He published, in 1791, "Christ Crucified," in 2 vols.; and no exhortation was wanting on his part to point out the inestimable blessing of the British constitution, and the madness of those who, in its stead, would have instituted that most oppressive and ruinous of governments, if government it can be called-an unrestrained democracy. Mr. De Courcy would not exchange his duties at Shrewsbury for more lucrative preferment, though such was offered him. His resolution on this point is distinctly set forth in a letter in reply to a very urgent invitation to undertake duty in the metropolis. "The kind things you are pleased to say of me, and the kind plans which you and some unknown friends have in contemplation for me, with a view to my introduction to the metropolis, demand my best acknowledgments; but I must without reserve decline the unmerited offer. I should rejoice, as long as life and health are vouchsafed to deliver my message in any situation to which Providence might call me; but I tremble at the idea of being ever stationed in London; and it is one of my pleasing prospects here, that 'the bounds of my habitation' seem fixed in the country, and the cloud does not point to that great city, where, though a large field for usefulness presents itself, the snares and difficulties are to the ministerial character proportionably great and perilous. I remember to have read of an ancient father of the Church, who, upon an intimation given him that it was intended to raise him to the office of a bishop, ran away from the place of the proposed consecration, and wandered about all night, in the hope of eluding the search of his sanguine friends. I enter very deeply into the feelings of that venerable man, and often stand astonished at the temerity of our modern adventurers in theological profession, who, instead of flying from so large and conspicuous a theatre as the metropolis, seem ambitious of trying their wings there, and only there, while their talents are yet raw and unfledged; and crowd to it with an eagerness that I cannot reconcile, in some instances at least, with any principle of humility and self-knowledge. I do, from my inmost soul, bless God that I am dead to praise and popularity. The one is often only the senseless cry of an untutored mob, and the other such a mere bubble, liable to be burst by the very breath of human caprice that inflated it, and is much prostituted both by those who receive, as well as those who give, that he who seeks the one or the other, must be the dupe of his own vanity, and a mean dependent on the opinion of others." "Happiness," he elsewhere observes, "no more depends on station, rank, or any local or adventitious circumstances in individuals, than a man's life is connected with the colour of his garment. And to make it so in reality, nothing is necessary but the balm of Gospel peace, and the saving knowledge of the Son of God. As for those who know what is good by the teaching of God's word and Spirit, and the earnest cry of whose heart is, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us; they know that every good is laid up for them in Jesus Christ; ordinances, providences, and even crosses, shall work together for their present and eternal good." His general health in early life was good; but from weakness of the knees, arising from attacks of rheumatic gout, he was latterly obliged to sit when preaching. In August 1803, he lost his youngest son, an event which was a matter of deep grief, though he bowed with submission to the Divine will. Preaching, shortly after the melancholy event had occurred, on the evening of a public fast-day, on Rev. vi. 2, "I saw, and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer;" he adverted to his bereavement, and was so much affected that he was obliged to leave the pulpit. On this occasion he caught cold; but his illness was not such as to cause alarm, until a sudden attack in the stomach seized him, and after lingering a few hours, he died, full of faith in the alone sin-offering of Jesus to save to the uttermost. His wife and three children survived him. His body was buried at Shawbury, near Shrewsbury, his funeral being attended by a vast assemblage; and sermons relative to the mournful event were preached at St. Alkmond's by the Rev. Brian Hill, and in other places of worship. The following testimony to Mr. De Courcy's character was borne by a periodical not favourable to his views, religious or political, in noticing his death. He was "highly esteemed as an affectionate and evangelical pastor, and excellent extemporary preacher. His language was plain and powerful, yet exceedingly elegant, and his ministerial labours among his flock were incessant. Though his income was but small, yet he had a liberal and generous spirit. Mr. De Courcy saw but little company, and courted retirement. His last illness was very short. In his last moments, he expressed his full persuasion of his interest in the salvation which is the great object of the Christian faith, repeating pious lines from different hymns, &c. In his manners and general deportment Mr. De Courcy was uncommonly graceful and gentlemanlike." In addition to the work already adverted to, Mr. De Courcy published "Jehu's Looking-Glass, or true and false zeal." "Nathan's Message to David," a Sermon. Two Fast-Sermons, 1776. "A Letter to a Baptist Minister." "A Reply to Parmenas," 1776. "The Rejoinder on Baptism," 1777. "Hints respecting the utility of some parochial plan for suppressing the profanation of the Lord's Day," 1777. Two FastSermons, 1778. "Seduction; or, the cause of injured innocence pleaded," a Poem, 1782. "The Seducer convicted on his own Evidence," 1783; and a Sermon preached at Hawkestone Chapel, at the presentation