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tradictory to the written law of God ➡and their life is a perpetual struggle of contrary principles within themselves contending for the mastery. What they would, that they do not; and what they would not, that they do. The pride of the flesh and the lust of the eye still assert their hereditary dominion over them, with a diminished power indeed, but far from being altogether subdued and crushed. The tyrant that was too strong for them has been curtailed of his too ample prerogative, but within his limited sphere of action he is still himself.

Hence it is that the religion of Christ is to them, in its actual effect, a sword-it has to clear its way through an obstructing mass of corrupt dispositions, to penetrate that body of death which invests the soul to establish the throne of grace in the heart, by daily and incessant conquest over a powerful enemy an enemy within ourselves, already in preoccupation of the ground on which the battle is to be fought, and firmly intrenched within the citadel. Hence the religion of the true Christian is a sword, which can never be sheathed; for the peace which he would make with his enemy is no peace-his adversary is only repulsed, not finally vanquished, and only waits the opportunity to rise again in arms, and renew the assault.

If this be the true state of the case, ought we not to suspect our danger when we find ourselves too much at ease, and to think that all cannot be right with us, when all proceeds too well? Christ has warned us that our religion must expose us to tribulation in the world-that we must not calculate on its proving a source of peace to us; and experience adds its testimony to the Scripture truth. Let us not then deceive ourselves, where the truth is so openly declared to us-let us not lay a flattering unction to our souls, and proclaim peace to ourselves, where there is in fact no ground for

peace. Can there be any peace for us, so long as we are in the flesh, and there remains any sin within us to war against the soul? Can we presume that all is safe, because we feel no immediate assaults of temptation? Rather, on the contrary, let us be assured that great present tranquillity is an omen of future disquiet-a stillness which forebodes an impending storm. "Woe unto you," says our Saviour, "when all men shall speak well of you!" (Luke vi. 26.) That is, woe unto you, when your compliance with an evil world is such as to obtain indiscriminate approbation from the bad as well as the good; for it implies that we do not scrupulously adhere to the rigid law of our faith, and timidly avoid singularity of devotion to the one only good cause. Such is the uncompromising nature of our holy religion, that it is impossible that it should suit the tastes of all men; neither therefore can its professors, if they be fully imbued with its holy doctrines. When, therefore, we find ourselves in too high favour with the world, let us pause to examine ourselves, whether we have not erred from the simpli city of evangelical doctrine, and sacrificed some portion of its dues to the opinion of men. Internally, indeed, the more possessed we are with the spirit of true religion, the greater joy and consolation we must feel in it; and the greater, conse quently, must be the perception of its natural efficacy. But, on the contrary, in proportion as we are more actuated by religion, must be the frequency and violence of opposition from the circumstances of an untoward world, and the less cousequently its actual external effect. A lukewarm profession of religion may be maintained in ease and supineness an energetic faith calls for labour and pains.

In the next place, the assurance which our Lord has given us, that his doctrine will be as a sword on earth, ought to fortify our minds

against all vain dejection and disap+ pointment, when we do not perceive that unmixed peace and comfort which naturally follow in the train of holiness and piety. He has already intimated to us, that the obstacles from the world to the suc cess of the truth are so great, that his word cannot have free course, but must, if we may so express it, fight its way onward. Shall any one then complain that his endeavours after Christian holiness are not requited with their full reward in such a condition of the world? Shall he wonder, that while he is yet a member of the Church militant, he obtains not that rest which can only belong justly to the Church triumphant? It may for a moment, indeed, grieve the sincere Christian, when he sees the ungodly in such prosperity, (Ps. lxxiii. 3.) while he is comparatively depressed and kept back from enjoyment-but it will only be for a moment-for he will immediately have recourse to the sanctuary of God, as the Psalmist says, to explain the difficulty which was otherwise too hard for him-he will recal to mind what his religion teaches him, that outward good is no criterion of the favour of heaven -and that bis slight affliction, endured for the sake of righteousness, "worketh for him a far more exceeding and glorious reward." Looking to this bright recompense, he will rejoice rather that "all the day long he has been punished, and chastened every morning." He will behold, in his privation and disappointments, the sword, which the world places in the hand of religion to smite him, and he will cheerfully submit to be wounded in the flesh, that he may live in the spirit.

