Hence, they | we may pertinently proceed to the second question, viz. How did the kingdom of heaven suffer violence from the days John the Baptist? The original greek word, here rendered by the phrase, "suffereth violence," admits of an active or passive signification-to press upon, or to be pressed upon. In Luke xiv. 16, where the same fact is stated by Christ, the same word is translated presseth."—" The law and the prophets were until John ; since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." Here the word rendered presseth, is precisely the same in the original, that in Matthew is rendered suffereth violence. Christ their king. all have one spirit, and are of a peculiar character, very different from the rest of mankind : they are all holy" a holy na-of tion." They are united in the same faith-in the same fundamental principles and doctrines, the doctrines of Christ, which are widely different from those of every other society, nation, or kingdom. They are governed by and yield obedience to a peculiar system of laws, differing, in many respects, from the laws of all other kingdoms. The laws of Christ exhibited in the gospel are their rule of life.Hence, They are distinguished from all other societies and kingdoms, by the grand object and end of their union. This is to glorify God and enjoy him for- "All the prophets and the law ever. It is to attain and possess prophesied until John." By the salvation from sin, and complete predictions of the prophets, and victory over all the enemies of by the sacrifices and various typGod and themselves-perfect ical rites and ordinances of the holiness-perfect conformity to law, the kingdom of heaven, the God, and complete happiness gracious and happy government in the enjoyment of him. Of of the Messiah, and the privilecourse, by their great and pe-ges and blessings peculiar to his culiar privileges, they are excee-administration, were represendingly distinguished from and ted as future and at some displaced high above the rest of tance. But when John came mankind. They are in a state and entered upon his public minof peace and favor with God, istry, he declared the period under the special care, protec-just arrived, for the speedy comtion and government of Christ mencement or exhibition of this their head and their king. And heavenly kingdom. "Repent when all other kingdoms come ye" said he; "for the kingdom to a perpetual end, this will be of heaven is at hand." He signibrought to its most complete and fied that he came as the immeperfect state, to endure for diate forerunner of the Messiah, to prepare his way; and that the Messiah himself would follow quickly after him : yea, that he was already come, and would soon be openly manifested, and produce great and wonderful effects. To the multitudes, who came to his baptism, John ever. Is not this a kingdom worth taking pains for? Are not the privileges and blessings to be enjoyed in it such as may well engage mankind to labor and strive, with all their might, to obtain possession of it? Hence, preached in a very awakening and alarming manner, adapted to convince them of their sin and danger, of the necessity of repentance, and of evidencing it by its proper fruits and effects in their practice, that they might share in the distinguishing blessings of the kingdom of heaven then at hand, and escape the terrible destruction represented by cut-and partake of its blessings, nev es written by the four evangelists, it is sufficiently evident, that numbers of those, who were considerably awakened and alarmed by the preaching of John, of Christ, and of others, and excited for a time to attend to their instructions, as though they meant and expected to be subjects of the kingdom of heaven ting down and casting into the fire every tree, which did not bring forth good fruit. Then commenced, and from thence to the time when Christ spake the words of the text, as well as afterwards, continued, the ardor after the kingdom of heaven to get into it, and to obtain and enjoy its peculiar privileges and blessings, signified by its suffering violence. Numbers were as much engaged, and pressed forward with as great resolution, to lay hold and get possession of this kingdom, that they might partake of its blessings, as if they were assaulting a town or castle, and determined to push forward at all events, at every hazard, till they were in possession of it. -Something like this, I conceive, is signified by the word which is rendered" suffereth vi- | olence." This brings us to the third question." Who are the violent? ertheless stopt short of a cordial reception of Christ or the gospel, and did not become real subjects of his kingdom, and failed of sharing its peculiar blessings. These, notwithstanding their engagedness and high expectations, did not attain to or possess the character of the violent, who took or laid hold of the kingdom of heaven, but were destitute of their temper and spirit. King Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him, and when he heard, he did many things, and heard