able to tyrannous restrictions,-tolerance being most, and indeed

FICATION IN A MINISTER OF
THE GOSPEL.

"Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matt. x. 16.

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IN every age of the church, true religion has had to contend with great difficulties, and to encounter continual opposition. The principles and practices of the world are directly opposed to it; and from these principles, as also from the natural infirmities of man even when under the influence of religion, numerous prejudices have always prevailed, which are very unfavourable to its progress. In addition to these common or general sources of impediment, there are others in every age arising from the peculiar circumstances of the times. When religion is restricted by the rigorous hand of spiritual tyranny, the enemies which chiefly prevail, and are the most injurious to its cause, are superstition and bigotry; but when left unrestrained, and permitted to be received just as it may suit the humour or the fancy of every individual, endless divisions are the usual consequences, almost every person setting up himself as most fit to determine the true character of religion, both in its general and particular features. The latter is too much the case in the present day; yet, notwithstanding the great evils with which a plenary indulgence of religious opinion may be often accompanied, it is beyond measure preferCHRIST. OBSERV. No. 223.

and spirit of Divine Truth, while persecution is diametrically opposed to both: and the evils which may arise from religious freedom are but similar to those which, through the wickedness and infirmities of man, attach themselves to all the common blessings of Heaven-even to the very necessaries of life, which are often misapplied to the worst of purposes.

Viewing religion thus opposed on the one hand, and undermined on the other, we can be at no loss to see the necessity which its faithful advocates, especially its ministers, must feel of a large measure of Divine wisdom, combined with integrity of purpose and sincerity of heart. For this wisdom must never be separated from the other virtues and graces of the Christian character; and our Lord consequently exhorts his disciples to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." And though it is the particular intention of the present remarks to shew the necessity of the former, yet it must not be supposed that the latter is of less consequence towards forwarding the great objects of religion. Both are essentially, and perhaps equally, necessary; and no great benefit will ever be effected, but when they are united. Wisdom, without innocency, would be little better than artifice, the low cunning of a grovelling mind, greatly resembling the deceitful subtlety of the spirit of darkness. Indeed, it cannot with

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propriety be called wisdom, for wisdom is usually defined to be "the power of judging rightly;" and no judgment can be right on moral questions, which does not involve moral considerations. Innocency also, without wisdom, would be apt to degenerate into weakness. We shall now consider the difficulties and opposition with which religious truth has to contend; and from which arises the necessity of acting wisely and prudently, yet with Christian sincerity and innocence, in our efforts to promote its

cause.

That the principles and practices of the world are opposed to those of true religion, cannot but appear im'mediately evident to all who are acquainted with their distinctive characters. Attempts indeed have been often made to effect a union between them, but never with any success. When the appearance of religion has at any time gained respect and popularity, those who 'are influenced only by worldly principles have not unfrequently been known to court its favour, and to enlist professedly under its banners; affecting to advocate its cause, while they were in reality prosecuting their own selfish ends. And, as a strong instance of human infirmity, it may unhappily be remarked, that even religious persons themselves have too often manifested a similar desire to reconcile these two irreconcileable things, to unite what in their very nature cannot be united, and to join together what God has put asunder. This state of necessary and unavoidable hostility very clearly shews the necessity of the qualification which has been mentioned. For though there cannot be any coalition between truth and error, light and darkness, the world and religion, yet any thing like gratuitous asperity should be avoided; for every unnecessary provocation is injurious to the success of religion, especially when the provocation is offered by the advocates of truth,

One of the most prominent characters of our religion is peace, which we are commanded to maintain, if possible, with all men; though in the endeavour to do so, truth of course is not to be sacrificed, or our principles to be relinquished. Rather than this, we must be willing to bear whatever degree of censure or even of persecution, were that permitted, might fall to our lot. But while thus holding fast our faith, and shewing ourselves not ashamed of the Cross of Christ, it is scarcely necessary to add, that the Christian should be as conciliatory in his manner, and as inoffensive and prudent in the mode of communicating his sentiments, as may be consistent with faithfulness and innocency. This line of proceeding becomes doubly recommended, when we consider that religion is designed to gain the world over to itself, to prevail on the careless to reflect, on the hardened to repent, on the infidel to believe the Gospel. And how can such a design, humanly speaking, be accomplished but by the adoption of suitable means; and, among others, by a tenor of conduct calculated to engage the attention, to conciliate the mind, and to affect the heart? It is true that we cannot either enforce the genuine doctrines, or live as becomes the spirit, of the Gospel, and not in some degree excite the enmity of the world; yet it should be our aim to avoid unnecessary sources of irritation because such a state of excitement is by no means favourable either to the impartial consideration or to the reception of Divine Truth.-Were we employed to recover a rebel to his allegiance, should we begin by saying such things as we knew would instantly rouze his angry feelings? Should we not, on the contrary, endeavour to allay them, and to induce him calmly to consider what he had done? Should we not, by every argument, urge him to lay down his arms, and to submit to his lawful sovereign?

