I am not, brethren, appearing here as the advocate of confirmation; for I am persuaded, that permitting children, and all children thus to grow up into the church as a matter of course, and thus break down the destinction between the church and the world, would more than counterbalance all the good, effected by this regular course of religious instruction. I merely state these facts to call your attention to the subject, and to have the opportunity of inquiring whether sufficient pastoral attention is devoted to the young? whether something more might not be done, to secure their regular indoctrination in our faith and discipline, and to destroy the indefinite relation in which they now grow up, to the church? whether they might not be formed into a nursery, to be tended with peculiar care, from which the plants, from time to time might be transplanted into the garden of the Lord? As this is a subject so immediately connected with Pastoral Theology, I refer you to the solemn lessons, which await you on this point, in a more advanced stage of your course.

III. A third great truth which an observation of the state of European churches, is adapted to impress upon the mind, is, the intimate connexion between speculative opinion, und moral character.

There is no sentiment more frequently advanced, than that a man's opinions have little to do with his moral character, and yet there is none more fundamentally erroneous. The fact is, that opinions on moral and religious subjects depend mainly on the state of the moral and religious feelings. Mere argument can no more produce the intimate persuasion of moral truth, than it can of beauty. As it depends on our refinement of taste, what things to us are beautiful, so it depends upon our religious feelings, what doctrines for us are true. A man's real opinions, are the expression of his character. They are the forms in which his inward feelings embody themselves, and become visible. The secret conviction of this truth, is the reason, that the ascription of obnoxious opinions, is always regarded as an asper

sion on character. Why is the denial of God's existence regarded with horror, by all classes of men, but because it presupposes a heart dead to all the manifestations of his glory in creation, in our own nature, and in his word? The denial of Gods justice is a proof of insensibility to sin; the rejection of Jesus Christ, of blindness to his moral loveliness. It is therefore, an important truth, that no serious religious error can exist, without a corresponding perversion or destruction of religious feelings.

To prevent misapprehension, it may be proper to remark that while it is asserted, that if a man's feelings be in a proper state, he will embrace and believe the truth as soon it is presented; it is freely admitted, that a man's opinions may be correct, and yet his moral character corrupt. But in this case, these opinions are merely nominal, they form no part of the intimate persuasion of his soul, and hence, are no expression of his character.

In support of the point we are considering, we might refer to the different systems of religion, throughout the world, and observe their correspondence with the peculiar character of the people who embrace them. The contemplative and effeminate systems of Eastern Asia; the mixture of loftiness and sensuality in the religion of Mohammed; the refinement, licentiousness and general disregard of principle in the theology of the Greeks; the more rigid features of the religion of the early Romans; or the sanguinary creed of the warlike nations of Northern Europe. Or we might refer to the characteristic traits of the various sects in christendom, and observe how the leading features of each are expressed in their peculiar opinions. Those in whom the imagination predominates, who have liveliness without depth of religi ous feeling and but little reflection, have a religion of pomp and splendid forms, of fasts and festivals and of easy means of satisfying the conscience. All those in whose systems the sovereignty of God, the helplessness and dependance of man, his depravity and solemn responsibility occupy the

