therefore, refer, in the first place, cess of no party is such as to eclipse that of the rest, and to lead us to say, "These are the favourites of heaven; this is the finger of God!" One universal blight appears to pervade the whole Christian church. The partial withdrawment of divine agency is also indicated by the scarcity of gifts for offices which the Head of the church has appointed, and for works of general usefulness. When the Redeemer ascended up on high, "he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." And we have But how is it now? We preach pastors, deacons, and occasional to large and attentive auditories. preachers now: but, alas, how little The obstacles to religious profes- fitted are many of them for the sion are comparatively few. Yet stations which they occupy! How a considerable proportion of our few ministers are competent interhearers evidently live after the preters of the inspired book! How course of this world; and it is no few are able to give comprehensive uncommon case for a man to hear and lucid views of the various docten thousand sermons, and then trines and duties on which they to die in his sins! The preacher are called to descant! In how few under whose ministry one person churches, comparatively, are there on the average was converted any persons thoroughly fitted for every sabbath, would be held up the deacon's office!-having the to admiration as a prodigy of use-requisite self-denial and activity, fulness. Missionaries are sent to zeal, and prudence-men "full of foreign stations: they preach, they faith and of the Holy Ghost." How translate, they suffer, they die; few of the members of our churches sacrifices are made, hardships are are able to reprove kindly, to cauendured, prayers are offered; yet tion discreetly, and to guide inafter all, how little is effected! quirers, with desirable tenderness Just enough is done to enable us and skill! Such is the paucity of to say that God sanctions the un- gifts among us that if a young man dertaking, and to render it evident has fluency of speech, without any that it must not be relinquished. other qualification, excepting that But where is the zeal of the Al- of a tolerably sustained profession mighty? How small is the crop of religion, he may become a in proportion to the culture! And it is a remarkable fact, that this state of things is not peculiar to any one denomination. The suc preacher, and is sure to find employment. Nay, without any other indication of his fitness for the work, he is likely to be invited by some church or other to become our system, were to be removed its pastor. from us to such a distance, as that A third proof of the melancholy the earth should occupy the situafact to which we may refer, may tion of one of the more remote and be found in the small degree of frozen planets, what deplorable alproficiency which Christians in terations would ensue! The hargeneral make in knowledge and invest would scarcely repay the husgrace. How many do we meet bandman for his labour in reaping, with who need to be taught the and the vintage would be utterly first principles of the oracles of useless. Many of the tender plants God, though they have been ten would die; others would assume or twenty years hearing, reading, a weak and colourless appearance; and talking about religion! How and men would become stunted in easily are they led from the sim- their growth, and indisposed for plicity of gospel doctrine, by any action. Just so is it now in the teacher who brings new things husbandry of God. The influences to their ears, and possesses a of the Sacred Spirit, though not winning address ! How few have entirely withdrawn, are given in more biblical knowledge than is very limited measure; conversions, implied in acquaintance with the therefore, are few; gifts are scarce; prominent facts of sacred history, grace languishes; and the things and the current application of de- that remain seem ready to die. tached verses in different parts of The army of the Lord of Hosts is the inspired book! How little self- almost like a corps of invalids; the denial do we find in the purest of strongest are feeble, and the most our communities! How soon is courageous are timid. the temper ruffled, if worldly interest be invaded! How difficult is it to effect reconciliation when anger has been roused! What covetousness do we see in some! What drowsiness in others! What inactivity on the one hand! What self-will, ambition, and love of applause, on the other! Surely the apostles would not write unto us 66 as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ!" Surely we can be but children, if we stumble so frequently when a twig lies in our path! These lamentable facts convince the writer, that though God has not cast off his church, yet he does not co-operate with its pastors as he once did. He withholds, in a great degree, the communications of his Spirit; and in consequence every thing is comparatively cold, and gloomy, and barren. If the sun, the source of light and heat to Why is it, then, that this withdrawment has taken place? "O, the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land? why shouldest thou be as a man astonished, as a mighty man that cannot save?" We must look for the cause among ourselves. There must be some prevalent evil, on account of which it would be inconsistent with the wisdom