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TWO SERMONS,

WITH NOTES.

BY

JOHN SHEFFIELD COX, M.A.
"i ¦
F J$LOW OF PBMBROKS COLLEGE, OXFORD ; AND CURATE OF
MADRON, CORNWALL.

'THY WOKD IS TRUTH-'

LONDON :
J. HATCHARD AND SON, 187, PICCADILLY.

MDCCCXXXV.

vai

M

LONDON
IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND.

PREFACE.

If the pure light of Truth may be expected to
shine with increasing lustre, from the blending
rays of many and various minds, no apology is
needed for an attempt to promote a spirit of
calm, patient, and deliberate enquiry into the
principles of Scripture. In the midst of much
that is distressing, there is also much to encou
rage the delightful hope that a brighter sera
already begins to dawn. Christian spirits are
no longer rare. May their number be increased
as the sand upon the sea-shore ! May the di
vine religion of Jesus prevail in every land !
" Alleluia ! For the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth !" " The wind and storm fulfil His

Word." " He hath set His king upon His
holy hill of Zion. He shall give Him the
heathen for His inheritance, and the utmost
parts of the earth for his possession." " He
will turn to the people a pure language, that
they may all call upon the name of the Lord,
to serve Him with one consent." " Alleluia !
salvation, and glory, and honour, and power
unto the Lord our God."

Present us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy
most gracious favour, and further us with thy con
tinual help ; that in all our works begun, continued,
and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name ;
and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life ;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy
name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in
earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us
not into temptation : but deliver us from evil : for
thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for
ever and ever. Amen.

SERMON I.

THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
. COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE.
A SERMON rREACHED lit SIDMOUTH CHURCH, ON
SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 1834.

SERMON I.

1 Con. xiv. 33.
God is not the author of confusion, but of peace,
as in all churches of the saints.
The mode of instruction employed by the
Almighty in His Word is strongly marked by
the character of trial. Certain general princi
ples of eternal truth are laid down, certain
rules given, and men are left to infer the
mind of the Spirit from the whole. All then,
but more especially they who undertake to in
struct others, are bound to search the Scrip
tures carefully, to compare them attentively,
and to conclude honestly, as in the sight of
God, remembering the solemn account which
each must give for himself. B

2 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
Now our spirits are so framed as to derive,
under divine grace, their most powerful impres
sions from self-conviction, from an internal con
sciousness and acknowledgment of truth, arising
from a series of arguments all bearing on the
same point. Let us penetrate the recesses of our
breasts, and study the operation of our renewed
spirits, that we may the more readily yield to
their motions : let us compare all with the holy
Word of God, and trace there and in ourselves
each genuine feature of that state of spiritual
perfection, intellectual and moral, in which
man was first formed, and to which we all may
be restored through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let us diligently cultivate the inductive prin
ciple of mind, for mind is the energy of the
spirit, and it will lead us, under the divine bless
ing, by innumerable paths in the contemplation
of all things, up to the eternal source from
which all things incessantly flow.
Let us now, with all sincerity of purpose in
the investigation of truth, search the Scriptures,
both of the Old and New Testaments, and
apply the process of induction with reference

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE.. 3
to the principles of Episcopacy ;* and let each
compare them for himself with the eternal
principle, — that " God is not the author of con
fusion, but of peace, in all churches of the
saints." The principles of Episcopacy are, firstly,
Ordination ; — the setting apart of a succession
of persons exclusively to the office of public
preaching, and ministering the sacraments in
the congregation.
Secondly, Unity ; — agreement in faith, order,
and discipline.
And thirdly, Subordination ; — episcopal and
pastoral authority in some, and holy obedience
in others.
And firstly, of Ordination ; — the setting apart
of a succession of persons exclusively to the
office of public preaching, and ministering the
sacraments in the congregation.
So little is told us of the preceding periods,
that we will commence our inquiry with the
records of the history of the Hebrews. The
circumstances of that history, detailed as they
* Appendix A.
b2

4 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
are in an unerring manner by writers divinely
inspired, the institutions of Almighty God
among His chosen people Israel, and His deal
ings with them, will ever furnish, when soberly
applied, one of the safest guides to those,, who
desire humbly to follow the guidance of divine
wisdom, and who read with awful fear the
judgments of God's righteous displeasure. We
are taught, moreover, expressly, throughout the
New Testament, to reason from things under
the Mosaic dispensation to corresponding things
under the Christian dispensation. It is thus
St. Paul argues upon this very matter : " No
man taketh this honour unto himself, but he
that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also
Christ glorified not himself to be made an high-
priest, but he that said unto him, Thou art my
Son, to-day have I begotten thee."
Now Almighty God appointed, among the
Hebrews, a succession of persons in every gene
ration to the office of reading and expounding
His Word, and of ministering in holy things.
The method of setting them apart to Himself,
which in His wisdom He then chose, was

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. 5
by birth : all the descendants of Aaron, that
were without blemish, were to be priests be
fore Him ; all the children of Levi were to be
attendants upon the priests. We are not in any
case to inquire into the causes of the Divine pro
ceedings, except so far as they may be stated
in Scripture ; it is needless to give reasons for
them, except so far as they are supplied by
ScriDture. God is infinite in wisdom, and all
His appointments are wisest and best. It is
ever enough for man to learn what His will is ;
it is his duty then implicitly to obey it. Let
us fear to argue with our Maker ; let us trem
ble to transgress His commandments.
" Now Korah of the race of Levi, and Da-
than and Abiram of the race of Reuben, with
certain of the children of Israel, two hundred
and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the
congregation, men of renown, gathered them
selves together against Moses and against
Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much
upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy,
every one of them, and the Lord is among
them; wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above

6 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
the congregation of the Lord." They charged
the priests with pride, as if they had lifted
up themselves above the congregation, whereas
it was the Lord's appointment. They argued
from a single declaration of God, (a declara
tion which " the lips of the priests, who should
keep knowledge," could have easily explained,)
in direct opposition to a multitude of others.
It is written in the nineteenth chapter of Exo
dus, " Thus shalt thou say to the house of
Jacob, and tell the children of Israel, Ye shall
be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy
nation." And so every Hebrew was a priest
in one sense, inasmuch as all were called fre
quently to offer certain sacrifices to God ; and
all were holy in respect of the rest of man
kind. But while Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and
their followers, thus charged the priests with
pride, and argued from a single perverted pas
sage of the Word of the Lord, the inspired
writer of the 106th Psalm tells us that the feel
ing of their hearts was envy of the priesthood ;
" They envied Aaron, the saint of the Lord."

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. 7
Moses appealed unto God, and he answered
by an immediate visitation of his power.
Whether or not it be a sin to intrude upon
the sacred order of the ministry, by the direct
violation of any mode of appointment instituted
in God's Word ; whether it be a light sin or
not, hear ye, and then judge ; for ask of every
nation under heaven, from one end of the earth
even to the other, — Heard ye ever such a thing
as the Lord did on that day before the assem
bled people of Israel ? When Moses had made
an end of speaking, " the ground clave asunder
that was under them, and the earth swallowed
them up, and their houses, and all the men
that appertained unto Korah." He and all his
adherents, and all that united with them.
" They, and all that appertained to them, (their
wives and their little ones,) went down alive
into the pit, and the earth closed upon them,
and they perished from among the congrega
tion." " And there came out a fire from the
Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty
men ;" the princes of the assembly, that were
famous in the congregation, and men of re-

"8 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
nown. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear;
for the Lord our God is a mighty God, and
"terrible in his doing towards the children
of men."
His j udgments are worthy to be had in re
membrance, and to be feared. If in His wis
dom He does not see fit, under the Christian
dispensation, ordinarily to visit the transgres
sors of His holy commandments with any visi
ble effects of His sore displeasure, " Behold,
the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His
saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to
convince all that are ungodly among them of
all their ungodly deeds, which they have un
godly committed, and of all their hard speeches,
which ungodly sinners have spoken against
Him. These are murmurers, complainers, walk
ing after their own lusts; and their mouth
speaketh great swelling words, having men's
persons in admiration because of advantaged"
There is an eternal state of existence impend
ing ; and they, who delight in scoffing against
God, against His word, His day, and His laws
will answer at the bar of irreversible judgment.

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. 9
¦ When Saul offered a burnt-offering in a man
ner contrary to the institutions of God, then
Samuel said unto him, " Thou hast done fool
ishly ; thou hast not kept the commandments
of the Lord thy God, which he commanded
thee; thy kingdom shall not continue."
. When Uzziah " transgressed against the Lord
his God, and went into the temple of the Lord,
to burn incense upon the altar of incense, Aza-
riah, the priest, went in after him, and with him
fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant
men, (such are the words of the inspired his
torian,) priests of the Lord, that were valiant
men," — men of firm and determined character,
strong in moral courage, fearing God and not
man, warning all, on the right hand and on the
left, of the consequences of error. " And they
withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It
appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn in
cense unto the Lord, but to the priests, the sons
of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense.
Go out of the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed ;
neither shall it be for thine honour from the
Lord God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had
b 5

10 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
a censer in his hand to burn incense ; and while
he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even
rose up in his forehead, before the priests in the
house of the Lord. And Azariah,the chief priest,
and all the priests thrust him out from thence ;
yea, himself also hasted to go out, because the
Lord had smitten him. And Uzziah, the king,
was a leper unto the day of his death."
We find then, by searching the Scriptures of
the Old Testament, that Almighty God set
apart, exclusively to His own immediate ser
vice a succession of men among the Hebrews
in every generation ; and that for nearly fifteen
hundred years, He ever visited any intrusion
upon their sacred office with immediate marks
of His displeasure. They, that are wise, will
ponder these things; they will consider the
doings of God of old time, and will learn judg
ment. We will now search the Scriptures of the
New Testament with reference to this first and
leading principle of Episcopacy, namely, Ordi
nation to the ministry of God's Word and
Sacraments ; — the setting apart, in every gene-

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. 11
ration, a succession of men exclusively to the
office of public preaching, and ministering the
sacraments in the congregation.
Now when Jesus Christ was Himself upon
earth, did He equally Commission all who heard
Him, and were convinced of the truth of His
doctrines, to preach to others ? or did He ap
point certain persons exclusively to that office ?
The inspired historians inform us that He chose
twelve apostles, and afterwards sent forth se
venty disciples to preach the gospel of the
kingdom of God. He, who was infinite in wis
dom, thus set the example, and established
for ever to his church the principle of the set
ting apart of certain persons exclusively to the
office of preaching his gospel. A principle,
which history has proved to be essentially ne
cessary to agreement and social union among
Christians ; the opposite principle, that of a
right in all to take upon themselves at pleasure,
for a season or otherwise, the office of public
preaching in the congregation, tending directly
to the consequence of each man being a church
to himself.

12 TflE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
History has just been referred to, but not to
establish any fundamental doctrine of Christi*
anity; to do this we must refer to the Word
of God alone : for such is the- nature of the
human mind, so incapable of any self-discern
ment of truth, so impressible by the arts of
rhetoric, by appeals to prejudice, and by argu-1
ments founded upon circumstances unsupported
by general principles, that very plausible, nay,
to the many, equally convincing arguments may
easily be brought forward from history on both
sides of many questions of the greatest im
portance. Such, too, is the force of early im
pressions, such the effect of our habitual modes
of viewing subjects, of thinking and arguing
upon them, that the ablest divines, those of
the most highly gifted and best stored minds,
will ever be the first to maintain, that in all
religious questions our security from error de
pends entirely, when convinced that the Bible
is a revelation from God, upon our receiving it
with all lowliness of mind, and with the doci
lity of little children.
To proceed with our inquiry into the doctrine

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTRUE. 13
of Scripture relative to the ministry of God's
Word ; — what was the practice, and what were
the precepts of the apostles of Jesus Christ,
those sent forth by Him to preach the gospel to
all nations, and to establish his church among
them? They set apart, by the imposition. of
hands, certain persons exclusively to the of
fice of public preaching, and ministering the
sacraments in the congregation. And this
power of ordination to the ministry was con
ferred by them on certain persons as their suc
cessors, under the ordinary influence of the
Holy Spirit. St. Paul writes to Titus,. " For
this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou
shouldest set in order the things that are want
ing, and ordain elders in every city, as I had
appointed thee." To Timothy, entrusted with
episcopal power at Ephesus, he says, "The
things that thou hast heard of me among many
witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful
men, who shall be able to teach others also."
That there has been, in the apostolical church
of Christ, an uninterrupted succession of per
sons discharging the same office in every age,

14 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
frbrri the days of Timothy and Titus to our own,
is an historical fact placed beyond dispute.
We have thus seen that the first great and
leading principle of Episcopacy, namely, ordi
nation to the ministry of God's Word, the
setting apart of certain persons exclusively to the
office of public preaching and ministering the
sacraments in the congregation, is firmly esta
blished upon the sure testimony of the Word of
God. The method instituted by Almighty God
Himself, in the Old Testament, was by heredi
tary descent, and confined to His chosen people
Israel. The method used and prescribed by the
apostles of Jesus Christ, under the full inspira
tion of the Holy Spirit, was by imposition of
hands, and succession of persons, to be con
tinued among all nations, and throughout all
generations, to the end of time. An easy me
thod, a simple commandment ; but the sim
plicity of a commandment is ever the hardest
trial of the perverse spirit of man.*
The second principle of Episcopacy is Unity ;
— agreement in faith, order, and discipline. That
* Appendix B.

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. 15
this prevailed under the Mosaic dispensation,
even to a burdensome extent, shall be taken at
once as granted. The extreme minuteness of
the Jewish institutions was directed, indeed, to
the wisest purposes ; but it is unnecessary here
to consider them. With what conscientious,
devbted, and honourable, although for the last
eighteen centuries mistaken, fidelity the He
brews, have ever adhered to the faith, order,
and discipline of their ancestors, the page of
history abundantly proves.
In searching the Scriptures of the New Tes
tament upon this point, no one can fail to
notice those lively metaphors, by which Jesus
Christ and His apostles teach the importance
of perfect unity among all faithful Christians.
It is thus that our Saviour represents Himself
as the vine, His disciples as the branches: now
all the branches of the same tree, however they
may differ in size and form, present a perfect
resemblance in their leaves and fruit. It is
thus again that He represents Himself as the
shepherd, and the disciples, all, in every age,
of divers nations and tongues, who learn of

16 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
Him, as the flock, hearing His voice and follow
ing in His steps. Then He prophetically de
clares, what in God's good time shall be seen,
that "there shall be one flock* under one shep
herd." It is thus also that St. Paul speaks
so often of the church as the body of Christ
In writing to the Corinthians he warns them,
by several arguments drawn from this, against
the divisions, disorder, and irregularity which
some, preaching in the name of Christ, but err
ing from the faith, had given rise to among
them. Another frequent metaphor used by
several of the apostles, is that by which all
true Christians are represented as forming to
gether a holy temple of the Lord. Not that
this fundamental doctrine of Christianity rests
upon metaphors only ; although these meta
phors, in common with the other metaphors of
Scripture, are so divinely chosen and so clearly
expressed, as to convey more striking ideas to
the mind than any other mode of expression.
There is no one principle on which greater
* " Fold" is a misprint running through almost every edition
of the authorized version.

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. 17.
stress is laid, or which is more frequently in
culcated throughout the whole of the New
Testament than unity; — agreement in faith,
order, and discipline. St. Paul exhorts the
Ephesians to endeavour to " keep the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace ;" seeing that
" there is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are
called in one hope of your calling ; one Lord, one
faith, one baptism." To the Corinthians he says,
" Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the
same thing, and that there be no divisions
among you; but that ye be perfectly joined
together in the same mind, and in the same
judgment. For it hath been declared unto me
of you, my brethren, that there are conten
tions among you." Without making any more
quotations, it may be enough to state gene
rally, that there is scarcely a single Epistle, in
which there are not exhortations to unity ;
agreement in faith, order, and discipline; — for
that such agreement is included in what is so
often termed, " the obedience of faith," and
" obedient to the faith," plainly follows from

18 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
the language of the apostles. St. Paul, after
having expressed the most lively satisfaction
at hearing of the faith, and love, and obedience
of the Colossians, after having uttered the most
fervent prayers, that they might be " filled with
the knowledge of the will of God, in all wis
dom and spiritual understanding ; that they
might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleas
ing," then further says : " For though I be
absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the
Spirit, joying and beholding your order and
the steadfastness of your faith in Christ."
Compare again one of the purposes for which
St. Paul says he left Titus at Crete : " For
this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou
shouldest set in order the things that are want
ing," with the approbation he expresses of
those among the Corinthians who continued
faithful and steadfast : " Now I praise you,
brethren, that ye remember me in all things,
and keep the ordinances as I delivered them to
you." The conclusion from these, and the
whole of the foregoing passages, is this, that
the apostles instituted themselves, or occa-

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. 19
sioned others to institute, certain forms of
decent order and salutary discipline, to be
universally observed by the church of Christ.
That soundness of faith and holiness of life
are all in all in religion, no one can doubt ; but
the important question still remains : do the
apostles of Jesus Christ, (I pass by the eighteen
centuries that have elapsed, as not in the least
affecting the question ; the will of God, once de
clared, remains the same for ever,) do then, I
ask, the inspired apostles of Jesus Christ teach
that the universal observance, among all
who name the name of Christ, of one settled
form of decent order and salutary discipline,
would be, under the Divine blessing, directly
instrumental in producing soundness of faith
and holiness of life, and that schism, division,
disorder, and irregularity would be equally un
favourable to Christian faith and Christian
practice ?
The direct exhortations and precepts that
have been already quoted, can surely leave no
doubt as to the reply. It is in the same spirit
that St. Paul writes to the Romans, " I be-

20 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
seech you, brethren, mark them which cause
divisions and disorders* among you, contrary
to the doctrine which ye have learned, and
avoid them." Observe again how he charges
the Thessalonians : " We exhort you, brethren,
warn them that are unruly." To Titus he
says, " There are many unruly and vain
talkers, whose mouths must be stopped :" for
which purpose he exhorts him " to rebuke
them sharply."
It is thus, too, that he reminds his Chris
tian converts (whom he had before called " his
hope, his joy, his crown of rejoicing;" for the
conversion of sinners to God was the business
of his life, the incentive and object of his
labours) of his own conduct among them : " We
behaved not ourselves disorderly among you."
The blessed apostle could appeal in this, as in
other respects, to his own example, as illus
trating the doctrines which he preached. There
was nothing in his conduct or sentiments to
give rise to that bitter zeal, love of contention
• He connects the two, one being the inevitable consequence
of the other.

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE.

