religious party, he took the earliest opportunity of testify. ing the utmost disapprobation of his conduct. "What was it," said he, "that you was doing with those people the other day, in such a place? Conventicles of that kind are contrary to order, and unworthy of toleration. The church is the only proper place for the performance of divine worship: moreover, I heard you foolishly praying for I know not what consolation, light, and power, of the Holy Spirit. Receive in good part the advice I offer you. Look upon inspirations and illuminations of this sort, as no other than the idle fancies of visionaries and enthusiasts: renounce the imaginary assurance with which you do but deceive yourself, and repose upon the hope which I have constantly preached to you; a hope with which you and your neighbours may very well rest contented." Confounded with a discourse of this kind, a weak and inexperienced Christian might have been drawn aside from the narrow path of 'truth. But the person here alluded to, by citing Eph. i, 17, 18, was enabled to prove, that the very same illumination and power which were treated so contemptuously by his opponent, were nevertheless absolutely necessary, as the ground work of a solid hope. Nay, he pushed the matter still further; and asserted that the prayer against which the zealous pastor had so angrily exclaimed, was used in exact conformity to those very petitions which he himself was inconsistently heard to offer at the feast of pentecost and at other solemn seasons.

If this little relation faithfully describes the manner of thinking, which is too common among the clergy of the day, is it not evident that they are more disposed to ridicule, than to preach the Christian hope; and abundantly more earnest to obstruct than assist their parishioners in the pursuit of everlasting blessedness?

When the dawn of this glorious hope first began to glimmer when, at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole company of the disciples began to praise God with a loud voice, strowing the way by which their Lord was to pass, with garments and branches of trees, and crying out before, him, "Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest!" Some of the Pharisees who had mixed among the multitude, rudely exclaimed, "Master,

rebuke thy disciples." And when he was entered into the temple, the chief priests and scribes [those models by which the generality of ministers seem anxious to form themselves] seeing "the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying, Hosanna, were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say?" And Jesus answered them, "Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.' There still exists the same opposition betwixt those who cordially embrace the gospel, and those who ungratefully reject it. As often as the former are perceived to give a loose to the transports of their gratitude, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, the worldly minister, displeased to observe any thing that appears to reproach his own lukewarmness, is prepared to counteract the motions of that joyful hope, which he deems no better than the confidence of presumptuous fanatics. But the minister who imitates St. Paul, on observing such a scene, will cry out with that great apostle: "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost."

If penitents are not pointed to the blessedness of this hope, they will strive like Cain to stifle their remorse, by passionately abandoning themselves to the business and enjoyments of the present world: or, like the Israelites, who found not sufficient pleasure in religion to banish the recollection of Egypt's vanities, they will indulge that spirit of trifling which the apostle thus describes: "The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play." On the contrary, when the Christian is directed to the hope of his high calling, he finds it a source of unutterable consolation: and having discovered the treasure hidden in the gospel field, "for joy thereof he selleth his all," in order to purchase that field. He now renounces,

without pain, what before had hindered him in running the heavenly race, counting nothing dear to himself, that he may finish his course with joy, and insure the crown of everlasting life. So powerfully were the first Christians supported by this gospel hope, that they remained immovable amidst the sorest calamities of life, and suffered death itself with a courage that astonished their

persecutors. But when they lost their confidence, like Demas they began to indulge the fond hopes and foolish fears of the present world, becoming altogether weak as other men; and such are the generality of Christians at this day. The love of many is waxing cold, while the church of God is evidently falling into ruins; and how shall we assist to rekindle that love, repair that church, but by zealously proclaimng abroad the "hope of the gospel."

The true minister preaches Christian charity.

Ir the evangelical pastor proclaims repentance, faith, and hope, it is with a view of leading sinners to that Christian charity, which is justly esteemed the crown of every grace. In preaching repentance, he lays the axe to the root of every corrupt tree. In preaching faith, he plants the tree of life. When he preaches hope, he causes that tree to put forth a beautiful blossom; but when he preaches charity, he calls forth the rich fruit from every vigorous branch. And while he is engaged in performing the various parts of this important work, he denounces the anathemas of the gospel against that repentance, faith, and hope, which are superficial, unfruitful, and delusive.

