I will convince you, that one or more of these characteristics belong to him, and lie at the foundation of his opposition. It will invariably be found, that men opposed to the benevolent operations for "the propagation of the gospel," are either ignorant of the nature and design of these operations, or they have no established faith in the power and efficacy of the gospel, or they are under the influence of a sordid spirit, which hardens their hearts against the convictions of their understandings, or they are induced by the combined influence of all these causes, to "fight against God." Those, who truly believe and love the gospel, if they are acquainted with the wretched state of the heathen, or even of those who dwell in the waste places of Zion, deprived of the means of grace and the cheering hopes of salvation, will not, cannot object to this benevolent work.

The work of salvation, we admit and rejoice in the fact, is "the work of the Lord." But we remember, that he works by means; and he has designated the means by which the sinful children of men are to be converted, sanctified and saved: "After that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Men, in order to be saved must be born again of the incorruptible seed of the word of God, and sanctified through the truth. To secure this blessed result, therefore, the gospel must be published in all the world; and "preached to every creature."

Be encouraged, then, my Christian friends, to go forward in the work, and set an example, which your fellow disciples may everywhere follow.

LECTURE XXIV.

CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL AND THE SALVATION OF MEN.*

1 CORINTHIANS 1. 21.

FOR AFTER THAT IN THE WISDOM OF GOD, THE WORLD BY WISDOM KNEW NOT GOD, IT PLEASED GOD, BY THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING, TO SAVE THEM THAT BELIEVE.

THE world lieth in wickedness. Men are sinners. In their natural state, they are rebels against the rightful authority of Heaven; and consequently, subject to the penalty of the divine law. To provide a remedy for the evils, to which rebellious men are thus subject; to produce in them reconciliation to God, and save them from the natural consequences of sin and continued rebellion, human wisdom has, in every age, been taxed, and all the resources of human ingenuity have been exhausted. Attempts have been made to enlighten and reform the world by education and science, by legislation and civil authority, by appeals to reason and conscience. But all such attempts, without the aid and concurrent influence of revelation, have failed, and must forever fail. The history of the world abundantly proves that all such means are inadequate to secure the desired end.

This discourse was delivered at the ordination of the Rev. William Bates, in Northbridge, Mass., Nov. 5, 1845. And with some slight variations, it was again delivered, at the installation of the Rev. Jonathan Curtis, in Woodstock, Ct., Feb. 18, 1846.

For wise reasons God, for a long course of time, suffered the experiment to be repeatedly made, that men might every where see the result; and the result has been, everywhere and in all ages, the same. Everywhere experience has taught the same lesson, that "the world by wisdom knew not God;" that human wisdom and human power could not enlighten and save the world; that without the influence of divine revelation and the interposition of divine grace, men would continue in error and sin; and idolatry and polytheism, with all their cruelty and licentiousness, would continue to overspread the earth.

But after the experiment had been made, long enough and extensively enough, to establish and illustrate the fact, that no human contrivance, nor wisdom of man, was adequate to the exigency of the case; God was pleased to declare his purposes of mercy, and to make known to man, the expedient which Infinite Wisdom had devised, for reconciling and saving all who would believe his testimony concerning his Son, and receive him, as a perfect Mediator, and an all-sufficient Saviour. In the language of our text: "After that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdow knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe."

To develop and illustrate the doctrine of the text; and thus to find matter for practical improvement, and for personal application, I shall pursue the following plan of discourse:

I. I shall endeavor to explain the term, to save, as used in the text; and show the nature and extent of the salvation, purchased by Christ and revealed in the gospel.

II. I shall inquire, what the instrumentality is, by

which this salvation is applied to men; as denoted by the phrase, "foolishness of preaching."

III. I shall speak of the wisdom of God, displayed in the adaptation of "preaching" to the reconciliation, reformation and salvation of believers.

In conclusion, I shall subjoin a few practical remarks, with an application, adapted to the occasion.

I. I am to attempt an explanation of the term, "to save," as used in the text; and endeavor to show the nature and extent of the salvation, purchased by Christ and revealed in the gospel. "To save," in the most enlarged sense of the term, is to procure safety ; to furnish protection and give security. It is to deliver those, who are in a state of suffering or fearful apprehension, from present and apprehended evil. In its limited sense, therefore, as used in our text, where it is applied to sinners, under the bonds of iniquity, and exposed to the penalty of a violated law, it denotes deliverance from the guilt and condemnation of sin; from the love and practice of iniquity, and from the bitter fruits, and everlasting consequences, which naturally flow from it. This salvation involves, therefore, both pardon and reformation, both forgiveness and repentance, both justification and sanctification. To constitute a full salvation, as promised to believers in the gospel, both these parts are requisite; and those who separate what God has thus joined together, fall into error, hurtful and often fatal error.

A sinner cannot be safe, till he obtains pardon for his past transgressions; because without pardon the condemning sentence of a violated and unchangeable law, must forever stand against him. Although, he should repent, without being justified, (were true repentance, without justifying faith, possible,) he could do nothing to make atonement for his past sins. He

could perform no works of supererogation; nor could he avoid the penalty of the law, and the bitter consequences of sins unpardoned, and guilt uncancelled. In order to be saved, therefore, a sinner must not only repent of sin, but believe the gospel; must be justified through faith in a crucified Redeemer. And for this justification abundant provision has been made. Yes, Christ, as an all-sufficient Saviour, has made an adequate atonement for the sins of the whole world. He "died the just for the unjust." "He bare our sins in his own body on the tree." He "justified the law and made it honorable;" so that " God can now be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."

On the other hand, were it possible for an impenitent sinner to believe, and obtain justification from all past transgressions, he would not be safe; he could not, indeed, be saved, without repentance and new obedience. For were he pardoned and justified to-day, he would be in transgression and under condemnation to-morrow. Nay, his guilt would be increased, and his condemnation enhanced, by the very circumstance of abused privileges and perverted grace. There is, it is true, "no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus;" but, then, it is because "they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Accordingly, this view of salvation is often presented, and everywhere implied, in the statements of inspiration on the subject. Our Saviour himself said: "The Son of man is come to save his people from their sins." And the apostle, Paul, in language of the same import said, concerning the Saviour: "He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works."