SERMONS. I. THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE. ISAIAH xxxi. 3.-The Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit." [PREACHED AT CAMBRIDGE, APRIL 14, 1822, and at bristol IN AUGUST, 1824.] AMONG the sins to which the ancient Israelites were addicted, one of the most prevailing was, a disposition, in seasons of invasion or calamity, to place confidence in the power of surrounding nations, and to seek the assistance of their sovereigns instead of trusting in the living God. By this they frequently incurred divine chastisement, and in some instances even divine dereliction. Egypt, being the largest monarchy in their immediate neighbourhood, was frequently their refuge in times of distress and difficulty. Their guilt in thus departing from God was greatly aggravated, on account of the intimate relation to them which he sustained as their king and sovereign, by virtue * Printed from the Notes of Joshua Wilson, Esq. See Vol. V. pp. 7-13, for Mr. Hall's brief notes of the same sermon. of which he had engaged to protect them by his mighty power so long as they adhered to his service and allegiance; while the frequent manifestation of his uncontrollable dominion over the natural world, displayed in the signal deliverances he had wrought for them, rendered the transfer of their confidence from him to "an arm of flesh," equally criminal and foolish. "Woe to them," saith the prophet, "that "that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!"* Then in a strain of pointed irony he severely reproves their preference, by reminding them that God possessed those qualities of foresight and force, which justified entire dependence; and that whatever grounds for confidence they fancied to exist in the character of the Egyptian potentate, were found in a degree infinitely greater in that of the Almighty "Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: (alluding to the conduct of Pharaoh, who had often broken the promises and violated the engagements he had made) but will arise against the house of the evil-doers, and against the help of them that work iniquity." He will not only arise against the workers of iniquity, but against their helpers also; and will cause them all to fail together; "for the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit." *Isaiah xxxi. 1. In these words we are reminded of an important and infinite disparity between God and man; arising from a great peculiarity in the character of the former, which rendered the Egyptian monarch and his cavalry infinitely inferior to Him in power, and all those other qualities which entitle the possessor of them to confidence and trust. It is my design to suggest to you some of those views of the character of the Supreme Being, inseparably connected with the spirituality of his nature, wherein he stands contrasted with all other beings whatever. I. The spirituality of the Deity is intimately connected with the possession of that infinite unlimited power, which renders him the proper object of entire confidence. There is a vulgar prejudice in favour of matter and against spirit, as if the former were possessed of great force, while the latter is only invested with a feeble degree of energy. Hence, in contemplating the operations of the elements of nature producing great and important changes, we are apt to think of matter, and of matter in its most gross and palpable form. This prejudice arises from our mistaking secondary and remote effects for causes, allowing them therefore to terminate our view, instead of ascending from those laws of nature which God has established, to himself the supreme cause. These changes certainly indicate the existence of great power, which, at the first view, we are apt to connect with the material part of the system. We are also acquainted in a measure with the mechanical forces, and, seeing that these are exerted through the medium of matter, we are thence led to suppose that to be the source of power. We find that we are incapable of operating on matter, of moving even an atom by a mere act of our will; a material medium is necessary to enable us to produce the slightest change on the objects of nature; and if a material substance is brought to bear upon them, the most important effects are produced. We have no power of operating on the objects immediately around us, but by means of our bodies; and the changes that take place are always connected with certain motions in them, which enable us to come into contact with the visible world. Hence we are apt to terminate our ideas of power in matter. But in these cases it is mind, and mind alone which is the seat of power. The influence which our bodies have upon other bodies, whereby their relative position is changed, is merely a secondary effect-an effect of that act of will which produces the motion of our bodies. The power by which all changes are effected through the instrumentality of the body, resides immediately in the mind. It is that mysterious principle, called Will, which the Divine Being has invested with a control over the various parts of our bodies; nor have we power to alter the state of a single external thing, in the least degree, except by means of volition, which is a mental power, operating immediately upon the body. No other account can be given of this capacity, but that the Divine Being has endowed us with |