21

and disputation, which are so strongly con
demned every where in Scripture; therefore
" his word was with power." The fruit of
righteousness was largely sown by him in
peace ; for the Spirit of God loves ever to dwell
with those that are of a quiet spirit, and works
with those that love peace. " The words of
wise men are heard in quiet, more than the cry
of him that ruleth among fools."
Nor are those passages less striking and
conclusive, in which the apostles describe the
effects that followed in their own days, and
which they prophetically declare ever would
follow schism, division, disorder, and dispu
tation. " If ye bite and devour one another,
take heed that ye be not consumed one of
another." " Be not many teachers, knowing
that we shall receive the greater condemna
tion." " If ye have bitter envying and strife
in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against
the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from
above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For
where envying and strife is, there is confu
sion and every evil work." " Ye are yet car-

22 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
nal; for whereas there is among you envying
and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal and
walk as men?"
Men cannot foresee the ultimate consequences
of their own proceedings. Many false teachers^
with their deluded followers, become thoroughly
possessed by errors, which would have appeared,
at first monstrous to them. What Solomon
says of strife may be said of evil generally,
" The beginning is as when one letteth out
water." With all that has been stated before them,
the letter and spirit of which is in perfect
harmony with revelation throughout, and with
the whole economy of the Divine government,
it may well seem surprising, that any who truly
revere the Scriptures, should have been found
employing the utmost efforts of their minds in
support of schism, division, irregularity, and
disorder, But let none be thereby shaken,
either in their faith as Christians, or their prin
ciples as Episcopalians ; for it is prophetically
declared that these things should be : " There
must be also heresies among you, that they

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. 23
which are approved may be made manifest
among you ;" manifest especially by the spirit
of love, as well as of power and of a sound
mind ; therefore we pray for our enemies, per
secutors, and slanderers : " being reviled, we
bless ; being defamed, we entreat ;" being at
tacked on all sides with hostile virulence and
degrading rancour, we labour and pray for
peace. I write not these things to shame any ;
but I warn all my brethren in the Lord, " faith
ful and beloved, partakers of the benefit," to
beware lest they should be found in league
with the enemies of God ; in some things con
tending against Truth, and in others grieving
the Spirit.
To heal the divisions which have so long dis
tracted the church of Christ ; to make all that
name His holy and blessed name of one mind,
of one heart, and of one spirit ; to restore uni
versally among Christians that unity, that
agreement in faith, decent order, and salutary
discipline, instituted as we have seen by the
apostles, must surely be felt at once by all to
be " with man impossible." Let, then, the

24 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
great and the good of every name and denomi
nation, yea, let all who have faith in the Scrip
tures, and who acknowledge the importance in
every point of view, and blessedness of such an
union, unite in prayer to Him who alone maketh
men to be of one mind. " With God all things
are possible."
The prayer of Jesus was heard: "Neither
pray I for these alone, but for them also which
shall believe on me through their word ; that
they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in
me, and I in thee ; that they also may be one
in us ; that the world may believe that thou
hast sent me. And the glory which thou hast
given me, I have given them ; that they may
be one, even as we are one ; I in them, and
thou in me ; that they may be made perfect in
one, and that the world may know that thou
hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast
loved me."
The prayer of Jesus was heard : the prayer of
Jesus and of His believing disciples shall, in
God's good time, be answered.
The third principle of Episcopacy is Subor-

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. 25
dination. — The laity are to submit themselves,
in things ecclesiastical, to their pastors ; the
clergy of each ascending rank obey the direc
tions given to them by their respective bishops ;
the bishops again are in subjection to the arch
bishops, who in all things ascertained, upon
examination of Scripture, to be lawful to Chris
tian men, are " subject unto the higher powers,
for there is no power but of God ; the powers
that be are ordained of God." What is the
principle of Scripture ? " Obey them that have
the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for
they watch for your souls." That spiritual au
thority is here intended, is proved by the reason
given, "For they watch for your souls." Now
that some may rule, there must be others to
obey ; but no man owes obedience to any in
matters of faith, for " Holy Scripture contain-
eth all things necessary to salvation; so that
whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be
proved thereby, is not to be required of any
man, that it should be believed as an article of
the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary
to salvation." (Art. vi.) c

26 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
What then are those points, in which the in
spired apostle here commands all Christians to
submit themselves to their spiritual pastors,
who watch for their souls. They are all such
points of government, order, and discipline, as
are not merely not contradictory to the words
and sense of Scripture, but are clearly agree
able to the letter and spirit thereof throughout.
The very notions of pastoral authority in some,
and corresponding obedience in others, are how
ever rejected by many. The pride of human
nature, which is necessarily opposed to the
spirit of submission, is listened to, rather than
the Word of God. Such passages as the one
already quoted, " Obey them that have the
rule over you, and submit yourselves ; for they
watch for your souls ;" and the following, " Re
member them that have the rule over you,
who have spoken unto you the word of God ;"
" Salute all them that have the rule over you,"
with very many others, supporting the same
principles, are totally disregarded: for where
none obey, how can any rule? And how can
any obey, where all esteem themselves to

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. 27
have equal right to teach, to judge, and to
decide. Pastoral authority, and corresponding sub
mission; ruling in some, and obedience in
others; Christian ordinances and discipline,
are things supposed, recognized, and directed
everywhere in Scripture.
Some restraints upon individuals are neces
sary for the public good, in things ecclesiastical
as well as civil. Civil liberty is not lawless
anarchy. It is the protection of all from the
passions of each other ; it is the preservation of
those classes, into which human society must
necessarily be divided, from collision and mu
tual hostility. Spiritual liberty is established
and protected by the solemn recognition and
preference of those scriptural principles of ordi
nation, unity, and subordination, which can
alone (humanly speaking) protect the church
of Christ from the errors of individuals. " Spi
ritual power is a power exerted by spirit on
spirit; it is that display of higher degrees of
Divine energy in some, their sense of which
others feel a pleasure in testifying, by a willing
c 2

28 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
acknowledgment. For the true foundation of
authority in any, is precisely that which is the
spring of all authority .among created spirits ;
it can arise only from superior degrees of ho
liness and of wisdom. God is possessed of
these in an infinite degree ; and He reigns su
preme by the manifestation of them, rather than
by His infinite power.
Spirits cannot, will not cheerfully yield ex
cept to spirits of a higher order. Such is the
law of this kind ; such is the eternal .prin
ciple of heaven. Great then, and noble is the
strife, to which the bishops and curates of the
Episcopal churches of Christ, their rulers and
their faithful ministers, of every rank, are call
ed — " To covet earnestly the best gifts," for the
Lord's sake, for the honour of His name, and
the welfare of their fellow-men ; to'be the first
in true piety, holy wisdom, and sound learning;
" to excel to the edifying the church ;" "to
shine as lights in the world, holding forth the
word of life, blameless and harmless ; the sons
of God without rebuke, in the midst of a
crooked and perverse generation :" behold the

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE. "29
only way in which they can maintain and ex
ercise a just and salutary authority.
Let all then to whom the Lord hath been
gracious, all who love the Episcopal Church of
England, as the mother-church of their own
souls ; let all, who, though not of her, are not
against her, unite with us in prayer, that her
ministers may be decked with righteousness,
and her saints sing with joy. So shall union
in prayer and in spirit at length render our
union in all things complete ; so shall this great
public blessing be granted to the public
prayer.* " Ephraim shall not envy Judah,
and Judah shall not vex Ephraim." " In the
name of our God we will set up our banners,"
and so will " the Lord fulfil all our petitions."
The lesson of subordination is taught us by
the hand of our God upon us, in all the circum
stances in which He has placed us. Nature
teaches the son to look up to his father; and as
one generation succeeds another, he in turn ex
ercises paternal authority over his children.
Thus it is in families — thus it is also in na-
• Appendix C.

30 THE PRINCIPLES OF EPISCOPACY
tions, which are a collection of families ; for
national polity cannot subsist without subordi
nation. Nor does the outline of the church of Christ,
as traced in the New Testament, present any
unseemly contrast to that order which has
reigned, and for ever shall reign, throughout
the whole empire of God. If all the precepts
of Scripture, relative to the government and
discipline of the church, were exactly followed j
then would the visible things of the church be
" true patterns of things in the heavens;" for
" the invisible^ things of God," even His love
of order; and- His- design of authority in some,
and submission in others, are as " clearly seen,
being understood," by the constitutions of His
providence as are " His eternal power and God
head, by the things that are made."
" God is not the author of confusion, but of
peace." The church on earth, in its best es
tate, will be the lively image of what has been,
is now, and ever shall be, among all holy and
obedient spirits. There is order and subordi
nation in heaven. God reigns supreme. The

COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE.

31

archangels and rulers in heavenly places, " rule
with diligence," each in their station, " as
knowing whom they serve." The hosts be
neath them obey with cheerful humility, in their
gradations, as unto the appointment of Infinite
Goodness and Infinite Wisdom. When " the
kingdom of God comes in power ;" when " the
Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard
against the enemy coming in like a flood ;"
when Christianity attains, as it shall attain, its
ripeness and perfection ; when it is seen, as it
shall be seen, in all its fair order and perfect
harmony, then shall the spirits that are on
earth, form one kingdom with the spirits that
are in heaven.
" According to His good pleasure, which He
hath purposed in Himself; that in the dispen
sation of the fulness of times, He might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which
are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in
Him." The pride of human nature will be sub
dued ; " no one will think of himself more highly
than he ought to think ;" each will faithfully oc
cupy his appointed station; each will rejoice

32 THE PRINCIPLES OF .EPISCOPACY.
according to his measure ; each feeling his own
insufficiency to the task, will gratefully ac
knowledge the Infinite Wisdom which placed
him in that ordained post for which he was ex
actly fitted.
To God,, only wise, the Father of lights, the
Inspirer of every true and holy thought, who
gives to each severally as He willeth ; who
alone enables to the right use of every faculty;
in whose name is strength ; to God the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, be all honour, all glory,
might, majesty, power, and dominion, for. ever
and ever. Amen.

APPENDIX.

A.— Page 3.

" Let us, with all sincerity of purpose in the inves
tigation of truth, search the Scriptures, both of
the Old and New Testament, and apply the
faculty of induction with reference to the prin
ciples of Episcopacy ."
It has been generally said, that there is no form of
church government prescribed in Scripture. Deli
berate examination and sober reflection will, how
ever, perhaps show, that precisely the same method
is pursued upon this point as upon all others. Cer
tain general principles are laid down, certain rules
given, and the course indicated by Divine wisdom
is to be inferred from the whole. I venture to hope
that the three principles of Ordination, Unity, and
Subordination, will finally be adopted by all that
name the name of Christ, and revere his Spirit in
c 5

34 APPENDIX.
his apostles : but so long as such a blessed event for
the church of Christ is deferred, let all, who are in
Christ brethren one of another, strive devoutly to
attend to the three rules given by St. Paul to the
Corinthian Christians, to heal the divisions among
them :
" Let all things be done decently-, and in order."
" Let all things be done unto edifying."
" Let all your things be done with charity."
Acting in this spirit, let all bear in mind the gene
ral principle that " God is not the author of confu
sion, (aKanxnaaia, unsettlement,) but of peace."
There can be but little peace without some measure
of (yvtaats) knowledge, (rafrs) order, and (ayairr))
love to all mankind, especially to the household of
faith. (AKaraarama) Unsettlement, {wucportig) bitter
zeal, and (cptSeia) disputatiousness are very unfa
vourable to order, love, and peace.

B.— Page 14.

The leading point argued from page 3 to page 14,
is that Ordination — the setting apart of certain per
sons exclusively to the office of public preaching
and ministering the sacraments in the congregation

APPENDIX. 35
— is a principle inculcated by Divine wisdom. The
next point necessarily involved in it is, in whom does
the power of ordination lay ? God alone can decide
in every case upon uprightness of motives, sincerity
of intentions, and laborious conscientiousness of en
deavours to attain a right judgment in all things ;
but, upon a most careful investigation of the holy
records of truth, it does appear to me that the power
Of ordination to the ministry was conferred by the
apostles of Jesus Christ, who had his* Spirit and his
mind, upon that line of bishops which has been con
tinued from them to the present time. The question
now arises, can circumstances ever justify any in
violating this positive institution of God ? I have
no hesitation in replying, yes. If a nation, wherein
a branch of the Episcopal church of Christ is esta
blished, does not enable that church to afford ac
commodation for public worship, and to extend
adequate pastoral care to all, but leaves vast masses
of the population in all respects unprovided, a case
arises of need of spiritual food, precisely analogous
to that need of natural food which our Lord teaches
US justified David and his followers in violating the
positive institution of the Sabbath. Such a nation
is bound to supply the need, for the positive institu
tions of Almighty God have too much awful autho
rity, and too much divine wisdom, ever to be long
violated with impunity. If no longer vindicated, as
among the Hebrews, by immediate punishment, yet

36 APPENDIX.
the national consequences of their neglect will at
length become so obvious and so alarming to all
reflecting minds, as to give rise to the strongest
anxiety for their sacred observance in all respects.
Episcopalians support the word of God in opposition
to appeals to man, and to arguments founded upon
circumstances; they support ordination, as opposed
to lay preaching ; the duty of unity, as opposed to
the lawfulness of division ; and subordination, in all
and through all, in opposition to independent con
gregations, each ruling its minister. He who judges
without knowledge is not wise ; he who judges has
tily is liable to error; he who judges perversely,
from a corrupt mind, is in danger of hell fire.

C— Page 29.

" So shall union in prayer and in spirit at length
render our union in all things complete ; so shall
this great public blessing be granted in answer,
to the public prayer."
Who would not have a part in bringing about so
happy an event? Let the prayers of all that love
the. Lord ascend, through him, in grateful harmony

Appendix. 37
to our Father, which is in heaven, that His kingdom
may come in the hearts of men, and that His will
may be done on earth as it is in heaven. Let them
pray for the peace-makers, for all that labour in the
holy and blessed work of promoting " glory to God
in the highest, and on earth peace, good will
amongst men." What we fervently pray for, that
we soon begin heartily to desire. Thus, then, by
prayer we shall learn to look forward with faith to
the time of the glory of the church of Christ ; when
she shall put on her beautiful garments, and become
the praise of the whole earth ; when, having perhaps
first spread universally among us, she shall gradu
ally embrace all nations within her fold.
Almighty God, look down with pity upon thy
people that prayeth. We are not worthy of the least
of thy mercies. We have resisted thy will, and our
sins have prevailed against us. Thou art in heaven,
and we are upon earth. We humbly adore thy wis
dom, for thou hast done all things well. The times
and the seasons are in thine hands; and thou wilt
bring to pass the thing which pleaseth thee. If we
ask according to thy will, thou hearest us. Strength
en all that labour in the word and doctrine ; fill their
minds with thy word, which is truth, and their hearts
with thy Spirit, which is love, that through thee
they may make peace. Fill all our hearts with love
to thee, that loving thee we may love each other
also. Make us one in thee ; as thou, Father, art in

38 APPENDIX.
Jesus, and he in thee ; that the world may believe
that thou didst send him. Turn to the people a
pure language, that they may all call upon the name
of the Lord, to serve him with one consent, that
there may be one flock under one shepherd, Jesus
Christ the righteous : to whom, with thee, O Father,
and thee, O Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory,
world without end. Amen.

All honest lovers of truth will distinguish what
they consider to be true in the above inquiry 5 i. e.
what they consider to be according to Scripture,
from what seems to them otherwise. Let those who
endeavour to discover and establish truth, state their
objections to the three principles of Episcopacy ;
let them show the fallacy of the Scriptural argu
ments by which I have endeavoured to support
them ; let them distinctly state their own principles,
prove them from Scripture, and show that the ever
lasting church of Christ was established upon those
principles, and has been supported by them from the
days of the apostles until the present time ; let them
remember, what I desire to do, that "it is an honour
for a man to cease from strife, but every fool will be
meddling." Supposing the principles of Episcopacy

APPENDIX.

39

admitted, I pray them then to forgive the lesser
errors which they may detect in these pages, and in .
preference to my mode of thinking and argument,
to follow up the trains of thought and argument
suggested by their own minds.
Oh, for that happy period, when all that acknow
ledge one common hope in the blood and righteous
ness of Jesus Christ, reconciled by him to their hea
venly Father, shall at length be truly reconciled in
and by him, to each other also ; and shall feel the
duty and the wisdom of adding to one faith one
form of holy order, even that which is traced out in
Scripture.

SERMON II.

THE TESTIMONY OF SCRIPTURE
uroN SOME
ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF REVEALED
RELIGION.
A SEHMON FROM THE PKESS.

SERMON II.

John, v. 39.
Search the Scriptures.
There is much of trial in all the dealings of
God with man. Under every | dispensation
Scripture represents the state of man as a state
of probation.* Whatever be the gifts of God,
however pure, excellent, and holy, we are fre
quently warned that a possibility of abuse, in
which lies the essence of trial, still remains on
our part.
The Word of God is a continued trial ; as in
other respects, so especially both from the effect
of familiarity, and from the frequent and often
insensihle adoption of some human system, in-
* Appendix A.

44 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
stead of deriving all ideas from Scripture alone.
But through whatever means, or in whatever
degree we suffer ourselves to approach the
Word of God, or to regard any portion of it,
or any particular declaration in it, with other
feelings than those of profound reverence and
perfect submission of understanding, we shall
proportionably fail to derive benefit from it,
and may perhaps end by " wresting it to our
own destruction." Let us, therefore, ever take
heed how we read, " For whosoever hath, to
him shall be given, and he shall have more
abundance ; but whosoever hath not, from him
shall be taken away even that he hath."
A deep, ever-present, and ever-growing
conviction of man's short-sightedness, and of
our own need of forgiveness will inspire humi
lity towards God, and charity towards man ;
nor will any length of study, or any degree of
accurate acquaintance with the letter of Scrip
ture, impair such feelings in minds truly en
lightened, but continually increase them ; for
the more men are enabled to know of God and
of themselves, the greater they will conceive to

REVEALED RELIGION. 45
be the remaining unsearchable depths of God's
wisdom and holiness, of man's foolishness
and sin ; they will think the more awfully of
God, the more humbly of themselves,* and
will be the less disposed " to esteem themselves
beyond others. "f
" Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit :
there is more hope of a fool than of him."
This is a mysterious world : and one of . the
most unfailing indications of progress in the
wisdom that cometh from above, is to grow
continually in the sense of our own ignorance.
" The things which are seen, are parts of His
ways, but how little a portion is heard of Him."
" He doeth great things, past finding out ; yea,
and wonders without number." " The secrets
of wisdom are double to that which is." " If
any man think that he knoweth any thing, he
knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know."
Calm reflection upon these, and similar declara
tions of Scripture, will, under the divine influ
ence, be effectual to maintain in us the sober
* Appendix B. t Appendix C.

46. ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
diffidence, which so well becomes short-sighted
man. " The heart of the righteous studieth to
answer ;" and " wisdom resteth in the heart of
him that hath understanding ;" but the foolish
man boasteth and is confident, " intruding into
those things, which he hath not seen, vainly
puffed up by his fleshly mind."
The contemplation in His Word, and His
works, of the infinite majesty of Him from
whom all things do proceed, will frequently
give rise in every humble mind to the thought,
" 0 Lord our governor, how excellent is Thy
name in all the world ; Thou, that hast set thy
glory above the heavens ! What is man, that
thou art mindful of him, and the son of man,
that thou visitest him."
The knowlege of themselves taught in secret
prayer before their Maker, the abiding sense of
their own alarming share in human corruption,
will fill those who constantly " fly unto the
Rock which is higher than they;" who follow
Jesus, and learn of him, with his own spirit,

REVEALED RELIGION. 47
the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation, of
peace, of meekness, and of love, " which will
conceal the multitude of sins." Never are they
implacable and unforgiving, many of whose
hours of retirement are spent at the feet of Je
sus, whose souls hang upon the words of his
mouth, finding in them fresh life and continual
nourishment. Never are they severe judges of
others, who have constant fellowship with the
Father, through the Son by the Spirit ; who see
and feel that " God is love," that he ever shows
Himself full of patience and of mercy towards
all mankind. How indeed can any be ready
to condemn, and slow to forgive, who are deeply
conscious of their own need of forgiveness at
the hands of God, and who are diligent disciples
in the school of that Master whose repeated
lesson is, " If ye forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you ;
but if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither, will your Father forgive your tres
passes."* " Who is a wise man, and endued
with knowledge among you, let him show out
* Appendix D.

48 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
of a good conversation his works, with meek
ness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter en
vying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and
lie not against the truth. This wisdom de-
scendeth not from above, but is earthly, sen
sual, devilish. For where envying and strife
is, there is confusion, and every evil work.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated ;
full of mercy, and of good fruits, without par
tiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit
of righteousness is sown in peace of them that
make peace." " Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called the children of God!"
Let all, then, who seek to be the children of
the God of love and of peace, examine them
selves by these safe scriptural tests of humi
lity, charity, and " a quiet and peaceable life,
in all godliness and honesty."
Let them labour diligently, and watch unto
secret prayer, that their progress in scriptural
knowledge may ever be accompanied by a pro
portionable growth of the power of true religion
in their hearts ; for there may be inwardly in

REVEALED RELIGION. 49
the mind a form of godliness in the knowledge
of doctrines, without experiencing the power
thereof, even as there may be outwardly in
actions. Let them beware also of cultivating
the mind at the expense of the heart and the
soul. An increase of spiritual feeling should
ever accompany our intellectual progress ; there
will otherwise be in us a hardness and coldness
highly unfavourable to the very object, which
was not only the first spring of our exertions,
but may perhaps really remain the leading mo
tive of their continuance. But if we obey, with
child-like docility, the simple maxim of Jesus,
".Watch and pray:" if we watch over our
selves continually, and " pray without ceasing,"
an ever-increasing spirit Of love to God and
man will sanctify in us, and bless to ourselves
and others our constant growth in power and
soundness of mind.
" Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edi-
fieth." " The fruit of the Spirit is in all good
ness, and righteousness, and truth." Giving
all diligence then, let us strive to " add to our
faith, virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge; and to
D

50 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
knowledge, temperance ; and to temperance,
patience ; and to patience, godliness ; and to
godliness, brotherly kindness ; and to brotherly
kindness> charity. For if these things be in
us, and abound, they make us that we shall
neither be barren nor unfaithful iii the know
ledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."*
But whatever be the trials connected with
the study of Scripture, all Christians are called
upon in obedience to the pfeCept of their
Master, Christ, to " search the Scriptures" for
themselves ;f and those who, in reliance upon
divine grace, endeavour to instruct others, are
bound to look to the Word of God alone ; re
membering the declaration of Jesus, " Thy
Word is truth."
The whole of revealed truth is an emanation
from God, a ray of light shed by the Maker,
Upholder, and Guider of all things upon their
design ; giving to man, under the influence of
the Holy Spirit, the knowledge expedient for
him. Much remains secret with the Supreme
Being, " inhabiting light unapproachable :"
* Appendix E. + Appendix F.

