Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

taken, that they relate to some great deliverance to be worked out by the Almighty.

Interpreters differ as to the nature of the deliverance alluded to. Some think that the words of the text refer only to the return of the Jews from captivity; others, to the release of mankind from spiritual bondage; and others, again, imagine that they point to both these objects. Let us examine these different opinions. First, that of persons who look only to a temporal deliverance. Although in the time of the prophet Isaiah the Jews were in the full enjoyment of their freedom, yet the Almighty had at different times threatened to punish their hardness of heart and frequent departure from his ways. Isaiah had already made known to them the decree of the Lord, that the days were coming when they should be dispersed among all nations, when they should wear the yoke of strangers, and be led into captivity. Already did the inspired prophet foresee the days of tribulation which the anger of the Lord was preparing for his people; when his terrible threats should be accomplished, in the time of Zedekiah. According to these interpreters, then, the words of the text were intended to support the Jews under this severe trial, by giving them the hope that God would at length break their bonds, and permit them to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem; and the prophet's rejoicing was for the time when Cyrus would restore liberty to the captives, and throw open for them the gates of haughty Babylon. Such a gracious deliverance was indeed calculated to call forth the most lively expressions of joy and gratitude in the hearts of those who wept by Babel's stream, and bewailed in such touching language the bitterness of their captivity and exile from Jerusalem. "By the waters of Babylon we sat down, and wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof: for there they that carried us away captive required of us a song, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" (Ps. cxxxvii. 1-4). If such was the grief of their captivity, how great must have been the joy of their deliverance and return! But, however great it might be, it was still only of a temporal nature, and limited to one nation. Is it therefore probable, that a man inspired by the Holy Ghost, and whose exhortations tended peculiarly to fix the attention of his fellow-creatures on the interests of eternity, would have celebrated in the most exalted strain, and with all the fervour of one understanding "the secret of the Lord," an event as circumscribed in its duration as it was to be limited in its object? Besides, if this deliverance is to be understood as relating only to the return of the Jews from captivity, how can we reconcile such an interpretation with other parts of the same prophecy, wherein it is declared that the benefit shall be common to all people? "The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God" (Isa. lii. 10); that is, all nations of the earth shall be made partakers of this promised salvation. It is clear, therefore, that the passage does not refer exclusively to the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity.

But can we then adopt the opinion of those who consider it as relating only to the deliverance from the bondage of sin and eternal death, purchased for man by the advent of the Messiah? Undoubtedly the whole of the prophecy, and the animated and glowing language of the prophet, may seem to justify this interpretation. An extraordinary event is predicted, in which not one nation only, but the whole world, is concerned, and which can only be the coming of the Saviour, and promulgation of the Gospel. But while we acknowledge the universality of this promised deliverance, we find other passages in the same prophecy which seem to limit it, in part at least, to one particular nation such as the words, "Depart ye, depart yc,

go ye out of Babylon; touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, ye that bear the vessels of the Lord" (Isa. lii. 11). In order to get rid of this difficulty, and to discover the true sense of the passage, we must take into consideration that much of the Jewish history was typical of the spiritual history of mankind. Thus, their captivity, the just punishment of their hardness of heart and perseverance in iniquity, was emblematic of man's condition in consequence of sin; and so, also, the deliverance mercifully granted to them was a type of that which Jesus Christ has provided for the whole world.

And now, my brethren, it will be easy for us to follow the prophet's meaning. Looking into futurity, he sees, on one hand, the guilty people of the Lord bowed under the yoke of bondage; and on the other, the compassions of the God of Israel again exercised towards them, by disposing the heart of their ruler to restore them to freedom. His soul kindles at the sight, after having announced the threatened chastisement, and he hastens to furnish the unhappy people with consolation against the day of trial, by unfolding before them the wonders of their deliverance. Then, connecting this event with a similar one of a more general nature, and seeing in the return of the Jews a type of the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ, a divine fervour took possession of his soul, his whole being was exalted by the subject, the Spirit of the Lord God was upon him, "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God," Isaiah Ixi. 2.

