reveal a system of religion, that its power of convincing would depend rather upon the light which it reflected upon the character of God, and its adaptedness to the moral necessities of man, than upon the best connected chain of external evidence. We have thus endeavoured to illustrate the nature of internal evidence. In some subsequent papers, we may perhaps attempt to apply these principles to the case of scripture revelation. Messrs Editors. By inserting in your useful Magazine, the following communication on " Wilful Ignorance," from the Christian Spectator, you will much oblige a Correspondent. AN INSTANCE OF WILFUL IGNORANCE. The following statement of a fact, is communicated in the belief that it may be instrumental in saving some from a similar error and catastrophe. In my parish lived J-W-, an industrious farmer, prosperous in business, single, sober, a good neighbour, and in a worldly view, an estimable man. He lived 56 years. In the early part of his life, and to the age of about thirty, he had been a habitual attendant on the public worship of God. For several years, his mind had been under serious impressions, and at some seasons his exercises were of a strong character, which led him to inquire "what he must do to be saved," urged him to seek the conversation of his minister, and to be much employed in religious concerns. But he quenched the spirit. He grew weary under such anxieties, and sought relief by a desperate expedient, viz. by taking shelter under wilful ignorance. He was well apprised that his responsibility must be proportioned to his knowledge, but seemed to have overlooked the truth, that he was account able for the means of acquisition, and for all his advantages, as well as for the knowledge which he actually possessed. He therefore resolved to envelop himself, as far as possible, in ignorance. He entirely forsook the house of God, and all religious meetings, abandoned every attempt at prayer, shunned his minister, shut up his bible, and wished to avoid every word and every thought which related to God and religion. To inquiries into the reasons of his conduct, he uniformly replied, that he wished to lighten his condemnation by excluding knowledge; and he would gladly have been changed to a heathen or a beast, as far as religious information was concerned. He refused the remonstrances of faithful friends-his feelings were callous to the intreaties of affection-his ear was shut against warning his mind was unassailable by argument. In this state he remained for years. He was retiring, reserved, clouded in his aspect, and notwithstanding his apparent peace, his mind was probably corroded with habitual discontent. I often visited the house, and occasionally found opportunities of addressing him directly. I frequently questioned him respecting his views of religion, but could rarely obtain a reply, and then only as necessity constrained him, for the sake of passing off the conversation. I pressed him with the absurdity of his course, warned him of his danger, urged him by every motive to attend to the public exercises of the sabbath, and to other duties, but all in vain. He had fixed the principle in his mind, that to avoid all instruction would be the happiest course for him; and although he made no attempt to defend it by argument, he was inflexible. Towards the close of his life, his mind was greatly distressed, me. as and at length his horror became but they will not submit to God. insupportable. Month after month Their opposition to the divine he appeared more disconsolate, character is the only cause of quitted his business, seemed in a their distress. What a wonder deep study, occasioned alarm to of mercy that any are conquered his friends, and was a burden to and saved. So then hath he mercy himself. I visited him, though on whom he will have mercy.. not at his request, for he had no 3. Men are as certainly acwish to see In this inter- countable for wilful ignorance, view he was more free in con- for perverted knowledge. versation than I had ever known Neglecters of public worship are him to be. He was in great agi. answerable for all the instructions tation and distress of mind, and he which they might have received wished that God would immedi- from their spiritual watchmen. ately take him out of the world. 4. Those who forsake the I took the bible and explained house of God, or live in the neg. the gospel to him, but he had no lect of divine appointments, are ear to hear. I asked him wheth- likely to ruin their own souls. er he read the bible, to which he Yours, &c. B. replied in the negative, adding October, 1822. that he had not read it for a long time, and that he could not endure to read'it. I asked him if he prayed, to which his reply LETTER ON UNITY IN A SERMON." was, that he could not pray, and that neither the bible nor prayer To the Editors of the Amer. Bap. could do him any good. He did Mag. Dear Sirs, not, however, forbid me to pray with him. There had been a I have read with much pleastime, he said, when he might ure, an essay in your last numhave found the blessings of relig- ber, on “Unity in a Sermon.”