227 Influence of Example. 228 of his temper, the delicacy and refine- which they act, depends, in a great ment of his manners, and his concilia-measure, the character of those with tory and winning affections, draw mul- whom they are more immediately contitudes from the practice of vice, to the nected. This consideration, therefore, more ennobling and advantageous prac- ought to make a deep impression upon tice of virtue and goodness. their minds; nor, indeed, should it be ever absent from them; fór, if the character, and consequently the happiness or misery, of mankind, depends upon the conduct or the example which they manifest, surely, then, it becomes them at all times, and in all circumstances, to fashion their lives, not according to the maxims and prevailing customs of the country of which they are inhabitants, but according to the doctrines which they preach-according to the truths of the Bible; and although this, unquestionably, should be the case, yet it is a lamentable truth, that many of the Ministers of Religion live and act in direct opposition to the precepts which they inculcate, as being necessary to regulate the lives and actions of men, thus manifesting the grossest inconsistency: while there are not a few, of quite a different description, who conform their lives agreeably to what they advance from the pulpit, and who, therefore, may be well denominated, "the lights of the world." Nor is the influence of example without effect in riper years. The child who has been brought up to the love of pleasure and pernicious enjoyments, is often restrained, in a more advanced period of life, in his wicked course, by the good example of others. Formerly he derived all his enjoyment from associating with idle and profane company, indulging in all the sinful gratifications of a corrupted nature; but now, since he has beheld the happiness to be derived from uprightness of conduct and regularity of life, he has been induced to renounce all the former amusements which afforded him delight, and to turn to those more exalted and rational employments, which communicate to the mind more satisfactory and permanent felicity. Even at the greatest period of human life, example has a very powerful effect. The aged man bending under the weight of advanced years, upon the very verge of another world, who has all his lifetime lived in open rebellion against the laws of the Divine government, has even been seen renouncing his former ways, and turning to the paths of holiness; and this has been effected by the example and advice of a more respectable and worthy character. Thus, then, at all times, example operates very strongly over the minds of men. But I am very far from ascribing this change of character to the influence of example alone. God works by means; and it is his province to change and soften the heart, and to turn the sinner from the ways of iniquity to the paths of righteousness; and, in doing this, he generally uses means or agents; and they, indeed, are highly honoured whom he employs as instruments for this purpose. Hitherto I have been speaking of the effects produced by the influence of example exhibited in general-by mankind at large; but I shall more particularly attempt to state some of those which are effected by the conduct and example of the Ministers of Religion. Now, these men occupy the most important stations in society; they are set up, as it were, as models for imitation; and according to the manner in The former class of Ministers open a door to every species of vice and immorality; in place of diminishing the evils of human life, they actually perpetuate and increase these evils, by the encou ragement which they afford to licentiousness and vice. The profligate, who delight in drunkenness, and theft, and malice, and, in short, in gratifying the lusts of the flesh, derive fresh encouragement to persevere in their evil habits, when they behold the men, indulging in these sinful and ruinous practices, who should be the pattern of every moral excellence; and hence, it is no difficult thing to account for the vice. and immorality which are so prevalent in the land, and which, like an infectious distemper, carry along with them death and destruction. These are awful reflections, but they are just; and what shall be the condition of those in another world who have assumed the office of the holy ministry, and who shall be found chargeable with these offences? If this communication shall happen to fall into the hands of any such characters, it would be well for them, and for their flocks, both in this world and in that which is to succeed. 