of the Most High, that he should give us those tokens of cordial co-operation which he gave to the primitive disciples. The Lord's arm is not shortened that it cannot save, his ear is not heavy that it cannot hear: What then has separated between us and our God? The cause must not be sought in any thing of a local nature; for the evil is general. It is not any thing peculiar to one denomination of Christians, or to the admirers or the foes of one plan of discipline, of Christian enterprise was renun- or of one shade of sentiment. It is not any thing peculiar to this generation: the state of things was not more cheering fifty years ago, than it is now. In the writings of men the most eminent for piety prospect of achieving their designs, and usefulness, during the last two or avoiding speedy ruin. They had centuries, we find similar lament- no funds to secure their mainteations to those which we now see nance; no patrons among the great; reason to adopt. Nay, it is pro- no scientific attainments to recombable that nothing can justly be mend them to the learned. They considered the primary cause, had to tell a story which was in which will not apply to the gene- itself improbable; to confirm their ral state of the church during the testimony respecting the surprising last fifteen or sixteen hundred years. history of their master, by displayIt is with great diffidence the ing supernatural powers, for the writer presents to general attention successful exertion of which they the result of his own meditations were constantly dependent on ceon this delicate subject. Partici- lestial aid; and to look for sucpating in the spirit of the age in cess, not to the "secondary causes” which his lot is cast, it is likely enumerated by Gibbon, but to the that he is blind to its mistakes; blessing of their Almighty Patron. and there may be still some undis- They needed the direct intervencovered evil of general operation, tion of Divine Providence to suswhich escapes our notice, while it tain them, and make them prosfrustrates our efforts, and hinders perous; every miracle they inour prayers. He recommends the voked God to work was a new investigation to others; yet he is trial of their faith; and their hawilling to offer some suggestions, bitual course was such as nothing for which it must be understood but a well-founded confidence in that he alone is answerable; as the the Most High could justify. They conductors of the Magazine, by acted according to the precepts of inserting this paper, do not indicate Christ, some of which to human their approbation of every senti- reason seemed impolitic, leaving ment it contains, but are responsi- it to him to take care of the conseble only for its general tendency.*quences. They preached without reHe has thought, then, that the primary cause of all the evils we have to deplore is to be found in a prevailing disposition in the Christian church to place confidence in an arm of flesh, and a corresponding want of confidence in divine agency. The original spirit serve or disguise the doctrine which he had taught them, leaving it to him to reconcile it, as he could, to the principles of moral philosophy. They received into the church all who professed attachment to his interests, and submission to his authority, leaving it him to preserve its respectability. They did every thing with the most perfect • We are obliged to our esteemed correspondent for the above remarks. We think simplicity of heart, and rejected that he has sometimes expressed himself the dictates of human policy, as too strongly, and that some of his statements entirely as they rejected the rites are not quite correct: but the importance of Jupiter. Poor, friendless, and of the subject has induced us to insert the paper, in the hope that good will result from destitute, they felt their dependance Ed. on divine co-operation: the world its appearance. saw it; it wondered that a bush burning in fire should not be consumed. of secular authority to support their churches and systems; and hence their churches and systems But we, in later times, cannot have become inefficient. Dissentbe content without bringing to the ers, though they disclaim the pabush our oil and our fuel, and tronage of the state, are by no shewing the world that we have means free from a propensity to means at command for supporting rely on objects of sense. Among the flame. We do every thing in them, undue reliance is too frea manner so rational and so politic, quently placed on the respectthat the purpose of showing the ability of their circumstances, the divine power could not be answer- talents of their ministers, and the ed by the success of our enter- wisdom of their plans. To govern prises, and God has wisely left us the churches by considerations of to shew the inefficiency of our plans expediency, rather than by aposand talents. Christians took re-tolic precept and precedent, is in fuge first from that simple depend- fact to substitute reason for revelaence on divine co-operation which tion, and to throw off the authority is so displeasing to human nature, of Christ: yet expediency is often in the philosophy of their pagan the basis of procedure even in discontemporaries, endeavouring by senting churches. We dare not their proficiency in this, to make act, in some cases, on the directhemselves and their doctrine more tions of Jesus