the resurrection, and the judgment to come, they were amazed. See Acts xvii. 18. 20. But divine revelation leads us within the veil-gives us a prospect of the future state-brings life and immortality to light-tells us of something on the other side death, which otherwise would be wrapt up in obscurity. The philosophers were sceptics concerning it-spoke doubtfully.

2.) There are things to be done which we cannot do without the conduct of revelation. There is need of divine revelation.

(1.) To settle the difference between good and evil. The corrupt understanding of man is apt to put the one for the other, Isa. v. 20. out of a natural averseness and inclination to evil. It is necessary, therefore, that God, whose will is the sovereign rule of good and evil, should let us know what his will is. Micah vi. 8. Natural conscience doth much in this matter, but it is apt to be bribed and biassed; and if men be a law to themselves, they will, by degrees, become lawless, and find out ways to suppress the law. It is, therefore, necessary that there should be some rules given from God, by which conscience should bear rule, and its authority should be supported, which, other wise, would be in danger of being run down and trampled upon. It is necessary there be a certain law as a touchstone, or supreme rule.

(2.) To settle the correspondence between earth and heaven. Religion consists much in the worship and adoration of God. Now, without divine revelation, we know not how and in what way to go about to worship God. What are the ordinances we must attend upon him in—what homage we must pay, Ps. lxv. 1. Praise waits expecting direction.

How

shall we call, ver. 14. The heathen for want of this fell into most gross absurdities in their worship, which was scenical, ludicrous, and profane. Here, therefore, revelation is of absolute necessity.

(3.) There are things to be had which we cannot obtain without the assistance of revelation. Who knows what is good for a man, Eccles. vi. except God tell him, who knows us better than we know ourselves. God has, by revelation, provided for our felicity and comfort much above what was by the light of nature.

1. Revelation is necessary to the satisfaction of our inquiries in the greatest things. The law and the testimony is the end of controversies. Philosophy was perfect scepticism in its inquiries after the chief good, but revelation is a sure word of prophecyfooting for the understanding. God's ipse dixit is a ne plus ultra. Nothing else gives a satisfactory solution to that query-What shall I do to be saved?

2. It is necessary to peace of conscience. A guilty sinner that is conscious to himself of his deserts can hardly reason himself into a settled quietness, if he has not some word of God to fasten upon. Peace is the fruit of his lips, Isa. lvii. 19.; it is he that speaks it, Ps. lxxxv. 8. We cannot be reconciled to ourselves till we hear some word of God pacifying us-no rest for the soul but in that ark.

3. It is necessary to our support under affliction. They that had it not, were forced to dispute against sense, and fortify themselves with an imagined apathy. But what ease can a man have under the pressures of this present time, that is in doubt concerning God's providence, and favour, and a future state? No

thing but God's Word will be our songs in our pilgrimage. See David's experience, Ps. cxix. 92. 4. It is necessary to our comfort in death. With what fear and trembling did those who had any tender sense of things look upon death that wanted divine revelation? Anima vagula Adrian. How can we walk in the valley of the shadow of death without fear of evil, unless we have some word of God to stay ourselves upon? To have no other relief but this, that we are going to a God that will do what he pleases with us, is cold comfort to what it is to our father.

USE 1. If divine revelation be necessary to religion, then those that set up human reason in opposition, or in competition with divine revelation, whatever they pretend, are enemies to religion, as the Socinians. Take heed of all opinions that derogate from the honour of divine revelation-that make any thing to appear doubtful which is plainly revealed in the Word of God that reject any of God's sayings, because hard, and such as they cannot understand or bear. We live in an age in which we have need to fortify ourselves even against these open assaults of the gates of hell. Those that go about to undermine our foundation, the Apostles and Prophets, aim at no less than the overthrow of our building. Be established in this truth, and be able to defend it.

2. This speaks the honour of religion; that its rise and extraction is divine and heavenly. It is not of man, nor by menallusion, Gal. i. 1. It is not the creature of man's private fancies, nor is it supported by the interests

of men. No. It is founded upon the Word of God, how much soever it is despised: it is thus dignified; thus effectually secured. Being founded on so firm a basis, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. This magnifies faith, that it comes from the Word of God.

