promises of Christ, and relies on what is unseen and invisible;-then, I do ask you, as calm judging and responsible beings, is it not most symptomatic of a faith, to say the least, dormant, enfeebled, and diseased, that a means of grace thus obvious, patent, and accessible, is all but utterly and uniformly neglected. On much slighter encouragements, on far less definite and specific promises, on very few and low degrees of probability, a lively, vigorous, and healthy faith, would fill our Churches with reverent and anxious hearers, every day of the week. My brethren, there is one observation arising out of our subject, with which I shall conclude this discourse. Every promise of God, creates a correlative and corresponding duty. The promises, addressed to the Church, its assemblies, and its ministers, are, each and all, so many commands and obligations, to such a course of conduct, as will bring into act and operation the promised influence and grace. When our blessed Redeemer promised to his holy Apostles, his presence, to conse crate their assemblies and give spiritual power to their ministrations, he promised this, neither for their sakes only, nor for the sake of his Church only, but for the sake of that world, into which he came, and in which he has left his Church, "not to condemn the world," "but to save the world." His presence, like the cloud that rested on the journeying Israelites, is designed, not merely as the guide and protector of his own people, but as a testimony to the surrounding families of mankind of the blessedness of those who "abide under the shadow of the Almighty 2." It is his will that they who see what he hath done for us, may fear, and put their trust in the Lord 3. It is his will, that, even when our enemies attempt to curse us, they may behold the goodly order of our tabernacles, and be compelled to pronounce us blessed*. His will is, that, if they design to do us mischief, they may, like the enemies of the Prophet, have nothing else to lay to our 1 John iii. 17. xii. 47. 3 Ps. xl. 3. 2 Ps. xci. 1. 4 Num, xxiv. 5, 9. charge, except the regularity and constancy of our devotions'. His will is, that, when men come from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of our greater Solomon 2, they may be constrained to say, “Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom 3." I say, that this is his will, not merely because our own reason must convince us that it is so, but because he has himself expressly taught us that it is. "Ye," saith he to his disciples, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Now, one of the modes, by which this result is to be produced, is, the impression, that should be made by the mere solemnity 1 Dan. vi. 5-13. 2 Matt. xii. 42. and beauty of our worship. So St. Paul has taught us, that when the ignorant or the unbeliever come into our assemblies, struck by the convincing unity and order of our service, he may fall down on his face and worship God, and report that God is in us of a truth 1. My brethren, it is not by talking about the superiority of our religion, nor by the methods of proselytism, nor by declamations against the errors and superstitions of other communities, that the Church can expect to make any beneficial impression on mankind. We can scarcely hope, that strangers should be more influenced by our words than by our conduct. Plain men, will, naturally enough, conclude, that we cannot wish them to set a higher value on our religion, than we set on it ourselves. Unfriendly men, will insinuate, that, if it be zeal and not party spirit, which stimulates our efforts, our first reformations will be at home. Inquiring men, will be apt to question, whether we can be fair or competent witnesses to the 1 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. value of institutions, which we now suffer to exist only in books and acts of parlia ment, and in the sorrowful recollections of those whom we ridicule as visionary formalists. Calm and calculating men, will, right or wrong, be ready enough to balance, against our clamorous demand,—that they should sacrifice every thing on earth for the sake of our religion,—the stubborn fact, that we ourselves do not dream of sacrificing for it, one hour a day of idleness, amusement, or accumulation. Pious men, will perhaps consider themselves bound to hesitate between evils: between remaining with those who have "a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge';" and going over to those, whose words are more religious than their works: between remaining with those, who appear to be influenced by their creed, though erroneous and impure; and joining those, who have truth and purity in their worship,-and neglect it. Is it, I conjure you, to such calculations as these, that God will endure us to drive man 1 Rom. x. 2. |