to instantiy, and not left tUl thefr
impressions wear off. They should talk to them, or get them
ridted or get them into the anxious meeting, or into the
Bible dass, or bring them to the minister. If the members
of the church do not attend to this, they neglect thefr duty.
If they attend to it, they may do incalculable good
There was a pious young woman who Uved in a very cold
and wicked place. She alone had the spirit of prayer, and
she had been praying for a blessing upon the word At
length she saw one indiridual in the congregation who seemed
to be affected by the preaching, and as soon as the minister
came from the pulpit, she came forward agitated and trem-
bhng, and begged him to go and converse vrith the person
immediately. He did so, and the indiridual was soon con
verted and a rerival foUowed. Now one of your stupid pro
fessors would not have seen that indiridual awakened and
would have stumbled over half a dozen of them without no
tice, and let them go to heU. Professors should wateh every
sermon, and see how it affects the congregation. I do not
mean that they should be stretching thefr necks and staring
ibout the house, but ihey should observe, as they may, and
if they find any person affected by preaching, throw ihem-
selves in his way, and guide him to the Sariour.
17. Beware and not give away all the preaching to othera
If you do not take your portion, you vriU starve, and become
like spiritual skeletona Christians should take thefr portion
to themselves. If the word should be qiute searching to
them, they should make the honest apphcation, and lay it
along side their heart and practise it, and Uve by it Other
wise f reaching wUl do them no good
18 Be ready to aid your minister in effecting his plans for

HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBa 231
doing good. When the minister is wise to derise plans for
nsefrilness, and the church ready to execute them, they may
carry aU before them. But when the church hang back from
every enterprise untU they axe actuaUy dragged into it, when
they are oppodng every proposal, because it vriU cost some
thing, they are a dead weight upon a minister. If stoves are
needed, oh, no, they wUl cost sometiung. If lamps are caUed
for, to prevent preaching in the dark, oh, no, they wUl cost
something. And so they wUl stick up candles on the posts,
or do without evening meetings altogethfer. If they stick up
candles, it soon comes to pass that tiiey either give no light,
or some one must run round and snuff them. And so the
whole congregation are disturbed by the candle-snuffer, thefr
attention taken o£^ and the sermon lost.
I was once attending a protracted meeting, where we were
embarrassed because tiiere were no lamps to the house. I
urged the people to get them, but they thought it would coat
too much. I then proposed to get them myself, and was
about to do it, but found it would give offence, and we went
on vrithout. But the blessing did not come, to any great ex
tent How could it ? The diurch began by calculating to a
cent how much it would cost, and they would not go beyond,
to save souls from heL
So where a minister appoints a meeting, such people cannot
have it, because it wiU cost something. If ihey can offer
unto the Lord that which costs nothing, they vriU do it
Miserable hdpers they are I Such a church can have no re
rival A minister might as weU have a mUlstone about his
neck as such a church. He had better leave them, if he can
not teach them better, and go where he wiU not be so
hampered 19. Church members diould make it a point to attend prayer
meetings, and attend in time. Some church members vriU always
attend on preaching, because there they have nothing to do,
but to sit and hear, and be entertained, but they vriU not at
tend prayer meetings, for fear they shaU be called on to do
something. Such members tie up the hands of the minister,
and discourage his heart Why do ihey employ a minister?
Is it to amuse them by preaching ? or is it that he may teach
them the vriU of God that they may do it ?
20. Church members ought to study and inquire what they
can do, and then do it. Christians should be trained hke a
band of soldiera It is the duty and office of a minister to
train them for usefulness, to teach them and dfrect them, and
lead them on in such a way a£ to produce the greatest amount

232 HOW CUUBCUES CAN HELP MINISTEBH.
of moral influence. And then they should stand thefr ground
and do thefr duty, othervrise they vriU be right in the way.
There are many other points which I noted and intended
to touch upon, but there is not time. I oould write a book as
big as this Bible, in detailing the various particulars that
ought to be attended to. I must dose vrith a few
1. Tou see that a minister's want of success may not be
whdly on account of a want of wisdom in the exercise of his
office. I am not going to plead for negligent ministera I
never vriU spare ministers from the naked truiL nor apply
flattering titles to men. If they axe blameworthy, let them
be blamed And no doubt ihey axe always more or less to
blame when the word produces no effect But it is far from
being true that tiiey are always the principal persons *»"
blame. Sometimes tiie church is much more to blame tuan
the minister, and if an apostle or an angel from heaven were
to preadi, he cotUd not produce a rerival of religion in that
churdL Perhaps ihey are dishonest to thefr minister, or
covetous, or careless about the conveniences of pubUc wor
ship. Alas! what a state many country churdies axe in,
where, for the want of a hundred dollars, everything is in
convenient and uncomfortable, and the labors of the preacher
are lost They Uve in ceUed houses themselves, and let the
house of God Ue wasta Or the church counteract all the in
fluence of preadiing by thefr ungodly hves. Or perhaps thefr
parties, thefr worldly show, as in most of the churches in this
dty, annihilate the influence of the Gospel
2. Churches should remember that they axe exceedingly
guUty to employ a minister, and then not aid him in his work.
The Lord Jesus Christ has sent an ambassador to sinners, to
turn them from thefr eril ways, and he faUs of his errand be
cause the church refuse to do thefr duty. Instead of recom-
mendfrig his message, and seconding his entreaties, and hold
ing up his hands in all the ways that are proper, they stand
righi in the way, and contradict his message, and counteract
his influence, and souls perish. No doubt in most of the
congregations in the United States, the minister is often hin
dered so much that he might as well be on a foreign mission
a great part of the time, as to be there, for any effect of his
preaching in the conversion of sinners, while he has to preadi
•jver the heads of an inactive, stupid church.
And yet these very churches are not wilhng to have theii

HOW CHUBCHEB CAN HELP MINISTEBS. 233
minister absent a few days to attend a protracted meeting.
" We cannot spare him ; why he is our minister, and we like
to have our minister here ; " whUe at the same time they hin
der all he can do. If he could, he would tear himself right
away, and go where there is no minister, and where the
people would be vrilling to receive the Gospel But there he
must stay, though he cannot get the churdi into a state to
have a rerival once fri three years, to last three months at a
time. It might be weU for him to say to the church, " When
ever you are determined to take one of these long naps, I
vrish you to let me know it, so that I can go and labor some
where dse in the meantime, till you axe ready to wake
again." 3. Many diurches cannot be blessed vrith a rerival, because
ihey are spunging out of other diurches, and out of the treas
ury of the Lord for the support of thefr minister, when they
are abundantiy able to support him themselves. Perhaps
they are depending on the Home Misdonary Sodety, or on
other churches, whfle ihey axe not exerdsing any sdf-denid
for the sake of the Gospd. I have been amazed to see how
some churdies Uve. One church that I was acquainted vrith
actually confessed that ihey spent more money for tobacco
than they gave for missions. And yet ihey had no minister,
because they were not able to support ona And ihey have none
now. And yet there is one man in thai churdi who is able to
support a minister. And stUl they have no minister, and no
preaching. The churches have not been instructed in their duty on this
subject. I stopped in one place last summer, where there
was no preaching. I inqufred of an elder in the church why
it was so, and he said it was because they were so poor. I
ad^ed him how much he was wortL He did not give me a
dfrect answer, but said that another elder's income was about
$5,000 a year, and I finaUy found out that this man's was
about the same. Here, said I, are two elders, each of you
able to support a minister, and because you cannot get hdp
from abroad you have no preaching. Why, if you had
preaching, it would not be blessed whUe you were thus
spunging out of the Lord's treasury. FinaUy, he confessed
that he was able to support a minister, and the two together
agreed that they would do it '
It is common for churches io ask help, when in fact they
do noi need any help, and when4t would be a great deal bet
ter for them to support thefr own minister. If ihey get funds
from the Home Misdonary Society, when ihey ought to raise

234 HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTBBS.
them themselves, they may expect ihe curse of the Lord upon
them, and this vriU be a sufficient reason for the Gospel's
proving to them a curse rather than a blessing. Of how
many churches might it be said " ^c bave robbed God even
this whole church."
I know a church who employed a minister but half the
time, and felt unable to pay his salary for that. A female
working sodety in a neighboring tovm appropriated thefr
funds io this object, and assisted this church in paying their
minister's salary. The result was as might be expected He
did them httie or no good. They had no rerival under his
preaching, nor could they ever expect any, whUe acting on
such a prindple. There was one man in that congregation
who could support a minister aU the time. I was informed
by a member that the church members were supposed to be
worth TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLABS. Now if this is tme,
here is a church with an income, at seven per cent, of $14,000
a year, who felt themselves too poor to pay $200 for support
of a minister to preach half the time, and would suffer the
females of a neighboring town to work with thefr own hands
to aid them in paying this sum. Among the elders of this
church, I found that several of them used tobacco, and two
of them who Uved together signed a covenant written on the
blank leaf of thefr Bible, in which they pledged themselves to
abandon that sin for ever.
It was in a great measure for want of right instruction
that this church was pursuing such a course. For when the
subject was taken up, and tiiefr duty laid before them, the
wealthy man of whom I am speaking said that he would pay the
whole salary himself, if he thought it would not be resented
by the congregation, and do more hurt than good ; and that
if the church would procure a minister, and go ahead and
raise a part of his salary, he would make up the remainder.
They can now not only support a minister half the time, but
aU the time, and pay his salary themselves. And ihey vriU
find ii good and profitable to do so.
As I have gone from place io place laboring in rerivals, 1
have always found that churches were blessed in proportion
to thefr hberahty. Where they have manifested a dispodtion
to support the Gospel, and to pour thefr substance hberaUy
into the treasury of the Lord they have been blessed both in
spiritual and in temporal things. But where ihey have been
parsimonious, and let the minister preach for them for Utile
or nothing, these churches have been cursed instead oi
blessed And as a general thing, in rerivals of reUgion, I

HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINIBTEBS. 23B
have found it to be tme that young converts axe most in
clined to join those churdies which are most Uberal in mok
ing efforts to support the Gospel
The diurdies are very nmdi in the dark on this subject
They have not been teught thefr duty. I have, in many in
stances, found an exceeding readiness to do it when ihe sub
ject was laid before them. I knew an elder in a church who
was talking about getting a minister for half the time, be
cause the church were poor, although his ovm. income waa
considerable. I asked him if his income was not suffident to
support a minister all the time himselL He said it waa
And on being asked what other use he could make of the
Lord's money which he possessed that would prove so bene
ficial to the intereste of Christ's kingdom, as to employ a
minister not only half but aU the time in his ovm tovm, he
concluded to set himself about it A minister has been ao-
cordingly obtained, and I beheve they find no difficulty in
paying him his fuU salary.
The fact is, that a minister can do but httie by preaching
only half the time. If on one Sabbath an impresdon is
made, it is lost before a fortnight comes round As a mat>-
ter of economy, a church should lay themsdves out to sup
port the Gospel all the time. If ihey get the right sort of a
minister, and keep him steadUy at work, they may have a re
rival, and thus the ungodly wUl be converted and come in and
help them. And thus in one year they may have a great ac
cession to thefr strength. But if they employ a minister but
half the time, year after year may roU away, whUe sinners
are going to heU, and no accesdon is made to thefr strength
from the ranks of the imgodly.
The fact is, that professors of religion have not been made
to fed thai all thefr possesdons are the Lord'a Hence they
have talked about giving thdr property for the support of the
Gospel As if the Lord Jesus Christ was a beggar, and they
called upon to support his Gospd as an act of almsgiving I
A merchant in one of the towns ia this Stete, was paying
a large paxt of his minister's salary. One of the membera
of the dmrch was relating the fe<!t to a minister from
abroad and speaking of the sacrifice which this merdiant was
maldng. At this moment the merchant came in. " Brother,"
said the minister, " you are a merchant. Suppose you em
ploy a clerk to seU goods, and a schoohnastor to teach your
duldren. Tou order your clerk to pay your schoolmaster
out of the store such an amount, for his serrices in teaching.
Now suppose your clerk diould give out that he had to pay

236 HOW CHUBCHES CAN HELP MINISTEBS.
this schoolmaster his salary, and should speak of the sacri
fices that he was making to do it, what would you say to
this?" "Why," said the merchant, "I should say it was
ridiculous." " Well," says the minister, " God employs you
to seU goods as his clerk, and your minister he employs to
teach his chUdren, and requires you to pay his salary out of
ihe income of the store. Now, do you caU this your sacrifice,
and say that you are making a great sacrifice, to pay this
minister's salary ? No, you are just as much bound to seU
goods for God as he is to preach for God. Tou have no
more right to sell goods for the purpose of laying up money,
than he has to preach the Gospel for the same purposa Tou
are bound to be just as pious, and to aim as singly at the
gloiy of God in selling goods, as he is in preaching the
Gospel And thus you are as absolutely to give up your
whole time for the serrice of God as he doea Ton and your
famUy may lawfuUy hve out of the avails of the store, and so
may the minister and his famUy, just as lawfuUy. If you sdl
goods from these motives, selling goods is just as mudi serv-
iag God as preaclung. And a man who sells goods upon
these prindples, and acts in conformity to them, is just as
pious, just as much in the serrice of God as he is who preaches
tlie Gospel. Every man is bound to serve God in his calling,
the minister by teaching, the merchant by selling goods, the
farmer by tilling his fields, the lavyyer and phyddan by plying
the duties of thefr profesdon.
" It is equaUy unlavyful for any one of these to labor for
the meat tiiai perisheth. AU they do is to be for God, and
aU they can earn, after comfortably supporting thefr femi-
hes, is to be dedicated to the spread of the Gospel and the
salvation of the world"
It has long enough been supposed that ministers must be
more pious tiian other men, that Oiey must not love ihe world
that they must labor for God : they must Uve as frugaUy as
posdble, and lay out thefr whole time, and health, and
strength, and life, to buUd up the kingdom of Jesus Christ
This is true. But although other men are not caUed to
labor in the same field and to give up thefr time to pubUa
iRstruction, yet they are just as absolutely bound to consider
thefr whole time as God's, and have no more right to love
the world or accumulate wealth, or lay it up for thefr chit
dren, or spend it upon thefr lusts, than ministers have.
It is high time the church was acquainted vrith these prin
dples ; and the Home Missionary Sodety may labor tiU the
day of judgment to convert the people, and they wUl never

HOW BHUECHES CAN HELP MINISTEBS. 23?
succeed, tiU the churches are led to understand and feel
thefr duty in this respect Why, the very fact that they are
asking and receiving aid in supporting thefr minister from
the Home Misdonary Sodety while they are able to support
him themselves, is probably the very reason why his labora
among them are not more blessed
I would that the American Home Misdonary Society pos
sessed a hundred times the means that it now does, of aid
ing feeble churches, that are unable to help themselves. But
it is neither good economy nor piety to give thefr funds to
those who are able but unwilling to support the Gospd. For
it is in vain to attempt to hdp them, whUe they are able but
unvriUing to help themselves.
If the Misdonary Sodety had a ton of gold it would be
no diarity to give it to sudi a churdi. Bui let the church
bring in aU the tithes to God's storehouse, and God vriU open
the vrindows of heaven and pour down a blessing. But let
the churches know assuredly thai if ihey axe unvrilling to
hdp themsdves to the extent of thefr abiUty, they vriU Imow
the reason why such small success attends the labors of thefr
ministers. Here they axe spunging thefr support from the
Lord's treasury. How many churches are laying out thefr
money for tea and coffee and tobacco, and then come and
ask aid from the Home Missionary Sodety ! I vriU protest
against aiding a church who use tea and tobacco, and Uve
without the least self-denial, and who want to offer God only
that which coste nothing.
Finally. — ^If they mean to be blessed let them do thefr
duty, do aU thefr duty, put shoulder to the wheel, gfrd on
the Gospd armor, and come up to the work. Then, if the
church is in (he fidd, the car of salvation vriU move on, ihough
all heU oppose, and sinners wUl be converted and saved But
if a church vriU give up aU ihe labor to the minister, and dt
stUl and look on, whUe he is laboring, and themsdves do
nothing but complain of him, ihey wiU not only faU of a re
rival of rehgion, but if they continue dothful and censorious,
wUl by and by find themselves in hdl for thefr disobedience
and unprofitebleness in the serrice of Christ

LECTUEE XI?
MEASUEES TO PEOMOTE BEVIVALa
Tut.— These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our o!t% and teach eu-
toms which are not lavrfal for us to receive, neither to observe, being Bomau.-^
Acts xvi. 20, 21.
" These men," here spoken of, were Paul and SUas, who
went to Phihppi to preach the Gospel, and very much dis
turbed the people of that city, because they supposed the
preaching would interfere with thefr worldly gains. And so
they arraigned the preachers of ihe Gospel before the magis
trates of the dty, as culprits, and charged them with teach
ing doctrines, and espedally employing measures, that were
not lawful.
In discoursmg from these words I design to show,
L Thai under the Gospel dispensation, God has edablidied
no particular system of measures to be employed and invariably
adhered io in promoting rehgion.
n. To show that our present forms of public worship, and
everything, so far as measures are concerned, have been arrived
at by degrees, and by a succession of New Measures.
L I am to show that imder the Gospel, God has established
no particular measures to be used
Under the Jewish dispensation, there were particulax forms
enjoined and prescribed by God himself, from which it was
not lawful to depart But these forms were aU typical, and
were designed to shadow forth Christ, or something con
nected with the new dispensation that Christ was to intro
duce. And therefore they were fixed and all thefr details
particularly prescribed by Divine authority. But ii was never
so under tie Gospel When Christ came, the ceremonial or
typical dispensation was abrogated, because the design of
those forms was fulfilled, and therefore themselves of no
further use. He, being the antitype, the types were of course
done away at his coming. THE GOSPEL was then preached
as ihe appointed means of promoting religion ; and ii was
left to the discretion of the church to determine, from time
to time, what measures shaU be adopted and what forms pur
sued in giring the Gospel its power. We axe left in the

KXABUBES TO PBOMOTE BEVIYAIA 389
dark as to the measures which were puisued by the apostiea
and primitive preachers, except so fax as we can gather it
from occasional hints Ln the book of Acta We do not know
how many times ihey sung and how many times they prayed
in pubhc worship, nor even whether they sung or prayed at
aU in thefr ordinary meetings for preaching. When Jesus
Christ was on earth, laboring among his disciples, he had no
thing to do vrith forms or measurea He did from time to
time in this respect just as it would be natural for any man
to do in such cases, without anytiiing hke a set form or mode
of doing it The Jews accused hrm of disregarding thefr
forma His object was to preach and teach mankind the
tme religion. And when the aposties preached afterwards,
with the Holy Ghost sent dovm from heaven, we hear nothing
about thefr having a particular system of measures to cany
on thefr work, or one apostie doing a thing in a particular
way because others did it in that way. Thefr commission
was, " Go and preach the Gospd, and disciple aU nationa"
It did not prescribe any forma It did not admit any. No
person can pretend to get any set of forms or particulax dfreo-
tions as to measures, out of this commission. Do it — the
best way you can — ask vrisdom from God — use the faculties
he has given you — seek ihe dfrection of the Holy Ghost — go
forward and do it. This was thefr commisdon. And thefr
object was to make known the Gospel in the mod effeduoi
way, io make the truth stand out stnkiugly, so as to obtain
the attention and secure the obedience of the greatest num
ber possible. No person can find &nj form of doing this
laid down in the Bible. It is preaching the Gospd that stands
out prominentiy there as the great thing. The form is left
out of the question.
It is manifest, that, in preadiing the Gospel, there must bo
some kind of measures adopted The Gospel must be gotten
before the minds of the people, and measures must be teken
so thai they can hear ii, and to induce them to attend to it
This is done by buUding churches, holding stated or other
meetings, and so on. Without some measures, it can never
be made to take effect among men.
TT. I am to show that our present forms of pubUc worship,
and everything, so far as measures are concerned, have bees
arrived at by degrees, and by a succession of New Measures.
1. I vrill mention some things in regard to the ministry.
Many years ago, miaisters were accustomed to Yieax a, pecu
liar habit. It is so now in Cathohc countries. It used to be
so hera Ministers had a pecuUar dress as much as soldiera

240 UEASUBES TO PBOMOTE BBYIYALS.
They used to wear a cocked hat, and bands instead of a
cravat or stock, and smaU clothes, and a vrig. No matter
how much hafr a man had on his head be must cut it off and
wear a wig. And then he must wear a gown. AU these
things were customary, and every dergyman was held boimd
to wear them, and it was not considered proper for him to
officiate vrithout them. AU these had doubtiess been intro
duced by a succession of innovations, for we have no good
reason for beUeving that the aposties and primitive ministers
dressed differentiy from other men.
Bui now aU these things have been given up, one by ona
by a succession of innovations or new measures, untU now in
many churdies a minister can go into the pulpit and preach
without being noticed although dressed Uke any other man.
And when it was done in regard to each one of them, the
church complained as much as if it had been a Divine insti
tution given up. It was denounced as an innovation. When
ministers began to lay aside thefr cocked hate, and wear hats
like other men, ii grieved the elderly people very much ; it
looked so "undignified" they said for a minister to wear a
round hat. When, in 1827 I wore a fur cap, a minister said,
" thai was too bad for a minister."
When ministers first began, a few years since, to wear white
hate, it was thought by many to be a sad and very undignified
innovation. And even now, they are so bigoted in some
places, that a clergyman told me but a few days since, in
travelling through New England last summer vrith a white
hat, he could perceive that it injured his influence. This
spirit should not be looked upon as harmless ; I have good
reason to know that ii is noi harmless. Thinking men see it
to be mere bigotry, and are exceedingly in danger of rievring
everything about rehgion in the same hght on this accoimt
This has been ihe result in many insiancea There is at
this day scarcely a minister in the land who does not feel
himself obliged to wear a black coat, as much as if it were a
divine institution. The church is yet fiUed vrith a kind of
superstitions reverence for such things. This is a great
stumbling block to many minda
So, in hke manner, when ministers laid aside thefr bands,
and wore cravats or stocks, it was said they were becoming
secular, and many found fault Even now, in some places, a
minister would not dare not be seen in the pulpit in a cravat
or stock. The people would feel as if they had no clergyman,
if he had no bands. A minister in this dty asked another,
but a few days since, if it would do to wear a black stock in

MEASUEES TO PBOMOTE EEYIYALa 241
the pulpit. He wore one in his ordinary intercourse with his
people, but doubted whether it would do to wear it in the
pulpit So in regard to short clothes ; they used to be thought
essential to the ministerial character. Even now, in Cathohc
countries, every priest wears smaU clothes. Even the httie
boys there, who are training for the priest's office, wear thefr
cocked hate, and blads stockings, and smaU clothea This
would look ridiciUous amongst us. But it used to be prac
tised in this country. The time was when good people
would have been shodied if a minister had gone into the
pulpit with pantaloons on. They would have thought he wap
certainly going to ruin the church by his innovations. I
have been told thai some years ago, in New England a cer
tain elderly dergyman was so opposed to the new measure
of a minister's wearing pantaloons, thai he would on no ao-
coimt allow them in his pulpit. A young man was going to
preach for him, who had no small clothes, and the old minis
ter would not let him officiate in pantaloons. "Why," said
he, " my people would think I had brought a fop into the pul
pit, to see a man there vrith pantaloons on, and ii would produce
an excitement among them." And so, fiiiaUy, the young man
was obliged to borrow a pafr of the old gentleman's dothes,
and they were too short for him, and made a ridiculous figure
enougL Bui anything was better than such a terrible inno
vation as preaching in pantaloons. But reason has triumphed
Just so ii was in regard io wigs. I remember one mimster,
who, ihough quite a young man, used to wear an enormous
white yiig. And the people talked as if there was a divine
right about it, and ii was as hard to give it up, almost, as to
give up the Bible itselL Gowns also were conddered essential
to the ministerial character. And even now, ia many congre
gations in this country, the people vriU not tolerate a minister
in the pulpit, unless he has a flovring sUk govm, vrith enor
mous sleeves as big as his body. Even in some of ihe Con
gregational Churches in New England they cannot bear to
give it up. Now, how came people to suppose a minister
must have a govm or a vrig, in order to preach with effect ?
Why was it thai every dergyman was held obliged to use these
things ? How is it that noi one of these things have been
given up in the churdies, without producing a diock among
them ? They have aU been given up, one by one, and many
congregations have been distracted for a time by the inno
vation. Bui vriU any one pretend that the cause of reUgion
has been injured by it? People felt as if they could haxdljy
11

242 MEASUEES TO PEOMOTE BEVIVALS.
worship God vrithout them, but plainly thefr attachment to
them was no part of thefr religion, that is, no part of the
Christian rehgion. It was mere superstition. And when
these things were ta,ken away they complained as Micah did
" Te have taken away my goda" But no doubt thefr religious
character was improved by removing these objects of super
stitious reverence. So that the diurch, on tlie whole, haa
been greatiy the gainer by the innovations. Thus you see that
the present mode of a minister's dress has been gained by a
series of new measurea
2. In regard to the order of public worship.
The same difficulties have been met in effecting every
change, because the church have felt as if God had establish
ed just' the mode which they were used to,
(l.) Psalm Books. Formerly it was customary to sing
Darid's Psalms. By-and-by there was introduced a version
of the Psalms in rhyme. This was very bad to be sure.
When ministers tried to introduce them, the churches were
distracted people riolentiy opposed and great trouble was
created by tiie innovation. But the new measure triumphed
Afterwards another version was brought forward in a bet
ter style of poetry, and ite introduction was opposed vrith
mudi contention, as a new measure. And finaUy Watts's ver-
don, which is stillt opposed in many churches. No longer ago
than 1828, when I was in Philadelphia, I was told thai a
minister there was preadung a course of ledures on psalmody
to his congregation, for the purpose of bringing the^ to use
a better version of psalms and hymns than the one they were
accustomed to. And even now, in a great many congrega
tions, there axe people who vriU go out of church, if a pstdm
or hymn is given out from a new book. And if Watts's
Psalms should be adopted ihey would secede and form a new
congregation, rather than tolerate such an innovation. The
same sort of feeling has been exdted by inirodndng the
" VUlage Hymns" in prayer meetinga In one Presbyterian
congrcjgation in this dty, vrithin a few years, the minister's
wife wished to introduce the VUlage Hymns into the female
prayer meetings, not daring to go any further. She thought
she was gouig to succeed But some of the careful souls
found out that it was made in New Fiugland and refused to
admit it " It is a Hopldnsian thing, I dare say."
(2.) Lining the Hymns. Formerly, when there were but
few books, it was the custom to line ihe hymns, as ii was
caUed The deacon used to stand up before the pulpit, and
read off the psalm or hjmn, a line at a time, or two Imes at a

ITBAaiTBES TO PBOMOTE BEYIVAXS. 249
dme, and then sing, and the rest would aU faU in. By-and-by,
they began to introduce books, and let every one sing from
his book. And what an innovation ! Alas, what confudon
and disorder it made! How could the good people worship
God in singing, without having the deacon to line off the
hymn in his holy tone, for the hohness of it seemed to con
sist very mudi in the tone, which was such that you could
hardly teU whether he was reading or suiging.
(3.) Choirs. Afterwards another innovation was carried
It was thought best to have a select chofr of singers sit by
themselves and sing, so as to give an opportunity to improve
the muda But this was bitterly opposed Oh how many con
gregations were torn and rent in sunder, by the desfre of min.
istears and some leading indiriduals to bring about an improve
ment in ihe cultivation of music, by forming choirs of singera
People talked about innovations and new measures, and
thought great evUs were coining to the churches, because the
singers were seated by themsdves, and cultivated mudc, and
learned new tunes thai the old people cotUd not sing. It did
not use to be so when they were young, and they wotUd not
tolerate such new lights and novelties in the church.
(4) PUchpipes. When mudc was cultivated and dioirs
seated togetiier, then the singers wanted a pitehpipe. For^
merly, when the lines were given out by the deacon or derk,
he would strike off into the tune, and the rest woiUd follow as
wdl as they could. But when tie leaders of chofrs begun to
use pitchpipes for the purpose of pitching aU thefr voices on
predsdy the same key, what vast confusion it made I I heard
a dergyman say that an elder in the town where he used to
Uve, would get up and leave the house whenever he heard the
diorister blow his pipe. "Away with your whistie," said he.
"What! whistie in the house of God!" He thought it a
profenation. (5.) Indrumental Music. By and by, in some congregations,
various instraments were introduced for the purpose of aid
ing the singers, and improving the mudc. When the bass
riol was first introduced it made a great commotion. People
insisted they might just as weU have a fiddle in the house of
God. " Why, it is a fiddle, ii is made just hke a fiddle, only a
Uttie larger, and who can worship where there is a fiddle ?
By and by you vriU want to dance in the meeting house."
Who has not heard these things talked o^ as matters of tha
most rital importance to the cause of religion and ihe purity
-* +be churdi? Ministers, in grave ecdedastical assembhes,
jfive spent days in discussing them. In a synod in the Pre»

244 HEASUBBS TO PBOMOTE BEVIVALS.
byterian churdi, only a few years ago, it was seriously talked
of by some, as a matter worthy of discipline in a certain
ihurch, that they had an organ in the house of God This
within a few years. And there axe many churdies now who
would not tolerate an organ. They would not be half so much
exdted to be told thai sinners are going to heU, as to be told
thai there is going to be an organ in the meeting house. Oh,
m how many places can you get the church to do anything
else, eader than to come along in an easy and natural way to
do what is needed and wisest, and best, for promoting reUg
ion and saving souls. They act as if ihey had a " Thus saith
the Lord " for every custom and practice that has been hand
ed down to them, or that they have long foUowed themselves,
however absurd or injurious.
(6.) Extemporary Prayers. How many people are there, who
talk just as if the Prayer Book was of divine institution I And
I suppose multitudes beheve it is. And in some parts of the
diurch a man would noi be aUowed to pray vrithout his book
before him.
(7.) Preaching without notes. A few years since, a lady in
Philadelphia was inrited to hear a certain minister preach,
and she refused, because he did not read his sermons. She
seemed to think it would be profane for a man to go into the
pulpit and bdk, jiist as if he was taUdng to the people about
some interesting and important subject. As if God had
enjoined the use of notes and written sermons. They do not
know that notes themselves are an innovation, and a modem
one too. They were introduced in a time of poUtical difficul
ties in England The ministers were afraid they should be
accused of preaching something against the government, un
less they could show what ihey had preached, by having aU
vmtten down beforehand And vrith a time-serving spirit,
they yielded to poUtical condderations, and imposed a yoke
of bondage upon the churcL And now in many places, they
cannot tolerate extempore preaching.
(8. ) Kneeling in Prayer. This has made a great disturbance
in many parte of the country. The time has been in the Con
gregational churdies in New England when a man or woman
would be ashamed to \)e seen kneeling ai a prayer meeting,
for fear of being taken for a Methodist I have prayed in
famihes where I was ihe only person that would kned. The
others aU stood lest ihey should imitete ihe Methodists, I
suppose, and thus countenance innovations upon the estab-
hshed form. Others, again, talk as if there was no other pos
ture but kneeling, that could be acceptable in prayer.

MEASUBES TO PBOMOTE BEVTYAL8. 24A
8. Labors of Laymen.
(1.) Lay Prayers. Much objection was formerly made
against aUovring any man to pray or to take a part in manag
ing a prayer meeting, unless he was a dergyman. It used to
be said thai for a layman to pray in pubhc, was interfering
with the dignity of ministers, and was not to be tolerated A
minister in Pennsylvania told me that, a few years ago, he ap
pointed a prayer meeting in the churcL and the elders oppos
ed ii and turned it out of the house. They said they would
not have such work, they had hfred a minister to do tlie pray
ing, and he diould do it, and they were not going to have
common men praying.
Ministers and many others have very extendvely objected
to a layman's praying in pubUc, and especially in (he pres
ence of a minider. That would let dovm tiie authority of the
dergy, and was not to be tolerated At a synod hdd in tins State,
there was a synodical prayer meeting appointed The com
mittee of arrangements, as it was to be a formal thing, desig
nated beforehand the persons who were to take a part, and
named two dergymen and one layman. The layman was a
man of talente and information equal to most ministers. But
one doctor of divinity got up and serioudy objected to a lay
man's being asked to pray before thai synod It was not
usual, he said ; it infringed upon the lighte of the dergy, and
he wished no iimovationa What a state of things !
(2.) Lay exhortation. This has been made a question of
vast importance, one which has agitated all New England,
and many other parte of the countey, whether laymen ought
to be aUowed to exhort in pubUc meetinga Many ministers
have labored to shut up the mouths of laymen entfrely. They
overlooked the practice of the primitive churches. So much
opposition was made to this practice nearly a hundred years
ago, that President Edwards actuaUy had to take up the sub
ject, and write a labored defence of the rights and duties of
uiymen. But the oppodtion has not entirely ceased to this
day. " What ! A man that is not a minister, to talk in pub
Uc I it vrill create confudon, it vriU let dovm. the ministry ;
what vriU people think of us, ministers, if we allow common
men to do the same things that i«e do ? " Astonishing I
But now, aU these things axe gone by, in most places, and
laymen can pray and exhort vrithout the least objection. The
erils that were feared from the labors of laymen, have not
been realized and many ministers are glad to have them ex
erdse thefr gifts in doing good
3. Female Prayer Medings. Within the last few yearat

240 MEASUEES TO PEOMOTE EBVIYAXa.
female prayer meetings have been extensively opposed in thia
Stete. What dreadful things ! A minister, now dead said that
when he first attempted to estabhsh these meetings, he had
aU the clergy around opposed to him. " Set women to pray
ing? Why, the next thing, I suppose, wUl be to set them to
preaching." And serious apprehensions were entertained for
the safety of Zion, if women should be aUowed to get together
to pray. And even now, they are not tolerated in some
churchea So it has been in regard to aU the active movements of the
churcL Missions, Sunday Schools, and everything of the
kind have been opposed, and have gained thefr present hold
in the church only by a succession of struggles- and a series
of innovations. A Baptist Association in Pennsylvania, some
years since, disclaimed aU feUowship with any minister that
had been liberaUy educated ov thai supported Misdons, Bible
Sodeties, Sabbath Schools, Temperance Societies, eta AU
these were denounced as New Measures, not found ia the
Bible, and that would necessarily lead to distraction and con
fusion in the churchea The same thing has been done by
some among the German churches. And in many Presbyter
ian diurdies, there axe found those who wiU take the same
ground, and denounce all these things, with the exception,
perhaps, of an educated minisiry, as innovations, new meas
ures, new lights, going in thefr own strength, and the like, and
as calculated to do great eril.
5. I vriU mention several men who have in Divine proridence
been set forward as prominent in introducing these innova
tions. (1.) The apostles were great innovators, as you all know.
After the resurrection, and after the Holy Spirit was poured
out upon them, they set out to remodel the churcL They
broke down the Jevrish system of measures and rooted it out,
so as to leave scarcely a vestige.
(2.) Luther and the Beformers. Tou all know what difficul
ties they had to contend vrith, and ihe reason was, that ihey
were tiying to introduce new measures — ^new modes of per
forming the pubUc duties of religion, and new expediente to
bring the Gospel vrith power to the hearts of men. AU the
strange and ridiculous things of the Eoman CathoHcs were
held to in the church with pertinadous obstinacy, as if they
were of Divine authority. And such an exdtement was raised
by the attempt to change them, as weU nigh involved aU Eu
rope in blood
(3.) Wedey and his coadjutors. Wesley did not at first tear

MEASUBES TO PBOMOTE EEYIVAL8. 24?
off from the Established Church in England, but formed httie
classes everywhere, that grew into a church vrithin a church.
He remained in the Episcopal churcL but he introduced so
much of new measures, as to fiU aU England with excitement
and uproar and oppodtion, and he was everywhere denounced
as an innovator and a stirrer up of sedition, and a teadier of
new things which it was not lavyful to receive.
Whitefidd was a inan of the same school, and Uke Wedey
was an innovator. I beheve he and several indiriduals of his
associates were expeUed from coUege for getting up such a new
measure, as a social prayer meeting. They would pray to
gether and expound the Scriptures, and this was such a dar
ing novelty that it could not be borne. When Whitefield came
to this country, what an astonishing opposition was raised I
Often he weU nigh lost his hfe, and bardy escaped by the skin
of his teetL Now everybody looks upon him as the glory of
the age in whidi he Uved And many of our own denomina
tion have so far divested themselves of prejudice as to think
Wedey not only a good but a vrise and pre-eminentiy useful
man. Then almost the entire church riewed him vriih ani
mosity, fearing that the innovations he introduced would
destroy the church.
(4) President Edwards. This great man was famous in
his day for new measures. Among other innovations, he
refused to baptize the chUdren of impenitent parents. The
practice of baptizing the duldren of the ungodly had been
introduced in the New England churches in the preceding
century, and had become nearly universal Preddent Ed
wards saw thai the practice was wrong, and he refused to do
it, and ihe refusal shook aU the churches of New England
A hundred ministers joined and determined to put him
dovm. He wrote a book on the subject, and defeated
them aU. It produced one of the greatest excitements there
ever was in New England Nothing, unless it was the Eevo-
lutionary War, ever produced an equal excitement.
Tlie General Association of Connecticut refused to counte
nance Whitefield he was such an innovator. " Why, he wUl
preach out of doors, and anywhere !" Awful ! Whai a terri
ble thing, that a man should preach in the fields or in the
streete. Cast him out
All these were devoted men, seeking out ways to do good and
save soula And predsdy the same kind of oppodtion was ex
perienced by all the ecdesiastical bodies, obsiracting thefr path
and trying to destroy thefr character and influence. A book, now
extant, was vmtten in Preddent Edwards' time, by a doctor of

248 MEASUBES TO PBOMOTE BEYIVALB.
divinity, and signed by a multitude of ministers, against
Whitefield and Edwards, thefr associates and thefr measures.
A letter was pubhshed in this city by a minister against
Whitefield, which brought up the same objections against
innovations thai we hear how. In the time of the late oppo
sition to rerivals in the State of New Tork, a copy of this
letter was taken to the editor of a religious periodical vrith a
request that he would publish it He refused, and gave for a
reason, thai if pubhshed many would apply it to the contro
versy that is going on now. I mention it merely to show
how identical is the oppodtion thai is raised in different
ages against aU new measures designed to advance ihe cause
of religion.
6. In the present generation, many things have been in
troduced which have proved useful, but have been opposed
on the ground that they uxre innovations. And as many are
stUl unsettied in regard to them, I have thought it best to
make some remarks concerning them. There are three
things in particular which have chiefly attracted remark, and
therefore I shaU speak of them. They are Anxious Medings,
Protracted Medings, and the Anxious Seat. These are aU op
posed and axe caUed new measures.
(1.) Anxious Meetings. The first that I ever heard of under
that name, was in New England where ihey were appointed
for the purpose of holding personal conversation with anxious
dnners, and to adapt instruction io the cases of indiriduals,
so as to lead them immediately to Christ The design of
them is eridentiy phUosophical, but they have been opposed
because ihey were new. There are two modes of conducting
an anxious meeting, either of which may effect the object of
them. (a. ) By spending a few moments in personal conversation and
learning the state of mind of eadi indiridual, and then iu an
address to ihe whole, teke up all thefr errors and remove
thefr difficulties together.
(b.) By going round to eacL and taldng up each indiridual
case, and going over the whole ground vritii each one sep
arately, and getting them to promise to give up thefr hearts to
God Either way they are important, and have been found
most successful in practice. But multitudes have objected
to them because they were new.
(2.) Protracted Meetings. These are not new, but have al
ways been practised in some form or other, ever since there
was a church on earth. The Jewish festivals were nothing
else but protracted meetinga In regard to ihe manner, the;

MEASUBES TO PBOMOTE BEVIYALa 249
were conducted differentiy from what they are now. But the
design was the same, to devote a series of days to religious
serrices, in order to make a more powerful impresdon of di
vine things upon ihe minds of the people. AU denominations
of Christians, when rehgion prospers among them, hold pro
tracted meetings. In Scotiand they used to begin on Thurs
day at all thefr communion seasons, and continue untU after
the SabbatL The Episcopalians, Baptists, and Methodists
aU hold protracted meetings. Tet now in our day they have
been opposed, particularly among Presbyterians, and called
new measures, and regarded as fraught vrith aU manner of
evil, notvrithstanding mey have been so manifestiy and so ex-
tendvdy blessed I wiU suggest a few things that ought to
be considered in regard to them.
(a.) In appointing them, regard should be had to the cir
cumstances ^ (he people; whether ihe church are able to give
thefr aitentaon and devote thefr time to carry on the meeting.
In some instances this rule has been neglected Some have
thought it right to break in upon ihe necessary business of
the community. In the country, they would appoint the
meeting in harvest time, and in tlie city in the height of the
business season, when aU the men were necessarily occupied
and pressed vritii thefr temporal labors. In defence of this
course it is said thai our business should always be made to
yield to Ood^s business ? that eternal things are of so much
more importance than temporal things, that worldly business
of any kmd and at any time, shoiUd be made to yield and give
place to a protracted meeting. But the worldly business in
which we are engaged is not our business. It is as much
Ood^s business, and as much our duty, as our prayers and
protracted meetings ara If we do not consider our business
in this Ught, we have not yet taken the first lesson in re
ligion ; we Live not learned to do aU things to the glory of
God With this riew of the subject, separating our Jbusiness
from religion, we axe hving six days for ourselves, and the
seventii for God Eeal duties nbvee djtekfeee with each
OTHEB. Week days have their appropriate duties, and the
Sabbath its appropriate duties, and we are to be equaUy
pious on every day in the week, and in the performance
of the duties of every day. We are to plough, and sow, and
seU our goods, and attend to our various calhngs, with the
same singleness of riew to the glory of God, that we go to
church on the Sabbath, and pray in our famUies, and read
our Bibles. This is a first principle in religion. He that
does noi know and act on this principle has not learned the
11*

250 MEASUEES TO PEOMOTE EEYIVALS.
A B C of piety as yet. Now tiiere are particular seasons ol
the year in which God in his proridence calls upon men tc
attend to business, because worldly business at the time ia
particularly urgent, and must be done at that season, if done
at aU ; seed time and harvest for the farmer, and the busi
ness seasons for ihe merchant. And we have no right to
say, in those particular seasons, that we vriU quit our business
and have a protracted meeting. The fact is, the business is
not ours. And unless God by some spedal indication of his
proridence, shows it to be his pleasure that we should turn
adde and have a protracted meeting at such times, I look upon
it as tempting God io appoiat them. It is saying, " O God
this worldly busiaess is our busiaess, and we are willing to lay
ii aside for thy business." Unless God has indicated it to be
his pleasure io pour out his Spirit, and rerive his work at
such a season, and has thus called upon his people to quit, for
the time being, thefr ordinary employments, and attend espe
cially to a protracted meeting, it appears to me that God
might say to us in such drcumstances, " Who hath required
this of your hand?"
God has a right to dispose of our time as he pleases, io re
qufre us to give up any portion of our time, or aU our time,
to duties of instruction and devotion. And when cfrcum
stances plainly call for it, it is our duty to lay adde every
other business, and make dfrect and continuous efforte for
the salvation of souls. If we transact our business upon
right principles, and from right motives, and wholly for the
glory of God we shaU never object to go aside to attend a
protiacted meeting whenever there appears to be a call for it
in the proridence of God A man who condders himself a
steward or a derk, does not consider it a hardship to rest
from his labors on the Sabbath, but a pririlege. The selfish
owner may feel unwilling to suspend his business on the
Sabbath. But the clerk, who transacts busiaess not for him
self but for his employer, condders it a privUege to rest upon
the SabbatL So we, if we do our business for God shall not
think it hard if he makes it our duty to suspend our worldly
business and attend a protracted meeting. We should rather
consider it in the light of a hohday. Whenever, therefore,
you hear a man pleading thai he cannot leave his business to
attend a protracted meeting — that it is his duty to attend to
business, there is reason io fear that he considers the business
as his ovm, and the meeting as God's business. If he felt
that the business of the store or farm was as much God's
businesa as attending a protracted meeting, he would doubt-

MEASUBES TO PBOMOTE BBVTYALa 261
less be very willing to rest nom his worldly toUs, and go up
to tiie house of God and bo refreshed whenever there was an
indication, on the part of God that the community was caUed
to that work. It is highly worthy of remark, that the Jew
ish festivals were appointed at those seasons of the year
when there was the least pressure of indispensable worldly
businesa In some instances, sudi meetings have been appointed in
the very pressure of the business seasons, and have been fol
lowed witii no good results, eridentiy for the want of atten
tion to the rule here laid down. In other cases, meetings
have been appointed in seasons when there was a great
pressure of worldly business, and have been signaUy blessed
Bui in those cases the blessing foUowed because the meet
ing was appointed in obedience to the indications of the ¦mil
of Grod by those who had spiritual discernment, and under
stood ihe signs of the timea And in many casea^ doubt
less, indiriduals have attended who really supposed them
selves to be giving up their own business, to attend to God's
business, and in such cases they made what ihey supposed
to be a real sacrifice, and God in mercy granted them the
blessing. (6.) Ordinarily, a protracted meeting should be conducted
thiougL and the labor chiefly performed by, the same minister,
if posdbla Sometimes protracted meetings have been hdd
and dependence placed on ministers coining in from day to
day. And they would have no blessing. And the reason
was obrioua They did not come in a stete of mind to enter
into the work; and they did not know the stete of people's
minds, so as to know what to preacL Suppose a person who
was dck should caU in a different phyddan every day. He
would not know what the symptoms had been, nor what
was the course of the disease or of the treatment nor what
remedies had been tried nor what the patient could bear.
Why, he would certainly kUl the patient Just so in a pro
tracied meeting, carrieid on by a succesdon of ministera
None of them get into the spirit of it, and generaUy they do
more hurt than good
A protracted meeting should not, ordinaxUy, be appointed
unless they can secure the right kind of help, and get a min
ister or two who wUl agree to stey on the ground tUl the
meeting is dona Then they vriU probably secure a rich
blessing. (c.) There should not be so many public meetings as to in
terfere vriih the duties of the closet and of the family. Other

262 KBASUBBS TO PBOMOTE BBYIYALS.
wise Christians vriU lose thefr spiritoaUty and let go fheu hold
of God, and the meeting vriU run dovm.
(d.) .^ctwti^te,'! should not put themselves out so much in
entertaining strangers as to neglect prayer and other duties. It
is often the case thai when a protracted meeting is held, some
of the prindpal famiUes in the church, I mean those who axe
principally reUed on to sustain the meetings, do not get into
the work ai all And ihe reason is, that they are encumbered
with much serving. They often take needless trouble to pro-
ride for gueste who come from a distance to the meeting, and
lay themselves out very foolishly to make an entertainment,
not only comfortable but sumptuous. It should always be
understood thai it is the duty of famUies to have as httie
working and parade as possible, and to get along vrith thefr
hospitaUty in the eadest way, so thai ihey may all have time
to pray, and go to the meeting, and to attend to ihe things
of the kingdom.
(e.) By aU means guard against unnecessarily keeping late
hours. Ji people keep Iato hours, night after night, they vriU
ineritebly wear out the body, and thefr health vriU fail, and
there vriU be a reaction. They sometimes aUow themselves
to get so excited as to lose thefr sleep, and become irregular
in thefr meals, tUl they break down, and a reaction must
coma Unless there is the greatest pains taken to keep regu
lar, the excitement wiUget so great tiiat nature vriU give way,
and they run dovm, and the work stops.
(/.) All sectarianism should be carefully avoided If a
sectarian spirit breaks out, either in the preadung, or pray
ing, or conversation, it vnU counteract aU the good of the
meeting. (g.) Be watchful against ^^cm^ dependence on a protracted
meeting, as if thai of itself would produce a revival. This ia
a point of great danger, and has always been so. This is
ihe great reason why the churdi in successive generations
has always had to give up her measures — ^because Christians
had come to rely on them for success. So it has been in some
places, in regard to Protracted Meetings. They have been so
blessed that in some places the people have thought that if
they should only have a protracted meeting, ihey would have
a blessing, and sinners would be converted <f course. And
so they have appointed thefr meeting, vrithout any prepare
ation in the church, and just sent abroad for some minister
of note, and set him to preaching, as if that would convert
sinners. It is obrious that the blessing would be vrithhdd
from a meeting got up in this wav.

MEASUBES TO PBOMOTE BEYTYAXa. 263
{h.) Avoid adopting the idea that a rerival cannot be en
joyed without a Protracted Meeting, Some churches have got
into a morbid state of feeling on this subject Thefr zeal
has become aU spasmodic and feverisL so that they never
think of doing auytlung to promote a rerival, only in thai
way. When a protracted meeting is held they wUl seem to
be wonderfuUy zealous, and then siak dovm to a torpid state
tUl another protracted meeting produces another spasm. And
now multitudes in the diurch think it is necessary to give up
protracted meetings because ihey are abused in this way.
This ought to be guarded against, in every churcL so that
they may not be driven to give them up, and lose all the bene
fits that protracted meetings axe calciUated to produce.

(3.") The Anarious Seat
By this I mean the appointment of some particulax seat in
the place of meeting, where the anxious may come and be
addressed particularly, and be made subjects of prayer, and
sometimes be conversed vriih indiriduaUy. Of late this
measure has met vrith more oppodtion than any of ihe
others. What is the great objection ? I cannot see it The
design of the anxious seat is undoubtedly phUosophical, and
according to the laws of mind It has two bearings :
1. When a person is serioudy troubled in mind every
body knows that there is a powerful tendency to conceal
it When a person is borne dovm vrith a sense of his
condition, if you can get him vrilUng to have it knovm, if
you can get bim to break away from the chains of pride,
you have gained an important point towards his conver
don. This is agreeable to the phUosophy of the human
mind And how many thousands axe tiiere who wiU bless
God to eternity, thai when pressed by the tmth ihey were
ever brought to take this step, by which they threw off the
idea that it was a dreadful thing io have anybody know that
they were serious about thefr soula
2. Another bearing of the anxious seat is to detect decep
tion and ddusion, and thus prevent false hopea It has been
opposed on ihe ground that it was calculated to create delu-
don and false hopea But this objection is unreasonabla
The truth is the other way. Suppose I were preaclung on
the subject of Temperance, and that I should first show the
evils of intemperance, aud bring up the drunkard and his
ftimUy, and show the vai-ious evUs produced tiU every heart

254 MEASUBES TO PEOMOTE BEVIVALS.
is beating vrith emotion. Then I portray the great dangei
of moderate drinking, and show how it leads to intoxication
and ruin, and that there is no safety but in TOTAL ABSTI
NENCE, tUl a hundred hearts are ready to say, "I vriU
never drink another drop of ardent spirit in ihe world ; if I
do, I shall expect to find a drunkard's grave." Now, I stop
short, and lei the pledge be drculated, and everyone that is
fuUy resolved is ready to dgn it. But how many vriU begin
to draw back and hesitate when you begin io caU on them to
sign a pledge of total abstiaence. One says to himself,
" ShaU I sign it or not? I thought my mind was made up,
but this signing a pledge never to drink again, I do not know
about that" Thna you see that when a person is called upon
to give a pledge, if he is found noi io be dedded he makes it
manifest that he was not sincere. That is, he never came to
that resolution on the subject, which could be rehed on to
control his future life. Just so with the awakened sinner.
Preach to him, and at the moment he thinks he is vriUing to
do anything ; he thinks he is determined to serve the Lord ;
but bring him to the test, call on him to do one thing, to take
one step thai shaU identify him vrith the people of God or
cross his pride — his pride comes up, and he refuses ; his delu
sion is brought out, and he finds himself a lost sinner stUl ;
whereas, if you had not done it, he might have gone away
flattering himself that he was a Christian. If you say to
him, " There is ihe anxious seat, come out and avow your
determination to be on the Lord's side," and if he is not
willing to do so small a thing as that, then he is not vrilhng
to do anything, and there he is, brought out before his own
consdence. It imcovers ihe delusion of the human heart,
and prevents a great many spurious conversions, by shovring
those who might otherwise imagine themselves willing to do
anything for Christ, that in fact they axe wUhng to do
nothing. The church has always fdt ii necessaiy to have something
of the kind io answer tliis very purpose. In the days of the
aposties baptism answered tms purpose. The Gospd was
E readied to the people, anA then aU those who were vrilling to
e on ihe dde of Christ were caUed on to be baptized. It
held the predse place thai ihe anxious seat does now, as a
pubUc manifestation of thefr determination to be Christiana
And in modem times, those who have been riolentiy opposed
to the anxious seat have been obliged to adopt some substi
tute, or they could not get along in promoting a rerival Some
have adopted the expedient of inriting the people who were

MEASUBES TO PBOMOTE BEVTVALS. 265
anxious for thefr souls to stay for conversation after the rest
of the congregation had retired But what is the differ
ence? This is as much setting up a test as the other.
Others, who would be much ashamed to employ the anxious
seat, have asked those who have any feehng on the subject to
sit still in thefr seats when the rest retfre. Others have called
the anxious to retire into the lecture room. The object of
aU these is the same, and the prindple is the same, to bring
people out from the refuge of false shame. One man I heard
of who was very far gone in his opposition to new measures,
In one of his meetings he requested all those who were vrilling
to submit to God or desfred to be made subjects of prayer,
to dgnify it by leaning forward and putting thefr heads down
upon the pew before them. Who does not see that this was
a mere evadon of ihe anxious seat, and that it was designed
to answer the purpose in its place, and he adopted this be
cause he fdt that something of the kind was important ?
Now what objection is there against taking a particular
seat, or rising up, or going into the lecture-room ? They aU
mean the same thing, when properly conducted And they
are not novdties in prindple at aU. The thing has always
been done in substance. In Joshua's day, he caUed on the
people to decide whai they would do, and ihey spoke right
out in the meeting, "We wUl serve the Lord ; the Lord our
God vriU we serve, and his voice wUl we obey."

1. If we examine the history of the church we shaU find
that there never has been an extensive reformation, except
by new measures. Whenever the churches get settied down
into a form of doing things, they soon get to rdy upon the
outward doing of it, and so retain the form of religion whUe
they lose the substance. And then it has always been found
imposdble to arouse them so as to bring about a reformation
of the evUs, and produce a rerival of rehgion, by simply pur
suing that established form. Perhaps it is not too much to
say, that it is imposdble for God himself to bring about re
formations but by new measurea At least, it is a fact that
God has always chosen this way, as the vrisesi and best that
he could devise or adopt And although it has always been
the case, that the very measures which God has chosen to
employ, and which he has blessed in reriving his work, have
been opposed as new measures, and have been denounced
ret he has continued to act upon the same prindpla Wheo

254 MEASUEES TO PEOKOTB BEVIVA18.
he has found that a certain mode has lost its influence by
having become a form, he brings up some new measure,
which wUl BEEAK IN upon thefr lazy habits, and WAKE
UP a slumbering church. And great good has resulted
2. The same distinctions, in substance, that now exist,
have always existed in aU seasons of reformation and re
rival of rdigion. There have always been those who par
ticularly adhered to thefr forms and notions, and precise
way of doing things, as if they had a "Thus saith the
Lord" for every one of them. Miey have caUed those that
differed *rom them, who were trying to roU the ark of sal
vation forward Methodiste, New Lights, Eadicals, New
School, New Divinity, and various other opprobrious names.
And the dedendons that have foUowed have been uni
formly owing to two causes, which should by no meana be
overlooked by the churcL
(1.) The Old School, or Old Measure party, have perse
vered in thefr opposition, and eagerly seized hold of any real
or apparent indiscretion in the friends of the work.
In such cases, the churches have graduaUy lost thefr confi
dence in the oppodtion to new measures, and tiie cry of
"New Divinity," and "Innovation" has ceased to alarm
them. They see that the blessing of God is vrith those that
are thus accused of new measures and innovation, and the
continued opposition of the Old School, together vrith the
continued success of the New School, have destroyed thefr
confidence in the opposition, and they get tfred of hearing
the incessant cry of "New L^hts," and "New Divinity," and
"New Measures." Thus the scale has turned and the
churches have pronounced a verdict in favor of the New
School, and of condemnation against the Old School.
(2.) But now, mark me : right here in this state of thingai,
the deril has, again and again, taken the advantege, and in
diriduals have risen up, and being sustained by the confi
dence of the churdies in the New Measure party, and finding-
them dck of oppodtion, and ready to do anything that would
E remote the interests of Christ's kingdom, they have driven
eadlong themselves, and in some instances have carried the
churches into the very vortex of those difficulties which have
been predicted by thefr opposers. Thus, when the battie
had been fought, and the rictory gained the rash zeal of some
weU-meaning but headlong incUriduals, has brought about a
reaction that has spread a pall over the churches for yeara
This was the case, as is weU knovm, in the days of Preddent
Gdwarda Here is a rock, upon which a light-house is now

MEASXTBES TO PBOMOTE BEYIVAJJI. 267
built, and upon which if the church now run aground
both parties are entirdy without excuse. It is now weU
knovm, or ought to be Imown, thai the dedension which fol
lowed the rerivals in those days, together with the deden
dons which have repeatedly occurred were ovring to the
combined influence of the continued and pertinacious oppo
dtion of the Old School, and the ultimate bad spirit and
recklessness of some indiriduals of the New School
And here ihe note of alarm should be distinctiy sounded
to both parties, lest the deril should prevail against us, at
the very point, and under the very circumstances, where he
has so often prevailed ShaU the church never leam vris
dom from e^erience ? How often, oL how often must these
scenes be acted over before the mUlennium shaU come ! When
wiU it once be, thai the church may be rerived, and rdigion
prevail, vrithout exdting such opposition in the church, as
eventuaUy to bring about a reaction.
3. The present cry against' new measures is highly ridicu
lous, when we condder the quarter from which it comes, and
all ihe drcumstances in the case. It is truly astonishing that
grave ministers should really fed alarmed at the new meas
ures of the present day, as if new measures were something
new under tlie sun, and as if the present form and maimer
of doing things had descended from the aposties, and were
estebhshed by a " Thus saith the Lord :" when the truth is,
that every step of the diurdi's advance from the gross dark
ness of Popery, has been through the introduction of one
new measure after another. We now look vriih astonish
ment^ and axe indined to look almost vrith contempt, upon
the cry of " Innovation," thai has preceded our day ; and as
we reriew the fears that multitudes in the churdi have enter*
tained in by-gone days with respect to innovation, we find it
difficult to account for what appear to us the groundless and
absurd at leasi, if not ridiculous objections and difficulties
which ihey made. But my hearers, is it not wonderful, that
at this late day, after the diurch has had so much experience
in these matters, that grave and pious men shotUd serioudy
fed alarmed at the introduction of the simple, the phUoso
phical, and greatiy prospered measures of the last ten years?
As if new measures were something noi to be tolerated of
highly disastrous tendency, and that should wake the notes
and echoes of alarm in every nook and comer of the churoL
4 We see why it is thai those who have been making the
ado about new measures have not been succes^ul in promoting
*evivala.