The words of my text, then, point to a twofold deliverance; first, to that of the Jews from captivity; secondly, and principally, to that purchased for us by the sufferings and death of the Son of God. I say, principally to the deliverance purchased for us by the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ; because the benefits of which the prophet speaks belong only to the Gospel-dispensation, and to it St. Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, applies the words of my text, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Rom. x. 15). The thick veil which hides the future from the rest of the world was withdrawn from the prophet's eyes, and the Holy Spirit revealed to him the merciful designs of the Almighty, and enabled him to look into the time when the Sun of Righteousness should arise with healing on his wings. He beheld the only begotten Son of the Father lay aside his glory, and take upon him the form of a servant, that he might bring the good tidings of salvation to man, and publish on Mount Zion the mercies of the God of Israel; that the terrors of the troubled conscience might be calmed; that the justice of God might be satisfied, and man be reconciled to his heavenly Father by the one great sacrifice of himself. Isaiah beheld the heroes of the Gospel crossing mountain and valley, sea and land, to proclaim the glad tidings, to publish the peace of the Lord, and to say unto the whole earth, "Thy God reigneth." That God whom you have forgotten, the wonder-working God, the Creator of universe, he it is who cometh to save and to redeem his people. Well, then, might the prophet exclaim, "O, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!"

I now come to the second part of my subject, and will endeavour to analyse the feelings of the prophet upon this occasion. And O, that we were able fully to realise these feelings of his, and to comprehend with him “what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge!" (Ephes. iii. 18, 19).

The words of my text are evidently the expression of a heart overflowing with the most pure and exalted sentiments; we see in them the effects produced on the prophet's soul by the promised salvation revealed to him.

Who is not lost in admi

First, a profound feeling of admiration,'caused by a clear perception of God's infinite majesty and perfections, contrasted with man's weakness and insufficiency. He sees, on the one hand, man, a sinful fallen creature, a rebel against his Maker, trusting in the vanity of his own devices, and walking after his own lusts. On the other hand, him whose name is "The Lord of hosts, glorious in holiness;" who, instead of crushing the sinner with the thunders of his wrath, himself provides a ransom-a Victim who should bear the penalty of man's transgression, and rescue the sinner by satisfying divine justice. God gave his only begotten Son, who was with him in the beginning, him in whom his soul delighted, to be a ransom for sin, to be made a curse for man. ration, when he contemplates the boundless ocean of His love? Who will not exclaim with David, "Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Ps. viii. 4). What, then, may we not imagine the prophet to have felt, when, through the dim vista of futurity, he beheld, as in the brightness of noon-day, the chain of events by which the sovereign wisdom of the Almighty would produce this blessed result! With what admiration he would contemplate the wonders of this salvation! As if dazzled by the splendour of divine love, he turns from the inexhaustible fountain of mercy to the depositaries of the treasure of grace-the messengers of the glad tidings, and he exclaims, in the accent of praise and gladness," How beautiful are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!"

But the joy of the prophet was not such as the children of this world feel on hearing of some individual private good which is to befall them,-a fleeting pleasure, in which the soul has no share. The joy of which I speak is of a different kind; it is the heartfelt joy which the Christian feels in the promotion of the welfare of mankind. Such was the joy of the pious Simeon, when, led by the Spirit into the temple, he took the child Jesus in his arms, and said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation" (Luke ii. 29, 30). Such was the joy of Anna, when she saw Jesus in the temple, and "gave thanks unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem" (Luke, ii. 38). And this was the feeling of the prophet, enlightened by the Holy Spirit; he saw the thick darkness which covered the earth dispelled before that divine light, which "lighteneth every man that cometh into the world." He saw man restored to his first estate, reconciled to the Father of mercy by the blood of the Holy One and the Just; he saw all the precious benefits, temporal and eternal, conferred upon the children of Adam by the preaching of the Gospel; and filled with heavenly joy, he exclaimed, "O, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!" Faithful interpreter of the Almighty's will, he thus already shared in the glorious redemption which, after the lapse of centuries, the Saviour vouchsafed to his people. His soul, inspired by the glorious things he looked upon, breaks out into the song of praise and thankfulness. Gratitude pervades the whole of the prophet's words; and it is the last feeling to which I shall direct your attention.

