The capacious heart of this blessed apostle | shore, and from city to city, knowing that was so large as to receive into it all who lov-bonds and imprisonment awaited him; and ed his Lord. The salutations with which for what purpose? He, too, was a discovmost of his Epistles close, and the affection-erer, and in one sense a naturalist. He exate remembrances which they convey, in-plored not indeed the treasures of the mineclude perhaps the names of a greater num-ral, nor the varieties of the vegetable world. ber of friends, than any dozen of Greek or His business was with man; his object the Roman heroes, in the plenitude of success discovery of man's moral wants; his study, and power, ever attracted; if we may judge to apply a proportionate remedy; his work, in the one case by the same rule as in the to break up the barren ground of the human other, the narrative of history, or the wri- soil; his aim, to promote the culture of the tings of biographical memoirs. undisciplined heart; his end, the salvation of those for whom Christ died. He did not bring away one poor native to graft the vices of a polished country on the savage ignorance of his own; but he carried to the natives themselves the news, and the means of eternal life. But his benevolence was not confined to the narrow bounds of friends or country.He was a man, and nothing that involved the best interests of man was indifferent to him. A most beautiful comparison has been drawn by as fine a genius as has adorned this or any age, between the learned and not He was also a conqueror, but he visited illaudable curiosity which has led so many new regions, not to depopulate, but to eningenious travellers to visit distant and dan- lighten them. He sought triumphs, but gerous climes, in order to contemplate mu- they were over sin and ignorance. He tilated statues and defaced coins; to collate achieved conquests; but it was over the manuscripts, and take the height of pyra-prince of darkness. He gained trophies, mids,' with the zeal which carried the late but they were not military banners, but resmartyr of humanity on a more noble pil-cued souls. He erected monuments, but grimage, 'to search out infected hospitals, they were to the glory of God. He did not to explore the depth of dungeons, and to take carve his own name on the rocky shore, but the gauge of human misery' in order to re- he engraved that of his Lord on the hearts lieve it. of the people. While conflicting with want, and struggling with misery, he planted churches; while sinking under reproach and obloquy, he erected the standard of the Cross among barbarians, and (far more hopeless enterprize!) among philosophers; and having escaped with life from the most uncivilized nations, was reserved for martyrdom in the imperial queen of cities! CHAP. XII. Without the unworthy desire to rob this eminent philanthropist of his well earned palm, may we not be allowed to wish, that the exquisite eulogist of Howard had also instituted a comparison which would have opened so vast a field to his eloquent pen, between the adventurous expeditions of the conqueror, the circumnavigator, the discoverer, the naturalist, with those of Paul, the martyr of the gospel? Paul, who, renouncing ease and security, sacrificing fame and glory, encountering weariness and painfulness, watching, hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness; was beaten with rods, frequent in prisons, in deaths oft, was once stoned, thrice suffered shipwreck, was a day and night in the deep,'* went from shore to ia his very pleasant society, and is persuaded that he died a sincere Christian. He had a peculiar turn of hues, that though brought into this degraded mour; he delighted in novelty and paradox, and state by our own perverseness, we are not hopelessly abandoned to it. He not only shows the possibility, but the mode of our restoration, and describes the happy condition of the restored, even in this world, by declaring, that to be spiritually-minded is life and peace. per haps brought too much of both into his religion. Inge nious men will sometimes be ingenious in the wrong place. If he lays too much stress on some things, and underrates others; if he mistakes or overlooks even fundamental points, so that some of his opinions must appear defective to the experienced Christian; yet the general turn of his work on the Internal Evidence of Christianity may render it useful to others, by inviting them by the very novelty of his manner to consult a species of evidence to which they have not been accustomed. A septical friend of the writer of these pages, who had stood out against the arguments of some of the ablest divines, was led by this little work to examine more deeply into Internal Evidence; it sent him to read his Bible in a new spirit. He followed up his inquiries, consulted authors whose views were more matured, and died a sound beliver. ⚫ 2 Corinthians, ch. xi, Saint Paul's Heavenly Mindedness. TRUE religion consists in the subjugation of the body to the soul, and of the soul to God. The apostle every where shows, that by our apostacy this order is destroyed, or rather inverted. At the same time he teach He knew that our faculties are neither good nor evil in themselves, but powerful instruments for the promotion of both; active capacities for either, just as the bent of our character is determined by the predominance of religion or of sin, of the sensual or the spiritual mind. Saint Paul eminently exhibited, both in his example and in his writings, the spiritual mind. He was not only equal in correctness