of the Standard to the North Shropshire Yeomanry Cavalry, 1789. AN ADDRESS TO MASTERS T. ON THE DUTY OF PREVENTING SIN IN THEIR SERVANTS. BY THE REV. J. L. GOLDING, M.A. Walton, near Peterborough. IN a former address I endeavoured to point out the solemn and imperative duty of parents endeavouring to prevent sin in their children: the object of the present is to inculcate a similar duty on the part of masters with reference to their servants. The situation of a master gives him an influence over servants, for good or for evil, for which he cannot escape a future reckoning. Not only will that master who sets his servants a positively evil example, and even encourages sin in them, have to account hereafter for the abuse of a trust reposed in him by Providence; but that master also will stand convicted for an offence, certainly a less offence, but yet an offence, who has refused or neglected to make use of means, plainly and easily within his reach, for the "prevention" of sin in his servants. Masters, let me take the example of your requiring them to pay an outward respect at least to the Sabbath-day, by attending the house of God. I have already hinted, that I consider the neglect of the plain duty of decently observing this day to be the fruitful source of sin and, sorrow. For he who neglects to observe the Sabbath-day's duties is in double danger: he first of all breaks a plain command of God; and then he brings himself by so doing into an evil condition, infinitely to be dreaded, in that he must be considered to be out of the reach of every religious impression. The Englishman who should have daringly set foot upon the French territory during the time of Napoleon's bitter enmity to Great Britain, would have been, according to all human calculations, as wise and as safe as that baptised Christian is who refuses to observe the plain ordinance of the Sabbath. For on that day Satan especially claims as his territory every spot of ground not consecrated to the worship of almighty God. In using your influence, then, to keep your servants from the sin of Sabbath-breaking, you are conferring upon them the highest advantage. The master who firmly and kindly uses the influence which his situation gives him, by bringing to the house of God his servants, is more than compensating to them for the apparent irregularities of their outward condition. Such a master pays his servants for their labours not only with the pence of time, but with the gold of eternity. He himself, too, will have his reward, in finding himself surrounded with those who, if they become good servants of God, must, as a matter of course, be good servants of man. I am speaking of one way of your "preventing" sin in your servants, by using your influence to aid them in rightly observing the Sabbathday. Take care, then, that they have not to trace up to you a compulsion—at least a strong temptation -to buy or sell on this day. It must be a bad beginning for a right worship of God, when the day has been entered upon by the double sin, first, of buying, and then of encouraging the palpable sin in him who sold. Your precaution with your servants may thus reach and benefit those with whom you have no immediate concern; for if there are no Sunday buyers, there will be no Sunday sellers. And with what kind of a confession of sin can such a sinner enter the courts of the Lord's house on the Sabbath morning? When the minister reads the confession of sin, to awaken penitential feelings, how much contrition must he bring to it who, a few hours only before, desecrated the Sabbath by the traffic of this world, and so came to meet his God just after he has been building up another barrier to prevent his approach to him? If such, then, is the condition of him who trades on the Sabbath-day, Christian master, let me entreat you to take care that no share in this sad sin lies on your conscience, for not having taken every precaution to "prevent" it. If, then, you desire to do your part towards "preventing" the hardening sin of Sundaytrading in your servants, make your arrangements so with them, that they shall have no excuse for not obtaining the weekly necessaries of life on the preceding day. You can do this, if you like. I cannot conceive it to be of any consequence to the master whether the settling-day between himself and his servants is on the Friday or Saturday; but it is of inconceivable importance to the servant that it should take place on the former day. The change of days may even awaken the attention of the thoughtless labourer to the magnitude of a sin which custom has long rendered too familiar to be felt. In a place near to that in which I write, the evil of the practice in question was regarded as a vast impediment to the efficiency of the Sunday-school recently established there. The remedy was pointed out, and at once adopted; and thus, by the blessing of God, will sin be "prevented" in many; and thus will such as are parents amongst them be able henceforth to exhort their children to treat reverently God's day, since they will no longer set the example of a gross violation of it by their own habits. There are various ways, too, in our intercourse with others, our friends and connexions, by which a thoughtful and wise man may kindly "prevent" sin in them. The view which I have taken of sin, as the direct cause of our temporal as well as of our eternal misery, justifies me in appealing to those whose views of the future are not very influential over their practices. If you can prevent your fellow-creature from swearing an oath, I think you will have conferred a positive blessing upon him. You will have saved him from throwing another grain into the scale of his temporal misery. You will have saved one blow of