3. Presumption-unfounded confidence. IV. The consequences of this difference. 1. Detection-"The king saw there a man," etc. 2. Confusion-"He was speechless." 3. Destruction-" Bind him hand and foot," etc. Let us learn, REMARKS. 1. That the provisions of the gospel are abundant and impartial. 2. That the plan of salvation is one, and uniform for all men. 3. That the loss of the soul is only chargeable on the sinner. He rejects the gospel, or neglects its offers of salvation. SERMON LXXXIV. THE RIGHTEOUS HONORED. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself. Psalms iv., 3. All just notions of right and wrong are derived from revelation. Distinction in moral character, etc. Explain the term "godly." Pious, religious, righteous-chiefly to be like God in moral purity. Show, I. How men are constituted righteous. Negatively. 1. Not by correct views of moral and theological truth. hold the truth in unrighteousness." "Who 2. Not by benevolence in feeling and action. "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor." 3. Not by outward morality. "Except your righteousness exceed," etc. 4. Not by any rigorous course of self-discipline. Prophets of Baal. Papists. Positively. 1. By an atonement made for sin. blood," etc. "Without the shedding of 2. By application of the benefit of the atonement. tified by faith," etc. "Being jus 3. By good works, as the evidences of a genuine faith. "Work out your own salvation," etc. Notice, II. The reward of piety or religion. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself. Elected children-" heirs," etc. 1. Denotes distinguished honors. 2. Exalted privileges. 3. Powerful protection. REMARKS. 1. While iniquity abounds, we are often forced to exclaim, with the prophet" Help, Lord, for the godly men ceaseth." 2. Here is encouragement for the penitent, and warning for the wicked. 3. Expostulation. "Why will ye die?" Why delay longer to repent and turn to God? Consider the motives of religion; believe and be saved. A MINISTRY FOR THE TIMES. BY THE EDITOR. NO. II. SUCH has been the effect of the evangelical labors of the illustrious men and those of their class, referred to in a previous No., that the last fifty years have been distinguished beyond all preceding time for powerful revivals of religion. Formalism has been proscribed, and driven from the churches of this country, and a spiritual energy has been vouchsafed by the great Head of the Church, which has gone on from conquering to conquest in the glorious work of regeneration and holiness. This has been known and read of all men-understood and enjoyed by all evangelical denominations. And what have been the results of this revival spirit and character in the churches? Glorious, indeed! No former age of the Christian Church has witnessed such devotion, and the consecration of such mighty energies in the blessed work of gathering the nations and kingdoms into the fold of Christ. Let the American Bible Society and its powerful and multiplying subordinates answer. Let the great missionary organizations of the land respond. Let the tract agencies, and the institutions for popular education, from the primary to the classical school,—from the college to the theological seminary,-unite to swell the volume of testimony. With a voice like the ocean-floods do these demonstrations declare what God has done for this nation within the last half century. And may this work go on, until our God shall dwell in his holy mountain, and all nations shall flow unto it! When that long looked-for period shall arrive, satan shall be bound a thousand years. "Then shall come the judgment sign; "Then thy mount, Jerusalem, Through a thousand glorious years! Now in hope of him we trust, 'Earth to earth, and dust to dust.'" There is animation and inspiring hope in poetry like this-all of which, we believe, is warranted by the "exceeding great and precious promises" of the Bible; but it is plain that these promises are not yet fulfilled; nor are we yet enjoying the fruition of the "blessed hope," which is a well-spring of richest consolations to every believer, but doubly so to the Christian Minister! A great work is yet to be accomplished; a determined warfare is yet to be prosecuted; a mighty battle is yet to be fought with "flesh and blood"-with "the rulers of the darkness of this world"with the "prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." The church, in an economical use of the means and appliances now furnished to her hand, must not only maintain the ground she now occupies, and retain the character by which she is now distinguished, but she must achieve new conquests. She must enlarge her borders-add to her territory-push far and wide the boundaries of her domain; and, by so doing, polish and brighten her character, until its radiance shall be like the morning and the noon-day sun. This work is none other than the conversion of sinners—the evangelization of the nations—the subjugation of the world to Christ. In this great moral warfare, Christ is the Captain of Salvation,—in this immense work of rearing the militant temple, he is the wise Master-builder. We must look for his presence; pray for, expect, and receive the energy and influence of the Holy Spirit. Without this, all is vain, and labors are expended to no purpose. But is it necessary, still to affirm and insist, that a living ministry is the great instrumentality by which the kingdom of Christ is to be established in the earth? Must we still proclaim, that the men who are "called of God, as was Aaron," are the ambassadors of Christ-the pioneers-the heralds-the standard-bearers— to whom the laity of the church are looking, and must look for brilliant examples of inflexible purpose, entire devotion, quenchless ardor, indomitable energy and courage, in fighting the battles of truth and holiness? We need not; for this is so well understood that the men of the world, as well as the church, turn instinctively to the ministers of the cross as exemplars of piety, expounders of truth, defenders of faith, and leaders of moral reform. We have referred to the illustrious fathers in the church, and have dilated somewhat on the marked results of their devotion and labors, and have affirmed, that, through their instrumentality the American churches have been saved from a soulless formalism, which, like the phariseeism of the Jews, was content with tithing anise, mint and cummin, and neglecting the weightier matters of the law-truth and righteousness. We have said, that the churches have been regenerated, and the standard of holiness lifted up; while the enemies of evangelical truth-of experimental religion-have been shamed and put to silence. All this is true; but let us not forget-these enemies are only silenced and humbled; they are not slain. They are secret, sworn, eternal foes. They have been writhing in their chains for years. Deep and dark in their lairs, they have originated schemes, formed their plots, and laid their plans, brooding over the perditionable purpose of defiling the church, by first corrupting her ministry. To some extent, this dreadful purpose is being realized. A spirit of unbrideled speculation and criticism is abroad in the world, which, in many instances, and with powerful talent, assails the old landmarks of Christian doctrine and morals, calling in question the sterling integrity, the incomparable devotion, and the venerable faith of the Reformers and Puritans; and, instead of the old wornout theology of the fathers, and the antiquated morality of the implicit believers and fanatics of former and darker times, it proposes for our acceptance the impalpable sublimities of transcendentalism, or the sombre and inexplicable mummeries of Romanism. Sometimes, this devil, to whose fidelity and capacity the task of arresting the progress of evangelism seems to have been committed, seizes upon the facts of easy life, and the luxuries of wealth, to tempt the church; yielding the point of theoretical orthodoxy, providing she will relax her moral discipline, and steer clear of the rigidities and inconveniences of self-denial. And here he has large success; and in his fell and mighty swoop he has gathered within the last few years many of the promising sons and daughters of the church-gathering them up, as an abundant harvest, for the day of tears and the revelations of wrath. He is a tactition of ample experience, and never treads a beaten path, unless necessity imperatively demands it. Hence, to pervert those of good intentions and ardent zeal, he puts on the guise of a Reformer, and drives his regenerating chariot with the furious velocity of Jehu himself, until he has thwarted the good purposes of the enterprise in the completeness of its ruin. But we have not time or space to enumerate all the ways and means by which the enemies of the cross are endeavoring to uproot the plants of grace, and bring down the night of desolation on the heritage of Christ. The signs of the times are palpable to every eye, and no one can fail to see the dangers of Zion, and the malignant combinations which are starting up against her, in every part of the land. As yet, we believe she is safe; but that safety, under |