REVEALED RELIGION. 51
much is partially revealed. — " We see by a
mirror obscurely ;"* but whatever is reflected
therein of heavenly things, whatever is written
in the Word of God, is true, both particularly,
with reference to the circumstances connected
with it, and generally, as containing some germ
of universal truth.
The Bible claims our attention as a divinely
inspired history of our race ; giving us all need
ful information respecting that unseen world of
spirits, to which we belong, and declaring the
laws, by which our state in eternity will be de
cided. It is the counsel of the Being possessed
of infinite wisdom and perfect knowledge:
those are the wisest who study the most care
fully, and maintain the most exactly its princi
ples ; those the happiest who follow the most
closely its directions.
Our acquaintance with Scripture depends
upon our diligent exertions under the prevent
ing influence and continual help of God the
Holy Ghost. For the race of man became
• Appendix G.
D 2

52 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
corrupt through the fall of Adam, and we can
not rightly use our own powers in things spiri
tual, unless we are enabled to do so by the pre
venting and inworking grace of God. " Draw
me ; we will run after thee." " No man can
come after me, except the Father which hath
sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at
the last day. It is written in the prophets,
And they shall be all taught of God. Every
man, therefore, that hath heard, and hath
learned of the Father, cometh unto me." Thus,
also, we are taught to pray for " spiritual under
standing," yea, for " all riches of the full asgur-,
ance of understanding, to the acknowledgment
of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and
of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge ;" because it is God
the Holy Ghost who inclines, prepares, and
enables men to seek for truth ; it is he only,
who can remove the veil from our minds and
hearts, who can cause the darkness to pass
away from our spirits, " the Sun of Righteous*
ness to arise with healing in his beams;" " the

REVEALED RELIGION. 53
fulness of the Godhead, and the light of divine
glory in Jesus Christ to shine upon us ;* be
cause it is the Holy Spirit, who " openeth the
understanding to understand the Scriptures ;"
who " taketh of the things of Christ, and
showeth them unto us." We are then ever to
remember that our knowledge of truth, although
consequent upon the right use of our own
powers, and our diligent employment of them
in searching the Scriptures, still depends en
tirely upon God, who alone gives inclination to
seek truth, and continued ability to profit and
grow in and by it. At the same time we are
in every way diligently to exert our own facul
ties : we are to search, to consider, to com
pare, to reason, to infer, and to conclude ;* be
cause God has made us rational beings, and
ever addresses us as such ; because he has so
devised all things, as not merely to induce, but
even to compel us to the exercise of every in
tellectual faculty which he has bestowed upon
us ; because especially he has so conveyed to
* Appendix H. + Appendix I.

54 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
us in his Word that knowledge, on the acquire
ment and practical use of which our eternal
destiny depends, as to require in all cases the
exertion of the utmost measure of understand
ing we severally possess. For the inspired
writers do every where urge us by their manner
to the closest and most patient exertion of our
minds : they charge us by direct precepts, and
invite us by their example, to consider the
works of God, to reflect upon his dealings with
man from the foundation of the world, and to
reason upon his works, and his ways according
to his word.
We see, moreover, in Scripture, that the Su
preme Being, who is able to accomplish his
pleasure in any way that he wills, does yet or
dinarily act by means, and that he usually em
ploys for each purpose means corresponding
therewith. Now God made man in his own
image and likeness : he formed him of the
dust of the ground— of the earth, earthy; but
he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,
and man became a living soul. This spirit

REVEALED RELIGION. 55
Within us,— the breath from God, — operates by
the mind and heart. The acts of the mind and
heart are the energies of the souj.
God works then upon man in a manner cor
responding to the nature in which he formed
him. But although he employs our faculties
as the means of our enlightenment and spiritual
progress, all is entirely of him ; to whom be
the honour and glory of every thing great and
good in fallen man ;* for from God it proceeds,
and to him the praise thereof is wholly due.
" Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto
thy name be the praise." " Lord, thou hast
wrought all our works in us, and by thee only
will we make mention of thy name." " We are
not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as
of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God."
" He giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge
to them that know understanding."
The working of God and the agency of man
are indeed inseparably combined. The power
is given of God, but the act is executed by
man. To distinguish the acts proceeding from
• Appendix K.

56 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
the Holy Spirit, from the acts proceeding from
the motions of our own spirits, and the sugges
tions of Satan is impossible :* the spirit of
man cannot enter so deeply into itself. There
is a mystery in the operation of Divine grace
which cannot be explained. Much is said in
Scripture upon this subject generally; but
an impenetrable veil still conceals from us the
direct action of God upon our souls.
" Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself,
0 God of Israel, the Saviour !" +
That which the wisdom of God has thus
-left secret, let not the foolishness of man at
tempt to reveal. Our master, Jesus, " in whom
are hid all the treasures of wisdom and know
ledge," teaches us that the Holy Spirit cometh
as he listeth ; that his coming and, if we per
sist in " quenching and vexing," his departing
are secret from us, and imperceptible to us.
" The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof; but canst not tell
whence it cometh, and whither it goeth ; so is
¦ Appendix L. + Appendix M.

REVEALED RELIGION. 57
every one that is born of the Spirit."* We
perceive the effects of the Spirit, that cometh
from heaven, even as we hear the sound of
the wind that bloweth under it ; but we cannot
command the motions of either ; we cannot lay
down laws for their action : they come, they
privily depart, according to the wise and
righteous counsel of him who biddeth the one,
and is himself the other.
" As in water face answereth to face, so the
heart of man to man."
The nature of fallen man has ever been, is,
and ever will be the same. " That which is born
of the flesh is flesh." Now all truths respect
ing things unchangeable, must remain them
selves unchangeable ; but whatever is written
in Scripture of man, is true. The general
principles of Scripture, then, are eternal truths, f
and apply to man under all circumstances. " He
came unto his own, and his own received him
not ; but as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on his name ; which were
• Appendix N. + Appendix O.
D 5

58 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh>
nor of the will of man, but of God."
All the lost descendants of Adam are " his
own," " bought with a price," " purchased by
his blood ;" for " as by the offence of one, judg
ment came upon all men to condemnation,
even so, by the righteousness of one, the free
gift came upon all men, unto justification of
life." Accordingly, the last commandment which
Jesus gave to his disciples was this : " All
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, bap
tizing them in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you ; and lo I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world."
He is then alway with his faithful servants,
who yield the homage of the heart to him,
their Sovereign Lord. He is alway with his
true disciples, who take him as their master ;
who strive to submit their souls to His teaching;
who learn their doctrine at His mouth, treasure

REVEALED RELIGION. 59
up all His sayings in their hearts, and speak out
of the abundance thereof.
He comes in and by them unto all, (for are
not all " his own," and what region is not full
of their labours ? Their sound is gone into
all the earth,, and their words unto the ends of
the world,) and " as many as receive him, to
them gives he power to be.come the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name ; which
are born not of blood, nor of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man ; but of God."*.
St. Luke, writing by the inspiration of Him,
who alone knows the way of his Spirit, de
clares the same truth with equal plainness :
" The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that
she attended unto the things which were
spoken of Paul."
Let us revere the sovereign freedom of God
the Holy Ghost ; let us cherish the mysterious
working of his power within us ; let us intently
dwell upon the solemn thought in secret, apart
• The negation here is very strong :— " not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man."— Whoso is wise will
ponder such things.

60 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
from, and untold to others. If we " draw nigh
to God he will draw nigh to us ;" he will kin
dle " the smoking flax ;" he will raise into a
steady flame, upon the altar of the heart, the
embers of spiritual fire that slumber within us ;
the Spirit of truth and comfort will come and
dwell in us ; we shall be his temples, from
whence the mingled .accents of prayer, thanks
giving, and praise will continually ascend. Ah !
how great is the happiness of those who are thus
made " partakers of the Divine nature."
Why should we deprive ourselves of this en
nobling communion, this glorious fellowship!
The same mighty power exerted upon so many
other sinners like ourselves, is able " to loose
the chain of our sins," to give spiritual life and
energy to us also: the blessed gift bestowed
upon them will not be denied unto us ; God has
not forgotten to be gracious. He will not shut
up his loving kindness in displeasure. He can
cause us to hate, and hating, to forsake every
unholy way. He can incline us to love, and
loving, to practise every Christian virtue. Let
us pray him to do this thing for. us. Let us

REVEALED RELIGION. 61
persevere in striving faithfully to do our part,
and'he will give us the victory, that most diffi
cult of all victories, the victory over ourselves.*
Jesus promises that our Heavenly Father will
give unto us the Holy Spirit, if we ask in his
name ; Jesus warns us to walk while we have
the light, lest darkness come upon us ; Jesus
bids us to " search the Scriptures."
They are written in the wisest manner for us
men, and for our salvation. They are endowed
with a wonderful power to educate our spirits.
He who formed man out of the dust of the
earth, and breathed into him a living soul, has
so written his holy word, as to draw put, to en
large, and sanctify every energy of the Spirit,
working in the mind and heart.
The truths conveyed in Scripture, and re
ceived by faith, will at the same time humble
and elevate us, by teaching us what we are, by
showing us what we may be. They will animate
and confirm us in persevering, and at length
afford triumphant resistance to the dominion
of sin, the fruit of our corruption. They will
• Appendix P.

62 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
thus deliver us from the fear of death,* for
" the sting of death is sin, and the strength of
sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which
giveth us the victory, through our Lord
Jesus Christ." They will establish us through
him, in a liyely hope of eternal glory, of " an
inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and
that fadeth not away :" thus raising our affec
tions to things above, while they will expand
them to their utmost stretch towards all man
kind, as immortal spirits proceeding from the
same God and redeemed by the same Lord.
They will fire us with the love of whatsoever
¦things are true, honest, just, lovely, and of good
report; even with the love of the perfection
which is in God, that glorious object, which
the noblest spirits who have appeared on earth
in every age have so eagerly pursued ; and in a
perpetual and conscious progress towards which
all blessed spirits shall be employed through
out eternity: for " the path of the just is as
the shining light, that shineth more and more
unto the perfect day."f And we all looking
• Appendix Q. t Appendix R.

REVEALED RELIGION. 63
into the perfect law of liberty, and continuing
therein, " with open face beholding as in a mir-
ror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the
same image, from glory to glory, even after the
manner of the Lord the Spirit." " The kingdom
of God is not meat and drink ; but righteous
ness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
True religion is nothing outward and formal ;
it is inward and spiritual : it is the affiance of
the soul in God ; the rest of the spirit in the
Father, by the Spirit through the Son. In the
mind it produces the " wisdom that cometh
from above ;" in the heart — love, joy, and peace,
the first fruits of heaven. The streams do ever
tell the fountain whence they flow. There
are waters that nourish roots of bitterness,
which trouble the church of Christ, and defile
many. " There is a river, the streams whereof
shall make glad the city of God, the holy
place of the tabernacles of the Most High."
Just in proportion as the streams of love, and
peace, and joy in God do flow into our souls,
just in that proportion have we evidence that
we are regenerate, and " are made partakers of

64 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
the divine nature," just in that proportion do
we experience the pleasures which spirits, free
from sin, shall eternally enjoy.
Is that peace and contentment, that freedom
from the dominion of every unruly passion, and
every uneasy care ; that joy in the Holy Ghost,
and lively hope of its eternal increase; that
happiness which God can afford us even while
on earth, that utmost and inconceivable happi
ness, which infinite Power, infinite Wisdom,
and infinite Goodness will bestow hereafter, the
foremost object of our desire ? Are we in
clined to seek first the kingdom of God, and
the righteousness thereof, with all our heart,
with all our mind, with all our soul, and with
all our strength? Then remember that any
failure ; — (or if we cease to feel our need of Di
vine grace at all times, and in all things ; if
we cease continually to pray for the help of the
Holy Spirit ; if we neglect Holy Scripture, and
give more heed to the doctrines of men than to
the Word of God, and so wander on the right
hand or the left from the narrow path that
leadeth unto life ; if we cease ever to look unto

REVEALED RELIGION. 65
Jesus " as the author and finisher of our faith,"
as our Redeemer, our Lord, our teacher, and
our example, our " wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption," in whom we
are complete ;) — remember, that the final failure
will be owing entirely to ourselves.*
Almighty God has infinite goodness to in
cline, and infinite wisdom to enable Him to
make known unto us, even to the end, "the
things which belong to our peace," to discover
unto us whatever is expedient for us individu
ally, according to our several capacities and
condition. He has written His holy Word, by
the hand of His inspired servants, expressly for
our instruction. He has promised the influence
of His Holy Spirit to incline us to attend to it,
and to enable us competently to understand it.
Let us surrender ourselves entirely to His Spirit
and His Word.-f- Let us cast down imagina
tions, (XoyitTfiovg, in margin, reasonings,) and
every high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bring into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ."
• Appendix S. + Appendix T.

66 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
Who knows what has been in eternity, and
what shall be in eternity, but God himself?
Who knows what has been, what is, and what
shall be in his empire, without bounds of time
or space, but the almighty Creator and su
preme over-ruling Guider thereof himself ?
" Vain man would be wise ;" sitting in judg
ment upon God, and condemning all who differ
from himself. But "He taketh the wise in
their own craftiness." " He turneth wise men
backward, and maketh their knowledge fool
ish." " Behpld, all ye that kindle a fire, that
compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in
the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye
have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand ;
ye shall lie down in sorrow." " The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the
knowledge of the holy is understanding."
" My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and
hide my commandments with thee, so that thou
incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine
heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after
knowledge, and hftest up thy voice for under
standing ; if thou seekest her as silver, and

REVEALED RELIGION. 67
searchest for her as for hid treasures; then
shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and
find the knowledge of God. For the Lord
giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh know
ledge and understanding. He layeth up sound
wisdom for the righteous ; he is a buckler to
them that walk uprightly; he keepeth the
paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of
his saints. Then shalt thou understand righ
teousness, and judgment, and equity ; yea,
every good path."
Let us humbly receive all the words of God ;
let us seek understanding, and knowledge, and
sound wisdom out of his mouth; let us not
frame any system for ourselves, or adopt the
doctrines and commandments of such as have
attempted to be wise beyond what is written.
There is no system so comprehensive as holy
Scripture ; and the formation or adoption of a
rigid system, by which all are judged, is sure
to contract the spirit, both in thought and feel
ing, in the mind and heart.
To frame a consistent system, is to attempt
to do what God has not done; is to endeavour

68 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
to fathom the depths of Divine wisdom by the
line of our understanding, to square the divine
proceedings according to human judgment.
"Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!
Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of
the earth." " My thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,
saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts." Let us ever remember the danger
we run of becoming "wise in our own con
ceits ;" lest, being newly planted, puffed up
with knowledge, and lifted up with pride, we
should fall into the snare of the devil. Let us
make no such selection of doctrines, as may
lead us to neglect any part of the Word of God,
or to explain away any declaration contained
in it. The foreknowledge of God, and the pre
determined result of all his operations; the
voluntary agency and responsibility of man ;
the union of divine influence with human en
ergy ; the nature of the Supreme Being, — unity
in substance, and division in working, — these

REVEALED RELIGION. 69
are points upon which our spirits lawfully may,
and can scarcely fail to be more or less exer
cised. They cannot, however, be thoroughly
comprehended by us in conjunction as they
exist ; but they are to be viewed by us sepa
rately, and each to be unreservedly received,
all being declared with equal plainness in Holy
Scripture. The result of ages spent in disputing upon
these points can be only this, that men will at
length be content to cease from disputing upon
them, both from a conviction of the fruitless-
ness and sinfulness of so doing ; it being an es
sential part of true humility not to attempt to
reveal such things as God has left secret.
All things needful having been provided, an
atonement for sin made, God's will respecting
us revealed, the unchangeable laws of his eter
nal kingdom declared, the effectual help of the
Holy Spirit promised, to incline us to attend to,
and to enable us to understand, to remember,
and to observe them, Scripture then repre
sents man as exerting a conscious choice in his
motives, objects, and desires, in his habits of

70 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
thought, in the disposal of his time, in the em
ployment of his faculties, and in his whole
occupations and actions.
Time is our estate, over which we have abso
lute control ; its produce will be the ages of
eternity. We are created immortal, and we
cannot escape the eternal consequences of our
existence upon earth. God calls upon us in
his Word to make the choice of what those
consequences shall be.* Life and death, bless
ing and cursing, tribulation and anguish, glory,
honour, and peace, the fire ever-being having
been prepared for the devil and his angels, the
kingdom having been prepared from the foun
dation of the world, are set before us. " He
that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap
corruption ; but he that soweth to the Spirit,
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." " The
wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
" By grace are ye saved, through faith ; and
this salvation-!" is not of yourselves, it is the
* Appendix V.
•f* Tyyap ^aotrt effr« (Teffwff/icvoi did rijg TrtoTewf Kal
TOVTO OVK k^VftldV.

REVEALED RELIGION. 71
gift of God ; not of works, lest any man should
boast : for we are his workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them."
Let us be willing to owe our salvation en
tirely to Amighty God : let us receive the pre
cious gift with all submission of mind, and
thankfulness of heart. God is not, and will
not be wanting to us ; it is we who are wanting
to ourselves. Let us bow down our rebellious,
Self-sufficient, proud, haughty spirits low be
fore our Maker. Let us humbly, perseveringly,
gratefully, and cheerfully follow that way of
salvation which he points out to us in his
Word, and use those means of grace which he
has ordained and blessed.* Let us trust in his
wisdom, rather than in our foolishness ; in his
strength, rather than in our weakness. Let us
seek continually, in the name of Jesus Christ,
the gifts which our heavenly Father delights
continually to bestow. Not one will depart
accursed from the bar of eternal judgment, who
might not, but for his own fault, have heard the
* Appendix X.

72 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
blessed, the final, and irreversible sentence of
approval from the Searcher and Judge of
spirits. Not one will know "the worm that
dieth not, the fire that is not quenched, the
blackness of darkness for ever," who might not,
but for his own fault, have been everlastingly
and inconceivably happy. God is infinite in
goodness and in mercy ; he hath sworn by him
self, by his own awful name, which endureth
for ever and ever, that he willeth not the death
of a sinner, that he willeth not the misery of a
single spirit : " He willeth that all men be
saved, and come to the knowledge of truth."
He has promised, for Jesus Christ's sake, to
give unto all that ask in his name the blessed
gift of the Holy Spirit, to incline them to " seek
first his kingdom, and the righteousness there
of;" he has promised to guide by his Word all
that come unto him with the docility of little
children, into pleasant paths of peace, and joy,
and hope, leading unto everlasting happiness.
This shall be the covenant that I will make :
" After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my
• Appendix Y.