of sentiment and purity of practice with those who are drily orthodox, and superior to those who are coldly practical; but he perfects holiness | Bishop Jeremy Taylor, God could not stay in the fear of God.' He abounds in the heav- from redeeming;' nor could Paul stay from enly mindedness which is the uniting link proclaiming that we are redeemed. The between doctrinal and practical piety, which, apostle, like his Creator, loses not á moment by the unction it infuses into both, proves to comfort the soul which he has been afthat both are the result of Divine grace; flicting. and which consists in an entire consecration of the affections, a voluntary surrender of the whole man to God. In this divine effusion we at once discern the difference between natural weakness and superadded strength; between the infirmities which are fortified by the assistance of the Spirit, and the sensual mind, which not only is not, but cannot be subject to the law of God; between him who not having the Spirit of Christ, is none of his,' and him in whom Christ, the spirit of life, dwells;' between him, who, if he yield to the pleasures of sense, shall die, and him who, through the Spirit mortifying the deeds of the body shall live. This disposition the apostle makes the preliminary to all performance, as well as the condition of all acceptance. This it is which constitutes the charm of his writings. There is a spirit of sanctity which pervades them, and which, whilst it affords the best evidence of the love of God shed abroad in his own heart, infuses it also into the heart of his readers. While he is musing, the fire burns, and communicates its pure flame to every breast susceptible of genuine Chris- It is worth observing, that he does not tian feeling. Under its influence his argu- make the line of demarcation between the ments become persuasions, his exhortations two classes of characters, to consist merely entreaties. A sentiment so tender, and ear-in the actual crimes and grosser vices of the nestness so imploring, breathes throughout one class, and the better actions of the other. them, that it might seem that all regard for It is to the sensual and spiritual mind, the himself, all care for his own interests, is swallowed up in his ardent and affectionate concern for the spiritual interest of others. fountain of good and evil deeds, to which he refers as the decisive test. This radical distinction he further conceives to be a more obvious line of separation than even any difference of religious opinions, any distinction arising from the mere adoption of peculiar The exuberance of his love and gratitude, the fruits of his abundant faith, break out almost in spite of himself. His zeal reproves our timidity, his energy our indif-dogmas. ference. He dwells,' as an eloquent wri- That the reviving assurance may appear ter has remarked, with almost untimely to belong exclusively to real Christians, he descant,' on the name of Him who had cal-marks the change of character by the defiled him out of darkness into his marvellous nite tense now, implying their recent victo light. That name which we are so reluc-ry over their old corruptions, which he tant to pronounce, not through reverence to had been deploring. This precaution would its possessor, but fear of each other, ever prevent those who remained in their former sounds with holy boldness from the lips of state from taking to themselves the comfort Paul. His bursts of sacred joy, his tri- of a promise in which they have no part. umphant appeals to the truth of the promi- He guards it still more explicitly, by deses, his unbounded confidence in the hope claring, that the true evidence of this renoset before him, carry an air not only of pa-vation of heart, was their walking after the tience, but of victory, not only of faith, but of fruition. Spirit; a term which describes habitual progress in the new way, to which we are conducted by the new nature, and which, if it do not always preserve us from deviating from it, recalls us back to it. Whoever desires more particularly to compare this spirit of Divine power manifested by the apostle, with the opposite spirit of the world, let him carefully peruse the The power Paul felt; and on this princieighth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans. ple he wrote; and he never wrote on any After describing the strong and painful con- principle on which he did not act. After he flict with the malignant power of sin in the had carried piety to the most heroic elevaseventh chapter, with what a holy exulta- tion; after he had pressed the most fervent tion does he, in the opening of the eighth, exertions on others, and gained the most hurry in, as it were, the assurance that splendid conquests over himself, still he 'there is now no condemnation to them that considered himself only in the road to salvaare in Christ Jesus.' It somewhat resem- tion; still he never thought of slackening bles that instant, I had almost said, that im- his course; he thought not of resting; he patient, mercy of God in the third of Genc- | had not reached his end. He was not intisis, which seems eager to make the promise midated from pursuing it by new difficulties; follow close upon the fall, the forgiveness his resolution rose with his trials; all he upon the sin; to cut off the distressing space between terror and joy, to leave no interval for despair. God, who is so patient when he is to punish, is not so patient when he is to He delays to strike, but he hastes to pardon. After the first offence,' says save. feared for himself, all against which he cautioned others, was declension; his grand solicitude for them and for himself was, that they might not lose the ground they had gained. He well knew, that even the pre sent position could not be long maintained without the pursuit of farther conquests. He walked after the Spirit. 