The works of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D. in nine volumes (volume 1 of 9)Watts, Isaac
Religion
The works of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D. in nine volumes (volume 1 of 9)
Watts, Isaac
Dissenters, Religious -- England; Sermons, English -- 18th century; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
Mental light has no immediate or necessary dependance upon exterior
circumstances, nor can it be confined within the bounds of any
denomination, so like that glorious element its progress is
irresistible, and must be unbounded in its dominion. Here superstition
has no influence, bigotry has no power; and although we cannot
accurately pronounce the Shibboleth and Sibboleth of different parties,
we may yet unite our prayers and our zeal where, as the candidates for
eternal life, we are all one. As we often perceive in chemical
experiments that two things the most hostile by nature, and most averse
to unite, by the addition of a third become perfectly miscible, so by a
spirit of true piety and candour poured out upon both, we should see
conformists and non-conformists extend to each other the right hand of
fellowship and unite in every office of friendship and in all the
obligations of their religious characters. May the auspicious period
soon dawn when Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and when Judah shall not
vex Ephraim.
Let us no more contend, nor blame
Each other, blamed enough elsewhere, but strive,
In offices of love, how we may lighten
Each other’s burden in our share of woe[11].
“Such characters as Dr. Watts still live and flourish in our churches:
(I adopt the words of a late acute writer). It would be easy to give a
long list of names from the dawn of the reformation to this day: but I
sacrifice the pleasure of doing so to the modesty of my friends. This
however, I will venture to say, and _no man shall stop me of this
boasting_, we have in our churches now exact copies of our ancient
models. _The prophets, do they live for ever?_ Yes they do. _The
spirit of Elijah rests upon Elisha!_ The grave solidity of Cartwright
and Jacob seemed to reside in our Owens and Goodwins and Gills. The
vivacity of Watts and Bradbury and Earle lives in others, whom I dare
not name. The patient laborious Fox, the silver Bates, the melting
Baxter, the piercing Mead, the generous Williams, the instructive
Henry, the soft and candid Doddridge, Ridgley, and Gale, and Banyan
and Burgess, in all their variegated beauties yet flourish in our
pulpits exercising their different talents for mutual edification. We
have Barnabas the son of consolation, and Boanerges the thunderer,
still.—Ye servants of the Most High God, who shew unto us the way of
salvation! _Peace be within the walls of_ your churches, _and
prosperity within your_ dwelling-houses[12].”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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