If the heart be filled with admiration and joy, how can it be insensible to emotions of gratitude? This sentiment is the natural effect of the others. Gratitude is the language of the heart; and does not the whole soul of the prophet speak in his words? What language can be more touching, more appropriate, and better calculated to express the most lively and sincere thankfulness than that which he employs-"How beautiful are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace!" Is it not as if we heard him say, "O adorable Providence, my heart overflows with gratitude, when I contemplate the merciful scheme

of man's redemption, planned by thine unsearchable wisdom, even at this hour, and to be executed hereafter, according to thy will, and at thine own appointed time. Words cannot praise thee; but I will for ever celebrate thine infinite mercy in hymns of praise and thanksgiving: 'O, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace,-that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"""

We must now revert to our own case, and endeavour to derive some practical instruction from what I have been saying.

First. My brethren, if such were the feelings of the prophet in considering only prospectively the wonders of salvation, what should ours be, who see the accomplishment of the glorious work-who are the witnesses and the objects of the blessed effects of the preaching of the Gospel? Alas, without this Gospel of grace, without these glad tidings of salvation, what would become of us? Look around on those for whom the Gospel-day hath never dawned. What doubts and uncertainty and error surround them! Ignorant of God their Creator-ignorant of themselves strangers to the covenant of promise-they live without hope and without God in the world. And this would be our case, if the Lord had not had compassion on us,-if he had not sent us first apostles, then preachers, to bring us the good tidings, and to publish peace upon these mountains.

Christians, inhabitants of the mountains, to whom the Saviour this day sends the glad tidings of his word, receive this Gospel—this doctrine of salvationwith joy and gratitude. To this the prophet invites you in the words of the text,-" Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem" (Isaiah, lii. 9).* To this the shepherds of Bethlehem invite you. After they had heard the good tidings from the chorus of the heavenly host, and were assured of the truth of these things," they returned glorifying and praising God." Join, then, your praises with those of the shepherds of Bethlehem and the heavenly host; let your voices mingle in the holy concert, and sing with them, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke, i. 14). Inasmuch as the design of the Almighty in sending the Gospel of salvation, was to deliver men from the bondage of sin, and to make them " an holy nation, a spiritual priesthood, a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Tit. ii. 14),—may you, by fulfilling his will, testify your grateful sense of the mercies vouchsafed unto you. "Depart ye, depart ye,-go ye out from Babylon, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." This was the prophet's exhortation to the Jews, when he looked forward to the time of their deliverance from captivity; and such is our exhortation to you. Touch not the unclean thing, my brethren; renounce the corruption of the world, and the lusts of the flesh. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." Sanctify your hearts and your conduct, you whom God hath chosen to be earthly vessels containing the heavenly treasure of his word -to be holy temples of the Holy Spirit. Purify yourselves; serve God in holiness and righteousness, doing those things that are well pleasing in his sight, through the grace given unto you by Jesus Christ. It is true (and I thank God that it is so), that living in these mountains, far from the strife of the world, you are less exposed than many others to make shipwreck of your faith, through the temptations to immorality and vice. All that surrounds you tends to remind you of the power of God, who is "glorious in holiness, doing wonders;" and this is in some respects your safeguard. But do not deceive yourselves by presuming tco much on these precious privileges. The world's

impoisoned breath may reach you here; hatred, dissensions, quarrels, and jealousies, exist on these mountains; immorality of many kinds, which might seem to be excluded, is to be found here. Watch, then, and pray, that these things may be kept from your hearts. Improve the blessings you enjoy; the light of the Gospel shines around you. Walk as children of the light. Let that charity which is the bond of perfectness reign amongst you; let it be manifested in acts of kindness and forbearance and mutual assistance; and may all the heavenly dispositions, of which our divine Saviour was the model, shine brightly forth in you. Thus, and thus only, can you testify your attachment to the doctrine of salvation which is preached unto you; and then God will bless you in this life, by shedding abroad his peace in your hearts; and, this life ended, he will receive you into the heavenly Jerusalem, there to realise the glorious promises held forth by the Gospel.

