sequences were fatal. Such attempts are nearly allied to Infidelity. They are a virtual rejection of the word of God.

In that form of Illuminism, called The German Union, the German divines, while they professed the warmest attachment to the Gospel, united to explain away its most offensive, or its peculiar doctrines. This was a signal for others to come forward, and deny the superiority of the Bible to natural religion; and thus to preclude the necessity of a revelation. And this again opened a door for a third class to deny all religion, and its Author. The first of these classes, Judas like! betrayed the Gospel into the hands of the other two, by stripping it of its blessed peculiarities. By numbers of such hands, under the mask of friendship, the sacred pillars of the Gospel were there undermined; and Infidelity obtained an easy triumph.

The faithful preaching of the distinguishing doctrines of grace must hold a prime rank among the means of withstanding the spirit of Antichrist, and of supporting the Christian Religion. This is a mean of God's appointment; and a mean, which God will bless. Preach unto them the preaching, that I bid thee. Speak all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word. This is an essential mean of salvation. A certain divine speaks of a twofold darkness;-infidelity, and a corrupt theology. The former, he says, has slain its thousands; the latter its ten thousands.

While the ministers of Christ at this day are wise as serpents, and harmless as doves; they will need to be strong, and bold, and very courageous. The wiles of Infidelity are so reduced to a system, and have taken such deep effect, that to expose them, is rendered unpopular with thousands, and dangerous to the undertaker. All the depths of Satan are interwoven with this scheme, to enable it to defy the friends of religion. Its pillars and bulwarks are numerous, and of long preparation. The last words of David, in his sublime prediction of the Kingdom of the Righteous Ruler, and of the scenes that shall precede it,* are here directly in point.

* 2 Samuel xxiii, 1, 6, 7.

But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns "thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands; "but the man, that would touch them, must be fenced “with iron, and the staff of a spear; and they shall be "utterly burnt with fire in the same place." This is a prophetic description of the agents of the Infidelity of the last days. Ministers will be under great tempta tion to shrink from this important branch of their offi cial duty; and to avoid the task, of exposing the men of Belial. But it is a duty, which the Great Head of the Church has assigned to his embassadors, to descry the approach of the enemy, and to give faithful warning. And they have no right to decline it, for any consideration. Neither flatteries, frowns, interests, nor dangers of death, can justify them in such neglect. Their Master endured the cross, and despised the shame, And they must follow him. He, that would save his life shall lose it.

The embassadors of Christ, of this generation, especially the younger part of them, may possibly see days of trial. Trials to the faithful will precede the Millennium. The feet of the ancient priests were dip. ped in the waters of Jordan, overflowing all its banks in the time of wheat harvest, before the waters divided to give a passage to the tribes of the Lord into the promised land. It was the lot of these ministers of the Lord to lead the way, bearing the ark of the cove nant before the people. That procession, divinely or dered, was about to take possession of the promised Canaan, and also to present us with a type of the transition of the Gospel Church from her wilderness state, to her millennial glory. They moved forward toward the foaming waters, which rolled furiously between them and the promised land, till the feet of the priests were plunged. Human wisdom saw no way of being transported over the flood. They confided in God. The command, given at the Red Sea, became again applicable; Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord!

* Joshua iii, 10.

The floods were cut off. The waters were thrown asunder. Israel passed on dry land; and all was safe!

May the ministers of Christ, with a correct view of the present signs of the times, awake to duty and faithfulness; and cheerfully stand in their lot.

4. Proper caution in the induction of men into the Gospel ministry.

While a pious and learned ministry are to hold the first rank among the means of withstanding the Infidelity of the last days; unconverted and ignorant ministers are among the most fatal means of betraying the cause of Christ into the hands of Infidels. Hence the inspired caution, Lay hands suddenly on no man. This holy office is to be committed only to "faithful men, who "shall be able to teach others also. Holding fast the "faithful word, (says the apostle) as he hath been' "taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both "to exhort, and to convince the gainsayers." Surely none but men of grace, of abilities, and of good educa tion, as well as of known and approved character, are adequate to this work. And none but such should be admitted to ordination, nor as candidates. False teachers, in such a land as this, are to be among the most fatal propagators of the Infidelity of the last days.