him gladly. He had such a conviction that John was a holy man of God, that he performed many things which John inculcated, and sometimes willingly and gladly heard him preach, from a selfish desire and hope of deriving some benefit from his instruction. But when John reproved him for all The violent are those, wheth- the evils which he had done, and er native Jews, or others, who, particularly, for marrying and under a conviction of their sin living with his brother Philip's and misery, and of the truth of wife, and insisted that it was not what John and others testified lawful for him to have her; he concerning the kingdom of hea- would not sacrifice his carnal inven, were heartily desirous of clinations and interests, and asharing its blessings in the di-bandon every evil way and pracvinely prescribed and appoint-tice, for the kingdom of heaven's ed way, and ready to sacrifice sake. Herein he showed himevery principle, inclination and self totally destitute of the teminterest which stood in the way. per and spirit of the violent. To By the short historical sketch- have supported the character of How did they take the kingdom of heaven by force ? What can be the meaning of this expression ? the violent who take the king- sense and relish of the superior dom of heaven, he must, for its worth and excellence of the blesssake, have resolutely opposed ings of this kingdom, that they and subdued those evil inclina- were resolutely and perseveringtions and lusts, and ceased from ly determined to receive the doc all those evil practices, and over- trines and obey the commands come those solicitations and re- of Christ, at the expense of evesentments of his unlawful wife, ry principle, inclination and inwhich stood in the way of a cor- terest incompatible therewith, dial reception of the gospel, and and of all the mortification, selfa hearty obedience to its pre- | denial, labors and sufferings, necepts. cessary thereto or implied thereThe young man who came to in-they were the violent, who Christ with the important ques- took the kingdom of heaven by tion, “ What shall I do that I | force. This brings us to the may inherit eternal life?" ap- fourth and last question, viz. peared very desirous of endless happiness, and to have a good o- | pinion of Christ as a divine teacher, and probably thought he | should readily do every thing in Perhaps the proper import of his power, to secure the inestim- the original is not so happily and able blessing of everlasting feli-justly expressed by the phrase, city. But when Christ said to" take it by force." I would rahim, "Sell whatsoever thou hast, ther render it by the words" seize and give to the poor, and thou upon itor “ lay hold on and shalt have treasure in heaven : secure it." and come, take up the cross, and follow me he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions." He appeared not to have resolution sufficient to forsake all for Christ's sake and the gospel'sto take up the cross and follow Christ, for the sake of the treas-ed. But the way of access to it is ure in heaven promised him on that condition. He could not do such violence to his attachment to his great possessions, to his worldly interest and inclinations, as to sacrifice and give up all for the kingdom of heaven; and thus fell short of the character of the violent. But they, who were so sensible of their present guilty and miserable state, and so convinced of the safety and happiness to be had only in the kingdom of Christ, and who also had such a | | Suppose a beautiful city, in which men, were they in possession of it, would find ample security, good accommodations, and supplies of every necessary for their support and real happiness, is proposed as an object to be taken possession of and enjoy very difficult and laborious. It is so situated and so many obstacles lie in the way of getting to it, and taking and keeping possession of it, that in order to succeed in the attempt, men must push forward with great resolution, and disencumber themselves of whatever would obstruct their progress, and perhaps submit to the loss of every thing they have elsewhere. Some however, feeling the wretchedness of their present condition, and possessed of a high sense of repugnant thereto of their own righteousness and fond hopes of obtaining favor with God by any thing which they did or could do at the expense of those worldly interests and pursuits, which were inconsistent with the doctrines and laws of the kingdom of heaven, submitting to the the inestimable worth of this | tion af all their former princi city, press forward through eve-ples and opinions which were zy obstacle, leaving behind them, or dropping and throwing away in their course, whatever they find cannot be carried with them, and go resolutely forward to the very walls and gates of the city, and seize and take possession of it, and secure to themselves a settlement in it. This supposed case may serve, in some meas-mortifications, self-denials and ure, to illustrate, by way of simil- sufferings, and laborious services