of that God, and to call forth the glories of the Asmonean family.* In their days, as we find by the book of Maccabees, the first league was made with the ROMAN power, which was ere long to constitute the fourth and last monarchy, and was now grown strong enough to protect the church against the kings of Syria, as it did for many years. But when the Jews had forsaken the God of their fathers to go after their own traditions, and had at length filled up the measure of their iniquities by rejecting their Messiah, after he had accomplished all their prophecies, crucifying the Lord of glory, and persecuting his apostles, the spirit of life passed from the law into the Gospel, and left their religion a breathless carcass directed by Heaven, the Roman eagles flew to the prey, and Jerusalem was destroyed with a destruction which astonished the soul of Titus himself, and hath made the ears of every one that hath heard it to tingle, from that day to this.† The Roman empire, which, by uniting all nations under its government, prepared the way for the universality of the true religion, having thus been by turns the protector and the exterminator of the Jewish, the persecutor and the defender of the Christian church, was itself, like all the empires that had gone before it, broken in pieces, first by its division into eastern and western; then by an inundation of the barbarians subdividing it into these western in this affair, a prospect terminated by the restoration of the church of God, who saith of Cyrus, many hundred years before his birth, "He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built, and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price, nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts. For Jacob my servant's sake, and for Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me." Accordingly, in the very "first year of his reign," after having been showed, as we must suppose, by Daniel, whom he found in the court of Babylon, these prophecies of Isaiah concerning himself, "he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, all the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me, and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem which is in Judah: Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up." For this cause, therefore, was the Persian monarchy suffered to be erected, because Jehovah was become gracious unto his land, and had determined to make Cyrus his instrument in brining back the captivity of Jacob. But in process of time this empire hav-kingdoms, which, though changing occaing begun under the tyrant Ochus to perse- sionally by small accessions or diminutions, cute the church which it had till then pro- still subsist: and lastly, by the Mahometan tected, was not long after broken in pieces power, raised up to be the Pharaoh, the by the king of GRECIA, or Alexander the Nebuchadnezzar, and the Antiochus EpiGreat, the founder of the third monarchy, phanes of these last days to the eastern whose fury against Jerusalem, for refusing churches. And if the princes of this westthe succors he demanded, was on a sudden, ern division should go on to weaken and at the sight of the high priest coming forth destroy each other, while nothing is done to in his vestments at the head of a procession revive the spirit and power of the Gospel to meet him, turned into a reverence for in Christendom (for when they are departthe temple, and an admiration of the pro-ed, a mere name will avail us as little as it phecies; in which seeing himself plainly portrayed, he marched on against Darius to certain victory; and having thus performed the work for the execution of which God had rsised him up, was thrown aside as a withered rod, dying at Babylon in the 33d year of his age. The carrying away of the Jews to the number of 100,000 into Egypt under Ptolemy Lagos, one of his successors, and the cruelties of Antiochus Epiphanes, a descendant of another of them, served only the former to diffuse the knowledge of the God of Israel among the nations preparatory to their conversion by the Gospel; the latter to manifest the power did the Jews, or the Greek Christians,) may it not be feared that the western empire will one day follow the fate of the eastern, and the crescent be seen flying on the towers of Vienna, as well as on those of Constantinople! since it seems hardly to admit of a doubt, that the Mahometan empire is * See VITRINGA, in Zach. p. 205. †The Gospel, receiving strength from every successive persecution, at length conquered the conquerors of the world; the despised and ignominious cross of the poor afflicted Galilean was engraved upon the foreheads of princes, and became the great ornament and glory of the imperial diadem. Causes of the fall of the Roman Empire, BossUET, ii. 184. the last and great antichristian power raised | chastise her, and then destroying itself to and supported to be the scourge of apostate pave the way for her deliverance and reChristians; which, when it shall have per-covery. But some circumstances there are formed the task allotted it, the Lord shall which distinguish this dispensation, and deconsume with the spirit of his mouth, and serve to be carefully marked. The avendestroy with the brightness of his coming; ger came not upon us from without, but when the kingdoms of this world shall arose from amongst ourselves. It was not finally become the kingdoms of our Lord an open enemy that did us this dishonor, and his Christ, and the superiority of his for then we could have borne it. The sorchurch over them all shall be as visible as row only had then been ours. But, alas! the it is certain. guilt was so too. The assault was made, not as formerly, by heathen and infidel powers, in professed opposition to the Gos Thus by going into the sanctuary of God, we see the end of all earthly glory, and behold the empires