— — ion, but that period had long since The principles which it illusdeparted-his fate was now set- trates, although to me somewhat tled-and the sooner he was out new, seem in general, judicious of the world the better. I en- and highly important. deavoured to alarm him by pre- Were more attention paid to senting a view of the teodency of this subject by preachers of the such sentiments, but without ef- gospel, I am convinced more effect. Within a week, he was fect would be produced by their found in the morning, suspended labours; and that we should less by the neck, dead. frequently hear the complaints, I would suggest the following now so common, of tediousness reflections on this melancholy and repetition. Still there are some points alluded to, in the 1. How empty and unsatisfy. “Essay," upon which, I would ing is the world without God. respectfully solicit further inforThis man had an abundance. He mation. I will put my inquiries chose a close retreat for the pur- into the form of questions, that pose of destroying himself, and they may assume a more definite there he hung, a dreadful spec- form, and thus more readily tacle,surrounded by his treasures. elicit the instruction I desire. A wounded spirit who can bear ? 1. Are there not some adyanta 2. Awakened sinners always ges intimately connected with resist the Holy Ghost. They see dividing a Sermon? Does it not a in some measure their condition, enable the hearer to recollect case. a a the instruction to which he has advantages may result from the attended ? Are not divisions resto division of a sermon. Many sering places for the memory, from mons require it; some would be which the mind may more lei- absolutely faulty without it. In surely survey the ground which such cases, by all means, let diit is passing over ? visions be made ; nay, more, let 2. The author of the “ Essay” them be numbered. All this seems to aim his remarks espec- may be done, and yet no violaially against the system of triple tion be offered to the law of division; although I see no pe- unity. Two, three, or four arculiar attraction in that number, guments may have a direct bearI see nothing very repulsive in ing upon one position, as many it. Why may not a sermon have illustrations may shed their conthree divisions, or even four or centrated light upon one docfive ? trine, and then the want of di3. There are some subjects, visions would clearly be a defect. on which it would be difficult to But suppose a sermon is fully treat without several divisions. occupied with the enforcement If a minister were preaching up- of one argument, or the expanon a particular duty, if he only sion of one illustration? How explained its nature, would not shall we, in such a case, find a his discourse appear more like an place for "firstly," "secondly," essay, than a sermon? If he were and “thirdly?" Here division, preaching upon repentance, would if not impracticable, would be a it not be proper and highly ben- blemish instead of a beauty. Beeficial to consider, first, its na- sides, it may be fairly questioned, ture, secondly, its importance, whether the greatest effect is and thirdly, its evidences ? produced by that sermon of By answering these inquiries, which the several heads and diyou will confer a peculiar fa- visions are most perfectly rememvour on, bered. All this may be done, Yours, respectfully, and scarcely any faculty of the mind, except the memory, be GAIUS. called into exercise. When this is the case, recollection will not be durable. A few days, at THE QUESTIONS most, will efface the whole im pression. Considering man sim ply as an intellectual being, a We are sincerely obliged to speaker will produce the greatGaius for his letter, and with est effect upon audience pleasure answer his pertinent in- when their understanding is quiries. We wish that more of aroused, and they feel the necesour readers would follow his ex- sity of some mental exertion in ample. If we advance any opin- order to follow the train of his ions which will not bear the test thought. If then his argument of examination, it will afford us be conclusive, the effort with pleasure to retract them. If any which it has been comprehended, of our sentiments are obscurely will rivet it upon the memory. expressed, we shall seize, with The effect then is somewhat the avidity, every opportunity of same as though the hearer bad presenting them with additional originated that particular illusillustrations. tration of the subject. And 1. In answer to the first in- though perhaps he may not quiry, we remark, that doubtless, recollect immediately afterwards ANSWER TO OF GAIUS. an 66 as we all the steps by which he arrived utes.' Who will say that even at the result, he knows that the one of these topics could be adresult is true. equately illustrated in so short a 2. These remarks will fur- time? Would it not be more nish the necessary answer to the profitable to speaker and bearsecond question. We entertain er, that one of them should be no peculiar bostility to the num- considered somewhat minutely, ber three. We only animad- than that they all should be curverted upon it, because it is sorily alluded to, in a few comthe number which so constantly mon place remarks? And this marks the divisions of a sermon. must almost of necessity be the We remarked upon it, not be- case when only tea or twelve cause it seemed "peculiarly re- minutes are allotted to each pulsive,” but because we could Again, were a minister to not see in it any thing “ pecu- preach but once in his life on liarly attractive." Let a ser: the subject, or were a people to mon have as many topics as in hear it discussed bat once, this the time allotted can be discuss- plan, we confess, might be elied; but let them all have a gible. For this reason were a bearing upon one point. And missionary travelling through a the reason is the same heathen country, wherever he gave in the essay. The atten. addressed