the hammer by which the iron would have been yet more hardened: and believing as I do, that the believer's capacity for the enjoyment of eternal happiness is increased by individual acts of obedience; so do I think that the sinner's capacity for the endurance of eternal misery is augmented by individual acts of disobedience. What ever your own practices may be, do justice to your understandings, and take God's views of the real nature of sin. You cannot determine its heinousness yourselves. It lies with God entirely. Follow the dictates, then, of a sound reason, and you will listen to his voice only upon this subject; and never again will you palliate it; never again will you think that another sin, and another, thrown into the scale, are of no importance. Remember, it is the simple ounceweight, added to the weight which already presses upon the loaded camel, that breaks its back; and so it may be your next wilful sin which shall for ever harden your heart against the calls of God's grace, or which shall, at least, in the natural order of God's punitive providence, heap upon you a load of temporal mercy, which may bring down your gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. There is yet one more use I would direct you to make of this topic: it is in reference to yourselves. Do not forget, that, if it is certain you will "prevent" sin in others by influencing them to keep holy the Sabbath, it is equally certain that by so doing you will "prevent" it in yourselves. In the management of your own lives, the "prevention" of sin is one distinct part of your discipline. For this purpose, you must, conscientiously and self-denyingly, keep out of the way of temptation. For no man is safe for a moment who voluntarily exposes himself to it; though if he meets it in the way of duty, by the help of the Spirit of God, he is as secure as if there were none. But I must stop. The subject is one of much instruction and interest. It opens a distinct door of usefulness in our intercourse with others. The parent sees one course clearly marked out with regard to training his children -it is to be his unwearied labour to "prevent" sin in them, by his advice, watchfulness, influence, and selfdenial. The master sees before him the power of doing good to his servants, at the trifling sacrifice of a few | ragements, and also its threats, denunciarules wisely laid down and firmly enforced: he can tions, and judgments. "prevent" the sin of Sabbath-breaking in them, by previously making it the rule of his house, and of all the members of his establishment, from which he will admit of no deviation but illness or unavoidable duties, to frequent regularly the house of God. Such things may appear but trifles to some; but this is a fatal mistake. Nothing is small which can affect the welfare of the soul: and indeed the word "small" is totally misused when applied to this sin; for if that sin is the greatest, whose consequences are the most deadly, tell me, where shall we find one whose consequences are more fatal than that of Sabbath-breaking? THE PERFECTION OF GOD'S LAW: BY THE REV. T. DIXON, M.A. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wice the simple." It is a very common style with the sacred writers, especially the poetic and prophetic, to repeat the same sentiment in two consecutive sentences somewhat differently expressed. The latter, indeed, frequently throws light upon the former; sometimes enlarging the same ideas, and sometimes embodying new ones. We have an example of this in the words of the text-" The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." Here the latter sentiment is precisely the same in the effect produced-the simple soul is made wise, or converted. By the law of the Lord, therefore, and the testimony of the Lord, is to be understood the same thing, in the main, in the passage before us: they frequently occur in the same sense throughout the Bible, and are convertible terms. Thus it is said (Exodus, xxxi. 18) God gave unto Moses "two tables of testimony;" (Exodus, xxxii. 15) that Moses "went down from the mount, and the two tables of testimony were in his hand;" that is, the moral law, or ten commandments, generally in Scripture called the law. They are also used synonymously by the prophet Isaiah, viii. 16. "Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples." And again, verse 20, "To the law and to the testimony." Thus it appears that the law and the testimony frequently denote the same thing in the Old Testament, as they do in the text, and that, in its first sense, is the moral law, or covenant of works: in a more extended sense it comprises the whole moral and preceptive part of the Old Testament, with its promises, invitations, encou The word testimony also occurs twice at least in the New Testament, where it signifies the Gospel of Christ. Thus, 1 Cor. ii. 1, the apostle states, " And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God; for I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified." Again, he writes to Timothy (2 Tim. i. 8): "Be not thou, therefore, ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but be thon partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel.' From these two passages it is evident that the testimony of God and the testimony of our Lord mean the Gospel of Jesus Christ-the New Testament; therefore we will extend the signification of the terms in the text-the law of the Lord and the testimony of the Lord-to the whole revealed word of God-to the whole Bible. And if David could say of the portion which had been revealed in his time, or even of that part of it, the moral law, "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple," what manner of persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness, who