168 MEASUEES TO PEOMOTE KEVTYAL8.
They have been taken up with the evUs, real or imaginary
which have attended this great and blessed work of God
That there have been evUs, no one wUl pretend to deny. Bui
I do beheve, that no rerival ever existed since the world be
gan, of so great power and extent as the one that has pre
vaUed for the last ten years, which has not been attended
with as great or greater evils. StiU a large portion of the
church have been frightening themselves and others, by giv
ing constant attention to the evUs of revivals. One of the
professors in a Presbyterian Theological Seminary, felt it his
duty to write a series of letters to Presbyterians, which were
extendvely cfrculated the object of which seemed io be to
sound the note of alarm throughout all the borders of the
churdi, in regard to the erils attending rerivala WhUe men
are taken up vriih the evils instead of the exceUendes of a
blessed work of God how can it be expected that they wUl
be useful in promoting ii ? I would say aU this in great
kindness, but stiU it is a point upon which I must not be
sUent 5. Without new measures it is imposdble that the church
diould succeed in gaining the attention of the world to re
ligion. There are so many exciting subjects constantiy
brought before the pubhc mind such a running io and
fro, so many thai cry " Lo here," and " Lo there," that the
church cannot maintain her ground cannot command atten
tion, vrithout very exdting preaching, and suffident novelty
in measures, to get the pubhc ear. The measures of pohti
dans, of infidels and heretics, the scrambling after wealth,
the increase of luxury, and the ten thousand exdting and
counteracting influences that bear upon the church and upon
the world wUl gain thefr attention and turn all men away
from the sanctuary and from the altars of ihe Lord unless
we increase in vrisdom and piety, and wisely adopt such new
measures as are calculated to get the attent3.on of men to the
Gospel of Christ I have afready said in the course of these
lectures, thai novelties diould be introduced no faster than
they are really caUed for. They should be introduced vrith
'he greatest vrisdom, and caution, and prayerfulness, and in
a manner calculated to excite as little opposition as possibla
But new measures we mud have. And may God prevent ihe
church from settiing dovm. in any set of forms, and getting
the present or any other edition of her measures stereotyped.
6. It is erident that we must have more exciting preach
ing, to meet the character and wants of the age. Ministers
axe generaUy beginning io find this out And some of them

MEASUBES TO PBOMOTE BEVIYALa 258
complain of it, and suppose it to be owing to new measures,
as ihey call ihem. They say thai such ministers as oui
fathers would have been glad to hear, now cannot be heard
cannot get a seitiement, nor coUect an audience. And they
think thai new measures have perverted the taste of the
people. But this is not the difficulty. The character of the
age is changed and these men have not conformed to it, but
retain the same stil^ dry, prosing style of preaching that
answered half a century ago.
Look at the Methodiste. Many of thefr ministers are
unlearned ia the common sense of the term, many of them
taken right from the shop or the ferm, and yet ihey have
gathered congregations, and pushed thefr way, and won souls
everywhera Wherever the Methodiste have gone, thefr plain,
pointed and simple, but warm and animated mode of preach
ing has always gathered congregationa Few Presbyterian
ministers have gathered so large assembhes, or won so many
souls. Now are we to be told that we must pursue the same
old formal mode of doing things, amidst aU these changes ?
As weU might the North Kiver be roUed back, as ihe world
converted under such preaching. Those who adopt a dif
ferent style of preaching, as the Methodiste have done, vriU
run away from us. The world vriU escape from under the
influence of this old fashioned or rather new feshioned minis
try. It is impossible that the pubhc mind should be held
by sudi preaching. We must have exciting, powerful preach
ing, or the devU wUl have the people, except what the Meth
odiste can save. It is imposdble thai our ministers should
continue to do good unless we have innovations in regard
to the style of preaching. Many ministers axe finding it
out afready, that a Methodist preadier, vrithout the advant
ages of a hberal education, will draw a congregation around
bim which a Presbyterian minister, vrith perhaps ten times
as much learning, cannot equal, because he has not the
earnest manner of the other, and does not pour oui fire upon
his hearers when he preaches.
7. We see the importance of haring young ministers obtain
right views cf revivals. In a mtdtitude of cases, I have seen
that great pains axe taken to frighten our young men, who axe
preparing for the ministry, about the erils of rerivals, new
measures, and the like. Toung men in some theological
seminaries are taught to look upon new measures as if they
were the very inventions of the deril How can such men
have revivals. So when they come out, they look about, and
watcL and start as if the deril was thera Some young men

290 XBASUBBa TO PBOMOTB BEVTVABA.
in Princeton, a few years ago, came out with an essay upon
the "evils of rerivds." I should Uke to know, now, how
many of those young men have enjoyed rerivals among thefr
people, since they have been in the ministry; and if any
nave, I should like to know whether they have not repented
of thai piece about the erils of rerivals.
If I had a voice so loud as to be heard at Princeton, I
would speak to those young men on this subject. It is high
time to talk plainly on this point The churdi is groaning in
aU her borders for ihe want of suitable ministers. Good
men are laboring and are wUling to labor night and day to
assist in educating young men for ihe ministiy, to promote
rerivals of religion ; and when they come oui of the semi
nary, some of tiiem axe as shy of all the measures that God
blesses as ihey are of popery iteelf.
ShaU it be so always ? Must we educate young n^ien for the
ministry, and have ihem come out frightened to death about
new measures, as if there had never been any such thing as
new measures. They ought to know that new measures are
no new thing in the churcL Let them GO ALONG, and
keep at work themsdves, and not be frightened about new
measurea I have been pained to see that some men, in giv
ing accounts of rerivals, have eridentiy felt themsdves
obhged to be particular in detaUing the measures used to
avoid the inference thai new measures were introduced ; eri
dentiy feding that even the church would undervalue the re
rival unless it appeared io have been promoted vrithout new
measures. Besides, this caution in detaiUng the measures to
demonstrate that there was nothing new, looks Uke admitting
that new measures are wrong because they axe new, and that
a rerival is more valuable because it was not promoted by
new measurea In this way, I apprehend that much eril has
been done, afready, and if the practice is to continue, it must
come to this, that a rerival must be judged o^ by the fact
that it occurred in connection vrith new or old measurea I
never vriU countenance such a spirit, nor condescend to guard
an accoimt of a rerival against the imputation of new or old
measurea I beUeve new measures are right, that is, that it
is no objection to a measure that ii is new or old
Let a minister enter fuUy into his work, and pour out hia
heart to God for a blessing, and whenever he sees the want
of any measure io bring the truth more powerfuUy before
the minds of the people, let him adopt it and not be afraid
and God vriU not vriihhold his blessing. If ministers wHH
not go forward, and vriU not preach the Crospd vrith power

MEASUBES TO PBOMOTE BEYTYALa. 261
and earnestness, and vriU not turn oui of thefr tracks to do
anything new for the purpose of saving souls, they -mil grieve
tiie Holy Spirit away, and God wiU ridt them with his curse,
and raise up other ministers to do his work in the world
8. It is the right and duty cf ministers to adopt new measures
for promoting rerivals. In some places the diurch have op
posed thefr minister when he has attempted to employ those
measures which God has blessed for a revival, and have gone
80 far as to give up thefr prayer meetings, and give up labor
ing to save souls, and stand aloof from everyUiing, because
thdr minister has adopted what ihey caU new measurea No
matter how reasonable the measures axe in themsdves, nor
how seasonable, nor how much God may bless them. It is
enough that they axe called new measures, and they vriU not
have anything to do vriih new measures, nor tolerate ihem
among the people. And thus ihey faU out by the way, and
grieve away the Spirit of God and put a stop to the rerival,
when the world around ihem is going to heU.
FiNALLT. — ^This zealous adherence to particular forms and
modes of doing things, which has led the chorch to redst ia-
novations in measures, savors strongly of fanaticism. And what
is not a httie singular, is that fanatics of this stamp are al
ways the first to cry out " fenatidsm," What is that but
fauati'dsm in the Eoman CathoUc Church, thai causes ihem
to adhere vrith such pertinadty to thefr particular modes, and
forms, and ceremonies, and fooleries? They act as iJf aU
these things were established by divine authority ; as if there
were a " t3ius saith the Lord" for every one of tLem. Now
we justiy style this a spirit of fanaticism, and esteem it worthy
of relnke. But it is just as absolutdy fanatical, for the Pres
byterian ChurcL or any other diurch, to be sticklish for her
particular forms, and to act as if Oiey were estebUdied by di
vine authority. The fact is, that God has esteblished in no
church, any particulax form, or manner of worship, for pro
moting the intereste of religion. The Scriptures are entirdy
sUeni on these subjecte, under the Gospd dispensation, and
the church is left to exercise her own discretion in relation to
aU such matters. And I hope it wiU not be thought unkind
when I say again, that to me it appears, thai the unkind
angry zeal for a certain mode and manner of doing things,
and the overbearing, exterminating cry against new measures,
SAVOBS STBONGLT OF FANATICISM.
The only thing indsted upon under the Gospel dispensa
tion, in regard to measures, is that there diould be decency
and order. " Let all things be done decentiy and in order."

262 MEASUBES TO PBOMOTB BEVTVALS.
We are requfred to g^ard against aU confudon and disorder
ly conduct But what is decency and order? WUl it be pre
tended that an anxious meeting, or a protracted meeting, or
an anxious seat, is inconsistent vrith decency and order ? 1
should most siacerely deprecate, and most firmly resist what
ever was indecent and disorderly in the worship of God's
house. Bui I do not suppose thai by " order" we are to im
derstand any particular set mode, in which any churdi may
have been aocnstomed to perform thefr serrice.

LECTURE XV.
HINDERANCES TO EEVIVAia.
TaxT.'— I am doin« a great work, so that I cannot come dovm. Why should tke
irork cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to yoa. — ^Nbhbhiah tI. 8.
This servant of God had come down from Babylon to re-
buUd ihe temple and re-CiStablish the worship of God at
Jerusalem, the dty of his fathers' sepulchres. When ii was
discovered by Sanballai and certain indiriduals, his alhes,
who had long enjoyed the desolations of Zion, that now the
temple, and the holy city were about to be rebuUt, they raised
a great opposition. SanbaUat and the other leaders tried in
several ways to divert Nehemiah and his friends, and prevent
them from going forward in thefr work ; at one time they
threatened them, and then complained that they were going
to rebel against ihe king. Again, they insisted thai thefr de
sign was not pious but pohtical, to which Nehemiah rephed
by a simple and prompt denial, " There are no such things
done as thou sayest, but thou feignest ihem out of thine own
heart" FinaUy, SanbaUat sent a message to Nehemiah, re
questing him to meet in the plain of One, to discuss the
whole matter amicably and have the difficulty adjusted hut
designed to do him mischief, They had found that they
could noi frighten Nehemiah, and now they wanted to come
round bim by artifice and fraud, and draw him off from the
rigorous prosecution of his work. But he repUed "I am
doing a great work, so that I cannot come dovm : why should
the work cease, whilst I come dovm to you ?"
It has always been the case, whenever any of the servants
of God do anything in his cause, and there appears to be a
probability that that ihey wUl succeed that Satan by his
agente regularly attempts to divert thefr minds and nullify
thefr labors. So it has been during the last ten years, in
which there have been such remarkable rerivals through thi
length and breadth of the land. These rerivals have been
very great and powerful, and extensive. It has been esti
mated that not less than two hdndred thousand persons have
been converted to God in that time.
And the deril has been busy in his derices to divert and

284 hindebances to bbytvals.
distract the people of God, and turn off thefr energies from
pushing forward the great work of salvation. In remarking
on the subject, I propose to show,
I. That a Eerival of Religion is a great work.
n. To mention several things which may put a stop to it
in. Endeavor to show what must be done for the continu
ance of this great rerival
I. I am to show thai a Rerival of Rehgion is a great work.
It is a great work, because in ii are great interests involved.
In a Eerival of Eehgion axe involved both ihe glory of God
so far as it respecte the government of this world, and. the sal
vation of men. Two things that are of infinite importance are
involved in it The greatiiess of a work is to be estimated by
the greatness of the consequences depending on it And this
is the measure of its importance.
n. I am to mention several things which may put a stop lo
a revival. Some have talked very foolishly on this subject, as if
nothing could injure a genuine rerival They say, " If your
revival is a work of God it cannot be stopped ; can any
created being stop God ?" Now I ask . if this is common
sense ? Formerly, it used to be the established behef that a
rerival could not be stopped because ii was the work of God
And so they supposed it would go on, whatever might be
done to hinder it, in the church or out of it But the farmer
might just as wdl reason so, and think he could go and cut
down his wheat and not hurt the crop, because ii is God that
makes grain grow. A rerival is the work of God and so is a
crop of wheat ; and God is as much dependent on the use of
means in one case as the other. And therefore a rerival is aa
Uable to be injured as a wheat-field
1. A rerival vriU stop whenever the church bdieve it is going
lo cease. The church are the instruments with which God
carries on this work, and they are to work in it voluntarily
and with thefr hearts. Nothing is more fatal to a reviv^
than for its friends to predict that it is going to stop. No
matter what the enemies of the work may say about it, pre-
Ucting that it wUl all run out and come io nothing, and the
ike. They cannot stop ii in this way ; but the friends must
.alvir and pray in faith to carry it on. It is a contradiction to
say they are laboriog and praying in faith to carry on the
work, and yet beheve that it is going to stop. If ihey lose
thefr faitL it wUl stop, of course. Whenever the friends of
rerivals begin to prophesy thai the rerival is going to stop,
they should be instantiy rebuked ^ tl^c name of the Lord

anniBBAJTCES to bevtvals. 205
If the idea once begias to prevail, and if you cannot counter
act it and root it out, the rerival vriU infalhbly cease ; for it is
indispensable to the work, that Christians should labor and
pray iu faith to promote it, and it is a contradiction to say
that ihey can labor in faith for its continuance, whUe they be
Ueve that it is about to ceasa
2. A rerival wUl cease when Christians consent that it should
tease. Sometimes Christians see that the rerival is in danger
of ceasing, and that if something effectual is not done, it wiU
come to a stand If this fact distresses them, and drives
them to prayer, and to fredi efforte, the work will not cease.
When Christians love the work of God and the salvation of
souls so weU that they are distressed at the mere apprehen-
don of a dedine, it vriU drive them to an agony of prayer and
effort If it does not drive them to agony and effort to pre
vent ite ceasing ; if they see the danger, and do not try to
avert it, or to renew the work, they consent that it should
STOP. There axe at this time many people, all over the coun
try, who see rerivals declining, and that they axe in great
danger of ceasing altogether, and yet ihey manifest but Uttie
distross, and seem to care but httie about it Whole churchef
see thefr condition, and see what is coming unless there cai
be a waking up, and yet they axe at ease, and do not groan
and agonize in prayer, that God would rerive his work. Some
are even predicting that there is now going to be a great re
action, and a great dearth come over ihe churcL as there
did after Whitefield's and Edwards' day. And yet they axe
not startied at thefr ovm forebodings ; ihey axe cool about
it, and tum dfrectiy off to other things. THET CON
SENT TO IT. It seems as if ihey were the deril's trum
peters, sent out to scatter dismay throughout the ranks of
God's dect
3. A rerival vrill cease whenever Christians become mechan
ical in their attempts to promote it. When thefr faith is strong,
and thefr hearts are warm and meUow, and thefr prayers fuU
of holy emotion, and thefr words vrith power, then tlie work
goes on. But when thefr prayers begin to be cold and vrith
out emotion, and thefr deep-toned feehng is gone, and tliey
begin to labor medianicaUy, and to use words vrithout feeling,
then the rerival vriU ceasa
4 The revival vriU cease whenever Christians get the idea
that (he work voQl go on uMwut their aid. The church are co
workers vrith Gk)d in promoting a rerival, and the work can
be carried on just as far as the church vnU carry it on, and
QO feriher. Qtod haa been for one thousand dght hundred
la

266 HINDEEANCES TO BEYTYAna.
years trying to get ihe church into ihe work. He has been
calling and urguig, commanding, entreating, pressing and
encouraghig, to get them to take hold He has stood all thia
whUe ready to make bare his arm to carry on the work vritii
them. But the church have been unvrilhng to do thefr part
They seem determiaed to leave it to God alone to convert the
world and say, " If he wants the world converted let him do
ii." They ought to know that this is impossible. So fer as
we know, neither God nor man can convert the world with
out the co-operation of the church. Sinners cannot be con
verted vrithout thefr own agency, for conversion consists in
thefr voluntary turning to God- No more can sinners be
converted vrithout the appropriate moral uifluences to tiim
them ; that is, without tmth and ihe reality of things
brought fuU before thefr minds either by dfrect revelation
or by men. God cannot convert ihe world by physical om
nipotence, but he is dependent on the moral influence of the
church. 5. The work vriU cease when the church prefer to attend to
thefr own concerns rather than God's business, I do not ad
mit that men have any business which is properly their own,
but they think so, and in fact prefer what they consider as
thefr ovm, rather than to work for God They begin to think
ihey cannot afford sufficient time from thefr worldly employ
ments io carry on a rerival. And they pretend ihey axe
obliged to give up attending to religion, and let thefr hearts
go out again after the world And the work must cease, of
course. 6. When Christians get proud of tiiefr great rerival, it vrill
cease. I mean those (3iristians who have before been instm
mental in promoting it. It is almost always the case in a re
rival, that a part of the church are too proud or too worldh
to take any part in the work. They are determined to stand
aloo^ and wait, and see what it wUl come to, and see how it
vriU come out The pride of this part of the church cannot
stop the rerival, for the rerival never rested on ihem. It be
gun vritLoui ihem, and it can go on without ihem. They
may fold tiiefr arms and do nothing but look on and find
fault ; and stiU the work may go on. But when that part of
the churdi who work, begin to think what a great rerival they
have had and how they have labored and prayed and how
bold and how zealous ihey have been, and how much good
they have done, then the work vriU be likely to dechne. Per
haps it has been pubhshed in the papers what a rerival there
has been in that diurcL and how much engaged the mem-

HINDEEANCBS TO BEYIyAUS. 267
hers have been, and they think how high ihey shaU stand in
the estimation of other churches, all over the land because
they have had sudi a great rerival And so they get puffed
up, and vain, and then ihey can no longer enjoy the presence
01 God and the Spfrit vriihdraws from ihem, and the rerival
ceases. 7. The rerival wiU stop when the church gete exhausted by
labor. Multitudes of Christians commit a great mistake here
m time of revival. They are so thoughtless, and have so httie
judgment, that they vrill break up all thefr habits of hving,
neglect to eat and deep at the proper hours, and let the ex
dtement run away vriih them, so that they overdo thefr
bodies, and are so imprudent that they soon become ex
hausted and it is imposdble for them to continue in the
work. Eerivals often cease, and dedendon foUows, from
negligence and imprudence, in this respect, on the part of
^ose eng^aged in carrying ihem on.
8. A rerival vriU cease when the church begins to speculate
about abdract doctrines, which have nothing to do vrith prac
tice. If the churdi turn off thefr attention from ihe things of
salvation, and go to studying or disputing about abstract
points, the rerival wiU cease, of course.
9. When Christians begin to proselyte. When the Baptiste
axe so opposed to the Presbyterians, or the Presbyterians to
the Baptiste, or both against the Metliodists, or Episcopalians
against the rest, that they begin to make efforts to get the
converte to join tiiefr churcL you soon see ihe last of the re
rival. Perhaps a rerival vriU go on for a time, and aU secta
rian difficulties are banished tUl somebody cfrculates a book,
privatdy, to gain proselytes. Perhaps some over-zealous dea
con, or some mischief-making woman, or some proselyting
minister, can not keep stUl any longer, and begins to work
ihe work of the devU, by attempting to gain proselytes, and
so stirs up bitterness, and raising a seffish strife, grieves
away ihe Spirit, and drives Christians aU into partiea No
more rerival there.
10. Wlien Christians r^use to render to the Lord according
to the benefits received. This is a fruitful source of religious
dedendons. God has opened the vrindows of heaven to a
churcL and poured ihem out a blessing, and then he reason
ably expects them to bring in the tithes iato his store-house,
and derise and execute Uberal things for Zion ; and lo ! they
have refused ; they have not laid tiiemsdves out accordingly
to promote the cause of Christ, and so the Spirit has been
grieved and the blessing withdrawn, and in some instances a

268 HINDEBANCES TO BEYIVALS.
great reaction has taken place because the churdi would not
be Uberal, when God has been so bountiful I have known
churches who were eridentiy cursed with barrenness for
such a course. They had a glorious rerival, and afterwards
perhaps thefr meeting-house needed repafring, or something
else was needed which would cost a Uttie money, and they
refused to do it, and so for thefr niggardly spirit God gave
them up.
11. When the churdi, in any way, gneve the Holy Spirit.
(1.) When they do not fed Oidr dependence on the Spirit
Whenever Christians get strong in thefr own strengtL 6od
curses fhefr blessinga In many instances. Christians sin
against thefr ovm merdes, because ihey get lifted up vrith
thefr success, and take the credit to themselves, and do not
give to God all the glory. As he says, "If ye vyiU not hear,
and if ye vriU not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name,
saith the Lord of hoste, I vriU even send a curse upon you,
and I ^^ curse your blessings : yea, I have cursed them al
ready, because ye do not lay ii to heart." There has been a
great deal of tms in this country, undoubtedly. I have seen
many things thai looked hke i^ in the papers, where there
seemed a dispodtion in men to take credit for success in pro
moting rerivals. There is doubtiess a great tomptation to
this, and it requfres the utmost watehfulness, on the paxt of
ministers and diurches, to guard against it, and not grieve
the Spirit away by vain-glorying in men.
(2.) The Spirit may be grieved by a spirit (f boasting cfOie
revival. Sometimes, as soon as a revival commences, you vriU
see it blazed out in the newspapers. And most commonly thia
vriU kUl the rerival There was a case in a neighboring State,
where a rerival commenced and instantly tiiere came out a
letter from the pastor, toUing that he had a rerival. I saw
the letter and said to myself. That is the last we shaU hear of
this rerival And so it was. In a few days, the work totaUy
ceased And such things are not uncommon. I could men
tion cases and places, where persons have puUished such
things as to puff up the diurch, and make them so proud that
httie or nothing more could be done for the rerival
Some, under pretence of publishing things to the praise and
glory of God have pubhshed things that savored so strongly
of a disposition io exalt themselves, have made thefr own
agency to stand out so conspicnoudy, as was eridentiy calcu
lated to make an unhappy impresdon. At the protracted
meeting held in this church, a year ago last fall, there were
five hundred hopefully converted whose named and places of

''TNDEEAlfCES TO BEVIYALa. 200
residence we knew. A condderable number of them joined
this churcL Many of them united vriih other diurchea
Nothing was said of this in the papers. I have several times
been asked why we were so sUent upon the subject I could
only reply, that there was such a tendency to self-exaltetion
m the churches, thai I was afraid to publidi anything on the
subject Perhaps I erred But I have so often seen mischief
done by premature pubUcations, that I thought it best to say
nothing about it. In the rerival in this dty, four years ago,
so mudi was said in the papers, thai appeared like self-exalta
tion, that I was afraid to pubhsL I am not speaking against
\h.e practice itself, of publishing accounte of rerivala Bui the
manner of doing it is of vast importance. If it is done so as
to excite vanity, it is always fatal to ihe rerival
(3.) So the Spirit is grieved by saying or publishing things
thai axe calculated to undervalue the loork of God. When a
blessed work of God is spoken lightiy of, not rendering to God
the glory due to his name, the Spfrit is grieved If anything
is said about a rerival, give only the plain and naked facts just
as they are, and let them pass for what ihey are worth.
12. A rerival may be expected to cease, when Christians lose
(he spirit of brotherly love. Jesus Christ wUl not continue with
people in a rerival any longer than they continue in the exer
dse of brotherly love. When Christians are in the spirit of a
rerival, ihey feel this love, and then you vriU hear them caU
each other brother and sister, very affectionately. Bui when
they begin to get cold they lose this warmth and glow of affec
tion for one another, and then this calling brother and sister
wUl seem sUly and contemptible and they vriU leave it off In
some churches ihey never caU each other so, but where there
is a rerival. Christians naturaUy do it I never saw a rerival,
and probably there never was one, in which they did not do
it But as soon as this begins to cease, the Spirit of God is
grieved and depaxte from among them.
13. A rerival wUl dedine and cease, unless Christians arr
frequen&y re-converted. By this I mean, that Christians, iu
order to keep in the spirit of a rerival, commonly need to ht
frequentiy conricted and humbled and broken down before
Gkid, and re<5onverted This is something which many do not
understand when we talk about a Christian's bdng re-con
verted But the feci is thai in a rerival the Christian's heart
is liable to get crusted over, and lose ite exquidte relish for
divine things ; his unction and prevalence in prayer abates,
and then he must be converted over again. It is imposdble
to keep bim in such a state as not to do injury to the work.

270 HOTDEBAXCES TO BEYIVALB.
unless he pass through such a process every few daya I have
never labored in rerivals in company vrith any one who would
keep in the work and be fit to manage a rerival continuaUy,
who did not pass through this process of breaking dovm as
often as once in two or three weeka Eerivals dedine, com
monly, because it is found imposdble to make the church feel
thefr guUt and thefr dependence, so as to break down before
God It is important thai ministers should understand this,
and learn how to break dovm the church, and break down
themselves when ihey need it, or else Chrisijians vriU soon be
come mechanical in thefr work, and lose thefr fervor and thefr
power of prevailing vrith God This was the process through
which Peter passed when he had denied the Sariour, and by
which breaking dovm, the Lord prepared him for the great
work on the day of Pentecost. I was surprised, a few years
since, to find thai ihe phrase "breaking down" was a stumbling
block to certain ministers and professors of religion. They laid
themselves open to the rebuke administered to Nicodemus,
" Art thou a master in Israel and knowest not these things ? "
I am confident that until some of them know what it is io be
" broken down," they vriU never do much more for the cause
of revivals.
14 A rerival cannot continue when Christians will not prac
tice sdf-denid. When the diurch have enjoyed a rerival and
begin to grow fat upon it, and run into self-indulgence, the
rerival vriU soon cease. Unless they sympathize witJh the Son
of God who gave up aU to save sinners ;, unless they are vriU
ing to give up thefr luxuries, and thefr ease, and lay them
selves oui ui tlie work, they need not expect the Spirit of God
vriU be poured out upon them. This is undoubtedly one of
the principal causes of personal dedendon. Let Christians
in a rerival BEWAEE, when they first find an inclina
tion creeping upon them, to shrink from self-denial, and to
give in to one form of self-indulgence after another. It is
the derice of Satan, to bait them off from the work of God
and make them duU and gross, and lazy, and fearful, and use
less, and sensual, and drive away the Spirit and destroy the
rerival 15. A rerival vriU be stopped by controversies about new meat
tures. Nothing is more certain to overthrow a rerival than
thia But as my last lecture was on the subject of new mea
sures, I need not dweU longer on ihe subject now.
16. Rerivals can be put down by the continued opposition cf
Ove Old School, combined with a bad spirit in the New School. If
those who do nothing to promote rerivals continue thefr op

HnniEBAXCES TO BEVIVALS. 271
podtion, and if those who axe laboring to promote ihem aUow
themselves to get impatient, and get into a bad spirit, the rerival
wUl ceasa When the Old School vmte thefr letters in the news
papers, against rerivals or rerival men, and the New School write
letters back again, against them, in an angry, contentious, bitter
spirit, and get into a janghng controversy, rerivals wUl cease.
LET THEM KEEP ABOUT THEIR WORK, and noi talk
about the oppodtion, nor preadi, nor print about it. If
others choose to publish thefr slang and stuffi let the Lord's
servants keep to thefr work, and all the writing and dander
vriU not stop the rerival, whUe those who are engaged in it
mind thefr business, and keep to thefr work. It is astonish
ing how far this holds tme in fact
In one place where there was a rerival, certain ministers
formed a combination against the pastor of the churdi, and a
plan was set on foot to ruin him, and ihey actuaUy got him
prosecuted before his Presbytery, and had a trial that lasted
six weeks, righi in the midst of the rerival, and the work stiU
went on. The praying members of the church laid them
selves out so in the work, that it continued triumphantiy
throughout the whole scene. The pastor was caUed of^ to
attend his trial, but there was another minister thai labored
among the people, and the members did noi even go to the
tiial, generally, but kept praying and laboring for souls, and
the rerival rode out the storm. In many other places, oppo
dtion has risen up in the churcL but a few humble souls have
kept at tiiefr work, and a gradous God has stretched out his
naked arm and made the rerival go forward in spite of aU
oppodtion. But whenever those who axe activdy engaged in promoting
a rerival get exdted at the unreasonableness and pertinadty
of the opposition, and feel as if they could not have ii so, and
they lose thefr patience, and fed as if ihey must answer thefr
cavils and refute thefr danders, then they get down into the
plains of Quo, and the work must cease.
17. Any diversion of (he puMic mind vriU hinder a rerival
Anything that succeeds in diverting pubhc attention, vriU put
a stop to a rerival In the case I have specified where the
minister was pijt on trial before his Presbytery, the reason
why ii did noi ruin the rerival was, that the praying mem
bers of the church would not suffer themselves to be diverted
They did not even attend the trial, but kepi praying and
laboring for souls, and so public attention was kept to the
subject, in spite of aU the efforte of the devil
But whenever be succeeds in dbs^rrbing pubhc attention on

272 HIUDEBANCEB TO BEVIVALS.
any other subject, he vriU put an end to the rerival No mat
ter what the subject ia If an angel from heaven were to come
dovm, and preach, or pass about ihe streets, ii might be the
worst thing in ihe world for a rerival, for it would tum dn
ners all off from thefr own sins, and turn ihe churdi off from
praying for souls, io foUow this glorious being, and gaze upon
him, and the rerival would cease.
18. Resistance to the Temperance Reformation vrill put a stop
to rerivals in a diurch. The time has come thai it can no
longer be innocent in a churdi to stand aloof from this glo
rious reformation. The time was when this could be done
ignorantiy. The time has been when ministors and Chris
tians could enjoy rerivals, noivrithsianding ardent spirit was
used among ihem. But since light has been thrown upon
the subject, and ii has been found that the use is only inju
rious, no church member or minister can be innocent and
stand neutral in the cause. They must speak oui and take
ddes. And if they do not take ground on one dde, thefr in
fluence is on the other. Show me a minister that has taken
ground against the temperance reformation who has had a
rerival Show me one who now stands aloof from it who
has a rerival Show me one who now temporizes upon this
point who does not come out and take a stand in fevor of
temperance who has a rerival. It did not use to be so. But
now the subject has come up, and has been discussed and is
understood no man can shut his eyes upon the truth. The
man's hands are BED WITH BLOOD who stands aloof
from the temperance cause. And can he have a rerival ?
19. Eerivals axe hindered when ministers and churches take
wrong ground in regard to any question involving human rights.
Take the subject of SLAVEET, for instance. The time was
when this subject was not before the pubUc mind John
Newton continued in the dave trade f^r his converdoiL
And so had his mind been perverted and so completely was
his consdence seared in regard to this most nefarious txaffic,
thai the sinfulness of it never occurred to his thoughts until
some time after he became a chUd of God Had hght been
poured upon his mind prerioudy to his conversion, he never
could have been converted vrithout prerioudy abandoning
this sin. And after his converdon, when convinced of ite in
iquity, he could no longer enjoy the presence of God, vrith
out abandoning ihe sin for ever. So, doubtiess, many dave
dealers and dave holders in our own country have been con
verted notvrithstanding thefr participation in this abomina
tion, because the sinfulness of it was not apparent to theii

HIin>EBAK:,ES TO BBVTVAL8. 27S
minds. So ministers and churches, to a great extent through
out the land, have held thefr peace, and borne no testimony
against this abominable abomination, existing in the diurch
and in the nation. But recentiy, the subject has come up for
discusdon, and the proridence of God has brought it dis
tinctiy before tbe eyes of aU men. Light is now shed upon
this subject, as it has been upon the cause of temperanca
Facte are exhibited and prindples estebUshed and light
thrown in upon the minds of men, and this monster is drag
ged from his horrid den, and exhibited before the cliurcL and
it is demanded of them, "IS THIS SIN ? " Thefr testimony
must be given on this subject They are God's vriinessea
They are sworn to teU "the truth, the whole trutL ond
nothing but the imih." It is imposdble that thefr testimony
should not be given, on one dde or the other. Thefr sUence
can no longer be accounted for upon the prindple of igno
rance, and that ihey have never had thefr attention turned to
the subject. Consequently, the sUence of Christians upon
the subject is virtually saying that (hey do not consider slavery
as a sin. The truth is, it is a subject upon which ihey can
not be sUent without giiUt The time has come, in the prov
idence of God when every southern breeze is loaded down
vrith the cries of lamentation, mourning and wo. Two nul-
Uons of degraded heathen in our ovm land siretoh thefr
hands, aU shackled and bleeding, and send forth to the diurch
of Grod the agonizing cry for hdp. And shaU the churcL
in her efforts to redaim and save the world deafen her ears
to this voice of agony and despafr? God forbid The diurch
cannot turn away from this question. It is a question for
ihe church and for ihe nation to dedde, and God vriU push it
to a deddon.
It is in vain for the diurches to resist it for fear of distrac
tion, contention, and strife. It is in vain to account it an
act of pidy to tum away the ear fr&m hearing this cry of
disiresa The diurch must testify, and testify "the trutL the whole
truth, and nothing but the trutL" on this subject or she is
perjured and the Spirit of God departs from her. She is under
oath to testify, and ministers and churches who do not pro
nounce it sin bear false testimony for God It is doubtiess
true that one of the reasons for the low steto of religion at
the present time is that many churdies have taken the wrong
side on ihe subject of slavery, have suffered prejudice to pre
vail over prindple, and have feared to call tliis abomination
by ite true nama 12*

274 HIKDEBAXCES TO BEVrVALS.
20. Another thing thai hinders rerivals is ruiglecting (hn
claims of missions. Ji Christians do noi feel for the heathen,
neglect the monthly concert, and confine thefr attention to
thefr own church, do not even read the Misdonary Herald
or use a^y other means to inform themselves on the subject
of the diims of the world and reject the Hght which God is
throwing before them, and wiU not do what God caUs them
to do in this cause, the Spirit of God wUl depart from them.
21. When a church reject the calls of God upon them for
educating young men for the ministry, they wUl hinder and
destroy a rerival Look at the Presbyterian churcL look at
the 200,000 souls converted within ten years, and means
enough to fiU the world with ministers, and yei the ministiy
is not increasing so fast as the population of our ovm coun
try, and unless something more can be done to proride min
isters, we shall become heathen ourselvea The churches do
not press upon young men the duty of going into the min
istry. God pours his Spirit on the churches, and converts
hundreds of thousands of souls, and if then the laborers do
not come forth into the harvest, what- can be expected but
thai the curse of God vriU come upon the churdies, and his
Spfrit vriU be vrithdravm, and rerivals wUl cease. Upon
this subject no minister, no churdi should be sUent or in
active. 22. Slandering revivals vrill often put them dovm. The
great rerival in the days of President Edwards suffered
greatiy by the conduct of the church in this respect It is to
be expected thai the enemies of God wUlrerile, misrepresent
and dander rerivals. But when (he church herself engages
in this work, and many of her most influential members are
aiding and abetting in calumniating and misrepresenting a
glorious work of God it is reasonable that the Spfrit should
be grieved away. It cannot be denied thai this has been
done, to a grievous and God-dishonoring extent. It has been
estimated thai in one year, since this rerival commenced
ONE HUNDEED THOUSAND SOULS Were Converted to God in the
United States. This was undoubtedly ihe greatest number
that were ever converted in one year, since the world began.*
It could not be expected that, in an excitement of this ex
tent, among human beings, there should be nothing to de-

• This was in 1831. There have been more extensive revivals since.
In 1857-8 it was estimated that 50,000 conversions per week occurred
for six or eight weeks in succession in the northern part of the United
Statea

HnnJEBAXCES TO EEYIVAIS. 275
plora To expect perfection in such a work as this, of such
extent, and carried on by human instrumentality, is utterly
unreasonable and absurd Evils doubtless did exist aud have
existed They were to be expected of course, and guarded
against, as far as posdble. And I do not beheve the world's
history can fumidi one instance ia which a rerival, approach
ing to this in extent and influence, has been attended vriih so
few evils, and so httie that is honestiy to be deplored
But how hsis this blessed work of God been treated ? Ad
mitting all the erils complained of to be real, which is far
from beiag tme, they would only be like spots upon the disc
of the glorious sun ; things hardly to be tiiought of, in com
parison of the infinite greatness and exceUence of the work.
And yet how have a great portion of the Presbyterian church
received and treated ti4s blessed work of God ? At the Gen
eral Assembly, that grave body of men that represent ihe
Presbyterian Church, in the midst of this great work, instead
of appointing a day of thanksgiving, instead of praising and
glorifying God for the greatness of his work, we hear from
ihem the voice of rebuke. From the reporte tliat were given
of the speeches made there, it appears that the house was
fiUed vrith complainings. Instead of devising measures to
forward the work, thefr attention seemed to be taken up with
the comparatively trifling evUs that were inddental to it. And
after mudi complaining, ihey absolutely appointed a commit
tee, and sent forth a " Pastoral Letter " to the churches, cal
culated to exdte suspicions, quench the zeal of God's people,
and tum ihem off from giving glory to God for the greatness
of the blessing, to finding fault and carping about the evils.
When I heard whai was done at that General Assembly, when
I read thefr speeches, when I saw thefr pastoral letter, my
soul was dck, an unutterable feeling of distress came over my
mind and I fdt that God would "ridt" the Presbyterian
churdi for conduct hke this. And ever since, the glory has
been departing, and rerivals have been becoming less and lesa
frequent — ^less and less powerful*
And now I vrish it could be known whether those ministers
who poured out those complainings on the floor of the Gen
eral Assembly, and who were instrumental in getting up that
pastoral letter, have since been blessed in promoting revivals
of religion — ^whether the Spirit of God has been upon them,
• The strange opposition of such men as Dr. Lyman Beecher and
Mr. Nettleton had much to do with provoking and sustain, ng thia
opposition.

S78 HINDEBAKGES TO BEYTYALa.
and whether thefr diurches can vritness that ihey have aa
unction from the Holy One.
23. Ecdesiadicd difficulties axe calculated to grieve away
the Spirit, and destroy rerivala It has always been the pol
icy of the deril to tum off the attention of ministers from
the work of the Lord to disputes and ecdesiastical Utigationa
Preddent Edwards was obliged to be teken up for a long
time in disputes before ecclesiastical councils ; and in our
days, and in the midst of these great rerivals of rehgion,
these difficulties have been alarmingly and shamefuUy multi-
pUed Some of the most efficient ministers in the church
have been caUed off from thefr dfrect efforts to vrin souls to
Christy to attend day after day, and in some instances
week after week, to diaxges preferred against them, or
thefr feUow-laborers in the ministry, which could never be
sustained Look at PhUadelphia : what endless and disgraceful jang-
lings have distracted and disgraced the churdi cS God in that
dty, and through the length and breadth of the land And
in tiie Presbyt^an churdh ai large these ecdesiastical diffi
culties have produced evils enough to make creation weep.
Brother Beman was shamefuUy and wickedly called off from
promoting revivals, to attend a trial before his ovm presby
tery, upon charges whicL if true, were most of them ridicu
lous, but which could never be sustained. And since that
time a great portion of his time has, it would seem necessa
rily, been taken up vriih ihe adjustment of eccledasiical dif
ficulties. Brother Duffield, of CaxUde, Brother Barnes, of
Philadelphia, and others of God's most successful ministers,
have been hindered a condderable part of thefr time for years
by these difficultiea OL teU it not in Gath ! When wUl
those ministers and professors of religion who do Uttie or
nothing themsdves, let others alone, and lei them work for
God? 24 Another thing by which rerivals may be hindered is
censoriousness on either side, and especially in those who have
been engaged in carrying forward a revival. It is to be ex
pected that the opposers of the work vriU watoh for the halt
ing of ite friends, and be sure to censure them for aU thai is
wrong, and not unfrequentiy for that which is right in thefr
conduct EspeciaUy is it to be expected that many censo
rious and unchristian remarks vriU be made about those that
are the most prominent instruments in promoting the work.
This censoriousness on the part of the opposers of the work,
whether in or out of the churdi, wiU not^ however, of iteelf

hutdebaxces to BEVivALa 277
put a stop to ttie rerival WhUe ite promoters keep humble,
and in a prayerful spirit, whUe ihey do not retahate, but pos
sess thefr souls in patience, whUe ihey do noi suffer them
sdves to be diverted te recriminate, and grieve away the spirit
of prayer, the work wUl go forward ; as in the case referred
to, where a minister was on trial for six weeks in the midst
of a rerival There the people kepi in the dust, and prayed
not BO much for thefr minister, for they had left bim with
Grod but vrith strong crying and tears pleading with God
for sinnera And God heard and blessed ihem, and the work
went on. Censoriousness in those who axe opposed to the
work is but Uttie to be dreaded for they have not the Spirit,
and nothing depends on them, and ihey can hinder the work
only just so fax as they themselves have influence personaUy.
But the others have the power of the Holy Spirit, and the
work depends on thefr keeping in a right temper. If they
get vyrong and grieve away the Spirit, tiiere is no help, the
work must cease. Whatever provocation, therefore, the pro
moters of this blessed work may have had if it ceases, the
respondbUity vriU be theira And one of the most alarming
facts, in regard to this matter, is that in many instances, those
who have been engaged in carrying forward the work, appear
to have lost the Spirit They are becoming diverted are be
ginning to think that the oppodtion is no longer to be toler
ated and that they must come oui and reply in the news
papers to what they say. It should be known and univer-
saUy understood that whenever the friends and promoters of
this greatest of rerivals suffer themselves to be called off to
newspaper jangUngs, to attempt to defend themselves, and
reply to those who vmte against ihem, the Spirit of Prayer
v»Ul be entfrely grieved away, and the work wUl cease.
Nothing is more detrimental to rerivals of rehgion, and so
•!t has always been found thai for the promoters of ihem to lis
ten to the opposition, and begin to reply. This was found to
be tme in the days of President Edwards, as you who are
acquainted vrith his book on Eerivals axe wdl awaxa
II I. I proceed to mention some things which ought to be
done, to continue this great and glorious rerival of rdigioi^;
which has been in progress for the last ten yeara
1. There should be great and deep repentings on the part of
ministers. WE, my brethren, must humble ourselves before
God It vriU not do for us to suppose that it is enough to
caU on the people to repent We must repent '^e must take
the lead in repentance, and then call on the churches to
follow.

278 HlNDEBANCES TO BEVIVALS.
EspeciaUy inust those repent who have taken the lead in
producing the feelings of opposition and distrust m regard to
rerivals. Some ministers have- confined thefr opposition
against revivals and rerival measures to thefr ovm congrega
tions, and created such suspicions among thefr own people
as to prevent the work from spreading and prevaUing among
them. Such ministers would do weU to consider the remarks
of President Edwards on this subject
" If ministers preach never so good doctrine, and axe never
so painfnl and laborious in thefr work, yet, if at such a day
as this, they show to thefr people, that ihey are noi well-
affected to this work, but are very doubtful and suspidous of
it, ihey wUl be very likdy io do thefr people a great deal more
hurt than good ; for the very fame of such a great and ex
traordinary work of God if tiiefr people were suffered to be
heve it to be his work, and the example of other towns, to
gether with what preaching they might hear occasionaUy,
would be hkely to have a much greater influence upon the
minds of thefr people, to awaken and animate them in re
ligion, than all thefr labors vrith them ; and besides thefr
minister's opinion would not only beget in them a suspicion of
the work they hear of abroad whereby the mighty hand of
God that appears in it, loses its influence upon thefr minds,
but it wUl also tend to create a suspicion of everything of
the hke nature, that shaU appear among themselves, as being
something of the same distemper that is to become so epi
demical in the land and that is, in effect, to create a suspi-
don of aU rital religion, and to put the people upon talking
against it, and discouraging it, wherever it appears, and
knocking it in the head as fast as it rises. And we that are
ministers, by looldng on this work, from year to year, vrith a
displeased countenance, shaU effectually keep the sheep from
thefr pasture, instead of doing the part of shepherds to
them, by feeding ihem ; and our people had a great deal
better be vrithout any settied minister at aU at such a day as
thia" Others have been more pubhc, and aimed at exerting a
wider influence. Some have written pieces for the pubhc
papers Some men in high standing in the church have cii^
culated letters which never were printed. Others have had
thefr letters printed and cfrculated There seems to have
been a system of letter-writing about the country calculated
to create distrust In ihe days of President Edwards, sub-
atentiaUy the same course was pursued in view of which he
Bays in hiEi work on rerivals :

HINTIEBAXCES TO EEVIYAL8. 279
" Great care should be taken that the press should be im-
proved to no purpose contrary to the interests of this work.
We read thai when God fought against Sisera, for the de-
hverance of his oppressed church, they that handle the pen of
the writer came to tiie hdp of the Lord in that affafr. — Judges
V. 14 Whatever sort of men in Israel they were that were
intended yet as the words were indited by a Spirit that had
a perfect riew of all evente to the end of the world and had a
spedal eye in this song, io that great event of the deUver-
ance of God's churdi, in the latter days, of which this de-
hverance of Israel was a type, it is not unlikdy that they
have respect to authors, those that should fight against the
kingdom of Satan vrith thefr pens. Those therefore that
publish pamphlets to the disadvantage of this work, and
tending either dfrectiy or indfrectiy to bring it under suspi-
don, and to discourage or hinder it, would do weU tho
roughly to condder whether this be not indeed the work of
God, and whether, if it be, it is not Ukdy that God vrill go
forth as fire, to consume aU that stand in his way, and so
bum up those pamphlets ; and whether there be not danger
that the fire thai is kindled in them wiU scorch the authors."
AU these must repent God never wUl forgive ihem, nor
wiU they ever enjoy his blessing on thefr preaching, or be
honored to labor in rerivals tiU they repent. This duty
Preddent Edwards pressed upon ministers in his day, in the
most forcible terma There doubtiess have been now, as
there were then, faulte on both ddea And there must be
deep repentance, and mutual confesdons of feulte on both
sides. " There must be a great deal done ai confessing of feults,
on both ddes; for undoubtedly many and great are the
faults that have been committed in the janglmg and confu-
dons, and mixtures of Ught and darkness, thai have been of
late. There is hardly any duty more contrary to our corrupt
dispodtions, and mortifying to the pride of man ; but it
must be done. Eepentance of feults is, in a pecuhar man
ner, a proper duty, when the kingdom of heaven is at hand
or when we espedaUy expect or desfre thai it should come,
as appears by John the Baptist's preadiing. And if God
does now loudly caU upon us to repeni, then he also calls
upon us to to make proper manifestetions of our repentanca
I am persuaded that tiiose that have openly opposed this
work, or have from time to time spoken Ughtiy of it, cannot
be excused in the dght of God vrithout openly confessing
thefr feult therein, espedaUy if tiiey be ministera If they

280 HINDEBAKCES TO BEYIVALS.
have any way, either dfrectiy or indfrectiy, opposed the work,
or have so behaved in thefr pubhc performances or privat
conversation, as has prejudiced the minds of thefr peopk
against ihe work, if hereafter ihey shall be convinced of the
goodness and divinity of whai they have opposed tliey ought
by no means to palliate the matter, and excuse themsdves,
and pretend that they always thought so, and that it was
only such and such imprudences that ihey objected against,
but they ought openly to declare thefr conriction, and con
demn themselves for what they have done ; for it is Christ
that they have spoken against, in speaking Ughtiy o( and
prejudicing others against this work ; yea, worse than that,
it is the Holy Ghost. And though they have done it igno
rantiy, and in unbeUef, yei when they find out who it is that
they have opposed undoubtedly God wiU hold them bound
pubUdy to confess it.
"And on ihe other dde, if those that have been zealous to
promote the work, have in any of the forementioned instances
openly gone much out of the way, and done that which ia
contrary to Christian rules, whereby H;hey have openly injured
others, or greatiy riolated good order, and so done thai
which has wounded rehgion, they must pubUdy confess it,
and humble themselves, as they would gatlier out the stones,
and prepare the way of God's people. They who have laid
great stumbhng blocks in others' way, by thefr open transgres
sion, axe bound to remove ihem, by thefr open repentance."
liiere are ministers in our day, I say it not in unkindness
but in faithfulness, and I would tiiai I had them aU here be
fore me whUe I say it, who seem io have been engaged mudi
of thefr time for years in doing httie else than acting and
talking and writing in such a way as to create suspidon in
regard to rerivals. And I cannot doubt that thefr diurchea
would, as President Edwards says, be better vritii no minis
ter at all, unless they vrill repeni, and regain his blessing.
2. Those churches which have opposed revivals must humble
ihemselves and repent. Churches which have stood aloof or
hindered ihe work must repent of thefr sin, or God vriU not
go vrith them. Look at those churches now, who have been
throwing suspicion upon rerivals. Do they enjoy rerivals ?
Does the Holy Ghost descend upon them, to enlarge them
and buUd them up ? There is one of the churches in this
dty, where the session have beep pubhdiing in the news
papers what ihey call thefr " Act and Testimony," calculated
to excite an unreasonable and groundless suspidon against
amny ministers who are laboring successfuUy to promote re-

HIKDEBAKCES TO BBVIVA1& 28]
rivala And what is the state of that church? Have they
had a rerival ? Why it appears from the official report to
the General Assembly, that it has dwindled in one year
twenty-seven per cent. And all such churches vriU continue
to dvrindle, in spite of everything else that can be done, un
less they repent and have a rerival. They may pretend to
be mighty pious, and jealous for ihe honor of God but God
vriU not beUeve ihey are sincera And he wUl manifest his
displeasure, by not pouring out his Spirit. If I had a voice
loud enough, I should like to make every one of these
diurches and ministers thai have dandered rerivals, hear me,
when I say, thai I beheve ihey have helped to bring the paU
of death over the churdi, and that the curse of God is on
ihem afready, and vriU remain unless they repent. God has
already sent leanness into thefr souls, and many of ihem
know it.
3. Those who have been engaged in promoting the work must
also repeni. Whatever they have done that was wrong must
be repented of, or rerivals wiU not return as in days past.
Whenever a wrong spirit has been manifested or they have
got initated and provoked at the oppodtion, and lost thefr
temper, or mistaken Christian faithfulness for hard words
and a v?rong spirit, they must repent Those who axe op
posed could never stop a rerival alone, unless those who pro
mote it get vrrong. So we must repent if we have said things
that were censorious, or proud or arrogant, or severe. Such
a time as this is no time to stand justifying ourselves. Our
first call is to repent Let each one repent of his own sins,
and not faU out, and quarrel about who is most to blame.
4 The church mud take right ground in regard to pditics. Do
not suppose, now, thai I am going to preadi a pohtical ser
mon, or that I vrish to have you join and get up a Christian
party in politics. No, I do not bdieve in that But the time
has come that Christians must vote for honest men, and take
condstent ground in pohtics, or the Lord wUl curse them.
They must be honest men themselves, and instead of voting
for a man because he belongs to tiiefr party Bank or Anti-
Bank, Jackson, or Anti-Jackson, they must find out whether
he is honest and upright, and fit to be trusted They must
let the world see that tLe church vriU uphold no man in
office, who is known to be a knave, or an adulterer, or a Sab
bath-breaker, or a gambler, or a drunkard Such is the
spread of intelligence and tlie fadUty of communication in
our countiy, that every man can know for whom he gives his
vote I And if ho wiU give his vote only for honest men, the

282 HINDEEANCES TO BBYIYALS.
country vriU be obhged to have upright mlera AU parties
wiU be compeUed to put up honest men as candidatea
Christians have been exceedingly guUty in this matter. But
the time has come when they must act differentiy, or God
vriU curse the nation, and vrithdraw his spirit. As on the
subject of slavery and temperance, so on this subject, the
diurch must act right or the country vriU be mined. God
cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love
and pray for, unless the church vriU take right ground Pol
itics axe a part of religion in such a country as this, and
Christians must do thefr duty to the country as a paxt of thefr
duty to God It seems sometimes as if ihe foundations of
the nation were becoming rotten^ and Christians seem to act
as if they thought God did not see what they do in poUtica
But I teU you, he does see it, and he wiU bless or curse this
nation, according to the course ihey take.
5. The churches must take right grounds on the subject of sla
very. And here the question arises, what is right ground ?
And FiEST I vriU stete some things that should be avoided
(1.) Ffrst of aU, a bad spirit should be avoided. Nothing
is more calculated io injure reUgion, and to injure the daves
themselves, than for Christians to get into an angry contro
versy on the subject. It is a subject upon which there needs
to be no angry controversy among Chnstians. Slave-holdiog
professors, hke rum-seUing professors, may endeavor to justi
fy themselves, and may be angry with those who press thefr
consdences, and caU upon ihem to give up thefr sins. Those
proud professoirs of rehgion who tbinlr a man to blame, or
think it is a shame to have a black ddn, may aUow thefr pre
judices so far to prevaU, as to shut thefr ears, and be dis
posed to quarrel vriih those who urge the subject upon them.
But I repeat it, the subject of davery is a subject upon which
Christians, praying men, need not and must not differ.
(2.) Another thing to be avoided is an attempt to take neu
tral ground on this subject Christians can no more take
neutral ground on this subject, since it has come np for dis
cussion, than ihey can teke neuti'al ground on the subject of
the sanctification of the SabbatL It is a great national sin.
It is a sin of the church. The churches by thefr sUence, and
by permitting daveholders to belong to thefr communion,
have been consenting to it AU denominations have been
more or less guUty, although the Quakers have of late years
washed thefr hands of it It is in vain for the diurches to
pretend ii is merely a pohtical sin. I repeat it, it is the sin
of the church, tr which all denominations have consented

HUTDEEAlfCBS TO BEVTVALS. 283
They have virtuaUy dedared that it is lawful. The very fact
of suffering daveholders quietiy to remain in good standing
in thefr diurdies, is the strongest and most pubUc expresdon
of thefr riews that it is not sin. For the churdi, therefore,
io pretend to take neutral ground on the subject, is perfectiy
absurd The fact is that she is not on neutral ground at all
WhUe she tolerates daveholders in her communion SHE
JUSTIFIES THE PEACTICE. And as weU might an ene-
mv of God pretend that he was neither saint nor sinner, that
he was going to take neutral ground and pray "good Lord
and good deril," because he did not know which dde would
be most popular.
(3.) Great care should be taken to avoid a censorious spirit
on both sides. It is a subject on which there has been, and
probably vriU be for some time to come, a difference of opinion
among Christians, as to the best method of disposing of the
question. And ii ought io be treated with great forbearance
on both ddea A denunciatory spirit, impeaching each other's
motives, is unchristian, calculated to grieve the Spirit of God
and to put down rerivals, and is alike injurious io the churcL
and to the slaves themsdvea
In the SECOND place, I vriU mention several things, that in
my judgment the church are imperatively caUed upon to do,
on this subject :
(1.) Christians of aU denominations, should lay adde pre
judice and inform themselves on this subject, vrithout any de
lay. Vast multitudes of professors of religion have indulged
prejudice io such a degree, as to be unwilling to read and
hear, and come to a right understanding of the subject Bui
Christians cannot pray in this state of mind I defy any one
to possess the spirit of prayer, whUe he is too prejudiced to
examine this, or any other question of duty. If the hght did
not shine. Christians might remain in the dark upon this
point, and stUl possess the spirit of prayer. But if they re
fuse to come to the light, they cannot pray. Now I call upon
all you who are here present, and who have not examined
this subject because you were indisposed to examine it, to
say whether you have the spirit of prayer. Where ministers,
indiridual Christians, or whole churdies, resist truth upon
this point now, when it is so extensively diffused and before
the pubhc mind, I do not beUeve they vriU or can enjoy a re
rival of religion.
(2.) Writings, containing temperate and judicious discus-
dons on this subject, and such devdopmente of fe«te as are
before the pubhc, should be quietiy and extendvdv cfrculated

284 HINDEBANCES TO BEVIVALS.
and should be carefuUy and prayerfuUy examined by tha
whole church. I do not mean by this, that the attention of
the church should be so absorbed by this, as to neglect the
main question, of saring souls in the midst of them. I do
not mean thai such premature movemente on this subject
should be made, as to astound the Christian community, and
involve them in a broU ; but that praying men should act
judiciously, and that, as soon as sufficient information can
be diffused through the community, the churdies should
meekly, but hbmly take decided ground on the subject, and
express before the whole nation and the world thefr abhor
rence of this sin.
The anti-masonic exdtement which prevaUed a few years
since, made such desolations iu ihe churches, and produced
for a time so much alienation of feeUng and UI wiU among
ministers and people, and the first introduction of this sub
ject has been attended with such commotions, that many
good ministers, who axe themselves entfrely opposed to dav
ery, dread io introduce the subject among thefr people,
through fear that thefr churdies have not rel^on enough to
take it up, and condder ii calmly, and decide upon it in the
spirit of the Gospel I know there is danger of this. But
stiU the subject must be presented to ihe churches. And if
iairoduced vrith discretion, and vrith great prayer, there are
very few churdies that have enjoyed rerivals, and that axe ai
the present time anywhere near a rerival spfrit, which may
not be brought to receive the truth on this subject Let thefr
be no mistake here. WUham Morgan's expose of freemasonry
was pubhshed in 1826. The consequent excitement and dis
cussion continued untU 1830. In the mean time the churches
had very generaUy borne thefr testimony against freemasonry,
and resolved that they could not feUowship adhering masona
As a consequence ihe Masonic Lodges generaUy disbanded
and gave up thefr chariera There was a general stampede
of professed Christians from the lodges. Qlis prepared the
way, and in 1830, the greatest rerival the world had then
ever seen commenced in ihe center of ihe anti-masonic region,
and spread over the whole field where the church action had
been taken until its converts numbered 100,000 soula
Perhaps no church in this countiy has had a more severe
trial upon this subject than this. They were a churdi of
young and for the most part inexperienced Christiana And
many cfrcumstances conspfred in my absence, to produce con
fudon and vnxmg feeling among ihem. But so fer as I am
now acquainted vrith the state of feeling in this church, I

HINDEEANCEU TO EEYIYAUS. 286
know of no iU wUl among them on this subject. The Lord
has blessed us, the apirit has been distiUed upon us, and con
siderable numbers added to our communion every month
since my return. There axe doubtiess in this church those
who fed on tiiis subject in very different degreea And yet I
can honestiy say that I am not aware of the least difference
171 sentiment among them. We have from the beginning, pre
vious to my going on my foreign tour, taken ihe same
ground on the subject of davery that we have on temper
anca We have excluded daveholders and all concerned in
the traffic from our communion. By some out of this church
this course has been censured as unwarrantable and unchari
table, and I would by no means make my own judgment, or
the example of this church, a rule for the government of
other ministers and churchea SiUl, I conscientioudy beheve
thai the time is not fax distant when the churches wUl be
united in this expresdon of abhorrence against this sin. If I
do not baptize slavery by some soft and Christian name, if I
caU ii SIN, both consistency and conscience conduct to the
ineriteble concludon, that whUe ibis sin is persevered in, ite
perpetrators cannot be fit subjects for Christian communion
and feUowship.
To this it is objected that there are many ministers in the
Presbyterian church who axe slaveholders. And it is said to
be very inconsistent that we should refuse to suffer a dave-
holder io come to our communion, and yet bdong 'to the
dame church with ihem, dt vriih them in ecdedastical bodies,
and acknowledge them as ministers. To this I answer, thai
I have not the power to deal vriih those ministers, and cer
tainly I am not to vrithdraw from the church because some of
its ministers or members are daveholders. My duty is to bo-
long to the churcL even if the deril belong to ii. Where I
Imvc authority, I exclude daveholders from the communion,
and I always vriU as long as I Uve. But where I have no au
thority, if tiie teble of Christ is spread I ^nU sit dovm to it,
in obedience io his commandment, whoever dse may dt down
or stey away.
I do noi mean, by any means, to denounce aU those dave-
holding ministers and professors as hypocrites, and to say
that they axe not Christiana But this I say, that while
they continue in that attitude, the cause of Christ and of
humanity demands, that they should not be recognized aa
sucL unless we mean to be partakers of other men's sina
It is no more inconsistent to exdude daveholders because
they bdong to the Presbyterian churcL than it is to ex