O Lord God of Israel, from whom cometh every good and every perfect gift, produce and keep alive these good resolutions in the hearts of thy faithful people. To the inestimable benefit of hearing the good tidings of salvation, add also the gracious assistance of thy Holy Spirit, that they may live according to thy will, and walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called. Lord, bless them in their persons and in their undertakings; be to them a strong tower and a defence against the enemies of their salvation. Lord, bless this congregation, and each member of it. Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance. Amen.

THE SERVICES OF THE CHURCH.
No. III.

[ocr errors]

point, and also the Augustan Confession. Gregory the Great, Augustine, and Cyprian, and antiquity generally, say the same: so does our Church in many places, particularly in the form of Absolution for the sick but above all, holy Scripture is clear. No danger can arise from the doctrine of priestly Absolution, so long as we bear in mind that it is "conditional." The Minister in the Anglican Church does not pretend to hold in his mortal hands the power of pardoning sin: he only declares" that God forgiveth iniquity, transgression, and sin;" and yet this declaration has in it something more than the same truth would have, proclaimed by one who was not ministerially entrusted with the message. It would be equally true in the lips of any one else; but it would not be equally a message immediately sent from God, to the people in whose ears it was spoken. If a king should pardon certain rebellious subjects in his realm, and some persons, not members of the council at which the pardon was resolved upon, but hearing of the resolution, should go into the town or house where the offenders were, and tell them that the Sovereign had just pardoned them, it would be a true report, but it would not be an authoritative announcement; it never could be treated as such, until the king's messenger should bring the happy news. 1. The former part of the Absolution declares God's unwillingness that the wicked should perish in their sins. So the prophet Ezekiel (xxxiii. 11) speaks: "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his ways, and live." "Why will ye die, O house of Israel? for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourselves and live ye" (Ezek. xviii. 23, 31, 32). And the apostle Paul declares that "Understandest thou what thou readest?" "God will have all men to be saved, and to come THE ABSOLUTION. THE LORD'S PRAYER. into the knowledge of the truth." 2. The commission THE word Absolution is derived from the Latin word entrusted to ministers to declare this truth, authoriabsolvo, which in its primitive signification is to loose, tatively, is next mentioned. "Repentance and reor untie; Absolution, or Remission of Sins, being an mission of sins to be preached in Christ's name" act similar to that of loosing a chain, or untying a (Luke, xxiv. 47); this was the message with which cord, with which a person or thing is tied and bound. the apostles were charged, and in execution of the The doctrine of Absolution, as it is delivered in the same, the ministers of religion, lawfully called to the sacred records of the New Testament, and the writings work, as ambassadors for Christ, beseech men to be of the primitive fathers, is a subject of difficult elucireconciled to God. Not only has God given them dation; and to treat of it at large would lead into a "power," so that they may make known this gracious wide field of dissertation. The present remarks will, purpose, but he has issued also his "commandment” therefore, be confined to that particular form of Absoto them, so that they may not hide his gracious anlution, which occurs in the order for daily prayer. nouncement. It should be particularly noticed, howThe propriety of introducing the Absolution in this that repentance is necessary in those who would part of our daily service is acknowledged without re- hope to share the benefit of the "Absolution and reserve by Calvin, whose immense learning and extraormission of their sins." It may, perhaps, be theologidinary abilities no one will dispute. This distinguished cally inaccurate to speak of repentance as a "qualifiinstrument of the Reformation, who was not remark-cation" for pardon; but certain it is that where reable for his partiality to the Reform made in England, (for he says of the English liturgy, meaning Edward's, that it contains some "impertinencies not absolutely intolerable") delivers here the opinion of his colleagues, as well as his own: "We are every one of us," says Calvin, "ready to admit that a general confession, to subjoin some signal promise, which may excite hope of pardon and reconciliation, is a very useful and beneficial practice. And, from the very beginning, I was desirous of adopting this method, but I yielded too easily to the apprehensions of others." This Absolution is an act of authority, by virtue of a "power and commandment of God to his ministers," as it is expressed in the prefatory part of the Absolution in the Prayer Book. There is some meaning, undoubtedly, in those words of Christ, "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted," words which are spoken, as an essential part of his commission to every presbyter of the English Church at the time that he is ordained such. The qualifications being brought by the recipient, namely, "true repentance" and "an unfeigned belief of God's holy Gospel," this Absolution is as effectual as if God did pronounce it from heaven. The Confessions of Bohemia and Saxony testify to this