of the world pass-pel, but by some who (if the people would ing swiftly by us, and vanishing away, to give place to that kingdom which shall endure for ever: while God, by suffering them to continue no longer than he had occasion to employ them in the service of the church, gives us a clear evidence that they were raised up for this end. It is here that we are to look for the secret spring of all victories and overthrows; here we are to search after the true cause of the rise and ruin of states; which, with the renowned conductors of them, whether in peace or in war, are but so many instruments in the hand of Heaven, to execute its designs of mercy or judgment on the church, and on each other in subordination to her, as they respectively from time to time become the objects of either, according to the uniform tenor of the divine economy from the beginning to the end of the world. With regard to this nation in particular, and the manner in which the designs of Providence concerning the church have been brought about by the revolutions that have happened in the state, it is obvious to observe, that as the conquest of Britian by the Romans opened a way for the Gospel to visit it at first, so the invasion of it afterwards by the Saxons, who, having overcome the sinful inhabitants, were themselves converted to the faith by Austin, became a means of the revival and re-establishment of that, Gospel. At the head of the many blessings since bestowed upon us will that of this day for ever stand in the estimation of all those who have pleasure in the prosperity of Sion; who love to behold her in her apostolical form and comeliness, as she appeared in the days of old, and in the years that are past, before schism had mangled and heresy defaced the beauty of holiness. In God's dealings with the church of England, restored as at this time by the restoration of the royal family, we behold an epitome of his former proceedings with regard to the church in general. We behold a power raised up to afflict and take their word for it) were the only true Gospel preachers; and who, by a strange inversion of Scripture, having appropriated to themselves the character of the Israel of God, applied all the prophecies concerning Egypt, Babylon, and the other enemies of Israel, to the church and the monarchy. The grand secret of this most detestable enthusiasm (and indeed the case is the same with every other species of it) was the art of setting up Christ against his own laws, and superseding external ordinances by fanciful internal revelations. The truth is, a spirit of schism and a spirit of faction meeting in the same hearts, formed at this period of time a set of the most accomplished rebels against the kingdom and priesthood of Jesus Christ, as delegated to his representatives in church and state. But the battery raised for the demolition of both was masked with such an hypocrisy as the world never saw before, nor, it is to be hoped, will ever see again. Under the words liberty and reformation lay concealed the mine which at length blew up the constitution from its foundations. Mankind beheld with astonishment the parliamentary cannon pointed against the king, for the security of his person; the Christian church overturned to introduce the reign of Jesus; and the saints, as they blasphemously styled themselves, inheriting the earth, instead of its right owners, to show their heavenly-mindedness. Then the mystery of iniquity stood unfolded, and the eyes of the unwary, who had at first followed Absalom in the simplicity of their hearts, were opened. But it was too late. They could only reflect (and teach their children to reflect in time) upon the truth of the wise man's aphorism, and the excellency of the advice grounded upon it: "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off contention before it be meddled with." They plainly discerned, that he who said, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers," understood the nature of government, and knew upon what principles alone it could be supported; since the remedy of rebellion proved (as it always will) to be infinitely worse than the disease of mal-administration; and the little finger of a commonwealth was found to be heavier than the loins of a monarchy; the nation (besides the destruction of the best of churches, and the unparalleled murder of the best of kings,) having suffered more, beyond all comparison, in the space of twenty years, from the tyranny of the pretended patriots, than from the despotism of all the princes who had ever worn the imperial crown of England. But as the infatuated self-willedness of rebels disposes them to suffer, so the justice of God generally ordains that they shall suffer more and worse things from the usurper whom they themselves set up, than they ever could have done from their lawful sovereign; and accordingly they who dashed in pieces the gracious sceptre of a Stuart, were scourged with the iron rod of a Cromwell. But this rod of the oppressor, when by it the Lord had visited the transgressions of his people, was at length broken. The prayers of the faithful remnant prevailed; and he who created and preserves the world for the sake of his church; he who secured her in the ark, when the flood came, and watched over her in the families of the patriarchs; he who brought her forth out of Egypt, led her through the wilderness, settled her in the promised inheritance, and made her to be the glory of the whole earth; he who raised up Cyrus to deliver her from the power of Babylon; who turned the heart of Alexander in her favor; who went forth with Judas and his brethren to the battle against the armies of Antiochus; and bade the sword of Constantine conquer under the banner of the cross; the same Lord who is rich unto all that call upon him, because his mercy endureth for ever, heard the groanings