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have passed away never to return; far less are they to be sought or found in the spirit of frenzied excitement, in a fanaticism for which no adequate or satisfactory reasons can be assigned.

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A fifth feature of primitive Christianity is, "The joy with which it inspired all who came under its influence." It is only necessary to read the New Testament with attention, to perceive that this was an uniform effect of the Gospel. Those who proclaimed it called it glad tidings; those who received it felt it to be so. Whether it operated on a nation or on an individual, thus its influence appeared. When "Philip went down to Samaria, and preached Christ in it, there was great joy in that city." When he preached to a solitary eunuch in the desert, he sent him on way rejoicing." The disciples who believed at Antioch were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. And the despairing gaoler no sooner received the Word of God than he rejoiced, believing in God, with all his house. Joy was not only the invariable effect of the reception of the Gospel, but of a kind and degree corresponding with the nature of the truth received, and the hope entertained. It was altogether spiritual and heavenly in its nature. Hence it is called, "Joy in the Holy Ghost-joy in the Lord-joy in believing, in rejoicing, in hope-joy unspeakable, and full of glory."

It was not a sudden glow of feeling, a transient emotion, partaking rather of the nature of passion than of sentiment. It was abiding and diffusive in its influence; the effect of a powerful and permanent cause; it was as lasting as it was exquisite, and distinguished from all terrestrial excitement. It entered into everything in which the believers engaged; the most common concerns of life, as well as the acts of religious worship. They not only praised God, but did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. It was, in fact, a state of mind, and not an exercise of the animal spirits; and thus it is open to all; distinguished from natural buoyancy of feeling, the noisy mirth of enthusiastic excitement, and the clamorous effusions of worldly mirth. It arose from a source in which alone there is fulness of joy, and whose purifying influence is not less powerful than its blissful nature. The Gospel, as preached by the apostles, and received by those who rejoiced in it, was not a system of fine notions which pleased the intellect, but could not relieve the labouring heart of man, or alter, by its powerful operation, his wretched being. It commended itself to him as the medicine of his nature, by subduing the very seed of woe within him, and controlling the otherwise uncontrollable power of outward events upon him.

An investigation of the reasons why the Christians of modern times fall so far below the primitive believers in enjoyment, would lead us too far away from the chief object of the present discourse. I fear the causes will be found, not in any unwillingness on God's part to bless His people, or in any failure in the Gospel to afford enjoyment to those who revere and obey it, but in deficiencies and improprieties on our part. The more that any one seeks to God for consolation, the more of genuine consolation he will find in Him. The less that the comforts of the Gospel are felt to be necessary, the less powerfully will they operate. The more that men do for God, and the more that they suffer in His cause, the higher will be their enjoyment in Him. For as tribulation for Christ aboundeth, consolation by Christ will much more abound.

Another feature in the picture of primitive Christianity presented in the text, and it is the last I shall notice, is, "The spirituality and devotion of the disciples." They were daily engaged in the temple, and in every

house, in breaking bread and praising God; out of the abundance of their hearts their mouths spoke; and as their hearts were filled with joy, the language of praise was its natural expression. An animated and enlivening devotion marked their characters and behaviour. For a time, at least, religion seems exclusively to have engaged their attention,

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'Prayer, all their business,—all their pleasure, praise."

This was perfectly natural in their peculiar circumstances. When they thought on what they once were, on the transition which they had undergone, and on the hope set before them, they must have seemed like men that dreamed. "Their mouth was filled with laughter, and their tongue with singing; and they said among their brethren, the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad."

It is in each of these features, then, separately considered, and in the harmonious aggregate of the whole, that we are furnished with that view of Christianity by which we may try how far our religion has fallen below the primitive standard, and to what points we ought to attempt its elevation. The consideration of the state of things which has been feebly described, and the comparison of the early and latter condition of true religion in the world, must produce the most humbling views of ourselves, our attainments, and our enjoyments. In impressive views of the truth-in devoted attention to the ordinances of the kingdom of God-in ardent attachment to each other-in the exercises of generosity and benevolence -in heavenly joy, and in pure and elevated devotion, the generality of the Christians of modern times fall greatly below the characters of the primitive believers, and beneath what might be expected from the distinguishing privileges which they enjoy.

Yet it is to this direction we ought to endeavour to bring our sentiments, our feelings, and our conduct. Nothing but a return to first principles and practices will ever produce those glorious results which attached to the profession of the Gospel at the beginning. Every revival of religion must be tried by this standard, and weighed in these scales in its nature and effects. As it approaches to, or diverges from, what the apostles enjoined, and the consequences of their ministry illustrate, it demands our approbation or calls for our opposition.

There is no reason for despairing that sooner or later this glorious result will take place. The Spirit of the Lord is not straitened-the promise of heaven is sure—" Ask, and it shall be given; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you." Let a high tone of religion be cultivated by every individual-let it be implored and exemplified in every family -devoutly maintained by every congregation-and we shall be happier ourselves, more attached to one another, and more useful to all around. Already some progress has been made—all is not discouragement and evil -let us only persevere in faith, and prayer, and diligent labour, and sooner, perhaps, than we expect, the words of the prophet shall be fulfilled-the new heavens and earth which God shall create shall cause the former to be forgotten and not to come to mind. He will make Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. When we shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble. When it shall come to pass, that before they call God will answer, and while they are yet speaking He will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock, and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord."

