The Works of the REV. William Jay, of Argyle Chapel, Bath, Vol. 3 of 3: Comprising Matter Not Heretofore Presented to the American Public (Classic Reprint) by William Jay (Paperback / softback, 2015)
Excerpt from The Works of the Rev. William Jay, of Argyle Chapel, Bath, Vol. 3 of 3: Comprising Matter Not Heretofore Presented to the American Public Mistakes concerning the number of the righteous. Wot ye t what the Scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel; saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have t bowed the knee to the image of Baal. - Romans xi. 2-4. Who can understand his errors? How numerous, how various, how opposite to each other, are the mistakes of mankind! The lives and the language of many seem to imply a fall persuasion, that there is very little evil in sin - that the difficulties of religion are by means great - that it is an easy thing to be a Christian - that if there be a hell, few are wicked eugh to be turned into it - and that the generality of our fellow-creatures are in a fair way for heaven. This persuasion is as false as it is fatal. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. It is possible, however, to fall into ather extreme, and to draw an unwarrantable conclusion respecting the decline of religion, and the fewness of its adherents. And even wise men, and good men, are liable to this. Wot ye t what the Scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel; saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him 1 I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have t bowed the knee to the image of Baal. We are going, then, to examine the opinion that reduces the number of the righteous. We shall lay open the various sources from which it proceeds; and by discovering the cause, we shall prescribe the cure. Sometimes we draw the conclusion from The Peculiar State Of Our Own Minds. By the indisposition of the body, or the depression of the animal spirits, our minds are soon affected; and we become sad, gloomy, peevish, and suspicious. In this situation our minds are unhinged, and easily receive a falling motion - we are more alive to the influence of fear than hope - the darker the intelligence, the more credible - one direction is given to every occurrence - and the invariable inference is, all these things are against me. And such seems to have been the condition of Elijah. His language be trays severity, petulancy, and despair. Sometimes we are led to this reflection, By Observing Multiplied Instances Of False Profession. These are to be seen in every period of the Church. Our own age abounds with them. Some of these unhappy characters excite our surprise, as well as our sorrow. They promised fair - they did many wonderful things - for awhile they bore cheerfully the reproach of the cross - they passed us on the road, and reproved the sluggishness of our steps. By-and-by we met them on their return, laughing at that which once made them tremble, and loathing that which was once esteemed by them like life from the dead. Our entreaties were despised - as far as the eye could reach we watched them with tears and alarm - sat down discouraged because of the way, and said in our haste, All men are liars. - Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye t in Any brother: for Every brother will utterly supplant, and Every neighbour will walk with slanders. But it was in our haste we said this - it was a rash conclusion. What! because there is counterfeit coin, is there genuine gold? Were all the disciples false, because one of them was a devil? They went out from us, but they w.
