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HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM.

The question at once arises, How are we to deal with such men? Are we, if we had the power, to exterminate them? hand them over to the Inquisition? destroy them from the face of the earth? No, surely, this is not the way that Christians deal with their adversaries. We must pray for them-remonstrate with them-intreat them-point out the tremendous evils which they may be the means of causing-place before them all the high and holy Christian motives which might induce them to pause in their suicidal and destructive course.

One thing we must not do, that is, flatter them -compliment them on their cleverness-admit for a moment that they have a grain of truth on their side, when they oppose the Gospel. With the Word of GOD in our hands we must contend resolutely against their assaults and give no quarter or countenance to their opinions.

P.S.-I am quite aware that the foregoing statements will be thought by some to be uncharitable, narrow, bigoted, and all that sort of thing. That is the way in which unbelievers meet what they cannot answer-and good men are too often deceived by it. But the very object of my writing is to show that those who uphold the truth must disregard such idle aspersions, and speak out plainly. Our forefathers, who com

reserve.

BARROW ON INFIDELITY.

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bated infidelity in former generations, were not so mealy-mouthed-but spoke the truth without The following are some extracts from a sermon by Barrow-" the mighty Barrow," as he has been called from the great vigour of his intellect on the text, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief." (Vol. iv. Serm. i.)

...

"If the causes of all the sin, and all the mischief in the world were carefully sought, we should find the chief of all to be infidelity. . . . That infidelity is a sinful distemper of the heart appeareth by divers express testimonies of Scripture, and by many good reasons grounded thereon

The sinfulness of infidelity will appear more fully by considering its nature and ingredients, its causes, its properties and adjuncts, its effects and consequences.

"I. In its nature it doth involve an affected blindness and ignorance of the noblest, and most useful truths; a bad use of reason; a most culpable imprudence, disregard of God's providence, or despite thereto; abuse of His grace; bad opinions of Him, and bad affections towards Him. GOD in His exceeding goodness and kindness to mankind hath proposed a doctrine, in itself faithful and worthy of all acceptation, containing most excellent truths, instructive of our mind, and directive of our practice toward the attainment of

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BARROW ON INFIDELITY:

salvation and eternal felicity; special overtures of mercy and grace most needful to us in our state of sinful guilt, of weakness, of wretchedness; high encouragements, and rich promises of reward for obedience; such a doctrine, with all its benefits infidelity doth reject, defeating the counsel of GOD, crossing His earnest desires of our welfare, despising His goodness and patience.

"To this doctrine God hath yielded manifold clear attestations, declaring it to proceed from Himself. . . . but all these testimonies infidelity slighteth, not fearing to give the author the lie; which wicked boldness S. John chargeth on it ; He, saith the Apostle, that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the testimony that God gave of His Son.

"Many plain arguments, sufficient to convince our minds, and win our belief, GOD hath furnished; the dictates of natural conscience, the testimony of experience, the records of history, the consent of the best and wisest men, do all conspire to prove the truth, to recommend the usefulness of this doctrine; but infidelity will not regard, will not weigh, will not yield to

reason.

"GOD by His grace doth shine upon our hearts, doth attract our wills to compliance with His will, doth excite our affection to relish His truth: but infidelity doth resist His Spirit, doth quench the

ITS NATURE AND CAUSES.

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heavenly light, doth smother all His suggestions and motions of divine grace within us.

"What GOD asserteth, infidelity denieth, questioning His veracity; what GOD commandeth, infidelity doth not approve, contesting His wisdom; what God promiseth, infidelity will not confide in, distrusting His fidelity or His power: such is its behaviour (so injurious, so rude, so foolish) towards GOD and His truth; this briefly is its nature, manifestly involving great pravity, iniquity, and impiety.

"II. The causes and sources from whence it springeth (touched in Scripture and obvious to experience) are those which follow.

"It commonly doth proceed from negligence, drowsy inobservance and carelessness; when men being possessed with a spirit of slumber, or being amused with secular entertainments, do not mind the concerns of their soul or regard the means by God's merciful care presented for their conversion

. . . Another source of infidelity is sloth, which indisposeth men to undergo the fatigue of seriously attending to the doctrine propounded, of examining its grounds, of weighing the reasons inducing to believe . . . . Infidelity doth arise from stupidity or dulness of apprehension

contracted by voluntary indisposition and defects; a stupidity rising from mists of prejudice, from steam of lust and passions, from rust grown on

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the mind by want of exercising it in observing and comparing things; when men cannot apprehend the clearest notions plainly represented to them: nor discern the force of argument however evident and cogent: but are like those wizards in Job, who meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noon day, as in the night

"Another cause of infidelity is a bad judgment, corrupted with prejudicate notions, and partial inclination to falsehood. Another source of infidelity is perverseness of will, which hindereth men from entertaining notions disagreeable to their fond and froward humour . . . . The will of some men is an impregnable bulwark against all batteries of discourse; they are so invincibly stubborn, as to hold out against the clearest evidence and mightiest force of reason; if they do not like what you say, if it cross any humour of theirs, be it clear as day, be it firm as adamant, they will not admit it; you shall not persuade them, though you do persuade them. Such was the temper of the Jews, whom S. Stephen therefore calleth a stiffnecked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, who, although they did hear the most winning discourse that ever was uttered, although they saw the most admirable works that ever were performed, yet would they not yield to the doctrine; the mean garb of the persons teaching it, the spirituality of its de