itude, the conduct, which, it is required or called to-engaging conceived, Christ meant to rep- and persevering in the exercise resent by saying, "the violent and practice of righteousness and take it by force," or seize upon, true holiness, in doing justly, lovlay hold of and secure it. ing mercy, and walking humbly with God. They thus engaged and persevered in obedience to the doctrines and laws of Christ, watching, praying, wrestling and striving against sin and Satan, the flesh and the world, and whatever stood in their way, not in their own wisdom and strength; but in an entire de strength, grace and merit of their king and head, according to his gracious promises to those, who cordially take him for their Lord and Saviour, and proved victorious by the gift of God through their Lord Jesus Christ. Whilst the Pharisees and many of the Jews vainly imagined themselves the favorites of God, and through pride, covetousness and worldly lusts, despised and rejected the calls to repent and believe in and obey the Messiah, numbers, among whom were publicans and harlots and Roman soldiers, and such as the Phari-pendence on the wisdom and sees held in great contempt, were thoroughly convinced of their sinful, dangerous and miserable state, and also, that forgiveness and salvation were to be enjoyed only in the way of repentance and faith in and obedience to Christ, and becoming real subjects of the kingdom of heaven. Of the inestimable worth of the blessings of this kingdom they likewise had a strong persuasion and some relish. Therefore, like the men in the supposed case just stated, they resolutely pressed into this kingdom, laid hold of, seized upon and secured the possession of it, by embracing the doctrine, and obeying the precepts, and following the instructions of John, of Christ, 2. The blessings of this kingand of his special ministers, at dom are well worth all the lathe expense and to the rejec-bor, pains and expense, sacrifi CONCLUDING REMARKS. 1. In the gospel, the kingdom of heaven is still preached-is yet exhibited and placed before us, with all its peculiar privileg es and blessings, as an object for our choice and pursuit, to be received, laid hold of and secured, by all who are willing to be subjects in it and enjoy its blessings in the divinely appointed wayon the prescribed terms and conditions. 11 ces and sufferings, necessary to es in community, must be considered as furnishing a sincere tribute to his worth, and an ample testimony of his extensive usefulness. All acknowledge the 3. The time, in which we shall have any possible chance or opportunity to lay hold and ob-importance of keeping alive the memory of such men, that, though dead, they may yet speak. A perusal of the writings be tain possession of the kingdom or never. may often have this effect. Unfortunately in the present case, 4. In this kingdom is com- no such benefit can be experienprised all the real, permanent ced. Such was the extreme good ever to be enjoyed by man-modesty of Dr. S. that though kind. Out of this kingdom there often importuned by his brethis no salvation-no real, perma-ren in the ministry, he never nent good for any human crea-would consent that any of his ture. But every one who does productions should be published. not become a subject in it, will not only fail entirely of all true happiness, but experience the extreme of misery for ever, after the close of this short and uncer-memory of those great and good tain life! PAREPIDEMOS. Biographical Sketches of the Rev. 20, 1804. D The following imperfect sketch of his life and charcter may not be unacceptable to those, who cherish in their hearts, the men, who have done honor to the cause of Christianity. He was born in Sandwich, in the state of Massachusetts, on the 17th of June, A. D. 1743, O. S. He was graduated at Yale College in 1765. He was by nature endowed with those distinguished talents, which would have enEATH is a subject always abled him to appear with the affording religious instruc- highest reputation in any protion. The death of a private per- fession. It was from motives of son, though it furnish to all matter duty that he chose the ministefor useful contemplation, is apt to rial profession, and he was assistinterest but the small number of ed in his preparatory studies by those personally acquainted with the Rev. Dr. Bellamy, of whom the deceased. The death of one he ever afterwards retained a sustaining a public character, es- profound esteem. He was little pecially of a public benefactor to more than twenty-two years of mankind, excites a more general age, when he became a preacher interest and concern. Perhaps of the gospel. In the following in few instances has the death of year, he was ordained over a a minister of the gospel occasion-church and people in Richmond, ed a more deep and universal Mass. where he labored seven sympathy than that of the Rev. years. His prospects of usefulJob Swift, D. D. The univer-ness in this place were, for a time, al grief, manifested by all class-favorable and encouraged him to |