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safety, or present interest. Or, If we believe there is a divine law binding upon us by the authority of God, but entertain grossly wrong ideas of its tenor and import-if we think it requires only external actions, but has no regard to the temper and exercises of the heart; we shall naturally think we keep it, if our external actions are such as we suppose it requires, whatever be the disposition and exercises of our hearts: and therefore, if the law doth really regard the heart, and that primarily and chiefly, we shall think we keep it, when we yield no true obedience, and feel ourselves free from obligation to that which is principally regarded and required by it.

if the law of God doth now require perfect holiness in heart and life, on pain of the curse; we are condemned by it for every imperfection for every failure of perfect obedience or of perfect holiness in thought, word and deed, and have no way to escape the curse, but of mere grace through the atonement made by the blood of Christ,—— Hence, it evidently appears to be of great importance to us, to understand and believe sound doctrine, the real truth, with respect to the nature of virtue and vice, sin and holiness, and to the real tenor, import and extent of the divine law.

3. The same truth may also appear, if we consider how differently we shall naturally feel and act, according to the dif ferent ideas which we entertain of our own character and state, or of the character and state of mankind.

So likewise, if we think the divine law, in requiring us to love our neighbors as ourselves, means only that we shall love our friends and those who love us, but hate our enemies, when If we verily believe, that we in truth it requires us to love our are in a fallen, guilty state, dead enemies, to bless them that curse in sin, and under a righteous us, and to do good to them that sentence of condemnation, and hate us; we shall naturally think that there is no way of deliverwe keep it when we live in the ance and salvation for us, except habitual, allowed transgression of of the free and sovereign grace it. Or if we think the divine of God, through the mediation law, as in force with respect to and merits of Jesus Christ; mankind in their fallen, impo- this view and belief will naturtent, depraved state, requires ally tend to make us feel that our only such sincere, imperfect obe-present condition is awfully dandience, as we are now in all re-gerous and threatening, and not. spects able to perform; then, in to be rested in-that we are lost case we think we perform this sincere, imperfect obedience, we shall naturally conclude that we do as much as the divine law doth or can reasonably require of us in our present circumstances; and accordingly feel as though we were justified in the sight of God on the ground of our own obedience. Whereas,

for ever, without the interposition of divine power and grace for our recovery; that this is of infinite importance to us; and it will accordingly tend to excite us to inquire and seck or cry for mercy, with great earnestness. Whereas, if such as now mentioned be our real character and state; and we, nevertheless,

&c.

think that we are not in a fallen, I ture, or assumed a human body, guilty, condemned state, to be sure, that we are not totally depraved, but have, at least, some remains of moral goodness, and are capable of securing the divine favor and our own happiness; we shall accordingly feel, and be likely to act, as though our danger was comparatively small, when, in truth, it is ex-mined in his own mind, which ceedingly great.

A third opinion is, that he is a mere man, and had no existence before his conception by Mary; and that he died, not as a substitute for sinners, to make atonement or satisfaction for their sins, but as a martyr, &c.

If a man is utterly undeter

of these opinions is true; he must feel himself greatly embarrassed, as to the respect and homage which he may and ought to render to Christ.

If we verily believe that Jesus Christ is a divine person and really by nature God, we shall feel ourselves obliged, and be naturally led, to pay him the

homage, due to God; which, in case he is a mere creature, would be idolatry. But if we think he is a mere created being, however great, or a merè man, we shall not dare to ren