289 HIXDEBANCES TO BEVIYALa.
dude persons who drink or sell ardent spirits. For there
are a great many rum-sellers belonging to ihe Presbyterian
diurcL I beheve the time has come, and although I am no prophet,
I beUeve it wiU be found io have come, that the rerival in the
United States vriU continue and prevail, no farther and fester
than the church take right ground upon this subject. The
diurch are God's vritnesses. The feci is that davery is, pre-
eminentiy, the sin of the church. It is ihe very fact thai min
isters and professors of reUgion of different denominations
hold daves, which sanctifies the whole abomination, in the
eyes of ungodly men. Who does not know that on the
subject of temperance every drunkard in the land wUl skulk
behind some mm-seUing deacon, or vrine-drinking minister ?
It is the most common objection and refuge of ihe intem
perate, and of moderate drinkers, that it is practised by pro
fessors of rehgion. It is this that creates the imperious neces
dty for excluding traffickers in ardent spirit, and rum-drink
ers from the communion. Let the churches of all denomina
tions ^eak oui on the subject of temperance ; let them dose
their doors against all who have anything to do vrith the
death-dealing abomination, and the cause of temperance is tri
umphant A few years would annihUate the iraffia Just so
vrith davery.
It is the church that mainly supports this dn. Her
united testimony upon this subject would settie the ques
tion. Let Christians of all denominations meekly but firmly
come fortL and pronounce thefr verdict ; let them clear
thefr communions, and wash thefr hands of this thing ; let
ihem give forth and vmte on the head and front of this
great abomination, SIN ! and in three years a pubhc senti
ment would be formed thai would carry aU before ii, and
there would not be a shackled slave, nor a bristling, cruel
dave-driver in this land
StUl it may be said, that in many churdies, this subject
cannot be introduced vrithout creating confusion and Ul-wilL
This may be. It has been so upon the subject of temper
ance, and upon the subject of rerivals too. In some
diui'ches, neither temperance nor rerivals can be intioduced
without producing dissendon. Sabbath-schools, and mis-
, sionary operations, and everything of the kind have been op
posed, and have produced dissensions in many churchea
But is this a suffident reason for exduding these subjecte?
And where churches have exciuded these subjecte for fear of
contention, have ihey been blessed vrith rerivals? Every

HUrDEBANCBB TO BEYTYALa. 287
body knows thai ihey have not Bui where churches have
taken firm ground on these subjecte, although indiriduals and
sometimes numbers have opposed stiU they have been
blessed vrith rerivals. Where any of these subjects are
caxefuUy and prayerfuUy introduced ; where they are brought
forward vrith a right spirit, and the tme rdative importance
is attached to each one of ihem ; if in sudi cases, there are
those who wUl make disturbance and resist. Id Oie blame fall
where it ought There are some indiriduals, who axe themsdves
disposed to quarrel with this subject, who are always ready
to exdaim, " Do not introduce these things into the church,
they •mil create oppodtion." And if the minister and pray
ing people feel ii thefr duty to bring ihe matter forward ihey
wiU themsdves create a disturbance, and then say, " There, I
told you so ; now see whai your introducing this subject has
done ; it vriU tear tha church all to piecea" And whUe
they are themselves doing aU they can to create dividon,
ihey are charging the dividon upon the subjeci, and not
upon themsdvea There are some sudi people in many
of our churdiea And neither Sabbath-schools, nor mis
dons, nor rerivals, nor anti-davery, nor anything else that
honors God or benefits the souls of men, vnU be carried in
the churches, vrithout these careful souls being offended
by it
These things, however, have been introduced and carried
one by one, in some churches with more, and others vriih less
oppodtion, and perhaps in some churches with no oppodtion
at all And as tme as God is the God of the churdi, as cei^
tain as that the world must be converted this subject must
be conddered and pronounced sin by the diurcL There
might, infinitely better, be no church in the world than that
she should attempt to remain neutral or give a false testi
mony on a subject of such importance as slavery, especiaUy
since the subject has come up, and it is imposdble from the
nature of the case, that her testimony should not be in the
scale, on the one side or the other.
Do you ask, " What shaU be done — shaU we make it the
all-absorbing topic of conversation, and divert attention from
the all-important subject of the salvation of souls in the
midst of us?" I answer. No. Let a church express her
opinion upon the subject, and be at peace. So far as I
know, uie axe entfrely at peace upon this subject We have
expressed our opinion ; we have dosed our communion
against slaveholders, and are attending to other thinga I
am not aware of the least unhealthy excitement among ua

288 HINDEBAITCES TO BEVIYALa
on this subject And vriiere it has become an absorbing
topic of conversation in a place, in most instances I beheve it
bsfi been owing to the pertinadous and unreasonable oppo
dtion of a few mdiriduals against even granting the subject a
hearing. 6. If the church vrishes to promote rerivals, she mud sano-
tify (he Sabbath. There is a vast deal of Sabbath-breaking in
tiie land Merchante break it, traveUers break it, the Govern
ment breaks it. A few years ago an attempt was made in the
western paxt of this State, to establish and sustain a Sabbath-
keeping Une of boats and stages. But it was found that the
ohurch would not sustain the enterprise. Many professors of
religion would not travel fri these stages, and would not have
thefr goods forwarded in canal-boats that would be detained
from travelling on tiie SabbatL Ai one time, Christians
were much engaged in petitioning Congress to suspend the
Sabbath mails, and now ihey seem to be ashamed of ii. But
one thing is most certain, thai unless something is done, and
done speedUy, and done effectuaUy, to promote the sanctifi
cation of the Sabbath by the church, the Sabbath wUl go by
the board and we shall not only have our mails running on
the Sabbath, and post-offices open, but by and by our courts
of justice and halls of legidation vriU be kept open on the
SabbatL And what can the church do, whai \nil this nation
do, WITHOUT ANT SaBBATH ?
7. The church must take right ground on the subject of
Temperance and Moral Eeform, and all the subjects of prac
tical morality which come up for d-ecision from tune to tima
There axe those in the diurches who axe standing aloof
from the subject of Moral Eeform, and who are afraid to have
anything said in the pulpit against lewdness. On this sub
ject the churdi need not expect to be permitted to take
neutral ground In the proridence of God it is up for dis
cusdon. I!he erils have been exhibited the caU has been
made for reform. And whai is to reform mankind but the
truth? And who shall present the truth if not the diurch
and the ministry ? Away vrith ihe idea that Christians can
remain neutral and keep stUl, and yet enjoy the approbation
and blessing of God
In aU such cases, the minister who holds his peace is
oounted among those on the other dde. Everybody knows
that it is so in a rerival. It is noi necessary for a person to
rail oui against the work. If he only keeps stUl and takes
neutral ground the enemies of the rerival vriU aU consider
him as on thefr aide. So on the subject of temperanca It

HrNDEBANCBS TO BEVTVALS. 289
a not needful that a person should rail at the cold-water so
dety, iu order to be on the best terms vriih drunkards and
moderate drinkers. Only let him plead for the moderate use
jf vrine, only let him continue to drink it as a luxury, and all
the drunkards account him on thefr dde. If he refuses to
give his influence to the temperance cause, he is claimed of
course by ihe other dde as a friend On all these subjects,
when they come up, ihe diurches and ministers must take
the right ground and take it openly and stand to it, and car^
ry it tiirougL if they expect to enjoy the blessing of God in
rerivala They must cast out from thefr communions such
members, as in contempt of the hght thai is she^ upon them,
continue to drink or traffic in ardent spirite
8. There must be more done for aH (he great objects of Chris
tian benevolence. There must be mudi greater ^orte for the
cause of misdons, and education, and the Bible, and aU ihe
other brandies of reUgious enterprise, or the church vriU dis
please God Look at it Think of ihe mercies we have re-
cdved of the wealth, numbers and prosperity of the churcL
Have we rendered unto God according to the benefite we
have received, so as to diow thai the church is bountiful and
willing to give thefr money and to work for God ? No. Par
from it Have we multipUed our means and enlarged our
plans, in proportion as the church has increased? Is God
satisfied vriih what has been done, or has he reason to be?
Such a rerival as has been enjoyed by the churdies of America
for ihe last ten years I We ought to have done ton times as
much as we have for misdons. Bibles, education, tracts, free
churdies, and in aU the ways designed to promote religion
and save souls. If the churches do not wake up on this sub
ject, and lay themselves out on a larger scale, they may ex
pect the rerival in the United states wiU cease.
9. If Christians in the United States expect rerivals to
spread and prevail, tUl the world is converted, they must give
np writing letters and publishing pieces calculated to excite
suspicion and jealousy in regard to revivals, and must take
hold of the work themsdvea If the whole church as a body
had gone to work ten years ago, and continued ii as a few
indiriduals, whom I could name, have done, there would not
now have been an impenitent sinner in the land The nul
lennium would have fuUy come in the United States before this
day. Instead of standing stUl, and writing letters from Berk-
shfre, let ministers who think we are going vmong, just buckle
on the harness and go forward, and show us a more exceUent
way. Let ihem teadi us by thefr example how to do better.
13

290 HINDEBANCES to BBYIYALS.
I do not deny that some may have made mistakes, and coin
mitted errors. I do not deny thai there are many things
which axe vrrong done in rerivals by some persona But is
that the way to correct them, bretiiren ? So did not Paul
He corrected his brethren by teUing them Idndly that he would
show ihem a more excellent way. Let our brethren take hold
and go forward. Let us hear the cry from aU thefr pulpita
To THE woBK. Let them lead on, where the Lord vriU go with
ihem and make bare his arm, and I, for one, vriU foUow.
Jnly let them GO ON, and let us have the United States con-
trerted to God and let aU minor questions cease.
If not, and if rerivals do cease in this land the ministers
and diurches wiU be guUty of aU the blood of aU the souls
that shaU go to heU in consequence of it. There is no need
that the work should cease. If the church vriU do aU her
duty, the mUlennium may come in this country in three yeara
But if this vmting letters is to be kept up, filling the country
with suspicions and jealousies, if it is to be always so, that
two-thfrds of the church wUl hang back and do nothing but
find feult in time of rerival, the curse of God vrill be on this
nation, and that before long. BEMABKa
1. It is high time there diould be great searchings of heart
among Christians and ministera Brethren, this is no time to
redst the trutL or to cavil and find fault because the truth is
spoken out plainly. It is no time to recriminate or to strive,
but we must search our own hearts, and humble ourselves be
fore God
2. We must repent and forsake our was, and amend our
ways and our doings, or the rerival vriU cease. Our ecded
astical difficulties MUST CEASE, and aU minor differences
must be laid adde and given up, to unito in promoting the
great interests of reh^on. If not, rerivals wiU cease from
among us, and the blood of lost milhons vriU be found in our
skfrts. If the church would do aU her duty, she would soon com
plete the triumph of reUgion in the world But if this Ad
and Testimony warfare is to be kept up, and this system of
espionage, and insinuation and denunciation, not only wUl
rerivals cease, but the blood of mUhons who wiU go to heU
before ihe church vriU get over the shock, wUl be found iu the
skirts of the men who have got up and carried on ibis dread-
ba. contention.

HINTDEBANCBS TO BEVTVALS. 281
4 Those who have cfrculated danderous reports in regard
to rerivals, must repent A great deal has been said about
heresy, and about some men's denying the Spirit's influenQe,
which is whoUy groundless, and has been made up out of
nothing. And those who have made up the reports, and those
who have cfrculated ihem against thefr brethren, must repent
and pray to Gkid thai ihey may receive his forgiveness.
5. We see the constant tendency there is in Christians to de-
ilendon and backdiding. This is true in all converte of all
rerivala Look at the rerival in Preddent Edwards' day.
The work went on tUl 30,000 souls had been converted and
by tills time so many ministers and Christians got in such a
state, by writing books and pamphlete, on one dde and thf
other, thai ihey carried all by the board and the reriva.
ceased Those who had opposed the work grew obstinate
and riolent^ and those who promoted it lost tiiefr meekness
and got iU-tempered and were then driven iato the verv eril'
thai had been falsely charged upon them.
And now, what shaU we do ? This great and glorious work
of God seems to be indicating a dedina The rerival is not
dead — ^blessed be God for that — ^it is not dead 1 No, we hear
from aU parte of the land thai Christians axe reading on the
subject and inquiring about the rerival In some places there
axe now powerful rerivala And what shaU we do, to lift up
the standard to move this entfre nation and turn aU this
great people to the Lord? We must DO BIGHT. We must
all have a better spirit, we must get dovm in the dust, we
must act unitedly, we must take hold of this great work with
aU pur hearte, and then God vriU bless us, and the work wUl
go on.
What is the condition of this nation ? No doubt, God is
holding the rod of WAB over the heads of this nation. He
is waiting before he lete loose his judgmente, to see whether
the churdi wUl do right The nation is under his displeasure,
because the church has conducted in such a manner vrith re
spect to rerivala And now suppose wax should come, where
would be our rerivals ? How quickly would war swaUow up
the rerival spirit. The spirit of war is anything but the spirit
of rerivala Who vriU attend to the daims of religion, when
the pubUc mind is engrossed by the aU-absorbing topic of
war. See now, how this nation is, all at once, brought upon
the brink of war. God brandishes his blazing sword over
our heada WUl the chnrch repent? It is THE CHUECH
that God chiefly has in riew. How shall we avoid the curse
of wax ? Only by a reformation in the churcL It is in vain

192 HINDBBAirOES TO BEYIVALB.
to look to pohtidans to avert wax. Perhaps ihey would gen
eraUy be in fevor of war. Very likely the things they would
do to avert it would run us right into it. If the churdi vriU
not fed, vriU not awake, wUl not act, where shaU we look for
hdp? If fhe diurdi absolutely will not move, vriU not trem
ble in view of the just judgmente of God hanging over our
heads, we are certainly nigh unto cursing, as a nation.
6. Whatever is done must be done quickly. The scale is on
a poise. If we do not go forward, we must go back. Things
cannot remain as they are. If the churdi do not come up, if
we do not have a more powerful rerival than we have had
very soon we diall have none at all We have had sudi a
great rerival, tiiat now small rerivals do not interest the pul>
lie mind You must act as individuala Do your own duty.
You have a respondbiUty. Eepent quickly. Do not wait till
another year. Who but God knows what vriU be the stete of
these churdies, if things go on another year without a great
and general rerival of rdigion?
7. It is common, when things get aU vrrong in the dmrch,
for each indiridual to find fault vriih the church, and vrith his
brethren, and overlook his ovm. share of the blame. Do not
let any one spend his time in finding fault vrith thai abstract
thing, "The ChurcL" But as indiridual members of the
church of Christ, lei each one act, and act right, and get
down in the dufit, and never speak proudly, or censorioudy.
GO FOEWAED. Who would leave such a work, and go to
writing letters, and go dovm into the plain of Ono, and see if
aU these petty disputes cannot be adjusted and let the work
cease. Let us mind our work, and let the Lord take care of
the rest Do our duty, and leave the issue to God
Since these lectures were dehvered great progress has been
made in all benevolent enterprises in this count^. Time haa
settied ihe question of the purity and inestimable value of
those rerivals, against whidi so much mistaken oppodtion ex
isted in the Presbyterian churcL It is now known thai the
great and disastrous reaction predicted by cpposers has not
been vriinessed It must now be admitted thai the converte
of those rerivals have composed the strength of the churches,
and that thefr Christian influence has been felt throughout
tbe land No rerivals have ever existed ihe power and purity
of which have been more thoroughly esteblished by time and
experience, than that great and blessed work of God, against
which such a storm of opposition was raised The oppod-
uion was evidently a great misteka Let ii not be said HuJk

HINDEEANCEB TO BEVIVALS. 293
the oppodtion was demanded by ihe great erils attending
that work, and tiiat those erils and errors were arrested and
corrected by thai opposition. The feet is that the supposed
errors and evils that were made the justification of the oppo
dtion, never existed to any such exteait as to justify alarm or
opposition. I have vmtten a narrative of those rerivals, in
winch I have considered this question more fnUy. The
churdies did take hold of temperance and other branches of
reform to such an extent as to avoid those evils against which
they were warned. Upon the question of davery ihe diurch
was too late in her testimony to avoid the wax. But the
daveholders were much alarmed and exasperated by ihe con
stantiy grovring oppodtion io thefr institotion throughout all
fhat region of the north where rerival uifluences had been
fdt They took up arms to defend and perpetuate the
abomioation, and by so douig abolished it

LECTURE XVI.
THE NEOESSITT AND EFFECT OF UNION.
Tut.— Again I say nnto yon. That if two of yon shall agree on earth, u timrJifi^
¦nythlng that they shall ask. It shall be done for them of my Father which ii Ji faMk-
Tun.— IIatthxw xtIU. 19.
Some weeks since, I used this text, in preadiing on the sub
ject of prayer meetongs. At present I design to enter more
into the spirit and meaning of the text. The erident design
of our Lord ia this toxt was to teach the importance and in
fluence of union in prayer and effort to promote religion. He
states the strongest posdble case by taking ihe number two,
as the least number between whom tiiere can be an agreement,
and says thai "where two oi you are agreed on eaxtL as
toudiing anything that they shaU asl^ it shaU be done for
ihem of my Father which is in heaven." It is ihe fact of
thefr agreement, upon which he lays ihe stress, and mention
ing the number two, appears to have been dedgned merely
to afford encouragement to the smaUest number between
whom there can be an agreement. Bui what are we to under
stand by being "agreed as toudiing" the things we shall ask?
I wiU answer this question under the two foUowing heads :
L By shovring thai we axe to be "agreed" in prayer.
n. We axe to agree in everything that is essential to ob
taining the blessing that we seek.
L In order to come vrithin this promise, we axe to be
agreed in prayer. This is particularly taught in the text.
That is,
1. We diould agree in our desires for the object. It is ne
cessary io have desires for the object, and to be agreed in those
desfres. Very often indiriduals pray in words for the same
thing, when they are by no means agreed in desuing that
thing. Nay, perhaps some of them, in ibefr hearts desfre
ihe very oppodte. People are called on to pray for an object,
and they aH pray for it in words, but God knows they often
do not desfre it, and perhaps he sees that the hearte of some
may, all the while, be resisting tihe prayer.
2. We must agree in the motive from which we desire tha
(294)

THE NBCBSSmr AJfD EPPEOT OF UNIOK. 296
object It is noi enough that our desfres for an objed should
be the same, but the reason why must be the same. An in
diridual may desfre a rerival, for the glory of God and the
salvation of sinners. Another member of the church may
also desfre a rerival, but from very different motivea Some,
perhaps, desfre a rerival in order to have the congregation
buUt up and strengthened so as to make it more easy for
ihem to pay thefr expenses in supporting the Gospel Another
desfres a rerival for the sake of having the church increased
so as to be more numerous and more respectable. Others
desfre a rerival because they have been opposed or eril spoken
of, and ihey widi to have thefr enemies faiow thai whatever
they may think or say, God blesses them. Sometimes people
desfre a rerival from mere natural affection, so as to have
thefr friends converted and saved If they mean to be so
united in prayer as to obtain a blessing, they must not only
desfre the blesdng, and be agreed in desiring it, but ihey must
also agree in desiring ii for the same reasons.
3. Wemust be agreed in desiring it ybr^roorfreawras. These
desfres must not only be united, and from the same motives,
but ihey must be from good motives. The supreme motive
must be to honor and glorify God. People may even desfre
a rerival, and agree in desiring it, and agree in the motives^
and yei if these motives are not good Cod vriU not grant thefr
desfrea Thus parente may be agreed in prayer for the con
verdon of thefr chUdren, and may have the same feelings and
the same motives, and yei if ihey have no higher motives than
because ihey are their children, thefr prayers vriU not be
granted They are agreed in the reason, but it is not the
right reason.
In hke manner, any number of persons might be agreed in
thefr desfres and motives, but if thefr motives are selfisL thefr
being agreed in them vriU only make them more offendve to
God "How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the
Spirit of the Lord ?" I have seen a great deal of this, where
churches have been engaged in prayer for an object, and thefr
motives were eridentiy selfisL Sometimes they are engaged
in praying for a rerival, and you would think by thefr earnest
ness and union thai they would certainly move God to grant
fhe blessing, iUl you find out the reason. And what is ii?
Why, ihey see their congregation is about to be broken up,
tmless something can be done. Or ihey see some other de
nomination gaining ground and there is no way to countc*
act ihem but by having a revival in their diurcL And aU
fhefr praying is only an attempt to g( t the Almighty in t

296 THE NECESSITY AND EFFECT OF UKIOir.
help them out of thefr difficulty, and is purely selfish and
offendve to God A woman in PhUadelphia, was inrited to
attend a female prayer meeting ai a certain placa She in
quired what they met there for, and for what they were going
to pray? She was answered that they were going to pray for
the outpouring of the Spirit upon the city. " WeU," said she,
" I shall noi go ; if they were going to pray for our conqrega-
tion I would go, but I am noi going there to pray for other
churdies !" Oh, what a spirit 1
I have had a multitude of letters and requests that I should
risit such and such places, and endeavor to promote a rerival,
and many reasons Live been urged why I should go, but when
I came to weigh thefr reasons, I have sometimes found every
one of ihem selfisL And God would look upon every one
vrith abhorrence.
In prayer meetings, how often do we hear people offer such
reasons why they desfre such and such blessings, as are not
right in the dght of God Such reasons, thai if ihey are the
tme ones, and if Christians are actuaUy excited by tiiose rea
sons, it would render thefr prayers not acceptable to God,
because thefr motive was noi right
There are a great many things often said in favor of the
cause of missions, which axe of this character, appealing to
vnrong motives. How often axe we told of six hundred mU-
Uons of heathens, who are in danger of going to hell, and how
Uttie is said of the guilt of six hundred nuUions engaged and
banded together as rebels agiEiinst God, or of the dishonor and
contempt poured upon God our Maker by such a world of
outiaws. Now I know thai God refers to those motives which
appeal to our mere natural sympathies, and compasdon, and
uses them, but always ia suborcUnation to his glory. If these
lower motives axe placed foremost, it must always produce a
defective piety and zeal, and a great deal thai is falsa Until
the church vnU look at the dishonor done to God Uttie vriU
be done. It is this which must be made to stand out before
the world it ia this which must be deeply felt by the churcL
it is this which must be fully exhibited to siimers, before the
world can ever be converted
Parents never agree in praying for the convwrdon of thefr
duldren in such a way as to have thefr prayers answered, un
til they feel that thefr chUdren axe rebels. Parents often pray
very eamestiy for thefr chUdren because ihey vrish God to
aave them, and ihey almost think hard of God if he does not
aave their chUdren, But if they would have thefr prayers
{ffevail, they must come to take God's part against thefr clul

THB ITECESBITY ANB EFFECT 02 STXIOTS. 291
dren, even though for thefr perrerseness and incorrigible
vrickedness he should be obliged to send them to hell I
knew a woman who was very anxious for the salvation of her
son, and she used to pray for him vrith agony, but stiU he re
mained impenitent, until at length she became convinced that
her prayers and agonies had been nothing but the fond yearn
ings of parental feeling, and were not dictated at aU by a just
riew of her son's character as a vrilful and vricked rebd against
God. And there was never any impresdon made on his mind
untU she was made to take strong ground against bim as a
rebel, and to look on him as deserving to be sent to heU. And
then he was converted The reason was, she never before
vras influenced by fhe righi motive in prayer, dedring his sal
vation with a supreme regard to the glory of God
4 If we would be so united as to prevEul in prayer, we must
agree in faith. That is, we must concur in expecting thei'
blessuig prayed for. We must understand the reason why it'j
is to be expected, we must see the eridence on which faith t
oughi to rest, and must absolutely believe thai the blessing ';
vrill come, or we do not bring ourselves within the promise. '|
Faith is always understood as an indispensable concUtion of I
prevailing prayer. If it is noi expressed in any particular f
case, it is always impUed for no prayer can be effectual but ¦
that which is offered in faitL And in order thai united -pTayei'
may prevaU, there must be united faith.
5. So, £^ia, we must be agreed as to the time when we de-
tire the blessing to come. Ji two or more agree in desiring a
particular blessing, and one of ihem desfres to have ii come
now, whUe others are not ready to have it quite yet, it is plaui
fhey axe not agreed They axe not united in regard to one
essential point If the blessing is to come in answer to thefr
united prayer, it must come as they prayed for it And if it
comes, it must be at some time. But if they disagree as to
fhe time when they vriU have it, plainly it can never come in
answer to thefr prayer.
Suppose a church should undertake io pray for a rerival,
and should be aU agreed in desiring a rerival, but not as to
fhe time when it shaU be. Suppose some vrish to have the
rerival come now, and are aU prepared and thefr hearts
waiting for the Spirit of God to come down, and are vrilling
to give time and attention and labor io it NOW ; but others
are not quite ready, ihey have something else to attend to at
preseni, some worldly object which they want to accomplisL
acme piece of business in hand and want just to finish this
thing, and then — but they cannot possibly find time to attenr?
13*

.:98 THE NECESSITY ASD EFFECT OF UBIOIf.
to ib now, they are not prepared to humble themselves^ to
search thefr hearte and break up thefr fallow ground and put
themselves in a posture to receive the blessing. Is it not plain
that here is no real union, for ihey are not agreed in that
which is essential ? Wlule one pari axe praying thai the re
rival may come now, the others are praying vriih equal ear
nesthess that it may not come now.
Suppose the question were now put to this diurda, whether
you axe agreed in praying for a rerival of religion here? Do
you aU desfre a rerivsJ, and would you aU like to have it come
now? Would you be heartily agreed now to break dovm in
the dust, and open your hearts to the Holy Ghost if he
should come to-night ? I do not ask what you would say, if
I should propose the question. Perhaps if I should put it to
you now, you would aU rise up and vote that you were agreed
in desiring a rerival, and agreed to have it now. You know
how you ought to fed and what you oughi to say, and you
know you ought to be ready for a rerival now. But, I ask,
would GOD see it to be so in your hearts, that you are agreed
on this point? Has there been a time, since I came back
from ihe country, that this church were all agreed ia desiring
and praying for a rerival, and in vrishing to have it come
now ? Have any two of you agreed on this point, and prayed
accordingly? If not, when vnll you be agreed to pray for a
rerival ? And if this church cannot be agreed among your
selves, how can you expect a rerival ? It is of no use for you
to take the outward attitude, and stand up here and say you
are agreed, when God reads the heart, and sees that you axe
not agreed Here is the promise — " Again I say unto you.
That if two of you shaU agree on earth, as touching anything
that they shaU ask, ii diaU be done for ihem of my Father
which is in heaven." Now this is either true, or it is false.
Which ground vriU you take ? If it is true, then it is tme
that you are noi agreed and never have been, except in those
cases where you have had a rerival.
But we must agree not only upon a time, but it must be
ihe present time, or we are not agreed in everything essential
to the work. Unless we agree to have the rerival now, we
shall not naw use the means. But untU the means are used
it cannot come. It is plain, then, thai we must be agreed
upon the present time, that is, we axe not agreed in the sense
of the text, until we agree that now we vriU have ihe bless
ing, and conduct accordingly. To agree upon a future time
is of no use, for when thai future time comes, we must then
be agreed upon that present lime, and use means accordingly,

THE NECESSrrr AOT) EFFECT OF UNION. 299
ao that you see you axe never properly agreed until you
agree that noro is the time.
n. We are to agree in everything thai is essential to ob
taining ihe blessing thai we seek.
You see ihe language of the text, "If two of you shaU
agree as touching anything thai they shaU ask." Many people
seem to read it as if ii referred merely to an agreement in
asking, and they understand ii to promise, that whenever two
axb agreed in arcing for any blessing, it shaU be given. But
Christ says there must be an agreement " as touching " the
thing prayed for. Thai is, the agreement or union must
comprise everything that is essential to the bestowmeni and
reception of tlie blessing.
1. If Christians would enjoy the benefits of this promise
in praying for a rerival, they must be agreed in believing revi
vals of religion to be a reality. There are many indiriduals, % .
'seven in the churdi, who do not in thefr hearts beUeve that |
'^the rerivals which take place are the work of God Some of |
them may pray in words for an outpouring of the Spirit and |
a rerival of rehgion, whUe in thefr hearts tiiey doubt whether |
there axe any such things knovm in modem times. In united f
prayer there must be no hypocrisy. f
2. They must agree in feeling the necessity of revivals., >'"
There are some who beheve in the reahty of rerivals, as al
work of God whUe ai the same time they axe unsettied as tol
the necessity of having them in order to the success of tha
Gospel They think there is a real work of God in rerivalsj
but after all, perhaps it is quite as wdl to have sinners cou-|
verted and brought into the church in a more quiet audi
gradual way, and without so much exdtement Whenevei*
rerivals are abroad in the land, and prevail, and are popular,!
ihey may appear in fevor of ihem, and may put up thefr coW
prayers for a rerival, whUe at the same time they would be
sorry on the whole to have a rerival come among them. They
think it so much safer and better to indoctrinaie the people,
and spread the matter before ihem in a calm way, and so
bring them in graduaUy, and not run the risk of having
animal feeling or wUd-fire in thefr congregations.
3. They must be agreed in regard to the importance of revi-'^'^
vals. Men are noi blessed with rerivals, in answer to prayers
thai are not half in earnest They must feel the infinite im
portance of a rerival before ihey wiU pray so as to prevail
Blessings of this kind are not granted but in answer to
such prayers as arise from a sense of thefr importanca As
I have shown before, when preadiing on the subject of pre-

300 THE NECESSITY ANIJ EFFECT OF UinOH.
vaihng prayer, it is when men desire the blessing with UN
UTTEEABLE AGONY, thai they offer such prayer as vrill
infalhbly prevaU vrith God Those who fed less of the im
portance of a rerival may pray for it in words, but they mH
never have the blessing. But when a church has been united
in prayer, and really felt the importance of a rerival, they
never have faUed of having one. I do not beUeve a case om
be found of such a church beiag turned empty away. Sudi
an agreement, when sincere, vriU secure an agreement also on
aU other subjects thai are indispensable.
4 They must be agreed also in having correct scriptural no
tions about several things connected with revivals.
(1.) The necessity of divine agency to produce a rerival It
ia not enough that they aU hold this in theory, and pray for
it in words. They must fuUy understand and deeply feel this
necessity, they must realize thefr entfre dependence on the
Spirit of God, or the whole vriU fail
(2.) Why divine agency is necessary. There must be an
agreement on correct prindples in regard to the reason that
divine agency is so indispensable. If they get vyrong ideas
on this point, they wUl be hindered If Christians get the
idea that this necesdty of divine influence Ues in the inability
of sinners, or if they feel as if God was under obligation to
give the Holy Spirit, in order to make sinners able to obey
fhe Gospel, they insult God and thefr prayers vriU not avail
For in thai case ihey must feel thai it is a mere matter of
common justice for God to pour out his Spirit, before he can
justiy requfre Christians io work, or sinners to repent
Suppose a diurch get the idea that sianers are poor, unfor
tunate creatures, who come into the world vriih such a nature
that they can noi help sinning, and that siimers are just aa
unable to repeni and baUeve the Gospel as they axe to fly to
the moon, how can ihey feel that the sinner is a rebel against
God and that he deserves to be sent to heU ? How can ihey
feel that the sinner is to blame ? And how can ihey take God's
paxt when they pray? If they do noi take God's pari against
the sinner, they cannot expect God vriU regard thefr prayers,
for they do not pray vrith right motives. No doubt one great
reason why so many prayers axe not answered is that tiiosi
who pray do in fact take the sinner's pari against God Thaj
pray as if the sinner was a poor unfortunate jeing, to be pit
ied rather than as if he was a guUty vrreteh, to be blamed
And the reason is that they do not believe sinners axe able to
obey God If a person does not beheve thai sinners are able
to obey thefr Maker, a)id really beheves thai ihe l^irit's influ

THE NBCESBITT AKD EFFECT OF UNIOK. 801
ences are necessary to make him able, it is imposdble, vrith
these riews, to offer acceptable and prevaUing prayer for the
sinner, and it is not wonderful thai persons vrith these riews
diould not prevaU with God and diould doubt about the
efficacy of the prayer of faitL
How often do you hear peopl e pray for sinners in this style,
" O Lord, help this poor soul to do what he is requfred to do —
O Lord, enable him io do so and so." Now this language
imphes thai ihey take ihe sinner's paxt, and not God'a If it
was understood by those who use it, as it is sometimes ex
plained and if people meant by it what they ought to mean
when tiiey plead for sinners, I would not find so much feult
with it Bui the truth is, that when people use this language,
they often mean just what the language itself would, be natu
raUy at first dght, understood to mean, which is just as if
tiiey should pray, " Lord thou commandest these poor sin- "", / ,
ners to repent, when, O Lord thou knowest they cannot re-, J '* "
peni unless thou givest them ihy Spirit, to enable them to do _,,: i i
it, though thou hast declared that thou vrilt send them to heU ' ^/..¦.
if they do not, whether they ever receive the Spirit or not ; ,
and now. Lord this seems very hard and we pray thee to
have pity upon tiiese poor creatures, and do not deal so hard-i
ly vritii them, for CLrist's sake." Who does not see thatj,'
such a prayer, or a prayer which means this, whatever lan
guage it may be couched in, is an insult to God, charging him
vrith infinite injustice, if he continues to exact from sinners
a duty which they are unable to perform without that aid
which he wUl not grant. People may pray in this way till
the day of judgment, and never obtain a blessing, because
ihey take the sinners paxt against God. They cannot pray ?
successfuUy, until they understand that the sinner is a rebel, .i
and obstinate in his rebeUion — so obstinate that he never wUl, |
without the Holy Spirit do what he might do as weU as not,;|
instantly, and this obstinacy is the reason, and ihe only rea- 1
son, why he needs the influence of the Holy Spirit for his|
conversion. The only ground on which the sinner needs'*
divine agency is to overcome his obstinacy, and make him
willing to do whai he can do, and what God justiy requires
him to do. And a ehurch are never in an attitude in which
God vriU hear thefr united prayers, unless ihey aie jgreed in
so understanding thefr dependence on God, as to fed it in
perfect consistency vrith the sinner's blame. If ii is the other
way, ihey are agreed in understending it vyrong, and fhefr
prayers for divine help to the unfortunate instead of divine
fevor to make a rebd submit, are vride of the mark, are an
insult to God and they never wiU obtain fevor in haavap-

802 THB NECESBITT AJTD EFFECT OF umOK.
(3.) They must be agreed in understandiag that revivals an
not miracles, but that they are brought about by the use of means
hke other events. No wonder rerivals formerly came so sel
dom and continued so short a time, when people generaUy re
garded them as mfrades, or Uke a mere shower of rain, that
wiU come on a place and continue a Uttie whUe, and then blow
over ; thai is, as something over which we have no control
For what can people do to get a shower of rain ? Or how
can ihey make it rain any longer than it does rain? It is ne
cessary that those who pray should be agreed in understand
ing a rerival as something to be brought about by means,
or they never wiU be agreed in using ihem.
(4) They must be agreed in understanding thai human
agency is jud as indispensdi^ to a revivd as divine agency.
Such a thing as a rerival of religion, I venture to say, never
did occur vrithout divine agency, and never did occur vrithout
human agency. How often do people say, " God can, if he
pleases, carry on the work without means." Bui I have no
feith in ii, for there is no eridence of it. What is religion ?
Obedience to God's law. But the law cannot be obeyed un
less it is known. And how can Ck)d make sinners obey but
by making known his commandments? And how can he
make them known but by revealing ihem himself, or sending
them by others— that is, by bringing THE TEUTH to bear
upon the person's mind tiU he obeys it God never did and
never can convert a sinner except vriih the trutL What is
conversion ? Obeying ihe trutL He may communicate it
himself dfrectiy to the dnner. But then, the sinner's own
agency is indispensable, for conversion consiste in the right
employment of the sinner's ovm agency. And ordinarily,
he employs the agency of others also, in printing, writing,
conversation, and preaching. God has put the Gospel treas
ure in eartLen vessela He has seen fit to employ men in
preaching the word That is, he has seen thai human agency
is thai which he can best employ in saring sinnera And if
there ever was a case, of which we have no eridence, there ia
not one in a thousand ^ one in a mUlion, converted in any
other way than through the tmth, made known and urged
by human insimmentaUty. And as the churdi must be
united in using those means, it is plainly necessary that they
should be united in understanding the true reason why
means are to be used, and the tme prindples on which they
axe to be governed and applied
6. It is important thai there should be union in regard te
fhe measures essential to the promotion of a rmivaL Let indi-

THB NECESSITY AND EFFECT OF UNION. S0>
riduals agree io do anything whatever, and if they are not
agreed in thefr measures, ihey vriU run into confusion, and
counteract one another. Set them to sail a ship, and they
never can get along vrithout agreement If they attempt to
do business as merdiante when ihey are noi agreed in thefr
measures, what vriU they do ? Why, they vriU only undo each
other's work, and thwart the whole business of tiie concern.
AU this is pre-eminentiy tme in regard to the work of pro
moting a rerival Otherwise the members of the diurch vriU
counteract eadi others influence, and they need not expect a
rerival. (1.) The church must be agreed in regard to Oie medings
which are hdd, as to what meetings shaU be held and how
many, and where, and when they shall be held Some people
always desfre to multiply meetings in a rerival, as if the
more meetings they had, the more rehgion. Others axe
always opposed to any new meetings in a rerival. Some axe
always for haring a protracted meeting, and others are never
ready to hold a protxacted meeting at all Whatever differ^
ence there may be, ii is essential that the church diould come
to a good understanding on the subject, so that they can go
on together in harmony, and labor vrith zeal and effect
(2. ) They must be agreed as to the manner of conducting
m^ngs. It is necessary thai the church diould be united
and cordial on this subjeci, if itcy expect to offer united
prayer vrith effect Sometimes there are indiriduals who
want to adopt every new thing they can hear of or imagine,
whUe others are toteUy unvriUmg to have anything altered in
regard to the management of tiie meeting, but would have
everything done predsdy as they axe accustomed to. They
ought to be agreed in some way, either to have the meetings
altered or to keep ihem on in the old way. The best pos
dble way is, for the church to agree in tMs, that they wiU
let ihe meetings go on and take thefr course, just as the Spirit
of God shapes tiiem, and noi even attempt to make two
meetings just aUka The church never vriU give the fnUest
effect to the truth until ihey axe agreed in tins prindple —
that in promoting a rerival they vriU accommodato thefr
measures to cfrcumstances, and not attempt to interrupt the
natural course which pious feehng and sound judgment in
dicate, but cast themselves entfrely upon the guidance and
dfrection of the Holy Spirit, introducing any measure, at any
time, thai shall seem called for in the Proridence of QoA,
without laying any stress upon ite being new or old
6 They mi^ be agreed in the manner of deding unth im

804 THE NECESSITY AND EFFECT OF UNION.
penitent sinners. This is a point immensely important, fhat
the church should be agreed in thefr treatment of sinnera
Suppose that they axe noi agreed and one vriU teU a sinner
one thing and another another. What confudon 1 How can
they agree in prayer, when it is plain that they are not agreed
as to ihe thmgs they diaU pray for. Go among such a
chufcL and hear them pray for sinnera Attend a prayer
meeting and listen. Here is one man prays thai the sinnera
present may repent Another prays tiiai they may be con
ricted, and perhaps, if he is very mudi engaged, wiU go so
fax as to pray thai ihey may be decfiy conricted Another
prays thai sinners may go home solemn, and pendve, and
dleni, meditating upon ihe truths they have heard Another
prays in such a manner, thai you can see he is afraid to have
them converted now. Another prays very solemnly that they
may not attempt to do anything in thefr own strengtL And
so on. How easy it is to see tiiat ihe church axe noi agreed
as touching the things ihey ask for, and of course fhey have
no interest in the promise.
If you set them to talk vrith sinners, thefr courses would
be just as discordant, for it is plain thai they axe not agreed
and have no clear views in regard to what a sinner must
do to be saved or of what oughi to be said to sinners, to
bring them to repent. And the consequence is, that sinners
who are awakened and anxious, presentiy get confounded
and do not know what to do, and perhaps give it all up in
despafr, or condude there is in reality nothing rational or
consistent in religion. One vriU teU the sinner he must repent,
immediately. Another vriU give him a book, Doddridge's Bise
and Progress perhaps, and ieU him to read that book. An
other wUl teU him he must pray and persevere, and in God'a
time he vriU obtain the blessing. A reArival can never go on
for any length of time amidst such difficulties. If it begins,
it must soon run out ; unless, perhaps, the body of the
church wUl keep siUl and say nothing at all, and let others
carry on the work. And there the work wiU suffer materiaUy
for want of thefr co-operation and support. A church ought
to be agreed Every Christian ought to have a dear under
standing of this subject, and aU speak the same thing, and
give the same dfrectaons. And then the sinner vriU find no
one to take his pari, and can get no rehef or comfort fiU he
repents. 7. They must be agreed in removing the impediments to •
revivd. If a diurch expect a rerival, ihey must fake up
fhe stumbhng blocks out of the wav.

THE NECES8. TT AND EFFECT OF UNION. 105
(1.^ In the exercise cf discipline. If there are rotten mem
bers m the church, they should be removed and the church
should aU agree to cut them off If they remain in the
churcL fbey are such a reproach to religion, as to hinder a
rerival. Sometimes when an attempt is made to cast them
oui, this creates dividon, and thus the work is stopped
Sometimes the offenders are persons of influence, or they
have femUy friends who wiU take thefr paxt, and make a
party, and thus create a bad spirit, and prevent a rerival
(2.) In mutud confessions. Whenever vyrong has been
done to any, there should be a fuU confession. I do not
mean a cold and forced acknowledgment, such as saying, " ^
I have done vnrong, I am sorry for it." But a hearfy con
fesdon, going the fuU length of toe vrrong; and shovring that
it comes out of a broken heart
(3. ) Forgiveness cf enemies. A great obstruction to rerivala
is often found in the fact thai active and leading indiriduals
harbor a revengeful and unforgiving spirit towards those who
have injured t£em, which dedxoys tiiefr spirituality, makes
ihem hardi and disagreeable in thefr manner, and prevente
them from enjoying either commosiaa vriih God in prayer,
or the blessing of God to give tisim success in labor. But
let the members oi a churdi be truly agreed in breaking
dovm and confessing thefr ovm ferlte, and ia cherishing a
tender, merdful, forgiving, Christ-like spirit toward those who
they think have done them vrrong, and then the Spirit vriU
come down upon them not by measure.
8. They must be agreed in making all the necessary prepara
tions for a revival. They should be agreed in having aU
necessary preparation made, and agreed in bearing thefr part
of the labor or expense of making it There should be an
equality, and noi let a few be burdened and the rest do Uttie
or nothing, but every one his proportion, according to hia
several abUity. Then there vriU be no envying nor jealousy,
nor any of tiiose mutual recriminations and altercations and
disrespectful remarks about one another, which axe so incon
sistent vrith brotherly love, and such a stumbhng block in
the way of sinnera
9. l5iey must be agreed in doing heartily whatever is necet-
sary to be done for the promotion of ihe revival. Sometimes a
dight disagreement about a very httie thing vriU be allowed
to break in and destroy a reriv^ A minister told me that
he once went to labor in a place as an evangdist, and fhe
Spirit of God was eridentiy present, and sinners began to
inquire, and things looked quite fevorable, until some of the

806 THE NECESSITY AND EFFECT OF UNION.
members in the church began to agitate the inquiry how fhej
should pay him for his serrices. They said " If he stays among
us any longer, he wUl expect we should give him something,"
and . they did not see how they could afford to do it And
ihey talked about it uniU ihe minds of the brethren got dis
tracted and dirided and the minister went away. Look at
it. There God stood in the door of thai diurcL with his
hands fuU of mercies but these parsimonious and vricked pro
fessors thought it would cost something to have a rerival,
and thefr expenses were about as much as ihey felt vrilling
or able to bear. And so they let him depart and ihe work
ceased The minister would not have left at the time, wheth
er they gave him anything or not, for what he should re
ceive, or whether he should receive anything from them, was
a question about which he felt no concern. But the diurdi
by thefr parsimonious spirit got into such a state as to grieve
the Spirit, and he saw thai to stay longer with ihem would
do no good Oh, how vriU those professors feel when ihey
meet sinners from that town in judgment, when it vriU all
come oui, thai God was ready and waiting to grant them
a blessing, but they aUowed themselves to get agiteted and
dirided by inquiring how much they should have to pay I
10. They must be agreed in laboring to carry on the work.
It is not enough that they diould agree to pray for a rerival,
but ihey should agree also in laboring to promote it. They
should set themselves to it systematicaUy, and as a matt^
of business, to visit and converse and pray vrith thefr neigh
bors ; io look out for opportunities of doing good ; to watdi
the effect of the word and watoh the signs of the times, that
they may know when anything needs to be done, and do it.
(1.) They should be agreed to labor,
(2. ) They should be agreed how to labor.
(3.) They should be agreed to Uve accordingly,
11. They must agree in a determination to persevere. It
wiU not answer for some members of the church today to bo-
gin to move and bluster about, and then, as soon as the least
thing turns up unfevorable, to get discouraged and faint, and
ono-half of ihem give over. They should be all united and
agree to persevere, and labor, and pray, and hold on, until
fhe blesdng comes.
In a word if Christians expect to unite in prayer and
effort, so as to prevadl vrith God ihey must be ^;reed in
speaking and doing the same things, in walking by the same
rule, and maintaining the same principles, and in persevering
till they obtain the blessing, so as not to hinder or thwart

THB NECESSITY AND EFFECT OP UNION. 801
each other's efforta AU this is eridentiy impUed in being
agreed as touching the things for whidi they are praying.
TtiiiMA-Rirg.
1. We see why it is that so many of the duldren of profes»
ing parente are not converted
It is because the parents have not been agreed as touching
the things ihey should pray for in behalf of thefr chUdren.
Perhaps they never had any kind of agreement respecting
ihem. Perhaps ihey were never agreed even as to what waa
the very best thing ihey could a^ for them. Sometimes
parente are not agreed in anything, but thefr opinions clasL
and they are perpetually disagreeing, and thefr chUdren see
it, and then no wonder ihey axe not converted
Or perhaps they may not be agreed as touching the salva
tion of thefr chUdren. Are they siacere in desiring it ? Do
they agree to desfre, and agree from righi motives ? Do
ihey agree in regard to the importance of ii? Are ihey
agreed how their duldren ought to be dealt vrith, to effect
thefr conversion — ^whai shall be said to them — ^how it shall
be said — ^when — by whom. Alas ! in how many cases is it
erident fhey are not agreed Probably few cases vriU be
found where chUdren remain unconverted bi^t what it wUl
prove that the parents were never truly agreed as touching
the things they should ask for the salvation of thefr duldren.
Often there is such disagreement thai we could noi expect
any good to result, or anything but ruin to the duldren.
The husband and wife often disagree entirdy and funda-
mentaUy in regard to the manner of bringing up thefr dul
dren. Perhaps the vrife is fond of dress, and display, and
ridting, whUe the husband is plain and humble, and is
grieved and distressed and mourns and prays to see how his
chUdren axe puffed up vrith vanity. Or it may be that the
father is ambitious, and wante to have his daughters fashion
ably educated and make a display, and his sons become great
men, and so he wUl send his daughters to a pohte boarding-
school, where they may leam anything but thefr duty to
God and vriU be all the time pushmg his sons forward and
goading thefr ambition, whUe the mother grieves and weeps
in secret to see her dear chUdren hurried on to destruction,
and aU her own influence counteracted, and her sons and
daughters trained up to serve the god of this world and go
toheU. 2. We see the hypocrisy of those wh^ profess to be pray

506 THE NBCESSITT AND EFFECT OP UNION.
ing for a rerival whUe they are doing nothing to promote it
There axe many who appear to be very zealous in praying
for a rerival, whUe they are not doing anything at aU for ona
Whai do ihey mean ? Are ihey agreed as touching the thinga
they ask for ? Certainly not. They cannot be agreed in of
fering acceptable prayer for a rerival untU they are prepared
TO DO what God requfres ihem to do to promote it Whai
would you think of tiie farmer who should pray for a crop,
and not plough nor sow ? Would you think sudi prayers
pious, or an insult to God ?
3. We see why so many prayers offered in the church are
never answered It is because those who offered them never
were agreed as touching the things they asked for. Perhaps
the minister never laid the subject before them, never ex
plained what it is to be agreed nor showed them its impor
tance, nor set before them the great encouragement which
fhe promise before us affords to churches that vriU agree.
Perhaps the members of the church have never conferred to
gether, and compared thefr riews, io see whether they under
stood the subject alike, whether ihey were agreed in regard to
the motives, grounds, and importance of being united in
prayer and labor for a rerival Suppose you were to go
through the churches in this city, and leam the precise riews
and feelings of the members on this subject. How many
would you find who were agreed even in regard to the essen
tial and indispensable things, concerning which it is neces
sary Christians should be agreed in order to unite in prevail
ing prayer ? Perhaps no two could be found who axe agreed
and if two were found whose views and desfres were ahke,
it would probably be ascertained that they axe unacquainted
vrith each other, and of course neither act nor pray together.
4 We see why ii is that this text has been generaUy un
derstood to mean something different from what it saya
People have first read it vrrong. They have read it as if it
was, "If any two of you shall agree to ask anything, it shall
be done." And as they have often agreed to ask for things,
and the things were not done, they have said "The Uteral
meaning of the text cannot be tme, for we have tried it and
know it is noi true. How many prayer meetings have we
held and how many petitions have we put up, in which we
have perfectiy agreed in asking for blessings, and yei; they
have noi been granted?" Now the fact is, thai they have
never yet understood what it is to be agreed as touching the
things ihey axe to ask for. I am sure this is no strained
construction of the text, but is its true md obrious meaning

THE NECESSITY AND EFFECT OF UNION. 30ft
aa a plain, pious reader would understand it, if he inqufred
serioudy and eamestiy the tme import They must be
agreed not only in asking, but in everything else thai is in
dispensable to the existence of the thing prayed for. Sup
pose two of you were agreed in desiring to go to London to
gether. If you axe not agreed in regard to the means, what
route you shall take, and what dup you wUl go in, you wUl
never get there together. Just so in praying for a rerival,
you must be agreed in regard to the means and cfrcum
stances, and everything essential to the existence and progress
of a rerival.
5. We may ordinarily expect a rerival of rehgion to pre
vail and extend among those vrithout the churcL just in
proportion to the union of prayer and effort vrithin. If
there is a general union within the church, the rerival vriU
be general. If the union continues, the rerival wUl con
tinue. If anything begins to break in upon this perfect
anion in prayer and effort, it vriU begin to hmit the rerival.
How great and powerful would be tiie rerival in this dty,
if aU the churdies in the dty were thus united in pro
moting it 1
There is another fact whidi I have vriinessed worthy of
notice. I have observed that a rerival wiU prevaU out of
the churcL among persons in thai dass of society, amongst
whom ii prevails in tiie churcL If the females in tiie church
are most awake and prayerful, the work may ordinarily be
expected to prevaU mostiy among females out of ihe churcL
and more women vriU be converted than men. If ihe youth
of either, or of both sexes, in the church are most awake, the
work is most Ukdy to prevail among youth, male or female,
or botii, as the work may be in ihe churcL in this respect
If the heads of femUies and the prindpal men in the churdi
are awake, the revival is, I have observed more likely to pre
vaU among thai dass out of the dmrcL I have known a r»
rival mostiy confined to females, and few males converted
appaxentiy because the male pari of the church did noi take
hold and work. Again I have repeatedly known the greatest
number of converte among men, ovring appaxentiy to fhe fact
fhat the male part of the church were most engaged When
the revival does not reach a particular dass of the impeni
tent, pains should be taken to arouse thai portion of the
church who axe of thefr own age and standing, to make
more dfrect efforte for thefr conversion. There seems to be
a phUosophy in this fact, which has often been vriinessed
DifEerani classes of professors uaturaU; feel a sympathy fot

310 THE NECESSITY AND EFFECT OF UNION.
the impenitent of their own sex and age and rank, and more
naturaUy pray for them, and have more intercourse with
ihem, and more influence over ihem, and this seems to be at
least one of the reasons why rerivals axe apt to be the most
powerful and general in that class vrithout the church, who
axe the most awake iu the church. Christians should under
stand this, and feel thefr responsibiUty. One great reason
why so few of the principal men are sometimes converted in
revivals, doubtiess is, that thai class in the church are often
so worldly, they cannot be aroused The rerival wUl gen
erally prevaU mostiy ia those famihes where the professors
bdonging to them axe awake, and the impenitent bdonging
to those femUies where the professors are not awake, axe apt
to be left unconverted One principal reason, obrioudy ia^
thai when the professors in a famUy or neighborhood are
awake, there is not only prayer offered for dnners in the
midst of them, but there axe corresponding influences acting
upon the impenitent among them. If ihey are awake, thefr
looks and hves and warnings, aU tend to promote the con
verdon of thefr impenitent friends. Bui if ihey are adeep,
all thefr influences tend to prevent thefr conversion. Thefr
coldness grieves the Spfrit, thefr worldUness contradicte
the Gospel, and all thefr iniercourse vrith thefr impenitent
friends is in fevor of impenitence, and calculated to perpetu
ate it
6. We see why different denominations have been suffered
to spring up in ihe diurcL and under the government of
God Christians often see and deplore the evils that have arisen
to the churdi of God from the division of his people into
jarring sects. And ihey have wondered and been perplex
ed to tbinlr that God should suffer it to be so. But in the
light of this subject we can see, thai considering what diver
sities of opinions and feelings and riews actuaUy exist in the
churcL much good results from this division of secta Con
ddering this diverdiy of opinion, many would never agree to
pray and labor together, so as to do it vriih success, and so it
is better they should separate, tind let those unite who are
agreed In aU cases where there cannot be a cordial agree
ment in labor, ii is better thai each denomination should Labor
by themsdves, so long as this difference exists. I have some
times seen rerivals broken up by attempting to unito Chris
tians of different denominations in prayer and labor together,
triule they were not agreed as to tiie principles or measurea
by whidi the work was to be promoted They would then

THK NECESSITY AND EFFECT OF UNION. 311
nado each other's work, and destroy each other's influence,
perplex the anxious, and give occadon to enemies to blas
pheme, and soon thefr feelings would get soured and the
Spirit of God is grieved away, and the work stops, and per
haps painful confusion and controversy foUow.
7. We see why God sometimes suffers churches to be di
rided It is because he finds that the members are do mudi
»t variance that they uM not pray and labor together vrith
effect Sometimes churches that axe in such a stete, vriU stiU
keep together from worldly condderations and worldly policy,
because it is so much easier for the whole to support pubhc
worship. Perhaps both parties want to keep tlie meeting
house, or both want to retain the minister, and they cannot
agree which shaU go of^ and so they continue along, jealous
and jangling for years, accomphdung Uttie or nothing for the
salvation of sinners. In such cases, God has often let some
thing tum up among ihem, that would tear Ihem asunder,
and then each party would go to work in thefr own way, and
perhaps both would prosper. WhUe ihey were in ihe same
diurcL they were always making each other trouble, as ihey
did not think nor fed ahke, but as soon as ihey were sepa
rated every thing settied dovm in peace, and made it erident
that it was better they should diri< la I have knovm some
cases in this State, where this has been done with the happir
est resulte, and both churdies have been speedily blessed with
rerivals. 8. It is erident thai many more diurches need io be dirided
How many churches there are^ that are holding together, and
yet are doing no good for the simple reason that they are
noi suffidentiy agreed They do not think ahke nor feel
alike on the subjecte connected vriih rerivals, and whUe this is
so, they never can work together. Unless they can be
brought to such a diange of riews and feelings on the sub
ject as wiU unite ihem, they axe only a huKfrance to each
other and to the work of God In many cases they see and
fed thai ii is so, and yei ihey keep together, oonsdentioudy,
for fear a dividon should dishonor rdigion, when in feci the
dividon that now existe may be maldng religion a by-word
and a reproacL Far better would ii be if tiiey would just
agree to diride amicably, like Abraham and Lot "If thou
wUt take the left hand I wUl go to the right ; or if thou de
part to the right hand then I vriU go to ihe left" Let ihem
separate, and eadi work in his own way, and ihey may both
enjoy the blessing.
9. We see why a few individuals, who are perfectly unitAd

212 THE NECESSITY AND EFFECT OF UNION.
may bo successful in gathering and buUding up a new church,
and may do so much better than a much larger number who
are not agreed among themselves. If I were going to gather
a new church in this city, I should rather have five persons,
or three, or even two thai were perfectiy agreed as touching
the things they were to pray for, and the manner in which
fhey should labor for ihem, and in aU that is essential to the
pEosperity of a church, and who would stand by me, and
stand by each other, than to have a churdi to begin vrith, of
five hundred members who were not agreed
10. We see what glorious things may be expected for Zion,
whenever the churches generally shaU be agreed on these sub
jecte When ministers shaU lay aside thefr prejudices, and
thefr misconstructions, and thefr jealoudes, and shaU see eye
to eye, and when the churches shall understand ihe Bible
aUke, and see thefr duty alike, and pray ahke, and shall be
" agreed as touching ihe things they shall ask for," a nation
shaH be bom ia a day. Only lei them feel as the heart of one
man, and be agreed as to what ought to be done for the sal
vation of the world and the miUennium wUl come at onca
11. There is vast ignorance in the churches on the subject
of rerivals. After all the rerivals that have been enjoyed
and aU thai has been sai I and written and printed concern
ing rerivals, there axe veiy few who have any real, ccmsistent
knowledge on ihe subject And when there is a rerival, how
few are there who can take hold to labor and promote it as if
they understood what they were about How few persons
are to be found ^^ liave ever taken up rerivals of religion
as a subjeci to be studied and understood Every body
knows, that in a rerival Christians must pray, and must do
some things which they have not been in the habit of doin£(,
But multitudes know nothing of the EEASON WHY ihey
should do this, or why one thing is bettor than another, and
of course they have no prindples io guide them, and when
anything occurs which ihey did noi expecf, tliey are aU at
feult and know nothing what to da If men should go to
work to buUd a house of worship, and know as Uttie how to
proceed as many ministers and professors know how to buUd
the spiritual temple of God they never would get up a house
in the world And yet people make themselves beheve they
axe buUding the church of God, when ihey know nothing at
aU whai they are aboui, and are utterly unable to give a rea
son why they are doing as they do, or why one thing should
be done rather than another. There are multitudes ia the
ohurch who never seem to suppose that the werk of pmae-

THE NUCESSlTY AND EFFECT OF UNION. 318
ting revivals of rehgion is one that requires study," and
thouglit, and knowledge of principles, and skiU in applying
the word of God, so as to give every one his portion in sea
son. And so they go on, generally doing httie or nothing be
cause they are attemptmg nothing, and if ihey ever do
awake, go headlong to woik,Arithout any system or plan, as'
if God had left this part of our duty out of the rteach of
sound judgment and good sense.
12. There is vast.iguorauce among ministers upon this sub
ject, and one gi'cat reascm of this ignorance is, that many get
the idea that they afrca Jy understand aU about revivals, when
in re;ihty ihey know next to nothing about tiiem. % once
knew a minister come in where there, waa a powerful revival,
and bluster aboui and find fault wth many things, speaking
of his knowledge of revivals, tiiat lie had been in seventeen
of them and so on, when it was evident that he knew nothing
as he ought to know of revivals.
13. How important it is that the diurch should be trained
and instinicted, so as to know what to do in a revival They
should be trauied and disciplined like an army ; each one
having a place to fiU, and something to do, and knowing
where he belongs, and what he has to do, and how to do it
Instead of tliis, how often do you see a church in a time of
revival take hold of the work to promote it just like a parcel
of chUdi-cn taldng -hold to buUd a house. How few are there
that rcaUy know how to do— what? — ^Why, the very thing for
which God suflbrs Christians to hve in this world, the very
thing for which ALONE he would ever let them remain away
from heaven a day, is the very thing of all others that they
do not study and do not try to understand
14 Wo see why revivals are often so short, and why they
so often produce a reaction. It is because tbe church do not
midcrstaiul the -subject Eerivals are short, because pro
fessors have been stirred up to a spasmodical kind of action.
They have gone to work by impulse rather than from dehber-
ate couvicticm of duty, and have been guided by their fed
ings rather than by a sound understending of what they
ought to do. The church did not know whai to do, what
they coiUd do, aud what they could not, nor how to husband
their sti-engih, nor what the stete of thinga would bear, and
pci-haps thefr zeal led them into some indiscretions, and they
lost thefr hold on God, and so the enemy prevailed Tfre
church ought to bo so trained as to know what to do, so as
never to fail, and never to suffer defeat Or reaction, when
they attempt to proirrate a revival They-should understand

314 THE NECESSITY AND EFFECT OF UNION.
all the tactics of the deril, and know where to guard against
his derices, so that ihey may know him when they see him,
and not mistake him for an angel of light come to give them
lessons of wisdom in promoting the revival, and so they can
co-operato vrisely vrith the minister, and with one another, and
with the Holy Ghost, in carrying on the work. No person
who has been conversant in rerivals can overlook ihe fatt,
that the ignorance of professors of religion concerning reri
vals, and thefr stupid blunders axe among ihe most common
things thai put rerivals down, and bring back a fearful re
action upon the church. Brethren, How long shaU this be
so? It ought not to be so, it need noi be so, shaU it alwaya
be so?
15. We see that every chnrch is justly responsible for the
aouls thai are among ihem. If God has given such a promise,
and if ii is tme thai vriicre so many as two are agreed os
touching ihe things ihey ask for, if shaU be done, then cer
tainly Christians are responsible, and if sinners are lost, thefr
blood wiU be found upon the churcL If ihe churches can
have what they ask, as soon as they are agreed as touching it,
then certainly the damnation of the world wiU be requfred
at the hands of ihe churcL
16. We see the guUi of ministers, in not informmg them-
nelves, and rightly and speedUy instructing ihe churches upon
this momentous subject Why, what is tiie end of ihe Chris
tian ministry? What have they to do, but to instruct and
marshal the sacramental host, and lead them on to conquest.
What! let the church remaia in ignorance upon the very
subject, and the only point of duty, for the performance of
which they are in the world, ihe salvation of sinnera Some
ministers have acted as mysteriously about revivals, as if they
thought Christians were either incapable of understanding
how to promote them, or thai ii was of no importance that
they should know. But this is all wrong. No minister has
yet begun to understand or do his duty, if he has neglected
to teach his church to work for God in the promotion of re-
vivala What is he about ? What does he mean ? Why is
he a minister ? To what end has he taken the sacred office ?
Is it that he " may eat a piece of bread? "
17. We see that pious parente can render the salvation of
thefr chUdren certain. Only let them jiray in faith, and be
agreed as touching ihe things they shaU ask for, and God
has promised them the desfre of their hearta Who can bo
agreed so weU as parents ? Let them be agreed in prayer,
and agreed what to do, and agreed in .doing aU thefr duty ;

THE NECESSITY AST) IfFECT OF UNION. 315.
let them thus train up thefr chUdren in the way they should
go, and when they are old, they wiU not depart from it
And now, brethren, do you beheve you are agreed, accord
ing to the meaning of this promise ? I know that where a
few individuals may be agreed ui some things, they may pro
duce some effect But whUe the body of the church are not
agreed, there will always be so many things to counteract
that they wiU accomphsh but Uttla THE CHUECH MUST
BE AGREED. Oh, if we could find one church that were
perfectly and hearfUy agreed in aU these points, so that they
could pray and labor together, aU -as one, what good would
be done ! But now, while things are as ihey are, we see
colony after colony peoplmg heU, because ihe church are
not agreed Oh, what do Chnstians think, how can they
keep still, when God has brought down his blessings so that
if any two were agreed, as touching the things they ask for,
it would be done. Alas ! abs ! how bitter wUl be the re
membrance of these janghngs in the church, when Chris
tians come to see the crowds of lost souls that have gone
down to-heU, because ux were not agreed to labor and pray
for their salvation.
FofALLT. — In the hght of this promise we see the awful
guilt of the church. God has given it to be the predous in
heritauce of his people ai aU times, and in aU plaeea If his
people agree, theu: prayers wUl be answered We see the
awful guUl of (his church, who come here and listen to lectures
about revivals and theu go away and have no revivd, and
also the guUt of members of other churciies who hear these
lectures and go home and refuse to do their duty. How can
you meet the -thousands of impenitent sinners around you,
at the bar of God, and see them sink away into everlast
ing burnings ? Have you been united in heart to pray for
them ? If you have not, why have you disagreed ? Why
have you not prayed with this promise until you have pre
vaUed ?
You wiU now either be agreed, and pray for the Holy
Ghost and receive him before you leave the house, or the
anger of the Lord vriU be upon you. Should you now agree
to pray in the sense of this promise, for the Spirit of God' to
come down on this city, the heavenly dove would fly through
the city in the midst of the night and would rouse the con
sciences and break up the guilty dumbers of the wicked
What then is the crimson guUt of those professors of religion
who are sleeping in sight of such a promise? They seem to
have dapped over, qt to have entfrely forgotten if. -r, Multi*

316 TUB NECESSITY AND BFFBCT OF CNIOIT.
tudes of sinners going to heU in aU dfrections, and yei thia
blessed promise is neglected ; yea, more, is practicdly despised
by fhe church. There ii stands in the Bolemn record and the
church might take hold of ii m such a manner that vast num
bers might b^ saved, but ihey are not agreed Therefore
souls wUl pensL And where ia the respondbilitjr 7 Who
can take tins promise and look ihe perishing in the ace at the
day of judgment?
Thes| lectures were greatly instrumental in reviving re>
hgioif fri ihe church to which fhey were preached, and thefr
pubUcation m this country and in nlurope nas been the meana
of promoting rerivals in very many placea To Ctod beloogn
oU the gl(H7.