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THE OBLIGATORY CHARACTER OF THE DECALOGUE.

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THE uniform relations subsisting between God and man, and among men, require an authoritative statement of duties associated therewith. It is probable that such a statement was made in the primeval state to Adam; otherwise we are at a loss to account for the wide diffusion of moral ideas in the world-bearing evidence, in their strong resemblance to one another, of having proceeded from the same source. only reasonable explanation of this circumstance is, that the oral communications of duty, originally made by God to Adam, have been handed down from generation to generation. And as to the imperfections of the moral codes of heathen nations, these of course are easily accounted for by the contact and intermingling of the Divine teachings with the corrupt sentiments of men in the course of tradition. All this is strongly implied in the words of Paul, Rom. ii. 14, 15, to which the reader may refer. As we trace downwards the history of man, and behold God entering into a special and continuous relation with a particular people, we naturally expect to find, in the order of His government, a re-utterance in a more permanent form of the duties formerly enforced upon Adam in Paradise. Nor are we disappointed. And if it be asked, How are we to extract the grand and everbinding principles of morality from the mass of law and requirement contained in the Jewish records, we answer, that in the Decalogue are to be found, in a concise, comprehensive, and emphatic form, the very statements we require.

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I. Let us endeavour to ascertain the light in which the Decalogue was regarded by the Jews themselves. studying the history of that people, it is easy to see that they recognised three kinds of law, viz., political, ceremonial, and moral. The two former were positive in their institution, and were only of temporary obligation. While their political and ceremonial relations subsisted, so long and no longer were the laws therewith connected in force. But the latter-being founded in the unchangeable relations of men to their Creator and to one another-was clearly intended to have perpetual obligation. To see the plain distinction between the Decalogue and the remaining laws of the Jewish economy, it is but necessary to notice a few facts.

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1. The peculiar solemnity with which it was uttered. For several days previous to the giving of the Ten Commandments, the people were instructed to sanctify themselves, and be in readiness for an extraordinary communication from their king. The Mount of Sinai was sanctified, and fenced in on every hand. If so much as a beast touched it, it was stoned, or thrust through with a dart." Around the summit gathered clouds and darkness. Thunders and lightnings added to the awful grandeur of the scene. The sound of a trumpet began to be heard, waxing louder and louder, and continuing long. Such circumstances could only precede utterances of the most solemn nature and important bearing.

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2. The fact of these commandments being graven in tablets of stone. spake thus to Moses-" Come up to me into the mount, and be there and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them." Ex. xxiv. 12. And of these tables it is specially said, in Ex. xxxi. 18, "they were written with the finger of God." It is also worthy of observation, when Moses cast them from him, and brake them in his anger for the people's idolatry, how speedily God renewed them, giving him records like unto the first.

3. The gathering of the tribes on mounts Ebal and Gerizim confirms the solemn importance the Israelites were to attach to the Decalogue. After rehearsing in substance the commandments delivered on Sinai, curses were invoked on all who should fail to observe the duties enjoined, to which the tribes assembled on Ebal emphatically responded "Amen!" But,

4. The language of Christ in various places clearly distinguishes the Decalogue as moral from the remaining laws of the Jewish government as either ceremonial or political.

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free from the obligation to obey them." And thus does the Saviour, in the commencement of His ministry, vouch for the purity of the morality He should insist on in His future teachings. This verse is further explained by the 19th verse, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." This language cannot refer to political obligation-as the Jews had already ceased to exist in their distinctive national character. Nor can it refer to ceremonial observances, as Christ came to abrogate all such; since to Him all the types of the old economy pointed. We are, therefore, compelled to regard it as referring to the Decalogue. This will appear in a yet more satisfactory manner by comparing the language of Christ with the words of the Apostle James, in his general epistle, ii. 10-" For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Now mark his illustration. "He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of THE LAW." Were it necessary, a large number of like statements might be collected from the New Testament writers, which could in a similar manner be proved to refer only to the Decalogue. But the passages already quoted are sufficient evidence of the distinction asserted to exist.

II. Let me now proceed more directly to establish the perpetual obligation of the Decalogue as the embodiment of the moral law. We might fairly consider this as an inference from the point just proved; but there are various considerations which give strength to the argument worthy of our notice. It is manifest that in giving a law comprehending moral duty to the Jews, God would not give an imperfect

one.