4. The vast importance of sound doctrine may further appear, from a view of the embarrassment and pernicious consequences, naturally resulting from ignorance of the truth, or holding essentially wrong opinions, concerning the person and character of Jesus Christ. Among the professed believ-respect and render to him the ers of the New-Testament, there have been, and still are, more especially, three materially different opinions concerning the real character of Jesus Christ. One is, that he is by nature God, the second of three divine per-der to him-we shall deny and sons in the Godhead; and that withhold from him, the rehe assumed the nature of man spect and worship due to God; into personal union with his which, in case he is truly God, divine nature, so that he is both we ought to render to him.→ God and man in two distinct na- Moreover, If we think, with the tures and but one person. This Socinians, that Christ is a mere is called the orthodox opinion man, and died, not as a substior faith. tute for sinners to atone for their Another opinion is, that Christ sins, but only as a martyr, to is not by nature God, though seal with his blood the truth of vastly superior to any mere man his doctrine, and to set us an ex-that his superior nature was ample of patient suffering for as really created by God, as righteousness' sake; we shall any other creature-that he is place no dependence on and have the first and by far the greatest no regard to his death as an atonecreature which God ever made, ment for our sins; but shall enand taken into some peculiar re-deavor to establish our own rightlation to or union with God, eousness, as the only ground of though not a strict, personal un- justification and a title to eterion; and that he in time be-nal life; and thereby, if the orcame united to the human na- thodox opinion is true, exclude ourselves from any benefit by

Christ, considered as a Redeemer sent? Surely the opinion of one

or the other must be fundamentally and essentially erroneousnot merely different from, but directly opposed to and subversive of the real truth.

Is it not evidently of high and unspeakable importance to dependent creatures, and especially to fallen, guilty creatures, to know whether there be any way in which they may have acceptable access to God-any terms, on which they may have acceptance with him and if any,

and Saviour. For trusting in our own righteousness, repentance, virtue and obedience, as the ground and procuring cause of our acceptance with God, is evidently inconsistent with trusting 5. The great importance of in the righteousness of Christ as sound doctrine may also appear, the only foundation of our justifica- from a view of the perplexing tion. He who trusts in his own difficulties and pernicious conrighteousness to intitle him to sequences attending ΟΙ nathe favor of God, does by that turally following from ignorance very act reject the righteousness of the truth, and essentially erof Christ, and must fail of accep-roneous opinions, respecting the tance, if his own righteousness way and terms of acceptance proves insufficient. So an in- with God. spired apostle appears to have taught."Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fal-what they are? len from grace." Gal. v. 2, 3, 4. How every way interesting and important, then, must it be to us, to understand and believe and embrace the truth, with respect to the person, character and mediation of Christ, as stat-God? "Shall I come before him ed and exhibited in the sound doctrine delivered by him and his apostles? Christ's words in John xvii. 3. plainly import, that eternal life consists in and is connected with the knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. But whilst two persons hold, opinions, concerning the person and character and work of Christ, so directly contrary to one another, and so mutually subversive the one of the other, as the orthodox and the Socini-ther it be posible, and if so, how, an, is it possible that both should or in what way, or by what have the true knowledge of God means, it is possible, that he and Jesus Christ, whom he hath may be pardoned and accepted

With what distressing anxiety and painful uncertainty, do the scriptures represent a guilty man inquiring, wherewith he shall come before the Lord, and bow himself before the high

with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ?" Micah vi. 6, 7

Certainly a creature, conscious and thoroughly convinced that he is a sinner, and as such deserving and exposed to the dreadful wrath of God, must be painfully solicitous to know whe

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of God. And if he is totally ig-
norant or utterly at a loss as to
what is the truth in this respect,
he must feel himself in a very
perplexed and painfully embar-
rassing situation.

believing as the church of Rome believes and conforming to its rites and ceremonies; whilst, in truth, these things imply a rejection of Christ and his righteousness, and are an abominaThe sound doctrine of the tion in the sight of God; it will gospel, well understood, would then be readily seen, that such at once relieve him from this persons are pleasing themselves painful embarrassment and per- with the hope of future happiplexing difficulty; and on thisness, whilst they are pursuing account, in this view, it of great the way which leads to death, importance that it should be and are in great danger of perclearly exhibited, and well un-ishing in their delusion.

derstood.