REVEALED RELIGION. 73
law in their inward parts, and write it in their
hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be
my people. And they shall teach no more every
man his neighbour, and every man his brother,
saying, Know the Lord ;. for they shall all know
me, from the least of them unto the greatest of
them, saith the Lord ; for I will forgive their in
iquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
" I will give them an heart to know me, that I
am the Lord ; and they shall be my people, and
I will be. their God; for they shall return unto
me with their whole heart."
Brethren, every plea against that which
God declares to .be His will, and acceptable to
Him through Jesus Christ, proceeds from our
own alienated, sinful, deceitful, and desperately
wicked hearts ; and from Satan, the prince of
the powers of evil. His subtlest suggestions
are ever those which are founded upon the per
version of the Wprd of God. Remember what
has been already said, that Scripture itself, like
every other gift of God, is liable to abuse
through the corruption of our hearts, through
the systems, the reasonings, the speculations, E

74 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
and erroneous doctrines of men, and through
the insinuations of Satan. Seek truth in all its
purity from God, its eternal fountain, through
the appointed channels of prayer, of His Word,
and of His ordinances. Give no heed to any
such fatal ideas as, that you cannot pray in
spirit and in truth — you cannot pray with faith.
You are as free to pray as to perform any
other action of your lives : you can enter into
your closet, and shut to the door ; you can bend
the knee, though stubborn and unused ; you can
bow the head, that has so long and so haugh
tily exalted itself against your Maker; you
can utter the prayer in secret, to Him that seeth
in secret.
These first outward tokens of surrender, this
supplication for pardon, the sovereign Lord of
all creation demands of man, that persisting
rebel against the eternal ordinances of heaven,
that willing traitor to himself. Is it too much
to ask, when earthly and heavenly happiness,
when all that is included in the love or the
wrath of Almighty God depend upon the
issue ; is it too much to ask, that you should

REVEALED RELIGION. 75
thus submit yourself (however at first seem
ingly in vain) again and again ? You, who
have persevered in sin against the light of
Christian knowledge, and against the testimony
of your conscience; you, who have so long
gone on in a course of wilful and presumptuous
offences, will you not for a short season perse-*
vere in seeking mercy, and forgiveness, and
spiritual life from Him who is the monarch of
eternity? Are you sensible of a revoltijag of
the spirit, an alienation of mind, and an insen
sibility of heart ? A countless multitude of the
spirits of just men made perfect, were once
like you ; they shared with you the corruption
of human nature ;* but they heartily, dili
gently, and perseveringly sought, and so seek
ing they found the way of salvation, in the use
of the means divinely appointed for man's re
demption from " the plague of his own heart,"
from the power and dominion of sin. They
looked unto Jesus ; they put their trust in Him ;
they asked spiritual gifts in His name ; they
were converted, changed entirely in the spirit
* Appendix Z.
E 2

76 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
of their minds and hearts. They were regene
rate, spiritually born again by the mighty
power of God. They awoke from the death of
sin to the life of righteousness ; from spiritual
sloth and indolence, to hearty love and con-*
tinual pursuit of that holiness, without which
no man shall see the Lord.* He " giveth to
all men liberally, and upbraideth not." Why
should you deprive yourselves of those eternal
blessings which He alone can bestow ; regene
ration, gradual and growing sanctification,
" joy in the Holy Ghost," peace on earth, and
happiness in heaven?
Not one ever perseveringly sought the help
of God in vain. Jesus never cast out one, that
came unto Him. However conscious then of
present alienation, encourage, I beseech you,
the desire and endeavour to " worship God in
spirit and in truth," to pray with faith. Smite
upon your breast, and say, " God be merciful
to me, a sinner." Call upon Him whose blood
was shed for you : — Lamb of God, slain from
the foundation of the world, take away my
• Appendix A A.

REVEALED RELIGION. 77
sin ! Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy
on me. Lord, help thou mine unbelief!
Strengthen thou my faith.
Then give way to thought. Indulge reflec
tion. Place yourself in the full blaze of divine
truth. Think from whence your spirit came.
Consider your immortality. Remember that
the moment of your birth was the commence
ment of an endless existence ; that God assures
you there are but two orders of spirits, good
and evil; — servants of God, lovers of light, of His
Word, of His day, and of His people ; and ser
vants of Satan and of sin, lovers of darkness,
ungodly, unholy, disobedient ; that there are
likewise but two conditions in eternity, infinite
happiness and infinite misery.
Remember that life is a state of probation ;
that there is no safety in the sincerity of error,
for it is written, " There is a way, which seem-
eth right unto a man, but the end thereof are
the ways of death ;" that there are those, who
speak peace unto themselves and others, while
there is no peace.
Remember that you are continually in-

78 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
creasing in meetness for heaven or hell, by
your daily habits of thought, word, and action ;
by ever seeking the preventing and inworking
grace of God, and following His way ; or by
following " the way of your own hearts," sur
rendering, yourselves, unguarded, to the wiles of
Satan, and the delusions of your deserted spirit.
Consider the time past of your life. Con
sider the state of your heart. Does the wit
ness within bear faithful testimony against'
you ? Are you then in love with destruction ?
Are you determined to perish? Death has
surprised many, blind and thoughtless, doubt
ful and procrastinating, like yourself. Hell
will be peopled with such careless, persisting
sinners. But life is still yours. All is yet
possible to you. Heaven is still offered freely
to your choice. Make your humble confession
to Almighty God, meekly kneeling upon your
knees: " Father, I have sinned against heaven
and before thee, and am no more worthy to be
called thy son."
The altar will not long be thus prepared,
and the sacrifice made ready, ere the fire

REVEALED RELIGION. 79
from heaven will descend, and rise in grateful
clouds of the incense of contrition, adoration,
and praise. The strong man armed will be
shaken, the chains of sin will be loosened, your
spirit will aspire toward its native heaven, will
see its corruption, and will feel its need of di
vine help. The inward acknowledgment and
earnest cry of your soul will be, " Have mercy
upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kind
ness; according unto the multitude of thy
tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquities, and
cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge
my transgressions, and my sin is ever before
me. Against thee only have I sinned, and
done this evil in thy sight ; that thou mightest
be justified when thou speakest, and be clear
when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in
iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive
me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward
parts ; and in the hidden part thou shalt make
me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop,
and I shall be clean ; wash me, and I shall be

80 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and
gladness, that the bones which thou hast
broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my
sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create
in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right
spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy
presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from
me." If there be any strength of reason, any
force of truth, any " demonstration of the spi
rit and of power," in what has been now said,
then, brethren, I pray you to beware of what
has been the ruin of thousands, waiting for a
convenient season. Remember that the moral
sense is very delicate, that the feeling of our
responsibility is strengthened or diminished by
our regard to, or neglect of it ; and that
whether we judge ourselves or not, whether we
call ourselves to a daily account of our thoughts,
words, and actions, with a view to eternity de
pendent upon them ; whether we ponder the
Word of God, and consider our ways, or care
fully banish such reflections from our minds,
Time is doing his work, and by insensible, but

REVEALED RELIGION. 81
incessant touches, moulds, works out, and com
pletes our character.
Each returning Sabbath contributes its part ;
each passing day, each swift-winged hour is
adding the powerful force of habit to our ever-
strengthening principles of good or evil ; each
awakening thought, each lively feeling, if re
sisted, gradually hardens the spirit, and renders
it less susceptible of future impression. The
preaching of the gospel is " the savour of life
unto life, or of death unto death." Man con-
tinueth not in one stay. He cannot stand still
in his career of probation any more than in his
perpetual advance towards death, judgment,
and eternity. Conscience, if long disregarded,
will at length cease to raise her warning voice.
" The Spirit of God will not always strive with
man." The spirits, that are in men, arefallen,
tainted by pride, the source of unbelief, of self-
will, of discontent, of rebellion against God,
and of all spiritual sin : they are tried, if it
may be they will consider, and repent, and
turn unto the Lord ; they are drawn by every
means which God sees to be expedient in His
e 5

82 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
infinite wisdom, embracing all space, and all
duration, and in His infinite goodness, which
knows no bound. All having been exhausted
by the loving-kindness and long-suffering mercy
of Almighty God, and all having been found in
vain, you will at length be resigned to the cor
ruption of your nature, and the evil example of
a sinful world '. like Ephraim you will be left
alone with your idols. The things of this world,
which you desire, you may perhaps obtain —
wealth, power, fame — and may even have " no
bands in your death," but having lived in dis
obedient unbelief of Moses, and the prophets,
and of one greater than the prophets, who rose
again from the dead, you will lift up your eyes
in hell, when it is too late, being in torments.
To yield to the drawing of God, to the in
fluence of the Holy Spirit, to repent, be con
verted, walk in the ways of the Lord, and be
blessed, — or to go on in a course of life con
demned by the Word of God, to persevere
in the evil ways of the world, and of man's
own heart, and be accursed, are the alternatives
set plainly before us all : each will answer for

REVEALED RELIGION. 83
himself hereafter, and each is called upon in
Scripture to make the choice on which eternity
depends. The appeal herein made to you may
be the final and decisive trial of the immortal
spirit that animates your frame. If there be a
small still voice, that may be silenced, but can
not be mistaken, which convicts you of a love
of sin, and an aversion to holiness ; of a long
life, it may be, spent in ways of your own
choosing, of a spirit estranged from God, the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of a total unfit
ness for heaven, for communion with " the spi
rits of just men made perfect," with holy
angels, and with " God, the judge of all," who
has seen and noted, who now sees and notes all
the inward workings of your soul ; harden not
yourself, I implore you, against those convic
tions, already, doubtless, often resisted,* on
compliance with which your state in eternity
depends. Run not that awful risk — waiting for a con
venient season. " The high and lofty One that
inhabiteth eternity," His word, and His laws,
" Appendix B B.

84 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
which are full of Him, will remain for ever the
same. The world will still be to be overcome ;
the gospel to be received and obeyed. Sin, by
added habit, will have become stronger ; con
science, by longer opposition, will have become
weaker. By delay you abuse the patience of
" the. Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty God
of Israel," with whom " is terrible majesty ;"
" who lifteth up his hand to heaven, and saith,
I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword,
and mine hand take hold on judgment, I will
render vengeance to mine enemies, and will re
ward them that hate me." " Ah, I will ease
me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine
enemies." By delay you remain the enemy of God and
of your own happiness ; you expose yourself to
fearful hazard ; you trifle with eternity, you
greatly increase the probability of dying in
your sins, unchanged in spirit, and therefore,
unprepared for the kingdom of heaven ; for ex
cept a man be born again he cannot enter there.
Those fingers of a man's hand, which wrote
on the wall of Belshazzar's palace, seen by

REVEALED RELIGION. 85
him whose fate was declared, (let him that
readeth understand, for the warnings of God are
given in mercy,) might write this epitaph on
the tomb of many : —
HIS DAYS WERE NUMBERED, AND ARE
FINISHED;
he is weighed in the balance, and found want
ing; he knew and believed the revelation of
My will ; he waited for. a convenient season ;
he perished in his sins.
" Man knoweth not his time ; as the fishes
that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds
that are caught in the snare, so are the sons of
men snared in an evil time, when it falleth sud
denly upon them." " Surely in vain the net is
spread in the sight of any bird."
But man, although conscious of immortality
and instinct, by a spirit that shall exist for
ever, sets at nought all the counsel of God,
despises all his reproof, and follows the way of
his own heart ; blinded by the deceitfulness of
sin, and conformed to the fashion of the world,
that passeth away. The words of the Son of

86 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
God, the soul-stirring language of prophets
and apostles, the solemnly recorded sen
timents of all wise and holy men, that have
ever lived, produce no abiding impression upon
hearts engrossed by the love of the world, and
of the things that are in the world. The deceit-
fulness of riches, and the cares of the world,
and the pleasures of this life, and the" lusts of
other things, entering in, choke the word, and
it becometh unfruitful.
Learn then, from your experience of yourself;
your consciousness of what has passed within
you ; your doubts and misgivings ; your convic-
tion of error and of danger ; your broken reso
lutions of amendment: learn from what you
have observed in others; learn, and engrave
indelibly upon your soul this lesson — that
man is helpless unto himself. That while to
will is from time to time present with him,
he still findeth not how to perform that which
is good. There is a law in his members warring
against the law of his mind, and bringing him
into captivity to the law of sin, which is in his
members. The natural man, (every man that

REVEALED RELIGION. 87
does not secretly, earnestly, and continually
seek from Almighty God, in the name of Jesus
Christ, the preventing and inworking grace of
the Holy Spirit,) although sometimes struggling
to be free, yet still remains the servant of
Satan, " tied and bound with the chain of his
sins." Such is the situation, by nature, of every
man. Such was the situation of all the spirits
of just men made perfect, now in paradise.
You are not weaker, or more corrupt, than the
glorious company of the apostles, the goodly
fellowship of the prophets, the noble army of
martyrs ; than all the servants of God, who
have followed their good examples, departing
this life in His faith and fear. If then you will
look, like the innumerble host of the faithful,
unto Jesus; if you will seek that Divine
energy which they sought and obtained,
" you will be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the chil
dren of God."*
Hear what comfortable words our Saviour,
* Appendix C C.

88 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
Christ, saith unto all that truly turn to Hiim
" Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek arid
lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your
souls ; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light." " Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you ; not as the world giveth, give I unto
you ; let not your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid."
" Ye believe in God," in His almighty power,
in His perfect purity, in His unchangeable truth ;
you, who read His Word, who consider His laws,
who acknowledge and bewail your manifold
sins and wickedness, from time to time most
grievously committed, by thought, word, and
deed, against His Divine Majesty. " Ye be*
lieve in God, believe in me also," that I lived
and died for your salvation ; that My merits
exceed all your sins ; that My perfect righteous
ness shall be imputed to you by faith ; that I
purchased for you, by My blood, the gift of the
Holy Spirit, which will be granted to you in

REVEALED RELIGION. 89
answer to your prayers; which will give you
power over the corruption of your nature ; which
will gradually make you truly holy, and pre
pare you for heaven. " Ye believe in God, be
lieve thus in me also; let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be afraid ; it is your
Father's good pleasure to give you the king
dom." ,
Brethren, we pray you to make trial of this,
our gracious Saviour, who has dealt so merci
fully with us, and with many. If He were ex
treme to mark what is done amiss, we could
not stand before Him. But He, who said unto
his chosen apostles, " the spirit indeed is wil
ling, but. the flesh is weak," has ever been full
of forbearing love unto us, as unto all His sin
cere disciples. " A bruised reed shall he not
break, and smoking flax shall he not quench,
till he send forth judgment unto victory."
Acquaint now thyself with God, and be at
peace ; thereby good shall come unto thee.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from His mouth,
•and lay up His words in thy heart.
" Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to

90 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
the waters ; and he that hath no money, come
ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk,
without money and without price. Wherefore.
do ye spend your money for that which is not
bread ? and your labour for that which satis-
fieth not ? hearken diligently unto me, and eat
ye that which is good, and let your soul delight
itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto
me : hear, and your souls shall live ; and I will
make an everlasting covenant with you, even
the sure mercies of David !"
" The Spirit and the Bride (which is the
church of Christ) say, Come. And let him
that heareth say, Come. And let him that is
athirst come. And whosoever will, let him
take of the water of life freely."
God, overlooking the times of ignorance,
now commandeth all men every where to re
pent, for all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is
the proclamation of mercy unto all.
" Him hath God exalted with his right hand,
to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give re
pentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

REVEALED RELIGION. 91
And we are his witnesses of these things; and
so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath
given to them that obey him."
" We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus
the Lord ; and ourselves your servants, for
Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in
our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the excellency of the power may be of
God, and not of us."
We, who preach Christ Jesus the Lord, are
conscious of our own need of the forgiveness of
our trespasses. If then there is much in us
unworthy of the faith we possess, we pray you
to forgive us for our common weakness' sake ;
we pray you to forgive us for our love's sake ;
we pray you to forgive us for Jesus Christ's
sake. We desire to make fully known to you
the work of the Lord, and the faith wherein we
stand. It is built upon the evidence of facts,
and upon the Word of God, which has a voice
that speaks its divine origin. We ask you to

92 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
examine with earnestness, and to decide with
seriousness, the questions on which your state
after death depends. Many, inferior to none
in the gifts of intellect, and the extent of their
acquirements, have thus examined, and have
professed their belief that there is a God, the
Creator of all things ; that the Bible is a revela
tion from Him ; that man is an immortal spirit,
and that his state in eternity depends upon his
actions ill time.* If happily you have never
doubted the truth of the faith of your fore
fathers, in which you were trained, but have
been led away by the deceitfulness of sin, then
resist no longer, we beseech you, the voice that
speaketh to you from heaven : " Turn you at
my reproof, (saith the Lord,) I will pour out ray
Spirit unto you ; I will make known my words
unto you." " Account that the long suffering
of our Lord is salvation." " For God hath
not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain sal
vation, by our Lord Jesus Christ." " Frus
trate not then the counsel of God within
yourselves." Make not the cross of Christ to
• Appendix D D.

REVEALED RELIGION. 93
you of none effect. Resist no longer the striv
ing of the Spirit of God. Open your minds
and hearts to the full influence of the Spirit of
Truth. Surrender your souls to His teaching.
Let not Satan induce you to doubt or deny the
effects which the Holy Spirit has so clearly
wrought in many. Have you not known some,
united to you by the sacred ties of nature, or the
bond of faithful friendship , whose life of love to
God and man, whose heavenly peace and holy
joy gave convincing evidence both of the since
rity of their endeavours, and of the efficacy of
the principles which they confessed before men.*
" I call heaven and earth to record, this day,
against you, that I have set before you life
and death, blessing and cursing ; therefore,
choose life, that both thou and thy seed may
live ; that thou mayest love the Lord thy God,
and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that
thou mayest cleave unto him, for he is thy life,
and the length of thy days."
If the gospel of Jesus Christ, preached to
you by His ministers, becomes not the power
* Appendix E E.

94 ELEMENTARY DOCTRINES OF
of God unto salvation ; if the full array of evi
dence, with which it comes down to us ; if the
force of internal truth, stamped upon the doc
trines of revelation ; if the proof of their sancti
fying influence upon many in time past, and
(may I not add) upon many now among us,
cannot give conviction to your minds ; if the
greatness of the divine mercy, if the freeness of
the divine blessing, cannot encourage your
hearts ; if the promise of immediate fellowship
with God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, by
being made " partakers of the divine nature ;"
if present deliverance from every thing sinful,
low, and degrading;* if the bright hopes in
eternity, the joys of angels, the glories of hea
ven, the inconceivable and utmost happiness
which God can bestow; if these, and all the
other innumerable and inestimable blessings of
that gospel, which no mortal tongue can duly
tell, cannot fire your souls, — you will continue,
while you remain on earth, dead in trespasses
and sins ; you will perish utterly and for ever in
your own corruption. • Appendix F F.

REVEALED RELIGION. 95
The hand of our God is upon all them for
good that seek him; but his power and his
wrath is against all them that forsake him.
" Now then we are ambassadors for Christ ;
as though God did beseech you by us, we
pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to
God." By the eternal welfare of your offspring,
which God has made to depend greatly upon
you ; by the memory of your departed relatives
and friends ; by your recollection of their love,
of their piety, of their truth, of their tender
counsel, of their dying faith, — we implore you
to pause " in the way of your own hearts," the
certain path to endless misery, to consider, to
look like them to Christ, to ask like them in
His name the gift of the Holy Spirit, to search
the Scriptures, and examine whether these
things be so.
" The Lord bless you, and keep you ; the
Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be
gracious unto you ; the Lord lift up his coun
tenance upon you, and give you peace."
To God, whose nature and whose name is

96 DOCTRINES OF REVEALED RELIGION.
love, who made us that He might bless us,
who redeemed us when we were fallen, who
sanctifies all who receive him, — to God . the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, one in
substance, three in working, be all honour,
glory, and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

APPENDIX.

A.— Page 43.

" Under every dispensation Scripture represents
the state of man as a state of probation."
The probation of Adam and Eve lay in obedience to
the one commandment given unto them : " Of the. tree
of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat."
" The Lord said unto Cain," (why restrain it thus ?
leave it open as it is left in Scriptufl,) " //thou
doest well, shalt thou not be accepted ? and if thou
doest not well, sin lieth at the door." Whether man
was accepted or sin lay at the door was conditional,
and depended upon his doing well or not well, in
his state of trial. The light of divine knowledge
and of truth, is given unto us in Scripture gradually :
thus, as we advance, the testimony of Scripture to
the doctrine that the state of man is a state of proba
tion, becomes plainer and more abundant. Job says
of man generally, " What is man, that thou
F

98 APPENDIX.
shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every
moment." Of himself he says, " He knoweth the
way that I take : when he hath tried me, I shall come
forth as gold." In the book of Exodus it is written,
" There he made for them a statute and an ordi
nance, and there he proved them." And again,
" Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will
rain bread from heaven for you ; and the people
shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that
I may prove them, whether they will walk in my
law or no." In Deuteronomy, " And thou shalt re
member all the way, which the Lord thy God led
thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble
thee and to prove thee, to know what was in thine
heart, whether thou wouldest keep his command
ments or not." But perhaps the most remarkable,
among all the numerous testimonies of Scripture
upon this point, is what is written respecting Heze-
kiah : " Howleit, in the business of the ambassadors
of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to en
quire of the wonder that was done in the land, God
left him to try him, that he might know all that was
in his heart." To give but two passages from the
Psalmist, he says with all possible plainness, " The
Lord trieth the righteous," and " Thou, O God, hast
proved us ; thou hast tried us, as silver is tried."
In the book of Proverbs we read, " The fining-pot is
for silver, and the furnace for gold ; but the Lord
trieth the hearts," And again, " O Lord of hosts,

APPENDIX. 99
that triest the righteous, and seest the veins i and
heart." ch. xx. 12.
In the books of the Prophets we are taught the
same doctrine. Jeremiah appeals unto the Lord, and
teaches us to appeal in like manner : — -" But thou, O
Lord, knowest me ; thou hast seen, and tried mine
heart towards thee." Daniel says, " Some of them
of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to
purge, and to make them white, even to the time of
the end." And again, " The words are closed up,
and sealed to the time of the end. Many shall be
purified, and made white and tried." In Zechariah
it is written, " I will refine them as silver is refined,
and will try them as gold is tried : they shall call on
my name, and I will hear them : I will say, It is my
people ; and they shall say, the Lord is my God."
ch. xiii. 9. The whole spirit of the preaching of
Jesus Christ, our Divine Master and unerring ex
ample, leads irresistibly to the conclusion, that the
state of man is a state of probation.
One of the petitions of that prayer, which he teaches
all His disciples, all who learn of Him arid follow
Him, to use, and His frequent injunctions to them,
to watch and pray always, clearly imply, that life is
a state of trial to the very last. In the parable of
the talents, recorded by the Evangelists as having
been related on more than one occasion, Jesus re
presents men as being tried, proved by having cer
tain talents entrusted to them, certain means of pro-
f 2

100 APPENDIX.
moting- the glory of God, and the welfare of man
kind offered to them for their use, of which they
will be hereafter called to account; be punished for
neglect, or rewarded for improvement. The direct
practical application of the parable He gives Himself,
" Unto every one that hath shall be given, and he
shall have abundance ; but from him that hath not,
shall be taken away even that which he hath."
Moreover, since our blessed Lord is very God of very
God, One with the Father, "with whom is no variable
ness, neither shadow of turning," He is unchangeable;
and such as He showed Himself while on earth, in
infinite wisdom and infinite love, to His faithful dis
ciples, such He ever shows Himself to all, who take
Him for their Master, who sincerely strive " to follow
His steps," and " to walk in all things, even as he
walked." He tries and proves them, that He may
teach them to know themselves ; that feeling their
own weakness, they may at length learn " to
cleave unto him with full purpose of heart." It is
thus St. John tells us, that on one occasion, " when
Jesus lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company
come unto him, he said unto Philip, Whence shall we
buy bread that these may eat ? and this he said to
prove him ; for he himself knew what he would do."
His chosen apostles, who had the mind and Spirit of
Christ, and were faithful preachers of the " words
given unto them by Jesus, to whom they were given
by the Father," continually teach both by the uni-

APPENDIX.

