it follows after them, and shares in all their joys and in all their anxieties. They go abroad into the world, and the hearts of their parents go abroad along with them. The warmth of a mother's affection can never desert them: she hears the howling of the midnight storm, and prays that Heaven would watch over the safety of her children. Happy the day of their return, when the old man gets his sons and his daughters around him. They are his staff in the years of his infirmity. Sweet to his soul is the hour of family devotion-when he rises in gratitude to heaven for giving peace to his last days--when he prays God that He would take care of his children, that they may live to carry him to the burial-place of his fathers, and that they may all rise again to rejoice for ever in our Redeemer's kingdom. "Then kneeling down to heaven's eternal King The Saint, the Father, and the husband prays; VOL. VI.-C SERMON IV. [THE latter months of Dr. Chalmers' connection with Cavers were engrossed with the preparations for the ensuing winter, during which he taught the Mathematical Classes in the University of St. Andrews. These preparations, and perhaps also the hurry of separation, have left evident marks of haste upon this farewell discourse. The reader, besides, will notice that in two instances an " &c." is placed at the end of a paragraph. This mark frequently occurs in the manuscript of the earlier sermons, indicating the insertion at the time of delivery of some favorite passage previously written and committed to memory. A sermon so hurriedly written, so incomplete, and so fragmentary as that which follows, should not have been inserted had it not been that a comparison of its closing address, with the other farewell discourses given in this volume, promotes so largely one of the leading purposes of the present publication.] TITUS I. 1. "Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's efect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness." It has been insinuated to the prejudice of our religion, that its effects are far from corresponding with the magnificent anticipations of its first founders. They predicted that in the establishment of Christianity we would enjoy the reign of benevolence and peace. But let us survey the broad aspect of the world and its inhabitants-the ambition. which involves it in the miseries of war-the selfishness which is unmoved by the plaintive cry of distress-the deceit which fills the earth with the exclamations of the injured -the cruelty which feasts on spectacles of pain-the licentiousness which degenerates a people, as it withers the graces of youthful modesty-the superstition which in its groveling subjection to externals deserts the manly and respectable virtues of social life-surely wickedness aboundeth in the land, and the cry thereof ascendeth unto heaven. Are these the boasted effects of religion-of that religion which was to extend through the world the triumphs of truth and virtue of that religion which announced peace on earth and good-will to the children of men; and which promised to unite the world into one family by the sacred law of love? For what purpose that illustrious succession of prophets who appeared to alleviate the gloom and ignorance of antiquity? For what purpose did the Son of God descend from the celestial abodes of love and of virtue-live amid the sufferings of persecution and injustice, and die a martyr to that cause He had so nobly defended? Even now, though we possess the sacred treasure of His instructions--though refined by all the improvements of art-though educated in all the wisdom of the ancients-even now we exhibit the vices which disgraced an age of ignorance and barbarity. To palliate, however, the enormity of the picture, it may be urged that the most important effects of Christianity are from their nature invisible, while the prominent features of vice must strike the observation of the most superficial and indifferent. Vice stalks abroad, and exposes its shameless forehead in the face of day. It attracts attention by the glaring deformity of its character-by the tumultuous disorder it creates in society-by the outcry of those whom it injures by the transitory splendor of its career-and by the disgraceful ignominy of its fall. Virtue seeks the shade; it shrinks from applause; it delights in peaceful, unostentatious retirement. To find virtue we must seek for it, because it shuns observation. Virtue is humble and unambitious of praise; it doeth good in secret; it is content with the gratitude of those orphans whom it shelters-of those aged to whose sickness it administers-of that family whom it rescues from want. It seeks something nobler than the applause of men. Amid the sufferings of contempt and injustice it is supported by the testimony of its own conscience, and by the prospect of that day when it shall be restored to its honors and invested with the glories of an immortal crown. But though these considerations may seem in part to alleviate the darkness of the picture, and to console our feelings amid the multiplied displays of human vice, yet truth and justice force us to proclaim the affecting deprav ity of man. The more we extend our acquaintance with human life, the more we see of villainy in all its varieties. Here one feasting on the spoils of injustice and oppression there another plotting his wiles of seduction; here one under the mask of friendship broods over dark and deceitful intentions-there another disguises the vices of his character in the parade and solemnity of religious observances; here parents living on the infamy of their children-there children afflicting the old age of their parents by their ingratitude. Who can enumerate the endless varieties of human guilt? Now envy sickens at the prospect of another's bliss-now calumny delights to spread its insidious poison-now licentiousness grovels in the low haunts of pollution-now cruelty rejoices in the crash of families. Yes, we have often heard the instructors of religion reproached for their sloth and indifference; but let critics remember that the scanty produce of the harvest may be imputed to the unmanageable nature of the soil as well as to the indolence of the husbandman; let them remember that the great obstacles to the advancement of religion exist among themselves; in the perverseness of their own character; in the restraints which their prejudices impose upon the efforts of pure and enlightened teachers; in their determined opposition to the practical and improving part of Christianity; in the baneful influence of that spurious and perverted orthodoxy which silences the remonstrances of conscience, and gives impunity to guilt. The business of a Christian minister is to hold up vice to infamy, and to denounce the thunders of heaven on the presumptuous. He should tremble to prostitute the honors of his Master's name by employing it to charm the wicked into security, and to save them from the troublesome restrictions of duty. He should scorn to lower the dignity of the pulpit by converting it into a vehicle of licentious instruction; and for whom? -to please the vilest and the meanest of mankind. He should impress upon their feelings that all the parade of external ordinances will not save the presumptuously wicked from the horrors of their impending punishment. No: let them strive to get to heaven as they may by their punctualities and their externals-let them sit at the table of the Lord-let them drink of that wine which is the symbol of a Redeemer's blood-all their sighs and tears and heavenly aspirations will avail them nothing while they retain the deceitful malignity of their characters. No; the supernatural charms they ascribe to the sacramental cup will no more avail than the spells of conjurors or the delusions of witchcraft. They may eat and drink and retire from the ordinance of the Supper with the deceitful assurance of the Almighty's favor; but tremble, O hypocrites, you have drunk the poison of the soul; you have tasted the seeds of disease and death and everlasting destruction, &c. However much the Church of Scotland may have suffered from the contempt and censure of its adversaries, there is one part of its constitution which will ever be admired by those who entertain a sincere and enlightened attachment to religion--that which ensures the independent provision of its ministers. When a teacher of religion derives his support from the spontaneous liberality of that congregation over which he presides, the chief care of his heart is often to please and not to instruct them-to flatter the vices of the rich, because he has much to expect from their bounty -to flatter the vices of the poor, because they compensate by their numbers for the smallness of their individual contributions. What can be expected from the efforts of an instructor fettered as he is by such shameful and humiliating restraints? It is in vain to look to him as the dignified and intrepid champion of pure Christianity; it is vain to hope. that through his manly and disinterested efforts we shall behold the downfall of those corruptions which were grafted on the religion of Jesus in the dark ages of superstition. His instructions will not dispel prejudices but confirm them; will not correct the prevailing vices of sentiment but perpetuate the reign of ignorance and error, &c. On terminating the short career of my labors as your religious instructor, it is natural to inquire what has been accomplished. We refer the answer to your own hearts. |