It is presumed that a general exemplification of the principle laid
down in the text, would not only prevent penitent offenders from
relapsing into crime, but would fully confirm them in habits of
virtue. In more than nine cases out of ten, this would be the happy
result; while the _opposite_ course would in full as many cases, lead
to an opposite result. God always acts on this principle, and because
he is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his work, his
saints love him and praise him, and sinners are led to repentance. His
kingdom is a kingdom of mercy. Every part of his administration is
governed by mercy and love, and these traits of its character are
visible every where--in the golden flood of morning, and the dark and
howling demons of the midnight storm; in the soft and harmonious tones
of the gospel, and the harsh and thundering notes of the gloomy and
fiery mount. He is the Lord God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger
and of great kindness; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving
iniquity, transgression and sin; but by no means clearing the guilty.
He will not contend for ever nor be always wroth. He will not cast off
for ever. His anger continues only for a moment, but his mercy is
everlasting--it endureth for ever. When desired to display his
_glory_, he shows his _goodness_. He loves not only his saints, he
also commendeth his love towards _us_, in that while we were yet
_sinners_ Christ died for us. And we are commanded to love _our_
enemies, to bless them that curse us, to do good to them that hate us,
and pray for them that despitefully use and persecute us; that we may
be the children of our Father who is in heaven, who makes his sun rise
on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust.
Such being the principles of the divine administration, and such the
certainty that they will result in the reconciliation of all beings to
the Father, it is inferentially presumable that the same principles
fully acted out by men, would produce the same happy and desirable
results.
If these remarks and inferences are just, then the good that would
result to community by exemplifying the principle in the text is
obvious. It would exchange bad men for good ones. It would throw a
wall of security around its institutions, its peace, its prosperity
and its virtue, stronger than mountains of brass. Under such a
firmament of heavenly principles and conduct,
"All crimes would cease and ancient fraud would fail,
Returning Justice lift aloft her scale;
Peace o'er the earth her olive wand extend,
And white-rob'd Innocence from heaven descend;
The world would smile with boundless bounty bless'd,
And God's pure image glow in ev'ry breast."
Towards this glorious state of society I confidently look, with the
strong emotions of a fixed and unwavering faith; but I invariably
associate it with the universal prevalence of benevolent principles
and beneficent deeds. Good will to all mankind must be the inspiring
motive of every action. The shepherd must go into the wilderness after
his lost sheep, and rejoice when he returns with it; and the father
must go out to meet his returning prodigal.
3. The good that would flow to the cause of _religion_ by such
conduct, is my last topic.
It would be redeemed from the charge of _inconsistency_. Religion is
judged of by the conduct of its professed friends, and condemned or
applauded from their exhibitions of it. Every inconsistency in their
conduct is written as a mark against their creed, and all their
excellences are placed to its credit. The truth of this no one will
deny. What verdict then will mankind render against a religion, the
professors of which continue in a course of conduct which crosses
their principles at every step? How can they call that a good
religion, which does not exert sufficient influence over its votaries
to make them even _consistent_? But if the friends of religion act
according to their principles, and never depart from those maxims of
propriety which they inculcate on _others_, they will at least obtain
for their religion the credit of _consistency_. Now the text contains
_one_ of the principles of the Christian religion, and all who profess
to be christians acknowledge it to be genuine; but where is their
consistency if they depart from it in practice? Christians, will you
be consistent? For God's sake let the blessed Jesus be wounded no
longer in the house of his friends!
This course would also stop the triumphs of Infidelity. This monster
subsists on the faults of professors, and his triumphal car is
stained with the blood of christian wars. Preach to him the
excellences of your faith till the day of doom, and by one single
reference, he can silence the most eloquent tongue. He unfolds the
long catalogue of sainted crimes, and the christian must be dumb. The
christian conduct cannot be vindicated on the christian's principles,
and the enemy can be put to silence only by the abstract excellence of
the faith which he despises. Between christianity and christians there
must be a distinctive line drawn, or they will obscure its brightness
and beauty by the association. When they come up in their doings to
the high, pure, and stainless criterion of their professed principles,
then, and not till then, will Infidelity be put to the blush.
It is high time to commence a reform in the conduct of professors; and
no where is this reform more needed than in the principle of the text.
I will not stop to argue this point, for no one dares deny it. Look
abroad, christians, and see the characters specified in the verse read
at the commencement of this discourse, roving up and down the earth.
How are they treated? How do _you_ treat them? Who wipes their tears?
who gives them a shelter from the rude storms of winter? who gives
them a kind look or a civil word? who leads them into the vineyard in
the morning and gives them a penny at night? Rather who does not shun
them?--insult them?--spurn them from his door?--force them to die in
innocence or live by crime? Who dares confront these charges? You that
kneel at the altar of Jesus, and commemorate his dying love, are you
innocent? Ministers of the everlasting gospel, are your garments
clean? Missionary, Tract, Bible and Prison Discipline Societies, how
stands your accounts? Christians of every rank and denomination, when
have you fed, clothed, ministered to, and visited your hungry, naked,
sick, and imprisoned Jesus in the person of his followers? In the
name of Jesus Christ, then, and for the honor of his cause, I pray
you, in behalf of repentant criminals, to REFORM.
In concluding this Essay, which has cost me many a painful hour, I
cannot help remarking the vast difference that exists between the
conduct of God and of his creatures, in relation to repentant sinners.
He not only pardons, he also forgets; but men do neither. My
experience on this subject leads me to results very different from
those which the sanguine professions of christians led me to
anticipate. Such is the gloomy fact, and I must endure it. From man,
even the man of the _altar_ and the _desk_, I have nothing to hope
for. Within the limits of the wide world, and beneath the heavens, my
prospects are as dark as the "noon of night;" despair has hung her
dreadful curtains round all things, and in its chilling, stiffening
shade, the frost of endless blight is fast gathering upon me. I meet
at every turn the scorn of every eye, and I have only to bury myself
in some distant clime, till my race on earth shall close. "O for a
lodge in some vast wilderness!"
But though all earth is dark, and mankind will be my enemies for ever,
there is a God who will never desert any that trust in him; and
conscious that he loves me, and will defend me, I will endure without
a murmur all the evils of life, and wait all the days of my appointed
time till my change come; in the humble hope, that, in the grave, I
shall not hear the voice of the oppressors, and that the reproaches
and scorn of mankind, which is too much for me to bear on earth, will
not follow me into the world to come.
Fly swift, ye intervening days,
Lord, send the summons down;
The hand that strikes me to the earth,
Shall raise me to a crown.