LECTURE XVIt
FAI£E 00MF0BT3 FOB BINKEBS.
TazT.— Bow then comfort ;e me In vain, seeing in ;oar answers thera remalnatb
Bilsebood.— Job xzI. 34.
Job's three friends indsted on it that the afflictions which
he suffered were sent as a punishment for his sias, and were
eridence condusive fhat he was a hypocrite, and not a good
man ad he professed to ba A lengthy argument ensued in
which Job referred to aU past experience, to prove that men
are not dealt with in this world according to Uiefr character ;
that the distinction is not observed in the allotments of
Proridence. His friends maintained the opposite, and inti
mated that this ^oild is also a place of rewards and punish-
meute, in which men receive good or evil, acccarding to thefr
deeds. In this chapter. Job diows by appeahng to common
sense and common observation, and experience, that this can
not be true, because it is a matter of fact thai the wicked are
often prosperous in fhe world and thi-ough life, and hence
infers fhat thefr judgment and punishment must be reserved
for a future state. " ITie vricked is reserved to the day of de-
stiTiction," and " they shaU bo brought forth to the day of
his wrath." And inasmuch as his fiiends came to comfort
-llim, but being in the dork on this fundamental point, had
not been able to understand his case, and so coiUd not a^ord
bim any comfort, but rather aggravated his grief. Job in
sisted upon it that he would ~stiU look to a futuie State for
consolation, and rebukes them by exclaiming, in the bitter
ness of his soiU, "How then comfort ye me in vain, seemg m
your answers there remaineth falsehood ?"
My present purpose is, to make some remarks upon the
various methods employed in comforting anxious sinners, and
I design :
L To notice briefly the necessity and design of instmcting
anxious sinnera
n. To show that anxious sinners are always seeking
oomfort Their supreme object is to get comfort in thefr
disti'esa. (317)

318 FALBB COUFOBTS FOB SINNEBS.
m. To notice some of fhe felse comforte often adminia-
tered L The necesdty and design of instructing^ anxious sinnera
The very idea of anxiety impUes some instmction. A sin
ner would not be anxious at all aboui his future stato, unless
he had light enough to know that he is a sinner, and that he
is in danger of punishment and lieeds forgivenesa But men
are to be converted, noi by physical fca'ce, or by a 'change
wrought in thefr nature or constitution by creative power,
bat by the truth made effectual by the Holy Spfrit Conver
sion is yielding to ihe ti-uiL And therefore, the more tinqjji
can be brought to bear upon the mind other things being
equals so much the more prqbable is it that the indiridual
wiU be converted Unless the truth is brought to beoi- upon
him, it is certain he will not be converted If it is brought to
bear, if is not absolutely certain thai it wiU be effectual,, bat
the probabiUty is in proportion to fhe extent to which the
truth is brought to bear. The great design of dealing with
an anxious sinner is to clear up aU his difficulties aud dark
ness, and to do away aU hia errors, and sap the foundation
of his self-righteous hopes, and sweep away every vestige of
comfort that he could imd in himseli There is often much
difficulty in this, and much instmction is required Sinners
often cung vrith a death grasp to thefr false dependencea
The last place to which a smner ever betakes himself for r»
lief is to Jesus Christ Sinners had rather be saved in any
other way in the world They had rather make any sacrifice,
go to any expense, or endure any suffering, than just to
throw themsdves as guUty and lost rebds upon Christ alone
for salvation. This is the very last veay in which they are
tiver wilhng to be saved. It cute up all thefr self-righteou^
ness, and aunihUates thefr pride and seK-saiisfaction so com
pletely, that they ai-e exceedingly unwilUug to adopt it But
it IB OS true m phUosophy as it is in fecf, that this is, after all,
the only way in which a smner cot4d find reUef. If God
ehould attempt to rehevo smners, and save ihem without
humbling thefr pride and tmning them from thefr sins, he
could noi do it Now the object of instructing an anxious
sinner should be to lead him by the shortest posdble way to
do thia It IS to brmg his mind, by the shortest route, to the
practical conclusion that there is, in foci, no other way in
which he can be reheved and saved, but to renounce himself
and rest m Christ alona To do this vrith effect requiiea
great skill It reqmres a thorough knowledge of tiie humoo
heart, a dear understanding of tha plan of Balvaiioo, and a

FALSE CO&tFOBTS FOB SlNNEBa 819
Srecise and definite' idea of the very thing that a sinner
lUST DO in order to be saved To know how to do thia
effectuaUy is one of the rarest qualifications in the ministry
at the present day. ' It is distressing to see how few minis
ters, and how few professors of religion there arc .who have
in thefr own minds that distinct idea of the thing to be done,
that they can go to an anxious sinner and teU him exactly
what he has to do, and how to do it, and can show him clearly
that there is no possible way for him to be saved but by domg
fliat very thmg wiiich they can tell him, and make him feel
fhe certeinty thai he must do it, and that unless he does that
very thing, he wiU be damned
U. I am ^ show that anxious sinners are alwavs seeking
comfort Sinners often imagine they are seeking Jesus Chrid, and seek-.
ing rdigion, but iLs is a mistake. No person ever sought re
ligion, and yei remained in-eligious. Whai is religion ? It
is obeying God Sceldhg religion is seeking to obey God
The soul that hungers and thirsts after righteousness is the
soul of a Christian. To say that a person can seek to obey
God and yet not obey him, is absurd For if he is seeldng
rdigion he is not an impenitent dnner. To seek rdigion, im
phes a wUhugness to obey God, and a wUlingness to obey
God is reUgion. It is a contradiction to say that an impeni
tent sinner is seeking rehgion. It is the same as to say, that
he seeks and actuaUy longs to obey God, aud God wUl not let
him, or thai he longs to embrace Jesus Christ and Christ vriU
not let him come. The fact is, ihe anxious siimcr is seeking
a hope, he is seeking pardon, and cMufort and deliverance
from hell He is anxiously looking for some one to comfort
him, and -make him feel belter, without being obhged to con
form to such humUiating conditions as those of the Gospel
And his anxiety and distress continue, only because he wUl
not yield to the terma Unfortunately, anxious sinners find
comforters enough to thefr hiring. l^Iiserable comforters they
aU are, too, " seeing in thefr answers there remaineth false
hood" No doubt mUlions aud millions are now in hell,
because there were those around them who gave them false
comfort who had so much felse pity, or were themselves so
much in the dark, that they would not let them remain in
anxieiy till they had submitted thefr hearte to God but ad
ministered falsehood and reheved thefr distress in this way,
and now thefr souls are lost
TTT. I am to notice several of fhe ways in which false com
fort is givffl to anxious sinnera

320 FALSB COMFOBTS FOB SINNEBS.
I might almost say, there is an endless variety- of ways ii\
which this is done. The more, experience -I have, and ihq
more I observe ihe ways in which even good people deal with
anxious sinners, the more I f^el giieved at the endless fool
eries and falsehoods with which ihey attempt to comfort thefr
anxious friends, and thus, in fact, deceive them and beguUe
them out of thefr salvation. It often reminds me of the man
ner ui which people act when any one is- dck. - Let any one
of you be sick, with almost any disease in the world, and
you wiU find that every person you meet with has a remedy
for liuit disorder, a certain cure, a specific, a panacea;
and you wiU find such a world of quackery all around you,
that if you do not take care and SHUT IT ALL .OUT,
you wiU certainly lose your hfe. A man must exercise hia
own judgment, for he will find as m&ny remedies as he
has friends, and each one is tenacious of his own medi
cine, and perhaps wiU thmk hard if ii is noi taken. And
no doubt this miserable system of quackery kiUs a great
many peopte.
This is true to no gi'eater extent respecting the diseases of
the body thafa respecting ihe diseases of the mind People
have their specifics and thefr catholicons and thefr panaceas
to comfort distressed souls, and whenever they begin to talk
vrith an anxious sinner, they wUl bring in thefr false comforte,
so much that if he does not TAKE CAEE, and miqd the
word of God, he wiU infallibly be deceived to his own de
struction. I propose io mention a few of the falsehoods
that are often brought forward in attempting to comfort anx
ioua sinners. Time would faU ihe, ev^n to name them dL
The direct object of many persons is to comfort smners. and
they are often so intent upon this thai, they do not stick at
means or Idnd of comfort' They see thefr friends distressed,
and they pity ihem, they fed very compassionate, " Oh, oh, I
cannot bear to see, them so distressed, I must comfort ihem
somehow," and so they tiy one way, ancl another, and aU-to
comfort them I Now, God desfres they should be comforted
He is benevolent, and has kind feelings, and his heart yearns
over them, when he sees them so distressed. But he sees that
there fs only one way to give a sinner real comfort He has
more benevolence and compasdon than all men, and vrishes
to comfort them. But he has fixed the terms as unyielding
asjiia throne, on which he will give a sinner reUe£ And he
will not alter. He knows that nothing else vrill do the sinne<
effectual good for nothing can make liim happy, untU he re
pente €$ his sins and foraakes them, and turns to God And

PACSE COMFORTS FOR SINNERS. 32)
therefore God wilt ^ot yield. Our object should be the same
IS that of God We should fed compassion- and benevolence^
just as he does, and be as r^ady to give comfort, but be sura
Uiat it be of the right kind The fact is, our prime object
should be to induce the sinner to diey God. His comfort
ought to be vrittius, and with him, but a secondurj- object, and
whUe We are more anxious to rdieve his di-dress than to have
llim cease to abuse, and dishonor God, we are not likely, by
our instructions, to do him any real good This is a f lihda-
mental 4istiaetion, in dealing with anxious sinners, but It is
evidently overlooked by many, who seem to have no higher
motives, than q^paihy or compasdon. for the sinna:.' £f in
preaching the Gospel, or instructing the anxious, we are not
actuated by a high r^;ard to the honor of God "Bad rise no
higher, than to desfre to reUeve the disti-essed ; this is going
no farther than a constitutional s^'mpathy, or ooropassion,
would cajsry us. Overlooking this prmciple, has often mided
professors of reUgion, and when they have heard othera deal
ing faitdifally with anxious sinners, they have accused thera of '
crudty, 1 have often, had professors bring anxious sinners to
me, and heg me to cornfort them, and, when I have probed
thefr consciences to the quick, they have shuddered, ancl
Sometimes taken ihe sinners' pai't It is sometimes impossi
ble to deal e^ectually vrith youih who are anxioas, iu the
presence of thefr parente, because they have so much more
compasdon for thefr children, than regard to the honor of
God This is all wrong, and vrith such views and feelings
you had bett^ hold your tongue, than to say anything .to tiie
anxioua 1. One of the ways in which people give false comfort to
distressed dnners, is, by asking them "What have yon done?
you are not so bad" They see tnem distressed, and cry out,
" Why, what have you done ?" as if they had never done any
thing wicked and had La reality no oeeadon to feci distressed
at aJl. I have before mentioned the cose d a fashionable
lady, v^o was awakened in this.eity, and was going to see a
minister to converse with .him, when she waa met by a friend
who turned her back, and drove off h^f anxiety, l^ the cry,
" What have you done, to make yon feel so ? I am sure
you have never committed any sin, that need to make you
fed so."*
I have often met with oases of this kmd A motiier vriU
teU hor son, who is anxious whai an obedi^t child he has
* 1 tielievd the reporter passed over and did uoS mention thia caaa^

823 VALSB COMFOBTS FOB STKyBSA
always been, how good and how kind and she begs him not
to teke on so. So a husband vriU tell his wife, or a wife her
husband, how good they are, and ask, " What havejou done?"
When ihey see them in gi-eat distress, they begin to comfoi't
them, " WTiy you are not so bad You have been to hear
that frightful minister, that frightens people, and you have
got excited Be comforted for I am sure you have not been
bad enough to feel so mudi distressed" When the truth is,
they have been a great deal worse than they think they have.
No sinner ever had an idea that his sins were gi'eater than
they are. No dnner ever had an adequate idea of hoW great
a sinner he ia It is not probable that any man could Uve
under the fuU sight of his sina God hSe, in mercy, spared
all his creatures on earth that worst of sights, a naked hnman
heart The sinner's guilt is much more deep and damning
than he fhmks, and his danger is much greater than he thinks
it is, and if he should see them as they are, probably he would
not hve a moment. A sinner may have some false notions on
the subject that creates distress, which have no foundation.
He may think he has committed the unpardon&ble sin, or that
he has grieved away the Spfrit, or sinned away his day of
grace. But to teU the most moral and naturaUy amiable per
son in the world that he is good enough,' or that he ia not so
bad as he thinks he is, is not giring him rational comfort, but
is deceiving him, and ruining his souL Let those who do it,
take care.
2. Others tdl awakened sinners that " Converdon is a pro-
gresdve work," and in this way ease thefr anxiety. When a
man is distressed, because he sees himself to be such a sinner,
and thai unless be tm-ns td God, he wiU be damned ; it is a
great relief to have some friend hold out the idea thai he can
get better by degrees, and that he is now coming on, by httie
and Uttla They teU him, ''"^ATiy you cannot expect to get
along aU ai once ; I do not beheve in these sudden conver-
dons, you must wait and lei ii work , you have begim weU,
and by and by you vriU get comfort" All this is false as the
bottomless pit The truth is, Eegeneration, or converdon, w
no< a progresdve work. What is regeneration? What is it
but the beginning of obedience to God ? And is the beginning
of a thing progressive ? It is the first act of genuine obedi
ence to God — -the first voluntary action of the mind thai is
what God approves, or that can be regarded as obedience to
God That is converdon. When persons talk about conver*
don as a progresdve work, it is absurd They show that
fhey know just as much about regeneration or converdon, as

Nicodemus did They know nothing about it, as fhey ought
to know, and are no more fit to conduct an anxious meet
ing, or to adrise or instruct anxious sinners, than Nicodo-
mus was.
3. Another way in which anxious sinners are deceived with
false comfort, is by being advised fe rf&miss Ow subject for Oie
p-esent. Men who are supposed to be wise and good, have assumed
to be so much wiser thaa God, that when God is dealing with
a sinner, by his Spfrit, and endeavoring to bnng him to an
dmmediak decision ; they think God is crov^ding too liaid, and
that it is neces'Sary for them to interfCTC ; and they wUl advise
fhe poson to take a ride, or go into company, or engage m
business, or something that wtU rehcve his mind a littie, at
leasi few the present They might just as weU say to God, in
plain words, " O God you are too hard, you go too fast you
wiU make him crazy, or kUl him, he cannot stand it ; poor crea
ture, if he is so pressed, he wUl dia" Just so they take sides
against God and do the same as to teU the sinner himself
"God vriU make you crazy if you do not dismiss the subject
and resist the Spirit, and drive him away from your mmd."
Such adrice, if it be tnily conriction of sin that distresses
the sumer, is in no case, either safe or lawful. The stnvings of
the Spirit, to bring a sinner to himself, wiU never hurt him,
nor drive hun crazy. He may make himself deranged by re
sisting, but it is blasphemous, to think, that the blessed, wise
and benevolent Spirit of God,' would ever conduct with so
.littie care, as to derange and destroy the sotU he came to
sanctify and save. The projper course to teke vrith a sinner,
when llie siriring of tlie Spintthrows him into distress, is, to
insiruct him, to clear up his views, correct his mistakes, and.'
make the way of salvation so plain that he can see it right
before him. Not to dismiss tne subject^ but faU in wifh the'
Spirit,, and thus hush aU tho.se dreadftJ agonies which are
produced by resisting the Holy Ghost EEMEMBEE, if an
awakened dnner voluntarily dismiss the subject once, proba
bly he vrill nevet take ii np again.
4. Sometimes an awakened sinner ia comforted by being
told that rdigion does not comi'i in feding bad. I once heard
ci a Doctor of Divinity, giring an anxious sinner such coun-
sd, when he was actuaUy writhing under the arrows of the
Almighty. Said he, "Eehgion fe cheerful, religion is not
gloomy, do not be distressed, be comfortcSS, dismiss your fears,
you should not feel so bad" and such like miberaible comforts,
whfin, in fect^ the man had infinite reason to be distrcssied,

324 FALSE COMFORTS FOR SINNEBS.
for he was redstmg the Holy Ghost, and m dangpr of griev
ing hun away for ever. . ^ . , ,. .. j u t tx.
' It is true, rehgion dofes not consist m feehng bad but tne
sinner has reason to be din'rcssed because he has Ao.religion.
If b had religion, he would not fed so. Were Ke a Christian,
he woula. rejoice. But to tell an impenitent sinner to be
cheerful ! why, you might as well preach this doctrine in hell,
and teU them there, "Cheer up here, cheer up, do not feel so
bad" The sinner is on tbe very verge of hell, he is iii rebeUion
against God, and his danger is infinitely gi-eater than he im- ;
agiues. Oh, what a doctruie of devils ! to teU a rebel against j
heaven not to be distressed. WTiat is aU his distress but re- ;
belhon itself? He is not comforted, because he refuses to be
comforted God is re.idy.to comfort him. You need not think •
to' be more compassionate than Ggd. He wiU iUl him with i
comfort, in an instant if he wiU submit But there he stands, j
struggling against God, and against the Holy Ghost, and '¦¦
against conscience, until he is distressed almost to death, and
atiU he \riU not yield ; and now some one comes m, " Oh, I hate
to see you feel so bad, do not be so distressed cheer up, cheer i
up, religion does not consist in being gloomy, be comforted" \
Honid-! -—^
5. Whatever involves the tabject of religion in mystery, ia
calciUated to give a sinner false comfort ,
Wlieu a sinner is anxious on the subject of ireUgion, very
often, if you becloud it in mystery, he will feel reheved Thej
sinner's distress arises from the pressure of present obhgation.'
EbUghten him on this point, and clear ii up, and if he wiU not
yield, it wiU only increase his distress. Biit teU him that re
generation is aU a mystery, something he cannot imderstand ;
and leave him all in a fog of darkness,' and you reheve his
-anxiety. It is his dear view of the natifre and duty of re
pentance,- that produces his disti'ess. It ii the Ught that
brin^ agony to his mind whUe he refuses to obey. It is that,
whidi will make up the pains of helL And it wiU almost
make heU in fhe sinner's brea.st here, if only made dear
enough. But only cover up this light, aud his anxiety wiU
immediately liecome fer tess acute and thrilling. But if you
lift up a certain and dear light, and fiash it abroad ujxm his
aoul, and if ho will not jield, you kindle up the tortures of
heU in his bosom. I
6. Whatever rdieves the sinner from a sense of Name, La cal
culated to give him false comfoi't
The moro a man feels himself to blame, the deeper is hia

False comforts for sin-vers. 325
disti'osa But anything that lessons his sense of l^lame, of
course lessons his "distress, but if is a comfort fuU of- death.
If auythiug wUl help him diride the blame, and tlnow off a
part of it upon God, it wiU afford comfoi-t but it is a rehef
tliat wiU destroy his soul
7. Ho tdl him <f his inabilUy, is iiihe comfort TeU an anx
ious sumer " What can you do ? you are a poor, feeble crea
ture, you can do nothing." You ahU make him feel a kin^ of
clesponddncy. But it ii not that keen agony of remorse, with
which God wrings ' the soul, when he is laboring to cut liim
down and bring him to repentance.
If yon tell turn he ia unable to comply with the Gospel, he
naturaUy falEj' tn with it as a relief He says to himsdf, " Yes,
I am unable, I am a poor, feeble creature, I cannot do this, and
certainly God cannot send me to heU for not doing what I
cannot do." ^Vhy, if I believed that the siimer was wuHAe, I
.would teU him plainly, " Do not be afraid you are not to blame
.for not complying with the caU of the Gospel : for you ai-e
unable, and God wiU never send you to heU for not doing
what yon liave no strength to do- WiU not the Judge of
.aU the earth do right ? " I know it is not common for those
^itho talk about the sinuer's being unable, to be so consistent
aud carry out thefr theoiy. But the dnner irfers all this, and
BO he feids rdievcd It is aU false, and aU the comfort ds-'
rived from it, is only treasuring up wrath against the day of
wrath. 8. Whatever makes the impression on a sinner's mind thaf
'he is to -be passive in religion, is calculated to give him felse
'comfort Give him the idea that he has nothing to do but to wait
God's time ; teU him conversion is the work of God, and he
ought to leave it to him ; and that he must be careful, not to
try to take the work out of God's hand ; and he wUl in/c, as
before, fhat he is not to blame, and wUl feel relieved. If he is
only to hold siUl, and let God do the work, jiist aa a man
holds stiU to have his arm amputated, 'he feels relieved But
auch instruction as this, is aU wi on*. If the sinner is thus to
hold stUl and let God do it he mstantly ¦aifeis that lie is not
to blame for not doing it himself. And ihe inference is not
only natural but legitimate, for he is not to blama
It is trae that there is a sense in which converdon is the
work of God. But it is false, as it is often represented It
is also true that there is a sense, in which conversion is the
dnner's own act It is ridiculous, therefore, to say, that a
ginner is passive in regeneration, or pasdve in being convert

826 FALSE COUFORTS FOR SIN.MERQ:

,  , for converdon is his own act The thing to be done ia
that which cannot be<done for him. It is something which he
mud ao, or it vriU never be done.
9. Telling a dnner to wait GocPstime.
Some years ago, I met a woman ju PhUadelphia, who v/aa
anxious about her soul, and had b£:cn a long time in that
state I conversed with her, and endeavored to leam her
state. She told me a good many things, and finally said she
biew she ought to be willing to wait on God as long as he
hod waited upon her. She said, God had w.iited on her a
gruat many years* before she wonld give any attention io hia
aaUs, tind now she beheved it was her duty to wait God's time
to show mercy and convert her soul And she said fhis vras
the instruction she hod received She must be patient, and
wait God's time, and by and by he would give her rehel Oh,
amazing foUy !
Here is the siniier in rebeUion. God comes vrith pardon in
one hand, and a sword in the other, and tells the siimer to
repeni and receive pardon, or refuse and perish. And now
here comes a minister of the Gospel, aud teUs the sinner to
"wait God's time." Virtually he says, that God is not ready
to have Mm repent now, aud is not ready to pardon him now,
nnd thus, in foci, throws off the blame of his impenitence
upon God Instead' of pointuig out the sinner^s gmlt in not
submitting at once io God, he points out God's insincerity in
making the offer, when, in feet, he was not ready to grant fhe
blessing. I have often thought such toachei's needed the rebuke of
EiijiiL when he met the prieste of Baal " Cry aloud for he
is a God ; either he is talMiig, or he is pursuuig, or he is in a
journey ; or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked"
The luuiister who v^utures to iutimat-e that God is not i-eady,
and that feUs the sinner to wait God's time, might almost as
well teU him, that now God is (^eep, or gone ou a joumey,
and cannot attend to him at present Miserable comfoiiere
indeed! It is httie lei^ than outrageous blasphemy of God
How many liave gone to fhe judgment, red all over vrith the
blood of souls, tliat they have deceived and destroyed hy teU
ing them God was not ready to save them, juid they must
wait God's time. No doubt, such a doctrine is exceedingly
calculated to affprd present relief to an anxious sinner. It
warranto him to say, "Oh, yes, God is not ready, I miief wait
God's time and so I can Uve in dn, and take it out a while
longer, till he gete ready to attend to me, aud then I will get
rel^on."

FALSE COMFORTS FOB BINNERa 327
10. It is false comfoi^ to teU an anxious sinner to do any
thing for reUe^ which he can do, and not svbmit his heart tn
God.
" An anxious sinner is often vrilling to do anything dse, but
the very thing which God requfres him to do. He is willing
to go io the ends of the eartL or to pay his money, or to en
dure suffering, or anything, but fuU and instantaneous sub
misdon to. God. Now, if you wUl comijromise the matter
vrith him, and teU him of something else thai he may do, and
yet evade thai point, he vriU be very much comforted He
hkes that instruction. He says, " OL yes, I vrill do that, I like
that minister, he is noi so severe as others, he ssems to im
derstand my particular case, and knows how to make allow
ances." It often reminds me of tiie conduct of a patient who is
very sick, but has a great dislike for a certain physician and
a particular medicine, but that is ihe very physician who alone
understands ireaiing his disease, and tiiai the only remedy
for it Now the patient is willing to do anything dse, and
call in any other physician ; and he is anxious and in dis
tress, aud is asking all his friends if they cannot teU him what
he shaU do, and he wiU take aU the nostrums and quack
medicines in the country, before he vriU submit to the only_
courae that can bring him rehef. By and by, after he has
tried everything without any benefit if he does not die in the
experiment he gives up his unreasonable oppodtion, calls in
the physician, takes ihe proper medicine, and is cured Just
ao it is vrith dnners. They wUl eagerly do anything, if you
wiU let them off from this intolerable pressm-e of present ob
Ugation to submit to God. I wUl mention a feW of the
things which sinners ore told to do.
(1.) Tdhng a dnner he must vse the means. TeU an anx
ious sianei'.this — ^You must use the means, and he is relieved
'' Oh, yes, i ¦wiU do that if ihat is all' I thought that God
required me to repeni and submit to him now. But if using
fhe means will answer, I wiU do that with aU my heart"
He was distressed before, because he was cornered up, and
did not know which way to turb. Conscience had beset liim,
like a wall of fire, and urged bim to repent now. But this
reUeves him at once, and he feds better, and is very thankful,
be saya, that he found such a good adviser in liis disUesa But
he may use the means, as he calls it tUl the day of judg
ment, and not be a partide the better for it, but wUl only
hasten bis vray to d^th. "What is the sinner's use of means,
bat rebdUon against God?^ God uses meana The diurch

828 FALSE COMFORTS FOE SINNEBB.
uses means to convert and save sinners, to bear dovm upon
them, and bring them to submission. But what has the sin
ner to do with using means ? WiU you set him to use means
back upon God and so make an oSset in the matter ? Or is
he to wSe means to make himself submit to God 'i* How shall
he go to work with his means to make-himself submit? It iis
just telhng the sinner, " You need not submit to God now,
but just use the meaps awhUe, and see if you catmot melt
God's heart down to you, so that he wiU yidd this point of
unconditional submission." It is a mere caril to evade the
duty of immediate submisdon to God. It is tme that sin
ners, actuated by a regard to their own happiness, often give
attention to ihe subject of rdigion, attend meetings, and piay,
and read, and many such things. Bui in all this, they have
no regard to the honor of God, nor do they so much as mean
to obey him. Thefr design is noi obedience, for if it were,
they would not be impenitent sinners. They are not, there
fore, using means to be Christians, but to obtain pardon, and
a hopa It is absurd to say ihat an impenitent sinner is using
means to repent, for this is the same as to say that he is wiU
ing \t> repent, or, in other words, that he does repent and is
not an impenittot sinner. So, to say that an unconverted
sinner uses means with design to become a Christian, is a con-
tradictioil, for it is saying that he is -wiUing io be a Christian,
which is the same as to say that he is a Christian afready.
(2.) Telling the sinner to pray for a new heart. I once
heard a cdebrated Sunday-school teacher do this. He was
almost the fathca* of Sunday-schools in this country. 'He
caUed a httie gfrl up io him, and began to talk to her. "My
httie daughter, are you a Christian ? " No,- sfr. " WeU, you
cannot be a Christian yourself can you V No, su:. " No,
you cannot be a Christian, you cannot change your heart
yourself, but you must pray for a new heart that is aU you
can do, pray to God, God wiU give you a new heart." He
was an "aged and venerable man, but I felt almost disposed to
rebuke him openly in the name of the Lord, I could not bear
to hear him deceive that chUd, teUing her she could not be a
Christian. Does God say " Pray for a new heart ?" Never;
He says, " Make you a new heart." And the sinner is not to
be told to pray to God io do his duty for him, but to go and
do it himself. I know the Psaltpist, a good man, prayed,
" Create m me a clean heart and renew a right spfrit within
me." He had faith and prayed ia faith. But that is a very
different thing from setting an obstinate rebel to pray for a
new lieai't No doubt an anxious sinner vrill he ddighted

'PaJ£E COUFORTS^ FOR S1!INI3B& 3W
with such instruction. Why, I knew I needed a new hearty
and that I oi^ht to repent but I thought I must do it my*
aelf, I am very willing io ask God to dp it I hated to do it
mj-self, but have no objection that God should do it, if be
wUl, and I will pray for it if that 'is all ihat is required" i
(3. ) Telling the sinner to persevere. And suppose he doea
persevere. He is as certain to be damned as if he had been-
in heU ev^ since the foundation of the world His anxiety
arises only from his resistance, and if he would submit, if
would' cease. And now, wUl you teU him to persevere in the
very thing that causes his distress? Suppose my child
should, m a fit of passion, throw a book or something on ihe
floor. I teU bim " Take it up," and instead of miitding what
I say, he runs ofi' and playa " Take it up ! " He sees I am
in earnest, and begins to. look serious. "¦, " Take it up, or I
shaU get a rod" And I put up my arm to get the rod He
stands stUl. " Take ii up, or you must be whipped" He
comes dowly along to the place, and tlien begins to weep.
"Take it up, my child, or you wiU certainly be punished"
Now he LS m discress, and sobs and sighs as if his bosom
would burst, but stiU remains as stubborn as if he knew 1
could not punish him. Now I begm to press him with mo
tives to submit and obey,, but there he stands, ih agony, and
at length bursts out, " Oh, father, I do feel so bad, I think I
am growing better." And now, suppose a neighbor to come
in, and see the child standing there, in aU this agony of stub
bornness The neighbor asks him what he is standing there
tar, and-.what he is doing. " Oh, I am using means to pick
up that book." If this neighbor should teU ihe chUd " Per
severe, persevere, my boy, you wiU get it by and by," what
should I do? Why, I would tum him out of the housa
Whai does he mean by encouraging my- duld in his rebel
lion?
^ Now, God calls the dnner to repent, he threatens him,, he
draws ihe gUltering sword he persuades him, he -uses mo
tives, and the sinner is distresseii to agony, for he sees him
self (Jriven to the dreadful alternative of giving up his sina
or going to hell He ought instantiy to lay down his weap
ons, and break his heart at once. But he resiste, and stmg-
"les against conriction, and that creates his distresa Now
will you tell lum to peisavere ? Persevere in what ? In Strug-
gUng against God ! That is just the dfrection the deril would
o-ive. Ml fhe devil wants is to see him persevere in just the
way he is going on, and his destruction is sure. Satan ma;
go to aieeip.

SSO FALSE COMFORTS FOR SINNER^
(4.) Telling the sinner to press forward. . That ia, "Ton
are in a good way, only press forward and you vriU get to
heaven." This is on the supposition that his face is towards
^eaven, when in fact his face is f owax(Js heU, and he is press
ing forward snd never more rapidly than. now, while he is
redsting the Holy Ghost Often have I heard this duection
given, when the sinner was in as bad a way as he could be.
What you ought to teU him is, " STOP — smner, stop, do not
teke another step that way, it leads to hefl." God teUs him'
to stop, and because he, does not wish to stop, he is distressed
Now, why should you attempt to comfort hiin m this way? ,
¦ (5.) Ifell or sinner that he must try to repent and give' his heart
In Qod. " Oh, yes," says ihe sinner, "I am willing to try, I have
often tried to' do it and I vriU try again." Ah, does God
teU you to tiy to repent ? All the world would be wilhng
to try to repent in thefr way. Giving tins dfrection implies
that it is very difficult to repent, and perhaps impossible, and
fhat tbe best thing a sinner can do is to try and see whether
he can do ii or not What is this but substituting youi- own
commandment in the place of God'a God requfres nothing
short of repentance and a holy heart Anything short of
that is comforting him in vain, " seeing in your answers there
remaineth falsehood."
(G.) To tell him to prUy for repentance, "Oh yes, I wiU
pray for repentance, if that is all I was distressed because
I thought God required me to repent, but if he wiU do it I
can wait" And so he feels reheved and is quite oomfortabla
(7.) To teU a sinner to pray for conviction, or pray for the
IMy Ghost to show him h^_ dns, or to labor to get more Ught
on the subject of his gmlt, in order to increase his convic
tion.
I All this is just what the sinner wante, because it lets him
off from ihe pressm'e of preseni obiigation. He wante just a
i littie more time. Anything that wiU defer that present pres
sure of obligation to repent immedia^ly is a reUef. What
does he want more conviction for ? Does God give any such
dfrection to an impenitent sinner ? God takes it for granted
thai he has conviction enough afready. And so he has. Do
you say he cannot realize all his sins ? If he can realize only
¦one of them, lei him repent of that one, and he is a Chrii»
tian. Suppose he could see them all, what reason is there to
think he would repent of them aU, any more than fhat he
would repent of that one thai he does see^? AU this is com
forting the sinner by setting him to do that which he can do
end wiU not submit his heart to God

FALSE COMFORTS FOR SINNERa 331
IL Another way in which false comfort is gJv& to onx-
ions sinners, is to tell 'them God is trying their faith hy kre/f
ing litem in the fmnuce, and they must wait patiently upon
the Lord -Just as if God .was in faiUt, or stood iu the wav,
of his being a Christian. Or as if an impenitent dnner had
feith !« What an abomination ! Suppose somebody should
teU my chUd, whUe he was standing by the book as 1 have de
scribed "Wait patienUy, tioy, your father is tiymg your
faitL" No. The sinner is trying the patience and forbear
ance of God God is not setting himself to torture a sinner,
and teach him a lesson of patience. But he is waiting upon
him, and laboring to bring hun at once into such a state of
mind as wiU render it consistent to fill Ls soul with the
peace of heaven. And shaU the sinner be encom'aged to re
dst by the idea that God is bantering? TAI^E CAEE. God
has said his Spfrit shall not always strive.
12. Another false comfort is teUing a sinner, Do your duty,
and leave ynvr conversion with G'kI.
I once heard an elder of a church say to an anxious sin
ner, " Do yonr duty, aud leave your conversion to God he
wiU do it iu his own time and way." That was just the same
as teUiug him that it was not his duty to be converted now.
He did not say. Do your duty, and leave your sdvdion with
God. That would have been proper enough, for it would
have been suuply telhng him to submit to God, and would
have included conversion as the first duty of all But he
told him to leave his conversion to God. And this elder, thaf
gave such advice, was a man of hberal education too. How
absurd ! Just as if he could do his duty and not be con
verted Just as if God was going to convert a diuaer aud
let the sinner sit calmly under it m the use of means. Hor
rible ! No. God has requued him to make him a new heart
aud do you bew£U'e how vou comfort him with an answer of
felsehood 13. Sometimes professors of rehgion ^riU try to comfort a
sinner, by telhng him, "Do not be discouraged ; I was a long
time in this way before I found comfort" They wiU tell him,
" I was under conviction so many weeks-— or perhaps so many
months, or sometimes years, and have gone through with all
this, and know just how you feel, your experience is the same
with mine, piecisely, and after so long a time I found relief,
and I do not doubt you wiU find it by and by. Do not A»
apafr, God wUl comfort you soon." Tdl a sinner to take
courage in his rebeUion! Ch, horrible! Such professora
ought to be adiamed Suppose you •were under conriction

S32 FALSB OOMFORTS FOR SINNEBS.
BO many weeks, and afterwards found reUef, it is the veiy last
thing you ought to teU to an anxious sinner. 'What is u but
encouraging him to hold on, when his business is to subiflit
Did you hold out so many weeks whUe fhe Spiidt was striv
ing with you? You only deserved so much the more to be
damned .for your obatinocy and atupidity.
Sinner I if ia no sign God vrill spare you so long, or that
his ^irif vrill ^^main with you to be resisted And remem
ber, if the Spirit is taken away, yon vriU be sent to hdL
14 "I have fedth to beUeve yon wUl be converted"
Yoa have-feifh to beUeve I On what does your faith rest?
Ou fhe promise of God? On fhe influences of fhe Holy
Ghost? Then you are counteracting your ovm &ith., Tbe
very dedgn and object of fhe Spirit of Goo^ is, to tear'aw&y-
Crom the sinner his last vestige of a hope, whUe remaining
in dn ; to annihUate every crag and fw^ he may ding to.
And the object of your instmction should be fhe sama xin
should fell in with the plan of God If is oidy in this way
fhat you can over do any good by crowding him right up to
fhe work, to submit at once and leave his soul in fhe hfmds
of God But when one that he thinks is a Chriafian fella
him, " I have faith to beUeve you wiU be converted,'" it np
holds him in his false expectation. Instead of teaxiog him
away from bis felse hopes, and throvring him uponChiist,
you just turn him off to hang upon your feith, and find oom-
fort because you have faith for him; This is all felse- com
fort, that worketh deatL
15. "IwiUprayforyou." Sometimes professors of religiim
tiy to comfort ah anxious sinner in fhis way, by telhng him,
" I will pray for you." This is felse comfort for it leads' the
sinner to trust in those prayers, instead of irasting m Christ
The dnner says, "He is a good man, and God hears the
prayers of good men, no doubt his prayers vriU prevail some
time, and I diaU be converted, I do not tbiTiV I diaU be lost"
And his anxiety, his agony, is all gone. A woman said to a
minister, "I have no hope now, but I have faith in youi
prayers." Just such faith, this is, as the deril wante fhem
to have — faith in prayers instead of faith in Chnst
16. " I rejoice to see you in this way, and I hope you wiH
be faithful, nnd hold out" 'What is that but rejoichsg to see-
hull iu rebeUion agamst God? For that id preosdy the
groimd on which he standa He is redsting conviction, and'
resisting consdence, and resistmg the Holy Ghost, and yet
you rejoice to see him in this way, and hope he vriU be feith-
ful and hold out There ?« k Bemae, mdeed, m which it may

FALSB COMFORTS FOR SINNERS. .133
be said that his situation is more hopeful than when he was
in stupidity. For God has conrinced him, and may succeed
in turmng and subduing him. But that is not the sanse in
which the sinner himself wUl understand it He wiU suppose
that you thmk him m a hopeful way, because he is domg bet-
'ter than formerly. When his guilt and danger are, m fact
greater than they ever were before. And instead of rejocing,
you ought to be distressed and in agony, to see him thus re
sisting the Holy Ghost. for every moment he does this, lie is
\n danger of being left of God and given up to hardness of
heart and to despafr.
17. " You wUl have your pay for this, by and by, God wiU
reward you." Yes, sinners, God wdl reward you, if you con-
tmue in this way, he wiU put you m the fires of heU. Ee-
ward iox aU this distress ! Yes, if you are ever rewarded for
it it wUl be m hell. I once heard a sinner say, " I feel very
bad, I have strong hopes thai I shaU get my reward." But
th'at indiridual afterwards said, " Nowhere can there be fomid
so black a sinner as I am, and no sin of my life seems so
black, and damning as that expression." He was overwhelmed
with contrition, thai he should ever have had such an idea,
as to think God would reward him for suffering so much
distipii-t, when he brought it all upon himseU, needlessly, by
his wicked resistance to the trutL The tmth is, what such
people want, is to comfort the sinner, and being aU m the
dark themselves on the subject of reUgion, they of comse
give him false comfort
18. Another false comfort is to teU the sinner hehas not re
pented enough. The tmth is, he has not repented at all. God
always comforte the sinner as soon as he repents. This dfrec
tion imphes that his feChngs are right as far as they go. To
imply that he has any repentance, is to teU him a he, and
cheat him out of his soul
19. People sometimes comfort a smner by telling him " If
you are dected, you wUl be brought m." I once heai-d of a
case where a person under great distress of mmd was sent to
converse with a neighboring minister. They conversed a
long time. As the person went away, the minister said to
him, " I should like to write a hue by you, to your father."
His father was a pioua man. The minister wrote the letter,
and forgot to seal it As the suiner was gomg home, he saw
that Uie letter was not sealed and he thought to himself,
ihat probably the minister had written about hun, and his
curiosity at length led him to open and read it And there
be found it written to this purport : " Dear sir. I find youi

334 FALSE COMFORTS FOB SINNERS.
son under conriction, and in great distress, and it seems no)
easy to say anythmg to give him relief. But, if he is one of
the elect, he wUl surely be brought in." He wanted to say
something to comfort the father. But now, mai-k. Tluit
letter had weU-nigh ruined his soul He settled down
on the doctrine of election — " If I am elected, I shall be
broii^t in," and his conviction was .all gone. Years iiftcr .
wards he was awakened and cionverted, but only after a gresit
struggle, and never until ihat false impression was obhter-
afed from his mind, and he was made to sec tliai he had no
thing ai aU to do with the doctrine of dection, but if he did
not repent he would be damned..
20. It is very common for some people to tell an awakened
sinner, " You are in a very prosperous way, I am glad to see
you 80, and feel encoiu-aged about you." It some tunes seems
as if the dim-ch were in league with the devil to help siiincrs
redst the Holy Ghost The thing thai ihe Holy Ghost wants
to make the sinner fed, is, ihat aU his ways are wrong, and
thaf they lead to heU. And everybody is conspiring to make
the oppodte impresdon. The Spfrit is ti-yiug to dhscourage
him, and they are trj'ing to encourage him ; the Spint to
distress, by shovring him he is aU wrong, and they to comfort
him by saying he is domg well Has it come to this, that
the worst coimferaction to the truth, and the gi-eatest obstacle
to fhe Spirit shall sprmg from ihe church? Sinner! Do
not beheve any such thing. You are not in a hopeful way.
You are not doing weU, but iU ; as iU as you can, whUe resist
ing the Holy Ghost
21. Another very fatal way in which false comfort is given
to dnners, is by. applying to them certain Scripture promises,
which were designed only for sainte. This is a grand derice
of fhe devil It is much practised by fhe Universalisfa But
Christians often do it For example :
(1.) "Blessed are fhey that mourn, for fhey shall be com
forted" How often has this passage been apphed to anxious
sinners, .who were ia distress because they would not aubmit
to God ; blessed are ^e that mopm. Indeed ! That is tiTie^
where they mourn with godly sorrow. But what is tiiis sin
ner mourning about? He is mourmng because God's law
is holy and hLs terms of salvation so fixed that he cannot
bring them dowil to his mind TeU such a rebel — Blessed
ar6 they that moum I You might just as well apply if to
those that are in hell. There is mourning there too. The
dnner is mourning because there is no other way of salvation,
because God is so holy that he requfres hun to give up all

FALSE OOMFOKTS FOE SINNERS. 835
his ^s, and he feds, that the time has come, that he mud
either give them up, or be damned ShaU we teU him, he
shaU be comforted ?. Go and teU the deril, « Poor deril, you
moum now, but ihe Bible says you are blessed if you mourn,
and you shaU be comforted by and by.
(2.) " They that seek shaU find" This is said to sinners
in snch a way as to imply that the anxious sinner is seeking
rehgion. _ This promise was made in referen<*» to Christians,
who ask in faith, and seek to do ihe wUl of God, and is not
appUcable to those who are seeking hope or comfort but to
holy seelring. To apply it to an impenitent sinner, is only to
deceive him, for his seeking is not of this character. To tell
him "You are seeking, axe you? WeU, seek, and you shall
find," is to cherish a fatal delusion. "WhUe he remains im
penitent, he has not a desire, which the devU might not have,
and remain a devU stUl.
If he had desfre to do his duty, if he was seeking to do
the vriU of God and give up his dns, he would be a Chris
tian. But to comfort an impenitent sinner, vrith such a
promise, you might just as well comfort Satan.
• (3.) " Be not weary in well doing, for ia due time you
shaU reap if you faint not" To apply this to a sinner for
comfort is absurd Just as if he was doing something to
please God. He has never done well, aud never has done
more iU, than now. Suppose my neighbor, who came ui
whUo I was trying to subdUe my child, shbuld say to the.
child, " In due_ time you shall reap, if you faint not," what
should I say ? " Eeap, yes, you shaU reap, if you do not
give up your obstin-'icy, .you shaU reap indeed, for I wiU ap
ply the rod" So the stmggling sinner sliaU reap the dam
nation of heU, if he does not give up his suis .
22. Some professors of reUgion, when they attempt to con
verse vrith awakened sinners,' are very fond of saying, "I
vrill tell you my exixjiience." This is a dangerous snare, and
often give's tho devU a handle. lo lead hiin to heU, by trying to
copy your experience. If you tell it to him, and he thinks it
is a Cliristian experience, ho will almost infalhbly be trying
to imitate it, and instead of foUowmg the Gospel, or the
leadings of the Spirit in big own soul, he is foUowing yova
•example. This is absurd as weU as dangeroua He never
vriU have just such feehngs as yon liad. No two persona
were ever -exercised just alika Men's experiences are as much
milike as their countonaucea Such a course is very likdy to
mislead him. The design is, often, nothing but to encour
age him, at tho vciy point where ho oqght not to be encoui>

336 FALSE COMFORTS FOR SINNERS.
aged, Itfore he has submitted to God And ii is calculated
to impede the work of God in his soul
23. How many times wiU people -tell an awakened sinner
thai Ood has begun a good work in him, and he will cany it
00. I have known parents talk so wifh theu* children, and as
soon as ihey saw thefr chUdren awakened give up all former
anxiety about them, and settle down at their ease, iliiiiking
that now God had "begun a good work in their childi-en,. he
would carry it on. It would be just as rational for a farmet
to say so about his grain, and as soon as it comes up out vof
tiie groimd, say, "Well, God has begun, a good work in my
field, and he wUl carry it oil." What would B,e tiiought of a
farmer who should neglect to put up his fence.'becausc God
had begun the work of giving him a crop of grain ? If you
teU a sinner so, and he believes you, ii wiU certainly be his
de.struction, for it will prevent his doing that which is abso
lutely indispensable to his being saved. If, as soon as the
sinner is awakened, he is taught thai now God has begun a
good work, that only needs to be ca.nied on, and that God
wiU surely cany it on, he sees that he has no further occa
sion to be anxious, for, iu fact, he has notliiiig more to do.
And 60 he wiU be relieved from that intolerable pressure of
preseni obhgation, to repent and submit to God. And if he
is relieved from his sense of obligation to do it, he v?iU never do it
24. Some wUl teU the sinner, " WeU, you have broken off
your dns, have you ?" " Oh, yes," says Uie smner. When
li is all false, he has never forsaken his sins for a moment, he
has only e.Ychanged one form of sin for another ; only placed
himself in a new attitude of resistance. And to tell him, he
has broken ihem off, is to give him false comfort.
25. Sometunes.this du-ection is given for the piirpose of re
lieving the agony of an anxious sinner, " Do what you can,
and God wiU do the rest," or " Do whai you can, and God
wiU help you." This is the' same as teUing a siniier, "You
cannot do what God requires you to do, but if ygu wiU do
what you can, God wiU help you, as to the rest" Now dn
nera often get the idea that they have done all they can, when,
in fact, they have done nothmg at aU, only resisted God
with all their might I have, often heard them ^ay, " I have
done all I can, and I get no rehef, what can I do more?"
Now, you can see how comforting it must be to such a one to
have a professor of rehgion come in and say, " If you wiU do
what you can, God will help you." It reheves aU his keen
distress at onca He may be uneasy; and unhappy, but hia
agony is gona

FALSB COMFORTS POR SINNERS. 8.17
, 26. Agom fhey say, " You should be thankful for what you
have, and hope for -mora" If the smner ia conricted, they
teU him he should be thankful for conriction, and hope for
converdon. If he has any feeling, he should be thankful for
what feehng he has, just as if his feeling was rdigious feehng.
when he has" no more rehgion, than Satan. He has re.ison
to be thankful, indeed ; thankful that he is out of hell, and
fl^nkful that God is yet waiting on him. But it is ridiculoiia
Co teU him he should b'e thankful ia regard to the state of his
mind, when he is oU the while resisting his Maker with aU his
might EatnoRs IN PRATiNa for soniEBa
1 wiU here mention a few errors iu praying for sinners in
thefr presence, by which an xmhappy impression is made on
their minda in consequence of which, they often xibtain false
comfoitin thefr distress.
1. People sometimes pray fbr sianers, as if they deseived
TO BE FiTiEO more than blamex). They pray fqr them an
MODRNEHa " Lord hplp these pensive momnere," as if they
were just mourning, like one fhat had lost a friend, or met
some other calamity, and they could not help it, and were
very sorry for if, but death would come, and so they were
gi'eatly to be pitied as they were sitting there, sad, pensive,
and sighing. The Bible never talks so. It pities .dnnei-s.
but it pities them as mad and guUty rebels, giiUty, and de-
serring to go to hell, not as poor pensive mourn^s, that can
not help it, that want to be reheved, but can do nothing but
sit and mourn.
2. Praying for them as poor smners. Does ihe Bible ever
use any such language as this? The Bible never speak? of
them as " poor smners," as if ihey deserved t6 be pitied mora
than blamed Christ pities sinners in his heart And so does
God pity ihem. He feels in his heart aU the gushings of
compasdon for them, when he sees tiiem going on, obstinate
and wilful in gratifying thefr own lusts,, at the jieril of hia
eternal wrath.. But he never lete an e^resdon escape from'
him, as if the sinner was just a " poor creature" to be pitied
as if he could noi hdp it T id idea thai he is poor,, rather
than vncked unfortunate, rather than guilty, relieves the sin
ner greatiy. I have .seen ihe .siaiier writhe with agony under
tlie .truth, m a meeting, until somebody- befpin to pray for
llim as a ;joo»" aeature. And then he would gnsb out iutS
tearsL and weep profusdy, and think lie was greatly benofitod

838 FATAB COMFORTS FOR SINNERS.
by such a prayer. " Oh, what a good prayer that was. It
you go now and converse with that sinner, you wiU find he ia
pitying himself as a poor unfortunate creature, perhaps weep
ing over his unhappy condition, but his convictioms of sm, hii
deep impresdons of awful guilt, ai"e all gone.
3. Pi-aying thai God would help llie 'sinner to repent. "0
Lord, enable this poor sinner to repent now." This conveys
the idea to the sinner's mind, that he is now tryhig with all
his might to repent and that he cannot do it and therefore
Christians are calhug on God to hel2> him, and enable htm to
do it. Most professors of rehgion pray for sinners, not that
God woiUd make them willing to repent, but that he would
ENABLE them, or make them able. No wonder thefr pra.yers
are not heard They relieve the sioner of his sense of re
sponsibiUty, and thai reheves his distress. But it is an insult
to God, as if God had commanded a sinner fo -do what he
could not do.
4. People sometimes pray : " Lord these sinners are sed>
ing thee, sorrowing." This language is an allusion to what
took place at the time when Jesus was a Utile boy, and went
into the temple to talk vrith the rabbis and doctora Hia
parente, you recoUect, went a day's joumey towards home,
before they missed him, and then they turned back, and after
looking aU around, they found the Uttie Jesus standing in the
temple and disputing with the learned men, and his mother
said to him, " Son, why has thon tiius dealt with us ? behold
thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." And so this
prayer represents sinners as seeking Jesus, and he hides him
self from them, and "ihey look aU around, and hunt, and try
to find him, and wonder where Jesus is, and say, " Lord we
have sought Jesus these three days sorrovring." It is a LEt'.
No siimer ever sought Jesus with aU his heart three days, or
three minutes, and could not find him. There Jesus stands
at his door and knocks, there he is light before him' pleading
with him, and facing him down vrith all his false pretencea
Seekmg him ! The sinner may whine and cry, " Oh, how I
am son-owing, and seeking Jesua" It is no such thing ;
Jesus is seeMng you. And yet how many oppressed con
sdences are reUeved and conuorted by hearing one of these
prayers. 5. " Lord, have mercy on there sinners, who are seeking Ihy
hve to know." This is a fevorite expression with many, as if
sinners were seekmg to know the Icve of Christ, and could
not No such thing. They are not seeking tiie love of
Christ, but seddiig to get to heaven withont Jpsus Cluiiit