of the church of England under her captivity; and having sent a spirit of dissension and confusion amongst the builders of the schismatical and republican Babel, he opened the eyes of the people to see that there was only one way of putting a period to the miseries of their country; and, at a time when it was least hoped for, and by an instrument least suspected, he bowed the hearts of the whole nation as the heart of one man," so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants." So the king returned, and the church was delivered out of the hands of her enemies. Therein we do re joice, yea, and will rejoice. Nor shall the voice of praise grow cold in our mouths, though a hundred years are now elapsed since the day when this mercy was vouchsafed unto us; but seeing that thereby we have once more beheld Sion in her beauty, we will give thanks unto our Lord God, as if the king had this morning made his triumphant entry, amidst the acclamations of his exulting subjects, "impatient," as the noble historian expresses it, "to fill their eyes with a beloved spectacle, of which they had been so long deprived." The result of the whole is this. If the Lord loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, so should we. If, in the revolutions of states and empires, his eyes are upon the church, ours should be there too, according to the example set us by the faithful of old time; who being led into captivity, "wept when they remembered Sion;" being redeemed therefrom, "were glad when " their brethren said unto them, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." If God's dealings with a people are regulated by their dealings with his church, then the state of the church is always the best criterion whereby to judge of the true state of the nation where she is planted; and there are no greater enemies to their country than those who endeavor to alienate the minds of kings from her; since he who cannot lie hath said concerning her, " No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. Those that honor me I will honor; and such as despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Let them all be confounded and turned back, that hate Sion." For her prosperity, therefore, we and all the world ought to pray, as the Psalmist most earnestly entreateth every one of us to do: "O pray for the peace of Jerusalem," because they shall prosper that love thee." Peace, then, O thou city of God, the peace of union and charity "be within thy walls, and plenteousness" of grace and glory "within thy palaces." And while we thus pray for the church with our lips, let it be our unfeigned endeavor to adorn her by our lives. So shall we make the proper return for the mercies we have received; so shall we draw down more and more of the divine favor continually upon our king and our country, the university and ourselves; so shall we convince the world of this great and important truth, that the Christian is the loyal subject, and the churchman the true patriot. DISCOURSE XLII. THE WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY. JOHN, VIII. 7. He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. A WRITER of great note in the philosophi- tation, how eager they are to make it known cal and medical world tells us, that he never to their acquaintance! Tidings like these saw a criminal dragged to execution without are frequently uttered with as much joy and asking himself, "Who knows whether this triumph, as if the event were the best that man is not less blameable than I am?" A ques- ever befel the utterers in their lives. But tion which we should all of us do well to ask how is this? Are they the better for their ourselves, when we hear of, or see, any person neighbor's crimes; or can they really take a brought to shame and punishment, for sin. pleasure in the thought, that a fellow-creaThe sufferings of others might thus turn greatly ture, and one of the same religion, has been to our advantage, by humbling and leading us seduced to offend God, and is in danger, withlikewise to repent of our transgressions, out his grace, of perishing eternally? Does which, perhaps, equally deserve the rod, and this delight their hearts, and make their eyes escape only by not being known. On the sparkle? Evil spirits rejoice at the fall and contrary, the falls of our brethren too often destruction of mankind; but angels mourn, produce no other effect in us, than pride and and so should we. Let them suppose their uncharitableness. We are pleased to think own relations or themselves in the same situait is not so bad with us, and criticise without tion, and then see how their behavior apmercy upon characters which, take them for pears; and let them learn, that sin, which all in all, are perhaps not worse than our pierced the heart of their Saviour upon the own. What the behaviour of people gene- cross, can afford no matter of joy and triumph rally is upon such an occasion, and what it to any of his disciples. Let them be as dilishould be, we are shown in the chapter of gent in searching after their own sins, to conwhich the text is a part, where we read of a fess and amend them, as they have been in person taken in a grievous offence, and brought searching out those of their neighbors, to by the Scribes and Pharisees to Christ. I publish and expose them. They will find shall, therefore, go over this whole history, work enough, and work that will reward their and make some suitable remarks on each part labor. of it. As our Lord was teaching in the temple, "the Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act." "This woman," say the Scribes and Pharisees, "was taken in adultery"—a foul and deadly transgression, but not the only one in the world. When we see the woman "standing in the midst," put to open shame, and hear these men accusing her, what holy and good men are we led to