5. A faithful support and improvement of the regular administration of the Gospel; avoiding erroneous and unknown teachers; and aiding the missionary

cause.

The enemies, aware that the administration of the Gospel is essential to the well being of Zion, and a prime bulwark of her defence, make this one of the first points of their attack. Their modes of attack are various. Where the way is prepared, the attack may be expected to be direct and decisive; as was the case in France, after the revolution. There the Protestant, as well as Catholic ministers were put to death in multitudes; or had to renounce their profession; or flee their country. In Holland also, after the French had gotten possession there, violence was used against the order of the Gospel. The people were forbidden to be called together, as had been usual, for Divine worship, by the

ringing of bells. Ministers were forbidden to appear abroad in their distinctive dress. Yea, they were deprived of their salaries. Some of them were robbed of great sums of money; and were confined in prison. Cloots, a leading member in the French national Convention, used to say; "Kings and priests are worthless things: they are despots and corrupters."* If the Roman Catholic priests were corrupters, the French made no distinction between them, and the most unexceptionable Protestants. The whole order of the Gospe! they utterly abjured.

Where the way is not thus prepared for an open attack; the operations of Infidelity against the administration of the Gospel, are more cautious, covert, and subtile; but calculated with vast design, to subvert the Christian religion, by first overturning its faithful ministry.

The native covetousness of the human heart is enlisted into this service. Many are induced to withdraw, or withhold the support of the Gospel ministry. Many under the name of teachers have artfully led the unwary to infer from the gratuity of some of Paul's missionary labors among the heathen, that the ministry of the Gospel is ever to be free of all regular expense; and that all ministers, who stipulate for their regular support, in return for their being devoted to a people, are hirelings and impostors. This is a suggestion, than which nothing can be more opposed to the word of God; or injurious to man. It is a prime stratagem of hypocrisy, and of Infidelity. These words of Christ are perverted, and pressed into this service, Freely ye have received; freely give. In relation to the power of miraculous healing, which was superadded to the special commission of the apostles, our Lord gave them a charge; Freely ye have received freely give. (Matt. x, 8.) i. e. Make no merchandize of this special Divine delegation. Men would give almost any sum to be healed. Take nothing. But it is base wickedness, to pervert these words of Christ into a prohibition to

* See Dr. Morse's Fast Sermon of 1799.

his ministers from asking their regular support. The words of Christ, which immediately follow, take this text out of the impostor's hands. "Provide neither gold, "nor silver, nor brass in your purses; nor scrip for "your journey; neither two coats; neither shoes; nor "yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat."

It is the express order of God, that those, who preach the Gospel, shall live of the Gospel; that people shall aid their support according to their several abilities; and that they shall do it to such a degree, as that their minister need not entangle himself with the affairs of this life, but may give himself wholly to the work of the ministry. When this support of the Gospel is covetously withholden, God charges the withholders with the sin of robbing him. (Mal. iii, 9.) And they may well expect judgments, delusion, and ruin, in return. The support of the Gospel then, and a faithful attention and obedience to its administration, are a most important remedy against the innovating, Antichristian principles of these last days.

And a firm rejection of all erroneous and irregular preachers, is an important mean of withstanding the Antichristian principles of this period. And this is solemnly enjoined in the word of God, Relative to the last days, Christ_commands; "Take heed that no "man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, "and shall deceive many." Various predictions of the last days lead us to expect multitudes of false teachers. And that such will be most influential in propagating the Infidelity of that period. Peter, when about to predict the rise and agency of Antichrist, thus introduces the chapter; "But there were false prophets also "among the people, even as there shall be false teach"ers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable "heresies, denying the Lord that bought them, and "bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many

shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom "the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." Here we find much at least of that Infidelity is introduced by what the apostle calls, fulse teachers. This term. may probably here be viewed as a word of considerable lat