are certainly not agreeable to flesh and blood; but yet we find many of the saints exulting and triumphing in such trials. We read of some who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods;" of others who, with their feet fastened in the stocks, and their backs torn with scourges, sang "praises to God at midnight;" and of others who "rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer" such things. St. Paul, in expectation of martyrdom, considered it as a subject of the warmest congratulation; and our Lord has told all his followers to "rejoice and be exceeding glad," whenever such trials come upon them. Is not this proof sufficient that we may "take pleasure in infirmities," and "glory in tribulations also," and find matter of triumph even in the bitterest sufferings for Christ's sake? Let none then, after these things, calumniate religion as though it could not make men happy, or as though any one of its ways were not ways of pleasantness and peace. But I do not merely complain that I am thus overlooked, and that my testimony respecting religion's ways is so generally opposed. I suffer ano. ther injury, which is yet more pain ful; I am not only not permitted to rectify men's judgments with respect to truth, but I am adduced to sanction and support the most horrible falsehoods. Mr. Observer, you will not wonder that I feel hurt when I inform you, that the votaries of pleasure quote my words as countenancing and recommending their evil ways. When they are told, by God's ministers, that they must renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh," they not only deny all their baptismal vows, but bring me in to justify their worldliness and dissipation. Because I say that religion is pleasure, they represent me a saying, that pleasure is religion. Now, Sir, is it not grievous to have my words thus perverted, and to be made to contradict innumerable passages of scripture which are as plain and expressive as words can make them? Fain would I ask those who pretend such a partiality for me, what they can make of those words of St. Paul, "She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth?" or those of St. John, "Love not the world, neither CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 29. the things that are in the world; if any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him?" Sir, I request you to inform my enemies (for I am sure I cannot call them friends) that I never intended to oppose the whole tenor of scripture; that, on the contrary, my testimony precisely accords with that of the apostle, "To be carnally-minded is death, but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace." Nor have I to complain only of those who thus traduce my character. I am not well pleased with many who could expound my words, indeed, very well, but who by their lives help greatly to undermine and weaken my authority in the world. I refer to the professors of religion, who give themselves so much latitude with respect to worldly company and worldly pleasure. Will not the world naturally conclude, that religion is so sparing in her communications of happiness, that her followers are forced to come and borrow of them in order to eke out their scanty pittance, and thereby to render the restraints, which she imposes on them, more tolerable? And as you have access, I understand, to many who are really devoted to God, I beg you will speak to them in my behalf, and desire that they will be my advocates with an ungodly world. Tell them, from me, to press forward in their heavenly course, and to shew, by an ever increasing zeal and diligence, that they experience the truth of my words, and that their Saviour's "yoke is easy to them and his burthen light." it, that is, would try your truth and loyalty." In the margin of the authorized translation the word wn is rendered "make trial" in both verses, which rendering is explained by Ainsworth's note, and is not liable to the objection which may be urged against that in the text. So pious a man as Joseph would scarcely endeavour to persuade his brethren that he used the diabolical arts of divination, nor would be be so foolish as to desire his steward to say, that he divined by the cup which he had lost. H. G. REMARKS ON THE NATURE OF MINISTE RIAL FAITHFULNESS, DRAWN FROM CHRISTIANS in general, and the mini- Repentance is not a popular topic. Nevertheless, a large congregation comes even into the wilderness to listen to John, and to be baptized of him. Does he proceed to flatter those who are there gathered round him? Does he intimate that the duty of repentance, though neglected by others, may be presumed to have been already sufficiently fulfilled by the genetality of his audience? Does he inveigh against the absent, and spare his own hearers? O generation of vipers,' said he, "who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come;"-"say not within yourselves we have Abraham to our father;" boast not of your privileges as Jews; " bring forth fruits meet for repentance;"" for now is the axe laid to the