Imatges de pàgina
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his ministerial labours. At the age of twenty one he was ordained the pastor of that flock. In that place he continued about eighteen years. DoctorTAPPAN chose the sacred office from principle. It was his deliberate judgment, that the gospel ministry is, of all professions, the most important to mankind. The design of that work, involving the best interests of the universe, perfectly accorded with his expanded benevolence. There is reason to believe that he early imbibed the excellent spirit of christianity. After much anxious concern respecting his everlasting welfare, and deep conviction of sin, he was, in the judgment of charity, renewed by grace. Embracing the allsufficient Saviour and submitting to his will, he cherished the hopes and consolations of the gospel. And he made it the delightful business of his life to recommend to others that Saviour, whose preciousness and glory had been revealed to him. He had the pecuharadvantage, which belongs to all ministers who are called of God, that whenever he preached the unsearchable riches of Christ, he shake what he knew, and testified what he had seen. To this undoubtedly must be ascribed, in a great measure, his impressive manner of preaching. He spoke from the fulness of his heart. He was sincere and in earnest. No hearer could doubt, that he felt the reality and eternal importance of the truths he delivered.

As a preacher, he was decidedly evangelical. The peculiar contents of the gospel were the principal subjects of his discourses. He determined to know nothing, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. The gospel, as a revelation of grace to sinners, was the great subject, which he studied and explained. "To use his own words; "sensible

that the revelation of mediatorial mercy is the chosen instrument of saving a ruined world; that he was divinely commissioned to publish and enforce it for this end; and that its final completion will embrace the order, perfection, and happiness of the moral world, and the highest glory of its Author; he dwelt upon the sublime subject with eager and profound contemplation." Those doctrines, which are the groundwork of revelation, were the groundwork of his preaching. Scarcely a sermon came from his lips, in which some of the peculiarities of evangelical truth were not found. Frequently, and in many different ways, he inculcated the doctrines of man's fallen, ruined state, the redeeming love of God, the atonement of Christ, justification by grace, and the efficacy of the divine Spirit in renewing sinners and preparing them for glory. The doctrine of redemption by a crucified Saviour constituted, in his view, the basis of the gospel, the faith and glory of the christian church. To neglect this doctrine in its various connections he considered, as neglecting the very essence of the gospel.

He was not only a doctrinal, but a very practical preacher. Every gospel doctrine, he insisted, has its corresponding precept and duty. Speaking of the doctrines of human depravity, and salvation by the mercy of God, the atonement of Christ, and the sanctification of the Spirit, he says; "from these doctrines immediately result the duties of evangelical repentance and humility, faith and hope, gratitude and love, obedience and joy." Agreeably, when he preached the doctrine of human depravity and misery, his aim was, to show sinners their dependence on God's mercy and their need of redemption through the blood of atone

1805.] Sketches of the Life and Character of Dr Tappan.

ment, and to lead them, with thankfulness and joy to accept When he proffered salvation. preached the allsufficient atonement, he was careful to show its influence on the violated law of God, and on the guilty, deplorable condition of man. In his hand it was the terror of the obstinate rebel, but the hope and consolation of humble, contrite souls. The doctrine of divine influence he aimed to exhibit in such a light, as at once to humble the proud, and encourage the lowly in heart. Justification by faith without the deeds of the law he represented, as inseparably connected with a godly life; yea, as the spring of true gospel obedience. He gave it as his judgment, "that christian piety and morality must rise or fall, as the doctrines of grace, which support and exalt them, are regarded or neglect ed." By these sentiments he regulated his preaching. Whenever be inculcated the duties of christianity, whether the duties of repentance and faith, which immediately respect men as sinners, or the general duties of piety to God, and benevolence to man; he failed not to inculcate them chiefly by evangelical motives. And let it be added, whenever he undertook to describe a good man, he described him as a character formed upon gospel principles; as a redeemed sinner, pardoned through Christ, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, a penitent, a believer. He represented his inward exercises and his whole practice, as having aconstant respect to the great scheme of mediatorial grace. In his painting of virtue and religion you would not see the image of Seneca or Plato, but that of saint Paul. The christian of his describing you would not hear descanting, in cold, uninteresting language, on the beauty and dignity of virtue; but

rather proclaiming the abundant
grace of Christ, and, from a heart
captivated with his divine beauty,
crying out, unto him, who hath lov-
ed us, and washed us from our sins
in his blood, be honour and glory for
At the same time he took
ever.
much pains to show, that such af-
fection to Christ is not only the
surest evidence of an upright
heart, but the most efficacious mo-
tive to a pious and useful life.
But as a more particular display of
Doctor TAPPAN's theological sen-
timents is contemplated, it is not,
in this place, necessary to enlarge.

