en, the best men were the objects of peculiar odium. The cases of Aristides and Socrates are familiar. But whenever men have been eminent in holiness, or true virtue, peculiar hostility has been exhibited towards them by their fellow men. The history of the Christian church from its origin to the present time has borne continual testimony to this assertion. If there have been exceptions, they have occurred principally in those rare instances in which virtuous men have been conversant with men of a similar character only. How is it to be accounted for, that those who have deserved the most at the hands of their fellow men, have usually been singled out as peculiar objects of reproach and obloquy? that the greatest benefactors have been treated worse than the vilest culprits? that those of whom the world was not worthy have been hunted down as though they were beasts of prey? that men whose hearts were engaged, most actively and laboriously, in promoting the public happiness, should be proceeded against as though they were the sworn conspirators against all that is good? The reason is this; men naturally hate what is morally excellent, because it is opposed to all their natural passions, and desires.

Should it be said, that mankind generally reverence and eulogize the memories of the eminently virtuous; it is granted. The Jews built the sepulchres of the prophets; but this was not inconsistent with their indulging the same dispositions, which rankled in the breasts of their forefathers who killed these very

prophets. It is granted further, that good men, during their lives, receive a respect bordering on reverence from the wicked themselves. But this does not prevent the enmity above described. To inention, again, a name worthy of perpetual honor, Baxter was known to be a great, disinterested, and holy man by the very contemporaries who hated, reviled, and persecuted him; with scarcely less certainty, than by an admiring posterity. What was Herod's opinion of John the Baptist? What did the Jews think of the Lord of glory? They knew, beyond controversy, that his life was pure, his doctrines holy, his labors the fruit of unwearied benevolence. Nay more, his very acts of benevolence were made the peculiar occasions of exciting the most violent enmity.

VII. The universal voice of mankind proves the melancholy doctrine of human depravity. This voice is expressed in every possible way; in histories, and every other kind of writing; in treaties, in laws, in all public and private transactions, in the social circle, by the fireside, in friendly advice and warning, and in all the modes of public and private instruction. It is also expressed confidently and without the least hesitation. If this voice decides correctly, it is an explicit decision of the question; if falsely, all mankind are guilty of slandering and maligning each other. In either alternative the same point is proved.

It is well remarked by Miss More, that those who deny the doctrine of human depravity, are more severe in their judgment of others, than those are who be

the Bible Society in Philadelphia. All these increasing means are inadequate to the increasing demand.* May we not infer, that, where so many Bibles are purchased,many of them must be read with interest, and that the perusal is followed by some good effects? Let us pray, that all the means of distributing the word of God may be increased; that no family may be destitute of this heavenly treasure; and that no individual may neglect to profit by it.

2. The revivals of religion in different parts of the country afford much joy to the considerate Christian. These revivals have generally been the means of great and immediate good to the places in which they have existed. Those religious commotions which have been directed by ignorant and wild enthusiasts, are, of course, excepted from this commendation.

3. It is often stated to be a fact, that an unusually large proportion of men of liberal education have within a few years become hopefully pious. Some of the most promising young men, as to talents, industry, and their sphere of usefulness, are pursuing the professions of law

* Some of the common Bibles are well printed; particularly that of Messrs. Hudson and Goodwin, of Hartford, (Conn.) impressed on their newly imported standing types.

and physic, with a desire, and a determination, to consecrate all their powers to the service of God.

4. Men of influence in the country are becoming more and more persuaded, that religion is the only basis of public or private happiness; and that great exertions ought to be made to settle ministers, and support the Gospel. They feel, that it is a greater blessing to establish religious order in our new settlements, than to bestow any other benefit whatever. And many of them act in accordance with these feelings.

5. The missionary spirit is greatly increasing; and young men are raised up, who possess an ardent desire to preach the Gospel among the heathen. One door, and another, is opened for the accomplishment of

this desire.

"LET this mind," says the apostle, "be in you which was also in Christ Jesus;" that mind which incited him, when he considered the holiness of God, and the guilt and corruption of fallen man, to say, "I come to do thy will, O God!" that is, according to the same apostle's interpretation, to do that will by which we are sanctified, to make the satisfaction for the sinful race which Divine justice demanded. Being in the form of God,he made himself of no reputation; he divested himself of that external form of glory in which he had been accustomed to appear to the patriarchs in the first ages, in which he appeared to Moses in the bush, and to his chosen servants in later periods of the Jewish history; that form of glory in which his presence was manifested between the cherubim in the Jewish sanctuary. He made himself of no reputation, and, uniting himself to the holy fruit of Mary's womb, he took upon him the form of a slave; of that fallen creature who had sold himself into the bondage of Satan, sin, and death; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself; he submitted to the condition of a man in its most humiliating circumstances, and carried his obedience unto death; the death even of the cross; the painful, ignominious

Ed. Pan.

death of a malefactor, by a public execution. He who shall one day judge the world, suffered himself to be produced as a criminal at Pilate's tribunal; he submitted to the sentence, which the dastardly judge who pronounced it confessed to be unjust: the Lord of glory suffered himself to be made the jest of Herod and his captains: He who could have summoned twelve legions of angels to form a flaming guard around his person, or have called down fire from heaven on the guilty city of Jerusalem, on his false accusers, his unrighteous judge, the executioners, and the insulting rabble; made no resistance when his body was fastened to the cross by the Roman soldiers; endured the reproaches of the chief priests and rulers;the taunts and revilings of the Jewish populace; and this not from any consternation arising from his bodily sufferings, which might be supposed for the moment to deprive him of the knowledge of himself. He possessed himself to the last. In the height of his agonies, with a magnanimity not less extraordinary than his patient endurance of pain and contumely, he accepted the homage, which, in that situation, was offered to him as the king of Israel, and in the highest tone of confident authority, promised to conduct the

penitent companion of his sufferings that very day to Paradise. What, then, was the motive which restrained the Lord of might and glory, that he put not forth his power for the deliverance of himself and the destruction of his enemies? Evidently that which he avows upon his coming first into the world: "I come do thy will, O God!" and, by doing of that will, to rescue man from wrath and punishment. Such is the example of resigna tion to God's will; of indifference to things temporal; of humility, and of love, we are called upon to imitate.

The sense of our inability to attain to the perfection of Christ's example, is a reason for much humility, and for much mutual forbearance, but no excuse for the wilful neglect of his command. It may seem that it is of little consequence to inculcate virtues which can be but seldom practised; and a general and active benevolence, embracing all mankind, and embracing persecution and death, may appear to come under this description: it may seem a virtue proportioned to the abilities of few, and incuicated on mankind in general to little purpose. But, though it may be given to few to make themselves conspicuous as benefactors of mankind,by such actions as are usually called great, be

cause the effect of them on the welfare of various descriptions of the human race is immediate and notorious, the principle of religious philanthropy, influencing the whole conduct of a private man, in the lowest situations of tife, is of much more uni▾ versal benefit than is at first per ceived. The terror of the laws VOL. IV. New Series.

may restrain men from flagrant crimes, but it is this principle alone, that can make any man a useful member of society. This restrains him, not only from those violent invasions of another's right, which are punished by human laws, but it overrules the passions from which those enormities proceed; and the secret effects of it, were it but once universal, would be more beneficial to human life than the most brilliant actions of those have ever been to whom blind superstition has erected statues and devoted altars. As this principle is that which makes a man the most useful to others, so it is that alone which makes the character of the individual amiable in itself; amiable, not only in the judgment of man, but in the sight of God, and in the truth of things; for God himself is love, and the perfections of God are the standard of all perfection.