ever,

pentance is not found, remission will not be given. It is, at any rate, a quality, if not a qualification: it is a state of character, an attitude of soul, which must pre-exist in every subject for God's mercy in Christ. 3. "HE pardoneth and absolveth;" not man, but God, forgives, though man is honoured by being made the herald of the pardon; "Who can forgive sins but God only?" (Mark, ii. 7.) But, if we are to repent, (4) he must enable us: it is God, therefore, whom we must beseech to give repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth by putting his Spirit within us; that we may no longer live the rest of our time in the lust of the flesh, but to the will of God.

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

Hitherto we have been preparing ourselves to pray, and now we begin with prayer, properly so called, viz., the Lord's Prayer; which, being made by Jesus, and indited by his Spirit, deserved to stand in the first place, but that we were not fit to call God “Our Father" till we had repented of our sins against him. St. Jerome says, "It is recited in the Liturgy by our Lord's tradition;" St. Cyprian also, and divers other ancients, call it "the daily prayer ;" and all the primi

tive liturgies have it in every one of their services; so that St. Augustine tells us, "In the Church of God it is daily used at the altar;" yea, the whole congregation joined in repeating it (as our rubric requires now); for that father adds, "If any of you do not say this prayer, though you be present in body, you are out of the church." Our Lord was led to give this set of petitions to his disciples, because he had been protesting against the corruptions that had crept into this duty of prayer, among the Jews: having condemned what was amiss, he directs them how they may do better. It has been supposed by some, and is, indeed, a notion far from uncommon, that our Lord did not prescribe this as a form of words to be used as a prayer; but that he intended it only as a model of prayer, to show what was to be the subject-matter of our petitions. Now, while there is no reason to blieve that our Lord meant to tie up his hearers to this form of words so that no other prayers but this should be used by them; yet, that it was designed to be used by them as a form, as well as to be kept for a model, none can doubt. It is given us as the pattern of all other prayers, so that whatsoever we cannot reduce to some part of this prayer, as virtually involved therein, should make no part of our petitions; if, the closer we keep to it, and the nearer we resemble it, the more excellent are our prayers, then none can scruple to use the prayer itself." For," argues Archbishop Leighton, "if other prayers are to be squared by it, what forbids to use that which is the square, and therefore, perfectest? If they be good by conformity to it, itself must be better." We shall form a right notion of this prayer, if we view it as both an absolute prayer in itself, and a prayer giving a perfect direction by which to frame all other prayers. If we refer to the Lord's Prayer, as it is found in St. Matthew, its commencement we shall find to be thus: "After this manner, therefore, pray ye;" if we refer to St. Luke, we shall find that he bids us say (" When ye pray, say") "Our Father:" the one propounding it as the most perfect platform, to be imitated; the other as the most excellent form, to be used by all Christians. It is to be noted that this prayer has been used, as such, by the Church, in all ages; at least, from the third century. In this point of view, as well as from considerations of its intrinsic worth, the use of this prayer a pledge of" the communion of saints." The reverent disciple of Christ will use this form of petition, because it was composed and appointed by his Lord; and the humble Christian will thankfully avail himself of this help to his feebleness. "He that followeth me," saith Christ, "shall not walk in darkness:" and if, in all our ways, it is safest to be led by Christ, then must it be so, particularly in our access to the Father, by prayer. Christ leads us into the presence of God by his mediation: "Through him we have access by one Spirit unto the Father." He takes us by the hand to bring us to the throne of grace; then he gives us his Spirit to frame our minds into the fitting disposition; and here, he further leads us, by putting words into our mouths.