FALSE COMFORTS FOE SINNERS. 339
Just as if they wei-e seeking it and he was s6 hard-hearted
that he worJd not let them have it
(5. "Lord, Itavc mercy on these penitent souls;" calling
anxious simiers penitent souls. If they are penitent, they
are Chiistiana To mate an impression on an unconverted
Niinicr that he is penitent, is to make him believe a lie. But
it is very comforting to the sinner, and he likes to take it up,
and pray ii over again, " O Lord I am a popr penitent soul,
I am very penitent I am so distressed. Lord liave mercy on
a poor penitent" Dreadful ddusiton !
7. Sometimes people pray for anxious smners as^MinWe
souls. "O Lord these sinn^-s have huinhlod themselves."
Why, thai is noi true, they have not humbled thcinsclv^'; if
tiiey had fhe Lord would have raised them up and comforted
fhem, as he has promised There is a hymn of this character,
¦that has done great mischief! It begins,
"Cbmo KUHfiLE sinner in whose breast
A thoDsaiid tlioaghts revolve:"
This hymn was once givon by a minister to ah awakened sin
ner, as one appUcable to his casa ' He began to.*ead'".Come
humble sinner." He stopped, "Humble sinner, Ihat' iS -not
applicable to me, I am not a humUe sinner." An, how woU
was it for him that the Holy iShost had taught him better
than the hymn. If the hymn had said. Come anxious sinner,
or gudty sinner, or trembling sinner, it would have been well
enough, but to caU Ihm a' humble siimer would not do. There
-are a vast many hymns of the same diaracter. It is vciy
common to find sinners quoting the false sentiments of some
hymn, to excuse themselves in rebeUion against God
A minister told me- he heard a prayer, quite laidy, in these
words, " O Lord these simiers have humbled themselves, and
come to thee as well as tliey know how. If they knew any
better, they would do better, but O Jjoid, as they have come
to thee, in the best manner they can, we pray" thee accept
them and shew TuxeTcy." Henible !
8. Many pray, " Father, forgive them, they know not what
they do." This is the prayer which Christ made for his mur-
deriers. And, in that xjase, it was true, they did not know
what they were doing, for ihey did not believe that Jesus
Christ was the Messiah. But it cannot be said of sinaiera
under the Gospel, ihey do not know what they "are doing.
The.y do know what ihey are doing. They do not sec the full
extent of it but they do know that they arc sinning against
God, and rejecting Chrisf, and the diinuulty is, thai tli^ itre

'340 FALSE COMFORTS FOR SINNERS.
onwUling to submit to God. . Bat such a prayer is calculated
to make liim feel relieved, and make him say, " Lord, how can
you blame me so, I am a poor ignorant creature, I do not
know Jiow to' do what is requfred of me. If I knew how, I
would do it"
9. Another expression is, " Lord, direct these sinners, who
are inquiring the way to Zion, with their faces iliitherward."
But this language is only. applicable to Christians.' Smners
have not thefr faces towards Zion, thefr faces are set toward
heU And how can a sinner be said to be " inquiring the way"
to Zion, when he has no disposition to go there. The real
difficulty is, that he is unwUling to WALK in the way in
which he knows he oughi io go.
10. People pray that sinners may have more conviction. Or,
they pray that sinners may.?'* home sotenm and tender, and
take the subject into consideration, instead of praying that
they may repent now. Or, they pray as if they supposed the
sinner was williny to do what is requfred All such prayers,
are just such prayers as the devU wanta He wishes to have
such prayera, and I dare say he does not care how many such
are offered.
Sometimes I li.ave seen lu an anxious meeting, or when sin
ners have been called to the anxious scdts, and the minister has
made the way of salvation aU plain to them, and taken away
all the stumbhng blocks out of their path, and removed the
darkness of their minds on the several points, and when they
are just "-eady to yield, some one wiH be caUed on to pray,
and instead of "praying that they may repeat now, he begins
to pray, " 0 Lord, we pray, that these sinners may be solemn,
.that they may have a deep sense of their- sinfulness, that they
may go -home impressed with their lost condition, that they
may attempt nothing in their own strength, that they may noi
lose thefr convictions, and thai, in thine own time and vyay,
they may be brought out into the glorious light and hberty of
Jbhe sons of God."
Instead of bringing them righi up-to the pouii of immediate
submission, on the spot, ii gives them time to, breathe, ii lete
off aU the pressure of conviction, and he breatlies freely again
and feels relieved, and sits down at his ease. Thus, when the
sinner is brought up, as it were, and stands at the gate of
neaven, such a prayer, instead of pushuig him in, sete hira
away back again, — " There, poor thing, dt there tUIGod helps
yoiL" 11. Christians sometimes pray in such a manner' as to make
the imuresdon thai Christ is the sinner's friend, in a differ-

FALSE COMFORTS FOR ."trNNERa 341
ent sense from what God the Father ia They pray to him,
" Oh, thou friend of sinners," as if Ood was fuU of wi-atii, and
stern vengeance, ju.st gomg to crush, ihe poor wretch, tiU Jesus
Cluist comen in and takes his part, and deUvers him. Now
this is all wrong. The Fatiier nnd. the Son are perfectly
agreed thefr feehngs arc aU the same, and both are equ.aUy
djsppsed to "havo sinners saved And to make such an im
pression, deceives the sinner, aud leads to wrong feelings to
wards God To represent God the Father as standing over
him, with the sword of justice in his hand, eager to strike the
blow, tUl Christ interposes, is noi trae. The Father is as
much the suxuer's friend as the Son. His compassion is equoL
But if the sinner gete tliis unfavorable idea of God the Fathei;
how is he ever to love him with all his heart, so as to say,
" Abba, Father.''
12. The impresdon is often mode by the manner of praying,
that you do not expect ¦ sinners to repent now, or thai you ex
pect God to do THEIR duty, or that you wish to encourage
t^em to trust in your prayers: And so, sinners are ruined
Never pray so as to make the impression on sinners, that ycfu
eecretiy hope they are Christians afready, or that you feol a
Btrong confidence they wiU be, by and by, or. that you half
bdieve they are couv'exted now. This is always imhappy.
Multitudes are deceived with false comfort, in this way, and
prevented just at ihe critical point, from making the final sur
render of tJiemselvee to God
Brethren, I find this fidd so broad that I cannot posdbly
mention all I wished to say. There are many other things
that I intended to touch upon this evening, but the time is
too far spent I must dose with a few brief '
REMARXa
L Many persons who deal in this way with anxious dnners,'
do it from false pity. They feel so much sympathy and com
passion that they cannot bear to teU them the truth, which is
necessary to save them. As weU might a surgeon, when be
sees that a man's arm must be amputated, or he wiU die, in
dulge this feqling of false pity, and just pui ou a plaster, and
mvc him an opi-ite. There- is no benevolence in tliat True
benevolence would lead the surgeon to hide his feehngs, and
to be cool and calm, and with a keen knife, cut the limb offi
and save the hfa It is felse tenderness to do anything short
of that I once saw a woman under distress of mind, who
bad been well nigh 'Liven to despafr for montha Her friends

342 FALSE COMFORTS FOR SINXEB&
had tried aU these false comforts vrithout effect, and Ijiey
brought her to see a minister. She was emaciated, and worn
out with agony. The minister set his eye upon her, and poured
in the truth upon her mind, and rebuked her in a most point
ed manner. The woman who was vrith her interfered she
thouglit it cruel, and said, " Oh, do comfort her, she is so dis
tressed, do not trouble \ier any more-, she cannot bear it" He
turned, and rebuked her, sfad sent her away, and liien poured
in the truth upon the anxious siimer like fire, and in five
minutes she was converted, and went home full of joy. The
plain truth swept aU her false notions away, and in a few mo
ments she was joyful in God
2. This treatment of aimous sinners, administering thefr
felse comfort, ia "* /"ct, cruelly. ^It is cruel as the grave, as
cruel as heU, for it is calculated to send the sinner down to
ite burning abyss. Christians feel compassion for the anxious,*
and so they ought Bui the last thing they ought to do, is to
fluicli just at the point where it comes to a criaia They should
feel compassion, but they should show it just as the suigeon
docs, when he dehberately goes io work, iu fhe right and best
way, and cuts off the man's arm, and thus cures him and
saves his life. Just so Christians should let the sinner sec
thefr compasdon and tendemess, but they should fake God's
part, f uUy and decidedly. They should lay open to the sinner,
the worst of his case, expose his guUt aud danger, and then.
lead him right up to the cress, and indst on instant submis
sion. They must have finnness enough to do this work tb<H^
oitghly, and if they ^ee the sinner distressed and in agony,;
still ihey must press him right on, and not give way in toa
least, however. much he may be in agonj, but stiU press on
fUl he yield.
To do this often requfres nerva I have often been placed
in cfrcumstances, to know this by experience. I have found
myself surroimded by anxious sinners, in such distress, as to
make every nerve tremble, some overeome with emotion and
lying on the floor, some applying camphor to prevent thefr
fainting, others shrieking out as if they were just going to heU.
Now, suppose any one .Coiild give false contort in such a ca-<e
as thia Suppose he had not nerve enough to bring ihem'
righi up to the point of instant and absoluto submissicm.
How unfit is. such a man to be trusted in a case Uke thia
3. Sometimes sinnera become deranged through despair
and anguish of mind Where this is the-case, it is almost
always because those who deal with them fry to encourage
them vrith felse comfort^ and thus lead them to socb a ooo*

FALSE COMFORTS FOR SINNERa 843
flict with the Holy Ghost They try to hold them up, whUe
God is trying to break ihem down. And by and by, the sin
ner's mind gete confused with this contrariety of influences,
and be either goes deranged, or is diiven to despafr.
4. ff you are gomg to deal vrith sinners, remember that you
are soon to meet them in judgment, and be sure to treat them
in such a way that if fhey are lost, it wiU be their own fault
Do noi tiy to comfort them with false notions now, and have
ihem reproach you with it then. Better suppress your false
sympathy, and lei ihe naked truth cleave them asunder, joints
and marrow, than to sooth ihem with false comfort and bc-
guUe them away from God.
4. Smner ' if you converse vrith any Christians, and they
teU you to do anythmg, first ask, " If I do that, shall I be
saved ? " You may be anxious and noi be saved. You may
pray, and not be saved You may read your Bible, and not
be saved. You may use means, in your way, and not be
saved \Miatever tlity teU you to do, if you can do it and not
be saved do not attend io such insimctions. They are cal
culated to give you false comfort, and divert your attention
from the main thing to be done, and beguUe you down to hell.
Do not foUow any such directions, lest you should die while
doing it, and then there is no retrieve.
FinaUy, never teU a sniner anything, or give him any dii-ec-
tion, that wiU lead him to stop short or ihat does not include
absolute submission to God. To lei him stop at any pomt
short of this, is infinitely dangerous. Suppose you are at an
anxious meeting, or a prayer meeting, and tell a dnner to
pray, or to read a book, or an.vthmg short of saving repent
ance, and he should faU arid break his neck that night, of
whom would his blood be requfred? A youth in New Eng
land once met a minister in the street, and asked hiin what
he should do to be saved The mmister told him to go home
and go into Jus chamber, and kneel down and give his heart
to God. " Oh, sir," said the boy, " I feel so bad, I am af i aid
I shall not Uve to get home." The mmister saw his en-or,
and felt the rebuke, thus unconsciously givbn by a chUd, and
he told him, " Well, then, give your heart to God here, and
go home to yonr chamber and teU him of ii."
Oh, it is enough to make one's heart bleed, io see so many
miserable comforters for anxious tinners, in whose answers
there remaineth falsehood 'What a vast amount of spuitu'al
quackery there is in tiiis world, and how many " forgers of
lies" there are, " physicians of no value," who know no better
than to comfort sinners with false hopes, and delude them

844 FALSE COHFOBTS FOB- SINNEBS.
with thefr " old wives' fables, ' and nonsense, or who give waj
to false tendemess and sympathy, fiU fhey have not firmness
enough to see the sword of fhe Spirit appUed, to cut men to
fhe soul, and lay open the sinnw's naked heart Alas! that
so many axe ever piuf into fhe ministry, who have not skill
enough to stand by and see the Spirit c^ God do ite work, in
breaking up the old foundations, and crushing all the rotton
hopes of a sinner, tad breaking him all down at the feet
of Jesua

LECTURE XVIII
DIKECJIONS TO SINNERi
TaxT— Wiat f liall I dn to be saved ?— Acw sri, 30.
These are the words of the jailor at Philippi, the questios
which he put to Paul and Silas, who were then under his care
as prisoners. Saten had, in many ways, opjiosed these ser
vants of God in thefr work of preaching tiic Gospel, .iiid had
been as of ten .defeated and disgraced. But hcii^ at Philippi,
he devised a new and peculiar, project fbr frnst^-ating tiiefr
labors. There was a certain woman .at Pliih^pi, who waa pos
sessed with a spirit of divination, or hi other words, the spfrit
of the dcvU, .and brought her masters much gain by linr sooth
saying. The devil set this woman to foUow Paul and Silas
about tiie streets, and as soon as they had begun to gain the
attention of the people, she would come in and cry, "These
men are the ser'.'aiite of the most liigh God, which shOwunto ua
the way of salvation." That is, she undcatook to Sbcond the
exhortations of the prcaclier.s, and added her testimony, as if
to give iidditional weight to their instructiona The effect of
it was just what Satan desfred The people all knew fhat
this was a wicked, base woman, and when fhey heard her at
tempting to iccommcnd this new preaching, they were dis
gusted, and coniludcd it was all of a piece. The devil knew
th:it it would noi do him any good but would help their
cause, to set such a person to oppose the preaching of tiie
apostles, or to speak again'st it The time had gone 1:^, for
that to succeed. And, therefore, ab comes round the other
way, and tekes tho opposite ground and by setting her to
praise thera as the servants of God, and to bear her poUuted
testimony in favor of their insti-uctions, he led people to sup
pose the apostles were of the same character with ha:, and
had the same spirit tiiat she had, and thus tip. tiiefr cffoite
were defeated. Paul saw that if things went on so, he slioiUd
be totally baflled and never succeed in esteblisbing a chm-ch
at PhUippL And he turns round to her, aijd oominanda tha
foul spirit in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.
"When her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone.
15* iSiB)

3^ DIRECTIONB TO BINIfERS.
ihey raised a great persecution, and caught Paul and SUas,
and made a great ado, and brought them before fhe magis
trates, and raised such a clamor that the magistrates shut
fhem up m prison, and made thefr feet fast in the stocka
Thus, ihey thought they had put down the excitement. But
at midnight Paul and SUas prayed and sang praises, and the
prisoners heard ihem. This old prison that had so long
echoed to the voice of blasphemy and oaths, now resounded
with the praises of God, and these walls, thai had stood so
firm, now trembled under fhe power of prayer. The stocks
were unloosed the gates thrown open, and every one's bauda
broken. The jaUor was aroused from his sleep, and when he
saw the prison doors opened, as he knew that if the prison
ers had. escaped he must pay for it with his life, he drew his
BWord, and was about to kUl hunself. But Paul, who had no
notion of escaping dandestinely, cried out to him instently,
"Do thyself no harm, for we are aU here." Arid ihe JaUor
called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembhng, and
feU dovm before his prisoners, Paul and SUas, and brought
them out, and said "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
In my last lecture, I dwelt at some length on the false in
structions given to sinners under conviction, and the false
comforts too often administered and the erroneous instruc
tions which such persons receive. It is my design, io-mght,
to show what are the instructions thai should be given to anx
ious sinners in order to thefr speedy and effectual convei-
eion. Or, in other words, to explain to you, what answer
should be given to those who make the inquiry, " Whai must
I do to be saved?" In doing it I propose,
L To show what is not a proper diredwn to be given to shi
ners, when ihey make ihe inquiry in the text
IL Show what is a proper answer io the inqufry. And
TTT. To specify several errors, which anxious sinners are apt
to foU into.
L I am to show what are not proper directions to be given
to anxious sinners.
No more important inquiry was ever made-than this, " What
must I do fo be saved ?" Mankind are apt enough io inqufre
" 'What shaU'I eat, and what shaU I drmk," and the question
may be answered in various ways, with little danger. But
when a sinner asks in earnest, " 'What must I do to be saved?"
it IS of iniinito importance that he should receive the right
answer. It is my desire, to-mght to teU you, professors of
religion, what to answer to tins inquiry, and to feU you, who
axe sinners, what you must do to be saved

DIRECTIONS vTO SINKEBa 847
1. No direction should be given to a sinner, tnat will leave
kim.siill iu Hie gull of billemexs and ihe bondls of iniquity.
No answer is proper to be given, with which, if he com-
pUes, he would not go to heaven, if he should die the next
moment '
2. No direction should 'be given, thaf does not include a
change of heart, or a right heart, or hearty obedience to
Christ In other words, nothing is proper, which does not
imply actuaUy betioinin^ a Cbristiim. Any dfrection that
falls short of this, is of no use. If will not brmg him
any nearer to the IpngdOm, it will do no good but wiU only
lead him to defe;- Cli» very thing which he must do, in order
to be saved. The sinner should be told plainly, at once, what
he must do, or die ; and he should be told nothing that does
not include a right state of heart Whatever you may do,
sinner, that does not indude a right heart is do. Whether
you read the Bible or not; it is- sin, so long as you remain iu
rebellion. Whether you go io meeting, or stey away, whether
you pray or not, it is nothing but rebeUion, every moment
It is surprising, that'a sinner should suppose himself doing
God's services, when he prays, and reads his Bible. Should
a rebel against this government, read the statute book, whUe
he continues in rebellion, and has no design to obey ; should
he ask for pardon, whUe he holds on to his weapons of re
sistance and warfare, would you think him doing his country
a serrice, and laying them under obhgations to show him fevor?
No, you would say that aU his reading and praying, were only
an insult to ihe majesty both of the lawgiver and the law. So
you, sinner, whUe you remain in impenitence, are inaolting
God and aetting him at defiance, whether you read hia word
and pray, or let ii alone. No matter what place or whai
attitude your body is in. On your knees, or in the house of
God, so long as your heart is not right so long as you resist
the Holy Ghost and reject Christ, you are a rebel against
-your Maker.
IL I am to show what is a proper answer to fhis inquiry,
"'What must I do to be saved?"
And generally, you may give the sinner any dfrection, or
teU him to do anything, that indudes a right ieart, and if
you make him understand it, and do it he wUl he saved The
Spfrit of God, in sirivuog vrith sinners, suite his strivings to
fhe state of mmd in which he finds them. His great object
in striving with them, is, to dislodge them from thefr hiding-
places, and bring them to submit to God, at once. Now these
ejections, and difficultiea and states of mind, are aa vaxio-ja

348 niBEcnoNa tc sinnbbs.
08 the circumstances of mankfrd, as many as there are in
diri4uala The characters of indiriduals afford an endless
diversity. What is to be done mth each one, and how he is
to be converted, depends on his particular errora It is iie-
oe§saiy to ascertain his errors, to fmd out what he understanda^
and what he needs to be taught more perfectiy, to see what
points the Spirit of God is pressing upon his consdence,
and to press the same things and thus bring him to Christ
The most common directions are the foUowing :
1. It is generaUy in point and a safe and suiteble dfrection
to telL a suiner to repent. I say, generally. For sometimes
the Spirit of God seems not so much to direct the sinner'^
attention to his own sins as to some other thing. In fhe daya
of fhe apostles, tbe minds of the people sedm to have been
agiteted mainly on the question, whether Jesus was the true
Messiah. And so the aposties directed much of fhefr instruc
tions to this point, to prove that he waa the Christ And
whenever aimous sinnera ask^d them whai they must do,
fhey most commonly exhorted fhem to "Beheve in fhe Lord
Jesus Christ" They bore down on fhis point, because here
was where the Spfrit of God was sti-iving with fhem, and-
this was the subjeci thai espedaUy agitated people's minds,
and, consequently, this would probably be the first thing a
person would do on submitting to God It was the grand'
point at issue between €k>d and ihe Jew and Gentile of those
days, whether Jesus Christ was the son of God. It was the
point iu dispute. To bring a sinner to yield this controverted'
question, was the way the most effectually to humble him.
At other times, it wUl be found thai the Spfrit of God is
dealing with sinners, chiefly in reference to thefr own dna
Sometimes he dealsjrith them ^ regard to a particular duty,
as prayer, perhaps famUy prayer. The siimer vriU be found
to be cont^uig that point with God whether it is right for
him to pray, or whether he ought to pray ia his famUy. I
have known striking cases of this kind where the individud
was struggling on this point, and as soon as he feU on his
knees to pray, he yielded his heart, shovring that this was the
very point which the Spirit of God was contesting, .and the
hinge on which his controversy with God aU turned That
was conversion.
The dfrection \) repeni is always proper, but vriU not al
ways be effectual, for there may be some other thing that tha
sinner needs to be told also. And where it is the pertineut
dfrection, sinners need not only to be told to repent, but to
have it exjilained to them what repentance ia Since there

DlRKCriONS TO SINNERS. 349
has been so much mysticism, and false phUosoph.v and falsa
theology, throvm around the subject jt has become UQccssarvi
to tdl sinners not only what you mean by repentance, but
also to teU them what you do not mean. Words that used to
be plain and eosUy understood have now become so perverted
that they need to be exitlained to smners, or thev wiU. ofteu
f-onvcy a wrong impression to their minda Ttus ls the cise
with the word repentance. Many suppose that remorse, or a
sense of guUt is repentance. Then heU is fuU of reiientance,
for ii is fuU of remorse, unutterable and eternal. Others feel
r,yrd that they have done such a thing, end they caU that
repenting of it But they only regret that they have sinned,.
because of the consequences, and not because tliey abhor sin.
This is not repenteucc. Others suppose that convictions of
dn and strong fears of heU axe repentance. Others consider
the remonstrances of consdence as repentance ; they say, " I
never do anything wrong but that I rep^t ; that I always
feel sorry I did it" Othera regard repentance as a feeling of
sorrow for sin. But repentance is not an involmitery feehng
of any kind or d^ree. Sinners must be showu that aU these
tilings are not repentance. They are not only condstent with
the utmost wickedness, but the deril might have them all, and
doubtiess has ihem aU, and yet remains a devU. Bepentenoe
is a change of mind as regards God and toward sin itself. It
is not only a change of riews, but a change of the ultimate
preference or choice of fhe sOul. It is a volunt-aiy change,
aud by consequence involves a change of f feting and of iictii/,i
titwurd Ood and toward sin. It is what is natm-aUy understood
by a change of mind on any subjeci of interest and impor-
tence. We hear that such a man has changed his mind on
fhe subject of AboUtion, for instance, or thai he has changed
his views in poUtica Everybody nnderstends fhat he has un
dergone a change in his riews, his feelings, and his roiulmt.
This is repentance, on thaf subject if is a change- of mind.
but not towards God EvangeUcal repentence is a change of
wUlLog, of feeling, and of life, in, respect to Ood.
Bepentencc always impUes di>horrence of dn. It is willirig
and feeling as God does in respect to dn. It of course in
volves the love .of God, and an abhorrence of dn. It al
ways impUes forsaking suu Sinnera should be made to un-
deratand thia The sinner that repente does not feel as im-^
penitent sinnera think fhey should fed, at givmg up thefr
sins if they should become rehgioua Impenitent sinners
look upon icUgion just Uke this, thai if they become pious,
they sh^ be obliged to stey away from balls and parties, and

850 DIRECTIONS TO SINNZBa
obliged to give up theatres, or gambling, or other things that
fhey now take delight in. And ihey see not how they could
ever enjoy themselves, if they should break off from m. tiiose
tilings. But this is very far from being a correct riew of tho
matter. . Bdigion does not make them .unhappy, by shutting
fhem out from things iu which they delight, because the first
step in it is to repent to change their mind in regard to all
these thinga They do not seem to, realize thaf the persoa
who has .repented has no dispodtion for fheae fiungs, ho
has given them up, and turned his mind away from them.
Sinners feel as if thev should want to go to such places, and
want io mingle in ^icli, scenes, just as mudi as they do now,
and that it will be sucn'a continued sacrifice as to make them
mihappy This is a great mistake.
I know there are some professors who would be very glad
to betake themselves to thdr former practices, were it not
that fhey feel qonstrainod hy fear of lodng thefr character,
or the Uke. Now, mark me. If they feel so, it is because
fhey have no religion, they do not hate sin.. If fhey desire
their former ways, they have no religion, they have never re
pented, for repentance always consists in a change of choice
of riews and feelinga If they were reaUy converted instead
of choosing such things, they would turn away from them
with loatLing. Instead of lusting after fhe flesh-pote of
Egypt, and desiring fo go into thefr former cfrdes, pai'ties,
bolls, and ihe Uke, they find thefr highest pleasure in obeying
God
2. Sumera' should be told to bdieve (he Gospel Here, also,
fhey need to have if explained to fhem, and to be told what
is not faitL and what ia Nothing is more ccMnmon than for
a sinner, when told to beUeve fhe Gospd, to say, "I do be
Ueve it" The fact is, he has peen brought up to admit fhe
fact ihat the Gosjid is irae, bat Jhe does noi believe ii, he
knows nothing about fhe eridence of it, and oU his faith is a
mere admission vrithout evidence. He holds ii to be tme, in
a kind of loose, indefinite sense, so that he id always ready to
say, "I do believe the Bible." It is strange they do not see
that they are deceived in thinking fhat they beUeve, for they
must see that they have never acted upon these fmflis, as
they do upon those things ihat ihey do believe. ^ Yet it ia
often quite difficult to convince them fhat fhey do not
beheve. But fhe fact is, that fhe cardess sumer does not believe
the Gospel at all The idea that the careless sinner is on
inldledual beUover is abamni The devil is an ijitfiHft(rf.nal be

DIRECTIONS TO BINNERa. 351
liever, and that is whai makes him tremble. What makes a
siimer anxious is, that he begins to be an intellectual bo- ,
UcTcr, and that makes him fed. No being in heaven, earth, or ;\
hell, can inteUec.uaUy believe the truths of the Gospel, and;!
not feel on the subject. The anxious simicr has faith of the
aamu kind with devils, but he has not so much of it, and '
therefore, he does not fed so mucL Tlie man that does nof ¦
feel nor act ai aU, on the subject of religion is an infidel, let
his professions be what they may. . He thai feels nothing,,',
and does notiuiig, beheves nothing. This is a phUosophicald
fact " 3
Faith does not consist in an inteUectual conriction that
Clirist died for you in particulai-, nor in a behef that you are
a Christian, or that you ever sliaU be, or thai your dns are
forgiven. But fciitli is that trust or confidence in God and^
in Clirist, that commits the whole soul to him in aU his rela
tions to us. It is a voluntery trust in his person, his veradty,
his word This was the faith of Abraham, He had that
confidence in what God said, which led him io act as if ii were
true This "is the way the apostle Ulustraies it in the eleventh
of Hebrewa "Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen." And he goes on to Ulus
trate it by various examplea " Through faith we underatand
that the worlds were made,'' thai is, we beheve this, and act
accordingly. Take the case of NoaL l^oah was warned of
God of tilings noi seen as yet, that is, he was assured that
God was going to drown the world, and he bdieved it, and
acted accordingly ; ho prepared an ark to save his famUy, and
by so doing, he condemned ihe world that would not bdieve ;
his actions gave eridence that he was sincere. Abraham, too,
was caUed of God to leave his country, with the promise that
he should be the gainer by it and he obeyed and went out
without knowing where he should go. Bead the whole chap
ter and you wiU find many instances of the same kind The
whole design of the chapter is to. iUustrate the nature of faith,
and to show that it invariably resulte, in action. The sinner
should have it explained to Lm, and he made to see that the
faith which the Gospel requfres is just thai confidence in
Christ which leads him to act on whai he says as a certain
fact This is believing in Christ
3. Anotiier dfrection proper to be given to the sinner is that
he should give- his heart to Ood. God says, " My son, give me
thine heart." But here also there needs to be explanation,
to make him understand what it is. It Is amazing that there
sboiUd bo any darlmcss here. It is ihe language of commoo

862 DIRECTIONS TO SINNERS.
life, ia everybody's mouth, and everybody underatands just
what it means, when we use it in regard to anytLuig else.
But when it comes to religion, they seem to be aU in tiie dark.
Ask a sinner, no matter what may be his age, or education,
what it means to give the heart to God, and, strange as it
may appear, he is at a loss fOr an answer. Ask a woman what
it is to give her heart to her husband or a man what it is to give
his heart to his wife^ and they understand it. But then they
are totally blind as to giving their hearts to God. I suppose
I have asked more thari a thousand anxious sinners this ques
tion. When I' have told them they must give their hearts to
God, they would always say they were wilhng to do it, and,
sometimes, that they were anxious \o do it, and even seem to
be in an agony of desire about it. . Then I have asked thera
what they understood to be giving thefr hearts to God, aa
fhey were so wiUing to do it And very seldom have I re
ceived a correct or rational answer from a sinner of any age.
I have sometimes had the strangest answers that can be
imagined — anything but what they ought to say. Now, to
give your heart to God is the same thing as to give your heart
to anybody else ; the same as for a woman to give her heart
to her husband. Ask that woman if she understands, this ?
" Oh, yes, that is plain enough, it is to place my affections on
him, and strive to please him in everything." "Very well, place
your affections on God, and strive to please him in everything.
But alas, when they come -to the subject of religion,, people
suppose there is some wonderful mystery about it Some
talk as if ihey supposed it was to take this bundle of muscles,
or fleshy organ, in thefr bosom, and give it to God. Sinner,'
what God asks of you is, that you should love him supremely.
3. Submit to God, is also a proper direction to anxious sin
nera ' And, oh, how dark sinners aie here too. Scarcely a
sinner can be found, who wiU not teU you he is willing to sub
mit to God. But they do not understand it They need to
be told what true submission ia Sometimes they thhik it
means Uiat' they shoufd be willing to be damned Some
'times they place themselves in this attitude, and call it sub
misdon ; they say, if they "arc elected they shaU be saved,
and if not, they shall be damned This is not submission.
True submisdon, is yielding obedience to God. Suppose a
rebel, in arms against the govcrument, was called on to sub-.
mit What would he understand by it? Why, that he
should yield the point and lay down his arms, and obey the<
laws. That is just vhat it means,' for a sinner to submit to
God lie must cease his sli-ife and conflict ag'amst his Maker,

DUIBOnOlfS to aurNBRK. 363
and take ihe attitude of a wiUiag and obedient chUd, willing
to be and do whatever God requires. " Here, Lord Bin I ;
Lord, what wUt thou have me to do ?"
Suppose a company of soldiera had rebeUed, and Govern- ,
ment had raised an army to put them down, and had diiven ji
them into a atrong hold, where they were out of provisions, ,;
and had no way -to escape, and they should not know what -s
to do. Suppose the rebels to have met in this extremity, to |
consider what is to be done ? and one rises up, and says, j
" Well, comrades, I am conrinced we are aU wrong from the ;•
beginning, and now the reward of our deeds is like to over- ;,
take us, and We cannot escape, and as for remainmg here to |
die, I am resolved not to do it, I am /oing to throw myself j
on the mercy of the commander-in-chieL ' That man submita }
He ceases, from thai moment to be a rebel in his heart, just f
as soon as he comes^fo this condusion. So it is with the sin- j
ner when he yields the point, and consents in his heart to do, : '
and be, whatever God shaU requfre. The dnner may be in
doubt whai to do, and may feel afraid to pui himsdf in God's :
hands, thinking .tiiat if he does, perhaps God wiU send him .
down to hell, as he deservea But it is his business to leave :
aU that question with Ood, and noi redst his Maker any '
longer, but give aU up to God make no conditions, and tmst -
if whoUy to God's tSanevolence and wisdom to decide what ¦;'
shaU be done, and to appoint his future condition. UntU you '
do fhis, simier, you have done nothing to the purpose.
Si. Another proper direction to be given to sinners, is to
ennfess-and forsnke your sins. This means ihat they should
both confess and forsake ihem. They must confess to God
thefr sins against God and ^nfess to men thefr sins against
men, and foraake them all A man does not forsake his sins
tUl he has made aU the reparation in his power. If he has/"^,^ ^ ,
stolen money, or defrauded his neighbor out of property, he
does not forsake his sins by merdy resolving not to steal any
more, or not to cheat again ; he must make repciration to the
extent of his power. So, if he has slandered any one, he
does not forsake his sin by merely saying he wUl not do so
agaiu. He must make reparation. So, in Uke. manner, if he
has robbed God, as aU sinnera have, he must make reparation,
88 far as he has the power. Suppose a man has- made money 'j ^ ,
m rebeUion against God and has withheld frpm him his ; ;
time, talents ami service, has hved and rioted upon the boun- " '
ties of his providence, and refused to lay himself oui for the
solvation of the world; he has robbed God Now, if he
ahoold die feding thaf this money was his own, and should ha

354 DIRECTIONS TO SINNERS.
leave it -to his hefrs vrithout consulting the wUl of God — why,
he is just as certain to go to heU as the highway robber. He
has never made any satisfaction to God. 'VVith all his whin
ing and pious talk, he has never confessed HIS SIN to God,
nor forsaken his sin, for he has never felt nor acknowledged
himself to be the steward of God. If he reiises to hold the
property in his possession, as the steward of God : if he ac
counts ii "his own^ and as such gives it to his chUdren, he
says, in effect, to God "That property is not yours, it is
mine, and I wUl give ii to my children." He has continued
to persevere in his sin, for he does not relinquish the ownership
of thai of which he has robbed God-
What would a merchant think, if his hfred clerk should
take aU ihe- capital and set up a store of his own, and die
'^th it-.in his hands? WiU such a man go to heaven ? " No,"
you say, every one of you, "" If such a man does not go to
hell, there might just as weU be no hell" God would prove
himself infinitely unjust, to let such a character go unpunished
What then, shall we say of the man who has robbed God aU
his life ? Here God set him to be his derk, to manage some
of his affairs, and he has gone and stolen all the money, and
says it is his, arid he keeps it, aud dies, and gives it to his
children, as if. it was aU his own lawful property. Is that
man going to heaven? Has (haf man forsaken sin? I teU
you, no. If he has not smrendered himself and aU to Grod
he has noi taken the fii'st step iu the way to heaven.
6. Another proper dfrection to . be given io siimers te,
" Choose ye this day, lohom ye will serve?'' Under ihe Old
Testament dispensation, tiiis or something equivalent to it
was ihe most common dfrection given. It was not common
to caU on men to' believe in Christ untU the days of John the
Baptist He baptize^ those who caine to him, with the bap
tism of repentance, and dii-ected theitt to bdieve on him who
should come after him- Under Joshua, the text was some
thing which the people .aU understood more easUy than they
would a caU to beheve on the distant Messiah ; it was " Choose
ye, this day, whom ye wUl serve." On another occasion,
Moses said to them, " I caU heaven and earth to record thia
day against you, that I have set before you life and deatL
olessing and cursiUg : therefore choose life, that both thou
and thy seed may hve" The dfrection was accommodated te
the people's knowledge. And ii is good now, as it was then.
Sinners are called upon to choose— what? Whether fhey
wUl serve .God ot the world — whether they wiU foUow holi
ness or sin. Let theni bo made to understond what is i'nftftTi4

OIBECTIONS TO SINNEBa 355
by choosing, and what it is to be chosen, and then if the
thing is done from the heart, they will be saved.
Any of these directions, iJE complied vrith, ^viU constitute
true converdon. The particular exercises may vary in differ
ent cases. Sometimes the first exercise in conversion, is sub
mission to God, sometimes i-euentauce, sometimes faith, some
times Uhe choice of God and his service, in short whale vei
their thoughte are taken- up with at the time. If thefr
thoughts are directed to Christ at the moment, the first exer
cise wiU be faith. If to sin, the firat exerdse vriU be repent-
unce If to their fuiiiVe course of life, it is choosing the sei^
vice of God If to the Diviue goyemment, it is submisdon.
It is important to find out just where the Holy Spfrit is press
ing the sinner at the time, and then take care to push that
point If it is in i^egard to Christ press that ; if ii Ls in re
gard to his futm-e Coui-s^ of life, push him right up to an im
mediate choice of obedience to God.
lijis a great error io suppose that any one particular exer
cise IS alw.ays foremost iu conversion, or, that every sinnei
must have faith first or submission first It is not true,
either in philosophy or in fact There is a great variety in
¦people's exeicisea ^Tiatever point is teken hold oi, between
God and the sinner, when the sinner YIELDS that, he is
converted. Whatever the pai'ticular exercise may be, if it in
cludes obedienife of heart /'> G"d on uny point, it is true con-
veraion. Wlien he yields one point to Qod's authority, he is
ready to yidd aU. When he changes his mind and obeys in
one thing, becnnse it is Gad's will, he wiU obey in other things,
so far- as .he sees it to be God's will Where there is this righf
choice, then, whenever the mind is diiected to any ono point
of duty, he is -ready to foUow. It matteis very httie which
of these du-ectious is given, if it Ls only made plain, and if it
is to the point, so as to serve as a test of obedience to God. Ji
it is to the point that the Spfrit of God is debating with the
siimer's mind, so as to faU in with the Spfrit's work, and not
fo divert the sinner's attention from the very point in contro
versy, let it be made perfectiy clear, aud then pressed tUl the
sinner yields, and he wiU be saved
ni. I am to mention several -errora which anxious sinnera
arc apt to faU into, respecting this great inqimv.
1. The firat error is, in suppodng that they must make
themselves better, or prepare themselves, so as iu some way
to rocoinmeud themselves to the mercy of God It is mir-
veloiis, that sinners wiU not underatand that all ihey have to
do is to accept bolvation from God ail prepared ti theii

836 DIRECriONS TO SINNERS.
hands. But fhey aU, learned or unlearned at first, beteke
themselves to a legal courae to get rehef. This is one princi
pal reason why fhey wiU not become Christians at once, just
as soon as fhey b^gin to attend to the subject They imagine
that fhey must be, in some way or other, prepared to coma
They must change thefr dress, and make themsdves look a
httie better ; they are not wUUng to come just as they axe, in
thefr rags and poverty. They must have something more
on, before they con approach to God They should be
shown, at once, fhat ii is imposdble ihey should be any bet
ter, imtil fhey do what God requfres. Every pulse that
beats, eveiy breath they draw, they are grovring woree, b*
cause they are stending oui in rebeUion against God, so long
as ihey do not do the very thbig which God requfres of fhem
as the first thing to be dona
2. Another error is, in supposmg fhat they must suffer a
cnnnderable time under conviction, as a kind of punidunenf, b^
fore fhey are ready properly to come to Christ And so they
wUl pray for conriction. And they think, that if ihey are
ground down to the earth, with disfress, for a suffident tim^
then God wiU pity them, and be more ready to help them,
when he sees them so very miserable. They should be made
to underatand dearly, that they are thus unhappy and miser
able, merdy because they refuse to accept tho relidT wLch God
offera. Take the case of the stubborn chUd when his parent
stands over him with the -rod and the child shuddera and
Bcreama Should that chUd imagine he is gaining anything
by his agony ? His distress arises from his conriction, and
ishaU he pray for more conriction ? Does that make him any
better? Does his father pity him any more, because he
Btands out? Who does not see that he is aU ihe while grow-
ingworee ?
8. Sometimes smnera imagine that they mud wait for different
fedings, before they submit to God. They Bay, " I do not
think I feel right yet, to accept of Christ ; I do not think I
am prepared to Ije converted yet" They ought to be made
to see thai what God requfres of them is to wUl right If
they obey and submit with the will, the fedings wiU adjust
themselves in due time. It' is noi a question of /ee/ing', out
of willing and acting.
The feelings are involuntary, and have no moral character
except what they derive from thefr action of the will, with
which action they sympathize. Before the wiU is right, the
feelings wiU noi be, of com-se. The sinner should coine to
Christ by accepting him ai once ; and this he must do, not

DIRECTIONS TO SINNERS. 357
in obedience to his feelings, but in obedience to his consuiinoe.
Obey, submit tmst. Give up all mstanUy, and your feelinga
wiU come right Do not wait for better feelings, but commit
your whole being to God at once, and this will soon result
in the feehngs for which you ai-e waiting. "What God requires
of you, is. the present act of your own mind, in torning from
sin to hohness, and from the service of Satan to the service
of the Uving God
¦• 4. Another ertor of sinnera, is to suppose they mud wail
tin fhefr lieaiis are changed. "What?" say they, " am I to be
Ueve in Chiist before my heart is dianged? Do you mean
ihat I ara to repeni before my heart is changed ? "Now, the
simple answer to aU this is, that the change of heart is the
very thing in question. God requfres sinnera- to-lpve him.
That is to change thefr heart God requires fhe sinner to
beUeve the Gospel That is to change his heart God re-
Suires hun to repent That is to change bis heart God
oea not teU him to wait tUl his heart is changed and then
repent and beheve, and love God The very word itself re
pent, dgnifies a change of mind or heart To do either of
thesB thmgs, is to change your heart, and to make you a new
heart just as God requirea
6. dinners often gei fhe idea that they are perfectiy vrilling
to do what God requfrea TeU them to do fhis thing, or
that, to repent or beheve, or give God fhefr hearte, and they
say, " Oh, yea, I am ^rfectiy willing to do that, I wish I
could do if, I would give anything if I could do it" They
ought to understftnd that, Ming tinily willing ia doing it but
there ia a difference between wiUing and dedring. People
often desire to be Christians, when Uiey are whol^ unu/Sling
to be so. "When we see anyihing wmch appeara to us to
be a good we are so constituted thaf we desire it We
necessarily desfre if when it is before our minds. We can
not hdp desfring it in proportion'as ite goodneaa is presented
to our minda But yet we, may not be vaUling to have it,
under all the cfrcumstancea If may be ihat we prefer, upon
the whole, that the preaent poaaeador should continue fo pos
sess it still Or that ux choose to have our friend or child
fissess it instead of oursdvea A man may desfre to go to
hiladelphia on many (iccounta, while, for stiU more weighty
reasons, he S'tooses not to ,go there. So the sinner may de
sfre to be a Christian. He may see many good things in
being a Christian. He may see thaf if he were a Christian
he wonld be a great deal more happy, and that he should
go to heaven when he dies, but yet he is not wiUiiig to be a

858 DIRECTIONS TO SINNERS.
Chn'stian. "WILLING to obey Christ is to be a Christian.
When an indiridual actiiaUy chooses to obey God, he is a
Christian. But all such desnes, as do not imply actual
choice, are nothing.
G. The simier wiU sometimes say, that he offers to pve
God lus heart, but he intimates that God is unwilhng. But
this is absurd What does God ask ? "Why, that you should
love huh. Now, for you io say you are wiUing to give God
yoiu" heart but God is unwiUing, is the same as sajing that
you are wdlhig to love God, but God is not wiUiiig to be
loved by you, and wUl not suffer you to love him. It is im-
Eortaut to dear up aU these pomts in ihe sinner's mind, that
e may have no dark and mysterious comer to rest in, where
fhe fanith wiU not reach him.
7. Sinners sometimes get the idea that fhey repent, when
fhey are only conricted "Whenever fjie-/ sinner is fomdd
resting in any LIE, let the tratii sweep it away, however
much it may pam and distress him. If he has any en-or of
this kmd 3"oti must tear it away from him, if you do not
mean that he shall stumble into the depths of heU.
8. Sinners are often whoUy taken up with looking xd (hem-
sdiie.t, io see if they cannot find something there, some kind
of feehng or other, that wiU recoimnend them to God Eri
dentiy, for want of proper mstraction, David Brainard was
a long time taken up with his state of mind, looking for some
fedings that would recommend him to God Sometimes he
imagined fhat he had such feehnga and would teU God in
prayer, fhat now he felt as he ought, to receive his mercy ;
and then he would see that he had been aU wrong, and be
ashamed that he had told God fhat he felt right Thus, the
poor man, for want of correct instruction, was driven almost
to despafr, and it is easy io see that his Christian exercises
through life were greatiy modified and his comfort and use
fulness much impaired by the false phUosophy he had-^adopted
on ibis point You must turn ihe sinner away from himself
to something else. Supppse he keeps poring over himself
untU he is going into a -state of despafr. The proper course
then is, to tmii off his attention from looldng at hunself,
and make him look at some duty to be performed or make
him look at Chiist, aud, perhaps-, before he is aware, he wiU
find thai he has submitted to God His attention was di
verted away from himseU, to contemplate the reasonaoleuesa
of God's requii-emente, or the suffioi^ency of Chiisi's atone
ment, or something of this kind and as he dwelt upon if, he
just gave up his iieitft, oud &e. agony was over.

OIBECTIONS TO siNNEIOS. 360

EEMARXa

1. The labor of ministera is greatly increased, and the
difficulties in the way of salvation are greatiy multiplied, by
the false instructions that have been given, to sinnera The
consequence has been, that directions which used to be plain
are now obscure. People have been taught so long, that
there is something awfujly mysterious and unintelligible
about conversion, thai they- do not try to underatand it
Smners have been taught these false notions, tiU now they
are everywhere entrenched behind these sentiments, such as
" cannot repent," " must wait for God" and the like. It
was once suffident, as we leam from the Bible, to tell sinnera
to repent or to teU them to beheve on the Lord Jesus Christ
But now faith has been talked about as-a principle, instead
of an act, and repentance as sometiung put into the mind
mstead of an exercise of tbe mind, and sinners are per
plexed! Rlinisters are charged with preaching heresy, be
cause they presume to" teach that faith is an exercise, and noi
a principle, and that dn is an act, and not fi part of the con
stitution of man. And sinnera have become so sophisticated
that you have to be at great pains in explaining not only
what you do . not mean, but what you do mean,- otherwise
they wiU be almost. sme to misunderatend you, and either
gam a false rehef from thefr anxiety, by throwing thefr duty
•off upon God, or else run into despair from ihe supposed im-
praciacabihty of doing what is requisite for -their salvation.
It IS often the greatest difficulty to lead them out of these
theological labyrinths and mazes, into which ihey have been
dduded, and to lead them along the straight and dmple way
of the Gospel It seems as if the greatest ingenuity-had been
employed to mystify the minds of people and weave a most
subtle web of false phUosdphy, calculated to iavolve a sinner
in endless darkness.
Who that has been -m revivals, has not encountered that
endless trahi of fooleries, which have been mculcated till it
lias become necessary to be as plain a^ A B C, and- the best
educated have to be talked to just like children. So muct*
has been done to mystify and befool peo^e's mmds m the
plainest mattera TeU a sinner to bdieve, and be turns round
to you, and stares, " Why, how you talk ; is not faiUi a prin
ciple unplanted in ihe soul, aud how am I to believe until I
^et tiiis principle ?" So, if a minister teUs a smner the very
words tiiat tiie apostles used, in the great rerival at the da^
of pentecos^ " Repent and be converted every <me of you,

3€0 DIRECTIONS TO SLNNERB.,
Qiey T^ly as fhey have been taughfy "Oh, I guess yoa
ore an Arminioa ; I do not want any of your Arminian teach
ing for me j do not you deny the Spirit's influences ?" It is
enough to make humanity weep to see ihe fog and darkness
that have been throvm around the plain Erections of the
Gospel, tiU many generations have been emptied into heU.
2. These felse instructions io sinners are infinitely worse
than none. ¦' The Lord Jesus Christ found it more difficult to
get the people to yield up thefr false notions of theology than
anything else. . This has been the great difficulty with the
Jews to this day, ihat ihey have received, false notions in
theology, have perverted ihe truth on certain points, and you
cannot. make them understand the plainest points in the
Gospel So it is .vrith siimers, the most difficult iliing io be
done is to get away tiiese refuges of lies, which they have
gotten from false theology. They are 'so fond of holding on
to these refuges, because they are caUed' orthodox, /and be
cause ihey excuse "the sinner, and condemn God, that it -is
found to be the most perplexing, and difficult, and discourag
ing part of a minister's labor to drive them away.
3. No wonder the Gospel has taken so Utile effect,- encumr
bered as ii has been with these strange dogmas. The tmth
is, ihat very httie of the Gospel has come out upon the world
for these hundreds of years, without being clogged and ob
scured by false theology. „ People have been told thai fhey
must repent, and, in tiie .'same breath, iold that they could
not repeni uniU the tmth iteelf has been all mixed up wi^
error, so as to produce ihe same practical effect vrith error,
and the Gospel thai is preadied has been another gospel, or
no gospel at aU.
4. Yon can understand what is" meant by healing slightiy
the hurt of ihe daughter of God's people, and ihe danger of
doing it It is very easy when sinners are under conriction,
to say something* thai shaU smooth over the case, and reUeve
thefr anxiety, so ihat they wiU either- get a felse hope, or vriU
be converted vrith thefr views so obscure, thai ihey will al
ways be poor, feeble, wavering, doubting, iaeffident Christiana
5. Much depends on ihe manner in which a-person is dealt
with, when under conriction. Much of his future comfort
and usefulness depends on ihe dearness, and strength, and
finnness, vrith which the dfrections of ihe Gospel are given,
when he is under conriction. If those who deal vriih him ara
afraid to use the probe thoroughly, he wiU always be a poor,
sickly, doubting" Christian. If converted at all, he will never
do much good The tme mode, is to deal. tJioroughly and

DIBECnOifS TO SnrNBRS. 801
plainly with a sinner, to tear away every excuse he can get
up, and show him plainly what he is, and what he ought to
be, and he vriU bless God to all eternity, that he feU in vrith
those who would be so faithful to his soul For the want of
this thorough and searching management, many are convert
ed who seem to be siUlbom. And the reason is, ihey never
were faithfuUy dealt wiiL We may charitebly hope they are
Christians, but siUl ii is uncertain and doubthil Thefr con-
verdoL seems rather a diange of opinion, than a change of
heart Bui i^ when a sinner is under conriction, you pour in
the trutL put in the probe, break up the old foundations, and
sweep away his refuges of Ues, and use the word of God Ute
fire and like a hammer, you wUl find thai ihey vriU come out
with dear riews, and strong feitii, and firm prindples, not
doubting, halting, irresolute Christians, but sudi as foUow the
Lord whoUy. Thai is the way to make strong Christiana
This has been eminentiy the case in many rerivals of modem
daya I have heard old Christians say of the converte, " These
converte were born men and women, fuU grown, ihey never
were chUdren, but have, ai the very outset, aU the deamess
of riew, and strength of faitL of old Christiana They seem
to understand the doctrines of rehgion, and to know what to
do, and how to take hold te promote revivals, better than
one in a hundred of the old membera in the dmrcL"
I once knew a young man who was converted away from
home The place where he Uved had no minister, and no
ireaching, and no religion. He went home ia three days after
le was converted and immediatdy set himself to work, to la
bor for a rerival He set up meetings in his neighborhood
and prayed and labored and a rerival broke out, of which he
had the prindpal management through a powerful work, which
converted most of the prindpal men of tlie place. The tmth
was, he had been so dealt with, that he faiew what he waa
about He underatood the subjeci, and knew where he stood
hiTriHplf He was not aU the wMle troubled with doubts,
whether he was himself a Christian. He knew thai he was
serving God and that God was vriih him, and so he went
boldly and resolutdy forward to his object But if yon un
dertake to make converte, without cutting up aU thefr errors,
and tearing away thefr false hopes, you may make a hosi of
hypocrites, or of puny, dwarfish Christians, always donbtiag,
and easUy im-ned baii from a rerival spirit, and worth no
thing. The way is, to bring ihem right out to the hght
"When a man is converted in this vray, you can depend on him,
and know where to find him.
16

I

S88 DIBEOnONS TO BINNEBS.
7. Protracted seasons of conriction are generaUy ovring to
defective instruction. "Wherever clear and faithful instxao
tions are given to sinners, there you wUl generaUy find that
conrictions are deep and pungent, but short.
8. "Where dear and discriminating instructions are given to
conricted sinners, if they do not soon submit, thefr conric
tions wiU generaUy leave ihem. Conrictions in such cases
are generaUy short. "Where sinners are deceived by false
riews, they may be kept along for weeks, and perhaps months,
and sometimes for years, in a languishing state, and at last
perhaps, be crowded into the kingdom and saved But where
the imtil is made perfectiy clear to ihe sinner's mind and all
his errora are torn away, if he does not soon submit, his case is
hopeless. "Where the truth is brought to bear upon his mind,
and he dfrectiy resists the very truth that must convert him,
there is nothing more io be done. The Spirit vriU soon leave
him, for the very weapons he uses are resisted Where in
structions are noi dear, and are mixed up vrith errors, the
Spirit may strive even for years, in great mercy, to get sin
nera through the fog of false instruction. Bui noi so, where
thefr duty is dearly explained io ihem, and they are brought
righi up to the single point of immediate submission, and
have all thefr false pretences es^iosed and ihe path of duty
made perfectiy plain. Then, if ihey do not submit, the
Spirit of God forsakes ihem, and thefr stato is weU nigh
hopelesa If there be sinnera in this house, and you see your duty
dearly, TAKE CAEE how you delay. If you do not sub
mit, you may expect the Spirit of God wiU forsake you, and
you are LOST.
8. A vast deal of the dfrection given to anxious sinners
amounts to littie less than ihe popish doctrine of indulgencea
The pope used to seU indulgences to sin, and this led io the
reformation under Luther. Sometimes people would purdiase
an indulgence to sin for a certain time, or to commit some
particulax dn, or a number of sins. Now, there is a vast deal
in protesiani churches, which is httie less than the same thing.
"What does it differ from this, to teU a sinner io wait ? The
amount of it is, teUing him to continue in sin a whUe longer,
whUe he is waiting for God to convert h\vn. And what is that
but an indulgence io commit dn? Any dfrection given to
ainnera thai does not requfre ihem immediatdy to obey Gkid
ia an indulgence to sin. It is in effect, giving ihem hberty to
continue in sin against God Such Erections axe not only
wicked but ruinous and craeL If they do not destroy the

DiBECTnoN'S TO sutnerb. 868
aonl, as no doubt ihey often do, ihey d/^er, at aU events, fhe
sinner's enjoyment of God and of Christ and he stands a
great chance of being lost for ever, whUe listening to such in
structions. Oh, how dangerous ii is, io give a sinner reason
to think he may wait a momeni, before giving his heart to
God 9. So far as I have had opportunity to observe, those con-
verdons which axe most sudden have commonly turned out
to be the best Christians. I know the reverse of this has
often been held and maintained But I am satisfied there is
no reason for it, although multitudes, even now, regard it as
a suspidous cfrcumstance, if a man has been converted very
suddenly. Bui the Bible gives no warrant for this suppod-
tion. There is noi a case of protracted conriction recorded
in ihe whole Bible. AU the converaions recorded there, are
sudden converdons. And I am persuaded there never would
have been such multitodes of tedious convictions, and often
ending in nothing after aU, if ii had not been for those theo
logical perverdons which have fiUed the world vrith cannotism.
In Bible days, ihey told sinners to repent, and ihey did it
(hen. Cannoi-ism had not been broached in thai day. It is
this speculation, about the inabiUty of sinnera to obey God
that lays the foundation for all ihe protracted anguish and
distress, and perhaps ruin, through which so many axe led
Where a sinner is brought to see whai he has to do, and he
takes his stand ai once, AND DOES IT, he generally does so
afterwards, and you generally find that such a peraon vriU
hold oui so, and prove a dedded character. You mU not find
him one of those thai you always have to warp up to duty,
Uke a ship, against wind and tide. Look ai those professora
who always have to be dragged forward in duty, and you wiU
generally find thai ihey had noi dear and consistent dfrec
tions when they were converted and most hkdy they wfll be
very much "afraid of these sudden converdona"
Afraid of sudden converdons I Some of the best Christiana
of my acquaintance were conricted and converted in the space
of a few minutea In one quarter of the time thai I have
been speaking, many of ihem were awakened and came right
out on ihe Lord's dde, and have been shining lighte in the
church ever since, and have generaUy manifested the same
deddon of character in rehgion, that they did when they firat
came out and took a stand on the Lord's mde.

LECTUEE XIX.

nreTRUCTIONS TO CONVERTa

Tkzt. — Peed my lambs. — John xxi. 15.

