The following sermon was first published in the NATIONAL PREACHER for October; and the Editor of that publication generously caused several thousand extra copies to be struck off, which he gave to the Board, or circulated gratuitously himself.

SERMON.

2 COR. II. 4.

THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL, BUT MIGHTY

THROUGH GOD TO THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONG HOLDS.

A CONTEST is going on in this world, between holiness and sin; religion and infidelity. The earth is a revolted province of Jehovah's empire, and bears many unequivocal marks of his displeasure. Yet he has not abandoned it to all the ruinous consequences of this unnatural rebellion: nor has he dealt with our race according to the demands of unmitigated justice. He is a father, as well as a sovereign; and has adopted measures of grace to bring back his disobedient children to allegiance and love.

But man-and this shews the foulness of his revolt in the darkest colors-man has slighted this mercy, and even set himself in opposition to the "Lord's Anointed."

The pride of the human heart rejects the offer of salvation, as a free gift: an "unpurchased heaven" is scorned by creatures who have no money, and can bring no price to their offended Creator.

The pride of human reason is offended with that truth which reason alone could not discover, and refuses to submit to the wisdom of the omniscient God. Man, in the blindness of his self-sufficiency, will not receive the testimony of the Holy One; but

demands a religion which he can demonstrate by his own ingenuity.

The worldliness and sensuality of man rejects and opposes a religion which places happiness in purity of heart, in love to God, and communion with him: which requires forgiveness, where the false honor of the world enjoins revenge; humility, where the world talks of dignity; mortification and self-denial, where the world permits indulgence.

These, and such as these, are the strong holds of which the Apostle speaks; the high things which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, and which it is the object of all, who are engaged in this warfare, to pull down, and bring into captivity, and completely to subdue to the obedience of Christ.

But with what weapons girded, are the soldiers of the cross to go forth to the assault of these fortresses? And how are they to accomplish their great work? "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal." When men, in the proud spirit of the world, undertake to subdue their enemies, the first thought ordinarily is, to employ force. They love to see their adversaries quailing, and bowing down under their superior strength. But not so do the servants of Jesus Christ, when engaged in his work.

The men of the world endeavor, also, by authority, to bring the understanding and the will of their fellow men into subserviency to their wishes. And nothing is more grateful to the human heart, than to gratify its desires, and to execute its devices, by commanding the obedience of others. But Christ does not permit his ministers so to fulfil his purposes.

When force and authority fail, corrupt men next resort to stratagem; and endeavor to overreach by cunning, those whom they can neither subdue by force, nor overawe by authority. Or, when all these

measures fail, they employ the bait which tempts avarice; and bribery accomplishes what neither power, nor authority, nor policy could effect.

These are the arts to which ambitious and wicked men have recourse, and for the successful practice of which, they receive the applause of the world. But all these are carnal weapons; and religion rejects their use with holy indignation.

True, indeed, men who have worn the garb, and borne the title of Christ's ambassadors, in utter disregard of "the great Master's law," have been forward to adopt the forbidden measures of worldly policy; and even to seek alliance with the adversary, for the purpose of obtaining carnal weapons, wherewith to maintain their unholy warfare. The arms of the soldier, the authority of the king, and the wiles of the statesman, have been employed by ambitious clergymen, to accomplish their selfish designs. Heaven has seen with horror, and hell with joy, the misnamed and misbelieving heralds of the Prince of peace, propagating a pretended Christianity by the dungeon and the sword, by fire and faggot, by fraud and chicanery, and every trick of sordid policy. Men have been cheated, and bribed, and beaten, and imprisoned, and burned, to make them Christians!Inexpressible wickedness! And absurd as wicked.

But, where the power of a wise government, or the progress of knowledge among the people, or, what is

most efficient of all, the influences of vital religion, have prevented the practice of such abominations, unholy ministers of the Gospel have resorted to other expedients, under the pretext of promoting Christianity; but in reality for the purpose of extending their own influence, and securing their own interests. Sectarian zeal has kindled its unhallowed fires; and they who had little regard for genuine piety, have been roused to most vigorous efforts in advancing the cause of a party. "The Church"-" Orthodoxy"

"Water"—" Fire"-and the like, have been the watchwords, or rather the war-cry, of different sects of Christians, and have roused them, as the notes of the trumpet, which has often called the old warrior to battle. But all measures of this kind are disowned by the religion of Christ. His ministers, imbued with his Spirit, and pursuing the course prescribed by him, do not need, and cannot employ them.

The reason is obvious :-True religion has its seat in the soul; its influences bear on the heart and conscience. But not one of all these measures has the least power to awaken and regulate the conscience, or purify the heart. And until this is done, nothing is done:-not one effectual step is taken in the great work of saving sinners. Force, indeed, can confine or crush the body:-authority may restrain the actions, and even overawe the mind;-wealth can bribe;-party-spirit may kindle up fiery zeal; but the heart remains unsanctified; the sinner is still in his sins. One may as well think to bind the tempest in chains, and lightning in fetters of iron, as by the use of carnal weapons to subdue men to the faith of Christ.