6 quate conception. His courageous faith was kept alive and fortified by fervently The terrible forms of distress which he practising the duty he so unweariedly urges summons to view in this, as well as in other upon others; continuing instant in prayer. parts of his Epistles, always remind him of To encourage this practice in his readers, the principle which makes them supporta- and at the same time to point out the source ble. He enumerates human miseries in all of his own heavenly hope, and continual intheir variety of shapes,-tribulation, dis-tercourse with the Divine presence, he adds, tress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we sword. But to what end does he muster know not what we should pray for as we this confederate band of woes? He calls ought, but the Spirit itself maketh interceson them not to avert the sufferings they in- sion for us.' Nor does his high trust and flict; no, he challenges them to separate confidence in God, thus gendered, easily the Christian sufferer from the love of find its limit. On the contrary, he adds, Christ. He presents himself to us as an in- we know that all things work together for stance of the supreme triumph of this love good to them that love God.' over all earthly calamity. The man whose distresses abounded, who was pressed above measure, comes out of the conflict, not only a conqueror,-that to one of his ardent spirit seemed too poor a triumph, he is more than a conqueror. But how is this victory achieved? Through him who loved us. That lowliness which made him say just before, that which I do I allow not, but what I hate that I do,' must have been lifted by a mighty faith when he exclaimed, I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor life, nor death, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' In speaking, in this chapter, of the glories of the eternal world, his rapture does not escape him as the sally of the imagination, as a thought awakened by a sudden glance of the object; he does not express himself at random from the impulse of the moment; his is not the conjectural language of ignorant desire, of uncertain hope; it is an assumption of the sober tone of calculation. I reckon,' says he, like a man skilled in this spiritual arithmetic,-'I reckon,' after a due estimate of their comparative value, that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed.' No man was ever so well qualified to make this estimate. Of the sufferings of the present world he had shared more largely than any man, Of the glory that shall be revealed, he had a glimpse granted to no other man. He had been caught up into paradise. He had heard the words of God, and seen the visions of the Almighty,' and the result of his privileged experience, was, that he desired to depart, and to be with Christ; that he desired to escape from this valley of tears; that he was impatient to recover the celestial vision, eager to perpetuate the momentary foretaste of the glories of immortality. This trust was an assurance of the largest import, and it involved indefinite consequences. Having cordially confided in him for salvation through the blood of Christ, he found, as is always the case, the greater involving the less he found that he had little difficulty in trusting Him with his inferior concerns. To Him to whom he had committed his eternal happiness, to Him he could not scruple to confide his fortune, his health, his reputation, his life. We have not, it is true, these manifestations, of which the apostle was favoured with a temporary enjoyment. But we have his testimony, added to the testimony, the evidences, the proofs, the promises, the demonstations of the whole New Testament. Why, then, are we not supported, encouraged, animated by them? It is because we do not examine these evidences, because we do not consult these testimonies, because we neglect these proofs: therefore it is, that we are not nurtured by these promises. We entertain them as speculations, rather than as convictions, we receive them as notions, rather than as facts. If ever a cordial desire of these devout as surances is confered, it is in fervent prayer. What an encouragement to this holy exercise, is the hope of being raised by it, to the heart-felt belief that such felicity is real, and that it is reserved for the final portion of the humble Christian? Too humble, perhaps, to give full credit that such great things can be in store for him. For a moment he is staggered, till faith, the parent of that humility which trembles while it believes, enables him to apply to himself the promises of Him to whom nothing is impossible, the merits of Him for whom nothing is too great, the death of Him who died that we might live for ever. In whatever part of his writings the Apostle speaks of the efficacy of the death of Christ, and of the 'constraining power of his love, there is a vehemence in his desire, a vivacity in his sentiments, an energy in his We perceive, then, how this hope of fu- language, an intensity in his feelings, which ture felicity sustained him under conflicts, strongly indicate a mind penetrated with of which we, in an established state of Chris- the depth of his own views. He paints the tianity, and suffering only under the com- love of his Lord as a grace, of