Again, to have been apprized beforehand of the actual effect which should follow the preaching of the Gospel, may serve as an auxiliary antidote against the sin of infidelity and apostacy. We live in an age when the spirit of dissension walks fearlessly abroad, and with

more than wonted presumption lays its dismembering hand on every consecrated thing-when prostituted talent descends from its own elevation to be the purveyor of all that is disgusting and offensive, to satiate the low appetite of the vulgar, and to turn the taste of mankind from the pure nourishment of spiritual instruction. It is not now, as for. merly, when sceptical ingenuity assailed religion with laboured arguments and insinuations, which were accessible only to the learned few. The infidelity of the present day is of a more open and profligate stamp. It shews its front in the public ways, and mingles in the conversation of the people. Once it was only a contagious malady derived from the touch of a distempered philosophy,

now, unhappily, it infects the very air which we breathe. Need we, then, any more striking proof than that which the present times afford, of our Lord's assertion of the hostility which his religion would raise up against itself in the world?Hitherto argumentative attacks have been chiefly made on religion, and have as invariably failed, because they assailed its strong holds-but now the attacks are made on those vulnerable points which it presents in the passions of its professors, and they too fatally succeed. So far, however, should the wide spread of infidelity in modern times be from causing dismay of heart to the sincere believer, that he should behold in it the sure fulfilment of his prophecy, who said, "He came not to send peace on earth, but a sword;" and derive an argument for the strengthening of his own faith. It should, at the same time, convince him of the purity and perfection of that religion, which can only be endangered by the increased corruption of the world-which only recoils from mankind when they become too polluted for its reception. If the infidelity of the present day is more alarming in its character, and more difficult to be repressed,

it is only because iniquity more abounds-because the passions of men are now warped to antichristian principles, and the original impediment which exists in the flesh to the progress of the word, sufficiently great without any aggravation, is

increased ten-fold.

But further, let this obstruction to the vital efficacy of Christianity, which our Lord has foretold, and which we so evidently discern in the world, stimulate our own exertions, to obviate the strong counteraction from without to the success of religion, and to reinforce its strength, The very aggravation of the present case imperatively demands increased exertion on our parts to meet the growing evil. The sword which is now going through the earth, the fire which is already kindled, cry aloud to us to gird ourselves for battle to take to ourselves "the shield of faith, wherewith we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Shall we slumber on our post while the war-cry of our enemy is sounding a bold defiance in our ears? Shall we look on with indifference, while the incendiary is scattering around our temples the firebrand of desolation ?

Nor let us be deterred from doing our utmost to promote the cause of religion, by the thought, that, in spite of all our exertions, things may still take their course, and that infidelity and dissension may still continue to interrupt the real efficacy of religion, as they have hitherto done, and to render it a sword among men. For we are not to expect that such a blissful order of things will ever be seen on earth, as that in which no resistance would be made to the success of religion. The condition itself of the world is such, as was before remarked, as to preclude altogether such an expecta tion. Still much may be done to diminish the weight of counterba

lancing evil. For instance, by our personal example, what advantage may not accrue to the cause of religion? While the life of one man presents at least an approximation to that way of peace, which is the proper natural effect of religion-I say an approximation, because there cannot be any perfect speci. men,-when even one example thus speaks to the world, the multitude of exceptions which present religion to our view only as a sword on earth -as the cause of discord and quarrels are comparatively nugatory and insignificant. For were the consolations of religion unreal, it could not bestow peace in any degree in any one instance-but, though all concurred in rejecting that peace which it offered them, and actually made it no peace to themselves, still this is no presumption against its capability of bestowing real happiness-for the case may be, as it is, a perversion of the true effect arising from causes foreign to the religion itself.

Especially is it incumbent on us to take care that we add not, on the contrary, by an evil example, any confirmation of that perverted view of our religion which the world at large exhibits. Sufficient is the evil which reigns abroad in the world. The spirit of irreligion already marshals in its ranks a host numerically formidable to the faithful remnant which is left under the banner of Christ. Already has desertion sufficiently thinned our lines, and we remain only a small band in the midst of our enemies. Each true believer, in such a case, should act as if the whole burthen were laid on himself. He should practically apply to himself the words of Elijah, "I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men." (1 Kings xviii. 22.) And he should accordingly feel, that any dereliction of duty, on his part, would materially involve the interests of religion. It is not now the

time for each individual to stand aloof to say, I leave it to the ministers of the Gospel to fight the battles of the Lord. Whoever thou art, that namest the name of Christ, it is thine to depart from iniquity to come forth from the pollution of an evil world-to present thyself before God and man as the champion of the Lord, pure and blameless, giving no occasion to the enemy to blaspheme that holy name by which thou art called.