leading parts; have been distinguished for severity, strictness, separation from the world, depth of feeling and fixedness of purpose: a strong determined character, whose tendency is to make the severer, prevail over the milder features of religion. The Armenian system is the natural expression, of feelings less strongly marked, of less reverence for God, less humiliating views of man, and in general of less prominence and depth of religious character. Those who have no inward necessity for the doctrines of the gospel, no apprehension of God's holiness, no fear of his justice, no adequate sense of sin, need no atoning Saviour, and no sanctifying Spirit, and thus easily satisfy themselves with the doctrines of natural religion. Another proof of this point is, that whenever a change occurs in the religious opinions of a community, it is always preceded by a change in their religious feelings. The natural expression of the feelings of true piety, is the doctrines of the Bible. As long as these feelings are retained, these doctrines will be retained; but should they be lost, the doctrines are either held for form sake or rejected, according to circumstances; and if the feelings be again called into life, the doctrines return as a matter of course. The proof of this remark must be sought in ccclesiastical history. Its truth can only be observed, however, where there is freedom of opinion; where the mind is left to assume its natural form, and adopt opinions, most congenial with its state. When every thing is fixed and immoveable, as in the Catholic church, there will, of course, be little change visible, whatever may actually take place beneath the unvarying surface. But in Protestant countries we see abundant evidence of the correctness of the remark. In Scotland, the doctrines of the church are retained only by those who retain the spirit of the framers of their confession. In Geneva the system of Calvin did not survive the spirit of its author. The same may be said of France, and all parts of Germany. In this latter country the truth of our remark is more observable, because more

violent changes have there occurred than in any other portion of christendom.

After the struggle against infidelity had been sustained in England, it passed over into France and thence into Ger. many. Here it achieved its greatest triumph. Christianity had well nigh ceased to be even the nominal religion of the land-men began to talk of the introduction of a new Bible-of the abolition of the clergy-and of the very form of the church. To this remarkable event, this distressing fall of so large and important a part of Protestant christendom, the eyes of all interested in religion have been naturally turned, and a general demand made, what could have been the cause of so general and lamentable a defection. Much has been written on this subject, and a thousand causes assigned, while the most obvious has been the least regarded. The simple fact is, that vital religion had been long declining. There seem to be certain cycles, through which almost every church, is more or less regularly passing. During one age, there are many revivals of religion, and a general prevalence of evangelical spirit and exertion; to this succeeds a period of coldness and declension; and to this, either a period of revival or of open departure from the faith. In Germany, at the period of the reformation, there was a general revival of religion; to this succeeded a period of cold orthodoxy brought about principally by perpetual controversy on unimportant subjects. This long period, was but partially interrupted by the revival under Franke and Spener. After which, things relapsed into their former course. The preaching of the gospel was so tiresome and controversial that it could produce little effect upon the people. Practical religion was no necessary requisite for admission into the ministry; and the clergy soon became as little distinguished for piety, as any other class of men. This being the case, their holding or rejecting the doctrines of the gospel, was a mere matter of circumstance. As long as their interest, or standing depended upon their nominal

faith, they retained it; but as soon as fashion and interest was on the side of rejecting it, they rejected it. Under Frederick the Great, infidelity became the fashion; no opprobrium was attached even to the clergy, declaring themselves superior to the opinions and prejudices of darker ages. They had lost their hold on the doctrines of the gospel and stood ready to be carried away by the first blast that blew.

The fact, that at this juncture, the philologians, Heyne and Wolf, gave a new spring to historical criticism, and commenced distinguishing on critical grounds, the genuine from the spurious parts of the ancient classics; led Semler and his school to follow the same course with regard the to Bible. And as they had no inward necessity for believing, their fancying, that they discovered critical grounds for the rejection of this or that book of scripture, or the whole, they renounced their faith in the word of God. New systems of philosophy now making their appearance, moulding religion into a hundred different shapes, completed the effect, of turning the already really unbelieving clergy and others, into the ranks of open infidelity. It was not until severe national and private afflictions began to turn the minds of all classes of men towards God, and awaken feelings which found no appropriate objects in the barren systems of philosophical religion, that men began to return to the doctrines of the Bible. And just in proportion as this revival of religion has advanced, has been the return to orthodoxy. Thus as irreligion preceded infidelity, the revival of religion has preceded a return to soundness of faith. It is this vital connexion between piety and truth, that is the great and solemn lesson, taught by the past and present state of the German churches.

This correspondence between opinion and character, is strikingly observable in the various religious parties in that section of the church. The leading parties, are the Orthodox, the Rationslists and the Pantheists. Wherever you find vital piety, that is, penitence, and a devotional spirit, there