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EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE.

JANUARY, 1808.

MEMOIR

OF

THE REV. DAVID TAPPAN, D. D.

PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN HARVARD UNIVERSITY, IN CAMBRIDGE,

NEW ENGLAND,

THE Creator, in whose hand it is to make great, designed Doctor Tappan for a very important station, and imparted to him correspondent advantages. The talents which he inherited from nature, together with his moral and literary improvements, qualified him for extensive usefulness. He early discovered marks of a very docile active mind. His father, the Rev. B. Tappan, of Manchester, had the principal care of his first years; and taught him the elements of knowledge. At the age of 14 he was admitted into Harvard College. There, rising above ju venile follies and vices, he diligently sought useful knowledge. He was considerate and sober-minded. Extending his views into future life, he preferred those attainments which are solid and durable, before those which are showy or splendid. He was distinguished for ardent love of knowledge and diligence in study, for his blameless and serious conduct, for proficiency in learning, and dutiful regard to the laws and guides of the institution.

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Within less than three years after he was graduated, he commenced the work of the ministry. His first performances in the pulpit displayed a large fund of theological information, procured him a high place in the public esteem, and fully indicated the eminence which he afterward attained. His hearers were surprized with the extent and pertinence of his thoughts, with his accurate and copious style, with the animation and solemnity of his utterance, and with the fervour of his devotion. A very harmonious church in Newbury soon invited his ministerial labours. At the age of 21, he was ordained the pastor of that flock; and continued with them about 18 years.

Doctor Tappan chose the sacred office from principle. It was his deliberate judgment, that the gospel-ministry is, of all professions, the most important to mankind. The design of that work, involving the best interests of the universe, perfectly ac

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MEMOIR OF D. TAPPAN, d. d.

corded with his expanded benevolence. There is reason to believe that he early imbibed the excellent spirit of Christianity. After much anxious concern respecting his everlasting welfare and deep conviction of sin, he was, in the judgment of charity, renewed by grace. Embracing the all-sufficient Saviour, and submitting to his will, he cherished the hopes and consolations of the gospel; and he made it the delightful business of his life to recommend to others that Saviour, whose preciousness and glory had been revealed to him. He had the peculiar advantage, which belongs to all ministers who are called of God, that whenever he preached the unsearchable riches of Christ, he spake what he knew, and testified what he had scen.' To this, undoubtedly, must be ascribed, in a great measure, his impressive manner of preaching. He spoke from the fulness of his heart: he was sincere and in earnest. No hearer could doubt that he felt the reality and eternal importance of the truths he delivered. As a preacher, he was decidedly evangelical. 'He determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.' gospel, as a revelation of grace to sinners, was the great subject which he studied and explained. To use his own words: "Sensible that the revelation of mediatorial mercy is the chosen instrument of saving a ruined world; that he was divinely commissioned to publish and enforce it for this end; and that its final completion will embrace the order, perfection, and happiness of the moral world, and the highest glory of its Author, he dwelt upon the sublime subject with eager and profound contemplation.' Those doctrines, which are the ground-work of revelation, were the ground-work of his preaching. Scarcely a sermon came from his lips, in which some of the peculiarities of evangelical truth were not found. Frequently, and in many different ways, he inculcated the doctrines of man's fallen ruined state, the redeeming love of God, the atonement of Christ, justification by grace, and the efficacy of the Divine Spirit, in renewing sinners and preparing them for glory.

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He was not only a doctrinal, but a very practical preacher. Every gospel doctrine, he insisted, has its corresponding duty. Speaking of the doctrines of human depravity, and salvation by the of God, mercy the atonement of Christ, and the sanctification of the Spirit, he says, From these doctrines immediately result the duties of evangelical repentance and humility, faith and hope, gratitude and love, obedience and joy.' Accordingly, when he preached the doctrine of human depravity and misery, his aim was to show sinners their dependence on God's mercy, and their need of redemption through the blood of atonement, and to lead them, with thankfulness and joy, to accept proferred salvation. When he preached the all-sufficient atonement, he was careful to show its influence on the violated law of God, and on the guilty deplorable condition of man. In his hand it was the terror of the obstinate rebel; but the hope and consola

tion of humble contrite souls. The doctrine of divine influence he aimed to exhibit in such a light, as at once to humble the proud, and encourage the lowly in heart. Justification by faith, without the deeds of the law, he represented as inseparably con nected with a godly life; yea, as the spring of true gospel obedience. He gave it as his judgment, that Christian piety and morality must rise or fall as the doctrines of grace (which support and exalt them) are regarded or neglected.' By these sentiments he regulated his preaching. Whenever he inculcated the duties of Christianity, whether the duties of repentance and faith, which immediately respect men as sinners, or the general duties of piety to God and benevolence to man, he failed not to inculcate them chiefly by evangelical motives.

Dr. Tappan was a plain and distinguishing preacher. Knowing the gospel to be of everlasting importance to mankind, he endeavoured to preach it in the most intelligible manner. He was happy in commanding a style which had charms for all. While the refined hearer enjoyed its flowing elegance, the unrefined was edified with its plainness. Deeply impressed himself with the necessity and worth of true religion, he laboured to describe it correctly, and to discriminate its saving exercises and fruits from every deceitful imitation. To this work his mind was early directed by the perusal of Edwards's Treatise on Religious Affections. It was often the drift of his discourses to point out the essential difference between the sanctified affections of the believer, and the best exercises of the unrenewed heart. Under his most discriminating sermons, Conscience could hardly sleep; the sinner could not, without a great effort, deceive himself; and the humble believer could scarcely fail of obtaining consolation.