Finally, let that view of the disadvantageous condition in which religion is now circumstanced, elevate our thoughts to that time, and that happy region, where, through the merits of our Redeemer, these obstacles shall be altogether removed, and its natural and actual effect shall be found to coincide-when the sword of discord shall be for ever sheathed, and the fire of persecution for ever quenched. If, indeed, amidst the evident confusion which prevails in this world, we are able to discern sufficient intimations of the true character and tendency of our religion to diffuse joy and peace, we have the strongest ground for believing, that when present obstacles are removed, that fulness of joy unspeakable, and that peace which passeth all understanding, which the Scriptures declare to us, shall then follow it as its inseparable accompaniments-that then the persecuted and afflicted for righteousness sake shall rejoice, and the righteous shine forth as the stars for ever.

In the mean time, while we look forward only by faith and hope to this happy period, we cannot sufficiently admire and praise the won

derful wisdom and goodness of God, who thus bringeth good out of evil, making the clouds and storms of this world the harbingers of the glorious day-spring from on high. He has given, we find, even the best of us, now, but faint perception of that blessedness which belongs to the pure profession of the faith. Though godliness hath, by his word, the promise of the life which now is, as well as of that which is to comeyet, from the circumstances in which he has placed his servants, in the midst of a perverse and sinful generation, the enjoyment which they now obtain must fall infinitely short of any solid real happiness. Yet that very faintness of the present enjoy. ment attached to religion becomes the passport to that transcendant bliss which shall be hereafter. It has taught them to wean their affections from the things of this world

to spiritualize their nature-to aspire to those more perfect joys which God hath in store for them that love Him. As a portion of the Canaanites we find were left in the land which was given to the children of Israel, to be "as thorns in their sides," and to preserve the people in allegiance to their Godso has our Lord ordained that our religion should be as a sword, to preserve us stedfastly in the faith, and to remind us of that God who heapeth his blessings upon us, and crowneth us with loving kindnesses and tender mercies, lest we should repose with satisfaction on present things, and forget that more divine recompense, which our Saviour shall hereafter bestow on all such as look for and love his appearing.

H.

ECCLESIASTICAL LIFE.

ARCHBISHOP GRINDAL*.

EDMUND GRINDAL was born about the year of our Lord 1519, at Hensingham, in the parish of St. Begh's, in the county of Cumberland. He was addicted to study in his tender years: even while he was a child, books were his delight and recreation, so much so, that he carried them about with him; which, as it shewed the pleasure he took in learning, so it fell out once very fortunately to him. For when he was a boy, walking somewhere in the fields, and having his book in his bosom, an arrow accidentally came, that lighted with its point just in the place where the book was, which, if the book had not been there, must have certainly slain him.

In his boyhood also, going a jour. ney with his father on foot, after some violent rains, God made use of him to save the old man's life. For attempting to go over a rotten bridge, (over which their way lay,) the youth, perceiving the danger, called suddenly to his father, and withal pulled him back with his hand; upon which the bridge, by the force of the waters, presently brake down. And thus God making him the instrument of preserving his father from such a sudden death; no question, the blessing of his father, accompanied with God's blessing, descended on him.

He was sent up to the University of Cambridge, where he entered at Magdalen College, afterwards removed to Christ's College, and subsequently, as soon as he was eligible to a fellowship, being Bachelor of Arts in the year 1538, was

chosen, in consequence of his learning and ability, Fellow of Pembroke Hall. In the year 1540, being yet but Bachelor of Arts, he was appointed Jurior Treasurer of his College. The next year he commenced Master of Arts. Already he was considered as one of the ripest wits and most learned men in Cambridge. He obtained, July 4, 1544, the title of the College, under Ridley, then Master, to John Bird, Bishop of Winchester, who was then looked upon as a great favourer of reformation; receiving, as it seems, his orders from him. In 1548 he was declared Proctor of the University. In 1549 he became President of his College, being often mentioned in the acts of the University, as "assistens Vice-cancellarii in judiciis." And being then Bachelor in Divinity, he was unanimously elected Lady Margaret's Preacher. This year also he was distinguished as one of the four selected out of the whole University, at an extraordinary Act commenced for the entertainment of King Edward's Visitors, to maintain the negative of the doctrine of transubstantiation.

The next year he removed to London, to be Chaplain to Ridley, who was then Bishop of London. Here the first preferment which he obtained was that of the Chanfership of St. Paul's.

He was now President of his College, Bishop Ridley being still Master.

In the year 1551 he was concerned in two amicable private conferences upon the sense of the words, "This is my body," in which

This life is compiled from "The History of the Life and Acts of the Most Reverend Father in God, Edmund Grindal, the first Bishop of London, and the second Archbishop of York and Canterbury, successively, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth," by John Strype, M.A. 8vo. Oxford, at the Clarendon Press, 1821.

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