3. What a great mercy is it that we have the benefit of divine revelation. Herein God has commended his love to us, that he has given us so sure a guide, so certain a rule. Lord how is it? John xiv. 22. It is a distinguishing favour. Considering what he has revealed, things of the greatest moment. To whom? To mean and vile creatures. what an obliging way! He has not dealt so with other nations, Ps. cxlvii. God had no need of us, or our services, or religion, and yet he was pleased to reveal himself. How early, how frequently, how clear these discoveries have been!

In

4. Let our faith concerning divine revelation be more and more confirmed. See the pressing necessity of it. See how revealed religion is witnessed to by reason and the light of nature; as Christianity is witnessed to by the law and the prophets. See revelation repairing the decays of natural light, perfective of it, concurring with it, and no way contradictory to it. See it reasonable to expect some other revelation than that of nature, and reasonable to believe this to be it.

5. Let us not receive the grace of God herein in vain. If we have the Word of God, we have a talent to trade with: a price put into our hands to get wisdom. `If we that have revelation be without religion, it will be more tolerable for Sodom, &c.

FORMALITY AND FANATICISM.

As the power of conscience is hard to be wholly subdued, the great majority of mankind seek to soothe its painful stings by some sort of religious rites and observances. This is a fact which the history of the human species clearly exhibits, in whatever way it is accounted for by the philosopher. Admitting, however, that conthat conscious guilt is the source whence it flows, we shall be prepared to contemplate, without surprise or perplexity, the effects to which it gives rise. If, for example, amidst the fiery ordeals of persecution to which the first Christians were subject, the apostle designated some as having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; we may confidently expect to find a much larger proportion who have this character in our own times. "He," says Addison, "who lives in the habitual practice of any voluntary sin, actually cuts himself off from the benefit and profession of Christianity, and whatever he may call himself, is, in reality, no Christian, nor ought to be esteemed such." The justice and importance of this remark cannot be questioned, for vast numbers around us wear the general garb of religion, but still live and walk in the spirit of the world. "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Their piety is a specious show, an empty shell, a body without soul. It should seem, as we have above intimated, that there is a strong tendency in our fallen nature to settle upon the lees of formality. The Jews,

during our Lord's mysterious sojourn and personal ministry on earth, were wholly engrossed and absorbed by a multitude of religious ceremonies. They were punctual to a scruple, in frequenting the temple and the synagogue, in repeating their prayers, and performing their vows, though all this was heartless task-work; yet on the number and exactness of such observances, they fixed their dependance, and raised their credit. Having the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law, they made their boast of God, and deemed themselves his special favourites. But " he is not a Jew, says Paul, who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew, who is one outwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." But the evil which the inspired writer here meant to mock and reprobate, was not confined to one people, or one age; it is every where too prevalent. Of all the bodies or communities which bear the Christian name, the Romish church has given the greatest scope and sanction to will-worship and formality. The priesthood has multiplied its mysteries, and ceremonies, and services, as if ambitious to occupy every period and gradation of life, with one uniform system of dazzling pomp and pretension. Sacraments are appointed for childhood, penances, and pilgrimages for mature age, and at the approach of death, extreme unction; and "to conclude the solemn ceremony, (to use the language of Mr. Lingard, a prophet of their own,) the

eucharist is administered as a viaticum or provision for the journey to a better world." Nor do the adherents of Rome only extol the magnificent and complex ritual to which we are now referring; even some Protestant writers lavish their eulogies upon it. Mr. Southey, in his Life of Wesley, attributed more benefit to the dominion of popery in Europe, than the facts of history will justify. "A religion of rites and ceremonies," says he, was as necessary for the rude ferocious nations, which overthrew the Roman Empire, as for the Israelites when they were brought out of Egypt. Pomp, and wealth, and show, were essential to its success." To oppose argument to this loose rant, would be an ill compliment to the understanding of our readers. The melancholy fact must be admitted, that there are dead formalists in all communities. Where knowledge and spirituality are wanting, though men bring in their full tale of religious duties, they are of no value.