"The Church of Christ (says Bp. Sparrow) did use to begin and end her services with the Lord's prayer, this being the foundation upon which all other prayers should be built; therefore, we begin with it; that, so, the right foundation being laid, we may justly proceed to our ensuing requests: and, it being the perfection of all prayer, therefore we conclude our prayers with it. Let no man, therefore, quarrel with the Church's frequent use of the Lord's prayer, for the Church Catholic ever did the same. Besides, if we have hope to have our prayers accepted of the Father only, for his Son's sake, why should we not hope to have them most speedily accepted, when they are offered up in his Son's own words? Both in this place, and other parts of the service, when the Lord's prayer is appointed to be used, the Doxology, For thine is the kingdom,'

&c., is left out.* The reason given by many men is, because the Doxology is no part of our Lord's prayer; for, though in Matth. vi. 13. it be added in our usual copies, yet, in the most ancient manuscripts it is not to be found; no, nor in St. Luke's copy; and therefore is thought to be added by the Greek Church, who used it, indeed, in their liturgies, (as the Jews before them did) but divided from the prayer, as if it were no part of it. The Latin Church, generally, say it as this Church does, without the Doxology, following St. Luke's copy, (Luke xi.) who, setting down our Lord's Prayer exactly, with this introduction, when you pray say,-not, 'After this manner, as St. Matthew hath it; but say Our Father,' &c., leaves out the Doxology; and, certainly it can be no just matter of offence to any reasonable man, that the Church in many places used that form which St Luke tells us was exactly the prayer of our Lord."

66

CHURCH RATES,+

We have no hesitation in telling our opponents one and all," that we do believe "Church Rates are coeval with priest-craft," as they choose irreverently to designate the divine institution of the priesthood. It is our proposition that the "principle" of Church Rate was coeval with the priesthood --we believe this, and we believe something more : we believe that the Almighty, who appointed the priesthood, also established the principle of Church Rate, or a provision for altars and temples erected for his honour and worship, and that, consequently, the principle of Church Rate is of divine origin. If our opponents will "condescend" to do as we have done; if they will examine that piece of "old antiquity," the bible, from Genesis to Revelation, they will learn that this proposition, which they find it more easy to sneer at than to refute, is capable of proof, either by positive evidence or fair inference, in almost every book of the Old and New Testament. In that "musty old record," the book of Exodus, there is an account of the erection of the sanctuary, with the appointment of an atonement tribute, or provision for the service and reparation of the sanctuary, distinct from a provision for the priests and Levites; it is there said by the Almighty to Moses, "And thou shalt take the atonement-money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation." —( xxx, 11-16). Here we have the principle of Church Rate brought into practice by the express command of God himself. It will not suit advocates of the voluntary system to come to the bible for encouragement: it was not left to the choice of the people to pay or not, since the command is, "This they shall give [the half shekel] every one." There were dissentients among the Israelites, but no idle plea of "conscience" or oppression," would relieve such from the obligation, as may be seen in the New Testament. The sanctuary was kept up by hálf-shekel tribute, from that early period, down to the time of our Saviour: the temple of Solomon was kept up by this Church Rate, and, although the king, with the princes and great men, voluntarily

[ocr errors]

In the present Book, the Doxology is used here.