We may take it for granted, that such a communication would be entirely accordant with the Divine character and perfections, as well as with the laws of human nature. The Decalogue is not founded in any particular relation existing between God and a certain portion of His creatures. Its principles agree with the consciousness of all men avery where, since no circumstances

or variety of circumstances can alter our position with respect to God-as our ruler-and as the being to whom we are responsible. The unchangeableness of Jehovah furnishes us with a view of the nature of His moral requirements, as well as with an argument for their perpetual obligation. In His law we naturally look for the transcript of His own mind. We expect to discover the things He approves, as well as the things He hates. And it would be the most daring blasphemy to assert or even think it possible for Him to make requirements of His creatures, which could at any time in their history be construed as inconsistent with the principles of His nature, or the perfections of His character. Applying this to the case in point-we dare not conclude otherwise, in respect to the Decalogue, than that it is perfect and immutably consistent with Himself. But not only so; it is also agreeable to the nature and capacity of man. This is clear from an examination of its contents. It may be considered in two parts: the first comprising our duty to God, and the second our duty to man. Christ himself makes this division in His answer to the lawyer who came to try Him. See Matt. xxii. 35. The first four commandments of the Decalogue comprehend our duty to God; and in this place we are taught that love is the grand principle underlying it. It is obvious that love to God is a duty from which it is impossible for us ever to be absolved. It is, moreover, a duty unmistakeably adapted to our moral capacity. And respecting the last six commandments, forming the second division of the moral law, we have a lengthened commentary in the sermon on the mount, already quoted. Referring to that once more, we observe that Christ is reproving the Scribes and Pharisees for making impious distinctions in the Divine requirements, and consequently regarding certain duties as of little importance. Our Saviour then proceeds to enforce, in terms the most emphatic and particular, those duties of the Decalogue which had been underrated by them. To its prominent duties-such as worshipping the true and only God, keeping the Sabbath, and others contained in the first table, allusion is not here made; the occasion not rendering such a re-declaration necessary. But even supposing that the New Testament is wanting in positive injunctions

bearing on certain duties, the practice of the apostles and primitive Christians affords ample direction as to the course we should pursue. Recurring to the second table, how emphatic and significant is the "golden rule" of Jesus"All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them for this is the law and the prophets"-Matt. vii. 12. This portion of our duty is also founded upon the grand principle of love. And what can be more accordant with the constitution of our moral nature than to love all men, and to love them as ourselves?

It will not, I think, be deemed unsuitable or irrelevant to introduce in this place a few remarks on the observance of the Sabbath. As the principal object contemplated by men in endeavouring to dispose of the Decalogue, has been to do away with Sabbath observance, a few special observations on this point are necessary. I shall not dwell on the fact-though the argument is a strong one which may be deduced from it-that our physical and mental interests require a day of rest; but shall confine myself to the teachings of the Scriptures on this matter. It has been held by many that the Sabbath is purely a Jewish institution. If this be the ease, then all we can say is, that the 16th chapter of Exodus records an instance of an immense multitude receiving unhesitatingly, and without any mark of surprise, a strange and peculiar ordinance, unparalleled in the entire history of the Divine dealings with men. Let me ask your attention for a moment to that chapter. The children of Israel had been journeying for about a month after their deliverance from Egypt. Arriving at the wilderness of Zin, they began to murmur against Moses and Aaron for bringing them out of the midst of abundance into a place where it seemed they would soon lack the common necessaries of life. To put an end to their complaints, and to revive their drooping confidence, God supplied them with food in a miraculous manner. "He rained down manna upon them to eat, and gave them of the corn of heaven." This manna was to be gathered every morning-none of it was to be kept over night, and whatever was laid in store, in disregard of this command, "bred worms and stank." But on the sixth day, a double portion was to be gathered by each individual -"two omers for one man;" and the

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reason for this we find recorded in the 23rd verse-To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which ye will bake to-day, and seethe that ye will seethe: and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning." And in the next verse we read, They laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein." Now here we have a twofold miracle wrought in support of the observance of the Sabbath day. We affirm that the language of the inspired writer cannot be understood consistently with any other theory than that the Sabbatic institution was one perfectly familiar to the Jewish people: It strikes me, that if this was the first announcement they received respecting the setting apart of one day out of seven, we should not have heard of any disregarding it; more especially as it came to them with its importance testified to by the miracles already specified. But, on the contrary, we find that "there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather." Now this, to say the least, renders it exceedingly probable that the institution of the Sabbath was one which they were accustomed to observe: hence the disobedience of some of the congregation does not so much surprise us, more especially as the severe penalties attached to the neglect of it were announced only for the first time after the giving of the Decalogue on Mount Sinai. We are justified, then, in concluding that the rest of the seventh day was one which had been observed for at least a considerable time prior to the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. How thoroughly consistent with this is the theory of regarding it as commemorative of God's work at creation,—a consistency all the more striking when the terms of the fourth commandment are carefully weighed and considered. Admitting, then, Sabbath obligation to have been primarily imposed on Adam in Paradise, the question remains to be answered-Is it still binding upon us? recollecting that in the time of Christ the seventh day ceased to be regarded, and the first day was substituted for it. It is to be observed, "that when it was altered to the first day, it was not repealing one Sabbath and giving another: it was simply lifting the light from the Jewish candlestick, which was the seventh day, to the Christian candle

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