101

versal tendency of their doctrine, and also in express
terms, the same great and leading principle, that
the state of man is a state of probation. Thus St.
Paul, in an appeal to God, the Searcher and Judge
of spirits, for the truth of his doctrine, says, "As we
were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gos
pel, even so we speak ; not as pleasing men but God,
which trieth our hearts." St. James says, " Blessed
is the man that endureth temptation ; for when he
is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the
Lord hath promised to them that love him." St.
P,eter bids those who are in heaviness for a season,
if need be, through manifold temptations, to rejoice
in a lively hope of the inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in
heaven for them who were thus proved ; " that the
trial of their faith, being much more precious than
of gold, that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory,
at the appearing of Jesus Christ." St. John says to
the faithful church of Smyrna, " Fear none of those
things, which thou shalt suffer : behold, the devil shall
cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried."
Such are some of the direct Scriptural proofs of
that elementary doctrine of revealed religion, that
the state of man is a state of probation. They might
easily be swelled by many additional passages, and
by many clear inferential arguments; but to those
that received the Word of God with all thankfulness

102 APPENDIX.
and submission of mind, who " cast down imagina
tions, (Xoyiafitis inthe margin, reasonings,) and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge
of God, and bring, into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ," nothing more in the
proof can be necessary.
Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest
he fall ; let him beware of the danger he runs, lest,
thinking himself to be something, " intruding into
those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed
up by his fleshly mind," forgetting that life is a state
of continued trial, " being lifted up with pride, he
fall into the condemnation of the devil." Let none
indulge in a most hazardous and unscriptural confi
dence of the certainty of their own final salvation;
Let all remember, that life is a state of trial to the
very- last : for if the apostles of Jesus Christ, who
certainly enjoyed both the extraordinary and ordi
nary influences of the Holy Spirit, who were regene
rate, chosen to salvation, predestinated to4he adop
tion of children, vessels unto honour, if they were still
tried and proved, if St. Paul was careful, lest that
by any means, when he had preached to others, he
himself should- be a castaway, then, most assuredly,
none are proof against temptation — none are secure
against the risk of drawing back to perdition, —until
the race, is run, the good fight of faith finished, and
that crown of life bestowed, which shall be given to
those that endure unto the end.

APPENDIX. 103

B.— Page 45.
" The more that men are enabled to know of God,
and of themselves, the greater they will conceive
to be the remaining unsearchable depths of God's
wisdom and holiness, of man's foolishness and
sin; they will think the more awfully of God,
and the more humbly of themselves."
Whatever be the strength of faith, the fervour of
hope, the full tide of religious joy, they will yet ever
be tempered in all that are advancing towards " the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," with
much of holy awe. How forcibly is this shown by
those whom we assuredly know to have been under
the immediate influence of that Holy Spirit, of which
all true Christians, according to their measure, are
partakers. " With God, (says Job,) is terrible ma
jesty. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him
out. He is excellent in power and in judgment, and
in plenty of justice. He will not afflict. Men do
th^efore fear him. He respecteth not any that are
wise of heart." He thus more particularly expresses
his own feelings : " When I consider, I am afraid of
him ; for God maketh my heart soft." Observe

104 APPENDIX.
how Moses speaks of the Supreme Being, even while
he would encourage the people of Israel, and while
he assures them of His favour, and of His presence :
" The Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God
and terrible.'' And again, after telling them He
had called them, and chosen them above all people,
and taken them unto Himself nationally, for His own
great name's sake ; and because of the covenant
that He had made with Abraham, and the oaths
which He had sworn to their fathers, he says, " Cir
cumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be,
no more stiff-necked ; for the Lord your God is God
of gods, and Lord of lords; a great God, a mighty
and a terrible, which regardeth not persons."
Observe, again, how Nehemiah speaks of the Al
mighty as " the Lord God of heaven, the great and
terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for
them that love him,, and observe his command
ments." Let us learn then, with the Psalmist, even
while we call upon all the earth to " make a joyful
noise unto God ; to sing forth the honour of his
name, and make his praise glorious," still to " say
unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works!
Through the greatness of thy power, shall thine
enemies submit themselves unto thee. All the
earth shaU worship thee ; and shall sing unto th/e :
they shall sing to thy name. Come and see the
works of God ; he is terrible in his doing toward the
children of men."

APPENDIX.

105

How completely at variance with the spirit of
Scripture, and of its holy writers, is the distressing
confidence and irreverent familiarity which some
exhibit in speaking of God. The confidence which
St. John, and the other inspired writers, speak
of and exemplify, is the confidence of filial trust,
which is in perfect harmony with the humble reve
rence and blessed fear of " the poor in spirit,"
and " the lowly in heart."

C— Page 45.

" They will be the less disposed ' to esteem them
selves beyond others.' "
To esteem ourselves beyond others is a condition
of the spirit, a state of mind and heart completely
at variance with growth in holiness. Self-estima
tion, however, being a spiritual sin, is very deceit
ful ; and even after being checked and subdued for
a while, it is very apt to spring up and flourish again.
Perhaps one of the best means, under Divine grace,
to free ourselves from this uncomfortable and distress
ing feeling, is to think of our own besetting sins, when
ever we feel a disposition to be extreme in marking
what is done amiss by others.
f 5

106 APPENDIX.

D.— Page 47.
" If ye forgive men their trespasses, your hea
venly Father will also forgive you ; but if ye
forgive not men their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses.
What it is desirable we should always remember,
of that we can hardly be too frequently reminded.
Our Divine Master knew the heart of man. He
knew the value of this lesson, arid also how slow
we should be in learning it ; and therefore He
often repeats it, and sets it in a variety of lights.
" Take heed to yourselves ; if thy brother trespass
against thee, rebuke him ; and if he repent, forgive
him : and if he trespass against thee seven times in
a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee
saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him." " When
ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against
any ; that your Father also, which is in heaven,
may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not,
forgive, neither will your Father, which is in hea
ven, forgive your trespasses." " Then came Peter
to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall iny brother
sin against me, and I forgive him ? till seven times ?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until

APPENDIX. 107
seven times ; but until seventy times seven. There
fore is the kingdom of Heaven likened unto a
certain king, which would take account of his ser
vants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was
brought unto him, which owed ten thousand talents.
But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord
commanded him to be sold, and his wife and chil
dren, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him,
saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay
thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved
with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him
the debt. But the same servant went out, and found
one of his fellow- servants, which owed him an hun
dred' pence ; and he laid hands on him, and took
him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and
besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and
I will pay thee all. And he would not, but went
and cast him into prison, till he should pay the
debt. So when his fellow-servants saw what was
done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto
their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that
he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked ser
vant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou de-
siredst me ; shouldest not thou also have had com
passion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on
thee ? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him
to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due

108 APPENDIX.
unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father
do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not
every one his brother, their trespasses."
The disposition to forgive trespasses, and to be
reluctant to condemn others, evidently proceeds from
the same spirit, that spirit of love, " which will cover
the multitude of sins." They are accordingly united
by Jesus in the following passage : " Judge not, and
ye shall not be judged ; condemn not, and ye shall
not be condemned ; forgive, and ye shall be for-!
given." The apostles of Christ, who learned their
doctrine from His mouth, and were filled with His
Spirit, keep His sayings, and teach those things
which He commanded. " Be ye kind one to another,
tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God,
for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you." " Forbearing
one another, and forgiving one another, if any man
have a quarrel against any ; even as Christ forgave
you, so also do ye." " For he shall have judgment
without mercy, that hath showed no mercy, and
mercy rejoiceth against judgment."
The doctrine of the forgiveness of injuries, in the
spirit of fervent love, throws immediate light upon
the following passages, which are corollaries of the
former: — " Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for
them which despitefully use you, and persecute you ;
that ye may be the children of your Father, which
is in heaven ; for h'e maketh his sun to rise on the

APPENDIX. 109
evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just
and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love
you, what reward have ye ? Do not even the pub
licans the same ? And if ye salute your brethren
only, what do ye more than others ? do not even
the publicans so ? Be ye therefore perfect, even as
your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect." " Re-
compence no man evil for evil. Dearly beloved , avenge
not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath;
for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay,
saith the Lord." " Now therefore there is utterly a
fault among you, because ye go to law one with
another. Why do ye not rather take wrong ? Why
do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded. '
" See that none render evil for evil, but contra
riwise, blessing ; knowing that ye are thereunto
called, that ye should inherit a blessing."
We shall indeed soon learn by experience, that
anger and resentment are uneasy inmates of the
breast, and destructive of peace of mind and
Christian comfort. But whatever be the strength of
our conviction, although the result of repeated and
painful transgression, yet are the foregoing lessons
of Jesus and His apostles so much at variance
with the corrupt spirit of man, that he who would
imitate " the meekness and gentleness of Christ,"
he who would attain to such a sublime height of
Christian excellence, must live in the exercise of
lively faith, of continual prayer, and of all holiness;

110 appe'ndix.
and even then may sometimes fail to practise what
he preaches.

E.— Page 50.

" Giving all diligence, then let us strive to ' add
to our faith virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge ;
and to knowledge, temperance ; and to temper
ance, patience ; and' to patience, godliness ; and
to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness, charity. For if these things be in us
and abound, they make us that we shall neither
be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ.' "
Virtue, knowledge, temperance, and patience, to
which may be added sincerity, moderation, content
ment, activity, cheerfulness, and courtesy, are too
apt to be thought the lessons of mere moral philo
sophy. These Christian graces, or moral virtues,
are, however, prominently inculcated throughout the
whole of Scripture ; and it is important to notice,
that while faith stands first as the only foundation,
brotherly kindness and charity hold the last and
finishing place in the scale of excellence given by

APPENDIX. Ill
St. Peter in the above simple and beautiful passage.
" Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity en -
vietff not ; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed
up ; doth not behave itself unseemly ; seeketh not
her own ; is not easily provoked ; thinketh no evil ;
rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in truth ;
beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all
things, endureth all things."
Ah ! it is easier far to speak with the tongues of
men and angels, to understand all mysteries and all
knowledge, to bestow all one's goods to feed the
poor, and to give the body to be burned, than to pos
sess that charity which is the bond of perfectness
and the absence of all selfishness, which teaches us
to pray for others more than for ourselves, and to
seek the good of others with more untiring zeal than
corrupt nature seeks its own. This divine love can
come only from the Spirit of love ; let us seek it from
Him. " O Lord, who hast taught us that all our doings,
without charity, are nothing worth ; send thy Holy
Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent
gift of charity, which is the very bond of peace and
of all virtues, without which, whosoever liveth is
counted dead before thee. Grant this for thine
only Son, Jesus Christ's sake. Amen."
If we would cherish this tender plant from heaven,
we must continually seek the fostering dews of the
Spirit of grace ; we must cast forth every unkindly

112

APPENDIX.

feeling, that we may give room for its increase until
it occupies- our whole heart.

F.— Page 50.
" Search the Scriptures."
Eptwaw, to search, search diligently, investigate,
track. The word here, in its whole force, implies
to search carefully, and pursue closely every indica
tion of the sense of the Scriptures. For this purpose
we are to search the whole of the Scriptures ; not the
Gospels only, nor the Epistles only, but the entire
Word of God, the Old Testament as well as the
New. Our Master, Jesus, the teacher of all faithful
Christians, and his apostles, who had His mind and His
Spirit, often refer us to the Old Testament : the graces
therein exemplified and commended, we are diligently
to pursue ; the sins condemned and punished we are
carefully to avoid. " Remember Lot's wife" " Be
hold we count them happy which endure. Ye have
heard of the patience of Job." " Elias was a man
subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed
earnestly that it might not rain ; and it rained not
on the earth by the space of three years and six

APPENDIX. 113
months. And he prayed again, and the heaven
gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."
" And what shall I more say, for the .time would fail
me to tell of Gideon) and of Barak, and of Samson,
and of Jeptha, of David also, and Samuel, and of the
prophets." " All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness ; that the man of God
may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good
works." Particular benefits are to be derived, under
the Divine blessing, from each particular portion of the
Word of God; and he who neglects any portion,
practically proves that he thinks that part unneces
sary, and that he is wiser than Him by -whom all
was given, precisely as it now stands. In the Scrip
tures, and in the Scriptures only, we have truth
without any mixture of error ; truth, not as preached
and explained by one or by another short-sighted
and erring man, but truth as it proceeds from
its eternal Author. Now God always demands
from us those proofs of the sincerity of our faith,
which, if we reflect calmly, we must perceive to be the
only true proofs; the evidence, namely, of something
done suitable, in each case, to the nature of the point
professed to be believed. Thus, if we sincerely be
lieve that the Bible is a divinely inspired and un-^
erring history of our race, that it is capable of giving
us all needful information respecting that unseen

114 APPENDIX.
world of spirits to which we belong, that it declares
to us the principles by which our state in eternity
will be decided, and that it is the counsel and ad
vice of the Being possessed of infinite power, wis
dom, and goodness, we shall certainly be led fre
quently to read it, carefully to examine it, and
seriously to reflect upon it. This is the very test,
the thing to be done, which God requires of us, as
the only proof of the sincerity of our professed faith
upon this point. All have some leisure time, espe
cially on the Sabbath-day. There are other proofs of
a man being a Christian, but this is one indispensa*
ble in all, that they employ some portion of their
leisure time in "searching the Scriptures."

G.— Page 51.

" Much remains secret with the Supreme Being,
'inhabiting light unapproachable;' much is
partially revealed, ' we see by a mirror ob
scurely.' "
Never should that leading doctrine of revealed
religion be lost sight of, — that the state of man is a
state of probation, and that there is much of trial in

APPENDIX. 115
all the dealings of God with him. Thus God's Word
itself is a constant trial unto man. In the study
thereof, pride, the original taint and abiding sin of our
nation, will still be our ruin ; humility, our safety;
There is a warning in the history of the fall of Adam,
which should ever be before our eyes. The tempta
tion of the deceiver was, " your eyes shall be opened*
and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
" And when the woman saw that the tree was to be
desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit
thereof, and did eat ; and gave also unto her hus
band with her, and he did eat."
Let all then beware of such systems, such " doc
trines and commandments of men," as leave nothing
secret with God ; let all remember that the wisest
and most pious men, those the most advanced in
holiness, have ever been the readiest to adopt the
words of St Paul, " Now we know in part, and see
by a mirror obscurely;" let all give heed to the
warning of St. Peter, that there are, in the epistles
of St. Paul, "some things< hard to be understood,
which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest,
as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own
destruction." This life is the childhood of our existence, and the
measures of our knowledge are proportioned to such
a state. One important lesson to be learned is this,
— that as the comprehension and knowledge of cre^

116 APPENDIX.
ated beings can never equal those of Him who is
infinite in all perfections, they must of necessity ac-
qjiire a disposition to make proper use of that which
they do know, and cheerfully trust the rest to their
Creator. They must learn not to be diverted from
principles which they can comprehend, and do cer
tainly know, by any perplexity arising from that
which is obscure. Enough light is afforded to guide
the humble on their careful way to heaven ; enough
"darkness remains for " the proud to stumble and fall."

H.— Page 53.

" It is God the Holy Ghost who only can remove
the veil from our hearts and minds, who can
cause the darkness to pass away from our spirits,
' the Sun of Righteousness to arise with healing
in his beams,' ' the fulness of the Godhead,'
and the light of divine glory in Jesus Christ to
shine upon us."
The incarnation of Jesus Christ, the coming of the
Son of God in the flesh, is the most surprising of
all miracles, the most wonderful of all events re-

APPENDIX. 117
corded in Scripture. A love of truth, the fruit of
conviction, and a desire of knowledge firmly founded
upon facts, are noble qualities implanted deeply in
the soul of man by Him who formed it. And in
proportion to the importance of the subject of our
inquiries, precisely in that proportion do we seek for
facts, for knowledge, for conviction, for truth. Now
we believe and feel ourselves to be immortal beings,
dependent for all things upon Almighty God, the
Sovereign Lord of all creation. To become ac
quainted with him, so far as our faculties enable us,
and that will be just so far as is expedient for us, is
an object infinitely surpassing all others in impor
tance. To enable us to do this in the manner most
satisfactory to our spirits, to supply us with facts,
from which we might derive entire conviction, was
one of the chief purposes of God in coming upon
earth. He inhabiteth light unapproachable. He is
concealed in the exceeding brightness of infinite per
fection. No man hath seen, nor can see Him. No
created being, even by a never-ending progress, will
ever exhaust the riches of the divine glories. " The
seraphim hide their faces with their wings, and cry
one to another, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of
hosts; the whole earth is full of his glories." But
that we might know Him in part, and learn to trust
in His mercy and His love, He came and dwelt
among us, full of grace and truth.
" And confessedly great is the mystery of godli-

118 ' APPENDIX.
ness." It has Staggered and well nigh overcome the
dawning faith of many highly gifted and inquiring
minds. It has been, and, alas ! still is, a .stumbling-
stone to others, who have ouf love and our prayers.
Fully to comprehend the necessity of this wonderful
work of divine humility and love is beyond the
power of man. To God belongs counsel, to man
submission. Since, then, that which was hidden
from. the foundation of the world has been brought
to light, that which was prophesied through thou
sands of years, which needed infinite wisdom to de
vise, and infinite goodness to effect,. has been accom
plished ; since God has so greatly and incompre
hensibly humbled Himself for us men and for our
salvation, let all that name the name of Christ
often inflame their hearts with holy gratitude, often
read the sacred history of His life, and meditate upon
His words and actions. So, we trust, shall the
prayers of many on their behalf be heard, the veil
be taken away from their minds, and ". the light of
the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of
God, shine unto them."
Blessed Lord, reveal Thyself in Thine own light,
One with the Father, to all that love Thy name, and
give unto them the words of eternal life. And if if
be possible for any to be saved who do not bow the
knee to Thee, who reject Thy atonement, and trust
in 'their own righteousness, save in unbelief all that
do not offend of malicious wickedness. Receive

APPENDIX. 119
these our prayers, which we offer unto Thy Divine
Majesty, who reignest with the Father and the Holy
Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

I.— Page 53.

