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ABSTRACT OF A SERMON OCCASIONED BY THE DEATH OF JAMES HARBEST, ESQ.

2 Corinthians, v. 14, 15.-For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them and rose again.

WE see here the principle which supported the Apostle, while he zealously and faithfully laboured in preaching the Gospel of Christ. He suffered reproach and opposition from some who attempted, by crafty insinuations, to undermine and undervalue his authority; yet he rose superior to these and all his other difficulties: " for the love of Christ," saith he, "constraineth us." I shall endeavour to show, first, the state of man by nature; secondly, by grace; and shall then allude to that painful providence which has brought our valuable departed friend to the grave.

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I. The state of man by nature. By nature, we are dead to God and the things of God; "dead in trespasses and sins;" we "born in sin, and the children of wrath;"" in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Adam disobeyed the command, and suffered the awful consequences. He lost the image of God; he experienced spiritual death, alienation of heart from God, an aversion to him and all his commands. In him," all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."-" We thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead." This is the state of all by nature. We cannot think, or speak, or act, in the things of religion aright, till born of the Spirit of God; and until we discover that such is our perishing condition, we shall never pray for the quickening Spirit of Christ to make us new creatures in Christ Jesus." The

OCT. 1823.

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disorder must be felt before an application will be made to the Physician. Matt. ix. 12. Nor is this the state of Jews or Heathens only; of those who reject the Sa- · viour, or to whom he has never been offered; it is our own condition, favoured as we are with the means of grace, and hearing the voice of love and mercy in the glad tidings of the Gospel.

The Bible, indeed, discovers the only remedy for the evils of the fall, and points out a way of escape from "the wrath to come;" yet the unconverted heart has no desire after, yea, hates the remedy. "The carnal mind is enmity against God; it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Men are "alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of the heart." They rebel against God, oppose the truth of the Gospel, and will not have Christ to reign over them. So long as any one lives in this state, he is "treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath." He may attend on the ordinances of religion from custom, or to satisfy in some measure the accusations of an uneasy or alarmed conscience; but he has no heart in the business, no real desire to serve and honour God. He is in league with the world, in love with sin, the slave of Satan, the enemy of Christ; regardless of his own soul, and instrumental in leading others in the paths of iniquity and folly.

Such, my brethren, is your character, if you have not been created anew unto good works, if uninfluenced by Christ and his Spirit; for, "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." O that you may be so deeply sensible of your danger as to cry, "What must I do to be saved?"

O may the Spirit of God, by his word,

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open your eyes, to discover your wretched condition, and dispose your heart to receive with thankfulness the Lord Jesus Christ, as the life and light of your souls, that thus you may be "turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them that are sanctified through faith, that is in Christ

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Jesus." He hath fulfilled the law for us, endured the penalty, and redeemed us from the curse, being made a curse for us. By his resurrection and ascension to glory, he has opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers;" by him we may have "access within the vail," and come "boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy, and grace to help us in time of need." O believe these important truths! Pray for the Holy Spirit to quicken you from the death of sin unto righteousness of life! O let not sin any longer reign in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof," of, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." Rom. vi. 12, 13.

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II. The state of man by grace. "The love of Christ constraineth us bears us away from all unhallowed objects, like a mighty torrent carrying every thing before it.' This divine principle, when once received into the heart, has a most powerful influence. Those under its operation become, as it were, different persons, live for different purposes and different ends. The Apostle speaks in very decided terms on this subject in Eph. ii. 2-5. The love of Christ is the first moving spring of all holy affections and godliness. Hence St. Paul declares, "I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who hath loved me and

