fagot, by fraud and chicanery, and every trick of sordid policy. Men have been cheated, and bribed, and beaten, and imprisoned, and burned, to make them Christians!—Inexpressible wickedness! And absurd as wicked.

But where the power of a wise government, or the progress of knowledge among the people, or, what is most efficient of all, the influences of vital religion, have prevented the practice of such abominations, unholy ministers of the gospel have resorted to other expedients, under the pretext of promoting Christianity; but in reality for the purpose of extending their own influence, and securing their own interests. Sectarian zeal has kindled its unhallowed fires; and they who had little regard for genuine piety, have been roused to most vigorous efforts in advancing the cause of a party. "The Church”—“ Orthodoxy”—“Water" "Fire"-and the like, have been the watchwords, or rather the war-cry, of different sects of Christians, and have roused them, as the notes of the trumpet, which has often called the old warrior to battle. But all measures of this kind are disowned by the religion of Christ. ters, imbued with his Spirit, and pursuing the course prescribed by him, do not need, and cannot employ them.

His minis

The reason is obvious:- -True religion has its seat in the soul; its influences bear on the heart and conscience. But not one of all these measures has the least power to awaken and regulate the conscience, or purify the heart. And until this is done, nothing is done :-not one effectual step is taken in the great work of saving sinners. Force, indeed, can confine or crush the body :-authority may restrain the actions, and even overawe the mind;-wealth can bribe ;-party-spirit may kindle up fiery zeal; but the heart remains unsanctified; the sinner is still in his sins. One may as well think to bind the tempest in chains, and lightning in fetters of iron, as by the use of carnal weapons to subdue men to the faith of Christ.

Yet religion has weapons, which are mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, and humbling high thoughts. The character of Christianity clearly indicates their nature. It is a religion which consists not in external form and observance: for " the kingdom of God is within you"-in the soul. And the high enterprise of the Christian minister, is to win over the soul to the obedience of the just. In order to this, truth must shed its light on the understanding, and exert its sanctifying influence on the heart. But it is truth only, as invested with God's authority, which can do this. The reasoning of man is in vain for such a work. There must be" the demonstration of the Spirit and of power." And this may be expected only when the truth is delivered as God re

Dealed it, and in the spirit and manner prescribed by the great Head of

the church.

The truth is preached as God revealed it, when the meaning of the Bible is stated, and proved, and pressed on the sinner's heart;-when sinners are made to understand just what God tells them, and that they are bound to believe and obey, because God has told them. If man assumes authority, his fellow feels that he has a right to refuse obedience; if man reasons, his fellow feels that he has a right to reason on the other side of the question, and to withhold belief:-but if God speaks, and the meaning of what he says is clearly exhibited, then there is no subterfuge;-man must obey, or come to the direct and fearful determination, that he will disregard the authority of Heaven.

But much, according to divine appointment, is made to depend on the spirit in which the truth is preached. God, in employing human instrumentality to promote religion, determined to carry on the work of grace, in accordance with the nature which he had originally given to man.' He did not, therefore, propose truth in abstract forms to the understanding-cold as an icicle in the bosom-but with its light intermingled the genial warmth of love. God is love: truth is an emanation of Deity; and it is the warmth and energy of love, which carries it to the heart, when torpid and cold in spiritual death. It was, therefore, a wise and gracious determination of our compassionate Redeemer, to use all the kindly and generous feelings of human nature, every thing in man that has power to melt and subdue the heart of man, to extend the influences of his religion. The Christian minister, then, in his warfare, not only opposes truth to error, but blessing to cursing; gentleness to violence; pity to contempt; humility to haughtiness; patience to insult; forgiveness to injury; and love to hatred.

But it was manifestly the design of the Saviour, to give to the instrumentality employed in promoting his religion, the moral influence acquired by the association of numbers in one body. It is true, that one man, like Paul, highly endowed with genius, ardent in feeling, full of courage, unshrinking in fortitude, versatile in talent-taken up to the third heaven, and sent thence, like a comet from the sun, beaming with light from the ineffable glory, and burning with the fires of heavenly love, will exert a mighty influence on the moral condition of the whole world. But even Paul, after all his visions and celestial raptures, still derived aid and courage from the faithful men, who, through his instrumentality, were brought into the church. And he manifestly relied much, under God, on the zeal, and love, and effort of Christans acting in unison.

Hence we see the nature and extent of the instrumentality to be

1

employed in propagating the gospel. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, both ministers and people, enlightened by divine truth, and moved by holy love, exert all their influence to impress this truth on the hearts of their fellow-men, softened and subdued by this love. THIS IS THE LEGITIMATE METHOD OF PROMOTING THE RELIGION OF CHRIST. There is no other. No case, either of individual or associated enterprise, can furnish an exception to the rule. When one, in the true spirit of the gospel, makes his first attempt to bring sinners to Christ, he dare not, for his life he dare not, adopt any other measure than in love to speak the truth which God has revealed. And when he makes his last and greatest effort, he can do nothing more. He has no weapons of higher temper, or more celestial force, with which to assault and pull down the strong holds, and the high things, which exalt themselves against the law of Christ. If he resort to other means, he at once throws himself out of the list of approved warriors of the cross, and fights under false colours. He uses carnal weapons. His success is not that of the cause of Christ. The places which he wins, he does not annex to the kingdom of the Redeemer. Nothing but truth and love can make men real Christians. God blesses nothing else.

