SIX LECTURES,

ON

CHRISTIAN ACTIVITY AND ARDOR.

NOT SLOTHFUL IN BUSINESS;

FERVENT IN SPIRIT;

SERVING THE LORD.

Rom. xii. 11.

BY THE REV. JAMES HAMILTON,

NATIONAL SCOTCH CHURCH, REGENT SQUARE.

Fifth Thousand.

LONDON:

JAMES NISBET AND CO. BERNERS STREET;

HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO. PATERNOSTER ROW.

1845.

TO THE

KIRK-SESSION AND CONGREGATION

OF THE

NATIONAL SCOTCH CHURCH,

REGENT SQUARE.

MY DEAR FRIENDS,

IT sometimes adds to the interest, and even to the usefulness of a book to know the reason of its publication. I may therefore mention in the outset, that it is for your sakes that the following pages appear in print. As all my efforts cannot secure that amount of pastoral intercourse for which I long, I felt desirous of sending to your several homes a word in season at the opening of this year; and, as an appropriate remembrancer at such a time, I have selected the following familiar Lectures. You now receive them in nearly

*

the same homely guise in which you first made their acquaintance a few Sabbaths ago.* For the directness of the style and the plainness of the illustrations, I do not apologize. They are not more a natural propensity than the result of conscientious conviction;† for as I cannot be persuaded that, in matters of taste, any thing is eloquent which does not answer the end in view; nor that in theology any thing is sublime which is not scriptural; so I cannot think that in preaching any thing is out of place which puts the truth in its proper placein the memories and the hearts of the hearers -nor that any thing is mean which can trace its pedigree back to the Mount of Beatitudes. But whilst I offer no apology for the style of these Lectures, I tender my cordial thanks

*They were delivered as part of a Course of Lectures on the Romans, on the morning and evening of Sabbaths, Nov. 17, and 24, and Dec. 1, 1844. Except the Fourth, of which there were no written notes, they appear with few retrenchments or alterations.

+ 2 Cor. iii. 12; Matt. xiii. 3.

to those hearers whose earnestness, or intellectual elevation, or personal kindness has made them listen so willingly to a mode of preaching not the less distasteful because it can plead exalted precedents; and I own that it has been not the least comfort of my ministry, that amongst yourselves, preaching like the following specimen has found so many attentive hearers. There is only one satisfaction greater-the belief that many are applying practically what most hear so patiently.

And now, dear brethren, were it not the restraining thought that colder eyes than yours may look upon these pages, there are many things I would like to say. I would like to commemorate some of the mercies which have crowned the three years and a half during which we have worshipped together; and I would like to give you some idea of my own affection for you. To the Elders for counsel never asked nor adopted in vain to both Elders and Deacons for days

b