He was a very affectionate preacher. When addressing his fellow-mortals, his heart was often enlarged with benevolence, and melted in tenderness. His countenance, his voice, his gestures had all the natural marks of kind concern. His hearers, however reproved and alarmed, were convinced that he spoke from love; that the mortifying reproof and the painful alarm he gave them, were meant for their good. They saw, they felt, that the preacher was an ardent friend to their souls, and that he did not inflict the wound, which faithfulness required him to inflict, without reluctance and grief. This procured him free access to their consciences and hearts: it gave him liberty to use great freedom and plainness of speech, with a prospect of the most desirable effects.

Dr. Tappan studied variety in his preaching. It was his opinion, that a minister's usefulness is greatly abridged by confining himself within a small circle of favourite topics. He reasoned thus: That as Christian divinity is one regular and im mense whole, so each part has its claim on the evangelical instructor: that by duly attending to any one branch, he really

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befriends and enforces all the rest, as connected with it: that he cannot do justice even to the doctrinal part without largely explaining and urging its corresponding precepts: and that, considering the unlimited variety of Christian subjects, it is altogether absurd to expect that the preacher will interweave them all with every sermon.' Accordingly, he took an extensive range, and aimed to introduce that pleasing variety of topics which the Scriptures furnish; though, after all, it was manifest that he made evangelical religion the sum and centre of his preaching. :. With powers of mind and qualities of heart which attracted general esteem, Dr. Tappan was uniformly modest and humble. He seemed anxious to elude public notice and applause; and when concealment became impossible, when the acknowledged eminence of his talents rendered their frequent exercise. necessary, he was still delicate and unassuming, ever attentive to the claims of others, ever ready to sacrifice his own. It may be mentioned as a striking proof of his humility, that his uncommon popularity did not excite envy. He discovered so little desire of praise, and was so little elated by its bestowment, that it was impossible for any man, either generous or just, not to rejoice that he possessed it.

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His meekness was as conspicuous as his humility. His sacred office, giving him intercourse with human nature in its most unlovely as well as in, its most engaging forms, called for the frequent exercise of Christian meekness. When tried by the ignorance and stupidity, or by the perverseness and injustice of men, he was calm and collected. The irritation of others did not irritate him their injuries excited no revenge in his bosom. In a happy degree he ruled his own spirit. Several instances might be mentioned in which he quietly suffered his rights to be infringed, rather than secure them by contention; and his intimate friends well know what candour of judgment, what tenderness of feeling, and what fervour of prayer he showed for some who had treated him with the most painful unkindness; for their conduct he invented the most charitable excuses; and not only rose above resentment, but sought to do for them acts of pious benevolence.

Free in a good measure from the incumbrance of worldly cares, Dr. Tappan consecrated his talents to sacred duties. While he sustained the pastoral office, he devoted a great portion of his time to study. The best writers on speculative and practical divinity he read with great care. His acquaintance with the old English authors, such as Owen, Howe, Goodwin, Bates, Baxter, &c. was extensive. The rich treasures of truth contained in those authors, raised them in his estimation far above the greater part of more polished moderns. The best models of refined composition he, nevertheless, studied with diligence, and imitated with success. What the old authors wanted in point of elegance, he aimed to supply from accomplished moderns; and

what most of the moderns want in point of solid information, he supplied from the old authors. In the old authors he found the body of divine truth; in the new, its more comely and engaging dress.

Though his abilities might have raised him to eminence in the great circle of liberal arts and sciences, he wisely chose to limit his attention principally to those branches of knowledge which are most nearly allied to theology, and have the most promising influence on ministerial us fulness. In the learned languages he

did not greatly excel, though his knowledge of them was sufficient to be of essential service in all theological enquiries. His serious aim was to be destitute of no species of literature which was necessary to adorn the station he filled, or to furnish him for extensive usefulness as a minister of Christ. This being his object, he did not sacrifice to ambition or taste the regular duties of his office. First of all, he attended to the work of the ministry. For several years he wrote his discourses at full length; but afterward, his increasing employments frequently permitted him to write only the plan and leading sentiments; and sometimes he preached wholly extempore. His unpremeditated discourses, together with his solemn and pious effusions at burials, were, to the bulk of people, among his most edifying and impressive performances.

Love

He was a very affectionate pastor. His people always found in him a friend, a brother, a father: he was a guide to inexperienced youth, a pious comforter to old age, a counsellor in difficulties, a support to the afflicted. In the chamber of sickness he was a serious, tender, and prayerful visitant. seemed to be the ruling principle of his pastoral conduct. Even when he administered private reproof to any of his flock, a task the least of all congenial to his feelings, he gave them plain evidence that their reprover was their friend, - that while he lamented and abhorred their crimes, he loved their souls.

The cause of vital, experimental religion was dear to his heart. Looking with concern and grief upon thoughtless mortals rushing unprepared into eternity, he laboured to rouse them to consideration and to repentance. He was an ardent friend to revivals of religion. Amid the lamented disorders which ignorance, error, and misguided zeal have sometimes introduced into revivals, he clearly distinguished the genuine fruits of divine grace. With great satisfaction he read accounts of what God hath recently done in many parts of America. He rejoiced to observe the deep religious impressions which usually take place where God pours out his Spirit. To promote such impressions among his own people, he was instant in season and out of season.' He endeavoured to preserve and increase the solemn concern which began to appear in his society, not only by the stated services of the Sabbath, but also by weekly lectures and meetings for reli

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