INIQUITY FINISHED.

Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James i: 15.

[WE shall occasionally give the outlines of sermons by some of the remarkable preachers of a former generation. It is wise to study the methods of the fathers, both as to sermonizing and preaching-especially those distinguished by special traits of excellence. Few of the preachers of the first half of this century were more worthy of study and comparison than the Rev. DANIEL A. CLARK. Although less known, he was the equal of Dr. Lyman Beecher, în vigor and robustness of intellect, and strikingly resembled him as a preacher, in many particulars. There was little adornment in his sermons. He despised the arts of the mere rhetorician. He used great plainness of speech. His sentences were short; his style, clear, crisp and vigorous; his art of sermonizing, well-nigh perfect. Like Paul, and Edwards, and Beecher, and Finney, he "reasoned," and reasoned with masterly force. He grappled with the sinner's conscience, and held it fast as in a vise. There was no resisting the torrent of logic and searching appeal that swept down on his audience. Several volumes of his sermons were published in 1836, but they are scarcely known by the preachers of this generation. His sermon entitled "The Church Safe," is one of the most remarkable in the English language, and was published in tract form by the American Tract Society. The two following brief outlines are fair specimens of this preacher's sermons.-EDITOR.]

Nothing here reaches maturity in a moment. Things begin to be, they grow, they ripen. It is so in nature, and so in character, and so in the moral world. Sin is a growth; it matures, and then its fruit is death. "The wages of sin is death." The growth of sin may be slow at first, but it ripens fast as the time of harvest draws nigh. Let me illustrate the subject.

I. The game of chance finds its maturity in the abandoned gambler.

II. Indulgence in the cup is matured in the sot.

III. Covetousness finds its maturity in the swindler, the thief, the robber.

IV. Lasciviousness has its maturity in the pollutions and obscenities of the brothel.

V. Profanity, too, has its maturity in those unrestrained blasphemies which have sometimes been uttered at the very juncture when life was going out.

VI. So the Sabbath-breaker matures his sin by degrees.

Think not to trifle with iniquity and come off without harm. If you begin a wrong practice, remember it may ripen into an obstinate and deadly habit. Oh! say not: I mean to indulge my sins at present, but do not mean to become an abandoned transgressor. "The heart is deceitful above all things;" and it may be that, in the very hour of selfsecurity, your steps are just about to slide. May a merciful God save you!

VII. So the growth of infidelity may be traced from its low beginnings to the same destructive maturity.

VIII. So we might trace the sin of lying, from the first instance of prevarication on to the fixed habit of dauntless and deliberate perjury.

Finally, let me sum the whole up in one case: These sins sometimes all meet in the same man, and grow to maturity together. The gambler becomes profane, and false, and fraudulent, and intemperate, and lewd, breaks the Sabbath, and derides the Bible.

REMARKS.

I. How may we know when sin bas approached nigh to maturity?

1. Maturity in sin stuns the sensibility of conscience.

2. Maturity in sin progressively excludes shame.

II. The subject addresses itself to parents.

1. We should be careful not to corrupt our children by example or precept.

2. If we love our children we shall be careful and watchful that others do not corrupt or lead them astray.

3. In view of this subject, be warned not to let any sin ripen in your hearts.

The Four Lepers.

Why sit we here until we die?—2 Kings: 7-3.

THIS was the despairing cry of a company of lepers at the gate of Samaria. There were only three courses open to them.

1. They might return to the city. But famine was raging there, and they were sure to die.

2. They might stay where they were.

But death was sure to overtake them there in the most horrible form.

They might "fall unto the host of Syrians" who were besieging Samaria. But that seemed like madness, especially as they were lepers. Nevertheless they decided to enter the enemy's camp. And lo, they found it deserted! The Syrians had fled and left all their treasures and provisions behind.

This brief narrative illustrates the DILEMMA OF THE AWAKENED SINNER.

1. He may not go back to his former state of unconcern and stupidity. Conscience, fear, the Holy Spirit, will not

let him.

2. Nor can he remain what and where he is. He is too miserable. He must get relief. He must also go forward or backward by the very laws of his moral being.

3. Nor can he make up his mind to go over to the open enemies of the Cross. Some do it, but it is a terrible step to take. The last end of such an one is worse than the first. The awakened soul that does not flee to Christ as for his life, is more likely to fall into the path of self-deception and with a false hope. REMARKS.

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1. How critical the condition of an awakened soul!

2. What madness to seek relief and peace anywhere save at the Cross!

3. What a multitude of suicides will there be at the judgment! All who quenched the Spirit and sinned away their convictions will appear there in the character of self-destroyers.

4. How precious, how glorious the invitations of the Gospel!

5. How dreadful the remorse and misery in eternity of all who were here brought under deep conviction of sin and ruin, and yet fled not to lay hold on the hope set before them in the Gospel!

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A GOSPEL WORTH DYING FOR. BY REV. C. H. SPURGEON, IN EXETER HALL, LONDON, ENGLAND.

To testify the Gospel of the grace of God.Acts xx: 24.