root of the tree. Every tree, therefore, that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn 'down and cast into the fire." " The people after this awful warn ing draw near, and ask, what shall we do then? How does the Baptist reply? What doctrine of the gospel does he urge? Which of its essential truths does he unfold? His answer is, "Ile that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none, and he that hath meat let him do likewise." I have no doubt that the multitude were much disappointed by this reply. Probably many of them came to see some striking exhibition, and to hear some wonderful revelation; many, no doubt, hoped to have their present character approved, their sect preferred, and the doctrines on which they already dwelt confirmed by the prophet. "Is this, then, all that you have to say to us? Have we been at the pains of travelling thus far into the wilderness, in order merely to be told to part with one of our coats and with half of our meat to our poor neighbours? Is this the gospel? Can such an ordinary teacher be John the true prophet, the forerunner of him who is to be Saviour of the world?" "Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, master, what shall we do, and he said unto them, exact no more than that which is appointed you." The publicans were the tax-gatherers of those days, and they were notorious for extortion. "And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.' The Roman soldiers were remarkable for their insubordination. A few of them were placed in each of the conquered provinces, where they committed perpetual acts of violence; and, in order to justify their rapacity, they raised many false accusations against the poor natives, whom it was their duty to protect. The prophet shewed remarkable courage in this last reply. Cæsar would not have dared to administer the same rebuke to a party of soldiers. It would have endangered his throne. But the unarmed Baptist feared the face of no man; and with the same boldness with which he told king Herod that it was not lawful for him to have his brother's wife (a saying for which he was beheaded), he uttered before the ferocious Roman soldiery those truths which, though every one knew, no one except himself ventured to declare to their face. The diversity of these answers is a proof that John had considered the several vices of his hearers. Many a rebuke is misplaced, perhaps many a sermon is without effect, on account of its being ill-accommodated to the case of the auditors. There are some who think it is sufficient to preach the gospel in general, or if they touch on repentance, to treat of it in general, without pointing out the particular sins to be repented of. If a certain number of general truths are deliver ed, God, as they assume, will bless his own word as far as he sees fit; and should no good be done, the failure is accounted for by God's not having been pleased to add his blessing. This may be partly admitted, but it may also happen that care has not been taken rightly to divide the word of truth. The preacher may not have assailed his hearers on that side, on which they might have been attacked with most advantage. He may have been general, when he should have been particular; or he may have been timid, when boldness would have become him; or possibly he may have been bold even to rudeness: he may have been too unmeasured in his words; he may, in his heat, have charged some sin on the conscience more vehemently than the case admitted; and thus, instead of condemn. ing others, he may have stood condemned himself as a man who utters that which he cannot make good. And, indeed, they ill understand both the gospel and their own hearts who have not learnt the importance of paying regard to circumstances of time and place; and who fancy that a zeal, which hurries them on in one strait unaccommodating course, is characteristic of christianity. Zeal of this sort is soon learnt. It is easy to contend for any doctrines with vehemence, but it is not so easy to bend our humour, and to suit our conversation, to all the variety of cases which come before us; to be mild when we should be mild, and bold when we should be bold; to speak when we should speak, and to be silent when it is more prudent to restrain our tongues. It is far more agreeable to human nature to be always bold, or always timid, or always talkative, or always silent, as our tempers may chance to be. It is also more pleasant to confine ourselves to one doctrine, or to one view of doctrines, than to direct our observations to the precise case of the auditors before us. ̧* It is more easy to give one answer to all men, than a separate reply to the several individuals who make their application to us. In the one instance a large acquaintance with human nature, a deep knowledge of our own hearts, a great superiority to prejudice, and a careful attention to the case before us, are requisite; in the other, it is only necessary to be furnished with a few general truths, to have at hand a certain stock of sayings