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from the world. Men of this day have been induced to believe that this was not only unnecessary, that they took not merely a circuitous and difficult way to obtain the favour of God, whereas the true way was comparatively very short and easy; but that these Saints of GOD have failed of the right and saving way altogether.

7. On eloquent preaching and delivery.

There is another important point in which the modern system is opposed to Scripture in breaking the spirit of reserve, viz. in attaching so great a value to preaching as to disparage Prayer and Sacraments in comparison. According to this the Church of God would be the House of Preaching; but Scripture calls it the House of Prayer. But with regard to the subject of preaching altogether, it is, in the present day, taken for granted, that eloquence in speech is the most powerful means of promoting religion in the world. But if this be the case, it occurs to one as remarkable, that there is no intimation of this in Scripture: perhaps no single expression can be found in any part of it that implies it: there is no recommendation of rhetoric in precept, or example, or prophecy. There is no instance of it; no part of Scripture itself appears in this shape, as the remains of what was delivered with powerful eloquence. Many parts of it consist of poetry, none of oratory; and it is remarkable that the former partakes more of this reserve, the latter less so. It speaks of instruction, “precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little," but never of powerful appeals of eloquent speech. The great teacher of the Gentiles, in whom we would most of all have expected to find it, was "weak in bodily presence, and in speech contemptible;" and rendered so, it is supposed, by "a thorn in the flesh." Whereas, it would be thought by many now, that the great requisites for a successful minister are a powerful bodily presence and eloquent speech. Indeed, St. Paul says, that the effect of words of men's wisdom would be to render the Cross of CHRIST of none effect. It is, moreover, observable, that in Scripture all the words denoting a minister of the Gospel throw us back on the Commission. Such, for instance, is the word " Apostle," or

"the Sent," which title is repeated with a remarkable frequency and emphasis, and united, in one instance, with the awful and high expression," As my FATHER hath sent Me, even so send I you." And the word " preaching," as now used, has a meaning attached to it derived from modern notions, which we shall not find in Scripture. "A preacher," indeed, properly conveys the same idea as 66 Apostle," and really signifies the same thing-" a herald:" for, of course, all the office of a herald depends on him that sent him, not so much on himself, or his mode of de

livering his message. All other words in like manner adopted in the Church, speak the same; they all designate him as one ministering or serving at God's altar, not as one whose first object is to be useful to men; such, for instance, are the appellations of diaconus, sacerdos. It is curious that our word "minister," implying also the same, comes to be commonly used in the other sense, being applied, like that of preacher, to self-created teachers. Thus do men's opinions invest sacred appellations with new meanings, according to the change in their own views.

If people in general were now asked, what was the most powerful means of advancing the cause of religion in the world, we should be told that it was eloquence of speech or preaching and the excellency of speech we know consists in delivery; that is the first, the second, and the third requisite. Whereas, if we were to judge from Holy Scripture, of what were the best means of promoting Christianity in the world, we should say obedience; and

1 An instance of this may be mentioned in the solemn injunction of St. Paul to Timothy," Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season:" in the meaning which is often attached to this passage, it might readily be quoted against us, and is often made use of to uphold the opposite opinions. But when the true sense of the expression is considered, and it is taken together with the context, it would serve to set forth all we say of the right teaching the doctrine of the Atonement, in contradistinction from that which we condemn. "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine." Here there is nothing at all respecting a display of the doctrine of the Atonement: but, on the contrary, it is enjoined that with long-suffering, reproof, rebuke, and exhortation, are to be instantly urged. It is such a testimony to the truth as requires patience and courage.

if we were to be asked the second, we should say obedience; and if we were to be asked the third, we should say obedience. And it is evident, that if the spirit of obedience exists, simple and calm statement of truth will go far. Not that we would be thought entirely to depreciate preaching as a mode of doing good: it may be necessary in a weak and languishing state; but it is the characteristic of this system as opposed to that of the Church, and we fear the undue exaltation of an instrument which Scripture, to say the least, has never much recommended. And, indeed, if from Revelation we turn to the great teachers of morals which have been in the world, we shall be surprised to find how little they esteemed it useful for their purpose. The exceeding jealous apprehension of rhetoric which Socrates evinces is remarkable as shown throughout the Gorgias. Nor does it ever seem to have occurred to the sages of old, as a means of promoting morality; and yet some of them, as Pythagoras and Socrates, made this purpose, viz. that of improving the principles of men, the object of their lives: and the former was remarkable for his mysterious discipline, and the silence he imposed; the latter for a mode of questioning, which may be considered as entirely an instance of this kind of reserve in teaching.