think them? There is in human nature (however we What haters of sin? How zealous for God are to account for it) a great curiosity to dis- and religion? They, to be sure, are quite cover, and an equal desire to publish, the pure and meek, and pious and charitable. faults and infirmities of others. Some spend Alas! how mistaken should we be, if we half their time in inquiring and listening after thus judged of them! Some pains, doubtless, all that is stirring in this way. Not a breath have been employed to white-wash the sepulof wind but strikes their ear, if it be loaded chres, and the outsides of them make a very with scandal. And then when once they creditable appearance. But let us only ap have heard a story, which demolishes a repu-proach, and uncover them, and we shall soon be taught, that it is not always safe to judge according to appearance. For this wretched criminal is brought forth, not for the punishment of sin, and the glorification of God, but merely to lay a trap for Christ, that he might be accused, persecuted, and put to death. "Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?" The design was, to set Moses and Christ at variance, and they thought they had laid their snare in such a manner that Christ must fall into it either way. For if he contradicted Moses, by ordering the woman to be released, they would have set him down for a false prophet; and if, with Moses, he sentenced her to death, he must have acted contrary to his character of a merciful Saviour. So, you see, these Scribes and Pharisees, while they were clamoring for vengeance against adultery, forgot there were any such sins as envy, hatred, and malice, and perceived not that they themselves were all the time in the gall of bitterness. The woman had broken one commandment; but these her accusers were overturning the foundations of the whole law, mercy, justice, and truth. So easy is it for men who are not upon their guard, even while they are exerting themselves against some kinds of sins, to run into others; nor indeed can we be greatly surprised, that they, who give up their whole attention to the concerns of their neighbors, should sometimes a little neglect their own. The sight of a sinner discovered and brought to shame, might be a very useful and improving sight to those who belold it. But men have several ways of making it to themselves an occasion of falling. Some think it a proper subject of laughter, and Solomon tells who they are not remarkable for their wisdom-"Fools," says he, "make a mock at sin." For what is there in sin to make a mock at? It is thought a very serious matter in heaven, and will be found so in hell. Why then should it be made a jest of upon earth? It ruined mankind, and brought death into the world. And is there anything humorous in that consideration? As little merriment can there be in the nature of confession and repentance, whereby the sinner is delivered from the wrath to come. In the primitive ages such a subject was never touched upon without concern and grief. But now, people have much ado to keep their countenances, and forbear laughing. So strangely are the times altered? in other words, ignorance has taken place of knowledge, and folly sits on the throne of wisdom. Others there are, who, when they hear of a sinner discovered and exposed, bless them selves to think, how good and righteous they are; ready to cry out with the Pharisee, "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are." May be not, though we have only your own word for it, which many, perhaps, will not take. You are not, indeed, brought to shame or punishment; but, have you never deserved to be so? Recollect a little. If not, have you ever been in the same circumstances of temptation? or, are you sure that in those circumstances you should not have fallen? Who is it that hath preserved you all this time? Give the glory to God, and learn to have pity, like him, on those whose strength failed in the day of trial. Otherwise, under the show of great zeal for virtue and religion, you may display as much pride, uncharitableness, and hypocrisy, as the Scribes and Pharisees did of old, when they brought the woman before our Saviour, only that they might ensnare him. But let us not be deceived as they were. God is not mocked. He knew their craft, and saw through their design. Their hearts were opened to him, and he viewed distinctly all that was passing there. It was not his intention to destroy the law of Moses, for he came to fulfil it; nor would he condemn sinners, for he came to save them. At the same time, he would teach these men, that there were sins known to God, which the law did not reach to punish here, and that those ought to be avoided as well as these; since there was nothing secret which would not be known at the last day: that people who were fond of accusing and punishing others, or of seeing them accused and punished, should therefore look at home and examine how matters stood in their own breasts, how they should like to have the story of their lives told aloud, and the thoughts of their hearts revealed to the world. This would soon cure that desire with which so many are infected, of knowing and publishing the faults of their neighbors; it would make them treat their weak and fallen brethren as they themselves would wish to be treated by the Judge of all the earth. Such being our Saviour's intention, he seemed at first to take no notice of what was said, but stooping down, he wrote with his finger on the ground. They now thought they had perplexed him, and that he knew not how to answer their question. They pressed him, therefore, more earnestly, and continued asking, till at length he raised himself, and thus addressing them-"he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." As if he had said, in other words—“ You have brought before me a person taken in a |