Doctor TAPPAN was a plain and
distinguishing preacher. Know-
ing the gospel to be of everlasting
importance to mankind, he en-
deavoured to preach it in the most
intelligible manner. He was hap-
py in commanding a style, which
had charms for all. While the
refined hearer enjoyed its flowing
elegance, the unrefined was edified
with its plainness. He judged a
close, distinguishing mode of
preaching of vast consequence.
Deeply impressed himself with the
necessity and worth of true relig-
ion, he laboured to describe it cor-
rectly, and to discriminate its sav-
ing exercises and fruits from every
deceitful imitation. To this work
his mind was early directed by the
perusal of Edwards' treatise on
Religious Affections. By what he
wrote in the book when young, he
emphatically expressed his opinion
of its inestimable value; an opin-
ion which, it is well known, he
never altered. It was often the
drift of his discourses to point out
the essential and eternal difference
between the sanctified affections of
the believer, and the best exercises
of the unrenewed heart. Under
his most discriminating sermons,
conscience could hardly sleep;
the sinner could not, without a
great effort, deceive himself; and

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the humble believer could scarcely fail of obtaining consolation. To introduce again his own words; it was his serious endeavour "to lay open the human heart to the view of mankind; to trace its windings, its disguises, its corruptions; to expand all its latent seeds of abomination; to pluck off its mask of apparent virtue; to unfold the secret principles of human conduct, and distinguish appearances from realities; to detect the various b asses of selflove and selfdeceit; to delineate every shape and form, which the unsanctified heart in various circumstances will assume; so that every sinner might see and recognize himself in the draught, and all classes of natural men, from the careless and profane to the deeply convicted and distressed, might so perceive their moral diseases, as immediately to look out for a suitable remedy."

He was a very affectionate preacher. When addressing his fellow immortals, his heart was often enlarged with benevolence, and melted in tenderness. In him there appeared nothing overbearing, harsh, or uncivil. His countenance, his voice, his gestures had all the natural marks of kind concern. His hearers, however reproved and alarmed, were convinced that he spoke from love; that the mortifying reproof and the painful alarm he gave them, were meant for their good. They saw, they felt, that the preacher was an ardent friend to their souls, and that he did not inflict the wound, which faithfulness required him to inflict, without reluctance and grief. This procured him free access to their consciences and hearts. It gave him liberty to use great freedom and plainness of speech, with a prospect of the most desirable effects.

Doctor TAPPAN studied variety

in his preaching. It was his opin ion, that a minister's usefulness is greatly abridged by confining himself within a small circle of favourite speculations. He reasoned thus, "that as christian divinity is one regular and immense whole, so each part has its claim on the evangelical instructor; that by duly attending to any one branch, he really befriends and enforces all the rest, as connected with it; that he cannot do justice even to the doctrinal part without largely explaining and urging its corresponding precepts ;" and that, considering the unlimited variety of christian subjects, it is altogether absurd to expect that the preacher will interweave them all with every sermon. Accordingly he took an extensive range, and aimed to introduce that pleasing variety of topics, which the scriptures furnish; though, after all, it was manifest, that he made evangelical religion the sum and centre of his preaching. The variety in his discourses was increased and rendered still more agreeable, by his method of adapting his performances to particular occasions. In this he discovered a remarkable facility and pertinence. By the instantaneous operation of a discerning taste, he readily entered into the spirit of every occasion, and said what was suitable and impressive. Beside his appropri ate performances on sacramental and funeral occasions, he frequently noticed the great events of Providence in the natural, civil, and religious world, and made use of them to elucidate some interesting truth, or enforce some important duty.

With a view to give his preaching a diversified air, and to make it more popular and impressive, he sometimes adopted an expedient, which is thought liable to criticism.

The expedient intended is what people commonly call, spiritualizing scripture; that is, ingrafting the great truths of religion upon a historical fact or ancient ceremony, which has no real or discernible connection with such sublime truths. If, for example, from these words, "I am Joseph," a preacher should take occasion, by instituting a parallel between Joseph and Jesus Christ, to declare the whole gospel, and, in particular, to describe the sinner, first convinced, then penitent, then divinely taught the glory of Christ and receiving him by faith; he would undoubtedly gain the admiration of the multitude; he might edify all, and might purchase for himself the honour of an inventive fancy. But the best rules for the right interpretation of scripture, would be violated, and too much done to foster a whimsical taste in the hearers. In this mode of preaching Doctor TAPPAN's lively imagination enabled him to excel. But his mind was too enlightened, solid, and judicious, and his taste too correct to lead him often upon such fairy ground.