229 Influence of Example. it, if they were to think upon these things, and to forsake their evil practices; so that those who have continued to live according to this world, may have no reason to charge them, on another day, for having shewn them a bad example. Let them remember the words of the New Testament, "If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." But I hasten to mention some of the blessed effects produced by the example which the latter description of Ministers exhibit. These men let their light so shine, that many are induced to glorify their heavenly Father. They adorn the doctrines of God in all things, by their lives, and conversations, and deafings among men. They endeavour to imitate the example of their blessed Saviour, in meekness, and gentleness, and charity, and love, and heavenlymindedness, and in every amiable quality which shed a pleasing lustre around him; and thus, while they procure the esteem and the affection of the good, and encourage them to the practice of every Christian duty, they, at the same time, silence the wicked, put them to shame and confusion, and not unfrequently draw forth from them expressions of respect and admiration. While they prescribe rules for the regulation of the conduct of others, they act in strict conformity to these rules themselves, exhibit their practical influence in their lives, and are always careful not to deviate from the paths of moral rectitude. The benefits, therefore, that such men may render to society are incalculable. Every word that drops from their lips in the way of exhortation, carries along with it a peculiar force and energy, and not unfrequently stills the tumultuous passions of the soul, and makes the most profligate tremble and stand in awe before their presence, and acknowledge that the principles by which they are governed are truly divine. While they obtain the approbation of their divine Lord, and promote his glory among mankind, they save the souls of men; and this is the grand and the sole object of all their ministrations. I cannot close this Essay, without adverting to some of the advantages that would necessarily result to society, from a good example being invariably shewn to the rising generation. As there is a natural propensity in the human mind to follow the footsteps of 230 our predecessors, so we may form a very strong conjecture of what the future character of children shall be, from that which has been exhibited to them. If, then, they have been shewn a bad example, it may be presumed, that the example which they will exhibit will be no less inconsistent; or, if a good example has been manifested to them, with the same confidence it may be remarked, that their future conduct will bear a very close resemblance to it; and thus, through successive generations, an observer of mankind may be able to delineate, or to form, a very accurate conception of the future character of a rising race; and, consequently, will be enabled also to determine, in some measure, their prosperity or adversity, their happiness or misery. Now, the man who shews an example worthy of imitation to his children, may expect that his offspring, in more advanced years, will become peaceable and dutiful subjects; will not engage in those riotous proceedings and rebellious acts which are opposed to the prosperity of the nation, the laws, and the constituted authorities of the land, and which tend most directly to promote the misery and perpetuate the calamities of those who are chargeable with them; and farther, he may expect that they will be just in their dealings with their neighbours; regular in their mode of life, without indulging in those acts of intemperance and inebriety which disturb the peace of society, and speedily ruin both constitution and character, and, which is worst of all, destroy the soul; and, besides, he may, with no less confidence, hope that they will be distinguished by piety and goodness, by the fear of God, by love to his laws and commandments; the observance of which so effectually promotes the happiness of man. These are some of the effects which may be expected to result from the influence of a good example. But I need not mention some of those which, with equal certainty, may be expected to accompany the influence of a bad example, because they are the very reverse of these: suffice it to say, that they are, in general, the loss of health, of power, of confidence, of God, and of the soul. That there may be exceptions from these general observations, I do not entertain the smallest doubt. This, however, affords no argument in justi 231 Advantages of Revelation, and Folly of Deism. fication of the conduct of those who discover a bad example. By no means. It is the duty of every person always to shew a good example; and those who have a spark of genuine philanthropy in their bosoms, and who have any regard to the present and future welfare of man, will ever keep this particularly in view. 232 The Advantages of Revelation, and the MR. EDITOR, To every mind aspiring after knowledge, the means of information are highly gratifying. Hence the great Author of our existence, having endowed us with the power of perception and a disposition for inquiry, has, for our moral and spiritual improvement, indulged us with those sacred pages, that contain the sublimest discovery of his will. A greater benefit than the Scriptures, a benignant God could not have conferred. Without these, all the purposes of mercy, and the glorious designs of redemption, would have been but of little avail to us; for as the plans and operations of God involve the necessity of human agency, there is an essential need of the Scriptures, to direct mankind into that mode of procedure which the Deity has ordained as the medium of their accomplishment. But before I have done, it may be necessary that I should explain