Page images
PDF
EPUB

cussing is not of a trifling or indifferent nature. It relates to the prime and leading articles of all religion. It is not a point of speculation merely: our daily practice is concerned in its determination; according to which, we are led either to honour or to dishonour our Redeemer. Minds honest and ingenuous, like yours, will find no difficulty in forming a right judgement upon the subject. In order to do it, there is no necessity for you to plunge into all the metaphysical depths of the controversy. The dispute lies in a small compass. It turns upon a fact, whether Christ was, or was not, the object of divine worship, in the apostolical times and those immediately succeeding. The evidence has been clearly, I would hope, though briefly, stated to you, in the preceding discourse. But I would wish you to search, and collect it more at large for yourselves; those of you, especially, who are preparing to teach others the truth, and to guard them against the various errors which mark these latter days. The Scriptural part of the evidence lies in a little compass. The remainder may be found in the epistles of the apostolical fathers, the apologies of Justin Martyr, and one or two more, and the ecclesiastical history of Eusebius. Should I say, that all these might be read, with ease, in two months, I should say no more than the truth. And so much, at least, of primitive antiquity ought to be studied by every divine; indeed, by every Christian, who has leisure and ability. For why should any man continue ignorant of that which is so soon, and so easily

known? Be conversant in the Scriptures, and acquaint yourselves well with the doctrine and the practice of the church in its earliest and purest days, when you first enter upon the ministry; and the efforts of unhappily misguided men will in vain be afterwards exerted to move you from the rock of your salvation. Remember Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; and consider how great things he hath done for you; things which, had they been left for a creature to effect, had been uneffected at this hour; they must have ceased, to eternity; " none of "them can by any means redeem his brother, or 'give to God a ransom for him." To withhold prayer from your Saviour, is impious perverseness; to withhold praise and thanksgiving, is impious ingratitude. Heaven resounds with Salvation to the Lamb triumphant; and shall earth be sullenly silent? Christ rejoiced in his afflictions, and esteemed them glory, for your sake. No temptation could prevail upon the Lord, in the hour of suffering and sorrow, to relinquish his gracious purpose, and desert the cause of his disciples; let no temptation prevail upon them to desert and disown the cause of their Lord. Would any man persuade you to refuse divine worship to your Redeemer? reject the attempt (whoever makes it) with a noble scorn; and whatever others may think, or however they may act, upon the occasion, do you call to mind the generous confession uttered by the martyr Polycarp, when the Roman proconsul had urged him to deny Christ." Fourscore and six years

(said the venerable old bishop) have I served him, and never yet received any thing but good at his hands how, then, shall I now blaspheme my King and my Saviour?"

Martyrium Polycarpi apud Cotelor. Patr. Apostol. t. ii.

- 198.

538

DISCOURSE XXXV.

A FAST SERMON.

DEUT. XXIII. 9.

When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.

As a minister of that Gospel which was first published by the Prince of Peace, who came to reconcile all things in heaven and earth, and bequeathed peace, as his last and best legacy, to his disciples, I could rather have wished it might have been my province to congrulate you this day on the approach of its re-establishment in the world; on the delightful prospect of times, when the whole earth should once more sit quiet, and be at leisure to attend to better things than ingenious and well concerted plans of mutual destruction; when "nation "should not lift up sword against nation, neither "should they learn war any more." These ought to be the effects of religion; these would be its effects were it universally understood and practised; these will be its effects at a more auspicious æra of the Christian church, and in a happier clime, as all the prophets have foretold which have been since the world began.

Let none, meanwhile, be offended and stumble at that stumbling-stone laid in their way by the frequency of wars among nations professing Christianity. They owe not their origin to religion, but to the want of it. The fault is in the ground, not in the seed, which is good, but is either stolen away, or withered, or choked by the passions growing up with it, and sometimes, even making it the cause, the very innocent cause, of those dissensions and animosities, which it was designed for ever to extirpate. "Whence come wars and fightings among "you? Come they not hence, even of your desires," which your religion should mortify and subdue? Doubtless, the sight of Christian, Catholic, Faithful, and Apostolic princes, sending their numerous regiments to slaughter one another in the field of battle, forms a shocking contrast to the spirit of the meek and lowly Jesus-so shocking, that some have been thereby induced to maintain the utter unlawfulness of all war. But what, then, is to be done? Who can prevent a restless and ambitious state from attacking its neighbour. In these circumstances, such men must either defend themselves, or be defended by others, or God must interpose miraculously in their defence, or all must quietly submit to conquest and captivity by an unjust invader. Had this last been intended, that rigid moralist, the Baptist, would not have regulated, but prohibited the military profession; nor would Christians have served, as we know they did, with fidelity and diligence, in the armies of the Pagan emperors.

The lawfulness of a war must, therefore, be rested

« PreviousContinue »