from religious and moral control, must be in itself a curse and not a blessing. It may create a generation of philosophic sceptics, and apologists for vice, or even praters about virtue; but a moral and religious people it never has produced and never can. Let us therefore consider

II. THE REMEDY WHICH GOD HATH PROVIDED AGAINST

ALL THESE INTELLECTUAL EVILS.

Our enemies affirm that we are the patrons of ignorance and bigotry; and because we declare the moral impotency of merely human knowledge, that therefore we wish the mind to stagnate, and that we desire to repress inquiries in science. These charges are groundless; we fear not the progress of philosophy, so that she be guided by religion; nor the wisdom of man, if it be in subordination to the wisdom of God. This is our remedy

1. Exalt the wisdom and knowledge which are of God, above those which are of men.

These two principles are constantly opposed to each other in the Word of God: all evil being attributed to one, and all good to the other: to confound or mingle these principles is the fruitful source of error. The representative of one is God, and of the other, Satan himself! True wisdom and knowledge are essential to man: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea iv. 6.) And again, "Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times." "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine," &c. (Isaiah xxxiii. 6, and xxviii. 9.) But in these and all similar passages, the wisdom and knowledge intended is of a spiritual kind. Solomon was wise in the wisdom of the world, and skilled in human sciences: he was a naturalist and a philosopher, (see 1 Kings iv. 29-34); but he of all the sacred writers is most careful to distinguish between carnal and spiritual wisdom. This he defines at the opening of the Book of Proverbs, and of this alone he treats throughout. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:" "and if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding . . . then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God," &c. (Prov. i. 7, 8, 20, and ii. 3-6.) Thus also St. Paul, while he depreciates, as we have seen, mere human wisdom, exalts and extols that which is of God. "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.' He disclaimed human wisdom even as an auxiliary: "I came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom;" "My speech and my preaching was not with entic

ing words of man's wisdom; "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God;" "We speak wisdom, but not the wisdom of this world, but the wisdom of God in a mystery." This "none of the princes of this world knew;" nor can any eye see it, nor any ear hear it, until the Holy Spirit reveal it; "for the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God." (1 Cor. i. ii. and iii.) Throughout these chapters, St. Paul argues this great truth at length, and establishes it beyond controversy. And St. James draws the same contrast between the two kinds of wisdom: that which is from above, which is pure, and that which is from beneath, which is carnal. (James iii. 13-16.) Here is our moral and spiritual panacea-the knowledge and wisdom of God as revealed in his word and by his Spirit, imparting to man a new faculty, or spiritual perception, by which alone he is enabled to understand Divine truth. Hence the incalculable value of the Holy Scriptures, those fountains of spiritual wisdom, whence alone man can be supplied with subjects of spiritual thought and reflection, and by which alone he can cultivate his soul, and fit it for the immortality for which it is destined.

:

2. This wisdom and knowledge must be imparted to mankind by those means which God himself has appointed. (a) Here all the machinery of the Church of God might be described. Every ordinance of God has this object in view: the Holy Scriptures themselves-they must be searched diligently and with prayer, if we would attain Divine knowledge the house of God must be frequented: the holy sacraments and the preached Gospel must be humbly received: the blessed Sabbath must be sanctified; and every appointed means of grace must be continually attended upon, for in and through these, God by his Holy Spirit is pleased to convince men of sin, to lead them to a saving faith in Christ, to illumine their understandings, and purify their hearts. But, as we have a particular object in view, we must observe further, that

(b) This wisdom and knowledge must be imparted to the rising generation by means of early christian education. This must be communicated with authority, out of God's word, as by his commandment, not to be disputed. Abraham was approved of God, because "he commanded his children and his household after them." (Gen. xviii. 19.) Not like Eli, who only said, "Nay, my sons," when they corrupted themselves. (1 Sam. ii. 24.) Children should not be taught to reason like young philosophers, but receive with meekness what their parents and spiritual pastors tell them in the name of God. All national christian education must be conducted on the principles of the national Church, and under the

guidance and direction of its pastors. The formularies of the Church, its catechisın, and its liturgies, must be the guide of the teacher: that the Scriptures shall be used in every school, affords no guarantee that the master may not be a schismatic or even a Unitarian. The unchangeable forms of a written Church are invaluable securities in days of error and schism. Our education must begin with infants: Divine wisdom and knowledge are perfected out of their lips. (Psalm viii. 2.) Timothy had been so instructed from his very infancy, and "so made wise unto salvation." (2 Tim. iii. 15.) The wisdom of this world is adapted only to men of talent and intellect; but the wisdom which is of God may be imbibed by babes and sucklings. All must however be done in the spirit of prayer. No system, however scriptural or excellent, can command a blessing; disappointment will for a time often ensue; the hearts of children, as well as of adults, are in the hands of the Lord, and he turneth them whithersoever he pleaseth. It is ours to instruct, to guide, to teach, and then to pray for the blessing of God, leaving the result in his hands.