PAUL did not count his life dear to himself, and yet he highly valued life. He was not weary of life, nor did he count it a vain thing. He did not regard his life as a dear thing in comparison with bearing testimony to the Gospel of the grace of God. All the energies of his spirit were consecrated to the pursuit of one object, viz.: that he might everywhere testify to the Gospel of the grace of God, and the life he here lived was only valued by him as a means to that end. This was his mission. He had been "put in trust with the Gospel," and he resolved to be faithful, though it should cost him his life. All believers occupy a similar place.

Paul was a true hero-a hero of nobler stamp even than those brave Greeks whose stories stir the blood and fire the soul. He was now parting with his weeping friends and going forward to trials of unknown intensity, but he was unmoved by fear, and advanced on his way without a question. Read his words and judge if they have not this heroic ring: "And now, behold I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem," etc.

I. We shall inquire, first, WHAT WAS THIS GOSPEL FOR WHICH PAUL WOULD DIE? We have gospels nowadays which I would not die for, nor have any of you live for. I have lived to see half a dozen new gospels rise, flourish and decay. They told me long ago that my old Calvinistic doctrine was far behind the age, an exploded thing. And next I heard that evangelical teaching in any form was a thing of the past, to be supplanted by "advanced thought." I have heard of one improvement upon the old faith, and then of another; and philosophical divines are still improving their theology. I would not die for any one of the modern systems.

There used to be a Gospel in the

world which consisted of facts which Christians never questioned; which believers hugged to their hearts as if it were their soul's life; which provoked enthusiasm and commanded sacrifice; which tens of thousands have met together to hear at the peril of their lives. Men, to the teeth of tyrants, have proclaimed such a Gospel, and have suffered the loss of all things, and gone to prison and to death for it, singing psalms all the while.

Is there not such a Gospel remaining?

What was this Gospel which Paul valued before his life? He characterizes it as a message of grace-the grace of God. One note in the music of the glad tidings charmed the apostle's ear -grace. In these days that word is not often used, save by a few old-fashioned people. As one of those antiquated folks, I shall try to sound out that word "GRACE," So that those who know its joyful sound shall be glad, and those who despise it shall be cut to the heart. Grace is the essence of the Gospel! Grace is the one hope for this fallen world! Grace is the sole comfort for saints looking forward for glory! Perhaps Paul had a clearer view of grace than even Peter or John; and hence he has so much larger space in the New Testament. We need Paul again, or at least the Pauline evangelism and definiteness. He would make short work of the new gospels, and say of those who follow them, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ."

Let me try and explain how the Gospel is the good news of grace.

The Gospel is an announcement that God is prepared to deal with guilty man on the ground of free favor and pure mercy.

More than this. The Gospel tells us that God has removed the grand obstacle which stood in the way of mercy. He gave His only-begotten Son, that by

His death the law might receive its due, and the eternal principles of His gov ernment be maintained.

There is a motive for mercy which is in agreement with the grace of God. He saves men that Christ may be magnified and extolled, and that His own glorious name may be revealed.

That this Gospel blessing might come within the reach of men, God's grace has adopted a method suitable to

their condition.

Faith is this method. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." God asks no good works, no good feelings, but that you accept what He freely gives.

Dost thou say, "But faith seems beyond my reach"? But even faith is God's gift; He works it in men by His Holy Spirit. Oh, what grace is this!

Are you inclined to accept the way and method of grace? Let me test you. God saves as a Sovereign. Does your pride revolt at this? You have no claim it is all of grace: there is no merit.

This is the Gospel of the grace of God, and I know that it touches the heart of many of you. It often stirs my soul like the sound of martial music to think of my Lord's grace from old eternity, a grace that is constant to its choice, and will be constant to it when all these visible things shall disappear as sparks that fly from the chimney. My heart is glad within me to have to preach free grace and dying love. I can understand why crowds met at dead of night to hear of the grace of God. I can understand the Covenanters on the bleak hills listening, with sparkling eyes, as Cameron preached of the grace of the great King! There is something in a free-grace Gospel worth preaching, worth listening to, worth living for, and worth dying for. II. HOW CAN WE LIVE FOR THIS GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD?

1. I answer, first, if any man is to live for this Gospel, he must have received it from God, and he must have received a call to minister or serve for it. He must feel himself under bonds

to hold and keep this Gospel, not so
much because he has chosen it, but be-
cause it has chosen him.

2. The second thing Paul did was to
make this Gospel known.

3. He desired also to testify to it. To testify is more than to proclaim; it means to bear personal witness to the truth. His personal experience of its power he used as a great instrument and argument for spreading the Gospel. III. REASONS WHY WE SHOULD LIVE TO MAKE KNOWN THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD.

1. First, because it is the only Gospel in the world, after all. These mushroom gospels of the hour, which come and go like a penny newspaper, have no claim on any man's zeal.