Fanaticism may, in many points, be contrasted with formality. The enthusiast or fanatic is carried away by the airy flights, and lost in the wild dreams of imagination. His religious fervours are not regulated or tempered by the dictates of an enlightened and discriminative judgment, and, of course, break out into every kind of extravagance. He soars in an elysium of his own, and looks down with contempt on common mortals, who grovel in the dust. "The ingredients of which enthusiasm is generally composed," observes Lord Lyttleton," are these great heat of temper, melancholy, ignorance, credulity, vanity, and self-conceit" Those who are thoroughly inflamed with fanatic fire, become the subjects of violent emotion, and are alter

nately filled with terrors and raptures, which mock and baffle all description. That ignorance and credulity should aid the progress of this internal malady, can be accounted for on rational principles. "It is extremely curious," says Dugald Stewart, "that when an imagination which is naturally phlegmatic, or which, like those of the vulgar, has little activity, from a want of culture, is fairly roused by the descriptions of the orator and of the poet, it is more apt to produce the violence of enthusiasm, than in minds of a superior order. By giving this faculty occasional exercise, we acquire a great command over it. As we can withdraw the attention at pleasure from objects of sense, and transport ourselves into a world of our own; so, when we wish to moderate our enthusiasm, we can dismiss the objects of imagination, and return to our ordinary perceptions and occupations. But in a mind to which these intellectual visions are not familiar, and which borrows them completely from the genius of another, imagination, when once excited, becomes perfectly ungovernable, and produces something like a temporary insanity. Hence the wonderful effects of popular eloquence on the lower orders; effects which are much more remarkable, than what it ever produces on men of education." In fanaticism we generally find a large infusion of vanity, conceit, and presumption. Superstition sinks and shrivels the mind; fanaticism raises and expands it, but it is a delicious elevation and expansion. Sublime ideas and animated feelings are blended with notions the most idle, absurd, and ridiculous. The dupe of fancy and delusion conceives himself favoured with the inspirations of heaven, and

exults in the discoveries and prospects opened to his view, as well as the delights and transports granted for his enjoyment. When this mania passes from an individual, by the aid of a powerful sympathy, into many minds in quick succession, the effects produced by it are often deplorable. Witness the commotions of the Bianchi, or white-robed brethren, who appeared in Italy at the close of the 14th century; witness the excesses of the Anabaptists in Germany, about the time of Luther; witness the declared opinions and overt-acts of some of the Fifth Monarchy-men in England, during the Commonwealth.

But, is religious enthusiasm a danger to which the generality of men in our country, and in our times, is peculiarly exposed? a danger which calls for almost an exclusive caution and vigilance? Judging from facts, it may be confidently answered, no. Where there is one heated fanatic, there are at least fifty cold formalists. But in religion, as in politics, to those who place all virtue in a quiet conformity to established usages, and a calm contentment with things as they are, the least indication of spirit and energy is appalling. If a few sparks fly, we shall have a conflagration; if the winds rise and ruffle the lazy atmosphere, we shall have a hurricane. Apathy and indifference, as regards the interests of eternity, pass unobserved; while the ebullitions of intemperate zeal, always create alarm. Nor is it a little remarkable, that they are constantly the most apprehensive, who are the least susceptible of excitement. We have good reason to believe, that the people who profess to fear enthusiasm, are no more likely to be affected by it, than the polar ice is likely N. S. No. 48.

to be dissolved by the solar rays.

It cannot have escaped the attention of judicious and candid observers, that severer censures are usually levelled against excess of religious zeal, than the opposite extreme of defect. Wesley and Whitefield are always held up to view as raving fanatics, by the downy doctors of theology. Many a plump convivial parson, who is cold on all other subjects, begins to wax warm when these names are mentioned. Even Mr. Ingram, on the Increase of Methodism, and Mr. Nott, in his published sermons on Enthusiasm, have ransacked every old diary and magazine, in which they could find any rash or ill-judged expression, calculated to exhibit the persons to whom we have just referred, in an unfavourable light. But is it fair, is it just, to overlook the excellences of such characters, and eternally expatiate on their weaknesses and errors? And ought their own ingenuous concessions likewise to go for nothing? Mr. Whitefield, towards the close of life, acknowledged, with sorrow, that his language, both in preaching and writing, had sometimes been hasty and unwarrantable. "My journals," says he, "were some of my most early performances, written too in the first heights of my popularity, (which is apt to make the strongest head run giddy,) in the midst of which, persons often do things which after-experience and riper judgment teach them to correct and amend. There is generally much, too much severity, in our first zeal, at least there was in mine." Surely some allowance should be made for those who thus frankly acknowledge and lament the mistakes and errors into which they have been hurried. 4 M