an assembly, he might tion becomes distracted by · di- very properly present before versity of subjects. If we wish them an outline of the whole to produce the greatest effect, plan of redemption. But the we must limit ourselves to one. circumstances of a settled pastor Or to advert to a common adage, are widely different. He has to 6 if a thing is worth doing at all, enforce frequently upon his peoit is worth doing well." If a ple the same doctrine. He doctrine is important enough to must not exhaust all a subject be inculcated, it is important in the first sermon, nor must he enough to be inculcated thor- so preach upon any subject, that oughly. And what doctrine in le can never allude to it again, the bible would preacher without repeating a part of wish to inculcate, upon which what he has said before. Other. he could not profitably spend the wise his people will grow weary, time allotted to a pulpit dis- and it will not be surprising if he course ? become indolent. A certain set 3. This brings us to the third of phrases, and a certain train of question, which may be sum- thought, will mechanically sugmed up in the inquiry, why gest themselves whenever he re“ in preaching upon repentance, curs to each particular doctrine, it would not be proper to consid- and thus, the labour of thinking er, first, its nature, second, its will become almost unnecessary, importance, and third, its evi- and having become unnecessary, dences ?” We answer, this might will soon be abandoned. be a good division for a treatise But we may at last be referred upon repentance... Were a man to experience; and it may be to write a book upon this sub- asked, are not such sermons as we ject, he might very properly censure more useful than those adopt such a plan. But let us we commend? We answer, withrecollect that we are consider- out hesitation, other things being ing what would be proper not equal, certainly not. We admit for an octavo volume, but for a that if two men be compared, of discourse of thirty or forty min. whom the one is filled with fer. a a a vent piety burning with ardent love for the salvation of souls, and endued with strong sense; and the other is encased in cold speculative unmeaning philosophy, there is no doubt whose ministry will be the most successful. But let us compare men of equal piety and similar natural abilities, and we have as little doubt that he who most elosely observes the rules of unity, will be most edifying to the church, and most extensively useful in the conversion of sinners. The principles on which a sermon should be constructed, depend upon the nature of the human mind. So long therefore as the mind of man remains the same, so long must these principles abide fixed as the law of the Medes and Persians, which alter eth not. SKETCHES OF A SERMON. The following sketches of a sermon delivered in Boston, on the morning of Lord's day, Jan. 12, 1823, were recollected by a child of ten years of age; and by her committed to writing, after she returned home. We give them in her own words. It is proper to state, that this amiable young Miss, was not accustomed to worship in the place where she heard the discourse. Perhaps hearing a stranger, might have some influence in fixing her attention. It is devoutly to be hoped, that the solemn truths which she retained in her memory, may be so impressed on her heart, as to lead her to trust in and love that precious Saviour, who has said "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not-He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out-He that believeth not shall be damned." Our principal object in presenting this sketch to the public is, a desire to stimulate others to give the more earnest heed to the things which they hear, lest at any time they should let them slip. Perhaps few persons of any age, recollect as much of the sermons they hear as is here given by our young auditor. It is not, however, to be understood, that these sketches, though substantially correct, are taken literatim et verbatim. MARK XVI. 1.-" He that believnot shall be damned." Per ARE these the words of some wild fanatick, or some raving enthusiast, whose chief end is to torment the world before it's time? No, they are the words of the blessed Saviour, who came to spread mercy and peace on earth-He commanded his disciples to go to the utmost bounds of the earth, and preach repentance; but if they would not at tend, then they must tell them what their fate would be. haps there are some persons in this house (but I hope there are very few,) who wish there never was such a passage in the Bible, as the one I have mentioned; they may destroy it if they will; but that will do no good, for those words have come out of the mouth of God, and will stand steadfast for thousands of ages. Jeremiah the prophet called Baruch the scribe, and requested him to write (for the art of printing was then unknown,) carried and read it to the princes, a prophecy against the Jews; he and they all trembled before him: he then carried it to the king, who after reading about a page of it, said in himself, I will defeat this prophecy, it shall never come to pass! He then took his penknife, and cut out the leaf and thrust it in the fire: then he read the rest of it, and took his penknife, and cut that out also, and thrust it in the fire; but it did come to pass; for God hath said, that heaven and earth shall not pass away till every jot and tittle of the law shall be fulfilled. Must I be religious, I think I hear some of you say? must 1 |