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And is it not right to pursue the same plan in reference to the spiritual disaffection of mankind towards God? To this, some will perhaps reply in the negative; contending, that such is the wisdom of man, but that in religion the work is altogether divine, and therefore does not require these prudential means for its furtherance. Objections of this kind are sometimes expressly made; and even when not expressed, they may at times exercise a secret influence over the mind and conduct. On both accounts, therefore, they deserve to be considered. That a prudent endeavour not to excite the animosity of the world, and that the adoption of conciliatory means with a view to gain its attention to the subject of religion, are not contrivances of mere world. ly wisdom, is evident from Scripture. The very command of our Saviour," Be ye wise as serpents," not only justifies but enforces such a proceeding. The prominent character of the plan which St. Paul seems to have pursued, also gives countenance to it: for, while preaching the Gospel, it was not his method to irritate, but to "persuade" men. "We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." We might adduce also his arguments with the Jews, the Greeks, and the Romans, in which, in a manner the most conciliatory, he studies their habits, their modes of reasoning, and even their very prejudices. Such a plan of proceeding also most fully coincides with the spirit of the Gospel, which is the word of reconciliation," and with the practice of those holy men who have been most eminently useful in every age of the church. But it is still objected, that the work, being divine, does not require such prudential means for its furtherance. But does it follow that such means are not necessary because their effect depends on God? This is much the same as to maintain, that to prepare the ground and to sow the seed are of no use,

Man

because no fruit can be reaped without a favourable season. evidently has a portion of duty to perform, which belongs to him exclusively as the instrument of God, and which he is required to fulfil according to the ability granted him, in the full and faithful exercise of all his faculties, and of the endowments which God bestows upon him; and, among other gifts, of wisdom, which is undoubtedly one of the talents committed to his care. God also reserves a part of the work exclusively to Himself, and which he performs in his own character as God. These two parts are perfectly distinct. Man's part the Almighty does not see proper to perform but through man; and the honour of doing his own he claims to himself. The due use of all those prudent and lawful means which are enforced and countenanced by the Divine word, and are calculated to effect the great purposes of the Gospel, constitutes the part allotted to man. To bless those means, and to make them effectual to the conversion of sinners, and to the edification of the Christian, is the part of God. To argue then, that means are not necessary-or, which is in reality the same thing, that wisdom is not necessary in the use of them, because they are in themselves, and separately from the Divine blessing, inefficacious-is to misapprehend their intention: as, on the other hand, to enforce their adoption on the ground that they are self-efficacious, is to attribute to man what belongs exclusively to God. By the first error man finds an excuse for his indolence or for his folly and imprudence: by the second, a basis upon which to erect the unchristian structure of human merit. Both these errors should therefore be cautiously avoided; for it is clearly the duty of ministers, set apart as they are for the very purpose of promoting the interests of true religion, to use all wisdom, combined with innocency,

in promoting the great work of their calling; yet ever bearing in mind, that all their endeavours depend entirely on the Divine blessing for their efficacy.

Wisdom again will appear no less necessary when we consider the prejudices of mankind. These are not peculiar to men in their unconverted state, but cleave to many, and in a degree to all, even of those who are renewed in the spirit of their mind. Opinions are often entertained which are not founded in solid argument, but are formed by mere circumstances, derived not unfrequently lineally from father to son, and in many instances so deeply rooted as to become identified with our very first principles and affections. These prejudices are of all things the most untoward and unmanageable, especially as they are often covered with a veil of sacredness, which, even to touch, much less to pierce and tear away, would be considered an act bordering on sacrilege. Of these prepossessions some are perhaps directly opposed to the letter, as well as to the spirit, of the Gospel; while others are of a more dubious character-indifferent, perhaps, in themselves, but generally productive of evil in their consequences. To manage them with success is difficult; and no common degree of wisdom is necessary for the pur pose. To attack and expose them without ceremony would perhaps alienate the minds of their espousers, and, if attempted from the pulpit, might cause them to absent themselves from the house of God, and thus drive them beyond the reach of instruction. Yet to deal with them with a lenient hand would perhaps effect nothing, and might even tend to encourage and increase them. Here wisdom is peculiarly requisite; and that not only for directing a minister as to the best mode of treating these prejudices, but also for enabling him to discern their comparative evils; for they may not all be equally