The minister of the day, piques himself upon preaching morality, which he is ordinarily accustomed to do, in the manner of a heathen philosopher. Unacquainted with the importance and power of the doctrines of Christianity, he is ashamed to walk in the traces of St. Paul. If he is enabled to paint with any degree of ability the serpents of envy, the inquietudes of avarice, and the delights of charity, he imagines that he shall readily dispose his neighbours to love as brethren. He knows not that "the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus" is that alone which can make any man "free from the law of sin and death," by delivering him from that envy, that avarice, that ambition, that indifference, and those worldly fears, which are incompatible with evangelical charity. "What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, i. e. our degenerate nature," which has need of stronger motives and more powerful supports than those which the law proposes, "God sending his own Son in

the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh that" by the new motives and the divine assistance offered in the gospel, "the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who," being regenerate, "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

The judicious pastor, observing the same connexion between the morals and doctrines of Christianity, as between the root and fruit of a vigorous tree, is constrained incessantly to preach those important truths which naturally give rise to the three above mentioned graces; and he is perfectly assured that wherever these truths are permitted to take root, he shall shortly rejoice over the inestimable fruits of Christian charity. This mode of acting is equally conformable to reason and revelation. By publishing those doctrines upon which the necessity of repentance is founded, he exterminates pride and inordinate self love, which are the greatest obstacles to charity. By preaching the doctrines of faith, he gives rise to that universal love which extends to God and man. Thus when a sinner sincerely believes that God is love; when, penetrated with admiration and gratitude, he can say with the apostle, "I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me;" at that moment he necessarily feels a degree of affection toward the creating Father, and the redeeming Son, whom he longs to imitate, and whom he rejoices to obey. This love is as boundless as it is ardent, and reaches to the most unworthy of his fellow creatures, enabling him, according to the example of Christ, to sacrifice for his very enemies, not only outward comforts, but even life itself. Hence the Christian faith is said to work by love. Now if this lively persuasion of the unspeakable blessing which God hath already given us in Christ Jesus is sufficient to produce a good degree of charity, it is evident that a well grounded hope of greater blessings still to come, must serve to strengthen and increase this charity. And if we are fully persuaded that our labours of love shall never be forgotten; that even a cup of cold water, imparted for the love of Christ, shall not go unrewarded, what influence may not such a hope be expected to have in opening the heart to universal benevolence, and in producing all the fruits of evangelical charity?

Convinced that to plead for charity without insisting

upon the doctrines by which it must be supported, would be building a house without laying a solid foundation, the true minister industriously labours to explain the nature, to exhibit the motives, and represent the effects of this wondrous grace, in the clearest manner. To some indeed such discourses are vain; but others among his hearers are found who, ravished with the loveliness of this virtue, and constrained by those motives which the gospel proposes, betak themselves to the exercise of it, with as much ardour, as the voluptuous run to their sensual entertainments.

Darkness differs not more from light, than the charity of the faithful ministers differs from that of a scribe illinstructed in the mysteries of the kingdom. The love of the good pastor "rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth," which frequently comes to humble human pride. On the contrary, the charity which every false apostle preaches, is no more than the phantom of a virtue consoling the heart in the midst of sin, rejoicing in a lie, and resting upon assurances altogether contrary to the word of God. To be charitable, according to the notions of these men, is to indulge a persuasion that there is much to be abated of the threatenings contained in the gospel, and that St. Paul is far beside the truth when he declares, that "no unclean or covetous person hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ." It is to believe that the Holy Spirit was too severe, when it dictated to St. James, that "he who is a friend of the world, is the enemy of God," and violates his baptismal vow in as full a sense as adulterers violate the sacred vow of conjugal fidelity. It is to insinuate that Christ himself overpassed the bounds of reason when he publicly cried out, "Whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Judge not," saith the Redeemer, "that ye be not judged." But according to the sentiments of these erring guides, to be divinely charitable, is to conclude from this precept that a man may even revoke the judgments of Christ himself; thus under pretext of not judging those who are evidently walking in the road to perdition, they indirectly give judgment against the Redeemer, as bearing a false testimony. In errors like these it is that the world will needs have the greatest part of charity to consist.

The true minister attacks this false grace as an enemy