which may be learnt almost even by rote. The true preacher of the gospel will, especially, direct his aim against the reigning prejudice, error, temptation, or sin, whatever it may be. In one circle it will be of one kind, in one of another. The soldier must be attacked on the ground of his inso lence, the tax-gatherer for his oppres sion, and the multitude for their general selfishness; and in this consists, indeed, one of the great difficulties of preaching. The idle and superficial preacher, on the other hand, has learnt to shine on a particular topic. Some doctrine which he can handle well is always his chosen ground. Say what you will, he returns to this subject. He thinks of no heresy, but that which he has skill to combat. Other errors as pernicious gain ground without being noticed. Sometimes it even happens that these superficial teachers agreeing in this respect with their equally superficial hearers, ascribe to timidity, or to want of light, the procedure which I am recommending, and venture to judge and condemn the minister who has a larger knowledge of human nature and of the gospel. Would not such men have blamed the Baptist on the same ground? Had the soldiers asked them, What shall we do? Would they not have affirmed some doctrinal point, in the preaching of which they conceive all boldness to consist? But was there not more courage in exhorting the soldiers to be content with their wages and to do violence to no man, than in pro claiming to them the most repulsive general truth? When John preached generally to Herod, the king "heard him gladly;" but when John descend- ther person, as I admit, may enter ed to particulars, and said it is not into your labours; but that ought to lawful to have thy brother's wife, He- be a consideration of little moment. rod cut off the preacher's head. So it There is, indeed, no want of men is now, men may, with comparative who are ready to administer the concase, be brought to hear any truths, solations of christianity, or to become and even to be fond of hearing them; instructors of others in the more high but while the preacher rests in gene- and disputable points. rals, the sinner is not reproved. Why have we so many mere hearers who seem to know every truth that is to be known, and yet are nearly as ungoverned in their tempers and as lax in their lives as a great part of the unbelievers? One of the reasons I apprehend to be this, that congregations are too seldom instructed in the nature of their own particular faults. There are few John the Baptists to specify their sins; there are few who like Nathan apply the parable, and say, "Thou art the man." Let me not, however, be thought to discourage a due proportion of doctrinal preaching, or to undervalue evangelical truths. By no means. This is the very way in which those truths are found to take effect. Would you invite a man to believe in Christ? first convince him of sin. Would you convince him of sin? name then some particular sin, and prove that sin upon him. When broken under a sense of it, he will be more disposed to confess his general iniquity, and to acknowledge, like David, recollecting his act of murder and adultery, "Behold I was born in sin and shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." This is also a mode which private christians may sometimes advantageously follow in theirreligious conversation with individuals. When a man is curious about doctrines, reply to his religious questions as John answered those of the publicans and soldiers, by pointing to his own besetting sin. Do not indulge in doctrinal disputation. Enter not the thorny path of controversy. Beware of metaphysical niceties and of deep and abstruse questions. These, indeed, are topics on which he will be glad to enter, and perhaps your skill in such disquisitions may tempt you to accompany him into this field of debate. But remember that all doctrine is ill understood, while the conscience is unfeeling Prove then his sin upon him, and though you proceed no further, you will send him away prepared for the reception of further truth. Some o I have, in the present paper, spoken chiefly of the nature of faithfulness in the teachers of the gospel; I will, in my next, trouble you with a few remarks applicable to the case of hearers. S. P. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. I HAVE heard so many masters of families express their wish to be provided with a greater variety of family prayers, that I shall make no apology for offering to send you, once a month, some composition of this sort. I shall take these prayers, for the most part, from some of those old books of divinity which lie too much neglected in the present day, and which resemble, in point of style, our own excellent liturgy; meaning, however, to correct a part of the ancient phraseology, and either to add, omit, or transpose, as may seem expedient I submit to you the following prayer for insertion in your next number. S.P. A GENERAL PRAYER. O GRACIOUs Lord, whose mercies endure for ever, we, thine unworthy servants, desire