The remarks here made do not by any means constitute an adequate description of Doctor TAPPAN, as a preacher. They are designed only to preserve the remembrance of his characteristick views and talents, and to exhibit those excellencies of his preaching, which peculiarly deserve the serious and devout consideration of others. (To be continued.)

MEMOIRS OF THE VISCOUNTESS GLE-
NORCHY.
[From a Supplement to Dr. Gillies' Historical
Collections.]

AMONG the friends and ornaments of religion, WILHELMINA MAZWELL, LADY GLENORCHY, holds a conspicuous place. She was the younger of two daughters

left by William Maxwell, Esquire, of Preston, a gentleman of considerable fortune in Dumfrieshire. The eldest was married to the Earl of Sutherland; the youngest, of whom we treat, to John Lord Viscount Glenorchy, only son of the Earl of Breadalbane.

Lady Glenorchy was formed by Providence for a superior place in society. Her understanding was naturally strong and capacious, and her memory retentive. Her mind was polished by a liberal education, and richly furnished with ideas by extensive reading and observation.. Her person was agreeable, her manner engaging, her fancy bril liant, and attended by a constant flow of spirits and good humcur. Born to wealth, and allied to a rich and noble house, she was fitted to. make a distinguished figure among the great, and to shine in courts. But as Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: In like manner, she, in all the bloom of youth, with all worldly pleasures at her command, laid herself, her fortune, her honours and her talents, at the foot of the cross of Jesus.

About the 23d year of her age she was visited with sickness: in recovering from which, her thoughts were involuntarily turned to the first question and answer of that form of sound words which is given in the Assembly's Catechism: "What is the chief end of man? It is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever." Musing on these words, they arrested her attention, and naturally led her to put to herself the important queries: Have I answered the design

of my being? Have I glorified God? Shall I enjoy him for ever? Reviewing her life of thoughtless gaiety, she found there was no connection between such conduct and glorifying and enjoying God; and that consequently, hitherto, she had not answered the chief end of her existence. Her conscience was awakened; and, for a considerable time, she laboured under that anxiety and fear, which usually attend such a state of mind.

But, on reading the 5th chapter of the epistle to the Romans, she discovered the way whereby the great God could be just, and yet the justifier of the believer in Jesus. She believed; her understanding was enlightened; her conscience relieved, and her mind Pestored to peace. The fruits of her faith soon gave the most unequivocal evidence of the truth of that happy change which had tak en place in her mind. For some time she endeavoured to avoid the ridicule which attends true religion, by concealing it, and mingling in the society and amusements to which she had been accustomed; but she soon found it impossible to support the spirit and practice of religion, and at the same time be conformed to the manners of the world. She therefore openly ayowed her religion and renounced the sinful enjoyments of the world. From this time her whole life was one continued course of devotion: her closet was a little sanctuary for God, to which she habitually retired with avidity and pleasure. In her family there was always an altar for God, and from which, with the morning and the evening, regularly ascended social prayer and praise. She loved the house of God; and the most painful circumstance of her frequent ill health, in the last years of her life, was, her being detained by it from

publick worship. Well acquainted with men and things, her conversation was full of good sense and information it was often much enlivened by good humoured pleasantry; but it always was pious and spiritual, always expressive of the high sense she had of the exellence and importance ofreligion, and of her anxiety for its promotion. With peculiar pleasure she always spoke of the person or place in which it appeared to flourish; and with evident pain, of those in which it was otherwise. The sincerity of her religious principles was established by her actions. She was not of those," who say, but do not." She built some places of publick worship at very considerable expense. In Edinburgh, she erected a large handsome chapel, which will hold two thousand people, and which has, for many years, been attended by a numerous congregation, and which has now two clergymen, ministers in communion with the church of Scotland, as its pastors. To this chapel is added a free school, which she endowed, to teach reading, writing, and arithmetick. chapel and school together, has not cost less than five or six thousand pounds. She erected and endowed also a church at Strathfillan, in the parish of Killin, on the estate of Lord Breadalbane: and she had purchased ground, in conjunction with the late Lady Henrietta Hope, for building a place of worship at the Hot-wells, Bristol; and which by her directions, has been executedby her executrix since her death, by a very neat and commodious house being built there, called Hope Chapel. In order to introduce and support the gospel, she purchased a very neat chapel at Matlock, in Derbyshire; meetinghouse at Carlisle, another at Workington, in Cumberland,

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