Sermons and Discourses Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 Excerpt: ... the mildness, and charity, and unostentatious virtues of the gospel; lest you hold out a distorted picture of Christianity in your neighbourhood, and impose that as religion on the fancy of the credulous, which stands at as wide a distance from the relicrion of the New Testament, as do the services of an exploded superstition, or the mummeries of an antiquated ritual. But, again, it is said of Papists, that they hold the monstrous doctrine of transubstantiation. Now, a doctrine may be monstrous on two grounds. It may be monstrous on the ground of its absurdity, or it may bo monstrous on the ground of its impiety. II must have a most practically mischievous effect on the conscience, should a communicant sit down at the table of the Lord j and think that the act of appointed remembrance is equivalent to a real sacrifice, and a real expiation: and leave the performance with a mind unburdened of all its past guilt, and resolved to incur fresh guilt to be wiped away by a fresh expiation. But in the sacrament of our own country, is there no crucifying of the Lord afresh? Is there none of that which gives the doctrine of transubstantiation all its malignant influence on the hearts and lives of its proselytes? Is there no mysterious virtue annexed to the elements of this ordinance? Instead of being repaired to for the purpose of recruiting our languid affections to the Saviour, and strengthening our faith, and arming us with a firmer resolution, and more vigorous purpose of obedience, does the conscience of no communicant solace itself by the mere performance of the outward act, and suffer him to go back with a more reposing security to the follies, and vices, and indulgences of the world? Then, my brethren, his erroneous view of the sacrament may not be clothed i...