to render unto thee the tribute of our most humble praise. In thee we live and move and have our being. Thou hast created us, and thou hast preserved us. We thank thee for that protection of thine hand by which we and ours have been guarded amidst many dangers, and for those gracious deliverances which thou hast wrought out for us. We bless thee also for that mercy which hath lightened our troubles, when thou hast not seen fit wholly to remove them. We likewise praise thee for the gift of health, of friends, of food, and raiment; and for those many comforts and conveniencies of life which we enjoy. O Lord, grant that we may render unto thee, not only the fruit of our lips, but the obedience of our lives; and may these thy temporal mercies be to us an earnest of those richer blessings which thou hast prepared for them that love thee. But we adore thee, above all, for the gift of Jesus Christ to be our Saviour. Thou, who didst create us, hast condescended also to redeem us. Thou didst send thy Son to save us from the punishment of our sins by his blood, and from the power of them by his grace, and thus to bring us to glory. Thou hast caused us to be Born in this christian land, and consecrated to thee in baptism; and when, through our own wilfulness and negli gence, we have failed in fulfilling the baptismal vow which was upon us, thou in thy mercy hast not forsaken us, but hast graciously invited us to repentance. O righteous Lord, who hatest iniquity, we confess that we have done the things which thou forbiddest, and left undone the things which thou commandest. In thought, word, and deed, we have transgressed against thee. O pardon our sins for Jesus Christ's sake. Look upon us in thy son our blessed Saviour, and for the merit of his sufferings, blot out our transgressions and receive us into thy favour. For his sake also renew and purify our hearts, that we may become new creatures in Christ Jesus, utterly forsaking every evil way, and living in a constant course of obedience to thy commandments. We are not able of ourselves so much as to think a good thought; we, therefore, beseech thee, by thy spirit, to work in us both to will and to do according to thy good pleasure. Enlighten our minds that we may know thee, and let us not be barren nor unfruitful in that knowledge. May we be thankful for thy mercies, humble under thy corrections, and devoted to thy service. Put into our hearts a true faith, a purifying hope, and an unfeigned charity; and let no chris-, tian grace be wanting in us. Give us meekness, humility, and contentedness of mind. Make us diligent in our duty, watchful against all temptation, and temperate in our most lawful enjoyments. Grant unto us grace to perform all parts of justice, yielding unto every man whatsoever, by any kind of right, becomes his due; and put also into our hearts such mercy and compassion, that we may be ever ready to do acts of charity both to our friends and enemies, according to the commandment and example of our blessed Saviour. O Lord sanctify us throughout, that our whole spirits and souls and bodies may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. O thou whose mercy is over all thy works, we beseech thee to have pity upon all men. Look with thy tenderest compassion upon this church and nation. Give us all grace to repent of those sins which have provoked thy judgments. Bless our governors in church and state. So rule their hearts and strengthen their hands that they may want neither will nor power to punish wickedness and vice, and to maintain thy true religion.. Have pity on all who are in affliction; be a father to the fatherless, and plead the cause of the widow. Comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, heal the sick, relieve the needy, defend the oppressed, and be gracious to all according to their several necessities. Let thy special blessing rest upon those who are near and dear to us, and grant them whatsoever thou seest necessary either to their bodies or their souls. Reward such as have been good to us, and pardon those who have done or wished us evil; and make us all acceptable in thy sight through Jesus Christ. O Lord, pardon the wanderings and coldness of these petitions, and deal with us, not according either to our prayers or deserts, but according to our needs and thine own rich mercies in Jesus Christ, in whose blessed name and words we conclude these our imperfect prayers.-Our Father, &c. To the Editor of the Christian Observers THERE are certain points of considerable importance, of which I have hoped for some time that I should find a satisfactory examination in the Christian Observer. These points are directly and inseparably connected with a subject, about which, if I mistake not, you gave your readers reason to expect information. I am sorry, however, to add that you have never yet told us, what are the most effectual measures which a faithful clergyman can take, during his life, in order to prevent his flock from becoming Dissenters after his death. It is not my intention to |