which, though mon trials of mortality, can have no ade-his soul was deeply sensible as to its nature, yet as to the degree, it is 'exceeding abun-[to the indulgence of his rapture. Still he dantly above' not only all that he could does not allow even these Ephesians to rest ask,' but all that he could think.' His satisfied with the grace they have received. boldest conceptions sink under the impres-It is not enough that they have been favoursion which no language could convey. ed with a vocation, they must walk worthy Yet these sublime portions of his writings, of it.' The perfecting of the saints' must which bear the more special stamp and im- be carried on; they must reach the meapress of the gospel, which afford the nearest sure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.' view of realities as yet unapproachable, are No such perfection had been attained as set aside by many, as things in which they would allow them to rest in their present pohave no personal concern. They have, in-sition. Even in this highly favoured church, deed, a sort of blind reverence for them, as progress is enjoined, pressed, reiterated.for something which they conceive to be at No elevation of devout feeling sets him once sacred and unintelligible, such a kind above attention to moral goodness. of respect as a man would naturally enter- Nothing can be more beautiful than the tain at the sight of a copy of the Scriptures abrupt apostrophes of praise and gratitude in a language which he did not understand. into which, in the midst of sorrow, of exEloquent as he was, we often find him la- hortation, of reproof, he unexpectedly breaks bouring under his intense conception of out. The love of his Redeemer so fills his ideas too vast for utterance. In describing soul, that it requires an effort to restrain the extent of the love of God, its height and its outward expression. Even when engadepth, its length and breadth, his soul seems ged in the transaction of business, and dito expand with the dimensions he is unfol-recting the concerns of others, which, by an ding. His expressions seem to acquire all ordinary mind, would have been pleaded as that force with which he intimates that the a valid reason for suspending spiritual ideas, soul itself, so acted upon, is invested. To be and dismissing spiritual feelings, they yet strengthened with might, would have been mix themselves, as it were involuntarily, reckoned tautology in an ordinary writer on with his secular cares; there is not only a an ordinary subject; and to be strengthen- satisfaction but a joyfulness in these escapes ed with all might, would seem an attribute of affection which seem to spring from his impossible to mortality. But holy Paul had soul, in proportion to the depression of his himself felt the excellency of that power; circumstances, to the danger which surhe knew that it is derived, and that the rounded, to the deaths which threatened fountain of duration is the glorious power of him. God. When Paul and Silas were imprisoned at In delineating the mighty operations of Philippi, it is recorded that they prayed at Divine love on the human mind, the seem-midnight. This would naturally be expecting hyperboles are soberly true. Where from such men, under such circumstanthe theme is illimitable, language will burst ces; but it is added, they sang praises unto its bounds. He preaches riches which are God.' Thus they not only justified, but glounsearchable-exhorts to know the love rified Him, under this suffering, as well as which surpasses knowledge-promises peace degradation. For it must not be forgotten, which passes understanding-we must look that this imprisonment was not merely a at things which are not seen—against hope measure for securing their persons,-they we must believe in hope-while sorrowful were stripped bare-many stripes were laid we must always be rejoicing-as having upon them, and the iron entered into their nothing must reckon that we possess all soul. Yet they sang praises unto God! things dying, and behold we live-though What a triumph is here of the element of unknown we are well known-In short, he spirit over the force and violence of outward reconciles contradictions, unites opposites. circumstances! Antipathies by nature become affinities by grace. The love of God in Christ is the point where he makes contraries centre, and impossibilities meet. "Th' oppressor holds Whom God delights in, and in whom he dwells.' His spirit seems most intimately to identify itself with the church of Ephesus. What In the Epistle to the Ephesians, to which an improbable union! The late idolatrous we have just refered, we are presented with worshippers of Diana, and the late persecu- a fresh instance how much his devotion rose tors of the saints of Jesus, have now but one under the same circumstances of distress.