Christ, taken in their respectable in the estimation of the most natural application, because unbelieving world. One step fur- we think their operation would be ther brought them into the arms of dangerous to our reputation or our secular authority, when opportu- peace. We dare not make his arnity was afforded to put their trust rangements our rule, because they in an emperor. Then carnal wea- do not, in our view, sufficiently sepons were employed to put down cure the purity and honour of the the worship of idols, and to enforce church, and we have no confian external obedience. The spirit dence that he will interpose to justhat prevailed henceforward was tify them. We dare not baptize such, that if God had continued to persons whom apostles would have bless his word to the conversion of baptized, lest they should bring sinners, as he had done in the days disgrace on our cause; but have of Christian simplicity, he would invented the practice of keeping have rendered himself accessary them back under preparatory trial. to the delusive supposition, that We dare not receive into the human power and skill had esta- church all whom we believe that blished the Redeemer's kingdom. Christ has received, lest variations Yet this spirit has influenced of sentiment should disturb our Christians of every class, in some peace; but invent creeds, and ardegree, from the days of Origen ticles, and restrictions, to ensure to the present hour. The reform- its safety. We cannot content ers of the sixteenth century dis-ourselves with being Christians, played more than usual faith, and but for purposes which we deem were honoured with more than important, persist, in opposition to usual usefulness: but their confidence in the co-operation of God with his truth was not so complete as to induce them to reject the aid the plain dictate of Scripture, in calling ourselves by the name of Calvin, or Arminius, or some other fallible mortal. Determined to ap tions about means and results, as though means were the causes by which results were to be produced, and no special intervention from heaven were to be expected in answer to our prayers? We want more faith in the power of Christ as Ruler of the church; in his present attention to its interests; in the completeness of the doctrine which he has taught; and in the perfection of the code of laws which his New Testament contains. What, then, is the course which, under these circumstances, we ought to adopt? Should we not, in the first place, humble ourselves before God, on account of the share we have had in the prevailing evils? Instead of censuring each other, should we not enquire how much we have contributed pear respectable in the eyes of the world, we call one another Rabbi, in order to show that there are some rabbies among us, as well as among others. We glory in men: if a little good has been done by their labours, we extol them in every company; if a little light is imparted in their writings, we make them standards of faith. The Head of the church cannot but perceive that were great success to attend us, in our present temper, we should apportion the greater part of the honour to each other, and allot to him a very meagre share. Our wisdom, our prudence, our talent would be boasted of, and only a cold assent would be given to the proposition that the glory belongs to him. He leaves us, therefore, to labour comparatively in vain. He suffers us to be embar-personally to the afflictions of Zion? rassed and counteracted by the mistakes of men whom we have previously idolized. He leaves us to groan beneath the responsibility which we have officiously taken from his shoulders. He allows persons to intrude among us, notwithstanding our precautions, who are sources of discord. He permits new heresies to distress us, against which the compilers of our creeds forgot to make provision. And in the midst of our contrivances to perpetuate peace, and timidity in the exercise of scriptural discipline, he suffers us to be distracted with controversies and contentions. Now, if the general correctness of this representation be admitted—and its principal features will be recognised by pious and observant men-what does it prove but our want of faith? What Finally, ought we not to implore mean these human inventions to the Most High, to "turn us again render that secure which Jesus and cause his face to shine upon Christ himself had left unguarded? us, that we may be saved?" "God What means the timid, distrustful be merciful unto us and bless us; policy that is visible at every turn? and cause his face to shine upon What mean our cold calcula- us, that thy way may be known The writer is conscious that he is not innocent. Should we not further, endeavour to avoid and discountenance the prevailing reliance on secondary causes? Would it not be an improvement if, in our ordinary conversation, we were to refer more commonly to the agency of Him who is exalted to the right hand of the Father, and to place less dependance on probabilities arising from the aspect of affairs, and the calculations of human prudence? Should not the churches determine that henceforward they will have no standard of faith or practice but the New Testament itself? and that they will adopt the interpretation which accords with its obvious meaning, rather than that which accords with the maxims of apparent expediency? |