Once, when the church, though a very feeble band, went forth against the whole world, with no defensive armour but that of righteousness, under no protection but that of God, wielding no weapon of offence but the sword of the Spirit, our doctrine was fully recognised, and carried out into action. And the strongest holds of the powers of darkness felt the first shock, to their deepest foundations: and the first clash of the opposing weapons, showed that the church wielded the sword of Michael, the touch of which " neither keen nor solid could resist❞—and one high thing after another was brought down, and subdued to the obedience of Christ. At length, in an evil hour, this armour was laid aside; one of earthly fabrication and temper was used in its stead; and the enemy recovered much of his lost dominion.

In these latter ages, there has been a revival, in some measure, of the spirit of primitive Christianity; and the church is again heard to declare, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal." Her ministers are seen going forth, as in the beginning, protected by the shield of faith, and wielding only the sword of the Spirit; and just in proportion as they do this, the kingdom of God is extended among men.

From this brief discussion may be drawn some principles of great importance to the general cause of Christian benevolence; and of course to those particular interests which claim our attention on the present occasion.

1. RELIGION MAY BE MOST SUCCESSFULLY PROPAGATED, WHERE IT is PERFECTLY FREE FROM ALL HUMAN AUTHORITY.

For, since religion has its seat in the soul, and is a matter of convicċtion and feeling, no man can possibly be a Christian, any farther than he voluntarily and heartily embraces the truth, and feels its sanctifying power.

But every man's heart rises in opposition to constraint. It is universally felt, that he who attempts to impose it, is doing what he has no right to do: And when even the truth itself is urged by human authority or force, it has to encounter not only the natural resistance of the corrupt heart, but the repugnance superadded by the absurd attempt to compel conviction and force the conscience. None can tell how much influence the church has lost by such preposterous measures.

Again; whenever religion is shackled by human policy, there is always some entangling alliance between it and "the powers that be." The state, for instance, engages to support the church: but it is on the condition that the church will submit to the authority of the state. Now, the rulers of this world, generally, have purposes of their own to accomplish, by means of religion: so far they support it; but no farther. It enters not at all into their plans, to submit themselves and their greatness to the power of the gospel. Nor are they willing, that its divine authority over others should be pushed too far. Accordingly, the wily politician has always invented checks and balances, by which to lessen the force, and control the influence, of Christian doctrines, and ordinances, and teachers. The most solemn rites of religion, connected as they are with truths of the most affecting and awful character, have often been desecrated by an application to measures of staté policy. The temporal head of the church prescribes the methods to be pursued for the promotion of piety: the officers of the church are appointed by patronage: no public prayers must be offered, no doctrine preached, but such as the ruling power has previously approved. Who does not see, that in this case, the main-spring of religious action. is greatly weakened?

But if the nature of the alliance between state and church is such, that none are too high for her discipline; then every expedient, which long practice in the wiles of courts and stratagems of law can suggest, is resorted to for the purpose of corrupting doctrine, and destroying discipline and the state is felt as an incubus on the bosom of the church, causing her life-blood to stagnate, and difusing a benumbing influence through every member.

The whole history of religion supports these positions; and fully warrants the general conclusion, that although superstition may greatly prevail, where no religious liberty is enjoyed, yet evangelical piety most abounds where the freedom of religion is most fully secured.

. But, while we "prize beyond all price" this privilege, we wish to be fully understood, when we speak of freedom of conscience. It is not the right to cast off all religious obligation, and live as we list; the right to set at naught the authority of God, and renounce allegiance to Heaven; to take from his patental throne the Father of all; to make the universe without object or end, and mani a being without hope, or reason of existence;-in a word, it cannot mean a right to have no conscience at all.-Nevertheless, it is admitted, that if one resolves so to degrade his own nature, and blight all his best hopes, and suppress all his finest feelings, he can do so; and if no overt act of his disturb the order and peace of society, there is no rightful authority in man, to inflict punishment to restrain these baleful opinions. Religion disowns all oafnal weapons for arresting even these portentous evils-She opposes them only by truth and love.

But by freedom of conscience we mean, the unrestrained enjoyment, by one who feels his obligations to his gracious and almighty Maker, of the right to worship him according to his convictions of truth and duty; and to do whatever he may think incumbent on him, both in his individual and social capacity, for promoting piety and good will on earth: provided that in so doing, he interferes not with the rights of others.

Now, when this is the happy lot of the Christian, he is precisely in the condition to feel, in full force, all the powerful motives of Christianity. Believing the Bible to be God's truth, without mixture of error, he feels as though God were speaking in his word, directly to his conscience: the truth comes to him clothed with divine authority; and no inventions of men intervene to lessen its force.-The awe of God's majesty pervades him; the sanctions of eternity press his conscience; the worth of the soul, the misery of fallen man, a Saviour's redeeming love, the joys of salvation, the glories of heaven, the horrors of perdition, apply their highest and holiest stimuli to his heart. Yet fully understanding that God's religion, is a religion of beneficent action, his excitement is not expended in mere effusions of feeling, but in doing good-the utmost possible good. The truths of the gospel, in all their awful grandeur and eternal majesty, are his motives; the honour of his Redeemer, and the happiness of his fellow-men, are his objects.

Now this is precisely the condition contemplated by the Apostle, when he says, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty." The Christian freeman is not only, as was said, in a situation