Tou, who read your Bibles, recoUect ihe connection in wUoh
these words axe found, and by whom ihey were spoken. They
were addressed by the Lord Jesus Christ to Peter, after he
had denied his Lord and had professed repentance. Proba
bly one of ihe designs which Christ had in riew, in suffering
Peter to sin so awfully as to deny his master, was to produce
a deeper work of grace in him, and thus fit him for the pecu
har duty to which he intended io caU him, in laying the foun
dations of the Christian Churdi, and watching over the
spiritual interests of ihe converts. It needed a pecuhar work
of grace in his soul, to fit him to lead others through those
scenes of trial and temptation to which the early Christians,
in particular, were exposed
It is erident, thai, though Peter had special rwturd qualifi
cations for such a work, yei he was quit» a superficial smL
He was probably converted before this, but he was weak, and
there was left so much of his natural roughness and turbu
lence of temper, thai he was stUl ready to bristle up on any
Occadon, and take offence at everything ihat crossed binn, so
that he was siUl quite unfit for that particular work to which
he was destined Christ designed him for such a pecuUar
serrice, thai ii seems something was indispensable to fit bim
for ii, and make him such a saint, thai future oppodtion
would noi irritate him, nor difficulties dishearten him, nor
success and honor spoU him, by lifting up his heart with pride
And, therefore, Christ takes the effectual method recorded
before us, of dealing vrith him once for all, to secure a thor
ough work in his soul
He asked him this question, to remind him, in an affecting
manner, at once of his dn and of ihe love of Christ, " Sunon,
¦on of Jona, lovest thou me more than these?" Strongly
implying a doubt whether he did love him. Peter answers,
" "Yea, Lord thou knowest thai I love thee" He said unto him,
"Feed my lambs." He then repeated ihe question, as if he
would read his inmost soul, " Simon, son of Jona, lovest thon
C364)

INSTBUCTIONS TO YOUNG CONYKRTS. 866
me ?" Peter was stUl firm, and promptiy answera again,
"Yea, Lord thou knowest thai I love thee." Jesus stiU asked
him ihe question again, the ihfrd time, emphaticaUy. He
seemed to urge the point, as if he would seardi his inmost
thoughte, to see whether Peter would ever deny him again.
Peter was toudied, he was grieved it is said ; he did noi fly
into a pasdon — ^he did not boast, as he did on a former oc
casion, " Though I should die with thee, yet would I not deny
fhee," but he was grieved he was subdued he spoke tenderly,
he appealed to ihe Sariour himself, as if he would implore
him noi to doubt his sincerity any longer, " Lord tiiou Imow-
est all things, thou knowest that I love thee." Christ then
gave him Ins final charge, " Feed my sheep."
By the terms sheep and lambs here, the Sariour undoubted
ly designated Christians — ^membera of his church ; the lambs
probably represent young converts, those thai have but httie
experience and but httie knowledge of religion, and therefore,
need to have spedal attention and pains taken vrith ihem, to
gruard from harm, and to train ihem for future usefulnesa
And when our Sariour told Peter to feed his sheep, he doubt
less referred to the important part which Peter was to perform
in watching over the newly formed churches in different parte
of ihe world and in training the young converte, and leading
ihem along to usefulness and happinesa
My last lecture was on the subjeci of giving righi instruo-
tion to anxious sinnera And this naturally brings me along,
in this Couree of Lectures, to condder the manner in whidi
young converts shoidd be treated and the insimctions that
should be given to ihem.

msTEtrcnoNs to TonNO coNVERTa
In speaking on this subjeci, it is my design,
L To stete several things tliat ought to be conddered «n
regard to the hopes of young converte
n. Several thmgs respecting thefr making a profession of
religion, and joining the churdi.
TIT The importance of having correct instruction given to
young converts.
IV. "Whai should noi be taught to young converts.
Y. "What particular things are spedaUy necessary to be
teught to young converte
"VL How young converte should be treated by church mem
bera

J68 INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUNG CONVERTS
L I am to state several matters in regard to (he hopea ef
young converts.
1. Nothing should be said to them to create a hope. No
thing shotUd ordinarily be intimated to persons under con
riction, calculated io make them think ihey have experienced
religion, iUl they find it out themselves. I do not hke this
term, " experienced religion," and I use it only because it is a
phrase in common use. It is an absurdity in itself. What
is religion ? Obedience to God Suppose you should hear a
good citizen say he had experienced obedience to the govern
ment of the country. You see ii is nonsense. Or suppose a
chUd should talk about experiencing obedience to his feiher.
If he knew what he was saying, he would say he had obeyed
his father, just as the apostie Paul says to ihe Eoman bdievers,
" Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which
was delivered you."
What I mean to say is, that ordinaxUy, it is best to let thefr
hope or behef that they axe converted spring up spontaneous
ly in thefr ovm minds. Sometimes ii wiU happen thai per
sons may be really converted but ovring to some notions
which they have been taught about reUgion, they do noi re
alize it. Thefr riews of whai religion is, and ite effect upon
the mind, are so entirely wide of tiie truth, ihat ihey do not
think that ihey have it. I vriU give you an Ulustration of thia
point. Some years since, I labored in a place where a rerival waa
in progress, and there was in the place a young lady from Bos
ton. She had been brought up a Unitarian, she had consider
able education, and was intelligent on many subjects, but on
the subjeci of rehgion she was very ignorant. At length she
was conricted of sin. She became awfuUy convinced of her
horrible enmity against God. She had been so educated as to
have a sense of propriety, but her enmity against God became
so great, and broke out so frightfuUy, that it was horrible te
hear her talk. She used to come to the anxious meetings,
where we conversed vriih each one separately. And her feel
ings of oppodtion io God were such ihat she used io create
disturbance. By the time I came vrithin two or three seate
from her, where she could hear what I said in a low voice to
othera, she would begin to make remarks in reply, so that
they could be heard And she would say the most bit-
iOT things against God and against his proridence, and his
method of dealing vrith mankind as if God was an infinite
tyrant. She would speak of hun as the most unjust and
cruel being in the universe. I would try to hush her, and

INSTRUCTIONS TO TOUNO CONVERIB. Mt
make her keep stUl, because she distracted the attention of
othera Sometimes she would stop and command her temped
awhUe, and sometimes she would rise and go out I have set
dom seen a case, where the enmity of the heart rose so high
a linsi Grod One night at the anxious meeting, after she
hh been very restless, as I came towards her, she began as
usi. '' to reply, but I hushed her, and told her I coiUd not
oon\ "se vriih her there, but inrifed her to my room the next
mom g, and then I would talk with her. She promised to
come, but, says she, " God is unjust, he is infinitdy unjust
Is he not almighty? "Why then has he never shown me my
enmity before? "Why has he let me run on so long? "Why
does he lei my friends at Boston remain in this ignorance?
They are the eneinies of God as much as I am, and are go
ing to hdl "Why does he not show ihem the truth in regard
to thefr condition ?" And in this temper she left ihe room.
The next morning she came to my room, as she had prom
ised I saw as soon as she came in thai her countenance was
changed but I said nothing about it "Ch, said she, • x
have dianged my mind as to whai I said last night about
God I do noi tbJTilr he has done me any wrong, and I think
I shaU get religion sometime, for now I love to think aboui
God I have been aU vrrong ; the reason why I had never
known my enmity before, was, thai I would not I used to
read the Bible, but I always passed over the passages that
would make me feel as if I was a lost sinner, and those pas
sages that spoke of Jesus Christ as God I passed over with
out condderation, and now I see that it was my faxUt, not
God's feult, thai I did not know any more about mysdf ; I
have dianged my mind now." She had no idea that this was
religion, but she was encouraged now to expect religion at
some future time, because she loved God so much. I said
nothing to make her imagine that I thought her a Christian,
but left her to find it out And for a time, her mind was so
entfrdy occupied vriih thinking about God that she never
seemed to ask whether this is rdigion or not
It is a great e\H, ordinarily, to encourage persons to hope
they are Christiana Very likely you may judge prematurdy.
Or if not, ii is better ihey should find it oui for themselves,
suppose ihey do not see it at once. They may break down
lower than ever, and then they vriU come out so dear and d»
dded fhat they wiU know where they are
2. When you see peraons expressing a hope, and yet they
express doubte too, it is generaUy because the work is not
thorough If tliey are converted, they need brealdng upt

868 iNSTRUcnoKS TO Toxnra convbbtb.
They are stiU lingering around the world or they have not
broken off effectJually from thefr sins, and ihey need to be
pushed back, rather than urged forward. If you see reason
to doubt, or if you find thai they have doubts, most proba
bly there is some good reason to doubt. Sometimes persons
express a hope in Christ, and afterwards remember some sin,
thai needs to be confessed io men, or some case where they
have slandered or defrauded where it is necessary to make
satisfaction, and where either thefr character, or thefr purse,
is so deeply impUcated that they hesitate, and refuse fo per
form fhefr duty. This grieves the Spirit, brings darkness
over thefr minds of course, and justly leads ihem to doubt
whether ihey are iridy converted If a soul is truly convert
ed, it vriU generally be found when there axe doubts, ihat on
some point they are neglecting duty. They should be searched
as vriti a Ughted candle, and brought up to the performance of
duty, and not suffered io hope until they do it. Ordinarily it
is proper just there to throw in some plain and searching
truth, that vriU go through them, something that wiU wither
thefr hopes like a motL Do it whUe the Spirit of God is
dealing vriih ihem, and do ii in ihe r^hi way, and there is no
danger of its doing harm.
To Ulustrate this : I knew a person, who was a member of
the church, but an abominable hypocrite, proved to be so by
her conduct, and afterwards fuUy confessed io be so. In a
rerival of religion she was awakened and deeply convicted
and after a whUe she got a hope. She came to a minister to
talk vrith him aboui her hope, and he poured in the tmth to
her mind in sudi a manner as to annihilate aU her hopes.
She then remained under conriction many days, and at last
she broke out in hope again. The minister knew her tempeiv
ameni, and knew what she needed and he tore away her hope
again. And then she broke down, dear to ihe ground so
that she could not stand or go. So deeply did the Spirit of
God PEOBE her heart, thai, for a time, ii took away aU her
bodUy strength. And then she came out subdued Before,
die had been one of the proudest rebels against God's gov
ernment ihat ever was, but now she became humbled and
was one of ihe most modest, tender, lovely of Christiana No
doubt thai was just the way to deal vrith her. It was just
the treatment ihat her case requfred
It is often useful to deal vrith indiriduals in this way. Some
persons are ndurdHy unamiable in thefr temper, and unlovely
in thefr deportment. And it is particularly important that
audi persons should be dealt with most thoroughly whenevei

-1
ENSTRUCTIONB TO YOUNG OONVEETa 869
ihey fii-si begin to express hope in Christ. Unless the work
vritii ihem, is, ia the first place, uncommonly deep and thor-
ougL they vriU be vastiy less useftil, and interesting, and
liappy, than they would have been, had the probe been thor^
oughly and skilfaUy appUed to thefr hearts. If they are
encouraged at first, vrithout bdng thoroughly dealt vritL if
ihey are left to go right along, and not suffidentiy probed
and broken down, these unlovdy iraite of character vrill remain
insubdued and vriU be always breaking out to the great in
jury, both of thefr personal peace, and tiiefr general influence
and usefulness as Christiana
It is important to take advantage of such chaxactera whUe
ihey are just in these pecuUar cfrcumstances, so thai ihey can
be moulded into proper form. Do not spare, though ii diould
be a diUd or a brotiier, or a husband or a vrife Lei it be
a thorough work. If they express a hope, and you find ihey
bear the image of Christ, they are Christiana But if that
appeara doubtful — ^if ihey do not appear to be fuUy dianged
just tear away thefr hope, by seaxcMng them vrith the most
discriminaiing trutL and leave the Spirit to do the work more
deeply. If siUl ihe image is noi perteci, do it again — ^break
them down into a chUd-Uke spirit, and then let them hope.
They vriU then be dear and thorough Christiana By such a
mode of treatment, I have often known people of the crook-
edest and hatefulest natural diaracter, so txansformed in a
few days, thai ihey appear like different beinga You would
think the work of a whole life of Christian cultivation had
been done at once. Doubtiess this was the intent of our
Sariour's dealing vrith Peter. He had been converted, but
became puffed up vriih spiritual pride and sdf-confidence,
and then he fell After thai, Christ broke him dovm again,
by three times searching him vrith the inquiry, " Simon, son
of Jona, lovest thou me?" after whicL he seems to have been
a stable and devoted saint the rest of his daya
3. There is no need of young converte having or expressing
doubts as to their conversion. There is no more need of a pei>
son doubting whether he is now in fevor of God's govenif
ment, than there is for a man to doubt whether he is in favoi
of our government or another. It is, in fact, on the face of
it, absurd for a peraon to talk of doubting on sudi a pointy
if he is inteUigent and understands whai he is talking aboulL
It has long been supposed to be a virtue, and a mark of
humiUty, for a person to doubt whether he is a Christian, and
this notion that there is virtue in doubting is a derice of the
deril "I say, neighbor, are you in fevor of our government,
16*

370 nrsTEUCTioNs to touno coNYEEra
or do you prefer thai of Eussia ?" " "Why, I have some hopee
that I love our own government, but I have many doubta"
Wonderful ! "Woman, do you love your children ?" " "Why,
sfr, I sometimes have a trembling hope that I love them, but
you know the best have doubts." " Wife, do you love your
husband ?" " I do noi know — J sometimes think I do, but
you know ihe heart is deceitful, and we ought to be careful
and not be too confident." "Who would have sudi a vrife?
"Man do you love your vrife, do you love your fenuly?" "Ah,
vou know we are poor creatures, we do noi know our own
nearte I think I do love ihem, but perhaps I am deceived"
Bidiculous !
Ordinarily, ihe very idea of a peraon's expressing doubts,
renders his piety truly doubtful, A real Christian has no
need to doubt And when one is fuU of doubts, ordinarily
you oughi to doubt for him and help him doubt Affection
to God is as mudi a maitor of consdousness as any other af
fection. A woman knows she loves her cluld How? By
consciousness. She is conscious of the exercise of this affec
tion. And then, she sees it carried out into action every day.
In the same way a Christian may know that he loves God, by
his consdousness of this affection, and by seeing ihat it in-
fliienees his daily conduct
In the case of young converts, truly such, these doubte
generally arise from thefr having been vrrongly dealt vritL
and not suffidentiy taught, or noi thoroughly humbled In
any case, ihey should never be left in sudi a state, but should
be brought, if possible, to such a thorough change, that ihey
wiU doubt no longer. It is incondsieni vrith the greatest
usefulness, for a Christian io be always entertaining doubta
ft not only makes him gloomy, but it renders his religion a
stumbling block to sinnera "What do sinnera think of such
religion ? They say, " These converts axe always afraid to
tiiiuk ihey have got any thing real They are always trem
bhng, and doubting whether it is a reality, and they ought to
know whether there is anything in ii or not ; for if it is any
thing, theae people seem to have ii, and I am inclined to thiiUt
it rather doubtful. Ai any rate, I wiU lei it pass for ihe pre
sent ; fori do not beUeve God wiU damn me for noi attending
to what appears so uncertain." No, a cheerful, settled hope ia
Christ, is indispensable to usefulness, and therefore you should
deal so vriih young converts, as to lead them to a consistent,
weU-grounded, stable hopa OrdinaxUy this may be done, if
pursued vrisely, at the proper time, and thai is at the com
mencement of thefr religious life And ihey should not be
left till it is done

msTBucnoNS to young convebtb. 871
I know there are some exceptions ; there axe cases where
fhe best insimctiona vriU be ineffectual, but these generaUy
depend on ihe state of the health, and the condition of the
nervous system. Sometimes you find a peraon incapable of
reasoning on a certain topic, and so thefr errora vriU noi yidd
to instruction. Bui most commonly they mistake the state
of thefr own hearts, because ihey judge under the influence
of a phydcal disease. Sometimes persons under a nervous
depresdon wiU go almost into despafr. I vriU not take time
now to show the connection, but persons who are acquainted
vriih phydology wUl easUy explain the matter, and this vrill
make it plain thai the only way io deal vrith such cases is
first to recruit thefr health, and get thefr nervous system in a
proper tone, and thus remove the physical cause of thefr
gloom and depresdon, and then they wUl be able to receive
and apply your instructions to ihe state of thefr minda But
if you cannot remove thefr gloom and doubts and fears in this
way, you can at leasi avoid doing any podtive harm, by giv
ing them wrong insimctions. I have known even experi
enced Christians to have the error festened upon ihem,
thitiTriTig it was necessary, or was virtuous, or a mark of humUi-
ty to be always in doubt, and Satan would take advantage of
it, and of the state of tiiefr health, to drive them almost into
despafr. You oughi to guard against this, by avoiding the
error in teaching young converte. Teach ^them ihat instead
of there being any -vfrtue in doubting, ii is a sin to have any
reason to doubt, and a sin if ihey doubt vrithout any reason,
and a sin to be gloomy, and disgust sinnera vriih tiiefr des
pondency. And if you teach them thoroughly what religion
is, and make them SEE CLEAELY whai God wishes to have
ihem do, and lead ihem to do ii promptiy and deddedly, ordi
narily they vriU not be harassed vrith doubts and fears, but
vriU be dear, open-hearted cheerful and grovring Christians, an
honor to the religion they profess, and a blessing io the church
and the world
"TT- I proceed to mention some things worthy of conddera
tion in regard io thefr making a profesdon of rehgion, or
joining the diurcL
1. Young converte diould, orduiaxUy, offer themselves fot
admission to some church of Christ immediately. By immedi
atdy, I mean thai ihey should do ii the fird opportimiiy
ihey have. They should noi unit. Ji ihey set oui in re
ligion by waiting, most likely ihey vriU always be waiting,
and never do anything to mudi purpose. If they ara
teught to wait under conriction, before they give them

872 DfSTEUCTIONS TO TOUNG CONYEBTS.
sdves up to Christ, or if they are teught to wait after
converdon, before they give themselves pubhcly to God, by
joining the church, they wUl probably go halting and stum
bling along through life. The first thing tJ^ey should be taught,
always is. Never to wait where God has pointed out toub
DUTY. We profess to have given up the waiting system, let
us carry it through and be consistent
WhUe I say it is the duty of young converts io offer them
selves to the church immediately, I do not say that ihey
should ill aU cases, be received immediatdy. But the church
may, and have an undoubted right to assume ihe respondbU
ity of receiving ihem immediatdy or not If the church are
not satisfied in the case, they have ihe power to bid candi
dates wait tUl ihey can make inquiries, or in any other way
obtain satisfaction, as to thefr character and thefr sincerity.
This is more necessary in large dties than it is in the country,
because the church is Uable to recdve so many appUcations
from persons that axe entire sirangera, where it is necessary
to make uiquiries before admitting them to communion. But
if the church think ii necessary to postpone an appUcant, ihe
respondbUity is not hia He has not postponed obedience to
the dying command of Christ, and so he has not grieved the
Spirit away, and so he may not be essentiaUy injured if he is
faithful in other respects. 'Whereas, if he had neglected the
duty voluntarily, he would soon get into ihe darl^ and very
likdy backsUde.
If there is no particulax reason for delay, ordinaxUy the
churdi oughi to receive ihem when ihey apply. If ihey axe
sufficientiy instructed on the subjeci of religion to know what
they axe doing, and if thefr general character is such ihat
they can be trusted as to thefr sincerity and honesty in mak
ing a profession, I see no reason why ihey should delay. But
if there are suffident reasons, in riew of the church, for mak
ing them wait a reasonable time, lei ihem do ii, oh thefr re
spondbiUty io Jesus Christ They should however, remem
ber, whai is ihe responsibUity they assume, and that if tiiey
keep those out of ihe church who oughi to be in it, they sin,
and grieve the Holy Spirit
It is imposdble to lay down particular rules on this subject,
applicable io aU casea There is so great a variety of reasons
which may warrant keeping persons back, that no general
rules can reach ihem all. Our practice, in this diurcL is to
propound persons for a month after ihey make appUcation,
before they are recdved to full communion. The reason of
fhis is, thai the Sesdon may have opportunity to inqufre r»

INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUNG CONVEETB. 878
apecting indiriduals who offer themsdves, as so many of them
axe sirangera Bui in the country, where there axe regular
congregations, and all the people have been instructed from
thefr youih in the doctrines of rehgion, and where everybody
is perfectiy known, the case is different, and ordinarily I see
no reason why peraons of fafr character should not be admit
ted immediatiely. If a peraon has not been a drunkard or
otherwise of bad character, let him be admitted ai once, as
soon as he can give a rational and satisfactory account of ihe
hope thai is in bim-
That is eridentiy the way the aposties did There is not
the least eridence in the New Testament, that they ever put
off a peraon thai wanted to be baptized and join the dmrcL
I know this does not satisfy some people, because they tbiuk
the case is different Bui I do not see ii so. They say the
aposties were inspfred That is true ; but ii does not foUow
that ihey were inspfred to read the characters of men, so as to
prevent thefr ma^ng mistekes in this matter. On the other
hand ¦we know they were not inspired in this way, for we know
they did make mistakes, just as ministera may do now, and
therefore, ii is not true tiiai thefr bdng inspfred men altera
the case on this point Simon Magus was supposed to be
a Christian, and was baptised and admitted io the commu
nion, and remained in good standing tUl he undertook to pur
chase the Holy Ghost vrith money. The aposties used to admit
converte from Heathenism immediately, and vrithout delay.
If they could recdve peraons who, perhaps, never heard more
than one Gospd sermon, and who never had a Bible, nor at
tended a Sabbath-school or Bible-dass in thefr hves, surdy ii
is not necessary io wake up such an outery and alarm, £f a
church tbinks proper to receive peraons of fefr character who
have had ihe Bible all thefr Uves, and been trained in the
Sabbath-school, and sai under the preaching of ihe Gospel,
and who, therefore, may be supposed to underatand what tLey
are about, and noi to profess what they do not feel
I know ii may be said ihat peraons who make a profesdon
of religion now, axe not obliged to make such sacrifices for
thefr rehgion as the early bdievera were, and consequentiy,
people may be more ready to play the hypocrite. And io
some extent, thai is tme. Bui then, on the other hand, ii
should be remembered that, with the instructions which ihey
have on the subject of religion, ihey are not so eadly led fo
deceive themselves, as those who were converted vrithout the
prerious advantages of a religious education. They may be
strongly tempted to decdve othera, but I insist upon it^ tiiat

174 INSTRUCTIONS TO TOUNG CONYEBTS.
with the instructions which ihey have received, ihe oonverta
of these great rerivals axe not half so Uable to deceive them
selves, and take up with a false hope, as they were ia the days
of ihe apostiea And on this ground I beheve ihat those
churches who are faithful in dealiag vrith young converte, aad
who exhibit habitually the power of rehgion, are not likely to
receive so many unconverted persons, as the apostles did
It is important thai the churches should act vrisely on this
point Great eril has been done by this practice of keeping
persons out of the church a long time to see if they were
Christians. This is almost as absurd as ii would be io throw
oui a young chUd into ihe street, to see whether it wiU Uve ;
to say, if it Uves and promises io be a healthy chUd we wUl
take care of it, when tliat is the very time it wants nuraing,
and taking care of, at ihe moment when the scale is turning,
whether it shaU live or die. Is that the way io deal vritii
young converts? Should the church throw her new-bom
chUdren out to the vrinds, and say, if they hve there, let them
be raised ; but if they die, they ought io die. I have noi a
doubt thai thousands of convert^, in consequence of this treat
ment, have gone through life, and never have joined any
chnrch, but have hngered along, fuU of doubte, and feaxs, and
darkness, and in this way have spent thefr days, and gone te
the grave without ihe comforts or ihe usefulness whidi they
might have enjoyed simply because the churdi, in her foUy,
has suffered them to wait outdde of the pale, to see whether
they would grow and thrive, without those ordinances which
Jesus Christ estabUshed particularly for thefr benefit
Jesus Christ says io his church, " Here, take these lambs,
and feed them, and shelter them and watch over ihem, and
protect them : " and what does ihe church do ? "Why, tum
them oui alone upon the cold mountains, among the vrild
beasts, to starve or perish, to see whether they axe ahve or not
This whole system is as unphUosophical as it is unscripturai
Did Jesus Christ teU his churches io do so ? Did ihe God of
Abraham teach any such doctrine as this, in regard to the
duldren of Abraham ? Never. He never taught us io treat
young converts in such a barbarous manner. It is the very
best way that could be taken to render ii doubtful whether
they are converts. The very way to lead them into doubts
and darkness, is to keep them away from the churdi, from its
feUowship, and its ordinancea
I have understood there is a churcL not very far from here,
who have passed a resolution that no young converts shall be
admitted iiU they have had a hope for ai least dx montha

INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUNG C0NVBET8. 876
Where did ihey get any such rule ? Not from the Bible, nor
the example of the early diurchea
3. In examining young converte tor admisdon to ihe churcL
thefr consciences should not be ensnared by examining them
too extendvely or minutely on doctrinal points. From ihe man
ner in which examinations are conductod in some churehes,
it would seem as if ihey expected ihat young converts would
be aU at once acquainted vrith the whole system of divinity,
and able to answer every puzzUng question in theology. The
effect of it is, that young converte axe perplexed and confused
and give thefr assent to things they do not understand and
thus thefr consdence is ensnared and consequently weakened
"Why, one great design of receiving young convOTte into tha
diurdi, is to teach ihem doctrines, but if they are to be kept
out of the church tUl they underatand the whole system of
doctrines, this end is defeated WUl you keep them out tiU
one main design of receiving ihem is accomplished by other
means ? It is absurd There are certain cardinal doctrines
of Christianity, whidi are embraced in ihe experience of every
true convert And these, young converts vriU testify to, on
thefr examination, if they are questioned in such a way as
to draw out thefr knowledge, and noi in such a way as to
puzzle and confound ihem. The questions should be sucL as
are calculated to draw out from them what they have learned
by experience, and not what ihey may have got in theory be
fore or since thefr conversion. The object is, not to find out how
mudi ihey know, or how good sdiolaxs tiiey are in divinity,
as you would examine a school, or a number of young men
striving for a premium. It is to find out whether ihey have a
change of heart, to leam whether they have experienced the
great truths of rehgion by thefr power in thefr own soula
You see therefore how absurd and injurious too, it must be,
to examine as is sometimes done, like a lawyer ai tiie bar,
cross-examining a suspicious witness. It should rather be
hke a faithful phydcian anxious io find oui his patient's true
condition, and therefore leading his mind by inquiries and
hinte, to disdose ihe real symptoms of his case.
You wUl always find if you put your questions righi, ihat
real converte wUl see dearly those great fundamental points,
the dirine authority of the scriptures, the necessity of the in
fluences of ihe Holy Spirit, the divinity of Christ the doctrine
of total deprarity and regeneration, the necesdty of the atone-
meni, justification by faitii, and the justice of the eternal pun
ishment of the vricked. By a proper course of inquiries you
wiU find aU these points come out, as a part of thefr experi-

376 nrSTEUCTIONS to young CONVEBTa
ence, ii you pui your questions in such a way that they uir
deratand ihem.
A church session in this city have, as we axe informed,
passed a vote, thai no peraon shall join that church tUl ha
vriU give his assent to the whole Presbyterian Confession of
Faith, and adopt ii as his " rule of faith and practice and
Christian obedience. Thai is, ihey must read ihe book
through, which is about three times as large as this hymn-
book, and must underatand it, and agree io it all, before ihey
can be admitted to the church, before they can make a pro
fesdon of religion, or obey the command of Christ By what
authority does a church say thai no one shaU join thefr com
munion iiU he understands aU ihe points and technicaUties
of this long confesdon of faith ? Is that thefr charity, to cram
this whole confession of faith down the throat of a young con
vert, before they let him so much as come to ihe communion?
He says, " I love the Lord Jesus Christ, and vrish to obey his
command" "Very weU, but do you understand and adopt
the confesdon of faith?" He says, "I do not know, for I
never read thai, but I have read tixe Bible, and I love that,
and vrish to foUow the dfrections in ii, and to come to the
table of ihe Lord." "Do you love the confesdon of faith? If
noi you SHAM, NOT COME," is the reply of this charitable session,
"you diall noi dt down at the Lord's table, tiU you have
adopted all this confesdon of faitL" Did Jesus Christ ever
authorise a diurch session to say this — ^to teU that chUd of
God, who stands there vriih teara, and asks permisdon to
obey his Lord, and who understands the grounds of his faitL
and can give a satisfactory reason of his hope, to teU him he
cannot join the church tiU he understands ihe confession of
faith ? No doubt, Jesus Christ is angry vrith sudi a churcL
and he vrill show his displeasure in a way thai admits of no
mistake, if ihey do not repent Shut the door against young
converte tUl ihey swaUow the confesdon of faith 1 And wiU
such a church prosper? Never.
No diurch on earth has a right to impose ite extended con
fesdon of faith on a young convert, who admite ihe funda
mentals of religion. They may let the young convert know
thefr own faith on ever so many pointe, and they may exam
ine him, if they think it necessary, as to hia beUef ; but sup
pose he has doubte on some points not essential io Chrisiiiua
experience, as ihe doctrine of Infant Baptism, or of Election,
or the Perseverance of the Saints, and suppose he honestiy
and frankly teUs you he has noi made up his mind concerning
these pointa Has any minister or churdi a right to say, he

INSTKUCTIONS TO TOUNG CONYERM. 377
ahaU not come to the Lord's table tUl he has finished aU his
researches frito these subjecte ? Thai he shdl noi obey Jesu?
Christ till he has fuUy made up his mind on every such point
on which Christians, and devoted ones too, differ among them
selves ? I would sooner cut off my right hand than debar a
convert under such cfrcumstances. I would teach a young
convert as weU as I could in the time before he made his ap
pUcation, and I would examine him candidly as to his riews,
and after he was in the church, I woiUd endeavor to make
him grow in knowledge as he grows in grace. And by just
as much confidence as I have tLat my ovm doctrines are the
doctrines of God I should expect to make bim adopt ihem,
if I could have a fafr hearing before his mind. Bui I never
would bid one, whom I charitebly beheved to be a chUd of
Qtod, to stey away from his Father's table, because he did not
see aU I see, or bdieve aU I beheve, through ihe whole sys
tem of divinity. The tbing is utterly irratiomd, ridiculous,
and vricked
4. Sometimes peraons who are known fo entertain a hope
dare not make a profession of religion for fear ihey should be
decdved I would always deal deddedly vriih such casea A
. hope thai vriU not warrant a profesdon of religion is mani
festiy worse than no hope, and ihe sooner it is fom away the
better. ShaU a man hope he loves God and yet nof dare
obey Jesus Christ ? Preposterous ! Such a hope had better
be given up ai once.
5. Sometimes peraons professing to be converte vriU make
an excuse for not joining the churcL thai ihey can enjoy re
ligion just as well vrithout it This is always suspidoua I
should look out for such chaxactera It is almost certain they
have no reUgion. Ordinarily, if a person does not desfre to
be associated vriih the people of God he is rotten at the bot
tom. It is because he wante to keep out of the respondbiU-
ties of a pubhc profesdon. He has a feeling vrithin bim that
he had rather be free, so that he can by and by go back to the
world again if he likes, vrithout the reproadi of instebiUty or
hypocrisy. Enjoy religion just as weU without obeying Jesua
Christ ! It is false on the fece of it He overlooks tiie fact
fhat religion consists in obeying Jesus Christ.
TTT I am to condder tlie importance of giring right in
struction to young converts.
Ordinarily, thefr Christian character through life is moulded
and feshioned according to the manner in which they axe
dealt vrith when first converted There are many who have
been poorly teught ai first, but have been afterwards re-con-

878 INSTBUCnONS to young CONVERTa
verted, and if ihey axe then dealt vriih properly, ti.ey may b«
made something of Bui the proper time to do this is when
they are first brought in, when thefr minds are soft and ten
der, and easUy yield to ihe traih. Then they may be led with
a hafr, if ihey think it is the truth of God And whatever
notions in reUgion they get then ihey axe apt to cleave to for
ever afterwards. It is almost impossible to get away a man's
notions that he got wfhen he was a young convert You may
reason him down, but he cleaves to ihem. How often is it
the case where persons have been taught certain things when
first converted ihat if they afterwards get a new minister,
who. teaches somewhat differently, they vriU rise up against
him, as if he were going to subvert the faith and car
ry away the church into error, and throw everything into
confusion. Thus you see ihat young converts are throvm
into the hands of the churcL ^^d ii depends on the church
to mould ihem, and form them into Christians of the right
stamp. Much of thefr future comfort and usefulness depends
on the manner in which ihey are instructed at the outset
The future character of ihe churcL the progress of rerivals,
the coming of the mUlennium, depend on having right instruc
tion given, and a right dfrection of thought and Ufe to those
who are young converts.
IV. I am to mention some things whidi should not be taught
to young converts.
1. " "Ton vriU not always feel as you do now." "When the
young convert is rejoicing in his Sariour, and calculating to
live for the glory of God and the good of mankind how often
is he met vrith this reply, "You wUl not always feel so."
Thus preparing his mind to expect that he shaU backshde,
and not to be much surprised when he doea This is just the
way the deril wants young converts dealt vrith, to have old
Christians teU tiiem, your feehngs wiU noi last, and ihat by
and by you wUl be as cold as we are. It has made my heart
bleed to see it. "When ihe young convert has been pouring
oui his warm heart to some old professor, and expecting to
meet the warm burstings of a kindred spirit responding to
his ovm, whai does he meet vrith ? This cold answer, coming
Kke a northern blast over his soul, " You wiU not always feel
so." SHAME I Just preparing the young convert to expect
that he shaU backsUde as a matter of course ; so thai when
he begins to dedine, as under ihe very influences of this ia-
atmotion it is most likely he vriU, it produces no surprise oi
alarm ia his mind but he looks at ii just as a thing of course,
doing as everybody else doea

INSTRTariONS TO TOUNG CONVBBTB. 870
I have heard ii preadied as weU as prayed thai seasons of
backsliding are necessary to test the diurcL They say,
" when it rains, you can flnd water anywhere ; ii is only in
seasons of drought that you can teU where the deep springs
are." Wonderful logic ! And so you would teach that Chris
tians must get cold and stupid and backsUde from God and
for what reason ? "Why, forsootL to diow thai ihey axe not
hypocritea Amazing ! You would prove thai ihey are hyp
ocrites in order to show thai they are not
Sudi doctrine as this is the very last thai should be teught
to young converta They diould be told that now they have
only begun the Christian Ufe, and thai thdr reUgion is to con-
sist in going on in iL ' They diould be teught to go forward
aU the time, and grow in grace continually. Do not teach
them to toper off thefr rehgion, let if grow smaUer and
smaller iUl ii comes to a point God says, " The path of the
just is as the diining Ught, thai shinetii more nnd more to
the perfect day." Now whose path is that which grows dim
mer and dimmer untU the perfect night ? They should be
brought to such a stete of mind that the first indications of
decay in spirituahty or zeal vriU alarm them and spur fhem
up to duty. There is no need that young converte should
backshde as they do. Paul did not backsUde. And I do
nof doubt thai this very doctrine, "You vriU not always fed
so," is one of the grand derices of Satan to bring about the
result which it predicte
2. "Leam to walk by faith and not by dght" Thia ia
sometimes said to young converte in reference to thefr con
tinuing to exhibit the power of rdigion, and is a manifest per-
veraion of Scripture. If they begin to lose thefr faith and
zeal, and to get into darkness, some old professor vrill tdl
them, "Ah, you cannot expect to have the Sariour always
•jriih you, you have been walking by sight, you must leam to
walk by faith and not by sight" That is, you must leam to
get as cold as death, and then hang on to the doctrine of ihe
Sainte' Peraeverance, as your only ground of hope that you
shaU be saved And that is wallong by faitL Cease to per-
levere, and then hold on to the doctrine of perseverance, " One
of guilt's blunders, and the loudest laugh of hdl." And Uv
ing in the enjoyment of God's fevor and the comforte of the
Holy Ghost, they caU walking by sight I Do you suppose
yoong converte see the Sariour ai the time they beUeve on
him ? "When ihey are so fuU of ihe enjoymente of heaven.
do you suppose ihey see heaven, and so walk by sight ? It ia
absurd on the face of it It is not faitL it is presumption.

380 nrSTRUGTIONS TO TOUNG C0NVBET8.
that makes a backsUder hold on to the doctrine of peraeve^
ance, as if that would save him, without any sensible exercisa
of godliness in his soul Those who attempt to walk by faith
in this way had better take care, or ihey vriU walk into heU
vrith thefr faith. Faith indeed! Faith, vrithout works ia
dead Can dead faith make the soul Uve ?
3. " Wait till you see whether you can hold out" "When
a young convert feels zealous and warm-hearted, and wants
to lay hfrasdf oui for God some prudent old professor wiU
caution bim not to go too fest " "You had better noi be too
forward in reUgion, iUl you see whether you can hold out ;
for if you take this high ground and then faU, you vriU dis
grace rdigion." That is, in plain EngUsL " Do not do any
thing that candUutes religion, iUl you see whether you have
religion." Eeligion consiste in obeying God Now these
vrise teachera teU a young convert, " Do not obey God iiU
you see" — ^what ? — ^tiU you see whether you have obeyed bim —
or, iUl you see whether you have gotten thai substance, thai
mysterious tiring which ihey imagine is created and put into
a man, like a lump of new flesh, and caUed religion. Tins wait
ing system is aU alike, and aU wrong. There is no Scripture
warrant for telling a peraon io wait, when the command of
God is upon him and tiie path of duiy before him. Let bim
go along.
Young converts should be fuUy teught that this is ihe only
consistent way to find out vvheiher ihey have any religion.—
The only eridence ihey can have is to find thai ihey are
heartUy engaged in doing the vriU of God To teU hun to
wait, tlierefore, before he does these things, iUl he gets his eri
dence, is reveraing the matter, and is absurd
4 "Wait tiU you get strengtL before you take up the
cross." This is appUed to various religious dutiea Some
times it is appUed to prayer, just as if prayer was a crosa
But I have known young converte advised noi to attempt to
pray in thefr femiUes, or noi to attempt quite yet to pray in
meetings and social cfrclea "Wait tiU you get sirengfL"
Just as if they would get strength without exercise. Strength
comes by exercise. You cannot get strength by lying still
Let a cmld Ue in the ci-adle aU his life, and he would never
have any strength, he might grow ia size, but he never could
be any tiling more than a great baby. This is a law of na
ture. There is no substitute for exercise in producing strengtL
The body as every one knows, can be strengthened only by
exerdsa It is so in the nature of thinga And it is just ao
with the mind It is so with ihe affections, so vrith the judg

msTEucnoNs to young convebtb. 881
ment, so vriih consdence. AU the powera of the soul ara
fitrengihened by exercise. I need not now enter into the phUoso
phy of this. Every body knows it is so. If the mind is not
exercised tie brain vriU not grow, and the man wUl become
an idiot If the affections are not exercised he wUl become a
stoia To talk to a convert about neglecting Christian action
tiU he gets strengtL is absurd If he wante to gain strengtL
lei him go to work.
5. Young converts should not be made sectarian in thefr feel
inga They should noi be taught to dweU upon sectarian dis
tinctions, or to be stickhsh aboui sectarian pointe They
oughi to examine these pointe, at a proper time, and in a
proper way, and make up thefr minds for themsdves, accord
ing to thefr importance. But ihey should not be ta,ught to
dweU upon them, or to make much of ihem in ihe outeet of
thefr religious Ufa Othervrise there is great danger thai thefr
whole rdigion wiU run into sectarianism. I have seen some
most sad and melancholy exhibitions of the effecte of tins np
on yoimg converta And whenever I see professed converte
taking a strong hold of sectarian pecuUarities, no matter of
whai denomination of Christians, I always feel in doubt
aboui ihem. "When I hear ihem asking, " Do you beUeve in
the doctrine of election?" or, "Do you beUeve in sprink
ling?" or, "Do you beheve in plunging ?" I feel sad I never
knew snch converts to be worth much. Thefr sectarian zeal
soon soura thefr fedings, eate oui aU the heart of thefr re
hgion, and moulds thefr whole character into sinful sectarian
bigotry. They generaUy become mighty zealous for the tra
ditions of the dders, and very httie concerned for the salva
tion of soula
V. I proceed to mention some of ihe things which it is im
portant diould be teught to young converta
1. One of the first things young converts diould be taught is
to distinguish between emotion and prindple in religion. Dc
you imderstand me ? I am going to explain what I mean, but
I want you to get hold of the words, and have them fixed in
your mind "What I want is to have you distinguidi between
emotion and princij^.
By emotion, I mean thai state of mind of which we ara
consdous, and which we call feding, an iuyoluniaijr state of
mind thai arises of course when we are in certain drcninp
stances or under certain influences. There may be high-
vnought feehngs, or they may subdde mto tranquiUity, or
disappear entirely. But these emotions should be caxefoUy
distinguished firom religious principle By prindnle I do not

382 INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUNG CONVERTS.
mean any substance or root or seed or sprout implanted In
the soul. But I mean ihe voluntary decidon of the mind, the
firm determination to act oui duty and to obey the vrill of
God by which a Christian should always be govemfed "When
a man is fuUy determined to obey God, because it is EIGHT
ihat he should obey God, I call that prindple. Whether he
feels any Uvely religious emotion at the time or noi, he vriU
do his duty cheerfuUy, and readUy, and heartily, whatever
may be the state of his feelings. This is acting upon princi
ple, and not from emotion. Many young converts have mis
taken views upon this subject, and depend almost entfrely
upon the state of thefr feelings to go forward in duiy. Some
wiU not lead in a prayer meeting, unless they/eeZ as if they
could make an eloquent prayer. Multitodes are influenced
almost entfrely by thefr emotions, and ihey give way to this,
as if they thought themselves under no ob%ation to duty un
less urged on by some strong emotion. They vriU be very
zealous in religion when ihey feel hke it, when thefr emotions
axe warm and hvely, but ihey vriU not act out rehgion con
sistently, and carry it into aU the concerns of life. They are
reUgious only as they are impeUed by a gush of feeling. But
this is noi true rehgion.
Young converts should be carefuUy taught, when duty is
before ihem io do it. However dull thefr feelings may be, if
duty calls, do it. Do not wait for feeling, but DO IT. Most
likely the very emotions for which you would wait vriU be
called into exercise when you begin to do your duty. If the
duty is prayer, for instance, and you have nof the fedings you
would vrisL do not wait for emotions before you pray, but
pray, and open your mouth vride. And in doing ii, yon are
most hkely to have ihe emotions for which you were inclined
to wait, and which constitute the conscious happiness of re
ligion. 2. Young converte should be taught thai ihey have re
nounced the owner diip cf dl thdr possessions, and of themsdves, or
if they have not done Oiis they are not Chridians. They should
noi be left to think that any thing is thefr ovm, thefr time,
property, influence, faculties, bodies or soula "Ye are not
your own ;" aU bdongs to God ; and when ihey submitted to
God they made a free surrender of all to bim, to be ruled and
disposed of ai his pleasure. They have no righi to spend
one hour as if thefr time was thefr own. No righi to go any
where, or do anything, for themselves, but should hold all at
the disposal of God and employ all for the glory of God If
they do not, ihey ought not to caU itemsdves Christians, foi

INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUNG OONVEETa 383
the very idea of being a Christian is to renounce self and be
come entirely consecrated to God A man has no more right
to withhold anything from God, than he has to rob or steal
It is robbery in the highest sense of the term. It is an in
finitely higher crime than it would be for a derk in a store to
go and take the money of his employer, and spend it on his
own lusts and pleasures. I mean, thai for a man to withhold
from Gtod is a higher crime against nm, than a man can com
mit against his feUow man, inasmuch as God is the owner oi
aU things in an infinitely higher sense than man can be the
owner of anything. If God calls on ihem to employ any
thing they have, thefr money, or thefr time, or to give thefr
duldren, or to dedicate themsdves, in advancing his king
dom, and ihey refuse, because ihey want to use them in thefr
own way, or prefer to do something else, it is vastiy more
blamable than for a derk or an agent to go and embezde the
money that is intrusted to him by his employer, and spend if
for his fanuly, or lay if out ia bank stock or in speculation for
bimaftlf God is, in an infinitely higher sense, the owner of all, than
any employer can be said to be the ovmer of what he boa
And the diurch of Christ never vriU take high ground, never
wUl be disentangled from the world, never wiU be able to go
forward vrithout these continual dedensions and backslidings,
until Christians, and the churdies generally, take the ground,
and hold to it, that it is just as much a matter of disdpline
for a churdi member practicaUy to deny his stewardship as to
deny the divinity of Christ, and that covetousness fafrly
proved shaU just as certainly exdude a man from communion
OS adultery.
The church is mighty orthodox in notions, but very hereti
cal in practice, but the time must come when the church wiU
be just as vigilant in guarding orthodo:^ in practice as or
thodoxy in doctrine, and just as prompt to turn out heretics
in practice as heretics thai corrupt the doctrines of the Gospel
In foci, ii is vastiy more important The only design of doctrine
is to produce practice, and ii does not seem to be understood
by the churcL that true faith " works by love and puiifiea the
heart," that heresy in practice, is proof condudve of heresy
in sentiment The church are very sticklish for correct doo-
irine and very careless about correct Uving. This is prepos
terous. Has it come io this, that the church of Jesus Cbxist
ia to be satisfied vriih correct notions on some abstract
points, and never reduce her orthodoxy to practice ? Let it
be ao no longer.

•84 IN8TRUCTI0N8 TO YOUNG CONVEBTB.
It is high time these matters were set right And the only
way to set ihem right, is to begin righi vrith those who arc
just entering upon religion. "Young converts must be told
thai they are just as worthy of damnation, and that the
church cannot and vriU not hold feUowship vrith ihem, if they
show a covetous spirit, and tum a deaf ear when the whole
world is calling for help, as if ihey were hving in adultery, or
in ihe daily worship of idola
3. Teach ihem how to cultivate a tender conscience. I have
often been amazed to find how Uttie conscience there is, even
among those who we hope are Christians. And here we see
ihe reason of ii. Thefr consciences were never cultivated
They never were taught and told how to cultivate a tender
conscience. They have not even a natural conscience. They
have dealt so rudely vriih thefr conscience, and redsted it so
often, thai ii has got blunted and does not act The usefnl-
ness of a Christian, greatiy depends on his knovring how to
cultivate his consdence. Young converte should be taught
to keep thefr consdence just as tender as ihe apple of the
eye. They should watch thefr conduct and thefr motives,
and lei thefr motives be so pure and thefr conduct so disin
terested as not to offend or injure or stifle consdence. They
diould maintain such a habit of Ustening to consdence, thai
it vriU be always ready to give forth a stem verdict on aU oo-
cadons. It is astonishing to see how much the consdence
ma^ be cultivated by a proper courae. If rightiy attended
to, ii made be made so pure, and so powerful, that it vriU al
ways respond exactly io the word of God. Present any duty
to such a Christian, or any self-denial, or suffering, and only
show him the word of God and he wUl do it vrithout a word
In a few months, if properly taught and attended to, young
converts may have a conscience so dehcaidy poised ihat the
wdght of a feather vriU tum them. Only bring a " Thus
aaid the Lord" and they vrill be always ready to do thai, be
it what it may.
4 "Young converte should be taught to pray without ceasing.
That is, they should always keep up a watch over thefr
minds, and be aU ihe time in a prayerful spirit They shotUd
be taught to pray always, whatever may take place. For
fhe want of righi instruction on this point many young con
verte suffer k)ss and get fex away from God For iastance,
aometimes ii happens thai a young convert wiU faU inte
eome sin, and then he feds as if he could not pray, and in-
atead of overcoming this he feels so distressed that he
waite for the keen edge of his distress to pass away. In-

marEucTioNs to young convbrm. 38b
atead of going righi to Jesus in ihe midst of his agony, and
confessing his sin out of ihe fulness of his heart and getting
a renewed pardon and peace restored he waits ifll aU the
keenness of his feelings have subdded and then his repent
ance, if he does repent is cold and half-hearted Let me tell
you, bdoved never to do this, but when your consdence
presses you, go then right to CJirist, confess your sin fuUy,
and pour oui your heart to God
Sometimes people vriU neglect to pray because they are in
the dark, and fed no desire to pray. Bui thai is the very
time when tiiey need prayer. Tliai is the very reason why
ihey oughi to pray. You diould go right to God and con
fess your coldness and darkness of mind TeU him just how
you fed. TeU him, " O Lord 1 have no desfre to pray, but I
know I ought to pray." And the first you vriU know, the
^frit may come, and lead your heart oui in prayer, and aU
the dark douds vriU pass away.
6. Yoimg converte should be faithfully warned againai
adopting a false standard in rdigion. They should not be left
to feU in behind old professora, and keep ihem before their
minds as a standard of holy hving. They should always
look at Christ as thefr modd. Not aim at being as good
Christians as the old church members, and not think ihey are
doing pretty weU because they axe as much awake as the
old membera of the churdL Uni they should aim at being
holy, and not rest satisfied iiU they are perfect as Crod The
church has been greatiy injured for the want of attention to
this matter. Young converte have come forward and tiiefr
hearts were warm and thefr zeal ardent enough to aim at a
high standard but ihey were not dfrected properly, and so
they soon settie down into the notion thai what is good
enough for othera is good enough for ihem, and therefore
they never aim higher than those who are before them. And
in this way the church instead of rising vrith every rerival,
higher and higher in hohness, is kept nearly stationary.
6. Young converte should be taught to do dH their duly.
They should never make a compromise vriih duty, nor think
of saying, " I wUl do this as an ofifeet for neglecting Oui."
They should never rest satisfied till they have done their
duties of every kind, in relation to thefr families, the church
Sabbath Schools, the impenitent around them, the disposal
of thefr property, the conversion of the world. Let ihem
do thefr duty, as they feel it when there hearts are warm ;
and never attempt to pick and choose among the command
ments of God.

188 INSTEUCriONS TO YOUNG CONVERTS.
7. They should be made to feel that they have no separatt
interest. It is time Christians were made actually to fed
thai ihey have no interest whaiever, separate from the in
terest of Jesus Christ and his kingdom. They should under
stand thai they axe incorporated into ihe famUy of Jeans
Christ, as members in full, so thai thefr whole interest ia
identified with his. They are embarked vrith him, they have
gone on board and taken ihem all And henceforth ihey
have nothing fo do, or notiung to say, except as ii is con
nected vrith this interest and bears on tlie cause and kingdom
of Christ
8. They diould be taught to maintain singleness of motive.
Young converts shoidd not begin to have a double mind en
any subject, or let selfish motives mingle in with good mo
tives in anything they do. But this can never be, so long
as Christians are aUowed to hold a separate interesf of thefr
own, distinct from ihe interest of Jesus Christ. If ihey feel
thai they have a separate interesf, ii is impossible to keep them
from regarding it, and having an eye to it as weU as to Christ's
interest, in many things ihat they do. It is only by becom
ing entirely consecrated to God and giring up all to his ser
rice, thai ihey can ever keep thefr eye single and thefr mo
tives pure.
9. They should set out vriih a determination to aim at being
mseful in the highest degree possible. They diould not rest
satisfied vriih merely being useful, or remaining in a dtuation
where they can do sorhe good But if they see an oppor
tunity where ihey can do more good, ihey must embrace it,
whatever may be the sacrifice to themselves. No matter
what it may cost them, no matter what danger or whai suf
fering, no matter whai diange in thefr outward cfrcumstanceB,
or habits, or employmente ii may lead to. If they are satis
fied thai they will on ihe whole do more good ihey should
not even hediate How else can they be like God ? How
can ihey think to bear the image of Jesus Christ, if ihey are
noi prepared to do aU the good that is in thefr power ? "When
a man is converted he comes into a new world and should
condder himself as a new man. If he finds he can do the
most good by remaining in his old employment, let it be
so. But if he can do more good in some other way, he is
bound to change. It is for the want of attention to this sub
ject, in the outset, thai Christians have got such low idefus on
tiie subjeci of duty. And thai is the reason why there art
so many useless members in our churdies.
10. They must be teught not to aim at comfort but useful

INBTRnCTIONS TO YOUNG CONVEBTB. 88)
Ms» in religion. There are a great many spiritual epicurea
in the churches, who are aU ihe whUe seeldng to be happy
in religion, wLUe they take very httie pains to be useful
They had much rather spend thefr time in suiging joyful
hymns, and in pouring out thefr happy feelings in a gushing
tide of exultation and triumpL than to spend it in agoniz
ing prayer for sinners, or in going aboui and pulling dying
men oui of the fire. They seem to feel as if ihey were bom
to enjoy themselves. But I do not thmk such Christians
diow such fruite as to make thefr example one to be imitated
Such was not the teraper of the apostiea They travailed
for souls, and laboured in weariness and painfulness, and in
deaths oft, to save sinnera. Nor is ii safe. Ordinarily, Chris
tians axe noi quaUfied to drink deep at ihe fountain of joy.
In ordinary cases, a deep agony of prayer for souls is more pro-
fiteble than high flighte of joy. Let young converte be taught,
plainly, noi to calculate upon a life of joy and iriumpL
They may be caUed to go through fiery triala Satan may
sift them hke wheat But ihey must go forward not calcu
lating so much to be happy as to be useful, noi taUdng about
comfort but duty, noi desiring flighte of joy and inumph,
but hungering and thirsting after righteousness, not studying
how to create new flighte of rapture, but how to know the
wUl of God and do ii. They vriU be happy enough in heaven.
There ihey may sing ihe song of Moses and the Lamb. And
they vriU in fact enjoy a more soUd and rational happinesa
here, by thinking nothing about it, but patientiy devoting
themselves to do the vtUI of God
11. They should be teught to have moral courage, and not
to be afraid of going forward in duty. The Bible insiste
fnUy on Christian boldness and courage in action as a duty.
I do not mean thai they should indulge in thefr bravadoes,
like Peter, telling whai ihey wiU do, and boasting of thefr
courage. The boaster is generally a coward at heart But
I mean moral courage, a humble and fixed decidon of pur
pose, ihat vriU go forward in any duty, unangered and un
awed, with the meekness and firmness of the Son of God
12. They should be so instructed as to be sound in the
faith. That is, they should be early made, as far as posdble,
complete and correct in regard to thefr doctrinal behef. As
soon as may be, vrithout turning thefr minds off from thefr
practical duties, in promoting the glory of God and the sal
vation of men, ihey should be taught fully and plainly, all
the leading doctrines of the Bible. Doctrinal knowledge ia
indispensable to growth in grace Knowledge is the food of

880 INBTEUCTlONS TO YOUNG OONVEETa
fhe mind " That the soul be vrithout knowledge," says tha
Wise Man, " It is not good" The mind cannot grow with
out knowledge any more than the body vrithout food And
therefore ii is important that young converte should be thor
oughly indoctrinated and made to understand the Bible.
By indoctrinating I do not mean teaching ihe catechism, but
teaching them to draw knowledge from ihe fountain head
Create in thefr minds such an appetite for knowledge that
tiiey vriU eat the Bible up, vrill devour it, wiU love it and love
it all All scripture is profiteble, ihat ihe man of God may
be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good worka
13. Great pains should be teken to guard young converts
against censoriousness. Young converte, when they first come
out on fhe Lord's dde, and are all warm and zealous, some
tunes find old professors so cold and dead thai ihey are
strongly tempted to be censorioua This should be corrected
immediatdy, othervrise the habit vriU poison fhefr minds and
destroy thefr rehgion.
14. They must learn to say. No. This is a very difficult
lesson to many. See that young woman. Formerly she
loved the gay cfrcle, and took delight in ite pleasurea She
joined the churcL and then found heraelf aloof from aU her
old associates. They ask her not now to thefr balls and
parties, because they know she vriU noi join ihem, and per
haps they keep entfrely away for a time, for fear she should
converse vrith fhem about tiiefr souls. But by and by fhey
grow a Uttie bold and some of ihem venture io ask her just
to take a ride with a few friends. She does noi Uke to say.
No. They are her old friends, only a few of tliem are going,
and surely a ride is so innocent a recreation, that she accepts
the inritaiion. But now she has begun to comply, the ice
is broken, and ihey have her again as one of ihem. It goes
on, and she begbis io attend thefr social vidts — " only a few
friends," you fcaow, tiU by and by the carpet is taken up for
a dance, and the next thing, perhaps, she is gone to a deigh
ride, on Saturday night, and comes home after midnight^ and
then deeps ah the forenoon on the Sabbath to make up for
ii, perhaps communion Sabbath too. AU for ihe want of
learning to say. No.
See thai young man. For a time he was always in his
Elace in the Sabbath School and in the prayer meeting. But
y and by his old friends begin to treat him vriih attention
again, and they draw bim along step by step. Every one
seems a very small thing, and ii would look hke rudeness to
deny so amaU a thing. He reasons thai if he refuses to go

nrSTEUCTlONS TO YOUNG CONYEEIB. 888
with them in things thai are innocent, he wUl lose his in-
fluence with ihem And so he goes on, tUl prayer meeting,
Bible class, and even Bible and closet are neglected Ah,
young man, stop there 1 Go only a httie farther vrithout
learning to say No, and you are gone. If you do not
wish to hang up the cause of Christ to scom and contempt,
loam to resist the beginnings of temptation. Othervrise ii
vriU come upon you, by and by, like the letting oui of water.
15. They should be teught what is and what is not Christian
experience. It is necessary, both for thefr comfort and
-hefr usefulness, thai they should underatand this, so ihat
they need not run themsdves into needless distress for the
want of that whidi is by no means essential to Christian ex
perience, nor flatter themselves that they have more rehgion
than they really exercise. Bui I cannot dwell on this topic
to-night 16. Teach ihem not to count anything a sacrifice which
Oiey do for God. Some peraons are always telling about the
sacrifices they make in religion. I have no confidence in
such piety. "Why keep telling about thefr sacrifices, as if
everytiiing they <Ud for God was a sacrifice. If they loved
God they would not talk so. If ihey conddered thefr ovm
interests and the interest of Christ identical, tliey would nof
talk of making sacrifices for Christ ; it would be like talking
of making sacnfices for themselves.
17. It is of great importance thai young converts should
be taught to be strictly honest. I mean more by this than
perhaps you would ihiiiL It is a great thing to be strictly
honest It is being very different from the world at large, and
very different even from the great body of professora of re
ligion. The hohest man I ever knew, and one who had been
many years a Christian and a minister, once made the remark
to me, " Brother, it is a great thing to be strictiy honest, up
right, straight in everything, so thai God's pure eye can see
tt^t the mind is perfectiy upright"
It is of the utmost importance that young converte should
underatand whai ii is to be strictly honest in everything, so
thai ihey can maintain a consdence void of offence, both
towards God and towards men. Alas, alas ! how httie con
sdence there ia How httie of thai real honesty, thai pure,
simple uprightness, which ought to mark the life of a cluld
of God How httie do many regard even an express promise.
I heard the other day of a number of indiriduals who sub-
icribed to the Anti-Slavery Sodety, and noi half of ihem wiU
pay thefr si.bscriptions. The plea is, thai they signed when

890 tNSTEUCnONS TO YOUNG JONVBETa
ihey were under excitement, and ihey do not choose to piqr,
Just as if thefr being exdted released ihem from the oblige
tion to keep thefr promise. "Why it is just as dishonest as it
would be to refuse payment of a note of hand They prom
ised, signed thefr names, did they, and now vriU not pay?
And they caU that honesty !
I have heard that there are a number of men in ihe dty
who have signed hundreds of doUars for the Oneida Insti
tute, promising to pay the money when called on ; and
when they were caUed on ihey refused to pay ihe money.
And the reason was, they had aU turned abohiionists ui the
Institute. Very well Suppose they have. Does that alter
your promise ? Did you sign dn the condition that if fhey
got Abohtionism introduced there you should be clear?
H you did then you are clear. But if you gave your prom
ise without any condition, ii is just as ^shonest to refuse as
if you had given a note of hand And yet some of you might
be almost angry if anybody should diarge you vrith reftuang
to pay money when you promised it.
Look ai this seriously. "Who does God say vriU go to
heaven ? Bead ihe 15ih Psalm, and see. " He tLai sweareth
to his ovm hurt, and chungeth not." Whai do you think of
that ? If a man has promised anything, except it be to commit
sin, lei him keep his promise, if he means to be honest or to
gfo to heaven. Bui here these people wUl make promises, and
because ihey cannot be prosecuted ^^ break ihem as eadly
as if they were nothing. They would not let a note be pro
tested at the bank. "Why? Because they would lose credit,
and would be sued But the Oneida Institute, and the
Anti-Slavery Society, and other societies, wUl not sue for the
money, and therefore these people take some offence at some
thing, and refuse to pay. Is this honest ? WiU such hon
esty as this get them admitted to heaven ? "What ? Break
your promises, and go up and carry a he in your hand before
God f If you refuse or neglect to ftdfiU your promise you are
a liar, and if you perdst in this, you shaU have your part in ihe
lake thai bums vriih fire and brimstone. I would not, for
ten thousand worlds, die with money in my hands, that I
had unrighteoudy vrithhdd from any object to which I had
promised it Such money wUl " eat like a canker."
If you are not able to pay the money, that is a good excuse.
But then say so. But if you refuse to pay what you have
promised because you have altered your mind, rely upon it,
you are guUty. "You cannot pray iiU you pay thai money.
What wUl you pray ? "0 Lord I promised to give fhsit

INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUNG CONVERTS. 391
money, but I altered my mind and broke my promise ; but
still, 0 Lord I pray thee to bless me, and forgive my sin, ai
though I keep my money, and make me happy in thy love'
WiU such prayera be heard ? Never.
Bui, brethren, I find it imposdble to touch upon aU the
pointe I intended to speak upon, and so I wiU break off here;,
•md finish this subjeci another tuna