are favoured with so full and perfect revelation? and how indeed can we escape if we neglect so great salvation? The propriety of the word testimony, as denoting the law of the Lord, is very evident; the same word is frequently translated witness. First, it is a witness-a standing memorial of the covenant which God graciously condescended to enter into with man, of the terms upon which he engaged to be his God, to bless him in time and eternity, and of the duties which he required from man thus to secure his favour; and of the dreadful consequences of man's disobedience. Secondly, the word testimony is most suitably chosen to signify the law of the Lord; for that law is a perpetual testimony or evidence of its divine original. The wisdom, the purity, the justice, the goodness, which therein appear, could only spring from the Divine mind. The perfection of character therein taught and insisted upon, as necessary for man, opposing all his corrupt feelings and appetites, and leading him to look for true happiness in purity and spirituality of mind alone, is so contrary to man's natural disposition that the idea of it never could originate in the human mind; the law enforcing it bears inward testimony of its heavenly original-of being designed by a mind not tainted with human imperfection-of a mind perfectly pure and holy. This will appear still more evidently, if we compare God's pure law with any other system of religion found in the world. Take, for instance, the Mohammedan, with which we are most familiar, and which claims our attention first from the extensive establishment it has obtained. A very few moments' comparison will shew that it has sprung from a less pure source that it is the device of man, human error and infirmity mixed up with divine truths taken from the Bible. Its sensual paradise, its sensual indulgences in this life, and its bitter persecuting spirit towards all other religious forms of faith, are, of themselves a sufficient testimony that it was the device of frail and fallen man. These things are so natural to men, that they bespeak the human character at once. The pleasures promised by the Mohammedan religion in the next life, and allowed in this, are just such as the depraved heart of man would wish for, if he had a religion and heaven of his own choosing. But how different the purity and holiness required by the law of the Lord, for happiness here, and the enjoyment of heaven hereafter!" Be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.' There is yet a further reason why the law is called the testimony of the Lord, namely, the miraculous testimony borne to it, when it was delivered on Mount Sinai, and the many and varied miracles with which the prophets in the Old, and the apostles in the New Testament, proved that their commission was from heaven, and that what they taught mankind was the word and will of God. when the lawyer asked our Saviour what he should do to inherit eternal life, and he said unto him, "What is written in the law? how readest thou?" the scribe replied"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself. And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast answered right; do this, and thou shalt live." Luke x. 27. The law therefore is doubly perfect; perfect in forbidding all and every sin, and condemning to death for the slightest transgression-" cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them;' and perfect, in enjoining entire holiness of heart and life, and only promising reward upon that condition,-"he that doeth these things shall live by them." But alas! for such perfection as this! "who then can be saved?" Must we not all assert with the apostle, that the "commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death?" Which of you does not acknowledge himself guilty, and under the condemnation of this law times above number? Which of you does not admit that by the deeds of this law no flesh can be saved? Which of you does not plead guilty to impure thoughts, covetous desires, uncharitable, envious, or malicious feelings? Has no evil communication proceeded out of your mouth? no slander, no guile, no dissimulation, no irreverent, no blasphemous words? It may serve to simplify the further eluci- have there been no deeds of darkness, which dation of the text, by considering first, the would not bear the light; no adultery, forniPsalmist's statement of the nature or condi- cation, or uncleanness; no over-reaching or tion of the law and testimony of the Lord-supplanting, no unjust weight or measure; they are "perfect and sure:" secondly, their effects-converting the soul," and "making wise the simple.' I. It is said of the law and testimony of the Lord, that they are perfect and sure. As a rule of life the moral law is a standard of excellence-it is "holy, just, and good;" the counterpart of that pure, divine mind who gave it to man for the regulation of his thoughts, words, and actions. It is so perfect, that there is no sin which it does not condemn; it leaves no chance of escape from the rigour and minuteness of its commands-no subterfuge, no plea, no excuse whatever. There is no condition or limitation allowed; it authoritatively and without reserve says, DO, or THOU SHALT NOT DO. And this rigorous command extends equally to the thoughts entertained in the heart, and to words and actions. All, if sinful, are alike forbidden and condemned. But this law not only for bids and condemns all sin and imperfection, but it enjoins and insists upon, with the same rigour of enforcement, all perfection; for no drunkenness, no untruthfulness, no dishonesty? Alas! who can bear these searching inquiries? We must all plead guilty to this holy law-I who speak, and you who