2. Because it is for God's glory. 3. Spread it because you will glorify Christ thereby.

Now, if you and I arouse ourselves this day, and God's Holy Spirit shall help us to do so, and we begin to proclaim the Gospel of the grace of God, do you know what I think is sure to happen? I prophesy the best results. They tell us that all sorts of evils are growing stronger, and brethren darkly prophetic tell us that awful times are coming. Popery, for one thing, is to come back and dominate over all the earth? Is she? We shall see. If the Gospel of the grace of God be fully and fairly preached, it cannot be so. Listen to what John saw: "I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him." Do you see that angel? Observe what follows! Close behind him flies another celestial herald. "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Fly, angel of the everlasting Gospel! Fly, for as surely as thon dost speed thy flight, that other angel will follow who shall proclaim the downfall of Babylon, and of every

other system that opposeth itself to the grace of the Lord God Almighty!

The Lord stir you up for His name's sake. Amen.

RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTALISM.

BY J. B. THOMAS, D.D., IN FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, BROOKLYN, N. Y.

Lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not. -Ezek. xxxiii: 32.

Ir is not well to pay too much attention to adverse criticism. It is often the fruit of oblique vision and of narrow ranges of thought. But we, too, are under the influence of bias as well. We may correct our posture by studying another's. Now, there are those who complain that Christianity and the power of the pulpit are on the wane. They claim, in the first place, that, while Christianity was never so wide in its extent, it never was so shallow in its power; while its adherents were never so numerous as now, they never were weaker in separateness and severity of life. They take up the badge of discipleship, now that religion is respected; but would prove cowardly were martyrdom required, or were they ostracised, as in the days of Christ. Their alliance with Christ is a slender cord, it is said. Piety is a painted thing, and does not reach down into the very blood. It is profession, and not confession. It has no solemnity of purpose. "Is Bismarck a Christian?" it was asked in Germany. "Yes, of course; should he be a Turk"" was the response. So here, as well as where a State Church is established, religion is formal, and the significance of its life is eviscerated. As one has said, it is merely "insurance against fire in the world to come, with honesty as the best policy!" One fancies himself "registered" among the membership of a church, and so qualified to "vote," as it were, at the judgment-day, saying, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? Did we not join a certain church, and go to

its picnics and prayer-meetings? Are we not, therefore, Thy people?”

A second complaint is this: That those churches are best attended, and appear to be the most prosperous, where there is little strain put on the conscience of individuals, and the chief responsibility rests on the minister. Religion is ritualistic and vicarious. Men have no tinge of character received from an inward life, but they perform an outward round of observances in place of prayerfulness, self-examination and heart religion. They give decorous attention to forms; they found hospitals, perhaps, and rest satisfied in these things.

Again, it is said that those churches have the most influence that foster the æsthetic element; that provide attractive music; introduce the elegancies of life into the sanctuary, as seen in dress, conduct, and bearing, and allow nothing to offend a fastidious taste. The preacher's diction, like his coat and cravat, must be faultless. He must be vivid and pathetic, showing in everything the flavor of histrionic art. Nothing but what consorts with the culture of the age is to be tolerated in the service or sanctuary. Nothing "vulgar” is allowed; that is the unpardonable sin. "We study to please "is the motto here in the church as in the theatre. The sword wielded by the preacher is a shadowy one. The fire from heaven falls harmless as the roses of the magician, and out of the cross of the Crucified all that is coarse and sanguinary is eliminated, so it is no longer an "offence." The cross may shine on a lady's breast, or be embroidered on a priest's back, but it is not worn on the heart.

These complaints have been recently urged against Protestantism as being results of that system; and a priest of Rome thinks that the cure will be a return to Rome-a return from sects to a hierarchical church. I say, no. We rather suffer under a prolongation of Rome. These are fruits, in part, of the Papacy: for there is a shadow of truth in the criticism cited. Religion is too formal, and not individual enough in

its character, and not full enough of spiritual power. How is it men get to be Christians now, with no great rent in their moral nature, no agony like Pentecost, no cryings out, "What shall we do to be saved?" How was the essence of truth lost? Every child born into the Papal Church is thought to belong to the Church. Luther taught the central idea of justification by faith; not by ordinance or service or gift, but by heart renewal. One may be in the Church, and not of it; as Paul's person was in prison, but his soul walked at liberty.

In medieval days, religion was confined mainly to the monastery. Freebooters ranged abroad. Fruits of lust and of cruelty enriched the priests. They could count their beads and say masses and prayers. The bulk of the people were degraded. Behind the rail was glory, perfume, and melody. Today, two-thirds of the cathedral space is given to these ministrations, while a small space, comparatively, is allowed those who come to hear. Many who are lustful and covetous, though not outwardly immoral, are hoping to get to heaven under the skirts of the religious, by their mechanical relations to the Church, or perhaps because they think themselves beloved for their fathers' sakes. They pay their commutation." At death they send for the minister to pray for them. They think that thus their load of wrong-doing, or of inactivity, will be wiped away.

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Into theology and religion the æsthetic element comes, and the love for the spectacular. Many are lulled by incense and song, and by the charm of painting, statuary, and architecture, into sentimental repose, and float along as a queen in a golden barge, listening to ecstatic music. Conscience is not stirred, nor is the intellectual nature. The priest may speak in Latin. Men are not burdened with thought, but lost in the delirium of sensuous joy. They may weep, even, and think themselves very devout because they weep; yet one may weep at painted sorrow on the stage, or over a tale of fiction, yet kick