Or if any think the way to make sure of eternal life, is to believe firmly that they are already justified by the righteous

Again, If men are ever so well satisfied, that there is a way, in which they may be accepted of God and happy in the worldness of Christ, even before they to come, but entertain essentially repent that God is already wrong ideas and opinions about their reconciled God and Father, it, the consequence may be fa- who hath forgiven their sins and tally pernicious. If, like the promised them eternal life, and Pharisees and many of the Jews, under the influence of this be any think the only way of ob- lief, to rejoice in him and love taining acceptance with God and and praise and serve him; and eternal life, is by virtue of their | if at the same time, the truth is ówn obedience and good works, that no one is actually pardoned and accordingly, go about to es- and justified before he repents tablish their own righteousness; and believes in Christ; it is then whilst, in truth, this is impracti-evident, that all such persons cable, and the only way of sal- are in great danger of deceiving vation is by virtue of the atone- themselves by the belief of a ment and righteousness of lie. Christ, through faith in his Or if any think that Christ blood; it is easy to see, that hath actually purchased eterthey are in the utmost dangernal life for all mankind, and will of perishing for ever, whilst in fact, sooner or later, put all they view themselves as being into actual possession of it, in the sure way to everlasting whatever be their tempers and happiness. Or if any think the conduct during their abode on sure way to happiness is by the earth; they will of course masses, and prayers to saints believe themselves sure of eter and angels and the virgin Mary, nal happiness, though they live to intercede for them by auri- in sin, and continue impentitent cular confession and penances, to the last moment of their lives. and giving large sums to priests But if this be a mistake, and or to the church, to obtain abso- directly contrary to the truth of lution from their sins, and ex- the gospel, it will probably exmption or deliverance from prove a most pernicious mistake, the pains of purgatory, and by and, to them who retain it to the

last, issue in their most awful disappointment and utter ruin.

apt to indulge and justify themselves in gross enormities and These several cases, out of abominable iniquities. Witness the vast variety which might be the case of the Pagan nations, mentioned, are stated, as sam- as stated by Paul in Rom. i.ples, to show, that essentially erro- And where the gospel is, in a neous and false notions respect-measure promulgated, and a ing the way or terms of accept-general belief of it professed, ance with God, tend to and are they who do not carefully attend naturally productive of the to it, and understand and pay a most fatally pernicious conse- conscientious regard to its inquences; and thereby to illus-structions and precepts, appear trate the vast importance of a to think it warrantable, to inclear exhibition and right idea dulge to and do many things of the truth or sound doc- contrary to the plain tenor of its trine, with respect to the all-im-doctrines and commands; and portant article of the way or to live in the habitual neglect of terms of acceptance with God. many things which they ought Mistakes respecting this point to do, and which, according to are far more dangerous than the plain tenor of the scriptures, respecting many others. For if they are indispensibly bound to we essentially err and fail here, perform. Instances of this kind or ground our hopes on an es- may be seen in those who think sentially different foundation to it right and warrantable to renthe rejection of the true, and der evil for evil, in the way of persevere in the mistake, we are private or personal revenge-to lost for ever, however knowing hate and persecute their eneand orthodox we may be in ma- miesto settle disputes and seek by other points. What then satisfaction for insults and injucan be more important to man-ries, by duelling or other open kind, than a right understanding violence to take advantage of and belief of the sound doctrine, the weakness, wants, or ignothe pure and uncorrupted truth rance of others, to advance their of the gospel, respecting the on- own interests at others' expense ly way of acceptance with God? And what, of course, can be more important to be clearly and plainly preached ?-Once more,

6. Sound doctrine is of great importance, to assist us in judging what we may and ought to do, or to forbear and avoid.

Our own reason, depraved, selfish, and prejudiced, as we are, is a very imperfect and deceitful guide. Men, who form their opinions of what they may or ought to do or to forbear, independently of or without any assistance from the sound doctrine exhibited in the gospel, are VOL. VI. NO. 4.

to dissemble, and even to contradict the truth and utter falsehood, when it appears to them highly necessary for their own interest or safety to neglect the payment of their just debts, though in their power to pay them, and to violate their contracts and engagements, when it appears to them convenient and greatly conducive to their worldly interest-to neglect the support of the poor-to withhold or evade, as far as they can without greater pecuniary loss, the legally required contribu Ltions, for the support of govern

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