" We are in every way diligently to exert our own
faculties, we are to search, to consider, to com
pare, to infer, to reason, and to conclude."
The duties of searching and considering the Scrip
tures have been already proved. Of comparing the
Scriptures I shall bring forward but one instance ;
that of St. Paul, in the beginning of the Epistle to
the Hebrews. He there assembles together several
passages, compares them, reasons upon each, states
the necessary inferences, and draws a general con
clusion from the whole, in support of that corner
stone of revealed religion, the divinity of Jesus
Christ. That it is man's duty to draw inferences
from Scripture our Master plainly teaches : " Ye
do err, (said He to the Sadducees,) not knowing the
Scriptures; for as touching the resurrection of the
dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto

120 APPENDIX.
you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham,
and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ? God
is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Jesus
pronounces that they erred; and yet so far is the
inference from being plain at first sight, that no one
will feel the full force of the argument, who has
not long indulged habits of reflection.
Such are some of the Scriptural proofs of the ge
neral position, that it is our duty, in every way,
diligently to exert our faculties in the investigation
of truth ; the necessity and duty of the same exer
tion, in the application of the principles of Scripture,
is no less evident. One of the lessons of our Master
to his disciples is this, " Remember Lot's wife.''
Now, if it be sinful to employ reason in a careful
consideration of all circumstances, this precept would
have been hitherto vain, for no case precisely similar
to that of Lot's wife has ever yet since occurred.
The lesson, however, is most important, and that
diligent use of his faculties, which is man's bounden
duty, will easily point out the application of it to
every human being.
Once more. Jesus came as our perfect example
•n all things; but without individual application it is
evidently impossible for us to derive the benefit in
tended. Now such a thorough examination and at
tentive consideration of the whole life, actions, and
discourses of Jesus Christ, as is necessary in order
to understand " the Spirit of Christ;" " the mind

APPENDIX.. 121
which was in him" requires the strenuous exertion of
the utmost faculties we severally possess.
Nations, like individuals, are apt to rush from
one extreme into its opposite, and the foregoing-
Scriptural proofs and illustrations of the general po
sition, that it is the duty of man diligently to exert
every faculty he possesses, in the investigation and
application of Scripture, may not be without use.

K. — Page 55.

" To whom be the honour and glory of every thing
great and good in fallen man."
'{. As the fining-pot for silver, and the furnace for
gold, so is a man to his praise :" — there is nothing so
trying; and a Christian becomes so weary of compli
ments from Satan and from himself, as to be totally
unwilling to receive them from any other quarter. It
is easy to show respect in other ways ; but many do
not seem aware that a man of understanding looks
upon flattery to be an insult, and that a mind of re
fined delicacy, even while it may forgive, still feels
every semblance of it unpleasant.

122 APPENDIX.

L. — Page 56.
" To distinguish the acts proceeding from the
Holy Spirit, from the acts proceeding from the mo
tions of our own spirits, and the suggestions of Sa
tan is impossible."
We know, generally, that " whatsoever things
are true, whatsoever things are honest, what
soever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are
of good report," " all holy desires, all good counsels,
and all just works,'' proceed from God the Holy
Ghost, and are the fruit of His working within us;
and that every thing sinful and evil is from Satan
and ourselves. We know also, that whilst we are
on earth, some remains of the sin and corruption
of our nature will still ever cleave to us. There thus
is a mixture of what is from God, and what is from
Satan and ourselves, in all our thoughts, words,
and actions, and there will be even to the very last.
Here, as in numerous other points, the utmost cer
tainty of general knowledge is afforded to us, but
that particular knowledge which would be incompa
tible with a state of trial and probation, is g^refully
and completely hidden from us.

APPENDIX. 123

M.— 56.
" Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, 0 God
of Israel, the Saviour." Ps. xvi.
There is a very close analogy between things
natural, and things revealed. The God of nature,
and the God of revelation, is the same. On His
Word and on His works, the same attributes of in
finite love, infinite wisdom, and infinite power are
broadly stamped. It is easy to trace the strongest
resemblance in many different points of view. To
pursue the one before us — look at the works of God.
The acutest minds have been employed for ages in
their investigation, and what is the result ? That
there is in every plant that springs, in every different
mineral, in the essences and properties of all things,
much that defies detection. God gives to all their
energies and their peculiar qualities. He is in all,
and through all. But while our spirits confess His
presence, He is concealed from our immediate view
" Verily, thou art a God that hidest thyself, 0 God
of Israel, the Saviour."
Look again at the dealings of God with nations,
and individuals. See the triumph of oppression,
and the wrongs of innocence ; see principles of uni-
g 2

124 APPENDIXi,
versal good often producing particular evils. There
is much that we cannot fathom. Nations sitting for
ages in the shadow of death. Prayers, incessant
prayers for the spiritual good of others, it may be of
some near and dear to us, unanswered. " 0 the
depth of the riches both of the wisdom and know
ledge of God ! How unsearchable are his judgments,
and his ways past finding out !" Yet, while much
is hidden, the light of love shines visibly throughout
all. " Clouds and darkness are round about him ;
righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his
throne." Look again at the work of God in the soul of
man. Scrutinize the lives of those who have evi
dently endeavoured to detail, with honest fidelity, the
marvellous operation of the Holy Ghost upon them
selves. Almost all learn finally to suspect, the na
ture of any imagined particular and sensible im
pressions, and therefore caution others against ex
pecting, in answer to their continual prayer, through
Jesus Christ, any thing more than the preventing and
inworking, although hidden grace of God. And if
(God's holy name be praised) He " hath called you
from darkness into His marvellous light," could you
speak more wisely than thus : " One thing I know,
that whereas I was blind, now I see." " Verily,,
thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel,
the Saviour."

APPENDIX. 125

N.— Page 57.
" The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest
the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth, so is every one that
is born of the Spirit."
" These things saith He that is holy, He that is
true; He that hath the key of David; He that
openeth, and no man shutteth ; He that shutteth
and no man openeth."
Let us even, to the end of our course, often ponder
this saying of our blessed Lord. Let us ever maintain
a holy caution. Let us continue still to work out
our own salvation with fear and trembling ; for He
thatworketh in us is a jealous God. Let us watch
and pray always, that we may not offend the author
and cherisher of our spiritual life. Let us watch
the motions of our heart; let us " keep it with all
diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." If we
" vex the Holy Spirit," He will privily depart
from us; and then, while we have a name to live,
and grow in the praises of all men, we shall be as
whited sepulchres, speaking peace to ourselves, not
seeing our own state ; for the Spirit of Truth having
secretly retired from us, truth will be hidden from

126 APPENDIX,
our eyes. If a man had led a holy, Christian life
for forty years, and could not then find it in his
heart to cast all away, to count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
our Lord ; to fling himself on his face at the foot of
the cross, and cry, " God be merciful to me a sin
ner," he would lie exposed to hell-fire. " When I
shall say to the righteous that he shall surely live,
if he trust to his own righteousnesses, and commit
iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remem
bered ; but for his iniquity that he hath committed
he shall surely die."

0.— Page 57.

" The general principles of Scripture are eternal
truths, and apply exactly to man under all cir
cumstances."
There are also, throughout the Bible, particular
precepts, of a more or less limited nature ; but they
all likewise contain some germ of universal truth.
In these more especially " wisdom is profitable to
direct." The points argued in the text, those namely of

APPENDIX. 127
the sovereign freedom and secret working of God
the Holy Ghost, are instances of the conclusion
stated above. The whole of this work is in fact an
illustration of that position. The overlaying the
general principles and eternal truths of Scripture, by
a gradually accumulating mass of human reasonings
and explanations is one of Satan's master strokes.
There is hardly one text brought forward in these
pages, that might not be shown, with a great display
of profound learning and argument, to be quoted
improperly ; that difficult problem of the primary ap
plication of each, to the person or persons originally
addressed, being lengthily demonstrated.

P.— Page 61.

" Let us persevere in striving faithfully to do our
part, and He will give us the victory , that most dif
ficult of all victories, the victory over ourselves."
The whole scope and tenor, the whole meaning
and sense of Scripture leaves no hope either for the
proud and self-righteous, or for such as call Christ
Lord, Lord, while they go on in careless security, not
striving daily to do the things- which He commands.

128 APPENDIX.
Feeling, as we must do, that our destiny in eternity
is at stake, let us beware of that bosom impostor,
that greatest of all deceivers, our own deceitful
hearts. If we are determined to perish, let us at least
die in the light, with our eyes open, seeing the con
sequences of our principles and actions. Consider
now certain precepts of our Lord and Master, Jesus
Christ,and then decideforyourselves, whether any who
live a life of pleasure, of self-gratification, of spiritual
sloth, are to be numbered among His faithful, obedi
ent, active, diligent, self-denying, and watchful dis
ciples. " Strive to enter in at the strait gate ; for
many I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and
shall not be able." " Labour not for the meat
which perisheth ; but for that meat which the Son
of man shall give unto you." " And he said to
them all, If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow
me." If there is no striving, no labouring, no con
tinual efforts, no cross, no daily self-denial in our
religion, we are not disciples of Jesus, we are not
learners in the school of Christ ; for constant mortifi
cation of the natural man, continual opposition to
the sinful inclinations of our fallen nature, is one of
the very rudiments of Christianity. " If thy right
eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee ;
for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members
should perish, and not that thy whole body should
be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee,

APPENDIX. 129
cut it off and cast it from thee ; for it is profitable
for thee that one of thy members should perish, and
not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." Not
only are the sins, which most easily beset us ; not
only are the master evils of our heart and nature to
be forsaken and abandoned ; but things which are
dear to us as a right eye, and seemingly necessary as
a right hand, are to be plucked out, are to be cut off,
if they offend us ; if on our bended knees in prayer
conscience testify against them ;- -or they will be the
cause of our being cast into hell, " where the worm
diethnot, and the fire is not quenched." There must
be no tampering with temptation, no parleying with
the devil : if we try to cheat, Satan is sure to win.
Reader, have you began to receive and attend to
these instructions of Christ ? Are these lessons prac
tically familiar to you ? If not, go to Him in faith,
and ask Him, by His Spirit, to incline you to learn ;
to commence to teach you by His word, and His ex
ample, and thus to train and prepare you for heaven.
There are many deceivers in the world, on the right
hand and on the left ; but keep close to Christ, ap
ply His precepts and maxims to the establishment of
your principles, to the regulation of your heart and
temper, and to your daily conduct, and you will be
safe. He has ever been, and will ever be, Himself
the teacher, by His word and by His Spirit, of all
whom He will acknowledge as His disciples at the
last decisive day, when the true and the false will be
g 5

130 APPENDIX.
unerringly distinguished, and separated for ever.
Once more. " And what I say unto you I say unto
all, Watch." Unto all who desire to learn of Him,
of every age, name, and country ; unto all, high and
low, rich and poor, beginners in the faith, and mas
ters in Israel, Christ says, " Watch:" and a few
verses before, " Take ye heed ; watch and pray."
Whilst on earth no one is free from danger : we are
all in a hostile land. If we take Christ as our leader
and our captain ; if we heartily and zealously enlist
in His service; strive lawfully, fight manfully under
His triumphant banner, against the world, the flesh,
and the devil, and continue Christ's faithful soldiers
and servants unto our life's end, we shall at length
be made more than conquerors through Him that
loved us, and died for us. But let all remember,
that while life endures, the battle will still rage
around us, the victory will not yet be gained. Let us
then " put on the whole armour of God, that we
may be able to- stand against the wiles of*the deyil;
for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places. Wherefore let us take
unto ourselves the whole armour of God, that we
may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having
done all, to stafcd. Let us stand, therefore, having
our loins girt about with truth, having oh the breast
plate of righteousness, and our feet shod with the

APPENDIX. 131
preparation of the gospel of peace ; above all, taking
the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, which is
the hope of glory; and the sword of the Spirit, which
is the Word of God; praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the Spirit."
This is no idle fable. These are not unmeaning
words. They are the inspired words of the veteran
Paul. He exhorts us to follow Him, even as he
also followed Christ. It is still true — earth is a
battle-field, where many are falling around us.
" Watch ye, (my fellow-soldiers,) stand fast in the
faith ; quit you like men ; be strong." The Judge of
the contest is ever at hand, marking our conduct in
the various fortune of the fight. Death is our dis
charge. Godliness will bless, ungodliness will damn
us for ever.

Q.— Page 62.

To those in whom faith in the blood and righte
ousness of Jesus Christ is an ever-strengthening prin
ciple, death daily wears a less alarming aspect. By
a living, and therefore growing faith in Jesus Christ,
by fleeing to Him continually as a refuge from the
storm, and a covert from the heat, we shall gradually

132 APPENDIX.
become more and more assured that He is, and will
be our Redeemer and our Saviour, until our hearts
are entirely filled with the blessed hope of being,
through Him, ever on the verge of eternal hap
piness. " Being justified by faith, we have peace with
God, through our Lord Jesus Christ ; by whom also
we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we
stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And
not only so, but we glory in tribulations also ; know
ing that tribulation worketh patience ; and patience,
experience ; and experience hope ; and hope maketh
not ashamed ; because the love of God is shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is
given unto us." It is by suffering that we are made
conquerors. Welcome then the sorrows of the heart;
welcome " good and evil report." And thou, grim
shade, with whom is the last struggle, where is thy
sting ? Death, in the might of the Lord, we bid thee
welcome to the contest. The grave is the garner
of the children of God, the path which our departed
friends (for ever dear, for death bursts not the bonds
of the friendship of the soul) have trod, leading
through the. valley of shadows, to the mansions of
our Heavenly Father. This is the trumphant prin
ciple that overcometh the world, Satan, and the
grave, even our faith. God giveth us the victory,
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks be upto
Him for His unspeakable gift.

APPENDIX. 133

R.— Page 62.
" The life of a Christian is hid with Christ in
God," and the less the spirit is distracted from fel
lowship, through the Mediator, with " the God of
the spirits of all flesh," the holier and the happier is
it rendered. They who abuse their Christian liberty
will always suffer proportionable loss. The way
ever to know more of the Lord is to know less of
the world. " The things which are seen are tempo
ral; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
The less we expose ourselves to the influence cf the
one, the greater will become the power of the other
upon us.
The frequent reading of newspapers, reviews,
magazines, &c. is much opposed to steady and in
creasing progress in " the path of the just, that shin-
eth more and more unto the perfect day." If we
would go on from strength to strength, growing in
the fruits of the Spirit, we must, so far as ever cir
cumstances will permit, withdraw our thoughts from
the evil men, and evil things of this sinful world,
and habitually turn them to that happy world,
where all are holy, and where God is seen in all his
adorable perfections, and excellent majesty. So
shall the following exceeding great and precious

134 APPENDIX.
promise be accomplished unto us : " He that stop-
peth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his
eyes from seeing evil ; he shall dwell on high ;
his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks ;
bread shall be given him ; his water shall be sure.
Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty ; they
shall behold the land that is very far off." They
who love the Lord their God with all their soul, with
all their mind, with all their heart, and with all their
strength, will feel their happiness increased by being
drawn nearer and nearer to Him ; they will enjoy
the great peace of those that love His law, and no
thing shall offend them. They will walk after the
example of their Master, seeking to do good in the
fiery furnace of the world ; but the flame thereof
will not pass upon them, for the angel of His pre
sence will guard them. " In thee, O Lord, do I
put my trust ; let me never be ashamed ; deliver me
in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me;
deliver me speedily ; be thou my strong rock, for a
house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock
and my fortress ; therefore for thy name's sake lead
me and guide me. Into thine hand I commit my
spirit ; , thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of
ttuth. I have hated them that regard lying vani
ties ; but I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and
rejoice in thy mercy ; for thou hast considered my
trouble : thou hast known my soul in adversities.
My times are in thy hand. Make thy face to shine

APPENDIX. 135
upon thy servant ; save me for thy mercy's sake.
Let me not be ashamed, O Lord ; for I have called
upon thee : let the wicked be ashamed ; and let
them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be
put to silence, which speak grievous things proudly
and contemptuously against the righteous. Oh,
how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up
for them that fear thee ; which thou hast wrought
for them that trust in thee, before the sons of men.
Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence
from the pride of man ; thou shalt keep them secretly
in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. O, love
the Lord, all ye his saints ; for the Lord preserveth
the faithful, and plenteously rewardeth the proud
doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen
your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord."

S.— Page 65.

If we neglect any particular point of doctrine, God
does not work a miracle upon our minds, by inter
fering with their ordinary operations, to supply our
neglect ; but supposing it such as may not be fatal
to our salvation, we are nevertheless sure to suffer
proportionable loss in our Christian comfort and

136 APPENDIX.
peace. Thus, I am inclined to think, there have
been some good men, whose joy in the Lord and
habitual anticipation of heaven has been greatly di
minished, by their not receiving the crowning doc
trine of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us
by faith, as the wedding garment, as our true meet
ness and preparation for heaven. Many a holy
Christian has walked humbly and diligently with his
God, by faith in Jesus Christ, who yet has been, in
some degree, in bondage all the days of his life, from
disregard or unbelief of this most blessed truth of the
gospel ; perhaps thinking it a dangerous doctrine,
or one not plainly revealed. It may be abused — it
is one of the higher degrees of Christian knowledge,
not attained by all. But when, by following on, we
grow " unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ;" when we feel
Jesus Christ to be made unto us of God, wisdom,
and righteousness,, and sanctification, and redemp
tion, to be all we need, and all in all ; it will pro
duce in us such overflowings of heart, such lively
thankfulness, such ardent prayers, such fervent
praises, as are the best fruits and genuine working
of that holiness, without which no man shall see the
Lord.

APPENDIX. 137

T.— Page 65.
" Let us surrender ourselves entirely to His Spirit
and His Word."
The Spirit of God can do that for us which no
human being can do. He knows our precise state
and condition ; He can open the treasures of Scrip
ture to us in a wise and perfect way ; He can take
of the things of Christ, and show them unto us as
we are able to bear them, and thus guide us gradu
ally into all truth. Reader, are you keen-sighted
in discerning the imperfections of men ? Have you
a spirit impatient of human instruction ? The Being
possessed of infinite goodness and infinite wisdom
condescends to offer Himself to teach you by His
Spirit and His Word ! Are you too stiff-necked, too
proud to learn of God ? Alas ! what further offer
can be made to you ?

U.— Page 70.

" We are created immortal, and we cannot escape
¦ the eternal consequences of our existence upon

138 APPENDIX.
earth. God calls upon us in His Word to make
the choice of what those consequences shall be."
The power, indeed, to choose that which is good
is given of God, and therefore we are continually
taught to seek it from Him ; but the act of choice is
executed by man, and therefore we are called upon
to exert it. " I have set before you life and death,
blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both
thou and thy seed may live." " Choose you this
day whom you will serve ; as for me and my house
we will serve the Lord." " The words of the Lord
are pure words." Now he inspired His servant the
Psalmist to declare " I have chosen the way of
truth ; thy judgments have I laid before me :" and
again, " Let thine hand help me, for I have chosen
thy precepts."
The God of perfect knowledge and unerring truth
speaks thus in the book of Proverbs : " Because I
have called, and ye refused ; I have stretched out
my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at
nought my counsel, and would none of my reproof :
I also will laugh at your calamity ; I will mock when
your fear cometh ; when your fear cometh as deso
lation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind ;
when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then
shall they call upon me, but I will not answer ; they
shall seek me early, but they shall not find me, for
that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the

APPENDIX. 139
fear of the Lord; they would none of my counsel;
they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they
eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with
their own devices. For the turning away of the
simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools
shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto
me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear
of evil."
" Thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs, that keep
my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me,
and take hold of my covenant ; even unto them will I
give in mine house, and within my walls, a place and
a name better than of sons and of daughters ; I will
give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut
off." And again, the Lord saith, " Therefore will I
number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down
to the slaughter; because when I called, ye did not
answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did
evil before mine eyes, and did choose* that wherein
I delighted not."
Our Master, even Christ, whose words dwell in all
his faithful disciples, teaches us to speak in the
same manner : " One thing is needful, and Mary
hath chosen -that good part, which shall not be taken
away from her."
Would any be "no more children, tossed to and
' • Observe here, and in Is. Ixvi. 4, as also in many other
passages, the ungodly are represented as choosing evil.

140 APPENDIX.
fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine;"
would any share the heartfelt joys of lively and stead
fast faith — to them God answereth and saith, " Bow
down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and
apply thine heart unto my knowledge. For it is a
pleasant thing, if thou keep them within thee ; they
shall withal be fitted in thy lips. That thy trust
may be in the Lord, 1 have made known to thee this
day, even this day. Have not I written to thee ex
cellent things in counsels and knowledge, that I
might make thee know the certainty of the words of
truth ; that thou mightest answer the words of truth
to them that send unto thee."

X.— Page 71.