what I mean by a good example. There is what is termed a moral character; a character which has respect merely to the external conduct, and which originates from a regard to what are called moral precepts. The man who is under the influence of these precepts, will, no doubt, exhibit a very becoming behaviour in the sight of men, but in the sight of God it may be vastly deficient. He looketh upon the heart; and a man may assume all the decencies of human life, and all that appears amiable in human estimation, without undergoing that change of heart, of character, of feelings, and of sentiments, which must be experienced by every genuine disciple of the Son of God. That such a person may promote the good of his fellow-creatures, by his conduct towards them, I readily admit; but that he is qualified for exhibiting to such perfection, that excellence of character, and amiableness of conduct, which every sincere Christian must, and does, exhi-ries occasioned by surrounding cirbit, I cannot allow; and, therefore, this is not what I mean by a good example. That example which I recommend as a pattern worthy of imitation, arises from supreme love to God and man, implanted by the divine Spirit; it springs from that entire renovation of heart, which is implied in the term, "being born again;" and it is manifested by every individual who has the same mind in him which was in Christ Jesus. Remove the Scriptures from the world, and what is man? He is dignified, it is true, with the possession of an immortal principle, and those astonishing powers that belong to his rational nature; but this high distinction of person, tends only to aggravate his wretchedness, and swell the mise cumstances. Here is a being, the offspring of God, destined to an existence parallel with the Eternal, yet destitute of every thing that is essential to his well-being, and left to wander in awful darkness, in reference to that which concerns his immortal interests. Ask such a person what are his views of God and his Providence; of the way to true happiness; of the soul and its immortality; of future rewards and punishments? alas! not one can be found who can give a satisfactory answer. All these things hang in trembling uncertainty; nor does any solid basis appear, on which to build our hopes of the Divine favour and blessing. And, indeed, in these dark mazes we must have wandered for ever, had not the light of revelation emanated from the Deity, and scattered its rays over the face of the globe. Indulged with such noble discoveries, the mists of ignorance disperse, and the lustre of divine wisdom irra→ diates our paths. In these, all the at 233 Advantages of Revelation, and Folly of Deism. 234 tributes of God are drawn forth in the full blaze of their glory: the plan of mercy is developed; that system of mediation, which allays the fears and excites the confidence of the agitated sinner, is exhibited; yea, and every anxious inquiry which the mind can originate, concerning God and eternity, is satisfactorily answered and set at rest for ever. O the matchless excellence and infinite importance of scripture knowledge! This is, indeed, a knowledge of the highest kind; it is the wisdom which cometh down from above, and leads back again to the mansion of the blessed. It is the true knowledge and glory of a rational creature, and assigns him the most delightful post in the scale of being. Without this, the most exalted personage sinks into degradation; with this the most mean and humble creature is elevated to the highest rank, even to be like God himself. | Now, could this be substantiated, it would be a satisfactory reason for not admitting the pretensions of the revelation of God; for it were irrational to give our assent to any system as divine, while it wants the stamp of heavenly origination. But where is the Deist that ever overthrew the scheme of revelation, or, in the least degree, darkened that shining evidence, which God has poured around the record of his testimony. Only let the Bible have fair play, and allow it to plead its own cause, and disclose the grounds on which its claims are founded; then will it stand unshaken amidst the violent attacks of its enemies, and will wrap the tongue of Infidelity in eternal silence, by the force of its irresistible eloquence. Why should Infidelity demand more evidence for the Scriptures, than is (by universal consent) sufficient to prove the truth of any other writings? Surely discoveries so amazingly "What proofs have we that the works sublime and awfully momentous, in of Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Varro, and reference to the final destinies of men, other profane authors, were written by ought to be endeared to the heart of those whose names they bear; unless every individual of Adam's apostate it be that this has been an opinion gefamily. Yet how alarming it is to re-nerally received at all times, and by all flect, that numbers, who call them- those who have lived since these selves rational, treat them with ri- writers?" dicule and scorn. These boasted phi- If, therefore, Deists admit the force of losophic geniuses, and pretended sons the above reasoning, in reference to proof science, one would think, must have fane authors; why, in