LECTURE XX.
laaTBUOTION OF YOUNG CONYEBTS.
TiXT.— Feed my lambs.— Jobn xxi. IS.
I BEMABEED cm thls text iu my last lecture, and was obliged,
for want of time, to omit many of the pointe which I vrished
to present in regard to the
rNSTEUOnON OF YOUNG CONVERTa
To-night I propose to continue the subjeci by noticing,
L Several other points upon which young converte ought
to be instructed
n. To show the manner in which young converts should
be treated by the churdL
UL Mention some of the erils which naturally result from
defective insimctions given in that stage of Clmstian expe
rience. L I diaU pursue fhe subject, taking it up where I left o£^
by mentioning some further instructions which it is impor
iant diould be given to young converts.
1. It is of great importance thai young converts diould
early be made io understand what religion consists in. Per
haps you vriU be surprised ai my mentioning this. "Whail
Are they converts, and do they not know what reUgion con
sists in ?" I answer, They would know, if they had had no
instruction but such as is dravm. from the Bible. Bui multi
tudes of people have imbibed such notions aboui religion,
thai not not only young converts, but a great part of the
church do noi know whai religion consists in, so as to have a
clear and distinct idea of it. There are many ministera who
do not I do no not mean to say that they have no religion.
for ii may be charitably beUeved they have ; but what I mean
is, thai ihey do noi discriminate as to what it consists in, and
cannot give a correct statement of what does and what doea
noi constitute real reUgion. It is important thai young
converts should be taught
Negatively, what religion does not consist in.
(1.) Not in doctrinal knowledge. Knowledge is essential to
(392)

nrsTEucnoN of young coNVEEra 398
reUgion, but ii is noi religion. The deril has docii-inal
knowledge, but he has no religion. A man may have doc
trinal knowledge to any extent vrithout a partide of re
hgion. Yet some people have very strange ideas on this
subject, as ihough having doctrinal knowledge indicated an
increase of piety. I once heard a remark of this kind : in
a certain instance, where some young converte had made
rapid progress in doctrinal knowledge, a peraon who saw it
said "How these young converte grow in grace." Here
he confoimded improvement in knowledge vrith improve
ment in piety. The trutii was, ihat he had no means of
judging of tiiefr grovrthin grace, and it was no evidence of it
because they were making progress in doctrinal knowledge.
(2.) They should be teught that rdigion ia not a substance.
It is noi any rooi, or sprou^ or seed or anything else in the
mind as a part of the mind itself. Peraons often speak of re
Ugion as if ii was something that may be covered up in the
mind just as a spark of fire may be covered up in the ashes,
which does noi show itself and which produces no effecte, but
yet Uves and is ready to act as soon as it is uncovered And
in hke manner ihey think they may have rehgion, as some
thing remaining in ihem, although tiiey do not manifest it by
obeying God But ihey should be taught that this is noi the
nature of rdigion. It is no part of the mind itself, or of tht
body, nor is it a root, or seed or spark, thai can exist and
yet be hid and produce no effect
(3.) Teach ihem that religion does not consist in raptures,
or ecstades, or high flighte of feding. There may be a great
deal of these where there is rehgion. Bui it ought to be un
derstood thai ihey are all involuntary emotions, and may ex
ist in fuU power where there is no rehgion. They may be the
mere workings of the imagination, witiiout any truly religious
affection at all Peraons may have them to such a degree as
actuaUy to swoon away with ecstacy, even on the subject of
religion, without having any religion. I have known one
person almost carried away vrith rapture, by a mere riew of
the natural attributes of Grod his power and vrisdom, as di»
played in the starry heavens, and yet the peraon had no re
hgion. Eeligion is obedience to God the voluntary submis
don of the soul to ihe vriU of Grod
(4) Neither does rdigion consist in going to meeting or
reading the Bible, or praying, or any other of what axe com
monly caUed religious duties. The very phrase, "religious
duties," ought to be striken out of the vocabulary of young
converte. They should be made to know thai these acta are
17*

894 QTSTBUCTION OF YOUNG CONVERTS.
not religion. Many become very strict in performing certein
things, which ihey caU religious duties, and suppose that is be
Ing religious ; whfle they axe careless about the ordinary du
ties of life, which ui fact constitute A LIFE OF PIETY.
Prayer may be an expresdon and an act of piety, or it may
noi be. Going to church or to a prayer meeting, may be con
ddered either as a means, an act, or an expresdon of pious
sentiment ; but the performance of these does not constitate
a man a Christian, and there may be great strictness and zeal
in these, vrithout a particle of rehgion. If young converts
axe not iaught io discriminate, they may be led to think there
Ls something pecuhar in what are caUed religious duties, and
to imagine they have a great deal of religion because ihey
abound in certain actions thai are commonly called rdigious
duties, although they may at the same time be very defi-
dent in honesty or faithfulness or punctuaUty, or temper
ance, or any other of what ihey dioose to caU thefr common
duties. They may be very punciUious in some things, may
tithe mint, anise and cummin, and yet neglect the weightier
mattera of the law, justice and the love of God
(5.) Eeligion does noi consist in desm-es to do good actions.
Desfres thai do noi result in choice and action axe noi virte-
oua Nor are such desfres necessarily ridous. They may
arise involuniaxUy in the mind in ^ew of certain objects, but
whUe ihey produce no voluntary act, ihey are no more m-iu-
ous or ridous than the beating of the pulse, except in cases
where we have indfrectiy vriUed them into existence, by volun-
terUy putting ourselves under cfrcumstances to exdte ihem.
The vrickedest man on earth may have strong desfres after
holinesa Did you ever think of thai ? He may see clearly
thai hohness is the only and indispensable means of happi
nesa And the momeni he apprehends holiness as a means of
happiness, he naturaUy desfres it It is to be feared thai multi
tudes are decdving themselves vrith the suppodtion, that a
desfre for hohness, as a means of happiness, is rehgion
Many, doubtiess, give themselves great credit for deaiiea that
never result in choosing right They fed desfres io do their
duty, but do not choose to do ii, because upon the whole
they have stiU stronger desfres not to do it Jn sudi desfres,
there is no virtue. An action or desire to be virtuous in the
dght of God must be an act of the will People often talk
most absurdly on this subject, as though thefr desfres hadai^-
ihing good, whUe ihey remain mere desfrea " I tlunk I de-
afre to do so and so.' But do you do ii? " Oh, no, but I often
fed a desfre io do it" This is practical Atheism.

nraTRUCTTON of young convebtb. 898
"Whatever desfres a person may have, if they are nof car
ried out into actual choice and action, they axe not virtooua
And no degree of desfre is iteelf virtaous. If this idea could be
made prominent, and fuUy riveted in the minds of men, it
would probably annihUate ihe hopes of half ihe churdi, who
axe Uving on thefr good desfres, whUe doing nothing for
God (6.) They should be made to understand thai nothing
which is sdfish, is reUgion. "Whatever desfres ihey may
have, and whatever dioices and actions ihey may pui fortii,
if afier aU ihe reason of them is selfisL there is no rdigion
in ihem. A man may just as weU commit sin in praying, or
reading the Bible, or going to meeting, as in anything dse, if
his motive is selfisL Suppose a man prays simply vriih a
riew to promote his own happinesa Is that religion ? "What
is it, but attempting to make God his almighty servant ? It
is nothing dse but to attempt a great speculation, and put the
nniverae, God and all, under conteibution to make bim happy.
It is fhe sublime degree of vrickedness. If is so fex from be
ing piety, that it is in fact superlative vrickednesa
(7.) Nothing is acceptable to God as rehgion, unless if be
performed hes^y, to please God No outward action haa
anything good or anything that God approves, unless if ia
performed from right motives, and from fhe heart
(a) Young converts should be teught fuUy and podtivdy
thai aU religion consiste in obeying God from the heart AU
reUgion consiste in voluntary action. AU thai is holy, aU that
is lovely in the sight of God aU thai is properly caUed rehgion,
consiste in voluntary action, in voluntarily obeying the vrSl of
God from the heart.
2. Young converte should be taught that fhe duty of ae^-
denid is one of fhe leading features of ihe Gospel Th^
should understand thai they axe not pious at all, any farther
than ihey axe vrilUng to take up the cross daily, and deny
themselves, for Christ There is but very httie self-denial in
the church, and the reason is, thai the duty is so much lost
dght o^ in giving instmction to young converta How sel
dom axe fhey told thai self-denial is tiie leading feature of
Christianity. In pleading for benevolent objects, how often
wfll you find that ministera and agente do not even ask Chris
tians io deny Oiemsdves for ihe sake of promoting the object
They only ask them to give what ihey can spare as well aa
nof, or in other words, to offer unto the Lord thai which coate
them nothing. "Whai an abomination ! They only ask for
the surplus, for what they do not want, for what ihey can give

396 INBTRUCTION OF YOUNG CONVERTS.
just as weU as not There is no religion in this kind of giv
ing. A man may give to a benevolent object, a hundred
thousand dollora, and there would be no religion in it, if he
could give it as weU as not, and there was no self-denial in it
Jesus Christ exerdsed self-denial to save sinners. So has
God the Father exercised self-denial in giving his Son to die
for us, and in sparing us, and in bearing vrith our perverse
nesa The Holy Ghost exerdses self-denial, in condescending
to strive vriih such unholy beings io bring them to God The
angels exercise self-denial, in watching over this world The
aposties planted ihe Christian religion among ihe nations by
the exercise of self-denial. And are we to think of being re
ligious vrithout any self-denial? Are we to caU ouradves
Christians, ihe foUowera of Christ, the temples of the Holy
Ghost, and to daim feUowship vriih the aposties, when we
have never deprived ourselves of anything that would promote
our peraonal enjoyment for the sake of promoting Christ's
Mngdom ? Young converte should be made to see &at unless
ihey axe vrilling to lay themsdves but for God and ready to
sacrifice life and eveiything else for Christ, ihey have not the
Spirit of Christ, and are none of his.
3. They must be iaught whd sanctification is. ""Whail"
you wiU say, " do noi aU who are Christians knovm what
sanctification is ?" No, many do not Multitudes would be
as much at a loss io teU inteUigibly whai sanctification is, as
they would be to teU what religion is. If the question were
asked of every professor of religion in this dty, What is
sanctification ? I doubt if one ui ten would give a right an
swer. They would blunder just as they do when ihey under
take to teU whai reUgion is, and speak of ii as sometiung dor
mant in the soul, something thai is pui in, and hes there,
something thai may be practised or noi, and siiU be in them.
So they speak of sanctification as if it were a sort of wadi-
ing off of some defilement, or a purging out of some phydcal
impurity. Or they vriU speak of ii as if the fecnlties were
steeped in sin, and sanctification is taking out ihe siaina
This is the reason why some people vriU pray for sanciificar
tion, and practise sin, eridentiy supposing ihat sanctification
is something that precedes obedience. They should be teught
thai sanctification is not something that precedes obedience,
some change in the nature or ihe constitution of the soul
But sanctification is obedience, and, as a progresdve thing,
consists in obeying God more and more perfectly and per
petuaUy. 4 Young converts should be iaught so as to uniersiand

INSTRUCTION OF YOUNG CONVERTa 397
what perseverance is. It is astonishing how people talk about
perseverance. As if the doctrine of perseverance was " Once
in grace, always in grace," or " Once converted sure to go to
heaven." This is not the idea of perseverance. The true
idea is, that if a man is truly converted he will CONTINUE
TO OBEY God. And as a consequence, he wUl surdy go to
heaveiL But if a peraon gete tiie idea, that because he is
converted therrfore he vriU assuredly go to heaven, thai man
wUl almost assuredly go to heU.
5. Young converte should be taught to be rdigious in every
thing. They diould aim to be rehgious in every department
of Ufe and in aU that ihey do. If fhey do not cdm at this,
they should underatand tiuii they have no religion ai all If
ihey do not intend and aim to keep aU the commandmente of
God, what pretence can ihey make to piety ? "Whosoever
diaU keep the whole law, and yei offend in one point, he is
guUfy of all He is justiy subjeci to the whole penalty. If
he disobeys God habiiuaUy in one particular, he does not in
fact obey bim in any particular. Obedience to God oonsids
in the stete of the heart It is being willing to obey God ;
vriUing that God diould rule in aU thinga Bui if a man
habiiuaUy disobeys God iu any one particular, he is in a state
of mind that rendera obedience in anything else imposdble.
To say that in some things a man obeys Gk>d out of respect
to his authority, and thai in some other things he refuses obe
dience, is absurd The fact is thai obedience to Grod consiste
in an obedient stete of heart, a preference of God's authority
and commandmente to everything dse. If, therefore, an in
diridual appears to obey in scHue things, and yet peraeveringly
and knowingly disobeys in any one thing, he is decdved He
offends in one point, and this proves thai he is guUty of aU ;
in other words, thai he does not, from the heart, obey ai all
A man may pray half of the time and have no religion ; if
he does not keep the commandmente of God his very prayera
wiU be hateful to God " He thai turneth away his ear from
hearing the law, even his prayer shaU be abomination." Do
you hear thai? If a man refases to obey God's law, if he re
fuses to comply vrith any one duty, he cannot pray, he has no
rehgion, his very devotions are hateful.
6. Young converte, by proper instructions, are eadly
brought to be " temperate in all things." Yet this is a subject
greatiy neglected in regard to young converts, and almost
lost sight of in the churches. Thesre is a vast deal of intem
perance in the churchea I do noi mean intemperate drink
ing, in particular, but intemperance in eating, and in Uving

398 INSTRUCTION OF YOUNG CONVERTS.
generally. There is in fact but Uttie consdence about it in
the churchea And therefore the progress of reform in tbe
matter is so dow. Nothing but an enUghtened conscience
can carry forward a permanent reform. Ten years ago, most
ministera used ardent spirit, and kepi it in thefr houses te
treat thefr friends and thefr ministering brethren vritL And
fhe great body of ihe members in the churches did the same.
Now there axe but few of either, who are not actual drunk
ards, thai vriU do it Bui siUl there are many thai uidulge
without scruple in the use of wine. There axe some ministers,
and many professors, who vriU drink down wine thai has as
much spirit in ii as brandy and water. This is intemperance.
Chewing and smoking tobacco are mere acte of intemperanea
If ihey use these mere stimulants when there is no necessity
for if, what is fhat but intemperance ? That is not being
temperate in aU things. UntU Christians shaU have a con
sdence on this subject, and be made to feel that ihey have no
right to be intemperate in anything, ihey wUl make but Uttie
progress ni rdigion. It is wdl knovm, or ought to be, that
TEA AND COFFEE have no nutriment in them. They are
mere stimulante. They go through the system vrithout being
digested The nrilk and sugar you pui in ihem are nourish
ing. And so they would be just as mudi so if you mixed
ihem with rum, and made milk puncL But the tea and the
coffee afford no nourishment And yet I dare say, thai a ma
jority of the famiUes in this dty give more in a year for thefr
tea and coffee, than ihey do io save the world from hell
Probably this is tme respecting entfre churchea Even
agents of benevolent sodeties vriU dare to go through ihe
churches soUciting funds for the support of missionary and
other institutions, and yei use tea, coffee, and in some cases to
bacco. Strange ! There is now in this city an agent em
ployed in soUciting funds, who uses aU three of these worse
than usdess stimulants. And he is, moreover, a minister ol
the Gospel ! No doubt many axe giving five times as much
for mere intemperance as they give for every effort to save
the world If ihe church could be made to know how mudi
ihey spend for what are mere poisons, and nothing else, they
would be amazed Sit dovm and talk vriih many peraons,
and they wiU strenuoudy maintain thaf they cannot get along
without these stimulants, these poisons, and ihey cannot give
them up — no, noi to redeem the world from efemal damna
tion. And very often they vriU absolutely show anger if ai>-
gued vritL jnst as soon as the argument begins to pinch their
consciencea OL how long shah the church show her hypo

INSTRUCTION OF TOUNG CONVERTa 399
critical face ai the Monthly Concert, and pray Gtod to aave
the world whUe she is actuaUy throwing away five times aa
much for sheer intemperance, as she wiU give to save the
world Some of you may think these are httie things, and
thai ii is quite beneath tlie dignity of the pulpit to lecture
agauist tea and coffee. But I teU you it is a great mistake
of youra, if you think these are Uttie things, when ihey make
the church odious in the dght of God by exposing her hy
pocrisy and lust Here is an indiridual who pretends he has
given himself up to serve Jesus Christ, and yet he refuses to
deny himself any darling lust, and then he wiU go and pray,
" O Lord save the world ; O Lord thy kingdom come." I
teU you if is hypocrisy. ShaU sudi prayera be heard ? Un
less men are vriUing to deny themselves, I would noi give a
groat for the prayers of as many such professora as would
cover the whole United Stetea
These things must be taught io young converta It must
come to this point in the churcL that men shaU not be caUed
Christians, unless ihey vriU cut off the right hand and pluck
out the righi eye, and deny themsdves for Christ's sake A
httie thing ? Siee it poison the spirit of prayer 1 See ii de
base and sensualize the soul! Is that a infle beneath the
d%nity of the pulpii? "When these intemperate indulgences
of one kind and another, cost the church five times if noi
fifty times more than aU ihey do for the salvation of the world
An estimate has recentiy been made, diovring thai the
United States consume seven mUUons of doUara worth o'
coffee yearly ; and who does not know that a gred part of
this is consumed by the church. And yei, grave ministera and
members of Christian churches are not ashamed to be seen
eountenandng this enormous waste of money ; whUe, at the
same tune, fhe poor heathen are sending upon every vrind oi
heaven thefr agonizing wail for hdp. Heaven calls from
above, "go preach the Gospd to every creature." HeU
groans from beneatL and ten thousand voices cry out from
heaven, earth and hdl, " Do something to save the world !" Do
it now. Oh, NOW, or miUions more are in heU through your
neglect And oh, teU it not in Gath, the churdi, the minidry,
vriU noi deny even thefr Inste to save a world Is this Chri»>
tianity ? "What business have you to use Christ's money for
such a purpose ? Are you a steward ? "Who gave you thia
liberty? Look to it, lest it should be found ai last tiiai you
have preferred self-gratification to obedience, and made a
" god of your beUy."
The time to teach these thinga vrith effect is when ihey ai-e

400 INSTRUCTION OF YOUNG CONVEBTa
young converta If ihey axe not properly taught then, if ihey
get a vrrong habit, and begin with an easy, self-indulgent mode
of Uving, it is rare thai ihey are ever thoroughly reformed I
have conversed vriih old professors on these subjects, and
have been astonished at thefr pertinadous obsiiDacy ui in
dulging thefr lusts. And I am satisfied that the church
never can rise out of this doth untU young converts are faith
fuUy taught in ihe outset of thefr religious courae to be tem
perate in all things.
7. They should be taught to have just as much religion in
all their business, as ihey have ia prayer, or in going to meet
ing. They should be just as holy, just as watdiful, aim just
as singly ai the glory of God he just as sincere and solemn
in aU thefr daUy employments, as when ihey come to the
throne of grace. If they are not, thefr Sabbath perform
ances vriU be an abomination.
8. They should be taught that ii is necessary for them to
he jud as hdy as ihey think ministers ought to be. There has for
a long time been an idea that ministers are bound to be holy
and practise self-denial And so they are. Bui ii is strange
ihey should suppose thai ministera are bound io be any more
holy than other people. They would be shocked to see a
minister show lerity, or running after the fashions, or getting
oui of temper, or living in a fine house, or riding in a coach.
OL that is dreadful. It does not look weU in a minister.
Indeed 1 For a minister's vrife to wear such a fine bonnet,
or such a sUk shawl. Oh, no. Bui ihey think nothing of all
this in a layman or a layman's vrife. Thai is no offence at all
I am noi saying thai these things do look weU in a minister ;
I know they do not But they look, in God's eyes, just as
weU in a minister as they do iu a layman. You have no more
right to indulge in vanity and foUy and pride than a minister.
Can you go to heaven vrithout being sanctified ? Can you be
holy vrithout Uving for God and doing aU thai you do to his
glory? I have heard professedly good men speak against
ministers having large salaries, and hving in an expensive
style, when they themsdves were actuaUy spendiag a great
deal more money for the support of thefr famiUes than any
ministera. What would be thought of a nunister hring in the
style in which many professors of rehgion and elders of
churches axe Uring in this dty ? "Why everybody would say
thai they were hypocrites. Bui, ii is just as much an eri
dence OI hypocrisy in a layman to spend God's money to
gratify his hists, or to please the world, or his famUy, as ii is
for a minister to do the same. It is distressing to hear some

INSTEUCTION OF YOUNG CONVERra. *01
of our foremost laymen talk of ite being dishonorable to r»
ligion to give ministera a large salary, and let them Uve in an
e^iendve style, when it is a fact that their own expenses are,
for the number of thefr femiUes and the company they have,
far above thai of any minister. AU this arises out of funda-
mentaUy wrong notions imbibed whUe they were young con
verte Young converts have been teught to expect that min
istera vriU have all the religion, especiaUy aU tLe self-denial,
and so long as this continues there can be no hope thai the
church vriU ever do much for the glory of God or the conver
don of the world There is nothing of all this in the Bible.
Where has God said "You, nunistera, love God vritii all your
heart and soul and mind and strengtL" or "You, ministers,
do aU thai you do to the glory of God?" This is said to all
alike, and he who attempte to excuse himself from any duty
or self-denial, from any watehfulness or sobriety, by putting
it off upon ministera, or who ventures to adopt a lower scale
of holy Uving for himself than he thinks is proper for a min
ister, is in great danger of proving himself a hypocrite, and
paying the forfeit of his foohdmess in heU.
Much depends on the instructions given to young converta
If they once get into the habit of supposing that ihey may in
dulge in thiugs whidi they would condemn in a minister, it is
ten to one if they ever get out of it
8. They should aim at being peifecL Every yoimg convert
should be taught thaf if it is not his purpose to Uve vrithout
dn, he has not yet began to be reUgioua What is religion,
but supreme love to God and a supreme purpose of heart or
diqiodtion to obey God If there is not this, there is no re
ligwn at aU. It is one thing to pnfess to be perfect, and an
other thing to profess and feel ihat you ougU to be perfect It
is one thing to say thai men ought to be perfect, and can be
if they are so disposed and another thing to say that they are
perfect If any are prepared to say that they axe perfect, aU
I have to say is. Let them prove it. If ihey axe so, I hope
ihey vriU show it by thefr actions, othervrise we can never be
Ueve ihey axe perf«st
But it is the duty of aU to be perfect and to purpose entire,
perpetual and univeraal obedience to God It should be
ibefr constant purpose to Uve whoUy to God and obeyaU his
commandmente. They should Uve so that if they should sm
if wonld be an inconsistency, an exception, an indiridual case,
in which they act contrary to the fixed and general purpose
and tenor of thefr Uvea They ought noi to dn at aU ; fhey
axe bound to be as holy as God is, and young converts diould

403 nrsTEucTioN or young coNVEBra
be teught to set out in ihe right courae, or they vriU never ba
right 9. They stould be taught to exhibit their light.
Ji the young convert does not exhibit his Ught, and hold it
up to the world it vriU go out If he does not bestfr himself
and go forth and try to erih^ten ih3se around him, his Ught
wiU go oui, and ms own soul vriU soon be in darknesa
Sometimes young converts seem disposed to be siUl and not do
anything in public tiU they get a great deal of Ught, or a great
deal of religion. Bui this is not ihe way. Let the convert
use what he has ; let him hold up his littie iwinkUng rush-
hght boldly and honestiy, and (hen God vriU pour in the oU
and make him like a blazing torch. But God vriU noi take
ihe trouble to keep a light burning that is hid "Why should
he ? "Where is ihe use ?
This is the reason why so many people enjoy so Uttie in re
ligion. They do noi exert themsdves to honor God They
keep what Uttie ihey do enjoy so entirely io themselves, that
there is no good reason why God should bestow blessiags and
benefits on them.
10. They diould be taught how to unn souls to Chrid.
Young converte should be iaught particularly what to do for
this, and how to do it, and then taught to Uve for this end as
the great leading object of Ufe. How strange has been the
course sometimes pursued These peraons have been con
verted and there they axe. They get into the churdi, and
then they are left to go along in thefr business just as fhey
did before ; they do nothing and are iaught to do notiung for
Christ, and ihe only diange is thai ihey go more regularly to
church on fhe SabbatL and let the minister feed (hem, as it
is called But suppose he does feed fhem, ihey do noi grow
strong, for ihey cannot digest it, because ihey take no exer^
cise. They become spiritual dyspeptics. Now the great
object for which Christians are converted and left in this
world is to puU sinnera oui of the fire. If they do noi effect
this, ihey had better be dead And young converte should
be taught this as soon as they axe bom into the kingdom.
The firat thing they do should be to go to work for this end,
to save dnnera
n. I am to show how young converte should be treated by
the churcL
1. Old professors ought to be a6fe to give young converte a
great ded (f indruction, and they ought to give it. The tmth
is, however, tiw-i the great body of professors in the diurches
do not know Iww to give good insiructi'on to young converts,

INBTRUCnoN OF YOUNG OONVEETB. 408
and if ihey attempt to give them instruction, give only that
which is felse The church ought to be able to teadi her
duldren ; and when die receives ihem, she ought to be as
busy in training ihem to act, as mothera are in teaching thefr
Uttie duldren such things as they vriU need to know and do
hereafter. But this is fax enough from being the case gen
erally. And we can never expect to see young converts ha
bituaUy taking right hold of duty, and going straight forward
vrithout dedendon and backsliding, until young converts
shall be inteUigentiy trained by the churcL
2. Young converte should noi be kept back behind ihe rest
of the diurcL How often is it found that the old professor
vriU keep the young converte back behind the red; of the
diurcL and prevent them from taking any active part in re
ligion, for fear they should become spirituaUy proud Young
converte in such diurches are rarely or never caUed on fo
take a part in meetings, or set to any active duty, or the like,
for fear ihey diould become lifted up vrith spiritual pride.
Thus the diurch become the moded keepers oi thefr humUity,
and teach them to file in behind the old, stif^ dry, cold mem
bers and elders, for fear that if ihey axe aUowed to do any
thing for Christ, it wfll make them proud "Whereas, the
very way to make young converte humble and keep them so,
is to put ihem to tiiefr work and keep them there. That is
the way to keep God vrith them, and as long as God is vriih
them. Be wiU take care of thefr humiUiy. Keep them con
stantiy engaged in religion, and then the Spirit of Grod vriU
dweU vriih them, and tiien ihey vriU be kept humble by the
most effectual procesa But if young converte axe left t» feU
m behind the old professors, where they never can do any
thing, fhey vriU never know what spirit ihey are o^ and tMs
is the very way to run ihem into danger of the worst spedes
of spiritual pride.
3. They should be watehed over by the church, and
warned of thefr dangers, just as a tender mother watches
over her young chUdren. 'Young converts do noi know at aU
the dangera by which they are surrounded The derices of
the deril, the temptations of the world ihe power of thefr
ovm passions and habits, and the thousand forms of danger
ihey do not know ; and if not properly watehed and warned
they wiU run right into danger. See thai mother watehing
her Uttie chfld Does she let ii pui ite Uttie hand in the canr
die, or aUow ii to creep where it vriU fall, because its own
bhndness and ignorance does not prevent it from desfring to
do so? The church should wateh over and care for her

«04 INSTRUCTION OP YOUNG CONVEBTB.
young chUlren, just as mothera watch thefr Utile chUdren in
this great dty, for fear the carts may run over them, or ihey
may stray away and be lost ; or as ihey watch them whfle
growing up, for fear ihey may be drawn into the whfrlpools
of imquity. The churdi should wateh over aU the interests
of her young membera, know where they are. and what are
thefr habits, temptations, dangers, pririleges, state of reUgion
in thefr hearts, spirit of prayer. Look at thai anxious moth
er, when she sees paleness gather round the little brow of her
child ""What is the matter with you, my chfld ? Have you
eaten something improper ? Have you taken cold ? "What
ails you ?" OL how different it is vrith the chUdren of the
churcL the lambs that the Sariour has committed to the care
of his churches. Alas I instead of restraining her duldren,
and taking care of ihem, the church lets them go anywhere,
and look oui for themsdvea "What should we say of a
mother who should knovringly lei her Uttie duld totter along
to the edge of a precipice? Should we not say she was
hombly guUty for doing so, and that if the chUd should faU
and be kiUed, its blood would rest on ihe mother's head ?
Whai then is the guUi of the church, in knovringly neglecting
her young converts ? I have known churdies where young
converts were first totaUy neglected and regarded vrith sus
pidon and jealousy ; nobody went near them to strengthen
or encourage or counsd ihem ; nothing was done to lead
ihem to usefulness, to teach them what to do, or how to do it,
or open to ihem a field of labor. And then—what then?
"Why, when ihey find that young converts cannot stand every
thing, and find them grovring cold and backward under thefr
own treatment, they just turn round and abuse them because
fhey did not hold out
4 Be tender in reproving them. "When Christians find it
necessary to reprove young converts, tiiey should be ex
ceedingly careful of thefr manner in doing it. Young con
verts should be faithfully watched over by tiie elder members
of the church, and when they begin to lose ground or to
turn adde, they should be promptly admonished and if
necessary, reproved Bui to do it in a vrrong manner is
worse than noi to do it It is sometimes done in a manner
thai is abrupt, harsh, coarae, and apparentiy censorious,
more Uke scolding than like brotherly admonition. Such a
manner, instead of inspiring confidence, or loading to refor
mation, is just calculafed to harden the heart of ihe young
convert, and confirm him in his vrrong oouraes, while at
the same time it doses his mind against the influence of

INSTRUCTION OF YOUNG CONVERTS. 404
such censorious guardians. The heart of a young convert
is tender, and easUy grieved and sometimes a single un
kind look vriU set him into such a state of mind as wUl fa»
ten his errors upon bim and make him grow worse and
woi*se. You who axe parente know how important it is when you
reprove your children that they should see thai you do ii
from the best of motives, for thefr benefit, because you vrish
them to be good and not because you are angry. Otherwise
they wiU soon come to regard you as a tyrant, rather than a
friend Just so vriih young converta Kindness and tender^
ness, even in reproof vriU win thefr confidence, and attach
them to you, and give an influence to yonr brotherly in
structions and counsels, so that you can mould them into
finished Christiana Instead of this, if you are severe and
critical in your manner, thai is the way io make ihem think
you vrish to lord it over ihem. Many peraons, under pre
tence of being faaOiful, as ihey caU it, often hurt young con
verte in such a severe and overbearing maimer as to drive
them away, or perhaps crush them into despondency and
apathy. "Young converts have but httie experience, and axe
easUy thrown dovm. They are just Uke a Uttie duld when it
first begins to walk. You see it tottering along, and there ii
stumbles over a straw. You see the mother take up every
thing from the floor when her httie one is going fo try to
walk. Just so with young converte. The church ought to
take up eveiy stumblmg block, and treat ihem in such a way
as to make tliem see thai if ihey axe reproved Christ is in it,
and then they wUl receive it as it is meant, and ii vriU do
them good
5. Kindly ^xnn< out Odngs (hat are faulty in the young convert
which he does not see. He is but a duld and knows but ht
tie about religion, and vriU of courae have a great many things
ihat he needs to leam, and a great many thai he oughi to
mend "Whatever there is thai is wrong in spirit or unlovely
in his deportment, or uncultivated in manner, that wiU impede
his usefulness or impafr his influence as a Christian, ought to
be kindly pointed out and corrected To do this in the right
way, however, requfres great vrisdom. Christians oughi to
make it a subject of much prayer and reflection, ihat they may
do it right so as not to do more hurt than good If you re
bnke bim merdy for the things that he did not see, or did not
know to be improper, ii vriU grieve and disgust him. Such
instruction should be carefuUy timed ; often it is weU to take
the opportunity after you have been praying together, or after

408 INSTRUCTION OF TOUNG CONVERTS.
a kind conversation on reUgious subjects, calculated to maka
him feel that you love bim, and seek his good and eamestiy
desfre to promote his sanctification, his usefulness, and hia
happiness. Then a mere hint vriU often do the work. Just
suggest thai " Such a thing in your prayer" or " your conduct
so and so, did not strike me pleasantly. Had you not better
think of it, and perhaps you vnU judge better io avoid the same
thing again." Do ii right, and you wUl hdp and do him good
Do it vnrong and you wUl do ten times more hurt than good
Often young converts vriU err, through ignorance ; thefr judg
ment is unripe, and ihey need time to think and make up an
enlightened judgment, on some point thai ai first appeara to
them doubtful In such cases the church should treat them
with great kindness and forbearance. Should kindly instruct
them and not denounce them at once for noi seeing, at first,
what perhaps ihey did not themselves understand, for years
after tLey were converted
6. Do not gpeofc <f the faults of young converts, behind thefr
backs. This is quite too common among old professors, and
by and by ihey hear of ii ; and what an influence ii must have
to destroy ihe confidence of young converts in thefr elder
brethren, to grieve thefr hearts and discourage them, and per
haps drive them away from the good influence of the dmreh.
UL I am to mention some of the erils of defective instrao
tion to young converte
1. If not fuUy insiracted fhey never vriU be fuUy grounded
in righf prindples. If they have right fundamental principles,
this vriU lead them to adopt a righi course of conduct in all
particulax casea In forming a Christian character, a great
deal depends on estabhshing those fundamental prindples
which are correct on aU subjects. If you look at the Bible
you wiU see there, that God teaches righi prindples whidi we
can carry oui in detail in right conduct If the education of
young converts is defective, either in kind or degree, you vriU
see it in thefr character aU thefr Uves. This is the phUosophi
cal result, just what might be expected and must be always
so. It could be shovm, if I had time, thai almost aU the
practical errora thai have prevaUed in the diurcL are the na
tural results of certain false dogmas, which have been taught
to young converts, and which they have been made to swal
low as the truth of God at a time when they were so fgno-
rant as not to know any Joeiier.
2. If the instruction given to young converts is not correct
and full, they vrill not grow in grace, but thefr religion vyiU
dwindle away and decay. Thefr course instead of being like

INSTRUCTION OF YOUNG CONVERTS. 40*'
the path of the just, growing brighter and brighter to the per*
feci day, vrill grow dimmer and dimmer, and decay and finaUy
perhaps go out in darkness. Wherever you see young con
verte let thefr religion taper off tUl it comes to nothing, you
may underatand that it is ihe proper result of defective in
struction. The phUosophical result of teaching young converte
the truth, and the whole truth, is thai ihey grow stronger and
stronger. Truth is the food for the mind — ^it is whai gives
the mind sirengiL And where rehgious character grows fee
ble, rdy upon ii, in nine cases oui of ten ii is ovring to thefr
being neglected or falsely instructed when they were young
converte 3. They wUl be left justiy in doubt whether they are Chris
tiana If thefr early instruction is false, or defective, there
wUl be so mudi inconsistency in thefr hves, and so Utile real
eridence of real piety, thai ihey themselves vriU finaUy doubt
whether ihey have any. Probably ihey vriU hve and die in
doubt You cannot make a httie eridence go a great way.
If they do not see dearly they vriU not Uve consistentiy, if
they do not hve condstentiy they can have but htile eridence,
and if ihey have noi eridence ihey must doubi, or Uve in pre
sumption. 4 If young converte are rightiy instructed and trained it
wiU generaUy be seen that ihey vrill take the right dde on aU
great subjects ihat come before the church. Subjecte are con
tinually coining up before the churches, on which ihey have
to take ground and on many of ihem there is often no Uttie
dilficulty to make all the church take right ground Take fhe
subject of Tracts, or Misdons, or Sabbath schools, or Tem
perance, for instance, and what cavils and objections, and re
sistance, and oppodtion, have been encountered from mem
bera of the dnmih in different placea Go through the
churches, and where you find young converte have been weU
teught, you never find Oiem making difficulty, or raising ob
jections, or putting forth cavUs. I do noi herniate to charge
ii upon pastora and older members of churehes, thai there are
so many who have to be dragged up to the right ground on aU
such subjecte If they had grounded them wdl ia the prin
dples of the Gospd at the outeei, when they were first con
verted ihey would have seen ihe appUcation of thefr prindples
to all these thinga It is curious to see, and I have had great
opportunity to see, how ready young converte axe to take
right ground on any subject thai may be proposed See what
they are vriUing to do for the education of ministera, for mis
dons, for moral reform, for the davea If the great body of

408 INSTEUCnON OF TOUNG CONVERTa
young converte from ihe late revivals had been weU grounded
in Gospel prindples, you would have found in them, through
out ihe churcL hut one heart and one soul ia regard to every
question of duiy that occurs. Lei thefr early education be
right, and you have got a body of Christians that you can
depend on. If it had been general in ihe diurch, oh, how
mudi more strength there would have been in all her great
movements for the salvation of the world
5. If young converte are noi weU instructed ihey vriU ineri
tebly backsUde. If thefr instruction is defective, ihey yn}!
probably hve ui such a way as to disgrace reUgion. The truth,
kepi steadUy before ihe mind of a young convert^ in proper
proportions, has a natural tendency to make him grow up into
the fulness of the steture of a perfect man in Christ Jesus. If
any one point is made too prominent in the instruction given,
there vrill probably be just ihat disproportion in his diarac
ter. If he is fuUy instructed on some pointe and not in
othera, you wiU find a corresponding defect in his life and
character. If ihe instruction of young converts is greatiy defective,
they vriU press on in religion no further than they axe strongly
propeUed by the emotions of thefr first converaion. As soon
as thaf is spent fhey wiU come to a stand and then ihey wiU
decline and backshde. And ever after you vriU find that ihey
vriU go forward only when aroused by some powerful exdte
ment These are your periodical Christians, that axe so apt
to wake up in a time of rerival, and bluster about as if ihey
had ihe zeal of an angel, a few days, and then die away as
dead and cold as a northern vrinter. Oh how desfrable, how
infinitely important it is, thai young converts should be so
taughi, thai thefr rehgion wiU not depend on impulses and
exdtemente, but thai they wUl go steadUy onward in the
Christian courae, advancing from strength io sirengtii, giving
forth a dear and safe and steady Ught aU around
1. The church is verUy guUiy for her past neglect^ in regard
to the instmction of young converts.
Instead of bringing up thefr young converte to be workiiig
Christians, the churdies have generaUy acted as if they did
noi know how to employ young converts, or whai use to
make of them. They have acted like a mother, who has a
great fenuly of daughtera, and knows nothing how to set
Qiem to work and so suffers them to grow up idle and un-

INSTRUCTION OF YOUNG CONVERTS. 409
taught, useless and despised, and to be the easy prey of every
designing viUain.
If the church had only done her duty in training up young
Bonverts to work, and labor for Christ, ihe world would have
been converted long ago. Bui instead of this, how many
diurches even oppose young converts, when ihey attempt to
set themselves at work for Christ Multitudes of old profes
sora look vrith suspidon upon every movement of young con
verte, and talk against ihem, and say, " They axe too forward
Ihey oughi not to pui themsdves forward but wait for tiiose
who axe older." There is uxiiting again. Instead of bidding
young converts " God speed" and cheering ihem on when
tiiey take hold vriih warm hearts and strong hands, very often
they hinder them and perhaps pui ihem dovm. How often
have young converts been stopped from going forward, and
turned in behind a formal, lazy, ineffideni church, tiU thefr
spirit is crushed and thefr zeal extinguidied and after a few
meffectual struggles to throw off the cords, ihey conclude to
sit down with tiie rest and WAIT. In many places, young
converts cannot even attempt to hold a prayer meeting by
themselves, but what the pastor, or some of ihe deacons, re
buke ihem for being so forward and charge them with spfr-
itual prida " Oh, ho ! you are young converts, are you ? and so
you want to get together and call all the neighbora together
to look at you, because you axe young converts." You had
better turn preachers ai once. A celebrated Doctor of Divin
ity in New England boasted ai a pubhc table of his success in
keeping aU his converts stiU. He had great difficulty, he said
for ihey were in a terrible fever io do something, to talk, or
pray, or get up meetings, but by ihe greatest rigUance he had
kept it aU down, and now his church was just as quiet as it
was before ihe rerival Wonderful achievement for a minis-
ker of Jesus Christ I Was thai whai ihe blessed Sariour
meant when he told Peter, "Feed my lambs? "
2. Young converts should be trained to labor, just as care
ftiUy as young recruits in an army axe trained for war.
Suppose a captain in ihe army should get his company
enlisted and then take no more pains to teach and train and
disdpline ihem, than is taken by many pastors to train and
lead forward thefr young converte. "Why, the enemy would
laugh at such an army. CaU ihem soldiers ! Why, as to any
effective serrice, they are in a mere stete of babyhood, they
know nothing what io do or how to do ii, and if you bring
them up to the CHARGE, where are they ? Such an army
would resemble ihe church thai does noi train her young
18

410 INSTRUCTION OF YOUNG CONVERTS.
converte. Instead of being trained to stand shoulder te
shoulder in ihe onset, they feel no practical confidence in
thefr leadera, no confidence in thefr neighbora, no confidence
in themselves, and ihey scatter at ihe first shock of battie.
Look ai the church now. Ministers axe noi agreed as tc
whai shall be done, and many of them vriU tum and fight
back against their brethren, quarrelling about New Measures,
or the Act and Testimony, or something. And as to the
membera, ihey cannot fbcl confidence when ihey see theii
leaders so dirided And then if they attempt to do anything—
Alas ! alas ! what ignorance, whai awkwardness, what discord,
what weakness, what miserable work ihey make of t And
so it must continue, until the church shaU train i»p young
converts to be be inteUigent, singleheaxted seh-denying,
working Christians. Here is an enterprise now gomg on in
this dty, which I rejoice to see. I mean the Tract enter
prise — a blessed work. And the plan is to train up a body
of devoted Christians to do — what? — why to do whai aU
ihe church oughi to have been trained to do long ago, to
know how to pray, and how io converse with people about
thefr soul's salvation, and how to attend anxious meetings,
and how to deal with iaqufrers, and how to SAVE SOULS.
3. The church has entirely mistaken the manner in which
she is to be sanctified
The experiment has been carried on long enough, of iryii^
to sanctify the church, vrithout finding anything for them to
do. Bui holiness consists in obeying God And sanctifica
tion, as a process, means obeying him more and more per
fectiy. And the way to promote ii in the church, is to give
every one something io do. Look at these great churches,
where they have 500 or 700 members, and get a minister to
feed them from Sabbath to SabbatL whUe tiiere axe so many
of ihem together thai the greater part have nothing at all
to do, axe never trained io make any dfrect efforts for the
salvation of souls. And in that way they are expecting to be
sanctified and prepared for heaven. They never wUl be sane
tified so. That is noi ihe way God has appointed. Jesus
Christ has made his people co-workera vriih him in saving
sinners, for this very reason, because sanctification consists in
doing tiiose things which axe requfred to promote this work.
This is one reason why he has noi employed angels in the
work, or carried ii on by dfrect revelation of truth to the
minds of men. It is because it is necessary as a means of
sanctification, ihat the church should sympathize vrith Christ
in his fedings and his labors for the conversion of sinners-

INSTRUCTION OF YOUNG l;0NYERT8. 411
And in this way the entfre church must move, before the
world wiU be converted "When the day comes, thai the whole
diurch shall realize thai tliey axe here on earth as a body of
misdonaries, and shoU Uve and labor accordingly, then wUl
ihe day of man's redemption draw nigL
Christian ! if you cannot go abroad to labor, why are you
noi a misdonary in your own femUy ? If you axe too feeble
even to leave your room, be a misdonaiy there in your bed
chamber. How many unconverted servante have you in your
honse ? CaU in your unconverted servants, and your uncon
verted duldren, and be a misdonary to them. Think of your
phyddan, perhaps, who is laying himself out to save your
body, whUe he is losing his own soul, and you recdve his
kindness and never make bim the greatest return in your
power. It is necessary thai the diurch should take hold of her
young converte at the outset, and set ihem to work, and set
them to work right The hope of the diurch is in the young
converte 4 We see what a responsibiUiy reste on ministers, and
dders, and aU who have opportunity to assist in troming
young converta How distressing is the picture which often
forces iteelf upon the mind where multitodes axe converted
and yet so Uttie pains taken vriih the young converts, that in
a single year you cannot teU tiie young converte from the
reaf of fhe churcL And then to see the old church mem
bera turn round and complain of these young converts, and
perhaps dander them, when in tmth these old professora
themsdves axe most to blame OL it is too bad This reac
tion thai people talk so much about after a rerival, (as if re
action was the necessary effect of a rerival,) would never
come, young converte never would backshde as they do, if
the diurch were prompt and feiihfnl in attending to thefr
instruction. If they are truly converted ihey can be made
thorough and energetic Christiana And if they are not sncL
Jesus Christ wiU require it at the hands of the churcL

LECTUEE XXI

BACKSLIDER IN HEABT.

Tbxt.— The backslider In heart shall be filled with his own ways.— Fbot. zIt. 14.
I CANNOT condude this courae of lectures, vrithout waxning
converte against backsUding. In discussing this subject,!
wiU stete,L "What backdiding in heart is not
n. "What backsUding in heart is.
nX "What axe eridences of backsUding in heart
IV. Show what axe consequences of backsliding in heart
V. How to recover from this state.
L "What backshdiag in heart is net.
1. It does not condst in the subsidence of highly exdted
religious emotions. The subddence of religious feeling may
be an evidence of a backsUdden heart, but it does noi consist
iu the cooUng off of religious feeling.
n. "Whai backsUding in heart is.
1. It consists in teking back that consecration to God and
his serrice, thai constitutes true converdon.
2. It is the leaving, by a Christian, of his first love
3. It consists in tiie Christian's vrithdravring himself from
that stete of entfre and univeraal devotion to God which con-
atiiutes tme religion, and coming again under the control of a
self-pleasing spirit
4 The text implies thai there may be a backdidden heart,
when the form of religion and obedience to God axe main
tained As we know from consdousness that men perform
the same, or sinular acts from vridely different, and ofiienfrom
oppodte motives, we are certain that men may keep up all the
outward /orm« and appearances of religion, when in feet, they
are backslidden in heart There is no doubt, that the most
intense selfishness often tekes on a religious type, and there
ore many condderations, that might lead a backdider in hearf,
to keep up the /orms, whUe he had lost the power oi godU-
ness in his soul
TTT. What are eridences of a backshdden heart
1. Manifest formahty in religious exercises. A stereotyped
(412)

ni.CKSLU>ER IN HEA3T. 411
fermal way of saying and doing things, that is dearly the re
suit of habit, rather than the outgushing of the religious lifa
This formahty wiU be emotionless and cold as an iceberg, and
wiU evince a total want of earnestness in the performance
of religious duty. In prayer and in religous exercises the
backdider in heart wUl pray or praise, or confess, or give
thanks vrith his hps, so tliat aU can hear him, perhaps, but in
such a way thai no one can feel bim. Such a formahty would
be impossible where there existed a present, living faith and
love, and religious zeal.
2. A want of reUgious enjoyment is eridence of a back
shdden heart. We always enjoy the saying and doing of
those things that please those whom we most love ; further
more, when the heart is not backsUdden, communion vritii God
is kept up, and therefore all religious duties axe not only per
formed with pleasure, but the communion with God invofred
in them, is a source of rich and continual enjoyment. If we
do not enjoy the serrice of God ii is because we do not truly
serve him. If we love Him supremely, ii is impossible that
we should noi enjoy His serrice at every step. Always re
member then, whenever you lose your reUgiouB enjoyment, or
the enjoyment of serving God you may know that you are
not serving TTim right
3. Eehgious bondage is another eridence of a backshdden
heart God has no slaves. He does not accept the serrice
of bondmen, who serve him because they must He accepte
none but a love serrice. A backdider in heart, finds his re
hgious duties a burden to him. He has promised to serve
the Lord He dare not whoUy break off from Vheform of
serrice, and he tries to be dutiful, whUe he has no heart in
prayer, in praise, in worship, in doset duties, or in any of
those exercises which axe so spontaneous and delightful,
where there is true love to God The backshder in heart is
often like a dutiful, but unloving wife. She tries to do her duty
to her husband but fails utterly because she does not love him.
Her painstaking to please her husband is constrained Rci the
spontaneous outburst of a loving heart, and her relation, and
her duties, become the burden of her Ufe. She goes about
complaining of the weight of care that is upon her, and vriU
not be likely to adrise young ladies to marry. She is com
mitted for life, and mud therefore perform the dutiea of mar
ried Ufe, but oh, ii is such a bondage I Just so vrith rdigious
bondage. The professor mud perform his duiy. He drags
pamfuUy aboui it, and you vriU hear him naiurdly aing back
dider'a hymna.

414 BA.CBBLIDBR IN HEABT.
Reason I hear, her counsels weigh.
And all her words approve ;
And yet I flnd it hard to obey,
And harder stUl, to love."
4. An ungovemed temper.
WhUe the heart is full of love, ihe temper vriU naturaUy bs
chastened and sweet, or at any rate, the uM wiU keep it un
der, and not suffer ii to break out in outrageous abuse, or if
at any time, ii should so far escape from ihe control of the
wUl as to break loose in hateful words, ii vriU soon be brought
under, and by no means suffered to take the control and
manifest itself io ihe annoyance of others. EspedaUy vriU a
loving heart confess and break dovni, if at any time bad tem
per gete the control "Wherever, therefore, there is an irrita
ble, uncontroUed temper aUowed to manifest itself to those
around one. you may know there is a backsUdden heart.
5. A spirit of uncharitableness is eridence of a backshdden
heart By this, I mean a want of ihat disposition thai puts
the best construction upon every one's conduct thai can be
reasonable — a want of confidence in the good intentions and
profesdons of others. We naturaUy credit ihe good profes
sions of those whom we love. "We naturaUy attribute to
them righi motives, and pui the best allowable construction
upon thefr words and deeda Where there is a want of this
there is eridence condusive of a backshdden or unloving
heart 6. A censorious spirit is conclusive eridence of a backsUd
den heart This is a spirit of fault-finding, of impugning the
motives of others, when thefr conduct admits of a charitable
construction. It is a dispodtion to fasten blame upon others,
and judge ihem harshly. It is a spfrit of distrust of Chris
tian character and profesdons. It is a state of mind ihat re
veals iteelf in harsh judgmente, harsh sayings, and the mani
festation of uncomfortable feelings toward indiriduals. This
atete of mind is entirely incompatible vritii a loving heart,
and wherever a censorious spirit is manifested by a profes
sor of religion, you may know there is a backslidden heart
7. A want of interest in God's word ia also on eridence
of a backshdden heart Perhaps nothing more concludvely
proves thai a professor has a backsUdden heart, than his los
ing his interest in the Bibla WhUe the heart is fuU of love,
no book in the world is so predous as ihe Bible. But when
the love is gone, the Bible becomes noi only uninteresting but
often repulfflve. There is no faith to accept ite promises, but

BACKSLIDER IN HEABT. 416
conriction enough left to dread ite threaieninga But in gen
eral the backsUder in heart is apathetic as to the Bible. He
does not read it mudi, and when he does read it, he has not
interest enough to understand it. Its pages become dark
and uninteresting, and therefore it is neglected
8. A want of interest in secret prayer is also an eridence
of a backshdden heart
Young Christian ! If you find youradf lodng your interest
in the Bible and in secret prayer, stop short, return to God
and give youradf no rest, tiU you enjoy the light of his coun
tenance. If you feel disinclined to pray, or read your Bible,
if when you pray and read your Bible, you have no heart in
ii, no enjoyment if you are indined to make your secret de
votions short, or, are easUy induced to neglect them, if your
thoughts, affections and emotions wander, and your doset
duties become a burden, you may know that you axe a back
shder in heart, and your first business is, to break down, and
see that your love and zeal ai-e renewed
9. A want of interest in the converaion of souls and in ef
forts to promote rerivals of religion. This of course reveals
a backsUdden heart There is nothing in which a loving
heart takes more interest than in the converaion of souls in
rerivals of rehgion, and in efforts to promote them.
10. A want of interest in published accounts or narratives
of rerivals of reUgion, is also an eridence of a backshdden
heart. "WhUe one retains his interest in the converaion of
souls, and in rerivals of religion he ¦mil, of courae, be interest
ed in aU accounte of rerivals of religion anywhere. If you
find youradf, therefore, disindined to read such accounts, or
find yourself not interested in them, take it for granted tiiat
you are backsUdden in heart
11. The same is true of missions, and misdonary work and
operationa If you lose your interest in ihe work, and in the
converdon of the heathen, and do not dehght to read and
hear of ihe success of misdons, you may know thai you are
backshdden in heart
12. The loss of interest in benevolent enterprises generally
is an eridence of a backsUdden heart I say the loss of in
terest, for surdy, if you were ever converted to Christ you
have had an interest in aU benevolent enterprises that came
within your knowledga Eeligion consiste in disinterested
benevolence. Of course, a converted soul takes the deepest
interest in aU benevolent efforte to referm and save mankind
In good government, in Christian education, in the cause of
temjierance, in the abohtion of slavery, in providons for thf

416 BACKSLIDER IN HEABT.
poor, and in short, ia every good word and work, just in pro
portion as you have lost your interest in these, you have eri
dence thai you axe backsUdden in heart.
13. The loss of interest in truly spiritual conversation is
another eridence of a backslidden heeurt " Oui of the abun
dance of the heart the mouth speaketh." This our Lord
Jesus Christ announced as a law of our nature. No conversa
tion is so sweet to a truly loving heart, as ihat which relates
to Christ, and to our Uving Christian experience. If you find
yourself losing interest in conversing of heart religion, and
of the various and wonderful experiences of Christians, if
you ever knew what ihe tme love of God is, you have fallen
from ii, and are a backsUder in heart
14 A loss of interest in the converaation and sodety of
highly spiritual people, is an eridence of a backsUdden heart
We take ihe greatest deUghi in ihe sodety of those who axe
most interested in ihe thmgs that axe most dear to ua Hence^
a loving Christian heart vriU always seek the society of those
who are most spiritually-minded, and whose conversation is
most evangeUcal and spiritual If you find yourself wanting
in this respect, know for certein thai you are backdidden in
heart 15. The loss of interest in the question of sanctification is
an eridence of a backsUdden heart. I say again, the loss of
interest, for, if you ever truly knew the love of God you must
have had a great interest in the question of entire consecra
tion to God or of entire sanctification. If you axe a Chris
tian, you have felt that sin was an abomination to your souL
You have had inexpressible longings to be rid of it forever,
and everything thai could throw light upon ihat question of
agonizing importance, was most intensdy interesting to you.
If this question has been dismissed and you no longer take
an interest in ii, ii is because you are backdidden in heart.
16. The loss of interest in those newly converted is also
an eridence of a backdidden heart The Psalmist says, " AU
who fear thee wUl be glad when they see me, because I have
hoped in ihy word" This he puts into the mouth of a con
vert, and who does noi know that this is trae ? "Why, there
is joy in the presence of ihe angds of God over one sinner
thai repentetii, and is there not joy among the saints on
earth, over those thai come to Christy and axe as babes newly
bom into the kingdom of heaven. Show me a professor of
religion, who does noi manifest an absorbing interest in con
verte to Christ, and I vriU show you a backdider in heart, and
a hypocrite ; he professes religion, and has nona

BACKSLIDEB IN HBABT. 411
17. An nnchariteble stete of mind in regard to professed
converts, is also an eridence of a backsUdden heart Charity
or love, hopeth aU things, and beUeveth all things, and is veacy
ready to judge kindly and favorably of those who profess to
be converted to Christ, wUl naturally watch over ihem vrith
interest, pray for them, instruct them, and have as much con
fidence in ihem as it is reasonable io have A dispodtion,
therefore, to pick ai, criticise, and censure them, is an eri
dence of a ba<^Udden heart
18. The want of the spirit oi prayer is evidence of a back
didden heart "WhUe the love of Christ remains fresh in the
soul, the indwelling spirit of Christ vriU reveal himself as the
spirit of grace and supplication. He wiU beget strong desires
in the soul for the salvation of sinnoia and the sanctification
of sainta He vriU often make intes-cesdons in ihem, vrith
great longings, strong crying and te.ars, and with groanings
tiiat cannot be uttered in words, for those things tlmi axe ae
cording to the vriU of God or to express ii in Scripture lan
guage, according to Paul, Eomans viii 26 and 27, " Likewise
tiie Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what
we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit itsd^ maketh
intercesdon for us, vrith groanings which cannot be uttered
And he thai searcheth the hearte knoweth the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercesdon for the saints, accord
ing to the wiU of God" If the spirit of prayer departs, ii is
a sure indication of a backshdden heart, for whUe the firat
love of a Christian continues he is sure to be dravm by the
Holy Spirit to wrestie much in prayer.
19. A backshdden heart often reveals itsdf by the manner
in which people pray. For example, praying as if one was
in a stete of self-condemnation, or very mudi hke a conricted
sinner, is an eridence of a backshdden heart, Such an one
wiU reveal ihe facf, that he is noi at peace vrith God His
confesdons and self-accusations vriU show to othera what per
haps he does not weU understand himsdf His manner of
praying vriU reveal the feci, that he has not communion with
God ; that instead of being fiUed vriih faith and love, he is
more or less conricted of sin, and consdous ihat he is noi in
a stete of acceptance with God He vriU naturaUy pray moro
like a conricted sinner, than like a Christian. It wiU be seen
by his prayer thai he is not in a stete of Christian liberiy —
thai he is having a 7th of Eomans experience, instead of tixat
whidi is described in the 8th of Eomana
20. A backshdden heart wiU further reveal itself in praying
almost exdudvdy for self, and for those friends that are re-
18*

418 BACKSLIDER IN HEABT.
garded as parts of sell It is often very striking and even
shocking to attend a bkcksUder's prayer meeting, and I am
very sorry to say ihat many prayer meetings of ihe diurch
axe Uttie dse. Thefr prayera are timid and hediating, and
reveal the fact that they have littie or no faitL Instead of
surrounding the throne of grace and pouring thefr hearts out
for a blessirig on those around them, they have io be urged up
to duiy, io take up thefr cross. Thefr hearts do not, vvUl not,
spontaneously gush oui to God in prayer. They have very
httie concern for others, and when ihey do, as they say, take
up thefr cross and do thefr duiy, and pretend to lead in
prayer, ii vriU be observed that ihey pray just like a company
of conricted sinnera, almost altogether for themselves. They
wiU pray for thai, which, should ihey obtain it, would be re
ligion, just as a convicted sinner would pray for a new heart,
and praying 'for rehgion as they do, manifests thai ihey have
none, in thefr present state of mind Ask ihem to pray for
the conversion of sinners, and they vriU either whoUy forget
it, or just mention them ia such a way as vriU show that tiiey
have no heart to pray for ihem. I have known professed
Christian parents to get into such a state thai ihey had no
heart to pray for the converdon of tiiefr own duldren, even
when those , duldren were under conriction. They would
keep up family prayer, and attend a weekly prayer meeting,
and never get out of ihe old rut, of prayuig round and round
for themsdvea A few years since, I was laboring in a rerival
in a Presbyterian diurch. At the close of the evening ser
mon, I found thai ihe daughter of one of ihe eldera of the
diurch, was ia great distress of mind I observed her con
rictions were very deep. We had been holding a meetiag
with inqufrera in the vestry, and I had just dismissed the in-
qufrera, when this young lady, came to me in great agitation,
and begged me to pray for her. The people had mostiy gone,
except a few thai were waiting in the body of the church for
those friends to be dismissed that had attended the meeting
of inquiry. I called the fether of this young lady into the
vestry thai he might see the very anxious state of his daugh
ter's mind After a short personal conversation with her in
the presence of her father, I called on bim to pray fof her,
and said thai I would foUow him, and urged her to give her
heart to Christ We aU kndt, and he went through vrith his
prayer, kneeling by ihe dde of his sobbing daughter, vrithout
ever mentioning her case. His prayer revealed that he had
no more religion than she had, and thai he was very much in
her state of mind — under an avrful sense of condemnation