+ From an "address on Church Rates" by the Editor of the Exeter and Plymouth Flying Post.

gave munificent offerings of silver and gold and costly stones, for the beauty and ornament of the house of God, the timber and hewn stone was purchased, by the "command" of Solomon, and paid for out of his royal revenues, or the public property, contributed by the whole nation; so were the thousands of workmen, "levied" by the command of Solomon, paid out of the national revenue. We admit that Solomon's temple was built for the whole Jewish nation; but there were those among the

Jews who were compelled to pay the tribute, who

refused to receive the benefit of the temple worship. So was the church of England built for the whole English people; but, although there are those among the people who think proper to depart from its wor. ship, that is no excuse for their withholding the rate which belongs to the church alone. Solomon's temple was the temple of the Jewish constitution so is the church of England the temple of the English constitution; and, therefore, as all the subjects who lived under the Jewish constitution were called upon to contribute to the national temple, so are all English subjects, who live under, and enjoy the benefits indirectly or directly, of our constitution, called upon to contribute towards the national temple of the land. This important part of the question is just what our opponents always take care to pass over: they always represent the church of England as a mere sect in this country, whereas they know

that it is not a sect, but the national church, an in

tegral part of the constitution, and, as such, claiming, upon the ground of constitutional right, the respect and support of every subject of the crown.

That the tribute which our Saviour wrought a miracle to pay was the half-shekel for the reparation and service of the temple is affirmed, not by churchmen

:

only, but by four eminent dissenting commentators Dr. Gill, Dr. Doddridge, Matthew Henry, and Dr. Adam Clarke they all agree, (in the language of the latter,) that this tribute was "not a tax to be paid to the Roman government, but a tax for the support of the temple; the law (Exodus xxx, 13), obliged every male amongst the Jews to pay half a shekel yearly for the support of the temple." The apostle Paul strongly enjoins the payment of this tribute, as well as other customs, "for consciencesake;" and St. Peter gives similar instructions.

SIN A REPROACH AND HINDERANCE:
A Sermon,

BY THE REV. W. BATTERSBY, M.A.
Curate of St. Lawrence, Evesham.

JOSHUA vii. 13.

"There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee,

Israel; thou canst not stand before thine enemies until ye take away the accursed thing from among you."

THE writer of the epistle to the Hebrews, in consideration of believers being surrounded by innumerable ministering spirits, and in consideration of their conduct being observed by them, says: "Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of

witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

It is, undoubtedly, for want of complying with this exhortation, that many Christian believers complain of being barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and of making such little progress in the ways of virtue and god

liness.

knowledge, spirituality of mind, and practical If they do not improve in divine holiness, it is because there is some sin lurking within them which they do not strive against and mortify, but which they maintain and cherish with a certain degree of fondness and affection. It, therefore, behoves all who complain of not growing in grace and in the knowledge of their Redeemer, to examine well into their own hearts, and to see whether they cannot discover the latent evil; and, having discovered it, to put it away from them as the accursed thing which is hateful, in the highest degree, to a God of infinite holiness and purity.

In the chapter from whence the text is taken, we see that there was an accursed thing among the people of Israel, and that this was the mies with whom they engaged in conflict. reason why they were smitten by their ene

No sooner were this people conducted over Jordan into the land which the Lord God of their fathers had promised them for an everlasting possession, than they were encouraged to go up against Jericho, a great and fenced city, and take it. They were instructed as to the manner in which this was to be effected. They were to encompass the city, and go round about it once a day, for six days, and on the seventh day they were to encompass it seven times. They proceeded exactly in the manner they had been told; and the walls of Jericho fell down flat, and they gained an easy possession of all that was found therein. The people, however, were not allowed to appropriate the spoil of this city to themselves, but they were to devote it to the Lord, as the first-fruits of the land which he had promised them for an inheritance. The sole advantages which were to accrue to them from this most wonderful conquest, were the extirpation and slaughter of their enemies, the dominion of the land, and the enriching of the treasury belonging to the house of the

Lord.

The instructions that were given the people of Israel, relative to the disposal of the spoil of Jericho, are recorded in the 17th, 18th, and 19th verses of the chapter preceding the one from which my text is taken, and are as follows: "The city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the

« FöregåendeFortsätt »