injurious. Some are perhaps of a negative, and others of a positive kind: some directed against certain things which are really good and useful; others in favour of practices which are decidedly evil. The latter, of course, are generally the worst, and those which instructors should be most anxious to remove. But caution and wisdom should be exercised, lest much evil, perhaps a greater evil, should attend the removal of evil. The duty of endeavouring to eradicate injurious prejudices is evident; but the duty of doing this with wisdom and prudence is also no less evident. Let us deal with men, when we act for God, as we deal with them when we act for ourselves; with all those precautionary and prudent measures which we adopt to clear any obstructions in the way of our plans and wishes. To act wisely, does not deprive God of his honour; and indeed to act otherwise is a disgrace to his holy cause; but that which offends and displeases Him, is to suppose that we can succeed by our own wisdom, and more particularly to attribute to ourselves, to our own prudence, what belongs to Him alone: as in another instance, to observe the Divine law, and to value it highly, is pleasing to the Almighty; but to do so with a view to obtain eternal life by it, to set it up as the claim to salvation, is in the highest degree offensive to Him, as being a perversion of what is itself holy, just, and good.

The present state of the religious world evidently demands the exercise of more than common wisdom. There are afloat a great variety of opinions, many of which are by no means advantageous to the cause of Christian truth. Besides their general tendency to bewilder the public mind, some of them are not of the best quality, but are injurious to the health of the soul, tending to please the fancies of men, to flatter their corruptions,

to excuse their sins, to feed their pride, and to destroy that humility of mind which is a necessary part of true religion. The difficulty of obviating the evils of such opinions is very great; for every error has its party and its teachers, whose claims to attention are sometimes very plausible; and as the perversion of scriptural truth is generally more congenial to human depravity than the truth itself, strange and uncommon sentiments will, for this among other reasons, be very readily received; and the new way being considered as a way to heaven, and in this main particular the same with the old, the greatest objection is removed; and pains will be taken to represent its superiority in all other points; and, in fact, it will perhaps appear superior in the eyes of those who are destitute of piety, from its being less strict in its demands, more sparing in self-denial, more easy in its duties, and more congenial to the spirit of the world. When systems of the kind to which I allude are promulgated, and pressed upon the public, with zeal, diligence, and the highest pretensions to religious knowledge, wholly to stem their progress is perhaps impossible; though much may be done with the combined assistance of wisdom, diligence, perseverance, and prayer. Much difficulty arises from the number of evils in such cases to be contended with at the same time; among which we may enumerate the natural curiosity of the human heart, its fondness for novelty, the plausible appearance of the new doctrine, its mixed nature, its congeniality with the unrenewed dispositions of man, its pretended advantages, its imposing promises. In order to expose all these evils in a way likely to succeed, it is necessary that a minister should possess a large portion of heavenly wisdom. Besides, in endeavouring to do his duty in this respect, he may

be called to meet with other obstacles: his attempts will, perhaps, be imputed to bad motives; he may even be branded with the name of a persecutor; and such charges will in no small degree tend to weaken the efficacy of his instructions and remonstrances. Under such circumstances, wisdom is an indispensable requisite, connected, as before remarked, with integrity of intention and innocency of conduct.

In those situations where dissensions and divisions have occurred, the faithful minister will find yet additional impediments in his efforts to promote true religion. In what light to consider those who separate from the Establishment, whether any or what connexion to form with them, and what line of conduct would best promote the cause of truth, are questions which he will find in many cases difficult to determine. His first care should undoubtedly be to serve the interests of true religion, and, as a means to that end, the interests of that church to which he himself conscientiously belongs. To decide how he can best promote these two objects, it is requisite that he should possess an adequate share of wisdom. Some errors will be considered by him as far more dangerous than others, and must be treated accordingly. But in order to refute any error with success, much will depend on the time, the manner, and other circumstances, which Christian wisdom will be requisite to point out.

With regard to the nature of that wisdom, the necessity of which we have endeavoured to shew, it may be remarked, that it is the wisdom which "cometh from above," flowing as to its principles from that God who is infinitely wise. It is not the grovelling short-sighted policy of self-love; but the exalted and disinterested exercise of a pious and judicious mind, enlightened by Scripture, and under the influ