NO. 10.] FOR OCTOBER, 1827. DIVINITY. A SERMON, [VOL. 10. DELIVERED AT THE OPENING OF THE METHODIST CHURCH IN PENYAN, N. Y. DEC. 21st, 1826. NO. 10.] FOR OCTOBER, 1827. DIVINITY. A SERMON, [VOL. 10. DELIVERED AT THE OPENING OF THE METHODIST CHURCH IN PENYAN, N. Y. DEC. 21st, 1826. BY THE REV. ISRAEL CHAMBERLAYNE, OF THE GENESEE CONFERENCE. And I will glorify the house of my glory.-Isaiah lx, 7. God's ancient house was glorious. After the queen of the south had seen it, the wisdom of its contrivance, the strength of the columns and arches on which it rested, and the beauty with which it was adorned; there was no more spirit in her. In short, considered merely as a piece of architecture, it has long been reckoned among the wonders of the world. Beside, it had been solemnly dedicated to the only true God, and God had signified his acceptance of it in the most convincing manner, by filling it with the cloud of his glory; by fixing the permanent symbol of his presence on the mercy-seat; and by gifting it with the oracle of "Urim and Thummim." Its ministers were dignified, its ceremonies august beyond description-and that nothing might be wanting to render those ceremonies imposing and awful, Sinai had given them birth-they had issued from her blazing summit, enveloped in blackness and darkness and tempest; invested with all the authority which God himself could give them. And yet, my brethren, this Christian temple, though incapable of a comparison with that, in respect to those things we have noticed in it, on several better, infinitely better accounts, deserves to be considered the house of God's glory. In order to the establishment of this position, you will please to consider that the Jewish sanctuary derived all its real grandeur from its connexion with a religious system, whose chief importance consisted in preparing the way for, and ushering in another and a better dispensation: a dispensation to which this house is nearly and importantly related. By how much therefore the Jewish is excelled by the Christian system of religion, by so much will this sacred edifice be found surpassing the glory of the other. Let us then, without going into a minute comparison of the two religious systems, attend to two or three instances, in which the glory that beams on this humble edifice, outvies that which made the Hebrew temple illustrious. 1. The succession of the gospel was distinguished by a great addition to religious knowledge-the knowledge essential to human happiness and salvation. God was undoubtedly known to his ancient people, the prophets especially, who speak of him in language which justly excites cur admiration; but yet as a people, so dark were their general ideas of the nature and perfections of the Deity, that even the wisest and most illustrious of them frequently led the way into the rankest idolatry. Their perpetual proneness to that stupid practice, can be accounted for only, on the supposition that religious knowledge among them was extremely low. But here, my brethren, all the perfections of Jehovah are unveiled; especially those which belong to him as the great Lord and arbiter of men and angels. Infinite holiness, justice, truth, and goodness, are the awful, but mild and inviting characters, in which the gospel represents the great object of our fear, and hope, and love. The fallen state of man, and the way of recovery from that fallen state, are here presented as they never were under the ancient dispensation. It is true, that by the law was the knowledge of sin, when rightly understood; but it is also true, that the generality did not understand it in that way. They were familiar with the letter of it; but its spiritual design they did not perceive. The veil was on their hearts. Not convicted of their guilt and impotence, it is no wonder that they stumbled at the very threshold of the kingdom of God. "For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness," they would not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. But even when a Jew beheld and felt his depravity and helplessness, the way to deliverance was but faintly illuminated. St. Paul in setting forth the inefficiency of the law, represents such a case in a very striking and affecting manner. The commandment comes, sin revives, and he dies. Like every true penitent, he consents to the law that it is good; he even delights in it after the inward man; but is still carnal, sold under sin. To will, is present with him; but how to perform that which is good, he finds not; till at length, pressed out of measure, with the distresses and difficulties of his situation, he piteously exclaims, "Oh wretched man that I am; who shall deliver me from the body of this death!" But by the publication of the gospel, the face of the covering spread over all nations is destroyed. Whoever reads the New Testament with attention, can be at no loss to determine, that every man born into the world is there considered as very far gone from original righteousness; and of himself, inclined only to evil continually." That herein there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, all having sinned and come short of the glory of God. But if the gospel shows us how far sin has abounded, it ( also shows us, how much more grace abounds in the provision of a Saviour, through whom God declares his righteousness for the remission of sins; that he may be just, and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus. This method of a sinner's justification, while it illustrates the perfections of the eternal Mind, is perfectly adapted to the weak and fallen state of those for whose sake it was devised. For while, like the mystic ladder, it reaches to heaven, it rests on the earth; and so actually places in the reach of every man, the means of ascending from earth to heaven. "How happy are our eyes, for they see, and our ears, for they hear" those things which many prophets and wise men desired to see, and they have not seen them; and to hear, and they have not heard them. That man will exist for ever after death, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, that the quick and dead shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body, and admitted to everlasting rewards, or consigned to interminable punishments, accordingly as they shall have done good or evil; are truths which were seen but dimly under the legal dispensation. "Clouds and darkness rested on" them. Truths these, I need not tell you how essential to the glory and efficiency of religionreligion itself cannot exist without them. "The virtues grow on immortality. That root destroyed, they wither and expire. But what was so much a desideratum in the Jewish temple, is amply supplied in ours. Life and immortality are brought to light in it. Eternity is written on every stone-death is conqueredthe grave has lost its victory-we shall burst from its powerless embrace, "Clap our glad wings and soar away, Oh glory to God! for though, "An angel's arm can't snatch us from the grave To what scenes are we reserved! Oh the joy and dread! the glory and the terror of that day, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire ! when they that are in their graves, shall hear the voice of the archangel and the trump of God-shall come forth, and stand before Him, who shall judge every man according to his works; sending the wicked away into everlasting punishment, and receiving the righteous into life eternal. |