the name of comfound some super-excellent system, in mon sense, I ask, should it be rejected order to justify their bold attacks on with regard to the sacred writers? On revelation, and determined rejection what principle of logic are we authoof that religion, in the army of whose rized to make such difference in quesadvocates are ranked some of the tions existing under the very same cirwisest and holiest men that ever moved cumstances? O Deism! conceal thy on the surface of the globe. And haughty head under that midnight what grand and consoling discoveries gloom, into which the blazing evidence have these scoffing and brutalized of the gospel will finally cause thy dewretches made? Grand and consol- luded votaries to shrink. Display not ing, indeed! if we may be allowed the thy awfully degraded features, nor vent indulgence of irony. But this the sub-the hellish poison of thy heart. Reject ject is too awful to admit. And what not Christianity, till thou canst produce has Deism to offer in defence of its a system, more important in its discobombastic rant? What has it to sub- veries-sublime in its doctrines-pure stitute for that noble system, the gran- in its morals-and satisfactory in its indeur of whose discoveries, and the timations relative to the eternal destisublimity of whose diction, have aston-nies of men. Natural religion is not ished some of the profoundest sages under heaven, and extorted the most flattering encomiums from its avowed adversaries themselves? Deism is replete with folly in the very outset. It pretends to reject the religion of the Bible, on account of there not being sufficient evidence to support its claims to authenticity. No. 25.-VOL. III opposed to the Bible. So far from this, that it is the very basis on which the first principles of revelation rest. There is nothing of which the advocates of Deism can boast, that Christianity does not exhibit in its brightest glory, and to its utmost extent. But there is that in Christianity, which swells beyond the confines of Deism, Q 235 Poetry-The Villager's Lay. 236 and overwhelms the remotest boun- | the superiority of Christianity to Deism appears; but these points, if this obtain admission to your miscellany, shall be reserved for discussion in the next. T. A. dary, that is drawn around it. Does Deism proclaim the existence and glory of a Great First Cause? here it unites with the Bible. But the sacred pages present stronger discoveries of infinite splendour, than ever the volume of nature could have furnished. In these, infinite Godhead is seen "fullorb'd in his whole round of rays." Shining in the person of Christ, he appears in a view infinitely more grand than any thing of which Deism could aid the meanest idea. And could a scheme so vastly superior, and so full of the Divinity, originate with man? Compared with this brilliancy, the sublimest discoveries of Nature vanish like the morning shades before the spreading beams of the lord of day; and the loftiest conceptions of Plato dwindle into utter insignificance. Oswestry, Oct. 12. Poetry. THE VILLAGER'S LAY. CANTO X.-BY PALEMON. Now deeper shades advance, retiring light And beauty's undulating line extends Sweet hour! unwreck'd by elemental strife! But the highest glory of Christianity arises from that system of mediation which is the harmony of the awful and amiable attributes of the Eternal, opens a door of hope to a fallen world, and the certain prospect of unending bliss to all the "ransom'd of the Lord." Where is the religion that can disclose a method of recovery, so" honourable to God and so safe to man?" What philosophic mind (unaided by revelation) can suggest a plan of forgiveness which does not bear on the ruin of the Adieu, dear Village! rural scenes, adieu ! throne of God? Absolute benevolence Sweet train of wand'ring thought,-farewell can be the alone ground of depend-Home draws my feet; eclips'd diurnal light— you! ence; but the exercise of this towards Now Cynthia's pale half-open'd eye of night, ́a being on whom justice has a claim, And thousand stars, shine meekly on the breast would involve such an inconsistency Of tranquil nature lapp'd in dewy rest; in the Divine procedure, as the perfec- Reminding man, devotion's eye to raise, tion of his nature and operations To breathe a prayer, and lisp a note of praise, must exclude. This subject has per- Wraps earth in nightly rest and man in love. To Him, whose starry mantle, stretch'd above, plexed some of the wisest sages of antiquity; they have been lost in the dreary regions of wild conjecture; out of which nothing can explore a way, but those effulgent rays which beam forth from the glorious gospel of the blessed God. If then the Christian revelation is so essential to correct views of the character and proceedings of God; and if no scheme apart from it can furnish the information we need; how far Deism, in rejecting it, acts accordantly with sound reason, I demand its advocates to determine. When I began these remarks, it was my intention to take a more comprehensive view of the instances in which Dome of creation! wonder-wrought design, Strikes from thy glories one corruscant spark; Fair azure vault! what eye hath seen thy Nor read the record of the Eternal's plan? |