" Let us humbly, perseveringly , gratefully, and
cheerfully follow that way of salvation which
He points out to us in His Word, and use those
means of salvation which He has ordained and
blessed."
To think that we have every thing and abound, is
the sure way rapidly to lose whatever measure of

APPENDIX. 141
grace we may have attained ; to think that we have
nothing, is to be for ever beginning in the Christian
life. Let us learn to praise God, and to thank Him
for whatever we may have attained, and to hold fast
" a good hope through grace," " that He which hath
begun a good work in us will perform it until the
day of Jesus Christ." " He hath showed thee, O
man, what is good ! and what doth the Lord require
of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to
walk humbly with thy God."
That we may be enabled thus to act, and thus to
live, God teaches us to seek His face ever more, to
pray to him continually for the preventing and in-
working grace of the Holy Spirit, and to commit all
our ways to Him ; trusting for acceptance only to
the name and mediation of Jesus Christ. Let us
strive heartily, sincerely, and faithfully to perform
our part, and God will not be wanting unto us. He
will have mercy upon our infirmities ; He will do for
us more than either we desire or deserve ; He will
fulfil to us His promises for His own glory, and for
His great name's sake, in virtue of His covenant
made with us in Christ Jesus ; He will bless unto
us His ordinances. And this should ever be our
hope— simply and singly in the promises of God,
made to us through Jesus Christ, and in the constant
steady use of the means which he hath ordained ;
thus walking forward in that path to heaven which
He has pointed out. To look too narrowly into the

142 APPENDIX.
manner of our performance of our Christian duties
is a temptation and a snare ; for to pore for ever
upon our own corruption is a heavy burden, an un
easy yoke : to be continually measuring our own
imagined increase in holiness, is too apt to produce
spiritual pride. "For a man to search his own
glory, is not glory." If we are enabled more and
more to forget ourselves, and to persevere in believ
ing, praying, hoping, and acting in the name of
Jesus, God is thus leading us forward in His own
wonderful way ; a way in a great degree hidden
from us, yet He is every day and hour bringing us
by it nearer to heaven.
Blessed Lord ! the desire of our souls is unto Thy
name ; Thou art our hope, and our strength ; we
wait upon Thee for help. We praise Thee, we glo
rify Thee, we adore Thee, for Thy great love in
coming to seek and to save those that were lost, for
Thine agony and bloody sweat, for thy cross and
passion, endured for us and for many. As Thou
wast lifted up, even so lift us up above this wicked
world, and draw us unto thyself. Deal with us as,
in Thy wisdom and Thy goodness, Thou seest best ;
only enable us ever to love and to serve Thee more
and more ; and so, when at length sin shall be over
come in death, we shall wake up in Thy likeness,
and shall be satisfied. Amen.

APPENDIX. 143
Y.— Page 72.
" God is infinite in goodness, and in mercy."
There is no one point more strongly, or more fre
quently dwelt upon in Scripture, than the infinite
mercy and long-suffering goodness of our God.
Every one of the inspired writers are full of the
blessed theme. To instance a few passages out of
many : — " The Lord said unto Moses, I will make
all my goodness pass before thee ; and I will proclaim
the name of the Lord before thee. And the Lord de
scended in the cloud, and proclaimed the name of
the Lord. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and
gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness
and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving
iniquity, and transgression, and sin." When David
the king, and Zadok the high priest, and his bre
thren, the priests, went up with the ark of God, the
burden of their song was, " O give thanks unto the
Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for
ever." " When the children of Moab, and the children of
Ammon, and other beside the Ammonites, a great
multitude, came up against Jerusalem, and Jehosa-
phat, the king, and all Judah were in terror and dis
may ; then, instructed by Jehaziel the prophet, he

144 APPENDIX.
appointed singers unto the Lord, that should praise
the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the
army, and to say, Praise the Lord, for His mercy
endureth for ever. And when they began to sing
and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the
children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Leir, which
were come against Judah, and they were smitten."
Even so, when our hearts are confirmed in the
Gospel, when we pray ever more unto the Lord to
lead us in His righteousness, shall our spiritual ene
mies be smitten and flee away, when we make the
sound of His praise to be heard ; " It is a good thing
to praise the Lord ; it becometh well the righteous
to be thankful."
When Solomon, and the priests, and the Levites,
and the whole nation of Israel dedicated to the Lord
the glorious temple of Jerusalem, " It came even to
pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to
make one sound to be heard in praising and thank
ing the Lord ; and when they lifted up their voices
with the trumpets, and cymbals, and instruments of
music, and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good;
for His mercy endureth for ever ; that then the house
was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord.
So that the priests could not stand to minister by
reason of the cloud ; for the glory of the Lord had
filled the house of God."

APPENDIX. 145
Thus did the Lord showhimself to delight in the song
of His mercy ; and to have pleasure in the praises of
the creatures of His hand.
Would we have the glory of the Lord to descend
upon us ? Would we know His presence in the
shrine of our hearts, then let us often praise Him
with joyful lips, " For he is good ; for his mercy
endureth for ever."
And " although the fig-tree shall not blossom,
neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the
olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat ;
the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall
be no herd in the stalls ; yet, I will rejoice in the
Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Yes,
when the constant appointments of nature shall have
come to a close, when this earth, with all its varied
scenes shall have passed away, God will still be
" the strength of our hearts," the rock of our un
failing confidence. Eternal thanks and praises be
unto Him, " for he is good ; for his mercy endureth
for ever."

146 APPENDIX^

Z.— Page 75.
" A countless multitude of the spirits of just men
made perfect were once like you ; they shared
with you the corruption of human nature."
Brethren of every name and nation, immortal spirits
proceeding from the same God, and redeemed by the
same Lord, we, the ministers of Jesus Christ, commis
sioned by Him to teach all nations under heaven, come
not with tidings of hopeless condemnation, we come
from God as ambassadors of reconciliation — we come
with a message of merCy and love. Our heavenly Father
looks down with pity upon all His fallen children,
and invites them to return to holiness and happiness :
hear His words, — " Can a woman forget her sucking
child, that she should not have compassion On the
son of her womb ? yea, they may forget, yet will I
not forget thee."
He bids us, who love Him, to love our brethren
as ourselves ; He gives us His Spirit, making us
" partakers of the divine nature,'' and filling us with
a hearty desire that none should remain servants of
sin, and suffer its miseries, but that all should enjoy
the present and everlasting happiness, which arises
from giving heed to the counsel and reproof of God,

APPENDIX. 147
and learning of Him the way of salvation. Having
tasted ourselves that the Lord is gracious, we would
lead all to the fountain of living waters. But we
have, the treasure of the excellency of this know
ledge in earthen vessels : we are men of like pas
sions with others ; and although seeking one thing
only, and striving with all our heart, and mind,
and soul, and strength, to be pure as He that
hath called us is pure, and holy as He is holy,
still we are not yet made perfect. We pray
you therefore to forgive the sin which you see in us,
and to look from us to that Lord whom we preach,
" the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of
the world." " God so loved the world, that He
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be-
lieveth in him, should not perish but have ever
lasting life. For God sent not his Son into the
world to condemn the world ; but that the world
through him might be saved."
We, the ministers of Jesus Christ, come not with
charges against you personally: you are not more
sinful by nature than we are, now in Paradise. We
beseech you, for your own sake, and for the sake of
all near and .dear to you, to make one determined
trial for yourselves of that gracious Redeemer, and
of that Holy Spirit, in whom so many pious and wise
men, living and dying, have professed their faith,
and declared thir hope. " I will arise, and go to my
father; and will say unto him, Father, I have
h 2

148 APPENDIX.
sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no
more worthy to be called thy son ; make me as one of
thy hired servants. But when he was yet a great
way off, his father saw him, and had compassion,
and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."
" There is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner, that repenteth." »

A A. —Page 76.

Hearty love and continual pursuit of that holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord, is repre
sented every where in Scripture ras one of the
genuine features in the character of all that aspire
hereafter to be made perfect, to be made like unto
God, to dwell with Him, and be happy for ever in
the fulness of His favour. " But what think ye?
A certain man had two sons ; and he came to the-
first, and said, Son, go work to-day in my vine
yard. He answered and said, I will not; but after
ward he repented and went. And he came to the
second, and said likewise : and he answered and
said, I go, sir; and went not. Whether of them
twain did the will of his father? They say unto him,
The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily -I say unto

APPENDIX. 149
you, that the publicans and harlots go into the king
dom of God before you."
To hear, approve, and remain the same in thought,
word, deed, and life, is to say, " I go, sir;" to be
lieve, to pray, to strive to enter in at the strait gate,
to hunger and thirst after righteousness, to labour
for the meat that perisheth not, to take up the cross
daily, is to work in the vineyard. There never yet
was a true Christian, who did not mourn over his
sins, and struggle against the corruption of his na
ture, and who could not apply to himself the frequent
language of the Psalmist, and of the other inspired
writers, " O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath,
neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine
arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me
sore. There is no soundness in my flesh, because
of thine anger ; neither is there any rest in my bones,
because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone
over mine head ; as an heavy burden they are too
heavy for me. I am troubled ; I am bowed down
greatly; I go mourning all the day long. I am
feeble, and sore broken ; I have roared by reason of
the disquietness of my heart. Lord, all my desire is
before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee.
1 will declare mine iniquity ; I will be sorry for my
sin. Forsake me not, O Lord ; oh, my God, be
not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord,
my salvation."
Show me a man who does not know what sins he

150 APPENDIX.
has to mourn over and strive against, who, so far
from knowing those sins which most easily beset
him, is really not aware that he has any sins at all,
who is satisfied with his spiritual condition, and is
at ease in Zion, and I will show you a man dead in
trespasses and sins, blinded by the deceitfulness of
sin ; who needs to be converted, to be changed in
the spirit of his mind, to be renewed again unto re
pentance. There is always much to be done in our
own hearts. If we would be at peace, we must con
stantly be carrying on the conflict ; if we would
know rest, we must continually labour for the meat
which perisheth not. We must be ever pressing
forward, we must strive to grow in grace, to go on
unto perfection, to be daily advancing in faith, in
humility, in patience, in charity, and in all things
lovely and of good report. The Christian graces are
all in opposition to the natural corruption of the
human heart; wherefore to grow in holiness, is to
renounce, mortify, crucify, and overcome the mo
tions of sin abiding within us ; and, strange to say,
strange as it may seem to many, the more there is
of this toil, the more there ever is of holy joy and
true comfort. Man was designed to be an active
being; he was framed for employment. The soul
abhors a calm, and is then most blessed when most
vigorously exerting all its powers in the contest with
evil.

APPENDIX. 151

BB. -Page 83..
" Now when they heard this, they were pricked in
their heart."
That powerful conviction which is sometimes .felt
by the unholy and disobedient, often produces a
strong effect upon their hearts ; their spirit is moved,
and its faculties of intellect and feeling are both
simultaneously affected ; the heart partakes of the
impression received by the mind ; the whole man is
agitated ; shame, regret, (too often short lived,)
f^ear, and despair rush across the soul. The man is
convinced of sin,— he is " pricked in the heart," he
shrinks within himself, he cannot meet, the preacher's
glance, he fancies every eye to be fixed upon him ;
the faithful blood bears witness to his inward emo
tions-— his ears tingle, his eyes are heated, his head
is oppressed, his breath is quick.
Reader, did you ever experience such emotions 1
the Spirit of God then accompanied the preacher's
voice, and strove with your spirit. How many will
stand on the left hand in the day of judgment
through having " grieved the Holy Spirit of God,"
and resisted his working ? Say, are you conscious
that all has been hitherto in vain ? Are you still the

152 APPENDIX.
servant of sin ? Are you still estranged from God ?
But is there yet a struggle, a faint struggle, as of
life not quite departed? The eye of God is now
upon your soul ; we are workers together with
him. Know, assuredly, that " the long suffering of
the Lord is salvation t" the spirit within you pants
for freedom from its chains ; it refuses to take com
fort in employments unworthy of its powers; it
seeks for objects congenial to its nature. Make choice
then of eternal pursuits, cultivate eternal passions ;
unfold the hidden strength of your soul ; enlarge its
capacities ; cherish its perception of joys that will
never fail ; yield henceforth to the drawing of God ;
abide in that state wherein you are called, but do all
things in it to the glory of God, who created you,
who has redeemed you, and who willeth to sanctify
you. He will guide you with infinite wisdom, and
with infinite goodness ; He will support you by His
almighty power, giving you grace sufficient for you.
" He will lift up the light of his countenance upon
you," and bless you now, and through all eternity.
The people, that do know Him, be strong. He is a
God of truth ; He keepeth His promises for ever.
He will be found of all them that seek Him with
their whole heart.

APPENDIX. 153

CC— Page 87.
" If you will look, like the innumerable host of
the faithful, unto Jesus ; if you will seek that
divine energy, which they sought and obtained,
' you will be delivered from the bondage of cor
ruption, into the glorious liberty of the children
of God.' "
The communion of saints is a most delightful
subject of meditation, and the experience of it is
full of comfortable hope that our hearts are truly
touched by divine grace. When we repeat the
hymns of Heber, of Keble, of Cowper, of Toplady,
and others ; when we read the pages of Chrysostom
and Gregory, Hooker and Taylor, of a Kempis,
Fenelon, and Pascal, of Luther and Melanchthon, of
Doddridge and Watts, with full concurrence of sen
timent, we cannot but feel some hope that God has
been merciful even to us also. When we see, more
over, divine grace prevailing and triumphant in spite
of Popish or other errors, we are much strength
ened in the midst of our infirmities to " gird up the
loins of our minds, to be sober, and hope to the end
for the glory that shall be brought unto us at the
revelation of Jesus Christ." But when we find the
h 5

154 APPENDIX.
words of holy David, of St. Paul, and of St. John
express our thoughts and feelings, the operation of
our spirits, what further proof can we need that the
same Spirit is in us which was in them 1
" Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is
within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, 0
my 'soul, and forget not all his benefits; who for-
giveth all thine iniquities ; who healeth all thy dis
eases ; who redeemeth thy life from destruction, and
crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mer
cies ; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so
that thy youth is renewed like the eagles."
The mercy of God rimy well seem wonderful in
our eyes. He hath so fashioned us within, that to
be peaceful, contented, and always rejoicing in the
Lord, and in the strength of our salvation, is the
very way to be most holy and most useful. The
way to heaven is full of heaven already. 0 how
gracious the Lord is to all them that love Him, and
put their trust in His mercy ! I will evermore praise
Thee and magnify Thee in this manner, Thou God
of my salvation ; " giving thanks unto the Father,
which hath made us meet to be partakers of the in
heritance of the saints in light, who hath delivered
us from the power of darkness, and hath translated
us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we
have redemption through his blood, even the forgive
ness of sin, who is the image of the invisible God."

APPENDIX. 155

D D.— Page 92.
" Many, inferior to none in the gifts of intellect,
and the extent of their acquirements, have thus
examined, and have professed, their belief that
there is a God, the Creator of all things ; that
the Bible is a revelation from Him ; that man
is an immortal spirit, and that his state in eter
nity is dependent upon his thoughts, words, and
actions in time."
The three former of these propositions are taken
as granted; of the last proposition, with some of its
consequences, the whole of this sermon with its ac
companying notes, is a proof and illustration.
Many sincere Christians are perplexed through
not remembering, firstly, that the law is our school
master to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified
by faith ; and, secondly, that growing conformity
to God, by increasing progress in the performance
of His holy, spiritual, and good law, is represented
every where in Scripture as the only evidence of
saving faith.

156 APPENDIX.

E E.— Page 93.
" A life of love to God and man, of heavenly peace
and holy joy, gives convincing evidence both of
the sincerity of our endeavours, and of the effi
cacy of the principles which we profess."
The surest and safest evidence of being in a state
of salvation, is the possession, the cultivation, and
increase of the Christian graces; for " the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
.goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such
there is no law." These are the things in which
Jesus Christ Set all His disciples that pure and holy
example ; a gradual and increasing conformity to
which His Spirit will always produce in all who take
His yoke upon them, and leam of Him. In this
point, as in many others, the common verdict of
mankind, which is the testimony of reason, agrees
precisely with the Word of God. The world never
will admit any other evidence of that spiritual excel
lence, which Christianity engages to produce in all
its true disciples, than the possession and exhibition
of the Christian graces. Our use of all the means,
even our secret and habitual use of the two great

APPENDIX. 157
Vneans, prayer and searching the Scriptures, may
deceive us ; but the consenting testimony of others
to our manifestation of the Christian graces, added
to our own happy experience of them, is a sure and
safe evidence of our being " led by the Spirit."

F F.— Page 94.
" Of present deliverance from every thing sinful,
low, and degrading."
What say the annals of the world ? In every age
and every country man has sinned against the gleams
of original tradition, against the conclusions of rea
son, against the inward voice of conscience, and
where revelation has been bestowed, against the
light of Divine truth. Formed in the image
and after the likeness of God, he has too often
degraded himself even below the level of the
beasts of the field. Though there have been, and
are very different degrees of depravity; yet the
whole race ever has been, always and every where,
in a greater or less degree, the doers of what they
knew and felt to be wrong ; each if judged according

158 APPENDIX.
to his actions, will of a surety be condemned accord"
ing to the verdict of the light within him. How full
of mercy has God ever shown Himself to rebellious
man ! How full of mercy does He show Himself to
us, unworthy, ungrateful, persisting sinners! He
tries every means to draw us unto Himself. He ex
postulates and reasons with us in His Word. He
convinces our minds. He warns us by His ministers,
by His providence, by innumerable appeals to Our
feelings of every kind . From time to time he softens
our hearts by the working of His Spirit : He puts
within us holy desires and righteous feelings : He
causes us to feel our, sin, arid leads us to the hope of
sinners, the atonement of Jesus Christ. Thus God,
of His good pleasure, again and again, it may be,
prepares, inclines, and enables the heart to will,
and the man to act. And if man, God so first dis
posing, and afterwards continually helping, if man
will then turn from every evil way, will work out his
own salvation with fear and trembling, and do that
which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul
alive. But if man resists God the Holy Ghost; if
he scoffs at and denies the doctrine of Scripture con
cerning Him, and His influence, and opposes the
working of His power in himself; while he thus
continues there is no hope for him. How great
must be the guilt, how deadly the sin, which can
overcome the mercy of God ! " Wherefore (says
Jesus) all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be

APPENDIX. 159
forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against
the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men."
How long will any speak evil of those things
of God which they know not ! How long will
any delight in scorning ! Against whom is it that
they thus stiffen their necks, and harden their
hearts. Even against the Lord of Hosts, who will
" come with ten thousand of his saints to exe
cute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are
ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds,
which they have ungodly committed ; and of all
their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have
spoken against him." Oh, that this evil could be
put away from as altogether ! I would speak upon
the common principles of reason. You allow, upon
every other subject, that they, whose profession it is,
and whom you are inclined to suppose have tho
roughly examined, and carefully studied its princi
ples, are the most likely to be right in their views
and sentiments. Why not judge in the same way re
specting that which is the most important of all sub
jects, and assuredly not the least difficult ; namely,
religion. If you are not inclined to seek God with
all your heart, perhaps the prayers of the church in
your behalf, of your ministers, and of your friends,
may be heard and answered. Our hearts are warm
towards you : let me entreat you to speak always
of that religion, which is so dear to us, with respect,
or not to speak of it at all ; let me beg you never to

160 APPENDIX.
scoff at any of the doctrines of the Bible, or at the
language of it. The words of God are certainly the
best that can be used on the subject of religion;
and experience has amply shown that they who de
part from " the form of sound words," contained
in Scripture, are very apt to neglect some of its
doctrines.

The self-sufficient man sets so high a value on his
own judgment, that he can tolerate none who differ
from him in opinion. In- his party he idolizes him
self; others derive such merit as he may allow them
from their agreement with him : in argument his
resource is personality ; where indisputable facts
stand in the way, he attribues unworthy motives :
his habit is detraction : originally of a narrow mind,
he grows in self-sufficiency : the longer he lives, the
more contracted are his views. This is one of the
prevailing sins of human nature. Let all, then, be
ware of a disposition so entirely at variance with
" the wisdom that cometh from above;" let all care
fully mark the leading features of a character so
dangerous and so sure to grow upon them, that
they may learn to guard against its first approaches.

APPENDIX. 161

" Most men will proclaim every one his own good
ness." Loud professions, always closely bordering
upon self-testimony and self-commendation, are more
particularly unnecessary in the case of a minister of
the gospel. Preaching is the most searching trial of
the spirit that can possibly be conceived, and in it
the real bias of character must unavoidably be dis
played. A true love of God and of Jesus Christ, an
entire dependence upon the preventing and inwork
ing grace of the Holy Spirit, a profound reverence
foc.the Word of God, a thorough acquaintance with
it in all its length and breadth, a perfect devotion of
spirit, an entire surrender of the whole mind and
heart to the service of God, proved by an anxious
desire to promote the temporal and eternal happi
ness of mankind, — these, and all the other distin
guishing features " of every scribe which is instructed
unto the kingdom of heaven," will, wherever they
exist, always be so apparent, both in and out of the
pulpit, as to make formal declarations unnecessary.
When the body is presented " a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God ;" when the whole man
is a holocaust unto his Maker, which is his reason
able service, — the heaven-descended fire, that glows
within, will send forth a bright and steady flame,
giving light and warmth to all : and this is the true
seal of God to His servants, the testimony of the

162 APPENDIX.
Holy Spirit to Himself, rendering all other testimony
worse than useless. " Let another man praise thee,
and not thine own mouth ; a stranger, and not thine
own lips." Prov. xxvii. 2. " Not he that com-
mendeth himself, but whom the Lord commendeth,
is approved."