And here again, if we are referred to expediency and visible effects, let us ask what these effects are. They have the effect of bringing people together in crowds, of creating strong religious impressions so far it may be well; but even then, to all strong feelings the saying may be justly applied, "quod est violentum non est diuturnum." But does this system make men more desirous to learn, and more exact in adhering to truth? Does this system in the long run make men more humble and obedient to their appointed ministers, more frequent in attending the daily prayers, more honest and just in their dealings with mankind? Does it lead men to think more of GOD and His appointments, and less of men and their gifts? Does it produce a healthful and reverential tone of feeling respecting the blessed Sacraments? Are persons who have been used to popular preaching more submissive to Divine ordinances, and more easily moved to the selfdenying duties of repentance and prayer? But on this point,

with regard to religious effects, even did they appear satisfactory, yet we are, in fact, no judges at all on this subject; the next world only can shew this: here we walk by faith, not by sight. Certainly the silence of Scripture should make us cautious how we allow too much to this instrument. The great importance now attributed to these means is sufficient to show the tendency of the system; it is one of expediency, it looks to man; that of the Church is one of faith, and looks to God. Their principle is to speak much and loud, because it is to man; that of the Church is founded on this, "that God is in Heaven, and we on earth;" therefore, "keep thy foot in the House of GOD," and "let thy words be few."

8. This system a worldly system.

It is very remarkable, how much this new scheme of religion is an instance of an observation which has been made, that they who set out with the profession of principles holier, or wiser, or purer than those of Holy Scripture, do ultimately tend to the virtual denial of those very truths which they professed most strictly to uphold. They who maintain that the Church does not sufficiently preach the dependence of man upon God, and trust in the Atonement, do practically, in their whole system, tend to derogate from those truths themselves, while the Church continues to hold them. They consider, for instance, that the efficacy of a preacher consists in human eloquence and activity, and not in the power of his Divine commission, which is, in fact, to set up something else, which may be sensibly felt, for the Divine gifts of the SPIRIT. By disparaging the efficacy of the Sacraments, they have come to substitute for them something like a meritorious act, or opinion, on the part of an individual. Professing to be guided exclusively by the written Word, they have established a method so opposed to it, as to render the greater part of it superfluous. Requiring us to speak loudly of Spiritual assistance, they have set at nought all those practices, whose sole end and object was to live in that invisible world, and to partake of its gifts. For men have been led to reflect censure, and even ridicule, not on the su

perstitious and wrong observance of Sacramental Ordinances, and Creeds, and Prayers, but on the punctual observance of them at all; and sentiments are expressed which would brand with superstition the devout Daniel for his unbending adherence to times and circumstances of devotion; and the widow Anna, who departed not from the temple, with formalism. And all this arises from the fact, that these opinions are not thoroughly and unreservedly based on Holy Scripture, and therefore look almost entirely to external support, and popular effect.

The very principle of sound Religion is that the world "knoweth it not, as it knew Him not :" its rules of action are so essentially opposed, that they cannot understand each other, from something of an essential nature different. The system, on the contrary, of which we speak, has ever the indirect object of making a league with it,-not externally, on the contrary, it has devised externally strongly-marked lines of demarcation, and distinctions which do not extend to the thoughts or character; and in every way has substituted a great unreal system, nominal, superficial, formal, though in name spiritual, and the more formal in reality, because in name spiritual. It does away with religious fear. Where God is, there must be the fear of Him.

For this reason it has come to pass that names of the most awful and holy import have been so used habitually, that they carry not with them their own high and awful meaning, even the Names of the ever-blessed Trinity. Not only have they become used without reverence, and very much as the distinctive signs of a party, but the very use of them tends to keep up this feeling of unreality, and without bearing on the heart and conduct. Whereas home felt natural expressions, in which any one who is in earnest is apt to clothe his sentiments, and which touch the heart and conscience of another, as they come from his own, are disliked; because they break through this unreal web, and bear more upon the daily life and conscience.

All this is substituting a system of man's own creation for that which God has given. Instead of the Sacraments and external ordinances, it has put forth prominently a supposed sense of the Atonement, as the badge of a profession. That which is most

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