given himself for me.” Gal. ii. 20. Christ says, "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." John, ii. 35. Under his sacred influence, all around bears a new aspect; and the believer engages in new work, encounters new trials and difficulties, is sustained by new motives, and is, like the Apostle of old, enabled to overcome all, and to be " more than conqueror." "None of these things," says St. Paul, “ move me; neither count I my life dear to myself, that I may finish my course with joy." His trials were truly alarming to flesh and blood; but as a man entering on an unfrequented path with an important object in view, attainable in no other way, but which will fully repay him for all his travel and anxiety, is yet willing to encounter all difficulties that he may possess it; so the Christian, constrained by the love of Christ, is regardless of all in comparison of the prize of his high calling, the crown of glory, and the never-failing inheritance. Where this principle reigns, the heart becomes devoted to God, and labours to promote the glory of the Redeemer, and the present and everlasting welfare of all mankind, whether friends or foes, rich or poor. Those under its sacred influence live no longer to themselves, but " to Him who died for them and rose again." They are instant in season and out of season," "showing forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness to his marvellous light;" they weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice." It overcomes that selfish principle which is natural to the human heart; disposes its possessor to make sacrifices for the benefit of others where no present return can be expected, and to labour, not merely for the relief of the temporal wants of a neighbour, but for the spiritual and eternal benefit of all mankind.

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III. How this principle shone in the life of our dear departed brother. From the commencement of his spiritual to the close of his mortal existence, the most convincing evidences of the constraining love of Christ were manifest. During his whole course, his estimation of the world, and its vain amusements and pleasures, became less and less. He was evidently "drawn by the cords of love and the bands of man." The more he saw the importance of religion, the worth of the soul, and the dangerous and perishing condition of sinners, so much the more was he led to embrace every opportunity of warning, inviting, and instructing others, whether at home abroad. The Apostle's declaration was strikingly exemplified in him; "No man liveth to himself." His whole life bore the most honourable and decisive testimony to the grace of Christ, and its powerful effects. A portion of fellow feeling and benevolence may be seen in many who know nothing of the love of Christ, and who are altogether ignorant of the grand plan of salvation. But in such it usually soon grows weary, and disappears when difficulties arise or unkind returns are made; but our departed friend manifested his unwearied attachment to Christ by administering to the necessities and wants of others, both bodily and mental; and by persevering in his labour of love under all discouragements, ingratitude, and even ill-treatment. O may those who have thus been ungrateful truly repent, and seek for pardon through their Saviour's blood. I, from past observation, can bear my decided testimony to that Christian feeling he experienced for them, and which was manifested with the utmost readiness on every occasion. He was, indeed, the friend of the friendless and the father of the fatherless-a tried friend.

And upon what prin

ciple did he act? Why did he thus bear with reproaches, opposition, reflections, and observations dishonourable to himself and to the Gospel he was anxious to advance, but from that which gave birth, as well as execution, to all his plans of mercy- even the love of Christ." This was evident in his every action, however undervalued or lost sight of by some, and misinterpreted or misrepresented by others. In simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, he had his conversation in the world: he bore a faithful testimony to the truth of the Gospel, and laboured according to his power, yea and beyond his power, to promote those most distinguished societies which the wisdom of God has employed in the present day for enlarging the kingdom of Christ, and communicating the knowledge of his name through the earth; and, while by profession and principle a member of our excellent Establishment, he valued and took pleasure in doing good to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

His faith was firm and unshaken in the promises of his covenant God and Saviour, and was accompanied with the deepest humility, under a sense of remaining indwelling depravity and corruption. He had no self-exalting thoughts; and on any thing being mentioned which he had done to promote the benefit of others, he would reply, "That is nothing; I do nothing, in comparison of what I ought to do for Him who has done so much me. What I have is only lent to me, it is not my own."

Our departed brother deeply felt the inestimable value of the word of God, and desired that this blessed book might be circulated at home and abroad, and be universally read and conscientiously improved. He, from a conviction of the ignorance of many and the neglect of others, was most desirous that

the rising generation should be taught to read the sacred word, and to know the God of their mercies, and that Saviour, whom "to know is eternal life." He knew that the Holy Scriptures were by the Spirit's application able to make men wise unto salvation; and many of its important truths did he labour to impress on the minds of the young, in a way which delightfully marked the kind, affectionate, and humble disposition of his heart. He observed, "We should read, study, and search the sacred Scriptures more and more; other books may be excellent and useful, but all their excellency is derived from this, the Bible is the fountain. In the Scriptures we think we have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Christ." Those sermons were most valued by him which had most of the Scriptures and of Christ in them. O that we all felt and acted more under this powerful love! O that Christ and his salvation " may dwell in our hearts by faith, that we may be rooted and grounded in love."

