Farewell to the First Congregational Church in Norwalk, Conn. (bound with other addresses)

, ''sickly among you, and many sleep:" 1Dan it be a matter of wonder if many, by gradually declining into a careless manner of worshiping Godi shouldbecome weak and sickly as Christians, and sleep as though thay were in. the slumbers of dteath ? Read' the 1st chapter of Isaiah, .to' see how the Lprd regards a sin&l people who mock him with iypopriticSl' worship. "; Bring no more*|,in oblaiions ; incense is an abpminafeon ^' me ; the- new- moons, fed sabbaths, the calling of •-•^siprn'kl'ies.J cannit awav with ; it is iniduity, even the solemn meet- little things, which never- 288 THE NATIONAL PREACHEK. th^iess are an index to to tbe stataof the heart. A late attendant, when it is caused by our negligence, and not by tbe providence of God ; an irreverent posture in prayer ; a lightness of demeanor; allow- ing one's self to spend a part ef ii(jie brief time allotted to the worship 9t God, in the indulgewje of sleejp ; these things may all be important, as indicating no great reverence for God, no great delight in worship, and a general indifference to the awful truths of religion. These things go far to show that the soul is without faith, and without the fear of God. I feel it to be a matter of congratulation that, in this house of God, l^ublic worship is so seldom profaned by the Kght conduct of our youth. And yet I would that some few>of the children, were not some- times so thoughtless and irreverent as to indulge in whisperings, which ought never to be heard, during the worship of God. Once for all let the children remember it ; this ougjht never to be in the house of God. Let every thing here be solemn. Let no other engijjilnent or thought intrude while we are in the presence of the LordaOvor- shipers. ♦ Finally. As it will not do for us to neglect the worship of God, and as all hypocrisy is abomination in his sight, it will be well for us to inquire how we can properly worship God without true religion. You praise God; you make confesaon of sin; you pray for pardon and grace ; but what does it all mean while the heart is in rebellion, im- penitent, disobedient, and unbelieving ? " Unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth? seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee." Oh! how dreadful to praise God, and make supplication before him, and then go away and reject his whole autho- rity, and his salvation! "These things hast thou done and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself ; but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes." There is to be hereafter a general assembling of . all holy beings : the general assembly of the church of the first born in heaven. They will worship and praise God, forever and ever. God shall dwell with them and be their God. The Lamb shall feerl them and lead them unto living fo^^tains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. We may each of us judge from the interest which we take in the worship of God here, whether we are likely ever to be ^dmitted to that blessed assembly of worshipers ig^ the kingdom of God. ' i THE NATIONAL PREACHER CONTENTS OF*^OL. XV. SEHMOir. PAGE. CCXCI — CpXCVI. — Revivals of RUigion in Cities and large Towns. • ^ By Rev* Albert Barnes. CCXCI.— i. The Theory.of Revivals. 1 CCXCII.— 2. Vindication of Revivals. 11 CCXQIII. — 3. The Importance of'Revivals. 25 CCXCIV. — 4. The Desirableness of Revivals. 36| CCXCV.— 5. The Hinderances to Revivals there. 49 CCXCVI. — 6. The Duties of Christians jn regard to Revivals there. 62 CCX(|5giI.— The Methdte of tfie Adversary.— By Prof George Shepard. 73 CC2SyP"in. — The Causes of Superficial and Transient Religious Experi- ♦ en^. — By Rev. Lyni.an H. Atwater. 86 CCXCIX.— On the Death of President Harrison.— By Rev. William Adams. • . • 97 CCG. — Human Agency in the Evangelization-of the World. — By Rev. Prof H. P.Cappan. .* 106 CCCI.^1. The Primitive Christians. . 125 CCCn. — 2. What is it to become a Christian ? — ^By Rev. Leonard Bacon. 141 CCCHL- 1. God Exalted in the Discipline of Nations. 149 CCCIV.— 2. The Issues of the Final Judgment- By Rev. J. H. Water- bury, D. D. 164 CCCV.— 1. Means and Mode of the World's Conversion.— By Rev. Chas. rflall. _ 173 CCCVIs^g^Liviji and Walking in the Spirit.— By Rev. I. S. Spencer. 186 CCCVIIJStIA Prpiching of Another Gospel "Accursed.- By. Rev. Wm. , R. Williams. 197 CCCVIII.— A Vain Religion.— By Rev. William Hague. 211 CCCIX. — The Spirit of the Lord the Builder of his Spiritual Temple. By Rev. Justin Edw£«rds, D. D. 222 CCCX. — The Promised Advent of the Spirit.— By Rev.' Rufus Ander- son, D. D. -. . 3^4 IPCCXI. — The Connection of Religious Doctripe. — By™ev. L. F. Dim- mick. 245 ^CCXII. Coihpleteness of Christian Character. By Rev. J. B. Condit. 260 CQgSiII. Moral Insanity of Irreligious Men. By-Eev. Geo. B. Jde. 269 CCCXIV. 4Kte Manner «f Worshipping God. By Rev. Edwin Hall. ^82 THE 4JVIERICAN if" -NATIOTXAL PREAOHER. * No. 3. Vol, XIII.] ' %AI*CH, 1839. [VS^ole No. 147. , ■» . SERMON CCLXI*- # » • BY r6v. EDWIN HALL, » NoRWALK, Conn. ^VBIpSSION- TO GJVlt. AUTHORITV. 1st Pbt. ii. 13 — 17. — Submit yoursetves to w^ry ordinance of man for the Lord's sake ; whether it be to th^king, as supreme ; or wnto governors* a^unto flifriiUiai are sent by j^im for the punishment of ev^doers^nd for ihe .vraae of them thStk^noell. For so is th0 ' will of God, that with wett-dml^ ye yiri^f^t to silence t!^ i^omme. of foolish men: as fr^ and .not using your liberty for^^iKlmk of malicious^ess^ut as the servants of M, God.