EXTRACT 11.

Preaching an Appointed means.

"Wait for this Pilot; for it was not any more necessary for the followers of Jesus to wait, than it is for every individual now present, or under heaven. It is as much our duty now, and the language will apply as much to us as it did to them.— Tarry at Jerusalem till ye receive power from on high.'-We have no outward Jerusalem to wait in, and there is no need of it; but we are to wait at Jerusalem,-a place of quiet,—with a willingness on our part to know redemption effected in us. We are not to expect it through HEARING PREACHING, or running after ministers, or what not; for we shall find that it has all been insufficient to do the work for us."

pp. 31, 32.

Is not the PREACHING OF THE WORD, or GOSPEL, A very principal means appointed by God, for the salvation of man?

What saith the SPIRIT through the Scripture?

In the first quotation following, the reader will notice the words, "it pleased God." In these words is a full answer to the puny wisdom of man, which sets itself up to point out ways MORE WORTHY OF GOD than those which his infinite wisdom has appointed, for communicating the knowledge of his salvation.

"After that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God,

IT

PLEASED GOD by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." 1 Cor. i. 21.

"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of

be preached in his name among all nations." Luke, xxiv. 47.

"Neither pray I for

"Peter said, Ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gen

whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they these alone, but for them be sent ? As it is writ-also which shall believe ten, How beautiful are the on me through their word,” feet of them that preach John, xvii. 20. the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!- -So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of tiles by my mouth should God." Rom. x. 13, 15, 17. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Mark, xvi. 15, 16.

"That repentance and remission of sins should

hear the word of the Gospel, and believe." Acts, xv. 7.

"An angel-said unto him, [Cornelius] Send-for Simon, whose surname is Peter; who shall tell thee wORDS, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved." Acts, xi. 13, 14.

Words whereby thou shalt be saved.-Pause here, and consider this remarkable case at large, as it is related in the New Testament. To the subject immediately before us, it is very important. Observe the character of Cornelius-the divine testimony concerning him-the import of the words of the Angel, as to the necessity of his having the outward knowledge of the Gospel, in order to his salvation. Observe particularly that the Angel did not communicate this knowledge to him; neither did the HOLY SPIRIT communicate it, (i. e. immediately) though undoubtedly he could have done so, but a man must do

it. Cornelius must send for Peter, and he must tell him the words whereby he should be saved: Peter is prepared by divine interposition; and is sent by the SPIRIT to Cornelius, to communicate the word of life. and salvation.

Now let the reader deliberately and seriously consider and determine the question. Whether for nearly eighteen hundred years since the days of the Apostles; among all the nations of the earth, there has been a single well authenticated instance of a people being converted to Christianity, or bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit, who have not previously been made acquainted with the Scripture revelation? And if at this day, when through missionary efforts, our knowledge of heathen nations is so vastly extended, history furnishes not one such instance; then let him determine what ground there is for hesitation in coming to the conclusion, that, it is the appointment of Infinite wisdom, that by the revelation of the Holy Spirit which we have in Scripture, (communicated either directly or remotely,) mankind shall be brought to the knowledge of the truth.

"Moreover,

AGAIN.

brethren, also received, how that
Christ died for our sins
according to the Scrip-
tures; and that he was
buried, and that he rose
again the third day ac-
cording to the Scriptures.”

I declare unto you the
Gospel which I preached
unto you, which also ye
have received, and where-
in ye stand; by which
also ye are saved, if ye
keep in memory what 11 Cor. xv. 1-4.
preached unto you, unless

66

Many of the Corin

ye have believed in vain.thians, HEARING believed, For I delivered unto you and were baptized." Acts, first of all that which xviii. 8.

"Take heed unto thy-fering and doctrine. self, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." 1 Tim. iv. 16.

"Preach the word ;*. exhort with all long suf

For

the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine ;-they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Tim. iv. 2-4.

* Preach the Word.-Observe this passage is in immediate connection with the testimony, that all Scripture is given by inspiration; but by the division of the chapters much of its force is lost.

66

AGAIN.

They please not God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved."* Thess. ii. 15, 16.

and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which

was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, [God] hath in due and by the Scriptures of times manifested his word the prophets, according to through preaching, which the commandment of the is committed unto me, everlasting God, made according to the com-known to all nations for mandment of God our the obedience of faith: Saviour." Titus. i. 3. to God only wise, be "Now to him that is glory through Jesus Christ of power to stablish you for ever. Amen." Rom. according to my Gospel xvi. 25-27.

* Saved.-Observe the strong language of the HOLY SPIRIT, in this and other instances, with regard to the importance of the knowledge of the Gospel being communicated by outward means.

EXTRACT III.

Authority of Scripture.

"It is through this Comforter that all our knowledge of God must come; and all that ever was, among rational beings under heaven, came through this medium, and none other.- But by our believing that we can help ourselves to heaven by the aid of the Scriptures, A MERE WRITTEN BOOK, at the same time that we understand it so diversely, sets us to warring and quarrelling. Has not this been long enough the case for every rational being to be instructed and to see, that instead of its being a sufficient rule of faith and practice, it is the reverse, for while it is depended on as such, it hinders from coming to the truth. The Scriptures never told us that they were a sufficient rule; but they recommend us to that from which they themselves had their origin,-the Spirit of truth." p. 37.

"THE SCRIPTURES A MERE WRITTEN BOOK." This is the common method of endeavouring to get rid of the authority of the Holy Scriptures. But what does it signify whether a message be conveyed to us by words written in a book, or by words orally delivered; if we receive the ideas which God wills we should. receive, this is surely what is designed. But if instead of receiving these ideas, we despise the method which God has been pleased to appoint for their communication to us, we must necessarily be left to the miseries of unbelief. Or, if we unhappily flatter ourselves, that we have the knowledge of the will of God, independently of the written revelation by which it has pleased him to convey it, we lay ourselves open to the delusion of the Devil; who, in the guise of an angel of light, may then readily prevail upon