the unevangelized in both hemispheres, than the whole Baptist denomination in the United States, though we exceed them more than two hundred fold in numerical strength, and more than a thousand fold in pecuniary ability.

Brethren, we are culpably deficient in duty. We are not doing good, either at home or abroad, in proportion to our resources. We act not in accordance with our knowledge of the wants of an apostate world, and the will of our sovereign Lord. However it may be in other departments of moral action, it is certain that here, where the most fervid enthusiasm is but cool sobriety, and where it is hardly possible to be extravagant; here, in the holy cause of missions to the heathen; here, if nowhere else, we actually sacrifice zeal to prudence, or to something which we denominate prudence, but which the apostles would have called timidity, or unbelief, or perhaps covetousness. Anxious, on the one hand, to avoid a blind, headlong impetuosity, we have, on the other, diverged too far into a cold, calculating policy. Acting with cautious reference to the state of the treasury, we lose sight of the promises that encourage adventure, and choose rather to walk by sight than by faith. Reluctant to trust the great Promiser for a long time, or to a large amount, we treat him too much in a commercial spirit, and under the pretext of doing a safe business, we do comparatively nothing. When he sent forth his first missionaries, did he charge them to wait till funds were accumulated? Did he not rather bid them go at once, and assure them of his own gracious presence until the end of their course? Did they ever deal with him as if they suspected either his ability or his faithfulness?

Brethren in Christ, we have scarcely begun to feel, as all the churches must feel, before the world will believe us in earnest, and before we can rationally pray for the divine blessing upon our endeavors. We need more of the spirit of evangelical enterprise; the quenchless spirit of love that glowed in the bosoms of Paul and the primitive disciples; of Luther and his associate reformers; of Brainerd, and Schwartz, and Carey; and more than all, in the bosom of Him who " came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." The energy we want is that which springs from sympathy with the grandeur of our object, and an assured confidence that we have the coöperation of the mightiest agencies in the universe. We need a zeal that shall be kindled by an unclouded view of the

condition and prospects of a guilty world; a zeal that shall burn as if fed by visions of the cross- of Heaven- of Hell; a zeal sustained by so much principle as that it can afford to be reproached as extravagant, and to wait until we are laid in the grave to be appreciated; a zeal that no discouragement can repress, no opposition smother; a zeal like that of the incarnate Son of God, which urged him on to his baptism in suffering; a zeal that shall admit of no repose, and intermit no exertion, until the gospel shall have been fully preached to the last of the species, and the Redeemer, surrendering his mediatorial commission, shall proclaim to the universe that he is SATISFIED.

RESOURCES OF THE ADVERSARY AND MEANS

OF THEIR DESTRUCTION.

BY

REV. LYMAN BEECHER, D. D.

Thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered. ISAIAH 49: 25.

-

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death. ISAIAH 53: 12. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. - LUKE 11: 21, 22.

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. -REV. 11: 15.

And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. — REV. 19: 5, 6.

THE Scriptures teach, that sin commenced its reign on earth under the auspices of a mighty fallen spirit; and that he, having seduced mankind from their allegiance to God, has been constantly employed to maintain his bad eminence over them. They also teach, that the Son of God has interposed to destroy the works of this spirit; and that he will accomplish the object; that the power of Satan shall be broken; and the whole world be restored to loyalty and the favor of Heaven.

The passages which have just been recited, allude to the success with which the enemy of God has fortified his cause to its final overthrow—and to the exultation and joy with which the event will fill earth and heaven.

I am aware, that with some, the doctrine of fallen angels is but an eastern allegory; and the idea of a conflict, between the creature and Creator, ridiculous and unworthy of the Di

vine Supremacy. I can only say, that if there be not an order of sinful intelligences above men, the Bible is one of the most deceptive books ever written. The entire history of the world shows, that human depravity, though operating in accordance with the laws of mind, is yet methodized and wielded with a comprehension of plan, wholly inexplicable upon the principle of accidental coincidence among men. That there should have been a system of well-constructed opposition to the Gospel, varying with circumstances, and comprehending the great amount of bad moral influence which has existed, without some presiding intellect, is as improbable, as that all the particles of matter which compose the universe, should have fallen into their existing method and order by mere accident, and without the presiding intellect of the Deity. And as to moral competition between the creature and the Creator, it exists, even if there be no fallen angels. It is a matter of fact before our eyes a matter of experience too that the carnal mind is enmity against God; and that God, in Christ, is reconciling the world to himself.

It should be remembered also, that when God has formed moral beings, even He can govern them, as such, only by moral influence, and in accordance with the laws of mind : mere omnipotence being as irrelevant to the government of mind, as moral influence would be to the government of the material universe. Nor must it be forgotten, that an alienated world requires more moral power for its restoration than that of simple law, which proved insufficient to maintain its allegiance. It requires a new moral influence so introduced and applied, as to corroborate law, and strengthen the loyalty of all the good, while rebels are reconciled and pardoned.

The reconciliation, through Christ, of such a world as this, in opposition to the rooted aversion of every heart, the concentrated power of social wickedness, and the ceaseless counteraction of mighty intelligences, principalities, and powers, does not seem to us an achievement unworthy of that Being who numbers the hairs of our head. By prophets and apostles, it is represented as exhibiting the height and depth and length and breadth, of the wisdom, and goodness, and power of God.

In this discourse, it is proposed to consider,

THE DEFENCES AND RESOURCES OF THE ENEMY, AND THE MEANS OF THEIR OVERTHROW.

We shall suppose, as the language of the text does, that

the Christianity, which is to prevail on earth, is the Christianity of the heart, rising to high eminence, and extending its blessed influence through all the relations of society, until the kingdoms of this world shall become associations of holiness the Gospel become the predominant spring of action, and its morality the governing rule of all mankind. The array of opposition to such a glorious change on earth, now demands our attention.

1. At the head of opposition to the Gospel, in numerical power, must be placed Idolatry. To banish from the earth all knowledge of God and his government, and substitute a worship composed of lust and blood, seems most desirable to the great adversary, where circumstances allow it to be done : and this he has achieved in respect to about six hundred millions of the human family. In all that world of mind, knowledge is in deep eclipse, intellect slumbers, conscience is paralyzed, and all holy intercourse between earth and heaven is cut off; while passion and appetite, inflamed by sin, are suffered to prey uncontrolled.

2. The next form of opposition to the march of holiness, is that of Imposture. This was introduced by Mohammed. It was a system accommodated to the condition of a mingled population, composed of Pagans, Jews, and nominal Christians, all in a state of great ignorance and deep moral debasement. By complimenting Abraham and Moses, he beguiled the Jew; by conceding to the Saviour the rank of a prophet, he seduced the degenerate Christian; and by giving ample license to sensuality, in time and eternity, he secured the pagan: and what persuasion failed to accomplish, was finished by the sword. Thus one hundred and forty millions have been grouped together under the most ferocious and horrid despotism that ever warred against heaven, or tormented man. Over all these the smoke from the bottomless pit has ascended, intercepting the light of heaven, and dooming them for centuries to "darkness visible."

3. Cotemporaneously with this system of imposture, and like it a subject of prophecy, arose the Papal superstition, in the form of a corrupted Christianity, and adapted to a state of intellectual improvement where the grossness of Mohammedan imposture might not be likely to prevail. This has been, and is still, the master-piece of that wisdom which is from beneath; concentrating the bad influence of all past systems; satisfactory to the pagan, and not alarming to the degenerate