Notwithstanding his faith was strong and his love thus fervent, he yet expressed his need" of more faith and more love." During his illness his increasing debility and want of breath prevented him from conversing much. On inquiring how he was, he said, "I am weak, very weak: but I am in the hands of a merciful and kind Father, who knows what is best and does all things well." And notwithstanding his own prolonged affliction, his thoughts were directed to others in distress, and kindly afforded them relief. When unable to attend on the public means of grace, he would assemble those at home, and supplicate a blessing on the word, resolved that he and his should serve the Lord, and thus afforded to others an instructive example of faith and love.

He would frequently observe, "It is by the grace of God, I am what I am."—" I am nothing; but the grace of God has kept me from many sins into which others have fallen."-" The world is a very chequered scene," remarking with respect to another. "In setting out in life, it is important to choose the right way. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all things else shall be added to you," &c.

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During his last illness, he manifested the utmost resignation, praying that the will of God might be done. It was observed, that he never said amen when his life was prayed for, except when connected with spiritual life. 'God,' said he, is dealing mercifully and tenderly with me. I am freed from racking pain, which many experience; and have many comforts of which others are destitute.' Nor was he ever heard to complain in all his illness; and during his own extreme weakness, expressed the tenderest concern for the comfort of

others. He was very fond of that hymn, "When all thy mercies, O my God," &c. and which was frequently read to him in his illness, and manifested the most punctual attention to private prayer. When about to ascend to his chamber for the last time, he said, "I do not know how I shall get up stairs; but the promise is, as thy day is, so shall thy strength be.'

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Yes," it was said, and you have found it so.". “Yes,” said he, "and we must believe it, and carry it about with us." When seated in his chair, he said, "Thank God, I have got up stairs once more." From this time about a week before his death, what he said was scarcely understood. Having, therefore, fought the good fight, and laid hold on eternal life, he entered into his rest, and thus wears the crown of righteousness laid up for him and all who love and wait for the Saviour's appearing. W. J.

ON OCCASIONAL ATTENDANCE AT THE THEATRE.

A CORRESPONDENT in your Number for Dec. 1822, in treating on the duty of forsaking the society of unbelievers, illustrated his ideas by some extracts from Mr. Pearson's life of Hey, and closed his paper by expressing a hope, that at a future period your readers might be gratified with the perusal of the excellent remarks on occasional attendance at the theatre which are contained in the same admirable publication. As this hope has not yet been realized, allow me to transmit to you the following extracts, which I doubt not you will cheerfully insert.

After noticing a controversy exeited by some remarks on the immoral character of theatrical entertainments, Mr. Pearson inserts some queries, with which Mr. Hey concluded the discussion.

"1. Are not they who hire and employ others to commit sin, as guilty as those that commit it?

"2. Are not they who hire persons to talk profaneness and indecency, (which they do who attend the theatre,) as guilty as those who talk profanely and indecently

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ranked among the sins which ought to have no place among Christians, and on account of which, the wrath of God will most certainly come upon the children of disobedience?"

Mr. Pearson then proceeds:

"The question concerning the expediency or inexpediency of encouraging, or tolerating, theatrical entertainments, had engaged the attention of philosophers and legislators, prior to the introduction of Christianity. Both Plato and Cicero censured the theatre, regarding dramatic representations as most injurious to the morals and detrimental to the welfare of the republic.

"Several of the most eminent fathers and learned divines of the Christian church have reprehended and condemned them, as being altogether at variance with the precepts of our Saviour and his Apostles, and tending to the subversion of piety and morality; and it is by this rule, their agreement with the language of the New Testament, or their inconsistence with it, that the merits of the subject in dispute should be inquired into and decided. Men may talk largely and eloquently on the innocence of diversions, on versions, on the expediency of amusements, on the advantages of recreation, and while they discuss these subjects abstractedly and metaphysically, they are not likely to encounter any material opposition; it is, however, a mere waste of time and strength to contend for the truth and reasonableness of such propositions. Who denies that men require rest after fatigue, relaxation from study, and recreation after close attention to business?

"To enter upon a regular and serious defence of positions like these, would be attacking an unresisting opponent, combating a phantom, and shouting victory over mere creatures of the imagi

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