ADVERTISEMENT.

SOME of the Lectures in this volume were written, and first delivered in Dedham, Mass., while I was pastor of the first Congregational church in that place. Others were prepared in Middlebury, Vt., during the period of my connection with Middlebury College, and addressed to the students of that Institution. Others still, were written in the city of Washington, D. C., and delivered in the Hall of the House of Representatives, while I was acting as chaplain of the TwentySixth Congress of the United States, in the winter of 1839 and 1840.

They are now, in connection with two or three discourses, more recently prepared, committed to the press, by the request of particular friends, and with the hope, that they will be acceptable and useful to all who read them.

JOSHUA BATES.

DUDLEY, MARCH 20, 1846.

CONTENTS.

LECTURE I.

MAN IMMORTAL AND ACCOUNTABLE; a doctrine of Natural Religion,

confirmed by Revelation; opening a source of consolation for the afflicted,

prompting to holy action, and taking away, from the practical believer, the

fear of death,

Page 9

LECTURE II

IN TWO PARTS.

THE SCRIPTURES THE ONLY sure Guide OF LIFE; with remarks on the

manner of using them, so as to secure this guidance; or the insufficiency

of Instinct and Conscience and Reason, without the aid of Revelation, to

bring men to the knowledge of religious truth and the practice of virtue,

and thus to lead them to happiness and heaven,

LECTURE III.

29

CHRISTIAN FAITH THE FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER; a faith

implying confidence in the testimony of God concerning his Son, involving

a concurrence of the will and affections with the conviction of the under-

standing, furnishing a principle of holy obedience to divine authority, and

laying the only sure foundation for Christian character,

LECTURE IV.

53

CHRISTIAN COURAGE; or courage united with fortitude, under the influ-

ence of Christian principle, necessary to exalted Christian character; and

when thus united and directed productive of the highest happiness and the

most extended usefulness,

68

LECTURE V.

CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE; as distinguished from Christian faith and hu-

man learning; growing out of Christian experience and holy action; en-

larging the capacity for enjoyment and increasing the power of doing good;

and furnishing the only security against Bigotry and Fanaticism,

80

LECTURE VI

Temperance or Self-governmenT; under the influence of Christian

principle, restraining passion, guiding appetite and regulating all the affec-

tions of the soul,

94

LECTURE VII.

CHRISTIAN PATIENCE; as opposed to a peevish, restless, insubmissive

spirit; as distinguished from Stoical insensibility; and as comprehending

all that is implied in the terms contentment, meekness, and submission to

the will of God,

. 111

LECTURE VIII.

CHRISTIAN PIETY, OR GODLINESS; implying the reverential fear of God,

connected with supreme love to him, as it exists in a heart renewed by di-

vine grace; together with appropriate, verbal expressions of these high

and holy sentiments; and a correspondent course of conduct, in all the re-

lations and duties of life,

124

LECTURE IX.

BROTHERLY KINDNESS OR BROTHERLY LOVE; a holy affinity, or that

modification of Christian charity, which embraces, with peculiar tenderness

of affection, those who bear the image of Christ; and regards them not

only with good-will, but with complacency, as members of the "household

of faith,"

138

LECTURE X.

CHRISTIAN CHARITY OR BENEVOLENCE; a universal principle of good-

will; embracing all mankind; wishing well to all, friends and foes, coun-

trymen and foreigners, Jews and Gentiles; and doing good to all as far as

its power extends, and as often as opportunity for action is presented, 150

LECTURE XI.

SYMMETRY OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER; the union of all the Christian

graces and virtues in a consistent, finished Christian character; with an at-

tempt to furnish a discriminating view of those traits, which are necessary

to constitute such a character; distinguished from those, which are occa-

sionally developed and called into exercise, and which, when thus devel-

oped and exercised, are always subservient to the completeness and eleva-

tion of character and happiness,
167

LECTURE XII.

CHRISTIAN DILIGENCE; or the agency and activity of man in forming a

Christian character, and in securing salvation; in connection with depen-

dence on divine mercy and grace,

LECTURE XIII.

179

CHRISTIAN DEVOTION OR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP; an answer to the in-

quiry, what constitutes acceptable worship, under the Christian dispensa-

tion; with incidental remarks on Forms of worship and Ecclesiastical or-

ganizations,

191

LECTURE XIV.

CHRISTIAN COURTESY; or "benevolence in little things" with remarks

on the laws of honor; and with an admonition for duelists,

207

LECTURE XV.

CHRISTIANITY A RELIGION OF PEACE; with answers to the objections,

which infidelity has founded on the hypocrisy of some who bear the Chris-

tian name, while they are destitute of its spirit; on the imperfection of

others, whose minds are but partially enlightened by its heavenly rays;

and especially, on the existence of public wars among nations, nominally

Christian,
227

LECTURE XVI.

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY CONTRASTED WITH SPIRITUAL BONDAGE; or the

bondage of the covetous, of the ambitious, of the pleasure-seeking, of all

impenitent sinners, compared with the freedom of those who are made free

by Christ, and brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God,

LECTURE XVII.

244

BARNABAS A GOOD MAN; or the characteristics of a good man, accord-

ing to the decisions of Inspiration; exhibited in contrast with the charac-

ters of those, who are often denominated "good" by an indiscriminating

and misjudging world,

262

LECTURE XVIII.

CHRISTIAN PATRIOTISM; a modification of Christian benevolence; a dis-

course, delivered soon after the death of William Henry Harrison, President

of the United States,

278

LECTURE XIX.

IN TWO PARTS.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A CHRISTIAN CITIZEN; or the duty of prayer for

civil rulers inculcated; with remarks on the course of conduct, necessary

to sincerity in this kind of prayer, and to exhibit the distinguishing charac-

teristics of a consistent Christian citizen of these United States and of this

Commonwealth,
300

LECTURE XX.

KESPONSIBILITIES OF EDUCATED YOUNG MEN; with reference to the pe-

culiar characteristics of the age and country, in which we live: or the pro-

per improvement and right application of talents and learning,

LECTURE XXI.

327

MORAL EDUCATION; or the importance and proper mode of developing
and cultivating the moral powers of children and youth; giving such exer-