scarcely conceive a greater abuse. It subverts equally the rights of pastors and of people, and is nothing less than one of the worst relics of the papal hierarchy. Were every thing else what it ought to be in the Established Church, prelacy, as it now subsists, would make me a Dissenter." There were four principal things which he set his mind upon. The 1st was, A Repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, as unjust towards the Dissenters; 2. A Reform in the Commons House of Parliament; 3. The Abolition of Slavery; 4. A Reform in the Church Establishment, to secure to Dissenters, not merely toleration, but a perfect equality as to rights and privileges; or, in other words, that Dissenters should not be compelled to pay for the support of a church which they conscientiously disapproved, while they paid for their own ministers and places of worship. The first of these he only lived to see accomplished; but, had he lived three years longer, he would have found only one more to be achieved. His grand maxim was, "that there can be no perfect religious liberty without natural and political liberty." I never knew a man who had so much of the spirit of martyrdom. "For these principles it was," he would say, "our forefathers, the noble army of the Puritans, bled and suffered, and took joyfully the spoiling of their goods:" or, his other felicitous term, the "celestial nobility." Christian liberty was to him a sacred fountain, in which all the Roman Gentile virtues that immortalized the names of Cicero, Plutarch, Seneca, and all the old philosophers, are baptized and regenerated, and take a new name and nature: dipped in this living spring, they are planted, and flourish in the paradise of God. XV. CHRISTIAN INTEGRITY. EVERYTHING in Christianity tends to enforce the practice of justice and integrity in all your dealings. It is the very spirit of the law which says, "Thou shalt not covet." It is impossible to lay down general principles upon this subject; but, in matters of prudence, last thoughts are best; in morality, your first thoughts are best. Where things are indifferent as to principle, we have frequently to calculate consequences, which requires a long train of thought and reflection; but in matters of conscience, God has not left us to such a process as this, for he has placed in the heart of every man a vicegerent, and whatever this conscience testifies at first is best; you may upbraid its voice, and may silence it, but whatever in its first movements it condemns, ought to be opposed. Your endeavours to resist it will be like labouring in the fire; always, then, in matters of morality, trust your first thoughts. Persons are sufficiently selfish not to give sentence in favour of themselves; and, like every other faculty, conscience is liable to become darkened; but if the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness! It is putting out, as far as possible, the light of the mind, and leaving us in a state of abject wretchedness. It is suicide of the immortal part. · XVI. PREPARATION FOR HEAVEN. [Peroration of sermon on No Temple in Heaven, when delivered in Broadmead, Bristol, Lord's Day evening, May 4, 1828. See the sermon itself, from Mr. Hall's notes, vol. iii., 199–203.] THIS meditation should lead us to practical improvements, without which it is pursued in vain. 1. Those must be essentially disqualified for heaven who find no pleasure in devotion. This is the first idea suggested. The rudest barbarian is not more unfit for the society of the profoundest philosopher, not more unprepared to relish the refined beauties of poetry or art, than the carnal and undevout person is unfit for heaven. This is the relation, not of resemblance, however distant; it is the relation of utter contrariety and contrast: in such a case, all flows in a contrary direction. Without a devotional frame of mind, without any taste for the friendship of God, it is impossible to enjoy heaven. All that God promises is suited only to those that are sanctified; and who would promise that which cannot be enjoyed, that which must rather be the geatest annoyance? But what a weariness to many is the Sabbath-day! How ready are such to say to God, "Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways!" No need of an arbitrary decree to exclude such from heaven; they stand self-excluded, because self-disqualified! By their admission into heaven, an order of nature would be insulted and violated! 2 What a reason is here why we should improve the seasons of devotion, and especially these Sabbath opportunities of religious improvement! When we consider how large a portion of our time we are necessitated to give to the affairs of this transient state, how dear to us should these moments of sacred worship be, when we may meditate on eternal concerns, and prepare ourselves for heaven! If we suffer these opportunities to pass unimproved, we shall not be likely to improve any others. He who wastes his Sabbaths will be too sure to waste the whole of his time for irreligious purposes, and will be condemned at last to lament his folly, like the great scholar who exclaimed on his death bed, "Alas, I have spent a life in laboriously doing nothing!" 3. Finally, how happy are those that love God and his service! They need not look into the secrets of heaven to see their names in the Book of Life; the mark of God is on their foreheads; the proofs of their destination lie on the surface; the whole tendency of their thoughts and desires, their employments and pleasures, their sighs and sufferings, has been towards heaven: they sighed for such a state, they sought for it, they are fitted for none beside; none else is congenial with their character: and that inheritance is reserved in heaven for them; they shall be with Him "whom, having not seen, they love; in whom, believing, they rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." They have their fruit unto holiness here, and what shall be their end but everlasting life? They shall have an entrance abundantly ministered to them into the kingdom of the Lord; "good measure, pressed down, and running over, shall God give into their bosoms!" INDEXES. I. SUBJECTS. The Roman numerals refer to the volume, and the figures to the page; "Mem." refers to ABIJAH, early piety exemplified in, iv., 377. ABRAHAM, his intercourse with Lot, iv., 367. His courtesy towards the chil- ACADEMICAL EDUCATION; its usefulness to the candidate for the Chris- ADOPTION; a privilege belonging to all believers in Christ, iii., 502, 503. AGRICULTURE; its present depressed state, ii., 103. AMBITION; its pleasures shown to be unreal and imaginary, iii., 383. 48. ANGELS; why called spirits, iii, 36, 42. Their wonderful powers, 36, 37. APOSTLES; probably not baptized, i., 303. Their authority, 311. Their suf- APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION; import of, iv., 566. APOSTOLIC CHURCH; features of, iv., 393. Design of, 395. Condition of, APOSTOLIC COMMISSION; examination of the argument for strict commu. APOSTOLIC PRECEDENT· explained, i., 310; ii., 213, 214. Examination APOSTOLIC WRITERS, the, iv., 645. APPARITIONS; Mr. Hall's belief in, iv., 27. ARBITRARY POWER, ii., 41. Approaches towards it in England, 85. Aj- ARISTOTLE; his remark on tragedy, i., 82. His opinions on the foundation ARNSBY; Mr. Hall's visits to, iv., 30, 38. ASSOCIATIONS; origin of the political societies so called, formed at the close ASSURANCE OF SALVATION, iii., 282. Its importance, 180 ATHANASIUS, character and usefulness of, iv., 136. ATHEISM; its effects on the French Revolution, i., 38. Exposure of its pre- ATONEMENT OF CHRIST, i., 266; iii., 22. Its importance, iii., 209; iii. AUGUSTINE; his opinion on John's baptism, i., 300 (note). His remark on BACON, Lord, Mr. Hall's opinion of his works, iv., 15. BAPTISM; instituted by Christ after his resurrection, i., 294. Implied a pro- BAPTIST MISSION; letter to the committee respecting an application of the BAPTISTS; their sentiments stated, i., 291, 292; ii, 211. Causes of the prej- BARNABAS AND PAUL, contention between, iv., 403. BARROW, Dr.; character of his sermons, ii., 293. BAXTER, Andrew; his work "On the Soul,” iii. (Mem.), 33. BAXTER, Rev. Richard; character of his writings, iii. (Mem.), 79. BEDDOME, Rev. B.; sketch of his character and talents, ii., 456. His hymns BELIEVERS, friendship of Christ with, iv., 448. BELSHAM, Rev. T.; character of his "Memoirs of the Rev. T. Lindsey,” ii., |