-*Jjamr all men. Love the brotherhoo^ft Fear God. Honor the king. ^' «-•'■ • ; ■ The duty here inculcated is that of submission to civil au- thority. We shall notjc^ I. The ground on which the scriptusres rest the obli- gation TO obeuience. *t II. Inquire to what extent obedience is REauiRED. 1. Th^^ ground on which the scriptures rest tJ^ obligation to obedience. ' j * Why must I obey the laws of the land 1 ' " Because," say some, " in entering into society, you promised to yield to |he conditions of that society." 'Aie people are supposed to have assembled ; to have yielded, each, a portion of his natural righjg ; to have established some form of polity, under which the governm^t assumed certain responsibilities, and the people promised, to a certain extent, obe- ^ence. , _ , • • •'By others this theory has been rejected as inadequate and unsound. Inhere never was such'a compact. A fiction conveys no rights and imposes no obligation. . If there had Jbeefli such a compact, it might be just as difficult to tell why the individuals who made it were Vol. XIII. No. 3. 3 . • 34 THE NATIONAL PKEAGJttlSK. ♦obliged to keep their engagements, as to answer the original ques- tion. Suppose a htujidred men had stood put against the compact, and reserve^all tfie'ir original rights ; are they under no obligation to forbear such acts as by the laws of the newly, fofiued community are prohibited, a^. theft, robbery, .arson, and murder ? Can we sup- poSl that men f oming together from a state of nature, with all theit original rights,, |fe competent to form a-scheme of polity under which such acts shall be declared lawful ai^ right ? Has the community, in^ne, a right to come together, and, (even if unanimous,) to^dis- •H^olve all obligations, an»ul all law, and declare it right for every one to do whatever suits^his pleasure ? Is there no obligation, back of all this voluntary coiifl'pact, which conscience acknowledges,, which ,^0 mind can ever sli||'^e off, and ftom which no agr^ment' among men can absolve th^soul ? , " ' « We need not havg gone so far to show the absurdity of this theory of compact. W^9 we inquire after the obligation to abide by the supposed compaci^ it is percei^red at once, that the obligation is shifted back to remoter ground. ,p The question remains : " Why am I obliged to yield obedience to thflaws of th^tod?", -"Becaule," answers anothe^ "you will be punished if yorf'-do not." Am 1 t^^en a brute, «vithout reason, with- out honor, without' conscience ? If I can hope to rob or jnurder with impunity, may I as well do it as let it alone ? If i can sucf cessfuUy levade or reMst'the penalty of the law, am I guiltless*ih dis- obeying it? Is there no^righi or wi-ong about it, save only the consideration of punishment ? .J[ am irfquiring after that right to punish, and thft obl^ation to obey, which makes the failure to obey guilt, — such as should distress i^y conscience arid cover me with shame. If a foreign tyrant overruns our country, plunders, devas- tates, butchers} lays our altars, firesides and laws in ruins, there comes no shame or remorse to the noble band who ' stand in the breach and jeopard their lives in defence of their homes and their country. Wh^not ? If they are overcome, and perish on the scaf- fold, they perish without shame and without remorse. Why so 7 It is not enough ^ biftd conscience under an obligation of obedience, to show her that punishment will be the consequence of disobedience. She does not acknp^ledge the nmxim that might gives right, and that weakness imposes obffgation. Compulsign and obligation are different terms in her vocabulary. On what, then, rests* the obligation to. civil authority? On thfe ground that it is the will of God. Here is authority to which reason bows, and conscience submits. If that be a first principle, SUBMISSION TO CITIL AUTHORITY. 35 which the soul feels instinctively ; for which she requires no proof and no instruction, and which she cannot shake off if she would ; then this is a first principle ; to obey God is right ; to disobey CrOD IS wrong : and that beeause he is God ; and his will, the will of PERFECT WISDOM and perfect GOODNESS. Conscience so de- cides, and cannot decide otherwise. That God wills the establishroent and maintenance of civil au- thority, we might gather ffom the light of nature, and from the les- sqns of experience ; but argument is unnecessary. God has declared it in his word. " The powers that be, are ordained of God. Whos(?*» ever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." " Where fore, ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for con* science' sake." " Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for th( Lord's sake ; for so is the wifl of God, that with well-doing ye ma) put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." The im'^ortance of the question concerning the obligation to obe- dience is this : — other grounds of obligation are fictitious and athe- istic ; they take no hold upon the conscience ; they are created by a breath, and by a breath are they destroyed. They are no fouff^a- tions on which to rest a nation's virtue and a nation's peace ; they are utterly powerless in time of need. This binds the conscience. This takes hold upon the soul and its eternal destinies. You are bound, not simply t)ecause you have promised ; whether you have promised or not, you are bound. You are under obligation, not simply be- cause you will meet with civil pains and penalties if you disobey. God will punish you, if you shufile yourself away from the ven- geance of civil authority ; and when you have suffered the penalty which human laws inflict, you have a still more dreadful account to answer at the bar of God^