BACKSLIDER IN HEABT. 419
He had kept up the appearance of religion. As an dder of
the churcL he was obliged to keep up appearances. He had
gone round and round upon the ti-ead-mUl of his duties,
whUe his heart was utterly backshdden. It is often almost
nauseating to attond a prayer meeting of the backsUdden in
heart. They vriU go round round one after the other, in
reaUty praying for thefr own converdon. They do noi so ex
press it, but thai is the real import of thefr prayer. They
could not render ii more erident thai ihey are backsUdera
in heaxi, if ihey were every one to take his oath of it
21. Absence from steted prayer meetings for dight reasons
is a sure indication of a backdidden heart. No meeting is
more interesting to a wakeful Christian than the prayer meet
ing, and whUe ihey have any heart to pray, they wiU not be
absent from prayer meeting unless prevented from attending
by the proridence of God If a caU from a friend ai the
hour of meeting, can prevent thefr attendance, unless the caU
be made under very pecuhar drcumstances, it is strong eri
dence that they do noi unsh to attend and hence, thai ihey
are backsUders in heart A call at such a time would not
prevent thefr attending a wedding, a party, a pic-nic, or an
amusing lecture. The fact is, it is hypocrisy for ihem to pre
tend thai they really uxint to go, wLUe they can be kept away
for slighi reasona If ii were any place where they much de
sired to go, they would excuse tliemsdves, and say, " I was
just going to ride," or, "I was just going to such a place."
and away they would go.
22. The same is tme of the neglect of femily prayer, for
slight reasona
"WhUe ihe heart is engaged in religion. Christians wUl
noi readUy omit famUy devotions, and whenever they are
ready to find an excuse for ihe omission, it is a sure eridence
ihat they axe backsUdden in heart
23. "When secret prayer is regarded more as a duty than as
a pririlege, it is because the heart is backshdden. It has al
ways appeared to me almost ridiculous, to hear Christians
speak of prayer as a duty. It is one of the greatest of earthly
pririlegea "Whai should we tbrnlr of a chUd's coming to its
parent for ite dinner, not because ii was hungry, but as a
duty. How would it strike us to hear a beggar speak of the
duty of asking alms of ua It is an infinite privilege to be
aUowed to come to God and ask for the supply of aU our
wante. But to pray because we must, rather than be
cause we may, seems unnatural To ask for what we
want and because we want it and because God has en-

420 BACKSLIDEB IN HEABT.
oouraged ua to ask, and has promised to answer our request,
is natural and reasonable But to pray as a duty and as if
we were obliging God by our prayer, is quite ridiculous, and
ia a certain indication of a backshdden heart
24 Pleading for worldly amusements, is also an indication
of a backshdden heart The most grateful amuseraenis pos
sible, to a truly spiritoal mind, are those engagemente that
bring the soul into the most dfrect communion vriih God
While the heart is fuU of love and faith, an hour, or an even
ing spent alone, in communion vriih God is more delightful
than aU the amusements which the world can offer. A loving
heart is jealous of everything ihat vriU break up or interfere
with ite communion witli God For mere worldly amusemente
ii has no relisL When the soul does not find more ddight
in God than in all worldly things, the heaxi is sadly back
didden. 25. Spiritual blindness is another eridence of a backshdden
heart WhUe the eye is dngle the whole body vriU be fuU of
spiritual light, but if the eye be eril, (which is a backshdden
hearty the whole body wUl be full of darknesa
Spiritual bUndness reveals itself in a want of interest in
God's word, and in rdigious truth generaUy. It vriU also
manifest a want of spiritual discrimination, and vriU be easUy
imposed upon by the insinuations of Satan. A backshdden
heart vriU lead to ihe adoption of lax prindples of morality.
It does not discern the spirituahty of God's law, and of Hia
requfremente generally. "When this spiritual bUndness is
manifest it is a sure indication that ihe heart is back
didden. 26. Eeligious apathy, vrith worldly wakefulness and send-
biUty, is a sure indication of a backdidden heart We some
times see persons who feel deeply and quickly on worldly
subjects, but who cannot be made to feel deeply on reUgious
subjecta This dearly indicates a backsUdden state of
mind 27. A self-indulgent spirit is a sure indication of a badc-
didden heart By self-indulgence, I mean a disposition to
gratify ihe appetites, passions and propendties, " to folfiU the
desfres of ihe flesh and of the mind"
This, in the Bible, is represented as a stete of spiritual
deatL I am satisfied that the most common occadon of
backdiding in heart, is to be found in the clamor for indul
gence of the various appetites and propensitiea The appe
tite for food is frequentiy, and perhaps more frequentiy than
any other, the occadon of backsUdmg. Few Christians^ I

BACKSLIDEB IN HEABT. 431
fear, apprehend any danger in this dfrection. God's injtmo-
tion is, " "Whether ye eat or drink, or whateoevm ve do, do
aU to the glory of God" Christians forget this, av"* eat
and drink to please themsdves — consult thefr appetites, in
stead of the laws of life and healtL More peraons are en
snared by thefr tables than the church is aware of. The
teble is a snare of death to multitudes thai no man can num
ber. A great many people who avoid alcohoUc drinks alto
gether, vnU indulge in tea and coffee, and even tobacco, and
in food, both in quantity and quaUty thai riolates every law
of healtL They seem to have no other law, than thai of ap
petite, and this they so deprave by abuse thai, to indulge
it, is io ruin body and soul together. Show me a gluttonous
professor, and I vriU show you a backshder.
28. A seared consdence is also an eridence of a backsUdden
heart "WhUe the soul is wakeful and loving, the consdence
is as tender as the apple of the eye. But when the heart is
backsUdden, the consdence is sUent and seared on many sub
jecte Such an one wiU teU you thai he is not riolating his
consdence, in eating or drinking, or in self-indulgence of any
kind You vriU find a backdider has but httie consdence.
The same wUl be tme in regard to sins of omisdon very
generaUy. Multitudes of duties may be neglected and a seared
consdence vriU remain sUent "Where consdence is not awake,
the heaxi is surely backsUdden.
29. Loose moral principles axe a sure iadication of a back
didden heart. A badssUder ia heart, wUl write leitera on the
Sabbath, engage in secular reading, and in much worldly
converaation. In business, such an one vriU take Uttie advan
tages, and play off business tricks, conform to the habite of
worldly business men, in the transaction of business, vriU be
guUty of deception and misrepresentetion in making bargains,
wUl demand exorbiteni interest, and take advantege of fhe
necesdties of his feUow men.
30. Prevalence of ihe fear of man, is an eridence of a
backshdden heart "WhUe the heart is fuU of the love of God
God is feared and noi man. A desire for the applause of
men is kept dovm, and it is enough for such an one to please
God, whether men axe pleased or displeased But when fhe
love of Gk>d is abated, "the fear of man, that bringeth a
snare," gete possesdon of man. To please man rather than
God, is then his aim. In such a stete he vriU sooner offend
Qtod than man.
31. A stickUdmess about forms, ceremonies, and non-essen-
fiols, is evidence of a backsUdden heart A loving heart, ia

422 BACKSLIDER IN HEABT.
particiUax only about the substance and power of religion, and
wUl not stickle about its forms.
32. A captiousness about measures in promoting rerivals
of reUgion, is a sure eridence of a backsUdden heart "Where
the heart is fuUy set upon ihe converdon of sinners, and the
sanctification of beUevers, ii vriU naturaUy approach the sub
ject ia ihe most dfrect manner, and by means in ihe highest
degree calculated to accomplish the end It wiU not object
to, and stumble at, measures thai axe eridentiy blessed of
God hui wiU exert its utmost sagacity in devising the
most suitable means to accompUdi the great end on which
the heart is set
IV. Show what are consequences of backsUding in heart.
The text says, thaf the backdider in heart shaU be fiUed vriih
his own ways.
1. He shaU be fiUed vriih his ovm worka Bui these are
dead works, they are not works of faith and love, which axe
acceptable f o God hut axe the filthy rags of his ovm. right
eousness. If they are performed as religious serrices, they
axe but loathsome hypocrisy, and an abomination io God,
there is no heart in them, and to such a one, God says, " "Who
hath requfred this at your hands?" "Ye axe ihey thai justify
yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts; for
that which is highly esteemed among men, is an abomination
in the dght of God" " I know you, ihat you have noi the
love of God in you."
2. He shaU be fiUed vriih his ovm feehngs. Instead of IJiat
sweet peace and rest, and joy in ihe Holy Ghost, thai he once
experienced he vriU find himself in a state of unrest, dissatis
fied with hicnself and everybody else, his feelings often painful,
humiliating, and as unpleasant and unlovely, as can be weU
conceived It is often very trying to Uve vrith a backdider.
Ihey are often peerish, censorious, and irritating, in aU thefr
ways. They have forsaken God and in thefr feeUngs is more
of heU than heaven.
3. They vrill be fiUed vriih thefr own prejudices. Thefr
willingness io know and do the truth has gona They wifl
very naturally commit themselves against any truth that bears
hard upon thefr self-indulgent spirit They wiU endeavor to
justify themselves, vriU neither read nor hear thai which vriU
rebuke thefr backshdden state, and they vriU become deeply
prejudiced against everyone that shall cross thefr path. Ii
anyone reproves them, they account him as an enemy. They
hedge themselves in, and shut ibefr eyes agaiasi the Ught,
stand on the defensive, and critidse everything thai would
search ihem out

BACKSLIDER IN HEART. 42S
4 A backdider in heart vriU be fiUed with his own enmi
tiea Such an one wiU ahnosi surdy lay up things against
those vrith whom he has any business or other relations.
He wiU chafe in almost every relation of hfe, vriU allow bim.
self to be vexed and angry, and get into sucL relations with
some, and perhaps many peraons, ihat he cannot pray for
them honestiy, and can hardly treat ihem vrith common dv-
ihty. This is an almost certain result of a backshdden heart.
5. The backsUder in heaxi ynll he fuU of his own mistakes.
He is noi walking with God He has fallen out of the Divine
order. He is not led by the Spirit, but is walldng in spiritual
darknesa In this stete he is sure to faU into many and
grievous mistakes, and may get entangled in such a way as to
max his happiness, and perhaps, destroy his usefulness for
life. Mistekes in business, mistakes in forming new rdations
in hfe, mistakes in using his time, his tongue, his money, his
influence — all wUl go wrong vrith bim as long as he remains
in a backshdden stete
6. The backslider in heart wUl be fiUed with his own lust-
inga His appetites and passions, which had been kept under,
have now resumed thefr control, and having been so long
suppressed they wiU seem to avenge themsdves by becoming
more damorous and despotic than ever. The animal appe
tites and pasdons vriU burst fortL io the astonishment of tiie
backsUder, and ten to one, if he does not find himself more
under tiiefr influence, and more endaved by ihem than ever
before. 7. The backsUder in heart wiU he fiUed vrith his own worda
"WhUe in thai stete, he wUl noi, and cannot, control his tongue
It wUl prove iteeU to be an unruly member, fuU of deadly poi
son, wiU set on fire the course of nature, and is iteelf set on ffre
of heU. By his words he vriU involve himself in many diffi
culties and perplexities, from which he can never extricate
himself, until he comes back to God
8. He vriU be fuU of his own triala Instead of keeping
out of temptetion, he wUl run righi into tomptetion. He wUl
bring upon himsdf multitudes of trials thai he never would
have had had he not departed from God He wdU complain
of his trials, and yet constantiy multiply them. A backdider
feds his trials keenly, and whUe he complains of being so
tried by everything around him, he is constantiy aggravating
them, and bemg the author of ihem, he seems industrious to
bring them upon >iimfift1fj bke an avalanche.
9. The backdider in heart shaU be fuU of his ovm foUiea
Having rejected the Divine guidance, he wUl eridentiy fal'

424 BACKSLIDER IN HE.^ RT.
into the depths of his own foohshness. He wiU ineritably
say and do multitudes of foolish and ridiculous thinga Being
a professor of reUgion, these things vriU be all the more
noticed, and of courae bring him aU the more into ridicule
and contempt A backsUder is, indeed fhe gfreatest fool in
the world Having experimental knowle^e of the true way
of life, he has the infinite foUy to abandon it Knovring ihe
fountain of living water, he has foraaken it, and hewed out
to himself cisterns — ^broken cisterns thai can hold no water.
Having been guUty of this infinite foUy, the whole courae of
his backdidden life must be thai of a fool, in the Bible sense
of the term.
10. The backshder in heart wiU be fuU of his own iroublea
God is against him, and he is against himself He is noi ai
peace vriih God, vritii himsdf, vrith i. e churcL or vriih the
world He has no inward rest Consoi''nce condemns him.
God condemns him. AU that know his ht^te condemn him.
"There is no peace to the vricked saith my 'lod" There is
no position in time or space in which he can be ai rest.
11. The backshder in heart wUl be fuU of his own carea
He has turned back to selfishnesa He counte himself and his
possesdons as his ovm. He has everything to care for. He
vriU not hold himself and his possessions as belonging to God
and lay adde the responsibiUty of teking care of himself and
aU that he possessea He does not, unU nof, cast his care upon
the Lord, but undertakes to manage eveiytbing for himself
and in his ovm vrisdom, and for his own ends. Consequentiy,
his cares wiU be multiplied and come upon bim like a
deluge. 12. The badssUder in heart wiU be fuU of his ovm perplexi
ties. Having foraaken God having feUen out of his order,
and into the darkness of his own foUy, he wiU be fiUed vrith
perplexities and doubts in regard to what course he shaU pursue
to accompUsh his selfish ends. He is noi walking vrith, but
contrary to God Hence, the proridence of God vriU con
stantiy cross his path, and baffle aU his schemes. God vriU
frown darkness upon his path, and take pains to confound hia
projects, and blow his schemes to the winda
13. lie backshder in heaxi vriU be fiUed vriih his own anx-
ietiea He wUl be anxious aboui himself, aboui his business,
aboui his reputation, about everything. He has taken aU
these things out of ihe hands of God and claims them and
freate them as his ovyn, and having faith in God no longer,
and being unable to control events, he must of necesdty be
fiUed with anxiety with regard io the future. These anxieties

BACKSLIDEB IN HBABT. 426
are the ineriteble result of his madness and foUy in foraaking
God 14 The backsUder m heart vriU be fiUed vrith his own dis-
appoinimente Having forsaken God and taken the attitude
01 self-wiU before him, God wUl ineriiably disappoint bim in
pursuing his selfish enda He vriU frame his ways to please
himself, without consulting God Of course Gkid wiU frame
his ways so as to disappoint him. Determined to have hia
own way, he vriU be greatly disappointod if his plans are frus
trated and fhe certain courae of events under the government
of God must of courae bring a series of disappoinimente
npon subjecte that have rebeUed against him.
16. The backsUder in heart must be fuU of his own lossea
He regards his possesdons as his ovm, his time as his own,
his influence as his ovm, his reputetion as his own. The loss
of any of these he accounte as his ovm losa Having for
aaken God and bdng unable to control the evente upon
whidi the continuance of those things is conditioned he wUl
find himself suffering losses on every dde. He loses his
peaca He loses his property. He loses much of his time.
He loses his Christian reputation. He loses his Christian in
fluence, and if he persiste he loses his soul.
16. The badishder in heart shall be foU of his own crossea
AU rdigious duiy wiU be frksome, and therefore, a cross to
him. His stete of mind vriU make multiiudes of things crosses
thai in a Christian state of mind would have been pleasant in
a high degree. Having lost all heaxi in religion, the perform
ance of aU rdigious duties axe crossing to his feelinga There
ia no hdp for him, unless he returns to God The whole
course of Divine proridence vriU run across his paiL and his
whole life wiU be a series of crosses and trials. He cannot
have his own way. He cannot gratify himself by accomplish
ing his own vrishes and desirea He may beat and dash him-
aeS against the everlasting rocks of God's vriU and God's
way, but break through and carry aU before him he cannot
He must be crossed and recrossed and crossed again, untU he
wiU £aU into the Divine order, and sink into the vriU of Goil
17. The backsUder in heart vriU be fiUed vrith his ovm tem
pera Haring forsaken God, he vriU be sure to have much to
irritete him. In a backsUdden stete, he cannot possess hia
aoul in patienca The vexations of his badishdden life wUl
make him nervous and irriteble ; his temper wUl become ex-
plodve and unconiroUable.
18. The backsUder in heart shall be fuU of his own dis-
cpracea He is a professor of religion. The eyes of the world

426 BACKSLIDES IN HEABT.
arc upon him, and aU his inconsistendes, worldly-mindednesa,
folUes, bad tempers, and hateful words and deeds, disgrace
him in the estimation of aU men who know him.
19. The backsUder in heart wiU be fuU of his own delusions.
Having an eril eye, his whole body wiU be fuU of darkness.
He vriU almost certainly faU into ddudons in regard to doc
trines, and in regard to practices. Wandering on in darkness,
as he does, he mJi, very likely, swaUow the grossest deludons.
Spiritism, Mormonism, "Universalism, and every other ism
that is wide from ihe trutL wiU be very Ukely to gain posses
sion of bim- "Who has not observed this of backsUdere in
heart 20. The backshder in heart wiU be fiUed vrith his ovm bond
age. His profesdon of religion brings him into bondage to
the church. He has no heart io consult the interests of the
church, or to labor for ite up-building, and yet he is under
covenant obhgation to do so, and his reputation is ai
stake. He must do something to sustain rehgious institu
tions, but to do so, is a bondage. If he does it, ii is because
he mud and not because he may. Again, he is in bondage to
God If he performs any, thai he calls rehgious duty, ii is
rather as a slave than as a freeman. He serves from fear or
hope, just hke a slave, and not from love. Again, he is ia
bondage to his own consdence. To avoid conriction and re
morse, he wUl do or omit many things, but ii is aU with re
luciance, and noi at all of his own cordial good vriU.
21. The backsUder in heart is full of his own self-condem
nation. Having enjoyed the love of God and forsaken him,
he feels condemned for everything. If he attempts religious
duiy, he knows there is no heart in it, and hence condemns
himself If he neglects religious duty, he of courae condemns
himself. If he reads his Bible, it condemns him. If he does
not read ii, he feels condemned If he goes to meeting, ihe
serrices condemn him, and if he stays away, he is condemned
If he prays in secret, in his famUy, or in pubhc, he knows he
is noi sincere, and feds condemned If he neglects or refuses
to pray, he feels condemned Everything condemns him.
His conscience is up in arms against him, and the thunders
and lightnings of condemnation foUow him, whithersoever he
goes. V. How to recover from a state of backshdiag.
1. Eemember whence you are faUen. Take up the question
at once, and dehberately contrast your present state vriih that
ia which you walked vriih God
2. Take home the conriction of your tme podtion. No

BACKSLIDEB IN HEABT. 437
longer delay to underatand the exact dtuation between God
and your soul.
3. Eepent at once, and do your first work over again.
4. Do not attempt to get back, by reforming your mere
outeide conduct Begin vriih your heaxi, and at once set
youraelf right with God
5. Do not act hke a mere conricted sinner, and attempt to
recommend youraelf to God, by any impenitent works or
prayera Do not think thai you must reform, and make your
self better before you can come to Christ, but understand
distinctiy, ihat coming to Christ, alone, can make you better.
However much distressed you may feel, know for a certainty
thai until you repent and accept his vriU, unconditionally,
you axe no better, but are constantiy grovring worae. Until
you throw yourself upon his sovereign mercy, and thus return
to God he wUl accept nothing at your hands.
': 6. Do not imagine youraelf to be in a justified state, for you
know you axe not Your conscience condemns you, and you
know thai God ought to condemn you, and if he justified you
m your present state, your consdence could noi justify him.
Come, then, to Christ ai once, Uke a guUty, condemned sinner,
as you are, own up, and take aU tiie shame and blame to
youraelf, and beheve thai notwithstanding all your wanderings
from God, he loves you siUl — that he has loved you with an
everlasting love, and. therefore, vrith loving Mndnesa is draw
ing yon.

LECTUEE XXII.
GROWTH IN ORAOE.
Text— Bat grow In grace and in the knowledge of onr Lord and SaTionr Jenu
ClirlBt.~-3 Pet. ill. 18.
I 1I0ST condude this Courae of Lectures by giving con
verte iastmctions on the subject of growth in grace. I shall
pursue the foUovring method :
L "Whai is grace, as the term is here used ?
n. "What tiie injunction "to grow in grace" doea not
mean. UL "Whai ii does mean.
IV. Conditions of grovriih in graca
V. What is not proof of growth in grace.
VL "Whai is proof of grovrili in grace.
Vii. How io grow in grace.
L "Whai is grace, as the term is here used ?
1. Grace is favor. It is often used in the Bible to signify
a free gift The grace of God is the favor of God, His free
gifta n. "What the injunction "to grow in grace" does not
mean. 1. If does not enjoin ihe gradual giring up of dn. Strange
to tell, it would seem thai some have so underatood it ; but
we axe nowhere in the Bible commanded to give up dn grad
uaUy, we are everywhere commanded to give it up instantiy
and wholly.
UL "What if does mean.
1. It enjoins upon us fhe duty of grovring in fhe fevor of
God, of grovring in his esteem, in a worthiness of his fevor,
and in his love of complacency in us.
IV. Conditions of growrih "n grace.
1. Grovrth or increase in -nytbing impUes a beginning.
Grovrii in ihe favor of God imp* os that we have afready found
favor in his sight, and thai we a e afready indebted for grace
received and thai we axe afready in grace, in the sense of
haring a place among his favored onea
2. Consequentiy, growth in grace imphes thai we have al
ready repented of our sin, have actoaUy and practicaUy aban
doned aU knovm sin. It cannot be thai we are in favor with
(428)

QBOWTH IN OBACB. 4Sf
God if we are stiU indulging in known sin againsi him.
Being in fevor vriih God impUes, of courae, that we axe par
doned and fevered by him, for the sake of our Lord and
Sariour Jesus Christ Pardon is favor, and impUes the re
nunciation of rebeUion against Grod lie conditions of the
Dirine fevor, as revealed in the Bible, are repentance and
abandonment of aU known sin, and faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ I said as a condition of grovrili in grace, we must
have the commencement of grace ; in other words, we must
be already Christians, must be in a stete of acceptance vrith
God must have accepted Christ, so fer as he is understood
must be in a state of obedience to aU the recognized vriU of
God Without this, we cannot be in a state of grace, or in
the fevor of God But being in this state, there is room for
everlasting grovriiL As we know more of God we shaU be
capable of loving him more, of having a more universal and
impUdi confidence in him. And there can be no end to this
while we have any being, either in this or any other world
Our love and confidence in bim may be complete, so fax as
we know him. This love and confidence wiU secure his
favor ; but there vriU be no end to our growth in knowledge
of him, and consequentiy, there is room for eternal growtii
in grace The more we love, the more we beUeve, the more
we know of God i^ we conform to aU this knowledge, the
more God must be pleased with us, the higher shaU we stand
in his fevor, and more and greater gifte he vriU continue to
bestow upon ua
3. Of courae, growth in the knowledge of God is a condi
tion of growth in his favor. We might grow in knowledge,
without grovring in his favor, because we might noi love and
trust him hi accordance with this increased taiowledge But
we cannot love and trust him more perfectiy, unless we be
come more perfectly acquainted with him. If our love and
faith keep pace vriih our growing knowledge, we must grow
in his favor. But grovrth in knowledge musi be a condition
of growth in love and faitL
4 Grovrth in the knowledge of Gtod as revealed in Christ
Jesus, musi be a condition of grovrth in his favor. It is in
and tlurough Christ Jesus thai God reveals himself to man.
It is in Christ Jesus thai we get ihe tme idea of the person
ality of the infinite God Hence, the text says, " Grow in
grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sariour Jesus
Christ" 6. Growth in grace is conditioned on increased knowledge
of what is involved in entfre consecration to God

430 OBOWTH IN QBAOB.
True converdon to God involves the consecration of oui^
sdves and of aU that we have to him, so fer as we underatand
whai is impUed in this. But, ai first, converts are by no
means aware of aU thai is involved in the highest forms of
consecration. They wiU soon leam thai there are certam
things thai ihey did not think o^ and that they did not give
up to God Ai first, perhaps, aU ihat was in their thought
was, to lay thefr naked soul upon ihe altar, and give up thefr
whole heart to God Bui soon they may leam tiiat they did
noi think of aU thefr possessions and everything that was
dear to them, ihey did noi surrender all, and leave noi a hoof
behind They surrendered all of which they thouglt ai th?
time, but ihey were not fuUy enlightened fhey did not think,
nor could they think, at the time, of every appetite, pasdon,
propensity, of every desfre and affection, of everything they
caU thefr ovm, and which is dear io ihem, in the wlole crea
tion, to make a thorough surrender and deUvery of them all
to God To gain sudi knowledge is a work of time ; and
grovrth in the favor of God is conditioned on making a fuU sur-
rtoder and consecration to God of everything we axe, and have,
and desfre, and love, as fast as these objects axe presented
to thought As long as we exist, and knowledge increases,
there is no doubi thai we shall be called upon io grow in
grace, by consecrating to God every new object of knowledge,
of desfre, and of affection, thai we may come to know, and
desfre, and love, to all eternity. As you get new light^ you
musi enlarge your consecration from day io day, and from
hour to hour, or you vriU cease to grow in grace. Whenever
you stop short, and do noi lay and leave everything that
you are, ihat you possess, or thai you love, upon the sUtar of
consecration, thai moment you cease to grow in grace. I
pray you let this saying sink deep into your hearts.
6. Another condition of growth in grace is intense earnest
ness and constancy in seeking increased religious light, by
ihe iUuminaiion of ihe Holy Spirit You vriU gain no effectual
religious light except by the inward diovring and teaching of
the Holy Spirit This you vriU not obtain unless you continue
in the true attitude of a disciple of Christ Eemember, he
says, "Except a man foraake aU thai he hath, he cannot
be my disdple." He vriU noi, by his Holy Spirit, be your
Divine toacher unless you renounce seL^ and Uve in a state
of continual consecration to him. To obtain and preserve
the teadiings of Christ, by his Holy Spirit, you must con
tinuaUy and eamestiy pray for his Dirine teadiing, and waid)
againsi resisting and grieving him.

QBOWTH IN OBACE. 4S1
7. Another condition of grovrth in grace is a constant con
formity to aU the teachings of ihe Holy Spirit, keeping up
with our conrictions of duty, and vrith our grovring knowledge
of the vriU of God
8. A more and more impUdt faith in God is a condition of
grovrth in grace. By impUcit, I mean an unreasoning faitL
a confidence in God's character so profound thai we trust
him in the dark as weU as in the lighi, as weU when we do
noi understand the reasons of His dealings with us, or of His
requfremente, as when we do. A faith l^e ihat of Abraham,
fhat sta^ered noi ai a promise, through unbeUef, ihough the
thing promised seemed most irrational and imposdble. An
impUdt faith is an unwavering, unquestioning faith, a state of
mind that vriU rest in God i^ his promises, in his faithful
ness, in his love, whatever appearances may be, and however
trying and appaxentiy unreasonable his commands or provi
dential dealings may be. Abraham's faith is often commended
in the Bible. God had promised bim a sou, but did not give
him the promised seed until he was a hundred years old and
Sarah was ninety. Bui notwithstanding Sarah was past age,
and he as good as dead he beheved thai God was able to ful-
fiU his promise, and when he had received his beloved son,
with the assurance ihat this was to be his hefr, and thaf
through him the promise was to be fuMUed through aU genera
tions, God tried his faith severdy, by commanding him to
offer his Isaac as a burnt sacrifice. He vrithout fhe least hed-
tetion obeyed beUering that God was able to raise him from
the dead He made all his arrangements to obey this frying
command "^fh such calmness fhat ndther Saxoh nor I^aao
suspected thai any sudi thing was in contemplation. Thia
was an instance of the exerdse of impUdt faith. Growth in
grace, or in ihe favor of God, is conditioned upon grovriL in
impUdi confidence in Him.
9. A more thoroughly sanctified sensibUity is a condition
oi grovrth in the favor of God By the sendbiUty, I mean
thai deportment of our nature thai feels, desfres, and to which
belongs aU thai we call desfre, affection, emotion, feding, ap
petite, pasdon, propendty, lust The sensibiUty is an invol
untary power, and moral actions and quaUties cannot, vrith
strict propriety, be predicated of it The states of the sensi
biUty have moral character only as ihey derive it dfrectiy or
indfrectiy from the action of the wUL The nature of man, aa
a whole, in his depraved condition, is in a very unlovdy stete,
and although the vriU maybe given up to God ihe sendbiUty
may be in sudi a state as to be very unlovely in the sight d

432 GROWTH IN GRAOB.
one that looks dfrectiy upon it, and knows perfectiy eveii
excited desfre, pasdon, propendty, lust If is through tht
sensibUity, mainly, thai we are assailed vrith temptationa It
is through this that the Christian warfare is kepi up. The
Christian warfare condsis in ihe battie of the v?Ul vrith these
various appetites, pasdons, propensities and lusts, to keep
ihem in subjection to the wiU of God If ihe vrill mainiaina
its integrity, and cleaves to the wUl of God ihe soul does not
Bin in its battie vriih the excited states of the sendbiUty. Bui
these rebeUious propendties embarrass the vriU iu the serrice
it renders io God. To keep them under, occupies much time,
and thought, and strength. Hence ihe soul cannot render
to God so complete a serrice, whUe exerting the fuU strength
of the vriU to subjugate these propendties, as ii otherwise
might and would render. These appetites, pasdons, and pro
pendties, although noi sinful in themselves, have been re
garded and spoken of as indwelling sin. Strictiy, ihey cannot
be sin, because ihey ore involuntary. But they axe often a
great hindrance to our growth in the favor of God " For
the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit lusteth
againsi ihe flesL and these axe contrary, the one to the other,
so that ye cannot do the things thai ye would" This means
thai we cannot do for God what we otherwise would, because
we have to battie so much vrith the states of the sensibiUty,
to keep ihem under. As ihe sendbUity becomes more and
more subdued and in harmony vriih the wiU's devotion to Gbd
we axe left free to render to God a more unembarrassed ser
rice. Therefore, the more thorough the sanctification of the
sensibUity, the more thoroughly we are in favor vriih God
10. A grovring thoroughness and universality of consecra
tion, of spirit, soul, and body, is ihe condition of more and
more growth in the favor of God It is common, at first, for
the steadfastness of the vriU's devotion to God to be overcome
by the damor of fhe exdted appetites, pasdons, and propen
dties, or by the various states of the sensibiUty. Whenever
the wiU yields to these excited stetes, you sin. But, in such
oases, the sin is noi willful, in the sense of being dehberate
and intentional ; it is rather a sUp, an inadvertency, a mo
mentary yielding under the pressure of highly excited feeling.
Neverthelsss, this yielding is sin. However exdted ihe stetes
of the sendbiUty may be, if the wiU does noi yield fhere is
africtiy no dn. Still, whUe the vriU is steadfasf, maintains ite
consecration, its obedience to God the appetites originating
in the body, and the various propensities of the soul, which
uihere in the sensibUity, may be so ajar, in such confudon.

GROWTH IN GRACE. 4S8
Mid in sach a state of morbid devdopment ihat the aonl
Biay be unfitted for the employments and enjoymenia of
iieaven. 11. Hence, the taldng on of a greater fullness of the Divine
lature is a condition of grovrili in the favor of God Both
fhe vriU and the sendbiUty of God musi be in a state of ut
most perfection and accord AU of his desfres and feelinga
must be in perfect harmony vriih his intelligence and hia
wUl Noi so vriih us, in our state of physical deprarity. The
deprarity of sendbUity must be phydcal, because it ia invol
untary. Still, ii is deprarity, it is a lapsed or foUen steto of
the sensibUity. This lapsed department of our nature must
be recovered sanctified or completely restored to hurmony
with a consecrated wiU, and an enlightened intelligenoe, or
we are never fitted for heaven. As we become more and
more the partokera of the Divine nature, and of the Divine
holiness, we are more fuUy sanctified in spirit, soul, and body,
and of courae grow more and more in the favor of God
12. A greatOT and more aU-pervading fullness of the Holy
Spirit's reddence is another condition of growth in the favor of
Gfod You cannot have it too thoroughly impressed upon you
that every step in the Christian Ufe is to be taken under the
influence of the Holy Spirit The thing to be attained is the
univeraal teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirii, so thai ia
aU things you shaU be led by the Spirit of God " If ye are
led by tiie Spirit, ye shaU not fulfill the lusts of the fledi," If
through the Spirit ye do mortify ihe deeds of the body, ye
shall Uve." " To be spirituaUy minded is Ufe and peace, but
to be carnally minded is deatL" Always remember, there
fore, that to grow in grace, you must grow in the posaeaaioB
of tLe fullness of the Holy Ghost in your heart
13. A deeper peraonal acquaintance vrith fhe Lord Jeaua
Christ, in all his offidal work and relations, is a condition of
growth in grace. His nature, work, and relations are fhe
theme of the Bible. The Bible presente him to us in a great
variety of refations. In my Systematic Theology I have con
ddered some sixty or more of these official relations of Christ
to the human race, and these are presented rather as speci
mens and Ulustrations than as covering the whole ground of
his refations to us. Now, it is one thing to know Christ simr
ply on paper, and as spoken of in the Bible, by reading ol
hearing of Christ, and quite anotiier thing to know him per
BonaUy, in these rdationa The Bible is the medium of intro
duction to bim personally. Whai is there said of him is de
signed to lead us to see^ after a personal acquaintance vrith
19

434 GROWTH IN GRACE.
him. It is by this personal acquaintance vriih him thai wa
are made Uke bim. It is by dfrect, personal, indiridual inter
course vrith his Dirine mind thai we take on his image. " All
we, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed
into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit
of the Lord." "Faith comes by hearing," and faith securea
for us a personal acquaintance with Christ Christ has pro
mised to manifest himself personaUy to those who love and
obey him. Do not, my dear duldren, stop short of securing
this peraonal manifestation of Christ io your soula Your
growth in grace wUl depend upon this. Think not of stop
ping short of peraonally knowing Christ, noi only in aU these
relations, but in the fullness of tiiese relations. Do noi over
look ihe fact that the appropriation of Christ, in each of these
relations, is a personal act of faitL It is a putting on of the
Lord Jesus Christ, a taking of him as yours, in each of these
relations, as your vrisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption ; your prophet, io teach you, your king, to govern
you, your high priest, to atone for you, your mediator, your
advocate, your strength, your Sariour, your hiding-place, your
high tower, your captain and leader, your shield, your de
fence, your exceeding great reward In each of tiiese leLar
tions, and in aU other of his official relations, you need io ap
propriate him by faith so as to secure io you personal in-
tercourae vrith him in these refations. Grovring in a per
sonal acquaintance vrith him, in these refations, remember,
is an indispensable condition of grovrth in his favor.
V. I am to notice some things that axe not proof of grovrth
in grace.
L Grovrth in knowledge is noi conclusive eridence of growth
in grace. Some degree of knowledge is indispensable to our
being in favor vrith God ; and growth in Imowledge, as I
have shovm, is a condition oi grovriL in grace, but knoidedge
is not grace, and groudh in knowledge does noi constitote
growth in grace. A peraon may grow ever so much in know!
edge, and have no grace ai all la hell, they cannot but grow
in knowledge, as t£ey grow in experience, and in the knowl
edge of God's justice. Bui there, thefr grovrth in knowledge
but aggravates the gtuli and misery of heU. They know
more and more of God and his law, and thefr ovm guUt, and
the more they know, the more vrretehed they ara From thefr
increased knowledge they never leam piety.
2. It is not certain evidence thai an indiridual grows in
grace, because he grows in gifte
A professor of religion may increase in gifte, that is, he may

GROWTH IN ORACB. 49ft
become more fluent in prayer, and more eloquent in preach
ing, or more pathetic in exhortation without being any more
holy. We naturaUy increase in that in which we exerdse
ourselvea And if any peraon often exercises himself in ex-
hortetion, he wUl naturally, if he makes any effort or lays
himself oui, increase in fluency and pungency. But he may
do aU this, and yei have no grace ai aU. He may pray ever
so engagedly, and increase in fluency and apparent pathos,
and yei have no grace. People who have no grace often do
80. It is true, if he has grace, and exercises himself in tiiese
things, as he grows in grace, he wUl grow in gifta No peraon
can exerdse himself in obeying God, vrithout improving in
those exercises. If he does not improve in gifte, it is a true
sign he does not grow in grace. Bui, on the other hand it ia
not sure eridence that he grows in grace because he im
proves in certain exercises, for he wUl naturaUy improve by
practice, whether he is a Christian or a hypocrite.
3. It is not proof ihat a person grows in grace, because he
thinks he is doing so. One may be very favorably impressed
with regard to his own progress in religion, when ii is erident
to others thai he is not only making no progress, but is, in
fact, declining. An indiridual who is grovring worse and
worae, is not ordinarily weU aware of ihe fact It is not un
common for both impenitent sinners and Christians to thinb
they are grovring better, when ihey are growing no better
This resulte from the very nature of the case. If any person
is growing worae, his consdence vrill, for the time being, be
come more and more seared and his mind more and more
dark^ as he stifles consdence and resiste the light Then he
may think he is grovring better, just because he has less sense
of sin, and whUe his conscience continues to deep, he may
continue under a fetal ddudon. A man vriU judge of his own
spiritual state as he compares himself vriih a high or low
standard If he keeps Clnisi before him, in his fuUness, as
his standard, he wiU doubtiess always, at least in this state of
existence, have but a low estimate of his ovm. attainmente
WhUe at the same time, if he sets before himself the churcL
or any of the members of ihe diurch as a standard he wUl
be very Ukely to form a high estimate of his progress in relig^
ion, and be veiy weU satMed with himself This is the rea
son why there is such a difference in people's riews of thefr
ovm stete and of the stete of the churcL They compare them
sdves and the stete of the church vriih different standards.
Hence, one takes a very humbhng riew of his ovm state, and
complains of that of the churdi ; another thinks such cony

480 GROWTH IN GRACE.
plaints of the church censorious. To him the church appean
to be doing very well The reason why he does noi think the
church cold, and in a low state, is that Christ is not his stand
ard of comparison. If a man shuts his eyes, he vriU not see
ihe defilement on him, and may think he is dean, while to oU
around he appears loathsome.
"VL "What is proof of growth in grace.
1. The manifestetion of more impUdt and univeraal tmst
in God ia an eridence of grovrili in grace. The exercise of
greater and more impUdi confidence, as I have said is the
condition of grovring in the favor of God Here, I say, that
the manifestetion of this imphcit and univeraal confidence ia
proof ihat this grovring confidence exists, and is, therefore,
aaiisfectoiy eridence of grovrili in the favor of God If yon
are conacious in your ovm soul thai you do exercise moro im
pUdt and universal confidence in God, this is condudve proof
to you thai you are grovring in grace, and as you manifest in
your life, and temper, and spirit, this growing confidence, you
Erove to yoursdf and to others thai you are grovring in the
lYor of God For as you grow in impUdt confidence iu him
you musi grow in his favor.
2. AnotJber eridence of grovdih in grace, is an increasing
weanedness from the world The vriU may be in an attitude
of devotion to God, whUe the world's seductive charms very
much embarrass the healthy action of ihe Christian Ufa
As the soul becomes crucified and dead to ihe world it grows
in the favor of God
3. Less reluctance of feeling, when caUed to the exercise of
self-denial, is an eridence of grovrth in grace. It shows that
the fedings axe becoming less and less despotic, that the vriU
is getting more the mastery of them, that the sendbUity is
getting more into harmony vrith the devotion of the will,
and the dictetes of the intelligence.
4 Less temptation to sins of omisdon, is another eridence
of growth in grace, e. g., less tomptation io shun the cross, to
neglect unpleasant duties, less i^ptation to indolence, less
temptation to shfrk respondbiUty, leas temptation to neglect
prayer, reading the Scriptures, private and femUy devotions,
m diori, less and less temptetion to shun the performance of
any duty, is eridence of growth m grace. Hiese temptations
consist in ihe exdted stetes of the sendbUity. As these be
come less in strength and frequency, we leaxn thai our send
biUty is becoming more completely subjugated to the faw of
the intelligence, and the decisions of the vriU, and consequent
ly, that the work of the aanciiacatiou of the spirit, soul and

GBOVeTH IN 6EACE. 487
body ia progressing, and that therefore we are grovring in the
fevor of God
5. A growing intensity and steadiness of zeal in promoting
the cause of God is eridence of grovrth in the favor of God
Sometimes Christian zeal is oomparativdy cool, at other times
deep and intense, sometimes it vriU be steady, at other times
fitful and evanescent As Christians grow in piety, thefr zeal
becomes deep, intense and steady, and as you are conscious
of this, and in your hfe and ^irit give eridence of it to
others, you have, and give proo^ thai you axe grovring in ihe
fevor of God
6. Losing more and more the consdousness of self, and
respect to sel^ in every action of life, is an eridence of growth
in tile fevor of God Some have so mudi consdousness of
aelf in everything, and so much respect to self in everything
ihey say and do, as to be embarrassed in aU thefr Christian
Ufe, whenever ihey attempt to act or speak in the presence of
othera As ihey lose this self-consdousness, and have lesa
respect to sel^ thefr serrice of God becomes more free and un
embarrassed and they are all the better servante by how much
less ihey think of sell Sonetimes young converts cannot
speak or pray, or perform any pubhc dufy, without being
either proud or ashamed as they think themsdves to have
performed those duties with more or less acceptance to those
around them. WhUe this is so, tiiefr piety is in a feeble
stete. They must lose sight of thefr own glory, and have a
siagle eye to the glory of Ckid, to find acceptance vrith him.
But aa ihey lose sight of sel^ and set God always before
them, having an eye single to his glory, ihey grow more and
more in his fevor.
7. Consequentiy, a grovring deadness to the flattery or the
censure of men, is an eridence of growth in grace. Paul had
grown in grace so much, that he counted it a light thing to
be judged of man, he only sought to commend himself to
God As you find yourself grovring in this state of deadness
to the flatteries or censures of men, you have eridence that
you grow in grace
8. A grovring cordiaUty in the acceptance of the whole wiD
of God is eridence of growth in his fevor. Some rebd
against his vriU as revetded in his word and in his prori
dence Others, under frying cfrcumstances wiU bardy tole
rate his vrill, as revealed in his word and in proridence ; but
those who are grovring in grace, find ii more natural to ihem,
te embrace his whole revealed wUl, with greater and greater
eordiality.

438 GBOWTH IN GRACE.
9. Grovring calmness and quietness under great affiictiona^
is an eridence of grovrth in the favor of God This evinces
a broader and more impUcit faith, a fuUer and more cor^
dial acceptance of the wUl of God as revealed in these affile
tions, and shows thai the soul is more steadUy and firmly at
anchor upon ite rock, Christ
10. A growing tranquiUity under sudden and crushing disas-
tera and bereavements, is an eridence of grovrth in grace.
The more iranquU the soul can remain, when sudden storms
of proridence come upon ii, sweeping away its loved ones,
and bUghiing its earthly hopes, ihe greater is ite eridence of
being under the particulax favor of God This tranquiUity
is both a result and an eridence of the fevor of God
11. Grovring patience under mudi provocation, is an eri
dence of grovrth in the favor of God
12. "Long suffering with joyfulness," is an eridence of
grovring in favor vrith God "\^en you find that you can,
not only tolerate, but accept the vriU of God as revealed in
caUing you to suffer, and especiaUy, when you can accept
these sufferings, and endure tiiem long and vrith joyfulness,
you have eridence ihat you are grovring in the favor of God
13. A grovring cordiaUty sind joyfulness under crosses and
disappoinimente, and severe pain, is eridence of grovrth in
the favor of God
14 An increasing deadness to all that the world has to
offer, or to threaten, is an eridence of grovrth in the favor
of God
15. A growing repose in, and satisfaction witL aU ihe aUot-
ments of proridence, is an eridence of grovrili in grace.
16. Less tomptation to murmur or repine at any aUotment
of proridence, is eridence of grovriL. in grace.
17. Less temptation to fret, when we are crossed or dis
appointed in any respect, is an eridence of grovrth in grace.
18. Less and less temptetion to resentment, and ihe spirii
of retaliation, when we are in anywise insulted or abused is
eridence that the sendbUity is becoming more and more thor
oughly subdued and consequentiy, thai we are growing in
favor with God
19. Less temptation io dweU upon, and to magnify our
trials and troubles, to think of them, and speak of ihem to
others, is eridence thai we think less and less of self, and ac
cept our trials and troubles vriih moro and more complacency
in God It is sad to hear some professedly good people,
dweUing ever upon, and magnifying thefr own troubles and
triala Bui, if ihey grow in grace, they vriU think less and

GBOWTH IN OBACX. 439
leaa of these, be more indined to t.bi-nV of them as " lighi af-
flictiona" The more we grow in grace, the less stress we fay
upon ihe erils we meet vrith in the way. Said a good man
to me once, who was reaUy passing through whai the world
would caU very severe trials and afflictions (he had lost a
bdoved wife, and his chUdren had died one afier another),
" I have many merdes, and few afflictiona" "When, under
such drcumstances, a man can say, " the Unes have fellen
unto me in pleasant places, I have a goodly heritage," he has
the most satisfactory eridence thai he is grovring in the favor
of Gk>d For this stete of mind is both a result and an eri
dence of the fevor of Gk>d
20. A grovring disposition to make Ught of our trials and
to magnify our blessings, is an eridence thai we axe growing
in the fevor of Gkid
21. Less and less anxiety and carefulness about the evente
of proridence, and especially about the things that nearly and
deeply affect oursdves, is eridence of growth in grace This
is an eridence of a broader and more impUdt faith, of a more
submisdve vrill, and of a dimiTiiabi-ng tendency to self-seeking;
and is, therefore, an evidence of grovring fevor vriih Crod
22. Being -less and less disturbed and troubled by the
evente of Iffe, especiaUy those thai go counter to our ovm
plans, and hopes, and expectetions, and desfres, and thai
thwart our most cherished aims, is an eridence of grovrth iu
grace 23. A grovring and realizing confidence in the wisdom, be
nevolence, and universaUty of the proridence of God a stete
of mind thai sees God in everything, is eridence of growth
in grace Some minds become so spiritual that fhey hardly
seem to redde in the body, and appear continually to percdve
the presence of God in every event almost as if they were
disembodied and bdidd God face to feca They seem to
dweU, Uve, move, and have thefr being, rather in the spiritual,
than in the natural world They are continually under such
a sense of the Divine presence, agency, and protection, aa
hardly to appear like inhabitante of eartL They axe a Uving,
walking mystery to those in the midst of whom they dwell The
springs of thefr actirity are so divine, thefr life is so mudi
hidden in God ihey act under influences so fer above the
world that they cannot be judged by the same standards as
other men. Carnal minds cannot understand them. Thefr
hidden Ufe is so unknown, and so unknowable to those who are
far bdow them in ibefr spiritual life, ihat they are necessarily
regarded as quite eenentric, as being mystics or monomaniaca

440 GROWTH IN GBACB.
and as having very pecuhar religious riews, as being enthnai-
asis, and perhaps fanatics. These persons are in ihe world
but fhey live above the world They have so fer escaped from
ihe poUuiions thai are in ihe world, ihat they can truly, and
underatandingly say with Paul, in Gal fi. 14, "Bui God for
bid ihat I should glory, save in ihe cross of cur Lord Jesua
Christ, whereby the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the
world" Such peraons are eridentiy growing in the grace of
God 24. Being less and less disposed to dweU upon the fenlta
and foibles of othera, is an eridence of growth in graoa
25. Being less and less disposed to speak sarcasticaUy or
severely, or to judge uncharitably of othera. A grovring deU-
cacy, or tendemess in speaking of thefr real or supposed
faulfs, behind thefr back, is an eridence of grovrth in graca
26. An increasing reluctance to regard or treat any one aa
an enemy, and an increasing ease and naturalness in treating
ihem kindly, iu praying for them heartily, and in efforte to do
them good is an eridence of growth in grace.
27. Less and less temptation to remember an injury, and
the abatement of aU desfre to retahate when injured, is an
eridence of grovrth in grace.
28. A growing readiness and cordiaUty in forgiving and
burying an injury out of sight, and a kind of moral inabiUiy
to do otherwise than seek the highest good of those who have
injured us most deeply, is an eridence of growth in grace.
29. When we find in our own experience, and manifest to
others, that it is more and more natural to regard aU men aa
our brethren, especially to drop out of riew aU sectarian dis
criminations, oU ideas and prejudices of caste, and of color,
of poverty, ' and of riches, of blood relation, and of natural,
rather than of spiritual tiea, and to make common cause with
God rR aiming to do good fo aU men, to enemies and friends
aUke, we have then ourselves, and give to othera, the highest
eridence of our grovring in the favor of God
30. EspeciaUy is it txue, when we find ouradves very cor
dial and fiiU-heaxted in making great sacrifices for those that
hate us, and having a wiUingness to fay down our Uvea, to
promote their eternal salvation, that we have eridence of
growth in grace.
31. StUl more espedaUy, when we find ourselves less and
less inclined io account anything a sacrifice thai we can do for
God, or the souls of men ; when we can account our hves not
dear unto us, if called to lay them down to save the souls of
Buemies, when, for the "joy of saving ihem," "we can endure

GBOWTH IN GBACE. 441
'•he cross, and despise the shame,'' or any sacrifice thai we are
oaUed to moke, we have eridence thai we are grovring in favor
with God
32. Again, when we find ourselves more and more indined
te " count it all joy, when we fall into divere temptations,"
and when we ar j disposed to look upon our trials, vexations,
losses, and crosses, in such a light as to fay less and less stress
npon them, we have eridence that we axe growing in patience,
and therefore, in favor vriih God
33. When we find less and less reluctance to making fuU
confesdon to those whom we have injured when vriih increas
ing readiness and cordiality we fay our hearte open to be
searched take home conriction of wrong-doing, and when in
such cases, we cannot rest tiU we have made tiie fuUest con
fesdon and reparation vrithin our power, when to own up,
and confeas, and make the fuUest satisfaction, is a luxury to
us, rather than a trial and a cross, we have eridence thai we
axe growing in the favor of God
34 "When we axe more and more irapressed and affected by
the merdes of God and by the kindnesses of our feUow-men
and those around us, when we more deeply and thoroughly
appredate manifestetions of kindness in God or in any one
else, when we axe more and more humbled and affected by
these kmdnesses, and find it more and more natural to "walk
humbly, love mercy, and do justiy," and Uve gratefuUy, we
have eridence thai we are grovring in favor vrith God
35. "When we find ouradves drawn, vriih increasing earnest
ness to foUow on to know more of the Lord we have eri
dence of growth in grace.
36. When we find ouradves more and more readUy im
pressed and affected quickened and stimulated by rd^ious
truth, and when we find an increasing harmony in the action
of aU our powera, inteUectoal, voluntary, and sensitive, in ac
cepting, and resting in, the whole vriU and proridence of God
however afflictive ttiey may at present be, we have eridence
that we axe grovring in grace
37. A grovring jealoudy for the honor of Gkid for the purity
and honor of his diurcL for the righte of God, and for the
righte of aU men, is eridence of growing in conformity to
God and of course, of grovring in his favor.
"VU How to grow in grace.
1. FulfiU the conditions noticed under the fourth head of
fhis lecture I need not repeat them.
2. Eemember thai every step of progress must be made by
faitL and noi by worka The misteke thai some good men
19*

442 GROWTH IN GRACE.
have made upon this subject, is truly amazing. Dr. Chalmen
affirms, that the way to be sanctified is to work for it A few
yeara since. Dr. Pond published a pamphlet, in which he took
ground on this subject vrith Dr. Chalmers, and affirmed that
ihe idea of being sanctified by faith was an absurdity. In
deed ihe custom has been almost universal, to represent
grovrth in grace as consisting in ihe formation of habits of
obedience to God Now, it is quite surprising ihat so many
good men have faUen into this mistake. The feci lis, that
every step of progress in the Christian hfe, is taken by a
fredi and fuUer appropriation of Christ by faith, a fuUer bap
tism of the Holy Spirit. As our weaknesses, infirmities, be
setting sins, and necesdties, are revealed to us, by the cfrcum
stances of temptetion through which we pass, our only
effident help is found in Christ, and we grow only as we step
by step more fnUy appropriate hira, iu one relation or another,
and more fuUy " put bim on." As we axe more and more
emptied of self-dependence, as we more and more renounce
and discard aU expectation of forming holy habits by any
obedience of ours, and as by faith we secure deeper and
deeper baptisms of the Holy Ghost, and put on the Lord
Jesus Christ, more and more thoroughly, and in more of his
offidal relations, by just so much the faster do we grow in
the favor of God Nothing can be more erroneous and
dangerous than the commonly received idea of growing in
grace by the formation of holy habits. By acts of faith alone,
we appropriate Christ, and we axe as truly sanctified by faith
as we are justified by faith. In my Systematic Theology, in
poiating oui the conditions of entfre or permanent sanctifica
tion, I have noticed some dxty of the official rdations of Christ,
as I have before said and have there insisted as I here indsf,
that growth in hohiiess, and consequentiy, in the favor of
God is secured only by fresL fuUer, and more thorough ap
propriations of Christ, in aU these offidal refaiiona If you
would grow in grace you musi do ii through faitL You must
pray in faith for ihe Holy Spirit You musi ajqiropriate and
put on Christ through the Holy Spirii. At every forward
step in your progress, you musi have a fresh anointing of the
Holy Spirit through faitL RElffARKa
1. We see, from this subject, the vast importance of rightiy
msimcting young converta In many cases, ihey have very Uttie
¦qisiruction suited io thefr experience and degree of Christian

GROWTH IN GRACE. 44S
mielligence. By some, such riews axe taken of tiie Perseven
ance of the Saints, that it is assumed that babes in Christ vrill
grow vrithout nuraing, and vrithout thai smcere milTr of the
word by means of whidi they must grow. Some, taking it for
granf ed thai they need instruction, unvrittingly give ihem false
instruction, set tliem to work outwardly and zesSoudy, vrithout
paying mudi regard to the strengthening and developii^ of
fhefr inward life. They do not teach them how to appropriate
and Uve on Christ as thefr life, but continuaUy press them up,
to do thefr duty, to fabor for God, and labor for souls, not
suffidentiy impressing upon ihem the idea thai thefr doing is
of no accouni, unless it proceeds from the life of God in thefr
own souls. The result of this is a bustling, outward actirity,
whUe the inward spiritual life is decaying. This musi end in
disgust at one's own want of heaxi, and a settling back into
apathy and neglect
2. Sometimes there is a mistake made ui the oppodto direo-
tion. They axe teught to rest in Christ, in such a sense as to
take on a type of quietism and antinomian inactirity. They
are exhorted to exercise feith, but they axe noi eamestiy im
pressed vriih the conriction thai it must be a feith that works,
and works by love, ihat purifies the heaxi, and overcomes the
world The rCsult is, fhey do nothing in religion. Sinnera
are aUowed to deep on, and go to hell, in thefr midst, and
they make no effort to save ihem.
3. We see the importance of a Holy Ghost anointed minis
try. The great want of the church is a ministry so thor
oughly anointed by the Holy Ghost as to know how to lead
fhe church onward and upward te fhe fuUest development of
Christian piety. In order to instruct converts, and keep the
ohurah progressing in holiness, ihe minister musi progress
himflftlf He must be a truly Uving, grovring Christian. I
have good reason to know thai the churches in many places
are deeply pained by the want of Uving piety and grovrth in
thefr ministers. THiefr ministers axe inteUectual, Uteraxy,
phUosophical, theological, in thefr teaching, but they axe sadly
defident in unction. They have but Uttie power with God or
with man. They instruct the inteUect to a certain extent, but
they do not meet the wante of the heart Converte starve
under thefr preaching. They preadi an inieUectoal, rather
than a spiritual Gosi^ They preadi religion as a theory, a
doctrine, a philosophy, and not as a real Uving experience. It
is often exceedingly painful to hear ministera preadi vriio mani
festiy do noi know whai ihey say, or whereof they affirm.
They speak of religio?. as an inward sentiment instead of

444 GROWTH IN GBACB.
heart devotion to God ; as an emotion, a feeUng, instead oi
an aU-embracing and efficient love, a voluntary state and atti
tude of the mind from which necessarily proceeds a holy Ufa
They speak of faith as a mere inteUectual state or conrie
tion, and not as an act of trust, and of committal of the
whole being, to do and suffer aU the vrill of God. They speak
of repentance as if it were a mere involuntary sorrow for aiiL
They do not teach thai repentance is a change of mind toward
God, a renundation of the self-seeking spirit, and a turning
of the whole mind to God They speak of hoUness, as if it
were a state utterly unatiainable ui this life. Indeed I say
it with sorrow, but I must say it, the teadiing of a greaf many
ministers is but a siumbhng-block to the churdu Under
thefr instruction, converts do not, and cannot get so esiab-
hshed in grace as io be greatly useful, or to Uve Uves that are
honorable to Christ Just think, in the Nineteenth Century,
ministers preach to converte that they must grow in grace by
worka- Be heaven and earth amazed at this I Such teachera
do not know how to grow in grace themselves. Shall I be ac
counted harsh if I say, " They be blind leadera of the blind"
4. We see the reason of so much backsUding. Converts
wUl of course backsUde who axe led by false instruction. I^
on ihe one hand ihey axe set to work out sanctification by
works, thefr works vriU soon become dead works, and noi be
the result of thai faith thai works by love. I^ on the other
hand, they axe crammed vrith abstract notions and doctrines,
and teught to rest in an antinomian feitii, they vriU dnk
into supineness and inactirity. I fuUy beheve that in nearly
aU cases where there has been disastrous reaction after a re
vival, it has been ovring to the want of timefy and proper in
struction. Bui to be timdy and proper, it must be anointed
instruction. 5. The Theological Seminaries need to pay vastiy more atp
tention to the grovrth in grace of thefr students. They need
a professor of experimental religion, who has experience and
power enough to press ihem along into those higher regiona
of Christian experience which are essential to thefr being able
to lead the church on to rictory. It is amazing to see how
Uttie effort is made to cultivate the heart of young men study
ing for the minisiry. We must have a change in this respect
A much higher standard of Christian experience musi be re
qufred as a condftion of ordination. It ispaiaful to see how
caxefuUy men vrill be examined in regard to thefr intellectual
attainments, whUe the accounte ihey give of thefr Christian
experience wifl barely allow us to hope that ihey have been

GROWTH IN GRACE. 446
flonverted How sad it is to set such young men to feed tbe
churdi of God How do old Christians mourn, when ihey
see the appointed leadera in the diurdi of God but spiritual
babea 6. I have never been preseni ai the examination of a candi
date for ordination where anything more than simple eridence
of converdon was requfred of bim. I never heard them
questioned touching tiiefr progress in Christian experience,
and regarding thefr spiritual afciUty to lead ihe flock of God
into green pastures and bedde the stUl watera I never
heard ihem questioned in a manner thai manifested the
slightest conception of whai are the indispensable spiritoal
qualifications of a man who is to stand forth as the leader and
spiritual instructor of the church of God More hours are
spent in ascertaining the inteUectual attainmente of a candi
date than minutes to ascertain his spiritual and experimental
attainments. The whole examination vriU plainly indicate
that the ordaining body fay very httie stress on this part of a
minister's education. Is ii any wonder that the church of
God is so feeble and ineffideni, whUe ite leadera and teachera
axe, many of them, mere duldren in spiritual knowledge,
while a ripe Christian experience is made no part of the m
dispensaWe education of a minister. "Why, this is infinitdy
more dangerous and ridiculous than to intrust men to lead
an army in the field whUe they merely understand mathemat
ics, lud never have had any training or experience in miU-
><ixy mattera
In this respect, too, there musi be a great change. Churchea
should refuse to ordaon and receive pastors, unless ihey are
fuUy satisfied of thefr Imving made much progress in Chris
tian experience, so as to be able to lead on, and keep the
churdi awake.
They should insist ujion the education of his heart as well
as his head; upon his abiUty to take young converts, and con
duct ihem on to those deep experiences that vriU make them
steble and effident workers in the cause of God Think of
theological seminaries Uke those over which Dr. Chalmera
and Dr. Pond have prodded where the leadera of the church
of God are teught thai sanctification or grovrth in grace is ai-
tahied by works and not by faitL TeU it not m GatL Alat
for Zion, when her great and good men faU into such mia
takeflL THE BSE TAwS

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