— heart and one soul! These recent enemies It was written from a prison, and is almost to Christ, and to each other, now meet in one entire effusion of love and praise. It is one common point of attraction. With an overflowing expression of affectionate what holy triumph does he dilate on their common faith that love of God in Christ Jesus which is their common centre and bond of union! Still, as we have such frequent occasion to observe, he does not sacrifice practical duty gratitude, that has no parallel. It seems to be enriched with an additional infusion of the Spirit of God, and has perhaps more of the heroism of Christian feeling than, except in the discourses of our Lord, is to be found in the whole sacred treasury. It seems to He come fresh from the celestial world. speaks not as from a prison, but as from a region of light, and life, and glory. His thoughts are in heaven, his soul is with his Saviour, his heart is with his treasure: no wonder, then, that his language has a tincture of the idiom of immortality. CHAP. XIII. general view of the qualities of Saint Paul: his knowledge of human naturehis delicacy in giving advice or reproof— his integrity. THERE is in Saint Paul's writings and As Archimedes, when Syracuse was ta- conduct, such a warmth and openness; so ken by the besiegers, was so intent on a ma-much frankness and candour; such an unrethematical demonstration, that he knew not served pouring out of his very soul; such a when the city was lost: so the apostle, ab-free disclosure of his feelings, as well as of sorbed in a concern as much superior to that his opinions; such an elevation, mingled of the philosopher as Scripture truth is to with such a soberness of thinking; so much scientific, lost sight of the cruelties of Nero, social kindness, with so much Divine love; forgot his former sufferings, felt not his pre- so much practical activity, with such deep sent captivity, thought not of his impending spirituality; so much human prudence, with fate-present, past, and future, as they re- so much of the wisdom which is from above; lated to himself, were absorbed in his zeal so much tenderness for the persons of men, for the salvation of the church, for the glory with so little connivance at their faults; so of its founder! Mark the divine supports much professional dignity, with so much vouchsafed to this imprisoned Saint! Note personal humility,-as it would be difficult his state of grace! Observe the perfection to find in any other human being, morality, has a peculiar sedateness. His ardent feelings betray him into no intemperance of speech, into no inequality of action. His piety is free from eccentricity, his faith from presumption. of his faith! How the motion of his spirit Yet in all these opposite excellences, there was accelerated as it drew nearer to its cen-is nothing that is not practicable, nothing tre! He whose deep humility had suggested that is not imitable. His religion, like his to him the possibility, that, after converting others, he might himself be rejected: he who had desired not to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon-now declares that he is ready to be offered up, now desires to depart; not in the gentle decay of exhausted nature, Uniformly we find a great reasonableness not in the weaning languor of a sick bed, not in his character; and it adds to his value as in the calm of a peaceful dissolution, suffer- an example, that he was, if we may be aling only the pains inseparable from an ordi-lowed so familiar an expression, eminently nary death; but he is prepared to meet the a man of business. His transactions, inhand of violence: he is ready to pour out his blood upon the scaffold; he is longing to join the souls which were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God.' So far from being dismayed, because he knew that his martyrdom was at hand; he who knew not what it was to boast, yet knowing in whom he had trusted; feeling his eternal redemption drawing nigh, could exclaim with a holy bravery; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith.' deed always tended to the same end with his devotions and his instructions; he was full of care, but it was the care of all the churches; each day was fully occupied, but it was that same 'care' which came upon him, not only as a Sunday, but as a daily care.' The perfection in which he possessed this quality, proves that his devotedness had in it nothing of abstraction. He exhibited no contempt of the common usages, no renunThen in a rapture of triumphant joy at the ciation of the common comforts of life, mental view of the crown of righteousness, when the former could with propriety be obwhich the Lord, the righteous Judge, had served, or the latter be lawfully enjoyed; prepared for him against the great day,' that no coveting of sufferings, when they could same unparalleled philanthropy, which he be conscientiously avoided. He was no had so constantly manifested, breaks out and pattern for ascetics, no prototype for Styliconsecrates a moment, when we might have tes. He bequeathed no example of bodily supposed the immediate ncarness of his own macerations, nor uncommanded austerities, unspeakable blessedness would have en-nor penances unprofitably aiming at atonegrossed his whole soul. His religion was no ment. His idea of self-denial was to sacriselfish piety, his hope no solitary salvation. fice his own will; his notion of pleasing God Gratitude swells into its highest transport was to do and suffer the Divine will. from the reflection that the Lord Jesus had His discretion was scarcely less conspicunot exclusively reserved the crown for him,ous than his zeal : unlike some enthusiastic no, nor for the beloved Timothy, to whom Christians in the early ages of the Church, he writes, nor for the multitude of his own who, not contented to mect persecution, infriends, nor for the converts who were to be vited it; he never sought, whilst he never peculiarly his joy and crown of rejoicing;' shrunk from danger. Though his life was but for ALL them also which love his ap-one continued martyrdom, to which the brief pearing,' for all the redeemed of the Lord' suffering of the stake or the axe would have to the end of the world. been a mercy, yet he was contented to live. for lengthened services: though he would |