A steadfast, lively, and continually exercised faith
delivers all, who seek it of God in His appointed
way, " from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God." It frees
them from that " fear which hath torment;" for be
lieving in God, they believe in Jesus also ; seeking
continually in His name, they continually and in
creasingly receive the Spirit of adoption, whereby
they cry, " Abba, Father." Yes, beloved brethren,
partakers of the benefit, having obtained like pre
cious faith, does not the Spirit which is in you bear
witness to the Spirit which was in St. Paul ? " Be
cause ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of
his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."
Would you grow in faith ; would you be " strong in
the Lord, and in the power of his might 1" Try that
method which has been recommended and practised

APPENDIX. 163
by many of his holiest and happiest servants. Ask
yourself frequently, many times in the day, Blessed
Jesus, have I a hope in thee? Is thy name precious
to me above all things ? Art Thou my joy, and my
life ? Do I " count all things but loss for the excel
lency of the knowledge of Thee?" Is it in my heart
to cast all away, to fling myself on my face at the
foot of thy cross, and cry, God be merciful to me, a
sinner ? Do I desire to " live no longer the remain
ing time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the
will of God?" Lord, Thou knowest! Yet help Thou
mine unbelief; strengthen Thou my faith; carry for
ward the blessed work of sanctification in me and in
all Thy people, that while we have the sentence of
death in ourselves, we may " trust in God, which
raiseth the dead ; who delivered us from so great a
death, and doth deliver ; in whom we trust that he
will yet deliver us."

" Moses was learned (EwaiSev^n, was educated,
instructed, trained up from a child) in all the wis
dom of the Egyptians." St. Paul " was brought
up at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to
the perfect manner of the law of the fathers." Now

164 APPENDIX.
these were the two greatest men, the one under the
Mosaic, the other under the Christian dispensation ;
and were the writers of the largest portions of the
Old and New Testaments. They were prepared, un
der divine Providence, to be chief pillars in the tem
ple of Truth, by the careful cultivation, the vigorous
exercise, and the consequent full expansion of their
native powers of intellect. They were then made
truly wise in divine things by God Himself, and en
dowed with such measures of knowledge as He saw
to be expedient and seasonable. The volume of in
spiration was, however, finally completed by St.
John : and God has since manifested Himself to all
His children by His Spirit, and by His written
Word, according to the various ways therein pointed
out and exemplified.
The Bible is, indeed, admitted by all to be the
eternal test of truth ; but the slightest inspection,
and the vast number of differing interpretations,
plainly prove it to be the most difficult of all books.
Now, no man ever yet attained any acquaintance
with Scripture, or acquired any information con
cerning it, except by the use of means. God does not
work miracles to instruct the ignorant, however sin
cere they may be. Surely, then, the best human
helps towards the understanding of Scripture may
be expected from such men as we evidently see to
have been endowed by God with good or with great
faculties, and to have made diligent use of them ;

APPENDIX. 165
men of competent learning, of extensive research, of
profound reflection, of sound judgment, of much ex
perience, of manifest candour, of true humility of
mind ; whose writings breathe the spirit of the pure,
peaceable, gentle, tractable, (EvireiSrjs,) merciful,
beneficent, impartial, and undissembling "wisdom
that is from above." But each man is free to choose
in this as in other respects. There is no lack of
guides of every kind. " Seest thou a man wise in
his own conceit ? there is more hope of a fool than
of him." " Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and
not I ; yea, thine own lips testify against thee. Art
thou the first man that was born ; or wast thou made
before the hills ? Hast thou heard the secret of God,
and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? What
knowest thou, that we know not? What under-
standest thou, that is not in us ? With us are both
the gray headed and very aged men, much elder
than thy father." " O the depth of the riches both
of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! How un
searchable are his judgments, and his ways past find
ing out ! For who hath known the mind of the
Lord; or who hath been his counsellor?" "Thus
saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and
ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and
walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls."
" The knowledge of wisdom shall be sweet unto thy
soul ; when thou hast found it, then there shall be a
reward, and thine expectation shall not be cut off."

166 APPENDIX.

The Scriptures every where teach that sanctifica-
tion and election are invariably united. Now, to be
sanctified, is to be made holy ; to be elected, is to be
chosen : and so long as the union of the two is
always maintained to be strictly indispensable, it is
but an idle dispute to contend about which shall be
placed first. The choice of a nation or nations to
be visited with the light of divine revelation, and the
election of individuals to be sanctified, are facts per
fectly within our cognizance ; but predestination and
man's choice of good and evil involve such a know
ledge of the counsels of God, which embrace the
universe of creation, and such a dissection of the
spirit as are impossible. " The secret things belong
unto the Lord our God." There are mysteries re
maining which will not be revealed until the day
when the race of man shall cease ; when " wisdom
shall be justified of all her children," and earth shall
pass away as a leaf that falls in the forest.

" I protest by your rejoicing, which I have in
Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily." Such ought to

APPENDIX. 167
be the endeavour of a Christian, never to let a day
pass without laying himself, in idea, upon the bed
of death : for this it is to sit loose to the world, to
have the feelings of a sojourner in a foreign land,
who will gladly welcome the message for his return
to his father's house. A daily and lively anticipa
tion of death will give us the victory over earthly
things, will enable us truly to overcome the world
within as well as without, will calm the fever of our
busy passions, and at length produce in us a settled
composure of spirit. " Blessed are those servants
whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watch
ing."

It is astonishing what a strong tendency a habit
of thinking and speaking of the errors of others has
to make men blind to their own. Perhaps one cause
of this is, that when men speak of sin in the abstract,
when they point out some evil thing springing from
the corruption of human nature, they" are not so
likely to forget, they are even apt to be reminded
of their own share in it ; on the other hand, when
they speak of the errors of individuals, the very
clearness with which they see, and strength with
which they expose them, is apt insensibly to pro-

168 APPENDIX.
duce an idea of their own security from tfee proba
bility, or even possibility, of the very same or still
greater errors. " Am I a dog, that I should do such
things ?" Thou art a fallen spirit, in the same con
demnation with those whom thou delightest to judge,
and art probably guilty, unwittingly, of the very
same, or of still greater errors.
"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle ? who
shall dwell in thy holy hill ? He that walketh up
rightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh
the truth in his heart ; he that backbiteth not with
his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor
taketh up a reproach against his neighbour."
Men judge others less severely precisely in pro
portion as they acquire a deeper and more abiding
sense of their own corruption and their own imper
fect sanctification.
It is an admirable rule, whenever we think of any
living individuals to pray for them ; if alone, orally.
We should beware of cherishing any objects of dis
like, for the spirit of hatred is one of the characteris
tic traits in the description of our fallen nature,
" hateful, and hating one another."
Brother sinner, know thyself; acknowledge that
you find yourself very quick-sighted in discovering
the errors and imperfections of others : own that it
is not easy to love all mankind, and to entirely ex
tinguish all motions of inward bitterness. Happy
they whose only resentment is against the remainder

APPENDIX. 169
of sin in themselves ; and who, if not insensible to
the trespasses of their brethren, are disposed promptly
to forgive, and speedily to forget them. Friend, is
it your desire to acquire such a spirit, and your daily
endeavour to grow in it ? It will be to you one of
the best evidences of regeneration, for it breathes the
temper of heaven ; it will sanctify all your ways ; it
will bless your heart and your home.

The two chief counteractions opposed by Divine
wisdom and goodness to the absorbing attraction of
things temporal and seen are, the uncertainty of life,
and the sabbath day. Let Christians gladly yield
to their purifying influence, and strive to co-operate
with the impressions arising from them.

The self-tormenting power of imagination is very
great. We cannot read the hearts of others ; and to
torment ourselves with imagining what they may
i

1-5JII APPENDIX,
think or say of us, is as 'foolish as it„is sinff>L I "The
fear of man bringeth a snare." . ".As, the finings-pot
for, silver,, and the furnace for gpld^ ; so ,is,a man |o.
his praise."
We are all apt, in fact, to give ourselves an imr
aginary consequence, far beyond what we really pos
sess. Men are too much occupied, each with their
own affairs, pleasures, &c, to give us one half the
attention we may suppose, whether for praise or
blame, as agreeing with us, or differing from us.
Seek peace, and ensure it ; commune with thine own
heart, and be still ; be thou in the fear of God all
the day long, and regard not the voice of man.

It is easy to dislike error : but tell me, do you love
truth? And do you love truth, as truth ought to be
loved, with all your heart, with all your mind, with all
your soul, and with all your strength — with a love that
cannot be quenched by many waters; which carries
you unmoved through good report and through evil re
port, whilst her pure light still leads you onward with
a love stronger than death ? Do you " search for her
as for hid treasures ?" Believe me, she lays not on
the surface ; you must explore the depths of the

APPENDIX. 171
Word of God, and you must seek her there for your
self. Do you think that- you have already attained ?
Then you have been learning of man, soon exhausted
because no Other than thyself. Begin again at the
beginning : go to the school of Jesus, as a little
child, and He will teach you a better lesson ; He
will give you a different spirit. Blessed are they
who have never left His feet, or whom the longest
life and most pains-taking efforts have ended by
conducting there.

It is a truth universally admitted, that there is no
one doctrine generally necessary to salvation, that
is not both distinctly expressed somewhere in Scrip
ture, and also satisfactorily explained therein.
The main object of St. Paul in his epistle to the
Galatians, as also in that to the Romans, is the
establishment of that strong rock and foundation
(as the homily has it) of the Christian religion, the
doctrine of justification by faith. Accordingly, he
expresses this in the plainest manner, " a man is
justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
Now, if an inspired writer, in speaking on matters
of the utmost moment, makes use several times of
i2

1 72 APPENDIX.
the same word, can there be any possible method
imagined of arriving at its meaning more certainly
and conclusively than by a comparison of such pas
sages ? Moreover, we shall thus be following, with
reference to his writings, the example that he him
self sets us in the first chapter of his epistle to the
Hebrews ; for he there collects several passages from
the book of Psalms, and draws an inference from a
comparison between them. Compare, then, the three
following passages : " In Jesus Christ neither circum
cision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but
faith, which worketh by love." " In Christ Jesus
neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncir
cumcision, but a new creature." " Circumcision is
nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the
keeping the commandments of God." What is the
conclusion? Faith is an active principle ; it work
eth by love ; a holy principle, it produces the new
creature ; an obedient principle, it keeps the com
mandments of God.

It is the nature of passion to be blind to its own
excesses. The religious enthusiast becomes insen
sible to his gradual deviations from sober-minded-

APPENDIX. 173
ness, and from Scriptural truth. He is to be borne
with in love, and to be pitied, even while his errors
are exposed by those possessed of " the spirit of
power, of love, and of a sound mind," bestowed
upon them in answer to their earnest and continued
prayers, to the prayers of their friends, and if minis
ters, to the prayers of their congregation, asked for
in all sincerity, and therefore assuredly granted by
some to whom the request from their heart was made.
We are not to make a religion for ourselves out of
the opinions of any erring mortals taken as our
guides. God has taught us in His holy Word what
is acceptable to Him ; and if we strive entirely to
cease from man, from our own weak and fleshly
mind, from our prejudices of education, habit, natu
ral temperament, &c, and surrender ourselves with
full purpose of heart unto God, He will guide us by
His Word and His Spirit in that narrow path, in
which Jesus Christ walked as our example; and
which is as far removed from will-worship, voluntary
humility, and Pharisaism on the one hand, as it is
from worldly-mindedness, spiritual sloth, and Sad-
duceism on the other.
At all times, indeed, but especially when party
feeling rises high, and men's passions are strongly
excited, they, " whose moderation is known unto
all men," must expect to be misunderstood by
many, and to be charged by the violent on each
side with holding the opinions opposite to their

174 APPENDIX.
own. Truth condemns every error, and is in turn
condemned by error.

Such is man's propensity to evil, that usually, and
for some time, at any rate, Christians themselves only
pass from an approach to one sinful state of spirit,
that of fearfulness and despair, to another, that of
security and presumption. The Christian life, in this
respect as in all others, is a state of trial and of dis
cipline. But it is declared, " Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because
he trusteth in thee ;" and that " there is a rest which
remaineth unto the people of God," Let us, there
fore, press forward continually, and labour to enter
into that rest ; yea, more and more fully ; for so
shall we enjoy enlarging measures of that peace
which passeth all understanding; so shall we be
epistles known and read of all ; so shall the light of
God's truth shine forth brightly in us, to the convic
tion and conversion of many.
O for a heart to love, a mind to set forth, a
spirit to serve, and a tongue to praise Him who
doeth such excellent things for sinful men J
But life will soon be ended ; and thenceforward,

APPENDIX. 175
to all that love the Lord, will be eternal freedom
from the working of sin.

They who cultivate the surface of the spirit will
rarely see far into its depths. Words and opinions
are superficial, national, and ephemeral ; ideas and
principles are profound, universal, and eternal. There
is an extreme inattention to modes of expression,
and the sentiments of individuals, which is very \m-
favourable to the discernment of the impressions of
the soul, and its assent to truth. It is often long
before the most sincere can entirely throw off all re
collection of — what do such and such persons think,
(whether supposed to agree or differ,) and what will
they say of me? The dictates of the inward wisdom,
that cometh secretly in the fear of God, of the still
small voice, which speaketh to those that are allured
into the wilderness, are too often marred in their
utterance by regard to man. " With me (says St.
Paul) it is a very small thing that I should be
judged of you, or of man's judgment; for I am con
scious to myself of nothing; (of no allowed sin;) yet
I am not hereby justified, but he that judgeth me is
the Lord."

176 APPENDIX.
" My kingdom (says Jesus) is not of this world;"
therefore, argue some, it is not lawful for a Chris
tian nation to establish any standard of its faith, or
to make any public provision for the maintenance
of the ministers of religion. How strange that any
should so triumphantly draw such a conclusion !
How great is the influence of the passions upon the
judgment, when men can thus succeed in deceiving
themselves, as well as others !

The manner of the inspired writers, throughout the
whole of Scripture, as also that of Christ and His
apostles, in their preaching, is by no means to dwell
always upon the same topics. Doctrines exclusively
Christian und spiritual are intermixed with practical
precepts and moral directions; and our interest is
excited and retained by a sometimes hidden, but
still to an attentive mind sufficiently obvious, chain
of the most forcible reasoning, by frequent appeals
to nature, to providence, and to history, and by the
exhibition of feelings acknowledged as familiar by
the heart of man. To strive as closely as possible to
copy that method, is practically to acknowledge the
supreme wisdom of Him who inspired the Bible; is,

APPENDIX. 177
in very truth, to follow the example of Christ and
His apostles ; to adopt any other, is to prefer our
own opinions, or those of other men, to the model
set before us by Almighty God.

We must not only know the things which belong
unto our peace, but we must feel them also : thus
St. Paul, saith, " With the heart man believeth unto
righteousness." Christianity lays not in mere know
ledge, in soundness of faith, purity of doctrine, and
correctness of expression ; much less in outward
forms, and the service of the lip ; it is a matter of
internal and individual experience. True religion
has its seat in the heart; it is there it lives and
breathes : it lives by the Word of God, it breathes
in prayer. By His written Word we learn, so far as
is expedient for us in our present state, the nature
and the will of God ; by prayer we hold intercourse
with Him. When thus rendered, by His Word and
by prayer, in some measure sensible of His infinite
holiness and perfect purity, of the inviolable sanc
tity and everlasting authority of His righteous laws,
of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and of the corrup
tion of our nature; it is then, when we feel ourselves as

178 APPENDIX.
guilty sinners, on the brink of eternity, from which
we are separated only by the uncertain tenure of our
breath ; it is then that our proud arid rebellious
spirits become truly • humble and contrite, that we
feel our need of a Saviour, and that the hope of sal
vation through Christ becomes the first and leading
object of our hearts. It is the power of the Holy
Ghost alone that can thus enlighten the eyes of the
understanding, it is the baptism of His fire alone
that can thus quicken the soul. This precious gift,
on which eternity depends, is to be sought, and can
be increased, only by diligent use of the means we
are taught by our Master, Jesus, to use, and to which
He has promised His blessing.

" All the Athenians, and strangers which were
there, spent their time in nothing else but either to
tell or to hear some new thing." The consequence
was, that they were almost universally inattentive to
the preaching of St. Paul. The nature of man, and
the result of similar habits, are still the same. There
is nothing that so much indisposes the mind for
composed attention to what is old, as the being per
petually occupied with telling and hearing what
is new.

APPENDIX. 179

" He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after
me, is not worthy of me." "Then said Jesus to
his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
" And he said to them all, If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
daily, and follow me." " Whosoever doth not bear
his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disci
ple." " Then Jesus beholding him, loved him; and
said unto him, One thing thou lackest : go thy way;
sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come, take
up thy cross, and follow me." " If thy right eye
offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee ; for
it is profitable for thee that one of thy members
should perish, and not that thy whole body should be
cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee,
cut it off, and cast it from thee ; for it is profitable
for thee that one of thy members should perish, and
not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."
This is another of the elementary doctrines of
" the wisdom that cometh from above," hard to
learn, apt to be forgotten, and therefore often re
peated by our Divine Teacher. Let us pray then
evermore to our loving and patient Master, to give
us His Spirit, " to teach us all things, and to bring
all things to our remembrance, whatsoever he says

180

APPENDIX.

unto us." When once we have effectually learned
to recognize the hand of our God upon us for our
good, in every event of life, we shall make continual
advances towards " the measure of the stature of
the fulness of Christ." In the season of happiness
we shall bless the Lord, " who hath pleasure in the
prosperity of his servants;" in the hour of mourn
ing we shall remember, that " whom the Lord loveth
he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth." The tears of natural sorrow will be the
seeds of spiritual joy; for the consolations of God
are not small to such as truly love Him ; and He
who smites His children, will pour in the balms of
heaven, yea, so that we may sometimes be a wonder
to ourselves. Great afflictions will be the occasions
of great improvement ; for the heavier the cross may
be, the greater strength will be afforded, that we
may be able to bear it. We shall welcome every
opportunity of subduing our perverse will to the
wise and gracious will of God. We shall " run with
patience the race that is set before us;" and even learn
to bear with meekness the cross of our wishes, in
things spiritual as well as temporal — the blindness
and insensibility of Sadducees, the misconstruction
and harsh judgment of Pharisees, " considering him
who endured such contradiction of sinners against
himself." The lesser trials of our temper and feel
ings, in the daily and hourly occurrences of life,
will give us more frequent means of Christian dis-

APPENDIX. 181
cipline, until we at last are taught " to overcome
by love" ourselves, the world, and the devil. The
way of the cross is the sure way to heaven, into
which, if God has in mercy guided our feet, we may
well be thankful, for there shall be an accomplish
ment of the things promised to them that cheer
fully follow Jesus in the royal path to glory. Be
lieving faithfully, loving heartily, fearing constantly,
and waiting patiently, we shall not be unhappy
whilst on earth, and we shall regard death as the
passage into a new state of existence, in which un
spotted purity, " love that never faileth," increasing
knowledge, and growing conformity to the inex
haustible perfections of God, will be the eternal
source of the fulness of satisfying joys. Let the sons
of God rejoice in Him that made them ; let the re
deemed of the Lord look up, for their deliverance
draweth nigh. He has ascended up on high ; He
has led captivity captive ; He has triumphed over
sin, over Satan, and the grave ; He has received
gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the
Lord God may dwell among them. Why art thou
cast down, O brother ! and why is thy soul disquieted
within thee ? The crown and the palm are ready
for those that endure to the end — yet a little while,
and they are thine.

,182 APPENDIX.
May Almighty God bless, for His name's sake,
that which is true ' in these pages ; may He forgive,
for Jesus Christ's sake, that which is erroneous;
may He lead all men by His Spirit, and by His
Word, to the knowledge and love of truth: and to
God the Father, God the Son, arid God the Holy
Ghost, be all honour, glory, praise, might, majesty,
and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.

THE END.

LONDON :
IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTER'S, SAVOY STREET, STRAND.

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