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1. Let us all beware of the pride of mental cultivation. Knowledge puffeth up." A mind inflated with intellectual vanity is almost unapproachable by the truth of God. "Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (Matt. xviii. 3.) "As new born babes, we must desire the sincere milk of the. word," &c. (1 Peter ii. 2.) "We must receive with meekness the engrafted word," or it will never save our souls." (James i. 21.) A proud, cavilling, disputatious spirit, bars the door of the heart against God, as strongly, or more so, than even vice itself!

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2. Let all our knowledge, and all our intellectual powers, be consecrated to the service of God.

Here is the highest and noblest walk for the intellectual man: here let reason occupy herself: here let genius and imagination soar-reflection and memory too: let all the powers of the most accomplished mind combine to promote the knowledge and wisdom of the glory of God. Sanctified, subdued, and chastened by the humbling discipline of revelation, intellectual attainments shall be like the pure flight of angels, while carnal intellect is but an emanation of the principles of evil.

3. Let the poor and the simple rejoice that moral and spiritual excellence are attainable by them.

"To the poor the Gospel is preached." And when he

"the com

appeared, who was himself the wisdom of God,
mon people heard him gladly." (Mark xii. 37.) Many poor
ones rich in faith are heirs of the heavenly kingdom; while
not a few, whose talents have astonished the world, will be
found at last in hopeless misery. May we all have grace,
with deep humility, to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn
heavenly wisdom from him; even that which is "from
above, and which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and
easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality, and without hypocrisy." (James iii. 17.)*

XLII.

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

Acts xx. 21. Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE apostolic address in which these words occur is one of the most beautiful and touching recorded in the New Testament. St. Paul was journeying toward Jerusalem; and, arriving at Miletus, "he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the Church:" and when they were come, he delivered this most solemn charge, in which he appeals to them respecting his own disinterested labours, his affectionate solicitude, and his fidelity in keeping nothing back from them; and in the text he appears to give a summary of his doctrine: "Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."

Oh that I might be enabled so to "testify" to these important truths to you all, that you, by grace, might be enabled to receive them!

I. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE APOSTLE'S DOCTRINE: "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."

II. THE PERSONS TO WHOM HE DELIVERED IT: to the Jews, and also to the Greeks."

III. THE ZEAL WITH WHICH HE URGED IT:

fied," &c.

"both

"he testi

* This subject, "Divine and human Knowledge," has been further discussed by the Author in "two Lectures," delivered to the Church of England Association, at Cheltenham. Hatchard, London: Lovesey, Cheltenham. Price 18.

I. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE APOSTLE'S DOCTRINE: "repentance and faith."

These are here set forth in their separate and distinct operations towards the two persons in the Godhead; and also in a certain order. But the antithesis must not be understood as if faith were not to be exercised towards God, nor repentance towards Christ-nor the order of them, as if repentance must always precede faith; for, strictly speaking, faith must precede repentance: for a man cannot come to God till he believes that he is, and that he is just and holy.

Here is indeed incidental evidence of Christ's proper divinity: How could repentance and faith be exercised towards Peter, Paul, or an archangel? "Ye believe in God, believe also in ME," said the Saviour himself. (John xiv. 1.) What impiety if he be not God! That all the actings of the mind's devotion are to be offered to Jesus Christ, is an irresistible proof that he is actually GOD!

But consider these two graces in their distinct operations:

1. "Repentance toward God." force in the preposition "toward."

There seems much

(a) "Toward God," that is, it has God for its object:-not
towards man; it does not regard so much the consequences
or effects of sin towards man, as that it is committed against
God. David had violated almost every social duty as a fa-
ther, husband, sovereign, when he wrote the fifty-first Psalm;
yet this was the character of his sin which he bewailed:
against thee, thee only have I sinned!" &c. He repented
toward God-saw God's law broken-God offended-His
justice, holiness, truth, love, all violated and insulted.
(b) Hence spring just views of the hatefulness of sin: the peni-
tent looks on it towards God; that is, he sees how hateful it
is in the sight of God: its guilt and desert calling for ven-
geance, that he might justly suffer eternal vengeance for it.
He does not palliate, extenuate, but even aggravates his
guilt in his confession.

(c) Hence, too, genuine sorrow for sin; sorrow towards God, or "godly sorrow : sorrow for sin as committed against a father's love against mercy, grace, patience; not the feeling of the man who exclaims, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man," &c.; but that which draws the mourner near to God: "Lord, to whom shall I go?" Regret mingled with tender affection!