Проповеди и лекции

give wise guid&ucc to the highest and lowest Qf the people, and the celestial tnfluc-nce-s of the lii>ly Ghost touch the spirit of jwcicty with Leaveiily pcacefulness and grace; so that the wilderness and the solitary place shall become glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the ruse, wli^u the lion shall lie down with the kid, and the leopard with the calf, and a little child shall lead them. But this Christian methotl of amcliomting the condition of the ranks of life is aUogeU>erdider- cnt from the political ; the one slow batsurc, the other hasty but uncertain in its opeistioti; the one working through the hearts of the communityr the other revtrainiiij^ their outward actions; the one oatried on secretly and tmseen^ the other carried on by declaration of right, cnumcmtionof gric%-ances> resistance, and other overt acts; the one propagated by the teaching and preaching of llie doctrines and |>recepts of the Gospel, tl other prup^galed by op(;n discussion and debatej and the free canvass of opinion, and, if these fail^ by the stem debate of the sword, the one depend*- Jng upon humility and kindly dispoaitions of every mau to his neighbour, the other upon high temper, pride of spirit, watchfulness, and resoluliun. IV. Lastly, Pmm what hath been said, dear, brethren, I would derive some words of improvor^ ment and exhortation. This picture of our degradation, true as it ij painful, is not dmwn, men and brethren, out ol n v.] THE CURSE AS TO BODIDT LABOUft. I0B7 A delif^ht in representing misery, but to t«ach you how far we are faUon from what God created OS, and to what he halh sent his Son to restore u«. The Saviour came because of the bondai^c with which he beliekl U3 crushed and ground unto the earth. He came '* to bind up the broken- liearted, and to open the prison doors to them that wre bound." Therefore hii coming is called the pacification of the earth, the redeinplion of men. This which you have heard described, ie the cap- tivity of ftin, the bondage to the begfjarly etementa of the iivcrld, whereof St. Paul »peak^ through alt his Kpi»tles, To net U5 free from which Chriit Cftone; and having conquered all our enemies, having, in a fleshly budy and upon aciirsed earth, maintained unimaded the high di^counte of reason which our rtr«t parent held ; and havinf^ conquered death and the grave* the last enemies, and ascend* ed up on hi^, leading captivity captive, he hath received gifts for men, even the rebellious,— hath become the first Iruits of them that sleep, the Author of salvati