hear. And who can refrain, under such accumulated condemnation, from smiting upon his breast, and saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner?" Yet forget not to observe that this law, so far considered, says not a word about mercy; it provides no such mercy; it simply says, Do, and live-Do not, and die. Perfect then as the law is, by forbidding all sin and enjoining all righteousness, it is only perfect for a perfect being. It was in every way perfect for man as he came from his Maker's hands, enjoining a perfection. which he was every way capable of fulfilling. And as God is unchangeable, and the condi tion of man to qualify him for the Divine presence and enjoyment in heaven is one and the same for ever, God could not abate any thing from the holiness of his law after man had fallen; he could not adapt his requirements to the fallen, corrupted nature of man; but gave him on Mount Sinai the same perfect covenant of works, as he would have given, and perhaps did give him, in Paradise before his fall. Perfect then as this holy, just, and good law is in itself, and for man as he came from the hands of his Creator, it is very imperfect for him in his present degenerate condition. The Hebrew word here translated "perfect" is rendered in the Septuagint version by a Greek word signifying faultless, blameless, i. e. in its holy requirements. This is a much more suitable designation of the law as applying to man in his present condition. We all most heartily assent that it is indeed blameless in its requirements; but who of us can now say that it is perfect? We find that it sets up a standard which we can never reach; and in coming to it we feel under its condemning curse-helpless, hopeless. We feel that a law to be perfect for us must provide mercy, pardon, grace, and salvation. The law then, so far considered, will not, of itself, do for us. But we have already seen that the law and the testimony may comprehend the whole revealed word of God, the New Testament as well as the Old, and have agreed to consider it in that comprehensive light. Thus then we can give our full assent and consent to the law, that it is not only "holy, just, and good," but perfect too; yea, the excellence of perfection, and that to us-ward. In this extended acceptation of the terms law and testimony, which is no forced one, we find mercy and truth meeting together, righteousness and peace embracing each other." "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Thus is the Old Testament dispensation perfected by the New; the law becoming a "school-master to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith;" that in "him we might be justified from all things, from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses." This new Covenant provides that in Christ "we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins;" and that "being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Thus combined, the law and the testimony form a perfect covenant for man as he now is; by which "God can be just, and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus." It maintains the glory of God and his justice undiminished, the rigour of the law unabated; while guilty man can be pardoned, blessed, sanctified, and saved. It could not be a perfect law to us, unless it promised us these mercies, and provided the means for making them ours. But after all this, my brethren, I would earnestly impress upon your minds that an offered salvation may be no salvation ; a provided Saviour may be no Saviour; neither the one nor the other will profit you, unless secured, appropriated, made your own; you are no further from perdition. That "Christ has redeemed you from the curse of the law," has "tasted death for every man ;"- this will only aggravate your condemnation-unless this Saviour be fled to and embraced, and you secure a personal interest in his precious blood-shedding and righteousness. You must observe that it is in him that we have "redemption, through his blood;" and "if any man be in him," we read, that "he is a new creature; old things are passed away, and all things are become new," his hopes, his desires, his pleasures, his wishes, his thoughts, his words, his actions, his life, his conversation, his heart and soul. Remember that unless thus found in Christ, you are 'under the law of works, and must inevitably perish; for by that law, we have already clearly seen, flesh can be saved." Out of Christ, notwithstanding his completion of the covenantwork of redemption, "God is a consuming fire ;" and out of Christ you all are until you have felt your guilty and lost condition, and have come to him, through a faith of the operation of God, as the only Saviour of perishing sinners. May the Holy Spirit lead each of us to make this Saviour our own Saviour, and may we all be found in him justified from all things, without spot and blameless! 66 no The Psalmist says, moreover, of the testi mony of the Lord, that it is sure. Had a book been found in some obscure corner of the world, of which no one knew the author, or from whence it came, or could give any account of it, beyond the simple fact of its existence; and had this same book contained laws and institutions, and a religion every way calculated for the perfection and happiness of man in time and in eternity, one would suppose the world would have been lost in admiration of its excellence, that the universal cry would have been, "how wise, how good, how wonderful! What purity, what holiness, what happiness, is promised and provided for here and for ever! An almighty God to pardon and bless, a divine Saviour to redeem from all sin, a Holy Spirit to sanctify, the light of God's countenance in this vale of tears, and the enjoyment of his |
